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7 November 2024
Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Timothy Jarrett Brown, 43, of Charleston, was sentenced today to two years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 24, 2023, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of 2011 Mercedes C300 driven by Brown in the Jefferson area of Kanawha County. During the traffic stop, a police K-9 alerted to the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed a small amount of methamphetamine in Brown’s person, a Smith & Wesson model SW40VE .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol hidden in the electrical compartment of the vehicle’s trunk, and quantities of 9mm ammunition in the vehicle. Brown told officers he possessed the firearm for protection.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Brown knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, heroin, in Kanawha County Circuit Court on January 31, 2020.
On August 19, 2023, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of Brown while he was driving his Mercedes in St. Albans. Officers searched the vehicle and found a Kahr Arms CM9 9-millimeter pistol hidden in the engine block. A female passenger in the vehicle told officers that Brown asked her to say the pistol belonged to her.
Brown has a long criminal history that also includes prior convictions for indecent liberties with a child, battery, domestic battery, violation of a protective order, failure to register as a sex offender, criminal possession of a firearm, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance-heroin, and theft.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the St. Albans Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-203.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Charles Eugene Moore, 37, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 22, 2022, Moore sold approximately 28 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl and caffeine to a confidential informant in Charleston. Moore admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling approximately 17 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl and xylazine, a powerful veterinary sedative also known “Tranq,” to a confidential informant in Charleston on April 15, 2022. At the time of these offenses, Moore was on parole following his conviction for second-degree murder in Kanawha County Circuit Court on May 5, 2008.
Moore is scheduled to be sentenced on January 30, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-109.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Charles Eugene Moore, 37, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 22, 2022, Moore sold approximately 28 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl and caffeine to a confidential informant in Charleston. Moore admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling approximately 17 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl and xylazine, a powerful veterinary sedative also known “Tranq,” to a confidential informant in Charleston on April 15, 2022. At the time of these offenses, Moore was on parole following his conviction for second-degree murder in Kanawha County Circuit Court on May 5, 2008.
Moore is scheduled to be sentenced on January 30, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-109.
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Butte meth trafficker sentenced to 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Butte woman who admitted distributing methamphetamine after being arrested multiple times and found to be in possession of the drug, large amounts of cash and firearms was sentenced today to 10 years and one month in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Jeri Angeline Phillips, 36, pleaded guilty in July to possession with intent to distribute meth.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
“Phillips is responsible for flooding Butte with a staggering amount of meth and routinely possessed firearms while trafficking drugs. As part of our case, she is forfeiting her cash, drugs, and guns. It’s appropriate and necessary that her freedom was forfeited, too,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
The government alleged that between October 2021 and March 2023, officers working with the Drug Enforcement Administration stopped Phillips on three separate occasions and seized a total of approximately $58,000 in cash and distribution quantities of meth. In addition, law enforcement seized a total of five firearms from Phillips’ vehicle and her residence. On one of the occasions, law enforcement observed Phillips distribute meth to a customer in Rocker. When law enforcement stopped Phillips’ vehicle, they located about 85 grams of meth, approximately $37,000 cash and a handgun in her purse and a digital scale in the trunk. A witness reported Phillips intended to use the cash to purchase approximately 17 pounds of meth in Washington. Law enforcement monitoring Phillips learned that during this period, Phillips had made multiple trips out of state to resupply her drug distribution cache. The government attributed approximately 11.8 kilograms, or nearly 25 pounds and about 94,079 doses, of meth to Phillips.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The DEA, Montana Highway Patrol and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
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Businessman Pleads Guilty to Export, Tax Charges in Connection with Shipments of Other Sensitive Technology to RussiaRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Ilya Kahn, a national of the United States, Israel and Russia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act for his role in a transnational, multi-million-dollar scheme to secure and illegally export dual-use semiconductors and other sensitive technology to Joint Stock Company Research and Development Center ELVEES (Elvees) and other entities in Russia. Elvees, one of the leading Russian developers of microchips, was sanctioned by the U.S. government in 2022 for contributing to Russia’s security services, military and defense sectors. Kahn also pleaded guilty to attempted tax evasion for failing to pay taxes on the illicit income he earned from the scheme. Kahn was arrested in January 2024.
The guilty pleas took place before United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly. When sentenced, Khan faces up to 20 years in prison.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s National Security Division, James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Jonathan Carson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement, Bureau of Industry and Security, New York Field Office, and Thomas M. Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI), announced the plea.
“Semiconductors and other advanced electronics are the lifeblood of Russia’s war machine, and Kahn’s circumvention of U.S. export controls was critical to Russia’s chip design and manufacturing capacity,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s plea marks a significant step in protecting the national security of the U.S. and our allies and partners abroad. We will continue to use all our law enforcement and national security tools to hold individuals and corporations accountable for flouting the law to aid sanctioned entities in Russia and elsewhere.”
Mr. Peace extended his appreciation to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office for their assistance in this case.
“Today’s guilty plea is another step towards stopping the illicit flow of technology to support the Russian war machine,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the National Security Division. “The Department will continue to do all that we can to disrupt the illegal export of sensitive dual-use electronics to our adversaries and protect our national security.”
“By operating front companies to illegally export dual-use semiconductors and other sensitive technology, Illya Kahn aided a hostile nation at the expense of the security of our nation. The FBI and our partners will continue to ensure individuals attempting to evade national security sanctions are held accountable in the criminal justice system,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy.
“Working with our law enforcement colleagues, the Office of Export Enforcement will continue to investigate and dismantle sophisticated illegal procurement schemes that supply Russia’s war effort,’ said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Carson. “Today’s guilty plea should serve as another reminder that we will not tolerate violations of the sanctions imposed on Russia since the invasion of Ukraine.”
“Khan aided Russian military and intelligence agencies by conspiring to unlawfully transfer sensitive technology to Russia, even after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Further, he pocketed millions in this scheme, but just like Al Capone, Kahn needed to pay tax to the U.S. government on his ill-gotten gains. This guilty plea means Kahn can no longer aid a foreign government for profit, and he is sure to give much of that money back in forfeiture and what he owes in taxes. Yes, criminals must pay taxes, even on dirty money,” said Thomas M. Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-CI New York.
Kahn is the owner of Senesys Incorporated and Sensor Design Association, which operated in California and Brooklyn, New York. Kahn operated these businesses — ostensibly involved in “security software development” and the testing of silicon wafers for military, avionics and space users — as fronts for a years’ long conspiracy to acquire and export sensitive and sophisticated dual-use electronics from the United States to Elvees in Russia. Many of these items required an export license for national security and anti-terrorism reasons, which Kahn did not obtain.
Kahn also arranged for Elvees to continue to fabricate and import semiconductors after Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. These semiconductors can be used for, among other things, communications systems, GPS receivers and equipment for military unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones. In doing so, Kahn utilized a transnational network of front companies and bank accounts to ship those semiconductors to Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, often arranging for the semiconductors to be sent to the U.S. and then re-exported to Russia via China and other locations around the world.
In March 2022, the Commerce Department added Elvees to the Entity List, imposing a license requirement to export any item subject to the Export Administration Regulations to Elvees, and stating that it would review license applications under a policy of denial. Despite these sanctions, Kahn continued to work with Elvees. For example, in May 2022, Kahn emailed a Taiwanese manufacturer design guidance for an Elvees-branded microchip. Subsequently, Kahn shipped thousands of units of this microchip to a Hong Kong-based shipping company, and then to a company located in the mainland of the People’s Republic of China. Kahn noted in communications with the Hong Kong shipping company that he received a “call from Russia” about the PRC business to which he was directing the goods.
Kahn’s export activity for the benefit of Elvees dates to at least 2012, and accounts under his control received more than $50 million from Elvees and related entities between 2012 and 2022. Of that money, Kahn channeled nearly $5 million for his personal use, which he did not report to the IRS and on which he did not pay income taxes. As part of his plea, Kahn agreed to forfeit $4,923,548.94 in ill-gotten gains and to pay an additional $1,892,816.00 in restitution to the IRS.
Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force and the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Artie McConnell and Matthew Skurnik are in charge of the prosecution, along with Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, with assistance from Litigation Analysts Emma Tavangari and Mary Clare McMahon. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Mantell of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.
The Defendant:
ILYA KAHN
Age: 66
Israel; Brooklyn, New York; Los Angeles, CaliforniaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-56 (S-1) (AMD)
Businessman Pleads Guilty to Export and Tax Charges in Connection with Shipments of Sensitive Technology to RussiaRead the Press Release
Ilya Khan, 66, a national of the United States, Israel, and Russia, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act for his role in a transnational, multi-million-dollar scheme to secure and illegally export dual-use semiconductors and other sensitive technology to Joint Stock Company Research and Development Center ELVEES (Elvees) and other entities in Russia. Elvees, one of the leading Russian developers of microchips, was sanctioned by the U.S. government in 2022 for contributing to Russia’s security services, military, and defense sectors. Kahn also pleaded guilty to attempted tax evasion for failing to pay taxes on the illicit income he earned from the scheme.
“Today’s guilty plea is another step towards stopping the illicit flow of technology to support the Russian war machine,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The department will continue to do all that we can to disrupt the illegal export of sensitive dual-use electronics to our adversaries and protect our national security.”
“Kahn’s brazen, multi-million dollar scheme to illegally supply semiconductors to companies tied to Russia’s intelligence service and military was doomed to fail, due to the exemplary investigative work of U.S. law enforcement,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). “The Department of Commerce and our partners remain laser-focused on disrupting the illicit procurement networks used to acquire the technology needed to power the Russian war machine.”
“The illegal export of goods and technology to Russia is a threat to U.S. economic and national security,” said Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “Whether it’s commercial goods or military-use technology, illegal exports have the potential to cause significant harm. Ilya Khan’s conviction demonstrates the resolve of the FBI and its partners to protect our citizens and our country.”
“Semiconductors and other advanced electronics are the lifeblood of Russia’s war machine, and Kahn’s circumvention of U.S. export controls was critical to Russia’s chip design and manufacturing capacity,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “Today’s plea marks a significant step in protecting the national security of the U.S. and our allies and partners abroad. We will continue to use all our law enforcement and national security tools to hold individuals and corporations accountable for flouting the law to aid sanctioned entities in Russia and elsewhere.”
“Kahn’s multi-million dollar business threatened the national and financial security of our country,” said Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “In addition to illegally exporting sensitive technology to entities in Russia, he circumvented our tax laws by not reporting his income or paying taxes on his ill-gotten gains. Uncovering financial crimes, especially those that look to weaken the stability of our country will continue to be a priority for our agency.”
Kahn is the owner of Senesys Incorporated and Sensor Design Association, which operated in California and Brooklyn, New York. Kahn operated these businesses — ostensibly involved in “security software development” and the testing of silicon wafers for military, avionics and space users — as fronts for a years’ long conspiracy to acquire and export sensitive and sophisticated, dual-use electronics from the United States to Elvees in Russia. Many of these items required an export license due to national security and anti-terrorism reasons, which Kahn did not obtain.
Kahn also arranged for Elvees to continue to fabricate and import semiconductors after Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. These semiconductors can be used for, among other things, communications systems, GPS receivers, and equipment for military unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones. In doing so, Kahn utilized a transnational network of front companies and bank accounts to ship those semiconductors to Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, often arranging for the semiconductors to be sent to the U.S. and then re-exported to Russia via China and other locations around the world.
In March 2022, the Commerce Department added Elvees to the Entity List, imposing a license requirement to export any item subject to the Export Administration Regulations to Elvees, and stating that it would review license applications under a policy of denial. Despite these sanctions, Kahn continued to work with Elvees. For example, in May 2022, Kahn emailed a Taiwanese manufacturer design guidance for an Elvees-branded microchip. Subsequently, Kahn shipped thousands of units of this microchip to a Hong Kong-based shipping company, and then to a company located in the mainland of the People’s Republic of China. Kahn noted in communications with the Hong Kong shipping company that he received a “call from Russia” about the PRC business to which he was directing the goods.
Kahn’s export activity for the benefit of Elvees dates to at least 2012, and accounts under his control received more than $50 million from Elvees and related entities between 2012 and 2022. Of that money, Kahn channeled nearly $5 million for his personal use, which he did not report to the IRS and on which he did not pay income taxes. As part of his plea, Kahn agreed to forfeit $4,923,548.94 in ill-gotten gains and to pay an additional $1,892,816.00 in restitution to the IRS.
Khan faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The FBI Los Angeles Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Artie McConnell and Matthew Skurnik for the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California assisted in the prosecution.
Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force and the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine.
Business owner admits to scheme to bribe Pharr Customs & Border Patrol officialRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 49-year-old man has pleaded guilty for his role in a bribery scheme to give kickbacks to a U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) official in exchange for the official’s efforts to influence the award of lucrative federal contracts, announced U.S. Attorney Hamdani.
Court documents charge Christopher Cassity aka Mac, Glenwood, Maryland, with one count of honest services wire fraud.
As part of the plea agreement, Cassity admitted that between July 29, 2019, and Dec. 29, 2022, he and an information system security officer (ISSO) residing in Pharr carried out a bribery scheme.
Cassity provided kickbacks to the ISSO in exchange for the officer’s influence in awarding CBP contracts to businesses that would subcontract with Cassity’s company, IVV Solutions.
The ISSO specifically directed and pressured CBP contracting officials to select contractors from a preferred list, who bid on contracts to upgrade CBP’s information security system in various CBP facilities.
The ISSO knew the contractors on his preferred list would subcontract with IVV Solutions to provide “independent verification and validation services.”
Court documents reveal that Cassity’s business received approximately $814,570 in payments for CBP contracts during the bribery scheme. In exchange, Cassity made approximately 58 kickback payments to the ISSO, amounting to approximately $443,125.
To conceal the scheme, Cassity falsely claimed that the ISSO conduits received payments for unnecessary and unperformed services, including translation services.
Cassity is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 10, 2025. At that time, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Assistant Commissioner Matthew Klein of CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) made the announcement as well.
CBP OPR is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Schammel and Trial Attorney Demetrius D. Sumner of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.
Burlington County Man Indicted for Firearms and Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
MOUNT HOLLY, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey, man has been indicted for firearms and narcotics offenses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Cody Starr, 35, of Mount Holly, New Jersey, is charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession of a machine gun, four counts of distribution of methamphetamine, four counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and four counts of engaging in the business of firearms trafficking without a license. Starr will be arraigned at a later date.
According to documents filed in the case:
From Oct. 13, 2022, through Nov. 8, 2022, undercover agents conducted multiple controlled purchases of firearms and methamphetamine with Starr at his residence. Agents purchased approximately 12 firearms from Starr, all qualifying as privately made firearms (PMFs). During four of the controlled purchases, Starr was armed with a firearm, including a PMF machine gun. As a result of the investigation, a search warrant was conducted at Starr’s residence where over 50 PMFs, firearms magazines, ammunition, firearms parts, a 3D printer, and other firearms manufacturing accessories were recovered.
On the criminal charges for drug distribution, Starr faces a potential maximum term of 20 years in prison, and up to a $1 million fine. The felon in possession of a firearm count carries a potential maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The possession of a machine gun count carries a potential maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Each possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime charge carries a mandatory minimum term of incarceration of five years in prison, a potential maximum penalty of life in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. Each charge of engaging in the business of firearms trafficking without a license carries a potential maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, Camden Field Office, under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr., with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Customs and Border Protection, New Jersey State Police, Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, Mount Holly Police Department, Evesham Police Department, and Pine Hill Police Department.
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn Waegener of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
starr.indictment.pdfBoston Man Convicted of Possessing with Intent to Distribute over a Kilogram of FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was convicted today by a federal jury in Boston of distributing fentanyl.
An individual referred to as “John Doe” was convicted of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Jan. 28, 2025. Doe was charged by criminal complaint in September 2021 and was later indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2021.
In June and July of 2021, Doe sold over 100 grams of fentanyl to a cooperating witness in Lawrence which was capture on a recording device. In September 2021, Doe was arrested by law enforcement in possession of over 100 grams of fentanyl. As part of the investigation, law enforcement surveilled the defendant traveling to an apartment in Boston prior to selling fentanyl to the cooperating witness. On the day of Doe’s arrest, a search warrant was executed at the apartment where over a kilogram of fentanyl hidden inside a wall was recovered.
At the time of his arrest, Doe was using the stolen identity of a Puerto Rican man. Doe’s true identity remains unknown.
“Today’s conviction underscores the serious harm fentanyl continues to inflict on our communities and our office’s commitment to hold accountable the dealers who push this poison onto our streets,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “When it comes to fentanyl, the public needs to know that one pill can kill, leaving shattered families behind, and lives can be devastated by the scourge of addiction. Our office will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to combat fentanyl trafficking and protect the health and safety of our communities here in Massachusetts.”
“Fentanyl is causing tremendous damage to our community,” said Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration New England Field Division. “Those who distribute fentanyl are endangering the safety of the citizens of Massachusetts. We will continue to work each day alongside our law enforcement partners to identify and investigate those who are responsible for distributing fentanyl and other deadly drugs.”
The charges of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl provide for a sentence of no less than five years in prison and up to 40 years in prison, no less than four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of no less than 10 years in prison and up to life, no less than five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and DEA Acting SAC Belleau made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was proved by the Lawrence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Lauren A. Graber are prosecuting the case.
Boise Nurse Practitioner Sentenced to 48 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
BOISE – Angela Kathryn Hughes, 50, of Boise, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, Hughes was a nurse practitioner in Boise, Idaho. Between January 2022 and March 2023, Hughes issued illegitimate prescriptions for oxycodone, oxycodone acetaminophen, and hydrocodone acetaminophen. In exchange for prescriptions, she received cash, a portion of the pills from the prescription, and other controlled substances such as methamphetamine. Hughes conspired with her co-defendant Sydney Neal, 39, of Boise, and others, to knowingly and intentionally distribute Schedule II controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose. The unlawful prescriptions Hughes issued as part of the conspiracy totaled approximately 4,358 pills of oxycodone acetaminophen, 2,854 pills of oxycodone, and 2,625 pills of hydrocodone acetaminophen.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Hughes to be placed on supervised release for three years following her release from prison.
Sydney Neal was previously sentenced to five years of probation for her role in the conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. According to court records, Neal received cash from selling controlled substances and provided the proceeds to Hughes. In exchange, Neal continued to receive and distribute controlled substances.
“Medical providers are supposed to take care of their patients and their community. The defendant in this case did the opposite, adding to the dangerous problem of prescription drug abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “I am grateful for the team of prosecutors and investigators that found out what was happening and put a stop to it.”
“Providers who recklessly distribute controlled substances undermine efforts to address the ongoing opioid crisis and betray their professional responsibility to serve the health and well-being of the American public,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to hold bad actors accountable and keep Idaho communities safe.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Boise Police Department, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darci Crane and Erin Blackadar prosecuted the case.
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Bergen County Man Admits Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, man admitted distributing and possessing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Michael Kimmerle, 35, of New Milford, New Jersey pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court on Nov. 6, 2024, to an information charging him with one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From Aug. 24, 2021, through Aug. 7, 2022, Kimmerle distributed material containing video files of child sexual abuse, via a publicly available online peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing program. Law enforcement used undercover online sessions to access the P2P program. During these sessions a user shared multiple video files of child sexual abuse from an Internet Protocol address traced to Kimmerle’s residence. During a Sept. 14, 2022 search of Kimmerle’s residence, law enforcement found over 600 thumbnail images containing child pornography on Kimmerle’s laptop, including images derived from video files Kimmerle previously distributed through the P2P file-sharing program.
The count of distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. The count of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for March 11, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea D. Coleman of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
kimmerle.information.pdfAllen County, Kentucky Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – An Allen County, Kentucky man was sentenced this week to 1 year and 3 months in federal prison for tax evasion.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, John Paul Cates, 50, was sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for tax evasion. The Internal Revenue Service found that Cates evaded employment taxes due and owing by Trinity Steel Works, LLC, a corporation in Scottsville, Kentucky. Cates was also ordered to pay $811,312.14 in restitution.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The IRS-CI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Madison Sewell prosecuted this case.
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25 Year Prison Sentence for Man Who Killed One Co-Worker and Injured Two OthersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Vincent Hemphill, 63, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in D.C. Superior Court to a total of 300 months in prison for killing an 80-year-old colleague and attempting to kill two others at a warehouse owned by the Washington Air Compressor Rental Company, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Mr. Hemphill pleaded guilty on September 6, 2024, to one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed and two counts of assault with intent to kill, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Erik Christian ordered Hemphill to serve 11 years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on October 12, 2023, Hemphill was at work at the Washington Air Compressor Rental Company’s warehouse, located at 1800 4th Street Northeast, Washington, DC. The defendant was directed by his work supervisor, Brian Jefferson, to move an air compressor. Hemphill did not immediately retrieve the requested air compressor and Mr. Jefferson, again requested, over the loudspeaker system, that he retrieve the air compressor. The defendant carried a large metal shovel to Brian Jefferson’s office and hit Mr. Jefferson in the head with it while Mr. Jefferson was seated at his desk and unable to move due to a prior injury to his foot. At the time Hemphill attacked Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Jefferson could not move around without the use of a scooter.
The defendant then chased Charles Short, one of his co-workers, and, as Mr. Short tried to escape from him, Hemphill began to hit Mr. Short with the shovel. Hemphill continued to strike Mr. Short with the shovel repeatedly after Mr. Short had collapsed to the ground. The defendant then turned his attention to Jacob Othman, another co-worker, and hit Mr. Othman with the shovel. Mr. Othman was able to take the shovel away from Hemphill and began to run from the defendant but collapsed to the ground. Hemphill chased after Mr. Othman with a sledgehammer and struck Mr. Othman with the sledgehammer. The defendant then returned to where Mr. Short was lying on the ground and hit Mr. Short with the sledgehammer in the back and head area.
Jacob Othman suffered from lacerations to his head and serious injuries to his shoulder. Brian Jefferson suffered from serious lacerations to his head, a brain bleed, a concussion, and a fractured jaw. Mr. Short suffered from severe lacerations to the head and facial area, orbital fractures, and a fractured mandible. Mr. Short succumbed to his injuries and died on January 22, 2024. The complications sustained from the assault precluded Mr. Short from returning to his baseline health and the manner of his death was ruled a homicide.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Helfand and Lauren Galloway, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
6 November 2024
‘Mayor’ of Homeless Camp Indicted for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man residing in a homeless encampment near a public school was indicted by a federal grand jury today for possessing methamphetamine to distribute near school property and for illegally possessing a firearm.
Ricky Lee Myers, also known as “The Mayor,” 62, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Myers on Oct. 24, 2024.
Today’s indictment alleges that Myers possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school on Oct. 23, 2024.
The indictment also charges Myers with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and with one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Myers allegedly possessed a Taurus 9mm pistol on Oct. 23, 2024.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Myers’s residence, a small one-room structure built in the middle of a homeless camp on a dirt road extending from East 23rd Street, roughly between Vine Street and Highland Avenue in Kansas City, Mo., on Oct. 23, 2024. Myers, who was inside the residence, was arrested. Federal agents found the Taurus pistol in a jacket hanging above the bed. Agents found a fanny pack, which contained a bag with approximately 60 grams of methamphetamine, inside a bag hanging on the wall next to the jacket.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Myers has prior felony convictions for aggravated robbery and distributing a controlled substance.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Winnebago Man Sentenced for Being a Drug User in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Emmett Walker, Jr, age 54, of Winnebago, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 6, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for being a drug user in possession of a firearm. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Smith to 12 months and one day imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Walker’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
In November 2022, Walker was pulled over for a traffic violation on the Winnebago Indian Reservation. During the course of the traffic stop, Walker permitted the officer to search his car. Walker, who had recently lost his residence and many of his personal items due to a fire, had his Mossberg rifle in the trunk of the car, which he otherwise possessed legally. The officer also found a small amount of methamphetamine and Walker admitted to using meth regularly for the previous few years prior to the stop.
Federal law prohibits the possession of a firearm if the possessor is also a drug user or addict.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services.
Winnebago Man Sentenced for Assault on a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Bryson Smith, age 33, of Winnebago, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 6, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for assault on a federal officer. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Smith to 24 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Smith’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
In June 2023, Smith came into contact with law enforcement on the Winnebago Indian Reservation while heavily intoxicated. Smith resisted two officers’ attempts to arrest and transport him for medical care by kicking, biting, and scratching at the officers. Smith also spit into the eye of one officer, requiring the officer to seek medical treatment.
This case was prosecuted in federal court because the victims were federal law enforcement officers engaged in the performance of their official duties on the Winnebago Indian Reservation in Nebraska at the time of Smith’s assault.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services.
Wilkes-Barre Man Indicted for Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Roland Bennett Rhodes, III, age 54, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was indicted on November 5, 2024, by a federal grand jury for both receipt of and possession of child pornography.
According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Rhodes with receipt of and possession of child pornography depicting minors under the age of 12 years, engaging in sexually explicit conduct on October 24, 2024, in Luzerne County.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tatum Wilson 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 40 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures Sentencing in Domestic Violence CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man was sentenced to 30 months in prison for assaulting his intimate partner by strangling her.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on November 8, 2023, Ronnie Pernell Evans, 21, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, assaulted his intimate partner by shoving her and grabbing her by her throat until they tripped and fell to the ground.
Upon his release from prison, Evans will be subject to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joni Autrey Stahl is prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI Announce Charges in Navajo Nation Aggravated Assault CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man faces federal charges after allegedly stabbing his ex-girlfriend and striking her with his vehicle on the Navajo Nation reservation.
Tyrell Lee Johnson, 29, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared before a federal judge and will remain in custody pending his detention hearing, which has been scheduled for November 7, 2024.
According to court records, on November 2, 2024, the FBI was notified by Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations of an assault that occurred on Highway 64 in Beclabito. The victim and a witness reported that Johnson, the victim’s ex-boyfriend, stabbed her with a knife and struck her with his vehicle. The victim was transported to Northern Navajo Medical Center with multiple injuries, including a stab wound to the abdomen.
Johnson was later apprehended by Navajo Police Department officers after a brief pursuit. A folding knife was reportedly recovered from Johnson’s person.
If convicted of the current charges, Johnson faces up to 10 years in prison.
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’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Johnson).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 from Gallup Man for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Gallup man pleaded guilty in federal court to assault with a dangerous weapon following a shooting incident on the Navajo Nation reservation sparked by barking dogs.
Harley Davidson Joe, 38, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Joe faces up to 10 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Joe will be subject 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 Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Joe).pdf# # #
Two Orlando Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Patrick Hugh Mitchell (57, Orlando) to 10 years in federal prison and Kyle Jay Hunter Baronville (37, Orlando) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for their roles in distributing multiple pounds of methamphetamine. Baronville pleaded guilty on January 26, 2024, and Mitchell was convicted by a jury on June 27, 2024.
According to Baronville’s plea agreement and testimony and evidence presented at Mitchell’s trial, the Drug Enforcement Administration used a confidential source to conduct two controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Baronville. During the first transaction, Baronville sold the confidential source 357.3 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine. During the second transaction, Baronville obtained 892.5 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine from Mitchell, which they then sold to the confidential source.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
Tampa Drug Trafficker Responsible for Selling More Than $1 Million in Methamphetamine Sentenced to 28 YearsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Enock Edouard (37, Tampa) to 28 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and obstruction of justice. Edouard was found guilty on May 8, 2024, following a two-day bench trial. His co-conspirators have been sentenced to the following prison terms:
Joshua Robertson
(36, Auburndale)
14 yearsCameron Mosley
(31, Tampa)
10 years, 7 monthsNathaniel Fagan
(38, Tampa)
8 years, 4 monthsJordan Myers
(32, Los Angeles)
5 yearsMichael Lee Johnson
(22, Auburndale)
2 years, 9 monthsAccording to testimony and evidence presented at trial, between 2021 and 2023, Edouard was part of a drug trafficking network that operated throughout the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere, including California. Working with others, Edouard moved methamphetamine and fentanyl originating in Mexico, shipped to California in car tires, then shipped or transported to Orlando and Tampa. Edouard carried large amounts of cash to California to purchase the narcotics, then utilized various accomplices to hide narcotics in boxes and passenger suitcases for distribution in Florida. At trial, one co-conspirator described Edouard as “the only person between me and the cartels,” and estimated that Edouard sold him over 300 kilograms of methamphetamine in less than 10 months.
FBI agents arrested Edouard in Las Vegas and executed a search warrant at his apartment in downtown Tampa, recovering additional fentanyl and a firearm. Fifteen firearms, two hand grenades, more than 25 kilograms of methamphetamine, and more than $80,000 in cash were seized from Edouard and his co-conspirators as part of this investigation.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. 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. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Kenneth and Diego F. Novaes.
Tallahassee Man Sentenced to 240 Months in Federal Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Alan Joseph Clark, Jr., 45, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to a term of 240 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to six counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Crimes against children are among the most heinous types of offenses and deserving of the most significant sentences,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “The sexual abuse of children robs them of their innocence and results in devastating psychological pain. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and vigorously prosecute those who seek to harm our most vulnerable.”
In May 2023, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was investigating a file-sharing peer-to-peer network for users/computers possessing and/or sharing digital files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The investigation led to the execution of a federal search warrant at Clark’s residence, where it was discovered that Clark had received and possessed child pornography obtained through the internet, as well as produced explicit videos of minors.
“This individual’s disgusting and deviant behavior of producing sexual images of children inflicts irreparable psychological damage upon innocent lives.” “This cannot and will not be tolerated,” said HSI Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “HSI will continue to work with its partners to eliminate this plague on society.”
Clark’s prison sentence will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, and he will be required to register as a sex offender and be subject to all sex offender conditions. The Court also ordered forfeiture of electronic devices used in the commission of the offenses by Clark and he was ordered to pay a minimum of $15,000, in restitution to the identified victims of the child pornography in his possession.
This conviction was the result of a joint investigation conducted by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney Meredith Steer prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
St. Louis County Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Murdering AcquaintanceRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced a man to 25 years in prison for fatally shooting an acquaintance before stealing his jewelry and drugs.
Terry W. Winebarger, 52, fatally shot the victim in the head with the victim’s own 10mm Glock handgun on Feb. 18, 2023, in a home in Hanley Hills, Missouri. Winebarger then stole the gun, jewelry and some methamphetamine that the victim had purchased earlier.
After the murder, Winebarger purchased new clothes, disinfectant wipes and bleach at a store and returned to his home in an attempt to destroy evidence of his crime.
Winebarger pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in July to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime resulting in death and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the St. Louis County Police Department, the Major Case Squad and the North County Police Cooperative investigated the case, with assistance from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Charles County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Epplin prosecuted the case.
Springfield Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of Two Child VictimsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for the sexual exploitation of two child victims.
Connor Wilson Zacha, 28, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield.
Today’s indictment alleges that Zacha used a minor, identified as Jane Doe 1, to produce child pornography from Nov. 1, 2022, to Nov. 15, 2023. The indictment also alleges that Zacha used another minor, identified as Jane Doe 2, to produce child pornography from Oct. 1, 2023, to April 18, 2024.
The indictment also charges Zacha with one count of transporting a minor (Jane Doe 2) across state lines for the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual activity.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Springfield Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of Two Child VictimsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for the sexual exploitation of two child victims.
Connor Wilson Zacha, 28, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield.
Today’s indictment alleges that Zacha used a minor, identified as Jane Doe 1, to produce child pornography from Nov. 1, 2022, to Nov. 15, 2023. The indictment also alleges that Zacha used another minor, identified as Jane Doe 2, to produce child pornography from Oct. 1, 2023, to April 18, 2024.
The indictment also charges Zacha with one count of transporting a minor (Jane Doe 2) across state lines for the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual activity.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Siblings sent to prison for roles in human smuggling schemeRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two individuals have been sentenced for their roles in a Laredo human smuggling conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Laredo resident Carlos Alberto Gonzalez, 23, and his sister Erika Yazbett Mendoza-Gonzalez, 36, a Mexican citizen illegally residing in Laredo, both pleaded guilty July 8.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has now imposed a 46-month term of imprisonment for Gonzalez, while Mendoza-Gonzalez received 57 months. Both must also serve three years of supervised release following their sentence, although Mendoza-Gonzalez, not a U.S. citizen, is expected to face removal proceedings following her imprisonment. At the hearing, the court also noted Gonzalez had previously been sentenced for human smuggling and was still serving his term of supervised release when he committed this offense. The court also ordered Gonzalez to serve a consecutive 10 months for this violation.
In handing down the prison terms, Judge Garcia Marmolejo commented that Gonzalez learned nothing from his last offense and that Mendoza-Gonzalez was highly involved in the smuggling organization. The court also considered the conditions inside the stash house, noting that the siblings regarded the people they harbored as “commodities” and stating, “we just don’t treat human beings like this.”
“No electricity, no running water and no toilet. Human smugglers do not care,” said Hamdani. “No individual should be subjected to such inhumane conditions. This case underscores our commitment to dismantling human smuggling networks that exploit vulnerable individuals, including children.”
On March 7, law enforcement observed Mendoza-Gonzalez pick up three suspected undocumented individuals near the intersection of Kearney Street and McDonnell Avenue in Laredo. Gonzalez was driving another vehicle that appeared to be traveling together with Mendoza-Gonzalez. Law enforcement followed both vehicles to a home on the 2300 block of San Leonardo Avenue where Mendoza-Gonzalez dropped off the individuals before leaving with two others.
Several hours later, they observed a large group of people exiting the backyard of this address and running into a nearby creek. A foot pursuit began, and law enforcement apprehended 20 individuals, all of whom are undocumented aliens from other countries.
Two were unaccompanied minors, ages 13 and 15.
Upon entering the San Leonardo residence, authorities discovered deplorable living conditions. The home had no electricity or running water and large amounts of trash piled up throughout the home. They also observed large tubs of water in the home where the migrants would bathe and relieve themselves.
There have been no utilities in the residence since 2022.
Gonzalez was the stash house operator while Mendoza-Gonzalez was a transporter and delivered food to those harbored inside the home.
On April 23, authorities conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle Mendoza-Gonzalez was driving and found a female back seat passenger covered in mud, with a strong body odor, torn pants and scratch marks all over her arms. She was a Mexican national with no legal status in the United States.
Mendoza-Gonzalez admitted to her involvement with the human smuggling organization and stated she expected to receive $50 per migrant she transported.
Phone communications between Mendoza-Gonzalez and co-conspirators revealed that over only a seven-week period, she was also involved in coordinating the transportation and/or harboring of at least 55 additional individuals.
Mendoza-Gonzalez and Gonzalez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations, Border Patrol and the Laredo Police Department conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
This sentencing is also the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). Attorney General Merrick B. Garland established JTFA in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to combat the rise in prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. The initiative was expanded to Colombia and Panama to combat human smuggling in the Darién in June 2024. JTFA comprises detailees from U.S. attorneys’ offices along the southwest border including the Southern District of California, districts of Arizona and New Mexico and the Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and supported by the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training; Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; Office of Enforcement Operations; Office of International Affairs; and the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 325 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of human smuggling, more than 270 U.S. convictions, more than 210 significant jail sentences imposed and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Assistant U.S. Attorney and JTFA detailee Jennifer Day prosecuted this case.
Scranton Man Charged with Committing $850,000 in Covid-19 Pandemic FraudRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Yoel Weiss, age 42, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was charged in an indictment with 41 combined counts of wire fraud, false statements to the Small Business Administration, identity theft, unlawful monetary transactions, and witness tampering.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Weiss owned and operated multiple corporate entities in Pennsylvania and New York. Weiss allegedly filed at least seven fraudulent applications for pandemic stimulus funds through the Economic Injury and Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Weiss was charged with seven counts of wire fraud, and seven count of making false statements to the United States Small Business Administration, for the fraudulent applications. Weiss also is charged with three counts of aggravated identity theft, for using stolen identities to file three applications.
The applications allegedly submitted by Weiss were filed on behalf of corporate entities that did not, in fact, have actual business operations, and that bore false dates of business establishment, false employee headcount information, and fabricated gross revenues, costs of goods sold, and lost rental income. Weiss allegedly obtained in excess of approximately $850,000 in EIDL funds through filing the fraudulent applications, which he spent on unapproved personal expenses. Weiss is charged with 23 counts of making unlawful monetary transactions with the proceeds of his fraud.
Weiss is further charged with threatening and intimidating a witness in an attempt to influence and prevent the witness’s testimony before a federal grand jury.
“The American tax system is designed to provide vital government services to our people. It is not a slush fund for thieves and fraudsters,” said Amy MacNeely, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office.
The EIDL program, funded by the March 2020 CARES Act, was designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. EIDL funds are offered in low-interest rate loans, designated for specific business expenses, such as fixed debts, payroll, and business obligation.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the most serious charges are 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The aggravated identity theft offense carries a mandatory two-year sentence of imprisonment that is to run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Omar Wynn, age 31, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to distribution of a controlled substance. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division, made the announcement.
Wynn admitted to selling 1,500 fentanyl pills and 8.6 grams of cocaine base in 2023. The fentanyl pills were stamped “M30” to make them appear as if they were oxycodone. Wynn agreed to forfeit $3,000 as proceeds of his crime.
At sentencing on March 11, 2025, Wynn faces at least 5 years and up to 40 years in prison; a fine of up to $5 million; and a term of supervised release of at least 4 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The DEA conducted the investigation with assistance from the Schenectady Police Department, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting the case.
Santa Ana Man Charged with Possession of Machine Guns and Hundreds of Images and Videos of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County man was indicted today for allegedly possessing four machine guns and hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) that law enforcement recovered at his home and from a storage unit he rented.
Arthit Tanjapatkul, 43, of Santa Ana, is charged with one count of possession of machineguns and three counts of possession of child pornography.
Tanjapatkul, who was arrested on October 9 in this case and is free on $250,000 bond, is scheduled for arraignment in this case on November 18 in United States District Court in Santa Ana.
According to an affidavit filed on October 8 with the complaint, the investigation into Tanjapatkul began with him selling a regulated military-grade laser to a buyer in March 2023. Law enforcement later learned that the laser had been initially stolen by a military officer who was charged and convicted for his crimes in federal court in North Carolina.
In October 2023, law enforcement searched Tanjapatkul’s home and seized dozens of firearms, including four machine guns. During the same search, agents recovered a cellphone that contained text messages where Tanjapatkul discussed automatic weapons. Law enforcement also recovered a hard drive that contained CSAM.
In July 2024, law enforcement searched a storage unit that Tanjapatkul rented in Santa Ana. In the storage unit, agents found a hard drive containing evidence of knowing possession of a machinegun and child pornography. Law enforcement also found 10 disks containing child pornography. The disks alone contained approximately 79 videos and approximately 831 images containing child sexual abuse material.
The drives and disks contained, among other things, videos and images involving minors under 12 years of age. In the home and storage unit, agents also found dozens of firearms and hundreds of items of military equipment that were initially stolen by the same military officer, according to court documents.
A complaint and an indictment contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Tanjapatkul would face a statutory maximum sentence of 70 years in federal prison.
The FBI is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Kedar S. Bhatia of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Resident of Mt. Pleasant Indicted on Charges of Violating Federal Narcotic and Firearm LawRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - One resident of Mt. Pleasant, PA, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal narcotic and firearm law, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The four-count Indictment named Warren Greenleaf, 40, formerly of Mt Pleasant, PA, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment presented to the court, on or about November 1, 2023, Greenleaf possessed a firearm and ammunition as a previously convicted felon. Additionally, on or about November 14, 2023, Greenleaf, possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine, possessed a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, and carried the firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 5 years to life in prison, a fine of not more than $2,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Ball is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with Tarentum Borough Police Department, Harrison Township Police Department, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General Narcotics Task Force conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Queens Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murdering and Dismembering Woman in Fraudulent Scheme to Collect Life Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Cory Martin was sentenced by United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly to life in prison for murdering and dismembering a woman in order to collect $200,000 in life insurance proceeds. Martin was convicted by a federal jury in March 2024 following a two-week trial of murder-for-hire, murder-for-hire conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identify theft and fraudulent use of identification relating to a scheme to fraudulently obtain life insurance policies in the name of his victim, kill her and collect the insurance money. Martin was also sentenced to a concurrent term of 20 years’ imprisonment for wire fraud conspiracy and a consecutive term of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Thomas G. Donlon, Interim Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“The defendant will spend the rest of his life in prison for this ghastly, cold-blooded crime that was motivated by greed and executed after extensive planning,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Martin preyed on Brandy Odom. He saw the victim as a way to make money. He trafficked her for commercial sex, then killed her with his bare hands so he could profit from her death. The defendant believed he could thwart law enforcement and cover up this heinous crime by relying on television shows about murder, but the investigatory efforts of law enforcement brought him to justice. Brandy Odom’s life mattered and I hope that this sentence, which protects our community by ensuring that the defendant cannot victimize another person, brings some measure of closure to her family.”
Mr. Peace expressed his thanks to the FBI’s Metro Safe Streets Task Force and the NYPD’s Brooklyn South Homicide Squad, Brooklyn South Video Team and 69th Precinct Detective Squad for their outstanding work on the case.
“Today, Cory Martin received his punishment for the despicable murder of Brandy Odom. Martin utilized fictional stories to devise his own wicked tale of murder as an amoral avenue for selfish financial gain,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy. “His grisly actions reflect an utter disregard for human life as he continued to brutalize Brandy even after her death in attempt to evade law enforcement detection. May today’s sentencing offer Brandy’s family some justice and reiterate the FBI’s stout intolerance against those willing to take another's life.
“Mr. Martin has been justly sentenced to prison for his abhorrent actions, ensuring that society will be safe from him for the remainder of his life,” stated NYPD Interim Commissioner Donlon. “I applaud the unwavering commitment of our NYPD investigators, as well as our partners at the FBI and the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, whose persistence led to today’s result. We remain dedicated to holding accountable those who seek to profit from the mistreatment and exploitation of others.”
Martin, who operated as a pimp, resided at a house in Rosedale, Queens, with the then-26-year-old victim, Brandy Odom, and a co-conspirator. Both Odom and the co-conspirator were engaged in commercial sex work for the defendant. In March and December 2017, Martin and the co-conspirator fraudulently obtained two life insurance policies in Odom’s name. They made premium payments to the life insurance companies by Western Union money orders and by using a debit card in Odom’s name. At trial, Martin’s co-conspirator testified that prior to Odom’s murder, she and the defendant watched “The First 48,” a true-crime TV show about police tactics and they discussed “what not to do, and what things to do to avoid being caught by the police.” The co-conspirator testified that Martin also watched “Dexter,” a TV show about a serial killer who dismembered his victims, because the defendant was “looking for ways to commit the crime when he got rid of Brandy.”
In early April 2018, Martin strangled Odom in her bedroom. Martin and the co- conspirator then purchased cleaning supplies and a vacuum to clean up the murder scene. On April 6, 2018, Martin searched Home Depot’s website for a “Dewalt 12-Amp Corded Reciprocating Saw,” described as featuring a “powerful 12 Amp motor designed for heavy-duty applications.” Later that evening, Martin searched YouTube for “how to insert blade for reciprocating saw” and “using reciprocating saw.” The co-conspirator testified that Martin used an electric saw to dismember the victim’s corpse in the bathtub after covering every surface in the bathroom with heavy-duty, black garbage bags to avoid leaving evidence of the killing.
In the early morning of April 8 and April 9, 2018, Martin discarded Odom’s body parts in Canarsie Park with the assistance of his co-conspirator. On April 10, 2018, Martin conducted dozens of Internet searches for news articles, including “Search area expands after dismembered body found in Canarsie Park in Brooklyn.” Martin also accessed a Twitter post titled “Person walking dog discovers remains of woman in Brooklyn park.” The following day on April 11, 2018, Martin searched YouTube using the search term “exclusive interview of mother of girl found in park.” After Odom’s murder, at Martin’s direction, his co-conspirator made several unsuccessful attempts to claim benefits under Odom’s life insurance policies.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Tanya Hajjar, Emily J. Dean and Andy Palacio are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Theodore Rader.
The Defendant: CORY MARTIN
Age: 37
Rosedale, QueensE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-549(S-1) (AMD)
Pittsburgh Felon Pleads Guilty to Making False Statement in Attempt to Acquire FirearmRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on November 5, 2024, to a charge of violating federal firearms law, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
George Sotiris Vlastos, 38, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Vlastos knowingly made at least two false written statements on the ATF Form 4473 (Firearms Transaction Record) regarding his status as a convicted felon in an attempt to acquire a firearm. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for April 2, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Vlastos.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced for Carrying Out Scheme to Defraud Lucas County Auditor of More Than $622,000Read the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – A Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to 57 months in prison after pleading guilty to an organized scheme that defrauded the Lucas County Auditor of more than $622,000. From March 2018 through November 2020, Darren Barr, age 39, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, collaborated with others to carry out a plan to obtain money by pretending to be legitimate vendors with which the county was approved to do business.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge James G. Carr for the Northern District of Ohio ordered Barr to serve three years of supervised release and pay $622,793.62 in restitution.
During the investigation, law enforcement officials discovered that the fraudsters used information found on public websites to obtain specific details about approved government vendor businesses. Among the information they gathered, were the names of the Lucas County employees who were responsible for paying vendors. Using the data they found, Barr and his co-conspirators created email accounts to look like those of the approved businesses. They also opened fraudulent bank accounts with forged State of Pennsylvania and Internal Revenue Service corporate documents. After each step of the scheme was in place, Barr and his co-conspirators carried out their plan.
First, legitimate invoices were sent to the county employees from the false vendor emails they controlled. Instructions in the email directed the employees to submit payment to any one of the fraudulent corporate bank accounts created by Barr and his co-conspirators. Because they believed the emails to be from legitimate vendors, the employees submitted payments to the sham bank accounts controlled by the scammers.
As soon as payments were received into the fraudulent accounts, Barr would quickly transfer the money into other bank accounts he and his co-conspirators controlled in an attempt to try and conceal their activities.
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Melching for the Northern District of Ohio.
To report fraud, visit justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/report-fraud.
Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Charleston Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Dale Cain, 49, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Cain admitted to a role in a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about January 2024 to in or about May 2024, Cain conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Charleston and within the Southern District of West Virginia. On May 5, 2024, a co-conspirator arranged for Cain to travel to Charleston for the purpose of picking up approximately 3 pounds of methamphetamine that he intended to transport to Parkersburg and distribute to others. After Cain acquired the methamphetamine, he was stopped by law enforcement officers who searched his vehicle, seized the methamphetamine, and arrested Cain.
Cain is scheduled to be sentenced on January 29, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-95.
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Owner of San Jose-Based Technology Staffing Firm Pleads Guilty to Visa Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Visa FraudRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Kishore Dattapuram pleaded guilty in federal court this week to visa fraud and conspiracy to commit visa fraud.
Dattapuram, 55, of Santa Clara, and two other defendants, Kumar Aswapathi, 55, of Austin, Tex., and Santosh Giri, 48, of San Jose, were each charged in an indictment filed Feb. 28, 2019, with one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud and 10 counts of substantive visa fraud. Aswapathi pleaded guilty to all counts on Oct. 19, 2020. Giri pleaded guilty to all counts on Oct. 28, 2024.
Dattapuram and Aswapathi owned and operated Nanosemantics, Inc., a staffing firm headquartered in San Jose that provided skilled employees to technology companies in the Bay Area. Under its agreements with the companies and the employees it placed, Nanosemantics received a commission for workers placed at client companies. Giri worked closely with Nanosemantics and was also the owner of a separate business, LexGiri, a legal process outsourcing firm that served as a “remote-virtual corporate immigration specialist” for companies.
In connection with its staffing work, Nanosemantics regularly submitted H-1B petitions for foreign workers. As described in court records, the H-1B visa program allows foreign workers to obtain temporary authorization to live and work for employers in the United States. In order to secure an H-1B visa, an employer or other sponsor must submit a Form I-129 petition to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A petition and associated documentation must confirm the existence and duration of the job waiting for the worker, and describe key details including the wages associated with the position.
In pleading guilty, Dattapuram admitted to working with Aswapathi and Giri to submit fraudulent H-1B applications that falsely represented that foreign workers had specific jobs waiting for them at designated end-client companies when in fact the jobs did not exist. On multiple occasions, Dattapuram paid companies to be listed as end-clients for the foreign workers, even though he knew the workers would never work for those employers. As defendants admitted, the goal of the scheme was to allow Nanosemantics to obtain visas for job candidates before securing jobs for them, thereby allowing Nanosemantics to place those workers with employers as soon as those jobs were available, rather than waiting for the visa application process to conclude, and giving Nanosemantics an unfair advantage over its competitors.
The announcement was made by First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King.
Dattapuram’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 24, 2025, before the Honorable Edward J. Davila, U.S. District Judge. Giri’s sentencing hearing is also scheduled for Feb. 24, 2025, before Judge Davila. Aswapathi has a status regarding sentencing on Nov. 25, 2024, before Judge Davila. Each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each visa fraud count, and a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on the conspiracy count. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Griswold and Special Assistant United States Attorney Johnny James are prosecuting this case with the assistance of Lynette Dixon and Nina Burney. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by HSI, with assistance from USCIS.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Robbery and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Dany Telfort (20, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Telfort faces a minimum penalty of 14 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is set for February 13, 2025.
According to the plea agreement, between March 23 and April 1, 2023, Telfort and co-defendant Nijah Jahni Mitchell participated in a string of nine armed robberies of various convenience stores throughout Central Florida. During some of the robberies, Telfort entered the store, pointed a firearm at the store clerks, and demanded the money from the cash registers. During others, Telfort acted as the getaway driver while Mitchell allegedly robbed the store. As part of the plea agreement, Telfort has agreed to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the commission of the offenses.
Mitchell is currently pending trial. An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Orlando Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Clermont Police Department, the Ocoee Police Department, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oakland Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
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.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Alvaro Alferes, age 33, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced on November 6, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and fentanyl analogue, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Alferes to 57 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Alferes will be required to complete a 3-year term of supervised release.
In 2023, Alferes twice delivered fentanyl to an undercover DEA agent by leaving the pills in his Jeep in a grocery store parking lot in Omaha. The undercover agent set up the buys through a Mexico-based supplier. Each time, Alferes delivered over 1,000 pills.
On August 4, 2023, investigators executed a court-authorized search warrant at Alferes’s residence which led to the seizure of over 1,000 more fentanyl pills and Alferes’s arrest. Investigators also found two digital scales with methamphetamine residue in a backpack in the garage. The backpack also contained heat sealed bags containing suspected drug residue. A sandwich baggie containing suspected cocaine was found in the Jeep in the driveway.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Ohio County Man Sentenced for Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Geon Thamar Newby, Jr., 37, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for the distribution of cocaine base.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Newby, also known as “G” and “Gee,” sold cocaine base in Ohio County. The United States argued that Newby was responsible for distributing up to 840 grams of cocaine base. Newby has prior convictions for drug possession in Ohio.
Newby will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Nogay prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
November Federal Grand Jury 2024-A Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the November Federal Grand Jury 2024-A Indictments.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Tayson Bautista-Ramos. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Bautista-Ramos, 26, a Guatemalan national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Aug. 2020. The U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-351
Javier Lopez Canseco. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Canseco, 30, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Feb. 2024. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Goodrum is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-349
Dakota Austin Clark. Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country; Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Production of Child Pornography; Attempted Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (second superseding). Clark, 24, of Grove and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with possessing visual images depicting the sexual abuse of children, including children under 12 years old. Clark is also charged with coercing and enticing a minor child under 18 years old to produce an image depicting sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, Clark attempted to engage in a sexual act with a minor child under 16 years old. The FBI and Grove Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-179
Brady Cort Dozier. Production of Child Pornography; Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Dozier, 21, of Collinsville, is charged with coercing a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce a visual depiction of the abuse. Additionally, Dozier received, possessed, and distributed visual depictions of minor children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Homeland Security Investigations and Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Jolly is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-350
Jesus Alberto Sanchez Lugo. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Lugo, 49, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Dec. 2016. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-345
Felipe Bautista Mora. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Mora, 53, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Aug. 2002. The U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-352
Tanya Jo Purvis. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Purvis, 50, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm while drug trafficking. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tulsa Police Department, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Corrections, and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-347
Ricardo Reza-Lopez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Reza-Lopez, 33, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Aug. 2017. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-346
Yuri Patricia Martinez Rivera. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm; Possession of a Fraudulent Immigration Document. Rivera, 22, a Mexican national, is charged with possessing a firearm, knowing she was unlawfully in the United States. Further, Rivera knowingly possessed counterfeit identification. The U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy M. Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-348
Brendon Nicholas Thomas Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Thomas, 26, of Tulsa and a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation, is charged with assaulting his dating partner by strangling her. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Weems is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-355
Niagara Falls man pleads guilty to cocaine chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Rashaun Dix, 38, of Niagara Falls, NY, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Jacovetti, who is handling the case, stated that in 2021, the DEA and Niagara Falls Police began investigating the cocaine trafficking activities of a known individual operating in the Niagara Falls area. During the investigation, law enforcement uncovered some interactions between this individual and Dix. In March 2022, law enforcement learned that Dix told the individual that he had some “nu-nu,” and he wanted to see what he could do with it. Dix wanted the individual to help him cook the cocaine into crack. In April 2022, law enforcement, after learning that Dix arranged to meet another individual to purchase $15,000 worth of narcotics, began to conduct physical surveillance on Dix. When Dix met with the other individual, they were both taken into custody and law enforcement seized $15,028. Law enforcement then learned that Dix told his girlfriend to “put everything in the washer and flush it…in the washer with bleach,” “not answer the door, and call the lawyer.” At that time, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Dix’s residence, recovering approximately 355 grams of cocaine, 22 grams of crack cocaine, and a digital scale.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division, and the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Nick Ligammari.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 14, 2025, before Judge Arcara.
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New York Men Charged with Unlawful Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that two brothers from Bronx, New York, Elijah Javier Rodriguez, age 26, and Javier Justin Rodriguez, age 29, were indicted by a grand jury on November 5, 2024, on charges of possession of firearms by prohibited persons.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that both Elijah and Javier Rodriguez did knowingly possess firearms as a prohibited person who had been convicted of a felony offense, on June 29, 2024, in Monroe County, Pennsylvania.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 15 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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New York Man Arrested for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was filed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Syed Aman, a U.S. citizen and resident of Nassau County, New York, with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Aman was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK Airport) in Queens, New York, on Nov. 5 as he tried to board a flight to Doha, Qatar, from which he intended to ultimately travel to Syria to join ISIS. Aman's initial appearance is scheduled for this afternoon.
As alleged in the complaint, throughout 2023 and 2024, Aman expressed his support for ISIS through social media posts in an online ISIS group forum, sent money to an individual he believed to be an ISIS operative that was intended to support ISIS’s efforts in Syria and made arrangements to travel to Syria to engage in jihad, or holy war, on behalf of ISIS.
Since the beginning of October, Aman has been in contact with a confidential human source (CHS) working with the FBI about Aman's plan to join ISIS in Syria. Aman expressed that “jihad and hijrah,” referring to traveling to ISIS-controlled territory and waging war on ISIS's behalf, are “the most important thing, more than anything else at the moment.” Aman shared with the CHS Aman's hatred for “kuffar [non-believers] who deny the path of Allah.” Aman explained to the CHS, “[i]f you don't kill them they will kill us and ruin the earth with decay." During this same time period, Aman also posted on a social media platform his desire "to kill Americans” and wrote in a notebook his intent to study becoming a shaheed, or martyr on behalf of ISIS.
Aman made two attempts to book travel to the Middle East in late October 2024, but his purchases were blocked by his credit card company. On his third attempt, Aman was successful in booking a flight from JFK Airport to Bangladesh via Doha. Aman told the CHS that he intended to disembark from his flight in Qatar and to purchase a flight from Qatar to Turkey where he would seek to cross into Syria to join ISIS. Aman also stated that he would travel with a steel pen to defend himself if he were arrested and that he would attack law enforcement. A silver metal pen was found in Aman's crossbody bag when he was arrested.
On Nov. 5, Aman traveled to JFK Airport for his flight to Qatar. After Aman had checked in, been processed through airport security and attempted to board his flight, he was arrested by the FBI.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York, and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells for the FBI’s National Security Branch made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Antoinette N. Rangel for the Eastern District of New York is prosecuting the case with assistance provided by Trial Attorney T.J. Reardon III of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New York Man Arrested for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY - A criminal complaint was filed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Syed Aman, a U.S. citizen and resident of Nassau County, with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Aman was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK Airport) in Queens, New York, on November 5, 2024 as he tried to board a flight to Doha, Qatar, from which he intended to ultimately travel to Syria to join ISIS. Aman is scheduled to make his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s National Security Division and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the arrest and charges.
“As alleged, Aman was steadfast in his attempts to travel to the Middle East to join ISIS and fortunately his evil plan to wage jihad was thwarted,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “My Office will continue to identify and prosecute would-be terrorists like the defendant before they are able to harm individuals at home or abroad on behalf of ISIS.”
Mr. Peace extended his appreciation to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which comprises a number of federal, state, and local agencies from the region, for their outstanding work on the case, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their assistance. “Syed Aman was allegedly determined in his efforts to support ISIS through financial donation and by making multiple attempts to travel overseas to engage in jihad on their behalf,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy. “Thankfully, the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force was able to intervene before his disturbing plans of supporting a deadly terrorist organization could come to fruition. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, are unmatched in our resolve to protect our nation from those willing to support the evils of terrorism.”
As alleged in the complaint, throughout 2023 and 2024, Aman expressed his support for ISIS through social media posts in an online ISIS group forum, sent money to an individual he believed to be an ISIS operative that was intended to support ISIS’s efforts in Syria and made arrangements to travel to Syria to engage in jihad, or holy war, on behalf of ISIS.
Since the beginning of October 2024, Aman has been in contact with a confidential human source (CHS) working with the FBI about Aman’s plan to join ISIS in Syria. Aman expressed that “jihad and hijrah,” referring to traveling to ISIS-controlled territory and waging war on ISIS’s behalf, are “the most important thing, more than anything else at the moment.” Aman shared with the CHS Aman’s hatred for “kuffar [non-believers] who deny the path of Allah.” Aman explained to the CHS, “[i]f you don’t kill them they will kill us and ruin the earth with decay.” During this same time period, Aman also posted on a social media platform his desire “to kill Americans” and wrote in a notebook his intent to study becoming a shaheed, or martyr on behalf of ISIS.
Aman made two attempts to book travel to the Middle East in late October 2024, but his purchases were blocked by his credit card company. On his third attempt, Aman was successful in booking a flight from JFK Airport to Bangladesh via Doha, Qatar. Aman told the CHS that he intended to disembark from his flight in Qatar and to purchase a flight from Qatar to Turkey where he would seek to cross into Syria to join ISIS. Aman also stated that he would travel with a steel pen to defend himself if he were arrested and that he would attack law enforcement. A silver metal pen was found in Aman’s crossbody bag when he was arrested.
On November 5, 2024, Aman traveled to JFK Airport for his flight to Qatar. After Aman had checked in, been processed through airport security and attempted to board his flight, he was arrested by the FBI.
The charges in the complaint are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorney Antoinette N. Rangel is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney T.J. Reardon III of the Justice Department’s Counterterrorism Section.
The Defendant: SYED AMAN
Age: 28
Franklin Square, Long Island
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-MJ-599
aman_complaint.pdfNew Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Narcotics and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that LARRY WILLIAMS (“WILLIAMS”), age 44, of New Orleans, was sentenced today to 137 months in prison for federal firearms and narcotics offenses.
According to court documents, WILLIAMS possessed a firearm and several narcotics after a foot chase and subsequent arrest by New Orleans Police Department officers. WILLIAMS pled guilty to possessing, with intent to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, as well as quantities of cocaine, hydrocodone, and tapaentadol, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B) and (b)(1)(C). WILLIAMS also pled guilty to possessing a firearm, in furtherance of drug trafficking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A), and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
U.S. District Judge Darrel J. Papillion sentenced WILLIAMS to 77 months in prison for the drug trafficking and felon in possession of a firearm offenses, followed by a consecutive 60 months in prison for possessing the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking, for a total 137 months. WILLIAMS was also sentenced to 4 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each of the three counts of conviction.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, Health Care Fraud Coordinator.
Mexican National Caught with Gun, Fake ID SentencedRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a man from Mexico who was caught with a firearm and fraudulent identification documents after a road rage incident to a year and a day in prison.
Donnovan Mallen, 22, of Berkeley, Missouri, will be deported after his release from prison.
Mallen admitted in a guilty plea in August that on Feb. 26, 2021, he was driving to work when a vehicle followed him and fired four shots at him in St. Charles, Missouri. Mallen said he fired once into the air. Police found a loaded 10mm semi-automatic pistol under the front passenger seat of Mallen’s Dodge Charger, which had a shattered rear window. Mallen also had a fraudulent Permanent Resident Card and Social Security card.
Mallen pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to illegal entry and unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Charles Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christian Goeke is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Manchester man pleaded guilty today in federal court to violating his sex offender registration requirements, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Christopher Hodgeman, 34, of Manchester, pleaded guilty to one count of failure to register his online identifiers. U.S. District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe scheduled sentencing for February 25, 2025.
On April 13, 2021, Hodgeman pled guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. As a result of this prior conviction, Hodgeman is required to register as a sex offender and to report any internet or online identifiers, including screen names or user profiles on social media accounts.
In February 2023, Manchester police received a tip that an individual, later identified as Hodgeman, appeared to be exchanging sexually oriented chats online via Xbox with a 15-year-old child. Authorities determined that Hodgman had engaged in these chats using an unregistered online account. Through further investigation, authorities identified at least one additional online account that Hodgeman failed to report on his sex offender registration paperwork.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, at least 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The United States Marshals Service and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Man with Long History of Violence Against Women Sentenced to 78 Months for Illegally Possessing A GunRead the Press Release
Case Reflects Ongoing Commitment to Protect Survivors of Domestic Violence
GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Stephen Duane Woods, Jr., age 40, of Kalamazoo, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted Stephen Woods federally in part because Woods has an extensive history of domestic violence, including his abusive actions in this case.
“Woods’s criminal record shows a pattern of violence against women and blatant disregard for the law,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “For a victim of domestic violence, an abuser’s access to a firearm can mean the difference between life and death. We will continue to protect survivors by prosecuting abusers who have no right to touch a gun.”
In September 2023, Woods grabbed his girlfriend by the hair, beat her to the ground, and pressed a loaded pistol to her chest. When she stood up, he slapped her in the head. When police came, he ran and hid the pistol in a car. A lone officer located Woods and began to arrest him, but he resisted and yelled in her face, relenting only when backup arrived.
Woods has an extensive criminal history, which includes dozens of convictions. This history betrays a pattern of violence against women, including a 2004 conviction for grabbing and holding a woman while his friend beat her, and a 2005 conviction for shoving a woman against a wall and punching her in the mouth.
Woods also has an established pattern of fighting and resisting police. In 2005, after a traffic stop, Woods bit and kicked officers. In 2010, he elbowed an officer’s face and bit his bicep, leaving a full bite mark. And in multiple cases, Woods fled crime scenes and led police on dangerous chases.
“Stephen Woods's is a habitual domestic abuser. Every person deserves to live in peace without the threat of gun and or domestic violence,” said Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “Mr. Woods will have a significant amount free time to reflect on his consistent pattern of abusive relationships with women, and perhaps arrive at a place where he values them. Our community and his family are safer today with Woods in prison.”
Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Across the nation and in Michigan domestic violence is a serious threat. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. Moreover, studies have shown that domestic violence perpetrators often use firearms to abuse and control their victims, who are five times as likely to be killed if their abuser has access to a firearm.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan has brought other cases to address the threat of domestic violence, which include the following:
- 10/29/24 – Muskegon Heights Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Gun as A Felon
- 8/8/24 – Norton Shores Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking
- 7/18/24 – Two Lansing Men Sentenced on Gun Charges After Threatening Episode with an Assault Rifle at a Convenience Store
- 7/2/24 – Firearms Offender, Prosecuted Under Safe Summer Program, Sentenced to 64 Months
- 3/13/24 – Lansing Man Sentenced for Illegal Gun Possession
- 12/6/23 – Muskegon Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm Linked to a Homicide
- 9/13/23 – Serial Domestic Abuser Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm
- 6/5/23 – Muskegon Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Stalking his Ex-Wife and Possessing Firearms
In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan recently announced a special partnership with the City of Lansing to address domestic violence in that city as part of a nationwide program.
Victims of domestic violence who feel they are in imminent danger or fear a threat of harm should call 911. The following national hotlines are also available to help victims:
- Victim Connect: 1-855-4VICTIM (1-855-484-2846)
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1−800−799−7233 or TTY 1−800−787−3224 (or text START to 88788)
- The National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Castle prosecuted it.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/psn.
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Lincoln Woman Sentenced for Drug Possession and Violation of Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Tiffany Alice Wolfe, age 41, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 6, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and violation of supervised release. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Wolfe to a total of 174 months’ imprisonment. She received a sentence of 162 months’ imprisonment on the drug charge and was ordered to serve a consecutive, (additional) 12-month prison term for violating the terms of her supervised release from a prior federal drug conviction by committing a new crime. There is no parole in the federal system. After Wolfe’s release from prison, she will begin a new 5-year term of supervised release.
On April 26, 2023, Wolfe was a passenger in an SUV which was stopped by Lincoln Police officers for a traffic violation. The SUV, and its contents, including Wolfe’s purse, were searched. In her purse, officers found a shard of meth and 47 small plastic baggies, and a digital scale was found under her seat. Wolfe was taken to the Lancaster County Jail where she admitted she had additional meth on per person and provided a bag of meth to jail staff. She told officers she had just purchased it in Omaha prior to her arrest and eventually admitted she intended to sell some of it to customers in Lincoln. Testing at the Nebraska State Patrol Crime Lab showed the bag contained at least 100 grams of actual meth.
At the time of Wolfe’s arrest, she was serving a 3-year term of supervised release after completing federal prison terms for a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute meth a prior supervised release violation. Wolfe was sentenced to 123 months’ imprisonment in 2017 on the prior drug conviction and 14 months in 2022 on the prior supervised release violation.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Lame Deer man admits meth trafficking, firearm crimes on Northern Cheyenne and Crow Indian reservationsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Lame Deer man accused of trafficking methamphetamine on both the Northern Cheyenne and Crow Indian reservations admitted to charges on Nov. 5, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
The defendant, Geofredo James Littlebird, Jr., 40, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Littlebird pleaded guilty in the midst of a jury trial that began on Nov. 4 on charges in a superseding indictment. Littlebird faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug charge, and a mandatory minimum of five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm charge.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for March 5. Littlebird was detained pending further proceedings.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that in 2022, law enforcement received information that Littlebird was distributing meth. Federal agents conducted a series of controlled purchases of the drug from Littlebird and his associates. Some of the purchases occurred in Littlebird’s house and were recorded. Another purchase that involved a source who met with Littlebird’s associate occurred near Crow Agency on the Crow Indian Reservation and was recorded. On Aug. 24, 2022, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Littlebird’s house and found a scale and plastic wrap, various rounds of ammunition, three firearms, body armor, multiple cell phones and meth and paraphernalia. On Oct. 19, 2022, law enforcement executed a tribal search warrant, with assistance from federal law enforcement, on Littlebird’s house and found four firearms and two baggies of meth.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
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