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5 November 2024
New York Man Indicted for Identity TheftRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Bolarinwa Salau, 30, of Rockaway Beach, New York, has been charged with identity theft.
According to the court documents, West Virginia State Police stopped a vehicle driven by Salau. Salau was found in possession of means of identification of other people in connection with a stolen identity refund fraud scheme, often referred to as “SIRF.” This type of fraud involves the use of stolen personal information, including a social security number, to file a tax return claiming a fraudulent refund. Salau is charged with possessing such documents with the intent to engage in unlawful activity.
Salau faces up to five years in federal prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge would determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and the West Virginia State Police with assistance from The Ohio County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on October 31, 2024 JOHNNIE HAGANS (“HAGANS”), age 31, pled guilty to Counts 1 through 4 of an indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C) (Count 1); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1(a)(i) (Count 2); and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8) (Counts 3 and 4).
As to Count 1, HAGANS faces up to twenty years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release. As to Count 2, HAGANS faces from five years up to life imprisonment, which must run consecutive to any other sentence, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 5 years of supervised release. As to Counts 3 and 4, HAGANS faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. As to each of Counts 1-4, HAGANS also faces payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
HAGANS is set for sentencing on January 30, 2025.
According to court documents, on January 23, 2024, a New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officer conducting surveillance of a Valero gas station on South Claiborne Avenue in New Orleans saw HAGANS making multiple hand-to-hand drug sales. NOPD patrol officers attempted to detain HAGANS,one officer was able to feel and detected an object in HAGANS’s waistband recognizable as a firearm. HAGANS fled from the officers and discarded an object in an open lot. After HAGANS’s subsequent detention, officers recovered a Ruger Model LCPII, .380 caliber pistol from the open lot. Officers also obtained a search warrant for a Nissan Rogue SUV located in the Valero gas station parking lot that HAGANS had previously been seen accessing. Inside the SUV, officers found a Kahr Arms Model CW40, .40 caliber pistol, and a plastic bag containing cocaine.
After HAGANS’s arrest, officers began monitoring his jail phone calls. Based on these calls and the belief that additional firearms might be found at HAGANS’s residence, officers obtained a search warrant for HAGANS’s residence. Pursuant to the warrant, they recovered a Romarm/Cugir Model Micro Draco, 7.62-millimeter pistol and an Anderson Arms Model AM-15, .223 caliber /5.56-millimeter pistol.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Monongalia County Man Indicted for Failing to Report to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – James Mansfield Davis, 67, of Morgantown, West Virginia, has been charged with failing to surrender for a federal sentence.
According to the filed indictment, Davis was sentenced to 82 months for a child pornography charge in the Northern District of West Virginia. He was ordered to report to serve his sentence on October 4, 2024. Davis didn’t report to the facility and was arrested on October 15, 2024 in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Davis faces up to 10 years in federal prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christie Utt is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mobile Man Sentenced to 46 Months for Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Roosevelt White, a Mobile man, has been sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge William H. Steele.
According to court documents, in August 2023, members of the Mobile Police Department responded a gas station on Springhill Avenue where they observed White engaged in several hand-to-hand transactions. White was detained for investigation and officers located a firearm on his person. White is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possession a firearm.
At sentencing, Judge Steele imposed a 46-month sentence of incarceration and a 3-year term of supervised release upon White’s discharge from prison.
The Mobile Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Beth Stepan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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.Marion County Man Indicted for Drug, Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Vincent Irving Jones, 33, of Fairmont, West Virginia, has been indicted on methamphetamine and firearms charges.
Jones is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. According to the court documents, Jones was found with methamphetamine and a .32 caliber pistol in Marion County. Jones is prohibited from having firearms because of prior felony convictions of voluntary manslaughter, escape from custody, and fleeing while under the influence of alcohol.
Jones faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the drug charge, up to 15 years for the unlawful firearms charge, and up to five years for the obliterated serial number charge. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fairmont Police Department.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man who Smuggled Fatal Drugs into Jail Sentenced to 22 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced a man to 22 years in prison for arranging the smuggling a fatal dose of drugs into the St. Francois County jail.
Timothy L. Noll, 35, of Park Hills, Missouri, arrived at the jail on July 27, 2021, and began trying to find someone to smuggle drugs into the jail that he could sell. Noll instructed an intermediary to get the drugs from Garry W. Triplett and conceal them in a Bible.
On August 1, the intermediary arranged for the Bible to be dropped off at the jail. When Noll discovered the next morning that he was being transferred to state prison and couldn’t bring the Bible, he had jail staff give it to his cell mate. His cell mate died two days later of mixed drug intoxication, including a lethal dose of fentanyl.
Noll pleaded guilty in May to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of a controlled substance, resulting in death. Triplett, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of a controlled substance. Triplett is scheduled to be sentenced in December.
The case was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone is prosecuting the case.
Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison After Serving as Getaway Driver in Enfield Convenience Store RobberyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Halifax County man was sentenced today to seven years in prison for helping to rob a Speedway convenience store on January 31, 2023, in Enfield. On August 9, 2024, Khiyelle Dent pled guilty to one count of interfering with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting. He also pled to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Dent, age 21, was the getaway driver for an individual who entered the Speedway in Enfield, brandished a firearm, and demanded money from the clerk. The clerk gave cash to the robber, who then returned to the vehicle, and fled the area. Enfield Police Department Officers were able to stop the suspect vehicle shortly after the robbery. They found Dent as well as several items of clothing that matched several robberies that had occurred in the month prior in Halifax County. As police approached Dent’s vehicle, his passenger successfully fled on foot.
On February 2, 2023, deputies from the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office responded to a Dollar General store located near their office after employees called 911, fearing a robbery was about to occur. The suspect, identified as Dent, entered the store, looked around, and signaled to someone in the parking lot before the deputies arrived. Dent was carrying a cross-body bag, and when officers arrived, one of them frisked him and discovered a firearm. Dent is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Enfield Police Department, the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, the Gaston Police Department, and the ATF investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Aubart prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-CR-55-D-RN.
Louisville Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Enticement and Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville, Kentucky, man was sentenced yesterday to 17 years in federal prison for enticement and sex trafficking of a minor.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville, Special Agent in Charge Robert Holman of the United States Secret Service (USSS), and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Timothy Boden, 41, was sentenced to 17 years in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for one count of enticement of a minor victim and one count of sex trafficking a minor victim.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the HSI, the USSS, and the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tieke and Danielle Yannelli prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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.”
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Leonard Glenn Francis Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Massive Bribery, Fraud and DisappearanceRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Leonard Glenn Francis, mastermind of an unprecedented bribery and fraud scheme targeting the U.S. Navy, was sentenced in federal court today to 180 months in prison and ordered to pay $20 million in restitution to the Navy and a $150,000 fine. Francis was also ordered to forfeit $35 million in ill-gotten proceeds from his crimes.
Francis’ sentence reflects admissions in his first guilty plea in 2015 concerning bribery and fraud, his extensive cooperation with the government, and his guilty plea today for failing to appear for his original sentencing hearing in 2022. U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino handed down a 164-month sentence for bribery and fraud and 16 months for failing to appear, to be served consecutively.
Francis admitted today in his second plea agreement that he fled the country to avoid his sentencing hearing in September 2022. Around September 4, 2022, while he was on house arrest, Francis cut off a GPS monitor he was required to wear and disappeared, first fleeing to Mexico, then Cuba, and ultimately, Venezuela. He was later arrested in Venezuela and brought back to the U.S. on December 20, 2023.
"Leonard Francis lined his pockets with taxpayer dollars while undermining the integrity of U.S. Naval forces,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “The impact of his deceit and manipulation will be long felt, but justice has been served today.”
Francis, 60, a Malaysian citizen most recently living in Singapore, was initially arrested in San Diego on September 16, 2013, and remained in pretrial custody until December 18, 2017, when the court granted his request for release pending sentencing due to a medical condition. Francis served four years and three months in custody before he was released on bond and ordered into house arrest. He remained on bond under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services for almost five years, from December 17, 2017, until he fled the U.S. on September 4, 2022. He has remained in custody in the U.S. since his return on December 20, 2023. Based on today’s sentence and the court’s finding that Francis has so far served 2,333 days of his sentence - including time spent in custody in Venezuela at the request of the U.S. government - Francis has an estimated 8.5 years remaining.
According to admissions in his initial 2015 plea agreement, and other court documents, Francis and his company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia, or GDMA, which provided services to U.S. Navy ships in Asia Pacific ports, gave co-conspirators millions of dollars in things of value, including over $500,000 in cash; hundreds of thousands of dollars in the services of prostitutes and associated expenses; hundreds of thousands of dollars in travel expenses, including airfare, often first or business class, luxurious hotel stays, incidentals, and spa treatments; hundreds of thousands of dollars in lavish meals, top-shelf alcohol and wine, and entertainment; and hundreds of thousands of dollars in luxury gifts, including designer handbags and leather goods, watches, fountain pens, Kobe beef, Spanish suckling pigs, designer furniture, Cuban cigars, consumer electronics, ornamental swords, and hand-made ship models.
Francis admitted that in return, U.S. Navy personnel and command staff advocated on behalf of Francis and his company during the procurement process and provided classified information about various U.S. Navy ships’ port visits, proprietary U.S. Navy information such as details about competitors’ bids for U.S. Navy contracts, and information about Naval Criminal Investigative Service and U.S. Navy investigations into GDMA’s practices, among other things.
In his 2015 plea agreement, Francis also admitted to defrauding the U.S. Navy of tens of millions of dollars by routinely overbilling for goods and services provided, including fuel, tugboats, and sewage disposal.
GDMA the corporation was also sentenced today to five years of probation and ordered to pay a $36 million fine.
According to the government’s sentencing memo, Francis’ scheme to defraud the United States over many years and the entrenched bribery and corruption he fostered within the U.S. Navy were aggravated and egregious. By contrast, once caught, he pleaded guilty, and cooperated extensively with authorities.
Over the course of several years, Francis met with government investigators dozens of times to discuss unprecedented levels of corruption within the U.S. Navy. Francis provided detailed information about hundreds of Sailors, from petty officers to admirals, and turned over financial records, photographs, receipts and Navy contracting documents. Corroborated information from Francis substantially assisted the United States in its investigation.
“Mr. Francis’ sentencing brings closure to an expansive fraud scheme that he perpetrated against the U.S. Navy with assistance from various Navy officials. This fraud conspiracy ultimately cost the American taxpayer millions of dollars and weakened the public’s trust in some of our Navy’s senior leaders. Mr. Francis’ actions not only degraded the 7th Fleet’s readiness but shook the Fleet’s trust in its leadership who furthered his corrupt practices,” said Kelly P. Mayo, the Director of the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). “The exhaustive joint investigation exemplifies the lengths DCIS and its investigative partners will go to in order to pursue justice for the American taxpayer and our warfighters. DCIS will continue to protect our nation’s precious resources so they are not lost to illicit schemes that only serve one’s greed and self-aggrandizement to the detriment of our national security.”
“Leonard Francis put the safety of our warfighters and Department of Navy assets at risk,” said NCIS Director Omar Lopez. “He disregarded the law and lined his pockets by bribing U.S. Navy officials and others to exploit sensitive national security information. NCIS remains committed to protecting Department of the Navy personnel and resources. As we reach the final sentencing in this complex and intensive procurement fraud investigation that spanned over a decade, I want to thank the countless NCIS professionals and partner agencies involved.”
DEFENDANT Case Numbers: 13-CR-3781, 3782 and 4287
Leonard Glenn Francis Age: 60 Singapore
Glenn Defense Marine Asia Pte. Ltd. Singapore
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Bribery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §371.
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison, $250,000 fine or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater
Bribery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §201
Maximum Penalty: Fifteen years in prison, $250,000 fine or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Mandatory restitution
Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, in violation of in violation of 18 U.S.C. §371
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison $250,000 fine or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Mandatory restitution
Failure to Appear, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §3146
Maximum Penalty: Ten years in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Defense Criminal Investigative Service
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Defense Contract Audit Agency
Kingsport Man Sentenced to over 17 Years for Trafficking Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On November 4, 2024, Shane Douglas Stallard, 44, of Kingsport, was sentenced to 205 months in prison by the Honorable Ronnie Greer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Following imprisonment, Stallard will be on supervised release for five years.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Stallard agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) and conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of the 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1).
According to filed court documents, for at least four months, Stallard sold large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin/fentanyl in the Kingsport area. Stallard and his partner regularly made trips to North Carolina, where they purchased one kilogram of methamphetamine and six to seven ounces of heroin/fentanyl at a time. Stallard, a convicted felon, carried a firearm with him while he sold drugs and possessed numerous firearms which he kept at his home and at a storage unit. During the investigation Stallard twice sold a substance described as heroin to a confidential informant. Lab testing showed that on both occasions, the drug Stallard sold contained heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. On April 1, 2022, Stallard was arrested following a traffic stop. A loaded firearm was found in the front passenger floorboard of the vehicle where Stallard had been sitting. Another loaded firearm and approximately 80 grams of fentanyl were found in the back of the vehicle. The evidence showed that Stallard was on the way to a hotel to sell the fentanyl. A few days later, police executed a search warrant at the Kingsport residence where Stallard had been staying prior to his arrest. They also searched a storage unit that Stallard used. Police found seven firearms, ammunition, and approximately $27,000 cash at the residence. In the storage unit, they found six firearms and approximately 300 grams of methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the Kingsport Police Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Emily M. Swecker represented the United States.
This case was brought as 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 communicates, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.
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Kalispell company admits filing false claims for payment to federal agency claiming an abatement of lead paint in veterans housing at Fort HarrisonRead the Press Release
HELENA — Mold Wranglers, Inc., a Kalispell-based company that provides hazardous material mitigation services, today admitted to filing false requests for payment to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs claiming an abatement of lead paint was done at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison when it was not, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The defendant, Mold Wranglers, Inc., appeared for arraignment on and pleaded guilty to an information charging one count of False Claim Act conspiracy, a felony. Mold Wranglers was represented by Jonathan Carpenter, owner of the company. The company faces a maximum fine of $500,000 and restitution.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for March 4, 2025.
The government alleged in court documents that Mold Wranglers agreed to perform work at the Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison, which is affordable rental housing for veterans and their families at Fort Harrison. The project consisted of converting residential units for military veterans and their families. From 2018 to 2019, Mold Wranglers conducted work at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison, including, but not limited to, painting over lead-based paint with an encapsulating paint. Because of the dangers associated with lead, federal regulations strictly regulate all lead work. All contractors must hold certifications to conduct such work, and the Environmental Protection Agency must receive notification that lead work is occurring. Mold Wranglers’ employees were not certified to conduct lead work, they failed to notify the EPA and they applied the encapsulating paint inconsistent with the paint manufacturer specifications.
Mold Wranglers submitted 11 Subcontractor Requisitions for Payment detailing that lead-based paint work was performed. Those claims, through other companies, were submitted to the VA and paid with federal funds. When doing so, Mold Wranglers and others claimed they performed an “abatement,” which was false. Indeed, the companies specifically agreed they would not perform an abatement, which requires certain specifications be met. In an email, one individual said:
“The plan is to aesthetically repair the paint and finish the homes. It’s not to remove the lead hazard and if the plan is to go down the abatement road, then it will be a significant increase to the scope of the work.”
Th companies requested and received payment of approximately $456,000 from the United States for an “abatement.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division and Office of Inspector General, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, and Department of Housing and Urban Development conducted the investigation.
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Jackson, Michigan Man Charged with Threats to Political Action CommitteeRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A Jackson, Michigan man was arrested today and charged with one count of making a threatening interstate communication. The charge arises out of Pierce allegedly sending threatening e-mails to a political action committee (PAC) engaged in fundraising activities related to the November 5, 2024, election, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Joining in the announcement was Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
According to court documents, on or about October 2, 2024, Christopher Pierce, 46, of Jackson, Michigan, allegedly sent two electronic communications containing threats to injure or kill individuals associated with the PAC. In apparent response to fundraising solicitation communications, Pierce communicated: “I guarantee I can find each and every one of your [expletive] organizees. And we will turn you [expletive] inside out. . . . Now you better stop or I promise you this is badly for all of you [expletive] and we won’tinvolve [sic] the law.” In a second communication shortly thereafter, Pierce stated, “You will shut down your entire organization or it will be shut down for you. 90% of the members of [named organization]… are trained killers. . . . It paints targets onyour [sic] backs and the backs of your families. Your call centers have been located. Don’t make these boys and girlsgo [sic] to work.”
Pierce is charged with one count of making a threatening interstate communication. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.
The investigation is being conducted by FBI.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Created by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Three years after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jackson County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joshua L. Wolfe, 42, of Givens, pleaded guilty today to two counts of failure to pay a tax and failure to file an income tax return.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wolfe admitted that the failed to pay approximately $20,000 in taxes withheld from the gross pay of employees of his business, Wolfe Construction Company Inc., due on April 30, 2019. Wolfe also did not file an individual income tax return for calendar year 2018. Wolfe admitted that he drew a salary of approximately $75,000 from Wolfe Construction and transferred approximately $50,000 from his business accounts to his personal accounts that year.
Wolfe was president, sole officer and 50 percent shareholder of Wolfe Construction from 2015 to 2020 and became the sole owner of the commercial construction business in September 2020. Wolfe admitted that he did not pay all of Wolfe Construction’s employment taxes for many quarters from 2017 and 2019, after withholding taxes from the gross pay of his employees. Wolfe Construction generally had 11 to 15 employees during this time period.
Wolfe was also the sole owner of the Barge Restaurant, which he opened in 2017 in Charleston. Wolfe admitted that he often failed to pay the full amount of employment taxes he withheld from the gross pay of Barge Restaurant employees from 2017 to 2019. The Barge Restaurant generally had at least 10 employees during this time period.
Wolfe also admitted that he claimed and received a refund on his 2017 individual income tax return after reporting employment taxes withheld from his 2017 Wolfe Construction salary as “payment.” Wolfe further admitted that he did not file an individual income tax return for calendar year 2019 even though he knew his salary from Wolfe Construction alone exceeded the minimum requirement for filing.
Wolfe is scheduled to be sentenced on January 14, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison, up to two years of supervised release, and a $200,000 fine. Wolfe also owes restitution in an amount to be determined by the Court.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI).
United States Magistrate Judge Dwane L. Tinsley presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell and Trial Attorneys Brian Flanagan and Rebecca Caruso of the Department of Justice Criminal Tax Division are 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. 2:24-cr-166.
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Jackson County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joshua L. Wolfe, 42, of Givens, pleaded guilty today to two counts of failure to pay a tax and failure to file an income tax return.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wolfe admitted that the failed to pay approximately $20,000 in taxes withheld from the gross pay of employees of his business, Wolfe Construction Company Inc., due on April 30, 2019. Wolfe also did not file an individual income tax return for calendar year 2018. Wolfe admitted that he drew a salary of approximately $75,000 from Wolfe Construction and transferred approximately $50,000 from his business accounts to his personal accounts that year.
Wolfe was president, sole officer and 50 percent shareholder of Wolfe Construction from 2015 to 2020 and became the sole owner of the commercial construction business in September 2020. Wolfe admitted that he did not pay all of Wolfe Construction’s employment taxes for many quarters from 2017 and 2019, after withholding taxes from the gross pay of his employees. Wolfe Construction generally had 11 to 15 employees during this time period.
Wolfe was also the sole owner of the Barge Restaurant, which he opened in 2017 in Charleston. Wolfe admitted that he often failed to pay the full amount of employment taxes he withheld from the gross pay of Barge Restaurant employees from 2017 to 2019. The Barge Restaurant generally had at least 10 employees during this time period.
Wolfe also admitted that he claimed and received a refund on his 2017 individual income tax return after reporting employment taxes withheld from his 2017 Wolfe Construction salary as “payment.” Wolfe further admitted that he did not file an individual income tax return for calendar year 2019 even though he knew his salary from Wolfe Construction alone exceeded the minimum requirement for filing.
Wolfe is scheduled to be sentenced on January 14, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison, up to two years of supervised release, and a $200,000 fine. Wolfe also owes restitution in an amount to be determined by the Court.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI).
United States Magistrate Judge Dwane L. Tinsley presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell and Trial Attorneys Brian Flanagan and Rebecca Caruso of the Department of Justice Criminal Tax Division are 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. 2:24-cr-166.
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Indictment Charges Greenwich Investment Group OperatorRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a 23-count indictment charging JUSTIN C. MURPHY, 49, of Stamford, with offenses stemming from an alleged investment fraud scheme.
The indictment was returned on September 22, 2022. Murphy, who was extradited from Brazil, appeared on November 1, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was released on a $250,000 bond. Murphy had been detained in Brazil since his arrest on December 6, 2023.
As alleged in the indictment, Murphy owned and operated Greenwich-based Mara Investment Group, LLC, also known as Mara Investment Management LP and Mara Investments Global Management LLC (“Mara”), which Murphy purported to be a hedge fund that solicited and accepted investments and used a quantitative strategy that balanced long and short positions in securities. Between approximately 2016 and September 2022, Murphy defrauded investors by pursuing a much riskier investment strategy than he told investors; diverting substantial investor funds for his own personal use and benefit; representing to investors that their invested funds were performing more favorably than was, in fact, the case, including providing investors with account statements that falsely representing their account balances; and providing investors with federal tax forms that falsely reported business income upon which investors would be required to pay tax.
It is alleged that Murphy stole approximately $3.5 million in investor funds through this scheme and used the funds to pay for personal expenses and to purchase a personal stake in his relative’s startup company.
The indictment charges Murphy with 15 counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count; five counts of money laundering, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count; and three counts of tax evasion, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years on each count. Per the extradition agreement with Brazil, the government has agreed not to pursue the tax evasion charges against Murphy.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Brazilian authorities provided assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.
Hershey Woman Pleads Guilty to Filing False Income Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Connie Bott, age 74, of Hershey, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty before United States District Court judge Jennifer P. Wilson on October 31, 2024, to a charge of filing a false federal income tax return. Bott remains free on her own recognizance.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Bott was employed by Autohaus Lancaster, a car dealership and service center in Lancaster, PA. Bott was the bookkeeper and controller for the business. In 2019, the owners of the dealership suspected that Bott was potentially embezzling money from them. When interviewed Bott admitted to stealing money from her employer and, consequently, to making false declarations under penalty of perjury when she filed her federal income tax returns (mailed in Dauphin County, within the Middle District of Pennsylvania) in which she did not report the income she realized from the thefts. US Attorney Karam said the Internal Revenue Service calculated the unreported income as $76,472.74 over 4 years from 2016 through 2019, and additional income tax owed by Bott for that period to be to be $16,825. The unreported income for the sole count of the Information for tax year 2017 is $30,456.68, and the unreported tax for that count is $7,246.
The following federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies participated in the investigation: Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Manheim Township Police Department, and the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney William A. Behe prosecuted the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is three years of imprisonment, a maximum term of supervised release of one year following imprisonment, and a $100,000 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.
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Helena real estate agent admits failing to provide lead-based paint disclosures for veterans residing in rental housing at Fort HarrisonRead the Press Release
HELENA – A Helena real estate agent and property manager today admitted to failing to provide lead-based paint disclosures as required to veterans residing in housing at Fort Harrison, in Helena, which resulted in the exposure of veterans and their families to significant levels of lead, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The defendant, Melanie Ann Carlin, 54, of Clancy, appeared for arraignment on and pleaded guilty to an information charging her with one count of knowing endangerment, a felony. Carlin faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for March 4, 2025. Carlin remained on release pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that from September 2019 until September 2021, Carlin failed to provide lead-based paint disclosures as required, placing an individual in imminent danger of death and serious bodily injury and exposing low-income veteran families and their children at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison to significant levels of lead.
Carlin is the owner of 406 Properties, Inc, a property management service in Helena, and has more than 26 years of professional real estate experience. In 2018, Carlin agreed to provide property management services for rental units known as Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison. The rentals included multiple homes for military veterans to use as affordable housing. In May 2019, Carlin received and forwarded an email from the Montana Department of Commerce requesting information detailing any lead-based paint remediation completed on the homes because the buildings were constructed before 1978. The buildings were constructed in approximately 1895 and 1905, depending on the building.
Despite the email, in June 2019, Carlin signed two Request for Tenancy Approval Forms for the Fort Harrison rentals. Carlin selected “lead-based paint disclosures do not apply because this property was built on or after January 1, 1978” on the form. Carlin knew the selections were false and did not provide lead-based paint disclosures to veterans seeking residence at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison.
In September 2019, Carlin attended a meeting discussing that lead-based paint was peeling at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison. The meeting agenda identified “lead-based paint peeling in the units – doors won’t shut, paint peels when attempt to shut door” and veterans have identified “chipped paint” in the units. At this point, Carlin knew the buildings were built prior to 1978, and she knew deteriorating lead-based paint was located inside the buildings.
Despite Carlin’s knowledge and extensive real estate experience, she continued to sign forms indicating that the units were free of lead-based paint, or they were built after 1978, none of which was true. In addition, Carlin continued in failing to provide lead-based paint disclosures to the veterans and their families residing in the units.
The government further alleged that in December 2020, Carlin failed to provide a lead-based paint disclosure to a veteran of Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison. In September 2021, an 18-month-old child in the veteran’s home was found eating paint chips inside the unit. Subsequent medical testing confirmed the child had elevated blood lead levels exceeding levels considered to be “very high” and required treatment for lead poisoning. Lead poisoning can have catastrophic effects on children and their development, and Congress requires a warning about the effects of lead poisoning be given when individuals lease homes built prior to 1978.
When interviewed by federal agents, Carlin agreed that she was familiar with the requirement to provide lead disclosures and confirmed that no lead disclosures were provided to veterans living in units at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison. A review of the rental units confirmed lead was present in almost every unit, including the building where the 18-month-old child was present. A subsequent property management company corrected the omission by making lead disclosures to the veterans.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division and Office of Inspector General, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, and Department of Housing and Urban Development conducted the investigation.
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Guilty Plea from Second Assailant Who Tried to Steal a Man’s Car at Gunpoint in January 2024Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Caleb Johnson, 26, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today in Superior Court to charges stemming from an attempted armed carjacking and armed robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Johnson pleaded guilty before Superior Court Judge Robert A. Salerno to one count of armed robbery and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Judge Salerno set a sentencing date of January 13, 2025. Johnson faces a mandatory minimum term of five years of incarceration for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to the government’s evidence, on January 12, 2024, Johnson and his co-defendant, Marquis Derby, robbed and attempted to carjack a construction worker at gunpoint when the victim, who was working on a job site in Northeast Washington, D.C., went to retrieve equipment from his truck. As the victim reached into his truck, Derby pressed a firearm into the victim’s back and took the victim’s phone out of his pocket. Derby then demanded that the victim unlock his phone. As he was doing so, Johnson punched the victim several times in the face and took the victim’s keys. Johnson got into the victim’s truck, and Derby took the victim’s phone and got into an SUV nearby. When Johnson was unable to start the victim’s truck, he got into the SUV with Derby, and the two men drove off together. Johnson was arrested on June 27, 2024, and has been detained ever since.
Derby pleaded guilty to armed robbery and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence on August 29, 2024; his sentencing is scheduled for December 17, 2024.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Taskforce. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Lawrence.
Grand Jury Indicts Norfolk Man for Multiple Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that the Grand Jury in the District of Nebraska has returned an eight-count Indictment against Noah Hale, age 20, of Norfolk, Nebraska. The Indictment charges Hale with the sexual exploitation of six minors between September 2022 and February 2024.
Counts 1 through 4 of the Indictment charge Hale with production of child pornography—each count involving a separate minor victim. Each of these offenses are punishable by a mandatory minimum term of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, a term of supervised release to follow his term of imprisonment of not less than 5 years and up to a lifetime of supervision, and several possible special assessments payable to the court and to special victim funds.
Counts 5 and 6 of the Indictment charge Hale with attempted production of child pornography—each count involving separate minor victims. Both counts are punishable by the same possible punishment as Counts 1-4.
Count 7 of the Indictment charges Hale with receipt of child pornography. This offense is punishable by a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, a term of supervised release to follow his term of imprisonment of not less than 5 years and up to a lifetime of supervision, and several possible special assessments payable to the court and to special victim funds.
Count 8 of the Indictment charges Hale with possession of child pornography. This offense is punishable by a maximum of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, a term of supervised release to follow his term of imprisonment of not less than 5 years and up to a lifetime of supervision, and several possible special assessments payable to the court and to special victim funds.
Hale appeared for his arraignment and detention hearing on November 1, 2024, before the Honorable Magistrate Judge Jacqueline M. DeLuca. He was ordered detained pending trial at the conclusion of the hearing. A preliminary examination will not be held as the Grand Jury has found probable cause in returning the Indictment. A finding of probable cause is not a finding of guilt and Hale is presumed innocent of these charges until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Lehr commended the FBI for the intensity with which they investigated this case. Due to their efforts a number of victims were identified and charges were able to be filed.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to 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.
Gallatin Farmer Pleads Guilty to Multi-million Dollar Crop Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Gallatin, Mo., man whose family farming operation is the setting of a reality TV show pleaded guilty in federal court today to a multi-million dollar fraud scheme involving federal crop insurance benefits he was not entitled to receive.
Steve A. McBee, 52, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to a federal information that charges him with one count of federal crop insurance fraud. McBee, the owner of McBee Farming Operations, stars in the reality TV series “The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys” streaming on Peacock.
By pleading guilty today, McBee admitted that he engaged in fraudulent activity from 2018 to 2020 that caused an economic loss to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, McBee must pay restitution as determined by the court. The total loss claimed by the government is $4,022,123. Additionally, McBee must forfeit to the government $3,158,923.
McBee admitted that he made a false report to Rain and Hail, a company reinsured by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. McBee submitted fraudulent documents to Rain and Hail that underreported his total 2018 corn crop by approximately 674,812 bushels and underreported his total 2018 soybean crop by approximately 155,833 bushels. As a result of these false reports, McBee received $2,605,943 in federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled, as well as $552,980 in federal crop insurance premium subsidies to which he was not entitled, for a total of $3,158,923.
McBee admitted that his farming operation sold more than 1.2 million bushels of corn and nearly 416,000 bushels of soybeans to another party in 2018. However, McBee’s crop insurance records reported that his farming operations produced only 340,476 bushels of corn and 190,171 bushels of soybeans.
In addition to the specific felony charge to which he pleaded guilty today, McBee admitted he committed additional fraud in 2019 and 2020.
McBee provided false information to Rain and Hail to obtain insurance for the McBee farming operation’s 2019 soybean crop by misrepresenting that soybeans were the first crop in certain fields when wheat had already been harvested from those fields. The Rain and Hail crop insurance policy only allowed insurance coverage on the first crop planted on a piece of land during a given crop year. As a result of the double cropping during the 2019 crop year, McBee was paid federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled.
McBee also provided false information when he obtained crop insurance through NAU Country Insurance in 2020. McBee’s farming operation planted corn after the last planting date in 2020, which made the crop ineligible for insurance. McBee provided false plant dates on crop insurance documents to NAU Country Insurance. As a result, McBee received federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled.
Under federal statutes, McBee is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Cooper. It was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General.
Former Taylor Employee Sentenced to Prison for Bribery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DETROIT –Jeffrey Baum, 49, of Allen Park, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for conspiring to accept bribes while he was the Community Development Manager for the City of Taylor, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
In 2015, the City of Taylor created the Right of First Refusal program (ROFR). Under this program, each year the City acquired tax-delinquent homes and selected developers to rehabilitate and eventually purchase the properties. Baum was the manager of Taylor’s Community Development Department and was responsible for overseeing the ROFR program. During this time, Baum introduced Shady Awad, a real estate developer interested in acquiring ROFR properties to develop, to then-Mayor Richard Sollars. While Awad was a contractor with the City and Baum was supervising the program, Baum solicited and accepted bribes, including cash from Awad on behalf of himself and Sollars. Baum also accepted bribes from Hadir Altoon, the owner of Dominick’s Market, who was also interested in obtaining ROFR properties. Baum routinely received food and holiday gifts, including cash, from Altoon. Without the knowledge or consent of the City Council and at Sollars’s direction, Baum facilitated the transfer of nine ROFR properties to Altoon.
In addition to being the Community Development Manager, Baum was also the treasurer of Sollars’s campaign fund. As treasurer, Baum was aware that Sollars stole tens of thousands of dollars from the fund. Baum assisted Sollars by giving him pre-signed, blank campaign checks that Sollars used in a fake catering scheme with Altoon. Sollars then made those checks payable to Dominick’s Market in various amounts, each purporting to represent payment for catering services provided to the campaign. At Sollars’s direction, Altoon prepared false invoices for catering services that were not actually provided. Instead, Altoon provided Sollars with some or all of the proceeds from the cashed fraudulent checks for Sollars’s personal use. Following an evidentiary hearing, the Court found that Sollars received $70,362.98 from this, and other wire fraud schemes related to his campaign account. Baum also accepted large cash campaign donations and gave them to Sollars instead of depositing them into the fund’s bank account. Baum further admitted to stealing between $10,000 and $20,000 from the fund for his personal use.
“As the Manager of Community Development for the City of Taylor, Baum had a duty to represent the best interests of the citizens of Taylor. Instead, he used his position of trust and authority to extort money and other items of value from the contractors he was hired to supervise. Mr. Baum’s conviction and sentence should send a strong message to public employees that placing your own interests above those of the citizens of this district will not be tolerated,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances Carlson and Robert Moran.
Former Owner of a Bend-Based Microbrewery Equipment Company Sentenced to Federal Prison for Mail and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.— The former owner of a Bend, Oregon-based microbrewery equipment company was sentenced to federal prison today for defrauding nearly two dozen customers out of more than $880,000.
Matthew Mulder, 52, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $887,116 in restitution to his victims.
Mulder used his company, We Can Brewing Systems, LLC, which he co-founded in 2014, to solicit payments for custom-built microbrewery systems, keg washers, and other industrial brewing products. Beginning in at least January 2017 and continuing through June 2018, Mulder solicited and accepted orders for equipment he knew his company was not capable of fulfilling. When customers asked for updates on their orders, Mulder falsely stated that they were on schedule or nearing completion.
At the same time, Mulder would entice customers to make additional payments by sending emails and text messages that included photos of nearly-completed orders prepared for other customers. He would then send the customers fake invoices for shipping costs, which they would pay. Many customers received nothing from Mulder following those final shipping payments.
During the fraud, Mulder solicited and accepted new customer contracts requiring large down payments that he would in-turn use for personal expenses, to pay off loans, and to pay suppliers. In total, Mulder knowingly and intentionally defrauded 23 customers out of more than $880,000.
On February 19, 2020, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a seven-count indictment charging Mulder with wire and mail fraud. He pleaded guilty to all counts on April 3, 2024.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Bend Police Department. It was prosecuted by Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Florida Resident Sentenced to Five Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dimitri Antoine-Zacharia Grant, age 26, of Miami, Florida, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The charges arose from an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office.
On May 14, 2024, Grant pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on May 8, 2023, a Sequoyah County deputy pulled Grant over for a traffic violation. During the stop, law enforcement discovered Grant in possession of approximately 6,900 grams—over 15 pounds—of methamphetamine packed in seven clear baggies distributed between three backpacks.
The Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Grant will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.
Florida Man and Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Sell Counterfeit Drugs on Dark WebRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Hialeah, Fla., man, Omar Thomas Wala, 35, and a North Miami, Fla., woman, Vienna Cavanaugh, 33, were sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier, to 90 months and 26 months in prison, respectively, for conspiring with others to produce and sell counterfeit drugs.
According to their plea agreements, Wala and Cavanaugh worked with their co-conspirators, Michael Basalyga, Reina Chirinos de Urena, and Philbert Campbell, to make and sell counterfeit alprazolam, commonly known by the brand name Xanax. As part of the conspiracy, Wala, Cavanaugh, and their co-defendants made pills that looked similar to real tablets and were stamped with numbers used by legitimate manufacturers, but they were made from other substances, including clonazolam and etizolam, designed to replicate the effects of alprazolam.
The conspiracy involved selling directly to known customers and by also selling the counterfeit drugs under pseudonyms on darknet marketplaces. People purchased the drugs with cryptocurrency across the United States, including in Kentucky. The Court held Wala responsible for distribution of more than 16.1 million counterfeit alprazolam pills from 2017 to 2022 and has ordered Wala to forfeit more than $6.9 million.
“Counterfeit medicine can be harmful and is a serious problem,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “When purchasing these drugs, consumers may be getting too much, too little, or even the wrong drug, having no way to know it. We have a closed drug distribution system to ensure that our drug supply is safe to use and is not a marketplace for criminals. These defendants were prolific sellers of counterfeit drugs and posed a real threat to their customers. Through the dedicated work of our law enforcement partners, they now face the consequences of their illegal and dangerous profiteering.”
Wala’s and Cavanaugh’s co-defendants are currently scheduled to be sentenced as follows: Campbell is scheduled to be sentenced on November 15, 2024; Basalyga is scheduled to be sentenced on January 14, 2025; and Chirinos de Urena is scheduled to be sentenced March 25, 2025.
Under federal law, Wala and Cavanaugh must serve 85 percent of their prison sentence. Upon their release from prison, they will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
United States Attorney Shier and Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the DEA, with assistance from the FBI, IRS, and United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Rosenberg is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Farrell Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Prison for Trafficking Cocaine Near Public HousingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Farrell, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for cocaine trafficking within 1,000 feet of a public housing location, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Cleo Johnson, 33, also ordering Johnson to serve six years of supervised release following his prison term. Johnson previously pleaded guilty in this case to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine base within 1,000 feet of public housing on October 29, 2021.
According to information presented to the Court, Johnson engaged in cocaine and fentanyl trafficking for months during 2021, including while near public housing and children. Johnson had several prior convictions, and sentences of incarceration, for drug trafficking, gun, and assault crimes throughout the 12 years preceding his 2021 trafficking.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Mercer County Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Johnson.
Essex County Man Sentenced to 58 Months in Prison for Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 58 months in prison for his role in a narcotics conspiracy involving approximately one kilogram of cocaine and 100 grams of fentanyl, possessing with intent to distribute approximately 482 grams of cocaine, and possessing three firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Carlos Ovidio Gonzalez, 37, of Newark, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Clair C. Cecchi to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Dec. 19, 2022, Gonzalez and another individual conspired to distribute approximately one kilogram of cocaine and 100 grams of fentanyl and were arrested shortly after arriving at an agreed-upon location in Kearny to complete the sale. After their arrests, a search of Gonzalez’s home and an apartment uncovered two loaded firearms, an unloaded firearm, ammunition, drug packaging materials, and drugs, including approximately 482 grams of heroin. Gonzalez had previously been convicted, in New Jersey Superior Court, Morris County, of first-degree drug distribution, second degree weapons possession during a controlled substance offense, and second degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, and was sentenced in 2009 to 30 years in prison.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Gonzalez to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark, and officers with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked Newark Police Department for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli Jacobs of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
Dubuque Man Who Possessed Firearms While Being an Illegal User of Methamphetamine and Cocaine Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed five firearms while being an illegal drug user was sentenced November 1, 2024, to more than one year in federal prison.
Jesse James Zeromski, age 25, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 10, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user.
At the guilty plea, Zeromski admitted he unlawfully possessed five firearms, including a revolver, two shotguns, and two rifles, while being an unlawful user of methamphetamine, amphetamine, and cocaine.
Zeromski was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Zeromski was sentenced to twelve months’ and one day imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Zeromski is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hudson and Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-1008.
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Domestic Violence Offender Indicted for Illegally Trying to Buy FirearmsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Vance Perry (67, Palatka) with making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer during the attempted purchase of a firearm on two separate occasions. If convicted, Perry faces up to five years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on February 18, 2023, Perry completed an ATF Form 4473 during the attempted purchase of a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer. On March 25, 2024, Perry tried to buy a different gun from another federally licensed firearms dealer. Perry indicated on the required paperwork that he was not convicted of a domestic violence offense. The indictment alleges that this was a false statement, and that Perry was previously convicted of domestic battery on December 28, 2021.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This is another case uncovered through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). All NICS denials are reported to federal law enforcement and are reviewed daily for potential criminal prosecution. Federal law makes it a felony offense to make a false statement to a firearms dealer when trying to buy a gun.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.
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.
Confluence Corp. Settles Allegations of False Claims for Payment of Work Performed by Unqualified WeldersRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Clare E. Connors announced that Confluence Corp. d/b/a Regal Service Company (“Regal”), a Hawaii corporation and Department of the Navy contractor, has agreed to pay $300,000 to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting false claims for payment for work performed by unqualified welders on the USS Chung Hoon, USS John Paul Jones, and USS William P. Lawrence at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility between January 2020 and October 2021.
The United States alleged that after an initial review of Regal’s contract work, the Navy determined Regal had used welders lacking required certifications to perform the identified tasks. During a full-scale review of Regal’s work, the Navy confirmed the welders were unqualified and also determined that the welds were deficient. The United States further alleged that Regal provided the Navy falsified documents to make it appear as though its welders had obtained the required certifications when in fact they had not.
The $300,000 payment from Regal includes $150,000 in restitution to cover costs incurred by the Navy to address the faulty welds.
“When anyone – an individual or corporation – does business with the United States of America, the falsification of documents and other false representations will not be tolerated,” said Clare E. Connors, the United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii. “The failure to perform the terms of a government contract risks harming our servicemembers, and our office will continue to hold companies accountable for such misconduct.”
“Submitting false claims for work performed by unqualified welders harms operational readiness and endangers warfighter safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS appreciates our investigative partners for their continued efforts to help protect the Department of the Navy from threats posed by such fraud.”
“Department of Defense (DoD) contractors bear a solemn trust to earnestly fulfill their contractual terms. Our military readiness, as well as the health and safety of our brave men and women in uniform, depend upon it,” said Stanley A. Newell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the DoD, Office of Inspector General’s, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Transnational Operations Field Office. “The dedicated professionals of DCIS and our partner agencies will work tirelessly to hold those who violate the public trust accountable.”
The False Claims Act allows for treble damages, and civil penalties of up to $27,894 per violation. DCIS’s Transnational Operations Field Office and NCIS’s Economic Crimes Field Office West investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Sydney Spector handled the matter.
The claims against Regal resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Child Pornography Offender Sentenced to 14 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Duane “Sparky” Lee Johnsen, 55, of Tucson, was sentenced last week to 168 months in prison by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker for violations of federal law related to child pornography. Johnsen was found guilty of Receipt, Knowing Access, and Possession of Child Pornography after a three-day federal jury trial in September 2023. When Johnsen is released from prison, he will be on lifetime supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.
Johnsen was found in possession of child sex abuse images through an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Tucson, which located individuals using file-sharing programs to obtain these images. When HSI executed a search warrant at Johnsen’s home in December 2019, agents recovered numerous computers and digital storage devices which contained large amounts of data. Examination of the digital items confirmed that Johnsen had been searching for, downloading, categorizing, and saving very large numbers of child sex abuse images, including prepubescent victims, on several of his devices. Johnsen was also in possession of other material related to child sex abuse, including a manual on how to groom children and animated comics depicting sexual abuse of children.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Homeland Security Investigations Tucson conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carin C. Duryee and Carson R. Gilbert, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-01118-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-152_Johnsen# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Casa Grande Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Adam Tovar, 32, of Casa Grande, was sentenced on October 22, 2024, by United States District Judge Raner C. Collins to 120 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Tovar also will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. Tovar pleaded guilty to Enticement of a Minor on June 17, 2024.
From December 19, 2022, through December 29, 2022, Tovar communicated via Snapchat with a person who he knew was a minor. During that time, he persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced the victim to engage in sexual activities with him. On December 29, 2022, during a traffic stop by the Marana Police Department, Tovar was found transporting the minor victim in the front passenger seat of his vehicle. In entering his plea of guilty, Tovar admitted that he had intended to transport the victim from the victim’s home to a hotel, where he intended to engage in sexual acts with the victim.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel J. Walters and Sarah J. Precup, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00621-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-151_Tovar# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Caregiver sentenced to federal prison for stealing from elderly Hardin County womanRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Huffman woman has been sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay restitution for federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Marcia Nickette Remedies, 71, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and was sentenced to eight months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale on November 5, 2024. Remedies was also ordered to pay $24,887.75 in restitution.
According to information presented in court, in May 2023, the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office contacted the FBI to request assistance in an investigation concerning Marcia Remedies, who operated as a caretaker to a 91-year-old, bed-ridden individual. The victim reported that Remedies had unlawfully withdrew money from her account utilizing her debit card. The victim was on hospice for health-related issues and reported she hired Remedies to assist her in her home with daily affairs and personal needs. She found Remedies through an add on Facebook and hired her around October 2022. Remedies was authorized to use the victim’s debit card for one-time purchases, such as personal need items and groceries. Beginning in November 2022 through April 2023, numerous unauthorized automated teller withdrawals were made at various locations in Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana. It was determined that Remedies made automated teller withdrawals at Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel in Vinton, Louisiana and numerous other unauthorized withdrawals at local stores that were not for the benefit of the victim. Surveillance video captured Remedies on video conducting numerous unauthorized transactions. Remedies made $24,887.75 in unauthorized withdrawals from the victim’s account.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10am-6pm Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
This case was investigated by the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reynaldo P. Morin.
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Canton Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Possession of Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Canton man was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on January 2, 2024, Damonik Robinson, 23, was found in possession of a firearm after Capitol Police conducted a traffic stop on Madison Street near Fortification Street in Jackson. There were four firearms found in the vehicle, three of which were equipped with attached machinegun conversion devices, commonly known as “switches,” which convert semi-automatic handguns to automatic weapons. At the time of this possession, Robinson already had a previous felony conviction for drug and gun possession. It is a violation of federal law for a convicted felon to possess a firearm or ammunition.
Robinson was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 21, 2024. He pled guilty on July 18, 2024, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has seen an increase in cases involving illegal firearm conversion devices, commonly known as “switches” or “auto sears,” which convert semi-automatic handguns into fully automatic weapons (i.e., machineguns) in a matter of seconds. The rapid fire of firearms converted to machineguns presents a significant danger in our community to both the public and law enforcement. According to a 2023 report by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), there was a 570% increase in the number of machinegun conversion devices taken into ATF custody between 2017 and 2021.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
The ATF and Capitol Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber Jones 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.
California Man Convicted of Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Troy Alexander Mendez, age 25, a resident of Temple City, California, plead guilty on Tuesday to distribution of controlled substances. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Mendez admitted that, in August 2023, he sold and shipped over 300 grams of methamphetamine via the U.S. Postal Service to a customer in the Syracuse, New York area. Law enforcement intercepted the package and identified Mendez as the source of the shipment.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 11, 2025, in Syracuse, at which time Mendez faces a mandatory minimum federal prison sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case, with assistance from the New York State Police and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis is prosecuting the case.
Bridgeport Felon Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Possessing Gun with Extended Magazine While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JORGE MORALES, also known as “Capone,” 38, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 108 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm while serving a term of federal supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in January 2017, Morales was sentenced in Bridgeport federal court to 46 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for distributing heroin. The investigation revealed that in April 2016 Morales distributed heroin to a 21-year-old woman who died of an overdose from the drug. Morales was released from federal prison in September 2019.
On December 17, 2021, while Morales was on federal supervised release, Bridgeport Police conducted a traffic stop of an SUV Morales was driving because the vehicle had been spotted near the scene of a shooting incident and homicide on Barnum Avenue earlier that day. Before the SUV came to a complete stop, a juvenile girl ran from it carrying an object close to her chest. As officers apprehended the girl, she dropped a loaded Glock 22 semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine. The investigation revealed that the gun belonged to Morales and, as he was being pulled over, he told the girl to take the gun and run. A search of Morales also revealed 169 oxycodone pills separated into two baggies in his front pocket.
In addition to his prior federal conviction, Morales’ criminal history includes state convictions for drug and firearm felony offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Morales has been detained since his arrest on December 17, 2021. On June 18, 2024, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Stratford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel George and Karen Peck.
The prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Bloods Gang Member Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Brooklyn Center man has been sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegal possession of a firearm as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to the evidence presented at trial, in the early morning hours of September 28, 2019, Dante Jospeh Tyus, 30, a member of the Minneapolis Bloods street gang, was stopped by the Minnesota State Patrol for driving erratically. Tyus, who showed obvious signs of intoxication, was arrested for driving under the influence. Tyus’s vehicle was towed and impounded. After being booked at the Hennepin County Jail, Tyus made a series of recorded calls expressing concern to his girlfriend and enlisting her assistance in recovering a firearm that was hidden inside his vehicle. Law enforcement obtained a warrant to search the vehicle and recovered a 9mm semiautomatic handgun hidden inside a door panel.
Because Tyus has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
On April 19, 2024, following a four-day trial, Tyus was found guilty on one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. He was sentenced last week in U.S. District Court by Judge Susan Richard Nelson.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Minnesota State Patrol, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carla J. Baumel and Allen A. Slaughter prosecuted the case.
Bayside State Prison Corrections Officer Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison for Violating Inmates’ Civil RightsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former corrections officer at Bayside State Prison in Leesburg, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 20 months in prison for depriving two inmates of their civil rights by failing to intervene when the inmates were assaulted and suffered bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Joshua Hand, 35, of Millville, New Jersey, plead guilty on Feb. 26, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams to an information charging him with depriving two inmates of their right not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment. Judge Williams imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In December 2019, while working as a corrections officer, Hand was inside the officers’ quarters within the kitchen area of Bayside State Prison when the first victim was summoned to that room. Shortly after the victim entered the officers’ quarters, the exit door was blocked and in the presence of Hand, the victim was assaulted simultaneously by several inmates and taken down to the floor. Hand watched and did not attempt to intervene when multiple inmates pinned and restrained the victim on the floor while other inmates delivered multiple punches and other blows to the victim’s torso, arms, and legs. Hand did not report this assault to his supervisors or medical personnel despite knowing that he was required to do so.
Later that same day, the second victim was in the officers’ quarters at the prison with Hand and another corrections officer. Without provocation, the other corrections officer struck the second victim in the legs multiple times with a broomstick. During the assault of the second victim, Hand remained within arm’s reach of the assault and had a reasonable opportunity to intervene but did not attempt to do so. Once again, Hand did not report this assault to his supervisors or medical personnel.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Williams sentenced Hand to three years of supervised release and fined him $10,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark, with the investigation. He also thanked the New Jersey Department of Corrections, under the direction of Commissioner Victoria Kuhn, for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Kearney of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
Ann Arbor Man Charged with Making Online ThreatRead the Press Release
DETROIT – An Ann Arbor, Michigan, man was charged in a federal criminal complaint today with sending a threatening communication, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division.
Charged was Isaac Sissel, 25, who is currently staying in Ann Arbor.
According to court records, on November 2, 2024, the FBI National Threat Operations Center in West Virginia received an anonymous online threatening submission. The threat read in part: “I shall carry out an attack against conservative christan, (sic) filth in the event trump wins the election. I have a stolen ar15 and a target I refuse to name so I can continue to get away with my plans. Without a specific victim or ability to find the place I hid the gun, there’s not a thing the FBI can do until I complete the attack.”
Sissel was arrested by the FBI this morning and will be making an appearance in federal court this afternoon.
The FBI Detroit Field Office is investigating the case.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Created by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation.
The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Three years after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Agreement Reached with East Providence Boys & Girls Club to Resolve Allegations of Disability DiscriminationRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – Zachary A. Cunha, United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island, announced today that the Boys & Girls Club of East Providence, Inc (“EPBGC”) resolved allegations that it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) by denying children the opportunity to participate in its Kinder Camp program because of their disabilities.
The settlement resolves a complaint filed by the parent of a child with autism, alleging that EPBGC refused to make reasonable accommodations so that her child could attend Kinder Camp, a free 8-week session summer camp for children registered to start kindergarten at East Providence schools. The United States’ investigation determined that during the registration process for Kinder Camp, EPBHC’s Education Director asked parents to submit a copy of their child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Six parents of registered children submitted their child’s IEP to EPBGC, and EPBGC denied admission to five of those six children. One child with an IEP was admitted to Kinder Camp, but only after the parent first explained to EPBGC’s Education Director that the child’s behaviors had improved after the IEP was written and he would not need accommodations. While there was no formal complaint process, parents of three of the children complained about the denial, and the EPBGC Associate Director reversed those denials. However, the complainant and one other guardian of a child who was denied admission were not aware of an appeal or complaint process, and as a result, their children were unable to attend Kinder Camp and had to seek alternate childcare arrangements for the summer.
“Summer fun is for everyone, and when it comes to summer camp, the ADA is clear that nobody should be left out because of a disability,” remarked U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. “This resolution—our Office’s fourth ADA settlement with a local summer camp—should serve as a reminder that this Office will stand up to make sure that children with disabilities have access to the activities and services that the law requires.”
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, EPBGC will take certain remedial measures, including:
- Train its staff on the ADA;
- Evaluate the application of each child applying to attend the camp, on a case-by-case basis, and make reasonable modifications to permit children with disabilities to attend;
- Adopt a non-discrimination policy;
- Pay $20,000 in compensation to the aggrieved parents and children; and,
- Report to the United States on its compliance annually for two years.
This is the fourth settlement agreement that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has entered into with a camp regarding violations of the ADA. Under the ADA, summer camps, whether private or run by municipalities, must afford reasonable modifications to ensure that children with disabilities can participate fully in camp programs and activities. Camps must evaluate each child on an individual basis and train their staff in the requirements of the ADA. When a parent and a child’s physician determine that it is appropriate for a child to self-administer medication or for a trained layperson to assist a child with care, a camp or childcare program must provide this as a reasonable modification under the ADA, unless doing so would fundamentally alter the program.
The United States’ case was handled by AUSA Amy Romero.
For more information on the ADA, visit www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD). Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that a place of public accommodation or public entity in Rhode Island is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 401-709-5010.
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settlement_agreement_.pdf
4 November 2024
West Mifflin Man Pleads Guilty to Escape ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on October 30, 2024, to a charge of escape, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Jamiel Green, 27, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Green was serving the final portion of his sentence for violating federal firearm laws at a residential reentry center designed to transition inmates back into society when he was given permission to leave the facility temporarily and was due to return on November 2, 2023. Green did not return as directed and absconded until, several months later, the U.S. Marshals Service arrested him.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for March 6, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $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 Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Green.
Virginia company and two senior executives charged with illegally exporting millions of dollars of U.S. technology to RussiaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Eleview International Inc., Oleg Nayandin, 54, of Fairfax, Virginia, and Vitaliy Borisenko, 39, of Vienna, Virginia, made their initial appearance today in the Eastern District of Virginia pursuant to a now unsealed complaint charging them with conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act.
“We must not allow critical systems and technologies to be transferred to anyone who may use them against America and our global partners,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Guarding against these transfers is imperative, and violations of the laws that protect our national security will be met with ardent prosecution.”
“As alleged, the defendants — a Virginia company and two of its senior executives — conspired through three evasion schemes to circumvent the export restrictions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen. “U.S. companies are responsible for complying with laws that protect our national security. The National Security Division is committed to holding accountable individuals and companies who violate these laws and place financial profit over our collective security.”
“This company allegedly used not one, not two, but three different schemes to illegally transship sensitive American technology to Russia,” said Assistant Secretary for the Department of Commerce Export Enforcement, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Matthew S. Axelrod. “Today’s charges, against both the company and two top executives, are a prime example of our work to bring to justice both the companies and the corporate executives alleged to have circumvented our rules in search of a fatter bottom line.”
“Export control evasion schemes put the American public at risk by concealing the true recipient,” said Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C. “In this instance, HSI, working in partnership with our colleagues at Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, uncovered this scheme was supporting a sanctioned country, thus threatening our national security and the safety of other countries. HSI is dedicated to preventing technology with military applications from falling into the wrong hands.”
According to the complaint, between approximately March 2022 and June 2023, Eleview International Inc. (Eleview), a Virginia-based company that operated a freight consolidation and forwarding business; Nayandin, the owner, president, and CEO of Eleview; and Borisenko, who oversaw the day-to-day operations of Eleview’s freight forwarding business, allegedly conspired to illegally export goods and technology from the United States to Russia by transshipping them through three countries bordering or near Russia.
As alleged, the defendants operated an e-commerce website that allowed Russian customers to order U.S. goods and technology directly from U.S. retailers, who shipped the items to Eleview’s warehouse in Chantilly. The defendants then allegedly consolidated the packages before shipping them to the Russian customers, often using other freight forwarders as intermediaries, in exchange for a fee. After the Department of Commerce imposed stricter export controls in response to Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the defendants allegedly began shipping items to purported end users in Turkey, Finland, and Kazakhstan, knowing that the items were ultimately destined for end users in Russia. To facilitate these illegal exports, the defendants allegedly made numerous false statements to the Department of Commerce and other freight forwarders about the end users and ultimate consignees of the items in these shipments.
As part of the conspiracy, the defendants allegedly engaged in three export-control evasion schemes, each specific to a different intermediary country. In the Turkey scheme, the defendants allegedly exported about $1.48 million worth of telecommunications equipment to a false end user in Turkey, knowing that the equipment was intended for a Russian telecommunications company that supplied the Russian government, including the Federal Security Service, or FSB. The telecommunications equipment that the defendants allegedly exported illegally as part of the Turkey scheme had military applications, including use by the Russian military to create and expand communication networks in its war effort against Ukraine.
In the Finland scheme, the defendants allegedly exported about $3.45 million worth of goods purchased to Russia through Eleview’s e-commerce website to a false end user in Finland that neither purchased nor sold goods. Before consolidating the packages into larger pallets for shipment to Finland, the defendants allegedly affixed to each package a label with a Russian postal service tracking number so that the Russian postal service could easily ship the package to the customer in Russia. The goods that the defendants allegedly exported illegally as part of the Finland scheme included “high priority” items that the Department of Commerce has identified as particularly significant to Russian weaponry, including the same type of electronic component found on Russian “suicide” drones used to destroy Ukrainian tanks and jets.
In the Kazakhstan scheme, the defendants allegedly exported about $1.47 million worth of goods to Russia through an entity in Kazakhstan that advertises its ability to deliver goods to Russia. The goods that the defendants allegedly exported illegally as part of the Kazakhstan scheme included controlled, dual-use items.
If convicted, Nayandin and Borisenko face up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
BIS and HSI are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gavin R. Tisdale and Amanda St. Cyr for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Garrett Coyle of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case with past assistance provided by then-First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh.
The case is being 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Virginia Company and Two Senior Executives Charged with Illegally Exporting Millions of Dollars of U.S. Technology to RussiaRead the Press Release
Eleview International Inc., Oleg Nayandin, 54, of Fairfax, Virginia, and Vitaliy Borisenko, 39, of Vienna, Virginia, made their initial appearance today in the Eastern District of Virginia pursuant to a now unsealed complaint charging them with conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act.
“As alleged, the defendants — a Virginia company and two of its senior executives — conspired through three evasion schemes to circumvent the export restrictions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “U.S. companies are responsible for complying with laws that protect our national security. The National Security Division is committed to holding accountable individuals and companies who violate these laws and place financial profit over our collective security.”
“This company allegedly used not one, not two, but three different schemes to illegally transship sensitive American technology to Russia,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). “Today’s charges, against both the company and two top executives, are a prime example of our work to bring to justice both the companies and the corporate executives alleged to have circumvented our rules in search of a fatter bottom line.”
“We must not allow critical systems and technologies to be transferred to anyone who may use them against America and our global partners,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Guarding against these transfers is imperative, and violations of the laws that protect our national security will be met with ardent prosecution.”
“Export control evasion schemes put the American public at risk by concealing the true recipient,” said Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C. “In this instance, HSI, working in partnership with our colleagues at Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, uncovered this scheme was supporting a sanctioned country, thus threatening our national security and the safety of other countries. HSI is dedicated to preventing technology with military applications from falling into the wrong hands.”
According to the complaint, between approximately March 2022 and June 2023, Eleview International Inc. (Eleview), allegedly a Virginia-based company that operated a freight consolidation and forwarding business; Nayandin, the owner, president, and CEO of Eleview; and Borisenko, who oversaw the day-to-day operations of Eleview’s freight forwarding business, conspired to illegally export goods and technology from the United States to Russia by transshipping them through three countries bordering or near Russia.
As alleged, the defendants operated an e-commerce website that allowed Russian customers to order U.S. goods and technology directly from U.S. retailers, who shipped the items to Eleview’s warehouse in Chantilly, Virginia. The defendants then consolidated the packages before shipping them to the Russian customers, often using other freight forwarders as intermediaries, in exchange for a fee. After the Department of Commerce imposed stricter export controls in response to Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the defendants began shipping items to purported end users in Turkey, Finland, and Kazakhstan, knowing that the items were ultimately destined for end users in Russia. To facilitate these illegal exports, the defendants made numerous false statements to the Department of Commerce and other freight forwarders about the end users and ultimate consignees of the items in these shipments.
As part of the conspiracy, the defendants engaged in three export-control evasion schemes, each specific to a different intermediary country. In the Turkey scheme, the defendants exported about $1.48 million worth of telecommunications equipment to a false end user in Turkey, knowing that the equipment was intended for a Russian telecommunications company that supplied the Russian government, including the Federal Security Service, or FSB. The telecommunications equipment that the defendants illegally exported as part of the Turkey scheme had military applications, including use by the Russian military to create and expand communication networks in its war effort against Ukraine.
In the Finland scheme, the defendants exported about $3.45 million worth of goods purchased to Russia through Eleview’s e-commerce website to a false end user in Finland that neither purchased nor sold goods. Before consolidating the packages into larger pallets for shipment to Finland, the defendants affixed to each package a label with a Russian postal service tracking number so that the Russian postal service could easily ship the package to the customer in Russia. The goods that the defendants illegally exported as part of the Finland scheme included “high priority” items that the Department of Commerce has identified as particularly significant to Russian weaponry, including the same type of electronic component found on Russian “suicide” drones used to destroy Ukrainian tanks and jets.
In the Kazakhstan scheme, the defendants exported about $1.47 million worth of goods to Russia through an entity in Kazakhstan that advertises its ability to deliver goods to Russia. The goods that the defendants illegally exported as part of the Kazakhstan scheme included controlled dual-use items.
If convicted, Nayandin and Borisenko each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The BIS and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gavin R. Tisdale and Amanda St. Cyr for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Garrett Coyle of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case with past assistance provided by then-First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh.
The case is being 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 Justice and Commerce Departments 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.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Victims of cryptocurrency scam awarded restitutionRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – After a $47.1 million cryptocurrency scheme caused a Kansas bank to fail, a federal judge ordered during a restitution hearing that millions of dollars seized by the government be divided among investors who suffered financial losses.
In August 2024, Shan Hanes, 53, of Elkhart was sentenced to 293 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of embezzlement by a bank officer.
While the chief executive officer (CEO) of Heartland Tri-State Bank (HTSB), Hanes initiated outgoing wire transfers of bank funds to a cryptocurrency wallet belonging to third parties. This caused Heartland to collapse, and the bank investors to lose approximately $9 million.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was able to recover $8 million in funds associated with the fraud.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of Kansas thanks the FBI for its diligent investigations that led to the discovery and recovery of over $8 million in stolen funds. Through Hanes’ conviction and prison sentence, the Department of Justice obtained justice for the victims, and now with this court order, those victims will receive some financial relief,” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Federal Reserve Board - Office of Inspector General (FRB-OIG), and Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General ((FHFA-OIG) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith prosecuted the case.
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Verona Resident Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud to Embezzle Funds from EmployerRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Verona, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of bank fraud, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Christy Myers, 64, pleaded guilty on October 31, 2024, to one count before Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Myers was an employee of an entity involved in installing and monitoring security systems that was purchased by another entity involved in the same business. Myers became an employee of the successor entity, where she had access to accounting records and the authority to issue checks. Through a variety of means and over the course of several years, Myers used that authority to embezzle funds from the successor entity.
Judge Hornak scheduled sentencing for March 11, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Myers.
Unprovoked Killing of a Young Man in Northeast Results in a Guilty PleaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Grayton, 42, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty in D.C. Superior Court, in connection with a July 2024 homicide of Danzell Hall in Northeast, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Grayton pleaded guilty on November 1, 2024, before D.C. Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan to one count of second-degree murder while armed. Judge Raffinan set a sentencing date of April 25, 2025. Although this charge carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, Grayton faces a sentence range of between 14 and 26 years under the District of Columbia Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines.
Grayton was arrested on August 20, 2024, and has been detained ever since.
According to court documents, at approximately 2:52 am, on Friday, July 12, 2024, members of MPD’s Fifth District responded to the 1500 Block of Benning Road, Northeast, where they located Mr. Danzell Hall, unconscious and unresponsive on the sidewalk, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. DC Fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene and after finding no signs consistent with life, Mr. Hall was pronounced dead at 2:54 am. The decedent remained on the scene until being transported to the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The cause of death was later determined to be a gunshot wound to the back and the manner of death ruled as a homicide.
During the investigation MPD personnel reviewed CCTV video from the surrounding areas and identified the defendant as the perpetrator. MPD sought and received an arrest warrant for Grayton and on August 20, 2024, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force (CARFTF) located and arrested him.
This case was investigated by MPD’s Homicide Division and the United States Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nebiyu Feleke.
U.S. Attorney's Office to Monitor Polls in Eight Massachusetts Cities for Compliance with Federal Voting LawsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in coordination with the Department of Justice, will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in eight Massachusetts cities. On Nov. 1, 2024, the Justice Department announced plans to monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in 86 jurisdictions in 27 states for the Nov. 5 general election.
Election monitors in Massachusetts will be assigned to polling locations in Everett, Fitchburg, Leominster, Lowell, Malden, Methuen, Quincy and Salem. Assistant United States Attorney Anuj Khetarpal has been appointed as Voting Rights Coordinator for the District of Massachusetts and will lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Election Day monitoring efforts. Nationally, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort which includes monitors from the Civil Rights Division, other Department divisions, U.S. Attorney’s Offices and federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management.
On Oct. 31, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the appointment of a District Election Officer to oversee the handling of Election Day criminal complaints, threats of violence to election officials or staff and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department in Washington.
The Department’s Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act (VRA), National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The Division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The Division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion.
The Voting Rights Act (VRA) makes it illegal for states and local governments to use voting practices or election rules that deny or restrict voting rights because of a citizen’s race or color, or which result in citizens who belong to a particular language minority group having less of an opportunity than everyone else to vote for and elect their chosen public officials. The VRA also protects voters’ rights to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
“The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program is vital to combatting discrimination at the polls and furthering public confidence in the electoral process. Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination. My office is proud to be a part of this important effort to protect the sacrosanct right to vote,” said Acting United States Attorney Levy.
The public can direct concerns or complaints about voting rights to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston at 833-634-8669. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can also be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov.
Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.
More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.
U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Sentencing for 2021 Murder in Church RockRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Smith Lake man was sentenced to 11 years and 4 months in federal prison for the 2021 murder of a man in Church Rock, New Mexico.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on May 17, 2021, Josiah Alan Smith, 30, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, arrived at a residence in Church Rock, New Mexico, armed with a rifle. Smith made threats against John Doe before briefly leaving the premises. Smith then returned with a revolver and fired two shots through a bedroom window, striking Doe in the back. The bullet pierced Doe's heart and both lungs, resulting in his death despite lifesaving attempts by a witness.
Following the shooting, Smith fled the scene and attempted to conceal evidence by disposing of the murder weapon. Smith was arrested approximately three months after the incident.
Upon his release from prison, Smith will be subject to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 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 Department of Criminal Investigations and the McKinley County Sheriff's Office. Assistant United States Attorney Blake Nichols is prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Murder Plea in 2020 CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man pleaded guilty in federal court to second degree murder for his role in the brutal killing of a man on the Navajo Nation in 2020.
According to court documents, between February 6, 2020, and February 14, 2020, Tyran Begay, 40, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, participated in the killing of John Doe within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation reservation by binding and beating the victim, assisting in his strangulation, and leaving his body exposed to frigid weather in a remote area near Smith Lake, NM.
Begay will remain detained pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Begay faces a range of incarceration of no less than 19 years up to 30 years imprisonment. Upon his release from prison, Begay will be subject to up to five years of supervised release.
Begay’s co-defendants, Camille Damon and Ronald Belone, remain in custody pending trial, which has yet been set.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco and Meg P. Tomlinson are prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Begay).pdf# # #
U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Guilty Plea in Navajo Nation Shooting CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Pueblo Pintado man pleaded guilty in federal court to two charges stemming from a fatal shooting incident that occurred on the Navajo Nation in 2022.
According to the plea agreement, on May 16, 2022, Rodgerick Tsosie, 31, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, aimed a firearm at an individual seated in the front passenger seat of a moving vehicle during a family altercation. Tsosie discharged the weapon, but the bullet missed its intended target and instead struck another person in the backseat, resulting in that individual's death.
Tsosie will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Tsosie faces up to 10 years in prison with a mandatory minimum of no less than 7 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Tsosie will be subject to up to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI’s Albuquerque Violent Crime Task Force investigated this case with assistance from the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office and the Navajo Nation Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark A. Probasco and Robert J. Booth II are prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Tsosie).pdf# # #
Two Sentenced in Dark Web Identity Theft and Retail Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Two New York men were sentenced for fraud they committed against major retailers while living in Raleigh. Kavon Kerrick Robinson, 25, was sentenced to 42 months in prison, and Christopher Anthony Hilaire, 27, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for their respective roles in the crime. Both men were also ordered to pay $32,736.74, in restitution. In July 2024, Robinson pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, and Hilaire pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
“Retail return frauds, including double-dipping schemes like this one, cost retailers billions of dollars in losses every year,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “These schemes drive prices higher for the rest of us and harm everyday consumers whose credit card information is stolen to facilitate the scheme. We are proud to partner with the NC Retail Merchants Association to raise awareness of these scams and bring them to a stop.”
“Schemes such as retail return fraud are just one example of organized retail crime in North Carolina. North Carolina’s retailers are appreciative of U.S. Attorney Easley’s commitment to fighting organized retail crime in Eastern North Carolina and his willingness to take an aggressive stance against well-organized professional theft networks that prey on North Carolina businesses,” said Andy Ellen, president and general counsel of the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association. “Organized retail crime is not only a crime against property, but a crime against people, often tied to other serious crimes such as opioids, identity theft, and human trafficking. It is very important that offenders be prosecuted to the fullest extent of North Carolina’s law for the good of the economy and the safety of our communities.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Robinson and Hilaire lived together in Raleigh from April 2022 until November 2022. During this time, Robinson would purchase stolen credit card information from the dark web using cryptocurrency. Robinson, Hilaire, and others would use that stolen information to make online purchases from a variety of major retailers (including Lowe’s Home Improvement, Home Depot, Michaels, and Walmart), restaurants, and gas stations. For items purchased from major retailers, Robinson would focus on certain items he knew he could resell. For example, Robinson purchased a large number of Google Nest thermostats from Lowe’s Home Improvement because he had a buyer for those items. Sometimes, Robinson would travel to New York to sell the items. In other instances, he would return the items to obtain a cash refund. In addition to assisting Robinson and obtaining goods for his own use, Hilaire would provide instructions to others regarding how to execute similar schemes.
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the cases and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad DeVoe prosecuted the cases.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:23-CR-22 and 5:24-CR-46.