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31 October 2024
St. Louis County Woman Accused of Three Different FraudsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman from St. Louis County, Missouri was indicted Wednesday and accused of aiding a romance fraud conspiracy and committing a nearly $40,000 pandemic relief loan fraud as well as a separate mortgage fraud.
Shirley Waller, 42, was indicted on three counts of wire fraud, two counts of mortgage fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and use of an assumed name to commit mail fraud.
The indictment accuses Waller of applying for and receiving a Paycheck Protection Program loan of $19,235 for a Michigan business in 2021, as well as a second loan for a St. Louis resale shop. Waller used the proceeds of the first loan on personal flights to Ghana, Germany and Jamaica instead of approved business purposes, the indictment says.
On May 14, 2022, Waller applied for a home loan of more than $196,000 by lying about her marital status, salary and job and by submitting counterfeit W-2 forms and paystubs, the indictment says.
Finally, the indictment accuses Waller of aiding scammers who tricked a 71-year-old St. Louis County woman into believing that she was in an online relationship with a U.S. military surgeon deployed overseas. Scammers told the victim to send $30,000 in cash to Waller’s address, the indictment says. The shipment was tracked on its journey by several IP addresses in Nigeria. In a two-week period, at least 35 Express Mail shipments sent to Waller’s address by other victims were also tracked by Nigerian IP addresses, the indictment says. Waller would open the packages and forward the cash to others via cryptocurrency transactions and other means, it says.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate fraudsters who utilize the U.S. Mail to perpetuate financial schemes to defraud others in order to enrich themselves. Postal Inspectors seek justice for victims, including the multiple individual consumer and business victims in this investigation,” said Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office.
Each mail theft charge carries a potential penalty of up to 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Town and Country Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.
Springfield woman pleads guilty to embezzling over $250,000 from prisoner of war organizationRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Springfield woman pled guilty today to wire fraud relating to her scheme to embezzle over $250,000 from her employer.
According to court documents, Jennifer Giorffino, 53, served as the administrator for an organization dedicated to accounting for prisoners of war. The organization is financed by donations. Giorffino’s duties included processing donor checks and paying bills of the organization. Only Giorffino and the Chairman of the Board had access to the organization’s bank accounts.
Beginning in approximately October 2022, Giorffino began using debit cards associated with the organization’s bank accounts to make unauthorized personal purchases and payments, including hundreds of purchases from Amazon, payments to her husband’s bank account, payments made through PayPal to Walmart, PlayStation, DoorDash, Instacart, BarkBox, and Stich Fix.
Beginning in October 2023, Giorffino, using the identification of the organization’s Chairman without her approval, applied for at least 30 credit cards and lines of credit, including with Lane Bryant, Kohls, TJ Maxx, LL Bean, B&H Photo, and Mission Lane. Giorffino used one of the fraudulently-opened credit cards to make $36,278.29 in purchases. Giorffino paid off the credit cards every month until April 2024 using the organization’s bank accounts.
Between Oct. 3, 2023, and April 14, 2024, Giorffino checked the Chairman’s credit through a major credit reporting company 37 times to maintain an understanding of the Chairman’s creditworthiness for credit applications. During the same period, using the Chairman’s identification, Giorffino sought preapproval for small business loans and lines of credit 78 times.
In February 2024, Giorffino opened a checking account in the organization’s name. Giorffino added that account to the organization’s online donation platform and began diverting donations meant for the organization into her fraudulently-opened account. In total, Giorffino diverted $29,746.67 in organization funds into her account, including online donations and 121 checks totaling $13,844.59. The checks were forwarded from the organization’s official address to a UPS mailbox controlled by Giorffino.
By March 2024, Giorffino had largely emptied the organization’s bank accounts and began forging bank statements and writing checks she knew would be returned for insufficient funds. Around the same time the theft of funds was discovered, the Chairman’s credit card was declined at a restaurant because of Giorffino’s activity. At an April 2024 board meeting, Giorffino provided the Board falsified bank statements showing that the organization’s accounts had approximately $206,000 when the actual account balance was only $10,000.
In total, Giorffino misappropriated approximately $257,259 from the organization and the organization’s bank accounts.
Giorffino is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David E. Geist, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth R. Simon Jr. is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-224.
Son of Sinaloa Cartel Member Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – On October 30, 2024, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Brian Jesus Zazueta, age 23, of Sunnyside, Washington, to 160 months in federal prison on drug trafficking charges. Judge Rice also imposed 5 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) developed information that Zazueta was working as a mid-level manager for a drug trafficking organization out of Mexico that was responsible for distributing drugs in Spokane and across Eastern Washington. Zazueta is the son of Adolfo Zazueta-Bueno, a significant member of the Sinaloa cartel. Zazueta-Bueno was a previous resident of the Tri-Cities area, but now resides in Sinaloa, Mexico where he runs his drug trafficking organization. Zazeuta was operating as his father’s eyes and ears in the United States; he is a U.S. Citizen and could travel freely to and from Mexico. Judge Rice found that Zazueta is a leader and organizer for his father’s operation and sentenced him accordingly.
On March 9, 2023, the DEA and the Spokane Police Department executed a federal search warrant on a stash house in Kennewick, Washington. Zazueta was in the apartment along with more than 42,000 fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, and heroin. Additionally, DEA found $6,000 in cash, receipts showing money transfers to Sinaloa, Mexico, drug scales, and ledgers with information about drug transactions.
“By targeting drug trafficking organizations, we disrupt the supply of deadly drugs that are causing harm in our neighborhoods,” stated U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “Mr. Zazueta was responsible for an organization distributing a large amount of illegal narcotics. Thanks to the excellent work by DEA, the Spokane Police Department, and federal prosecutors, Mr. Zazueta is headed to federal prison, and as a result, our communities are safer and stronger.”
“Mr. Zazueta sowed the seeds of despair in Eastern Washington while he reaped the profits of his methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin distribution,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Thanks to the DEA, Spokane Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Zazueta learned that these actions had consequences and the sentence in this case should make others pause before selling drugs that harm our communities.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Spokane Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard.
2:23-cr-00036-TOR
Sixth Defendant Sentenced for Role in International Scam Targeting the ElderlyRead the Press Release
50 Elderly Victims Lost $11 million
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Everette Jhamal Thibou, 32, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced to 168 months in prison for participating in a fraud scheme that stole $11 million from 50 victims in West Michigan and around the country. Most of the victims were elderly.
“The victims in this case suffered anxiety, fear, humiliation and devastating financial loss,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “The defendants were relentless, preying on the elderly, often revictimizing their targets. They didn’t care that they were stealing from vulnerable senior citizens; all they cared about was making money. In this case and beyond, we are committed to holding fraudsters accountable, especially when they target vulnerable members of our communities.”
Thibou is the sixth defendant to be sentenced as part of the fraud scheme. The Court previously imposed the following sentences:
- Jmyla Elaine Sha’taria White, of Thonotosassa, Florida, was sentenced to 97 months in prison;
- Jayesh J. Panchal, of Hicksville, New York, was sentenced to 78 months in prison;
- Jorrel Tyler Jackson, of Riverview, Florida, was sentenced to 78 months in prison;
- Vijaya C. Shetty, of Jackson Heights, New York, was sentenced to 63 months in prison;
- McKhaela Katelynn McNamara, of Flint, Michigan, was sentenced to 51 months in prison.
A seventh defendant, Pragneshbhai M. Patel, of Amityville, New York was charged as a member of the fraud scheme and a warrant for his arrest was issued in 2023, but he has not yet been located. He is presumed innocent of the charges until proven guilty in a court of law.
According to court records, victims of the conspiracy received a pop-up or other message on their computers warning that a virus had infected their devices. The messages urged the victims to call a number to get help. When the victims called the number provided, they got a response from someone claiming to work for a tech company, such Microsoft or Apple. In truth, they were scammers located in India, who scared the victims into giving money to the conspiracy with a variety of different ruses.
In one version of the scam, victims were told that their bank accounts had been compromised and they needed to withdraw all their cash and give it to fake “federal agents” for safekeeping. In another version, victims were told that their computers had been infected by a virus and they needed to pay for technical support. In a third version, victims were told that they had been identified in a criminal investigation and needed to turn over money to clear their names. Regardless of which ruse was used, the end result was the same: victims were convinced to give $11 million to the scammers. Victims did this during in-person meetings with fake “federal agents,” by mailing boxes of cash to addresses provided by the scammers, by wire transfers to bank accounts controlled by the scammers, or through gift cards they purchased at the direction of the scammers.
According to court records, the defendants were the U.S.-based members of the conspiracy who collected fraud proceeds from victims on behalf of the conspiracy.
The Justice Department has established a National Elder Fraud Hotline to provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311). The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
This 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 best method for prevention, however, is by sharing information about the various types of elder fraud schemes with relatives, friends, neighbors, and other seniors who can use that information to protect themselves.
The investigation was conducted jointly by FBI Detroit, Grand Rapids Resident Agency, Homeland Security Investigations, New Orleans, Louisiana, and the Lake County, Michigan, Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Clay Stiffler.
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Selma Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing Firearms Recently Reported as StolenRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Daniel Joseph Valencia, 26, of Selma, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on April 28, 2024, Valencia was found to be in possession of three firearms that had recently been reported as stolen. Valencia cannot legally possess firearms because he has been previously convicted of several felony offenses, including aggravated assault and domestic violence.
This case is the product of an investigation by the California Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Baty is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Valencia faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
San Antonio Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio woman was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for tax evasion and aiding and abetting.
According to court documents, Rachel Olivia Markum, 41, and her husband, Robert Franklin Markum Jr., 47, prepared and signed a false and fraudulent form 1040 joint tax return for calendar year 2016, which was then submitted to the Internal Revenue Service. The fraudulent tax return reported the couple’s sole income as gross receipts or sales from the business Camping and Fishing Outlet as $3,530,473, while she was aware that the true amount of gross receipts exceeded $4 million.
Rachel pleaded guilty May 28, 2024, to one count of tax evasion and aiding and abetting. Robert pleaded guilty on April 1, to one count of tax evasion, and was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison on Aug. 28. The husband and wife were also ordered to pay $359,108 in restitution.
“This sentencing underscores the serious consequences of defrauding the federal government through false tax returns,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “By concealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the IRS, this married couple betrayed the integrity of our tax system. We will continue to protect the financial interests of the United States with our IRS Criminal Investigation partners and hold accountable those who seek personal gain through deceptive, illegal means.”
“Robert and Rachel Markum created false identities and businesses to hide their income from the IRS, but they failed to realize that money always leaves a trail. Their years in prison will give them an opportunity to reflect on their actions,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan for IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “Prosecuting federal tax crimes remains a priority in Texas, and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas underscores our commitment to holding tax criminals accountable.”
IRS-CI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Chung prosecuted the case.
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Perry County man sentenced to 23 years in prison for soliciting pornography from hundreds of minors while pretending to be teen girl on SnapchatRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Junction City, Ohio, man was sentenced in federal court in Columbus today to 276 months in prison for sexually exploiting minors and possessing child pornography.
Since 2018, Clay Thomas Wolfe, 28, solicited child pornography from more than 300 victims via the mobile application Snapchat. Approximately 100 exploitation victims who provided sexual content to Wolfe have been identified by law enforcement as minors thus far from across multiple states including Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.
Wolfe pretended on Snapchat to be a 15-year-old female named “Ally” who lived in Ohio and used this persona to solicit child pornography from primarily middle school and high school aged boys. Wolfe’s Snapchat account also contained sexually explicit photographs and videos of minor males as young as 10 and 11 years old.
The investigation was initiated in April 2022, when law enforcement officials in Pennsylvania learned that a sixth-grade student was sharing a nude photograph of a classmate that he had received from Wolfe while Wolfe was pretending to be “Ally.”
As part of his online persona, Wolfe sent the male victims photos and videos of pubescent female’s naked breasts and genitalia that he found on adult pornography sites or public social media accounts. He would use that content to entice the minors he chatted with to send content of their own including image and video files of primarily minor males, some as young as twelve-years-old, engaged in sexually explicit conduct such as bestiality, masturbation, and sexual acts including oral and anal penetration. Wolfe would also extort the victims by threatening to send the nude images of his victims to their friends and family unless they sent him additional images.
In total, Wolfe received approximately 850 images and 570 videos depicting child pornography.
Wolfe was arrested and charged federally in June 2023 and pleaded guilty in April 2024.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. U.S. Attorney Parker and Special Agent in Charge Iatarola commended the cooperation of the Perry County Sheriff’s Office and Perry County Prosecutor. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Jennifer M. Rausch and are representing the United States in this case.
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Press Release by United States Attorney Relating to November 2024 General ElectionRead the Press Release
Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands announced today the assignment of Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSA) who will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Marivic P. David will serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Guam and AUSA Eric S. O’Malley will serve as the DEO for the District of the Northern Mariana Islands. They are responsible for overseeing each district’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington DC.
United States Attorney Anderson said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters 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).
United States Attorney Anderson stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, DEOs will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. Ms. David can be reached by the public at (671) 479-4120. Mr. O’Malley can be contacted at (670) 236-2986.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The public can contact the FBI at the following numbers:
- Honolulu Field Office 24/7 (808) 566-4300
- Guam Office (671) 472-7465
- Northern Mariana Islands Office (670) 322-6934
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can 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.
United States Attorney Anderson said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. Local police has primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always has faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
Owner of Arkansas Tree Service Business Sentenced for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
An Arkansas man was sentenced yesterday to 20 months in prison for filing a false individual income tax return.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Carlos Gonzalez, 59, of Rogers, filed false tax returns that underreported the gross receipts from his tree-trimming and removal business, Charley’s Tree Service. From 2014 through 2020, Gonzalez cashed more than $3 million in customer checks instead of depositing them into his business’ bank account, knowing that his return preparer relied on the bank account records when preparing his returns. In addition, he did not tell his return preparer about the cashed checks. As such, the return preparer prepared tax returns that underreported gross receipts from his business resulting in a tax loss to the IRS of more than $900,000.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Brooks for the Western District of Arkansas ordered Gonzalez to serve one year of supervised release and to pay approximately $1.4 million in restitution to the United States and the State of Arkansas.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes for the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Curtis Weidler and Wilson Stamm of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Marshall for the Western District of Arkansas prosecuted the case.
Orange County man sentenced to federal prison for child pornography violationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Bridge City man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
On September 12, 2023, Dereck Wayne Winstead, 34, was found guilty by a jury of possession of child pornography following a trial before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone. Winstead was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by Judge Crone on October 31, 2024.
According to information presented in court, in 2020, federal agents received two cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) with information that an individual in Orange County, Texas, had been accessing and possessing images of child pornography. An investigation revealed the accounts accessing the child pornography were connected to Winstead. On March 30, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a consensual search at Winstead’s residence and located four electronic devices, including a custom-built gaming computer. A search of the custom-built gaming computer by a computer forensic analyst revealed over 300 images of child pornography including images of children under the age of 12.
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.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Beaumont Resident Agency and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Grove and Jonathan Lee.
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Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve 84 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Firearm Possession Following Domestic Violence CallRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – GREGORY LAMONT BRIGHT, 37, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 84 months in federal prison for illegal possession of firearms after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On February 8, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment against Bright, charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms and witness tampering. According to public record, on May 12, 2023, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department were dispatched to the leasing office of a local apartment on a reported domestic violence incident. Officers spoke with the victim in the office, who told authorities Bright slapped her and then pushed her onto a bed and strangled her with his hands until she believes she lost consciousness. Bright then left the apartment. Officers observed bruising on the victim’s neck and face, and the victim asked police to make sure the defendant was no longer in her apartment. Oklahoma City Police searched the victim’s residence and found Bright concealing himself in a bathroom. Officers also found a handgun and a shotgun in the apartment, which Bright later admitted to possessing.
Bright was arrested, and in the days that followed, he made several phone calls to the victim in an attempt to convince the victim not to testify against him and claim the firearms belonged to her. Bright also spoke with his friends and family members, instructing them to also try to influence the victim to change her story.
On May 15, 2024, Bright pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the Indictment and admitted he possessed two firearms despite his previous felony conviction.
At the sentencing hearing on October 24, 2024, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones sentenced Bright to serve 84 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Jones noted the nature and circumstances of the offense, along with Bright’s violent criminal history. Public record reflects that Bright holds previous felony convictions, including convictions for illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2015-6513 and at least one felony conviction for robbery out of Michigan.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary E. Walters and Jackson D. Eldridge prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice program to reduce violent crime. In October 2017, the Department announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop crime-reduction strategies that incorporate lessons federal law enforcement has learned since the program’s launch in 2001. This case is also part of “Operation 922,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of PSN, which prioritizes prosecution of federal crimes connected to domestic violence. For more information about PSN, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Okfuskee County Resident Pleads Guilty to Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Maiming, and Possessing A Firearm as A FelonRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Daniel Levi Magness, age 35, of Okfuskee County, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to two counts of Child Abuse, one count of Child Neglect, one count of Maiming, and one count of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
The Indictment alleged that between January 1, 2023, and January 31, 2024, Magness maliciously caused and threatened harm, failed to protect from harm, and tortured two children for whom Magness was responsible. The Indictment also alleged that during that same time, Magness willfully failed to provide adequate nurturance, food, shelter, hygiene, medical care, and supervision to those same children. Additionally, the Indictment alleged that during that same time, Magness, intending to torture, maim, and disfigure, cut the ear of one child. Finally, the Indictment alleged that on January 31, 2024, Magness knowingly possessed a Ruger semi-automatic pistol, one .22 caliber revolver, one .22 WMR caliber, bolt action rifle, and one 20 gauge shotgun after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
The crimes occurred in Okfuskee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Magness was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Ocean County Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for illegally laundering the proceeds of a wire fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Eli Schamovic, 43, of Lakewood, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to an information charging him with money laundering. U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Schamovic made or caused others to make numerous fraudulent financial transactions through at least two entities that Schamovic formed and established as merchants that used multiple credit card processing companies. These transactions resulted in more than $1 million in losses to a multinational financial services corporation that specialized in payment cards. Schamovic laundered portions of the proceeds of this scheme, including through an approximately $500,000 wire transfer from a bank account under his control.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Schamovic to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $1.68 million.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark, and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan Newark, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
Nine Men Arrested in Maine and Massachusetts for Fentanyl, Methamphetamine and Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Nine men have been arrested for fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking.
Ernesto Arberty Mendez Herrera, 43, of Roxbury; Ricky Junior Rodriguez Reynoso, 24, of Boston; Cristofel Baez Guerrero, 25, of Dorchester; Luis Castillo, 24, of Dorchester; Yomerli Mendez Arias, 22, of Lawrence; Estarling Perez Almonte, 28, of Roslindale; Raidyn Hernandez Montero, 24, of Dorchester; Ricardo Canela Soto, 20, of Dorchester; and Waldo Lara Arias, 19, of Boston are charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine. All nine defendants made their initial appearances in federal court in Boston and Bangor, Maine on Oct. 29, 2024.
According to the charging documents, the defendants were part of a drug trafficking operation that regularly transported fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine from areas in Boston, Lawrence and Malden, Mass. to locations in Waldo County, Maine. It is alleged that the defendants distributed the narcotics in Maine and then return to Massachusetts with the narcotics proceeds. During the course of the investigation, approximately 10 kilograms of fentanyl and multiple firearms were seized.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire State Police, Maine State Police; Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; Waldo, Maine County Sherriff’s Office; Boston Police Department; Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hassink of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Nigerian National Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Alex Ogunshakin, age 41, a Nigerian citizen, was sentenced on October 31, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Senior United States District John M. Gerrard sentenced Ogunshakin to a total of 45 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Ogunshakin’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release and is subject to removal from the United States.
From sometime no later than January 2015, continuing to the September 2016, Ogunshakin participated in a scheme to defraud U.S. based businesses. As a part of the scheme, Ogunshakin and other individuals participated in a business e-mail compromise scheme in which co-conspirators used compromised e-mail accounts to send spoofed e-mails to thousands of business employees who handled accounting, to include authorizing and sending wire transfers. A spoofed e-mail is one in which the e-mail appears to be originating from a sender other than who is truly the sender. Co-conspirators spoofed e-mail addressed to pose as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or other business executives and would direct recipients of the e-mail to complete wire transfers. The business employee, thinking the wire transfer request was legitimate, would comply with the wire transfer and send money to a location providing in wiring instructions. Ogunshakin and other co-conspirators provided bank account information to the co-conspirators who sent the spoofed e-mails to the business executives.
In February 2015 and May 2015, two Nebraska based businesses were targeted by the scheme. The investigation into the scheme revealed over 70 U.S. based business were victimized and the loss amount exceed $6 million, with attempted losses exceeding $30 million.
Ogunshakin and the co-conspirators committed the offense from outside the United States, mostly from Nigeria. At the request of the United States, Nigerian authorities arrested Ogunshakin for the purpose of his extradition in October 2020, a court in Nigeria found him extraditable in July 2023, and Nigerian authorities extradited him to the United States in September 2023. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Ogunshakin in coordination with the FBI’s Legal Attaché in Abuja, Nigeria’s Office of the Attorney General and Federal Ministry of Justice, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Ogunshakin’s co-conspirator, Adewale Akinloye, was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment in February 2019. Co-conspirators Richard Uzuh, Felix Okpoh, and Nnamdi Benson all remain at large. Co-conspirator Abiola Kayode’s extradition proceedings are ongoing.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lecia E. Wright for the District of Nebraska.
New Orleans Man Guilty of Staged Automobile Accident ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that ANTOINE CLARK (“CLARK”), age 34, of New Orleans, pled guilty on October 30, 2024, to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. Today’s guilty plea brings the total number of defendants convicted for staging collisions in “Operation Sideswipe” to 49.
According to court documents, CLARK,and others, conspired to fraudulently stage an automobile collision to obtain money. CLARK, Shirley Harris (“Harris,”) and other co-conspirators intentionally collided with a tractor-trailer on April 24, 2017, in Interstate 10 near the Crowder Boulevard exit in New Orleans. CLARK and Harris made false police reports, filed a fraudulent lawsuit, lied during deposition testimony, and sought unnecessary medical treatment, to further their fraudulent claims. The United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance set sentencing in this matter for January 29, 2025.
CLARK faces up to five (5) years of imprisonment; up to three (3) years of supervised release; and a fine of up to $250,000.00. A $100 mandatory special assessment fee is also applicable.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Carboni, and Edward Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Supervisor of the Financial Crimes Unit.
New Hampshire Man Charged with Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on October 31, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Douglas Reynolds, 36, recently of New Hampshire, with one count of possessing a firearm while being an unlawful user of a controlled substance, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. An arraignment has not yet been scheduled.
Reynolds is currently in New Hampshire state custody, and his arraignment will occur once he is brought into federal custody.
According to court records, Reynolds illegally possessed three firearms on or about January 17, 2024.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Reynolds is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Reynolds faces up to 15 years of incarceration if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Bradford, Vermont Police Department.
The prosecutor in this matter is Assistant United States Attorney Joshua L. Banker. Reynolds has not yet retained nor been appointed counsel.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
New Britain Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Distribution Offense, Admits Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that AKEEM MANOO, 34, of New Britain, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine. He also admitted that he committed the offense while on supervised release from a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 26, 2016, Manoo was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 120 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for his participation in a gang-related narcotics trafficking conspiracy. He was released from federal prison in November 2022. On May 11, 2023, Manoo was arrested after Hartford Police stopped his vehicle and found him in possession of nearly a half-kilogram of cocaine.
Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for January 22, at which time Manoo faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years for the cocaine distribution offenses, and a maximum term of imprisonment of five years for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
Manoo is detained pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan J. Keefe.
New Braunfels Man Pleads Guilty After Planned Mass Murder Attacks Thwarted by Federal and Local Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A New Braunfels man pleaded guilty in a federal court in San Antonio to one count of attempt to receive firearm to use to commit a felony.
According to court documents, Cameron Darrick Peterson, 20, began planning mass shootings since November 2022. On Jan. 4, 2024, Peterson attempted to purchase a 12-gauge shotgun from a New Braunfels pawn shop. He completed the required background check and was denied due to his age and the type of firearm he was attempting to purchase. On May 31, he attempted to purchase an assault weapon-style 12-gauge shotgun from the pawn shop and was denied a second time.
FBI agents obtained an arrest warrant on June 5, and Peterson was immediately taken into custody by the New Braunfels Police Department. During a search of his home, FBI agents found and seized an altered .22 caliber long rifle with a sawed-off buttstock and six magazines loaded with 60 rounds.
On June 6, as part of a federal search warrant, agents reviewed Peterson’s Instagram account, revealing statements Peterson had made about plans to attack a gas station. Also on June 6, Peterson was recorded from jail instructing a witness to hide or destroy a videotape he had made in which he surveilled a grocery store to plan a future attack.
On June 10, another search of Peterson’s home revealed a box that contained 11 aerosol containers and other ingredients to manufacture destructive devices. One of the containers was determined that it could be readily made operational and was categorized as an Improvised Explosive Device. The IED was not registered in the National Firearms Registry, nor could it be due to Peterson’s age.
Peterson is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 5, 2025 and faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, San Antonio Fire Department, New Braunfels Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg and Eric Yuen are prosecuting the case.
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Mortgage Broker Admits to Running a Ponzi Scheme, Fraudulently Acquiring CARES Act Loans, Filing a False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – United States Attorney Zachry A. Cunha announced today that a Rhode Island mortgage broker who purported to match borrowers seeking short-term loans with private lenders seeking high rates of return admitted to a federal judge that he misappropriated more than $1.5 million dollars of investors’ funds by using the money to repay earlier investors, support his own international investment opportunities, and to cover personal expenses.
Additionally, Joseph Giuttari, owner and operator of Hybrid Capital Group, LLC; THE FENS CO., LLC; and Realty Funding Advisors, LLC, among others, admitted that he filed fraudulent applications seeking COVID-19 pandemic Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for two of his companies, and that he failed to accurately report on his personal 2019 IRS tax return a total income of more than $540,000.
Giuttari pleaded guilty today to charges of wire fraud, theft of government property, and filing a false tax return.
Charging documents reflect that Giuttari falsely misrepresented his investment experience and success in an effort to persuade investors. As part of his scheme, Giuttari allegedly misrepresented to investors the amount a borrower was interested in obtaining; misrepresented that documents were in place to secure the investment funds; inflated how much borrowers owed; used borrowers’ names without their authorization to obtain funds from investors; and created fraudulent promissory notes and real estate documents bearing forged signatures of borrowers.
Giuttari admitted that he lulled investors with false and fraudulent excuses and promises, and that he placated and appeased certain earlier investors and lenders by paying them back using new investor monies he obtained. Court documents reflect that at sentencing the government will show that the amount of loss attributable to the defendant is between $3,500,000 and $9,500,000.
Additionally, Giuttari admitted to the court that he fraudulently applied for and acquired over $160,000 in pandemic EIDL loans for Hybrid Capital Group and THE FENS CO that he was not entitled to receive. He did so by falsely stating on EIDL applications that his companies were not engaged in lending or investments.
Giuttari further admitted that he falsely stated on his 2019 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return that his total income was $22,176, when in fact it was at least $541,000.
Giuttari is scheduled to be sentenced on January 30, 2025. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sandra R. Hebert.
The matter was investigated by the FBI and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
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Montgomery County Man Charged with Insider Trading Linked to CVS’s 2023 Acquisition of Oak Street HealthRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Carlos Sacanell, 58, of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with insider trading and making a false statement to a federal agency.
The indictment alleges that the defendant obtained material nonpublic information from his domestic partner, who was an executive at Oak Street Health, about CVS Health Corporation’s acquisition of Oak Street Health in 2023. At all times relevant to the indictment, both CVS and Oak Street Health were publicly traded companies on the New York Stock Exchange, with ticker symbols CVS and OSH, respectively.
The defendant allegedly used the material nonpublic information obtained from his domestic partner to trade stock and options in Oak Street Health before the transaction was publicly announced by CVS and Oak Street Health on February 8, 2023, resulting in him obtaining profits of approximately $617,000.
The indictment further alleges that on April 3, 2024, when the defendant was interviewed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, he falsely told the FBI that he did not obtain from his domestic partner information regarding CVS’s planned acquisition of Oak Street Health before the acquisition was publicly announced on February 8, 2023.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Francis A. Weber. In a parallel matter, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced charges against Sacanell today.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Missouri Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years on New Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Wednesday sentenced a registered sex offender who was caught with child pornography to 10 years in prison.
James Darrick Beeler, 53, of Glenwood, Missouri, had more than 200 videos containing child sexual abuse material on a laptop and more than 200 videos on two thumb drives. On June 29, 2022, the Missouri State Highway Patrol discovered that someone was sharing two videos of child pornography on a peer-to-peer file sharing program. They traced the videos to Beeler’s home. Beeler later admitted to investigators that he used his laptop to search for and download child sexual abuse material.
Beeler pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in May to one count of possession of child pornography. In 2007, he was convicted in Schuyler County of abuse of a child.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Missouri Man Admits Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Crawford County, Missouri resident on Thursday admitted trying to persuade minors into engaging in sex acts online.
Jason Michael Enke, 45, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor.
Enke admitted that from August 2023 to October 2023, he sent a series of sexually explicit messages via social media and during online chat sessions to five people who identified themselves as minors. He also sent a video of himself and a 16-year-old engaging in sex acts and attempted to persuade the minors to engage in sexual conduct.
In November of 2023, the FBI’s St. Louis office received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that Enke had sent a video containing child pornography to an Instagram user who listed their age as 15. FBI agents performed a court-approved search of Enke’s home near Bourbon, Missouri and found videos containing child sexual abuse material on his electronic devices.
Enke is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 29, 2025. The receipt and distribution charges carry a potential penalty of five to 20 years in prison and the coercion charge carries a sentence of 10 years to life in prison.
The FBI and the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Travel with Intent to Engage in Unlawful Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Frank Twing, Sr., age 33, of West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, pled guilty today to one count of sexual exploitation of a child involving a then-15-year-old victim and one count of travel with intent to engage in unlawful sexual conduct involving an approximately 12-year-old victim. 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.
Twing admitted that he engaged in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old child during which he created sexually explicit videos depicting that child. He also admitted to traveling from his home in Massachusetts to New York, planning to have sex with an approximately 12-year-old child.
At sentencing scheduled for March 6, 2025, before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, Twing faces a mandatory minimum imprisonment term of 15 years and a maximum imprisonment term of 60 years, post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life, a fine of up to $250,000, special assessments, restitution to the victims, and forfeiture of the property he used to commit he offenses. Twing also will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, the New York State Police, and the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office, which itself also assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Benjamin A. Gillis are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Maryland Man Charged with Tax Crimes and COVID-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed on Monday charging a Maryland man with COVID-19 relief fraud, not filing a tax return and not paying all required employment taxes.
According to the indictment, Vince Akins, of Ellicott City, allegedly owned and operated several transportation companies that serviced different federal agencies. Eventually all but one of those companies stopped operating. Nevertheless, Akins was allegedly responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from his employees’ wages and paying those funds over to the IRS each quarter. Between 2019 and 2022, however, Akins allegedly did not pay to the IRS the full amount of the taxes withheld.
In addition, in 2020, he allegedly filed four Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications using false IRS documents on behalf of his then-defunct companies. He received $387,220 in fraudulent PPP loans, which were later forgiven. When he obtained the loan proceeds, he laundered approximately $151,000 of it by transferring it to two personal bank accounts in Nigeria. Further, Akins allegedly did not file a personal return for 2020 despite being required by law to do so.
Akins was charged with bank fraud, money laundering, employment tax violations and failure to file a tax return. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for each bank fraud charge, a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each money laundering charge, a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each employment tax charge and a maximum penalty of one year in prison for the failure to file a return charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Shawn Noud and Joseph D. G. Castro of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Akins Unsealed Indictment.pdfMan Under Indictment in Heroin OD Case Charged with Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
A Fort Worth man on a deferred adjudication for dealing the heroin that killed a 21-year-old in 2013 has been charged with federal gun crimes, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District Leigha Simonton.
Brennan Trainor Rodriguez, 33, was charged Wednesday in a two-count indictment alleging illegal possession of a machinegun and illegal receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment.
According to court records, Mr. Rodriguez was charged on June 7, 2013, with injecting heroin into a 21-year-old man who suffered a fatal overdose. He admitted to causing the man’s death and was placed on 10 years of deferred adjudication beginning on Nov. 26, 2014. Conditions of his community supervision prohibited him from possessing firearms. (Until the deferred adjudication period concludes, Mr. Rodriguez is still considered under indictment.)
On Aug. 6. 2024, law enforcement responded to a domestic disturbance call from Mr. Rodriguez’s former girlfriend, who told police that the defendant had been stalking and harassing her since their breakup. She also reported that Mr. Rodriguez frequently shot guns, including one that fired fully automatic.
The following week, Mr. Rodriguez was arrested for stalking. In searching his home, law enforcement found nine firearms, including a Smith & Wesson rifle equipped with a machinegun conversion device, commonly known as a “switch” or “auto sear.”
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Rodriguez is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted of the gun crimes, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
Meanwhile, Mr. Rodriguez’s state court cases remain pending.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division – Fort Worth Resident Agency and the Fort Worth Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric B. Chen is prosecuting the case.
Louisville Teaching Assistant Sentenced to over Thirty-Six Years in Federal Prison for Grooming and Sexually Exploiting ChildrenRead the Press Release
NEW ALBANY—Shawn Riedesel, 29, of Burnsville, Minnesota, has been sentenced to 440 months in federal prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child. Riedesel must also pay $69,000 in restitution to his victims. Upon his release from federal prison, he must register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law.
According to court documents, between December 2021 and July 2022, Shawn Riedesel enticed and coerced at least three underage girls to produce and send sexually explicit images and videos. He also met at least one child in person for sex on multiple occasions. While he was committing these crimes, Riedesel began a teacher preparation program through Teach Kentucky and stayed in a dorm room on Bellarmine University's campus, while also living at another residence in Louisville. Riedesel was not enrolled as a student at Bellarmine University.
In late June of 2022, a witness learned of inappropriate electronic communications between an Riedesel and a 15-year-old Indiana girl over a school computer. The child told Riedesel she was fifteen, and she initially believed he was a 19-year-old boy. In fact, he was a 29-year-old man who used an end-to-end encrypted email program to communicate.
The witness used the child’s email account to continue the conversation. Riedesel indicated that he and the child had previously had sex in person, and that he would help the victim run away from home so that they could meet and engage in specific sex acts. He was concerned the victim’s parents might know what he looked like, and that he would be in trouble for having sex with a child. The witness contacted the Indiana State Police to investigate.
Investigators learned that Riedesel had crossed state lines on multiple occasions to have sex with the child, including over multiple days at an Indiana hotel, her parents’ house in Indiana while they were away, and a church. Riedesel also picked the child up from her home in Indiana and transported her across state lines to his dorm room in Louisville to have sex.
On July 2, 2022, Riedesel was arrested when he arrived to meet the child at her parents’ house. Investigators seized his iPhone and conducted court-authorized searches of the device as well as his dorm room and residence. Investigators found printed sexually explicit images of the Indiana child affixed to a wall in his dorm room, arranged in the shape of a heart.
State Police collected an additional iPhone, an iPad, and multiple computers and digital storage devices during the searches. Investigators were able to access the data contained on some of Riedesel’s devices, including thousands of sexually explicit images and videos of children obtained online, and images of Riedesel engaged in sex acts with his Indiana victim. The child later informed investigators that he forced her to watch the “huge collection” of child sexual abuse material he kept hidden on his computer, including recordings of the sexual abuse of prepubescent children and infants. While staying at a hotel to have sex with the Indiana victim, Riedesel saved a “shopping list” on his iPhone that included condoms, sex toys, a pacifier, coloring books, and crayons.
Investigators found sexually explicit conversations between Riedesel and other underage girls on his iPhone, including sexually explicit video calls with another underage girl he recorded engaged in sex acts. His iPhones also showed that he coerced and enticed a 13-year-old girl to send him images and sexually explicit videos of herself. He told her he’d like to have sex with children even younger than her, and that “they should warn kids about guys like me. Cause we turn innocent underage girls into sex toy for us using their insecurities to lure them into trusting us. Then once they trust us they will do anything sexual for us…I mean that’s what grooming is.” He further stated that, “[s]ome pedos try to hide the fact that their grooming a girl, but she only feels betrayed when she finds out. I like to be open an honest with what I’m doing . . . I’m doing these things to turn you into my sex slave.”
“Pedophiles like this would-be teacher use technology to find, groom, and exploit our children—from across the river and across the country,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This time, investigators were able to accesses the digital evidence needed to identify additional victims and secure a serious federal prison sentence. However, many companies are designing their technology to make it impossible to conduct court-authorized searches—hampering our ability to rescue children and hold sexual predators accountable. Together with our law enforcement partners at the FBI and Indiana State Police, our office will continue to do all we can to secure necessary evidence and make our children safer by removing these heinous offenders from our communities.”
“The protection of our children must be a priority - every child deserves an environment safe from exploitation and abuse,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “Partnerships between the FBI and other agencies create effective responses to such heinous crimes to ensure offenders are held accountable and can never hurt another innocent child.”
“Indiana State Police investigators work diligently every day, all across Indiana, and in close collaboration with its law enforcement partners, to help bring to justice those who seek to perpetuate the victimization of children”, said Indiana State Police Superintendent Douglas G. Carter.
The FBI and Indiana State Police investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney MaryAnn T. Mindrum, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina M. Korobov, who prosecuted this 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
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Lincoln County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jeffrey R. Lambert, 63, of Ranger, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 2, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Lambert’s residence and found approximately 186 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 57 grams of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, several firearms, and $4,402. Lambert admitted that he possessed and intended to distribute the seized controlled substances. Lambert also possessed a loaded pistol in his bedroom along with his cash and some of the controlled substances.
Lambert further admitted to selling a total of approximately 70 grams of methamphetamine on four occasions between July 25, 2022 and August 1, 2022, each time to a confidential informant at his Ranger residence.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force, which consists of members of the Mingo County Sheriff's Office, the Logan County Sheriff's Office, the Boone County Sheriff's Office, and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted 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-14.
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Lawrence Man Indicted for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national, most recently residing in Lawrence, Mass., has been indicted on drug charges after serving a federal prison sentence and being deported in 2023.
Angel Martinez, a/k/a Aneudy Rios, 44, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer C. Boal entered a voluntary order of detention and scheduled the matter for a further court hearing on Dec. 3, 2024.
Martinez is currently on supervised release for 2019 federal drug distribution charges that resulted in 60 months in prison. Following his sentence, Martinez was transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation. In September 2024, Martinez unlawfully returned to the United States and sold fentanyl to a cooperating witness in Haverhill, Mass. which was captured on video.
The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by North Andover Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Releases Sixth Annual Elder Justice ReportRead the Press Release
Earlier today, the Justice Department issued its sixth Annual Report to Congress on its efforts to combat elder fraud and abuse. The report summarizes the department’s extensive enforcement, victim support, training and myriad other efforts to promote elder justice during the reporting period from July 1, 2023, through June 30.
This year, the department, working with local, state, Tribal and federal partners, pursued over 300 enforcement actions against over 700 defendants charged with stealing nearly $700 million from over 225,000 older victims. These enforcement actions disrupted transnational and domestic fraud schemes targeting older adults through romance, lottery or government impersonation scams; held nursing home operators to account for providing grossly substandard care to their residents; and pursued fraud perpetrators — including financial advisors, caregivers or relatives — who exploited their relationships with older adults for financial gain.
Additionally, the department continued to support victims of elder fraud and abuse. The department returned millions of dollars to victims of elder fraud schemes and worked with financial institutions to freeze over $27 million on behalf of older victims before those funds were transferred to fraudsters. The department bolstered the efforts of state and local organizations, like elder abuse multidisciplinary teams and Elder Justice Coalitions, to better serve older adults, while also supporting over 4,600 victim assistance organizations around the country to provide services to over 200,000 older victims. The department’s National Elder Fraud Hotline also received over 50,000 calls this past year, and helped older victims to report potential crimes and to locate available resources and services.
Over the past year, the department also conducted nearly 1000 elder justice events and trainings across the country to raise public awareness of elder fraud schemes. For example, the department hosted its first Elder Justice Law Enforcement Summit, which brought together representatives of state and local law enforcement organizations from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, to share best practices, tools and resources to combat elder abuse, neglect, financial exploitation and fraud. Likewise, the department worked closely with various other federal agencies on a coordinated public awareness campaign to highlight the dangers of government imposter scams and to provide tips on how to avoid such scams.
To report elder financial fraud, call the National Elder Fraud Hotline, 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). For more information on the department’s elder justice activities, please visit www.elderjustice.gov.
Justice Department Announces Settlement and Consent Decree with Chicago Cubs over Alleged Americans with Disabilities Act Violations at Wrigley FieldRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced a settlement and proposed consent decree with the Chicago Cubs to resolve alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) at Wrigley Field.
“The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that sports venues like Wrigley Field be accessible to people with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities have full and equal access to public accommodations, including our ballparks.”
“As a result of this settlement, baseball fans with physical disabilities will have vastly improved options at Wrigley Field — on par with those available to all other patrons,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois. “The Chicago Cubs are to be commended for working collaboratively with our office to find solutions, demonstrating their commitment to providing accessibility for people with disabilities.”
The department filed a lawsuit in 2022 against the Cubs, alleging that the organization’s renovation and reconstruction of Wrigley Field — a multi-year undertaking known as “the 1060 Project” — discriminated against individuals with disabilities. The lawsuit alleged, among other things, that the Cubs failed to provide wheelchair users with adequate sightlines as compared to standing patrons and failed to incorporate wheelchair seating into premium clubs and group seating areas.
Under the settlement, the Cubs will make numerous remediations to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities, including by removing noncompliant wheelchair spaces and companion seats and replacing them with wheelchair spaces that have significantly improved views of the field and fully compliant sightlines. The remediations will take place in every area of the stadium, including incorporating wheelchair spaces and companion seats into premium club areas at the front of the grandstand that will, for the first time, provide some front-row access for fans in wheelchairs. The Cubs have also agreed to modify protruding objects along circulation paths within Wrigley Field and ensure that certain parking and shuttle services outside the stadium are compliant. All Cubs employees and contractors whose job responsibilities involve contact with patrons with disabilities will receive training on the settlement before each of the next three baseball seasons.
The settlement and proposed consent decree have been submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois for final approval. Over the next several years, the Cubs will submit to the United States written reports detailing their compliance with certain obligations in the consent decree. The United States may review compliance with the consent decree, including by inspecting Wrigley Field, at any time during the next three years.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abraham J. Souza and Patrick W. Johnson for the Northern District of Illinois handled the case.
For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat discrimination in public accommodations, please visit the ADA’s government website.
Justice Department Announces Settlement and Consent Decree with Chicago Cubs over Alleged Americans with Disabilities Act Violations at Wrigley FieldRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – The Justice Department today announced a settlement and proposed consent decree with the Chicago Cubs to resolve alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) at Wrigley Field.
“As a result of this settlement, baseball fans with physical disabilities will have vastly improved options at Wrigley Field — on par with those available to all other patrons,” said Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “The Chicago Cubs are to be commended for working collaboratively with our office to find solutions, demonstrating their commitment to providing accessibility for people with disabilities.”
“The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that sports venues like Wrigley Field be accessible to people with disabilities,” said Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities have full and equal access to public accommodations, including our ballparks.”
The department filed a lawsuit in 2022 against the Cubs, alleging that the organization’s renovation and reconstruction of Wrigley Field — a multi-year undertaking known as “the 1060 Project” — discriminated against individuals with disabilities. The lawsuit alleged, among other things, that the Cubs failed to provide wheelchair users with adequate sightlines as compared to standing patrons and failed to incorporate wheelchair seating into premium clubs and group seating areas.
Under the settlement, the Cubs will make numerous remediations to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities, including by removing noncompliant wheelchair spaces and companion seats and replacing them with wheelchair spaces that have significantly improved views of the field and fully compliant sightlines. The remediations will take place in every area of the stadium, including incorporating wheelchair spaces and companion seats into premium club areas at the front of the grandstand that will, for the first time, provide some front-row access for fans in wheelchairs. The Cubs have also agreed to modify protruding objects along circulation paths within Wrigley Field and ensure that certain parking and shuttle services outside the stadium are compliant. All Cubs employees and contractors whose job responsibilities involve contact with patrons with disabilities will receive training on the settlement before each of the next three baseball seasons.
The settlement and proposed consent decree have been submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois for final approval. Over the next several years, the Cubs will submit to the United States written reports detailing their compliance with certain obligations in the consent decree. The United States may review compliance with the consent decree, including by inspecting Wrigley Field, at any time during the next three years.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abraham J. Souza and Patrick W. Johnson for the Northern District of Illinois handled the case.
For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat discrimination in public accommodations, please visit the ADA government website.
The claims resolved by the consent decree are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
consent_decree.pdfJury Finds Non-Fungible Token Developer Guilty of Defrauding Investors and Laundering Proceeds Through Solana and Ethereum BlockchainsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Berman Jerry Nowlin, Jr. (21, Huntsville, Alabama), a/k/a “Repulse” and “Zayous,” guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Nowlin faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. Sentencing has been set for January 23, 2025.
According to evidence presented at trial, Nowlin and his codefendant, Devin Alan Rhoden (25, Pinellas Park, Florida), a/k/a “Denny” and “Deviinz,” minted two non-fungible token (NFT) collections on the Solana blockchain named “UndeadApes” and “Undead Lady Apes” (representative samples from each collection are depicted below).
UndeadApes Collection
Undead Lady Apes Collection
Nowlin served as the developer for both projects by, among other things, using an art engine to create the NFTs, managing the blockchain protocol, and coding the Solana smart contracts. Rhoden marketed the projects on Discord and X (formerly Twitter). In the weeks following the respective mints, the average sale price of both NFT collections increased dramatically. For instance, though minted at the cryptocurrency equivalent of $5, NFTs from the UndeadApes collection resold for the equivalent of $360 at their peak.
Nowlin and Rhoden used the success and enthusiasm from the first two collections to perpetrate a “rug pull,” a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme where developers abandon a project, take investor funds, and leave investors with a worthless asset. Specifically, in April 2022, Nowlin and Rhoden announced their intention to mint a third NFT collection named “Undead Tombstone.” In the announcement and subsequent advertisements, Nowlin and Rhoden made exaggerated, misleading, and outright false statements to investors, including regarding utilities the NFTs would have, the amount of cryptocurrency that would be reinvested into the project, and partnerships with other prominent businesses. On April 19, 2022, Nowlin and Rhoden minted 632 Undead Tombstone NFTs before abruptly terminating the mint and executing the rug pull. A short time later, Nowlin and Rhoden deleted their Discord and Twitter accounts, cutting off all communication with investors.
The mint resulted in approximately $135,000 in cryptocurrency being sent to cryptocurrency wallets under the control of Nowlin and Rhoden. Using decentralized cryptocurrency tumbler Tornado Cash, Nowlin moved the fraud proceeds from the Solana blockchain to the Ethereum blockchain, also known as “chain-hopping.” This confusion technique is used by cybercriminals and money launderers to make identifying and tracing illicit funds more difficult. Nowlin then used the cryptocurrency to purchase U.S. dollars and transferred that currency into his bank account. In a matter of weeks, the three NFT collections resulted in Nowlin and Rhoden receiving nearly $400,000 in cryptocurrency from hundreds of victim-investors all over the world.
“These cybercriminals concocted a scheme to defraud investors through a grand illusion and orchestrated a ‘rug pull’ to steal money from unsuspecting people, and laundered their ill-gotten gains though other cybercurrencies,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Dumas. “HSI Tampa, alongside our partners with the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office this guilty verdict should serve as a stark reminder that criminals can easily exploit the allure of digital fortunes through would be cryptocurrency investments.”
Rhoden pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering on May 24, 2024. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 20, 2024.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Air Force - Office of Special Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, Department of Defense - Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.
Jefferson County men sentenced to federal prison for armed robberyRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – Two Beaumont men have been sentenced to federal prison for violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Brandon Tyrone Mayberry, 22, and Daniel James Leatherwood, 21, each pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery, aiding and abetting, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
On October 31, 2024, Mayberry was sentenced to 70 months for the robbery charge and 84 months for the firearms violation for a total of 154 months in federal prison. Leatherwood was sentenced to 33 months for the robbery charge and 84 months for the firearms violation for a total of 117 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone ordered the sentences to be served consecutively in federal prison.
According to information presented in court, in April of 2023, Leatherwood and Mayberry robbed a Game X Change store on Dowlen Road in Beaumont at gunpoint.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Beaumont Police Department, the Nederland Police Department, and the Liberty Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Tommy L. Coleman with the cooperation of the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office.
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Illinois Man Sentenced for Preparing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
An Illinois tax return preparer was sentenced yesterday to 16 months in prison for preparing and filing false tax returns for clients.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Gary Sandiego, of Barrington, owned and operated G. Sandiego and Associates, a tax preparation business. For tax years 2014 through 2017, he prepared and filed false income tax returns for his clients. Instead of relying on information provided by the clients, Sandiego either inflated or entirely fabricated expenses to falsely claim on the returns residential energy credits and employment-related expense deductions. As a result, Sandiego caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $4,586,154.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Jorge L. Alonso for the Northern District of Illinois ordered Sandiego to serve one year of supervised release and pay $2,910,442 in restitution to the IRS.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Andrew Kameros and Sara Henderson of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Hinesburg Man Charged with Possessing Ammunition as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office stated that Anthony Seagroves, 32, of Hinesburg, Vermont, has been charged by criminal complaint with Possessing Ammunition as a Convicted Felon.
On October 31, 2024, Seagroves appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that Seagroves be detained pending a detention hearing to be held tomorrow, November 1, 2024.
According to court records, Seagroves was encountered by Burlington Police Department Officers on the afternoon of October 14, 2024, while the officers were conducting a welfare check on multiple people slouched over inside a running car parked at the Fletcher Free Library. The officers learned that the vehicle had been reported stolen. While removing Seagroves from the driver’s seat of the vehicle, officers observed a black and green pistol on the seat where Seagroves had been sitting. The pistol was determined to be a Privately Made Firearm (colloquially referred to as a “ghost gun”), which was loaded with four rounds of PMC brand 9-millimeter ammunition. In May of 2019, Seagroves had been convicted of a felony offense, and was therefore prohibited from possessing the ammunition located within the PMF.
Also according to court records, on October 23, 2024, the Hinesburg Police Department was investigating a report of a stolen vehicle, which the owner had located in Hinesburg. The owner identified Seagroves as the person seen exiting the passenger side of the vehicle shortly after the owner had located it. The owner consented to a search of the vehicle, and Hinesburg Police located a loaded Sig Sauer P365 9-millimeter pistol on the passenger floorboard.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Seagroves is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Seagroves faces up to fifteen years of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Burlington Police Department, and the Hinesburg Police Department.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt. Seagroves is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Harrisburg Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kadeem Weldon, age 31, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for failing to register as a sex offender upon relocating to Pennsylvania.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that from December 2022 and continuing to at least September 9, 2024, despite being required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), upon relocating to central Pennsylvania, Weldon failed to register his address in Pennsylvania as required by SORNA.
This matter was investigated by the United States Marshals Service (USMS). Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Harrisburg Man Indicted for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Keith Demetrius Anderson, age 53, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for Interference with Commerce by Robbery, and with Use of a Firearm during a Violent Crime.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on or about January 9, 2024, Anderson entered the Vape It Smoke Shop in Dauphin County, pointed a handgun at a store employee, directed the employee to provide the money from the drawer, and obtained approximately $300.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Swatara Township Police Department, and the Harrisburg City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Hamilton man pleads guilty to illegally possessing firearms, Glock switchRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A previously convicted felon pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to illegally possessing firearms, including a fully automatic weapon.
Justin Ervin, 35, of Hamilton, admitted to possessing a machinegun-conversion device, known as a switch. The device converts a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic weapon.
Ervin’s plea agreement includes a recommended sentence of 60 months in prison.
According to court documents, in May 2024, Hamilton police officers executed a search warrant at a residence in which Ervin had been living. Officers were originally called to the house in response to a strangulation incident, for which Ervin has pleaded guilty in state court. Officers discovered seven firearms, one conversion device and more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition at the residence.
As a previously convicted felon for robbery and arson, Ervin is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Ervin was indicted by a federal grand jury and arrested in June 2024.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and Hamilton Police Chief Trent Chenowith announced the guilty plea entered on Oct. 30 before U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe and Criminal Chief Christy L. Muncy are representing the United States in this case.
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Granbury Man Who Conspired to Import Meth through Del Rio Sentenced to 23 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Granbury man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 280 months in prison for his participation in a conspiracy to attempt to import 7.86 kilograms of methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico and for felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, David Ray Coplin, 35, and other co-defendants were arrested at a hotel in Del Rio on Aug. 1, 2020, after an investigation revealed they were involved in a conspiracy to import methamphetamine from Mexico and distribute it in the United States. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 16 individual multilayered packages of methamphetamine concealed inside the door panels of codefendant Bibiana Ira Ortiz’s vehicle during a port of entry inspection.
On July 31, 2020, Coplin and codefendant Joshua Ruben Olivencia traveled to Del Rio together to meet Ortiz and another codefendant, Jimmie Troy Palmer III. The group had intended for Ortiz to leave the vehicle containing methamphetamine inside in the hotel parking lot, unlocked with the keys. She would then depart Del Rio with Palmer, while Coplin would become the driver of the drug-loaded vehicle.
Homeland Security Investigations agents approached Coplin immediately after he sat in the driver’s seat and ordered him to exit the vehicle and get on the ground. Coplin, who is a convicted felon sentenced to 12 years in state prison in 2015, reached into his waist band and began pulling on a concealed handgun, a loaded .40 caliber pistol. Coplin complied with the agents’ orders to drop the weapon, and he was taken into custody without further incident. Ortiz was also arrested on-site while Olivencia and Palmer fled. They later returned to the hotel, where they were taken into custody.
Coplin pleaded guilty on March 8, 2021 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Ortiz pleaded guilty on June 7, 2021 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. She was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison. Palmer pleaded guilty on July 21, 2021 to one count of conspiracy to import methamphetamine and was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison. Olivencia was sentenced Oct. 22, 2024, to 264 months in prison.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
HSI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rex Beasley prosecuted the case.
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Gibsonia Man Sentenced for Insider Trading of Dick’s Sporting Goods SecuritiesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 12 months and one day in prison, to be followed by three months of home detention and 12 months of supervised release, on his conviction of securities fraud, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The defendant also was ordered to pay a fine of $20,000 and restitution in the amount of $823,367 to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Frank T. Poerio Jr., 63.
According to information presented to the Court, Poerio used sensitive, material non-public information (MNPI) obtained from a Dick’s Sporting Goods (Dick’s) employee to engage in 160 trades of the company’s securities on the New York Stock Exchange. These transactions included the purchase of individual shares and call option contracts and occurred between August 2019 and May 2021, when the insider worked in a data analytics role at the company’s corporate offices in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. The trades netted approximately $823,000 in profits for Poerio, who often spoke with the employee about finances and investing. Several of the trading incidents occurred in the days immediately preceding Dick’s release of periodic earnings statements—so called “blackout” periods, when Dick’s employees were prohibited from trading in the company’s securities.
Poerio pleaded guilty to the charges in July 2024 (read the plea news release here).
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Poerio.
Galeas Patriarch, HSO Leader Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Human Smuggling and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – The leader of a human smuggling organization (HSO) was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 360 months in federal prison on Wednesday.
According to court documents, Roberto Galeas-Mejia, 48, of Honduras, led a San Antonio-based HSO, overseeing activities that included the transportation and harboring of undocumented noncitizens and the coordination of payments. Funds were funneled through conspirators’ bank accounts and used to pay load drivers and stash house operators, as well as to rent stash houses and further aid the HSO. Funds were also used for personal expenses such as vehicle purchases. Over the course of the investigation, Homeland Security Investigations thwarted multiple smuggling loads and arrested numerous co-conspirators and undocumented noncitizens.
On July 27, 2022, a federal jury found Galeas-Mejia guilty of all three counts in a superseding indictment: conspiracy to transport illegal migrants, conspiracy to harbor illegal migrants, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. His wife Eva Maria Galeas and stepdaughter Lisa Marie Ortega, both of San Antonio, were also found guilty as co-conspirators. His sisters Sandra and Norma Galeas-Mejia, of Honduras, were also co-conspirators but pleaded guilty. The four women were sentenced in March.
During the March sentence hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses ordered the forfeiture of $603,593.00, which was discovered in a safe during a search of Roberto’s home that he shared with Eva and Lisa Marie Ortega. On Wednesday, Roberto Galeas was also ordered to pay a money judgement of $1,008,000.
HSI investigated the case with valuable assistance from U.S. Border Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety, Maverick County Sheriff’s Office, Eagle Pass Police Department, Dimmit County Sheriff’s Office and the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Holly Pavlinski, Antonio Franco and Rex Beasley prosecuted the case.
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Fresno Man Indicted for Possession of Loaded Ghost GunRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Donald Henderson, 30, of Fresno, charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 4, 2024, Henderson arranged to sell a rifle to an undercover police officer in Clovis. When officers arrived, Henderson quickly entered a vehicle as a passenger, at which point officers engaged in a high-speed chase during which Henderson threw a rifle out the window. The rifle was a privately manufactured firearm, or “ghost gun,” with a loaded high-capacity magazine.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Henderson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Founder of Cryptocurrency Financial Services Firm "Gotbit" Indicted for Market Manipulation and Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Russian national residing in Portugal has been indicted for his role in a wide-ranging conspiracy to manipulate cryptocurrency markets on behalf of client cryptocurrency companies.
Aleksei Andriunin, 26, was charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud in a superseding indictment. The superseding indictment also charges Gotbit and two of its directors, Fedor Kedrov and Qawi Jalili, who were previously charged in an indictment unsealed on Oct. 9, 2024.
According to court documents, Gotbit was a well-known “market maker” in the cryptocurrency industry. It is alleged that between 2018 and 2024, Gotbit provided market manipulation services to create artificial trading volume for multiple cryptocurrency companies, including companies located in the United States. Aleksei Andriunin was Gotbit’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer. In a 2019 interview, Andriunin allegedly described how he developed a code to “wash trade” cryptocurrencies to artificially inflate trading volume for the purpose of getting cryptocurrencies listed on CoinMarketCap (a website that published information about “trending” cryptocurrencies) and trading on larger cryptocurrency exchanges. Andriunin allegedly kept records of Gotbit’s market manipulation, including spreadsheets that compared “Created Volume” from wash trades with naturally occurring “Market Volume.” Andriunin and Gotbit’s employees, including Jalili (Gotbit’s Director of Sales) and Kedrov (Gotbit’s Director of Market Making), allegedly marketed these wash trading tactics to prospective clients and explained how Gotbit used multiple accounts to avoid detection of the wash trades on the public blockchain. Gotbit allegedly made wash trades worth millions of dollars on behalf of clients and received tens of millions of dollars in proceeds for these fraudulent services. It is further alleged that Gotbit’s clients included the Saitama and Robo Inu cryptocurrencies, the leadership of which have been charged separately. It is alleged that Andriunin transferred millions of dollars of Gotbit’s proceeds into his personal Binance account.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, restitution and forfeiture. The charge of conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 to twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, restitution and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Marcus Fair, 27, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty October 30, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Evidence at the plea hearing showed that on September 21, 2022, law enforcement responded to a Humboldt, Iowa, residence for a report of domestic disturbance and animal cruelty. After conducting interviews, law enforcement arrested Fair. Officers were then led to a discarded backpack in a nearby woods. Inside the bag were items that belonged to Fair, including a loaded Taurus G3C, 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, an extended magazine, and marijuana. Fair admitted these items belonged to him, and that he used marijuana. As a user of marijuana, Fair was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Fair remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Fair faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Humboldt Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-3042. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Former Takeda Employee Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Prison for $2.5 Million Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former senior employee in the technology operations group of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda) was sentenced today for engaging in a scheme to defraud the company of at least $2.5 million.
Priya Bhambi, 40, of Brookline, Mass. was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 46 months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. Bhambi was also ordered to pay $2,585,480 in restitution. The Court ordered forfeiture in the same amount and also ordered Bhambi to forfeit a Mercedes-Benz Model E, over $1 million in fraud proceeds held in bank accounts and a $49,985 wedding venue deposit, all seized by the government, as well as a diamond engagement ring and a Seaport condominium purchased with fraud proceeds.
In June 2024, Bhambi pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud. Bhambi and an alleged co-conspirator, who did not work at Takeda, were charged in an indictment filed on March 23, 2023. The alleged co-conspirator is set for trial beginning Dec. 2, 2024.
“Pure greed drove Priya Bhambi to take advantage of her senior-level, highly compensated position at Takeda to steal millions of dollars from the company,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “I commend Takeda for reporting this fraud to the authorities promptly. As a result not only has Bhambi been held accountable for this egregious breach of trust, but the government was able to seize assets with an estimated value of over $1.5 million traceable to her theft. The sentence sends two strong messages – first, there are very serious consequences for executives who exploit their positions to line their own pockets and second, for companies who are victims of embezzlement, law enforcement stands ready to do whatever it can to recoup stolen funds and hold individuals accountable for fraud against their employers.”
“Priya Bhambi apparently felt her nearly half-a-million-dollar salary at Takeda wasn’t enough, so she orchestrated a complex financial fraud scheme to steal millions more to enhance her paycheck,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “In doing so, she used the company’s cash to buy everything from a diamond ring, to a Mercedes Benz, and even put a down payment on a condo and wedding venue. Fraud is never the answer if you feel your paycheck is not up to par. With this sentence Ms. Bhambi will now pay for her crimes through restitution and prison time.”
Between approximately January 2022 and October 2022, Bhambi and her alleged co-conspirator orchestrated and executed a scheme to defraud Takeda of at least $2.3 million in payments for purported consulting services by submitting fabricated invoices on behalf of a sham consulting company. Bhambi had previously engaged in the same fraud using a different sham consulting company, resulting in payments from Takeda totaling nearly $300,000 for consulting services that were never provided.
In February 2022, the co-conspirator, in coordination with Bhambi, allegedly incorporated Evoluzione Consulting LLC (Evoluzione). Later, Bhambi created a website for Evoluzione with false information, including fabricated blog posts, to make it appear that Evoluzione was a legitimate consulting business. After incorporating Evoluzione, Bhambi, allegedly in coordination with the co-conspirator, submitted a statement of work to Takeda and caused Takeda to sign a master services agreement with Evoluzione and issue a purchase order to Evoluzione for consulting services with a total cost of $3.542 million. Then, between March and May of 2022, Bhambi and the alleged co-conspirator fabricated and submitted to Takeda five separate invoices for services that Evoluzione had not performed, each in the amount of $460,000. When questioned by Takeda employees, Bhambi and the alleged co-conspirator made false representations regarding the services purportedly provided by Evoluzione. Before discovering the scheme and terminating Bhambi, Takeda, relying on these false representations, paid all five of the invoices to business accounts allegedly opened by the alleged co-conspirator in the name of Evoluzione.
In total, Bhambi and the alleged co-conspirator defrauded Takeda of $2.3 million in payments to Evoluzione for services not provided. Bhambi and her alleged co-conspirator used the fraudulently obtained funds to purchase the assets referenced above that are now subject to the Court’s forfeiture order.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Takeda has provided valuable assistance and cooperation with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie A. Wright and Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit is handling the forfeiture of aspects of the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Sheriff’s Deputy Admits Sex with Minor, Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former Phelps County Sheriff’s deputy on Thursday admitted engaging in sex acts with a minor, requesting and receiving child pornography and destroying evidence to impede the FBI.
Justin Bradley Durham, 43, of Rolla, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of production of child pornography, two counts of receiving child pornography and three counts of destroying records in a federal investigation.
Durham admitted as part of his plea that he requested and received a sexually explicit video from a 16-year-old in 2013. He later provided $200 to the victim after she engaged in sex acts with him. He also admitted engaging in sex acts multiple times with a 17-year-old victim, including in his patrol vehicle. He exchanged sexually explicit images and videos with her. Durham met the second victim in 2016 when her friend contacted the police and he responded to the call.
The FBI interviewed Durham in 2023 after learning that his PayPal account had been used to send money to another account associated with the sale of child pornography. Durham denied purchasing child pornography and claimed that he hadn’t accessed his Dropbox account for years. He refused agents’ request to search his cell phone. Two days later, Durham bought a new phone, destroyed his old phone and deleted about 37 gigabytes of data in his Dropbox account before deactivating it. Among those files were hundreds of sexually explicit images and videos, including files containing child sexual abuse material. Durham was terminated by the Sheriff’s Department on Aug. 9, 2023, and arrested by them. In jail, he told FBI agents that he also destroyed a laptop computer, threw away his phone and conducted a “digital footprint scrub” of his online accounts, his plea agreement says.
Durham is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 5, 2025. The production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, and the receipt of child pornography charge has a five-year mandatory minimum.
The FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Accountant for New Jersey Manufacturing Company Sentenced to One Year and One Day in Prison for Criminal Tax OffensesRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison for filing false tax returns, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Thomas Kohutich, 34, of Woodbridge, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner to a two-count information that charged him with subscribing to false tax returns for calendar years 2018 and 2019. Judge Castner imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Kohutich, a former accountant for a New Jersey-based manufacturing company, filed with the IRS U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns, Forms 1040, for calendar years 2018 and 2019 on his and his wife’s behalf. Kohutich failed to report funds that he embezzled from his former employer and which he knew constituted reportable income. Kohutich signed the tax returns under penalties of perjury, despite knowing that they contained materially false information. As part of his plea agreement, Kohutich agreed to pay full restitution to the IRS for tax losses resulting from filing the false tax returns, as well as restitution to his former employer.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Caster sentenced Kohutich to one year of supervised release and ordered Kohutich to pay restitution of $234,821 to the IRS and $829,457 to his former employer.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, with the investigation leading to the sentence.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edeli Rivera of the Special Prosecutions Division.
Fleming Island Childcare Center Settles Claim to Improve Access to Daycare Services for Children with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
Ocala, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida has reached an agreement with Imagination Island of Fleming Island, Inc., a daycare center that provides childcare services for children ages six weeks old to pre-kindergarten-age, to settle allegations that its daycare violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by terminating the enrollment of a child because he was diagnosed with epilepsy.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office opened an investigation into Imagination Island after receiving a complaint from the parents of a three-year-old child alleging that Imagination Island terminated the enrollment of their son in October 2023 because the child has epilepsy. According to the settlement agreement, the investigation revealed that the child had been attending Imagination Island for almost five months. In early October 2023, the child had a seizure while at home, after which he was diagnosed with epilepsy. Complainants called Imagination Island and spoke with a staff member to inform the daycare center of their son’s seizure and diagnosis. The parents attempted to speak with the director of Imagination Island regarding their son’s diagnosis and an emergency action plan, but the director was unavailable. The parents later received an email from the director informing them that their son could not return to Imagination Island because, “based on the diagnosis[,] we are neither equipped [n]or certified to have him attend school with his condition.” As a result, the parents were forced to care for their son fulltime while they sought new childcare, causing them to alter their work schedules, take leave from work, and ultimately incur unforeseen costs to enroll him at a new daycare facility.
As a result of the investigation, the United States determined that Imagination Island violated Title III of the ADA when it discriminated against the complainants and their son because of his epilepsy by denying him the opportunity to participate in and benefit from its services. Specifically, Imagination Island applied eligibility criteria that screened out the child and failed and refused to make the reasonable modifications to its policies, practices, or procedures that were necessary to afford him its services. Imagination Island denies the allegations of the complaint and that it violated the ADA.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Imagination Island must: adopt, maintain, and enforce a non-discrimination policy regarding the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability, and post such policy on its website; adopt, maintain, and enforce an emergency anti-seizure medication administration policy and procedure, which includes a seizure emergency action plan; require all employees to complete annual training on epilepsy seizures and the administration of diazepam rectal gel (Diastat); provide training to all employees on all policies, practices, and procedures required under the settlement agreement, as well as the non-discrimination requirements under Title III of the ADA; designate and maintain a compliance monitor to ensure Imagination Island complies with the terms of the settlement agreement; submit regular compliance reports to the United States; report any complaints received alleging Imagination Island discriminated on the basis of disability to the United States; and pay the Complainants $4,000 in compensatory damages.
This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Alexandra N. Karahalios, in coordination with the Disability Rights Section of the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division.
Title III of the ADA prohibits public accommodations, including private day care centers, from discriminating against individuals on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of their goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations (“goods or services”). In general, Title III prohibits public accommodations from subjecting an individual on the basis of disability to a denial of the opportunity to participate in or benefit from its goods or services. Specifically, a public accommodation shall not impose or apply eligibility criteria that screen out or tend to screen out an individual with a disability or any class of individuals with disabilities from fully and equally enjoying any goods or services being offered. A public accommodation must make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures necessary to afford an individual with a disability the goods or services of the public accommodation. Title III also prohibits public accommodations from discriminating against an individual because of the known disability of an individual with whom the individual is known to have a relationship or association, such as the parents of a child with a disability.
Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination may contact the Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida by calling our Civil Rights Hotline at (813) 274-6095 or emailing us at [email protected]. To fill out our civil rights complaint form, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/civil-rights-complaint-form.
The Attorney General is authorized to investigate alleged violations of Title III of the ADA and to bring a civil action in federal court if the United States is unable to secure voluntary compliance in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or that raises issues of general public importance. Ensuring that day care centers do not discriminate against children with disabilities is an issue of general public importance.
For more information on the ADA, visit www.ada.gov or call the Department of Justice’s toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 (Voice) or (833) 610-1264 (TTY). Accessibility specialists are available to answer questions from individuals, businesses, and state or local governments. All calls are confidential.
Download Settlement Agreement
Fleeing felon found with firearm faces federal fateRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man pled guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on Feb. 28, 2024, Israel Maleek Mangram, 23, failed to maintain his lane while driving on Interstate 95. A Trooper with Virginia State Police ran the information on the vehicle and learned that the owner had a suspended driver’s license. The Trooper could not see the driver, so he initiated a traffic stop to investigate. Mangram pulled the vehicle onto the right shoulder of the interstate but did not stop. Mangram returned to the travel lanes of the interstate and increased his speed to over 100 mph. After a high-speed chase, Mangram lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a single-family home.
Mangram tried to climb out of the passenger-side window. The Trooper approached Mangram, who was lying next to the passenger-side of the SUV and ordered Mangram to show his hands. Lying next to Mangram was a handgun. Mangram was convicted of robbery on Aug. 5, 2020. As a previously convicted felon, Mangram cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
Mangram is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2025, and faces up to 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent; and Colette Wallace McEachin, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the plea.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-109.