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30 October 2024
Defense Contractor, Former Executive Indicted for Bribing Government EmployeeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Cask Technologies, LLC and former company executive Mark Larsen with bribing a government employee to win lucrative government contracts.
According to court records, Larsen and his subordinates at Cask gave former Naval Information Warfare Center employee James Soriano various things of value, including expensive meals, golf outings, and full-time jobs for Soriano’s close family friend and immediate family member. At the time of the conspiracy, Larsen was the director, and later the managing director, vice president, and executive vice president of Cask with offices in San Diego and Stafford, Virginia.
In return, Soriano took official action to benefit Cask, such as steering non-competitive small business contracts to Cask and its “family” of companies; allowing Larsen and other Cask employees to draft procurement documents for various contracting efforts, including competitive procurements; and allowing Larsen and others to “ghost write” emails, official government correspondence, and performance evaluations for Soriano’s signature, all to benefit Cask and others in its “family” of companies.
Soriano also agreed in an email exchange to “create & award” a $50 million supposedly competitive contract for services to Cask. Soriano then allowed Cask to draft the contract requirements and the price the government was expected to pay, and took other actions to ensure that Cask was awarded the “competitive” contract.
To conceal their activities, Larsen, Cask and Soriano failed to disclose organizational conflicts of interest in relation to their contracting efforts and that Cask was affiliated to other companies in its “family” of companies, including two Native Hawaiian 8(a) companies that were subcontracting millions of dollars of work on 8(a) contracts to Cask.
Soriano has already pleaded guilty to multiple bribery schemes, including facts related to his relationship with Larsen and Cask. He is scheduled to be sentenced in May 2025.
“Defense contracts support our military, and as such play an important role in keeping us all safe,” said U.S. Attorney Tara K. McGrath. “Allowing bribery and corruption to dictate who obtains those important contracts undermines the system and dishonors our defense operations.”
“This newest indictment is another constructive step toward accountability in this ongoing multi-year investigation,” said Bryan D. Denny, Special Agent in Charge for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Western Field Office. “Mr. Larsen and Cask Technologies are accused of feeding their own greed by knowingly corrupting the government’s acquisition process and some government officials at the expense of our nation’s warfighters and taxpayers.”
“The allegations in this case highlight the serious repercussions of undermining the integrity of the Department of the Navy’s procurement process. By prioritizing personal gain over fair competition, such actions can compromise the readiness and, potentially, the safety of our warfighters,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office. “We, alongside our investigative partners, are committed to exposing unlawful activity and restoring public trust in the systems designed to protect our nation’s security.”
“This case demonstrates our commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to root out fraud and corruption in government contracting,” said Weston King, SBA OIG Western Region Special Agent in Charge. “These defendants are accused of working together to exploit the 8(a) program, actions that would defraud the government but also compromise the integrity of the program designed to uplift deserving entrepreneurs. I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners for their continued pursuit of justice and holding accountable those who engage in fraudulent schemes.”
“This indictment demonstrates IRS CI’s commitment to leaving no stone unturned when we investigate DOD contract fraud,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “Those who undermine the DOD contracting process put our warfighters at risk, and we will not rest on a case until we find all complicit parties and the evidence necessary to bring them to court.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Swan and Katherine McGrath.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 24cr2111-TWR
Mark Larsen Age: 46 San Diego, CA
Cask Technologies, LLC Stafford, VA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Bribery - Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison; $250,000 fine
Bribery – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 201
Maximum penalty: Fifteen years in prison; $250,000 fine for an individual or $500,000 for an organization, or three times the monetary equivalent of the thing of value, whichever is greater.
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Defense Criminal Investigative Service
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation
Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If you have information regarding fraud, waste, or abuse relating to Department of Defense personnel or operations, please contact the DoD Hotline at 800-424-9098.
Defendant pleads guilty to throwing incendiary device, causing fire in local grocery storeRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A local man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to damaging a Spring Grove Village grocery store with an incendiary device in the style of a Molotov cocktail.
Donald Donatelli, 28, currently of Batavia, admitted to causing malicious damage and destruction of a building in interstate commerce. The plea agreement includes a recommended sentence of 66 months in prison.
According to court documents, at approximately 10pm on Nov. 26, 2023, Donatelli threw the incendiary device into the store while the store’s owner and his wife were inside. The store was open at the time of the fire.
Donatelli had traveled to the grocery store on Gwinnet Drive with a co-defendant. Donatelli approached the front glass doors of the grocery store and had a bottle of gasoline with a rag inside. He lit the rag and threw the bottle inside the front doors while the co-defendant filmed a Snapchat video of the crime.
A federal grand jury indicted Donatelli and the co-defendant in April 2024. Charges remain pending against Angela Schweitzer, 35.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. U.S. Attorney Parker and Special Agent in Charge McCormick acknowledged the assistance of the Cincinnati Fire Department, Cincinnati Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and Union Township Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Megan Gaffney Painter is representing the United States in this case.
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Covetrus Agrees to Pay $1,125,000 for Failing to Adequately Address Suspicious Opioid Orders and for Inadequate Recordkeeping PracticesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a $1,125,000 settlement with Covetrus North America, LLC (Covetrus NA) to resolve allegations that it violated the Controlled Substances Act and related regulations. Covetrus NA, headquartered in Portland, Maine, is a company that distributes veterinary medicine to customers worldwide.
Under the settlement, Covetrus NA admitted that, from March 29, 2016 through June 18, 2019, its internal suspicious order monitoring system (SOM) flagged 35 opioid orders from a veterinary office in West Barnstable, Mass. (Veterinary Office) as suspicious. Covetrus NA released each of the suspicious orders and sent them to the Veterinary Office. Following a request from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Covetrus NA provided inadequate documentation to justify its decision to release the orders.
Melissa Paradise, an employee of the Veterinary Office, was charged and convicted in U.S. District Court in Boston and was sentenced in June 2022 after admitting that she diverted drugs from the orders for her own personal use. Covetrus NA also admitted that, in March 2018, an order of hydrocodone-homatropine was lost in-transit to the Veterinary Office and that Covetrus NA failed to notify the DEA of the lost controlled substances. From January 2015 through July 2023 Covetrus NA also failed to properly review the most recent information made available in ARCOS (an automated, comprehensive drug reporting system which monitors controlled substances from their point of manufacture through distribution) as required by the Controlled Substances Act (the Act).
The Act regulates the manufacturing, purchasing, distribution and maintenance of certain controlled substances. The Act and related regulations required Covetrus NA to keep records and follow security protocols for its controlled substances, including reporting suspicious orders or theft and significant loss of controlled substances. Failure to maintain effective controls against diversion of controlled substances, including opioids, violates the Act. Additionally, registered distributors of opioids, like Covetrus NA, are required to review quarterly information provided by ARCOS, and to keep an accurate record of each controlled substance and how it was used or where it went. Federal and state law enforcement rely on ARCOS data to help prevent diversion of controlled substances.
“The struggle to bring the scourge of the opioid epidemic under control requires a multi prong approach. In addition to traditional law enforcement efforts, preventing the diversion of lawfully manufactured opioids is also critical. Drug distributors have an obligation to handle controlled substances responsibly, including maintaining complete and accurate records, and diligently investigating suspicious orders of controlled substances,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “As this resolution demonstrates we not only prosecute individuals who divert controlled substances, but we will hold opioid distributors accountable for their failure to comply with important regulations.”
“DEA registrants are responsible for handling-controlled substances responsibly and ensuring that complete and accurate records are being properly kept and accounted for in compliance with the Controlled Substance Act,” said Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “Failure to do so increases the potential for diversion and jeopardizes public health and public safety. We are committed to working with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure that these rules and regulations are followed.”
As part of the settlement, Covetrus NA will enter into a one-year Memorandum of Agreement (“MOA”) with the DEA. The MOA requires Covetrus NA to continue improving its SOM system and allows the DEA to freely inspect and monitor Covetrus NA’s SOM system, employee training and overall compliance with all federal, state and local controlled substance statutes and regulations.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Stephen P. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julien M. Mundele of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the case.
Convicted Murderer Found Guilty of Illegally Possessing Multiple Firearms Following Federal Jury TrialRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS— A federal jury has convicted Salam Abdul Ali, 57, of Indianapolis, of illegally possessing firearms as a previously convicted felon, following a one-day trial.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, on January 28, 2024, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) officers were dispatched to a home for a domestic disturbance call. Upon arrival, a woman who lived at the home with her children reported that her ex-boyfriend, Salam Abdul Ali, owned guns and made threats to kill her, her children, and her brother following an argument the previous night.
On February 14, 2024, IMPD investigators conducted a court-authorized search at Ali’s residence. During the search, investigators located five firearms in his bedroom, along with ammunition and firearm accessories. Ali was present and admitted to law enforcement officers, “I got guns, I sure do,” which was captured on body worn camera.
During the investigation, officers learned that Ali’s former name was Christopher Butler. Ali changed his name from Butler after he was convicted of murder in Marion County and sentenced to sentenced to 60 years in prison. He was released from state prison in approximately 2013. In 2019, Ali was convicted in federal court for his involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy and sentenced to federal prison. Ali is permanently prohibited from ever again legally possessing a firearm as a result of his felony convictions.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IMPD investigated this case. U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman presided over the trial and will sentence the defendant at a future hearing. Ali faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Pam Domash and Zachary Szilagyi, who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Columbus man sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for drug & gun crimesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man known as “Philly” was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 130 months in prison for narcotics and firearms crimes.
Bernard Clark McMillon, 32, conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute controlled substances, including 40 grams or more of fentanyl and five grams or more of methamphetamine. McMillon also possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to court documents, from fall of 2022 through February 2023, McMillon and a co-defendant used a series of different houses in central Ohio to traffic fentanyl, crack cocaine and methamphetamine. Their stash houses included residences on South Terrace, Doren, Columbian, Floral and Springmont avenues and McCarley Drive West.
McMillon and the co-defendant took advantage of people with addictions who were using the defendants’ residences to make drug sales on their behalf.
Law enforcement seized two pistols and a 12-gauge shotgun as part of this investigation.
A federal grand jury indicted McMillon in February 2023 and he pleaded guilty in June 2024.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Micheal H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Tyler Aagard are representing the United States in this case.
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Cocaine Dealer with Firearm Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who committed a drug trafficking offense was sentenced today to 96 months in federal prison for possessing large quantities of cocaine.
Andrew St. John Pratt, age 31, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 1, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. During a search of Pratt’s home in Dubuque, officers located distribution quantities of cocaine, cash, drug scales, and a firearm.
Pratt was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Pratt was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Pratt is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force 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 24-CR- 01010.
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Chicago-Area Rap Promotor Sentenced to Nearly Three Years in Prison for Role in Nationwide Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chicago-area man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield, Mass. for his role in a nationwide wire fraud conspiracy that victimized businesses and individuals across the United States.
Antonio M. Strong, 32, of Orland Park, Ill., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 34 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Strong was also ordered to forfeit $2,159,874 and pay restitution in the amount of $2,159,873. In May 2024, Strong pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud.
Strong was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020 along with five co-defendants, including rap artist Herbert Wright, Joseph Williams and Demario Sorrells
Between at least March 2016 and September 2020, Strong conspired with Wright, Sorrells, Williams, and allegedly, others to defraud numerous businesses and individuals by obtaining and using unauthorized and stolen payment card account information to obtain valuable goods and services, including: private jet and yacht charters; luxury car rentals; luxury hotel and vacation rental accommodations; private chef and security guard services; designer puppies; limousine and chauffer services; and commercial airline flights, among other things. During this time, Strong presented himself as a music promoter based in the Chicago area.
The stolen payment card account information included the actual cardholders’ names, addresses, payment card account numbers, security codes and account expiration dates. Because Strong and his alleged co-conspirators provided authentic payment card information, the defrauded businesses and individuals successfully processed their transactions and provided the goods and services. The actual cardholders discovered these transactions on their accounts and disputed the charges, which were reversed by the payment card companies. As a result, the transactions were charged back to the businesses and individuals from whom Strong and his co-conspirators defrauded with the unauthorized transactions.
To conceal his identity and perpetrate the fraud, Strong used various fictitious names and aliases; provided fake driver’s licenses in the names of both fictitious and real people; used email accounts in the names of fictitious and real businesses; and falsely stated that he was from “Universal Music,” “Sony Music,” “Epic Music,” and other real and fictitious companies. Strong caused a total loss of $2,299,842, which he has agreed to repay.
In January 2024, Wright was sentenced to three years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $139,968 after previously pleading guilty. Sorrells pleaded guilty and in August 2024, was sentenced to three years of probation and oredered to pay $106,000 in restitution and $106,000 in forfeiture. In March 2024, Williams pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and in August 2024 was sentenced to three years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution of $155,392 and forfeiture of $102,116. Terrence Bender is scheduled to plead guilty next month. The remaining defendant, Steven Hayes, Jr. is pending trial.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office and Trial Attorneys Andrew Tyler and Kyle Crawford of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Camden County Man Convicted at Trial of Conspiring to Commit Arson of a Bucks County WarehouseRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Ramiz Duka, 61, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, was convicted today at trial of conspiracy to commit arson.
The facts at trial established that Duka recruited two men into a conspiracy to set fire to a warehouse located at 1388 Bridgewater Road in Bensalem, Pa., paying them $15,000 to do so. Over the course of several weeks, the three co-conspirators met and planned the arson.
On December 10, 2022, one of the men recruited to the conspiracy by Duka set fire to the building. During fire suppression operations, one firefighter was seriously injured when a ladder collapsed. Damages from the fire totaled nearly $6 million.
At sentencing, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum of five years of imprisonment, and a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison.
The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bensalem Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda R. Reinitz. Special thanks to the Bensalem Township Fire Rescue and the volunteer firefighter companies in and around Bensalem who responded to the fire.
California Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Saul Chavez, age 20, of Indio, California, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, after having pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Chavez to 96 months’ imprisonment. Chavez also forfeited over $25,000 seized in the investigation. There is no parole in the federal system. After Chavez’s release he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On June 13, 2023, during a controlled purchase operation, Chavez distributed approximately a pound of meth to an undercover law enforcement officer in Omaha. Surveillance identified Chavez was using a California-plated vehicle and staying at a local Omaha motel.
On June 15, 2023, investigators conducted surveillance on Chavez and observed him drive away from the motel. He was stopped by an Omaha police officer and a subsequent search of his vehicle revealed one pound of meth.
During a post-arrest interview, Chavez admitted his vehicle contained a concealed compartment. Investigators located the compartment and discovered $25,622 and over 30 pounds of meth inside.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Omaha Police Department.
Buffalo man pleads guilty to defrauding lending companies out of millions of dollars with dozens of stolen identitiesRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Paul Paredes, 53, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that since 2013, Paredes has owned J&E Business Consulting LLC, which provides services to client businesses, including acting as a broker between the credit card processing companies and smaller retail businesses. Small businesses provide J&E with their financial information, such as the owner’s identifying information, including driver’s license, social security number, and email, as well as bank account information.
Between April 2019, and August 2023, Paredes submitted hundreds of fraudulent financing applications to dozens of lenders under the identities of his business customers (victims), for goods and services allegedly provided by Paredes, with the funds payable to bank accounts controlled by Paredes. These financing agreements were prepared in the names if victims, using their personal information, and without their knowledge, consent, or authorization. After a financing agreement was approved, money from the victim lender was deposited into one of numerous bank accounts controlled by Paredes, who used the money he obtained from the scheme to fund his personal expenses, pay salaries and operating expenses, or to make payments to victim lenders to avoid detection of the fraudulent loans. By making those payments to the victim lenders, Paredes was able to continue making similar fraudulent financing agreements with multiple victim lenders without discovery. To further avoid detection, on occasions when victims received communications from victim lenders about the fraudulent financing agreements, Paredes misled them about the purpose of the communications and told them he would handle it.
Paredes used the identity of at least 63 individuals to defraud at least 23 victim lenders, utilizing at least 12 different bank accounts and moving the money he obtained from the scheme throughout different accounts. Paredes submitted false loan applications from Rochester, NY, to the out-of-state lenders located throughout the country, including in New Jersey, Virginia, Illinois, Texas, North Carolina, Florida, Washington, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Colorado, and Minnesota. The total loss amount is at least $3,500,000.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Internal Revenue Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Fattorusso, and the New York State Department of Financial Services-Criminal Investigation Bureau, under the direction of Superintendent Adrienne A. Harris.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 29, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. before Judge Wolford.
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Broken Bow Resident Sentenced to Four Years for Child AbuseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kaira Leigh Wilson, age 35, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Idabel Police Department.
On January 11, 2024, Wilson, was found guilty by a federal jury at trial of the charge. According to investigators, on March 12, 2020, law enforcement responding to a 911 call at an Idabel residence discovered an unresponsive 6-month-old infant. EMS responders began life-saving measures and rushed the infant to the hospital for acute respiratory failure. Medical professionals successfully resuscitated and stabilized the infant. Medical scans revealed fresh injuries consistent with non-accidental trauma, including a subdural hematoma and extensive retinal hemorrhages. The infant also sustained vision loss in one eye. A subsequent investigation revealed that prior to the 911 call, a witness in the residence observed Wilson throw the infant against a wall.
The crime occurred in McCurtain County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“I commend the work of the first responders and medical staff in diagnosing and treating the defenseless victim and want to thank the investigators for tirelessly working to determine how the injuries were inflicted,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “I also applaud the Assistant United States Attorneys who effectively presented the case at trial and compassionately advocated for the victim and the victim’s family at the sentencing hearing. We recognize the discretion of the Court in sentencing and respect the decision.”
The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Wilson will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Sarah McAmis represented the United States.
Bristol Virginia Man Convicted in Federal Court of Carjacking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On October 30, 2024, following a three-day trial in the United States District Court in Greeneville, Tennessee, a jury convicted Charles Nile Mixon, 48, of Bristol, Virginia, of Carjacking in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 2119; Using and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii); Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon in violation of 18. U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), and Possession of a Stolen Firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(j).
Sentencing is set for March 6, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. before the Honorable Clifton L Corker, United States District Judge, in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Mixon faces a minimum mandatory sentence of twenty-two years in federal prison.
According to witnesses, court documents, and evidence presented at trial, in the early morning hours of May 24, 2023, Mixon carjacked a victim at gunpoint in the parking lot of a Taco Bell restaurant in Bristol, Tennessee. Mixon forced the victim to give him the keys to the vehicle and then briefly held the victim at gunpoint inside the car. As Mixon fled the restaurant’s parking lot with the victim in the passenger seat, the victim jumped from the moving car to escape. Within minutes, the Bristol Tennessee Police Department located Mixon in the stolen car just as he arrived at the Tennessee/Virginia state line and attempted to stop him. Mixon refused to stop and fled into Virginia. Evidence showed that he later dropped the victim’s car at a gas station in Kingsport, Tennessee, before stealing an unattended vehicle at the gas station.
On May 25, 2023, Mixon woke up a relative to inform them that he had taken the relatives’ firearm and used it to carjack the victim at the Taco Bell. The relative contacted law enforcement who responded. Mixon fled, but was arrested after a brief chase from Bristol, Virginia, into Bristol, Tennessee. A search of Mixon at the time of his arrest recovered the stolen firearm.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the Bristol Tennessee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”).
Senior Officer Jared Patrick with the Bristol Tennessee Police Department led the investigation, along with Special Agent Jamie Jenkins of ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys B. Todd Martin and Emily Swecker represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communicates, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.
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Boston Woman Pleads Guilty to Armed Robberies of Postal WorkersRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to the armed robberies of United States Postal Service (USPS) letter carriers on Nov. 29, 2022 in Mattapan, Mass. and Dec. 16, 2022 in Hyde Park, Mass.
Myesha Lewis, 22, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery of any person having lawful charge, control, or custody of any mail matter or of any money or other property of the United States, aiding and abetting and two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees, aiding and abetting. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Dennis F. Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Feb. 10, 2025. In May 2023, Lewis was indicted by a federal grand jury along with co-defendant Kenneth Demoshane.
USPS has seen a rise in the use of arrow keys to facilitate the theft of U.S. Mail. An arrow key is a specific key designed to open designated blue USPS collection boxes in a specific area. These arrow keys are the property of USPS and it is a federal offense for an unauthorized person to possess one. Since July 2022, there have been at least 23 assaults on USPS letter carriers while in the performance of their official duties in Boston and surrounding cities and towns. These incidents included the attempted or successful robbery of USPS arrow keys from letter carriers. Additionally, of these 23 incidents, 15 of the robberies were instances where the perpetrators were reportedly armed with a knife, firearm, or both.
On Nov. 29, 2022, in Mattapan, Lewis and Demosthene forcibly robbed a USPS letter carrier of an arrow key. Demosthene approached the letter carrier and said, “I’m going to need your master key,” before reaching into the letter carrier’s mail satchel and grabbing the arrow key. The key was secured around the letter carrier’s belt with a brass chain. The force used to physically break the brass chain caused the letter carrier to be pulled off the front steps. Lewis and Demosthene then fled the scene in a rental vehicle.
On Dec. 16, 2022 in Hyde Park, Lewis and Demosthene robbed another USPS letter carrier of an arrow key at knife point. Demosthene approached the USPS letter carrier and said, “Give me your f****** arrow key.” The letter carrier put their hands in the air as the defendants attempted to remove the arrow key, at first by force pulling at the chain. Lewis and Demosthene then attempted to cut it with the knife, eventually breaking it loose and fleeing the scene on foot.
In October 2024, Demosthene was sentenced to three years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
The charges of robbery of any person having lawful charge, control, or custody of any mail matter or of any money or other property of the United States each provide for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Birmingham Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.
Traddarryl Rishad Boykins, 32, of Birmingham, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the plea agreement, on January 29, 2024, a Homewood Police Department officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop on Boykins. Boykins led officers on a chase from Homewood to downtown Birmingham. The pursuit ended when Boykins crashed into another vehicle at the intersection of 18th Street North and 15th Avenue North. The driver and passenger of the vehicle suffered multiple injuries and were transported to a local hospital in critical condition. Officers arrested Boykins and conducted a search of the vehicle. In the driver’s floorboard, officers found a loaded Glock 23 pistol.
Boykins is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of prior felony convictions.
ATF investigated the case along with the Homewood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William R. McComb is prosecuting the case.
Billings woman sentenced to more than eight years in prison for trafficking meth on Northern Cheyenne Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A federal judge yesterday sentenced a Billings woman to eight years and nine months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for her role in methamphetamine trafficking on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
The defendant, Alisha Gail Small, 42, pleaded guilty in June to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that in August 2023, Small and others were in a car stopped outside of Hardin. Law enforcement found 7 grams of meth in Small’s purse and multiple firearms in the car. Law enforcement learned that Small was involved in meth trafficking. In December 2023, Small was arrested on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation after a high-speed chase with law enforcement. Officers found approximately 60 grams of meth in her car and another gun. A search of Small’s cell phone found it contained evidence of drug trafficking.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Montana Highway Patrol conducted the investigation.
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Barbour County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – James Marklin Mayle, age 67, of Philippi, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 130 months for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, officers stopped Mayle’s vehicle and found nearly two pounds of methamphetamine. Mayle, also known as “Mark Mayle,” was transporting methamphetamine from Ohio into Barbour County.
Mayle has a criminal history that includes drug possession, battery, assault, burglary, passing counterfeit money, and domestic violence.
Mayle will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
The case was investigated by the Mountain Region Drug Task Force. The Ohio State Highway Patrol assisted.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Bank Robber Sentenced to Three-and-a-Half Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Justin Eric Lindsay, 29, of Phoenix, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge David G. Campbell to 42 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. On June 27, 2024, Lindsay pleaded guilty to two counts of Bank Robbery.
Between August 2023 and January 2024, Lindsay robbed six banks before he was arrested by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. During two of the robberies, Lindsay falsely claimed he had a firearm.
This case was 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of Tempe Police Department, Mesa Police Department, and Task Force Officers from the Peoria Police Department and the Phoenix Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00147-PHX-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-148_Lindsay# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Atlantic County Doctor Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Health Care Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, doctor was sentenced to 15 months in prison for his role in defrauding New Jersey state and local health benefits programs and other insurers by submitting fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary prescriptions, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced.
Brian Sokalsky, 46, of Margate, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to a superseding information charging him with one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud. U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel imposed the sentence on Oct. 29, 2024, in Camden federal court.
Sokalsky, pharmaceutical sales representative Vincent Tornari, 50, of Linwood, New Jersey, and former advanced nurse practitioner Ashley Lyons-Valenti, 67, of Swedesboro, New Jersey, were charged in a 33-count indictment in June 2020. Tornari pleaded guilty on March 14, 2023, and Lyons-Valenti pleaded guilty on Feb. 28, 2023, to their respective roles in the conspiracy. Tornari and Lyons-Valenti are both awaiting sentencing.
According to court documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Compounded medications are specialty medications mixed by a pharmacist to meet the specific medical needs of an individual patient. Although compounded drugs are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), they are properly prescribed when a physician determines that an FDA-approved medication does not meet the health needs of a particular patient, such as if a patient is allergic to a dye or other ingredient.
The conspirators learned that certain medications made by compounding pharmacies reimbursed for up to thousands of dollars for an individual’s one-month supply. They learned that certain insurance plans – including insurance plans for state and local government employees and certain other insurance plans – covered these medications.
Sokalsky agreed to authorize prescriptions for former pharmaceutical sales representative Matthew Tedesco, 49, of Linwood, New Jersey, who pleaded guilty to health care fraud conspiracy in June 2017, and others working with Tedesco. In exchange for authorizing those prescriptions, Tedesco referred approximately 30 patients to Sokalsky’s new medical practice. Sokalsky, in turn, billed insurance for patient visits for those people steered to his practice by Tedesco. Sokalsky also authorized prescriptions for the medications for existing patients of his practice, which he did to financially benefit Tedesco and encourage him to refer more patients to his new practice. Sokalsky authorized medically unnecessary medications, including libido creams for young females and excessive quantities of the medications with the maximum number of refills selected. When insurance stopped covering certain formulations of the medications, Tedesco informed Sokalsky that he needed to authorize new prescriptions. Sokalsky did so, often without seeing the individual for a follow-up visit or informing the person of the change in medication. In total, insurance paid more than $5 million for fraudulent prescriptions authorized by Sokalsky.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kiel sentenced Sokalsky to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $5.13 million.
Attorney for the United States Khanna credited agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark; special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark; and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by R. David Walk Jr., Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the Camden office.
Armed Robbery of Augusta Bank Leads to 40 Months Sentence for Manchester, Maine ManRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Manchester, Maine man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for armed bank robbery.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Joshua Brougham, 39, to 40 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and restitution in the amount of $1,120. Brougham pleaded on April 30, 2024.
According to court records, in October 2022, Brougham entered an Augusta bank wearing a brimmed hat and a standard hospital mask over his face. He pointed a handgun at the bank teller and demanded “all the money in the drawer.” After receiving some money, Brougham fled to a nearby parking lot, leaving in a gold-colored GMC Yukon.
Four days after the robbery, Augusta Police Department investigators located a vehicle matching the one from the robbery surveillance footage at an area convenience store and arrested Brougham as he exited the store. A firearm recovered from the vehicle matched the description of the one used during the robbery. During the investigation, law enforcement also seized a brimmed hat that matched the hat worn during the robbery.
The Augusta Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee also recognized the cooperation and coordination provided by the Kennebec County District Attorney’s Office.
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Accused Drug Dealer Arrested and Indicted for Allegedly Possessing and Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A foreign national living in Utah accused of committing drug crimes was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City.
Sabino Osvaldo Gomez-Perez, 36, of Salt Lake County, was initially charged by complaint on October 11, 2024, in the District of Utah.
According to court documents, the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force, began a criminal investigation of Gomez-Perez and other members of a drug trafficking organization suspected of distributing large quantities of narcotics in the District of Utah. On October 9, 2024, agents executed a search warrant for a motel room where Gomez-Perez was staying in Salt Lake County. Agents suspected that Gomez-Perez was using the hotel room to traffic drugs. During the search, agents seized 5,857 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl. Agents estimated the fentanyl at approximately 58,000 fentanyl pills.
Gomez-Perez is charged with possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute and illegal reentry of a previously removed alien. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for October 30, 2024, at 2:15 p.m., in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF).
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
3 SoCal Men Arrested for Allegedly Purchasing via False Statements More Than 120 Firearms in Utah and Illegally Reselling Them in CaliforniaRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Three Southern California men were arrested today on a federal criminal complaint alleging they frequently made short trips to Utah to purchase more than 120 firearms there then illegally sold them in California without a firearms-dealing license and repeatedly lied on federal firearms sales forms while doing so.
Manuel Ivan Sanchez, 37, of Helendale, Ricardo Amezcua, 45, of South Gate, and Fernando Nava, 35, of Hemet, are charged with conspiracy.
The defendants are expected to make their initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
“Illegally sold guns often end up being used in violent crime and other serious offenses,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “It is imperative to protecting our community that we aggressively prosecute those who put all of us at risk by illegally trafficking in firearms.”
According to an affidavit filed on October 23 with the complaint, from November 2022 to July 2024, the defendants frequently made short trips to Utah to purchase firearms – including various pistols and semiautomatic rifles – from licensed firearms dealers. When the defendants bought these firearms in Utah, they lied to the dealers by falsely listing on federal forms that they were Utah residents when, in fact, they resided in California.
Listing a Utah residence was important because Utah-based licensed firearms dealers generally cannot sell firearms to California residents. To buy the guns anyway, each defendants obtained either a Utah driver’s license or ID card listing a Utah address. They then used these fraudulently obtained cards to buy guns from Utah-based licensed firearms dealers.
In addition, from January 2023 to August 2023, Sanchez purchased approximately 81 firearms through an informal Utah-based online gun exchange. In these transactions, Sanchez found individuals listing firearms for sale, messaged them to negotiate a price, and then met in person with the individuals at various locations throughout Utah. In at least one of the transactions, Sanchez coordinated the purchase of the firearm via text message, and Amezcua met with the seller to buy the firearm.
Sanchez then advertised the firearms that he bought for sale to other people at marked-up prices. In some cases, Sanchez advertised the guns to a middleman who was dealing guns to yet other people. At no time during the investigation has Sanchez, Amezcua or Nava possessed a license to deal firearms.
The defendants purchased approximately 123 firearms during the conspiracy – 42 from Utah-based licensed firearms dealers and 81 from the online gun exchange.
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Kedar S. Bhatia of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
11 Minneapolis Gang Members Charged with RICO Conspiracy, Murder in Aid of Racketeering, and Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal grand jury in Minneapolis returned an 18-count indictment yesterday against 11 alleged members of the Lows—a violent Minneapolis street gang—for crimes including Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy involving murder, attempted murder, gun trafficking, and drug trafficking.
“The Lows are an exceptionally violent criminal street gang that has terrorized north Minneapolis for nearly 20 years. Through threats and violence—shootings and murders—the Lows gang has long sought to establish dominion over large swaths of our city.” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. “My office will continue to respond to gang violence by treating it as the organized criminal activity it is. This indictment is an important step in dismantling a violent street gang that has devastated families and communities in north Minneapolis.”
“According to the indictment, these defendants are leaders, organizers, and members of the Lows street gang, a violent gang that allegedly committed multiple murders and attempted murders and trafficked in guns and drugs, including fentanyl,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
“Violent gangs that engage in bloody street wars and peddle deadly drugs endanger our communities. The Criminal Division, along with our local, state, and federal partners, is committed to holding violent criminals accountable, including by bringing racketeering charges.”
“More than 100 people lose their lives to gun violence every day in the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) St. Paul Field Division. “There will never be a time where this will be considered acceptable. Our ATF agents put forth solid investigative work in this case utilizing crime gun intelligence that without a doubt aided the case announced today. ATF is happy to work alongside each of our partners in this investigation, and we are grateful to the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Luger, and the entire team for taking up this challenging RICO case.”
“To participate in the arrests of 11 alleged violent criminals and see charges filed is very fulfilling,” said Chief Brian O’Hara of the Minneapolis Police Department. “This indictment sends a clear message to violent actors that we are serious about ending violent crime in our cities. Through the partnership between our embedded investigator, several other law enforcement agencies, the Criminal Division, and the United States Attorney’s Office, the countless hours of time invested up to this point have paid off. I trust that these charges increase the hope of justice for the individuals and communities that have been so negatively impacted by these allegedly violent actors.”
“People living in every neighborhood deserve to live safely and freely,” said Sheriff Dawanna Witt of the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office. “Thanks to the work of local, state, and federal law enforcement, the defendants charged in today’s indictment are off the street and no longer free to terrorize our communities. We appreciate our federal prosecutors for their impactful work and remain committed to this partnership throughout our agency.”
“The charges in this indictment reflect our unwavering commitment to bringing violent criminals to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “For too long, the Lows have inflicted pain and spread fear in north Minneapolis. Together with our law enforcement partners, we are determined to remove this threat from our communities and help restore a sense of security to all who call this city home.”
“We are committed to doing everything we can to get illegal guns, and the criminals committing these crimes, off Minnesota streets,” said Superintendent Drew Evans of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. “This partnership between federal, state and local agencies to go after these criminals is working — and we’re just getting started.”
“The Lows, and criminal organizations like them, wreak havoc on our communities, threatening the safety of our communities on a daily basis through their many acts of violence, murder, and narcotics and firearms trafficking,” said Special Agent in Charge Jamie Holt of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) St. Paul. “HSI St. Paul will continue to foster a strong collaboration with our law enforcement partners to bring an end to the chaos these criminal organizations inflict on our local communities.”
“Today’s indictment provides a stark reminder that violence and drug trafficking go hand-in-hand,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven T. Bell of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division. “These were not victimless crimes. Communities were hurt. The DEA will continue its unwavering focus to remove threats of violence and hold accountable the individuals responsible for inflicting fear on the streets of Minneapolis.”
“The individuals named in this indictment allegedly engaged in homicide, and illegal drug and firearms trafficking, which created an atmosphere of terror and disrupted countless lives in this community,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of the IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Chicago Field Office. “These charges represent a pivotal milestone in our commitment to restore safety and uphold justice in the communities we serve. Working with their federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, IRS-CI special agents will continue to follow every financial trail to dismantle the networks fueling these criminal enterprises. We stand united against the violence and fear that street gangs have inflicted upon our communities in Minneapolis and elsewhere.”
“This multi-count indictment against ranking members of the Lows gang is an excellent example of multiple law enforcement agencies combining their expertise and resources to conduct investigations with the common goal of taking down violent leaders perpetuating street violence involving guns and narcotics,” said Inspector in Charge Bryan Musgrove of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Denver Division. “These RICO charges aim to remove these allegedly violent offenders from our community. U.S. Postal Inspectors are committed to continuing our work to dismantle drug trafficking operations to keep USPS customers and employees safe from greedy drug traffickers who favor profit over human lives.”
As alleged in this indictment, the defendants were members of the Lows criminal street gang, which has been in existence in Minneapolis since approximately 2004. The Lows are primarily active in the northside of Minneapolis. They traffic in firearms and narcotics, including fentanyl, and use threats, intimidation, and violation to protect their territory, reputation, illicit proceeds, and power. The Lows use violence and threats of violence to target rival gang members as well as individuals who pose a threat to the enterprise or its operations.
The indictment charges that the defendants engaged in a pattern of racketeering—that is, unlawful acts of violence, gun trafficking, and narcotics trafficking—for the benefit of the Lows enterprise. The indictment charges 78 overt acts committed in furtherance of the enterprise. These acts include seven murders or attempted murders involving a total of ten victims.
The following eleven members of the Lows gang, all from Minneapolis, have been indicted for the following crimes:
- Ashimiyu Alowonle III, a.k.a. Cash (“Alowonle”), 38, is charged with RICO Conspiracy and Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances.
- Timothy Callender III, a.k.a. Lil’ Tim (“Callender”), 26, is charged with RICO Conspiracy and Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances.
- Glenn Carter III, a.k.a. G5, a.k.a. Bossman Carter (“Carter”), 23, is charged with RICO Conspiracy, Using, Carrying, or Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence Resulting in Death and Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances. Carter is charged with committing a murder on May 14, 2022 as a racketeering act in furtherance of the RICO Conspiracy.
- Victor Collins, a.k.a. Vic (“Collins”), 22, is charged with RICO Conspiracy, Using, Carrying, or Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence Resulting in Death, Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, and Possessing a Firearm a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking. Collins is charged with committing a murder and an attempted murder on February 27, 2024 as a racketeering act in furtherance of the RICO Conspiracy.
- Damari Douglas, a.k.a. Mari (“Douglas”), 20, is charged with RICO Conspiracy, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and Possession of a Machinegun. Douglas is charged with committing a murder on December 3, 2023 as a racketeering act in furtherance of the RICO Conspiracy.
- Deontae Jackson, a.k.a. Leef (“D.Jackson”), 35, is charged with RICO Conspiracy and Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances.
- Shannon Jackson, a.k.a. Shakedown (“S.Jackson”), 32, is charged with RICO Conspiracy, Using, Carrying, or Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence Resulting in Death, Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Possessing a Firearm a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Jackson is charged with committing a murder on April 27, 2023 as a racketeering act in furtherance of the RICO Conspiracy.
- Robert Knights Jr., a.k.a. CMB Rob, a.k.a. Lil’ Rob (“Knights”), 19, is charged with RICO Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, and Possessing a Firearm a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking.
- Albert Lucas V, a.k.a. Abk Sav (“Lucas”), 20, is charged with RICO Conspiracy, Using, Carrying, or Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence Resulting in Death, and Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances. Lucas is charged with committing a murder and an attempted murder on February 27, 2024 as a racketeering act in furtherance of the RICO Conspiracy.
- Kaprice Richards, a.k.a. Kap (“Richards”), 23, is charged with RICO Conspiracy and Using, Carrying, or Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence Resulting in Death. Richards is charged with committing an attempted murder on May 29, 2022 and a murder on April 27, 2023 as racketeering acts in furtherance of the RICO Conspiracy.
- Cartrelle Smith, a.k.a. Pooh Moe (“Smith”), 27, is charged with RICO Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, and Possessing a Firearm a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking.
If convicted, the defendants face a range of penalties, including up to life in prison for racketeering conspiracy involving acts of murder, using a firearm to commit murder, and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
The ATF, FBI, Minneapolis Police Department, IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, DEA, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and Minnesota Department of Corrections are investigating the cases, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett S. Fields and David M. Classen for the District of Minnesota and Trial Attorney Jared Engelking of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
29 October 2024
Valentine Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Valentine, Nebraska, man convicted of seven counts of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on October 28, 2024.
Christopher Franklin Beauvais, 41, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $700 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $1,426 in restitution to one of his victims.
Beauvais was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2022. He pleaded guilty on July 22, 2024.
Between June of 2006 and November of 2012, in Mission, South Dakota, within the Rosebud Indian Reservation, Beauvais sexually abused three adolescent girls. He repeatedly touched the girls’ buttocks, breasts, and genital areas in a home, at his workplace, and in public. The children were between 12 and 15 years old. That abuse ended in 2012 when Beauvais solicited a picture of the youngest girl’s bare breasts. Later, in 2020 in Mission, Beauvais touched yet another 12-year-old girl’s genital area over the clothing while she slept in her bed.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain serious crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carl Thunem and Wayne Vanhueizen prosecuted the case.
Beauvais was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
United States Attorney Jane E. Young Appoints District Election Officer for the November 5, 2024 General ElectionRead the Press Release
CONCORD – An Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) has been designated as the District of New Hampshire’s Election Officer to lead the efforts of the United States Attorney’s Office in connection with the U.S. Department of Justice’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming general election on November 5, 2024, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
The Assistant United States Attorney will oversee the district’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud.
“While there is a designated Election Officer, the entire United States Attorney’s Office is committed to supporting a free and fair election. Last year, a Civil Rights Assistant U.S. Attorney was appointed to ensure every citizen can live their lives free of discrimination, including when voting,” said United States Attorney Jane E. Young. “The United States Attorney’s Office will work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process, and as always, will work with our law enforcement partners to combat threats of violence directed at public servants.”
Federal law protects against crimes such 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).
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, the District’s Election Officer will be available in New Hampshire while the polls are open. The District’s Election Officer can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (603) 406-1242.
In addition, the FBI field office will have special agents available to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 857-386-2000.
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.
Please note, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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United States Attorney Announces Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Daniel Tvedt 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 Tvedt has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Northern District of Iowa, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the 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.
United States Attorney Duax 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, 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 Duax 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, AUSA/DEO Tvedt will be on duty in the Cedar Rapids area while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 319-363-6333. AUSA Ron Timmons will be on duty in the Sioux City area and can be reached at 712-255-6011.”
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 local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 402-493-8688.
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 Duax 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. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Joins International Action Against RedLine and META InfostealersRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – The Department of Justice joined the Netherlands, Belgium, Eurojust and other partners in announcing an international disruption effort against the current version of RedLine Infostealer, one of the most prevalent infostealers in the world that has targeted millions of victim computers, and the closely-related META Infostealer.
The Justice Department, FBI, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and Army Criminal Investigation Division joined international partners in the Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce (“JCAT”) Operation Magnus (supported by Europol) to seize domains, servers, and Telegram accounts used by the RedLine and META administrators to disrupt the operations of the infostealers.
International authorities have created a website at www.operation-magnus.com with additional resources for the public and potential victims.
Infostealers are a prevalent form of malware used to steal sensitive information from victim’s computers including usernames and passwords, financial information, system information, cookies, and cryptocurrency accounts. The stolen information—referred to as “logs”—is sold on cybercrime forums and used for further fraudulent activity and other hacks. RedLine has been used to conduct intrusions against major corporations. RedLine and META infostealers can also enable cyber criminals to bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA) through the theft of authentication cookies and other system information.
RedLine and META are sold through a decentralized Malware as a Service (“MaaS”) model where affiliates purchase a license to use the malware, and then launch their own campaigns to infect their intended victims. The malware is distributed to victims using malvertising, e-mail phishing, fraudulent software downloads, and malicious software sideloading. Various schemes, including COVID-19 and Windows update related ruses have been used to trick victims into downloading the malware. The malware is advertised for sale on cybercrime forums and through Telegram channels that offer customer support and software updates. RedLine and META have infected millions of computers worldwide and, by some estimates, RedLine is one of the top malware variants in the world.
Through various investigative steps, law enforcement has collected victim log data stolen from computers infected with RedLine and META. While an exact number has not been finalized, agents have identified millions of unique credentials (usernames and passwords), email addresses, bank accounts, cryptocurrency addresses, credit card numbers, etc. The United States does not believe it is in possession of all the stolen data and continues to investigate.
The Department has unsealed a warrant issued in the Western District of Texas that authorized law enforcement to seize two domains used by RedLine and META for command and control.
In conjunction with the disruption effort, the Justice Department unsealed charges against Maxim Rudometov, one of the developers and administrators of RedLine Infostealer. According to the complaint, Rudometov regularly accessed and managed the infrastructure of RedLine Infostealer, was associated with various cryptocurrency accounts used to receive and launder payments and was in possession of RedLine malware. For his actions, he has been charged with access device fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1029, conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1030 and 371, and money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956.
If convicted, Rudometov faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for access device fraud, five years in prison for conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, and 20 years in prison for money laundering. The complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI Austin Cyber Task Force is investigating the case. The Task Force participants include the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and Army Criminal Investigation Division, among other agencies.
Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Karthik Srinivasan is prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Cybercrime Liaison Prosecutor to Eurojust and Office of International Affairs also provided significant assistance.
The disruption effort announced today was in conjunction with Operation Magnus, a JCAT law enforcement operation to investigate RedLine and META Infostealers. The participating agencies included the Dutch National Police, Belgian Federal Police, Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office, United Kingdom National Crime Agency, Australian Federal Police, Portuguese Federal Police, and Eurojust.
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redline_-_redacted_seizure_warrant.pdfU.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Announce Charges for Fatal DUI Crash on the Navajo NationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Pigeon Springs man is charged with involuntary manslaughter and assault in connection with a fatal car crash on the Navajo Nation.
Irvin Virgil Wauneka Jr., 35, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared before a federal judge and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the indictment, on September 22, 2024, Wauneka was operating a motor vehicle with a wanton and reckless disregard for human life, knowing that his conduct endangered the lives of others. As a result, Wauneka killed Jane Doe 1 and caused bodily injury to Jane Doe 2 and Jane Doe 3.
If convicted, Wauneka faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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U.S. Attorney, HSI and ATF Charge Belen Teen with Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Belen teen faces federal charges for allegedly possessing a machine gun conversion device.
Christopher Gammon II, 19,is charged with unlawful possession of a machine gun. Specifically, the indictment alleges that on June 28, 2024, Gammon possessed a machine gun conversion device.
Machine gun conversion devices and auto sears are illegal devices designed to modify a semi-automatic firearm so it is capable of fully automatic fire, that is, continuous firing with a single trigger pull. The possession, manufacture, and/or sale of machine gun conversion devices without proper licensing is a federal offense punishable by severe penalties, including up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000. The use of machinegun conversion devices poses a significant public safety risk, as they transform semi-automatic firearms into dangerous machine guns capable of causing catastrophic harm.
Gammon appeared before a federal judge and will remain in custody pending trial, which is currently set for February 10, 2025.
If convicted, Gammon faces up to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.
Homeland Security Investigations and the ATF jointly investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico State Police and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Eagle is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI Announce Charges in Domestic Violence and Firearms CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Red Valley, Arizona man was charged by indictment with kidnapping, assault and federal firearms offenses stemming from a domestic violence incident in Shiprock, New Mexico.
Curley Nakai Jr., 23, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared before a federal judge and will remain in custody pending trial.
According to court records, on August 24, 2024, Nakai allegedly assaulted his girlfriend, Jane Doe, in Shiprock, New Mexico. A witness observed Nakai dragging Jane Doe by her shirt and striking her. Nakai then forced Jane Doe into the backseat of a pickup truck. Concerned for Jane Doe's safety, the witness followed the pickup and attempted to get identifying information. While following, the witness saw Nakai appear to punch Jane Doe in the vehicle.
The situation escalated when Nakai and Jane Doe arrived at a supermarket parking lot. As police were contacted by the witness, Nakai exited the pickup and pointed a rifle at her while yelling aggressively. At this point, the witness was approximately thirty feet away with her car window down. After driving past the pickup and parking nearby, the witness observed that Jane Doe managed to exit the vehicle and walk awayy.
If convicted, Nakai faces up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
view_the_indictment_nakai.pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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U.S. Attorney's Office and DEA Announce Federal Charges Against Albuquerque Based Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Five members of a drug trafficking organization based in Albuquerque have been charged in federal court with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.
Tomas Rubalcaba, 45, Joaquin Rubalcada, 40, and Humberto Gastelum, 65, appeared before a federal judge last week and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. The federal judge permitted Frederick Chavey, 38, to remain in the third-party custody of his sister pending trial. The fifth defendant, Ismael Vargas, 37, remains a fugitive.
According to court records, the defendants belong to the Rubalcaba Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO), which has been distributing large quantities of narcotics in the Albuquerque area since at least 2021. The organization is allegedly led by brothers Tomas and Joaquin Rubalcaba. Tomas Rubalcaba coordinated narcotics sales through his business, Albuquerque Classics.
Throughout 2024, undercover agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted multiple undercover purchases of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine from the brothers, Gastelum, Chavey, and Vargas. In total, approximately 5,582 grams of fentanyl, 518 grams of cocaine, 187 grams of heroin, and 2,025 grams of methamphetamine were allegedly sold to undercover agents over an eight-month period.
On October 23, 2024, the DEA, along with the Albuquerque Police Department and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, executed search warrants at multiple locations associated with the DTO. Agents seized approximately 715,000 fentanyl pills, over seven kilograms of cocaine, and multiple firearms. At the residence of Joaquin Rubalcaba alone, agents allegedly found 660,000 fentanyl pills, three kilograms of cocaine, and five firearms, two of which were determined to be stolen.
In addition to serving search warrants on the premises of the indicted members of the Rubalcaba DTO, law enforcement searched residences of uncharged DTO members. During these operations, authorities discovered over 5 kilograms of suspected cocaine at the residence of Luke Scarpetta, 35, and more than 600 grams of suspected fentanyl at the home of Richard Garcia, 44. As a result of these searches, both Scarpetta and Garcia were charged with A level narcotics offenses. A federal judge ordered Garcia to remain in custody pending trial, while Scarpetta was permitted to reside at a halfway house.
Photo of guns and drugs seized by DEA on October 23, 2024Photo of guns and drugs seized by DEA on October 23, 2024
If convicted, all of the defendants face a minimum of ten years of imprisonment. The defendants could receive a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division, made the announcement today.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with assistance from the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph M. Spindle and Raquel Ruiz Velez are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Second Conviction in 2019 KidnappingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni woman pleaded guilty in federal court to a count of kidnapping. This crime eventually resulted in the victim’s death at the hands of a co-defendant and the burning of the victim’s body in an attempt by the co-defendant to conceal evidence. Her co-defendant was previously convicted and sentenced to prison for the subsequent killing.
According to court documents, between July 1 and July 16, 2019, Kendra Panteah, 37, participated in and continued the confinement of John Doe in the trunk of his own vehicle and contacted the co-defendant for assistance in order to avoid getting in trouble.
Along with the co-defendant, Panteah then drove around for over a day through the Navajo Nation with John Doe locked in the trunk before stopping near Bass Lake, NM. There, John Doe attempted to escape by forcing the trunk open. Before he could get out, however, the co-defendant repeatedly stabbed Doe with a machete. The co-defendant then closed the trunk on the victim, and Panteah and the co-defendant then sat on the trunk until John Doe stopped moving. Doe died as a result of the stab wounds. Panteah and co-defendant then drove the vehicle, with Doe’s body in the trunk to a residence where it was abandoned for several days.
The co-defendant eventually towed the vehicle to a remote location, doused it with gasoline, and set it on fire with John Doe's body inside to destroy evidence of the crime. Doe was only identified through hip replacement devices found in the burned vehicle.
Her co-defendant, Gilbert John Jr., pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 21 years in prison.
At sentencing, Panteah faces between a binding range of no less than 10 years up to no more than 18 years imprisonment. Upon her release from prison, Panteah will be subject to up to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark A. Probasco and Alexander F. Flores are prosecuting the case.
PLEA AGREEMENT as to Kendra K. Panteah (fs) 31791459.pdf.pdf# # #
U.S. Attorney and ATF Charge Albuquerque Brothers with Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two Albuquerque brothers face federal charges for firearms-related offenses.
Riley Kellner, 22, is charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that on August 10, 2024, Riley possessed a firearm and ammunition, knowing that he had been previously convicted of shooting at or from a motor vehicle.
Riley appeared before a federal judge and was detained pending trial, which has not been set.
Adin Kellner, 26, is charged with 11 counts of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm. The indictment alleges that between October 8, 2019, and February 24, 2023, Adin made false statements to licensed firearms dealers when he executed the ATF’s Form 4473 stating that he was the actual buyer of the firearm when he was in fact acquiring it on behalf on another individual.
Adin appeared before a federal judge and was placed on conditions of release pending trial, which is currently scheduled for December 16, 2024.
If convicted, Riley faces up to 15 years in prison and Adin faces up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.
The ATF and Albuquerque Police Department jointly investigated these cases. Assistant United States Attorney Jaymie L. Roybal is prosecuting both cases.
Riley Kellner Indictment.pdf Adin Kellner Indictment.pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris Announces Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – United States Attorney Gregory K. Harris announced today the Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) 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. The AUSAs appointed to serve as District Election Officers (DEOs) in each of the district’s four divisions are: Gregory M. Gilmore in the Springfield headquarters office; Darilynn J. Knauss in the Peoria branch office; Timothy J. Sullivan in the Urbana branch office; and John K. Mehochko in the Rock Island branch office. As DEOs, the AUSAs are responsible for overseeing the 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.
United States Attorney Harris 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 Harris 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, AUSAs Gilmore, Knauss, Sullivan, and Mehochko will be on duty in this District while the polls are open.
The DEOs can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers:
Springfield: First Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore, 217-492-4450;
Urbana: Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Sullivan, 217-373-5875;
Peoria: Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Darilynn J. Knauss, 309-671-7050; and,
Rock Island: Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney John K. Mehochko, 309-793-5884
In addition, the Federal Bureau of Investigation 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 local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 217-522-9675.
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 Harris 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. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
Two Sacramento Residents Plead Guilty to False Income Tax Return SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Dominic Davis, 38, and Sharitia Wright, 59, both of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to file false claims with the IRS, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between March 2019 and April 2022, Davis and Wright caused at least nine fraudulent income-tax returns to be filed with the IRS claiming more than $2 million of income tax refunds.
The returns were filed in the names of Davis, Wright, and family members. The returns listed wages that the taxpayers had not earned and often listed the taxpayers’ employer as one of the various LLCs created by Davis, Wright, and their family members. Many of the returns also falsely claimed charitable contributions that were not actually made. Davis prepared and filed the false tax returns. Wright provided him information and contacted the IRS to check on the status of the refunds claimed in the false tax returns.
Davis and Wright agreed to pay restitution for the fraudulent income tax refunds that they received.
This case is the product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg is prosecuting the case.
Davis and Wright are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Feb. 3, 2025. Each faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentences, however, will 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.
Two New York City Residents Plead Guilty to Methamphetamine Trafficking in Western PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Brooklyn, New York, and a resident of Queens, New York, have pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of narcotics trafficking related to a six-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around Blair, Cambria, Centre, and Clearfield counties, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Miguel Arce, 40, of Brooklyn, and Timothy Paz, 32, of Queens, each pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.
In connection with the guilty pleas, the Court was advised that Arce and Paz were both couriers who transported narcotics from the New York City area to Altoona, Pennsylvania, on behalf of Juan Duran, a large-scale narcotics supplier. In total, Arce transported over 10 pounds of methamphetamine and Paz transported approximately seven pounds of methamphetamine. Both Arce and Paz also transported large amounts of money from Jason Lynn, the Altoona-based narcotics distributor, to Duran, which represented payment for the methamphetamine.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for Paz for January 9, 2025, and for Arce for February 11, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both for Paz, and not less than 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both for Arce. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the Court ordered that both Paz and Arce remain detained.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Pennsylvania State Police.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Two Men Sentenced Following Federal Gun and Drug Convictions Stemming from Conduct in Tallapoosa CountyRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced that a federal judge sentenced two Opelika, Alabama residents after a jury found them guilty of committing federal crimes in Tallapoosa County. On October 29, 2024, 45-year-old Jeffrey Monkentee Hill received a sentence of 250 months in prison. Previously, on September 19, 2024, a judge ordered 34-year-old Carstavious Shadon Stovall receive a 92-month sentence. Federal prisoners are not eligible for parole.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in February 2022, the Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force began an investigation into suspected drug trafficking. The investigation eventually revealed that Hill was involved with the sale of illegal drugs at a residence in Camp Hill, Alabama. Investigators obtained a search warrant for the residence. During the search, law enforcement found Hill and Stovall present at the house, along with cocaine, methamphetamine, and multiple firearms. Both Hill and Stovall have previous felony convictions and are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On June 5, 2024, a federal jury found both Hill and Stovall guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The jury also convicted Hill on the additional charges of possessing cocaine and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute the illegal drugs and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Based on Hill’s criminal history, the sentencing judge determined that he qualified as a career offender under the federal sentencing guidelines. This ruling increased the guidelines range for Hill and resulted in a significant sentence.
Acting U.S. Attorney Davidson would like to thank the Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force, the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for investigating this case. In addition, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Marshals Service’s Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force provided valuable assistance in the investigation and apprehension of the defendants. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon W. Bates and Ashley J. Avera prosecuted the case.
Two Convicted Felons from Nashua and Manchester Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Ghost Guns and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Nashua man and a Manchester man were sentenced today in federal court for separate firearms offenses, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
“Two unrelated felons, Mr. Reidy and Mr. Maker, were each a danger to their respective communities,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Both of these defendants were distributing narcotics while illegally owning weapons and ammunition, which is always a perilous combination. Mr. Reidy also put law enforcement officers in harm’s way by engaging in a three-hour standoff with the Nashua Police Department to conceal his three ghost guns, ammunition, and an AR-style rifle underneath the insulation in his attic. Mr. Maker attempted to flee from Manchester police officers at the time of his arrest. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not stand by and allow dangerous individuals to possess deadly weapons. As demonstrated by today’s sentencings, this office will investigate and prosecute convicted felons in possession of firearms with the goal of removing them from the public in a concerted effort to make our communities safer.”
“ATF is firmly committed to removing illegal drugs, firearms, and ghost guns from the streets of New Hampshire, particularly from the hands of convicted felons,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division. “By dismantling trafficking networks, targeting the proliferation of untraceable ghost guns, and collaborating with our local, state, and federal partners, we aim to create safer communities and protect citizens from the harm associated with these illegal activities.”
Robert Reidy, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe to 87 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. In July 2024, Robert Reidy pleaded guilty to one count of possession of firearms and ammunition by a prohibited person and one count of possession of unregistered firearms.
In October 2023, the Nashua Police Department learned that Reidy was selling drugs out of his home in Nashua. In October and November 2023, Reidy allegedly engaged in three controlled purchases of methamphetamine. During these alleged controlled purchases, law enforcement used audio and video recording, which captured images of firearms within the defendant’s bedroom. Reidy was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition by virtue of a prior felony conviction for Escape from a Penal Institution in 2017.
On December 5, 2023, members of the Nashua Police Department arrived at Reidy’s residence to execute a state search warrant. Reidy refused multiple commands to exit his residence, and ultimately surrendered after chemical munitions were deployed into his residence. Law enforcement ultimately located one short-barreled AR-style rifle with a silencer threaded onto the barrel, three additional disassembled firearms hidden in the attic that all appeared to be privately manufactured, as well as 160 rounds of ammunition. Reidy also did not register the short-barreled rifle or silencer as required by the National Firearm Act.
Reidy’s alleged distribution of methamphetamine is pending in state court.
Nashua Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department.
Monytung Maker, a/k/a “MoSavage,” 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe to 12 months and a day in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. In July 2024, Monytung Maker pleaded guilty to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
In May, June, and July 2023, Maker allegedly sold cocaine to a confidential informant on several occasions. On or about August 2, 2023, officers from the Manchester Police Department executed a search warrant at Maker’s Manchester apartment and found a backpack in Maker’s bedroom containing his bank cards and a 9mm pistol loaded with eight rounds of 9mm ammunition. Maker was prohibited from owning or possessing firearms and ammunition by virtue of a 2019 felony conviction for unlawful possession of a handgun without a permit in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Bergen County.
Maker’s alleged distribution of cocaine is pending in state court.
The Manchester Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives led the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany Scanlon prosecuted both cases.
These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Turtle Creek Man Indicted on 18 Counts of Violent Robberies of Multiple Businesses, Carjackings, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of Hobbs Act robbery, carjacking, and firearms violations, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The 18-count Indictment named Jamal Martel Brooks, 33, as the sole defendant. Brooks was previously prosecuted and convicted in the Western District of Pennsylvania in 2019 for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and sentenced to 17 months of incarceration.
According to the Indictment, from January 3, 2023, to January 2, 2024, Brooks committed numerous violent crimes, including robberies of multiple businesses in the greater Pittsburgh area and two carjackings. Brooks is alleged to have brandished and possessed a firearm in connection with each of these crimes.
The law provides for a maximum sentence of not less than seven years and up to life in prison for each count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and the sentence on each such count must be imposed consecutively to any other sentence. Due to the number of robberies alleged to have been committed by Brooks, he is facing a maximum total sentence of not less than 63 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $4.5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Brooks also is currently facing charges in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in relation to his alleged shooting of a Monroeville Police Sergeant on January 3, 2024.
Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas C. Maloney and DeMarr W. Moulton are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Allegheny County Police Department, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Monroeville Police Department, and Robinson Township Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Trillium Capital Manager Sentenced to Federal Prison for Securities Fraud Scheme Involving Getty ImagesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Mashpee man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a scheme to artificially inflate the trading price of Getty Images Holdings, Inc. (Getty Images) and attempting to cover up the scheme.
Robert Scott Murray, 61, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 10 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Murray was also ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $227,543. In June 2024, Murray pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud.
Murray was a long-time investor who previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of multiple public companies, including Stream Global Services and 3Com. In 2023, Murray was the owner and manager of Trillium Capital LLC (Trillium Capital), a venture investment company located in Massachusetts. Between October 2022 and April 2023, Murray bought approximately 300,000 shares, as well as other options contracts, for shares in Getty Images, a visual media company publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GETY. Murray then attempted to use Trillium Capital to pressure Getty Images to change its business strategy and to add Murray to Getty Images’ board of directors.
When those efforts failed, Murray used Trillium Capital to launch a fake takeover bid of Getty Images for the purposes of driving up the trading price of Getty Images’ stock so that Murray could sell the shares he owned at the artificially inflated price. On Friday, April 21, 2023, GETY shares closed at a trading price of $5.06 per share. On Monday, April 24, 2023, prior to the market opening, Murray caused the publication of a press release in which Trillium Capital made a proposal to acquire Getty Images for “$10 per share.” When the market opened, GETY shares traded at $7.88 per share, nearly 56 percent above the prior closing price. Murray then sold all the GETY shares he owned within less than one hour for approximately $1,486,467. Through this scheme, Murray was able to sell the GETY shares he owned for $227,543 above the fair market price of those shares.
Murray then attempted conceal the scheme by making public false statements and obstructing the investigation. On April 24, 2024, after selling his shares, Murray interviewed with news outlets where he continued to portray the fake offer by Trillium Capital to purchase a controlling stake in Getty Images as “genuine.” Murray also privately directed an acquaintance to obstruct the investigation by destroying evidence and making false statements in response to a subpoena. For example, Murray instructed the acquaintance to delete Murray’s text messages and stated that the texts were “like virginity, once you delete your virginity you ain’t getting it back.” Murray later lied to federal agents about his communications with the acquaintance.
The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil complaint against Murray alleging violations of the securities laws.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. The Securities and Exchange Commission provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Three Men Arrested in Connection with Methamphetamine Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jose Gracia-Vega, 28, of Tucson, was arrested on October 17, 2024, by members of the Arizona Strike Force for Possession with Intent to Distribute 27 Pounds of Methamphetamine and was charged by criminal complaint on October 18, 2024. Ulises Yescas-Garcia, 23, of Tucson, and Sebastian Higuera-Fuentes, 22, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico were also arrested for their involvement in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and the distribution of methamphetamine in Tucson beginning in February of this year. Yescas-Garcia and Higuera-Fuentes were both charged earlier by indictment.
On October 2, 2024, Yescas-Garcia and Higuera-Fuentes were charged in a seven-count indictment with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, Distribution of Methamphetamine, and Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Methamphetamine in United States District Court, case CR-24-6720-TUC-RCC. The indictment alleges that they conspired with one another and others to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine in Tucson beginning in February 2024, and distributed that methamphetamine on at least six occasions during the time of the conspiracy.
On October 17, 2024, Gracia-Vega was arrested after being found in possession of approximately 27 pounds of methamphetamine destined for sale in Tucson. According to the complaint, Gracia-Vega met with Higuera-Fuentes that morning and provided him methamphetamine for later distribution. Higuera-Fuentes and Yescas-Garcia were arrested that same day on the charges set forth in the October 2nd indictment.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force operation. The OCDETF Strike Force Initiative 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 investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Marana Police Department, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-6720-TUC-RCC
24-mj-9730-N/A-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-146_Gracia-Vega, Yescas-Garcia, Higuera-Fuentes# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Thornton Man Sentenced to 52 Months for Falsely Filing Client Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Lance McCuistion, 56, of Thornton, was sentenced to 52 months in prison after pleading guilty to preparing false tax returns on behalf of clients.
According to the plea agreement, in July 2014, McCuistion plead guilty to preparing false tax returns in a prior investigation and was sentenced to probation. As a result of that offense, McCuistion was unable to obtain a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN). However, from approximately April 2018 through April 2022, McCuistion used PTINs in the names of three individuals associated with McCuistion to prepare tax returns on behalf of clients. These tax returns claimed items for which McCuistion knew the taxpayers were not eligible in order to increase refunds or reduce taxes due.
“Tax preparers are trusted by their clients to do the right thing,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “We will continue to prosecute tax preparers who abuse that trust for personal gain.”
“This case is an example of the commitment IRS-CI brings to financial investigations involving tax preparers who abuse the system and line their pockets rather than doing what is best for their clients.” said Tom Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office. “The dishonesty and disregard exhibited by individuals like McCuistion violates the trust clients place in their tax preparers who have a duty to handle clients’ returns accurately and in compliance with the law.”
United States District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney presided over the sentencing. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Weiss.
Case Number: 24-cr-00116-CNS
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Oxycodone Conspiracy and Structuring Cash TransactionsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Texas man pleaded guilty yesterday to a drug conspiracy involving the distribution of oxycodone pills across Southeastern Massachusetts and beyond.
Christan Russell, 33, of Tomball, Texas pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone pills and structuring cash transactions. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Feb. 5, 2025. Russell was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023 along with five co-conspirators. As part of his plea, Russell agreed to forfeit $860,833.00; four firearms and four bank accounts.
Between approximately February 2023 and July 2023, Russell supplied oxycodone pills to co-conspirator Kenneth Veiga, who then redistributed those oxycodone pills to Austin Gonsalves and John Campbell. Russell obtained these pills from a variety of sources in the Houston, Texas area. On March 13, 2023, Russell traveled from Houston to Boston to meet with Veiga. Russell met with Veiga in a hotel room in Rhode Island that Russell had rented. During that meeting, Russell supplied oxycodone pills to Veiga, and Veiga provided cash in exchange. On March 14, 2023, the defendant engaged in four structured cash deposits at ATMs in the Boston area. For each of these deposits, the defendant orchestrated the deposit to be less than $10,000 in an attempt to evade the bank from reporting the deposit to the Internal Revenue Service.
Veiga pleaded guilty and in July 2024, was sentenced to 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Gonsalves pleaded guilty and in May 2024 was sentenced to 41 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Campbell pleaded guilty in September 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 15, 2025.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone pills provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. The charge of structuring cash transactions provides for a sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division,, made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office; and the Barnstable, Dennis, Bourne, Mashpee, Yarmouth, Sandwich and Falmouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Mulcahy, and Samuel R. Feldman of the Criminal Division and Alexandra Amrhein of the Asset Forfeiture Unit are 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 document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Stilwell Resident Sentenced to 24 Years for Murder and Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jerry Lee Matlock, Jr., age 41, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 168 months in prison for one count of Second Degree Murder in Indian Country, and 120 months in prison for one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. The sentences are set to be served consecutively for a total of 288 months in prison.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
On February 12, 2024, Matlock pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on the evening of September 14, 2021, Matlock intentionally fired his rifle at an individual from inside a pickup truck, then drove from the scene of the crime. Adair County deputies responding to a shooting discovered a Stilwell resident deceased from a gunshot wound to the chest. Law enforcement apprehended Matlock less than a mile away, parked in his pickup truck, with a Remington 700 bolt action rifle and ammunition. The crimes occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Matlock will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Damian Williams on the Guilty Plea of Fourth Defendant in Connection with Poisoning of Four Children at A Bronx DaycareRead the Press Release
“Grei Mendez has just admitted she conspired to maintain and distribute large quantities of dangerously toxic fentanyl in a Bronx Daycare center, a place where parents expected their children would be protected and safe. Mendez’s reprehensible conduct resulted in the needless and tragic death of a child, and the poisoning of three others. From the beginning, this case has shown the senseless collateral damage caused by the fentanyl epidemic, and should remind us all that the demand for illegal narcotics so often puts innocent bystanders at risk while drug traffickers ruthlessly pursue profits. This Office will continue to protect New Yorkers from the grave threat fentanyl presents.”
Southall Conspirator Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Houston, Texas, man was sentenced on October 22, 2024, to 105 months in federal prison for his participation in the Darrin Southall drug distribution organization. Michael Dewayne McDaniel, 39, was sentenced to 105 months following his guilty plea to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Court records show that McDaniel, also known as “Money,” met with couriers from Mobile who traveled to Houston to pay for Southall’s shipments of drugs and to bring the drugs back to Mobile for further distribution here. McDaniel would collect and count the drug money and arrange for the drug shipments to be concealed in the vehicles used to transport them from Houston to Mobile. McDaniel pled guilty to the charges in July of 2024.
In February of 2022, Southall pled guilty to operating a continuing criminal enterprise with illegal drug distribution activity involving cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, occurring in Mobile, Alabama; Biloxi, Mississippi; Houston, Texas; and California. Southall also pled guilty to conspiracy to launder drug proceeds and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He was sentenced in February of 2022 to 35 years in federal prison. More than $3 million worth of property identified as drug proceeds and facilitation property was ordered forfeited to the United States. Southall was ordered to pay a money judgement of $24,000,000.
United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed the 105-month sentence in McDaniel’s case for each of the two charges and ordered that the sentences will run concurrently. The prison term will be followed by 10 years of supervised release. McDaniel’s supervision includes a set of standard conditions as well as a special condition requiring drug testing and treatment and permitting the probation officer to search his person or property upon a showing of reasonable suspicion that he is in violation of any of the conditions of his supervision. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered the forfeiture of numerous items of property seized during the investigation. McDaniel was ordered to pay $200 in special mandatory assessments.
The Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Saraland Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
The investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organization that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Six Charged in Scheme to Defraud the Federal GovernmentRead the Press Release
Six defendants have been charged for their roles in schemes to rig bids, defraud the government and pay bribes and kickbacks in connection with the sale of IT products and services to federal government purchasers, which resulted in overcharges of millions of dollars to the U.S. government, including the Department of Defense (DoD).
On Oct. 9 and Oct. 16, a federal grand jury in Baltimore returned indictments against two defendants. Four other defendants were also charged. These are the first charges in the Justice Department’s ongoing investigation into IT manufacturers, distributors and resellers who sell products and services to government purchasers, including to the intelligence community.
“Antitrust crimes can undermine competition for products and services that are vital to our national security,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “When fraudsters siphon taxpayer funds, the Antitrust Division and its Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) partners across the government will hold accountable those who collude to subvert competition, line their pockets with federal procurement dollars and compromise the integrity of our intelligence community programs.”
“This office and our partners will use all available resources to hold accountable those who would undermine and distort the government’s procurement of goods and services, especially those related to our cybersecurity infrastructure,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland.
“This investigation demonstrates the vital need to protect the DoD procurement process, particularly within the Intelligence Community,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the DoD Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “The Defense Criminal Investigative Service is committed to identifying fraudsters who abuse public trust and enrich themselves through criminal schemes.”
“There is no place for fraudsters and crooks scheming to manipulate the government bidding process for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “The FBI remains steadfastly committed to identifying, investigating and bringing to justice those conspiring to enrich themselves by cheating taxpayers.”
“Investigating complex fraud schemes is a top priority of ours,” said National Security Agency Acting Inspector General Kevin Gerrity. “I commend our team, our law enforcement partners and the Justice Department for their work protecting the integrity of federal contracting.”
“Each part of the government must do its part to detect and prosecute instances of waste, fraud and abuse, and CIA’s Office of Inspector General was pleased to join its law enforcement partners in investigating this egregious case,” said CIA Inspector General Robin C. Ashton.
United States v. Victor Marquez
Victor M. Marquez, a Maryland resident and owner of two IT companies with significant government contracts, was charged in a four-count indictment with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud and major fraud against the United States for rigging bids and inflating the amount of money obtained from valuable IT contracts.
Antwann C.K. Rawls, an employee of one of Marquez’s companies, and Scott A. Reefe, an IT sales executive, have been charged for their respective roles in the conspiracy.
As alleged in the indictment, Marquez, Rawls, Reefe and their co-conspirators used their positions of trust to learn sensitive, confidential procurement information, including procurement budgets for large U.S. government IT contracts. The co-conspirators used that inside information to craft bids at artificially determined, non-competitive and non-independent prices, ensuring Marquez’s company would win the procurement.
According to court documents, the co-conspirators shared their bids in advance of submitting them to the government, with one co-conspirator emailing that he would submit a “high price third bid.” Marquez and his co-conspirators submitted their collusive bids despite knowing the government sought independent, competitive bids for the valuable contracts, and despite Marquez’s certification of independent bidding.
If convicted, Marquez faces maximum penalties of 20 years in prison for each conspiracy and wire fraud count and 10 years in prison for the major fraud charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States v. Breal L. Madison Jr.
Breal L. Madison Jr., a Maryland resident, was charged in a 13-count indictment with conspiracy, bribery of a public official, mail fraud and money laundering for orchestrating a years-long scheme to defraud his employer and the United States out of over $7 million in connection with the sale of IT products to various government agencies.
Brandon Scott Glisson, an IT contractor providing IT services to the U.S. government, and Glisson’s supervisor, Lawrence A. Eady, a former senior government employee, have also been charged for their respective roles in the scheme.
According to court documents, through multiple misrepresentations, Madison and his co-conspirators conspired to steal money from Madison’s employer and government agencies, illegally siphoning over $9 million in stolen proceeds to Madison’s shell company, Trident Technology Solutions, and another shell company. They used the money to purchase luxury items and to pay approximately $630,000 in bribes to Eady in exchange for Eady’s ensuring the purchase of additional products sold by Madison.
Madison used his ill-gotten gains to buy a Vanquish VQ58 yacht, 2020 Lamborghini Huracan and multiple other vehicles, all of which the United States seeks to forfeit in the indictment.
If convicted, Madison faces maximum penalties of five years in prison for the conspiracy count, 15 years in prison for each bribery count, 20 years in prison for each mail fraud count and 10 years for each money laundering count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The DCIS, the FBI Baltimore Field Office, CIA Office of Inspector General and NSA Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Acting Assistant Chief Michael Sawers and Trial Attorneys Zachary Trotter and Elizabeth French of the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S.J. Zelinsky, Sean M. Delaney and Darren Gardner for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about this investigation or other procurement fraud schemes should notify the PCSF at www.justice.gov/atr/webform/pcsf-citizen-complaint. The Justice Department created the PCSF in November 2019. It is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
View the Rawls information.
View the Eady information.
View Reefe information.
View the Glisson information.
View the Madison indictment.
View the Marquez indictment.
Six Charged in Scheme to Defraud the Federal GovernmentRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Six defendants have been charged for their roles in schemes to rig bids, defraud the government and pay bribes and kickbacks in connection with the sale of IT products and services to federal government purchasers, which resulted in overcharges of millions of dollars to the U.S. government, including the Department of Defense (DoD).
On Oct. 9 and Oct. 16, a federal grand jury in Baltimore returned indictments against two additional defendants. Four other defendants were also charged. These are the first charges in the Justice Department’s ongoing investigation into IT manufacturers, distributors and resellers who sell products and services to government purchasers, including to the intelligence community.
“This office and our partners will use all available resources to hold accountable those who would undermine and distort the government’s procurement of goods and services, especially those related to our cybersecurity infrastructure,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland.“Antitrust crimes can undermine competition for products and services that are vital to our national security,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “When fraudsters siphon taxpayer funds, the Antitrust Division and its Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) partners across the government will hold accountable those who collude to subvert competition, line their pockets with federal procurement dollars and compromise the integrity of our intelligence community programs.”
“This investigation demonstrates the vital need to protect the DoD procurement process, particularly within the Intelligence Community,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the DoD Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “The Defense Criminal Investigative Service is committed to identifying fraudsters who abuse public trust and enrich themselves through criminal schemes.”
“There is no place for fraudsters and crooks scheming to manipulate the government bidding process for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “The FBI remains steadfastly committed to identifying, investigating and bringing to justice those conspiring to enrich themselves by cheating taxpayers.”
“Investigating complex fraud schemes is a top priority of ours,” said National Security Agency Acting Inspector General Kevin Gerrity. “I commend our team, our law enforcement partners and the Justice Department for their work protecting the integrity of federal contracting.”
“Each part of the government must do its part to detect and prosecute instances of waste, fraud and abuse, and CIA’s Office of Inspector General was pleased to join its law enforcement partners in investigating this egregious case,” said CIA Inspector General Robin C. Ashton.
United States v. Victor Marquez
Victor M. Marquez, a Maryland resident and owner of two IT companies with significant government contracts, was charged in a four-count indictment with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud and major fraud against the United States for rigging bids and inflating the amount of money obtained from valuable IT contracts.
Antwann C.K. Rawls, an employee of one of Marquez’s companies, and Scott A. Reefe, an IT sales executive, have been charged for their respective roles in the conspiracy.
As alleged in the indictment, Marquez, Rawls, Reefe and their co-conspirators used their positions of trust to learn sensitive, confidential procurement information, including procurement budgets for large U.S. government IT contracts. The co-conspirators used that inside information to craft bids at artificially determined, non-competitive and non-independent prices, ensuring Marquez’s company would win the procurement.
According to court documents, the co-conspirators shared their bids in advance of submitting them to the government, with one co-conspirator emailing that he would submit a “high price third bid.” Marquez and his co-conspirators submitted their collusive bids despite knowing the government sought independent, competitive bids for the valuable contracts, and despite Marquez’s certification of independent bidding.
If convicted, Marquez faces maximum penalties of 20 years in prison for each conspiracy and wire fraud count and 10 years in prison for the major fraud charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States v. Breal L. Madison Jr.
Breal L. Madison Jr., a Maryland resident, was charged in a 13-count indictment with conspiracy, bribery of a public official, mail fraud and money laundering for orchestrating a years-long scheme to defraud his employer and the United States out of over $7 million in connection with the sale of IT products to various government agencies.
Brandon Scott Glisson, an IT contractor providing IT services to the U.S. government, and Glisson’s supervisor, Lawrence A. Eady, a former senior government employee, have also been charged for their respective roles in the scheme.
According to court documents, through multiple misrepresentations, Madison and his co-conspirators conspired to steal money from Madison’s employer and government agencies, illegally siphoning over $9 million in stolen proceeds to Madison’s shell company, Trident Technology Solutions, and another shell company. They used the money to purchase luxury items and to pay approximately $630,000 in bribes to Eady in exchange for Eady’s ensuring the purchase of additional products sold by Madison.
Madison used his ill-gotten gains to buy a Vanquish VQ58 yacht, 2020 Lamborghini Huracan and multiple other vehicles, all of which the United States seeks to forfeit in the indictment.
If convicted, Madison faces maximum penalties of five years in prison for the conspiracy count, 15 years in prison for each bribery count, 20 years in prison for each mail fraud count and 10 years for each money laundering count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The DCIS, the FBI Baltimore Field Office, CIA Office of Inspector General and NSA Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Acting Assistant Chief Michael Sawers and Trial Attorneys Zachary Trotter and Elizabeth French of the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S.J. Zelinsky, Sean M. Delaney and Darren Gardner for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about this investigation or other procurement fraud schemes should notify the PCSF at www.justice.gov/atr/webform/pcsf-citizen-complaint. The Justice Department created the PCSF in November 2019. It is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.View the Rawls information.
View the Eady information.
View Reefe information.
View the Glisson information.
View the Madison indictment.
View the Marquez indictment.
###
Sacaton Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Shooting DeathRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Adrian Hope Sullivan, 22, of Sacaton, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 12 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
On August 17, 2022, Sullivan, a member of the Gila River Indian Community, shot and killed the victim at the gun range in Sacaton, Arizona. Sullivan pleaded guilty on August 12, 2024, to Second Degree Murder.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gila River Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raynette Logan, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-0136-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-147_Sullivan# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Previously Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Receiving and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Charles Joseph Thorne Floyd, age 31, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison after entering a guilty plea one count of receiving and distributing child pornography. Floyd entered his guilty plea on June 25, 2024.
According to court documents, in the months of July and August 2023 a detective with the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force was utilizing investigative software to identify subjects involved in the dissemination of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). The detective identified an IP address that was making CSAM available for download. Over seven different dates, the detective was able to download approximately 90 videos containing CSAM from that IP address. The detective was able to identify a residence in Foley that was associated with the IP address. Floyd was a resident of that address. Floyd’s phone was seized examined and revealed search terms indicative of CSAM and 321 images of CSAM. The images included depictions of prepubescent children. On November 21, 2023, Floyd entered a guilty plea in Conecuh County to one count of Sodomy, 2nd Degree for offenses that occurred in 2016 involving a minor child.
At sentencing, United States District Judge William Steele imposed a 240-month sentence of incarceration and a 25-year term of supervised release upon his future release. During his term of imprisonment, Floyd will be subject to sex offender treatment, substance abuse testing and treatment, and mental health treatment. Floyd will be required to register as a sex offender and is to have no contact with minors. Floyd was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources
Pontotoc County Resident Pleads Guilty to Assault in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jasmine Rae Valdez, age 25, of Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country.
The Indictment against Valdez alleged that, on August 29, 2023, Valdez aided and abetted an attack on an individual with a dangerous weapon. The assault resulted in serious bodily injury to the victim. The crimes occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. 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. Valdez was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.