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29 October 2024
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for over Three Years for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter.
Devin White Calf, age 23, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
White Calf was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in December of 2023. He pleaded guilty on April 5, 2024.
In September of 2023, White Calf consumed alcohol with a group of friends and relatives. At some point, White Calf drove his group to a place called “Top of the World.” This location is just west of Pine Ridge. At this location, the group continued to drink alcohol. While leaving “Top of the World,” White Calf lost control of the vehicle. One of the passengers, a 16-year-old female, was ejected from the vehicle and sustained fatal injuries. Multiple other passengers were also ejected from the car and sustained bodily injuries. Law enforcement was dispatched to the scene because individuals nearby could hear screaming and crying. When law enforcement arrived on scene, White Calf told them that he was not driving and that someone with the last name “Titus” was driving. Several months later, White Calf eventually admitted to law enforcement that he was the driver.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe – Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
White Calf was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pembroke Township Man Sentenced to 6 ½ Years in Prison for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – Larry Dean Gibbs, 63, of Pembroke Township in Kankakee County, Illinois, was sentenced on October 28, 2024, to 6 ½ years of imprisonment for filing false tax returns.
Gibbs was convicted of filing three false federal tax returns following a jury trial held at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana in March of this year. During the trial, the government presented evidence to establish that, in January 2017, Gibbs filed three federal income tax returns for the tax years 2012, 2013, and 2014, each falsely claiming that he had earned $10 million in annual income from the “Larry Dean Gibbs Estate.” Gibbs further falsely claimed that the IRS withheld over $3 million per year from his earnings each year and that he was entitled to refunds totaling over $6.8 million. In contemporaneous filings, Gibbs claimed that he had changed his name to Mulumbua Humraukn El Taikem Bey and that he was the Ambassador for the Al Moroccan Empire National Republic, which is not officially recognized by the U.S. State Department. At the time Gibbs filed the three false tax returns, he had just been released from federal prison for a prior conviction for filing a false federal tax return in 2005, when he had obtained a $66,282 refund to which he was not entitled.
At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce found that Gibbs had obstructed justice during the trial by falsely claiming that he was a member of the Maipuri Arauan Nation and that a treaty between that tribe and the United States required tribal members to be seated on his jury. Judge Bruce found that Gibbs “continues to file nonsensical sovereign citizen documents with the court, despite the court’s clear warnings against such frivolous, docket-clogging activity.”
The statutory penalties for filing a false tax return are up to three years of imprisonment and up to a $100,000 fine on each of the three counts of conviction. In addition to imprisonment, Judge Bruce sentenced Gibbs to serve one year of supervised release following his release from the federal Bureau of Prisons.
Judge Bruce directed Gibbs to report to the Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his sentence of imprisonment on January 7, 2025. In the meantime, Gibbs remains released on conditions of bond, which include home detention.
“Fraud upon the government ultimately harms honest taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “Our office will vigorously prosecute these important cases, including those involving repeat offenders such as the defendant. We are grateful to our federal law enforcement partners for their dedicated work on this case.”
“Tax fraud undermines the trust between taxpayers and their government,” said Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “By filing false tax returns, Larry Gibbs not only cheated the system but also imposed an unjust burden on honest taxpayers. His frivolous court filings further clogged our legal system, wasting valuable resources that could be better used to serve the community. IRS Criminal Investigation and its fellow law enforcement partners remain committed to holding accountable those who seek to exploit our tax laws for personal gain.”
“The FBI is proud to work with its law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to ensure that taxpayer dollars aren’t used to line the pockets of repeat offenders,” said Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. “Our tax system is predicated on the principal that every American pays their fair share, and this sentencing reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring equity for hardworking Americans.”
The IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office, and FBI, Chicago Field Office, investigated the case. Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government in the prosecution.
Paving Contractor Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a paving company doing business north of Boston pleaded guilty yesterday to a multi-year income tax evasion scheme.
Richard Cooper, 71, of Billerica, pleaded guilty to four counts of tax evasion. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled Cooper’s sentencing for Jan. 30, 2024. Cooper was charged in September 2024.
From 2017 to 2020, in addition to depositing customer payments to his company, Rick Cooper Paving, Cooper also cashed over $4.3 million in customer checks. When Cooper had his taxes prepared, he did not tell his preparer about the checks he was cashing, resulting in his tax returns underreporting the gross receipts of the business by millions. As a result, Cooper kept over $1 million that he should have paid in federal and state income taxes.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil, Deputy Chief of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit, prosecuted the case.
Parmelee Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Shooting Another ManRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Parmelee, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault With a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on October 29, 2024.
Brent Lester, age 28, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Lester was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2023. He pleaded guilty on July 17, 2024.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in October of 2022 within the boundaries of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On October 14, 2022, Lester visited the residence of the victim, an adult male, in Mission, South Dakota. Lester was invited into the residence, but subsequently became loud and confrontational prompting the victim to demand Lester leave. Lester then produced a pistol and fired one shot at the victim, causing superficial wounds to the victim’s abdomen. Lester fled the scene but was apprehended by law enforcement later that day.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Senior Litigation Counsel Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Lester was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Orleans Parish Man Sentenced for Attempted Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHRISTOPHER DONNELLY (“DONNELLY”), age 46, was sentenced on September 18, 2024 to 57 months of imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. DONNELLY previously pled guilty to attempted bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a).
According to court documents, on March 26, 2024, DONNELLY entered a Capital One bank located in New Orleans. and presented a demand note to the teller, that read “$1,000 OR YOUR LIFE U DECIDE?” The teller retreated to an area behind the teller stations, activated a silent alarm, and alerted her co-workers and security. New Orleans Police Officers responded shortly after and took DONNELLY into custody.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Calogero of the General Crimes Unit.
Oklahoma City Man to Serve 24 Months in Federal Prison for Firearms Trafficking and Unlawful Possession of a MachinegunRead the Press Release
Defendant Forfeits 194 Firearms, More Than Three Tons of Ammunition,
Nearly $470,000 in Cash, and a Machinegun Conversion Device
OKLAHOMA CITY – PHILLIP NILES MARTIN, 69, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 24 months in federal prison for firearms trafficking and unlawful possession of a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public record, Martin was the subject of two previous Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigations for similar conduct. In 2013, Martin received a verbal warning for dealing firearms without a license and was advised that even with a license he could not deal firearms at an Oklahoma City swap meet. In 2020, he acknowledged receipt of an ATF cease-and-desist letter after a firearm that he had purchased was recovered at a crime scene in Mexico.
Public record further reflects that in June 2022, ATF received multiple tips that Martin was illegally dealing in firearms at an Oklahoma City swap meet. An investigation revealed that Martin was still dealing firearms without a license and sold firearms at significantly inflated rates – approximately double retail price – without completing the background checks required by law.
Pursuant to a search warrant executed at Martin’s residence, agents seized 194 firearms, approximately 6,100 pounds of ammunition, approximately $469,520 in cash, and a machinegun conversion device, commonly known as a “switch,” which when installed, converts a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic machinegun. Possession of these devices violates federal law.
On February 16, 2024, Martin was charged by Information with a conspiracy to illegally traffic firearms and with unlawful possession of a machinegun.
Martin pleaded guilty to the Information on March 11, 2024, and admitted he knowingly conspired with others to traffic firearms and that he illegally possessed a machinegun conversion device. Martin also agreed to forfeit all 194 firearms, the ammunition, approximately $469,520 in cash, and the machinegun conversion device.
At the sentencing hearing on October 23, 2024, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Martin to serve 24 months in federal prison, followed by three years in supervised release. In announcing the sentence, Judge Dishman noted the seriousness of the offenses and the fact that Martin had not been deterred from such conduct by prior warnings from law enforcement.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Connolly prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. This case is also part of “Project Switch Off,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s local implementation of PSN. “Project Switch Off” targets illegal machinegun conversion devices to address the significant danger these illegal devices present and to remove them from our streets. For more information about PSN, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to public filings for more information.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 26 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Brian Patterson, 44, of Canton, Ohio, has been sentenced to 26 years in prison by U.S. District Judge J. Philip Calabrese after pleading guilty to multiple charges including sexual exploitation of children, receipt and distribution of visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and possession of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), also referred to as child pornography. He was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment and must register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, law enforcement officials discovered that Patterson possessed 766 images of CSAM that included 50 images of children under the age of 12. The remaining images were of a child known to law enforcement and who was unaware that she was being surreptitiously recorded by a hidden camera.
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division and the Canton Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph P. Dangelo for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
November 5, 2024 ElectionsRead the Press Release
New Orleans, Louisiana - United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that Assistant United States Attorney M. Irene González will coordinate our Office’s efforts in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA González serves as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Louisiana, 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 Evans 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 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, or 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 Evans 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 González will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (504) 680-3077.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at: (800) 253-3931, or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov.
United States Attorney Evans 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.
Muskegon Heights Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Gun as A FelonRead the Press Release
Case Reflects Ongoing Commitment to Protect Victims of Domestic Violence
GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Dequarius Quitman Day, 32, of Muskegon Heights, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Day’s crime was especially concerning because of his history of domestic violence, including his threatening actions in this case. He previously pleaded guilty in July 2024.
“Too many women who crossed Mr. Day’s path lived in fear of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “For the millions of Americans who face domestic violence, an abuser’s access to a gun can mean the difference between life and death. We stand with the victims of domestic violence and will continue to do everything we can to protect them.”
On December 25, 2023, Day pointed a firearm at the mother of one of his children and threatened to shoot her. While on the phone with 911 requesting assistance, the woman provided the operator Day’s name, a description of his vehicle, a description of the firearm, and informed the operator he had a warrant for his arrest.
Day fled the scene in a vehicle but soon returned on foot to retrieve his cell phone. At that time, law enforcement placed him under arrest. Day lied to officers, claiming he did not have a vehicle. Law enforcement searched the surrounding area and located his vehicle parked a few blocks away. A loaded Taurus 9-millimeter pistol was found under a seat in the car as well.
Day had prior felony convictions prohibiting him from possessing firearms and had an active warrant for an alleged assault against the victim’s pregnant sister on December 9, 2023. He has been charged by the Muskegon County Prosecutor’s Office for both the December 9 and December 25 assaults and is presumed innocent of those changes until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Across the nation and in Michigan domestic violence is a serious threat. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. Moreover, studies have shown that domestic violence perpetrators often use firearms to abuse and control their victims, who are five times as likely to be killed if their abuser has access to a firearm.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan has brought other cases to address the threat of domestic violence, which include the following:
- 8/8/24 – Norton Shores Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking
- 7/18/24 – Two Lansing Men Sentenced on Gun Charges After Threatening Episode with an Assault Rifle at a Convenience Store
- 7/2/24 – Firearms Offender, Prosecuted Under Safe Summer Program, Sentenced to 64 Months
- 3/13/24 – Lansing Man Sentenced for Illegal Gun Possession
- 12/6/23 – Muskegon Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm Linked to a Homicide
- 9/13/23 – Serial Domestic Abuser Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm
- 6/5/23 – Muskegon Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Stalking his Ex-Wife and Possessing Firearms
In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan recently announced a special partnership with the City of Lansing to address domestic violence in that city as part of a nationwide program.
Victims of domestic violence who feel they are in imminent danger or fear a threat of harm should call 911. The following national hotlines are also available to help victims:
- Victim Connect: 1-855-4VICTIM (1-855-484-2846)
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1−800−799−7233 or TTY 1−800−787−3224 (or text START to 88788)
- The National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
The Muskegon Township Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexia Jansen is prosecuting it.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/psn.
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Montgomery County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Possessed more than 900 pills purporting to be Oxycodone Hydrochloride in his home, with the intent to distribute them.
Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, the Honorable Lydia K. Griggsby sentenced Darnell Palmer, 23, Germantown, Maryland, to 84 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty verdict with Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Washington Division, and Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department.
According to the guilty plea, in April 2022, law enforcement received information that Palmer was distributing fentanyl in Montgomery County, Maryland. Law Enforcement officers observed Palmer selling 10 round blue pills purporting to be Oxycodone Hydrochloride, and actually contained fentanyl, to an individual in front of Palmer’s residence. On June 1, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Palmer’s residence.
In Palmer’s bedroom, law enforcement located approximately 918 fentanyl pills (appearing as Oxycodone Hydrochloride ), distributed within several zip-top bags; a plastic bag containing three bags of marijuana and a black digital scale; a loaded Glock 27 handgun; four firearm magazines, including an empty Glock magazine; a clear magazine containing six rounds of ammunition; a loaded drum magazine; and a packaged Glock magazine; and approximately $3,611 in U.S. currency, among other items. Palmer possessed the fentanyl pills with the intent to distribute them. The 928 fentanyl pills recovered in the investigation weighed more than 100 grams. The pills Palmer distributed, and that were seized from his bedroom, purported to be Oxycodone Hydrochloride in that they were small light blue pills stamped with “M” and “30” to match legitimate Oxycodone Hydrochloride 30 milligram pills when in fact, they contained fentanyl instead of Oxycodone Hydrochloride.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the DEA and the Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Christopher Sarma, who prosecuted the federal case.
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.
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Midwest Manufacturer to Pay over $3.6 Million to Resolve Allegations It Received Paycheck Protection Program Loan in Violation of Employee Size RulesRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Exo-s US LLC, a manufacturing company with plants and offices located in Coldwater, Michigan, and Howe, Indiana, has agreed to pay $3,628,819.44 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by falsely obtaining a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which it was ineligible.
“The Paycheck Protection Program provided important relief to eligible small businesses and other entities,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Today’s resolution demonstrates our continued commitment to work with the Small Business Administration to protect taxpayer dollars and investigate allegations of fraud on critical government programs.”
When Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in 2020 and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in 2021, it enacted a program to provide emergency financial assistance to individuals and businesses suffering economic and public health effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. ARPA continued the CARES Act’s PPP loan program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA), creating a second-draw PPP loan that allowed eligible businesses that had previously received a PPP loan to apply for a second loan. One of the eligibility requirements for receiving this second-draw loan was that the applicant had no more than 300 employees, including employees of affiliated entities.
In March 2021, Exo-s US LLC obtained a second-draw PPP loan, which the SBA subsequently forgave. The United States alleges that the company was not eligible for this loan because Exo-s US LLC and its affiliates had more than 300 employees.
“The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, other federal law enforcement agencies, as well as financial institutions or private individuals who uncover misconduct to recover the lending program’s damages,” said Therese Meers, SBA General Counsel.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act against Exo-s US LLC. Under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the settlement or judgment. Here, the United States elected to take over the case, investigated it, and negotiated the settlement. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. GNGH2 Inc. v. Exo-s US LLC, No. 1:24-cv-264 (W.D. Mich.).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan and the SBA. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Hull investigated this case.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Middletown Meth Dealer Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JASON FABEL, 46, of Middletown, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 70 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 16, 2022, Fabel was arrested after the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and Middletown Police Department conducted a court-authorized search of his Middletown residence and seized approximately 100 grams of methamphetamine, a quantity of ketamine, narcotics paraphernalia, and a loaded 9mm handgun.
On April 27, 2023, while Fabel was released on bond and awaiting trial, he was arrested for violating conditions of his pretrial release. At the time of his arrest, he possessed approximately 24 grams of methamphetamine, six grams of ketamine, and 10 grams of MDMA (“ecstasy”).
Fabel has been detained since April 27, 2023. On July 15, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Keefe.
Miami Resident Charged with Kidnapping Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Today, Miami resident Gustavo Alfonso Castano Restrepo, 55, appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on an indictment charging him with kidnapping resulting in death.
According to the unsealed indictment, on or about May 30, 2016, in Miami-Dade County, in the Southern District of Florida, and elsewhere, Restrepo, did willfully and unlawfully seize, confine, inveigle, decoy, kidnap, abduct, and carry away and hold a person, that is, Liliana Moreno, for reward and otherwise, and did use a means, facility, and instrumentality of interstate commerce, that is, a cellular telephone, the internet, a motor vehicle, and the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike, in the commission and in furtherance of the offense. The kidnapping resulted in the deaths of Liliana Moreno and Daniella Moreno.
Restrepo is currently being detained, following today’s hearing in Miami. A pre-trial detention hearing in Miami Magistrate Court is scheduled for Nov. 1.
If Restrepo is convicted of the charged offense, the mandatory minimum sentence is life in prison and the maximum penalty is death.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, Chief Edwin Lopez of the Doral Police Department, and Director Stephanie V. Daniels of the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) made the announcement.
FBI Miami, the Doral Police Department, MDPD, and FBI’s South Florida Violent Crime/Fugitive Task Force are investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwayne Williams is prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about this matter or any other federal crime is urged to contact the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or filing a report at tips.fbi.gov.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20463
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Medical Billing Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Scott Newcombe, age 40, of Plattsburgh, New York, pled guilty today to health care fraud.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Naomi Gruchacz, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), New York Regional Office, made the announcement.
Newcombe admitted that from approximately April 2020 through April 2023, he acted as the office manager and health care claims biller for two physicians’ practices in Plattsburgh through a company that he formed called SJ Healthcare Management Services, LLC (SJHMS). SJHMS charged a fixed monthly fee under which Newcombe performed various management, administrative, and billing services for the practices. He admitted that he submitted false and fraudulent claims to public and private insurers on behalf of those practices for services that, in some instances, were never provided and, in other instances, were provided at lower reimbursement rates than the amounts billed. For example, Newcombe admitted that he submitted claims to insurers for medical procedures that were purportedly performed by a provider on him but which, in fact, never occurred.
Newcombe is scheduled for sentencing on February 28, 2025. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The FBI and HHS investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Adam J. Katz are prosecuting the case.
McAlester Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Leslie Ray Upchurch, age 35, of McAlester, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea one count of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The Indictment alleged that on April 28, 2023, Upchurch, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of such conviction, knowingly possessed one Ruger 9mm Luger caliber semi-automatic pistol and several rounds of assorted 9mm Luger caliber ammunition.
The charges arose from an investigation by the McAlester Police Department, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Upchurch was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Mansfield Tax Preparer Sentenced to More Than 15 Years After Touting False CredentialsRead the Press Release
A would-be lawyer who falsely inflated dozens of client tax returns was sentenced Tuesday to more than 15 years in federal prison for tax fraud, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
John Anthony Castro, 40, owner of the virtual tax preparation business Castro & Company, was indicted in January. Following a five-day bench trial before Senior U.S. District Judge Terry R Means, he was convicted on all 33 counts of assisting in the preparation of a fraudulent return and was immediately taken into custody. Judge Means sentenced him Thursday to 188 months in prison and ordered him to pay $277,243 in restitution.
“Far from an ‘international tax expert,’ this defendant was an international fraudster, plain and simple,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “Not only did he defraud the U.S. government, he bullied and berated clients who dared question his methods. Today’s sentencing should send a message to tax preparers nationwide: Lie on clients’ returns at your own peril.”
“Mr. Castro prepared and filed completely fraudulent and fabricated tax returns for one reason: greed,” stated Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office. “Today’s sentence highlights IRS-CI’s diligence in rooting out dishonest tax return preparers whose only motive is to cheat the system and make themselves richer in the process.”
According to evidence presented in court, Mr. Castro – who had graduated law school but repeatedly failed the bar exam – held himself out as an “international tax expert” and “federal practitioner.” (He also falsely claimed to be a graduate of West Point.)
He was successful at marketing to clients around the world, claiming to be an expert on certain tax issues related to Australian ex-pats, among other things. Between 2017 and 2019, he filed more than 1,900 tax returns on behalf of individuals from all over the world.
As part of his pitch, Mr. Castro promised his clients a significantly higher refund than they would receive from other preparers, claiming he knew how to identify and claim deductions that others did not. He added there was no risk, as he would simply split the additional refund amount with them to account for his fee. He would not share the tax return with clients before filing, but would instead simply inform them of the amount of the anticipated refund.
On many occasions, he filed tax returns on behalf of clients without their permission or knowledge. In other instances, he claimed deductions that had no basis in fact. For example, for one client, who made approximately $103,000 in income, Mr. Castro claimed over $90,000 in deductions related to unreimbursed employee expenses.
Mr. Castro claimed deductions based on extreme and unsupported legal theories, including deductions such as (1) those for any expense related to preventing an illness qualified as an “impairment related work expense,” (2) those for expenses related to commuting to and from work, (3) the full value of one’s mortgage and utilities as long as the taxpayer had some type of Schedule C business to claim, (4) those related to dry-cleaning for work clothes, and (5) the full value of one’s cell phone bill even when their employer provided them with a work phone. For example, with respect to one client, Mr. Castro deducted over $26,000 in expenses that he claimed related to a nascent cupcake business that had generated only $250 in revenue.
According to trial testimony, in February 2018, an undercover IRS – CI agent contacted Mr. Castro for assistance. The agent asked to meet with Mr. Castro in person, but Mr. Castro’s office told him that in-person meetings required a $5,000 retainer. They spoke via email instead.
On February 13, 2018, the undercover agent submitted a W2 and a Form 1098-T showing wages of $142,217. About two weeks later, one of Mr. Castro’s employees called the agent to discuss deductions, noting that Mr. Castro would make any decisions regarding what items would be included on the tax filing.
The agent denied having any unreimbursed employee expenses, charitable contributions, or other items that could lead to deductions.
On March 12, 2018, Mr. Castro sent the undercover agent his tax analysis. He said that if the agent used another preparer, he would receive a refund of $373, but that if he used Mr. Castro, he would receive a refund of $6,007. Mr. Castro would take half, netting him $3,008. The analysis said the return would include $29,339 in deductions but did not specify which deductions would be used.
Two days later, Mr. Castro filed the agent’s return, which claimed $29,339 in fraudulent deductions, including $2,400 in employee expenses, and 28,600 in other expenses that the undercover agent had never discussed with Mr. Castro or his employees.
According to evidence presented at trial, Mr. Castro engaged in a similar pattern with his other clients. When the victim-taxpayers learned what Mr. Castro had done, many of them demanded copies of their tax returns. Mr. Castro refused to engage in conversation and even delayed providing returns for months at a time. Mr. Castro often acted in a highly vindictive manner when questioned or challenged by clients or others, often berating individuals in emails, threatening legal actions, or by filing amended tax returns, without clients’ permission or knowledge, that removed all deductions, causing the taxpayer-victim to then owe the IRS tens of thousands of dollars.
During the trial, Mr. Castro took the stand in his own defense, and upon cross-examination, admitted that his positions were extreme, outlandish, and not supported by the law. He also admitted to a bevy of prior falsifications and vindictive actions.
Many of the victim-taxpayers have since been audited and/or filed amended returns, causing them significant financial hardship.
IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys P.J. Meitl and Nancy Larson are prosecuting the case.
Man Sentenced to 50 Years for First-Degree Murder in 2014 Christmas Eve Killing of WaitressRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Marvin Lopez, 45, of El Salvador, was sentenced to 50 years in prison for the 2014 Christmas Eve murder of his ex-girlfriend, Evelyn Yamileth Arroyo Guerra, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
On October 25, 2024, Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe sentenced Lopez to the prison sentence for first degree murder while armed and a seven-year prison term for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence to be run concurrently.
According to the government’s evidence presented during an eight-day trial in November 2023, a pair of MPD Lieutenants were driving south on 14th Street on Dec. 24, 2014 when they heard two gunshots. Citizens on the 3900 block of 14th Street pointed in the direction the gunman had run. One of the Lieutenants gave chase on foot but lost the shooter in a wooded area at the end of Shepherd St, NW. The other Lieutenant found Yamileth on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant at 3910 14th Street NW, suffering from a gunshot wound to her chest and a graze wound to her head. Yamileth had been shot as she was arriving for work, as a waitress, at El Sabor Latino.
Two witnesses who knew Yamileth told police that they had seen Lopez—the victim’s recent ex—approaching her outside of the restaurant moments before the killing. One of the witnesses showed police Facebook messages between Lopez and Yamileth from days before the murder in which he threatened to kill her. Although an arrest warrant was obtained the next day, Lopez was not located by police before he fled to El Salvador. He was extradited back to the United States and arrested in March of 2023.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Victim/Witness Advocates Karina Hernandez; Maenylie Watson, Tonya Jones, and Katina Adams-Washington, of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling and Paralegal Specialists Grazy Rivera, April Urbanowski and Maria Sanchez.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Natiello who investigated and indicted the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristian Hinson and Sarah Prins who prosecuted the case.
Man Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Exposing Himself on an AircraftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Indian man, arrested last week for masturbating and exposing himself on a flight within the view of two other passengers, has pleaded guilty and was sentenced.
Krishna Kunapuli, 39, pleaded guilty on Oct. 24, 2024 to one count of committing lewd, indecent, or obscene acts on an aircraft. Kunapuli was also sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy to two years of probation and a $5,000 fine. He was also ordered to delete, in the presence of law enforcement, photographs that he took of a female passenger during the flight and to have no contact with her.
According to the charging documents, Kunapuli made unwanted sexual advances towards a female passenger on board a flight from Abu Dhabi to Boston, including touching her hair and taking pictures of her without her permission. After a crew member intervened, Kunapuli returned to his seat.
Later in the flight, two male passengers seated near Kunapuli noticed Kunapuli masturbating under a blanket and, at times, with his penis fully exposed. One of the passengers reported this conduct to a flight attendant, who intervened, and alerted law enforcement.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Man Indicted for over $800,000 Worth of Retail TheftRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Yasin Saleem has been arraigned on federal charges of conspiracy and wire fraud in connection with defrauding Home Depot of more than $800,000.
“Saleem and a crew of conspirators allegedly used fictitious driver’s licenses and fraudulent debits cards to exploit vulnerabilities within Home Depot’s equipment and tool rental service by stealing more than $800,000,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our office is committed to partnering closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement investigators to disrupt these kinds of criminal schemes and to prosecute the individuals who perpetrate them at the expense of corporations.”
“Saleem’s retail theft scheme not only resulted in substantial financial loss for Home Depot but highlights the complex and widespread nature of organized retail crime,” said Sean Burke, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This indictment demonstrates the need for strong and collaborative efforts between the FBI and private-sector partners, to combat such threats effectively.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: Yasin Saleem and his co-conspirators allegedly presented fictitious driver’s licenses to Home Depot to conceal their true identities in connection with fraudulent equipment and tool rentals. They also used debit cards with account holder names matching the fictitious licenses in these rentals. These debit cards were frequently issued prior to their use in the fraud scheme and carried the minimal amount of funds sufficient to commit the fraud.
The co-conspirators then failed to return the rented equipment and tools. Nor did the fraudulent debit cards carry sufficient funds to replace the stolen materials. Saleem and his co-conspirators allegedly disabled the GPS devices attached to the rental equipment in an effort to avoid detection. They also allegedly used stolen license plates to conceal their involvement in the scheme. In total, Saleem and his co-conspirators allegedly stole over $800,000 worth of equipment from Home Depot.
Yasin Saleem, 45 of Macon, Georgia, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Christopher C. Bly on October 25, 2024. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 25, 2024.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Huber is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Los Angeles Attorney Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge for Willfully Evading Payment of More Than $4 Million in Income Tax over Two DecadesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Milton C. Grimes, a long-time Los Angeles lawyer, pleaded guilty today to evading the payment of more than $4 million in federal taxes over a 21-year period.
Grimes pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion relating to his 2014 taxes, admitting that he failed to pay $1,690,922 to the IRS.
According to his plea agreement, Grimes did not pay federal income taxes due for 23 years, 2002 through 2005, 2007, 2009 through 2011, and 2014 through 2023 – a total of $4,071,215 owed to the IRS. Grimes also admitted he did not file a 2013 tax return with the IRS.
From at least September 2011, the IRS attempted to collect Grimes’ taxes by issuing more than 30 levies on his personal bank accounts. However, from at least May 2014 to April 2020, Grimes willfully evaded the payment of the outstanding income tax owed to the IRS by not depositing income he earned from his clients into his personal bank accounts that were subject to levy.
Instead, Grimes purchased approximately 238 cashier’s checks totaling $16 million to keep the money out of the reach of the IRS. Grimes would routinely purchase cashier’s checks and withdraw cash from his client trust account, his Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA), and his law firm’s bank account, rather than pay the IRS.
For example, on December 5, 2018, Grimes purchased nine cashier’s checks worth approximately $1,001,961, following the deposit of the same amount and on the same date into his IOLTA bank account.
United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr. scheduled a February 11, 2025, sentencing hearing, at which time Grimes will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Prosecutors have agreed to seek a prison sentence of no more than 22 months for Grimes.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Valerie L. Makarewicz and Sarah S. Lee of the Major Frauds Section and Trial Attorney Sara E. Henderson of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Leader and Three Members of Poly-Drug Trafficking Organization Are Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The leader and three members of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) were handed down sentences ranging from 70 months to 27 years in prison today for the bulk distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other narcotics, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina, Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
Led by the FBI, ATF, and CMPD, this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation successfully dismantled a poly-drug network that trafficked large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in Mecklenburg County.
The investigation identified nine members of the DTO who were prosecuted federally in connection with this case. The four sentenced today are:
George Irving Rivens, 38, of Charlotte, and leader of the DTO, was sentenced to 27 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl.
Paul Alexander Kaber, 29, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 172 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin.
Christopher Ahmad Townsend, 32, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 130 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl.
Joseph Earl Connor, 34, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl.
The five DTO members previously sentenced and the charges they pleaded guilty to are as follows:
Daneon Hansen, 47, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.
Deion Rashaad Thompson, 30, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl; distribution of methamphetamine; and two counts of distribution of fentanyl.
Joseph Stewart, 36, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 15 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl.
Naliyah Tekayla Herd, 26, of Charlotte, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison followed by three years of supervised release. She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl.
Alexis Taylor, 27, of Mount Holly, N.C., was sentenced to four months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl.
According to court documents and court proceedings, from at least January 1, 2021, to June 3, 2022, Rivens supplied the members of the DTO with methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine for local distribution in Charlotte. During the investigation, law enforcement identified a residence in Charlotte the DTO was using as a wholesale stash house to store and traffic drugs. On June 3, 2022, investigators executed a search warrant at the stash house, seizing 16.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 5.7 kilograms of fentanyl, over 2.6 kilograms of cocaine, over a kilogram of heroin, 37 kilograms of marijuana, and more than half a kilogram of cocaine base. In addition, 10 firearms and nearly $30,000 in cash drug proceeds were seized. Court record show that, when law enforcement conducted the search warrant, it appeared that some of the occupants of the stash house had been attempting to destroy evidence by flushing methamphetamine down the toilet.
On the same day, investigators also executed a search warrant at another location, seizing 3.6 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1.1 kilograms of heroin, three firearms, and $60,000 in cash. From another residence used by Rivens, law enforcement seized $30,303 in cash and two more firearms. In total, over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized over a quarter million dollars in drug cash proceeds and other assets, including over $100,000 worth of jewelry, a 2020 Dodge Charger Scat Pack, and a residence used by the DTO to facilitate drug trafficking.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the FBI, ATF, and CMPD for leading this 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Last of Four Defendants Sentenced in 2018 Attempted Armed Robbery of Lancaster City PharmacyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Andrew Garrett, 30, of Steelton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Juan R. Sánchez to 84 months in prison and three years of supervised release for attempted robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (“Hobbs Act robbery”), for his role in the October 2018 attempted armed robbery of Smithgall’s Pharmacy in Lancaster, Pa.
Garrett is the last of four defendants in the case to be sentenced. Garrett, Brandon Galette, Johnny Straining, and Lamar Black were charged in 2019 in connection with the attempted robbery, in which they sought to steal prescription opioids. Straining and Black were also charged in connection with another armed pharmacy robbery they committed in York, Pa., the day before they attempted to rob Smithgall’s. All eventually admitted participation and entered guilty pleas.
Galette, 30, of Harrisburg, Pa., was sentenced this February to 148 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $12,650 in restitution for attempted Hobbs Act robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Straining, 28, also of Harrisburg, was sentenced in August 2023 to 168 months in prison and two years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and attempted Hobbs Act robbery.
Black, 35, also of Harrisburg, was sentenced in August 2023 to 180 months in prison and two years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, attempted Hobbs Act robbery, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
On the afternoon of October 23, 2018, Galette entered Smithgall’s with a loaded firearm, given to him by Black, and demanded prescription opioid pills at gunpoint. He assaulted a customer, then tried to corral pharmacy employees into a back room.
As he did, the owner of the pharmacy pulled a gun from his desk drawer and shot Galette three times. Galette lunged at the owner, and they wrestled on the ground for several seconds. Galette then tried to flee but collapsed from his injuries on the sidewalk outside the pharmacy.
Upon hearing shots, Straining, who had entered the pharmacy to help take the pills, ran out of the store and fled with Black and Garrett in a getaway car.
“This attempted armed robbery was a terrifying experience for the employees and customers of Smithgall’s,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “My office and our law enforcement partners won’t stand for these armed robbery crews targeting our stores, businesses, and the people in them. We’ll continue to take violent offenders off the street and hold them accountable for their actions, making our communities safer for one and all.”
“This sentencing makes clear, even the attempt to commit an armed robbery carries serious consequences,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Alongside our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Lancaster City Bureau of Police, we will continue our efforts toward safer communities.”
The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Capital Area Resident Agency and the Lancaster City Bureau of Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Stengel.
Justice Department Designates Madison County for Federal Support to Reduce Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland approved 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022, and U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe announced Madison County as a designee.
With this designation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Illinois and the Kansas City Field Division for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives partnered with the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office to develop a plan to reduce firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms.
“To address domestic violence in our communities, it’s important to strengthen the relationships between prosecutors and law enforcement in order to hold abusers accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “As October is recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we reaffirm our commitment to reduce intimate partner violence by working directly with our community and law enforcement partners.”
“This partnership strengthens the commitment of the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office to reduce violent crime in our homes, which should be places of peace and joy, not fear and harm. Effective prosecution of abusers can mean the difference between life and death for victims, as well as for the law enforcement officers who respond to incidents of violence,” said Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine. “With this partnership, we will continue to deploy prosecution resources to ensure that victims of domestic violence are protected and their abusers brought to justice.”
To select designees, the Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from an increased focus on intimate partner violence. The partnership will connect stakeholders with resources and increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence.
“In April, ATF hosted the first Inaugural Gun Violence Survivors’ Summit to honor those who have fallen to domestic violence and today’s announcement is an example of how ATF will continue to work tirelessly to protect our communities every day,” stated Bernard G. Hansen, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Kansas City Field Division. “ATF’s mission is as critical as it has ever been, we will not stop working to prevent gun violence and will do everything we can to stop the cycle of domestic abuse.”
The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Murdering Best Friend and Conspiring to Influence a WitnessRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Eugene Burns, 32, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a Superior Court jury of first-degree murder while armed and related firearm offenses. The jury also found Burns and co-defendant Tyre Allen, 24, of Washington, D.C., guilty of conspiracy and obstruction of justice in relation to the murder case. The verdicts were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.
Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo scheduled sentencing for both defendants on January 31, 2025. Burns faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison, and Allen faces a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
On October 24, 2024, following a five-week trial in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, the jury convicted Burns of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license. On October 28, 2024, the jury convicted Burns and Tyre Allen of conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice (corrupt persuasion of a witness), and obstruction of justice (due administration of justice).
In 2017, Burns was convicted by a jury of murdering the victim, but the conviction was overturned on appeal in 2020. Following the reversal, Burns and co‑defendant Tyre Allen, Burns’s cousin, conspired to and did obstruct justice by corruptly influencing a witness in the murder case to sign a false affidavit in October 2020 recanting the witness’s prior grand jury and trial testimony incriminating Burns in the murder.
On November 14, 2015, defendant Burns lured his best friend, Onyekachi Emmanuel Osuchukwu III, to Burns’s mother’s apartment in the 2900 block of 2nd Street Southeast, Washington, D.C. Once inside the apartment, Burns shot the victim four times, killing him. Burns then fled the apartment but returned the next day with family members, falsely reporting to police that they had just found the victim’s body. Evidence introduced at trial established that Burns had been planning to murder the victim for several days.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch, with valuable assistance provided by the ATF Washington Division and investigators from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Charles R. Jones and Sharon Donovan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Jesup Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Firearms as a Drug UserRead the Press Release
A man who possessed twenty-one firearms as a drug user was sentenced today to five years in federal prison.
Douglas Gilbert Uchytil, age 61, from Jesup, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 1, 2024, guilty plea to possession of firearms by a drug user.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that when law enforcement officers searched Uchytil’s residence on April 6, 2023, they found twenty-one firearms, over $25,000 in cash, and over half a pound of ice methamphetamine. Uchytil possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. He also admitted that he was a methamphetamine user.
Uchytil was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Uchytil was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Uchytil 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 Devra T. Hake and investigated by Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Fire Marshal Division, and Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-2056.
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Iowa City Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City man was sentenced today to 12 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography.
According to public court documents, law enforcement received multiple CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Cody Andrew Long, 23, had uploaded files containing child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement searched Long’s cell phone and a computer located at Long’s Iowa City residence which revealed approximately 100 images and 25 videos of child sexual abuse material.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Long will be required to serve an eight-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Long was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution. In addition, Long will be required to register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department and the Johnson County Joint Forensic Analysis Cyber Team.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Holland Man Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of A Child, Penalties for Registered Sex OffendersRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Jared Hanner, 32, of Holland, was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Penalties for Registered Sex Offenders. Hanner previously pleaded guilty to the charges and faced a mandatory 35-year prison sentence.
“Sexual exploitation crimes against our children are especially egregious,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “We will continue to hold sexual predators and their coconspirators accountable by working with our law enforcement partners to secure a measure of justice for the minor victims and prevent future harm.”
Last year, Hanner met Tasha Erin Blake, 38, of Grand Haven, online and convinced her to text him explicit photos of a minor in her care and custody, under 13 years of age. Blake complied, but subsequently confessed her actions to the police. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Hanner’s phone and found the explicit photos and his request for them. Blake pleaded guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography earlier this year and was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison.
“Anyone who means to manipulate and sexually exploit children should face severe consequences, and the FBI will never stop seeking justice for victims,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “This sentencing would not be possible without the dedicated work of our FBI West Michigan Based Child Exploitation Task Force (WEBCHEX) and collaboration with our law enforcement partners who we remain committed to working alongside to protect our communities.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Grand Haven Department of Public Safety, Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, and Kent County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Doaa Al-Howaishy prosecuted it.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials.
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Haskell Resident Sentenced for RobberyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Keith Wyatt Underwood, age 32, of Haskell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 77 months in prison for one count of Robbery in Indian Country.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Haskell Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On July 10, 2023, Underwood pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on July 24, 2022, Underwood was discovered by a property owner stealing copper cables from a Muskogee County property. Underwood then pulled a revolver on the resident before driving away with the stolen cables. The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Underwood 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 Benjamin D. Traster represented the United States.
Grandville Man Pleads Guilty to Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Thomas Aaron Hungerford faces 15 to 30 years in prison
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Thomas Aaron Hungerford, 54, of Grandville, pleaded guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Child. He is scheduled to be sentenced in the coming weeks and faces a minimum prison term of 15 years and a maximum term of 30 years.
“Protecting children and teenagers from sexual exploitation is a critical part of our mission,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “I’m grateful to the FBI for its swift and careful work on this case and the work the Bureau does every day to protect kids.”
On August 16, 2023, while in Grandville, Hungerford recorded a minor female under the age of 18 engaged in sexually explicit activity, and specifically depicting her private areas, without her knowledge or consent. Hungerford made the recording on his iPhone and saved it on a removable storage device. On May 24, 2024, Hungerford was charged by criminal complaint with distribution of child pornography following a federal search warrant that same day. He has been held in custody since his arrest.
Hungerford’s signed plea agreement is attached. The previous release can be viewed here.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case.
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Former prosecutor goes to prison for extorting moneyRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – The former elected Starr County Attorney has been sentenced for extortion under color of law, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Victor Canales Jr., 51, pleaded guilty Sept. 5, 2023.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Canales to serve 37 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard testimony from an auditor with the Texas Attorney General’s Office describing the cash deposits made into Canales’s personal accounts and his use of funds from the Starr County Attorney’s account. In imposing the sentence, the court determined the amount of the bribes at $44,000. The court also noted comments about the culture of corruption in Starr County, and said today’s sentence would act as a deterrent to that corruption.
“Prosecutors of all stripes, whether at the federal, state or city level, are defined by an oath, one to serve and protect their communities. It’s an oath that seeks only one thing—justice,” said Hamdani. “Victor Canales Jr. violated that oath and the trust of Starr County’s residents in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars in bribes. As an office of dedicated public servants, including 200 prosecutors, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District has little patience for corrupt officials, especially when a prosecutor trades his authority, his oath, for personal gain.”
“Today’s sentencing highlights the FBI’s commitment to combat public corruption at every level. Citizens in the Rio Grande Valley deserve local government officials who can be trusted,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office. “The FBI would like to thank our Operation Ice River partners at the Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as Texas Office of the Attorney General, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Rangers for their continued collaboration in rooting out corruption and keeping our communities safe.”
Canales was the Starr County Attorney from 2005 to 2022. In that role, he was responsible for prosecuting misdemeanor crimes.
In September 2021, a woman reached out to Canales for assistance because her son had been charged with three misdemeanor offenses in Starr County. He said he could help her and that for $1500, he could take care of the Starr County tickets.
The mother gave Canales three money orders totaling $1500. He deposited the proceeds into his own checking account and used it for his own personal needs rather than depositing the monies into the Starr County account.
Canales then sent a series of letters to Cameron County indicating the three charges against the woman’s son would be dropped.
Canales was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI worked in partnership with the Texas Attorney General’s Office to conduct the Border Corruption Task Force investigation with the assistance of Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety - Criminal Investigations and Texas Rangers.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Cook Profit prosecuted the case.
Former USPS Supervisor Admits Stealing Cash and Gift Cards from MailRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, announced that DEBRA WATSON, 64, of Chicopee, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to obstruction of mails.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Watson was employed as a supervisor at the U.S. Postal Service’s processing and distribution center in Hartford. From December 2021 through July 2022, Watson took envelopes from the mail stream, removed cash and gift cards, resealed the envelopes, and returned them to the mail stream at another location. When confronted by law enforcement on July 15, 2022, Watson had 53 pieces of mail on her person and a $500 gift card that had taken from the mail.
Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for January 21, 2025, at which time Watson faces a maximum term of imprisonment of six months.
This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Dearington.
Former Sioux City Plastic Surgeon Agrees to Pay Nearly $200,000 to Settle Allegations He Submitted False ClaimsRead the Press Release
Adam B. Smith, M.D., also known as “Adam Bryant,” has agreed to pay $198,755.42 to the United States and the State of Iowa to resolve allegations that he billed government health insurance programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, for medically unnecessary procedures and for procedures more complicated than those he performed. The settlement resolves allegations brought by the United States and the State of Iowa in a Civil Complaint filed last May in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. The settlement amount was based on Smith’s ability to pay.
In its Complaint, the government alleged that, from August 2014 until August 2019, Smith was practicing as a plastic surgeon in Sioux City in association with Tri-State Specialists, L.L.P. During that time, the government alleged, Smith engaged in a scheme to overcharge government health care programs by falsely claiming that cosmetic procedures he performed were medically necessary and that the medically necessary procedures he billed for were more complicated (and more highly compensated) than what he performed. Cosmetic procedures are generally not covered by Medicare or Medicaid. To obtain federal payment for procedures that would not otherwise be covered, the government alleged Dr. Smith claimed he performed complicated hernia repair or tissue transfer procedures when he actually performed body contouring, tummy tucks, and cosmetic procedures to remove excess skin and fat.
The Complaint also contended that Smith submitted claims for more expensive wound repair procedures and office visits by claiming the wounds he repaired were larger, the procedures he performed were more complex, and the office visits were more thorough, than they actually were. This practice, known as “upcoding,” occurs when medical providers fraudulently overcharge insurers for more significant (and more expensive) procedures than they perform.
In February 2021, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement relating to a healthcare matter, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1035(a), in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan. As part of his plea, Smith acknowledged that he had falsely described a cosmetic procedure as medically necessary and reimbursable by Medicare while he was practicing medicine in Traverse City, Michigan from May 2011 to January 2014. Smith voluntarily surrendered his South Dakota medical license in 2019 and his Iowa medical license in 2021.
The United States entered into a settlement agreement with Smith’s employer, Tri-State Specialists, LLP, in December 2021, resolving the same allegations for $612,501.44.
“Government healthcare programs depend on the honesty and competency of healthcare providers. Our office will work tirelessly to pursue providers who break that trust and to recover dollars meant to benefit the American people,” said United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax.
“Holding health care professionals accountable for submitting false claims to Medicare and Medicaid is crucial for maintaining public trust and ensuring critical resources are appropriately used,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley with the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our other law enforcement partners will continue to collaborate to protect the integrity of federal health care programs.”
“Today’s outcome demonstrates the collaboration among the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and its investigative partners to safeguard taxpayer dollars that fund programs like Tricare, the military’s healthcare system,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan Settle of the DCIS Southwest Field Office. “As the criminal investigative arm of the DoD Office of Inspector General, DCIS is committed to investigating those who put the health of America’s warfighters and their families at risk.”
This civil matter arose from an action brought under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act.
The claims asserted against Smith are allegations only; there was no determination or admission of liability.
The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon J. Gray and Brian J. Keogh and the State of Iowa Attorney General’s Office and investigated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the United States Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and the State of Iowa’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
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Former Employee Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $135,000 from Dupo School DistrictRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A Waterloo woman admitted guilt to a federal charge Monday for embezzling more than $135,000 as a former employee of Dupo Community Unit School District #196.
Linda J. Johnson, 58, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of theft from a federally funded program.
According to court documents, Johnson committed the embezzlement while employed in an administrative support role in the superintendent’s office between 2020 and 2022. In this role, Johnson was responsible for depositing cash and checks into the district’s activities account intended to support student athletics, clubs, and extracurriculars.
To conceal her crime, she would prepare bank deposit slips reflecting the correct amount of cash and checks received, but later she prepared a second set of fraudulent deposit slips that only accounted for the checks, while she kept the cash.
“Stealing funds from student activities directly deprives children of opportunities within their extracurriculars,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Although the defendant tried to conceal her crime from school officials by preparing two sets of records, her deceit was discovered, and she will be held accountable.”
The loss to the school district is $135,566.80.
“The FBI works to protect the well-being of our children on many levels, and investigating the embezzlement of school funds is no different,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “FBI Springfield would like to thank the Dupo Police Department for their vital role in this investigation.”
Theft from a federally funded program convictions are punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment and fines up to $250,000. Johnson’s sentencing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 27, 2025, at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.
Officials with the Dupo School District said the plea agreement reached Monday represents accountability for a serious breach of public trust that impacted their students, staff, and the entire Dupo School District community. They said they are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their diligent work in securing justice for our students and taxpayers.
The Dupo Police Department and the FBI Springfield Field Office are directing the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Weinhoeft is prosecuting the case.
Former Detroit Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Lying to Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A former Detroit Police Officer pleaded guilty today to lying to federal agents who were investigating bribery allegations, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Dametri J. Wade, age 26, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to a federal agent before United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith.
According to the plea agreement, while employed by the Detroit Police Department and driving a Detroit Police scout car, Wade was present at the scene of a larceny that occurred on August 11, 2022, on Saint Maron Street in the City of Detroit. The perpetrators of the larceny used false documents to make it appear like they had legal authority to access the property. Wade was present at the scene in his Detroit Police Department vehicle to further the ruse that the perpetrators of the larceny were legally permitted to enter the home in question.
Wade was interviewed about this incident by FBI agents conducting a bribery investigation on December 19, 2022. Wade denied any knowledge of a larceny at the Saint Maron street property. In fact, Wade knew that there was going to be a larceny at the property, and that his presence was necessary to further the fiction that the larceny’s perpetrators were entering the property for a legally valid purpose. At the time he made the statement to the FBI agents, Wade knew that the statement was false, and he further knew that making false statements to the FBI was unlawful.
“Lying to law enforcement is never acceptable, but for an officer sworn to uphold the law to do so is inexcusable,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “Today’s conviction should send a strong message that no one, even a police officer, is above the law.”
"Today’s guilty plea from former Detroit Police Officer Dametri Wade reinforces our unwavering commitment to enforcing the highest standards of integrity in law enforcement," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Detroit. "We appreciate the crucial collaboration with Detroit Police Chief White and his department throughout this investigation. Let it be clear: Wade’s actions do not represent the exemplary standards of the Detroit Police Department. The FBI's Detroit Area Public Corruption Task Force will relentlessly pursue any acts of public corruption, ensuring accountability for those who break the law and safeguarding the public's trust in those dedicated to protecting our great community."
Sentencing for Wade is scheduled for February 5, 2025. Wade faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with Investigators of the Detroit Police Department's Professional Standards Bureau. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Moran.
Former Detroit Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Lying to Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A former Detroit Police Officer pleaded guilty today to lying to federal agents who were investigating bribery allegations, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Dametri J. Wade, age 26, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to a federal agent before United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith.
According to the plea agreement, while employed by the Detroit Police Department and driving a Detroit Police scout car, Wade was present at the scene of a larceny that occurred on August 11, 2022, on Saint Maron Street in the City of Detroit. The perpetrators of the larceny used false documents to make it appear like they had legal authority to access the property. Wade was present at the scene in his Detroit Police Department vehicle to further the ruse that the perpetrators of the larceny were legally permitted to enter the home in question.
Wade was interviewed about this incident by FBI agents conducting a bribery investigation on December 19, 2022. Wade denied any knowledge of a larceny at the Saint Maron street property. In fact, Wade knew that there was going to be a larceny at the property, and that his presence was necessary to further the fiction that the larceny’s perpetrators were entering the property for a legally valid purpose. At the time he made the statement to the FBI agents, Wade knew that the statement was false, and he further knew that making false statements to the FBI was unlawful.
“Lying to law enforcement is never acceptable, but for an officer sworn to uphold the law to do so is inexcusable,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “Today’s conviction should send a strong message that no one, even a police officer, is above the law.”
"Today’s guilty plea from former Detroit Police Officer Dametri Wade reinforces our unwavering commitment to enforcing the highest standards of integrity in law enforcement," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Detroit. "We appreciate the crucial collaboration with Detroit Police Chief White and his department throughout this investigation. Let it be clear: Wade’s actions do not represent the exemplary standards of the Detroit Police Department. The FBI's Detroit Area Public Corruption Task Force will relentlessly pursue any acts of public corruption, ensuring accountability for those who break the law and safeguarding the public's trust in those dedicated to protecting our great community."
Sentencing for Wade is scheduled for February 5, 2025. Wade faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with Investigators of the Detroit Police Department's Professional Standards Bureau. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Moran.
Foreign National Convicted of Conspiring to Export US-Made Drill Rigs to Iran in Violation of US Sanctions LawsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — A federal jury convicted Brian Assi, also known as Brahim Assi, yesterday of conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR), attempted unlawful export of goods from the United States to Iran without a license, attempted smuggling goods from the United States, submitting false or misleading export information, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
“The defendant schemed to unlawfully export U.S.-origin mining drills to Iran, while deceiving his employer into believing that they were being sent to Iraq,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “This conviction affirms the Justice Department’s resolve to disrupt and hold accountable those who evade our sanctions against Iran, wherever in the world they may be.”
“As this verdict makes clear, no matter how hard you try to obfuscate your scheme to send restricted U.S. items to Iran, we will work tirelessly to bring your conduct to light and ensure you face justice,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). “We take action whenever we uncover attempts to evade our sanctions, especially when those efforts are designed to support adversaries like Iran.”
“Efforts to conceal impermissible transactions and circumvent imposed sanctions represent a threat to both the United States economic and national security interests,” said U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody for the Northern District of Florida. “Today’s verdict demonstrates our collective resolve to hold those who violate regulatory restrictions accountable for their criminal conduct.”
According to evidence presented at trial, Assi was a Middle East-based salesman of a multinational heavy machinery manufacturer with a U.S.-based subsidiary and production plant located in northern Florida. Assi conspired with individuals affiliated with Sakht Abzar Pars Co. (SAP-Iran), based in Tehran, Iran, to export U.S.-made heavy machinery indirectly to Iran without first obtaining the required licenses from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Assi and his Iranian co-conspirators orchestrated the scheme by locating an Iraq-based distributor to serve as the forward-facing purchaser of two U.S.-origin blasthole drills from the U.S. subsidiary of Assi’s employer. The drills are a type of heavy machinery used to create holes in the ground that are then filled with controlled explosives for mining.
Assi facilitated the sale of the drills and attempted to export them to Iran and used freight forwarding companies to ship the heavy equipment from the U.S. to Turkey. In doing so, Assi concealed any Iranian involvement in the transaction from his employer, claiming the drills were ultimately destined for use in Iraq. But in truth, Assi intended for his Iranian co-conspirators to transship or reexport those items from Turkey to Iran, in circumvention of U.S. export control and sanctions laws.
In furtherance of the conspiracy, Assi concealed his activities with his Iranian co-conspirators by causing false information to be entered into the Automated Export System (AES), a U.S.-government database containing information about exports from the United States. The U.S.-based plant hired a U.S. freight forwarder to arrange the drill’s export from the United States to Iraq. As part of the shipping process, the freight forwarder submitted information to AES about the shipment, including the ultimate consignee’s name and the ultimate delivery destination. Assi misled his employer by claiming that the Iraqi distributor was the ultimate consignee, and that the ultimate delivery destination was Iraq. In fact, Assi knew that his coconspirators in Iran were the true intended recipients, and Iran was the ultimate intended delivery destination.
In furtherance of the illicit transaction, Assi and his coconspirators caused the transfer of approximately $2.7 million from Turkey to pass through the United States.
Sentencing for Brian Assi is scheduled for Jan. 7, 2025.
The BIS is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew J. Grogan and Harley W. Ferguson for the Northern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
Federal jury convicts Belgrade man of unlawful possession of firearm and ammunitionRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A federal jury on Monday convicted a Belgrade man of a firearms crime after he was accused of illegally possessing two handguns and ammunition while he was the subject of a court restraining order, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
After a one-day trial that began on Oct. 28, the jury found the defendant, Jordan Charles Kirsch, 34, guilty of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Kirsch faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for March 12, 2025. Kirsch was detained pending further proceedings.
“Firearms involved in domestic disputes often lead to tragic results. Here, Kirsch was under a court order of protection restraining him from any violence against the petitioner, and yet he illegally possessed two guns in violation of federal law. I am pleased the jury agreed with us and convicted him, and I am grateful to our prosecution team and law enforcement partners for their work to protect the safety of our fellow Montanans,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that on Dec. 19, 2023, a state district court judge in Gallatin County conducted a hearing and issued a final Order of Protection for 10 years against Kirsch. The court’s order found that the petitioner was in danger of harm, restrained Kirsch from committing or threatening to commit any acts of violence to the petitioner and ordered Kirsch not to threaten, harass, abuse, follow, stalk, annoy or disturb the petitioner.
In April 2024, a court order was issued for Kirsch to be removed from a Belgrade residence and for possession of the residence to be delivered to the petitioner. A sheriff’s office detective conducting surveillance observed Kirsch exit the residence with a black semi-automatic handgun and fire it 10 to 20 times toward a berm near the property. On May 2, 2024, Kirsch was arrested and evicted from the property. A search warrant was executed on the property, and law enforcement found two firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in various calibers.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Missouri River Drug Task Force and Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Federal Jury Finds Man Guilty of Defrauding UConnRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in Hartford has found DICKSON ALORWORNU, also known as “Dixon Al,” 35, a citizen of Ghana residing in Greenwich, guilty of fraud offenses. The trial before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala began on October 23 and the jury returned guilty verdicts on both counts of an indictment this afternoon.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, in December 2017, Alorwornu used other individuals’ names, fake Social Security numbers, and email addresses to submit two non-degree student applications to the University of Connecticut (“UConn”). He then used American Express card information that had been stolen from three victims to fund the two student accounts with a total of more than $62,000 in fraudulently obtained funds. In early 2018, Alorwornu withdrew from the courses and requested that UConn refund the money he had deposited. UConn subsequently transferred tens of thousands of dollars to bank accounts Alorwornu controlled. The investigation revealed that the email accounts that Alorwornu used to defraud UConn were also used to commit fraud at other universities.
The jury found Alorwornu guilty of two counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count. Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for February 19.
Alorwornu was arrested on February 1, 2023. He is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the UConn Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Chang and Elena Coronado.
Federal Jury Convicts Belzoni Man of Conspiracy for Role in Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
Aberdeen, MS – A federal jury convicted Belzoni resident Jarvis Hood, 23, of conspiring to transfer firearms to Chicago, Illinois residents and making false statements to federal firearms licensees during the purchase of multiple firearms.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the investigation began after agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives noticed a high volume of firearms recovered in crimes in the City of Chicago, Illinois had been purchased in the Northern District of Mississippi. Some of the firearms involved in new crimes had been purchased as recent as one day prior to use in a new offense.
Several of the firearms were recovered in violent crimes and had machinegun devices attached that converted the firearms to be able to fire automatically. In total, investigators identified over 60 firearms that were purchased illegally and transported to Chicago for resale. Five defendants previously pled guilty for their roles in the offense.
Hood was charged with conspiracy to transfer firearms to out-of-state residents and to make false statements to federal firearms licensees during firearms purchases. After a five-day trial, a federal jury returned a verdict Monday finding Hood guilty of the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for February 4, 2025.
“This defendant and his cohorts profited and contributed to the gun violence plaguing Chicago by illegally trafficking in firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “AUSAs Julie Addison and Sam Stringfellow led an interagency team that has helped to stem the flow of illegal firearms from Mississippi to Chicago while also ensuring that the defendant will be held accountable for his criminal actions.”
“Machine gun conversion devices threaten the safety of our communities and law enforcement officers, and this verdict reinforces the urgent need to dismantle trafficking networks bringing these dangerous devices and firearms to the streets of Chicago,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon of the Chicago Field Division. “I thank the ATF Oxford Mississippi Field Office and the Northern District of Mississippi United States Attorney’s Office for their continued partnership.”
The case was investigated by the Chicago Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the ATF Oxford, Mississippi Field Office. Valuable contributions were made by the Chicago Police Department, Wilmette Police Department, and Amtrak Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Addison and Samuel Stringfellow prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Federal Indictment Charges Three Men with Chicago CarjackingRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted three men on carjacking and firearm charges for allegedly violently stealing a vehicle in Chicago.
MARQUELL DAVIS, 22, RAMONE BRADLEY, 26, and EDMUND SINGLETON, 34, all of Chicago, conspired to take an Infiniti Q50 and a BMW X6 on Nov. 3, 2022, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Davis carried a firearm while the trio carjacked the Infiniti’s driver at a gas station in the Roseland neighborhood of Chicago, the indictment states. Later that day, Bradley and Davis carried firearms while they attempted to carjack the BMW at a gas station in Chicago’s Douglas neighborhood, the indictment states. Davis took the BMW driver’s car key, but he and Bradley were not successful in stealing the vehicle, the indictment states.
All three defendants are currently in law enforcement custody. Bradley faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. Davis and Singleton face mandatory minimum sentences of seven years and a maximum of life. Arraignments are scheduled for Nov. 5, 2024, at 1:15 p.m., before U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret A. Steindorf.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
davis_et_al_indictment.pdfFederal Escapee Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who was finishing his prison sentence at a residential reentry center for a 2020 escape and then escaped again in 2023 was sentenced on October 28, 2024, to more than two years in federal prison.
Caleb Lee Olson, age 49, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 15, 2024, guilty plea to one count of escape from Federal Bureau of Prisons custody on November 27, 2023.
At the guilty plea, Olson admitted that on November 27, 2023, he was completing his sentence for a 2020 escape in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons at Gerald R. Hinzman Center in Cedar Rapids when he left the facility without permission and did not return. Olson was found in Marion, Iowa, and was arrested on December 5, 2023.
Olson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Olson was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Olson 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 Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by United States Marshals Service and the Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-00003.
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Federal Court Permanently Shuts Down Indiana Tax Preparer and CompanyRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana permanently enjoined an Indianapolis-area tax return preparer and his company yesterday from preparing federal tax returns for others and from owning or operating any tax return preparation businesses in the future.
According to the civil complaint filed in the case, Juan Santiago resides in Lakeland, Florida, but travels to Indianapolis for tax preparation season to operate his tax preparation business, Madison Solutions LLC. Santiago failed to respond to the civil complaint filed against him, so the court entered the permanent injunction against him by default.
The civil complaint alleges that Santiago and Madison Solutions used a variety of schemes to improperly reduce their customers’ tax liabilities or to obtain tax refunds to which the customers were not entitled. The complaint alleges that Santiago repeatedly placed false or incorrect items, deductions, exemptions or statuses on customers’ tax returns without their knowledge. For example, the complaint alleges that Santiago routinely elected head of household filing status and child tax credits for customers when they were otherwise not qualified for such status or credits. The complaint also alleges that Santiago reported fictitious businesses on customers’ returns and fabricated business expenses and income to fraudulently reduce taxable income.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways to safeguard their personal information.
In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Santiago - Permanent Injunction.pdfEight-Time Mail Robbers Sentenced to Combined 21 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
The men responsible for eight mail carrier robberies were sentenced today to a combined 21 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Jerrad Coleman, 18, and Louis Dixon, 18, were charged via criminal complaint in April. Mr. Dixon pleaded guilty in June to robbery of property of the United States and conspiracy to rob and unlawfully possess property of the United States, while Mr. Coleman pleaded guilty to the same charges the following month.
The pair were sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, who noted that the U.S. Postal Service is critical to the functioning of our country and called their crime a “heinous offense.” Mr. Coleman was sentenced to 60 months on count one and 91 months on count two to run consecutively, for a combined 151 months (12 ½ years) in federal prison; Mr. Dixon was sentenced to 60 months on count one and 108 months on count two to run concurrently for a total of 108 months (9 years) in federal prison.
“Violence against letter carriers not only puts federal workers in fear for their lives, but also undermines the functioning of the U.S. postal system,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to aggressively pursue and prosecute individuals that endanger our Postal colleagues and the system as a whole.”
“Today’s sentencing serves as a notice to those who wish to commit violent acts against U.S. Postal Service employees that the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with our law enforcement partners, are committed to finding those responsible and bringing justice to the victims. U.S. Postal Service employees are delivering across America and deserve to work in their communities free from danger,” said Kai Pickens, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Fort Worth Division.
According to court documents, the men trawled the streets of DFW looking for U.S. Postal Service letter carriers to rob in hopes of obtaining an Arrow Key, a master key used by letter carriers to gather mail deposited in blue collection boxes. Unauthorized possession of these keys, prized by mail thieves, allows individuals to illicitly access mailboxes to steal victim mail, checks, credit cards, bank account information, and other sensitive information.
Over the course of about four months, the men conspired to commit robberies against U.S. Postal Service Letter Carriers, including those on Jan. 17 in Fort Worth, Jan. 18 in Fort Worth, Jan. 25 in Dallas, Jan. 29 in Dallas, March 15 in Fort Worth, March 28 in Arlington, April 4 in Frisco, and April 17 in Fort Worth.
After robbing the mail carriers, often at gunpoint, the men fled in getaway vehicles. They then unlawfully used, sold, or disposed of the Arrow Keys.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation with the help of the Arlington, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Frisco Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Levi Thomas prosecuted the case.
Eight Defendants Charged in Federal Drug Trafficking Probe Targeting Fentanyl and Cocaine Sales in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal investigation has resulted in federal drug and firearm charges against eight individuals for allegedly trafficking fentanyl and cocaine on the South Side of Chicago.
An indictment unsealed Friday in federal court in Chicago accuses the eight defendants of conspiring to traffic fentanyl and cocaine from March 2023 to July 2024. During the conspiracy, the defendants used a residence in the 2000 block of West 69th Place in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago to carry out their illicit activities, the indictment states. The defendants possessed loaded handguns while engaged in their drug trafficking crimes, the indictment states.
During the investigation, law enforcement seized distribution quantities of suspected fentanyl-laced heroin and crack cocaine, as well as more than a dozen firearms and associated ammunition.
Charged with federal drug and firearm offenses are PATRICK TUCKER, 33, THOMAS CUNNINGHAM, 29, DARIUS JOHNSON, 23, KYWANTE SHUMAKE, 26, KEONTIS SHUMAKE, 23, KAMARI ROSS, 26, DREQUAN BASS, 26, and LACOLA WILLIAMS, 26, all of Chicago. The charges in the indictment carry a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Tucker and Cunningham also face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, while the others face a mandatory minimum of ten years. The defendants were arraigned in U.S. District Court in Chicago and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen B. McCurry and Michael Maione.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers and other criminal offenders 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 against criminal networks.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
tucker_et_al_indictment.pdfDrug Dealer Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Opioid Pill Mill Scheme That Illegally Distributed More Than 1.2 Million Oxycodone PillsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Michael Kent was sentenced by United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly to nine years in prison for his role in recruiting sham patients, paying off complicit pharmacists and illegally distributing oxycodone in a Brooklyn-based narcotics conspiracy. Kent pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone in September 2023. Kent also paid $635,875 in forfeiture in advance of his sentencing.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), Naomi Gruchacz, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and Thomas M. Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI), announced the sentence.
“The opioid epidemic has destroyed countless families and communities in our district, New York City and across the country,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The proliferation of pill mill clinics, like the medical office involved in this case, significantly contributes to the opioid crisis. Today’s sentencing holds the defendant accountable for his role in callously diverting highly potent and addictive drugs from medical offices to the streets of New York.”
Mr. Peace also thanked the New York City Department of Investigation, the New York City Police Department and the New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, for their assistance on the case.
“Michael Kent knew the harmful effects of his pill mill scheme, and knowingly jeopardize the health and safety of those individuals he profited from, all while exacerbating the opioid crisis. Today’s sentencing sends a clear message to those individuals putting profits over human lives and looking to capitalize from the illegal sale of addictive opioids” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Tarentino. “The DEA remains committed to fighting this opioid crisis head on and those who exploit it.”
“The defendant in this case was involved in a scheme to steer controlled substances to the street, which is especially egregious given the ongoing opioid epidemic,” stated HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Gruchacz. “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure individuals involved in fraud schemes that exploit federal health care programs and threaten patient safety are held accountable.”
“Kent created an extravagant, multi-layered scheme in order to earn a simple title—drug dealer. He had no regard for the welfare of those buying the oxy as long as he lined his pockets, which were fat enough to buy three buildings in New York City. Unlucky for him, this elaborate scam was not too tricky for law enforcement to figure out, and he is now sentenced to time behind bars,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Fattorusso.
As set forth in the indictment and publicly filed documents, between December 2018 and October 2022, Kent and his co-defendants operated a drug distribution ring out of a medical practice on Linden Boulevard in East New York, Brooklyn. Together, they unlawfully distributed more than 11,000 prescriptions for oxycodone, amounting to more than 1.2 million oxycodone pills, which carry a street value of at least $24 million. They made millions of dollars from the scheme. Nine defendants have been charged in this matter, including one doctor and four Brooklyn-based pharmacists. In addition to Kent, five co-defendants have pleaded guilty. Three co-defendants are scheduled for trial in January 2025.
As part of his role in the scheme, Kent recruited approximately 45 sham patients who were prescribed more than six kilograms of medically unnecessary oxycodone over a four-year period. Kent paid these individuals for the use of their names, picked up the oxycodone from pharmacists, whom he paid off, and sold the oxycodone to dealers for distribution on the street. Kent then laundered the drug proceeds through a shell company he created called “Michael’s Cleaning Service,” using the money to buy three buildings in New York City. When he was arrested in October 2022, law enforcement officers recovered two loaded firearms from his home and seized thousands of dollars in cash.
Oxycodone is a highly addictive opioid used to treat severe and chronic pain conditions. Every year, millions of Americans abuse oxycodone, and the misuse of prescription painkillers like oxycodone leads to hundreds of thousands of annual emergency room visits. More than 14,000 Americans died from prescription opioid overdoses in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Oxycodone prescriptions have enormous cash value to drug dealers. For example, one oxycodone 30 mg tablet, which was the dosage prescribed in this case, can be sold by dealers on the street for between $20 and $30 in New York City.
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.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Zuckerwise, Victor Zapana and Gilbert Rein are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from paralegal specialists Rachel Friedman and Nadya Osman. Assistant United States Attorney Claire Kedeshian of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.
The Defendant:
MICHAEL KENT
Age: 51
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-464 (AMD)
Drug Dealer Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – An Elberta man was sentenced on October 28, 2024, to 15 years in federal prison for his possession with intent to distribute of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Baldwin County, Alabama. Marcus Allen Heaton, 38, was identified during several encounters with Baldwin County sheriff’s investigators from 2019 through 2021.
Court documents show that in May of 2021, Heaton was driving a vehicle displaying improper rear lights. Baldwin County sheriff’s deputies stopped the vehicle and initiated an investigation. A drug detecting dog was used to walk around the outside of the vehicle, and the dog gave a positive alert for the odor of drugs emanating from the vehicle. The deputies searched the vehicle and found 132.6 grams of methamphetamine divided among five plastic bags, packaged in that manner for resale. The deputies also found 6.58 grams of fentanyl divided among three other plastic bags, also packaged for resale. Heaton’s phone was seized during the stop and deputies obtained a search warrant to examine the contents. In the phone, deputies found numerous texts and electronic messages relating to Heaton’s distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Heaton pled guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, one for methamphetamine and one for fentanyl, in June of 2024.
United States District Court Judge Jeffery Beaverstock imposed a sentence of 15 years imprisonment for Heaton’s illegal possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The sentence was the minimum mandatory sentence under federal law based on the amount of methamphetamine involved in the offense and Heaton’s prior convictions for serious drug felonies. On the charge for Heaton’s illegal possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, the judge imposed a sentence of 130 months imprisonment, which will run concurrently with the sentence on the methamphetamine charge. When Heaton is released from custody, he will serve 5 years of supervised release. Heaton’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 Heaton was ordered to pay $200 in special mandatory assessments.
The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Doctor Sentenced for $54M Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Texas doctor was sentenced today to 10 years and one month in prison and ordered to pay over $34 million in restitution for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare by prescribing durable medical equipment and cancer genetic testing without seeing, speaking to, or otherwise treating patients.
According to court documents, Daniel R. Canchola M.D., 54, of Flower Mound, agreed to electronically sign doctor’s orders for durable medical equipment (DME) and cancer genetic testing that he knew were used to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare. From August 2018 through April 2019, Canchola received approximately $30 in exchange for each doctor’s order he signed authorizing DME and cancer genetic test orders that were not legitimately prescribed, not needed, or not used — totaling more than $466,000 in kickbacks. The doctor’s orders Canchola signed were used to submit more than $54 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare. According to court filings, the Medicare beneficiaries for whom Canchola prescribed DME and cancer genetic testing were targeted by telemarketing campaigns and at health fairs, and they were induced to submit to the cancer genetic testing and to receive the DME regardless of medical necessity.
In October 2022, Canchola pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Dallas Regional Office; and Chief William Marlowe of the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) made the announcement.
HHS-OIG and MFCU investigated the case.
Assistant Chief Brynn Schiess and Trial Attorney Ethan Womble of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Dibble Man Sentenced to Serve 10 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting Mother on Hospice Care in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – BILLY JACK WAITMAN, 39, of Dibble, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison for committing an assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On December 5, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment against Waitman, charging him with attempting to commit murder and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. According to public record, in the months leading up to July 2023, Waitman lived with his mother, who at the time was a terminally ill, bedridden hospice patient. Family members told law enforcement that Waitman was growing hostile toward his mother, and made several threatening remarks, including that he intended to kill her, in March 2023. That remark was heard by a family member, who called authorities and had Waitman placed into custody. He was released four days later.
On July 24, 2023, another family member of Waitman’s came to the defendant’s home and found Waitman on top of the victim with his hands on her. The family member restrained Waitman, and he was arrested shortly after. A further evaluation of the victim showed that Waitman had brutally assaulted the victim, and she was taken to a nearby hospital. The victim was released to a nursing home and died three days later of what was determined to be natural causes.
On April 16, 2024, Waitman pleaded guilty to Count 2 of the Indictment, and admitted he assaulted the victim in Indian country, and the victim sustained serious bodily injuries that involved extreme physical pain.
This case is in federal court because Waitman is a member of the Choctaw Nation and the crime was committed within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation.
At the sentencing hearing on October 29, 2024, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones sentenced Waitman to serve 120 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted there was an “avalanche of evidence” showing Defendant intended to harm his mother because he considered her a burden.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Division and the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department, in collaboration with the Chickasaw Nation Office of Tribal Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark R. Stoneman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaleigh Blackwell prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced today to 17 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon and in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
According to public court documents, in July 2023, Deandre Julian Hensley, 30, possessed a loaded nine-millimeter pistol in his waistband and approximately 7.5 grams of crack cocaine in his pocket when he was arrested for outstanding warrants. The firearm recovered from Hensley was the same firearm that he shot near a downtown Davenport bar earlier in July 2023. Two bystanders were injured in that shooting.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Hensley will be required to serve a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Darnell Bishop Sentenced to 15 Years for Role in Benton Harbor Dunham’s Store Handgun TheftRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Darnell Bishop, 32, of Benton Harbor, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for kidnapping and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
“Mr. Bishop’s criminal scheme, had it succeeded, would have flooded the streets of southwest Michigan with illegal guns,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “The proliferation of illegal guns is one cause behind the gun violence epidemic we are experiencing in Benton Harbor, across the state, and across the nation. I am grateful to our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners for their swift and smart response that prevented the worst from happening. Moving forward, we will continue to focus our efforts on those few individuals who are driving gun violence in their communities.”
Bishop was charged along with his brother and codefendant, Dontrell Nance, for the theft of 123 handguns from Benton Harbor Dunham’s Sports Store. Bishop and Nance kidnapped the Dunham’s manager from outside the manager’s home using a pistol, blindfolded and handcuffed him, took him to a second location, and threatened the manager into providing the alarm code for Dunham’s. Bishop then went to the store and stole 123 pistols, which he carried away in two large coolers. Law enforcement has since recovered all the firearms.
Nance previously pled guilty to kidnapping and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.
“Today’s sentence is an example of our commitment to our industry partners and their employees, that their safety and security is one of ATF’s top priorities,” said Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “Mr. Bishop and his cohorts need to be held accountable for their actions and represent the most deserving of Federal prosecution. They are criminals who put personal greed before the safety of Dunham’s employees and their families. Now, they will have plenty of time in prison to reflect on their wrongdoing.”
“Mr. Bishop’s sentencing brings closure to a community left rattled by a violent attack against Dunham’s Sports and its manager in a plot to traffic over 100 illegal guns into our streets,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “I am thankful for the cooperation of our law enforcement partners, especially the Benton Harbor Safe Streets Task Force, whose prompt response thwarted this plot and averted potentially devastating consequences.”
This case was investigated by the Benton Charter Township Police Department, Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety, Berrien County Sheriff’s Department, Michigan State Police, ATF, and FBI.
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The previous press releases, complaint, and press conference can be viewed at the following links here, here, here, here, and here.