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Monday 16 September 2024
Suspect at Trump International Golf Course Charged with Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
MIAMI - Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, of Hawaii, has been charged by a criminal complaint in the Southern District of Florida with firearms charges related to an incident at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach on Sept. 15.
Routh was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession and receipt of a firearm with an obliterated serial number and made his initial appearance today before Magistrate Judge Ryon M. McCabe in the federal courthouse in West Palm Beach. A detention hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 23. The investigation remains ongoing.
According to allegations in the criminal complaint, a Secret Service agent walking the golf course perimeter saw what appeared to be a rifle poking out of the tree line. After the agent fired a service weapon in the direction of the rifle, a witness saw a man later identified as Routh fleeing the area of the tree line. Routh was later apprehended by officers from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
The complaint alleges that in the area of the tree line from which Routh fled, agents found a digital camera, a backpack, a loaded SKS-style rifle with a scope and a black plastic bag containing food. The serial number on the rifle was obliterated.
According to the complaint, Routh was convicted of felonies in North Carolina in December 2002 and March 2010.
The FBI is leading the ongoing investigation. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Secret Service are providing assistance.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Note: View the criminal complaint here.
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Suspect at Trump International Golf Course Charged with Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Note: View the criminal complaint here.
Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, of Hawaii, has been charged by a criminal complaint in the Southern District of Florida with firearms charges related to an incident at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach on Sept. 15.
Routh was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession and receipt of a firearm with an obliterated serial number and made his initial appearance today before Magistrate Judge Ryon M. McCabe in the federal courthouse in West Palm Beach. A detention hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 23. The investigation remains ongoing.
According to allegations in the criminal complaint, a Secret Service agent walking the golf course perimeter saw what appeared to be a rifle poking out of the tree line. After the agent fired a service weapon in the direction of the rifle, a witness saw a man later identified as Routh fleeing the area of the tree line. Routh was later apprehended by officers from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
The complaint alleges that in the area of the tree line from which Routh fled, agents found a digital camera, a backpack, a loaded SKS-style rifle with a scope and a black plastic bag containing food. The serial number on the rifle was obliterated.
According to the complaint, Routh was convicted of felonies in North Carolina in December 2002 and March 2010.
The FBI is leading the ongoing investigation. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Secret Service are providing assistance.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
South Dakota Surgical Hospital Agrees to Pay More Than $12.7M to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
Siouxland Surgery Center LLP, doing business as Dunes Surgical Hospital (Dunes), United Surgical Partners International Inc. (USPI) and USP Siouxland Inc. have agreed to pay approximately $12.76 million to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations relating to improper financial relationships between Dunes and two physician groups. Dunes is a surgical hospital located in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota. Since July 1, 2014, USPI has maintained partial ownership of Dunes through USP Siouxland, a wholly owned subsidiary of USPI. Dunes and USPI disclosed the arrangements at issue to the government following an internal compliance review and independent investigation.
The settlement resolves allegations that, from at least 2014 through 2019, Dunes made significant financial contributions to a non-profit affiliate of a physician group whose physicians referred patients to Dunes. Those payments allegedly funded the salaries of athletic trainers who generated referrals to both the physician group and to Dunes. The settlement also resolves allegations, that during the same time period, Dunes provided another physician group with free or below-fair-market-value clinic space, staff, and supplies. The United States alleged that these arrangements violated both the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) and the Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly known as the Stark Law. The AKS prohibits the provision of remuneration to induce the referral of services or items that are paid for by a federal health care program. The Stark Law prohibits hospitals from billing for certain services referred by physicians with whom the hospital has a financial relationship, unless that relationship satisfies one of the law’s statutory or regulatory exceptions. A claim submitted in violation of the AKS or the Stark Law can also violate the False Claims Act.
“The AKS and Stark Law are designed to ensure that decisions about patient care are based on physicians’ independent medical judgment and not their personal financial interest,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “As this settlement reflects, we will hold accountable those who violate these important safeguards, but we will also give to those who disclose their wrongdoing, take appropriate remedial actions and meaningfully cooperate with the government’s investigation.”
In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that Dunes and USPI took a number of significant steps entitling them to credit for cooperating with the government. Following an internal compliance review and independent investigation, Dunes and USPI promptly took remedial actions and disclosed the relevant arrangements to the government. Dunes and USPI also provided the government with a detailed and thorough written disclosure and cooperated with the government throughout its investigation.
“Illegal kickbacks and self-referrals make healthcare more expensive and create the potential for medical decisions that are not based on what is best for patients,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy T. Duax for the Northern District of Iowa. “Our office welcomes the cooperation of those who self-disclose and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that taxpayers do not bear the costs of illegal and unethical practices.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to fostering a healthcare environment that prioritizes patient well-being above all,” said U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell for the District of South Dakota. “We stand firmly against any actions that could undermine the trust and transparency that form the cornerstone of patient care and remain committed to working closely with healthcare professionals and regulatory bodies to promote ethical practices to ensure patients receive the highest standard of care.”
“Individuals and entities that participate in the federal health care system are required to obey laws designed to preserve the integrity of program funds and ensure the provision of appropriate, quality services to patients,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Together with our federal and state law enforcement partners, we remain committed to investigating allegations of improper arrangements that can put patient safety at risk.”
The settlement resolves allegations of false billings to the Medicare, TRICARE and Medicaid programs. The Medicaid program is jointly funded by the federal and state governments. In addition to the approximately $12.76 million to be paid to the federal government for alleged violations of the False Claims Act, South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska will collectively receive approximately $1.37 million for their share of the Medicaid portion of the settlement.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota; and HHS-OIG.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Trial Attorney Nathan Green, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Gray for the Northern District of Iowa and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Warner for the District of South Dakota handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the United States in the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Settlement
South Dakota Surgical Hospital Agrees to Pay More Than $12.7M to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Siouxland Surgery Center LLP, doing business as Dunes Surgical Hospital (Dunes), United Surgical Partners International Inc. (USPI) and USP Siouxland Inc. have agreed to pay approximately $12.76 million to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations relating to improper financial relationships between Dunes and two physician groups. Dunes is a surgical hospital located in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota. Since July 1, 2014, USPI has maintained partial ownership of Dunes through USP Siouxland, a wholly owned subsidiary of USPI. Dunes and USPI disclosed the arrangements at issue to the government following an internal compliance review and independent investigation.
The settlement resolves allegations that, from at least 2014 through 2019, Dunes made significant financial contributions to a non-profit affiliate of a physician group whose physicians referred patients to Dunes. Those payments allegedly funded the salaries of athletic trainers who generated referrals to both the physician group and to Dunes. The settlement also resolves allegations, that during the same time period, Dunes provided another physician group with free or below-fair-market-value clinic space, staff, and supplies. The United States alleged that these arrangements violated both the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) and the Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly known as the Stark Law. The AKS prohibits the provision of remuneration to induce the referral of services or items that are paid for by a federal health care program. The Stark Law prohibits hospitals from billing for certain services referred by physicians with whom the hospital has a financial relationship, unless that relationship satisfies one of the law’s statutory or regulatory exceptions. A claim submitted in violation of the AKS or the Stark Law can also violate the False Claims Act.
“The AKS and Stark Law are designed to ensure that decisions about patient care are based on physicians’ independent medical judgment and not their personal financial interest,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “As this settlement reflects, we will hold accountable those who violate these important safeguards, but we will also give to those who disclose their wrongdoing, take appropriate remedial actions and meaningfully cooperate with the government’s investigation.”
In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that Dunes and USPI took a number of significant steps entitling them to credit for cooperating with the government. Following an internal compliance review and independent investigation, Dunes and USPI promptly took remedial actions and disclosed the relevant arrangements to the government. Dunes and USPI also provided the government with a detailed and thorough written disclosure and cooperated with the government throughout its investigation.
“Illegal kickbacks and self-referrals make healthcare more expensive and create the potential for medical decisions that are not based on what is best for patients,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy T. Duax for the Northern District of Iowa. “Our office welcomes the cooperation of those who self-disclose and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that taxpayers do not bear the costs of illegal and unethical practices.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to fostering a healthcare environment that prioritizes patient well-being above all,” said U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell for the District of South Dakota. “We stand firmly against any actions that could undermine the trust and transparency that form the cornerstone of patient care and remain committed to working closely with healthcare professionals and regulatory bodies to promote ethical practices to ensure patients receive the highest standard of care.”
“Individuals and entities that participate in the federal health care system are required to obey laws designed to preserve the integrity of program funds and ensure the provision of appropriate, quality services to patients,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Together with our federal and state law enforcement partners, we remain committed to investigating allegations of improper arrangements that can put patient safety at risk.”
The settlement resolves allegations of false billings to the Medicare, TRICARE and Medicaid programs. The Medicaid program is jointly funded by the federal and state governments. In addition to the approximately $12.76 million to be paid to the federal government for alleged violations of the False Claims Act, South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska will collectively receive approximately $1.37 million for their share of the Medicaid portion of the settlement.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota; and HHS-OIG.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Trial Attorney Nathan Green, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Gray for the Northern District of Iowa and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Warner for the District of South Dakota handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the United States in the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Six Members of a Former Cult Convicted of Forced Labor Conspiracy Charges in Years-Long Scheme that Included Multiple MinorsRead the Press Release
Following a 26-day trial, a jury in Kansas convicted Kaaba Majeed, 50, Yunus Rassoul, 39, James Staton, 62, Randolph Rodney Hadley, 49, Daniel Aubrey Jenkins, 43, and Dana Peach, 60, of conspiracy to commit forced labor. The jury additionally convicted Kaaba Majeed of five counts of forced labor. Two other co-defendants, Etenia Kinard, 48, and Jacelyn Greenwell, 45, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit forced labor.
According to the evidence presented in court during the course of the trial, the defendants were all former high-ranking members of the United Nation of Islam (UNOI), or were wives to the UNOI founder, Royall Jenkins.
“The United Nation of Islam and these defendants held themselves out as a beacon of hope for the community, promising to educate and teach important life skills to members, particularly children,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Instead, the defendants betrayed this trust, exploiting young children in the organization by callously compelling their labor. Prosecuting this case is a testament to the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to hold human traffickers accountable. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute parasitic criminals who target vulnerable victims to finance their lifestyles.”
”The bravery shown by victims of the United Nation of Islam is inspiring, because they spoke up about heinous atrocities committed against them as vulnerable children,” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher for the District of Kansas. “In childhood, they suffered physical and emotional abuse, were denied a proper education, and were subject to forced labor. As adults, these victims found the strength and courage to pursue justice and face their abusers.”
“Under the guise of false pretenses and coercion, these victims, some of whom were as young as eight years old, endured inhumane and abhorrent conditions,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “Today’s convictions should serve as a stark warning that forced labor will not be tolerated by the FBI.”
UNOI principles included many rules that members had to follow, required “duty” or unpaid labor and emphasized the negative eternal religious consequences of noncompliance. UNOI operated businesses in various cities around the United States, including Kansas City, Kansas; New York City; Newark, New Jersey; Cincinnati, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; and Atlanta, among other locations.
In their former leadership roles in UNOI, the defendants agreed to compel the labor and services of over a dozen victims, including multiple minors, some of whom were as young as eight years old, between October 2000 and November 2012. The victims worked in UNOI-owned and operated restaurants, bakeries, gas stations, laboratory and a clothing and sewing factory, often up to 16 hours a day. The victims also provided child care and domestic services inside defendants’ homes. None of the victims was ever compensated for the years of work they performed at UNOI businesses or at the behest of the defendants. The victims all lived in deplorable conditions, in overcrowded facilities often overrun with mold, mice and rats. In contrast, the defendants and their immediate families lived comfortably.
The evidence presented in court demonstrated that the defendants used a variety of coercive tactics to compel the victims’ labor and services. In essence, the defendants effectively controlled the victims by manipulating the UNOI rules originally created by the founder.
First, the defendants separated the minor victims from their parents and support network. UNOI enticed parents to send their children to Kansas by promising an education and development of life skills through work at UNOI-operated businesses. However, these promises were false. The minors did not receive an education from an accredited and licensed school but instead worked excessive hours for UNOI’s financial benefit. UNOI’s unlicensed and unaccredited school or “university” was little more than a vehicle for extracting unpaid labor and publicly humiliating victims who violated one of UNOI’s many rules.
Second, the defendants controlled (1) what the victims viewed and read; (2) how the victims dressed; (3) how the victims addressed the defendants and others; (4) with whom the victims communicated; (5) where the victims went; and (6) what the victims ate, to ensure that the victims, particularly the females, maintained a certain weight. The defendants restricted and monitored the victims’ communications with their families, members of the opposite sex and others. The defendants required some victims to undergo colonics, which is a procedure designed to cleanse the colon by streaming gallons of water through a tube inserted into the victims’ rectums. At the same time, the defendants rarely permitted victims to receive outside medical attention for illnesses or injuries.
Third, the defendants regularly punished the victims for violating the rules. The defendants withheld food, prohibited victims from speaking to others for over two weeks, locked them in a dark, frightening basement, imposed extra work and beat them, sometimes in front of others to create a climate of fear and intimidation. The defendants even held one victim upside down over train tracks because he would not admit to stealing food when he was hungry. Another victim drank water from a toilet because she was so thirsty after not being permitted to drink.
Finally, the defendants instilled a fear of noncompliance and of leaving the UNOI by depriving victims of any education or development of life skills. The defendants also told victims that they would burn in “eternal hellfire” if they left. Family members who remained at UNOI were required to shun as “detractors” any victim who left, and UNOI claimed credit for any negative consequence that occurred to members who left the organization.
Sentencing hearings are scheduled for Feb. 18, 2025. Kaaba Majeed faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison as well as mandatory restitution. The rest of the defendants each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Kansas City Field Office, with the assistance of the Department of Labor and New York State Department of Labor, investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Huschka for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorneys Kate Alexander, Maryam Zhuravitsky and Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Senior Leaders of Violent Drug Gang Convicted of Drug Trafficking While Armed with Machine GunsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Andre Alonte Willis aka “Boogie,” 32, and Broadus Jamal Daniels aka “Wardy,” 29, both of Washington, D.C. were found guilty today of drug and gun charges related to a drug trafficking conspiracy. The verdicts were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge James Van Vliet of the ATF Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Willis and Daniels were both found guilty of conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, unlawful possession of machine guns, and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Daniels was also found guilty of possessing machine guns in furtherance of drug trafficking and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson scheduled sentencing hearings for February 2025.
“These guilty verdicts are the latest step in our ongoing effort to federally prosecute those who are driving violence or whose conduct is a magnet for violence,” said US Attorney Graves. “These defendants have been found guilty of illegally possessing numerous firearms and possessing a conversion device that could transform a handgun into a machine gun. We, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to identify those driving violence within our community and work to hold them accountable for crimes that will remove them from our community for lengthy periods of time.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, Willis was a “big homie” in the D.C. street crew known as “Push Dat Shit” or “PDS.” PDS maintained gang territory in the 3300 – 3500 blocks of Wheeler Road, Southeast, and adjacent areas, and operated an open air drug market outside the Holiday Market located at 3509 Wheeler Road, Southeast. In approximately August 2018, PDS became allied with a neighboring street gang known as Jugg Gang, or “JG,” including JG “big homie” Daniels.
Between August 2018 and April 2023, members of the allied PDS/JG street crew sold drugs from Holiday Market and from “trap houses” that they maintained in apartment buildings surrounding that location. As their drug business grew, PDS/JG became the target of drive-by shootings conducted by rival gangs – shootings they referred to as “spinning the block.” Beginning in approximately August 2019, a PDS/JG member began assembling AR-Pistol assault rifles from “kits” purchased from online retailers and modifying them to be capable of fully automatic fire. Such firearms are defined as “Privately Made Firearms” by the ATF but are frequently referred to as “ghost guns” on the street.
As was proved at trial, PDS/JG members used, carried, and possessed these “ghost gun” AR-Pistol machine guns in order to defend their territory from rival gangs, and also to “spin the block” on rival gangs in order to deter and dissuade their rivals from entering PDS/JG territory.
Andre Alonte Willis, also known as “Boogie,” faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. Willis’ sentencing is scheduled for February 6, 2024. Broadus Jamal Daniels, also known as “Wardy” and “JG Wardy” faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 65 years in prison. Daniels’ sentencing is scheduled for February 14, 2024.
This conviction is part of an ongoing joint investigation which has now resulted in 22 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 35 firearms, four machine guns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, approximately 60 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $500,000 in cash.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the ATF’s Washington Field Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson and Justin F. Song and Paralegal Specialist Melissa Macechko.
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Saint Paul Felon Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Possession of a Machine GunRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Saint Paul man has been sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegal possession of a machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on January 26, 2023, Mohamed Takieu Khan, Jr., 26, was driving a black 2013 Lincoln MKX in Saint Paul when officers with the Saint Paul Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop for speeding. Khan failed to stop, and instead accelerated through a stop sign, lost control of his vehicle, and struck another vehicle. Khan and his passenger got out of the vehicle and fled from the officers on foot. While fleeing, Khan tossed a .40 caliber Glock model 23 pistol that was equipped with a “switch” or “auto sear,” which enables the firearm to be fired as a fully automatic weapon with a single pull of the trigger. Officers searched Khan’s abandoned vehicle and found a second handgun equipped with a switch and more than 800 M-30 fentanyl pills.
On May 14, 2024, Khan pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a machine gun. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Katherine M. Menendez.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Saint Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead prosecuted the case.
SDTX initiates whistleblower non-prosecution pilot programRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) will immediately begin implementation of a pilot program to encourage early voluntary disclosure of previously unknown criminal conduct and to help identify and prosecute individuals most culpable for that misconduct, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
In exchange for self-disclosure and cooperation against others involved in the criminal conduct, SDTX will enter into a non-prosecution agreement where certain specified conditions are met.
“Rooting out fraud and corruption in the government and private sectors has always been a priority of the SDTX whether that corruption exists in the Rio Grande Valley’s smallest towns or in and around Houston, the nation’s fourth largest city,” said Hamdani. “Those cases often rely on whistleblowers, individuals who witness wrongdoing and want to do the right thing by coming forward to law enforcement. This office’s new policy is my way of encouraging those whistleblowers to come forward to assist our mission to expose and eliminate corruption throughout the district.”
The hope is to incentivize individuals and their counsel to provide actionable and timely information by providing clarity on the requirements and benefits of self-disclosure. This could potentially help the office bring more misconduct to light and better protect the communities within the SDTX.
Reporting parties can be an individual or business, but must disclose criminal conduct of public or private companies, exchanges, financial institutions, investment advisers or investment finds. The disclosed criminal conduct may involve fraud, corporate control failures, affects on market integrity, criminal conduct involving state or local bribery and fraud relating to federal, state or local funds.
To be considered, reporting parties and their related information must meet certain key sets of conditions:
- The misconduct is not already public and known to the office, any Department of Justice component or federal law enforcement agency.
- The individual or organization discloses the criminal conduct voluntarily (e.g., not in response to a government inquiry, reporting obligation, existing agreement to report or prior to imminent threat of disclosure.)
- The individual or organization can provide substantial assistance and is prepared to fully cooperate in the investigation and prosecution of the disclosed conduct and recovery of any related criminal proceeds.
- The individual or organization truthfully and completely discloses all criminal conduct they know of or in which they have participated.
- The individual must not be a federal, state or local elected or appointed official; an official or agent of a federal investigative or law enforcement agency; expected to become of major public interest; the highest-ranking person within the organization or the person who exercises primary control over the organization’s operations where the misconduct occurred.
- The individual did not lead or originate the alleged misconduct or illegal activity.
- The individual has not engaged in any criminal conduct involving the use of force or violence; any sex offense involving fraud, force or coercion of a minor; any offense involving terrorism or national security and does not have a conviction of any kind for conduct involving fraud or dishonesty.
- The individual must agree to forfeit any proceeds from the disclosed criminal wrongdoing and pay restitution to victims consistent with their role in the offense.
This policy does not apply to individuals or organizations providing information regarding violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, violations of federal or state campaign financing laws, federal patronage crimes, corruption of the electoral process, bribery of federal officials, federal tax offenses or federal environmental crimes.
The SDTX has sole discretion to determine whether an individual has satisfied each of the conditions necessary to consider a non-prosecution agreement.
Individuals or businesses who do not meet the above requirements may still be considered for a non-prosecution agreement on a discretionary basis in exchange for their cooperation after consideration of multiple factors.
Those who qualify for the Whistleblower Pilot Program are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to come clean, cooperate throughout the legal process and get on the right side of the law.
Individuals (including through counsel) seeking to be considered for the SDTX Whistleblower Pilot Program may use this WBP intake form to begin the process of disclosing criminal misconduct. Send completed document to the office at [email protected].
This policy does not apply to any other U.S. Attorney’s Office or any other litigating component of the Justice Department. It also does not supersede any provision of the Justice Manual.
Russian Citizen Arrested for Illegally Exporting U.S.-Sourced Microelectronics with Military Applications to RussiaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON—Denis Postovoy, 44, a Russian citizen living in Sarasota, Florida, was arrested this morning in Sarasota, Florida on an indictment charging him with conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act, to commit smuggling, to commit money laundering, and to defraud the United States.
The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen with the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, and Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Spradlin of HSI’s Denver Field Office.
The indictment alleges that, beginning in at least February 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Postovoy procured and illicitly exported from the United States to Russia microelectronic components with military applications. The exported microelectronics can be used in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones). Through a web of companies that he owns or operates in Russia, Hong Kong, and elsewhere, Postovoy and individuals in his network purchased the microelectronics from U.S.-based distributors and exported them to Russia without the required licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
“According to the indictment, this defendant illegally exported dual-use technology to Russia that could bolster its capabilities to wage its unprovoked war against Ukraine,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “As alleged, he lied about the final destination for the technology he was shipping and used intermediary destinations to mask this illegal activity. Fortunately, our skilled law enforcement partners at HSI and our dedicated attorneys unraveled the plot.”
“This defendant attempted to procure and illegally export dual-use microelectronics with military applications, and ultimately ship them back to Russia,” said Special Agent in Charge Spradlin, of HSI Denver. “Mr. Postovoy will now face justice for his duplicity. Our stellar agents will continue to investigate these crimes alongside our strike force partners and the Department of Justice and hold accountable these criminals who threaten the security of the United States.”
As alleged, Postovoy’s companies included WowCube HK Limited, JST Group Hong Kong, Jove HK Limited, all based in Hong Kong, and the Vector Group in Russia. Postovoy repeatedly concealed and misstated the true end users and end destinations of the microelectronics by submitting false information on documents. He transshipped items that were ultimately destined for Russia through intermediary destinations, including Hong Kong, Switzerland, and elsewhere, and received payments in U.S. dollars from foreign bank accounts. His companies transferred funds for the purchase and shipment of the goods through bank accounts in Hong Kong, Russia, and elsewhere to bank accounts in the United States, including bank accounts maintained by the U.S. suppliers of microelectronics and other sensitive technologies.
This case is being investigated by HSI Colorado Springs. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart D. Allen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Sean R. Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture and the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Recidivist Drug Trafficker from Duquesne Convicted at Trial for Firearms Offenses Following Earlier Guilty Plea to Related Fentanyl Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - After deliberating for three hours, a federal jury on September 12, 2024, found Courtney Washington of Duquesne, Pennsylvania, guilty of two counts of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Washington, 30, was tried before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand in Pittsburgh.
According to evidence presented at trial, Washington sold fentanyl to two confidential informants on April 3, 2023, during an ongoing drug trafficking investigation. Two weeks later, on April 17, 2023, law enforcement officers investigating the earlier fentanyl distribution executed a search warrant at Washington’s home and seized about $45,000 worth of fentanyl from a washing machine, where Washington unsuccessfully had attempted to destroy the drugs, along with a loaded and stolen .45 Glock handgun that Washington attempted to conceal in the ceiling rafters about six feet from the washing machine. Testimony established that the Glock was the same firearm that the confidential informants had observed in the console of Washington’s car during the April 3, 2023, transaction. Washington previously had been convicted of a federal drug trafficking felony and is therefore prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Prior to trial, Washington pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl for the April 3, 2023, conduct, as well as possession with intent to distribute the fentanyl found in the washing machine on April 17, 2023. In addition to finding Washington guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, the jury concluded that Washington possessed the firearm on April 17, 2023, in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities, another violation of federal law. Recordings of prison calls also revealed that Washington attempted to extort and intimidate the confidential informants following his arrest.
Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for January 16, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $1,250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. As Washington was on federal supervised release for his prior drug trafficking crime at the time he committed these crimes, he faces another sentence for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and V. Joseph Sonson are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Washington, with assistance from the Allegheny County Police Department and Duquesne Police Department.
Providence Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Pound of FentanylRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man who admitted to a federal judge that he was in possession of more than a pound of fentanyl when he was arrested, only a year after completing a term of incarceration in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl, and who was still on federal supervised release at the time of his most recent arrest, has been sentenced to six years in prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Felix Santos, 28, pleaded guilty on May 30, 2024, to a charge of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. He was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., on September 12, 2024, to 72 months of incarceration to be followed by four years of federal supervised release. Additionally, at the government’s request, the court ordered Santos to forfeit $3,619 in cash and assorted jewelry that he obtained as a result of his drug trafficking activities and that were seized from him at the time of his arrest.
As reflected in court documents, in May 2021, just one year after Santos was released from prison, Providence Police developed information that Santos was again involved in narcotics trafficking. Between May and June of 2021, three controlled purchases of fentanyl were conducted outside of Santos’ residence as part of a DEA investigation. On other occasions, Santos was surveilled by law enforcement engaging in behavior consistent with street-level narcotics distribution while outside his residence.
On June 25, 2021, members of the Providence Police Narcotics Bureau executed a court-authorized search of Santos’ residence and seized 457 grams of fentanyl, 50 grams of crack cocaine, and various materials and items used in the packaging and distribution of narcotics.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney G. Michael Seaman.
The matter was investigated by the Providence Police Narcotics Bureau and the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force.
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Pittsburgh Resident Pleads Guilty to Bankruptcy, Mail Fraud Charges Related to East Carson Street Property Destroyed by FireRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of bankruptcy fraud and mail fraud, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Prasad Margabandhu, 48, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand.
In connection with the guilty plea to the bankruptcy fraud charge, the Court was advised that, from March 2019 to June 2022, Margabandhu engaged in a scheme to defraud the bankruptcy court by filing multiple bankruptcy petitions in the names of companies he controlled called “RSP Pittsburgh” and “Shane Tracy Enterprises” solely to delay efforts by creditors such as the mortgage holder and taxing bodies to execute on judgments against a property at 1925 East Carson Street in Pittsburgh.
With respect to the guilty plea to the charge of mail fraud, Margabandhu admitted that his insurance claim relating to a June 2022 fire that destroyed the 1925 East Carson Street property was fraudulent. In particular, Margabandhu admitted that he had made several materially false statements to the company that insured the property.
Judge Weigand scheduled sentencing for January 14, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 25 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory C. Melucci and Shaun E. Sweeney are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Internal Revenue Service; Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Office of the United States Trustee conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Margabandhu.
Pinellas County Convicted Child Sex Offender Indicted for Attempting to Entice A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Joshua Andrew Finley (46, St. Petersburg) with using the internet to attempt to entice a minor child to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Finley faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. Finley is a convicted child sex offender, having previously been convicted in Wisconsin (2009) of interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. Finley is currently detained pending his trial scheduled for December 2024.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the St. Petersburg Police Department, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Ohio Man Sentenced for Making False Statements to Purchase Firearms and Unlawful Sale/Transfer of Firearms to JuvenilesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Gabriel Gladman (23, Akron, Ohio) to four years in federal prison for making false and fictitious statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer with the intent to purchase firearms, and unlawful sale/transfer of firearms to juveniles. Gladman was also ordered to forfeit the following: a Smith & Wesson (SD40) semi-automatic firearm, a Taurus G2 semi-automatic firearm, a Glock 26 semi-automatic firearm, a FMK 9C1 semi-automatic firearm, 2 - Taurus G3 semi-automatic firearms, and 2 - Tara TM-9X semi-automatic firearms which are traceable proceeds of the offense.
According to court documents, on eight separate occasions between November 2022 and June 2023, Gladman provided false information to federally licensed firearm dealers in Tampa with the intent to purchase eight semi-automatic firearms. On six separate dates, Gladman sold/transferred some of those firearms to juveniles under the age of 18. It was determined that some of those firearms were used by the juveniles during violent crimes in Tampa. At the time of Gladman’s arrest in Ohio, he was found in possession of two additional firearms.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman. Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky will handle the forfeiture.
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.
Multiple defendants prosecuted on federal firearms, drug chargesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Newly returned indictments in the Southern District of Georgia include felony charges for illegal firearms possession and drug distribution, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges.
“As illegally possessed firearms proliferate in our community, our office continues to hold accountable those who threaten the safety of our neighborhoods” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “We commend the efforts of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners in investigating these criminal activities.”
The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally possess guns.
Those indicted in September include:
- Daniel Blount Cates, 50, of Waynesboro, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and two counts of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, referring to a machine gun and a firearm equipped with a silencer. Cates, who was sentenced in federal court to probation on an illegal gambling charge in 2021, was sentenced in June to 15 months in prison after U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall ruled that Cates had violated the terms of his probation by possessing firearms.
- Ray Charles Canady III, 51, of Augusta, charged with Interference with Commerce by Robbery; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Willie James Norton, 36, of Baxley, Ga., charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 or More Grams of Methamphetamine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Phillip Moore, 29, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Scottie Eugene Bryant, 48, of Grovetown, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Jack Anthony Bragg, 44, of Statesboro, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and,
- Jacorey D. Lockett, 30, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Also previously indicted:
- Daniel Jamal Robertson, 33, of Brooklet, Ga., charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances, referring to an isomer of Ephylone, also known as bath salts; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
All indicted defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include:
- Arthur Eugene Cannon, 41, of Savannah, was sentenced to 120 months in prison and fined $1,000 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Savannah Chatham Counter Narcotics Team investigators determined that Cannon illegally possessed a stolen pistol discovered during a drug trafficking investigation. A co-defendant, Thomas Allen Gordon, 56, of Savannah, was sentenced to 70 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of Methamphetamine and Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute.
- Daquan Minor, 32, of Savannah, was sentenced to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Savannah police officers found a stolen pistol in Minor’s vehicle during a traffic stop. Minor previously was convicted of felony offenses including illegal gun possession and drug trafficking.
- Marqus Jamal Flanders, 38, of Brunswick, sentenced to 112 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. In February 2023, Glynn County police found a pistol in Flanders’ possession after an attempted traffic stop led to a motorcycle and foot chase. Flanders was on probation on state felony charges at the time of his arrest.
- Daveon Daniels, 25, of Grovetown, Ga., was sentenced to 46 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Illegal Possession of a Machine Gun. Columbia County sheriff’s deputies were investigating a homicide when they determined that Daniels possessed a firearm, equipped with a “Glock switch” to convert it to fully automatic fire.
- Zanuck Lorenzo Berry, 43, of Martinez, Ga., was sentenced to 87 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Drug Enforcement Administration agents searched Berry’s home in January 2023 as part of a drug trafficking investigation and found an assault-style rifle, two semiautomatic “ghost gun” pistols, a third handgun, and a shotgun.
- Jamario D. Owens, 24, of Savannah, was sentenced to 49 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found Owens in possession of a handgun while investigating a reported disturbance.
- Phillip Smith, 49, of Augusta, was sentenced to 156 months in prison and fined $2,500, and Brian Hilliard, 40, of Augusta, was sentenced to 108 months in prison and fined $1,500, after both pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, while Glen Taylor, 45, of Beech Island, S.C., was sentenced to 37 months in prison and fined $1,500 and Joshua Wasden, 36, of Thomson, Ga., was sentenced to 120 months in prison and fined $2,000 after both pled guilty to the conspiracy charge. Five co-defendants, including Edward Jake Walters, 29, of Grovetown; Dustin Bayles, 36, of Thomson, Ga.; Linda Campbell, 53, of Augusta; Gary Holcomb, 59, of Martinez; and Destiny Poole, 23, of Grovetown, await sentencing after pleading guilty to the drug conspiracy charge. All were charged in USA v. Walters et al., an indictment alleging an Augusta-area drug trafficking conspiracy. A tenth defendant, Donnie Skillman, 46, of Augusta, awaits further proceedings and is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
- Unique Haynes, 26, of Jacksonville, Fla., was sentenced to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine, Cocaine and Fentanyl, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. A co-defendant, Eric Massey, 29, also of Jacksonville, was sentenced to 48 months in prison after pleading guilty to Illegal Use of a Communication Facility. Haynes and Massey were charged in Augusta following an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Georgia State Patrol.
- Benjamin Priester, 56, of Pooler, Ga., was sentenced to 92 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Priester’s possession during a traffic stop and later determined Priester knew the gun had been stolen.
- Robert Antonio Green, 26, of Savannah, was sentenced to 60 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. A probation officer from the Georgia Department of Community Supervision found a handgun in Green’s possession during a meeting with Green.
- Michael Jerome Germany, 50, of Grovetown, Ga., was sentenced to 37 months in prison and fined $1,000 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Grovetown police officers found a pistol in Germany’s vehicle during a traffic stop.
- Jarrett Lamar Knight, 45, of Savannah, was sentenced 15 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. As described in the plea agreement, Knight was a convicted felon when he sold a shotgun to a confidential informant during an ATF investigation.
- Thomas J. Fazio II, 41, of Grovetown, Ga, was sentenced to five years’ probation and fined $2,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. In May 2023, Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection intercepted suspected firearms silencers being shipped to Fazio, a U.S. Army Staff Sergeant. During a search of Fazio’s residence, investigators found an unregistered firearm silencer.
- David Kreiss, 49, of Twin City, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of Firearms by a Convicted Felon. Twin City police found Kreiss in possession of a rifle and four shotguns while investigating a domestic disturbance.
- Andrey Denorris Blockett, 37, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Georgia State Patrol troopers found Blockett in possession of a pistol with a loaded high-capacity magazine after Blockett fled on an off-road vehicle from a vehicle license check.
- Lial Stephens, 28, of Pooler, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to two counts of Interference with Commerce by Robbery. Stephens pointed a pistol at a Garden City, Ga., convenience store clerk during robberies in September and November 2023.
- Richard Bruce Salyer Jr., 49, of Forsyth, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Chatham County police officers found a pistol in Salyer’s waistband while investigating a report of a stolen vehicle in November 2023. Salyer has two prior convictions for illegally possessing firearms, and at the time of his arrest was an escapee from the Jefferson County, Ga., Correctional Institute.
- Anthony Orlando Jones, 34, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County deputies and the U.S. Marshals found Jones in possession of a semiautomatic pistol in November 2023 while serving him with an arrest warrant on a state felony charge.
- Barry Christopher Carpenter, 43, of Gainesville, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Carpenter was arrested on state charges in Columbia County during a burglary investigation.
- Eddie Lee Tolbert, 39, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Grovetown police found a pistol in Tolbert’s possession during a traffic stop.
- Deleon Alexander Jackson, 23, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County deputies found Jackson in possession of a rifle while investigating a reported disturbance at an Augusta store.
The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense.
For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473
Mother Sentenced for Illegal Possession of A Gun in Case Related to the Accidental Discharge Death of Her Two-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Emma Huver, 26, of Lansing, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Huver previously pleaded guilty to possessing a purple 9-millimeter Smith & Wesson semiautomatic pistol in her car on October 24, 2023, when her two-year-old son suffered a gunshot wound and later died. She had previously been convicted of a felony drug offense in 2020.
“Today’s sentencing brings us closer to securing a measure of justice for this senseless loss of life,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “The tragic death of this two-year-old boy, due to the accidental discharge of a gun that wasn’t properly stored, could have been prevented. We must keep guns out of the hands of those who cannot legally possess them and do everything we can in our fight against the gun violence epidemic that is now the number one cause of death for our youngest, ages 0-19.”
Two other Lansing residents are also charged in the indictment. Avis Coward, 44, pleaded guilty to possessing the purple gun and another pistol. Gina Schieberl, 27, pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence. Coward is scheduled to be sentenced on October 2 and Schieberl is scheduled to be sentenced on October 21.
As alleged, on October 24, 2023, Coward got out of a car at a Lansing gas station and went inside, leaving a two-year-old child and the child’s mother, Huver, in the car. Surveillance video showed that a minute later a bullet hole appeared in the car window. Huver got out of the car holding her child, who had blood on his face from a gunshot wound. As she did so, Coward’s gun fell out of the car. Huver handed the child to Coward, who then passed the child to a third person who took the victim into the gas station and attempted to control the bleeding until medical personnel arrived. Coward returned to the car, picked up the gun off the ground, and put it back in the car. The surveillance video also showed Coward use his hand to break out the front passenger window, which had the bullet hole. Coward then drove away. The child later died from his injuries.
Police later found the car, which was found burned-out and abandoned in a field in Lansing, and a .45 caliber Springfield Armory semiautomatic pistol, the barrel of which was found disassembled and hidden in the wall of a house in Lansing.
Gun violence is an acute problem across the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. firearm homicide rate in 2021 was the highest documented since 1993. While the numbers have slightly declined since 2021, they remain high.
Resources and information on the safe storage of firearms can be found by reviewing the U.S. Department of Justice Safe Storage of Firearms guide, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fact sheet, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives pamphlet. Anyone who possesses a gun must follow all local, state, and federal laws.
This case was investigated by the Lansing Police Department, Michigan State Police, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It 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.
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Morris County Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for possessing and distributing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Anselmo Girimonte, 53, of Wharton, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Julien Xavier Neals to an indictment charging him with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. Judge Neals imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From Dec. 27, 2021, through Jan. 17, 2022, Girimonte distributed material containing images and video files of child sexual abuse, via a publicly available online peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing program. Law enforcement used undercover online sessions to access the P2P program and during these sessions a user shared multiple video files of adults sexually abusing prepubescent children from an internet protocol address traced to Girimonte’s residence. During a March 2, 2022, search of Girimonte’s residence, law enforcement found over 100 images and videos depicting child sexual abuse, including images of prepubescent children being sexually abused, on Girimonte’s cell phone.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Neals sentenced Girimonte to 10 years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $68,000 in restitution to the victims.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, the Rockaway Township Police Department, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea D. Coleman of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
Modesto Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Five MinorsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Daniel Vincent Salazar Jr., 28, of Modesto, pleaded guilty today to five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between December 2018 and January 2020, Salazar used Instagram and Snapchat accounts to contact minor females and coerce them into creating and sending to him images of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct. If victims refused to cooperate with Salazar’s demands, he threatened to send explicit images that he had already received to classmates and family members of victims.
Salazar is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 13, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Salazar faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a maximum of-30 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000 and a possible lifetime of supervised release. He will also be ordered to pay restitution to victims. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is the product of an investigation by Patterson Police Services, the Los Banos and San Jose Police Departments, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – Division of Adult Parole Operations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being Deported Five TimesRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.
Pedro Salazar-Trejo, age 37, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Coralville, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 10, 2024, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported following a conviction for an aggravated felony.
At the guilty plea, Salazar-Trejo admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Salazar-Trejo has prior convictions in Texas for forgery of government documents, a social security card and driver’s license, in 2005 and fleeing the scene of an accident in 2008. He was first deported in March 2008. Salazar-Trejo was deported a second time in May 2014 following a conviction in the Southern District of Texas for illegal entry into the United States. He was deported a third time in December 2017 following his arrest during a traffic stop in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, by immigration officials. He was also deported a fourth time in September 2019 following a conviction in the Western District of Texas for Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien, a felony.
Salazar-Trejo was convicted in January 2022 in the Northern District of Iowa of possession of a firearm by an alien, served 27 months’ imprisonment and placed on a three-year term of supervised release before being deported a fifth time in September 2023. On March 22, 2024, Salazar-Trejo was arrested in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for violating the terms of his supervised release by reentering the United States without permission.
Salazar-Trejo was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Salazar-Trejo was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Salazar-Trejo was also sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment to be served consecutively for violating the terms of his supervised release on his prior firearm conviction. There is no parole in the federal system.
Salazar-Trejo 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 Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 24-CR-27 and 21-CR-48.
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Mercer Island, Washington, man convicted of sexual assault of teen on aircraft flying to Sea-Tac from AtlantaRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 72-year-old Mercer Island, Washington man was convicted Friday in U.S. District Court in Seattle of Attempted Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Special Aircraft Jurisdiction and Abusive Sexual Contact in Special Aircraft Jurisdiction, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Munir Walji was convicted following a four-day jury trial. Jurors deliberated about 5 hours before reaching the guilty verdicts. U.S. District Judge Tana Lin scheduled sentencing for December 11, 2024.
According to records in the case and testimony at trial, on November 10, 2021, Walji was seated in the aisle seat next to the 15-year-old victim on a Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Seattle. The victim’s mother was in the window seat. Initially the three engaged in small talk as they settled in for the flight. The mother and victim both closed their eyes to sleep.
As the flight neared arrival in Seattle the victim felt a hand on her leg, waking her. She moved away from Walji and tried to go back to sleep. But the touching became more aggressive with Walji rubbing her thigh, and then unbuckling her seatbelt and reaching inside the waistband of her pants and underwear. The victim said something at that point that caused Walji to stop, and she awakened her mother.
A flight attendant responded to the row when the mother pushed the call button. Eventually, flight attendants moved the mother and victim to a different row. Law enforcement was notified, and Walji was arrested upon arrival in Seattle.
In closing argument, Special Assistant United States Attorney Laura Harmon told jurors “Mr. Walji rubbed his DNA into the crotch of her pants and shoved his hand inside of her underwear.”
Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Special Aircraft Jurisdiction is punishable up to 15 years in prison and Abusive Sexual Contact in Special Aircraft Jurisdiction is punishable by up to two years in prison. The actual sentence will be determined by Judge Lin after considering sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Wynne and Special Assistant United States Attorney Laura Harmon. Ms. Harmon is a Senior King County Deputy Prosecutor specially designated to prosecute sex crimes in federal court.
Massachusetts Man Indicted for Smuggling and Conspiracy to Commit Export Control Violations Involving the Russian Nuclear Energy IndustryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men, one from Massachusetts, have been charged with allegedly smuggling and conspiring to violate and evade export controls relating to the sale of laser equipment to the Russian nuclear energy industry.
Sam Bhambhani, 55, of North Attleboro, Mass., and Maxim Teslenko, 35, of Moscow, Russia, were each indicted on one count of smuggling and one count of conspiracy to violate and evade export controls, commit smuggling, and defraud the United States. Bhambhani was arrested on Sept. 9, 2024 and was released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston. Teslenko remains at large overseas.
“This case underscores our unwavering commitment to enforcing U.S. export laws and safeguarding national security,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “The defendants are alleged to have engaged in a sophisticated scheme to evade export controls, deceiving the government about the true destination of sensitive technology and putting critical national interests at risk. We will continue to work tirelessly with our federal partners to keep our country's most sensitive technologies out of the world's most dangerous hands.”
“These two men are accused of helping Russia illegally acquire cutting edge, American made laser welding machines in support of this hostile nation state's nuclear program. As part of their shameful efforts to evade our country’s export laws, we believe these men utilized shell companies, fictitious personas and falsified records,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “This is yet another flagrant example of Russia using illicit procurement networks to advance their goals to the detriment of our country’s national security. Let this case serve as a warning to others that if you violate U.S. export controls or evade U.S. sanctions, the FBI and our partners will find you and ensure that you are brought to justice.”
“The Office of Export Enforcement is committed to vigorously investigating illegal exports to Russia and will hold all those who violate our export control laws accountable, whether those violations involve smuggling, illicit procurement, transshipment, or other illegal schemes,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tambrini, U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, Boston Field Office. “This multi-year investigation is a testament to the excellent cooperation between our law enforcement partners in countering Russia’s nuclear weapons program.”
“Bhambhani and Teslenko allegedly conspired to smuggle sensitive machinery into Russia to enhance Russian nuclear capabilities. They’re alleged to have willfully violated export controls specifically intended to protect the security of our nation and to keep dangerous technology out of the hands of adversarial regimes,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “HSI and our partners will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the sanctity of our most sensitive defense technologies.”
It is alleged that from in or around 2015 through at least 2021, Bhambhani and Teslenko conspired to export laser welding machines from Bhambhani’s employer in the United States to the Ural Electromechanical Plant (UEMZ) in Yekaterinburg, Russia, while falsifying the export documentation submitted to the U.S. government in order to conceal the fact that the UEMZ was the true end user of the machines. The UEMZ is a subsidiary of Rosatom, a Russian state corporation headquartered in Moscow, that oversaw Russia’s civilian and military nuclear program. According to the indictment, Teslenko knew that the laser welding machines were intended for the portion of the UEMZ involving the Russian nuclear weapons program.
The charge of smuggling provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, FBI SAC Cohen, DOC BIS OEE Acting SAC Tambrini and HSI SAC Krol made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy H. Kistner and Laura S. Kaplan of the Office’s National Security Unit are prosecuting the case with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Sean O’Dowd of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force and the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine.
Mason City Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Lance Kohler, age 46, from Mason City, Iowa, was sentenced September 13, 2024, to 6 years in federal prison after a May 6, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
At the guilty plea, Kohler admitted that on December 5, 2023, law enforcement responded to a rollover accident in Cerro Gordo County. Kohler was the sole occupant of the vehicle. Officers could see a firearm in plain view and a few hypodermic needles. Law enforcement eventually seized firearm and approximately 13 grams of methamphetamine from the vehicle. Kohler told the arresting officer he was “just” a user of methamphetamine, and initially denied owning the firearm. During a subsequent interview with another officer, Kohler admitted to possessing the methamphetamine and the firearm. Lab results later confirmed that defendant had methamphetamine and cocaine in his system at the time of the accident.
Kohler was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 72 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 2-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Kohler is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3002.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Lynn Man Sentenced to More than Two Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Traffic Counterfeit Pills Containing FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that manufactured and distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing narcotics.
Edward Ortiz, 34, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 28 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On June 17, 2024, Ortiz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Ortiz was among 23 individuals charged in October 2022 in connection with a wide-ranging conspiracy to traffic counterfeit prescription pills. The defendants were subsequently indicted along with two additional alleged co-conspirators in December 2022. According to court documents, the DTO distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, among other things, to various individuals in the Lynn area.
During the investigation, investigators seized from Ortiz approximately 1,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl that Ortiz had just obtained from one of the co-conspirators in this matter.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division and the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan D. Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Louisiana Fugitive Pleads Guilty to Possessing A Loaded Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Sammie Ray Sewell, Jr. (43, Alexandria, LA) today pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Sewell faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on February 2, 2024, Sewell was located at a hotel in Fort Myers by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office’s Fugitive Warrants Unit with two extraditable felony warrants out of Louisiana. When he was apprehended, deputies found Sewell in possession of a chamber loaded pistol with an extended magazine. There were multiple videos on Sewell’s social media account showing Sewell in possession of the pistol within days of his arrest. Sewell has been previously convicted of multiple felonies, including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and aggravated robbery. As a convicted felon, Sewell is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
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 out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Local 98 Member Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Seeking Money from Union Employer for Hours Not WorkedRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Gregory Fiocca, 32, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl to count one of a superseding information charging him with unlawfully demanding money as a union representative from a union employer, arising from the defendant’s demand to be paid for hours he did not work, in an amount not exceeding $1,000.
Fiocca is scheduled to be sentenced on January 7, 2025, and faces a statutory maximum sentence of one year imprisonment, one year of supervised release, a $10,000 fine, and a $25 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Frank Costello and Jason Grenell.
Lame Deer woman admits to trafficking methRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Lame Deer woman admitted today to selling methamphetamine on the Northern Cheyenne Indian reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Emma Jewell King, 62, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth. King faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. King was released pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that between December 2020 and January 2021, law enforcement learned that King was selling meth on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. A source told law enforcement that he or she started purchasing meth from King in early 2019 and would purchase three to four grams per week from her. King’s source of meth was from a home in Lodge Grass and from Washington. In March 2023, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of meth from King from King’s house. King told law enforcement in January 2024 that she was a drug dealer and had purchased one ounce of meth every week beginning in about July 2021 through March 2023.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Lakeland Man Indicted for COVID FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Jeanty Cherilus (54, Lakeland) with five counts of wire fraud. Cherilus faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Cherilus that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $370,000, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.
According to the indictment, Cherilus was an owner of Natransusa Corporation (NATRANS), a business that advertised to provide automobile salvage and transportation services. Cherilus, through NATRANS, submitted applications to obtain federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) to which Cherilus and NATRANS were not entitled. The loan applications had materially false and fraudulent representations, including an inflated number of employees and average payroll, and certifications that the loan proceeds would be used for business-related purposes. Cherilus also included fraudulent supporting documentation to induce the Small Business Administration and an approved lender to fund the loans. After receiving the PPP and EIDL funds, Cherilus used them for purposes other than what was approved by the terms of the loans and for his own person enrichment.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Agency for International Development - Office of Inspector General and the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Task Force. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Pizzo.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department's response to the pandemic, please visit Justice.gov/Coronavirus and Justice.gov/Coronavirus/CombatingFraud. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
KC Man Convicted of Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was convicted in a federal bench trial today of illegally possessing a firearm.
Dale D. Mitchell, Jr., 46, was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Kansas City, Mo., police officers contacted Mitchell on Feb. 12, 2023, while he was sitting in his Cadillac XTS in a parking lot at 8025 Hickman Mills Drive. Officers told Mitchell, who was in the driver’s seat, to put the vehicle in park and roll down the window. Instead, Mitchell opened the driver’s door. Officers saw an open bottle of alcohol in the driver’s door panel and a Taurus .38-caliber revolver laying on Mitchell’s right thigh. Officers seized the firearm and removed Mitchell from the vehicle.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Mitchell has two prior felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm, three prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, a prior felony conviction for distribution/delivery of marijuana, a prior felony conviction for tampering, and a prior felony conviction for robbery.
At the conclusion of today’s bench trial, U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs ruled that Mitchell was guilty.
Under federal statutes, Mitchell is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is scheduled on Jan. 29, 2025.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Jennings. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Justice Department Expands Tribal Access Program to Improve the Exchange of Critical Data with Federally Recognized TribesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department has selected 17 federally recognized Tribes to participate in the continued expansion of the Tribal Access Program for National Crime Information (TAP), a program that provides Tribal governments with means to access, enter, and exchange data with national crime information systems, including those maintained by the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division. This announcement follows Attorney General Merrick B. Garland’s trips to Montana, New Mexico, and South Dakota during which he visited with numerous Tribal and federal law enforcement officials and Tribal leaders to discuss the public safety challenges faced by Tribal communities.
“Tribal communities deserve safety, and they deserve justice,” said Attorney General Garland. “The Tribal Access Program provides Tribes with the crime information they need to investigate crimes, apprehend suspects, protect vulnerable persons, and ensure justice for victims. It reflects the Justice Department’s steadfast commitment to working with our Tribal law enforcement partners to protect those living in Indian Country.”
With this expansion, TAP now supports 149 Tribes and more than 460 Tribal government agencies.
“The Tribal Access Program has enhanced our efforts in the administration of criminal justice within the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas reservation,” said Interim Tribal Police Director Epifanio Ruiz of the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas. “During the performance of our duties, the Tribal police department has effectively apprehended subjects within the Tribal nation who have outstanding warrants in other jurisdictions thus enhancing the safety and wellbeing of the community.”
TAP provides training as well as software and biometric/biographic kiosk workstations to process fingerprints, take mugshots, and submit information to FBI CJIS systems.
The Justice Department began TAP in 2015 in response to concerns raised by Tribal leaders about the need to have direct access to federal systems. Using TAP, Tribes have shared information about missing persons; registered convicted sex offenders; entered domestic violence orders of protection for nationwide enforcement; entered orders that prevent dangerous prohibited persons from obtaining firearms; run criminal histories; identified and arrested fugitives; entered bookings and convictions; and completed fingerprint-based record checks for non-criminal justice purposes such as screening employees or volunteers who work with children.
The following additional Tribes have been selected for participation in TAP:
- Catawba Indian Nation
- Crow Tribe
- Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
- Native Village of Gakona
- Northern Cheyenne Tribe
- Orutsararmiut Traditional Native Council
- Quileute Tribe
- Snoqualmie Indian Tribe
- Village of Dot Lake
- Walker River Paiute Tribe
- Caddo Nation
- Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians
- Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians
- Karuk Tribe
- Shawnee Tribe
- Yerington Paiute Tribe of the Yerington Colony & Campbell Ranch
- Kiowa Indian Tribe
TAP is managed by the Justice Department’s Office of the Chief Information Officer and the Office of Tribal Justice. It is funded by the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART), the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).
For more information on TAP, visit www.justice.gov/tribal/tribal-access-program-tap.
Justice Department Awards over $3 Million in Community Project Grants to Strengthen Law Enforcement and Public Safety in the Southern District of MississippiRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs has awarded three grants totaling more than $3 million for community projects that strengthen law enforcement and public safety in the Southern District of Mississippi, announced U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee.
The University of Southern Mississippi received $3 million to implement a rural digital forensics initiative to address the digital forensics needs of rural communities, the provision of forensic services, and creation of social media educational tools to assist with line law enforcement officer training in digital forensic investigations.
The University of Mississippi Medical Center received $380,000 to enhance UMMC’s security infrastructure through comprehensive upgrades of its existing CCTV system.
Copiah-Lincoln Community College received $20,000 to fund training for new and existing law enforcement officers.
The grants are part of the 2024 Office of Justice Programs Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants. The Byrne Grants are named in honor of New York City Police Officer Edward R. Byrne, who was killed in the line of duty on February 26, 1988. Officer Byrne was just 22 years old.
Additional information about the Office of Justice Programs can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Justice Department Awards over $15 Million in Grants to Louisiana Commission on Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that the Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime and Office on Violence Against Women has awarded $15,454,563 to the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement (“LCLE”).
LCLE was awarded $2,362,000 to enhance State Victim Compensation payments to eligible crime victims to provide financial assistance to federal and state victims of crime; $10,662,795 to provide funds from the Crime Victims Fund to enhance crime victim services in the state; and $2,429,768 to develop and strengthen law enforcement, prosecution, and court strategies to combat violent crimes against women and to develop and strengthen victim services, including community-based, culturally specific services, in cases involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
LCLE is a foundation located in Baton Rouge dedicated to improving the operations of the criminal justice and juvenile justice systems and to promoting public safety by providing progressive leadership and coordination within the criminal justice community.
For more information about these awards, please contact the OJP Office of Communications at 202-307-0703 or [email protected] or the Office on Violence Against Women at 202-307-6026 and ask for the Policy, Communication, and Evaluation Division.
Justice Department Announces Five Cases Tied to Disruptive Technology Strike ForceRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced criminal charges in five cases from four U.S. Attorney’s offices in connection with the multi-agency Disruptive Technology Strike Force (Strike Force).
The Strike Force is co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce to counter efforts by hostile nation states to illicitly acquire sensitive U.S. technology to advance their authoritarian regimes and facilitate human rights abuses. Launched in February 2023, the Strike Force’s work has led to the unsealing of charges against 34 defendants in 24 cases involving alleged export control violations, smuggling, theft of trade secrets, and other charges by actors connected to Russia, China, and Iran.
The cases announced today took place over the course of multiple weeks, culminating in the arrest today of a Russian national allegedly seeking to illegally export electronics for use in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to Russia. The other cases also cover spearfishing of U.S-based scientists by an employee of a state-owned Chinese defense company and the smuggling of laser welding machines used in nuclear munition production to Russia.
“The prosecutions of these cases under the Disruptive Technology Strike Force reflects the joint efforts of five agencies across the government focused on the shared goal of stopping the transfer of sensitive, cutting-edge technologies to Iran, China, and Russia,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division. “The Justice Department, through the work of the Strike Force, will continue to do all we can to prevent advanced technologies from falling into the hands of our adversaries and protect our national security.”
“We launched the Disruptive Technology Strike Force a year and half ago to advance the vital mission of safeguarding U.S. technology,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the U.S. Department of Commerce. “As today’s announcements make clear, our efforts to protect sensitive U.S. technologies – which to date have yielded 24 publicly charged criminal cases, millions of dollars in administrative penalties, and multiple Entity List additions – remain relentless and unyielding.”
“It’s no secret that the threats we face today are more complex and severe than ever before,” said Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “The best way – and the only way – we can stay ahead of current and emerging threats is by working together. With these indictments, the Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an excellent example of the power of partnerships in practice.”
“Those who facilitate the illegal proliferation of sensitive technologies and material to hostile nations and terrorist groups pose a serious threat to the safety and security of the United States,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “HSI is committed to working with our partners to disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks that aid and abed U.S. adversaries.”
“Disrupting the efforts of foreign nations, international criminal organizations, and other potentially hostile entities that seek to illegally obtain sensitive DoD technology and weapon systems that could potentially be used against our military forces remains a top priority of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the criminal investigative arm of Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Inspector General,” said Inspector General Robert P. Storch of DoD. “We will continue to work with the Justice Department and our strike force partners to thwart the efforts of criminal elements whose activities threaten the security of the United States.”
United States v. Postovoy (District of Columbia)
A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment charging Denis Postovoy, a Russian citizen living in the United States, with conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act, commit smuggling, commit money laundering and defraud the United States. HSI arrested Postovoy this morning in Sarasota, Florida.
According to court documents, beginning in at least February 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Postovoy procured and illicitly exported from the United States to Russia microelectronic components with military applications. The exported microelectronics can be used in UAVs or drones. Through a web of companies that he owns or operates in Russia, Hong Kong, and elsewhere, Postovoy and individuals in his network purchased the microelectronics from U.S.-based distributors and exported them to Russia without the required licenses from the Department of Commerce.
As alleged, Postovoy’s companies included WowCube HK Limited, JST Group Hong Kong, Jove HK Limited, all based in Hong Kong, and the Vector Group in Russia. Postovoy repeatedly concealed and misstated the true end users and end destinations of the microelectronics by submitting false information on export-related documents. He transshipped items that were ultimately destined for Russia through intermediary destinations, including Hong Kong, Switzerland and elsewhere, and received payments in U.S. dollars from foreign bank accounts. His companies transferred funds for the purchase and shipment of the goods through bank accounts in Hong Kong, Russia, and elsewhere to bank accounts in the United States, including bank accounts maintained by the U.S. suppliers of microelectronics and other sensitive technologies.
HSI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Allen for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Sean Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
United States v. Song Wu (Northern District of Georgia)
Today, a federal court in Atlanta, unsealed an indictment charging Chinese national, Song Wu, 39, with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft arising from his efforts to fraudulently obtain computer software and source code created by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), research universities, and private companies. Song remains at large.
According to the indictment, Song allegedly engaged in a multi-year “spear phishing” email campaign in which he created email accounts to impersonate U.S.-based researchers and engineers and then used those imposter accounts to obtain specialized restricted or proprietary software used for aerospace engineering and computational fluid dynamics. This specialized software could be used for industrial and military applications, such as development of advanced tactical missiles and aerodynamic design and assessment of weapons.
In executing the scheme, Song allegedly sent spear phishing emails to individuals employed in positions with the U.S. government, including NASA, the Air Force, Navy, and Army, and the Federal Aviation Administration. Song also sent spear phishing emails to individuals employed in positions with major research universities in Georgia, Michigan, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Ohio, and with private sector companies that work in the aerospace field. Song’s spear phishing emails appeared to the targeted victims as having been sent by a colleague, associate, friend, or other person in the research or engineering community. His emails requested that the targeted victim send or make available source code or software to which Song believed the targeted victim had access.
According to the indictment, while conducting this spear phishing campaign, Song was employed as an engineer at Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), a Chinese state-owned aerospace and defense conglomerate headquartered in Beijing. AVIC manufactures civilian and military aircrafts and is one of the largest defense contractors in the world.
In total, Song is charged with 14 counts of wire fraud and 14 counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Song faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud. Song also faces a mandatory, two-year consecutive penalty in prison for aggravated identity theft. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and the NASA’s Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Samir Kaushal for the Northern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Tanner Kroeger of the National Security Division's Cyber Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
United States v. Teslenko (District of Massachusetts)
Massachusetts resident, Samer Bhambhani, 55, and Russian national, Maksim Teslenko, 35, have been charged with smuggling and one count of conspiracy to violate and evade export controls, commit smuggling, and defraud the United States. Bhambhani was arrested on Sept. 9 and was released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston. Teslenko remains at large overseas.
It is alleged that from in or around 2015 through at least 2021, Bhambhani and Teslenko conspired to export laser welding machines from Bhambhani’s employer in the United States to the Ural Electromechanical Plant (UEMZ) in Yekaterinburg, Russia, while falsifying the export documentation submitted to the U.S. government in order to conceal the fact that the UEMZ was the true end user of the machines. The UEMZ is a subsidiary of Rosatom, a Russian state corporation headquartered in Moscow, that oversaw Russia’s civilian and military nuclear program. According to the indictment, Teslenko knew that the laser welding machines were intended for the portion of the UEMZ involving the Russian nuclear weapons program.
The charge of smuggling provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy H. Kistner and Laura S. Kaplan for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Sean O’Dowd of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
United States v. Goodarzi (Southern District of Texas)
Gholam Reza Goodarzi, also known as Ron Goodarzi, 76, a dual U.S. and Iranian citizen who resides in Porter, Texas, was arrested at the George Bush International Airport on Aug. 30 based on a criminal complaint alleging he smuggled parts and components used in the production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as well as other manned aircraft, from the United States to Iran.
According to court documents, from December 1, 2020, through July 5, Goodarzi illegally exported aircraft-related parts, in addition to oil and drilling components, to Iran. As alleged, Goodarzi purchased U.S.-origin aircraft components from U.S.-based suppliers and then exported them to Iran – typically through Dubai, UAE. He also traveled to and from Iran multiple times per year and concealed aircraft parts and other items in his checked luggage. Goodarzi exchanged multiple emails with suppliers and customers, acknowledging that parts could not be shipped to Iran because of sanctions.
The complaint alleges that on several occasions, authorities searched Goodarzi’s luggage and found numerous aircraft parts and components hidden within articles of clothing. Some of the items had characteristics consistent with parts for the production of UAVs, as well as parts with electrical motor and generator applications. Goodarzi does not have the required licenses to export such items to sanctioned countries, including Iran, according to the complaint.
The FBI, with assistance from and Customs and Border Protection, is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter for the Southern District of Texas and Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
United States v. Nader (District of Columbia)
U.S.-Iranian national Jeffrey Chance Nader, 66, of Arcadia, California, was arrested on Aug. 13, 2024, based on an indictment charging him with crimes related to the procurement of U.S.-manufactured aircraft components, including components used on military aircraft, in violation of U.S. economic sanctions and other federal laws.
According to the indictment, beginning at least in 2023, Nader and others conspired to purchase and export – and attempted to export – from the United States to Iran four types of aircraft components, totaling nearly three dozen individual pieces. Some of these components are for use on military aircraft operated by Iran’s armed forces, including the F-4 fighter jet.
Nader, acting on purchase orders he received from customers in Iran, would coordinate the purchase of relevant aircraft components with business associates in Iran, by which they would reach out to U.S.-based suppliers of such components. In several instances, Nader identified himself and his company, California-based Pro Aero Capital, to these U.S.-based suppliers as the end-user of these items. Victim companies in this procurement scheme were located across the United States.
Once the aircraft components were obtained, Nader attempted to export the items on multiple separate occasions. The items were then transshipped to the ultimate customer in Iran. None of the transactions discussed in the indictment were successfully exported; they were detained on export by a Special Agent with the Department of Commerce.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security. Significant assistance was provided by the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven B. Wasserman for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Sean Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Significant assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
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Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. The Postovoy and Teslenko investigations were also coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine.
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Also today, the Department is announcing the unsealing of an indictment in Chicago, Illinois, charging Chinese national Jia Wei with unlawfully accessing the computer network of a U.S. communications company to steal proprietary information for the benefit of the China-based entities.
As alleged, Wei was a member of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the military of the People’s Republic of China, and assigned to a PLA unit tasked with obtaining communications and information of third parties through computer hacking. In March 2017, Wei and his co-conspirators accessed the U.S. company’s network without authorization approximately two days after the U.S. company filed a civil action against a China-based competitor for theft of communication-device trade secrets. Through this unauthorized access, Wei and his co-conspirators stole U.S. company documents relating to, among other things, the company’s civilian and military communication devices, product development, testing plans, internal product evaluations and commercial information about competitors. These documents pertained to some of the same technology and information that the China-based competitor stole from the U.S. company, as alleged in the civil action. In addition, Wei and his co-conspirators stole documents from the U.S. company discussing the China-based competitor.
During his unauthorized access, Wei and his co-conspirators attempted to install malicious software designed to provide persistent unauthorized access to the U.S. company’s network. Wei’s unauthorized access continued until approximately late May 2017.
The six-count indictment, returned in March 2022, charges Wei with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, computer intrusions and aggravated identity theft. A warrant for his arrest has been issued. If convicted, Wei faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count, five years in prison for each of the conspiracy and computer intrusion counts, and a mandatory, two-year consecutive penalty in prison for each aggravated identity theft count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Chicago Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melody Wells, Steven Dollear and Thomas Peabody for the Northern District of Illinois and Trial Attorney Brett Reynolds of the National Security Division are prosecuting the case. Significant assistance was provided by the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section.
An indictment, complaint or criminal information is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Note: This press release was updated on Sept. 16, 2024, to include two additional cases.
Judge Hands District Man Eight Year Prison Sentence for 2023 Armed Robbery in Northwest D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jerome Lewis Jackson, aka Damon Hudson, 20, of Washington D.C., was sentenced to eight years in prison for offenses committed against three victims, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Jackson pleaded guilty on December 11, 2023, to one count of armed robbery and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. On September 13, 2024, Superior Court Judge Heidi Pasichow sentenced Jackson to serve 96 months imprisonment for each offense, to be served concurrently, for a total of eight years, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, with which Jackson agreed, at around 3:24 a.m., on September 10, 2023, Jackson and an unknown suspect approached the three victims in the 2000 block of 12th Street NW, armed with a firearm. Jackson pointed the firearm at the first victim, ordered him not to move, and removed car keys from his pocket belonging to the second victim, who was also present. Jackson and his accomplice then entered the second victim’s vehicle, which was nearby, and ordered the third victim who was sitting in the car to get out, but not before taking a watch and U.S. currency from the third victim. Jackson then fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle while the unknown suspect followed in a second vehicle.
Approximately 15 minutes later, members of the Metropolitan Police Department observed the stolen vehicle and came into contact with Jackson, who was exiting the driver’s seat of the stolen vehicle. On Jackson’s person were the keys to the vehicle taken from the first victim, as well as the watch taken from the third victim.
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 also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Carlton, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Jamaican National Faces Federal Charge for an Alleged Lottery Scheme That Defrauded Victims of More Than $9.5 MillionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Tavoy Farquharson, age 32, had an initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on a criminal complaint filed in the District of Maryland, charging the defendant with conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with a lottery scheme,
The criminal complaint was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Javan Wilson of the U.S. Treasury, Office of Inspector General (Treasury OIG); and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to the complaint, from at least March 2023 through July 2023, Farquharson and his co-conspirators contacted the victims by mail or over the phone and convinced them that they had won millions of dollars in a lottery or sweepstakes but were required to send payment in advance for taxes and other fees before they could receive their winnings. Farquharson and his co-conspirators caused the victims to send payments for the purported taxes and other fees through wire transfer, by gift card, by sending cash or checks through the U.S. Mail, by other interstate commercial carrier, and by other payment methods. According to the complaint, the victims lost at least $9.5 million to the lottery scheme.
Wayne and Dwayne Henry of Landover Hills, Maryland and Jamaican national Nickoy Campbell were charged previously with conspiracy to commit mail fraud as part of the same lottery scheme.
If convicted, Farquharson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the mail fraud conspiracy. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. A person charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcements efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps, including identifying appropriate reporting agencies, providing information to callers to assist them in reporting or connecting them with agencies, and providing resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis. The hotline is staffed from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov. Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at this website or by calling 1-800-225-5324.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, HSI, Treasury OIG, and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, the Maryland State Police, the Baltimore County Police, the Anne Arundel County Police, the New York Police Department, and the Suffolk County Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evelyn Lombardo Cusson and Christine Goo, who are prosecuting 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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Irvine Man Pleads Guilty to Scheming to Steal and Resell High-End Violins and to Robbing Irvine Bank Branch Earlier This YearRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for orchestrating a scheme to steal high-value violins and robbing a bank in Irvine.
Mark Meng, 58, of Irvine, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of bank robbery.
According to his plea agreement, from August 2020 to April 2023, Meng schemed to steal valuable violins and keep or resell them for his personal gain. Meng – posing as a collector of musical instruments – contacted violin shops across the country to express interest in receiving the violins on loan for a trial period to determine if he wished to buy them. In some cases, he purchased violin bows before asking for the violins on a trial-period basis.
After receiving each violin, Meng negotiated a purchase price for it, kept the instrument beyond the trial period, then provided the violin shops with a check or set of checks for the violin, knowing the whole time the checks he wrote to the violin shops would be rejected due to insufficient funds.
When a violin shop representative contacted Meng to inform him that the shop’s bank had rejected his checks, he sent a new series of checks, which also later were rejected due to insufficient funds. Sometimes, Meng lied to the violin shops by falsely telling them he had mailed the violin back to them, but that they had been lost in the mail. Eventually, Meng stopped communicating with the violin shops.
After fraudulently obtaining the violins, Meng re-sold them to a buyer – often during the trial periods from the violin shops. For example, on February 1, 2023, a victim loaned Meng a Guilio Degani violin – valued at $175,000 – pursuant to a trial-period contract, which required Meng to return or purchase the violin by February 10, 2023. However, Meng sold this violin to a buyer – who was unaware of the violin’s stolen origin.
According to court documents, Meng also stole the following:
- one Lorenzo Ventapane violin, dated 1823, and valued at $175,000;
- one Guilio Degani violin, dated 1903, and valued at $55,000;
- one Caressa & Francais violin, dated 1913, and valued at $40,000;
- one Francais Lott violin bow, stamped “Lupot,” and valued at $7,500;
- one Gand & Bernardel violin, dated 1870, and valued at $60,000;
- one French, Charles J.B. Colin Mezin violin, valued at $6,500; and
- one German, E.H. Roth Guarneri violin, valued at $6,500.
Despite knowing that he did not own these violins and violin bows, Meng sold three of these stolen violins and a violin bow to a victim for a total of $44,700.
In January 2023, Meng emailed one violin shop in Alexandria, Virginia, to express an interest in obtaining the Ventapane violin and the Degani violin on a trial basis, all the while intending to fraudulently obtain then re-sell them.
On April 2, 2024, Meng entered a bank branch in Irvine, wearing a hat, sunglasses, a bandana covering his face, and blue latex gloves. Meng gave the bank teller a note stating “$18,000. - Withdraw. Please. Stay Cool. No harm. Thx.” When the teller told Meng she did not have access to the money he demanded, Meng responded, “Give me whatever you have.” The teller, fearing harm to herself and her coworkers, handed Meng $446.
United States District Judge David O. Carter scheduled a February 24, 2025, sentencing hearing, at which time Meng will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count. Meng has been in federal custody since May 9.
The FBI’s Art Crime Team investigated this matter, with assistance from the Irvine Police Department and the Glendale Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Laura A. Alexander and Mark A. Williams, both of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section, are prosecuting this case.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Violating Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Andrew Nicholas-Scott Titus, 33, of Huntington, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for failure to provide information related to interstate travel as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2023, Titus relocated from Michigan to Lavalette, West Virginia. In October 2023, Titus relocated from Lavalette to Huntington, where he lived in a residence with four minor children. Titus failed to register or update his registration as required by SORNA after each relocation.
Titus is required to register as a sex offender and comply with SORNA because of his prior convictions for gross indecency between a male and female on March 21, 2022, and for distributing obscene materials to a minor on August 6, 2015, both in Wexford County, Michigan, Circuit Court.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-26.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Javonte Dejuan Perry, also known as “Dre,” 33, of Huntington, was sentenced today to two years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 30, 2023, Perry sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Huntington.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-114.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – David Dwayne Moore, also known as “B,” 47, of Huntington, was sentenced today to three years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 4, 2024, law enforcement officers searched Moore’s Huntington apartment and seized approximately 32 grams of crack, 132 grams of fentanyl, and a Taurus model G3 9mm pistol. Moore admitted that he intended to sell the seized controlled substances. Moore further admitted that he possessed the seized firearm.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-19.
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Hugo Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jerry Lana Freeman, age 33, of Hugo, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Drug Conspiracy.
The Indictment alleged that beginning on or about June 16, 2023, and continuing until on or about July 17, 2024, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, Freeman willfully and knowingly conspired with other individuals to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more (actual) of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Durant Police Department.
The Honorable Magistrate Judge Gerald L. Jackson, sitting in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Freeman will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.
Honduran Man Charged with Kidnapping and Holding for Ransom Guatemalan National Who Entered the U.S. IllegallyRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A Honduran national illegally living in New Mexico has been indicted for allegedly conspiring to kidnap a Guatemalan man who had illegally entered the United States and then demanded ransom from the victim’s family living in Southern California, the Justice Department announced today.
Darwin Jeovany Palma Pastrana, 30, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of kidnapping, one count of interstate communication containing a demand or request for ransom, and one count of making a threat by interstate communication.
Palma, whom federal authorities arrested in New Mexico on August 21, was arraigned Friday afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside. He pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, and a November 5 trial date was scheduled. He remains jailed without bond.
According to an indictment that a federal grand jury returned on September 4, Palma and co-defendant Eduar Isrrael Sauceda Nuñez, 25, another Honduran national illegally living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, conspired with others to kidnap and hold for ransom migrants illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Once the migrants were in the U.S., they were driven to stash houses in Phoenix, El Paso, Texas, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Once at these locations, the migrants’ cellphones were seized and were not returned to them. At one stash house in Albuquerque, 57 migrants were located.
Palma and his accomplices lived near the stash houses and kept large sums of cash and firearms available. Sauceda and other co-conspirators drove migrants to various locations, including Los Angeles, to reunite them with their family and friends.
Specifically, on April 1, Palma told Sauceda that one victim, a Guatemalan national who had entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico, that he had to pay $1,500 before being released to his family. Sauceda then ordered the victim to contact a family member to meeting a Jack in the Box restaurant parking lot in Norwalk. At this parking lot meeting, Sauceda locked the victim inside the car and demanded a $1,500 ransom payment from the victim’s relative before driving away with the victim inside the car.
Later that day, Palma contacted the victim’s relative and said unless $1,500 was paid, the victim would be returned to Mexico and Palma suggested the victim would be killed there. Sauceda then returned to the Jack in the Box parking lot, believing the victim’s relative would pay the ransom. Instead, law enforcement was nearby and later pulled over and arrested Sauceda. As he was being pulled over, Sauceda placed approximately $9,290 in cash, as well as receipts memorializing money transfers to individuals outside of the United States, in the center console of his car before he was arrested. On April 2, Palma sent messages via WhatsApp to the victim’s relative, threatening to kill her.
In April and May of 2024, Palma’s cellphone was present near the Albuquerque stash house, where he drove a yellow school bus with a non-resident permit issued to him to and from the location.
On May 20, when law enforcement approached the Albuquerque stash house to investigate a kidnapping complaint, one co-conspirator drove up to the house and appeared to point at officers while another conspirator fired multiple gunshots in the vicinity of the home.
On May 21, a yellow school bus registered to Palma was parked at the Albuquerque house when law enforcement found 57 undocumented migrants being detained there.
Sauceda, who is a fugitive, is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of kidnapping, one count of one count of interstate communication containing a demand or request for ransom, and one count of transportation of aliens within the United States for private financial gain.
“These defendants allegedly helped to smuggle migrants and then take advantage of them by demanding ransom from the victims’ families to secure their release,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “We will use our powerful tools to hold accountable those who use violence to profit off of vulnerable victims.”
“Everyone in this country who is a victim of a serious crime is protected by U.S. law and this case is no exception,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The exploitation of vulnerable individuals and their families will be fully investigated by the FBI and its law enforcement partners. Eduar Isrrael Sauceda Nuñez is still wanted for this crime, and we ask that anyone with information as to his whereabouts to contact the FBI or the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.”
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Palma and Sauceda would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
This matter was investigated by the FBI’s San Gabriel Valley Safe Streets Task Force (SGVSSTF), which is comprised of agents and officers with the FBI, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department – Major Crimes Bureau/Prison Gang Unit and Custody Investigative Services/Operation Safe Jails, the Pomona Police Department, the El Monte Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). The Pomona Police Department is the sponsoring agency of the SGVSSTF and has been the headquarters for the task force since its inception in 2008.
Assistant United States Attorney Sara B. Vargas of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Fort Myers Felon Sentenced to More Than 7 Years for Unlawfully Possessing Loaded FirearmsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Mark Anthony Taylor, Jr. (27, Fort Myers) to seven years and three months in federal prison in connection with two cases involving him unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Taylor to forfeit the firearms and ammunition possessed during the offenses. Taylor pled guilty to the offenses in these cases on March 7, 2024, and May 28, 2024, respectively.
According to court documents, shortly after midnight on April 6, 2023, Taylor was found by Cape Coral Police Department (CCPD) officers sleeping in the driver’s seat of a motor vehicle which was stopped at an intersection in Cape Coral. After Taylor exited the vehicle as part of a DUI investigation, officers located and seized a loaded handgun from the driver’s floorboard inches away from where Taylor had been sitting.
About four months later, on August 17, 2023, Taylor was the passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by Fort Myers Police Department (FMPD) officers as part of an investigation into a drive-by shooting. During the traffic stop, Taylor was in possession of a loaded handgun which was later forensically linked to the drive-by shooting.
As a convicted felon who has previously served prison time, Taylor is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Cape Coral Police Department, the Fort Myers Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.
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.
Former Office Manager of the Dartmouth Student Newspaper Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison for Stealing over $223,000 from the NewspaperRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Springfield, Vermont woman was sentenced today in federal court in Concord for stealing $223,372.51 from The Dartmouth (“The D”), which is the student newspaper at Dartmouth College, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Nicole Chambers, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Landya B. McCafferty to 15 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. On April 30, 2024, Chambers pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
“The Dartmouth, a non-profit student newspaper, entrusted the defendant with their finances, and she betrayed that trust by embezzling more than $223,000 over the course of four-and-a-half years,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “This was a crime motivated by the defendant’s greed, plain and simple. The defendant stole to fund her high lifestyle, including trips across the United States and Caribbean and purchasing luxury items. The consequence of crimes like this is federal prison.”
“Fraud is never the ticket to lasting financial gain, as Nicole Chambers has now discovered,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Over the course of four years, Ms. Chambers stole and squandered almost a quarter-million dollars from the non-profit newspaper she worked for so she could live well above her means. Justice demands that financial fraudsters like her be held accountable for their crimes and today’s sentencing ensures that.”
The D is the lead student newspaper at Dartmouth College and is a nonprofit run by student volunteers. Between 2012 and 2021, Chambers was the office manager for The D. In her role, Chambers had full access to The D’s finances, including its bank account, PayPal and Venmo accounts, and debit card. Between April 2017 and September 2021, Chambers stole money from The D. She primarily used her access to The D’s PayPal accounts to make unauthorized transfers to accounts she controlled. She also made unauthorized transfers from The D’s Venmo account and made unauthorized purchases on the newspaper’s debit card.
In total, Chambers stole $223,372.51 from The D. She misused the funds on personal expenses, including plane tickets, hotels, and lodging across the United States and Caribbean as well as on items such as a 12-inch green tea memory foam mattress and bedframe. She also used The D’s funds to pay $1900 in fees associated with her husband’s court case in Newport (Rhode Island) County Superior Court.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. The Hanover Police Department and Grafton County Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen prosecuted the case.
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Former Lafayette and Vermilion Parish Educator Sentenced to Federal Prison on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced Jacob Conrad De La Paz, 34, has been sentenced for attempted receipt of child pornography. United States District Judge David C. Joseph sentenced De La Paz to 84 months (7 years) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
De La Paz, a former teacher and coach at St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette and a math teacher at North Vermilion High School in Maurice, was convicted by a jury in Lafayette on May 22, 2024. He was convicted of one count of attempted receipt of child pornography. Evidence at the trial revealed that De La Paz began communicating in January 2023 through social media with a former minor female student from North Vermilion High School who had reached out to him seeking his help as a math tutor. On January 12, 2023, De La Paz sent a video through the Facebook social media platform to the minor female student, who was 17 years old at the time, asking her to send him a video of her pleasuring herself. He then sent a second video to the minor victim of himself masturbating to ejaculation. Further testimony in court revealed that De La Paz instructed the minor victim to delete the video and all of their conversations from Facebook.
“Parents expect educators and tutors of their minor children to simply teach those children and not influence or attempt to manipulate them sexually,” said United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “Children are a vulnerable segment of our society and when educators engage in this type of conduct with them, the DOJ’s mission requires us to prosecute them and that is what the public expects us to do. Today, justice has been served.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren L. Gardner and J. Luke Walker.
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Former CEO of Kubient, Inc. Charged and Pleads Guilty in Connection with Accounting Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Daniel B. Brubaker, the Inspector in Charge of the New York Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), announced today the filing of an Information charging PAUL ROBERTS, the founder, former Chief Executive Officer, and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kubient, Inc, a digital advertising technology company, with securities fraud. The charge results from ROBERTS’s execution of a scheme to defraud investors and auditors of Kubient, during which he caused Kubient to improperly recognize more than $1.3 million in fraudulent revenue in Kubient’s financial statements at the time of Kubient’s initial public offering and made material misrepresentations about the efficacy of Kubient’s proprietary fraud detection tool, Kubient Artificial Intelligence (“KAI”). ROBERTS plead guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Paul Roberts, the founder and former CEO of Kubient, inflated his company’s revenue and lied about the performance of one of its signature products, an AI-powered tool that was supposed to detect ad fraud in the digital advertising industry. To carry out his scheme, Roberts had fake documents created to mislead the independent certified public accountants engaged to audit Kubient’s financial statements. Today’s charge and guilty plea sends a message that this Office is committed to holding corporate executives accountable when they resort to fraud.”
USPIS Inspector in Charge Daniel B. Brubaker said: “Mr. Roberts was caught lying about Kubient’s AI fraud detection tool. And in this case, the only thing that was detected as fraudulent was what Mr. Roberts told investors to improperly bolster his company’s revenue during Kubient’s IPO. This is our promise to the American public: Postal Inspectors along with our law enforcement partners will continue to protect investors from falling victim to greedy individuals.”
As alleged in the Information:
In or about May 2017, ROBERTS founded Kubient, Inc. (“Kubient”), a digital advertising technology company headquartered in New York, New York. From in or about August 2020 to in or about November 2023, Kubient’s shares were publicly traded on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker “KBNT.” At various times relevant to the Information, ROBERTS was Kubient’s Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Interim Chief Executive Officer, President, and Chief Strategy Officer.
From at least in or about October 2019 through at least in or about March 2021, ROBERTS executed an accounting fraud scheme at Kubient. During that time, ROBERTS caused Kubient to improperly recognize more than $1.3 million in fraudulent revenue in Kubient’s financial statements (the “Fraudulent Revenue”). The Fraudulent Revenue was over 94% of Kubient’s reported revenue for 2020 at the time of its initial public offering (“IPO”) in or about August 2020, over 74% of its reported revenue for 2020 at the time of its secondary public offering in or about December 2020, and approximately 45% of Kubient’s reported revenue for all of 2020, as reported in Kubient’s 2020 annual financial statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on SEC Form 10-K in or about March 2021. With his scheme, ROBERTS misled Kubient’s auditors and deceived the investing public about Kubient’s financial condition.
At the core of the accounting fraud scheme by ROBERTS was a fraudulent $1.3 million transaction that ROBERTS arranged between Kubient and another digital advertising technology company (“Company-1”) and one of Company-1’s affiliates (the “Company-1 Affiliate”). In a set of three contracts negotiated and executed together in or about October 2019, Kubient and Company-1 agreed to provide certain services to the other for nearly identical fees. Under the terms of two contracts, Kubient agreed to use its proprietary fraud detection tool Kubient Artificial Intelligence (“KAI”) to scan data provided by Company-1 and the Company-1 Affiliate for instances of digital ad fraud and then deliver the results of KAI’s findings to Company-1 and the Company-1 Affiliate (the “KAI Agreements” of the “KAI Transactions”). At the same time, pursuant to a Data Services Agreement, Company-1 agreed to sell Kubient other data and provide certain data-related services.
From in or about January 2020 through in or about November 2020, Kubient paid Company-1 $1,300,336 and Company-1 paid Kubient $1,300,338.03 (which Kubient fraudulently recognized as revenue), but neither company ever provided any of the services they agreed to provide to the other company under the contracts. For example, with respect to the KAI Transactions, Company-1 and the Company-1 Affiliate never sent Kubient any data to be scanned by KAI, Kubient never scanned any Company-1 or Company-1 Affiliate data with KAI, and Kubient never delivered any results or reports to Company-1 or the Company-1 Affiliate with any findings by KAI.
To conceal his fraudulent scheme, ROBERTS directed Kubient employees to generate fake KAI reports and misled them about how he intended to use such reports. Rather than receive data from Company-1 or the Company-1 Affiliate to be scanned by KAI, ROBERTS had Kubient employees create “sample” KAI reports based, at first, on Kubient’s own data and then eventually based on made-up metrics and no underlying data at all. ROBERTS told Kubient employees he needed these “samples” to demonstrate for bankers and potential investors the kind of reporting of which KAI was capable. In fact, ROBERTS needed the “sample” KAI reports to mislead Kubient’s independent certified public accountants (the “Audit Firm”) into believing that Kubient had performed its contractual obligations to Company-1 and the Company-1 Affiliate under the KAI Agreements when, in fact, Kubient had not, so that Kubient could recognize the associated revenue in its financial statements.
ROBERTS repeatedly made material misrepresentations in SEC filings and in management representation letters submitted to the Audit Firm relating to Kubient’s KAI revenue recognition. Contrary to representations ROBERTS made in these filings and letters, Kubient did not perform its obligations to Company-1 and the Company-1 Affiliate under the KAI Agreements and, consequently, none of the Fraudulent Revenue should have been recognized as revenue in Kubient’s financial statements.
In addition, ROBERTS repeatedly made material misrepresentations in SEC filings about the efficacy of KAI in identifying and preventing digital ad fraud, including in connection with Kubient’s initial and secondary public offerings when Kubient was touting KAI as one of the company’s premier products that would differentiate it from its competitors. For example, ROBERTS personally added language to Kubient’s SEC Form S-1 registration statements that ROBERTS signed and that Kubient filed in or about July, August, and December 2020, stating that, in 2020, KAI provided “two large enterprise clients” [i.e., Company-1 and the Company-1 Affiliate] “the ability to prevent the purchase of non-human or fraudulent advertising traffic” and that “KAI was identifying and preventing approximately 300% more digital ad fraud then [sic] the client’s current partners.” ROBERTS made these statements knowing that they were false. More specifically, ROBERTS knew that Kubient never received any data from Company-1 or the Company-1 Affiliate to scan with KAI pursuant to the KAI Agreements, that Kubient never scanned any of Company-1’s or the Company-1 Affiliate’s data with KAI, and that Kubient never delivered any results or reports to Company-1 or the Company-1 Affiliate with any findings by KAI, let alone that KAI was not “identifying and preventing approximately 300% more digital ad fraud” than Company-1’s and the Company-1 Affiliate’s “current partners.”
Fueled by the misrepresentations about Kubient’s KAI revenue recognition and the efficacy of KAI in identifying and preventing digital ad fraud that ROBERTS made in Kubient’s SEC filings and elsewhere, Kubient raised more than $12.5 million in its IPO in or about August 2020, resulting in its shares being publicly traded on the Nasdaq stock exchange, and more than $20 million in its secondary public offering in or about December 2020. Kubient’s IPO and its secondary public offering would not have been possible without ROBERTS’s fraudulent misrepresentations about KAI and the KAI Transactions.
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ROBERTS, 48, of Melville, NY, is charged with one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the USPIS. Mr. Williams also thanked the SEC, which filed a civil action against ROBERTS after he pleaded guilty, for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin V. Rodriguez and Alex Rossmiller are in charge of the prosecution.
Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 70 Months for Role in Street Crew’s Drug Conspiracy in Northwest D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Daevon Narce, 31, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for his role in a violent trafficking conspiracy that distributed significant amounts of crack cocaine and fentanyl near the corner of 7th and O Streets, NW.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting FBI Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Narce, aka “Black Jesus,” was one of nearly two dozen defendants charged in connection with a wide-ranging drug trafficking investigation centered on the area of 7th and O Streets. He pleaded guilty on May 12, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Narce has six prior convictions, two of which were for escapes. In addition to the 70-month prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Narce to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in mid-2021, the FBI and officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) launched a probe into violent crime and drug activities around 7th and O Streets in Northwest. Investigators discovered a group that included Narce selling controlled substances. The group used several residences in the neighborhood as stash houses where they processed and packaged drugs for resale. Law enforcement installed covert cameras in the stash houses and witnessed dozens of hand-to-hand sales transactions both inside the homes and on the adjacent sidewalks. Police and agents also executed controlled purchases of crack and fentanyl.
The following co-defendants and defendants in related cases have pleaded guilty and received sentences in relation to this case:
DEFENDANT
GUILTY PLEA
SENTENCE
Bryan Rice
aka “Ice”
Pleaded January 5, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and fentanyl, and felon in possession of a firearm.
Sentenced April 23, 2024, to 120 months in prison.
Elliot Johnson
aka “Nadir” and “Hundo”
Pleaded May 5, 2023, to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense
Sentenced August 17, 2023, to 120 months in prison.
Jeremy Young
aka “G-Code”
Pleaded March 1, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Sentenced June 7, 2023, to 70 months.
William Proctor
aka “Billy”
Pleaded November 7, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine.
Sentenced February 24, 2023, to 60 months.
Andre William
aka “Sin”
Pleaded March 22, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine.
Sentenced August 18, 2023, to 63 months.
Ako Handy
aka “K.O.”
Pleaded December 15, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Sentenced April 11, 2023, to 60 months.
Keith Gliss
aka “K.D.,” “Flea”
Pleaded May 4, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Sentenced August 4, 2023, to 84 months.
Stanley Hood
aka “Slim”
Pleaded January 12, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
Sentenced May 23, 2023, to five years of probation.
Thomas Shelton
aka “T”
Pleaded January 10, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine.
Sentenced April 10, 2023, to 24 months.
Tyrone Wade
aka “Fats”
Pleaded April 10, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base.
Sentenced July 26, 2023, to 24 months.
Harold Augostus Stone aka “Bankroll”
Pleaded June 23, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base.
Sentenced October 12, 2023, to 60 months.
Christion Cooper
aka “Soulja”
Pleaded February 23, 2023, to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Sentenced February 3, 2023, to 60 months.
Kenneth Watts
aka “Wop”
Pleaded December 22, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
Sentenced April 6, 2023, to 24 months.
Marquette Hunter
aka “Q”
Pleaded September 14, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
Sentenced January 3, 2024, to time served.
Brandon Benson
aka “Jet”
Pleaded January 11, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
Sentenced May 15, 2023, to 51 months.
Burnell Smith
aka “Drip”
Pleaded December 2, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
Sentenced March 21, 2023, to five years' probation.
Kelfa Kamara
Pleaded December 9, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
Sentenced March 29, 2023, to 46 months.
Samuel Hall
Pleaded February 1, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Sentenced on June 2, 2023, to five years of probation.
Wesley Hilliard
aka “God”
Pleaded January 25, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base.
Sentenced May 7, 2024, to 37 months.
Tyrone Robinson
aka “Dog”
Pleaded January 10, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Sentenced May 31, 2024, to 37 months.
Daevon Narce
aka “Black Jesus”
Pleaded May 12, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Sentenced September 19, 2024, to 70 months.
This case stems from a collaborative investigation by the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) of MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Division, the FBI Washington Field Office’s Cross Border Safe Streets Task Force, and the Washington Division of the DEA. The Cross Border Safe Streets Task Force targets the most egregious and violent street crews operating in the District of Columbia.
The investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon Eppel of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with valuable assistance provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rosenberg, Steven Wasserman, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shaunik Panse.
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El Cajon Man Who Sold “Ghost Guns” While Serving as a U.S. Marine Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – September 16, 2024
SAN DIEGO – Christian Ferrari of El Cajon was sentenced in federal court today to 37 months in prison following his admission that he sold 22 “ghost guns” to undercover agents without a license. At the time of the sales, Ferrari was an active-duty U.S. Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton.
Privately made firearms, commonly referred to as ghost guns, are made by individuals, like Ferrari, who buy parts and then use various specialized tools to construct and assemble the parts into a functional firearm. Unlike firearms made by licensed firearm manufacturers, ghost guns do not have a serial number, making them virtually untraceable.
Ferrari’s arrest was part of the Privately Made Firearm Crime Reduction Project, which ran from February to May of 2023. The Project was initiated to address gun violence and the proliferation of ghost guns in San Diego. Using data analytics to identify trends in areas with heightened gun violence and the recovery of guns used in crimes, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) employed an intelligence-led policing effort to place resources where they would have the greatest impact. The Project resulted in the seizure of 165 ghost guns and the prosecution of 33 people, including Ferrari.
Between March 13 and May 9, 2023, Ferrari sold 22 ghost guns to ATF agents in exchange for $23,000 over four separate transactions. During one of the transactions, undercover agents told Ferrari those guns were going to be taken to Mexico. Ferrari responded, “alright, perfect,” and agreed to sell the agents 10 more ghost guns for $10,000. After the final transaction was completed, Ferrari was arrested. Pictured below are the 22 ghost guns Ferrari manufactured and sold to undercover ATF agents:
Following Ferrari’s arrest, agents discovered evidence that Ferrari was manufacturing firearms at a family member’s residence in Lakeside, California. Agents later found a drill press covered in metal shavings consistent with material used to manufacture of firearms.
A forensic analysis of Ferrari’s phone revealed numerous other conversations related to manufacturing and selling firearms and parts, which included AR-15 style rifles, silencers for firearms, and “full auto sears,” which convert AR-15s to fire automatically.
U.S. District Judge Cynthia A. Bashant told the defendant at today’s hearing: “What you did was an enormous danger to the public.”
“By design, ghost guns are made to avoid regulation and slip past law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “But with intelligence-based efforts like the program used to take these 22 illegal weapons off the street we are prioritizing public safety.”
“Dealing firearms without a license oftentimes results in individuals who are prohibited from owning firearms — such as felons, domestic abusers, or individuals with certain mental health conditions — to bypass background checks and obtain weapons,” said Christopher Bombardiere, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge of Los Angeles Field Division. “These firearms end up in the hands of criminals and are used in violent crimes, including homicides, robberies, and gang-related activities. ATF will continue to work with local and state law enforcement agencies to investigate the criminal possession and other criminal misuse of privately made firearms in the same manner as any other federal firearm offense.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shital H. Thakkar.
DEFENDANTS Case Number: 23-cr-01091-BAS
Christian Ferrari Age: 23 El Cajon, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Dealing in Firearms Without a License – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 922(a)(1)(A)
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine per count
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
San Diego Police Department
Dayton men sentenced to life in prison for murder of DEA task force officerRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Two Dayton men were sentenced in federal court here today to life in prison for their roles in the narcotics case that caused the 2019 death of Dayton Police Detective and DEA Task Force Officer Jorge DelRio.
While attempting to prevent federal agents from seizing approximately half-a-million dollars in fentanyl and other drugs, Nathan Goddard, 44, murdered Det. DelRio. Goddard was sentenced today to life plus 10 years in prison.
Goddard was convicted of murder following a jury trial in March 2024. He and Cahke Cortner, 44, were also convicted of multiple narcotics and firearms charges. Cortner was sentenced today to life plus five years in prison.
“Every day DEA Special Agents and Task Force Officers put their lives on the line to protect their communities against dangerous and violent drug traffickers who threaten the safety of the American people. On November 7, 2019, DEA Task Force Officer Jorge DelRio made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting the city of Dayton,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Today’s sentences mean these two defendants will never walk free or hurt an innocent person again. DEA is as committed as ever to continuing this fight against violent drug traffickers. We do it in honor of TFO DelRio and all the other narcotics officers who have given their lives for the pursuit of justice.”
“We stand with the DelRio family and our law enforcement partners, and we recognize that DEA Task Force Officer Jorge DelRio sacrificed his life to protect this community. As was stated by Deputy Criminal Chief Tabacchi at today’s sentencing, Task Force Officer DelRio ‘was a son of the Dayton community – serving with dignity and selflessness.’ We will never forget his ultimate sacrifice,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “This case is a reminder that, as public servants, law enforcement officers do a dangerous job every day. Today’s sentences should also serve as a reminder to perpetrators of violent crime that we see these matters through to the end and we will hold you accountable.”
“The Dayton Police Department is pleased to see the sentences imposed against Nathan Goddard and Cahke Cortner in the tragic shooting of Detective Jorge DelRio,” said Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal. “They mark a significant step of closure for Detective DelRio's loved ones, our department, and our community. We extend our gratitude to the U.S. Attorney's Office for their diligent efforts throughout this case. It is imperative that those who inflict harm in our community are held accountable.”
“Every day, members of law enforcement put their lives on the line to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the public. Mr. Goddard’s actions resulted in the tragic loss of Task Force Officer Jorge DelRio. While this verdict does not bring him back, we hope his family and our community as a whole can find comfort in knowing that Mr. Goddard will spend the rest of his life in a federal prison,” said DEA Detroit Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene.
“While the FBI is pleased that Goddard and his accomplice will be held accountable for this murder, nothing can make up for the loss of Detective DelRio,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners continue to mourn his death and honor his legacy of service and sacrifice.”
“These individuals are responsible for the death of Detective Jorge DelRio, who was working to keep our community safe from dangerous drug traffickers,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “As a Dayton Police Detective and DEA Task Force Officer, Det. DelRio was a selfless hero who gave his all, and ultimately his life, to protect the citizens of this nation. ATF is honored to have played a role in holding to account those responsible for Det. DelRio’s sacrifice. I hope these sentences bring some measure of closure to the family of Det. DelRio and send a message to criminals that law enforcement will be relentless in our pursuit of justice.”
According to court documents and trial testimony, on Nov. 4, 2019, Goddard murdered Det. DelRio while Det. DelRio and others were executing a federal search warrant at 1454 Ruskin Road in Dayton.
During the execution of the search warrant, Det. DelRio and other officials announced themselves and entered the home at approximately 6:50pm. Det. DelRio descended the stairway to the basement of the residence, immediately came under gunfire from the basement, and was struck and killed.
As the government proved beyond a reasonable doubt at trial, from 2018 until November 2019, Goddard and Cortner participated in a narcotics conspiracy involving kilograms of fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana.
The defendants kept firearms – including handguns fitted with laser sights – to protect the illegal drugs and their illicit proceeds. Goddard and Cortner acquired handguns on the black market referred to as “cop killers” because the firearms discharge bullets that can penetrate body armor. The defendants fitted these guns with high-capacity magazines.
In the residence they used, officials discovered 10 kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine, 50 to 60 pounds of marijuana, and more than $55,000 in cash. As the government’s sentencing memorandum notes, the amount of fentanyl recovered from the basement represented millions of potential street sales of fentanyl – enough poison to cause the overdose of almost every person in the Miami Valley.
Goddard and Cortner were originally charged in this case on Nov. 6, 2019, and were charged by superseding indictment in July 2022.
Their co-defendant Lionel Combs III, 45, pleaded guilty just before the start of trial to maintaining a drug premises, a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck, Jr. announced the sentences imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Newman. U.S. Attorney Parker recognized the critical assistance of the Criminal Interdiction Team of Central Oklahoma (CITCO).
Deputy Criminal Chief Brent G. Tabacchi, Assistant United States Attorneys Amy M. Smith and Christina E. Mahy, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Erin Claypoole from the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office are representing the United States in this case.
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Dallas man charged with federal drug trafficking violation resulting in death in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Dallas man has been charged with a federal drug trafficking violation related to the death of two women in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Durran Allistair Walker, 46, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on August 15, 2024, in the Eastern District of Texas. The indictment charges Walker with the distribution of nitazene, a synthetic opioid, resulting in death. Walker made his initial appearance on September 16, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bill Davis.
According to the indictment, in January of 2024, Walker is alleged to have sold pills to two young women from The Colony, Texas, who overdosed and died from the drugs. Nitazenes are a new type of synthetic opioid which can be up to 40 times stronger than fentanyl. These deaths are the first known nitazene overdoses in this area. A search of Walker’s residence at the time of his arrest led to the seizure of additional pills.
If convicted, Walker faces up to life in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the The Colony Police Department; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Brooks.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Meth and Marijuana ConvictionsRead the Press Release
Dereck Meyer, 34, from Council Bluffs, IA, was sentenced on September 13, 2024, to 144 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. Meyer pled guilty April 19, 2024, to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. In 2011, Meyer was previously convicted in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa for possession with intent to distribute more than 5 grams of methamphetamine within a protected location.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on November 19, 2022, law enforcement officers in Denison, Iowa stopped a vehicle driven by Meyer. Meyer admitted to being in possession of marijuana, failed to follow officer’s commands and drove off at a high rate of speed initiating a pursuit through Denison, Iowa. Meyer ultimately drove into the alley and was taken into custody. During a search of the vehicle officers located 55.46 grams of methamphetamine in the rear seat next to Meyer’s wallet. Officers also seized four plastic bags, each containing approximately one ounce (about 28 grams) of marijuana, a clear plastic bag containing 4.4 grams of marijuana, and a clear plastic bag containing 3 grams of suspected cocaine. Meyer intended to distribute some or all of the drugs to another person or persons.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Meyer was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment and must serve an eight-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Meyer remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and the Denison Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-4013. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Cleveland Woman Sentenced to 2½ years in Prison for Forging Power of Attorney to Steal More than $46k from Elderly VictimRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - Tanya Alahmad, 46, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced by U.S. Judge David A. Ruiz to 30 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $46,064.30 in restitution. Alahmad pleaded guilty in March 2024 to one count of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft for forging a power of attorney to steal more than $46,000 from an elderly victim.
According to court documents, from November 2019, through February 2022, Alahmad befriended the victim and stayed at their residence a few days week. Alahmad assisted the victim by cleaning the house and running errands. Alahmad also created a fraudulent Power of Attorney (POA) that named her as POA by forging the victim’s signature and then used the POA to obtain credit and debit cards in the victim’s name. Alahmad used the fraudulently obtained credit and debit cards to conduct unauthorized purchases and withdrawals. At times, the victim was hospitalized and in a rehabilitation facility while Alahmad continued to write checks from the victim’s bank account without lawful authority. As a result of Alahmad’s conduct, the victim and the bank lost more than $46,000.
This investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. McDonough. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio would like to acknowledge and thank the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office and the Cleveland Police Department for their cooperation with this matter.
The investigation and prosecution of this case is in response to the Elder Justice Initiative Program originating from the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act of 2017 (EAPPA). The mission of the EAPPA and Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department of Justice’s enforcement efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect, financial fraud, and scams that target the nation’s elderly population.
If you observe something that you believe might be fraudulent conduct involving an older adult, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov to report it.