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Thursday 12 September 2024
Prior felon charged with illegal firearm possessionRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Lawrence Foggie, 66, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes and being a felon in possession of a firearm, which carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna M. Duncan, who is handling the case, stated that on September 6th, 2024, Buffalo Police and the ATF received information that an individual in the area of Main and E. Utica Streets in Buffalo, pulled a firearm on another person. Law enforcement officers responded to the area and observed Foggie as matching the description of the individual. Law enforcement approached and gave verbal commands for Foggie to stop moving. Foggie stated that he had a pistol permit and a firearm in his backpack. He was taken into custody. A loaded .38 caliber revolver, 3.6 grams of suspected methamphetamine, pills and drug paraphernalia were recovered from Foggie’s backpack. In July 2016, Foggie was convicted of a felony in Erie County Court and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Foggie made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Previously convicted Newport News man sentenced for federal firearm offenseRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on Jan. 25, 2022, Antonio James Hill, 33, sold a .38 caliber handgun and five rounds of ammunition to a confidential informant (CI) for $200. During this controlled purchase, Hill was wearing a shoulder holster holding another firearm.
Hill was previously convicted of felonies, including malicious wounding and use or display of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He also was convicted of assaulting a corrections officer while incarcerated for the prior felony convictions. As a convicted felon, Hill cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, and Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis. The Newport News Police Department and Hampton Police Department provided significant assistance in the investigation of this case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson C. Yates, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.
Assistance was provided by the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force.
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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-12.
Portland Man Sentenced to 156 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Methamphetamine While on Federal SupervisionRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon man with prior convictions for narcotics, firearms, and interstate prostitution was sentenced to federal prison today for possessing methamphetamine after he was caught by federal law enforcement, while on supervised release, with narcotics and a firearm.
Anthony Ballard Jones, 42, was sentenced to 156 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
“Every day the FBI works tirelessly to build strong cases to remove violent individuals like Anthony Jones from our communities,” said Douglas A. Olson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Portland Field Office. “We appreciate the work of the U.S. Attorney's Office in pursuing justice in this case.”
According to court documents, in January 2022, FBI received reports from a concerned citizen that Jones, on federal supervised release from a prior conviction, was sending threatening text messages to individuals. During the investigation, FBI received reports from another concerned citizen that Jones was engaged in illegal activities. At the same time, Jones had fled federal supervision and the U.S. Probation Office in Oregon was rendered unable to track his whereabouts or monitor his conduct.
On March 23, 2022, FBI special agents arrested Jones in Portland, Oregon. A firearm and multiple bags were seized from Jones’ vehicle. Later, investigators searched the bags and found ammunition, a knife, drug packaging materials and paraphernalia, and distribution quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as cocaine and heroin.
On April 21, 2022, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a three-count indictment charging Jones with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On September 12, 2024, Jones pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
This case was investigated by the FBI. It was prosecuted by William M. McLaren and Jeffrey S. Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Placer County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation ChargeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Paul Hughes, 41, of Colfax, pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a child, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between September 2018 and June 2019, on three separate occasions Hughes created visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Hughes used a cellphone to surreptitiously record at least three videos containing child sexual abuse material and saved them on an external hard drive. In addition to these videos, agents recovered over 3,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse material on Hughes’s external hard drive and Google account.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case.
Hughes is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 30, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley. Hughes faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison. 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 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.
Philadelphia Man Who Carjacked Two Ride-Share Drivers in One Week Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Rashad Johnson-Price, 20, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 135 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $300 special assessment by United States District Court Judge Michael M. Baylson, for two counts of carjacking and one count of carrying and using a firearm during, and in relation to, the commission of a crime of violence.
Johnson-Price was indicted on those violations in January of 2023. He pleaded guilty in September 2023, before the late Honorable Gene E.K. Pratter, admitting to carjacking a Lyft driver with an accomplice at approximately 4 a.m. on August 9, 2022, in the Frankford section of Philadelphia. As part of his plea, the defendant also admitted to carrying and using a firearm to commit this offense. Then, on August 13, 2022, the defendant and an accomplice carjacked an Uber driver at approximately 5 a.m. In both instances, the defendant and an accomplice requested a ride-share vehicle and when they arrived at or near their destination, they carjacked the vehicle from the ride-share driver at gunpoint.
“The victims in this case were just trying to make an honest living when two criminals threatened them at gunpoint,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “It must have been terrifying, especially in the early hours of the morning, with few other people around. We and our partners on the Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force will not allow carjackers like Rashad Johnson-Price to commit these violent crimes with impunity. He’ll now be living his 20s behind bars.”
“Luring victims through their ride-share service to take their cars and livelihood at gunpoint was a particularly awful crime that will not go unpunished,” said Eric J. DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Philadelphia Field Division. “Working with our Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force partners, ATF Philadelphia Field Division applies our unique forensic and investigative tools to ensure justice for the victims and to make our communities safer.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert E. Eckert and Lauren E. Stram.
Philadelphia Businessman Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Evading $148,000 in TaxesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that William Powell, 65, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 12 months in prison and three years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Michael M. Baylson, for committing tax evasion. Powell was also ordered to pay $148,984 in restitution and a $50,000 fine.
The defendant was indicted in August 2023 and pleaded guilty to the charges against him in May.
Powell had been performing general contracting work and cleaning services for a federally funded nonprofit organization in the Philadelphia area, but in 2010, he married the executive director of this nonprofit. Conflict-of-interest rules prohibited the nonprofit from retaining Powell’s company due to the marriage.
To circumvent these rules, Powell used another person to take over the cleaning business as a nominal owner. Powell continued to run the business, provide the services, and receive compensation from the cleaning business. While hiding his operation of the cleaning service business from 2014 through 2018, Powell earned over $700,000 derived from payments made to the cleaning business by his wife’s non-profit entity.
Powell hid this income by receiving cash payments, using a debit card in the name of the cleaning business to pay his personal expenses, failing to file tax returns, and eventually lying to IRS agents when they interviewed him about his activity. By hiding over $700,000 in income from the IRS, Powell evaded paying $148,984 in income taxes.
“Paying the taxes that we lawfully owe is both our civic and legal duty,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “William Powell opted to go another way, concealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in income. In doing so, he cheated both the government and the honest taxpayers who help fill its treasury each year. That’s why tax evasion has some serious consequences, as Mr. Powell can now confirm.”
“The prosecution of individuals who intentionally conceal income and evade taxes is a vital element of the IRS' enforcement strategy,” said Amy MacNeely, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation Philadelphia Field Office. “Those who attempt to hide their income to evade paying taxes, like Mr. Powell did, should know you will be prosecuted.”
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael T. Donovan.
Pharr resident receives max for smuggling over 100Read the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 21-year-old man has been sentenced for transporting undocumented individuals, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Isaac Jake Gonzalez pleaded guilty March 30, 2023.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Gonzalez to serve 60 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard evidence that while on bond, Gonzalez continued to smuggle undocumented individuals and allegedly trafficked a 15-year-old girl for sex which resulted in a revocation of his bond. The court also heard Gonzalez was responsible for smuggling unaccompanied minors and that, in some cases, the undocumented people were locked in trailers where the refrigeration was not working.
Beginning in summer 2021, authorities initiated an investigation into an organization responsible for smuggling thousands of undocumented aliens in tractor-trailers. Law enforcement ultimately identified Gonzalez and his brother-in-law, Anthony Williams, as coordinators responsible for recruiting drivers.
On Dec. 6, 2022, authorities arrested Gonzalez and three other co-conspirators. Law enforcement discovered that members had delivered six undocumented migrants to a warehouse where a tractor-trailer was waiting to smuggle them north.
Through the investigation, Gonzalez was found responsible for smuggling approximately 115 undocumented individuals.
Williams, 27, Pharr, was previously sentenced to 96 months in federal prison.
Gonzalez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara J. De Peña prosecuted the case.
Parmelee Man Sentenced for Attempted RobberyRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Parmelee, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Robbery. The sentencing took place on September 10, 2024.
Phillip Clairmont, age 25, was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Clairmont was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $25,000.
Clairmont was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2024. He was found guilty following a two-day jury trial in June of 2024.
On January 13, 2024, Clairmont entered a convenience store in Parmelee, which is within the boundaries of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. The victim worked at the store and was seated behind the store counter. Clairmont approached the victim and began assaulting him, by striking him in the head and face, and demanded money. The victim agreed to give Clairmont money, at which point Clairmont stopped assaulting the victim. The victim then retrieved a firearm and shot Clairmont in the abdomen. Clairmont immediately fled the store, and the victim called 911. Clairmont was located a short time later at a nearby residence and was hospitalized for his injuries.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Clairmont was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Orange County felon sentenced to federal prison for gun violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – An Orange convicted felon has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Terryence John Nelson, 40, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 12, 2024.
According to information presented in court, on October 29, 2023, law enforcement officers were dispatched to the Orange Boat Ramp in reference to a large disturbance with shots fired. Upon arrival, officers could see a large crowd with numerous vehicles in the boat ramp parking lot. As officers approached the scene, they heard several gunshots and observed muzzle flashes. Witnesses identified a dark green Lincoln Continental town car and told police that some of the occupants were involved in the shooting. Police identified the driver of the car as Nelson. Further investigation revealed Nelson had an active warrant for his arrest and he was detained. During the arrest, Nelson was found to have a semi-automatic pistol in his pants pocket. The firearm had previously been reported stolen out of Orange County, Texas, and it had an extended magazine loaded with approximately 19 rounds of ammunition.
Nelson admitted to officers that he carried the firearm everywhere he went for protection. He told officers that he knew it was wrong because he was a convicted felon.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Orange Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Quinn.
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Ohio Man Sentenced for Tax Fraud Conspiracy Related to Illegal Gambling BusinessesRead the Press Release
An Ohio man was sentenced to 24 months in prison today for conspiring to defraud the IRS by not reporting income he earned from his ownership and operation of illegal gambling businesses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2010 through 2018, Jason Kachner, of Canton, along with Christos Karasarides Jr. and other co-conspirators, owned and operated two illegal gambling businesses, Skilled Shamrock and Redemption. From 2012 through 2017, patrons at Skilled Shamrock wagered a total of more than $34 million, which resulted in more than $4 million in income for the owners of the gambling business. Kachner conspired with his co-owners to defraud the IRS by using a nominee owner to conceal their ownership of the businesses and by filing false tax returns that omitted most of the income he received from the businesses.
Overall, Kachner caused a loss to the IRS of $844,692.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent for the Northern District of Ohio ordered Kachner to serve three years of supervised release and pay $1,393,024 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation, the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office, the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, the Ohio Casino Control Commission, and Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission-Major Crimes Task Force investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Sam Bean and Hayter Whitman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.
Ohio Man Sentenced for Tax Fraud Conspiracy Related to Illegal Gambling BusinessesRead the Press Release
An Ohio man was sentenced to 20 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the IRS by not reporting income he earned from his ownership and operation of illegal gambling businesses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2010 through 2018, Jason Kachner, 48, of Canton, along with Christos Karasarides Jr., 59, of Canton, and other co-conspirators, owned and operated two illegal gambling businesses, Skilled Shamrock and Redemption.
From 2012 through 2017, patrons at Skilled Shamrock wagered a total of more than $34 million, which resulted in more than $4 million in income for the owners of the gambling business. Kachner conspired with his co-owners to defraud the IRS by using a nominee owner to conceal their ownership of the businesses and by filing false tax returns that omitted most of the income he received from the businesses.
Overall, Kachner caused a loss to the IRS of $844,692.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent for the Northern District of Ohio ordered Kachner to serve three years of supervised release and pay $1,393,024 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation, the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office, the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, the Ohio Casino Control Commission, and Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission-Major Crimes Task Force investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Sam Bean and Hayter Whitman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.
Ohio Man Sentenced for Tax Evasion, Money Laundering and Operating an Illegal Gambling BusinessRead the Press Release
An Ohio man was sentenced to over seven years in prison today for tax, money laundering and gambling crimes arising out of his ownership and operation of illegal gambling businesses and related misconduct.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2009 through 2022, Steven Saris owned and operated multiple illegal gambling businesses in Northeast Ohio — including Café 62, Lucky’s, Winner’s World, Spin City and another business in Springfield, Ohio — as well as in Florida. Saris concealed his involvement in and income from these businesses by having others serve as nominee owners, and by destroying and directing others to destroy business records.
For tax year 2015, Saris filed a false tax return that did not report more than $1.4 million in income he received from his illegal gambling businesses. For tax years 2016 through 2021, Saris did not file tax returns or pay all the tax that he owed despite earning more than $9 million in income from his gambling businesses. During that time, Saris made only two nominal payments to the IRS in 2018 when he filed an application for an extension of time to file his 2017 return. Saris used his proceeds from the businesses to gamble millions at legal casinos and to acquire and renovate at least two residential properties located in Canton, Ohio.
Saris’s conduct caused a tax loss of $2,823,391.
In July 2018, law enforcement executed search warrants at multiple illegal gambling businesses and associated locations in Northeast Ohio. Following those search warrants, Saris made false statements to law enforcement. At the same time, Saris continued operating the illegal gambling businesses and did not disclose that to law enforcement. In August 2022, law enforcement executed a court authorized search warrant at Saris’ residence and for his cell phone. Upon learning of the search warrant for his cell phone, Saris told law enforcement that he did not know the location of his cell phone. Law enforcement recovered Saris’ cell phone from the water tank of a toilet in Saris’ residence.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent for the Northern District of Ohio ordered Saris to serve three years of supervised release and pay $2,823,391 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation; the Stark County, Ohio, Prosecutor’s Office; the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Inspector General; Homeland Security Investigations; the Ohio Casino Control Commission and the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, Major Crimes Task Force investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Sam Bean and Hayter Whitman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.
Ohio Man Sentenced for Tax Evasion, Money Laundering and Operating an Illegal Gambling BusinessRead the Press Release
An Ohio man was sentenced to over seven years in prison today for tax, money laundering and gambling crimes arising out of his ownership and operation of illegal gambling businesses and related misconduct.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2009 through 2022, Steven Saris, 49, of Canton, Ohio, owned and operated multiple illegal gambling businesses in Northeast Ohio — including Café 62, Lucky’s, Winner’s World, Spin City and another business in Springfield, Ohio — as well as in Florida. Saris concealed his involvement in and income from these businesses by having others serve as nominee owners, and by destroying and directing others to destroy business records.
For tax year 2015, Saris filed a false tax return that did not report more than $1.4 million in income he received from his illegal gambling businesses. For tax years 2016 through 2021, Saris did not file tax returns or pay all the tax that he owed despite earning more than $9 million in income from his gambling businesses. During that time, Saris made only two nominal payments to the IRS in 2018 when he filed an application for an extension of time to file his 2017 return. Saris used his proceeds from the businesses to gamble millions at legal casinos and to acquire and renovate at least two residential properties located in Canton, Ohio.
Saris’ conduct caused a tax loss of $2,823,391.
In July 2018, law enforcement executed search warrants at multiple illegal gambling businesses and associated locations in Northeast Ohio. Following those search warrants, Saris made false statements to law enforcement. At the same time, Saris continued operating the illegal gambling businesses and did not disclose that to law enforcement. In August 2022, law enforcement executed a court authorized search warrant at Saris’ residence and for his cellphone. Upon learning of the search warrant for his cellphone, Saris told law enforcement that he did not know where it was located. Law enforcement recovered Saris’ cellphone from the water tank of a toilet in Saris’ residence.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent for the Northern District of Ohio ordered Saris to serve three years of supervised release and pay $2,823,391 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation; the Stark County, Ohio, Prosecutor’s Office; the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Inspector General; Homeland Security Investigations; the Ohio Casino Control Commission and the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, Major Crimes Task Force investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Sam Bean and Hayter Whitman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.
Northglenn Man Charged with Assault in Rocky Mountain National Park Crash That Injured ThreeRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Wade Thyfault, 24, of Northglenn, Colorado, was charged by complaint with one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in connection with a high-speed chase and car crash inside Rocky Mountain National Park.
According to the complaint, on Sunday, September 8, 2024, a Dodge Ram truck drove through the Grand Lake entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park and did not stop. A Park Ranger attempted to engage with the vehicle, which continued to drive erratically through the park at high rates of speed. Near the junction of Mill’s Drive and Highway 36 the Dodge Ram collided with a Toyota Corolla. Three people in the Toyota were injured, one critically. The driver of the Dodge Ram fled the scene on foot. Area law enforcement searched for the driver, who was found the next day after a homeowner in Estes Park reported a break-in at their residence.
The defendant made his initial appearance in Denver, Colorado on September 12, 2024, in front of Chief United States Magistrate Judge Michael E. Hegarty.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent of the charges unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the National Park Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Garreth Winstead.
Case Number: 24-mj-00171-MEH
Northern California Man Arrested on Federal Complaint Alleging He Assaulted Attendants on Flight Bound for San FranciscoRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – An Alameda County man has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging he assaulted flight attendants shortly after his flight from Orange County to San Francisco took off, causing the flight to divert to Ontario for the safety of passengers and crew, the Justice Department announced today.
Charles Angel Salva, 30, of Fremont, is charged with interference with flight crew members and attendants.
Salva, who was arrested on Wednesday, is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Salva was on a Frontier Airlines flight bound from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana destined for San Francisco International Airport on September 9. Shortly after takeoff, while the airplane was climbing and under 10,000 feet, flight attendants saw that the oxygen masks in one row of the middle of the aircraft were out of the overhead compartment. Flight attendants investigated and discovered that Salva had his hand in the overhead compartment.
One passenger later told law enforcement that Salva appeared claustrophobic and seemed like he wanted to get off the plane. Salva then pulled down the oxygen mask from the overhead compartment, getting his hand stuck there in the process before a passenger helped him free his hand.
Salva allegedly began yelling obscenities at flight attendants and said, “We are all going to hell,” and “This airplane is going down!” Salva then grabbed at fellow passengers and ran towards the rear of the airplane when flight attendants tried to restrain him. Salva allegedly then attempted to choke a flight attendant, leaving two small marks on the victim’s neck.
Salva then pushed another flight attendant and said he was going to kill everybody, the affidavit alleges. Passengers helped restrain Salva, who broke out of flex cuffs and had to be restrained by a seatbelt. During the incident, Salva kicked one flight attendant approximately six times in the leg, causing apparent bruising and swelling, which required medical attention.
The flight was diverted to Ontario International Airport because the flight attendants did not feel safe trying to put Salva back in his seat.
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Salva would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The FBI and the Ontario Police Department are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Cory L. Burleson of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
North Carolina Woman Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Federal Prison for Embezzling More Than $500,000 from Farwell Funeral Service in NashuaRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A North Carolina woman was sentenced today in federal court in Concord in connection with charges arising out of her embezzlement of more than a half a million dollars from her previous employer, Farwell Funeral Service Inc. in Nashua, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
LaSaundra Simmons, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante to 27 months in prison and 2 years of supervised release. The defendant was ordered to pay $541,381in restitution. On May 20, 2024, Simmons pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
Simmons worked as the bookkeeper for Farwell Funeral Service, Inc. for several years. Starting in 2015, and continuing until it was discovered in January 2023, Simmons employed a scheme to embezzle funds from the company. On more than 100 occasions, she either made unauthorized wire transfers of funds from the funeral home’s bank account to her own account, or drafted unauthorized checks which she deposited by electronic wire transfer into her own account. She would often describe these checks as “commissions” or “consulting fees.” She embezzled $541,381 over the course of the scheme.
“Ms. Simmons’s conduct was egregious, long-running, and did great harm to a third-generation New Hampshire small business,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Today’s sentence is a measure of justice for the victim and a warning to other fraudsters that if you steal from your employer, you will be prosecuted and incarcerated.”
“LaSaundra Simmons betrayed the trust of the family-run funeral home where she worked, and stole more than half a million dollars from them, using their money as her own,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI will diligently investigate and bring to justice anyone who engages in such egregious financial fraud.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Nashua Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case.
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North Carolina Native Pleads Guilty to Gun Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kenneth Locke, age 23, who currently resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pled guilty today to conspiring with others to unlawfully obtain firearms from a licensed dealer by making false statements, also known as “straw purchasing” firearms.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.
Locke, a native of North Carolina, admitted that he entered into an agreement with Rylan Peterson, a Kingston native and former Marine then living in North Carolina, to acquire six semi-automatic handguns on behalf of Oryin McLeod and others residing in Kingston, New York. After McLeod paid Locke through Peterson, Locke purchased the firearms from a licensed dealer in North Carolina, falsely representing at the time of the purchase that he was acquiring the firearms for himself. Peterson later transported the firearms from North Carolina to New York where he provided them to McLeod and others. McLeod was subsequently arrested for unlawful possession of two of the firearms acquired through the straw purchasing scheme.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 15, 2025, before Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn. Locke faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
McLeod and Peterson previously pleaded guilty to charges related to their unlawful acquisition of the firearms.
ATF and the Kingston Police Department are investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin C. Segovia and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon prosecuted the case.
New Mexico Resident Indicted for Trafficking Firearms into ConnecticutRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned a six-count indictment charging TIMOTHY GREGORY, 42, formerly of Questa, New Mexico, with firearms trafficking offenses.
Gregory was arrested on July 18, 2024, in Eugene, Oregon, pursuant to a criminal complaint, and the indictment was returned on July 31, 2024. Gregory appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He has been detained since his arrest.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, an FBI New Haven Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigation revealed that Gregory had offered to sell and ship firearms to an individual in Connecticut who is prohibited from possessing firearms. In May 2024, Gregory mailed a parcel containing a Glock 42 .380 caliber pistol and three magazines to Connecticut. In June 2024, he mailed a .223 caliber AR15-style rifle and two empty 30-round magazines to Connecticut. Gregory also indicated he had approximately 300 additional firearms, some which were fully automatic, to sell, as well as six hand grenades.
The indictment charges Gregory with two counts of firearms trafficking, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years on each count; two counts of unlawful transfer of firearms to an out-of-state residence, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years on each count; and two counts of mailing nonmailable firearms, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of two years on each count.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. A charge is only an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being prosecuted, in part, under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI New Haven Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The Task Force includes members from the FBI, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the New Haven, Milford, East Haven, West Haven, and Wallingford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie T. Levick.
Neola Man Sentenced to 292 Months in Federal Prison for Transportation of a Minor and a Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Neola man was sentenced today to a total term of 292 months in federal prison for transporting a minor for the purpose of engaging in sex acts and possessing firearms as a felon.
According to public court documents, Steven Earl Adkins, 56, communicated with a minor on Craigslist. He drove to a truck stop in Nebraska, picked up the minor, and brought the minor to his home. Adkins provided necessities to the minor in exchange for sex acts. During a search warrant at Adkins’s residence, law enforcement located 16 firearms and ammunition. In 2011, Adkins was convicted in Nebraska of the felony offense of strangulation, which prohibits Adkins from possessing firearms.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Adkins will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Adkins will be required to register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the FBI, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Omaha Police Department, and Colorado Springs Police Department.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
Mississippi Woman Pleads Guilty to Fraud Relating to Rental Property IncomeRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Mississippi woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Concord to charges arising out of her theft of rental proceeds from her previous employer, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Roslyn Weems, 52, previously of Portsmouth, NH, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Samantha Elliott scheduled sentencing for December 19, 2024.
Weems worked for an individual who resides in Portsmouth. The victim owned a luxury property off the coast of Maine that was listed available for rent via the Internet at websites. In July 2021, Weems coordinated the rental of the property for three weeks, generating approximately $52,000 in rental income. Weems arranged to have the payments diverted to accounts under her exclusive control rather than an account associated with the property’s owner, and then used the payments for her own benefit.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Restitution is mandatory. 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.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Portsmouth Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case.
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Michigan City Man Sentenced to 88 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Demetrius Roberson, 51 years old, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Roberson was sentenced to 88 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, between December 2022 and February 2023, Roberson sold cocaine on seven occasions, totaling approximately two ounces. A search warrant executed at Roberson’s house in February 2023, resulted in the recovery of almost 400 grams of cocaine, one pound of marijuana, two handguns, and over $5,000.00.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, the Michigan City Police Department, the Indiana State Police Laboratory, and the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katelan McKenzie Doyle.
Methamphetamine Trafficker Is Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Christopher DeShawn Nelson, 42, of Asheville, was sentenced to 141 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release today for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Chief Michael Lamb of the Asheville Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and court proceedings, law enforcement initiated an investigation into Nelson after learning he was trafficking drugs and guns in and around Hillcrest Apartments in Asheville. Beginning in late June 2022, law enforcement utilized a confidential informant (CI) to conduct drug and gun purchases from Nelson. For example, on July 19, 2022, the CI communicated with Nelson about purchasing a 9mm firearm and methamphetamine. The same day, the CI traveled to Hillcrest Apartments where he purchased a firearm and methamphetamine from Nelson in exchange for $1,130. Court records show that from June 28 to August 18, 2022, Nelson sold the CI more than 88 grams of methamphetamine and three firearms.
On August 25, 2023, Nelson pleaded guilty to distributing five grams or more of actual methamphetamine. At today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger ordered Nelson to begin serving the federal sentence after the defendant completes the 30-month state sentence he is currently serving for a drug conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF, the DEA, and the Asheville Police Department.
This effort 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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
Members of A Luzerne County Family Each Sentenced to Serve 10 Years Imprisonment for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anthony Disabella, age 35, James Disabella, Jr. age 60, and James Disabella, III, age 36, all of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, were each sentenced by United States District Court Judge Julia K. Munley to serve 10 years’ imprisonment for their role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of pure methamphetamine in the Hazleton area between August 2022 and December 2022.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the Disabellas each previously pleaded guilty before Judge Munley to distributing over 50 grams of pure methamphetamine. Throughout the time period of the conspiracy the Disabellas distributed at least 500 grams of pure methamphetamine to other street level distributors and drug addicts.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case.
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Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office and Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Secure Agreement with Johns Hopkins Health System to Provide People with Disabilities Equal Access to Medical CareRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it filed a complaint and proposed consent decree in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland resolving allegations that the Johns Hopkins Health System Corporation (Johns Hopkins) violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by denying people with disabilities equal access to medical care by excluding their necessary support persons.
“Patients with disabilities deserve equal access to healthcare,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “Appropriate medical care often requires them to be accompanied by essential support persons. Johns Hopkins’ recommitment to meeting the needs of its patients with disabilities and ensuring that they are treated with dignity and respect is a welcome outcome of this agreement.”
“Patients with disabilities may need the assistance of a support person, like a family member or aide, to have equal access to health care, especially during emergencies,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Policies and training go hand in hand when it comes to ensuring that health care providers and their employees are protecting patient rights and not excluding support persons improperly. Ensuring equal access to medical care is a priority for the Justice Department.”
Some individuals with dementia, intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder and other disabilities may require the assistance of a support person (such as a family member, personal assistant, or other individual knowledgeable about them) when accessing medical care. Support persons can help individuals with disabilities to communicate, such as providing their medical history and answering questions, and to understand what is happening, such as medical instructions they are given during their care and discharge. The complaint alleges that Johns Hopkins failed on numerous occasions to follow its own policies for visitors and support persons by not permitting patients with disabilities to be accompanied by their support persons. As a result, these patients were unable to receive equal care.
Under the proposed consent decree, which the court must approve, Johns Hopkins has agreed to pay $150,000 to compensate multiple affected individuals. Johns Hopkins will also update its support person policies to ensure ADA compliance, train its employees on its support person policies and the ADA, and report any future complaints regarding support persons to the Justice Department. The claims resolved by this Consent Decree are allegations and not an admission of liability by Johns Hopkins.
This matter was handled jointly by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section. U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah A. Marquardt and Trial Attorney Stephanie Berger of the Civil Rights Division, who handled the case.
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires private hospitals and other health care providers to provide individuals with disabilities full and equal enjoyment of their goods and services. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office’s civil rights work, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/civil-rights. ADA complaints may be filed online at https://www.ada.gov/file-a-complaint/. Anyone in Maryland may also report civil rights violations by emailing [email protected].
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Man Sentenced to 24 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Jose De Leon Medina, 39 years old, of Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien and failure to register as a sex offender, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
De Leon Medina was sentenced to 24 months in prison.
According to documents in the case, De Leon Medina, a citizen of Mexico, was convicted of child molesting in 2019 which required him to register as a sex offender. After De Leon Medina completed his sentence of imprisonment for the crime, he was removed from the United States to Mexico. Two months later, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials learned De Leon Medina had illegally reentered the United States and was living in Goshen, Indiana. De Leon Medina had also failed to register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by U.S, Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerome W. McKeever.
Los Angeles Businessman and His Companies Settle Claims Related to Improper COVID-19 Business-Relief LoansRead the Press Release
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
LOS ANGELES – Yosef Y. Manela, a Los Angeles-based businessman who owns and operates an accounting firm, law firm and consulting company, has paid $802,341 to the United States to resolve allegations that he and his three companies violated the False Claims Act in connection with six loans the businesses received under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Justice Department announced today.Manela and his companies also agreed to repay the lender for all outstanding PPP loans, relieving the Small Business Administration (SBA) of liability to the lender for the federal guaranty of approximately $728,000.
The PPP, an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and administered by the SBA, was intended to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. A borrower applying for a PPP loan was required to make multiple certifications that the borrower was eligible for the requested loan and the borrower would not receive another PPP loan. The borrower was also required to certify that the funds would be used for qualifying expenses, such as payroll, lease payments, utilities and other allowable business expenses. In December 2020, Congress approved funding for a “second draw” of PPP loan funds, which became available to borrowers beginning in January 2021.
The United States alleged that Manela and his companies received a total of six first and second draw PPP loans based on duplicative payroll expenses for multiple businesses and/or on behalf of non-existent employees. According to the United States, Manela and his companies made capital distributions of business profits to Manela’s family members that were falsely characterized as wages in PPP loan applications and forgiveness applications. The United States alleged that these false loan and forgiveness applications resulted in losses to the SBA for processing fees, interest and payment to the lender on a loan guarantee.
“Every taxpayer dollar lost to unscrupulous individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic is money that failed to reach businesses struggling for survival,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “It is important that we uphold the integrity of pandemic-related assistance programs.”
“PPP loans were intended to provide critical relief to small businesses facing difficult economic times due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department is committed to pursuing those who improperly sought to enrich themselves at the expense of the PPP or other pandemic-assistance programs.”
“The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the Department of Justice, SBA’s Office of Inspector General and other Federal law enforcement agencies, to address fraud on the PPP,” said General Counsel Therese Meers of the SBA.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Relator LLC, a limited liability corporation formed by California attorneys Anoush Hakimi and Peter Shahriari. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Relator LLC v. Yosef Y. Manela et al., Case No. 2:22-cv-04781-MWF-ASx (CDCA). Relator LLC will receive approximately $80,000 as its share of the total settlement.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul B. La Scala of the Civil Division’s Civil Fraud Section and Justice Department Trial Attorney Allie Pang of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section handled this matter.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department 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 actors committing civil and criminal fraud and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, 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 www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Lee’s Summit Neurologist Pleads Guilty to False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Lee’s Summit, Mo., neurologist pleaded guilty in federal court today to failing to report cash income from her practice on her federal tax returns.
Maria Donato, 55, waived her right to a grand jury indictment and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to a federal information that charges her with one count of making a false declaration under penalties of perjury.
Donato owned and operated Forest Park Neurology, LLC, where she practiced as a neurologist from 2012 to 2019. Donato’s patients sometimes paid cash for her services from 2015 through 2019, but Donato failed to report the full extent of her cash income on her federal income tax returns. Donato specifically pleaded guilty to failing to report more than $120,000 in cash income in 2017.
By pleading guilty today, Donato admitted that she filed her federal income tax returns, or caused her returns to be filed, knowing they were false. Each return included a written declaration whereby Donato acknowledged the return was being filed under penalties of perjury. Donato also failed to properly report her cash income on her Missouri tax returns during those years.
Under federal statutes, Donato is subject to a sentence of up to three years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas P. Heberle. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joseph Daniel Skeens, 35, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 17, 2023, Skeens sold approximately 2.5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for a new Rigid impact wrench that was still in its original packaging.
Skeens admitted to the transaction and further admitted to at least three additional transactions from October 2, 2023, through November 22, 2023, during which he distributed fentanyl and methamphetamine in exchange for money or items of value such as tools and groceries that were shoplifted at his direction. The transaction occurred at or near Skeens’ residence in St. Albans.
These transactions by Skeens also included the sale of 3.46 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $50 on October 2, 2023, the sale of 1.34 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for a Rigid rotary power hammer on November 18, 2023, and approximately 1 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for approximately $100 worth of groceries on November 22, 2023. Each transaction was with a confidential informant.
Skeens is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department and the assistance provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-200.
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Justice Department Secures Agreement with Parking Management Company to Resolve Claims of National Origin DiscriminationRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement with SP Plus Corporation (SP Plus), a transportation and parking management company headquartered in Chicago. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that SP Plus discriminated against a worker by rejecting a valid document that showed her permission to work and requesting that she provide unnecessary documentation, based on her national origin.
“It is unlawful for employers to reject a valid document showing someone’s permission to work because of where the person was born,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The department is committed to protecting workers from national origin discrimination in the hiring process and eliminating unnecessary barriers to employment.”
After conducting an investigation based on a complaint, the Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) concluded that SP Plus discriminated against a beneficiary of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) based on her national origin. TPS beneficiaries have permission to work in the United States. They can get Employment Authorization Documents that show employers their permission to work. Sometimes, the federal government extends these Employment Authorization Documents past the expiration date on the card. Instructions on how an employer can determine if an Employment Authorization Document has been extended by the federal government direct employers to look at the document’s category code and date of expiration. The department determined that instead of following the federal government’s instructions, SP Plus unlawfully rejected the worker’s valid, extended Employment Authorization Document because she was born in the Bahamas rather than Haiti, the country through which she has TPS. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) prohibits employers from considering an employee’s country of birth or other national origin indicator when verifying a person’s permission to work.
Under the terms of the settlement, SP Plus will pay a civil penalty to the United States, and offer reinstatement and pay backpay to the affected worker. The agreement also requires the company to train its personnel on the INA’s anti-discrimination requirements, revise its employment policies and be subject to departmental monitoring. SP Plus cooperated with the division’s investigation.
IER is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; or retaliation and intimidation.
IER’s website has information about employers’ obligations not to discriminate when hiring workers with TPS and employment rights for workers with TPS. Learn about TPS from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ website. Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Sign up for email updates from IER.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Johns Hopkins Health System to Provide People with Disabilities Equal Access to Medical CareRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it filed a complaint and proposed consent decree in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland resolving allegations that the Johns Hopkins Health System Corporation (Johns Hopkins) violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by denying people with disabilities equal access to medical care by excluding their necessary support persons.
“Patients with disabilities may need the assistance of a support person, like a family member or aide, to have equal access to health care, especially during emergencies,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Policies and training go hand in hand when it comes to ensuring that health care providers and their employees are protecting patient rights and not excluding support persons improperly. Ensuring equal access to medical care is a priority for the Justice Department.”
“Patients with disabilities deserve equal access to healthcare,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “Appropriate medical care often requires them to be accompanied by essential support persons. Johns Hopkins’ recommitment to meeting the needs of its patients with disabilities and ensuring that they are treated with dignity and respect is a welcome outcome of this agreement.”
Some individuals with dementia, intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder and other disabilities may require the assistance of a support person (such as a family member, personal assistant or other individual knowledgeable about them) when accessing medical care. Support persons can help individuals with disabilities to communicate, such as providing their medical history and answering questions, and to understand what is happening, such as medical instructions they are given during their care and discharge.
The complaint alleges that Johns Hopkins failed on numerous occasions to follow its own policies on visitors and support persons and did not permit patients with disabilities to be accompanied by their support persons. As a result, these patients were unable to receive equal care. Title III of the ADA requires private hospitals and other health care providers to provide individuals with disabilities with full and equal enjoyment of their goods and services.
Under the proposed consent decree, which the court must approve, Johns Hopkins has agreed to pay $150,000 to compensate multiple affected individuals. Johns Hopkins will also update its support person policies to ensure ADA compliance, train its employees on its support person policies and the ADA and report to the department on any future complaints regarding support persons.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland handled the matter.
For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against, you may file a complaint online at www.civilrights.justice.gov/. Anyone in the District of Maryland may also report civil rights violations by emailing [email protected].
Justice Department Announces More Than $690 Million in Violence Against Women Act FundingRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department announced the awards of over $690 million in grant funding administered by the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). This funding will support services and justice responses for victims and survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking across all U.S. states and territories and in many Tribal nations.
The funding was announced as part of the Justice Department’s commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which was the first comprehensive federal law focused on preventing and addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
“Thirty years ago, VAWA transformed our national response to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today, officers, prosecutors, judges, families, and society at large understand what should have always been clear: these crimes cannot be cast aside as somehow distinct or private. Instead, we recognize that they are among the most serious crimes that our society faces and that we must continue to improve access to justice, safety, and services for survivors.”
“I was privileged to work on the passage of the original Violence Against Women Act thirty years ago — landmark legislation that transformed how our nation responds to domestic violence and sexual assault,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Our country’s progress to prevent gender-based violence is not finished, but we have come a long way since 1994 thanks to the hard work of survivors, advocates, and members of law enforcement — including the women and men of the Justice Department — who work every day to hold perpetrators accountable and protect survivors. The grants we’re announcing today reaffirm our commitment to building safe communities for all, free from violence and fear.”
“Thanks to the changes in VAWA over the last 30 years, we've explored additional pathways to justice, acknowledging that justice looks different for each survivor,” Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer said. “The right to live free from violence is fundamental, and our policies and resources must continue to evolve to protect this right fully. I commend OVW’s efforts to implement VAWA 2022’s expanded resources, including new funding to support and strengthen restorative practice programs addressing gender-based violence as well as to prevent and prosecute cybercrimes such as cyberstalking and the non-consensual distribution of intimate images.”
VAWA was first enacted in 1994 as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. It initially focused on providing resources and training to improve the responses and policies of law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts, to support victim services, and to address crimes historically treated as private matters. Recognizing that domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking require a coordinated community response that extends beyond the justice system, Congress subsequently reauthorized VAWA, enhancing its policies and expanding grant funding streams, in 2000, 2005, 2013, and 2022.
Each reauthorization of VAWA has broadened the law and expanded available resources, reflecting an evolving understanding of these crimes and underscoring the need for comprehensive, holistic approaches to improve victims’ access to justice, safety, and supportive services while also improving offender accountability. Over the years, VAWA has supported enhanced comprehensive services for survivors and increased equitable access to funding and legal protections across all communities, particularly those facing additional challenges to attaining the services and support they need.
“The power of VAWA is that it is centered on the lived realities and leadership of survivors. By identifying what works well that can be expanded and enhanced, and identifying gaps and barriers, we can continue to improve VAWA and ensure that we are supporting all survivors, including those from historically marginalized communities and underserved populations who often face multiple barriers to services and safety,” OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo said. “We remain committed to making progress toward ending domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking, and to ensuring that all survivors have multiple pathways to safety, services, healing, and justice.”
Created in 1995 to implement the provisions of VAWA and its subsequent reauthorizations, OVW provides national leadership on domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. The office is comprised of dedicated advocates, experts, and survivors, many of whom have extensive experience in the field of domestic and sexual violence. OVW has distributed over $11 billion in funding authorized by VAWA since its enactment. Through its grant programs and partnerships, OVW helps strengthen local responses to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking and provides funding annually to all 50 states, six territories, and many Tribal nations. By funding essential services for survivors, OVW ensures that communities are better equipped to address these critical issues. Today’s announcement includes funding for numerous grant programs, including new programs launched in FY 2024 as a result of the most recent reauthorization of VAWA in 2022 and appropriations acts.
Funding announced today includes:
- STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program: Grants totaling over $171 million will be distributed to all 50 states and six U.S. territories to support a coordinated community response among law enforcement, prosecution, courts, victim services organizations, and other community services to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. The STOP program was one of VAWA’s first grant programs and was authorized in the original enactment in 1994.
- Sexual Assault Services Formula Program: Grants totaling over $52 million will be awarded in each state and territory to assist them in supporting rape crisis centers and nonprofit organizations, as well as Tribal programs that assist survivors of sexual assault.
- Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program: Grants totaling over $40 million will support programs that provide six to 24 months of transitional housing support for survivors who are homeless or in need of transitional housing and other housing assistance as a result of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking.
- Grants to Improve the Criminal Justice Response (ICJR) Program: Grants totaling over $24 million will assist communities in improving their criminal justice response while seeking safety and autonomy for survivors. ICJR grantees are encouraged to develop, implement, or enhance a coordinated community response to bring together effective partners from the local government, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors’ offices and courts, nonprofit organizations, and population-specific organizations to address these crimes. This year for the first time, OVW is also awarding more than $14 million through a related initiative, the Enhancing Investigation and Prosecution of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Initiative, to support effective policing and prosecution strategies by promoting and evaluating effective trauma-informed policing and prosecution responses to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
- State and Territory Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program: Grants totaling over $19 million will support the critical work of state and territory domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions, which includes coordinating victim services and collaborating with federal, state, and local entities.
- Indian Tribal Governments Program: Grants totaling over $45 million will support the development and enhancement of effective strategies by Tribal governments to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in Tribal communities consistent with Tribal law and custom. Additionally, $7.5 million is awarded under the newly established Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program: Strengthening Tribal Advocacy Responses Track to support Tribes who have not previously accessed the Tribal Government funding and seek additional support for capacity building.
In addition, funding for new grant programs that were launched this year, made possible by VAWA’s 2022 reauthorization and expansion includes:
- Demonstration Program on Trauma-Informed, Victim-Centered Training for Law Enforcement (Abby Honold Program): Grants totaling $3 million will support the development and evaluation of enhanced, trauma-informed training for law enforcement to improve the response to victims. This new grant program, recently authorized through the 2022 VAWA Reauthorization, was championed by a former college student whose own experience as a survivor of sexual assault led her to want to improve the law enforcement response.
- National Resource Center on Cybercrimes Against Individuals: New funding totaling $2.8 million will support the establishment of a national resource center to provide information, training, and technical assistance to improve the capacity of individuals, organizations, governmental entities, and communities to prevent, enforce, and prosecute cybercrimes against individuals. This includes addressing technology-facilitated abuse, such as the non-consensual distribution of intimate images, and cyber-stalking, among others.
- Local Law Enforcement Grants for Enforcement of Cybercrimes Program: Grants totaling $5.5 million will be distributed through this new grant program to support communities in preventing, enforcing, and prosecuting cybercrimes against individuals and providing training for law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, victim services providers, and judicial personnel to address such crimes.
- Restorative Practices Pilot Sites Program: Grants totaling over $15 million will be provided through this new grant program authorized by the 2022 Reauthorization of VAWA to support, strengthen, and expand existing restorative practice programs that address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking through a trauma-informed and survivor-centered approach. Additionally, OVW will award $8 million to fund research and evaluation of restorative practices in collaboration with the pilot sites. Earlier this year, OVW awarded grants to three entities to serve as national training and technical assistance providers and to work with the pilot sites.
- Healing and Response Teams: For the first time, OVW is providing more than $2 million through its Healing and Response Teams Special Initiative to support the development of practices using a Tribal-based model of care to respond to Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons cases related to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and sex trafficking. This initiative is in response to recommendations made by the Not Invisible Act Commission.
View the LE for Enforcement of Cybercrimes Program Awards here.
View the ICJR Awards here.
View the NRCC Awards here.
View the Restorative Practices Pilot Program Evaluation Award here.
View the Restorative Practices Pilot Sites Program Awards here.
View the State Coalitions Awards here.
View the STOP Awards here.
View the TH Awards here.
View the Abby Honold Awards here.
View the EIP Awards here.
View the HRT Awards here.
View the SASP Awards here.
View the TG START Awards here.
View the Tribal Governments Awards here.
Jury Convicts Pennsylvania Woman of Bank Fraud, Money Laundering, and ConspiracyRead the Press Release
An accountant and adjunct business instructor who laundered over $800,000 of the proceeds of a multi-state business email compromise scheme was convicted by a jury after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Margo Ann Williams, age 62, from Scranton, Pennsylvania, was convicted of one count of bank fraud, three counts of money laundering, three counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity, and one count of money laundering conspiracy. The verdict was returned this morning following about five hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that, between December 2022 and July 2023, five victims—a Cedar Rapids church, two businesses, a non-profit, and an individual—had their electronic payments misdirected due to hacked email accounts. The email accounts were hacked while the victims were in the process of making large wire and automatic clearinghouse (“ACH”) transactions to others. The victims received “spoofed” emails that falsely appeared to come from legitimate and trusted sources. The fraudulent emails contained instructions to change the routing information for the wire and ACH transactions. Unbeknownst to the victims, those accounts listed in the new instructions belonged to Williams. After receiving “spoofed” emails, the victims instructed their banks to wire the funds according to the new payment instructions. Williams received the funds into bank accounts she controlled, and then she rapidly transferred the stolen money to other bank accounts that she controlled. Williams eventually transferred stolen funds to two national cryptocurrency exchanges and an individual in Florida.
For example, in June 2023, a Cedar Rapids church was engaged in a $7 million renovation of its campus. The hackers compromised the email account of the project’s architect and caused the church to receive “spoofed” emails in which the email domain of the project’s general contractor was slightly changed. As a result, the church representatives thought they were engaged in email correspondence with the project’s general contractor when, in truth, unknown individuals were impersonating the general contractor’s employees. As a result, the church unwittingly wired over $466,000 to Williams’s shell corporation, “MBCI & Evercorp, LLC.” Other victims in the business email compromise scheme included a hotel manager in Colorado, a large non-profit in Washington state, a self-employed homebuilder in Montana, and a general commercial contractor in Pennsylvania.
During the scheme, Williams repeatedly opened bank accounts at major national banks, including one in the name of her shell corporation. As the banks discovered the fraud and closed the accounts, Williams would continue to open new accounts at other banks in an effort to continue to perpetrate the fraud. Williams claimed at trial that she was doing so at the direction of a famous British actor with whom she had formed a romantic relationship. Williams earned approximately $25,000 from the scheme. Williams made many personal purchases with the stolen money, including an Apple Watch and a Louis Vuitton handbag.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Williams remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing. Williams faces a possible maximum sentence of 140 years’ imprisonment, a $4.25 million fine, and 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and Kyndra A. Lundquist and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-64.
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Jamaican National Admits Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JASON CASTON WILLIAMS, also known as Jason Fitzgerald and Terry Barrington Stewart, 50, a citizen of Jamaica, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Williams was admitted to the U.S. as a Lawful Permanent Resident in October 1982. In June 1991, Williams was convicted in Connecticut state court of robbery in the second degree. He received a sentence of 10 years of imprisonment, execution suspended, and five years of probation for that offense. He subsequently violated his probation and, in March 1997, was sentenced to three years of imprisonment.
In September 1997, Williams was convicted in New York of burglary second degree and criminal possession of a weapon, and received a sentence or 30 months to five years of imprisonment.
In May 2001, after an immigration judge ordered Williams removed, he was deported to Jamaica.
Williams unlawfully returned to the U.S. and, on October 20, 2022, was arrested by Norwalk Police and charged with second-degree assault related to his use of a knife to assault another individual. On October 11, 2023, he was convicted of that charge and sentenced to five years of imprisonment, suspended after two years, and three years of probation.
At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Williams faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years for illegal reentry. He is currently detained.
This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shan Patel.
Indictment Charges 7 Individuals for Involvement in Nationwide Jewelry Theft RingRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging seven individuals for their alleged involvement in an organized jewelry theft ring that targeted mall-based stores and kiosks across the country.
The indictment was returned on July 16, 2024, and partially unsealed yesterday.
EDIXON RINCON PUENTES, 44, formerly of Los Angeles, California, was arrested on July 17 in Queens, New York, and HAROLD RAMIREZ CAGUA, also known as “Gordo,” 40, of Miami, Florida, and YESENIA MELENDEZ RINCON, 40, of Kissimmee, Florida, were arrested on July 18. Rincon Puentes and Ramirez Cagua are detained, and Melendez Rincon was released to home confinement with location monitoring. A fourth defendant, JORGE GIOVANNI ESCOBAR GONZALEZ, 40, of Kissimmee, Florida, was previously detained in Florida on preexisting state charges but is now in federal custody. The three remaining defendants are currently being sought by law enforcement and their identities remain under seal.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, from May 2023 through April 2024, Ramirez Cagua, Rincon Puentes, Melendez Rincon, Escobar Gonzalez, and others burglarized jewelry stores and kiosks in malls and then transported the stolen property or the proceeds from it across state lines. The co-conspirators burglarized jewelry establishments at the Connecticut Post Mall in Milford, Connecticut, on October 5, 2023; in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, on October 27, 2023; in Henrico, Virginia on November 4, 2023; and in Horseheads, New York, on April 18, 2024. The total losses from these burglaries exceed $1.28 million. Members of the conspiracy cased additional jewelry stores and kiosks in Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Delaware.
The indictment charges Ramirez Cagua, Rincon Puentes, Melendez Rincon, and Escobar Gonzalez each with one count of conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI New Haven’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force with the assistance of the Milford (Conn.) Police Department, the Hamilton Township (N.J.) Police Division, the Delaware State Police, the Henrico County (Va.) Police Division, the New York State Police, the New York Police Department, and the Pensacola (Fla.) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David T. Huang and Conor M. Reardon.
U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, and the FBI Field Offices in New York, Dallas, Miami, and Tampa for their assistance.
Illinois Man Found Guilty of Selling Fatal Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A jury Wednesday evening convicted a man from Belleville, Illinois of a charge related to his sale of fake Percocet pills that killed a man in St. Louis County in 2022.
A jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis found Deontae’ Tre’Von Overall, 28, guilty of one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.
Evidence and testimony at trial showed that the victim contacted Overall’s cellular phone on Dec. 3, 2022, seeking the prescription pain pill Percocet. The victim bought three pills that mimicked the appearance of Percocet from Overall at Overall’s home in St. Louis. The victim died later that evening from fentanyl intoxication caused by ingesting the fake Percocet.
The death triggered an investigation by the St. Louis County Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Investigators contacted Overall’s cellular phone to arrange additional purchases of counterfeit Percocet, which contained fentanyl. Overall ultimately sold fentanyl to an undercover task force officer on July 19, 2023, and fentanyl and methamphetamine to an officer on July 26. A court-approved search of Overall’s home in Belleville on August 3, 2023, resulted in the seizure of drug paraphernalia and approximately 60 pills resembling those sold to the victim and the undercover officer.
On September 6, the Friday before the trial began, Overall admitted the July 26 sale of drugs to the undercover task force officer and pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly and intentionally distributing one or more controlled substances to another person.
“This case involves a young adult who was lied to by a drug dealer and his life is now tragically over,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Colin Dickey, head of Drug Enforcement Administration operations in Eastern Missouri. "DEA finds seven out of 10 of the pills being tested in our labs have a lethal dose of fentanyl. We’ve said it before, and we’ll keep saying it: if a pill did not come from a doctor or a pharmacy, don’t take it. Don’t be a statistic – one pill can kill.”
The distribution of fentanyl resulting in death charge is punishable by 20 years to life in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both prison and a fine. The charge of distribution of a controlled substances is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa Epplin and Jerome McDonald prosecuted the case.
Hazelwood Company Owner Sentenced to Year in Prison for U.S. Corps of Engineers Contract FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Thursday sentenced the owner of a steel company that falsely claimed parts for a Mississippi River lock and dam had passed safety tests to a year and a day in prison.
Theodore J. “Ted” Stegeman, 60, has already paid restitution of $238,059, representing the cost of removing, testing and re-installing cover plates, or flanges, that his company supplied to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contractor.
Stegeman’s company, Industrial Steel Fabrication LLC (ISF), was a subcontractor on a project to repair Lock and Dam No. 25 on the Mississippi River near Winfield, in Lincoln County, Missouri. ISF was responsible for fabricating and welding cover plates for all 17 bridge spans. The flanges were supposed to undergo ultrasonic tests to identify any defects in the welded joints.
In October 2019, ISF delivered a flange that had failed an ultrasonic test. To conceal the failed test, Stegeman re-assigned ISF employees who knew about the failed test, his plea agreement says. He then altered the ultrasonic testing report to make it appear as if that flange had passed. Another flange had not been tested and Stegeman told others to falsify a test to make it appear as if the part had passed.
Stegeman pleaded guilty in April in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of wire fraud.
On Thursday, Judge Clark called Stegeman’s conduct dangerous and said evidence suggested that he had knowledge of the risks that his conduct created.
The Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is prosecuting the case.
Gregg County man sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for fentanyl overdose deathRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Longview man who sold fake prescription pills containing fentanyl has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Don Paul Rickman, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death and was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on September 12, 2024.
According to information presented in court, Rickman admitted to selling the victim what were purported to be prescription pills, after which the victim’ mother found him dead in his bedroom. The pills sold by Rickman were later determined to be laced with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid commonly used as an analgesic or anesthetic that is 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. An autopsy of the victim confirmed the cause of death to be a fentanyl overdose.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a public safety alert warning Americans of the alarming increase in the lethality and availability of fake prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. The public safety alert coincides with the launch of DEA’s One Pill Can Kill public awareness campaign to educate the public of the dangers of counterfeit pills and urges all Americans to take only medications prescribed by a medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. The campaign aims to raise public awareness of a significant nationwide surge in fake pills that are mass-produced by criminal drug networks in labs, deceptively marketed as legitimate prescription pills, and are killing unsuspecting Americans at an unprecedented rate. For more information, please visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill.
This case was investigated by the DEA; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Longview Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek.
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Four Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
WEST VIRGINIA – Four people were sentenced for methamphetamine trafficking in the Northern District of West Virginia.
Terry Lee Mason, Jr., 37, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 324 months for the possession with intent to distribute 50 or more grams of crystal methamphetamine. Robert Joseph Wilson, III, 38, of Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced to 300 months for aiding and abetting the distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents, Mason, also known as “TJ,” and Wilson, also known as “Robbie,” worked with others to sell methamphetamine in Berkeley County.
Brenda Sams, 44, of Petersburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Sams sold methamphetamine in Grant County. Sams has a prior drug conviction in the Northern District of West Virginia, as well as state drug and theft convictions.
Melinda Kay Zirbs, 57, of Elkins, West Virginia, was sentenced to 56 months in federal prison for the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Zirbs was under investigation for drug trafficking and officers seized methamphetamine and more than $20,000 in her home.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Kane and Stephen Warner prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.
The investigations were conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Maryland State Police; the Hagerstown Police Department; the Martinsburg Police Department; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Washington County, Maryland, Narcotics Task Force; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Frederick County, Maryland, Sheriff’s Department; the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided over the Mason and Wilson sentencings.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided over the Sams and Zirbs hearings.
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Fort Pierre Woman Convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Fort Pierre, South Dakota, woman convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on September 9, 2024.
Carla Reed, 62, was sentenced to four years and seven months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Reed was indicted for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance by a federal grand jury in July of 2023. She pleaded guilty on June 12, 2024.
Reed was involved in distributing methamphetamine in the Fort Pierre area. Reed would take trips to Denver, Colorado, to pick up large amounts of methamphetamine and bring it back to Fort Pierre, where she distributed it from her home. On February 18, 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Reed’s vehicle on a return trip from Denver, seizing 130 grams of pure methamphetamine.
This case was investigated Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Task Force and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Reed was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Former Wisconsin Prison Employee Pleads Guilty to BriberyRead the Press Release
A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today to smuggling contraband into a state maximum-security prison in exchange for bribes.
According to court documents, William Lee Homan, 47, of Fox Lake, a former facilities repair worker at Waupun Correctional Institution (WCI), received approximately 125 bribe payments totaling approximately $53,579 from July 17, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2023, from inmates, former inmates, and their associates in exchange for smuggling contraband into WCI.
Homan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 12 and faces 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.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad for the Eastern District of Wisconsin made the announcement.
The FBI Milwaukee Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Aaron L. Jennen of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary J. Corey for the Eastern District of Wisconsin are prosecuting the case.
Former Wisconsin Prison Employee Pleads Guilty to BriberyRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, joins Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, in announcing that on September 12, 2024, William Lee Homan, 47, of Fox Lake, pleaded guilty to smuggling contraband into a state maximum-security prison in exchange for bribes.
According to court documents, Homan, a former facilities repair worker at Waupun Correctional Institution (WCI), received approximately 125 bribe payments totaling approximately $53,579 from July 17, 2022, to September 30, 2023, from inmates, former inmates, and their associates in exchange for smuggling contraband into WCI.
Homan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12, 2024 and faces 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Aaron L. Jennen of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary J. Corey for the Eastern District of Wisconsin are prosecuting the case.
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Former School Counselor Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Cory Thomas, 33, of Charleston, was sentenced today to four years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for possession of prepubescent child pornography. Thomas must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 7, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Thomas’ residence in Charleston and seized his cell phone and other electronic devices. An analysis of the electronic devices revealed at least 109 digital files of child sexual abuse material, 75 of which were videos. The videos and image files included child pornography depicting prepubescent minors subjected to sadistic or masochistic conduct and the exploitation of toddlers.
At the time of his arrest, Thomas was employed through a subcontractor as a counselor at a public elementary school and previously worked as a substitute teacher. There was no indication from the investigation that any criminal conduct occurred with students from any of Thomas’ workplaces.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-43.
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Former Osceola Bank Executive Sentenced for $1.5 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Osceola, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for a fraud scheme in which she stole over $1.4 million from the bank where she was employed over a period of more than 20 years.
Stacia Wilson, 60, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to three years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Wilson to pay $1,435,491.05 in victim restitution.
On May 9, 2024, Wilson pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. Wilson admitted that, while she was employed as a vice president of St. Clair County State Bank in Osceola, she defrauded the bank by creating false and fictitious loans utilizing the stolen identity information of bank customers. She deposited the loan proceeds into her personal bank accounts to use for her own benefit.
Wilson’s fraud scheme, which lasted more than 20 years from 2000 until it was discovered in December 2022, resulted in numerous fraudulent loans and a $1,528,321 loss to the bank.
This case was prosecuted by Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Ketchmark. It was investigated by the FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Former Massachusetts State Senator Convicted of COVID and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Former Massachusetts State Senator Dean A. Tran was convicted yesterday following a six-day trial for scheming to defraud the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance and collecting income that he failed to report to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Tran, 48, of Fitchburg, was convicted of 20 counts of wire fraud and three counts of filing false tax returns. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor, IV, scheduled sentencing for Dec. 4, 2024. The defendant was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2023.
According to evidence presented at trial, Tran served as an elected member of the Massachusetts State Senate, representing Worcester and Middlesex Counties from 2017 to January 2021. After Tran’s State Senate term ended in 2021, Tran fraudulently received pandemic unemployment benefits while simultaneously employed as a paid consultant for a New Hampshire-based retailer of automotive parts (the Automotive Parts Company). While working as a paid consultant for the Automotive Parts Company, Tran fraudulently collected $30,120 in pandemic unemployment benefits.
In addition, Tran concealed $54,700 in consulting income that he received from the Automotive Parts Company from his 2021 federal income tax return. This was in addition to thousands of dollars in income that Tran concealed from the IRS while collecting rent from tenants who rented his Fitchburg property from 2020 to 2022.
“Dean Tran defrauded the government out of unemployment benefits he had no right to receive. His fraud and calculated deception diverted money away from those who were struggling to get by during a very difficult time,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Our office and our law enforcement partners are committed to holding accountable public officials who lie and steal for personal gain.”
“Former Massachusetts State Senator Dean Tran stole taxpayer funds intended for those Americans who lost their job due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The jury’s verdict affirms the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General’s commitment to investigate allegations of fraud involving the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) unemployment insurance (UI) program. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of the UI system from those who exploit this critical benefit program,” stated Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region.
“The conviction of Dean Tran demonstrates the IRS’s commitment to the prosecution of all who choose to break the law, even elected officials,” said Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Elected officials are held to a higher standard when they take an oath to serve but to Tran, his oath meant nothing when he chose to steal from the America taxpayers on two separate occasions. Tran stole from a pandemic unemployment program designed to help those most in need. Tran also showed great disdain for the American public when he willfully omitted his taxable income, the most basic of principles all Americans are expected to follow.”
“Former State Senator Dean Tran was convicted of cheating taxpayers by cashing in on a public health crisis by diverting tens of thousands of dollars meant to support those out of work due to the pandemic to himself instead,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “The FBI simply won’t stand for opportunists thinking they can defraud the federal government, lie on their taxes, and get away with it. We will continue to aggressively pursue anyone foolish enough to do so.”
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of filing false tax returns provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $100,000. 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, DOL-OIG SAC Mellone, IRS-CI SAC Chavis and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Mulcahy and Dustin Chao of the Office’s Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case.
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 https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.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.
Former Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Sexual Contact with Inmate and Contraband SmugglingRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Cara Wozniak, a former Corrections Officer at the Milan, Michigan Federal Correctional Institution (FCI Milan), pleaded guilty today to sexual contact with an inmate and smuggling contraband into the prison, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by William J. Hannah, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General.
Wozniak, 33, entered pleas of guilty to one count of sexual contact with a ward and one count of providing contraband in prison. Federal law and prison rules prohibit all sexual interaction between staff members and inmates, as well as the introduction or possession of contraband in prison. Contraband is defined as prohibited materials which can reasonably be expected to cause physical injury or adversely affect the security, safety, or good order of the institution.
United States Attorney Ison stated “Corrections Officers are entrusted with the critical responsibility of managing the security of our federal prisons. Ms. Wozniak’s conduct in this case was an abuse of that trust and created a security risk for everyone at the institution. Sexual contact between inmates and Corrections Officers is never acceptable, nor is the smuggling of contraband into prison. My office takes such cases seriously and will prosecute them to the full extent of the law.”
According to the plea agreement, Wozniak began working as a Corrections Officer at FCI Milan in November 2002. The Federal Bureau of Prisons provides comprehensive training for new Corrections Officers, during which is made abundantly clear that any type of sexual interaction between guards and inmates is absolutely prohibited, as is the smuggling of contraband into a prison.
Court documents state that on two occasions in the fall of 2023, Wozniak engaged in sexual intercourse with an inmate (identified as “Inmate-1” in the plea agreement) who was under her custody and control. Wozniak also purchased pouches of loose tobacco for Inmate-1 from a smoke shop in Milan and smuggled them into the prison for him. Inmate-1 requested these items from Wozniak so he could sell the tobacco in prison at a significant profit. Inmate-1 offered to pay Wozniak for the contraband she smuggled into the prison for him. In September 2023, Wozniak purchased a gold necklace which she secretly brought into the prison and gave to Inmate-1. Both the tobacco and the necklace are prohibited items within FCI Milan, and as such are classified as contraband under federal law.
Sentencing is set for February 5, 2025, before United States District Judge Jonathan J.C. Grey. Wozniak faces a statutory maximum term of 15 years imprisonment on the charge of sexual contact with a ward, and six months on the charge of providing contraband in prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Eaton P. Brown. The investigation is being conducted by the Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General.
Former Clermont housing official pleads guilty to federal program theftRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – The former executive director of the Clermont Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to federal program theft.
Timothy Holland, 57, of Williamsburg, Ohio, admitted to stealing tens of thousands of dollars intended to assist low-income residents of Clermont County, Ohio.
According to court documents, Holland served from 2012 until 2019 as the executive director for CMHA, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recognized public housing authority for Clermont. CMHA received more than $5.9 million in annual federal funds in both 2018 and 2019 to operate and maintain public housing units as well as provide housing assistance to low-income families and individuals.
From at least 2016 until 2019, Holland caused a loss of at least $86,929. For example, in 2018, Holland used the CMHA credit card for purchases for himself totaling more than $9,500 at Amazon, Sirius Radio, LL Bean, Home Depot and elsewhere. The next year, he used the CMHA credit card for more than $25,000 of retail purchases for himself. Holland used the CMHA vehicle for non-business trips to Canada, using the CMHA credit card to pay for gas and hotels. In addition, Holland used CMHA funds to pay contractors for work done on his home and furnish an office ostensibly for CMHA’s nonprofit arm. His fraudulently funded “man cave” included a $900 game table from Amazon, a 65” TV and high-end furnishings, all paid for using CMHA funds.
“The defendant’s selfish and fraudulent actions not only put vital federal programs at risk, but also jeopardized the availability of HUD-assisted housing for those in our most vulnerable communities who rely on housing assistance programs,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Rice with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “HUD OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue those who seek to profit by abusing HUD-funded programs.”
Holland’s plea agreement includes a recommended sentence of three months to 12 months and one day in prison. As part of his conviction, Holland has agreed to pay nearly $87,000 in restitution to CMHA.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Shawn Rice, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Mid-Atlantic Region; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Ohio Auditor Keith Faber announced the guilty plea entered before U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Assistant United States Attorney Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo is representing the United States in this case.
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Former Charleston Physician Pleads Guilty to Federal Opioid CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Dr. Alexander V. Otellin, 57, formerly of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to the unlawful distribution of oxycodone.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 27, 2017, Otellin distributed a quantity of oxycodone to a patient at his psychiatry practice in South Charleston. Otellin admitted that while his specialty was psychiatry, he treated the patient for pain management. Otellin further admitted that this distribution was without a legitimate medical purpose, outside the usual course of medical practice, and without proper authority.
Otellin distributed controlled substances to the patient starting on or about February 6, 2014, until on or about July 15, 2020. During this time period, Otellin knew the patient was receiving opiates from another physician. For the first four years of this time period, Otellin did not review the patient’s medical history for substance abuse or habits or document a review of the database that tracks controlled substance prescriptions. For approximately five months during this time period, Otellin wrote prescriptions for oxycodone and other controlled substances for the patient without conducting evaluations of him.
Otellin was believed to have fled the United States to Russia in order avoid prosecution following his indictment by a federal grand jury on September 22, 2021. Otellin possesses dual citizenship in the U.S. and Russia. The U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia worked with INTERPOL Washington to issue an Interpol Red Notice for Otellin. In September 2023, Otellin entered the country of Armenia and was arrested and detained by Armenian authorities. U.S. Marshals took custody of Otellin in Armenia and transported him back to the United States, arriving in Charleston on April 20, 2024. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Armenian authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Otellin.
Otellin has surrendered his medical license with the West Virginia Board of Medicine. Otellin is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Trial Attorney Charles D. Strauss of the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division – Fraud Section and Assistant United States Attorneys Owen Reynolds and Andrew D. Isabell are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-159.
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Florida Man Sentenced for Role in Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida man was sentenced yesterday for his for his participation in a money laundering conspiracy.
Robert Hueton Colespring, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Colespring was also ordered to pay a fine of $5,000. In May 2024, Colespring pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and conducting substantive money laundering transactions.
Beginning in 2016 and continuing until 2022, an investigation into a money laundering organization based primarily in Barranquilla, Colombia was conducted. An undercover agent infiltrated the organization by portraying himself as an international money launderer able to pick up bulk cash throughout the world, launder the proceeds through his United States-based accounts and send the money to Colombia through the Black Market Peso Exchange – a common method of trade-based money laundering used to repatriate the proceeds of drug trafficking to Colombia.
Throughout the course of the investigation, members of the money laundering organization would contact the undercover agent and arrange meetings for him and his purported associates to collect cash for laundering. Individuals, such as Colespring, performed the role of money courier. On two occasions in Florida, Colespring delivered bulk cash which was then deposited into the undercover agent’s bank account in Massachusetts and then subsequently wired to accounts and repatriated back to drug traffickers in Colombia. Over the course of the conspiracy, Colespring was responsible for the laundering of approximately $599,990 in drug proceeds.
Colespring was charged in a 50-count indictment along with 19 other individuals in March 2022. Colespring is the eighth defendant to be sentenced in the case. Four other defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua R. Levy and Stephen Belleau, Acting Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Alathea E. Porter of the Criminal Division 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 charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Florida Man Sentenced for Civil Rights Conspiracy Targeting Pregnancy Resource CentersRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – A Florida man was sentenced today to one year and a day in prison for conspiring to injure, oppress, threaten or intimidate employees of pro-life pregnancy help centers in the free exercise of the right to provide and seek to provide reproductive health services. Caleb Freestone, along with two co-defendants, Amber Smith-Stewart and Annarella Rivera, selected reproductive health facilities that provided and counseled alternatives to abortion and vandalized those facilities with threatening messages.
According to court documents, these defendants engaged in a series of targeted attacks on pregnancy help centers in Florida. The defendants admitted they participated in the attack in the dark of night, and while wearing masks and dark clothing to obscure their identities, spray painted the facilities with threatening messages, including “If abortions aren’t safe than niether [sic] are you,” “YOUR TIME IS UP!!,” “WE’RE COMING for U” and “We are everywhere.” These defendants pleaded guilty on June 14 to a civil rights conspiracy.
“These defendants admitted that they conspired to paint threatening messages on crisis pregnancy centers, based on the defendants’ objection to the services those centers offered,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Violence and threats of violence have no place in our national discourse on reproductive health. The Justice Department is committed to protecting the right to access reproductive health care and prosecuting anyone who interferes with that right.”
“These defendants conspired to threaten and intimidate providers offering reproductive health care,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Federal law protects these providers and those who seek their services. My office will continue its work to protect access to reproductive health care and federally prosecute those interfering with that right.”
Smith-Stewart and Rivera were also each sentenced today to 30 days in prison and 60 days in home detention.
The FBI Tampa Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Miami Police Department.
Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Derry for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov. For more information about clinic violence, and the Justice Department’s efforts to enforce Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act violations, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/national-task-force-violence-against-reproductive-health-care-providers.
Florida Man Sentenced for Civil Rights Conspiracy Targeting Pregnancy Resource CentersRead the Press Release
A Florida man was sentenced today to one year and a day in prison for conspiring to injure, oppress, threaten or intimidate employees of pro-life pregnancy help centers in the free exercise of the right to provide and seek to provide reproductive health services. Caleb Freestone, along with two co-defendants, Amber Smith-Stewart and Annarella Rivera, selected reproductive health facilities that provided and counseled alternatives to abortion and vandalized those facilities with threatening messages.
According to court documents, these defendants engaged in a series of targeted attacks on pregnancy help centers in Florida. The defendants admitted they participated in the attack in the dark of night, and while wearing masks and dark clothing to obscure their identities, spray painted the facilities with threatening messages, including “If abortions aren’t safe than niether [sic] are you,” “YOUR TIME IS UP!!,” “WE’RE COMING for U” and “We are everywhere.” These defendants pleaded guilty on June 14 to a civil rights conspiracy.
“These defendants admitted that they conspired to paint threatening messages on crisis pregnancy centers, based on the defendants’ objection to the services those centers offered,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Violence and threats of violence have no place in our national discourse on reproductive health. The Justice Department is committed to protecting the right to access reproductive health care and prosecuting anyone who interferes with that right.”
“These defendants conspired to threaten and intimidate providers offering reproductive health care,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Federal law protects these providers and those who seek their services. My office will continue its work to protect access to reproductive health care and federally prosecute those interfering with that right.”
Smith-Stewart and Rivera were also each sentenced today to 30 days in prison and 60 days in home detention.
The FBI Tampa Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Miami Police Department.
Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Derry for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov. For more information about clinic violence, and the Justice Department’s efforts to enforce Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act violations, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/national-task-force-violence-against-reproductive-health-care-providers.