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24 October 2024
Buffalo man pleads guilty to selling methamphetamineRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Chemere Barclay, 32, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to possession with intent to distribute, and to distribute, methamphetamine, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna M. Duncan, who is handling the case, stated that between August 17, 2023, and January 5, 2024, investigators with the New York State Police and the Lackawanna Police Department conducted seven controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Barclay.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Packard, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Stanley Edwards, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 20, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. before Judge Arcara.
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Buffalo man pleads guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Henry Ford, 37, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna M. Duncan, who is handling the case, stated that in April 2024, a search warrant was executed on Ford’s person and at Ford’s Erb Street residence. Investigators recovered a loaded handgun from Ford’s pocket. Subsequent investigation revealed the handgun was reported stolen from Georgia in September 2019. During the search of Erb’s residence, investigators recovered a second firearm and ammunition. That firearm was reported stolen in the City of Buffalo in March 2024. In October 2008, Ford was convicted of a felony in Erie County Court and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 29, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Sinatra.
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Buffalo man going to prison on cocaine chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Tremaine Jacobs a/k/a Teeter a/k/a T, 51, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of attempt to possess, with intent to distribute, cocaine, was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who handled the case, stated that on May 16, 2020, law enforcement learned that a package containing $7,000 worth of cocaine had been sent to Jacobs. That same day, the Drug Enforcement Administration seized a package addressed to 542 Goodyear Avenue, a residence associated with Jacobs. The package contained 248 grams of cocaine. On May 30, 2020, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Buffalo Police Department Intelligence Unit executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence at 533 Goodyear Avenue, where investigators recovered approximately 16 ounces of suspected marijuana, approximately $10,507 in US currency, and jewelry.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Key Role in Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Ronald Lavaughn Mason, 46, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack.” Mason admitted to his major role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in Beckley and elsewhere within the Southern District of West Virginia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Mason participated in the DTO in April and May 2024, working with other individuals to distribute fentanyl and crack in and around Beckley. Mason admitted that he supplied other individuals with controlled substances that they would redistribute. Mason further admitted to delivering the controlled substances to these individuals at times, and at other times have them come to his Beckley residence to pick up the drugs.
On April 9, 2024, Mason sold co-defendant Tilford Joe Bradley Jr. a half-ounce of controlled substances while they were in Mason’s vehicle in Beaver. Mason admitted that law enforcement officers conducting surveillance saw him meet Bradley for the transaction, and that he knew Bradley intended to redistribute the controlled substances. Mason further admitted that officers intercepted phone calls and text messages in May 2024 in which he communicated with other individuals about distributing controlled substances.
On May 30, 2024, officers executed a search warrant at Mason’s residence and seized 541 grams of cocaine, 381 grams of fentanyl, and $10,293. Mason admitted that he possessed the seized controlled substances and intended to distribute them.
Mason is scheduled to be sentenced on February 14, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Mason is among 12 individuals indicted on charges alleging the defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and crack within the Southern District of West Virginia from in or about June 2023 to in or about May 2024. Mason is also among three defendants who have pleaded guilty. The charges against Bradley and the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
“This case and the convictions secured so far are the result of a major investigation that disrupted a significant drug trafficking operation in the Beckley area, and represent how this office and our law enforcement partners work tirelessly and together to protect our communities,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson.
Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
“Illegal drugs are devastating lives across Southern West Virginia, fueling violent crime and eroding the foundations of our community. The FBI and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to rooting out drug traffickers and bringing them to justice,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “The message today is clear: if you bring drugs here, you will be caught and you will be held accountable.”
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
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. 5:24-cr-90.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Myles Robert Williams, 37, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 26, 2024, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Williams in Beckley. Officers searched the vehicle and found a Ruger model EC9S 9mm semi-automatic handgun and 41 grams of fentanyl. Williams admitted that he possessed the firearm and he used it for protection.
Williams further admitted to possessing the fentanyl found in his vehicle, and that he intended to distribute it. Williams also admitted that he sold 1.3 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Beckley shortly before officers conducted the traffic stop.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Williams knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for common law robbery in Lincoln County, North Carolina, Superior Court on September 10, 2013.
Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on February 7, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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. 5:24-cr-79.
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Baltimore Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Soliciting Sexually Explicit Images of ChildrenRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Court Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Eugene Edward Golden, age 38, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 45 years in federal prison and lifetime supervised release, for conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child and for two counts of sexual exploitation of a child in order to produce and transmit a visual depiction of the sexually explicit conduct.
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, and Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police (MSP); Chief Gregory Der, Howard County Police Department; and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, beginning in at least 2019, Golden located several females, specifically six co-defendants — using dating or prostitution websites — and communicated with each of them individually using texts, messaging applications, and social media. Golden requested for each woman to produce sexually explicit videos and images of children, citing his specific fetishes and directed them on what to do and say. The defendant then had the women send him the files in exchange for financial compensation.
Golden’s co-defendants agreed to his requests and produced and distributed sexually explicit images and videos of at least 12 minor victims, using their cellphones. The victims ranged in age from approximately one year old to 13 years old. Images and videos documenting the sexual abuse were found in Golden’s online accounts. Golden produced and received well over 100 images and videos documenting the sexual abuse of children at his request. The defendant had also amassed a large collection of commercially available child pornography.
In addition to Golden’s co-defendants, HSI and MSP were able to identify more females who produced and distributed sexually explicit images and videos of minors in their care and/or custody, resulting in two more separate child exploitation cases and the identification and rescue of two minor victims. The victims were approximately one to four years old.
As detailed in Golden’s plea agreement, in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), upon his release from prison, Golden will be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, is an employee, and/or is a student.
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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended HSI Baltimore, the MSP-led Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Howard County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Districts of Mississippi and Tennessee; and HSI in Jackson, MS, and Memphis. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn, who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Armed Hickory Drug Dealer Is Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Phalen Devon Izard, 42, of Hickory, N.C., was sentenced today to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on drug and gun offenses, 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, and Chief Reed Baer of the Hickory Police Department (HPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, in July 2022, HPD was investigating Izard for suspected drug trafficking activities. During the investigation, HPD utilized a confidential informant on two occasions to buy cocaine base from Izard. Court documents show that, on April 11, 2023, HPD officers were patrolling near an apartment complex in Hickory, where they observed Izard walk into an apartment. A short time later, Izard walked back outside and fired a gunshot into the air. Officers immediately detained Izard. The HPD officers also recovered a 9mm pistol loaded with a magazine containing thirteen rounds of ammunition and a spent shell casing from the front porch.
According to filed court documents, on October 22, 2023, a shooting occurred at the Gateway Pub in Hickory. During the investigation of the shooting incident, law enforcement obtained security camera footage that captured a fight break out between a large crowd. Izard, who was present in the crowd, was captured on video using a small black handgun to fire multiple rounds into the air. Izard was arrested the next day in connection with the incident. According to court records, HPD officers executed a search warrant at an apartment where Izard had been staying. Officers seized several firearms from the apartment including a 9mm semi-automatic pistol loaded with eight rounds of ammunition; a stolen 10mm semi-automatic pistol loaded with nine rounds of ammunition; a 12- gauge shotgun and 22 12-gauge rounds; and a stolen 9mm semi-automatic pistol fitted with an extended magazine loaded with multiple rounds of ammunition. Izard has prior criminal convictions, and he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On May 15, 2024, Izard pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of cocaine base and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Izard remains in federal custody until he is transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and HPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Arizona Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Linh Cao Nguyen, M.D., 51, of Peoria, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 24 months in prison. Nguyen pleaded guilty to Health Care Fraud on March 19, 2024.
Over the course of several years, Nguyen engaged in a scheme to defraud various health care benefit programs, including Medicare, TRICARE, AHCCCS, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UnitedHealthcare. As part of his scheme, Nguyen knowingly caused the submission of thousands of false billing claims. Nguyen also falsely created patient records to conceal and avoid detection of his fraudulent scheme. The fraudulent claims identified a medical doctor as the treating provider when, in fact, another provider such as a nurse practitioner, social worker, unlicensed psychology intern, or wound care nurse provided the service independently. By billing the medical service as if it were provided by a physician, Nguyen falsely inflated the amount his company was to be paid for the service.
The total loss to the insurance companies from Nguyen’s scheme was approximately $3.7 million. As part of his sentence, Nguyen was ordered to pay over $1.1 million in restitution to the private insurance companies. Nguyen also was required to pay over $2.5 million to the government in a separate civil agreement.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-02716-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-144_Nguyen# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Animal Breeder Sentenced in Animal Welfare and Water Pollution Crimes, Will Pay More than $35M, Including Record Fine in Animal Welfare CaseRead the Press Release
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Envigo RMS, LLC and Envigo Global Services, Inc., (together, “Envigo”) were sentenced today for conspiring to knowingly violate the Animal Welfare Act and Clean Water Act. Envigo pleaded guilty in June 2024 in relation to a dog breeding facility located in Cumberland County, Virginia, from which the Justice Department secured the surrender of over 4,000 beagles in 2022.
Today, the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia sentenced Envigo pursuant to a resolution between the Justice Department and Envigo, and it imposed a total criminal fine of $22 million and at least three years of probation. In addition, Envigo is required to expend at least $7 million in improvements to its facilities and personnel beyond the standards imposed by the Animal Welfare Act, and it must pay all costs associated with a compliance monitor, who will oversee Envigo’s compliance with the Animal Welfare Act and Clean Water Act, as well as enhanced animal welfare standards.
Finally, in June 2024, as part of the resolution, Envigo was required to pay approximately $1.1 million to the Virginia Animal Fighting Task Force and approximately $1.9 million to the Humane Society of the United States, both for direct assistance provided to the investigation, and $3.5 million to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to benefit and restore the environment and ecosystems in Cumberland County, Virginia.
In all, Inotiv, Inc., Envigo’s parent company, is required to guarantee more than $35 million in payments. This resolution marks the largest ever fine in an Animal Welfare Act case.
According to court documents, Envigo RMS conspired to knowingly violate the Animal Welfare Act by failing to provide, among other things, adequate veterinary care, adequate staffing, and safe living conditions for dogs housed at the Cumberland County facility.
In addition, Envigo Global Services conspired to knowingly violate the Clean Water Act by failing to properly operate and maintain the wastewater treatment plant at the Cumberland County facility, which led to massive unlawful discharges of insufficiently treated wastewater into a local waterway and also impacted the health and well-being of the dogs at the facility.
First Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Lee, Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker of the Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General, Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced the sentence today.
The Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General and EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. The Virginia State Police provided security assistance during a multi-day federal search in May 2022 of the dog breeding facility.
Senior Trial Attorney Banu Rangarajan and Trial Attorney Sarah Brown of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy Ramseyer, Corey Hall, and Carrie Macon for the Western District of Virginia and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Welch (an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office) are prosecuting the case.
Alleged Bay Area Fentanyl Distributor Extradited from HondurasRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – The government of Honduras extradited Javier Marin-Gonzales, a Honduran national, to the United States this week to appear on charges stemming from his alleged involvement in the distribution of fentanyl in the San Francisco Bay Area. The extradition marks the fifth extradition of an alleged drug distributor from Honduras to the Northern District of California this year.
On Aug. 2, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Marin-Gonzales, 25, at the time a resident of Oakland, in connection with the alleged distribution of fentanyl on three separate occasions. The investigation in this case led to charges against multiple East Bay-based defendants who allegedly traveled into the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco to engage in drug dealing.
According to court documents, at the time of the indictment, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) learned that Marin-Gonzales had traveled back to Honduras. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Honduran authorities, the FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to secure the arrest and extradition of Marin-Gonzales. Marin-Gonzales arrived back in the United States on Oct. 23, 2024. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore today for arraignment on the indictment and further proceedings. A detention hearing for Marin-Gonzales is scheduled for Oct. 30, 2024.
“We appreciate our law enforcement partners’ efforts, here and abroad, to bring to justice those who are charged with peddling deadly drugs in our communities,” said United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey.
“This arrest and extradition marks a significant step in our ongoing fight against the distribution of dangerous drugs like fentanyl,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp. “By bringing Marin-Gonzales to face justice in the United States, we are sending a clear message: those who profit from the trafficking of deadly substances will be held accountable, no matter where they operate. The FBI remains committed to working with our domestic and international partners to disrupt drug networks that threaten the safety and well-being of our communities.”
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to hold accountable drug traffickers operating in the Tenderloin,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris. “The extradition of Marin-Gonzales is another example of how strong global partnerships keep our communities safe.”
The indictment charges Marin-Gonzales with the distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B)(vi).
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Defendant faces a maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $5,000,000, a lifetime of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. However, any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by a court only after considerations of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp, and DEA Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Bisesto is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Sara Slattery and Andy Ding. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI SAFE Streets Task Force, DEA, and the Concord Police Department.
Allegany County man charged by criminal complaint with multiple child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Andrew Klos, 19, of Belfast, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production, receipt, and possession of child pornography, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 60 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on July 25, 2024, the FBI National Threat Operations Center received an online tip regarding Klos. Subsequent investigation determined that Klos, using the online app “YesIChat,” was in an online relationship with Victim 1, a 13 year old living in Texas, for approximately six months. During those six months, Klos sent sexually explicit videos and photographs, multiple times a week. Klos also asked Victim 1 to produce sexual content with a younger girl, and with animals. The victim produced numerous sexually explicit images of herself at Klos’ direction, and sent them to Klos using the YesIChat platform.
Klos made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
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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17 People Indicted for Conspiring to Steal More Than $2.4 Million in SNAP BenefitsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—17 people are facing federal charges for conspiring to defraud the United States of more than $2.4 million in fraudulent Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) purchases, announced the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
A coordinated, multi-agency law enforcement operation was conducted Tuesday to dismantle the interstate fraud organization that used skimming devices and stolen Electric Benefits Transfer (EBT) accounts to purchase SNAP-eligible products for resale on the black market.
“This group targeted a program that ensures access to healthy and affordable groceries for low-income and food insecure individuals and families,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “We thank all our partners for their commitment to protecting the integrity of vital public programs like SNAP.”
“The USDA OIG is working relentlessly with our law enforcement partners to dismantle organized skimming operations targeted at stealing EBT card information from victims relying on such benefits to feed their families. These conspirators used skimmed accounts to fraudulently purchase retail goods such as infant formula and energy drinks, and later resold the stolen goods for illicit gain. We thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, Homeland Security Investigations, Portland Police Bureau, Oregon Department of Justice, and Orange County District Attorney’s Office for our joint effort in pursuing and holding these conspirators accountable for defrauding American families and the Federal Government,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Dionida, U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA OIG).
“This kind of fraud cheats a system that is designed to help families and children who need assistance the most,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Every dollar stolen is a dollar that could have fed a child in need. I’m appreciative of our partnerships with federal and local law enforcement, as it is through investigations like this that we will be able to protect resources for those that rely on them, while making sure those who commit these abuses are held accountable.”
“Our role in this case started with the initiative and extensive follow-up by one of our detectives,” said Portland Police Bureau Chief Bob Day. “He then reached out to our federal partners, and as the investigation grew, more resources were brought in to assist. It soon became very apparent how many people were criminally involved and the wide scope of this investigation. This indictment ultimately was the result of an exhaustive amount of investigative work by our detective and federal authorities and I commend everyone involved for their dedication to this important case.”
The following individuals have been arrested and charged with conspiring to defraud the United States, for their roles in the fraud organization:
Ramirez Dumitru, 25; Giovanni Spirea, 28; Santa-Madalina Costache, 25; Florin Mareata, 25; Anita Vaduva, 36; Ion Paul Miclescu, 19; Nicolas Barbosu, 25; Alberto Tomescu, 27; Oana Aura Cristina Caldararu, 23; Roberta Elena Sardaru, 27; Salvis Foro Dunca, 26; Ana Patricia Escalante, 57; Jessica Gonzalez, 27; Edwin Lionel Santizo-Ralon, 54; Cristina Yesenia Escalante, 33; Edgar Basilio Hernandez, 33; and Marta Hernandez de Estrada, 53.
According to court documents, from August 2023 to October 2024, Ramirez Dumitru and his co-conspirators are alleged to have possessed skimming devices and stolen EBT accounts to illegally purchase items with stolen SNAP benefits. Dumitru shared information with other members of the organization who, along with him, used the stolen EBT accounts to purchase large quantities of infant formula, energy drinks, and other SNAP-eligible nonperishable food items from grocery stores in Oregon, Washington, and California, and through websites associated with grocery stores offering curb-side pickup.
Over the course of the conspiracy, the group purchased more than 120,000 pounds of goods and stored them at residential properties and storage units in Oregon and Washington until they were packaged and transported to California in private vehicles or via commercial carriers. The fraudulent goods, obtained with more than $2.4 million in stolen SNAP benefits, were then sold on the black market.
All seventeen members of the organization were arrested on Tuesday without incident and made their initial appearances in federal court this week before U.S. Magistrate Judges in Oregon, Washington and California. All have been arraigned and are pending a trial in the District of Oregon.
The case was investigated by USDA OIG, HSI, U.S. Marshals Service, Portland Police Bureau, Oregon Department of Justice, Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Vancouver Police Department, San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Gresham Police Department, and the Redmond, Washington Police Department Financial Fraud and Identification Theft Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Geoffrey A. Barrow and Nicholas D. Meyers, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Washington and Central District of California.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
23 October 2024
Wilsonville Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Laundering More than $4.6 Million in Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Wilsonville, Oregon woman was sentenced to federal prison today for laundering millions of dollars in drug proceeds as the chief money launderer for a drug trafficking organization operating in the Pacific Northwest and California.
Jacqueline Paola Rodriguez Barrientos, 44, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.
“We thank the coordinated efforts of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners actively combatting these drug trafficking organizations and the damage they inflict on our communities,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
“While people like Ms. Rodriguez Barrientos conceal the profits of drug enterprises, the losses fall on far too many Americans and their families,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Seattle Field Office. “We will continue doing our part to expose the finances of criminal organizations.”
According to court documents, beginning in fall 2021, special agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Portland began investigating a drug trafficking organization suspected of transporting counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and heroin from California into Oregon and Washington State for distribution.
A parallel financial investigation led by IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI) revealed that Barrientos laundered money generated by the drug trafficking organization through the Mazatlán Beauty Salon in Tualatin, Oregon and by buying real estate that she converted into income-generating rentals. The real estate purchases were made with cashier’s checks funded by large cash deposits. Currency Transaction Reports generated by several banks showed that Barrientos made frequent cash deposits ranging from $10,000 to more than $373,000 into accounts held in her name or the name of her salon. These deposits totaled more than $3.5 million during a 9-month period in 2021.
Since February 2021, members of the drug trafficking organization also purchased a total of nine residential properties in Oregon, Washington and Nevada with an estimated total value of more than $4.6 million. All nine properties were purchased outright with no mortgages. Barrientos used laundered funds to purchase eight of these properties. She then used third-party property management companies to rent these properties and received approximately $10,000 per month in rental income.
On February 17, 2022, DEA agents arrested Barrientos and an associate at their Las Vegas residence. Agents found and seized two luxury vehicles, several loose receipts documenting high-end retail purchases, credit card statements documenting more than $16,000 spent on tickets to attend a professional boxing match, and other evidence memorializing the couple’s high-end lifestyle.
On February 9, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Barrientos with conspiracy to launder drug proceeds. She pleaded guilty on July 31, 2024.
Barrientos has agreed to forfeiture of the properties purchased with criminal proceeds as part of the resolution of her case. Some of the properties have been sold by the government; others are pending forfeiture and sale. The proceeds of forfeited assets are deposited in the Justice Department’s Assets Forfeiture Fund (AFF) and used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of other law enforcement purposes. To learn more about the AFF, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/afp/assets-forfeiture-fund-aff.
This case was investigated by DEA with assistance from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), IRS:CI, Tigard Police Department, and Oregon State Police. It is being prosecuted by Peter D. Sax, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Forfeiture proceedings are being handled by AUSA Katie De Villiers, also of the District of Oregon.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Washington State Defense Attorney Facing Federal Charges for Smuggling Drugs into Correctional FacilityRead the Press Release
SEATTLE—A Washington State defense attorney was arraigned in federal court Monday after he was indicted for joining a criminal conspiracy to smuggle drugs into the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF), a jail located in Seattle, during client visits.
John M. Sheeran, 60, of Pierce County, Washington has been charged with conspiring to distribute controlled substances, possessing and distributing methamphetamine, distributing buprenorphine, and illegally using a communication facility.
According to the indictment, Sheeran used his status as an attorney to smuggle controlled substances, including methamphetamine, ketamine, buprenorphine, and THC, to two of his then- clients and inmates at KCCF during legal visits. During the conspiracy, Sheeran distributed, or possessed with an intent to distribute, sheets of paper that had been soaked in drugs, chewing tobacco cans that swapped out the tobacco with drugs, and trial clothes that had drugs concealed in the soles of the shoes. After Sheeran successfully smuggled the drugs into KCCF, Sheeran’s co-conspirators sold the drugs to other inmates for significant sums.
On October 16, 2024, a federal grand jury in Seattle returned an indictment charging Sheeran and four co-conspirators. Sheeran was arrested Monday without incident in Washington Place, Washington.
Sheeran made his initial appearance in federal court Monday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Seattle. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered released pending a jury trial scheduled to begin on December 20, 2024.
If convicted, Sheeran faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, a minimum of three years’ supervised release, and a fine up to $1 million.
The case was investigated by the FBI and King County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Robert S. Trisotto, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, acting as Special Attorney for the Western District of Washington.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Violet, Louisiana Man Sentenced for Possessing Firearm to Further Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA - United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MALI WILLIAMS (“WILLIAMS”), age 26, of Violet, Louisiana, was sentenced on October 15, 2024 by United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey to 60 months of imprisonment, three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee after previously pleading guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
According to court documents, on October 12, 2023, New Orleans Police Officers saw WILLIAMS selling marijuana in the Central Business District of New Orleans. While attempting to flee from police, WILLIAMS dropped his backpack that contained marijuana and tapentadol tablets. When apprehended, WILLIAMS possessed a Taurus Model G3C, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Ollinger of the Violent Crime Unit.
Venezuelan Television News Network Owner Charged in Alleged $1.2B Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned an indictment today charging a Venezuelan television news network owner for his role in a $1.2 billion scheme to launder funds corruptly obtained from Venezuela’s state-owned and state-controlled energy company, Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), in exchange for hundreds of millions in bribe payments to Venezuelan officials.
According to court documents, between 2014 and 2018, Raul Gorrin Belisario (Gorrin), 56, of Venezuela, conspired with others to launder the proceeds of an illegal bribery scheme using the U.S. financial system as well as various bank accounts located abroad. Gorrin and his co-conspirators paid millions of dollars in bribes to high-level Venezuelan officials to obtain foreign currency exchange loan contracts with PDVSA. Gorrin and his co-conspirators subsequently directed the laundering of the illicit proceeds, in part, in the Southern District of Florida, where they purchased real estate, yachts, and other luxury items. To conceal the movement of the bribe payments and illicit funds, Gorrin and his co-conspirators used a series of shell companies and offshore bank accounts.
“This case represents the Southern District of Florida’s continued commitment to combating foreign corruption and holding those who subvert the integrity of the U.S. financial system responsible for their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “Our Office will continue to partner with the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) to identify, disrupt and prosecute those who launder money to facilitate corruption and carry out their nefarious schemes.”
“According to the indictment, Gorrin and his co-conspirators paid millions of dollars in bribes to high-ranking foreign officials to secure over $1 billion in ill-gotten gains, which Gorrin and his co-conspirators used to purchase yachts and other luxury items in the United States,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Gorrin’s alleged conduct enriched corrupt government officials and exploited the U.S. financial system to facilitate these crimes. Together with our partners, the Criminal Division remains committed to ensuring that the United States is not a safe haven for carrying out money laundering schemes or hiding criminal proceeds.”
“This action by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), working against global illegal activities with our international and domestic partners, significantly upholds the rule of law,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of HSI. “This case demonstrates HSI’s global footprint and our commitment to curbing the flow of illicit funds while enforcing U.S. sanctions. It also serves as a stark reminder that crime and corruption will not be tolerated.”
Gorrin is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, Gorrin faces up to 20 years in prison. Gorrin, who is a fugitive in a separately charged matter, remains at large.
HSI Miami’s El Dorado Task Force is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and authorities in the United Kingdom, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, and Malta assisted with the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nalina Sombuntham for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Paul A. Hayden of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.
This effort is part of an OCDETF operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and Foreign Extortion Prevention Act matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/foreign-corrupt-practices-act.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Rated court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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Venezuelan Television News Network Owner Charged in Alleged $1.2B Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned an indictment today charging a Venezuelan television news network owner for his role in a $1.2 billion scheme to launder funds corruptly obtained from Venezuela’s state-owned and state-controlled energy company, Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), in exchange for hundreds of millions in bribe payments to Venezuelan officials.
According to court documents, between 2014 and 2018, Raul Gorrin Belisario (Gorrin), 56, of Venezuela, conspired with others to launder the proceeds of an illegal bribery scheme using the U.S. financial system as well as various bank accounts located abroad. Gorrin and his co-conspirators paid millions of dollars in bribes to high-level Venezuelan officials to obtain foreign currency exchange loan contracts with PDVSA. Gorrin and his co-conspirators subsequently directed the laundering of the illicit proceeds, in part, in the Southern District of Florida, where they purchased real estate, yachts, and other luxury items. To conceal the movement of the bribe payments and illicit funds, Gorrin and his co-conspirators used a series of shell companies and offshore bank accounts.
“According to the indictment, Gorrin and his co-conspirators paid millions of dollars in bribes to high-ranking foreign officials to secure over $1 billion in ill-gotten gains, which Gorrin and his co-conspirators used to purchase yachts and other luxury items in the United States,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Gorrin’s alleged conduct enriched corrupt government officials and exploited the U.S. financial system to facilitate these crimes. Together with our partners, the Criminal Division remains committed to ensuring that the United States is not a safe haven for carrying out money laundering schemes or hiding criminal proceeds.”
“This case represents the Southern District of Florida’s continued commitment to combating foreign corruption and holding those who subvert the integrity of the U.S. financial system responsible for their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “Our office will continue to partner with the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) to identify, disrupt and prosecute those who launder money to facilitate corruption and carry out their nefarious schemes.”
“This action by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), working against global illegal activities with our international and domestic partners, significantly upholds the rule of law,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of HSI. “This case demonstrates HSI’s global footprint and our commitment to curbing the flow of illicit funds while enforcing U.S. sanctions. It also serves as a stark reminder that crime and corruption will not be tolerated.”
Gorrin is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, Gorrin faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Gorrin, who is a fugitive in a separately charged matter, remains at large.
HSI Miami’s El Dorado Task Force is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and authorities in the United Kingdom, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, and Malta provided assistance.
Trial Attorney Paul A. Hayden of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nalina Sombuntham for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.
This effort is part of an OCDETF operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and Foreign Extortion Prevention Act matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/foreign-corrupt-practices-act.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
View the filed indictment here.
USAO-KS Announces Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – United States Attorney Kate E. Brubacher announced that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Jared Maag will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Maag has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Kansas, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
U.S. Attorney Brubacher said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
U.S. Attorney Brubacher stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Maag will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (785) 295-2850.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 816-512-8200.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
U.S. Attorney Brubacher said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI Prepared to Handle Complaints of Voting Rights Concerns, Election FraudRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Amy R. Romero will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Romero has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Rhode Island, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Cunha said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Cunha stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Romero will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (401) 709-5068.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (401) 272-8310.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
United States Attorney Cunha said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
View United States Attorney Cunha’s Election Day Program public service announcement at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw02Lr2DyCA&t=16s
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes Exceptional Law Enforcement Work at the 2024 Law Enforcement Awards CeremonyRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – On October 23, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont honored a number of individuals from a variety of law enforcement agencies at the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony. Individual investigators and officers from federal, state, and local agencies were nominated by U.S. Attorney’s Office staff in a variety of categories for their outstanding work supporting the mission of this office and promoting public safety. The specific categories and individuals recognized today are as follows:
Investigative Achievement Award: This award criteria are established for those individuals, both sworn and non-sworn who have significantly contributed to the mission of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
- Special Agent Samuel Brown, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – nominated for United States v. Carl Martin.
- Special Agent Brian Wood, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – nominated for United States v. Carl Martin.
- Special Agent Nicholas Call, Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations – nominated for United States v. Paul Bateman, Samir Doshi, and Rebecca Buckley.
- Resident Agent in Charge Derek Roy, Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations – nominated for United States v. Paul Bateman, Samir Doshi, and Rebecca Buckley.
- Special Agent Jason Tilley, Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations – nominated for United States v. Paul Bateman, Samir Doshi, and Rebecca Buckley.
- Financial Investigator Joel Garland, Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations – nominated for United States v. Paul Bateman, Samir Doshi, and Rebecca Buckley.
- Special Agent Erin Nelligan, Homeland Security Investigations – nominated for United States v. Michael Burton.
- Special Agent Colin Simons, Federal Bureau of Investigation – nominated for United States v. Eric Colson, Gage Colson, and Antonio Vergara.
- Detective Sergeant Karl Gardner, Vermont State Police – nominated for United States v. Eric Colson, Gage Colson, and Antonio Vergara.
- Detective Trooper Steven Fauteux, Vermont State Police – nominated for United States v. Eric Colson, Gage Colson, and Antonio Vergara.
- Detective Sergeant Aaron Lefebvre, St. Albans Police Department, former Detective with the Vermont Drug Task Force and the Newport Police Department – nominated for United States v. Eric Colson, Gage Colson, and Antonio Vergara.
Outstanding Collaborative Investigation Award: This category is limited to those who have demonstrated outstanding efforts to overcome significant challenges in collaboration with multiple agencies in order to meet the mission of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
- Special Agent Brian Wood, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- Special Agent Samuel Brown, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- Detective Sergeant Philip Tremblay, Burlington Police Department
- Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force Officer Durwin Ellerman, Burlington Police Department
- Sergeant Chase Vivori, Burlington Police Department
- Special Agent Erin Nelligan, Homeland Security Investigations
- All nominated for outstanding collaborative investigation in United States v. Ronald Harris, et al.
- Special Agent Paul Altenburg, Homeland Security Investigations
- Special Agent Anders Ostrum, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation
- Criminal Analyst Nancy Woods, Homeland Security Investigations
- Resident in Charge Alex Zuchman, Homeland Security Investigations
- Special Agent Michael DeFiore, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, former Detective Corporal with the Vermont Drug Task Force and the South Burlington Police Department
- Detective Sergeant Dustin Robinson, Vermont State Police
- Detective Sergeant Philip Tremblay, Burlington Police Department
- Special Agent Aaron Dince, Homeland Security Investigations
- Special Agent Colin Simons, Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Postal Inspector Jonathan Dunham, U.S. Postal Inspection Service
- Special Agent Brandon Hope, Drug Enforcement Administration
- All nominated as their agency representatives for outstanding collaborative investigation for United States v. Dajuan Williams, et al.
Award recipients gathered today at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by colleagues and family. Each recipient received an engraved award commemorating their outstanding efforts. U.S. Attorney Kerest stated: “This is one of the best days of the year when we have the chance to recognize law enforcement officers like today’s awardees in the presence of their families. Today’s awardees make the work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office possible, and they do that work with the necessary support of their family and loved ones. We applaud their tireless work and the daily sacrifices they all make.”
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Successful Drug Trafficking Prosecutions Made Possible by Local Partnerships in the Treasure ValleyRead the Press Release
BOISE – Today, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the results of two separate drug distribution cases in southern Idaho.
“These defendants mistakenly thought they could get away with selling substantial quantities of dangerous drugs in the Treasure Valley,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “They have now learned the hard way how the DEA and local law enforcement work so well together to root out drug trafficking in our communities. Anyone else thinking of trafficking drugs in Idaho should pay attention to the results.”
- Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison
In one case, Daniel Allen Gonzales, 51, originally from Lynwood, California, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye to 120 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to court records, on May 26, 2023, after a multi-month investigation involving a partnership between several Treasure Valley law enforcement agencies, investigators executed a search warrant at Gonzales’ home and vehicle in Boise. During the search, investigators found approximately one and three-quarter pounds of fentanyl and two pounds of methamphetamine that Gonzales intended to distribute into the community.
Judge Nye also ordered Gonzales to pay a $500 fine and to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Gonzales pleaded guilty to the federal charge in July 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Nampa Police Department, and the Boise Police Department for their collaboration in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse prosecuted this case.
- Meridian Man Convicted of Distribution of Methamphetamine Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison
In a separate case, Charles Grant McReynolds, 57, of Meridian, was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison following his conviction for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court records, on November 29, 2023, McReynolds sold approximately two pounds of methamphetamine to another individual. After the sale, investigators followed him to a nearby hotel parking lot where they arrested him. During the arrest, investigators searched McReynolds’ vehicle and found more than two pounds of methamphetamine, a .45 caliber pistol, and over $10,000 in illicit drug trafficking proceeds. McReynolds told investigators that he intended to purchase more methamphetamine for redistribution after he sold the two pounds investigators found in his vehicle.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered McReynolds to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. McReynolds pleaded guilty to the offense in April 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of DEA, the Nampa Police Department Special Investigations Unit, the Boise Police Department, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, the Meridian Police Department, the Oregon State Police, and the High Desert Drug Task Force, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse also prosecuted this case.
“Drug traffickers like Mr. Gonzales and Mr. McReynolds enrich themselves by preying on the vulnerable in our communities and these sentences hold them accountable for their crimes,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The Drug Enforcement Administration and our partners will never stop protecting our communities from those who would seek to poison our people.”
The DEA Boise Office Task Force and High Desert Drug Task Force are both multi-jurisdictional narcotics task forces that identify, disrupt, and dismantle local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. They are supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).
Both of these prosecutions were part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Sentencing of Mescalero Man for StrangulationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man was sentenced to 64 months in federal prison for strangling his wife.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, Fulton C. Potter, 30, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, strangled his wife on November 24, 2023.
Upon his release from prison, Potter will be subject to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matilda McCarthy Villalobos is prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Sentencing of Alamogordo Man Linked to Firearm Used in Fatal Shooting of Police OfficerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Alamogordo man was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison for providing the modified shotgun used to shoot and kill an Alamogordo Police Officer.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, Jonah Apodaca, 31, provided a “sawed-off” shotgun to Dominic Cruz De La O which he is accused of later using to shoot and kill Alamogordo Police Officer Anthony Ferguson on July 16, 2023. Apodaca’s DNA was located on the shotgun shell recovered from the chamber of the shotgun and ammunition from the magazine tube.
Upon his release from prison, Apodaca will be subject to three years of supervised release.
De La O was charged with possession of a firearm not registered with the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record and possession of a firearm not identified by a serial number. De La O remains in custody pending trial which is currently scheduled to begin February 26, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Alamogordo Police Department, New Mexico State Police, and the Otero County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Ry Ellison are prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney Will Thompson Encourages West Virginians to Participate in DEA's National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 26, 2024Read the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson encourages West Virginians to take advantage of the upcoming Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Saturday, October 26, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., to dispose of old, unwanted and unneeded medications.
Take Back Day offers a free, safe and anonymous way to get rid of prescription drugs that are susceptible to diversion and abuse. More than 80 collection sites throughout the Southern District of West Virginia and elsewhere in the state have already been announced. A collection site locator and other information is available at www.DEATakeBack.com.
“The non-medical use of prescription drugs is the second-most common form of drug abuse in America,” Thompson said. “Safely disposing of old, unwanted and unneeded prescription drugs is an effective way to prevent accidental poisoning, overdosing, and abuse.”
DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Collection sites will not accept syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container. The cap must be tightly sealed to prevent leakage.
In partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed 9,285 tons of medication from circulation since its inception. The total includes 66.587 tons collected in West Virginia.
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.
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U.S. Attorney Thompson and Law Enforcement Partners to Hold Press Conference in Beckley in Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson will join with law enforcement partners at a press conference on Thursday, October 24, 2024, at 11 a.m. at the Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse and Federal Building in Beckley, to announce a development in the case against a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in Beckley and elsewhere within the Southern District of West Virginia.
WHO: United States Attorney Will Thompson and law enforcement officials
WHAT: Press Conference
WHEN: Thursday, October 24, 2024, at 11 a.m.
WHERE: The Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse and Federal Building, 110 North Heber Street, Beckley
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.
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U.S. Attorney Names District Election Officer to Oversee the Handling of Complaints of Election Fraud and Voting Rights Abuses in the November 2024 General ElectionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin C. Khasigian will serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of California in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5 general election. The DEO is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of Election Day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington, DC.
The 34 counties in the Eastern District are: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Khasigian will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 916-554-2723.
U.S. Attorney Talbert stated, “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The local FBI field office can be reached by phone at 916-746-7000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC, by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Attorney Announces Office’s District Election Officers for November 2024 General ElectionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced that Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) Jeffrey R. Bengel and Nicole A. Stockey will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSAs Bengel and Stockey have been appointed to serve as the District Election Officers (DEOs) for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and, in that capacity, are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Olshan said: “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Olshan stated: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSAs Bengel and Stockey will be on duty in this District while the polls are open and can be reached by the public by calling (412) 644-3500.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (412) 432-4000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C., by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
United States Attorney Olshan said: “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
In the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
Two Sampson County Men Indicted Following October 2023 Murder of FiveRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr., is announcing federal charges against two men arising from the murders of five people in a Sampson County house in October 2023. The indictment alleges that the two are responsible for the murders.
In a superseding indictment returned on August 27, 2024, a federal grand jury charged Robert Andrew Daquan Williams, aka “Double Tap, Drew and TTG,” age 31, and Derek George, aka “Pete,” age 35, with drug distribution and robbery charges. The superseding indictment also alleges possession of a firearm to further the drug and robbery charges and that the firearm was discharged resulting in the murder of five victims.
Williams and George are each charged with one count of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (crack), one count of conspiracy to commit a Hobbs Act Robbery, one count of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Williams also faces one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. A third individual named in the indictment is charged with illegal gun possession but is not currently facing charges related to the murders.
If convicted, Williams and George face punishment up to and including the death penalty. Williams has been in custody since November 9, 2023. George was arrested following the federal indictment and remains in custody.
“The charges brought in this case demonstrate the partnership between local, state and federal law enforcement to investigate and prosecute individuals believed to be contributing to violence in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “In this case, a combination of old-fashioned police work and community tips led to the identification and ultimate arrest of those that are alleged to have caused this act of violence. We will continue to work together to ensure the safety of our communities and to ensure justice for those that perpetrate violent criminal activity.”
“Five people were taken from their families by this crime which impacted the entire community. We hope these federal charges can bring some sense of peace and justice for everyone affected,” said Robert M. DeWitt, the Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina.
“Too many lives were lost in another case of senseless violence,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms Tobacco and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “This incident has had a major impact on the community, and it is important that ATF and our partners apply every resource available to identify, apprehend and bring the individuals who are alleged to be responsible for this terrible crime to justice.”
“As the sheriff of Sampson County, it is my responsibility to use every resource available to help keep the residents of Sampson County safe,” said Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton. “I greatly appreciate all the people and agencies that have assisted in this investigation.”
The Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, the Clinton Police Department, the FBI, the ATF, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, and the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Lemons and Casey Peaden are prosecuting the case. This is an ongoing investigation. If any person has information related to these crimes, please contact the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office at 910-592-4141 or the FBI.
This investigation was an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for 7:24-CR-00013-D-BM.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Two S.C. Prosecutors Honored with Awards for ExcellenceRead the Press Release
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Two South Carolina prosecutors were recently honored for their excellence and achievements in the criminal justice system. The awards are presented each year during the South Carolina Solicitors’ Annual Conference, which is held in Myrtle Beach.
The 2024 honorees are:
Ernest F. Hollings Award (General Sessions): Deputy Solicitor Ashley Hammack, 2nd Circuit Solicitor’s Office
Ernest F. Hollings Award (Attorney General): Assistant Deputy Attorney General Kinli Abee, South Carolina Attorney General’s Office
The Ernest F. Hollings Awards for Excellence in State Prosecution were conceived in 1996 and begun in 1997 as a means for federal prosecutors to take the lead in publicly recognizing their state court colleagues who generally must do much more with much less. As Chairman of the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee, then United States Attorney J. René Josey enlisted the support of United States Senator Ernest F. Hollings to make the awards a reality. As a former Charleston prosecutor and longtime legislative supporter of law enforcement, Senator Hollings was more than willing to lend his aid. The Senator Hollings awards are presented annually to recognize an Assistant Solicitor in each of the following categories: (1) excellence in prosecution in the Court of General Sessions; and/or (2) excellence in prosecution in the Family Courts. In 2006, a third category was added to recognize an Assistant Attorney General.
The award selections committee is comprised of the Chairman of the South Carolina Commission on Prosecution Coordination, the President of the S.C. Solicitor’s Association, the Chief of South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office and the John Justice family.
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Tulsa Man Sentenced for Possessing and Distributing Sexually Explicit Content of MinorsRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Brian Harris Carlile, 31, for Receipt, Distribution, and Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Judge Russell ordered Carlile to 121 months imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Carlile will also be required to register as a sex offender. Restitution for the victims will be determined at a later date.
From June 2023 through September 2023, Carlile admittingly used his cell phone to possess, receive, and distribute images and videos that contained minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Many of the images or videos that Carlile possessed included minors under the age of 12.
Carlile is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Homeland Security Investigations and Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Three Individuals Indicted for Fatal Shooting in Connection with Marijuana Deal in QueensRead the Press Release
Earlier today, a indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Jerome Waters, also known as “the Engineer,” Calvin Israel and William Barnett for their alleged roles in the kidnapping, robbery and fatal shooting of a victim in Queens, New York on July 25, 2024. Two of the defendants, Waters and Israel, were arrested today in Maryland, and will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date. Barnett remains at large.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Thomas G. Donlon, Interim Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrests and charges.
“As alleged, the defendants’ premediated robbery and kidnapping that resulted in a violent death, demonstrates the significant threat of guns and drugs in our communities,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office continues to work nonstop with our law enforcement partners to hold these drivers of violent crime accountable and remove their means to wreak havoc.”
“The three defendants allegedly orchestrated the kidnapping and armed robbery of two individuals in the illicit drug trade, culminating in the murder of one victim. These alleged actions incorporated unnecessary terror and brutality to accomplish their greedy plot," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy. "With the assistance from our law enforcement partners, the FBI will continue its mission apprehending all interstate travelers who pollute our city with drugs and gun violence."
“These arrests are another example of police and their federal partners’ unrelenting pursuit of crews that monetize drugs and brutality," stated NYPD Interim Commissioner Donlon. “I commend our NYPD investigators and all of our law enforcement colleagues for their unwavering commitment to end such barbaric, senseless violence in our communities and for their tireless work to hold all those responsible for it accountable.”
As alleged in court filings, the defendants are members of a Baltimore-based violent robbery crew that conspired to commit an armed robbery and kidnapping of marijuana dealers in Queens, New York. On the night of July 24, 2024 and into July 25, 2024, the defendants drove up from Maryland to New York City for the purpose of kidnapping and robbing at gunpoint John Doe #1 and John Doe #2, who were both drug dealers. Once in New York, Waters and Barnett met with John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 at a stash house in Queens under the guise of purchasing marijuana.
Moments later, Waters and Barnett pulled out guns and held up John Doe #1 and John Doe #2. Next, they invited their co-conspirators into the stash house to assist in the robbery and kidnapping. While in the stash house, the defendants and their co-conspirators tied up John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 with zip ties and forced them outside and into the back of a Jeep and a U-Haul van at gunpoint. At the same time, the defendants and their co-conspirators stole approximately 30 pounds of marijuana from the stash house.
The defendants and their co-conspirators drove John Doe #1 and John Doe #2, who were still tied up, through Queens at gunpoint, demanding drugs and money. Israel drove the U-Haul van containing John Doe #1, who was shot to death multiple times in the head in the back of the U-Haul van. When his body was found by first responders, John Doe #1 still had a zip tie binding one of his hands and was surrounded by bags of marijuana. After the shooting, the defendants fled back to Maryland.
If convicted, Waters, Israel, and Barnett each face mandatory sentences of life imprisonment. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. As part of the program, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chand Edwards-Balfour and Adam Amir are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
JEROME WATERS (also known as “the Engineer”)
Age: 23
MarylandCALVIN ISRAEL
Age: 23
MarylandWILLIAM BARNETT
Age: 27
MarylandE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-413 (KAM)
Texas Drug Courier Sentenced for Federal Narcotics TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that BRISSA ORTIZ (“ORTIZ”), age 19, a resident of El Paso, Texas, was sentenced on October 22, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Greg Guidry to 21 months imprisonment, a one-year term of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to Misprision of a Felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 4.
According to court documents, ORTIZ was aware that her brother had conspired to distribute a large amount of cocaine across the country. She also concealed his involvement in this conspiracy and did not notify law enforcement authorities of this crime. Specifically, ORTIZ and her brother were travelling through Louisiana on I-12, when they were pulled over by the Louisiana State Police on a traffic violation. During this stop, the vehicle was searched, and Troopers located approximately ten kilograms of cocaine hidden in secret compartments throughout the vehicle.
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security and the Louisiana State Police. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit.
Terrebonne Parish Man Guilty of Methamphetamine Conspiracy and DistributionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JUSTIN HEIMS (“HEIMS”), age 22, a resident of Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana pled guilty before United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter on October 22, 2024, to federal drug trafficking charges.
According to filed court documents, specifically, HEIMS pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectible amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A), and 846. HEIMS also pled guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A), and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2.
As to each charge, HEIMS faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, up to a $10,000,000.00 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
His sentencing is set for February 25, 2025.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Houma Police Department, the Louisiana State Police, and the Terrebonne and Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Offices. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit.
Tahlequah Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Charles Edward Ketcher, Jr., age 33, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On March 15, 2024, Ketcher pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. According to investigators, on October 14, 2023, Ketcher was captured on a surveillance camera carrying a rifle. At the time Ketcher possessed the rifle, he knew he had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
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 Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Ketcher was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States at the sentencing hearing.
Tahlequah Resident Pleads Guilty to Arson in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Wesley Wayne Sutton, age 59, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Arson in Indian Country.
The Indictment alleged that, on June 1, 2024, Sutton maliciously set fire to a dwelling. The crime occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Tahlequah Fire Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Sutton will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.
Stoughton Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Armed Robberies of Postal WorkersRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Stoughton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for the armed robberies of United States Postal Service (USPS) letter carriers that took place on Nov. 29, 2022 in Mattapan and Dec. 16, 2022 in Hyde Park. In one instance, the defendant robbed the letter carrier at knifepoint.
Kenneth Demosthene, 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In July 2024, Demosthene pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery of any person having lawful charge, control, or custody of any mail matter or of any money or other property of the United States, aiding and abetting and two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees, aiding and abetting. In May 2023, Demosthene was indicted by a federal grand jury along with his alleged co-conspirator Myesha Lewis.
USPS has seen a rise in the use of arrow keys to facilitate the theft of U.S. Mail. An arrow key is a specific key designed to open designated blue USPS collection boxes in a specific area. These arrow keys are the property of USPS and it is a federal offense for an unauthorized person to possess one. Since July 2022, there have been at least 23 assaults on USPS letter carriers while in the performance of their official duties in Boston and its surrounding communities. These incidents included the attempted or successful robbery of USPS arrow keys from letter carriers. Additionally, of these 23, 15 of the robberies were instances where the perpetrators were reportedly armed with a knife, firearm, or both.
On Nov. 29, 2022, in Mattapan, Demosthene and, allegedly, Lewis followed and forcibly robbed a USPS letter carrier of an arrow key. Demosthene approached the letter carrier and said, “I’m going to need your master key,” before reaching into the letter carrier’s mail satchel and grabbing the arrow key. The arrow key was secured around the letter carrier’s belt with a brass chain. It is alleged that the force used to physically break the brass chain caused the letter carrier to be pulled off the front steps. Demosthene and, allegedly, Lewis fled the scene in a rental vehicle.
On Dec. 16, 2022, in Hyde Park, Demosthene and, allegedly, Lewis robbed another USPS letter carrier of an arrow key at knife point. Demosthene approached the USPS letter carrier and said, “Give me your f****** arrow key.” The letter carrier put their hands in the air as the defendants attempted to remove the arrow key, at first by force pulling at the chain. Demosthene and, allegedly, Lewis then attempted to cut it with the knife – eventually breaking the arrow key loose, and fleeing the scene on foot.
Lewis is expected to plead guilty on Oct. 30, 2024.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sixteenth Defendant Sentenced for Prison Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Long Beach, Mississippi man was sentenced to 99 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Johnson Tran, 47, was sentenced on October 17, 2024, in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents and information presented to the Court, in 2018, agents with the DEA received information from the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) that drug laced letters and greeting cards were being sent to inmates in the Bureau of Prisons from the Southern District of Mississippi. The drug laced letters and cards were intercepted at prisons in Illinois, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
DEA and BOP officials were able to determine that inmates were ordering the drug laced letters and cards from Johnson Tran via prison email accounts and jail calls. The inmates would typically order the drugs using coded language. The letters or greeting cards were laced with FUB-AMB and 5F-MDMB-PICA, which are Schedule I controlled substances and synthetic cannabinoids. Many of them were sent through the postal service in Gulfport, Mississippi, and Tran’s base of operation was Harrison County, Mississippi.
Agents were also able to determine through the review of financial records that Tran would ultimately receive payment for the drugs that he sent into prison via U.S. Department of Treasury checks drawn from the inmate’s prison accounts and/or peer-to-peer money transfers from associates or family members of the inmates. When Tran’s associates would receive funds on Tran’s behalf, Tran would give them a portion of the funds they received as payment for their services.
In addition to Johnson Tran, fifteen other defendants have been sentenced in the case:
Chaze Lowery and William Hernandez previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Lowery was sentenced to 48 months in prison and Hernandez was sentenced to 87 months in prison.
Jermaine Jones pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to 62 months imprisonment.
Jorge Pena, Trae Short, Bobby Huneycutt, Clarence Plato, Ryan Douglas, Salomon Ayala, Stanley Spriggs, Corderius Trammell, Jonathan Estrada, Marcus Thames, and Allen Butler all pled guilty to conspiring to commit an offense against the United States by conspiring to introduce contraband to a federal correctional facility. Their sentences ranged from time served to 52 months in prison.
Ryan Schmittaur pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to 4 years of probation and a $3,000.00 fine.
A seventeenth defendant, Ashley Magee, pled guilty to engaging in an unlicensed money transmission business by accepting and transferring money on behalf of Johnson Tran and the inmates. She will be sentenced on January 7, 2025, and faces a maximum of 5 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Todd Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Buckner.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Prisons.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Santa Maria Man Charged with Weapon of Mass Destruction Offense in Connection with Bomb Attack in Lobby of County CourthouseRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A three-count federal grand jury indictment returned today charges a Santa Barbara County man with committing a bomb attack at a courthouse in Santa Maria in which several people were injured.
Nathaniel James McGuire, 20, of Santa Maria, was charged with one count of using a weapon of mass destruction, one count of maliciously damaging a building by means of explosive, and one count of possessing unregistered destructive devices. McGuire has been in custody since his arrest in September, shortly after the attack.
McGuire’s arraignment is scheduled for October 25 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
“The facts alleged in the indictment are disturbing,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “The new charge of using a weapon of mass destruction underscores how seriously we are treating this misconduct and my office’s determination to hold accountable those who seek to bring violence upon our courts, law enforcement personnel, and the public.”
“Any time an individual commits such an act of terror, victims are traumatized and there is a potential for tragic consequences” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “If convicted, Mr. McGuire faces significant prison time thanks to the combined efforts of our local and federal law enforcement partners.”
“We are grateful that the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office have taken this serious case to the grand jury, and that they have returned an indictment,” said Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown. “This crime shocked our entire community and we are pleased to see that the suspect in this case is being held accountable.”
According to the indictment and criminal complaint, on September 25, McGuire entered a courthouse of Santa Barbara County Superior Court and threw a bag into the lobby. The bag exploded and McGuire left the courthouse on foot. The explosion injured at least five people who were near the bomb when it exploded.
Shortly thereafter, McGuire was apprehended and detained by law enforcement officials as he was trying to access a red Ford Mustang car parked outside the building. McGuire allegedly yelled that the government had taken his guns and that everyone needed to fight, rise up, and rebel.
Inside the car, a deputy saw ammunition, a flare gun, and a box of fireworks. A search of the car revealed a shotgun, a rifle, more ammunition, a suspected bomb, and 10 Molotov cocktails. Law enforcement later rendered the bomb safe. McGuire told law enforcement he intended to re-enter the courthouse with the firearms in order to kill a judge.
A search of McGuire’s residence revealed an empty can with nails glued to the outside, a duffel bag containing matches, black powder, used and unused fireworks, and papers that appeared to be recipes for explosive material.
An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted of all charges, McGuire would face a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, and Santa Maria Police Department are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Takla and Kathrynne N. Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this case with substantial assistance from Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the Counterterrorism Section in the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
Rosebud Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assaulting Fellow Inmate and Possessing a Sawed-Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault With a Dangerous Weapon and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. The sentencing took place on October 21, 2024.
Kobe Ryan Running Bear, a/k/a Kobe Running Bear-Espinoza, age 21, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Running Bear was indicted by a federal grand jury in September of 2023. He pleaded guilty on July 24, 2024.
The convictions stem from two separate incidents which occurred in July of 2023 within the boundaries of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On July 4, 2023, Running Bear was driving a vehicle faster than the posted speed limit in Mission, South Dakota. A law enforcement officer observed Running Bear and initiated a traffic stop, but Running Bear accelerated and attempted to flee. During the pursuit, Running Bear threw a short shotgun from his vehicle. The shotgun was recovered by law enforcement and Running Bear was subsequently apprehended. The short shotgun had a barrel of less than eighteen inches in length and was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Running Bear will forfeit ownership of the firearm to the United States.
On July 29, 2023, Running Bear was an inmate at the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Adult Correctional Facility. At one point, Running Bear and another man attacked a fellow inmate and assaulted him with a pencil.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Running Bear was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Repeat Domestic Abuser Sentenced to Federal Prison for Violently Attacking His GirlfriendRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – On October 23, 2024, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced James Edward Kensler, age 45, of Spokane, Washington, to 60 months in prison for violently assaulting his girlfriend. Judge Rice also imposed 3 years of supervised release. At the time of the offense, Kensler was on federal supervised release. As a penalty for the supervised release violation, Judge Rice imposed a penalty of 18 months which will be served consecutively to the 60-month sentence imposed in this case.
According to court documents and information presented during proceedings in the case, Kensler was with his girlfriend at the Northern Quest Resort & Casino in May 2024. Kensler, who is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, grabbed his victim by the back of the head and threw her on the ground with such force that the impact of her head hitting the couch moved two couches and a table forward.
Kensler then chased his victim through the resort. When Kensler caught his victim, he again threw her to the ground, attempted to stomp on her face, punched her in the face, slapped her, and hit her with his knee. When Kensler’s victim attempted to escape a second time, he again pursued her and threw her into a closed elevator door.
In the resort parking lot, Kalispel Tribal Police Officers apprehended Kensler and provided aid to his victim. Officers noted the victim’s face was swollen and that she had multiple scrapes.
“Mr. Kensler violently and repeatedly assaulted his victim, causing her severe injuries. Furthermore, Mr. Kenlser had a history of domestic violence offenses and was on federal supervised release at the time of this latest assault,” stated U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “Focusing our prosecutions on repeat offenders and those with prior domestic violence convictions is one of our strategies to support community safety and address the root causes underlying the MMIP crisis. My office is committed to working with our partners in Tribal and Federal law enforcement to secure justice for all victims and to build safer and stronger communities on Tribal lands and throughout Eastern Washington.”
“When Mr. Kensler was taken into custody, he was treated respectfully.” said Kelly M. Smith, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “The same cannot be said of how he treated his girlfriend. This case demonstrates successful partnerships, as in this case with the Kalispel Tribal Police, we can help reduce violent crime on our state’s reservations.”
“We are committed to the safety and security of our guests,” said Police Chief Rodney Schurger of the Kalispel Tribal Police Department. “Our officers responded swiftly to this violent incident and worked closely with the FBI to ensure that justice was served.”
“The safety of our guests, Tribal Members, and team members is our top priority,” said Kalispel Tribal Council Vice Chair Curt Holmes. “Domestic violence and other violent crimes are growing concerns across the nation and in the Spokane region. We are thankful for the prompt actions of our Tribal Police Department and the FBI’s involvement in this case. We also appreciate the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their dedication to prosecuting violent offenders like Mr. Kensler and helping to keep our communities safe.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Kalispel Tribal Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Ellis.
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Postal Employee Arrested for COVID Relief FraudRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Marina Tusca Brooks Stewart (61, Groveland) on an indictment charging her with one count of wire fraud related to COVID relief. If convicted, Brooks Stewart faces up to 20 years in federal prison. In addition, she faces a forfeiture order of $10,000, which represents the alleged proceeds she obtained through this offense.
According to court documents, during the COVID pandemic, the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) offered Targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Advances that did not need to be repaid. The advances were for small businesses that were in low-income communities and received a reduction in revenue of more than 30% during an eight-week period. Between June 28 and 30, 2020, Brooks Stewart devised a scheme to defraud the SBA by electronically applying for an EIDL advance and providing false representations in her application. Afterwards, she fraudulently received a $10,000 EIDL advance.
An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Service - Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
Pharmacy Owner Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison in $41 Million Health Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
A Dallas pharmacy owner who routinely billed insurance companies for headache sprays, pain creams, and scar creams never dispersed to patients was sentenced Tuesday afternoon to 10 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Ivor Jallah, 37, was indicted in November 2020 and pleaded guilty in June 2024 to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. He was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay to 120 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $41,494,313.97 in restitution. Mr. Ivor’s coconspirator, Shannon Turley, 46, pleaded guilty in November 2023 to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and is set to be sentenced in November.
“By billing for prescription medication patients never needed nor received, these defendants brazenly lined their pockets at the expense of each and every client who paid into health insurance,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “Healthcare is already a significant expense for many Americans. We cannot and will not allow pharmacy operators to abuse the system in this way.”
“Healthcare fraud schemes are more complex, more resource-consuming, and more costly to the American taxpayer than ever. For this defendant, as one avenue to personal enrichment ran its course, he simply began operating a new pharmacy or engaging in a new method to circumvent existing system safeguards,” explained Dallas FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge P. J. O’Brien. “From fraudulent credentials to fabricated invoices, the conspiracy was designed to thwart detection. The FBI will continue to work with our partners from the Northern District of Texas, Texas Department of Insurance, and others to bring justice to criminals who attempt to undermine our healthcare system.”
According to plea papers, Mr. Jallah and Ms. Turley – who together operated at least nine Texas pharmacies, including Preferred RX, EZ Pharmacy, Avenue H Pharmacy, and Wallis Pharmacy – paid individuals they referred to as “marketers” for insured patients’ personally identifiable information. Some patients were aware of the scheme and required the marketers pay a fee for their information; others were oblivious to the fraud.
Mr. Jallah and Ms. Turley caused employees to input the patient information onto pre-populated prescription pads. In some cases, they paid physicians to fraudulently stamp prescription forms when they had not seen patients, while in other cases, they used physicians’ stamps without their knowledge.
Initially, the pharmacies shipped out a fraction of the medications they billed to insurance. At some point, however, Mr. Jallah decided to stop shipping out any medication they billed to insurance.
When insurance companies conducted audits to determine whether the prescription claims were legitimate, Mr. Jallah and Ms. Turley fabricated drug purchase invoices to support the claims they submitted to insurance.
Mr. Jallah also directed pharmacy employees to create faux prescription delivery logs and directed the so-called “marketers” to ask patients to sign the logs regardless of whether they received prescriptions. In cases where the marketers could not obtain patient signatures, Mr. Jallah directed pharmacy employees to forge them.
Over the course of the scheme, Mr. Jallah and Ms. Turley submitted at least $46 million in bogus claims to insurers, $41 million of which were reimbursed.
Eight defendants have previously pled guilty to charges associated with the pharmacy fraud and been sentenced to a combined 290 months in prison. Two other defendants await sentencing.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Texas Department of Insurance conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marty Basu, Joshua Detzky, and Lindsey Pryor prosecuted the case with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Miller and Lisa Dunn. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dimitri Rocha handled the forfeiture.
Online Chats with Minor Females Lead to Federal Prison Sentences for Two MenRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencing of two men on child pornography charges.
Jason Matthew Miller, 26, of Eunice, Louisiana, was sentenced by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 210 months (17 years, 6 months) in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Miller was charged in an indictment and pleaded guilty to attempted production of child pornography. Law enforcement agents began an investigation after receiving information that Miller had communicated with a 13 year old female through Instagram, a social media platform. Through their investigation, it was revealed that in July 2018, Miller had a conversation through Instagram and on his cell phone with the minor female and he told her he was a 15 year old male, when in truth and in fact he was 20 years old at the time. Miller asked the minor female to send him sexually explicit photos of herself and she did so. At the guilty plea hearing on June 26, 2024, Miller admitted to communicating with the minor female and asking for and receiving sexually explicit photos of her.
In a separate and unrelated case, Michael Rios, 30, of San Antonio, Texas, was sentenced by United States District Judge David C. Joseph to 120 months (10 years) in prison for attempting to produce child pornography. Rios will serve 20 years of supervised release after his release from prison. At the guilty plea hearing on July 23, 2024, Rios admitted to communicating with an undercover agent who was posing as a 13 year old female on the chat application “Meet24.” In December 2022 and continuing through the spring of 2023, Rios chatted with who he believed to be a 13 year old female living in Lafayette, Louisiana. During the online conversation with the purported minor female, Rios asked her to send sexually explicit pictures and videos of herself to him and he sent sexually explicit images of himself to her. In addition, he discussed the possibility of traveling to Louisiana on numerous occasions so he and the minor female could meet at a hotel and engage in sex. Rios was subsequently arrested and charged with the offense of attempted production of child pornography.
These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Luke Walker.
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Norfolk Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Gustavo Araiza, Jr., age 28, of Norfolk, Nebraska, was sentenced October 23, 20224 in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Araiza, Jr. to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Araiza, Jr. is released from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
An undercover officer was utilized to purchase drugs directly from Araiza, Jr. On September 27, 2023, Araiza Jr. agreed to sell one pound of methamphetamine and 100 fentanyl pills. Araiza, Jr. met the undercover officer in his vehicle with a black backpack. Araiza, Jr. removed the drugs from the backpack and sold them to the undercover officer.
On October 5, 2023, law enforcement arranged the undercover officer to purchase three pounds of methamphetamine and 100 fentanyl pills. The drug transaction took place in the undercover officer’s vehicle. The undercover officer provided Araiza, Jr. $12,500.00 in prerecorded drug fund money. Law enforcement executed a search warrant where Araiza, Jr. was staying and arrested him with all of the $12,500.00 buy money.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Norfolk Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Tremain Monroe, age 30, of Norfolk, Nebraska, was sentenced October 23, 20224 in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Monroe to 210 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Monroe is released from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Monroe will also forfeit $4,200.00 in United States currency and a 2019 Dodge Ram truck to the United States as drug proceeds.
On March 28, 2023, Monroe was involved in providing fentanyl to a victim who overdosed but was revived by Narcan. Law enforcement then purchased M-30 fentanyl pills from Monroe on two separate occasions in April 2023.
On May 3, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Monroe’s residence. Law enforcement seized 221 fentanyl pills, drug paraphernalia, and over 5 pounds of methamphetamine. Monroe admitted to using and selling fentanyl pills and was aware of the methamphetamine. Law enforcement also located $4,200 in U.S. currency and the 2019 Dodge Ram truck was also used to facilitate Monroe’s narcotics dealings.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
New York Doctor Charged with Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New York doctor was charged today in federal court in Boston for allegedly receiving kickbacks in exchange for ordering medically unnecessary brain scans.
Dr. Kenneth Fishberger, 75, of East Setauket, N.Y. was charged and has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.
According to the charging documents, Fishberger, an internist in Long Island, N.Y., was a licensed medical doctor in the State of New York for approximately 47 years. It is alleged that from approximately June 2013 through December 2019, Fishberger conspired with others, including a principal for a mobile medical diagnostics company that performed transcranial doppler (TCD) scans, and a salesperson for the company, to order hundreds of medically unnecessary TCD scans in exchange for kickbacks. TCD scans are brain scans that measure blood flow in parts of the brain – It is further alleged that Fishberger and his co-conspirators used false diagnoses to order the unnecessary brain scans, for which a co-conspirator would submit claims to Medicare and other insurance companies, including private insurance companies, on behalf of the medical diagnostic company for payment. In exchange, Fishberger was paid cash kickbacks of approximately $100 per test. According to the charging documents, the scheme resulted in fraudulent bills of approximately $891,978 to Medicare and private insurance companies.
The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, Boston Field Office; Carol S. Hamilton, Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Howard Locker and Mackenzie Queenin of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 82 Months for Federal Weapons OffenseRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RONALD TAYLOR (“TAYLOR”), age 31, of New Orleans, was sentenced on October 1, 2024 to 82 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans. TAYLOR previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
According to court documents, on August 31, 2023, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office stopped a stolen vehicle, after receiving notification via the “Flock System” that the vehicle had been reported stolen two days prior in a carjacking in Harris County, Texas. TAYLOR, the driver, was accompanied by his fiancé and his three-year-old daughter. The officers conducted a vehicle inventory search prior to towing and processing the vehicle and, located three loaded firearms and ammunition inside. TAYLOR admitted that all three firearms were his.
TAYLOR knowingly possessed these firearms despite his status as a prohibited person, having already been convicted of three prior felonies, including one for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
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. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Christine Calogero of the General Crimes Unit.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Possession of a MachinegunRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – TOBURREN LINDSEY (“LINDSEY”), age 23, of New Orleans, was sentenced on October 22, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry to 18 months incarceration after previously pleading guilty to possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o). Judge Guidryalso ordered that LINDSEY be placed on supervised release for three (3) years and pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to court records, on February 21, 2023 (Mardi Gras Day), the New Orleans Police Department (“NOPD”) patrolled the 300 Block of Bourbon Street and saw LINDSEY and O’Marion Armstrong walking down Bourbon Street together. NOPD approached LINDSEY and asked him for identification and when doing so, saw a firearm protruding from LINDSEY’s waistband. LINDSEY attempted to flee but was detained and, a Glock Model 19, nine-millimeter semi-automatic handgun was recovered from his person. The loaded firearm contained 30 rounds of ammunition in an attached magazine, as well as one live round in the chamber.
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 track 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 New Orleans Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crimes Unit.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – HARRY BANKS (“BANKS”), age 23, of New Orleans, was sentenced on October 22, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion to 97 months incarceration, five (5) years of supervised release and, payment of a mandatory $300 special assessment fee after previously pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(b)(1)(C) and Title 21, United States Code, Section 846; conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(o); and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
According to court records, on December 6, 2022, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Agents saw Jerome Shaquille Wilson driving a white Dodge Challenger in the 1900 block of Frenchmen Street in New Orleans, with a passenger, Gerroy Toca. Agents subsequently saw Toca, Wilson, and BANKS engaged in apparent illegal narcotics transactions, while in possession of firearms. Agents later saw BANKS enter the white Dodge Challenger and exit with a pistol that he concealed in his waistband. Thereafter, New Orleans Police Officers detained Toca and BANKS. BANKS was found with 6.7 grams of fentanyl and a Smith & Wesson Model M&P 40 2.0M, .40 caliber pistol, concealed in his waistband.
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 track 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, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New Orleans Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit and Mike Trummel of the Violent Crimes Unit.
New Castle Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Fentanyl and Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl and cocaine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Dontae Blackshear, 26, also ordering Blackshear to serve six years of supervised release following his prison term. Blackshear previously pleaded guilty in this case to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine between May 2021 and October 2022.
According to information presented to the Court, Blackshear was responsible for trafficking 20 grams of fentanyl and 100 grams of cocaine in 2022. He was on state parole at that time following a 2021 heroin trafficking conviction and prison sentence. The 2021 conviction was preceded by several convictions in separate state prosecutions since 2016, including for assault, two violent burglaries, fleeing/eluding, and conspiracy to commit theft.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Mercer County Drug Task Force, New Castle Police Department, Sharon Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Blackshear.