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17 October 2024
Two Men Charged with the Murder of a USPS Mail CarrierRead the Press Release
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – An indictment was unsealed charging two Ohio men with the murder of an on-duty United States Postal Service (USPS) Letter Carrier in March of 2024.
According to the indictment, on March 2, 2024, Kaprise Sledge, 24, of Warren, Ohio, and Thomas Sledge, 44, of Youngstown, Ohio, used a firearm to kill the mail carrier during the course of his official employment with the USPS.
Kaprise Sledge and Thomas Sledge are each charged with one count of murder of an officer and employee of the United States and one count of discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.
If convicted, they face a penalty of mandatory life in prison for first-degree murder, and a penalty of 10 years, up to life imprisonment for discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The United States Postal Inspection Service is investigating the case. The Warren Police Department, Trumbull County Action Group Drug Task Force, FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, and Trumbull County Emergency Management also assisted in this investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Toepfer, Michelle Baeppler, and Brett Hammond, for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
To report mail theft or other crimes committed through, or towards, the United States Postal Service, call the USPIS at 1-877-876-2455 or visit https://www.uspis.gov/report.
Tucson Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Murder of a ChildRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. –Pablo Martinez, Jr., 36, of Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 25 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Martinez, Jr. pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder on April 15, 2024.
On September 26, 2019, Martinez murdered the six-year-old victim by holding the victim’s face under the running bathtub faucet for between five to ten minutes, while giving the victim a bath. The victim inhaled water that caused liquid thermal burns, resulting in his death. The victim was an enrolled member of the Pascua Yaqui Indian Tribe.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pascua Yaqui Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances M. Kreamer Hope and Matthew C. Cassell, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-2617-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-140_Martinez, Jr.# # #
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.Tennessee fentanyl trafficker sentenced to six years in prison after distribution led to death of Great Falls manRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Tennessee man who admitted to mailing fentanyl pills to a Great Falls couple that led to the overdose death of the husband was sentenced yesterday to six years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
The defendant, Malice Clark, Jr., aka Greg Clark, aka “Greed”, 58, of Memphis, Tennessee, pleaded guilty in June to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court also ordered $9,000 restitution.
“The Defendant’s nickname, Greed, encapsulates what our state and nation are facing regarding our drug epidemic. Those who are greedy are preying on those who are addicted, so much so that the greedy are killing people, which the Defendant’s fentanyl distribution did here. It’s as tragic as it is illegal, which is why we will remain relentless in our pursuit of those poisoning our communities,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
The government alleged in court documents that from February 2021 to April 2022, Clark repeatedly mailed small quantities of fentanyl from his home in Tennessee to his friend, the victim, John Doe, and his wife in Great Falls. On April 5, 2022, Doe and his wife received a package of fentanyl in the mail from Clark. That evening, both Doe and his wife took some of the fentanyl. At about 2:20 a.m. on April 6, 2022, Doe’s wife called 911 and reported that Doe had overdosed. Doe was found unresponsive and pronounced dead. An autopsy confirmed that Doe’s death was caused by acute fentanyl intoxication. Law enforcement collected pills that were determined to be fentanyl from Doe’s home. Doe’s wife admitted they had obtained the pills from Clark through the mail.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Russell Country Drug Task Force, Great Falls Police Department, Memphis (Tennessee) Police Department, FBI, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Drug Enforcement Administration and Montana Medical Examiner Office conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Straw Purchase Earns Androscoggin Woman a Felony RecordRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: An Androscoggin County woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for making a false statement while purchasing a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer (FFL), also known as a straw purchase.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Tia Lavigne, 24, to time served and three years of supervised release. Lavigne pleaded guilty on June 20, 2024.
According to court records, in June 2023, Lavigne purchased a .22 Glock pistol from an FFL in Scarborough. In completing the required Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Form 4473, Lavigne falsely stated she was the actual purchaser. However, prior to purchasing the firearm, she received instruction and money from a second person who later retrieved the pistol from Lavigne’s vehicle.
ATF investigated the case.
STRAW PURCHASING: A straw purchase is an illegal firearm purchase where the actual buyer of the gun, being unable to pass the required federal background check or desiring to not have his or her name associated with the transaction, uses a proxy buyer who can pass the required background check to purchase the firearm for him/her.
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St. Louis County Woman Sentenced for $100,000 Pandemic Loan FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS –U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday ordered a woman who fraudulently obtained five pandemic relief loans to repay $113,223 to the U.S. Small Business Administration and placed her on probation for five years.
Camille N. Foster, now 32, of St. Louis County, Missouri, obtained five Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans between May 2020 and November 2021 by submitting fraudulent loan applications on behalf of three businesses: Humble Hearts Home Healthcare LLC, Embellished Jewels LLC and Muse Me Boutique LLC. On the applications, she knowingly misrepresented the payroll and annual income of the businesses, which were not in operation at the time. She also submitted fraudulent tax forms with the applications. In a loan application for Muse Me Boutique, Foster used someone else’s name and Social Security number on the application, and signed that person’s name on the application without the person’s knowledge.
PPP loans were intended to help struggling small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Foster did not use the money for that purpose. She spent it on retail purchases, dining, cosmetic surgery, bill payments, travel, taxes and payments to others. She then submitted fraudulent applications for PPP loan forgiveness for many of the loans she received, claiming that she had spent most or all the money on payroll costs.
Foster, also known as Foster-Nunley, pleaded guilty in April to two counts of wire fraud.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow prosecuted the case.
Anyone with information about pandemic fraud should call the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or report via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
South Carolina Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of a Black Transgender WomanRead the Press Release
Note: View a video statement from Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke here.
A South Carolina man, Daqua Lameek Ritter, was sentenced today to life in prison for the August 2019 murder of Dime Doe, a Black transgender woman from Allendale, South Carolina.
On Feb. 24, a jury convicted Ritter of all charges in the indictment, which included one hate crime count, one federal firearms count, and one obstruction count, all arising out of the murder of Dime Doe. This was the first guilty verdict in trial under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (Shepard-Byrd Act) for violence against a transgender person.
“Bias-motivated violence has no place in our society. With today’s sentencing, the defendant is being held accountable for the senseless murder of Dime Doe, a transgender woman of color,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “We hope that the verdict and sentence in this case provides Ms. Doe’s loved ones with some sense of comfort and demonstrates that the Justice Department will vigorously prosecute those who commit violent acts of hate against the LGBTQI+ community.”
“This sentence holds the defendant accountable for the heinous and tragic murder of Dime Doe, a Black transgender woman,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Today’s sentencing will not bring Dime Doe back but hopefully provides a small measure of comfort to Dime’s family, loved ones and the community. This sentencing sends a clear message — the Justice Department vigorously defends the civil rights of every American. We will use all the resources at our disposal to safeguard the rights of the LGBTQI+ community, and we will investigate and prosecute perpetrators of transphobic-fueled violence in our country. In America, trans and gender non-conforming people, deserve to live their lives free from violence based on who they are and who they love.”
“Protecting civil rights remains at the forefront of our office’s priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “From the smallest of communities, like Allendale, to anywhere in South Carolina where hate and injustice occur. We will continue to fight for the rights of those targeted because of their race, their religion, their gender identity or sexual orientation, or their ability.”
“Today’s sentencing is a culmination of hard work and dedication to the pursuit of justice for Dime Doe,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Let me be clear, no one should live their life in fear because of their sexual identity or appearance. Charged under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, Mr. Ritter will now face the consequences for his actions. This act reminds us of the need to unite against hate and violence in our communities.”
“This sentence reflects the gravity of Ritter’s horrific crime of murdering Dime Doe,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “It is our hope that this outcome brings a measure of closure to Doe’s loved ones. As they continue to mourn this tragedy, the FBI remains steadfast in ensuring the protection and dignity of all citizens.”
Evidence presented at trial showed that Ritter was upset that rumors about his sexual relationship with Dime Doe were out in the community. On Aug. 4, 2019, the defendant lured Doe to a remote area in Allendale and shot her three times in the head. At trial, the government proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Ritter murdered Doe because of her gender identity. Ritter then burned the clothes he was wearing during the crime, disposed of the murder weapon, and repeatedly lied to law enforcement.
The FBI Columbia Field Office investigated the case, with the assistance of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Allendale County Sheriff’s Office, and Allendale Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brook Andrews, Ben Garner, and Elle Klein for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
More information about the Department’s hate crimes efforts, including facts and statistics, case examples, and a searchable collection of the department’s resources for law enforcement, community groups, researchers, and others, are available at www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.
This release has been updated to reflect the correct date of Dime Doe's murder.
Six defendants arrested in retail theft ring, charged with stealing and selling hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of merchandiseRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that six defendants were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, transportation and sale of stolen goods in interstate commerce, money laundering, and conspiracy, for their roles in a retail theft ring in the Rochester, NY, area. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Named in the complaint are:
• Shabon Banks, 41
• Amanda Reeves, 40
• Chad Lewis, Jr., 20
• Chanc Lewis, 22
• Dominic Sprague, 40
• James Civiletti, 33, all of Rochester, NY.
Defendant Shabon Banks is also charged with aggravated identity theft.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the criminal complaint, in November 2023, the Greece Police Department began an investigation after it became aware that serial larcenist, Shabon Banks, had been engaged in an unusually large number of transactions at the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop in Greece. The investigation uncovered a theft ring involving defendants Banks, Reeves, Lewis, Jr., and Lewis (the larcenists), who have been engaged in an ongoing retail theft conspiracy involving the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop and its operators, defendants Sprague and Civiletti, since December 2021. As part of the scheme, the larcenists stole new-in-box items from store shelves, which they then sold to Sprague, Civiletti, and others at the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop, for a fraction of the actual retail value. Sprague and Civiletti then resold the stolen merchandise on eBay at much higher prices, resulting in significant profits for the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop. The merchandise was stolen from various stores including Home Depot, Target, Lowes, Walmart, and Kohls.
Since December 7, 2021, the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop has purchased 37,936 new-in-box items from the larcenists on more than 670 occasions, paying the larcenists $290,000.00. The investigation determined that the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop paid the larcenists 30% of the actual retail value of the stolen items. Therefore, the actual losses to the victim-retailers and resulting profit to the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop are estimated to be much higher.
Sprague and Civiletti engaged in multiple financial transactions involving the proceeds of the fraud in violation of federal money laundering statutes. In total, between January 2022, and August 7, 2024, the New York Gold Diamond Pawn shop resold more than 48,000 new-in-box items via eBay for $2,467.847.46, the majority of which are believed to have been stolen.
The complaint is the culmination of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Internal Revenue Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Fattorusso, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter.
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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Puerto Rico’s Most Wanted Fugitive Arrested in Lajas, PRRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Nelson Torres-Delgado, a.k.a. “El Burro”, was arrested today in the municipality of Lajas, PR, on criminal charges related to his alleged drug trafficking and violent crimes charges in three different indictments since 2017. Torres-Delgado’s first indictment in Crim. Case No. 17-621 was issued on December 8, 2017, where he was charged in a conspiracy with 43 other individuals with drug trafficking and firearms violations. The second indictment was issued by a grand jury on May 20, 2019, in Crim. Case No. 19-307 where he was charged with 25 other individuals also with drug trafficking and firearms violations. The third indictment pending against Torres-Delgado was issued on August 21, 2024, in Crim. Case 23-273, where he was charged in a conspiracy with 51 other individuals with drug trafficking, firearms violations, and drug-related murders.
According to court documents, Nelson Torres-Delgado, 37, was the leader of a violent drug trafficking organization in Caguas and other areas, since the early 2010s. He had been a federal fugitive since 2017 and maintained control over the criminal organization as a fugitive through deadly violence and intimidation, and by engaging in violent turf wars against rival drug trafficking organizations. His methods of avoiding capture while controlling his gang included limited face-to-face contact to only the highest and most trusted leaders in his organization.
“As alleged in the indictments, Torres-Delgado was the leader of a violent, armed criminal enterprise that he controlled even as a fugitive from justice since 2017. Thanks to the tenacious efforts and collaboration of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors, he now will face justice in a United States courtroom in Puerto Rico,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
“When we work together, we accomplish more and when communities come alongside us as partners in the fight against drug trafficking and violent crime, amazing things can happen,” said Joseph González, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “No one is above the law, and no one is untouchable. Especially, when the public collaborates with law enforcement. The FBI’s commitment is to the people and I look forward to continuing the work we have begun with our local partners and the support of the public.”
“This arrest is a culmination of a long-term fugitive apprehension effort of one of the most violent individuals in an effort to bolster public safety for the people of Puerto Rico,” said Christopher A. Robinson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Miami Field Division.
Torres-Delgado is charged with drug trafficking, firearms violations, money laundering, and multiple drug-related murders. If convicted, Torres-Delgado faces up to life in prison, with the possibility of the death penalty for certain offenses. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This arrest was led by the FBI, Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), ATF, and the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Gang Section Alberto López-Rocafort, Deputy Chief of the Gang Section, AUSA Teresa Zapata-Valladares, and AUSAs R. Vance Eaton and Héctor Siaca Flores are prosecuting the case.
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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Portland Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Pandemic Unemployment BenefitsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man was sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for stealing more than $147,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits from the Oregon Employment Department (OED).
Matthew Kemp, 41, was sentenced to six months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Kemp was also ordered to pay $147,294 in restitution to the OED.
According to court documents, between July 2020 and January 2021, Kemp devised and carried out a scheme whereby he used the personal information of 17 people, including their dates of birth and social security numbers, to fraudulently apply for pandemic unemployment insurance benefits. Some individuals knew Kemp had used their personal information because he had promised to obtain benefits on their behalf while others were unaware.
To ensure the benefits went to him instead of the named applicants, Kemp requested the benefits be paid out by check or prepaid debit card, and put his own mailing address, email address, and phone number on the claims. If there was a delay or issue in processing his various fraudulent claims, Kemp called the OED and impersonated the named applicant to ensure he got (in his words) “my money.”
On February 7, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a seven-count indictment charging Kemp with mail fraud, bank fraud, and theft of government funds. On June 14, 2024, Kemp pleaded guilty to theft of government funds.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG). It was prosecuted by Meredith D.M. Bateman, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Owner of Tennessee Mental Health Counseling Center Charged with Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A former business owner was charged by a federal grand jury yesterday with eleven counts of willfully failing to account for and pay over employment taxes to the IRS.
According to court documents, from at least 2011 through 2023, Mari Ross-Alexander, of Columbia, South Carolina, was the owner and president of Ross Behavioral Group, a mental health counseling center with multiple locations in middle Tennessee. Alexander controlled Ross Behavioral Group’s financial affairs and was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and federal income taxes from employees’ wages and paying them over to the IRS. From at least 2015 through 2020, Alexander withheld these taxes from her employees’ wages but did not fully pay the withheld taxes over to the IRS.
Each year, from at least 2015 through 2020, Ross-Alexander issued tax W-2’s and paystubs to the employees that showed taxes taken out of their pay, which falsely implied that the withheld taxes were paid over to the IRS.
In total, Ross-Alexander is alleged to have caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $1 million dollars.
If convicted on all counts, Alexander faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. She also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
Acting U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski for the Middle District of Tennessee and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case with assistance from Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell T. Galloway of the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Ashley J. Stein of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Orlando Man Indicted for Arson Resulting in Injury at Inter&Co StadiumRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Giovanni Isai Ramirez Reyes (37, Orlando) with arson of a building that led to personal injuries. If convicted, Ramirez Reyes faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 7 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison.
According to court documents and information provided during a hearing, Ramirez Reyes lit two flares and threw them into the crowd during a soccer match on February 24, 2024, at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The flares produced a larger fire that damaged the stadium and caused burns to a child attending the match.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Orlando Police Department, and the Orlando Fire Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Nate.
indictment.pdf Download IndictmentOrlando Man Charged with Receiving and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Joseph Anthony Santopietro (46, Orlando) with receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material. If convicted, Santopietro faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison on the receipt count, and a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment on the possession count.
According to the indictment, Santopietro received child sexual abuse material in November 2023. He was then found in possession of child sexual abuse material on September 18, 2024.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Orlando Doctor Indicted for Offering to Inject Silicone for Gluteal Augmentation ProcedureRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Nhan Pham (54, Orlando) with three counts of violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for receiving in interstate commerce and proffering delivery of an adulterated device, misbranding a device after its shipment in interstate commerce, and failing to register as a device manufacturer. If convicted, Pham faces up to three years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Pham that the United States intends to forfeit any adulterated or misbranded device, any property used to commit the violations, and any proceeds traceable to the offense.
According to the indictment, in October 2019, Pham received liquid silicone in interstate commerce and offered to inject the silicone into a person’s body for a gluteal augmentation procedure. Such use of injectable silicone has not been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
“Injectable silicone for body contouring is not FDA-approved and can cause serious injury and even death,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin C. Fielder, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who place American consumers at risk.”
This case was investigated by the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations and the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.
Omaha Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Michele Waters, age 56, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced October 17, 20224 in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Waters to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Waters is released from prison, she will begin a 10-year term of supervised release. Waters’ sentence was enhanced due to a prior serious felony drug conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
On November 14, 2022, the DEA Overdose Task Force executed a search warrant on Michele Waters’ residence. Both Waters and co-defendant Ricky Kane were present. Law enforcement seized two baggies—one contained 86 grams of actual meth and the other contained 11 grams of actual meth. In the residence’s living room is a chair that Waters sits in. Next to the chair is an end table with a drawer, where Waters keeps drugs, scales, and drug paraphernalia. The 86 grams of actual meth was found between the armrest and seat of the chair Waters was sitting in when law enforcement entered. Five fentanyl pills were located in a small box on top of the side table. Another scale and baggies were located inside the drawer of the table next to Waters.
Ricky Kane is set for trial on January 21, 2025.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Ocala Man Indicted for Attempted Enticement of A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Alexander Thomas Daugherty (24, Ocala) with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Daugherty faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Daugherty was arrested on a criminal complaint on September 20, 2024. He is currently detained pending the resolution of the criminal case.
According to court documents, on September 20, 2024, a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) posed undercover as a 13-year-old girl on an online social media platform. Daugherty contacted the undercover agent’s account and, after learning the child’s age, discussed engaging in sexual activity. Daugherty arranged to meet the minor for sex at a predetermined location in Marion County. Daugherty then traveled to the location and was arrested by law enforcement.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.
Novi Man Sentenced to 60 years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Novi man was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison today for sexually exploiting multiple children, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Angie Salazar, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States District Judge Gershwin A. Drain sentenced Glenn Dennison, 33, of Novi, Michigan.
Dennison pleaded guilty to filming himself violently sexually assaulting three minor children who were all under the age of 10 years old on April 10, 2024. The youngest was just two years old when the abuse started. Dennison’s sexual assaults came to light in 2022 when he posted images of child sexual abuse material on a public website. During a search warrant at Dennison’s Novi home in July 2022, HSI agents found his cellphone, which contained multiple files of Dennison’s horrific sexual abuse of the three children.
“This defendant was caregiver and preyed on the vulnerable children in his care. Our commitment to protecting children in our community and bringing to justice those who abuse them is unwavering. This sentence underscores that commitment, ” stated U.S. Attorney Ison.
“Child rapists can manipulate their way into children’s lives and this perpetrator was convicted for monstrous acts against children in his care,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “We will never stop protecting and serving our community and seeking justice for victims. That being said these cases that prey upon innocent children are among the most difficult to investigate. I am ever grateful to our team for the work they do and I want to bring attention to the fact that these crimes tend to be hidden in plain sight. If you have information on suspected child exploitation, please report it to our tipline at 1-877-4-HSI-TIP.”
This case was investigated by HSI and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Rawsthorne and Diane Princ.
North Platte Woman Sentenced to 10 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jamie M. Hopkins, age 36, of North Platte, Nebraska was sentenced on October 17, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for one count of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Hopkins to a total of 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Hopkin’s release from prison, she will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
Between July 2022 and February 2023, Hopkins led an organization responsible for distributing meth and fentanyl in and around the North Platte area. The group was responsible for the distribution of pounds of meth. She and other coconspirators were subjects of multiple controlled buys, search warrants, and arrests.
Three controlled buys from Hopkins and co-defendant, Joey Romero, occurred in July of 2022. On July 7, 2022, a Confidential Informant (“CI”) purchased 6.2 grams of meth mixture from Hopkins and Romero. On July 13, 2022, the same CI purchased 28.4 grams of meth mixture from Romero in Hopkins’ car in a grocery store parking lot. On July 29, 2022, the CI purchased 26 grams of meth actual from Hopkins and Romero.
Two controlled buys from Hopkins and Romero occurred in August of 2022. On August 2, 2022, the CI purchased 26 grams of meth actual from Hopkins in a hotel room occupied by Hopkins and Romero. On August 17, 2022, the CI purchased 10 pills from Hopkins at her house. The pills later tested positive for meth and fentanyl.
On January 30, 2023, the CI purchased 36 grams of meth actual from Hopkins and a coconspirator at Hopkins’ residence. A search warrant was served on Hopkins’ house on February 7, 2023. During the search, law enforcement found multiple baggies of meth throughout the house, to include: the bedroom, Hopkins’ purse, and in a toilet of a bathroom. Law enforcement also found 2 bongs, 29 pills, owe notes, 3 scales, spoons with residue, 224 rounds of 9mm ammunition, a box of Winchester 380 ammunition with 23 rounds in it, and empty baggies in the home. The baggies of meth were tested by the State Patrol Crime Lab. The lab confirmed the samples contained 35.85 grams of a meth mixture.
Romero pleaded guilty and is set for sentencing on December 12, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Tri-City Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT). TRIDENT is a task force with law enforcement personnel from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Hastings Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Kearney Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol.
North Platte Man Sentenced to over 8 Years for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Eddie L. Houpt, age 60, of North Platte, Nebraska was sentenced on October 17, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for one count of distribution of 5 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Houpt to a total of 100 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Houpt’s release from prison, he will begin a 4-year term of supervised release.
On June 12, 2022, a Confidential Informant (“CI”) set up a controlled buy from Houpt. Law enforcement provided the CI with $1,300 to purchase two ounces of meth from Houpt. Houpt picked the CI up and drove around for a little while before dropping the CI off. During the drive, the CI provided Houpt the money and Houpt gave the CI a container which had two baggies containing a white crystalline substance. The State Crime Lab confirmed the substance to be 42.68 grams of a meth mixture containing at least 40 grams of actual meth.
This case was investigated by the Tri-City Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT). TRIDENT is a task force with law enforcement personnel from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Hastings Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Kearney Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol.
North Carolina Man Indicted for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Brayan Garcia-Vazquez, age 24, of Havelock, North Carolina, was indicted on October 16, 2024, by a federal grand jury on one count of production of child pornography.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Garcia-Vazquez took video of himself engaging in sexual intercourse with a minor victim on April 5, 2023, in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.
The case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Scalera is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is thirty years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Cocaine Distribution and Possession ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DAVID HESTER (“HESTER”), age 35, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on October 16, 2024 after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and, possess with intent to distribute, five hundred grams or more of cocaine hydrochloride, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 846. HESTER was sentenced to eighty-eight (88) months imprisonment, four (4) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, HESTER, and other co-conspirators, are responsible for the distribution of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin within the Eastern District of Louisiana.
During the investigation, law enforcement, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, seized seventy- one (71) kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride, twelve (12) kilograms of fentanyl, four and a half (4.5) kilograms of heroin, and nearly $1,200,000.00 in U.S. Currency and other seized property.
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.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office and was assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for ArsonRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – TERRENCE COE (“COE”), age 45, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on October 8, 2024, by U.S. District Judge, Greg G. Guidry, to 60 months imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to arson, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(i). The Court also ordered that COE be placed on supervised release for 3 years following release from imprisonment and pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, on December 24, 2022, COE set fire to merchandise inside of Walmart in Hammond, Louisiana. COE later admitted to members of the Hammond Police Department that he started the fire with a lighter while opening a package he wanted to steal.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the Violent Crime Unit.
Neshoba County Man Sentenced to over 11 Years in Prison for Shooting a Tribal Member on the Choctaw Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Neshoba County man was sentenced to 138 months in federal prison for assault with intent to do bodily harm and use of a firearm during a crime of violence on the Choctaw Indian Reservation.
According to court documents, in September 2022, Jessie James Clay, Jr., 42, used a handgun to shoot a tribal member, causing serious bodily injury, at a residence in the Pearl River Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
Clay was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2023, and he pled guilty on July 18, 2024.
United States Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.
Natural Gas Producer Agrees to Settlement to Reduce Emissions in New MexicoRead the Press Release
The Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) today announced a settlement with Hilcorp Energy Company resolving Clean Air Act and New Mexico state law violations at the company’s oil and gas production operations in New Mexico.
Under the settlement, Hilcorp agreed to pay a civil penalty of $9.4 million for violations resulting from Hilcorp’s failure to reduce emissions during well completion operations. The civil penalty will be split between the U.S. and the State of New Mexico. In addition, the company must employ an EPA-approved third-party auditor to ensure compliance with all applicable Clean Air Act and New Mexico Air Quality Control Act requirements.
Hilcorp is further directed to account for the excess volatile organic compound (VOC) and methane emissions released through improper well completions by replacing, on a faster timeline than federal regulations require, old process control equipment with equipment that does not emit air pollution. This mitigation project will occur on Tribal lands of the Jicarilla Apache Nation Reservation, in Rio Arriba County, and on Navajo Nation Off-Reservation Trust Land in San Juan and Sandoval counties; all of these areas have potential environmental justice concerns.
The work that Hilcorp will do under this agreement will result in the equivalent of over 113,000 tons of reduced carbon dioxide emissions over the next three years, similar to the number of reductions achieved by taking 24,000 cars off the road for one year. The settlement will also eliminate nearly 583 tons of VOC emissions annually.
The case is the first to address violations of the Clean Air Act New Source Performance Standards covering well completions following hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as “fracking.”
“Hilcorp is a large, sophisticated natural gas producer and should know better than to violate Clean Air Act requirements to capture and control gas produced as a result of fracking,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We are committed to upholding the rule of law and holding industry accountable. Today’s settlement importantly includes commitments to make infrastructure upgrades that will result in significant reductions of methane and VOC emissions.”
“Oil and gas production results in significant air pollution, including emissions of methane that are one of the leading sources of near-term climate change, which makes today’s settlement with Hilcorp Energy a huge win for the environment and the planet,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “EPA is requiring Hilcorp to pay a $9.4 million penalty and make substantial investments in Clean Air Act compliance, which will reduce climate damaging emissions and improve air quality for all New Mexico residents, including communities with environmental justice concerns.”
“This settlement holds one of the San Juan Basin's largest polluters accountable for their contribution to climate change and ozone pollution,” said Secretary James Kenney of the New Mexico Environment Department. “If we want to make New Mexico’s air safe for future generations then Houston-based Hilcorp Energy Corporation executives need to step up their game and comply with federal and state rules."
Federal Clean Air Act and New Mexico state air regulations require oil and gas producers to capture gas that flows back to the surface following fracking using equipment that can accommodate flowback and to implement a reduced emission completion control, commonly referred to as a green completion. Producers have several green completion options to choose from. If none are technically feasible, producers may route the captured gas to a pollution control device like a flare.
Based on EPA’s and NMED’s investigations, the U.S. and the state allege that Hilcorp conducted at least 192 well completion operations in Rio Arriba and San Juan counties from Aug. 2, 2017, through Aug. 1, 2019.
At 145 of these well completions, Hilcorp captured none of the gas and instead released into the atmosphere all gas that flowed back following fracking. At the remainder of well completions, Hilcorp captured a portion of the gas and directed it to a flare but did not demonstrate that all green completion options were infeasible. Hilcorp’s actions resulted in thousands of tons of harmful methane and VOC emissions being released into the environment. Methane is a climate super pollutant and potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, and VOCs adversely affect human health in multiple ways, including being involved in the formation of ground level ozone.
Hilcorp is one of the nation’s largest privately-owned oil and gas exploration and production companies, and a top producer of natural gas in New Mexico from 2018-2021. New Mexico is one of the top ten producing states for natural gas in the United States for 2018-2023. In 2022, on-shore oil and gas industry data reported to EPA showed that Hilcorp’s San Juan Basin operation emitted the most methane in the U.S. among all oil and gas operations.
The settlement is part of EPA’s Mitigating Climate Change National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative, which focuses, in part, on reducing methane emissions from oil and gas and landfill sources. Like all EPA’s national enforcement initiatives, the Mitigating Climate Change initiative prioritizes communities already overburdened by pollution and other potential environmental justice concerns.
More information on the settlement agreement is available on EPA’s Hilcorp Energy Company webpage.
The consent decree was filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico and is subject to a 30-day comment period. Information on providing public comment and the complaint and proposed consent decree are available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
EPA and NMED investigated the case.
Attorneys of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Enforcement Section are handling the case.
Nampa Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOISE – Juan Victor Granados, Jr., 45, of Nampa, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, in 2010 Granados was convicted in federal court for possession of sexually explicit images of minors. In that case he received a 120-month sentence followed by 15 years of supervised release. In April 2019, Granados began his term of supervised release in the District of Idaho. In January 2024, officers with U.S. Probation and the Nampa Police Department conducted a compliance check of Granados’ residence, where they discovered numerous unapproved electronic devices, including micro-SD cards. Homeland Security Investigations conducted a forensic examination on three micro-SD cards and discovered thousands of images of child sexual abuse material, including depictions of sadistic and masochistic sexual abuse of children under 12.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Granados to serve a lifetime of supervised release following his prison sentence and ordered him to pay $6,000 in restitution to two victims in the images he possessed. Granados will be required to continue to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction.
“The defendant’s conduct fully justifies another lengthy sentence in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We are fortunate to work with law enforcement agencies at the federal and local levels who partner seamlessly to ensure that dangerous individuals like this defendant are removed from our communities when necessary.”
“It’s very unfortunate that Mr. Granados did not learn his lesson from his previous prison time. His actions in our community are repulsive and cannot be tolerated,” said Joe Huff, Nampa Police Chief. “I am pleased he will be serving his time in the federal prison system once again because he won’t be released early. I hope all of his victims will receive the help they need.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of Homeland Security Investigations, the Nampa Police Department, and U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin C. Blackadar prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) of the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Montgomery Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Account Takeover Scheme and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Montgomery, AL – On October 16, 2024, a federal judge sentenced 32-year-old Heaven Noretta Robinson, a resident of Montgomery, Alabama, to 57 months in prison for her role in a scheme to fraudulently add her name to credit card accounts and stealing the identity of a deceased man to purchase a vehicle, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson and U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Scott Fix of the Postal Inspection Service’s Houston Division. In addition to the prison sentence, the judge also ordered that Robinson pay restitution to her victims in the amount of $33,550.93 and to serve three years of supervised release following her prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Financial fraud and identity theft costs victims billions of dollars each year,” said Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “Criminals will use any information they can acquire to conduct their schemes and line their own pockets. I encourage everyone to be vigilant by reviewing your accounts and credit reports regularly for unusual activity. If you do see something suspicious, report it immediately to the appropriate financial institution and law enforcement. In addition, placing a credit or security freeze with each of the three credit bureaus is another way to prevent accounts being opened without your consent.”
"A large part of the mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is to ensure public trust in the mail. When individuals challenge that mission, postal inspectors will aggressively investigate and remain steadfast in our resolve to seek justice to the end.” said Inspector in Charge Fix. “Robinson’s sentence is a reminder that fraud and identity theft are not victimless crimes and individuals who attempt to commit these crimes face significant penalties as a result of their criminal activity."
According to her plea agreement and other court records, from February through October of 2022, Robinson acquired access to the bank and credit card accounts of others without the rightful owners’ knowledge or permission. Once she gained access, Robinson added herself to the accounts and had credit cards associated with those accounts mailed to her. During her plea hearing, Robinson admitted that she would use the illegally obtained cards to make fraudulent purchases at various retail establishments for her personal benefit.
Robinson also admitted that, on September 17, 2022, she presented the personal identifying information of an individual she claimed to be her uncle to be used as a co-signor on a loan at a Montgomery car dealership. The loan was ultimately approved. However, the identifying information did not belong to her uncle. The information was that of a deceased man that never had any contact with Robinson, nor did his family or anyone else authorize her to use his identity as a co-signer on loan applications. Robinson pleaded guilty to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft on July 3, 2024.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated this case, with assistance from the Montgomery Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Joel Feil prosecuted the case.
Mexican Citizen Sentenced to 40 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Jonathan Medina-Flores, 41 years old, of Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty for his illegal reentry to the United States, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Medina-Flores was sentenced to 40 months in prison.
According to documents in the case, Medina-Flores, a citizen of Mexico, was previously convicted in St. Joseph County of felony possession of cocaine in 2006. Thereafter he was removed to Mexico in 2007, 2014 and 2015 but illegally reentered the United States after each removal. Medina-Flores was most recently discovered in the United States in May 2023 in St. Joseph County. His criminal history includes conviction for multiple felonies in St. Joseph and Elkhart Counties.
This case was investigated by United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerome W. McKeever.
Metairie Man Guilty of Federal Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that CARSON RIESS (“RIESS”), age 40, of Metairie, Louisiana, pled guilty on October 1, 2024 to Receipt of Child Pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1). U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey scheduled sentencing for January 7, 2025. At sentencing, RIESS faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years and maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000, or the greater of twice the gross grain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person of the offense. In addition, RIESS faces a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life, and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, the case against RIESS stemmed from an online Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). On May 20, 2024, HSI special agents, along with members of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, executed two federal search warrants at RIESS’s home. HSI’s investigation revealed RIESS received images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
United States Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
Manassas businessman agrees to pay $1M to settle pandemic fraud allegationsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. –The founder of a Manassas business has agreed to pay $1,000,000 to settle allegations that he falsified payroll amounts to obtain inflated loans on behalf of True Information Assurance, LLC, through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
The PPP offered loans to eligible small businesses for economic relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP borrowers were required to provide their income and supporting documents to qualify for the loan amount.
Steven T. Covey obtained two PPP loans for True Information Assurance, of which he was owner and President, by submitting loan applications with false payroll figures to SBA-authorized lenders. Based on these fraudulent applications, True Information Assurance received two inflated loans. After Covey sold True Information Assurance in 2021, he retained all proceeds from both PPP loans.
The settlement began with a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, United States ex rel. Salman v. Bull Run Capital Investments, Inc., et al. The whistleblower will receive a share of this settlement.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina Kim and Auditor Peter Melaragni for the Eastern District of Virginia.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information from the civil lawsuit can be accessed on PACER by searching for No. 1:21-cv-852.
The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Man Sentenced to 37 Years in Prison for Violent RobberiesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – David Johnson, 37, of Euclid, has been sentenced to 37 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Dan Polster after pleading guilty to multiple charges of armed robbery at places of business. Additionally, Johnson pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm due to his previous convictions for involuntary manslaughter and aggravated robbery.
According to court documents, between November 2019 and January 2020, Johnson entered several businesses in Northeast Ohio and threatened employees with a loaded firearm to commit the robberies. The affected business locations were:
- Sunoco gas station, Euclid, Nov. 27, 2019
- BP gas station, Parkman, Jan. 18, 2020
- Dollar General, Chardon, Jan. 18, 2020
- Gas Mart gas station, Euclid, Jan. 25, 2020
During the investigation, law enforcement officials located a stolen vehicle used in the robberies at Johnson’s residence. Clothing and a firearm observed in surveillance videos were recovered during a search warrant execution of his residence.
This case was investigated by the FBI, ATF, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Geauga County Sheriff’s Office, Geauga County Prosecutor’s Office, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, Euclid Police Department, Willoughby Police Department, and the Cleveland Division of Police.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Kane and Joseph Dangelo for the Northern District of Ohio.
Man Sentenced for Robbery and Intimidation of a Witness by Attempted MurderRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A New York man was sentenced yesterday in Greensboro, North Carolina, to 35 years in prison after pleading to robbery, firearm, and intimidation charges related to an attempted murder stemming from conduct in the Middle District of North Carolina and the Southern District of New York, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
RYAN LEWIS LITTLE, age 40, of New York, was sentenced to a 420-month term of imprisonment and 5 years supervised release by the Honorable William L. Osteen, Jr., United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. In addition to prison time, LITTLE was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $56,970.75.
LITTLE pleaded guilty on May 10, 2024, to interference with commerce by robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), and retaliating against a witness by attempted murder, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1513(a)(1)(B), for conduct occurring in the MDNC. On June 20, 2024, he pleaded guilty to a separate charge for interference with commerce by robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), for incidents occurring in the Southern District of New York.
According to court records, on April 8, 2022, at approximately 7:00 PM, Greensboro Police Department (GPD) officers responded to a report of attempted armed robbery at the Chemistry Nightclub Food Truck located in the parking lot of 2901 Spring Garden Street, Greensboro, NC. The food truck employee reported that an armed man attempted to rob the food truck at gunpoint. Footage from the food truck’s surveillance cameras showed a man (later identified as LITTLE) walking up the steps of the food truck, pulling out a silver handgun, pointing it at the food truck employee and asking, “Where is the money?” The employee told LITTLE that there was no money. LITTLE then pushed the victim and ran from the food truck.
The Chemistry Nightclub Food Truck attempted robbery was one in a series of robberies that law enforcement officers had been investigating since March 2022. A witness, Victim-1, spoke with law enforcement as part of the ongoing investigation. In retaliation for speaking with the officers, on the morning of April 12, 2022, LITTLE shot Victim-1 in the face. He then fled North Carolina.
On April 20, 2022, at approximately 10:30 pm, New York Police Department (NYPD) officers arrived at the scene of a reported robbery at a restaurant. An employee stated that a man entered the restaurant, brandished a silver firearm partially concealed beneath a newspaper, and took approximately $1,500 from the cash register. The employee followed the suspect to a nearby park. While canvassing the area, officers saw LITTLE emerge from the bushes and attempt to flee the area. Officers chased him and he was apprehended moments later with approximately $1,100 cash on him. Officers traced the path LITTLE had fled and recovered a loaded silver pistol. After his arrest, a witness approached the NYPD officers and told them that shortly after robbing the restaurant LITTLE attempted to carjack him.
The case was investigated by the Greensboro Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, and Firearms, and New York Police Department. The case was prosecuted by MDNC Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole DuPré and Lindsey Freeman, SDNY Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Bodansky, and former MDNC Assistant United States Attorney Tanner Kroeger.
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Man Involved in Shooting During Tennessee State University Homecoming Charged with Federal Firearm ViolationRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A criminal complaint obtained today charges Marquez Davis, 24 of Nashville, with being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Thomas J. Jaworski.
According to the complaint, officers of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (“MNPD”) were searching for Davis on October 14, 2024, to arrest him on state charges related to the deadly shooting on Jefferson Street during Tennessee State University’s Homecoming celebration on October 12th. MNPD officers located Davis in a house in North Nashville and prepared to arrest him on outstanding warrants. Footage from law enforcement’s aerial surveillance showed an individual, later identified as Davis, exit the residence’s rooftop, climb to an adjacent rooftop, and discard a firearm. Davis was then arrested by MNPD on criminal homicide charges related to the October 12th shooting on Jefferson Street. Officers recovered a Franklin Armory Inc, Model FAI-15 caliber multi-pistol near where Davis discarded it from the rooftop. According to the criminal complaint, Davis has prior felony convictions for robbery, possession of a controlled substance for resale, and being a felon in possession of a handgun.
“Everyone in our community must be able to gather and celebrate together without fearing random gun violence,” said Acting United States Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski. “Our office will do whatever it takes to keep firearms out of the hands of felons who may use those firearms to inflict greater damage on our citizens.” Jaworski added: “Our firm commitment is in our continued partnership with Chief Drake and the MNPD to hold offenders accountable, reduce gun violence, and ensure safer communities for everyone.”
If convicted, the defendant faces up to 15 years in prison.
This case is being investigated by the MNPD and the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ahmed A. Safeeullah is prosecuting the case.
A federal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Mafia Gang Leader Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
The founder of the Mafia criminal street gang who has a lengthy criminal history in the Middle Georgia community was sentenced to the maximum prison term allowed by law for illegally possessing a firearm.
Alphonzo Clyde, 45, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Oct. 17. Clyde pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on April 10. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Alphonzo Clyde and the Mafia wreaked havoc in Macon and beyond for years,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “This significant sentence should directly result in reduced violence, and it would not have been possible without our strong federal and local law enforcement connection.”
“Despite a lengthy criminal history, Clyde continued to break the law,” said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “This sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to work thoroughly with our local and federal partners to investigate and remove the leaders of drug trafficking organizations from our streets by whatever means necessary.”
“Alfonso Clyde is a notorious criminal whose career of mayhem has spanned nearly thirty years,” said Bibb County Sheriff David J. Davis. “This investigative and prosecution result is a testament to the importance of local agencies working together with our federal partners. Macon and the entire Middle Georgia community is better off having this gangster off our streets for many years to come.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, Clyde is the founder of the Macon Mafia, a criminal street gang operating in Middle Georgia and West Virginia. Clyde was wanted on an outstanding probation violation warrant when officers from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Jones County Sheriff’s Office took him into custody on Oct. 8, 2023. At the time of his arrest, officers spotted a digital scale with a white powdery substance located on the front passenger seat of the SUV that Clyde was driving. Officers also detected a marijuana odor emanating from his vehicle. Officers found a Taurus G2S 9-millimeter handgun inside the glovebox. Clyde has multiple prior felony convictions; it is illegal for a convicted felon to possess 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 of Justice 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 FBI, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Jones County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom prosecuted the case for the Government.
Lowell Man Arrested for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell man has been arrested for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Jorge Manuel “Manny” Huertas, 46, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Huertas will make his initial appearance in federal court in Boston later today.
According to the charging document, Huertas distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine to a confidential source. Search warrants were conducted this morning at Huertas’s residence and the residences of his associates.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine carries a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 40 years, at least four years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $5,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration; and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lowell Police Department and the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lincoln County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jason L. Norman, 42, of Ranger, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 10, 2023, Norman possessed a Smith & Wesson model M&P 15 .223-caliber rifle and a Mossberg model 500A 12-gauge shotgun at his residence in Ranger.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Norman knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm following his felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in Lincoln County Circuit Court on April 13, 2017.
Norman is scheduled to be sentenced on January 30, 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess and former Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams have 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-94.
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Leader of South Shore Drug Trafficking Ring Sentenced to 32 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The leader of a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and cocaine throughout Quincy and Weymouth was sentenced on Oct. 15, 2024 in federal court in Boston.
Aderito Patrick Amado, 34, of Brockton and Quincy, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 32 years in prison to be followed by 10 years supervised release. In June 2024, Amado was convicted by a federal jury of two counts of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue and 500 grams or more of cocaine – and conspiracy to do the same; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of fentanyl analogue; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl; two counts of possessing firearms as a convicted felon; and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug offense. The Court sentenced Amado to 27 years in prison on counts one through four and counts six through seven, to be followed by five consecutive years in prison on count five. At sentencing, the Court applied a stash house and leadership enhancement and found that Amado obstructed justice at trial through his testimony.
In September 2022, Amado was indicted by a federal grand jury along with co-defendants Erica Vieira, Neylton Fontes and Chaasad Cyprien. The defendants were subsequently charged in a superseding indictment in December 2022 and, later, a second superseding indictment in October 2023. Amado was charged in a third superseding indictment in May 2024.
“Mr. Amado was the leader of an organization that pumped multiple kilograms of dangerous and deadly drugs into our communities, including fentanyl and fentanyl analogue. He will now have more than three decades in prison to contemplate his critical role in driving fentanyl addiction and contributing to overdose deaths through his wholesale and street-level distribution all in pursuit of the almighty buck,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This case demonstrates that people like Aderito Patrick Amado, who terrorize communities with their guns, drugs, and manipulation of others, will pay a heavy price. This was an exceptionally skilled and dogged investigation by the prosecutors in our office, the FBI, the Quincy Police and other law enforcement partners. This lengthy sentence should send a strong message to others, do not engage in the toxic brew of illicit narcotics and guns or you will go to jail for a very long time.”
“Aderito Patrick Amado and his crew were a crime wave unto themselves. As the leader of this large-scale drug trafficking operation that brought in and sold multi-kilo quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, protected by high-capacity firearms, Mr. Amado could have cared less about this area’s raging opioid crisis,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division. “The FBI’s Metro Boston Gang Task Force worked with our law enforcement partners on the South Shore to make this case that led to Amado being sent to prison for the next three decades, and we’re all gratified to see such a prolific criminal finally held accountable.”
“I would like to thank the Detectives assigned to the Quincy Police Drug Control Unit, our local, state and federal partners and particularly the prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s office for bringing this case forward. Taking this individual off the streets undoubtedly saved lives in our community,” said Quincy Police Chief Mark Kennedy.
Until at least January 2021, Amado helped lead a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and cocaine in and around the Quincy and Weymouth areas. The investigation determined that the drug distribution conspiracy operated primarily out of a stash house in Weymouth, with additional evidence located inside Amado’s apartment in Quincy and in his vehicle.
Specifically, a January 2021 search of Amado’s Quincy apartment resulted in over 40 grams of fentanyl, a quantity of cocaine, over $270,000 in cash, a money counter, a loaded Glock and ammunition being recovered. Amado’s vehicle contained over 40 grams of fentanyl and over 100 grams of fentanyl analogue, along with approximately $50,000 cash and multiple cellphones. Additionally, the Weymouth stash house was, in essence, a drug factory – housing two presses used to form controlled substances into kilogram-sized bricks and extensive drug paraphernalia, including blenders, digital scales, cutting agents, a money counter, and packaging equipment. The stash house also contained more than 10 kilograms of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and cocaine as well as three firearms and ammunition, including two high-capacity magazines and a speed loader. One firearm was equipped with a laser beam and another firearm had a custom slide. Given Amado’s status as a felon, he is prohibited from possessing any firearms. At least one of Amado’s fingerprints were recovered on the ammunition tray located inside one of the boxes of ammunition in the stash house. His fingerprints were also recovered on one of the bags of cutting agents.
Information from a court-ordered GPS ankle monitor placed Amado at both his residence and the stash location nearly every day over a two-month period while on probation for a state drug conviction. Additionally, web history information from one of Amado’s devices showed that he conducted online reviews of various items ultimately recovered from the stash house, including the kilogram presses, firearms and cutting agents.
Vieira pleaded guilty in May 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 24, 2025. Fontes pleaded guilty in May 2024 and was sentenced in September 2024 to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. Cyprien pleaded guilty in April 2024 and in July 2024 was sentenced to two years in prison and three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy, FBI SAC Cohen and Quincy Chief Kennedy made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Weymouth, Braintree, Randolph and Brockton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell and Philip A. Mallard of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Leader of Sacramento Cocaine Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 14 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Maurice Bryant, 54, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to 168 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 5,000 grams of cocaine and 280 grams of cocaine base and for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Bryant is among the 15 federal defendants arrested in 2021 and charged in a 45-count indictment for trafficking narcotics as part of a DEA-led multi-agency operation targeting cocaine and heroin traffickers in North Sacramento. The Court found Bryant to be an organizer or leader of the vast cocaine distribution network. During just 60 days of wiretaps in 2018 and 2019, he was intercepted strategizing the movement of cocaine over the Mexican border, distributing over five kilograms of powder cocaine and a kilogram of cocaine base to his co-conspirators, and converting large quantities of powder cocaine into cocaine base (crack cocaine) in his residence. At the time of his arrest, agents seized drug trafficking paraphernalia, two loaded firearms, and a military-grade bullet proof vest from his residence.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Justice, the California Highway Patrol, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron L. Desmond is prosecuting the case.
Below is the status of Bryant’s co-defendants:
On September 29, 2022, Jason Tolbert, 45, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
On November 17, 2022, Charles Carter, 36, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine.
On November 17, 2022, Andre Hellams, 40, of North Highlands, pleaded guilty to two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. Hellams is scheduled to be sentenced on February 17, 2025.
On December 8, 2022, Michael Hampton, 57, of Vallejo, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine.
On March 16, 2023, Arlington Caine, 48, of Rio Linda, was sentenced to 22 months in prison for two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
On March 14, 2024, Bobby Conner, 51, of Sacramento, was sentenced to six months in prison for two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
On April 25, 2024, 2023, Dwight Haney, 52, of Sacramento was sentenced to time served for two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
On May 30, 2024, Jerome Adams, 56, of North Highlands, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
On August 8, 2024, Steven Hampton, 64, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine.
On September 26, 2024, Mark Martin, 63, of Sacramento was sentenced to time served for using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
On August 1, 2024, Alex White, 61, of North Highlands, was sentenced to a term of 38 months (time served) for distribution of cocaine base.
On September 3, 2024, Tyrone Anderson, 44, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 135 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute at least 5,000 grams of cocaine and 280 grams of cocaine base and for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin.
Charges are pending against Yovanny Ontiveros, 41, of Sacramento, and Wilmer Harden, 52, of Elk Grove. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This prosecution is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. The Sacramento Strike Force is a co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) shipping narcotics, firearms, and money through the Eastern District of California, thereby reducing the flow of these criminal resources in California and the rest of the United States. The Sacramento Strike Force leads intelligence-driven investigations targeting the leadership and support elements of these DTOs and TCOs operating within the Eastern District of California, regardless of their geographic base of operations.
La Fiscalía de los Estados Unidos celebra el Mes de Concientización sobre la Violencia DomésticaRead the Press Release
Providence, RI — La Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito de Rhode Island celebra este octubre el Mes de Concientización sobre la Violencia Doméstica, lo que refleja nuestro firme compromiso de apoyar a los sobrevivientes, crear conciencia y promover la justicia para todos los afectados por la violencia doméstica, anunció el Fiscal Federal Zachary A. Cunha.
El Mes de Concientización sobre la Violencia Doméstica ofrece una importante oportunidad para arrojar luz sobre los profundos impactos que la violencia doméstica tiene en las víctimas, las familias y las comunidades, y para enfatizar la importancia de la acción colectiva. Cada año, millones de personas se ven afectadas por la violencia de pareja y demasiadas familias soportan las trágicas consecuencias del abuso doméstico. Esta Oficina está comprometida a garantizar que se escuche las voces de los sobrevivientes y que los perpetradores rindan cuentas y a fortalecer las asociaciones con las comunidades para prevenir la violencia doméstica.
Este año se celebra una conmemoración particularmente significativa de los esfuerzos para combatir la violencia doméstica porque también es el Trigésimo Aniversario de la Ley sobre la violencia contra la mujer. En 1994, la aprobación de esta histórica legislación bipartidista transformó la forma en que nuestra nación aborda la violencia doméstica y de pareja, la agresión sexual y el acecho al aumentar las protecciones para los sobrevivientes, proporcionar recursos federales críticos para apoyar una respuesta comunitaria coordinada a estos crímenes y otorgar subvenciones. a nivel local, estatal, territorial, tribal y nacional.
“La violencia doméstica y de pareja es insidiosa y tiene un costo devastador en nuestras comunidades, transformando hogares que deberían ser lugares de refugio en escenarios de abuso”, dijo el fiscal federal Zachary Cunha. “Estoy decidido a ampliar nuestros esfuerzos para utilizar herramientas federales de aplicación de la ley para buscar justicia para las víctimas de estos crímenes y responsabilizar a los perpetradores; los sobrevivientes de violencia doméstica no merecen menos”.
Este año, el 18 de septiembre de 2024, la oficina anunció el lanzamiento de una iniciativa del Departamento de Justicia con socios locales encargados de reducir las parejas de hecho en las ciudades de Woonsocket, Pawtucket y Central Falls en Rhode Island. La iniciativa fue una disposición para que cada distrito desarrollara un plan para reducir la violencia con armas de fuego entre parejas íntimas y priorizar el enjuiciamiento de los delincuentes de violencia doméstica a los que se les prohíbe poseer armas de fuego.
La violencia doméstica, la violencia en el noviazgo, la agresión sexual y el acecho pueden tener impactos y consecuencias duraderas, y los sobrevivientes en comunidades marginadas se ven afectados de manera desproporcionada debido a la falta de recursos o las barreras para acceder a los servicios. DVAM brinda la oportunidad de crear conciencia sobre la violencia doméstica y alentar a todos a desempeñar un papel para poner fin a la violencia de género.
También alentamos a todos a aprender más sobre la violencia doméstica y tomar medidas para apoyar a amigos, familiares, compañeros de trabajo y vecinos que puedan verse afectados. Al comprender las señales de abuso, brindar un espacio seguro para los sobrevivientes y conectarlos con los recursos disponibles, todos podemos desempeñar un papel en la creación de comunidades más seguras.
Las víctimas de violencia doméstica merecen seguridad, dignidad y justicia. Estamos comprometidos a procesar a quienes violan las leyes federales, colaborar con las autoridades locales y los fiscales para identificar a los delincuentes de violencia doméstica que violan las prohibiciones federales de armas de fuego y garantizar que los sobrevivientes tengan acceso a los recursos que necesitan para su seguridad y curación. Juntos, podemos llevar esperanza a los necesitados y construir un futuro libre de violencia doméstica. Para obtener más información sobre el Mes de Concientización sobre la Violencia Doméstica o para acceder a recursos, visite https://ricadv.org/.
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Justice Department Announces Charges Against Indian Government Employee in Connection with Foiled Plot to Assassinate U.S. Citizen in New York CityRead the Press Release
Note: View the second unsealed superseding indictment here.
The Justice Department today announced the filing of murder-for-hire and money laundering charges against Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, 39, also known as Vikas, and Amanat, in connection with his role in directing a foiled plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City. Yadav is charged in a second superseding indictment unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Yadav’s alleged co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, 53, was previously charged and extradited to the United States on the charges contained in the first superseding indictment. Yadav remains at large.
“The Justice Department will be relentless in holding accountable any person — regardless of their position or proximity to power — who seeks to harm and silence American citizens,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As alleged, last year, we foiled an attempt by Vikash Yadav, an Indian government employee, and his co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, to assassinate an American citizen on U.S. soil. Today’s charges demonstrate that the Justice Department will not tolerate attempts to target and endanger Americans and to undermine the rights to which every U.S. citizen is entitled.”
“The defendant, an Indian government employee, allegedly conspired with a criminal associate and attempted to assassinate a U.S. citizen on American soil for exercising their First Amendment rights,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI will not tolerate acts of violence or other efforts to retaliate against those residing in the U.S. for exercising their constitutionally protected rights. We are committed to working with our partners to detect, disrupt, and hold accountable foreign nationals or others who seek to engage in such acts of transnational repression.”
“Today’s charges are a grave example of the increase in lethal plotting and other forms of violent transnational repression targeting diaspora communities in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “To the governments around the world who may be considering such criminal activity and to the communities they would target, let there be no doubt that the Department of Justice is committed to disrupting and exposing these plots and to holding the wrongful actors accountable no matter who they are or where they reside.”
“DEA foiled this assassination attempt last year and has continued to trace this case back to an employee of the Indian government whom we charge was an orchestrator of this intricate murder-for-hire scheme. DEA did not relent, and today’s indictment names Vikash Yadav as an alleged mastermind,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “We charge that Yadav, an employee of the Indian government, used his position of authority and access to confidential information to direct the attempted assassination of an outspoken critic of the Indian government here on U.S. soil. This case was led by the DEA New York Division’s Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of DEA, the New York State Police, and the New York City Police Department, and is a true testament to the tenacity and determination of our team.”
“Last year, this office charged Nikhil Gupta for conspiring to assassinate a U.S. citizen of Indian origin on U.S. soil,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams. “But, as alleged, Gupta did not work alone. Today, we announce charges against an Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, who orchestrated the plot from India and directed Gupta to hire a hitman to murder the victim. The right to exercise free speech is foundational to our democracy, and predicated on the notion that we can do so without fear of violence or reprisal, including from beyond our borders. Let this case be a warning to all those who would seek to harm and silence U.S. citizens: we will hold you accountable, no matter who and where you are.”
As alleged in the second superseding indictment and other public court documents, in 2023, Yadav, working together with others, including Gupta, in India, and elsewhere, directed a plot to assassinate on U.S. soil an attorney and political activist who is a U.S. citizen of Indian origin residing in New York City (the victim). The victim is a vocal critic of the Indian government and leads a U.S.-based organization that advocates for the secession of Punjab, a state in northern India that is home to a large population of Sikhs, an ethnoreligious minority group in India. The victim has publicly called for some or all of Punjab to secede from India and establish a Sikh sovereign state called Khalistan, and the Indian government has banned the victim and his separatist organization from India.
During times relevant to the second superseding indictment, Yadav was employed by the Government of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which houses Indian’s foreign intelligence service, the Research and Analysis Wing. Yadav has described his position as a “senior field officer” with responsibilities in “security management” and “intelligence.” Yadav also has referenced previously serving in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer[] training” in “battle craft” and “weapons.” Yadav is a citizen and resident of India, and he directed the plot to assassinate the Victim from India.
In or about May 2023, Yadav recruited Gupta to orchestrate the assassination of the victim in the United States. Gupta is an Indian national who resided in India and has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his communications with Yadav and others. At Yadav’s direction, Gupta contacted an individual whom Gupta believed to be a criminal associate, but who was in fact a confidential source (the CS) working with the DEA, for assistance in contracting a hitman to murder the victim in New York City. The CS introduced Gupta to a purported hitman, who was in fact a DEA undercover officer (the UC). Yadav subsequently agreed, in dealings brokered by Gupta, to pay the UC $100,000 to murder the victim. On or about June 9, 2023, Yadav and Gupta arranged for an associate to deliver $15,000 in cash to the UC as an advance payment for the murder. Yadav’s associate then delivered the $15,000 to the UC in Manhattan.
In or about June 2023, in furtherance of the assassination plot, Yadav provided Gupta with personal information about the victim, including the victim’s home address in New York City, phone numbers associated with the victim, and details about the victim’s day-to-day conduct, which Gupta then passed to the UC. Yadav directed Gupta to provide regular updates on the progress of the assassination plot, which Gupta accomplished by forwarding to Yadav, among other things, surveillance photographs of the victim. Gupta directed the UC to carry out the murder as soon as possible, but Gupta also specifically instructed the UC not to commit the murder around the time of the Indian Prime Minister’s official state visit to the United States, which was scheduled to begin on or about June 20, 2023.
On or about June 18, 2023, approximately two days before the Indian Prime Minister’s state visit to the United States, masked gunmen murdered Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia, Canada. Nijjar was an associate of the victim, and, like the victim, was a leader of the Sikh separatist movement and an outspoken critic of the Indian government. On or about June 19, 2023, the day after the Nijjar murder, Gupta told the UC that Nijjar “was also the target” and “we have so many targets.” Gupta added that, in light of Nijjar’s murder, there was “now no need to wait” on killing the Victim. On or about June 20, 2023, Yadav sent Gupta a news article about the victim and messaged Gupta, “[i]t’s [a] priority now.”
Yadav and Gupta of India have been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The DEA New York Division and the FBI New York Field Office’s Counterintelligence Division are investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the DEA Special Operations Division, DEA Vienna Country Office, FBI Prague Country Office, Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and Czech Republic’s National Drug Headquarters.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille L. Fletcher, Ashley C. Nicolas, and Alexander Li for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Trial Attorney A.J. Dixon of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jefferson Parish Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that COREY ESQUERRE (“ESQUERRE”), age 50, a resident of Jefferson Parish, was sentenced on October 10, 2024, by United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter, after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of methamphetamine. ESQUERRE was sentenced to 126 months imprisonment, five years (5) of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, on July 31, 2023, the Gretna Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration searched ESQUERRE’s apartment and discovered 3.5 lbs. of methamphetamine in bags located in a toolbox in his bedroom. The bags contained 1880.1 grams of pure methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Gretna Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Sarver of the Narcotics Unit oversees the prosecution.
Jefferson City Man Sentenced for $26 Million Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Mo. man was sentenced in federal court today for a multi-million dollar bank fraud scheme that included fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for four businesses.
Tod Ray Keilholz, 61, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to a total sentence of 12 years in federal prison without parole.
On March 28, 2024, Keilholz pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Keilholz was the sole owner of TRK Construction, LLC, TRK Valpo, LLC, TL Builders, LLC, and Project Design, LLC.
By pleading guilty, Keilholz admitted that he engaged in a bank fraud scheme from Jan. 1, 2018, to Jan. 7, 2021.
Prior to the bank fraud scheme, Keilholz obtained three business loans totaling $3,526,771 from Hawthorn Bank between Aug. 31, 2017, and Sept. 21, 2018. One of these loans financed the purchase of property in Valparaiso, Indiana. As Keilholz’s businesses failed, these loans fell into default and sub-contractors sued him for unpaid invoices during 2019 and 2020. In February 2020, Hawthorn Bank initiated foreclosure proceedings. Keilholz delayed the foreclosure proceedings and paid off these loans and other past due debts with fraudulent PPP loans.
The CARES Act established several new temporary programs and provided for the expansion of others to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these programs, the PPP authorized forgivable loans, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration, to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments.
Keilholz received a total of $12,430,932 in PPP loans for his four businesses. In each of those loan applications, Keilholz admitted, he failed to disclose his ownership in the other three businesses, and made materially false and fraudulent claims in the loan applications and supporting documentation. Keilholz falsely stated the businesses were in operation on Feb. 15, 2020, and eligible for PPP loans. He inflated the income of those businesses and claimed payrolls for employees who did not exist or no longer worked for him. Additionally, Keilholz applied for a $7,818,705 PPP loan for TRK Valpo but the loan was denied by the bank.
Keilholz received a $1,706,260 PPP loan for TRK Construction, a $3,618,815 PPP loan for TL Builders, a $3,903,857 PPP loan for Project Design, and a $3,202,000 PPP loan for TRK Valpo.
Keilholz admitted that he used PPP loan proceeds for unauthorized purposes other than legitimate payroll, lease and mortgage interest, and utilities as required by the PPP. Keilholz, through TRK Construction, had accrued substantial and delinquent indebtedness to a number of lenders, and all or part of these debts were satisfied by PPP loan proceeds.
The conviction for aggravated identity theft is related to Keilholz’s use of a former TRK Construction employee whose name and Social Security number were used without his knowledge or authorization on wage reports in connection with a fraudulent PPP loan application for TRK Valpo.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, Keilholz must forfeit to the government any property involved in, or derived from the proceeds of his bank fraud scheme, including a money judgment of $12,430,932, two properties in Jefferson City, one property in Valparaiso, one property in La Porte, Ind., four vehicles (a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado, two 2021 Chevrolet Silverados, and a 2019 BMW X5), a 2020 John Deer ZTrak, a 2020 John Deere Tractor, a Kubota Compact Track Loader, a Gents 43mm IWC Schaffhausen Perpetual Chronograph wristwatch, two Gents stainless steel Rolex Sea-Dweller self-winding automatic diver’s watches, and a Gents Citizen Eco-Drive Radio-controlled world time self-winding automatic watch with sapphire crystal.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Inspector General; the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General; the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; the FBI; and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Jacksonville Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Christopher O’Neal Houser (44, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Houser faces a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to court documents, on February 2, 2024, Houser sold a sawed-off shotgun to a convicted felon. At the time that he possessed and sold the shotgun, Houser had a prior felony conviction (July 2019) for possessing methamphetamine. As a convicted felon he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. Houser also has prior convictions for committing sodomy in 2001, and for misdemeanor battery in 2019.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta.
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 safe 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.
Indian National Is Sentenced to Prison for $20 Million Dollar Fraud Scheme Involving Fake Cryptocurrency Exchange WebsitesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A citizen of the Republic of India was sentenced to prison today for stealing more than $20 million from hundreds of victims through the use of fake or “spoofed” websites mimicking the cryptocurrency exchange website Coinbase, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell ordered Chirag Tomar, 31, to serve 60 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release.
Jason Byrnes, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, from as early as June 2021, Tomar and his co-conspirators engaged in a spoofing scheme to steal millions in cryptocurrency from hundreds of victims located worldwide and in the United States, including in the Western District of North Carolina. Spoofing, as it pertains to cybercrime, is when a malicious cyber actor disguises an email address, sender name, or website URL to convince victims they are interacting with a trusted source. Court documents show that Tomar and his co-conspirators executed the fraud by spoofing Coinbase, one of the largest virtual currency exchanges in the world, that allows customers to buy, sell or trade cryptocurrencies.
Coinbase operated a “Pro” version of its exchange, which was found at the URL “Pro.Coinbase.Com.” According to court documents, Tomar and his co-conspirators spoofed the Coinbase Pro website by using a similar fake URL, CoinbasePro.Com, and created a fraudulent website to mimic the authentic website. Once victims entered their login credentials into the fake website, an authentication process was triggered. In some instances, victims were tricked into providing their login and authentication information of the real Coinbase website to fraudsters. Other times, victims were tricked into allowing fake Coinbase representatives to execute remote desktop software, which enabled fraudsters to gain control of victims’ computers and access their legitimate Coinbase accounts. The fraudsters also impersonated Coinbase customer service representatives and tricked the users into providing their two-factor authentication codes to the fraudsters over the phone. Once the fraudsters gained access to the victims’ Coinbase accounts, the fraudsters quickly transferred the victims’ Coinbase cryptocurrency holdings to cryptocurrency wallets under the fraudsters’ control.
Court documents show that, in February 2022, a victim located in the Western District of North Carolina attempted to log into his Coinbase account through the fraudulent website. The spoof website immediately notified the victim that his account was locked and prompted the victim to use a number provided to call a fake Coinbase representative. The fake representative tricked the victim into providing his two-factor authentication information, ultimately gaining access into the victim’s real Coinbase account. Using the information, fraudsters stole cryptocurrency from the victim’s Coinbase wallet worth over $240,000.
According to court records, Tomar used the victims’ stolen log-in credentials to access the victim accounts and transfer the victims’ cryptocurrency holdings to wallets controlled by Tomar. After Tomar received the stolen cryptocurrency, he would convert it to other forms of cryptocurrency and move the funds amongst many wallets controlled by Tomar. Ultimately, the cryptocurrency was converted into cash which was then distributed to Tomar and his co-conspirators.
Tomar used the victims’ funds to pay for his lavish lifestyle, including to purchase Audemars Piguet and other expensive watches, to buy luxury vehicles like Lamborghinis and Porsches, and to make trips to Dubai, Thailand and elsewhere.
On December 20, 2023, Tomar was arrested at the Atlanta airport upon entering the United States. On May 20, 2024, Tomar pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy. Tomar remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
U.S. Attorney King commended the U.S. Secret Service for their investigation of the case and thanked the FBI in Nashville for their invaluable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Warren of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
Hyannis Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Being a Felon in PossessionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Hyannis man was sentenced yesterday for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Specifically, the defendant possessed and sold a Chinese SKS .762 caliber rifle.
Ryan Diefenbach, 33, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge William G. Young to six years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In July 2024, Diefenbach pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. In November 2022, Diefenbach, along with co-defendant Donnell Pina, was indicted by a federal grand jury.
In September 2021, Diefenbach, and allegedly Pina, sold a Chinese SKS .762 caliber rifle to a confidential informant in Hyannis. Due to previous felony convictions, including prior convictions for carrying a firearm without a license, unlawfully possessing a firearm, possessing a firearm with a defaced serial number and assault with a dangerous weapon, Diefenbach was prohibited from possessing firearms.
At the time Diefenbach committed the offense, the charge of being a felon in possession provided for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant United States Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Pina is scheduled to plead guilty on Nov. 21, 2024.
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 gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Grand jury indicts 5 defendants in multi-state narcotics, nearly $25 million money laundering conspiraciesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury charged five defendants with narcotics and money laundering conspiracy crimes involving multiple kilograms of drugs in at least eight states and nearly $25 million of allegedly laundered proceeds.
Those charged include:
NameAgeCity of ResidenceCharles Wooden46Pickerington, OhioGregory Fountain37Columbus, Ohio & Montgomery, IllinoisAlexis Ortega31Columbus, OhioCarl Campbell30Newnan, GeorgiaCourtney Musick37Pickerington, OhioAccording to the 25-count indictment, the defendants conspired to traffic five kilograms or more of cocaine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl in a years-long multi-state narcotics operation.
From 2015 until 2024, it is alleged that defendants conspired to launder at least $24,848,490 in drug proceeds.
The indictment details that defendants allegedly used FedEx to ship drug proceeds from the Columbus area to California, Texas and other states to buy more narcotics for distribution. They also allegedly shipped the money in an attempt to conceal the nature of the drug proceeds. Some defendants are alleged to have purchased, renovated, rented, and sold real estate as a means of money laundering.
Coconspirators allegedly used drug proceeds to rent houses, buy airline tickets, pay for hotel rooms and facilitate travel to traffic the cocaine, fentanyl and cash between Columbus and California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas and other states.
The narcotics conspiracy as charged in this case against Wooden, Fountain, Ortega and Campbell is punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison. The money laundering crimes carry a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Wooden, Musick and Ortega were arrested today. The indictment was returned on Oct. 15 and unsealed following the arrests today.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Cincinnati Field Office; and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Pakiz and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and gangs that threaten the United States 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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Four Defendants Charged in Multi-Million Dollar No-Fault Insurance Fraud Scheme and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging KENAN TARIVERDI, NAZIM TARIVERDI, DILSHOD ISLAMOV, and ALVARO GEOVANNI QUIJADA LEMUS. The Indictment charges KENAN TARIVERDI, NAZIM TARIVERDI, and DILSHOD ISLAMOV with operating an extensive no-fault insurance fraud that submitted more than $11 million in fraudulent claims for psychological testing and services—and for laundering the proceeds of that fraud through a network of illicit check cashers, including ALVARO GEOVANNI QUIJADA LEMUS. The defendants were arrested this morning and were presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave in Manhattan Federal Court.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “No fault insurance fraud schemes raise costs for everyone and exploit a system designed to make healthcare more accessible. As alleged in the indictment, Kenan Tariverdi, Nazim Tariverdi, and Dilshod Islamov orchestrated a deceitful, complex scheme to cheat insurance providers out of millions of dollars. These defendants then allegedly worked with a network of money launderers, including Alvaro Geovanni Quijada Lemus, to profit from their crime. I commend the FBI and our dedicated team of prosecutors for their outstanding work in dismantling this massive fraud operation.”
According to allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan Court[1]:
KENAN TARIVERDI, NAZIM TARIVERDI, and ISLAMOV devised a fraudulent scheme to take advantage of New York’s no fault insurance law, which enables the driver and passengers of a vehicle registered and insured in New York State to obtain benefits of up to $50,000 per person for injuries suffered in a car accident, regardless of fault. Under New York State law, medical corporations are unable to bill insurance companies for no-fault benefits if the medical facilities are controlled by non-physicians. KENAN TARIVERDI, NAZIM TARIVERDI, and ISLAMOV defrauded insurance carriers by submitting insurance claims from medical corporations that were nominally owned by licensed medical professionals but were in fact owned and controlled by KENAN TARIVERDI, NAZIM TARIVERDI, and ISLAMOV, who were not licensed medical practitioners. If insurance companies had known that the nominee medical corporations were actually owned and controlled by KENAN TARIVERDI, NAZIM TARIVERDI, and ISLAMOV, the insurance companies would have denied payment for claims submitted by the nominee medical corporations.
KENAN TARIVERDI, NAZIM TARIVERDI, and ISLAMOV also carried out their fraudulent scheme by conspiring to bill insurances companies in the names of psychologists, medical professionals, and medical corporations under their nominal control for services that the psychologists and medical professionals did not actually perform. When preparing these fraudulent bills, the conspiracy operated by KENAN TARIVERDI, NAZIM TARIVERDI, and ISLAMOV frequently used the license information and signatures of psychologists and medical professionals on fraudulent billing records submitted to insurance companies.
Additionally, KENAN TARIVERDI, NAZIM TARIVERDI, and ISLAMOV conspired to bill insurance companies for expensive procedures, including psychological testing and treatment, regardless of medical necessity. These unnecessary medical procedures were carried out pursuant to billing protocols that the defendants and their coconspirators designed and implemented at various clinics in and around New York City to maximize the dollar amounts on insurance claims, rather than to provide necessary medical and psychological treatment.
As a result of their fraudulent scheme, KENAN TARIVERDI, NAZIM TARIVERDI, and ISLAMOV caused insurance providers to be billed over approximately $10 million in fraudulent claims for psychological testing and services.
KENAN TARIVERDI, NAZIM TARIVERDI, and ISLAMOV also carried out a scheme to launder the proceeds of their conspiracy. Their money laundering scheme operated by taking control over various bank accounts that received payments derived from the fraudulent claims that the conspiracy operated by KENAN TARIVERDI, NAZIM TARIVERDI, and ISLAMOV submitted to insurance companies. Such bank accounts were nominally held by psychologists or medical professionals, but KENAN TARIVERDI, NAZIM TARIVERDI, and ISLAMOV gained control over them through various means, including by directing the psychologists and medical professionals to sign stacks of blank checks drawn on their accounts. KENAN TARIVERDI, NAZIM TARIVERDI, and ISLAMOV then used those checks to transfer funds into a network of shell companies that were controlled by the money laundering conspiracy.
KENAN TARIVERDI, NAZIM TARIVERDI, and ISLAMOV used a network of money launderers to cash checks from their shell companies. ALVARO GEOVANNI QUIJADA-LEMUS was one unlicensed check casher who, in exchange for a fee, provided cash in exchange for checks the shell companies. QUIJADA-LEMUS, in turn, sold approximately 50 checks from the shell companies for approximately $200,000 to an individual cooperating with law enforcement.
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KENAN TARIVERDI, 55, of Staten Island, New York; NAZIM TARIVERDI, 32, of Staten Island, New York; and DILSHOD ISLAMOV, 43, of Brooklyn, New York are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. ALVARO GEOVANNI QUIJADA-LEMUS, 38, of Holmdel, New Jersey, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carried a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison one count of money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business, which carries a maximum of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cecilia Vogel, Christopher Brumwell, and Vladislav Vainberg are in charge of the prosecution.
islamov_et_al_indictment.pdf[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the texts of the Indictments and the descriptions of the Indictments set forth herein constitute only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Fort Yates, ND Woman Indicted for Arson and Destruction of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
Bismarck – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that on October 17, 2024, Melody Walker-White Twin, age 33 from Fort Yates, ND, made her initial appearance and was arraigned in federal court. The United States District Court for the District of North Dakota unsealed an Indictment revealing that a federal grand jury indicted Walker-White Twin for Arson and Destruction of Government Property, arising from a October 9, 2024 incident in Bismarck.
The Indictment in this case is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The Indictment alleges that on or about September 15, 2024, Walker-White Twin damaged or attempted to damage the United States Post Office located in Selfridge, North Dakota. Specifically, Walker-White Twin used rocks to break windows out of the Post Office. It also alleges that between September 15 and 16, 2024, Walker-White Twin damaged or attempted to damage the United States Post Office located in Selfridge, North Dakota by means of fire. The Post Office was a total loss with only the vault remaining.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Investigative Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brandi Sasse Russell.
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Former Tennessee Mental Health Center Owner Charged with Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Nashville returned an indictment yesterday charging a former business owner with willfully failing to account for and pay over employment taxes to the IRS.
According to the indictment, from at least 2011 through 2023, Mari Alexander, of Columbia, South Carolina, was the owner and president of Ross Behavioral Group, a mental health counseling center with multiple locations in middle Tennessee. Alexander controlled Ross Behavioral Group’s financial affairs and was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and federal income taxes from employees’ wages and paying them over to the IRS. From at least 2015 through 2020, Alexander allegedly withheld these taxes from her employees’ wages, but did not fully pay the withheld taxes over to the IRS.
Each year, from at least 2015 through 2020, Alexander allegedly issued IRS Forms W-2, Wage and Tax Statements and paystubs to the employees that showed taxes taken out of their pay, which falsely implied that the withheld taxes were paid over to the IRS.
In total, Alexander is alleged to have caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $1 million.
Alexander is charged with 11 counts of willfully failing to account for and pay over employment taxes. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each count. She also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski for the Middle District of Tennessee made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case with assistance from the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General.
Trial Attorney Ashley J. Stein of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell T. Galloway for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Telecommunications Company Executive Admits Defrauding Investors in Sports Betting FundRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Pennsylvania man on Thursday admitted stealing $650,000 from investors in a sports betting fund.
Elijah A. Goshert, 48, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to three counts of wire fraud. He admitted defrauding investors from at least Feb. 1, 2017, through Nov. 15, 2023, by falsely claiming the Magellan Sports Fund used a “sophisticated computer algorithm” that substantially reduced betting risks. Goshert sent emails to investors falsely claiming that he’d used their money to make sports bets and false “investors performance” updates claiming that their investments were making substantial profits.
Goshert spent the vast majority of the victims’ investments on unauthorized expenses. He admitted stealing about $654,861 from at least 12 victims.
Goshert is scheduled to be sentenced January 22, 2025. Each wire fraud charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
Former NYCHA Superintendent Convicted of Bribery and Extortion OffensesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Joy Harris, a former New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”) superintendent, was convicted of bribery and extortion under color of official right for soliciting and accepting tens of thousands of dollars from contractors in exchange for awarding those contractors no-bid contracts at NYCHA developments. The verdict followed a one-week trial before U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, who will sentence HARRIS on February 26, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Corruption is an insidious crime—difficult to detect, corrosive in its effect on government agencies, and damaging to public trust in government institutions. Joy Harris’s years-long abuse of her position to demand tens of thousands of dollars in bribes betrayed her duty to NYCHA residents, the City of New York, and taxpayers. The jury’s unanimous verdict sends a clear message that those who use their public offices for personal gain will be held accountable.”
According to the evidence presented in court during the trial:
NYCHA is the largest public housing authority in the country, providing housing to New Yorkers across the City and receiving over $1.5 billion in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) every year. When repairs or construction work at NYCHA housing require the use of outside contractors, services must typically be purchased via a bidding process. However, when the value of a contract was under a certain threshold, designated staff at NYCHA developments, including assistant superintendent and superintendents, could hire a contractor of their choosing without soliciting multiple bids.
HARRIS, an assistant superintendent and superintendent at four different NYCHA developments in Manhattan between 2015 and 2021, demanded and accepted cash in exchange for NYCHA contracts. She required contractors to pay bribes up front in order to be awarded the contracts or required bribe payments after the contractor finished the work and needed a NYCHA employee to sign off on the completed job so that the contractor could be paid by NYCHA. HARRIS typically demanded 10% of the contract value—between $500 and $1,000, depending on the size of the contract. In total, HARRIS demanded and accepted tens of thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for awarding contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
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HARRIS, 49, of Bushkill, Pennsylvania, was convicted of one count of federal program bribery, which carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison, and one count of extortion under color of official right, which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Department of Investigation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the HUD Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, which work together collaboratively as part of the HSI Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, as well as the special agents and task force officers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Of the 70 current and former NYCHA employees charged with bribery and extortion offenses in February 2024, 55 of the defendants have now pled guilty or been convicted at trial. The charges against the remaining defendants are pending.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jerry J. Fang, Meredith Foster, Sheb Swett, Jacob R. Fiddelman, and Catherine Ghosh are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Jayda Foote and Nandita Vasantha.
Former NFL player charged with embezzling from commercial real estate projectsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment on October 15, 2024, charging a Washington man with embezzling loan proceeds intended for the development and construction of two commercial real estate projects.
According to the indictment, Christopher A. Harrison, 52, a former National Football League player and real estate developer, allegedly induced and misappropriated loan proceeds intended for the development and construction of two real estate projects: (1) the Model Tobacco Project in Richmond, Virginia; and (2) the Whitaker Park Project in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Harrison allegedly secured loans from Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust (CRBT) for $14,492,057 for the Model Tobacco Project and $7,706,675 for the Whitaker Park Project. Under the terms of the loan agreements, Harrison was prohibited from using loan proceeds to pay himself or affiliated entities any construction, management, development, or contractor fees or from using the loan proceeds for personal expenditures.
As alleged in the indictment, however, Harrison skimmed loan proceeds intended for the Model Tobacco and Whitaker Park Projects by first creating a straw demolition company, Virginia Demolition LLC, that had no employees, demolition equipment, or office space. Harrison then allegedly created forged and falsified documentation purporting to show that Virginia Demolition LLC did actual work on the projects, including work that predated Harrison’s creation of the Virginia Demolition LLC entity. Harrison allegedly forged the signature of a separate individual, who Harrison falsely represented was the “President” of Virginia Demolition LLC, multiple times across Harrison’s various submittals to CRBT. Harrison also is alleged to have doctored and inflated invoices in the name of a separate construction vendor for Model Tobacco, inducing CRBT to disburse inflated loan amounts. In total, Harrison allegedly submitted over a dozen falsified invoices and lien waivers in draw requests to induce CRBT to disburse over $3.6 million in loan proceeds to Harrison to satisfy purported expenditures.
Harrison allegedly used some of these loan proceeds for his own benefit, rather than applying them to the Model Tobacco and Whitaker Park Projects as required. As alleged in the indictment, Harrison used some of the money he stole for the following personal purchases and expenses, among others:
Numerous purchases at luxury goods and fashion stores, including over $60,000 in payments to Lenkersdorfer Fine Jewelers to buy Rolex watches.
Personal expenses, including his home mortgage, landscaping services for his residence, and tuition and tutoring expenses for his minor child.
Expenses related to a separate construction project — the Petersburg Ramada Inn. For instance, Harrison allegedly used fraud proceeds to pay legal fees to a law firm for Harrison’s litigation against the City of Petersburg pertaining to the project. The Petersburg Ramada Inn was a shuttered building in Petersburg, Virginia. Harrison purchased the property in 2018 and sold it back to the City of Petersburg in June 2022.
Harrison is charged with: wire fraud and mail fraud, which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; engaging in monetary transactions with criminally derived property, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and aggravated identity theft, which carries a two-year mandatory minimum prison term Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kashan K. Pathan and Avi Panth are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-152.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.