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Thursday 5 September 2024
Five Russian GRU Officers and One Civilian Charged for Conspiring to Hack Ukrainian GovernmentRead the Press Release
Note: Concurrent with the return of the indictment, the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information on any of the defendants’ locations or their malicious cyberactivity. Anyone possessing such information should contact Rewards for Justice here.
Greenbelt, Maryland – In an indictment unsealed today, a grand jury in Maryland charged six computer hackers, all of whom were residents and nationals of the Russian Federation (Russia), with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and wire fraud conspiracy. Five of the defendants were officers in Unit 29155 of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), a military intelligence agency of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. The sixth individual was a civilian already under indictment for conspiracy to commit computer intrusion who is now also charged with wire fraud conspiracy.
The indictment alleges that these GRU hackers and their co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy to hack into, exfiltrate data from, leak information obtained from, and destroy computer systems associated with, the Ukrainian Government in advance of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Defendants did so in order to sow concern among Ukrainian citizens regarding the safety of their government systems and personal data in advance of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Defendants’ targets included Ukrainian Government systems and data with no military or defense-related roles. Later targets included computer systems in countries around the world that were providing support to Ukraine, including twenty-six NATO countries.
“Today’s superseding indictment underscores our commitment to using all the tools at our disposal to pursue those who would do us and our allies around the world harm,” said United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron. “Cyber intrusion schemes such as the one alleged threaten our national security, and we will use all the technologies and investigative measures at our disposal to disrupt and track down these cybercriminals.”
“The GRU’s WhisperGate campaign, including targeting Ukrainian critical infrastructure and government systems of no military value, is emblematic of Russia’s abhorrent disregard for innocent civilians as it wages its unjust invasion,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the National Security Division. “Today’s indictment underscores that the Justice Department will use every available tool to disrupt this kind of malicious cyber activity and hold perpetrators accountable for indiscriminate and destructive targeting of the United States and our allies.”
“Through strokes on a keyboard, the accused criminals used computers to cross into countries, hunting for weaknesses and seeking to harm. The FBI and our law enforcement partners, both national and international, will collectively defend against Russia’s aggressive and illegal actions,” said Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “We are united in identifying, prosecuting, and protecting against future crimes and vow to relentlessly hunt down and counter these threats.”
“The FBI and its international partners are relentless in our commitment to thwarting GRU attacks across the globe and bringing to justice those responsible for these criminal acts,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “Our work protecting against cyber threats in a rapidly evolving landscape continues, including deployment of all tools in our arsenal to defend our infrastructure and impose costs on those who target it.”
“Since July 2021, the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, administered by the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), has offered a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of any person who, while acting at the direction or under the control of a foreign government, participates in certain malicious cyber activities against U.S. critical infrastructure in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act,” said DSS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Threat Investigations and Analysis Paul Houston. “Under this reward offer, the RFJ program is seeking information leading to the location of these individuals, GRU’s malicious cyber activity, or associated individuals and entities.”
The defendants charged in the indictment are: Yuriy Denisov [Юрий Денисов], a colonel in the Russian military and a commanding officer of Cyber Operations for Unit 29155; four lieutenants in the Russian military assigned to Unit 29155 who worked on cyber operations: Vladislav Borovkov [Владислав Боровков], Denis Denisenko [Денис Денисенко], Dmitriy Goloshubov [Дима Голошубов], and Nikolay Korchagin [Николай Корчагин]; and a civilian co-conspirator, Amin Sitgal [Амин Стигал].
According to court documents, in January 2022, the Defendants conspired to use a U.S.-based company’s services to distribute malware known in the cybersecurity community as “WhisperGate” to dozens of Ukrainian government entities’ computer systems and destroy those systems and related data in advance of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The United States government previously joined with allies and partners in May 2022 to attribute this cyber-attack to the Russian military and to condemn the attack and similar destructive cyber activities against Ukraine.
On January 13, 2022, the Defendants attacked multiple Ukrainian government networks, including the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Treasury, the Judiciary Administration, the State Portal for Digital Services, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Agriculture, the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection, the Ministry of Energy, the Accounting Chamber for Ukraine, the State Emergency Service, the State Forestry Agency, and the Motor Insurance Bureau. The Defendants infected computers on these and other networks with the WhisperGate malware, which was designed to look like ransomware. However, as the indictment alleges, WhisperGate was actually a cyberweapon designed to completely destroy the target computer and related data.
In conjunction with these attacks, the Defendants compromised several of the targeted Ukrainian computer systems, exfiltrated sensitive data, including patient health records, and defaced the websites to read: “Ukrainians! All information about you has become public, be afraid and expect the worst. This is for your past, present and future.” That same day, the Defendants offered the hacked data for sale on the internet.
In August 2022, the Defendants also hacked the transportation infrastructure of a Central European country that was supporting Ukraine. Beginning in August 2021, the Defendants also probed a variety of protected computer systems including those associated with twenty-six NATO member countries, searching for potential vulnerabilities. The indictment further alleges that from August 5, 2021 to February 3, 2022, the Defendants leveraged the same computer infrastructure they used in the Ukraine-related attacks to probe computers belonging to a federal government agency in Maryland in the same manner as they had initially probed the Ukrainian Government networks.
This indictment is part of an international effort, OPERATION TOY SOLDIER, to combat the malicious cyber activity by Unit 29155 of the GRU.
The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Barron, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
U.S. Attorney Barron and Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen commended the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office for its outstanding work and thanked the FBI’s Milwaukee and Boston Field Offices for their support in the case. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S.J. Zelinsky and Robert I. Goldaris, who are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Federal grants awarded totaling more than $6 million benefit communities in the Southern District of GeorgiaRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: The U.S. Department of Justice has announced more than $6 million in Fiscal Year 2024 grants awarded to agencies and entities to support law enforcement and public safety initiatives benefiting the Southern District of Georgia.
These federal grants are awarded by congressional designation from the Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance through Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending Provisions, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
“Whether assisting local agencies in providing mental health or legal services or in purchasing essential equipment for first responders, these grants will help local communities across the Southern District to protect their citizens and improve outcomes for the vulnerable,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg.
Agencies receiving the 2024 Community Project Funding include:
- Augusta-Richmond County Government: $1,007,000.
- An award for $690,000 will enable the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office to implement the Law Enforcement Body-Warn Camera Technology Upgrades Program, providing more advanced body-worn cameras for personnel to replace cameras in use since the office first implemented the program in 2015.
- A second award for $317,000 will assist the sheriff’s office in implementing a Mental Health Response Team, creating a “co-responder effort” to provide services to individuals in active mental health crises or needing follow-up care.
- Glynn County: $3.7 million.
This award will provide multi-jurisdictional funding in Glynn County to replace radio communications systems used by agencies including the Glynn County Police Department, the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office, GB911, Brunswick Police Department, and Glynn County Emergency Management Agency, serving the mainland and barrier island communities of Glynn County.
- Community Service Board of Middle Georgia in Dublin, Ga.: $1.356 million.
This award will provide funding for implementation of a Behavioral Health and Overdose Reduction Initiative for 16 underserved and largely rural Georgia counties, including Bleckley, Burke, Dodge, Emanuel, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Pulaski, Screven, Telfair, Treutlen, Wheeler, and Wilcox counties.
- The Georgia Justice Project in Atlanta: $475,000.
This grant includes funding for a Second Chance Desk for residents in Richmond and Burke counties. The Second Chance Desk will provide a projected 120-150 individuals with consultation and services to clear criminal histories that are no longer relevant, allowing low- to moderate-income residents to take advantage of Georgia’s expungement laws. The funding also will provide similar assistance in Cobb, Athens-Clarke, and Oconee counties.
Funding from the Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending Provisions, designated by Congress with funding through the Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance, seeks to support projects designated for funding in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, to prevent or combat juvenile delinquency, and to assist victims of crime (other than compensation).
More information on the implementation of these grants is available from the individual recipient agencies, and from the U.S. Department of Justice grants information page at justice.gov/grants.
doj_2024_grant_glynn_county.pdf doj_2024_grant_richmond_county_-_mental_healths.pdf doj_2024_grant_richmond_county_-_body_cams.pdf doj_2024_grant_ga_justice.pdf doj_2024_grant_dublin.pdf- Augusta-Richmond County Government: $1,007,000.
Federal Jury Convicts Oklahoma City Man of Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal jury has convicted AKIN ZHON WOFFORD, 29, of Oklahoma City, of armed bank robbery and possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On February 7, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment against Wofford, charging him with armed bank robbery and possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. On August 21, 2024, a federal jury convicted Wofford on both counts.
According to evidence presented at trial, on November 7, 2022, Wofford entered a branch of City National Bank and Trust in Oklahoma City. After he waited several minutes in the lobby, Wofford jumped over the teller counter, pulled out a firearm, pointed it at a bank employee, and demanded money. Wofford then opened the teller drawer and grabbed handfuls of cash before he exited the bank. An investigation into the vehicle used during the bank robbery ultimately led authorities to Wofford. Law enforcement later searched Wofford’s residence and found clothes similar to those worn by Wofford during the bank robbery. He was arrested on November 18, 2022.
At sentencing, Wofford faces up to 25 years in federal prison for the armed bank robbery charge, and no less than seven years and up to life in federal prison for the firearm charge, which is to be served consecutively with the armed bank robbery sentence.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wilson D. McGarry, Daniel Gridley, and Stanley J. West 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.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Federal Inmate and Maryland Woman Indicted on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Olona Roba, a federal inmate at United States Penitentiary Hazelton, and Sakile G. Fiddermon, of Fort Washington, Maryland, were indicted on heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine charges.
Roba, 26, and Fiddermon, 23, were each charged with conspiring to smuggle heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and suboxone into the penitentiary. According to the indictment, Fiddermon attempted to smuggle narcotics into the prison for Roba.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ex-Convict Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Smuggle Hundreds of Kilograms of Cocaine Across the Mexican Border for Distribution in Central FloridaRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jose Ramirez (39, Bradenton) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine. Ramirez faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement, after being released from prison for drug trafficking, Ramirez became part of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that imported cocaine from Mexico through the Texas border. The cocaine was transported to Manatee County for distribution via hidden compartments inside passenger vehicles. Between 2021 and 2023, Ramirez received at least 20 kilograms of cocaine per month, which he later distributed. Members of this conspiracy transported the drug proceeds back to Texas on commercial flights, hiding the cash inside carry-on luggage. They then smuggled it back across the Mexican border.
During the course of this investigation, DEA agents seized large amounts of drug proceeds from the DTO, including nearly $300,000 from a co-conspirator outside of a bank in Bradenton. They also seized approximately $500,000 from a tractor trailer in Gulfport, Mississippi.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with substantial assistance provided by the Florida Highway Patrol, the Tampa Police Department, and the Gulfport Police Department (Mississippi). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
Essex County Man Sentenced to 143 Months in Prison for Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 143 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute over five kilograms of fentanyl and four kilograms of cocaine, and possessing six firearms as a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Carlos Santiago, 50, of East Orange, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon. Judge Farbiarz imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Oct. 24, 2022, federal agents encountered Santiago as he was moving controlled substances from a storage unit to his vehicle in Newark. Santiago was arrested after law enforcement located several kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine, as well as one firearm, in Santiago’s storage unit. Law enforcement searched Santiago’s residence in East Orange and located several additional kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine, and five other firearms. Santiago had previously been convicted, in New Jersey Superior Court, Essex County, of a drug offense and resisting arrest.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Farbiarz sentenced Santiago to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark, and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas Greco, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Thypin-Bermeo of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
Essex County Man Sentenced to 131 Months in Prison for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 131 months in prison for an armed robbery of a store in Essex County, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Quayon Moore, 25, of Newark, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz to an indictment charging him with Hobbs Act robbery and using and discharging a firearm in relation to crime of violence. Judge Farbiarz imposed the sentenced today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Dec. 8, 2021, Moore entered a store and pointed a gun at a store employee and demanded that the employee give Moore everything he had. Moore shot the firearm toward the employee’s direction, and the bullet hit the wall behind the employee. While continuing to point the firearm at the employee, Moore took money from the cash register, and an iPhone.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Farbiarz sentenced Moore to five years of supervised release, and ordered restitution of $1,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited FBI Newark’s Violent Crimes Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy; the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé; and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Farhana C. Melo and Chelsea D. Coleman of the Criminal Division in Newark.
Eight Arrested in Lubbock PSN TakedownRead the Press Release
Eight targets were arrested during a Project Safe Neighborhoods takedown in Lubbock on Wednesday, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Those arrested include:
- Corey Rashad Gilmore, indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of convicted felon in possession of a firearm
- Justin Tyrece Crawford, indicted on one count of convicted felon in possession of a firearm
- Joe Lewis Ybarra, Jr., indicted on one count of felon in possession of a firearm
- Wesley Glenn York, Jr., indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of convicted felon in possession of a firearm
- Landon Henderson Jackson, indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
- Matthew Nelson, indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
- Kelli Lenay Hargrave, indicted on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
- Philip Murphy, indicted on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
One additional target, Matthew De La Cruz, charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, remains a fugitive. Members of the public with information regarding his whereabouts are urged to contact the DEA’s Dallas Field Division at 214-366-6900.
“This Project Safe Neighborhoods takedown relied on the cooperation of more than three dozen agents and officers from local, state, and federal law enforcement, along with federal prosecutors from my office,” U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton said at a press conference announcing the bust on Thursday. “PSN relies on the collective wisdom of law enforcement agencies – big and small – to identify, investigate, and prosecute our communities’ most significant drivers of violence. Instead of agencies working in silos, overlapping and competing, PSN brings federal and state law enforcement together to take action that will have outsized impact…. Following the tenets of the PSN program, we targeted repeat offenders known to be inciting crime here in Lubbock. These defendants all have rap sheets, including assault, robbery, controlled substances, and deadly conduct.”
“The apprehension of the suspects related to this case is a testament to the strong working relationships we experience between agencies here in West Texas,” said Lubbock Police Chief Seth Herman.
From the eight arrested defendants, law enforcement seized 12 firearms along with 946 grams of methamphetamine, 2 ounces of cocaine, and more than 10 pounds of marijuana.
If convicted, the defendants face a combined total of up to 330 months in federal prison.
More than three dozen officers and agents participated in the takedown, including men and women from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives Dallas Field Division – Lubbock Resident Agency; the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division – Lubbock Resident Agency; the Lubbock Police Department; the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office; the Texas Anti-Gang Center; the Texas Department of Public Safety; the Texas Tech Police Department; the Plainview Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Office; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Lubbock Resident Agency. The Lubbock County District Attorney’s Office also provided substantial assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Redd, Sean Long, Matthew McLeod, and Stephen Rancourt are prosecuting the cases with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Haag.
These cases are 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.
Edmond Doctor Pays $64,000 to Settle Civil Penalty Claims Stemming from Allegations of Recordkeeping ViolationsRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – John Ross, MD (“Dr. Ross”), has paid $65,000 to settle civil penalty claims stemming from allegations that he violated the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 (“Act”) and its regulations, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester.
Dr. Ross was employed as a urologist at OU Health Physicians Fountain Lake Urology Clinic (“Clinic”) in Edmond, Oklahoma. The United States alleges that from September 2021, through July 2022, Dr. Ross failed to maintain records for certain purchases of testosterone, a Schedule III controlled substance, that contained all the information required by the regulations promulgated by the Act. Dr. Ross also failed to report the Clinic as a practice location and failed to properly document one instance of the destruction of testosterone pellets. To resolve these allegations, Dr. Ross agreed to pay $65,000 to the United States.
In reaching this settlement, Dr. Ross did not admit liability, and the government did not make any concessions about the legitimacy of the claims. The agreement allows the parties to avoid the delay, expense, inconvenience, and uncertainty involved in litigating the case.
Recordkeeping is a vital part of managing controlled substances. Complete and accurate records help avoid diversions and losses of controlled drugs. A registrant who purchases controlled substances must comply with the inventory and purchase record requirements contained in the regulations implementing the Act. Failure to do so subjects the registrant to civil monetary penalties.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of Diversion Control. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald R. Gallegos and Amanda R. Johnson prosecuted the case.
Denver Man Sentenced for Fentanyl, Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
A Denver, Colorado, man was sentenced in federal court today for transporting thousands of fentanyl pills and methamphetamine through Kansas City, Mo., aboard a bus and for illegally possessing a firearm.
Ahmad Rashad Rhodes, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Rhodes was sentenced as a career offender due to his prior felony convictions.
On December 7, 2023, Rhodes was found guilty at trial of one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Officers with the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics Task Force (MoWIN) were conducting interdiction activities at a Kansas City, Mo., bus station on March 20, 2023, when Rhodes arrived on a bus that originated in Los Angeles, California. As passengers disembarked, a police drug-sniffing dog alerted to the scent of illegal drugs in a suitcase in the undercarriage of the bus as well as a backpack in the passenger compartment of the bus. Officers determined both items belonged to Rhodes and contacted him.
After a brief struggle, Rhodes was taken into custody when he admitted to officers he had a gun in the crossbody bag he was wearing. Officers searched Rhodes and found a key chain in his coat with two metal pill holders attached; one pill holder contained 61 blue counterfeit oxycodone hydrochloride pills that contained fentanyl and the other contained 33 blue counterfeit oxycodone hydrochloride pills that contained fentanyl.
In the crossbody bag Rhodes was wearing, officers discovered 3,200 blue counterfeit oxycodone hydrochloride pills that contained fentanyl, a clear plastic baggie that contained 60 grams of pure methamphetamine, and a loaded Smith & Wesson .38-caliber pistol. Officers searched the rest of Rhodes’s luggage and found a digital scale, over 100 unused small, plastic baggies and marijuana.
Rhodes told officers he was enroute to Louisville, Kentucky, and was fleeing from Colorado due to a pending drug-trafficking case in which he was set to be sentenced.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Rhodes has eight prior felony convictions related to the use or trafficking of illegal drugs, including two convictions in Colorado to which he pled guilty and then failed to appear for sentencing, and a prior felony conviction for illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents, Rhodes has spent most of his adult life under some sort of criminal justice sentence or supervision, meaning that nearly all of his violations of the law were committed while he was being supervised for a previous crime.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan A. Baker and Gregg Coonrod. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Cusick Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing more than $155,000 Designated for Small Businesses During the COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Nathan Michael Triano, age 41, of Cusick, Washington, was sentenced on one count of Wire Fraud. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 18 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release and restitution in the amount of $157,154.50.
On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act provided a number of programs through which eligible small businesses could request and obtain relief funding intended to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic for small and local businesses. One such program, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), provided forgivable loans to eligible small businesses to retain jobs and maintain payroll during the pandemic.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, Triano obtained six PPP loans totaling $140,865.00 by submitting materially false and fraudulent information concerning various purported businesses. In addition to the PPP funds dispersed to Triano, the United States also incurred a loss of $15,000.00 in lender fees for the PPPs, resulting in a total actual and intended loss of at least $155,865.00.
“Many small and local businesses had financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans were designed to help businesses navigate that uncertain time and keep people employed. Mr. Tirano’s actions caused limited funds to be diverted away from companies that needed the money, and instead went to line his own pockets, stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “I am grateful for the good work of all our partners on the COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force who continue to hold pandemic fraudsters accountable.”
“Pandemic relief funds were a critical lifeline for countless small businesses struggling to stay afloat during the COVID-19 crisis,” said Weston King, SBA OIG Special Agent in Charge for the Western Region. “This sentencing underscores the serious consequences of diverting resources away from businesses that genuinely needed them. We are grateful for the collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners in bringing justice to those who abuse these essential programs.”
“The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration will continue to aggressively pursue anyone who creates fraudulent schemes or who fraudulently gets money from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and its Paycheck Protection Program,” said Special Agent in Charge Rod Ammari. “We’re grateful to our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office in making sure these crimes are prosecuted.”
The case was investigated by the Eastern District of Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force and by SBA-OIG, TIGTA, DOL-OIG, DHS-HSI and DHS-OIG. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Frieda K. Zimmerman and Jeremy J. Kelley.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Threatening to Kill A Member of the U.S. House of Representatives and Lying in an Attempt to Purchase A FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Michael Guy Dambrosia (61, Ocala) to 33 months in federal prison for interstate transmission of a threat to injure and making a false statement in connection with the attempted purchase of a firearm. Dambrosia entered a guilty plea on February 29, 2024.
According to court documents, on January 30, 2023, Dambrosia made a call to the Washington D.C. office of a United States Congresswoman and left an obscenity-laden, threatening voicemail stating that he would kill her.
On August 30, 2021, Dambrosia attempted to purchase a firearm from a local federally licensed firearms dealer. In completing the necessary paperwork to purchase the firearm, Dambrosia indicated that he was not a convicted felon even though he knew this to be false.
This case was investigated by the United States Capitol Police – Threat Assessment Section and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joe Wheeler III and Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie Boyer.
Connecticut Dentist Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Anti-Kickback LawRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, today announced that LAKSHMI BETHI, 48, of South Windsor, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to conspiracy to violate the federal anti-kickback statute.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Bethi has been a licensed dentist in Connecticut since 2013 and has owned dental practices in New Haven and North Haven. In pleading guilty, Bethi admitted that she conspired with multiple individuals, including Jeffrey Malave, who agreed to recruit Medicaid beneficiaries to attend dental appointments with Bethi for dental services that she then billed to Connecticut Medicaid. In exchange, Bethi agreed to pay kickbacks to the recruiters, who then passed on a portion of the kickbacks to the patients as an incentive to attend the dental appointments. Between 2016 and 2023, Bethi paid the patient recruiters more than $360,000 in kickbacks, and Connecticut Medicaid reimbursed Bethi approximately $2.2 million for services rendered to patients recruited via kickbacks.
Conspiracy to violate the federal anti-kickbacks statute carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. As part of her plea, Bethi has agreed to forfeit $500,000.
Bethi is released on bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.
Malave, 48, of Shelton, pleaded guilty to related charges on February 28, 2024, and awaits sentencing.
The investigation revealed that Malave also recruited Medicaid patients for other dentists and dental practices. On March 7, 2024, a federal grand jury in Bridgeport returned an indictment charging Hamed Ghorbani-Moghaddam, a dentist who practiced in Bridgeport, with one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-kickback statute, and five counts of offering and paying health care kickbacks. Ghorbani-Moghaddam, 46, who resided in Southington, is currently being sought by law enforcement.
As to Ghorbani-Moghaddam, U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Connecticut Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office, and the Connecticut Department of Social Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elena L. Coronado.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
Columbia Man Sentenced for Role in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. – James Brewer, 36, of Columbia was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of fentanyl.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on April 22, 2022, Brewer and the victim, R.B., discussed the exchange of drugs and that Brewer sent R.B. a picture with a syringe loaded with the drugs, which Brewer subsequently gave to R.B. When Brewer had not heard back from the victim, he drove down the road where he knew R.B. had planned to use the drugs and found R.B. unresponsive in his vehicle. Paramedics responded, but R.B. later died. The pathology report determined the victim’s cause of death was mixed drug toxicity including toxic levels of fentanyl. The pathologist stated but for the fentanyl in the R.B.’s body, he most likely would not have died.
United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis sentenced Brewer to 120 months in prison to be followed by three years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Major prosecuted the case.
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Colombian Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Colombian man pleaded guilty yesterday to illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Fabian Lopez Mejia, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Oct. 22, 2024. In June 2024, Lopez Mejia was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Lopez Mejia was previously removed from the United States in November 2019. Sometime after his removal, Lopez Mejia returned to the United States. In October 2023, Lopez Mejia pled guilty in Suffolk Superior Court to one count of possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance and one count of forgery/misuse of an RMV document.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Channel One Russia TV Contributor Charged with Violating U.S. Sanctions, Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Dimitri Simes, 76, and Anastasia Simes, 55, both of Huntly, Virginia, and Russia, are charged by indictments with two separate schemes to violate U.S. sanctions. The indictments were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen, and FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office.
The first indictment alleges that Dimitri and Anastasia Simes participated in a scheme to violate U.S. sanctions for the benefit of sanctioned Russian broadcaster Channel One Russia and to launder funds obtained from that scheme. Channel One Russia, a state-owned Russian television station, was sanctioned by OFAC on May 8, 2022, for being owned or controlled by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, the Government of the Russian Federation.
From at least in or around June 2022 through the present, Dimitri Simes, Anastasia Simes, and others allegedly participated in a scheme to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), by providing services to Channel One Russia, including by serving as a presenter and producer of programming, and by receiving over $1 million, a personal car and driver, a stipend for an apartment in Moscow, Russia, and a team of ten employees from Channel One Russia following its designation by OFAC. The indictment alleges that Dimitri Simes and Anastasia Simes also engaged in a scheme to commit money laundering, knowing the transactions were intended to conceal the proceeds of IEEPA violations.
“These defendants allegedly violated sanctions that were put in place in response to Russia’s illegal aggression in Ukraine,” said US Attorney Graves. “Such violations harm our national security interests—a fact that Dimitri Simes, with the deep experience he gained in national affairs after fleeing the Soviet Union and becoming a U.S. citizen, should have uniquely appreciated.”
Dimitri and Anastasia Simes maintain a home in Huntly, Virginia. They remain at large and are believed to be in Russia. They are each charged with one count of conspiracy to violate IEEPA, one count of violating IEEPA, and one count of conspiracy to commit international money laundering, each of which each carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
A second indictment alleges that Anastasia Simes further participated in a scheme to violate U.S. sanctions for the benefit of, and to receive funds from, sanctioned oligarch Aleksandr Yevgenyevich Udodov. Udodov was sanctioned by OFAC on February 23, 2023, for operating or having operated in the management consulting sector of the Russian Federation economy. Between at least February 2023 and the present, Anastasia Simes and others allegedly participated in a scheme to violate IEEPA by purchasing art and antiques for the benefit of Udovov from galleries and auction houses in the United States and Europe, and having the items shipped to her residence in Huntly, Virginia, where they were stored for onward shipment to Russia. In return, Anastasia Simes was reimbursed and received a service fee. The indictment alleges that Anastasia Simes also engaged in a scheme to commit money laundering, knowing the transactions were intended to conceal the proceeds of IEEPA violations.
(Below are photographs of some of the art and antiques intended for Udodov and stored in Anastasia and Dimtiri Simes’s residence.)
In connection with this scheme, Anastasia Simes is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate IEEPA, one count of violating IEEPA, and one count of conspiracy to commit international money laundering, each of which each carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office is investigating both cases. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Hughes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Menno Goedman and Sean O’Dowd of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The case is part of the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions, and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. The task force leverages all the Department’s tools and authorities against efforts to evade or undermine the economic actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.
simesa_indictment_signed.pdf simes_d_a_indictment_24-cr-404_signed.pdfCanadian man extradited from Spain on international money laundering chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Houssam El-Atat, 44, of Montreal, Canada, was extradited from Spain and made an initial appearance today on a criminal complaint charging him with conspiracy to engage in international money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in February 2021, an individual in Buffalo, NY, (Victim 1) and a marine sales company (Vendor 1) engaged in email communication regarding the purchase of a boat. These communications included specifications, pricing, and payment. In March 2021, Victim 1 received an email from the person he believed to be Vendor 1 with wiring instructions for payment. Victim 1 arranged for the full amount ($295,373.75) to be wired to Vendor 1’s company through a Bank of America account. Victim 1 subsequently learned that Vendor 1 had not received the $295,373.75 and that the wiring instructions provided to him for payment were fraudulent. After reviewing the email correspondence between himself and Vendor 1, Victim 1 realized his email account had been compromised.
Subsequent investigation by the FBI determined that the Bank of America account where $295,373.75 was deposited was owned by an individual named A.Z., who was unaware that the funds he received from Victim 1 were the result of fraudulent activity. A.Z. stated to the FBI that he received the funds from an individual who claimed that he owed A.Z.’s recently deceased father $100,000 and was resolving the debt. Then, at the request of the individual, A.Z. sent $180,200.00 of the funds to an account at La Caisse Centrale Desjardins Bank in Canada. Bank records indicate that the funds were then rapidly disbursed to a number of apparent shell companies before being distributed to El-Atat.
El-Atat made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was held pending a detention hearing on September 13, 2024. Today’s initial appearance follows the successful extradition of El-Atat from Spain. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Spanish authorities to secure his arrest and extradition.
The complaint is the result of of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the supervision of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. Additional assistance was provided by the Sûreté du Québec Provincial Police.
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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Camden Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Martrell Johnson-Cooke, 28, and Krishawn Shykeice Allen, 23, both of Camden, were sentenced to 10 years and seven years in federal prison, respectively, after pleading guilty to attempted possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
In 2021, law enforcement received information that Johnson-Cooke was a drug distributor attempting to purchase kilogram quantities of narcotics. An undercover agent, posing as a dealer, contacted Johnson-Cooke, who expressed interest in fentanyl and methamphetamine. Johnson-Cooke inquired about the cost of a kilogram of fentanyl, and the agent told him $30,000. Two months later, Johnson-Cooke contacted the agent to arrange the purchase of one kilogram of fentanyl, five ounces of cocaine, and two pounds of methamphetamine. They agreed to meet on May 20, 2021, in Columbia.
On May 20, Johnson-Cooke arrived at the agreed upon location with $35,000 in cash, two armed associates, and three people to test the drugs he intended to buy. Allen accompanied Johnson-Cooke inside the establishment to meet with the agent, acting as security for Johnson-Cooke and the cash. As Johnson-Cooke gave the money to the agent, Richland County deputies intervened and arrested the two men. Allen tried to run, and a loaded gun fell out of his back pocket. Allen is a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger-Lewis sentenced Johnson-Cooke to 120 months imprisonment, followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. Judge Lewis sentenced Allen to 84 months imprisonment, followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore is prosecuting the case.
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California Man Sentenced for Possessing Cocaine at Omaha Bus StationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Fernando Aguirre-Quintero, age 25, of Laguna, California, was sentenced September 5, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for possession with intent to deliver 500 grams or more of cocaine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Aguirre-Quintero to 90 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Aguirre-Quintero’s release from prison, he will begin a 4-year term of supervised release.
On March 1, 2023, Aguirre-Quintero got off a bus at the Trailways Bus Station in downtown Omaha. A DEA task force officer began a conversation with Aguirre-Quintero. When the task force officer asked to see Aguirre-Quintero’s bus ticket, Aguirre-Quintero told the officer he snuck onto the bus without a ticket. Dispatch advised that Aguirre-Quintero had a prior drug-related arrest.
The task force officer conducted a canine sniff of Aguirre-Quintero’s backpack, and the canine positively alerted to the scent of narcotics. The backpack was searched pursuant to a warrant. Five sealed packages containing approximately one kilogram of cocaine each were seized.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Nebraska State Patrol. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office chemistry division assisted with forensic testing of the drugs seized.
Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Escape from Residential Re-Entry CenterRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to leaving a residential re-entry center where he was serving the remainder of his federal sentence for drug possession.
Derek Rego, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of escape before U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton who scheduled sentencing for Dec. 12, 2024. In September 2020, Rego was indicted by a federal grand jury.
In September 2012, Rego was sentenced in federal court in Boston to 120 months in prison for distribution of cocaine. On Jan. 8, 2020, Rego was transferred from a correctional institution to a residential re-entry center (“RRC”) in Boston to serve the remainder of his sentence until his release date in June 5, 2020.
Prior to that date, in October 2019, Rego signed the furlough application which notified him, in part, that while on furlough status, he remains in the custody of the Attorney General. While residing at the RRC, Rego was permitted to work and was employed. On March 25, 2020, after informing the RRC that two co-workers tested positive for COVID-19, Rego was instructed to quarantine for 14 days at an approved “pass site” location and told that he would receive random phone calls and pass site visits to ensure his compliance. Rego was informed that after his 14-day quarantine ended on April 9, 2020, he was required to return to the RRC. Initially, Rego was compliant. However, on April 3, 2020, RRC staff attempted an in-person spot check at Rego’s temporary pass site and placed several calls to Rego’s landline and personal cell phone with negative results. Rego never returned to the RRC and his whereabouts were unknown for almost one month. On May 4, 2020, Rego was arrested in Boston on unrelated state domestic violence charges.
The charging statute provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian Kyes, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Boone County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kevin Wayne Britton, 54, of Danville, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 1, 2023, Britton sold a Savage model 67F 12-gauge shotgun and a Hoban Manufacturing model 45 .22-caliber rifle for $250 to a confidential informant in the South Charleston area. Britton also sold 1,000 rounds of .22-caliber ammunition to the confidential informant the previous day.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Britton knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior felony conviction for obstruction of justice in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on November 15, 2012.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams 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. 2:24-cr-30.
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Beckley Woman Sentenced for Federal Theft CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jennifer Douglas, 48, of Beckley, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation and ordered to pay $168,729.13 in restitution for theft from federal programs.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2018, Douglas was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Citizens Conservation Corp (CCC), a non-profit organization, when it obtained $111,221.09 from the United States Department of Interior National Park Service (NPS). As part of a cooperative agreement with NPS, CCC was supposed to use the funds it obtained to recruit, hire, place, and pay two interns who would perform work at the Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation for 13 months.
Douglas admitted that CCC did not hire or place an intern under the task agreement for which it received the federal funds, most of which was to be used for intern wages. Douglas instead directed an accountant to draw down $108,752.60 of the obligated federal funds and intentionally misapplied those funds, by fraudulently converting them to CCC’s use. Douglas admitted that she directed that the federal funds be used for unallowable operating expenses for CCC. Douglas further admitted that she did so with the approval of and at the direction of CCC Chief Executive Officer Robert Martin.
Douglas ran CCC’s day-to-day operations as COO and was responsible for managing its various departments. All department heads reported to Douglas, and she reported only to Martin. CCC’s primary source of income from in or around 1998 until in or around the summer of 2018 had been a multimillion-dollar contract with the State of West Virginia to operate the Courtesy Patrol roadside assistance service. CCC lost the Courtesy Patrol contract in the summer of 2018.
Douglas admitted that she was aware that CCC was extremely financially unstable after CCC lost the Courtesy Patrol contract. Douglas further admitted that her position as COO gave her, in conjunction with and at the direction of Martin, the ability to fraudulently convert and intentionally misapply the federal funds for CCC’s use. Douglas also admitted that, at Martin’s direction, she drew down approximately $59,978.13 from other incomplete task agreements under the cooperative agreement with NPS and intentionally misapplied and/or fraudulently converted those funds as well.
Martin, 67, of Beckley, pleaded guilty on January 12, 2024, to fraudulent receipt of property from a debtor. Martin admitted to paying himself without authorization while CEO of CCC after it filed for bankruptcy on April 3, 2019. Martin further admitted that CCC knowingly misspent the $108,752.60 had received from NPS under the cooperative agreement. Martin was sentenced on June 28, 2024, to five years of federal probation and ordered to pay $205,802.49 in restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Department of Interior-Office of Inspector General (DOI-OIG).
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Holly Wilson and Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-141.
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Arrest Made in Connection with Discarded Gun that Killed Washington D.C. Police OfficerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tyrell Lamont Bailey, 27, of Hillcrest Heights, Maryland, was arrested last night and charged by criminal complaint with multiple counts in connection with a handgun he discarded along I-295 in Northeast Washington D.C. The firearm later discharged and killed Investigator Wayne David, 52, an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge James VanVliet of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Bailey had an initial appearance this afternoon in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia. He is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and unlawfully discarding a firearm and ammunition.
According to court documents, members of the MPD Robbery Suppression Unit (RSU) were patrolling in the area of the 1600 block of Kenilworth Ave. NE, about 5:30 p.m. on August 28, 2024, when they spotted a man with long black dreadlocks sprint away from them. As he fled, the man held the waistband of his shorts in a manner consistent with carrying a concealed firearm. The officers gave chase as the man ran through the DC Public Housing Complex on the 4400 block of Quarles Street and then jumped a retaining wall that borders Interstate 295. Officers saw the man drop something into a storm drain on the shoulder of southbound lane of the highway. The man then ran further, crossed to the northbound side of the interstate, flagged down a passing motorcyclist, and fled the area going northbound riding on the back of the motorcycle.
Investigator Wayne David attempted to recover the firearm from the storm drain. While doing so, the firearm discharged and killed him. Technicians from the Department of Forensic Sciences responded to scene about 7 p.m., removed the metal grate covering the storm drain, and recovered a Smith & Wesson M+P Shield 40, .40 caliber handgun with an obliterated serial number. DFS also recovered a white shoe from the southbound side of I-295 near Quarles Street NE where the man was captured by video jumping over the wall.
Detectives were later able to identify the defendant through a review of related video surveillance.
This case is being investigated by the ATF's NIBIN Investigations Unit which includes members of the ATF and MPD. Valuable assistance is being provided by the FBI Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle McWaters.
A criminal indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
24mj282Arizona Man Sentenced to 8.5 Years in Prison for Role in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Peoria, Arizona, was sentenced in federal court to 102 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Colby Barrow, 30.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around August 2021 to in and around June 2023, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Barrow conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. Barrow was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of fentanyl that he distributed to others.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Barrow. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and other local law enforcement agencies.
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.
Angola Man Sentenced to 194 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Brian Ray, 46 years old, of Angola, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady, after pleading guilty to distribution of child sexual abuse material, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Ray was sentenced to 194 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, between March and April 2023, Ray distributed images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security with assistance from the Indiana State Police, the Steuben County Indiana Sheriff’s Office, the Angola, Indiana Police Department, and the Ashley, Indiana Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Albany Man Sentenced to 188 Months for Armed Robbery of a Drug Dealer in GuilderlandRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jorge L. Rosario, age 54, of Albany, was sentenced today to 188 months in prison for robbing a marijuana dealer and brandishing a pistol in furtherance of the robbery at the dealer’s Guilderland residence.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Guilderland Police Chief Daniel P. McNally made the announcement.
As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Rosario admitted that on January 23, 2022, at about 5 a.m., he and Alexander G. Madera, armed with a pistol and a rifle, respectively, entered a single-family residence in Guilderland with the goal of robbing a marijuana dealer. After entering the residence, Rosario remained on guard in the living room while Madera robbed the dealer of $172 in drug money, at gunpoint, in the dealer’s bedroom. Before they could leave the residence, however, another resident awoke and encountered Rosario, who pointed his pistol at the resident, warning the resident not to move or say anything. A struggle over the pistol ensued, with other residents joining in. In the course of the struggle, Rosario and Madera were disarmed. They were then restrained until the police arrived and arrested them. Bost have remained in custody since that time.
Chief United States District Judge Branda K. Sannes also ordered that Rosario serve a 5-year term of supervised release following his release from prison. Rosario’s sentence was within a recommended sentencing range and supervised release term that the parties agreed upon in Rosario’s plea agreement.
On June 14, 2024, Chief Judge Sannes sentenced Madera to 85 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by ATF and the Town of Guilderland Police Department, with assistance from the Albany County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
78 Month Sentence for Maryland Man Convicted of Gunpoint Robberies in Georgetown and Glover ParkRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Roberto McBean, 31, of Hyattsville, MD., was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for committing 10 robberies – six of which while armed with a firearm – in Georgetown and Glover Park during a five-month period between August 2023 and January 2024. Moreover, he robbed two of the victims repeatedly with one of the stores being robbed by him three separate times, including at gunpoint on Thanksgiving.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
McBean, who formerly worked for the Architect of the Capitol, admitted to committing all 10 robberies. He pleaded guilty on April 26, 2024, to four counts of interference with interstate commerce by robbery (aka Hobbs Act robbery) before U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Kollar-Kotelly ordered McBean to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on August 22, 2023, McBean first used a small hammer to rob a Sunoco gas station on the 2400 block of Wisconsin Ave., NW. McBean told the store clerk: “don't touch anything, don't say anything, this is hard for me.” He then ordered the store clerk to open register, which McBean then emptied entirely.
On August 31, 2023, McBean used a small vegetable knife to rob the Georgetown Wine and Spirits on the 2700 block of P street, NW. After checking for customers, McBean pointed the blade at the employee working the counter and demanded both the money from the register as well as the employee’s wallet. On the way out of the store, he grabbed a bottle of red wine. On September 18, 2023, McBean was stymied when he brandished a knife at the Universal Wine and Spirits on the 2000 block of Florida Ave. A customer saw what was happening and barked, “Not today, Get out!” McBean fled without taking any cash.
On November 23, 2023, on Thanksgiving Thursday, McBean wore a mask and gloves and entered the Glover Park Market on the 2400 block of 37th Street, NW. Armed with a black firearm, he robbed the register of cash. McBean would later rob this store three more times. On December 8, 2023, McBean entered an Exxon gas station in Georgetown, on the 1600 block of Wisconsin Ave., NW, produced a gun, and left with a small amount of money. On December 8, 2023, McBean returned to the Sunoco gas station on Wisconsin Ave., produced his firearm, and ordered the employee to empty the register in a bag. On December 16, 2023, McBean returned to the Glover Park Market, where the same individual he had robbed at gunpoint on Thanksgiving was on duty. McBean went behind the counter, opened the register, and took the cash, multiple lottery tickets, and a plastic bag.
On December 20, 2023, McBean returned to the Georgetown Wine and Spirits shop and ordered an employee to empty the register. The employee told McBean that he didn’t have a key to the register. McBean pulled out a gun and again demanded money. The employee picked up the entire register and handed it to McBean. McBean fumbled with the machine before handing it back. Unsuccessful, McBean left the store.
On January 4, 2024, McBean entered Sara’s Market and Dry Cleaners on the 3000 block of Q Street NW. McBean picked up a bottle of wine, set it on the counter, brandished a firearm, and demanded cash. The employee said the market did not accept cash. Flustered, McBean went back over to the shelf of wine and asked where the red wine was located. When the clerk pointed out that he had already grabbed red wine, he took the bottle and left the store without paying for it.
On January 5, 2024, McBean once again returned to the Glover Park Market armed with a handgun and ordered an employee to fill a bag with cash. In addition to the money, McBean took lottery tickets and two packs of cigarettes. On January 8, 2024, at 6:06 p.m., McBean, once again wearing gloves and a mask, returned to the Glover Park Market for the fourth time. The store employee on duty recognized him as the same person who had robbed her on Thanksgiving and December 16, 2023.
Then a police officer spotted McBean as he left the store and noticed he matched the description of a perpetrator from previous robberies from the market. The officer was able to identify the license plate from the vehicle McBean used to leave the scene, which led to his eventual arrest and indictment later that month.
Agents with the FBI’s Washington Field Office arrested McBean on January 26, 2024.
Because each of the six stores that McBean robbed bought and sold goods in interstate commerce, McBean’s actions in each of the robberies delayed, obstructed, or affected interstate commerce.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Ryan Lipes and Omeed A. Assefi.
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Washington man sentenced to more than six years in prison for trafficking meth, fentanyl; illegal possession of firearm in Havre areaRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Washington man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl pills in the Havre area and to illegally possessing a gun was sentenced on Tuesday to six years and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
The defendant, Travis Lee Brown, 42, of Yakima, Washington, pleaded guilty in April to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that in 2022, Brown worked as a meth and fentanyl distributor who was selling drugs from a hotel in Havre and sending proceeds back to Mexico. In October 2022, law enforcement saw Brown load a bag into the trunk of a car in which he was a passenger. After a traffic stop, law enforcement executed a search warrant on the vehicle and found a bag that contained 1,275 fentanyl pills, a small amount of meth and a 9mm pistol that Brown was seen holding in photographs. At the time of sentencing, Brown had been convicted of illegally possessing a firearm or being a felon in possession of a firearm five times since 2006.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Tri-Agency Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives 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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Utah Man Accused of Shooting a Friend Because He Wanted to Drive is Facing Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging a Salt Lake County man with multiple violent crimes after he allegedly shot another man inside a vehicle after an argument.
According to court documents, Maxwell Archibald, 21, of Taylorsville, Utah, fired a handgun at a passenger he was in a vehicle with on August 14, 2024. As alleged in the affidavit, officers with the Unified Police Department responded to an incident in progress at a Maverik gas station in Midvale, Utah. Upon police officers’ arrival, the shooting victim stated he was with two friends, the owner of the vehicle and Archibald. According to the shooting victim, an argument ensued between Archibald and the owner of the vehicle over who was going to drive the vehicle. The shooting victim intervened, and a physical altercation took place inside the vehicle between the shooting victim and Archibald. Archibald then brandished a handgun and fired at the victim but missed. Archibald fired at him again, shooting him in the arm. The shooting victim and the owner of the vehicle then fled from the vehicle and Archibald drove off in the vehicle.
According to court documents, the owner of the vehicle called police and reported the vehicle as stolen. When law enforcement attempted to stop Archibald, he fled. Subsequently, Archibald crashed the car and was taken into custody after a foot chase and short struggle. Police recovered a firearm that matched the one used against the victims.
Archibald is charged with carjacking, and using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. His initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled September 5, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda for the Office the District of Utah is 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.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Kicks Off Gun Safety Initiative at Sept. 19 ProgramRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – To help keep children, teens, and communities safe, the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio has launched an awareness and education initiative to inform the public about the importance of securing firearms and storing them safely. As part of this initiative, the USAO is partnering with the Richmond Heights Police Department to present an information session, “Safe Gun Storage Saves Lives,” Thursday, Sept.19, from 6-7:30 p.m., at the Richmond Heights Community Center, 27285 Highland Rd., Richmond Heights, OH 44120.
The City of Richmond Heights will host the program, but residents of all communities are invited to attend. Topics include data and trends regarding firearms-related accidents and self-imposed harm, focusing on children and teens in particular; the connection between these tragedies and unsafe firearms-storage practices; the effects that such tragedies have on both individual families and the broader public; a gun lock demonstration and distribution; and steps to help prevent firearms-related tragedies by following and encouraging safe firearms-storage practices.
The program features several speakers: U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio; firearms safety advocate Michelle Bell, the founder of M-Pac Cleveland, a local organization that aims to connect and support families affected by gun accidents and violence; MetroHealth Injury Prevention and Outreach Coordinator Anthony Zalewski, RN; Richmond Heights Police Chief Calvin Williams; and Richmond Heights Mayor Kim Thomas.
As part of the program, local police officers will distribute free gun locks; attendees will not need to provide any personal information to receive one. Officers will also exhibit other types of safe storage devices, demonstrate how to use them, and individually discuss safe storage options with attendees.
“When you make the choice to own a firearm, you owe it to your neighbors to do so responsibly. As a whole, our community must do a better job to ensure that we store firearms in a safe manner, where a curious child or a despondent adolescent cannot readily access them. In April, a three-year-old child in Brunswick died from a gunshot wound after he found a gun in his own home, and accidentally discharged it while playing with it. Just a month later, in May, a two-year-old toddler in Euclid similarly died when he accidentally shot himself after he found a firearm in his home. And just last week, a five-year-old boy in Utah died after—once again—finding his parent’s gun and accidentally shooting himself. Every one of these tragedies could have been prevented,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Instead, these children—and the thousands of people of all ages who use firearms to take their own lives each year—are gone, and their families’ lives are irrevocably changed. In launching this initiative, our goal is to protect children, at-risk teens, and young adults from grave danger in homes where firearms are present. Our kids’ safety is everyone’s joint responsibility.”
The Safe Storage campaign’s message coincides with National Suicide Prevention Month, recognized annually each September by the National Institute of Mental Health. The number of firearm-related suicides rose nationally by 20% across the population from 2012 to 2022. The highest increases were found among younger people, according to fatal injury data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
The risk of accidents also increases when firearms are easy to find and access. From 2003 to 2021, 85% of children fatally injured were located at a house or apartment, and 56% of incidents occurred in their own homes, according to the CDC report “Unintentional Firearm Injury Deaths Among Children and Adolescents Aged 0-17 Years.” More than 70% of firearms used were stored loaded, and nearly 80% of firearms were stored unlocked and easily found on a bed, under a pillow, under a mattress, or inside or on top of a nightstand, according to the report.
“We’re calling on our community partners and the public to help us spread awareness of these largely preventable accidents and instances of self-harm,” said U.S. Attorney Lutzko. “Much like seatbelt education helps to save lives of those involved in car accidents, spreading the word about safe storage will help save lives of children, teens, and young adults, who we have a special duty to protect. Our goal is to amplify the message of responsible firearm ownership through this community-centered, public-safety strategy.”
The USAO has posted on its website a host of free community resources discussing safe storage practices and providing tools for community members to spread the word about safe storage practices and help encourage them. Among the items included are bulletin board flyers, adult and child’s safety pledge certificates, and owners’ firearms safety manuals. Visit justice.gov/usao-ndoh/safe-gun-storage to view them. The public is also encouraged to follow the USAO on Facebook (@usaondoh) and X (@NDOHnews) to reshare safe gun storage tips and information throughout the coming weeks.
Additional safe storage community programs are slated to be announced.
Two RT Employees Indicted for Covertly Funding and Directing U.S. Company that Published Thousands of Videos in Furtherance of Russian InterestsRead the Press Release
Note: View the indictment here.
An indictment charging Russian nationals Kostiantyn Kalashnikov, 31, also known as Kostya, and Elena Afanasyeva, 27, also known as Lena, with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and conspiracy to commit money laundering was unsealed today in the Southern District of New York. Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva are at large.
“The Justice Department has charged two employees of RT, a Russian state-controlled media outlet, in a $10 million scheme to create and distribute content to U.S. audiences with hidden Russian government messaging,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will not tolerate attempts by an authoritarian regime to exploit our country’s free exchange of ideas in order to covertly further its own propaganda efforts, and our investigation into this matter remains ongoing.”
“Our approach to combating foreign malign influence is actor-driven, exposing the hidden hand of adversaries pulling strings of influence from behind the curtain," said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “As alleged in today’s indictment, Russian state broadcaster RT and its employees, including the charged defendants, co-opted online commentators by funneling them nearly $10 million to pump pro-Russia propaganda and disinformation across social media to U.S. audiences. The Department will not tolerate foreign efforts to illegally manipulate American public opinion by sowing discord and division.”
“Covert attempts to sow division and trick Americans into unwittingly consuming foreign propaganda represents attacks on our democracy,” said FBI Director Christopher A. Wray. “Today’s actions show that as long as foreign adversaries like Russia keep engaging in hostile influence campaigns, they are going to keep running into the FBI. We will continue to do everything we can to expose the hidden hand of foreign adversaries like Russia and disrupt their efforts to meddle in our free and open society.”
“The Russian government has long sought to sow discord and chaos in the United States through propaganda and foreign malign influence campaigns,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “As alleged, the covert operations by RT employees exploited our free and open press and targeted millions of Americans as unwitting victims of Russia’s psychological warfare.”
“As alleged, the Russian state broadcaster RT orchestrated a massive scheme to influence the American public by secretly planting and financing a content creation company on U.S. soil,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “The instruments of the scheme were RT employees Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, who managed the operation from Moscow using fake personas and shell companies, and the victims of the scheme were the American people, who received Russian messaging without knowing it. As the charges unsealed today demonstrate, this Office will work with our law enforcement partners to unmask and hold accountable all those who conduct malign influence campaigns in the United States, no matter how hard they try to hide their tracks.”
According to the court documents, RT, formerly known as Russia Today, is a state-controlled media outlet funded and directed by the Government of Russia. Over at least the past year, RT and its employees, including Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva, deployed nearly $10 million to covertly finance and direct a Tennessee-based online content creation company (U.S. Company-1). In turn, U.S. Company-1 published English-language videos on multiple social media channels, including TikTok, Instagram, X, and YouTube. Since publicly launching in or about November 2023, U.S. Company-1 has posted nearly 2,000 videos that have garnered more than 16 million views on YouTube alone. Many of the videos posted by U.S. Company-1 contain commentary on events and issues in the U.S., such as immigration, inflation, and other topics related to domestic and foreign policy. While the views expressed in the videos are not uniform, most are directed to the publicly stated goals of the Government of Russia and RT — to amplify domestic divisions in the United States.
In order to carry out RT’s secret influence campaign in the United States, Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva operated under covert identities at U.S. Company-1. Posing as an outside editor, Kalashnikov edited U.S. Company-1 content, monitored U.S. Company-1’s funding and hiring, and introduced Afanasyeva as a member of his purported editing team. Using the fake personas Helena Shudra and Victoria Pesti, Afanasyeva posted and directed the posting by U.S. Company-1 of hundreds of videos. Afanasyeva also collected information from and gave instructions to U.S. Company-1 staff. For example, after the March 22, 2024, terrorist attack on a music venue in Moscow, Afanasyeva asked one of U.S. Company-1’s founders to blame Ukraine and the United States for the attack, writing: “I think we can focus on the Ukraine/U.S. angle. . . . [T]he mainstream media spread fake news that ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack yet ISIS itself never made such statements. All terrorists are now detained while they were heading to the border with Ukraine which makes it even more suspicious why they would want to go to Ukraine to hide.”
Between in or about October 2023 and in or about August 2024, RT sent wire transfers to U.S. Company-1 totaling approximately $9.7 million, which represented nearly 90% of U.S. Company-1’s bank deposits from all sources combined. The wires were sent from shell companies in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Mauritius, and were often accompanied by wire notes ascribing the payments to the purchase of electronics. For example, the wire note for a $318,800 wire payment from a shell entity in Turkey to U.S. Company-1 on March 1, read: “BUYING GOODS-INV.013-IPHONE 15 PRO MAX 512GB.”
U.S. Company-1 never disclosed to its viewers that it was funded and directed by RT. Nor did U.S. Company-1 or its two founders register with the Attorney General as an agent of a foreign principal.
Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva both of Russia, are charged with conspiracy to violate FARA, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Li and Juliana Murray for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney Brett Reynolds of the Justice Department’s National Security Division Counterintelligence and Export Control Section 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.
Two RT Employees Indicted for Covertly Funding and Directing U.S. Company That Published Thousands of Videos in Furtherance of Russian InterestsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Merrick B. Garland, the Attorney General of the United States; Lisa Monaco, the Deputy Attorney General of the United States; Matthew G. Olsen, the Assistant Attorney General for National Security; Christopher A. Wray, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); and Christie M. Curtis, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging Russian nationals KOSTIANTYN KALASHNIKOV, a/k/a “Kostya,” and ELENA AFANASYEVA, a/k/a “Lena,” with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”) and conspiracy to commit money laundering. KALASHNIKOV and AFANASYEVA are at large.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the Russian state broadcaster RT orchestrated a massive scheme to influence the American public by secretly planting and financing a content creation company on U.S. soil. The instruments of the scheme were RT employees Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, who managed the operation from Moscow using fake personas and shell companies, and the victims of the scheme were the American people, who received Russian messaging without knowing it. As the charges unsealed today demonstrate, this Office will work with our law enforcement partners to unmask and hold accountable all those who conduct malign influence campaigns in the United States, no matter how hard they try to hide their tracks.”
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: “The Justice Department has charged two employees of RT, a Russian state-controlled media outlet, in a $10 million scheme to create and distribute content to U.S. audiences with hidden Russian government messaging. The Justice Department will not tolerate attempts by an authoritarian regime to exploit our country’s free exchange of ideas in order to covertly further its own propaganda efforts, and our investigation into this matter remains ongoing.”
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said: “Our approach to combating foreign malign influence is actor-driven, exposing the hidden hand of adversaries pulling strings of influence from behind the curtain. As alleged in today’s indictment, Russian state broadcaster RT and its employees, including the charged defendants, co-opted online commentators by funneling them nearly $10 million to pump pro-Russia propaganda and disinformation across social media to U.S. audiences. The Department will not tolerate foreign efforts to illegally manipulate American public opinion by sowing discord and division.”
FBI Director Christopher A. Wray said: “Covert attempts to sow division and trick Americans into unwittingly consuming foreign propaganda represent attacks on our democracy. Today’s actions show that as long as foreign adversaries like Russia keep engaging in hostile influence campaigns, they are going to keep running into the FBI. We will continue to do everything we can to expose the hidden hand of foreign adversaries like Russia and disrupt their efforts to meddle in our free and open society.”
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen said: “The Russian government has long sought to sow discord and chaos in the United States through propaganda and foreign malign influence campaigns. As alleged, the covert operations by RT employees exploited our free and open press and targeted millions of Americans as unwitting victims of Russia’s psychological warfare.”
FBI Acting Assistant Director Christie M. Curtis said: “As alleged in the indictment, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva conspired with others to build a U.S.-based content creation company, which was secretly funded, directed, and controlled by RT – a Russian state-owned media enterprise. They concealed the true nature of the company in order to covertly influence millions of American viewers. The American public deserves to know when the online content it sees is generated and paid for by a hostile foreign government. Investigating and dismantling foreign malign influence operations attempting to manipulate public opinion is central to the FBI's work to protect the American people.”
As alleged in the Indictment:[1]
RT, formerly known as “Russia Today,” is a state-controlled media outlet funded and directed by the Government of Russia. Over at least the past year, RT and its employees, including KALASHNIKOV and AFANASYEVA, deployed nearly $10 million to covertly finance and direct a Tennessee-based online content creation company (“U.S. Company-1”). In turn, U.S. Company-1 published English-language videos on multiple social media channels, including TikTok, Instagram, X, and YouTube. Since publicly launching in or about November 2023, U.S. Company-1 has posted nearly 2,000 videos that have garnered more than 16 million views on YouTube alone. Many of the videos posted by U.S. Company-1 contain commentary on events and issues in the U.S., such as immigration, inflation, and other topics related to domestic and foreign policy. While the views expressed in the videos are not uniform, most are directed to the publicly stated goals of the Government of Russia and RT — to amplify domestic divisions in the U.S.
In order to carry out RT’s secret influence campaign in the U.S., KALASHNIKOV and AFANASYEVA operated under covert identities at U.S. Company-1. Posing as an outside editor, KALASHNIKOV edited U.S. Company-1’s content, monitored U.S. Company-1’s funding and hiring, and introduced AFANASYEVA as a member of his purported editing team. Using the fake personas “Helena Shudra” and “Victoria Pesti,” AFANASYEVA posted and directed the posting by U.S. Company-1 of hundreds of videos. AFANASYEVA also collected information from and gave instructions to U.S. Company-1 staff. For example, after the March 22, 2024, terrorist attack on a music venue in Moscow, AFANASYEVA asked one of U.S. Company-1’s founders to blame Ukraine and the U.S. for the attack, writing: “I think we can focus on the Ukraine/U.S. angle. . . . [T]he mainstream media spread fake news that ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack yet ISIS itself never made such statements. All terrorists are now detained while they were heading to the border with Ukraine which makes it even more suspicious why they would want to go to Ukraine to hide.”
Between in or about October 2023 and in or about August 2024, RT sent wire transfers to U.S. Company-1 totaling approximately $9.7 million, which represented nearly 90% of U.S. Company-1’s bank deposits from all sources combined. The wires were sent from shell companies in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Mauritius, and were often accompanied by wire notes ascribing the payments to the purchase of electronics. For example, the wire note for a $318,800 wire payment from a shell entity in Turkey to U.S. Company-1 on March 1, 2024, read: “BUYING GOODS-INV.013-IPHONE 15 PRO MAX 512GB.”
Neither U.S. Company-1, nor Founder-1, nor Founder-2 has ever registered with the Attorney General as an agent of a foreign principal.
* * *
KALASHNIKOV, 31, and AFANASYEVA, 27, both of Russia, are charged with conspiracy to violate FARA, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence 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 defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Counterintelligence Division of the FBI’s New York Field Office. Mr. Williams also thanked the FBI’s Memphis Field Office, the FBI’s Miami Field Office, the financial investigators of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Li and Juliana Murray are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Brett Reynolds of the Justice Department’s National Security Division Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Three-Time Federal Defendant Sentenced to 12 Years’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on September 3, 2024, Ramone J. Locke, Sr. (age: 37) of Milwaukee, was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment, followed by four years’ supervised release.
According to court records, a proactive law enforcement investigation revealed that Locke was supplying cocaine traffickers operating on Milwaukee’s North Side. That investigation culminated in Locke’s arrest in June 2022, with two kilograms of cocaine hidden inside a secret compartment in his car. As part of Locke’s guilty plea in this case, he admitted that his drug trafficking with this group involved five-to-fifteen kilograms of cocaine. Locke had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including federal convictions for money laundering involving cocaine and using a telephone in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Before imposing sentence, United States District Judge Lynn Adelman found that Locke had obstructed justice while this case was pending, by attempting to intimidate a witness against him. Judge Adelman also found that Locke had supervised others beneath him in the drug distribution trade.
Court records also revealed that Locke was also involved with violence or threatening violence, messaging with his family members regarding firearms; their rivals; and Locke’s intention to “kill” another individual himself.
“Despite prior federal convictions, Mr. Locke returned to drug trafficking and to conduct involving firearms, violence, and witness intimidation,” said U.S. Attorney Haanstad. “The sentence imposed in this case was the direct result of tireless work by federal, state, and local law enforcement – all of whom are dedicated to making the Eastern District of Wisconsin as safe as possible for everyone who lives and works here.”
“The severity of this sentence illustrates the importance of holding accountable those who threaten the community with violence and drug trafficking” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon of the Chicago Field Division. “I commend the Milwaukee Police Department and Racine County Sheriff’s Office for their diligence in investigating this case and the United States Attorney’s Office for prosecuting it.”
Sheriff Schmaling stated, “I am extremely proud of the work done by the deputies involved in this case. From a simple traffic stop, the deputy performed an interview of the driver who gave answers that aroused the deputy’s suspicions. The back-up deputy used K9 Zeke to establish probable cause of the presence of contraband, and the deputies thoroughly and meticulously searched the vehicle – ultimately defeating a sophisticated trap compartment to locate four and a half pounds of cocaine. It is impossible to measure the number of lives saved by these deputies, the subsequent prosecution, and ultimately conviction of this dangerous criminal.”
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Milwaukee Police Department, and the Racine County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine Halopka-Ivery and Kevin Knight.
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Three Indicted for Conspiracy to Launder over $1 Million from Online Fraud ScamsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Three alleged conspirators – Chidi Olujie, 36, a Nigerian citizen and resident of Maryland and the District of Columbia, Jennifer Chibueze, 36, a Nigerian citizen and resident of Maryland, and Jessica Nortey, 32, a Ghanaian citizen and resident of Maryland – are charged with conspiring to launder over $1 million in proceeds from a romance scam and other online frauds, according to an indictment unsealed today.
The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
“Online fraud schemes require people who are willing and able to launder the money stolen through these schemes,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Today’s indictment reflects our commitment to aggressively prosecute the launderers whom we believe are enabling the fraudsters.”
"In today's digital world, online scams are innumerable, so the FBI encourages you to remain vigilant whenever you're banking, shopping, or looking for a relationship online. The defendants in this case allegedly conspired to launder over $1 million in proceeds from multiple victims using various fraud schemes. Their indictment demonstrates the FBI's commitment to investigating fraudsters no matter what type of scam they perpetrate."
As charged in the indictment, between 2016 and 2019, Olujie, Chibueze, and Nortey each played roles in laundering the proceeds of different online scams. Among other things, they allegedly created companies and bank accounts that they then used to move and launder money obtained in fraud schemes, which included:
- $774,150 from a victim of an online romance scam in 2017 through 2018;
- $84,320 from victims who believed they were consummating a business transaction in 2018;
- $140,000 stolen from a victim’s bank account in 2019; and
- over $37,000 in funds misdirected from a victim company in 2019 as a result of an email hack – commonly referred to as a “business email compromise” scheme.
Each of the defendants are charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and aggravated identity theft. If convicted, the defendants would face up to 20 years in prison on the money laundering conspiracy counts and an additional two years on the identity theft counts.
Online fraud comes in many forms. Business email compromise (BEC) scams typically involve a combination of computer intrusion techniques and social engineering to misdirect a transfer of funds into a bank account controlled by the fraudsters. For example, conspirators might hack a victim company’s computers, monitor their emails, and then use the knowledge they gain to trick customers into sending their payments to a bank account controlled by the conspirators rather than the company’s real account. Romance scams involve impersonating a person who pretends to express romantic interest in a victim in order to build trust over time during an online relationship; scammers then later trick that victim into transferring funds, believing they are helping their romantic interest.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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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Tennessee Man Indicted on Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Kenneth Ray Frye, 51, of Kingsport, Tennessee, was indicted by a federal grand jury today on methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl charges.
Frye was charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to the court documents, Frye fled from an attempted traffic stop in Fairmont, West Virginia. After a short pursuit and Frye’s arrest, officers discovered that Frye was in possession of a large amount of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl.
Frye faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison for the methamphetamine charge and faces up to 20 years for each remaining charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Three Rivers Drug Task Force and the Fairmont Police Department investigated.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
South Florida Couple Plead Guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death of Baby and to Being Felons in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A couple from Lake Worth, Fla., pled guilty to distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a baby and for being felons in unlawful possession of firearms.
Today, Samantha Yi, 32, pled guilty to a superseding indictment charging Yi and her boyfriend Darnell Mendez with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Mendez, 31, pled guilty to the same offenses on July 25. Their guilty pleas follow a long-term joint investigation by the Boynton Beach Police Department (BBPD), the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) after the death of a 10-month-old infant in Boynton Beach who ingested fentanyl.
On March 31, 2022, PBSO responded to a 911 call of an infant in distress. The infant was transported to Bethesda Hospital East in Boynton Beach, Fla., with her mother. On April 1, 2022, the baby was transferred to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Fla. On April 5, 2022, the baby died. An autopsy conducted by the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner determined that the baby’s death was caused by fentanyl intoxication and that her manner of death was homicide.
The BBPD conducted a homicide investigation during which law enforcement recovered fentanyl at the baby’s home. The investigation determined that the baby’s mother and father were addicts and had been abusing fentanyl regularly in the kitchen of their apartment. The investigation also determined that the baby was teething and ingested fentanyl on March 31, 2022, while in the care of her mother, and while her father was at work. The mother was arrested by the BBPD and charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child by culpable negligence.
DEA joined the investigation to identify the drug dealers that were responsible for the distribution of the fentanyl that killed the baby. Through data and information retrieved from the mother’s cellphone, law enforcement was able to identify Yi as the drug dealer. The investigation uncovered months of electronic communications exchanged between Yi and the mother involving drug transactions in which the mother was the customer. The investigation further determined that Yi’s boyfriend, Mendez was also involved in the distribution of fentanyl. Investigators were able to determine that on March 30, 2022, the mother met with Yi in Boynton Beach to purchase fentanyl, and that fentanyl was ingested by the baby resulting in her death.
As part of the joint investigation, DEA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), BBPD, and PBSO conducted an operation involving two undercover officers who purchased fentanyl from Yi and Mendez. The undercover operation culminated in the arrests of Yi and Mendez on March 6, at their residence in Lake Worth, where law enforcement discovered 14 firearms. As part of their pleas, Yi and Mendez admitted being felons unlawfully in possession of firearms.
Both defendants face a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 20 years to a maximum sentence of life. A sentencing hearing for Mendez is set for Oct. 29. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled for Yi.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of DEA, Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of ATF, Miami Field Division, Chief Joe DeGiulio of BBPD, and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of PBSO announced the guilty pleas.
The Office of State Attorney Dave Aronberg for the 15th Judicial Circuit – Palm Beach County provided invaluable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam McMichael and Shannon O’Shea Darsch are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-80041.
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Sex Offender Sentenced to Serve 30 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – MATTHEW RYAN STROBL, 34, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 30 years in federal prison for distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On August 16, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a four-count Indictment against Strobl, charging him with attempted sexual exploitation of a child, attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, commission of a felony sex offense by an individual required to register as a sex offender, and distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography. According to public record, beginning in March 2023, Strobl initiated and maintained contact on a social media app with a Homeland Security Investigations agent, who was undercover portraying a minor female. Despite the agent purporting to be 14 years old, Strobl repeatedly indicated he wanted to have sex with the fictitious minor and continuously asked the agent to send explicit photos. Strobl also sent the agent more than 1,000 child pornography files.
During this same period, Strobl’s phone was confiscated by an Oklahoma Department of Corrections probation officer, who discovered Strobl attempting to procure explicit photos from another minor, on another social media app.
On December 4, 2023, Strobl pleaded guilty to Count 4 of the Indictment, and admitted he distributed child pornography using his cell phone.
At the sentencing hearing on August 29, 2024, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Strobl to serve 30 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, Judge Dishman noted the nature and circumstances of Strobl’s offense and Strobl’s criminal history.
Public record reflects that Strobl has a history of sexually abusing minors, including felony convictions for second degree rape in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2012-2113 and sexual battery in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2018-4518.
This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan Ganz and Brandon Hale prosecuted the case.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Tornado Alley Child Exploitation Task Force. Members of the Task Force in the Western District of Oklahoma include Homeland Security Investigations, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma City Police Department, and Comanche County Police Department. The Tornado Alley Child Exploitation Task Force is an implementation of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Serial Violent Robber Sentenced to over Six Years in Prison for Robbing Multiple Spas at GunpointRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Malden, Mass. man was sentenced yesterday in Boston federal court for his role in the armed robberies of two businesses in which he and two others beat, dragged and duct-taped victims.
Li Wen Tang, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In April of 2024, Tang plead guilty to two counts of robbery affecting commerce, after a jury convicted one of Tang’s co-defendants, Alfeu Barbosa, in March of 2024 for the same offenses. Barbosa was arrested and charged in June 2022. Tang and Jonas Nunez were later arrested and charged in August and September 2022. All three defendants were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury.
On June 12, 2022 at approximately 8:51 p.m., Tang entered the Balance Reflexology Spa in Brookline pretending to be a customer seeking a massage. Because the victim was the only employee in the spa that night, she locked the door before taking Tang into the back room to begin the massage. Tang asked the victim if there was anyone else in the spa and that if there was, he would like to see them. Almost immediately after the massage had begun, Tang claimed that he no longer wanted a massage because his stomach was upset and demanded a refund. The victim employee stated she had to call her boss to approve the refund. While the victim employee was on the phone in the lobby, Tang unlocked the front door and two masked men – later identified as Barbosa and Nunez – entered the business carrying firearms. One of the men hit the victim employee in the face, knocking her to the floor and put a gun to her head. Barbosa and Nunez then pulled the victim by her hair into the back hallway where they instructed her to be quiet. There, the men proceeded to bind the victim’s wrists and ankles with duct tape and gag her. As they were doing this, Barbosa and Nunez repeatedly yelled at the victim asking, “Where is the money?” The men ransacked the spa for roughly three minutes before locating and stealing approximately $500 along with the victim employee’s cell phone and then exiting. Surveillance footage revealed that all three men had arrived in the same vehicle parked nearby, which they drove away in together following the robbery.
Later that evening, at approximately 10:19 p.m. on June 12, 2022, Barbosa, Nunez and an associate of Barbosa committed a similar robbery of May’s Spa Massage in Stoneham. Specifically, they entered the business wearing masks and firearms and duct-taped several victims who were in the spa at the time. In addition to stealing approximately $600 in cash from the business and victims, Barbosa, Nunez and Barbosa’s associate took three cell phones belonging to three of the female victims present during the robbery, as well as a victim’s license, gift cards and credit and debit cards before leaving in the same vehicle.
Nunez pleaded guilty and was sentenced on April 18, 2024 to 23 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Barbosa who was convicted by a federal jury and sentenced on July 17, 2024 to 121 months in prison to be followed three years of supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New York; the Massachusetts State Police; as well as the Brookline, Stoneham, Boston, Wakefield and New York City Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke A. Goldworm and Robert E. Richardson of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
Saint Lucie County Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to over 6 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI - On Sept. 3, Patrick Ward, 39, of Saint Lucie County, Fla., was sentenced to 75 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for trafficking fentanyl.
The sentence comes after Ward previously pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl on three separate occasions. According to the court record, on July 6, July 13, and August 18, of 2022, Ward sold a total of 47 grams of fentanyl in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Acting Chief Richard R. Del Toro, Jr., of the Port St. Lucie Police Department (PSLPD) announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon.
DEA Miami Field Division and PSLPD investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter prosecuted it.
According to the DEA’s National Drug Threat Assessment, synthetic drugs, such as fentanyl, are poisoning our nation. Fentanyl has proven to be a deadly poison that does not discriminate. Its victims include every gender, race, age, and economic background, and its debilitating effects are the same across all demographics. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Even in small doses, fentanyl can be deadly. Just one fentanyl pill can kill, as noted in DEA’s One Pill Can Kill campaign. As little as two milligrams, about the size of 5 grains of salt, can be fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths. Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Florida has seen an exponential increase in overdoses associated with fentanyl. In 2022, more than 5,622 people died from overdoses involving fentanyl and fentanyl analogs in Florida.
For more information visit: https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/MEC/Publications-and-Forms/Documents/Drugs-in-Deceased-Persons/2022-Annual-Drug-Report-FINAL-(1).aspx; https://www.cdc.gov/opioids/basics/fentanyl.html#; and https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/fentanyl.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-14001.
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Repeat offender drug smuggler sent to prisonRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 47-year-old resident of Matamoros, Mexico, has been sentenced for possession with intent to deliver cocaine and illegal re-entry after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Ricardo Rios-Alanis pleaded guilty June 13.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Rios-Alanis to serve a total of 66 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, Rios-Alanis is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence detailing his lengthy criminal history, with many convictions dating back to 1997. The convictions include assaultive conduct, two for felony drug offenses and three for illegal reentry after removal. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that in 2021 he granted Rios-Alanis a “sentencing variance,” lowering his sentence to 30 months after Rios-Alanis promised not to return and not continuing to violate the law.
On Feb. 21, law enforcement on routine surveillance of the Rio Grande River in Brownsville observed a vehicle speeding away from the area. Rios-Alani was driving. As authorities attempted to stop the vehicle, Rios-Alanis continued at a high rate of speed, eventually losing a tire.
Law enforcement approached and removed him, at which time they noticed bundles within the vehicle. They conducted a further search of the vehicle and discovered 10 bundles containing marijuana with a total weight of 203.9 kilograms (448.5 pounds).
Rios-Alanis told law enforcement in return for transporting the narcotics within the United States, he expected to not have to pay for his illegal entry into the country.
Rios-Alanis has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce prosecuted the case.
Repeat Offender Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on September 4, 2024, Brandon R. Gerry (Age: 39) of West Bend, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 150 months’ imprisonment for possession of child pornography, or child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court records, in 2023, investigators identified multiple online accounts, later determined to be used by Gerry, which had possessed, received, and distributed CSAM. Gerry used the internet platforms Discord, MeetMe, Reddit, and MeWe to trade CSAM. Gerry’s accounts also contained sexualized conversations concerning children.
Gerry was previously convicted of distribution of child pornography in 2018 and was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment.
At the sentencing hearing, United States District Judge Lynn Adelman noted the serious nature of the offense and a strong need to deter Gerry and others who might engage in similar crimes. After serving his 12 ½ year term of imprisonment, Gerry will spend 10 years on supervised release and will be required to continue to register as a sexual offender under state and federal law.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abbey M. Marzick
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Quincy Man Sentenced to over One Year in Prison for Hate CrimeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Quincy man was sentenced today for committing a hate crime.
John Sullivan, 78, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2024, Sullivan pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Sullivan was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2023.
On Dec. 2, 2022, Sullivan encountered an Asian American group he had never met before outside a post office in Quincy. Sullivan yelled to the group, which included three children under the age of 12, to “go back to China,” and threatened to kill them. He then drove his car into one of the adult members of the group, causing the victim to land on the hood of the moving car and remain there while Sullivan drove the car approximately 200 feet in traffic. After Sullivan slammed on his brakes, stopping the car abruptly and causing the victim to slide off, Sullivan again accelerated, hitting the victim a second time and causing him to fall face first into a 10-foot-deep construction ditch and suffer injury.
“Every single man, woman and child living in Massachusetts has a fundamental right to be free from acts of hate and violence. The conduct here is truly despicable and this office will dedicate whatever resources are needed to vigorously prosecute these types of hate crimes. Fueled by his hate of Asian-Americans, John Sullivan twice used his car to strike and injure an innocent man. He engaged in these acts of hate in front of the victim’s friends, including three children under the age of 12, who all watched in horror,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “These violent acts of hate spread fear throughout our community and will never be tolerated.”
“Racially-motivated and hate-fueled attacks have no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant targeted this man solely because he was Asian American. This behavior will not be tolerated, and the Justice Department is steadfast in its commitment to vigorously prosecute those who commit unlawful acts of hate.”
“A run of the mill trip to the post office turned into a nightmare for this Vietnamese man when John Sullivan decided to target him because of the color of his skin and the country of his ancestors. There is no way to undo the damage Mr. Sullivan caused with his hateful, repulsive, and violent behavior, but hopefully today’s sentence provides some measure of comfort,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division. “All communities in our Commonwealth – deserve respect and the ability to live, work, and raise their children without fear. We encourage anyone who has been the victim of or witness to a hate crime to report it to the FBI.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, AAG Clarke, FBI SAC Cohen and Chief Mark Kennedy of the Quincy Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Quincy Police Department and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings of the Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit and Tara Allison of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
Public School Teacher Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Mankato man has been indicted for using a messaging app to distribute and receive child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between October 14, 2023, through January 29, 2024, Daniel John Janke, 54, used Kik, a messaging and chat application, to send and receive images and videos containing child sexual abuse material.
The indictment charges Janke with one count of distribution of child pornography and three counts of receipt of child pornography. Janke made his initial appearance on August 29, 2024, in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Polachek is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Pittsburgh Resident Charged with Transport and Possession of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal law regarding the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Ashok Panigrahy, 53, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, in November 2022, Panigrahy transported and attempted to transport material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor in interstate commerce, as well as possessed material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations (Pittsburgh and Chicago) conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
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.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pharmaceutical Company Pays $25M to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act Liability for Price-Fixing of Generic DrugRead the Press Release
A generic pharmaceutical manufacturer, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc. USA (Glenmark), located in Mahwah, New Jersey, has agreed to pay $25 million, based on its ability to pay, to resolve its alleged liability under the False Claims Act for conspiring to fix the price of a generic drug.
The government alleged that, between 2013 and 2015, Glenmark paid and received compensation prohibited by the Anti-Kickback Statute through arrangements on price, supply and allocation of customers with other pharmaceutical manufacturers for a generic drug manufactured by Glenmark, pravastatin, which is widely used to treat high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
“Illegal collaboration on the price or supply of drugs increases costs both to federal health care programs and beneficiaries,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will use every tool at its disposal to prevent such conduct and to protect these taxpayer-funded programs from abuse.”
“At a time when excessive drug costs are already imposing unprecedented burdens on our country’s vulnerable citizens, an illegal conspiracy to fix the prices of generic drugs is alarming,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “My office is proud to work with the rest of the department and our investigative partners to hold companies accountable when they illegally inflate prices on drugs used for the health and well-being of our citizens.”
“Conspiring to raise prices on generic medications is illegal and could prevent patients from being able to afford their needed prescription drugs. Americans have the right to purchase generic drugs set by fair and open competition, not collusion,” said Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Philadelphia Regional Office. “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of health care fraud that put the public and the Medicare program at risk.”
“The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, seeks to protect the integrity of TRICARE, the healthcare system for U.S. military members and their dependents,” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “When pharmaceutical corporations artificially inflate prices, they place an unnecessary financial burden on the TRICARE program. The settlement agreement announced today demonstrates our commitment to partner with investigative agencies, the Justice Department’s Civil Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to combat healthcare fraud.”
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits companies from receiving or making payments in return for arranging the sale or purchase of items such as drugs for which payment may be made by a federal health care program. These provisions are designed to ensure that the supply and price of health care items are not compromised by improper financial incentives. This settlement reflects the important role of the False Claims Act to ensure that the United States is fully compensated when it is the victim of kickbacks paid to further anticompetitive conduct.
Glenmark previously entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division to resolve related criminal charges. Glenmark paid a criminal penalty of $30 million based on its ability to pay and admitted to conspiring with two other generic drug companies to fix prices on pravastatin. The civil settlement payment announced today is in addition to the criminal penalty paid by the company.
The civil settlement is the sixth resolution arising from the Justice Department’s investigation of price fixing by generic drug manufacturers and was handled by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with support from HHS-OIG, the Defense Health Agency Program Integrity Office and DCIS.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Senior Trial Counsel Jennifer L. Cihon and Senior Litigation Counsel Laurie A. Oberembt of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Landon Y. Jones III, Rebecca S. Melley and Anthony D. Scicchitano for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania handled the matter.
Except for those facts admitted to by Glenmark in the deferred prosecution agreement, the claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
View the settlement agreement here.
Pharmaceutical Company Pays $25 Million to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act Liability for Price-Fixing of Generic DrugRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA, a generic pharmaceutical manufacturer located in Mahwah, New Jersey, has agreed to pay $25 million, based on its ability to pay, to resolve its alleged liability under the False Claims Act for conspiring to fix the price of a generic drug.
The government alleged that, between 2013 and 2015, Glenmark paid and received compensation prohibited by the Anti-Kickback Statute through arrangements on price, supply and allocation of customers with other pharmaceutical manufacturers for a generic drug manufactured by Glenmark, pravastatin, which is widely used to treat high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
“At a time when excessive drug costs are already imposing unprecedented burdens on our country’s vulnerable citizens, an illegal conspiracy to fix the prices of generic drugs is alarming,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “My office is proud to work with the rest of the department and our investigative partners to hold companies accountable when they illegally inflate prices on drugs used for the health and well-being of our citizens.”
“Conspiring to raise prices on generic medications is illegal and could prevent patients from being able to afford their needed prescription drugs. Americans have the right to purchase generic drugs set by fair and open competition, not collusion,” said Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Philadelphia Regional Office. “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of health care fraud that put the public and the Medicare program at risk.”
“The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, seeks to protect the integrity of TRICARE, the healthcare system for U.S. military members and their dependents,” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “When pharmaceutical corporations artificially inflate prices, they place an unnecessary financial burden on the TRICARE program. The settlement agreement announced today demonstrates our commitment to partner with investigative agencies, the Justice Department’s Civil Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to combat healthcare fraud.”
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits companies from receiving or making payments in return for arranging the sale or purchase of items such as drugs for which payment may be made by a federal health care program. These provisions are designed to ensure that the supply and price of health care items are not compromised by improper financial incentives. This settlement reflects the important role of the False Claims Act to ensure that the United States is fully compensated when it is the victim of kickbacks paid to further anticompetitive conduct.
Glenmark previously entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division to resolve related criminal charges. Glenmark paid a criminal penalty of $30 million based on its ability to pay and admitted to conspiring with two other generic drug companies to fix prices on pravastatin. The civil settlement payment announced today is in addition to the criminal penalty paid by the company.
The civil settlement is the sixth resolution arising from the Justice Department’s investigation of price fixing by generic drug manufacturers and was handled by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with support from HHS-OIG, the Defense Health Agency Program Integrity Office and DCIS.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Landon Y. Jones III, Rebecca S. Melley, and Anthony D. Scicchitano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with Senior Trial Counsel Jennifer L. Cihon and Senior Litigation Counsel Laurie A. Oberembt of the Civil Division.
Except for those facts admitted to by Glenmark in the deferred prosecution agreement, the claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Parkersburg Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jon Ryan LaFever, 29, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to 25 years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for production of child pornography. LaFever must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about March 16, 2023, LaFever posted a picture of a minor female on the Kik instant messaging mobile app. LaFever received a direct message after posting the photo from Kik user asking about the minor female. LaFever admitted that he messaged the user that the minor female was a 7-year-old girl to whom he had access. LaFever further admitted that he sent the user several additional photos through direct messaging. The photos included one image of the minor female in her underwear and with her legs spread open, and two images of a minor female’s nude genital area.
LaFever also admitted to sending two videos of the minor female to the Kik user. In both videos, LaFever touches the minor female’s buttocks while she was asleep on a bed, attempts to pull her shorts and underwear aside to expose her genital and pubic area, and stops when she appears to be waking up.
On March 20, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of LaFever’s Parkersburg residence. Officers seized LaFever’s cell phone during the search and a forensic analysis found it stored several images and videos depicting the minor female on a bed in his residence. LaFever admitted to creating the images and videos with his cell phone. The videos included two of the minor female that LaFever created with his cell phone on March 6, 2023.
LaFever admitted to officers that he sent the videos on the Kik app. LaFever told officers that he had made approximately 50 images or videos of the minor female while she was asleep in her underwear. LaFever took steps to medicate the minor female and an adult present in the residence to ensure his nighttime sexual abuse of the minor female would not be discovered. LaFever distributed these images and videos of the minor female to other pedophiles in online forums in exchange for child pornography depicting the abuse of other children from around the world.
LaFever admitted to possessing hundreds of images and videos of child pornography on his phone and an online file-storage account, and that some of this child pornography depicted prepubescent minors. LaFever further admitted that the two close-up nude images that he had sent the Kik user were not of his minor female victim, but were cropped from the prepubescent child pornography he possessed.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-199.
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Orlando Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Dainton Drummond (62, Orlando) to 15 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, which is to run consecutively with a prison sentence already imposed in the Superior Court of Arizona. The court also ordered Drummond to forfeit the firearm that was seized from him on the date of the arrest. Drummond entered a guilty plea on April 30, 2024.
According to court documents, on September 17, 2023, deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) responded to South Hiawassee Road and Hunterdon Drive in Orlando in reference to Drummond (presenting himself under the fraudulent alias of “Anselmo Lionel Jackson”) driving a motor vehicle while intoxicated (DUI). After Drummond was arrested for DUI and requested that his vehicle to be towed, OCSO located and recovered a loaded Hi-Point 9mm River Pistol from within the vehicle. Further investigation revealed that Drummond, a multi-convicted felon and Jamaican citizen, illegally re-entered the United States and was living in Orlando under the alias of “Anselmo Lionel Jackson.”
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian.
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.
Orlando Man Indicted for Enticing A Minor, Producing, 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 Kevin Michael Lukens (38, Orlando) with one count of enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, one count of production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), one count of receipt of CSAM, and one count of possession of CSAM. If convicted, Lukens faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison for the enticement offense; a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison for the production offense; a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison for the receipt offense; and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for the possession offense.
According to the indictment, the conduct underlying the enticement, production, and receipt offenses took place between July 2020, and September 2021. Lukens was then found in possession of CSAM on January 29, 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 and the Orlando Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian.
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.
Ontario importer pleads guilty to trafficking $4.2 million dollars in counterfeit merchandiseRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Wasseem Ramjaun, 48, of Vaughan, Ontario, pleaded guilty to before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny to trafficking in counterfeit goods, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $2,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo, who is handling the case, stated that Ramjaun operated various importing and exporting businesses in Canada. From approximately October 2016 to August 1, 2017, Ramjaun agreed to provide an individual with authentic Yeti, Vera Bradley, and Lacoste merchandise. However, Ramjaun was not authorized to use the trademarks of these companies. As a result, in January 2017, Ramjaun contacted a manufacturer in China and ordered bags that appeared identical to genuine Vera Bradley bags. To make sure the bags appeared authentic, Ramjaun provided the manufacturer with photographs and tags of authentic Vera Bradley bags.
Between June 1 and June 8, 2017, Ramjaun imported the counterfeit Vera Bradley bags into the United States through a port of entry in Western District of New York. To conceal the fact the bags were fraudulent, Ramjaun provided United States Customs and Border Protection with a fraudulent manufacturing agreement. $4,216,025 is the total loss associated with Ramjaun’s conduct.
The plea is the result of of an investigation by the United States Homeland Security Investigations, under the supervision of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 11, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Skretny.
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