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Thursday 29 August 2024
Three Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Cocaine Using the United States MailRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentences of three defendants who were convicted for their participation in conspiring to distribute cocaine:
• Omar Josue Morales-Rodriguez, 45, of Freeport, Florida was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
• Marcos Aguilar Gonzalez, 50, of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and Edmar Agustin Gonzalez, 34, of Crestview, Florida, were each sentenced to serve 18 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Aguilar Gonzalez also pled guilty to an additional count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
Each will also be required to serve a term of supervised release following their prison sentence.
“This investigation demonstrates the effectiveness and collaborative efforts of our local and federal law enforcement partners, to identify and intercept shipments of illegal substances via the United States Mail,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “We remain committed to support their efforts through the investigation and prosecution of criminals bringing drugs into North Florida. The imposed sentences illustrate the significant consequences of harming our citizens through their illicit drug trafficking activities.”
A multi-agency investigation led by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office revealed that between October 2019, and June 13, 2023, the three defendants conspired together and with others to ship cocaine via the United States Mail from Puerto Rico to addresses in Okaloosa and Walton County. The United States Postal Inspection Service intercepted five packages, three of which contained
one kilogram of cocaine each, and one of which contained 125 grams of cocaine. The fifth package, which was shipped from Walton County to Puerto Rico, contained $10,000. In addition to the drugs and cash, law enforcement seized four firearms and several rounds of ammunition that belonged to Morales-Rodriguez who was previously convicted in federal court in Puerto Rico and served three years in federal prison for possessing firearms as a convicted felon. At sentencing, Morales-Rodriguez was found to be the leader and organizer of the conspiracy and held accountable for causing 20 United States Mail packages containing a total of at least 14 kilograms of cocaine to be shipped via the United States Mail from Puerto Rico to Okaloosa and Walton County.
“When people choose to distribute illicit drugs in the U.S. Mail, they should know the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with our law enforcement partners, will actively pursue those responsible, and bring them to justice,” said Juan A. Vargas, Inspector In Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division. “The outcome of this case should serve as a significant deterrent for anyone else considering the distribution of illicit drugs through the U.S. Mail. I want to thank our partners in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida, Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Drug Enforcement Administration."
"The duration of this investigation highlights our commitment to fighting illegal drug activity in Walton County," said Captain Dustin Cosson of the Walton County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Bureau. "This case represents countless hours of work dedicated to holding traffickers accountable. The diligence of our narcotics investigators coupled with our strong partnerships with the DEA and the U.S. States Postal Service should send a clear message to anyone involved in similar activities."
The case resulted from a joint investigation by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan Love.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Three Indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Narcotics in Prison Following the Death of USP Atwater StaffRead the Press Release
indictment.pdfFRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury has indicted three individuals for conspiracy to distribute narcotics and introducing a controlled substance into prison as a result of an ongoing investigation into the death of a Supervisory Correctional Systems Specialist at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atwater, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between July 15, 2024, and Aug. 9, 2024, Jamar Jones, 35, an inmate at USP Atwater; Stephanie Ferreira, 35, of Evansville, Indiana; and Jermen Rudd III, 37, of Wentzville, Missouri, conspired to introduce narcotics into USP Atwater for Jones to sell. As part of that scheme, Jones and Ferreira had Rudd mail a letter laced with narcotics to Jones that was fraudulently labeled as legal mail.
On Aug. 9, 2024, two correctional workers at USP Atwater opened the letter and minutes later began to feel ill. After evaluation by medical staff, the Supervisory Correctional Systems Specialist was subsequently taken to the hospital where he passed away. The other staff member, a Correctional Systems Officer, recovered.
The indictment charges that the narcotics in the letter consisted of two varieties of synthetic cannabinoids sold under the street name “Spice.” Synthetic cannabinoids are lab created chemicals that can be distributed in liquid form and are designed to produce a psychoactive effect.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California also received assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of Missouri and the Southern District of Indiana. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.
Following an initial appearance in the Southern District of Indiana, Ferreira remains in custody and is pending transfer to the Fresno. Following an initial appearance in the Eastern District of Missouri, Rudd is also in custody and pending transfer to Fresno. Jones will appear Thursday in Fresno for his initial appearance.
If convicted of conspiracy to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance, Jones and Rudd face a maximum of 30 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. If Jones is convicted of being an inmate obtaining or attempting to obtain narcotic drug, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Ferreira, if convicted of conspiracy to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance, faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. If convicted of providing or attempting to provide an inmate with a narcotic drug, Ferreira and Rudd face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Tampa Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Distributing Cocaine and Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday has sentenced Lennard Rashard Monroe (32, Tampa) to 20 years in federal prison for possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute it and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Monroe’s co-conspirator, Justin Latrun Farrior, was previously sentenced to 4 years and two months in federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in open court, the Tampa Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Drug Enforcement Administration used a confidential source to purchase cocaine from Monroe and Farrior at a “trap house” (a residence used primarily to distribute drugs from) in the Sulphur Springs neighborhood of Tampa. When executing a search warrant at the trap house, agents found Monroe asleep in a bedroom with his two-year-old son. During a search of that bedroom, agents located a kilogram brick of cocaine, three firearms, and more than $18,000 in cash.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David P. Sullivan and Suzanne C. Nebesky.
Strangulation assault on Blackfeet Indian Reservation sends Browning man to prison for more than three yearsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Browning man who admitted strangling his dating partner on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, despite a no-contact order, was sentenced today to three years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Alphonse Trevon Bird IV, 20, pleaded guilty in March to assault of a dating partner by strangulation and suffocation.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that Bird and the victim, Jane Doe, were in a dating relationship. On Dec. 27, 2023, Bird, Doe and two others were in a vehicle when Bird and Doe got into an argument and pulled over to the side of the road. Doe got out of the vehicle and Bird tried to pull her back. Doe tried to run away, but Bird chased her down, got on top of her stomach and put her in a chokehold. Bird assaulted and strangled Doe. At the time of the assault, Bird had been ordered by a court to have no contact with Doe.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services investigated the case.
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Statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office on the Line of Duty Death of MPD Investigator Wayne DavidRead the Press Release
Our sincere condolences go out to the family, friends, and colleagues of MPD Investigator Wayne David. Our office had the extreme good fortune to work with Investigator David, who, throughout his over 25-year career with MPD, recovered hundreds of illegal firearms and directly contributed to the safety of our community. We were honored to have worked with Investigator David, and his tragic loss is a sobering reminder of the dangerous but important work that our law enforcement partners engage in every day.
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St. David Man Pleads Guilty to COVID Loan Fraud and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Roy L. Layne, 44, of St. David, pleaded guilty yesterday to two counts of Wire Fraud and one count of Filing a False Claim. Sentencing is scheduled for February 3, 2025, before United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker.
Layne admitted that during the COVID-19 global pandemic he fraudulently applied for U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loans, SBA Paycheck Protection Program Loans, and pandemic-related tax relief in the names of fictitious business entities, himself, and others. Layne filed numerous fraudulent SBA loan applications, ultimately receiving $306,700 that he was not entitled to. Layne also filed numerous false claims for tax refunds with the Internal Revenue Service totaling over $7.4 million, receiving and keeping $549,992 that he was not entitled to. In his plea agreement, Layne has agreed to pay restitution to the SBA and the U.S. Treasury totaling $856,692.91.
A conviction for Wire Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both, and a term of five years of supervised release. A conviction for Filing a False Claim carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both, and a term of three years of supervised release.
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Feldmeier, District of Arizona, Tucson, and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Matthew R. Hoffman, Tax Division, Washington, D.C., are handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-04907-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-118_Layne# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Springfield Woman Sentenced for Possessing Fentanyl with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield woman was sentenced on Aug. 27, 2024 for possessing fentanyl intended for distribution.
Karyela Santiago, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to time served (one day) and three years of supervised release. In May 2024, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
On March 30, 2022, Santiago possessed fentanyl intended for distribution. Specifically, Santiago possessed a total of 8,090 bags of fentanyl intended for distribution – containing a total of 129 grams of fentanyl.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; and Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Springfield Restaurant Owner Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for His Role in Submitting Fraudulent Loan ApplicationsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man, Omar Hernandez-Lopez, 39, was sentenced today to 18 months’ imprisonment for concealment of a felony in connection with wire fraud and false statements on loan applications. Following his prison sentence, he will serve a 12-month term of supervised release.
At Hernandez-Lopez’s sentencing hearing, Senior U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough, found that starting around June 2018 and continuing until at least June 2019, Hernandez-Lopez was aware of and acted to conceal the fraudulent nature of several falsified documents that were submitted to loan providers. Two fraudulent loan packages were submitted in an unsuccessful attempt to obtain a business loan for Hernandez-Lopez’s Springfield restaurant, La Fiesta Grande. The other two fraudulent loan packages were submitted in a successful attempt to obtain a home mortgage loan. Hernandez-Lopez was aware of the submission of fraudulent documents and took steps to conceal their fraudulent nature from the loan companies and law enforcement.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence showing that Hernandez-Lopez’s name is on the deed of the house for the fraudulently obtained mortgage and he operated the restaurant.
The sentencing follows Hernandez-Lopez’s guilty plea in April 2024. The statutory penalties for misprision of a felony are up to three years’ imprisonment, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
The charges were investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, Chicago Region. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sierra Senor-Moore and Tanner Jacobs represented the government in the prosecution.
Spanish Tutoring and Child Care Company Enters into Settlement Agreement After Rejecting Child with EpilepsyRead the Press Release
Spanish Schoolhouse, a company that offers Spanish language programs for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary-age children on nineteen campuses in the greater Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston areas, will implement an anti-discrimination policy, accept students with epilepsy, and train its employees to administer anti-seizure medication as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
In March of 2021, a couple attempted to enroll their two-year-old child in Spanish Schoolhouse’s daycare program. They informed the program that the student had epilepsy. Spanish Schoolhouse accepted and enrolled the child and requested a “seizure action plan” drafted by the child’s physician. The plan submitted by the couple outlined treatment protocols should a seizure occur, including removing the student from the classroom upon onset of a seizure and administering a rectal medication for seizures lasting more than three minutes.
Citing the seizure action plan, the school reversed its acceptance decision. A director told the parents that the staff were uncomfortable with monitoring the student for potential administration of the medication and lacked the manpower to be able to remove the child from the classroom in the event of a seizure. The parents said it would be acceptable to treat the child inside the schoolroom, rather than removing the child. The school still refused to accept the child.
The Justice Department later concluded that the school’s decision violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires businesses that serve the public to make “reasonable modifications” to policies, practices, and procedures to accommodate those with disabilities.
Spanish Schoolhouse entered into a settlement agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office on Aug. 29. The agreement requires the company to allow the child to enroll at any of its facilities and to pay the parents $5,000 to compensate them for the harm caused. It also requires the company to implement an Emergency Anti-Seizure Medication Administration Policy, to train necessary staff annually on seizure disorders and the administration of anti-seizure medication as well as CPR, and to advise all parents of students with seizure disorders of the policy.
Under the terms of the agreement, Spanish Schoolhouse must forward any complaints related to reasonable modifications to the Department of Justice within 30 days of receipt.
South Salt Lake Residents Sentenced for Odometer FraudRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – The final defendant who pleaded guilty to an odometer fraud scheme was sentenced today to time served, one year of supervised release, and ordered by the court to pay restitution.
Austin K. Weilacher, 22, of South Salt Lake, Utah, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge David B. Barlow. His codefendant, Porter R. Hamblin, 20, of South Salt Lake, received a similar sentence on August 16, 2024, after the duo admitted in June 2024 to engaging in a fraudulent scheme to sell vehicles with broken or false odometers.
According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, Weilacher and Hamblin defrauded numerous victims in Utah who purchased vehicles on KSL.com between May 2023 and July 2023. Weilacher and Hamblin admitted they purchased older model vehicles, cleaned them up, and would either break, disable or cover the odometers, generate fake Carfax reports, and then sell the vehicles to unsuspecting Utah customers. The defendants would then inflate the price of the vehicles and use the money to purchase more vehicles to sell to more victims or purchase high end vehicles for themselves. For example, with money made from their scheme, Weilacher and Hamblin purchased a McLaren sports car, which was subsequently destroyed, and Hamblin was set to receive $150,000 in insurance proceeds for the crash of his vehicle. Once victims realized they had been swindled, they would try to contact the defendants, who were unreachable.
“Mr. Weilacher and Mr. Hamblin created financial hardships for victims trying to purchase reliable vehicles,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute people who harm our citizens through fraud.”
“Fraud of this type puts our communities' safety at risk and negatively impacts legitimate commerce," said HSI Las Vegas Special Agent in Charge Chris Miller. "This case should warn others tempted to engage in fraudulent activity that HSI will aggressively pursue you and ensure you are held accountable."
“We urge the public to exercise caution. If a deal seems too good to be true, it likely is,” said Chief Jason Mazuran, Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake. “Always verify the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and run your own vehicle report before purchasing a vehicle to avoid falling victim to similar schemes. We are pleased that the victims will receive restitution and grateful for the efforts of all involved in bringing this case to a resolution.”
The case was investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake (UPD).
Assistant United States Attorney Stewart M. Young of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
South Carolina Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Securities Fraud, Bank Fraud, and Wire Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A South Carolina man was sentenced today to72 months in prison for engaging in several bank and wire fraud schemes and a securities offering fraud scheme that spanned six years and caused losses of millions of dollars, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced.
Sandy John Masselli, 63, of Columbia, South Carolina, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to nine counts of a superseding indictment charging him with bank fraud, wire fraud, and securities fraud. Masselli was initially charged by complaint in October 2017. Judge Shipp imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“Sandy Masselli used a web of lies to dupe victims into investing millions of dollars in his company, promising them substantial returns from an initial public offering that was never going to happen. Instead of investing the money as promised, Masselli fraudulently spent it on himself and his family. The significant sentence handed down today holds him accountable for greedily profiting at the expense of innocent investors.”
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From September 2011 through October 2017, Masselli solicited millions of dollars in investments from retail investors by fraudulently touting the prospect of his online gaming company, Carlyle Entertainment Ltd., formerly Carlyle Gaming & Entertainment Ltd. (Carlyle), to conduct a lucrative initial public offering (IPO) of its stock on either the NASDAQ or the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Masselli induced investors to purchase shares of Carlyle stock by promising them steeply discounted prices in advance of the purported IPO, assuring them that the stock price would increase significantly after the IPO. Masselli further represented that the IPO would occur within weeks or months of the investors’ stock purchases.
However, as Masselli knew, Carlyle was neither poised nor prepared to conduct an IPO on either the NASDAQ or the NYSE, given that, among other deficiencies, neither Masselli nor anyone else on behalf of Carlyle ever filed an application with the NASDAQ or the NYSE to list Carlyle stock on either exchange, or filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) a registration statement to list Carlyle shares on a national exchange. Masselli further misrepresented to the investors how he would use their investments, for example telling them that he would allocate investment funds toward improving Carlyle’s online platform and paying legal fees in connection with preparing Carlyle for a looming IPO. Masselli did not invest these funds in Carlyle, as he had promised investors he would, but instead misappropriated these funds to pay for his and his family’s own personal expenses.
Within weeks and often days of receiving investor funds, Masselli quickly deposited them into and throughout a web of bank accounts he controlled, many of which were opened under names of fictitious corporate entities in an effort to conceal the source of the funds. After disguising the provenance of the investor funds, Masselli typically went to work quickly misappropriating the funds.
Masselli also opened multiple credit card accounts, made purchases on those accounts until he had almost reached or exceeded the credit limit, and then purported to send payments from accounts that he knew did not have sufficient funds to cover those payments. Before the fraudulent payments were rejected for insufficient funds, the credit card companies temporarily credited the accounts based on those payments, providing Masselli access to additional credit and allowing him to continue to make purchases. Masselli ultimately failed to pay the balances and the credit card companies sustained a loss. On two occasions, Masselli contacted the victim credit card companies falsely claiming that the accounts had been opened fraudulently by others who had stolen his personal identifiable information.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Masselli to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $3.2 million and $1 million in forfeiture.
The SEC previously filed a civil complaint against Masselli based on the securities fraud conduct.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also expressed appreciation for the SEC Division of Enforcement, under the direction of Gurbir S. Grewal.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric A. Boden, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Office, and Alexander E. Ramey of the U.S. Attorney’s Trenton Office.
San Diego State University Women’s Soccer Team Joins U.S. Attorney’s Office and City Attorney’s Office to Launch Fentanyl Awareness CampaignRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY—August 29, 2024
SAN DIEGO— The U.S. Attorney’s Office, San Diego City Attorney’s Office and the name, image, likeness (NIL) collective Aztec Link today launched a social media campaign featuring members of San Diego State University’s women’s soccer team to promote fentanyl awareness and overdose prevention. The campaign coincides with International Overdose Awareness Day being commemorated in San Diego County on August 29th.
The goal of this joint effort is to raise awareness of the dangers of fentanyl, to reduce accidental use or overdose, and in the event of an overdose, to educate students on how to save lives in an emergency.
U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath will be available for interviews regarding the campaign following the International Overdose Awareness Day press conference on August 29 at 9 a.m. at the County Administration building on Harbor Drive.
The student athletes are showcased in a video filmed at various locations on SDSU’s campus, each reciting a line about the dangers of fentanyl, recognizing the signs of an overdose, and the importance of naloxone (also known by the brand name Narcan).
Naloxone is an opioid overdose reversal medication, available either as a nasal spray or an injector. Many pharmacies carry naloxone. In California, you can get naloxone from a pharmacist without a prescription. It is also possible to get naloxone from community-based distribution programs, local public health groups, or local health departments, free of charge. For more information about naloxone and how to get training on using it, visit: Naloxone Information.
This campaign uses the hashtags #TeamUp #SaveLives #InternationalOverdoseAwarenessDay. The social media public service announcement can be found here: SDSU Women’s Soccer Team - Fentanyl Awareness Video
This is the second time that the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the City Attorney’s Office have teamed up to feature SDSU student athletes in partnership with a SDSU NIL collective. For this social media campaign, the offices partnered with Aztec Link, an NIL collective dedicated to partnering SDSU student athletes with businesses and organizations for promotions and endorsements while offering fans meaningful ways to support and connect with their favorite teams and players. Aztec Link was established after the NCAA began allowing student-athletes to receive compensation for the use of their NIL in 2021.
In the public service announcements, the student athletes state the following:
“Our goal is to team up and save lives.
We love spending time on the field, but we are also students.
Students who know that fentanyl kills.
And as a community, we need to defend ourselves from the dangers of fentanyl.
Fentanyl doesn’t care about your age, or if you are just trying it for the first time.
If you are offered Adderall, Xanax, Percocet, Cocaine or any other drug not directly from a pharmacy,
It likely contains a deadly amount of fentanyl.
It’s time for us to pass on our knowledge, assist our friends, and confront this epidemic.
We need to spread the word about the dangers of fentanyl. It’s everywhere and in everything.
Know where Narcan is on campus such as Narcan vending machines.
Learn how to use Narcan and how to recognize the signs of an overdose
Such as losing consciousness, difficulty breathing, choking noises or discolored skin.
We believe in you. If you are worried about your friend overdosing and are unsure, deploy Narcan and call 911.
Let’s make it our goal to team up and save lives.
And save lives.
And let’s save lives!”
The campaign is being deployed over social media platforms, including Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, LinkedIn, and YouTube, by the individual student-athletes, Aztec Link, the Department of Justice, the San Diego State Athletic Department, and other coalition members.
“If you are worried about a friend who may have taken fentanyl or is unresponsive, call 911 and if necessary, administer naloxone,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Know the dangers and how to help others. When athletes, educators, and law enforcement team up to amplify this critical message, we can save lives.” McGrath thanked the SDSU women’s soccer team for using their influence to spread the critical message about fentanyl and naloxone.
“We lose around 800 San Diegans every year to fentanyl,” said City Attorney Mara Elliott. “While each of these deaths is tragic, I’m particularly struck by how many of those victims are college-aged students. My Office is proud to support the heroic efforts of these young women to educate their peers about the dangers of fentanyl and the lifesaving power of Narcan. This is exactly the type of communitywide effort that will be required to eradicate overdose deaths in San Diego.”
The Good Samaritan law in California provides that, “…it shall not be a crime for a person under the influence of, or to possess for personal use, a controlled substance…if that person, in good faith, seeks medical assistance for another person experiencing a drug-related overdose…” Cal. Health & Safety Code § 11376.5.
One year ago, to commemorate National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the City Attorney’s Office partnered with the SDSU men’s basketball team and another NIL collective, the MESA Foundation, to create a public service announcement and media campaign that was believed to be the first such collaboration of its kind. The campaign has since received over a million impressions. For more information, visit:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/san-diego-state-university-basketball-stars-join-us-attorneys-office-and-city.
Additional fentanyl prevention resources can be found at San Diego County’s Community & Parent Toolkits, which are available in both English and Spanish.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s participation in the social media campaign with Aztec Link is not an endorsement of any product, service, or enterprise associated with Aztec Link.
Rensselaer County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Zachary Frye, age 29, of Rensselaer County, New York, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison, to be followed by a life term of supervised release, for sexual exploitation of a child. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office, made the announcement.
When Frye pled guilty, he admitted that he had been convicted in 2017 in New York State court of promoting the sexual performance of a child. He also admitted that, while being required to register as a sex offender due to that conviction, he took several sexually explicit photographs of an approximately 5-year-old child in fall 2019. The images that Frye created included depictions of the child’s genitals and of the child’s hand on Frye’s penis. On the same day he created those images, Frye sent them to another person on social media with whom he had been discussing the sexual abuse of children.
United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci imposed the sentence.
Frye will have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
HSI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Prior sex offender arrested on new child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Andrew Yannello, 28, of Tonawanda, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with distribution of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, and a maximum of 40 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that on April 14, 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sent three cybertips to the New York State Police involving suspected child pornography that were reported by Facebook. Subsequent investigation traced the suspected child pornography to an IP address belonging to Yannello. On August 23, 2024, a search warrant was executed at Yannello’s residence. In 2014, Yannello was arrested and convicted on state charges of Sexual Abuse in the 1st Degree, Unlawful Imprisonment 1st Degree, Forcible Touching, and Criminal Obstruction of Breathing/Blood Circulation. In November 2017, Yannello violated probation, was sentenced to jail, and released in March 2019.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Stauffiger, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Stanley Edwards.
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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Prior felon arrested on new child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Cameron Gelsomino, 22, of Burt, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor after a prior conviction related to possession of child pornography, which carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in October 2023, Gelsomino was sentenced to serve 30 days of incarceration and 10 years’ probation after being convicted of Possessing Obscene Sexual Performance by a Child in Niagara County Court. Gelsomino was also designated as a level two sex offender and subjected to the New York State Sex Offender Registry. On May 9, 2024, Niagara County Probation Officers conducted a routine visit at Gelsomino’s residence, during which they found him to be in possession of a cell phone, which he did not have approval to possess. A preliminary review of the phone showed that Gelsomino was active on social media, including asking a fellow Discord user, “Do you have any CP links?” Gelsomino and the other user went on to discuss ages and the cost to purchase child pornography. Further review of the phone recovered approximately 56 image files and two video files of child pornography.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino and the Niagara County Probation Department, under the direction of Director Deborah M LaRock.
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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Portland Man Sentenced to 2 ½ Years, Ordered to Pay $32,564 in Restitution for Bank Fraud, Identity TheftRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Portland man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Paul Logugune, 22, to 30 months in prison to be followed by three years supervised release and ordered him to pay $32,564 in restitution. Logugune pleaded guilty on May 1, 2024.
According to court records, from May to June 2022, Logugune and a coconspirator broke into unattended vehicles and stole purses and wallets to obtain driver’s licenses and checkbooks. Forged checks were then drawn on the stolen checkbooks and made payable to the names on the stolen licenses. They then recruited others to cash the forged checks at multiple credit union branches in Cumberland County using the stolen IDs to impersonate the ID theft victims.
The FBI investigated the case.
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Port Charlotte Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Wire Fraud Related to NASA’s Space Launch SystemRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Steven Lukens (54, Port Charlotte) to 21 months in federal prison for wire fraud. The court also ordered Lukens to forfeit $271,024.35, which is traceable to proceeds of the offense. Lukens was also ordered to pay $689,280.03 in restitution. Lukens entered a guilty plea on February 20, 2024.
According to court documents, Lukens was the Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Atlantic International Supply, LLC (Gulf Atlantic). Gulf Atlantic entered into a sub-contract with Company-1 to procure materials needed for NASA’s space launch system at the Kennedy Space Center. The products provided were intended for use on supporting platforms for the Artemis mission and Orion, the spacecraft designed to return humans to the moon and eventually Mars. Some of the parts Lukens provided were intended to be utilized in hypergolic systems. Hypergolic fluids are toxic liquids that react violently and spontaneously when they come into contact with each other and are frequently used by NASA for propulsion and hydraulic power systems. The general hazards associated with hypergolic fluids, which are extremely reactive and poisonous fluids, are fire, explosion, and toxic human exposure. NASA has implemented rigorous quality assurance standards to avoid such hazards. However, Lukens submitted products that did not meet the quality standards and specifications required under the contract. Lukens then fraudulently led Company-1 to believe that the products met the required standards by submitting forged quality control documentation.
In total, Lukens submitted at least 190 fraudulent quality control documents to Company-1. These included fraudulent Certificates of Compliance, fraudulent Pressure Testing Certificates, and fraudulent test reports. Lukens’s materially false, fraudulent, and misleading representations caused Company-1 to pay Gulf Atlantic at least $271,024. for the parts it submitted.
“Ensuring the integrity of NASA's component procurements and quality control is a top priority for the NASA Office of Inspector General (OIG),” stated Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Robert Steinau of NASA-OIG.
“This case highlights the OIG’s dedication to collaborating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute companies that defraud NASA.”
This case was investigated by the NASA Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lyons.
Poplar man admits stealing truck after stabbing driver on Fort Peck Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Poplar man accused of carjacking a truck and stabbing the driver on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation admitted to a robbery crime on Aug. 26, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
The defendant, Brandon Lee Romero, 29, pleaded guilty to robbery. Romero faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
A plea agreement filed in the case calls for other counts of carjacking, transportation of a stolen vehicle and assault with a dangerous weapon to be dismissed at sentencing if the court accepts the agreement.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Jan. 5, 2025. Romero was detained pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that on April 14, 2023, the victim, identified as John Doe, was contacted by his sister who asked him to pick up Romero and give him a ride because she didn’t want him at her residence. John Doe agreed and, using his father’s truck, picked up Romero and began driving him to Poplar, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. When Romero got out of the truck, John Doe noticed that Romero had pulled out two knives. John Doe attempted to drive away, but Romero jumped into the truck bed, kicked out the back window, climbed into the truck and stabbed John Doe. The victim exited the truck, and Romero got into the driver’s seat. Scared that Romero was going to run him over, John Doe hid behind a power pole. Romero was eventually arrested later that day by North Dakota law enforcement after Romero got into a high-speed chase in the truck he took from John Doe.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. Fort Peck Law Enforcement Services, the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and the Williston (N.D.) Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Picayune Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute 13 Grams of FentanylRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A Picayune man was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 13 grams of fentanyl.
Brandon Lamont Myers, 41, was sentenced as a career offender as he has now been convicted of three drug trafficking offenses over the past decade. Myers was on parole with the Mississippi Department of Corrections for his last controlled substance conviction at the time of this offense.
According to court records, on August 14, 2023, law enforcement officers seized $61,276 and 13 grams of fentanyl from Myers’ residence in Pearl River County, Mississippi. Agents also seized a box of clear plastic bags and several digital scales.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. The DEA reports that two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, and one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. More facts on fentanyl can be found at https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl and https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl.
Myers was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 21, 2024, and pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance on April 24, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and the Picayune Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Pharmacy Burglary Conspirators Arraigned Today in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—On July 30, 2024, in Houston, Texas, the Drug Enforcement Administration initiated the arrests of twenty-four co-conspirators following a superseding indictment in the Eastern District of Arkansas. The arrests follow the initial indictment and arrest of eighteen people from the Houston, Texas, area in November 2023. Defendants arrested in July appeared on the superseding indictment in the Eastern District of Arkansas today before United States Magistrate Joseph J. Volpe. The superseding indictment charges conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute Schedule II through V controlled substances, as well as pharmacy burglary, conspiracy to commit pharmacy burglary, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Keith Brown, 34, of Houston, Texas, and 41 others were named in this superseding indictment.
From February 2022 to November 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration Little Rock District Office (DEA LRDO) identified more than twenty pharmacy burglaries and thefts of pharmaceutical narcotics in Arkansas. In each of the burglaries, the suspects used similar methods of entry and tools, as well as matching clothing and unique footwear. The stolen pharmaceuticals including, oxycodone, hydrocodone, alprazolam, and promethazine with codeine cough syrup, were transported to Houston, Texas, where they were sold illicitly. Intelligence developed by the DEA LRDO and the Houston Police Department Northeast Division Crime Suppression Team identified the drug trafficking organization as being comprised of documented local gang members from the 5th Ward area in Houston, Texas. Following the initial indictment, DEA identified 24 additional co-conspirators who participated in numerous burglaries in 31 states. The scope of the burglary ring encompasses the theft of hundreds of thousands of pharmaceutical drugs with a street value of more than $12 million dollars. Investigators also seized eleven firearms, approximately $79,000 in U.S. currency, and custom jewelry retailing at approximately $510,000.
The current case is similar in kind and scope to a 2016 case indicted in the Eastern District of Arkansas in which twenty-four members of a local Houston 5th Ward gang, ‘The Trill Fam,’ were prosecuted for multi-state pharmacy burglaries and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. One current defendant, Thristian Duplechin, was prosecuted in the 2016 indictment, served a federal sentence, and returned to the same criminal activity.
“These defendants were part of a criminal organization whose objective was to break into pharmacies nationwide to steal narcotics that they peddled on the streets,” said Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. “This case exemplifies the hard work put in by federal, state, and local agencies working together to infiltrate and dismantle violent gangs whose main mission is for profit and the destruction of communities. Our office is committed to prosecuting multi-state criminal organizations that effect not only the Eastern District of Arkansas, but citizens across the United States.”
“This criminal organization prioritized money and greed over the safety and well-being of the American people. Their goal was to sell stolen pharmaceuticals in our neighborhoods for easy money,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer, DEA New Orleans Division. “Through the DEA’s investigative efforts across the country, that spanned nearly three years, we were able to link this drug trafficking organization to more than 200 pharmacy burglaries across 31 states and ultimately make our communities safer.”
The defendants, all from the greater Houston, Texas area, were arrested in July.
All defendants charged in Count 1 only.
Count and Penalties
Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance: 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C) & 846
Not more than 20 years imprisonment.
Not less than 3 years supervised release.
Not more than $1,000,000 fine.
$100 Special Assessment
Defendant Age Defendant Age Paul Roosevelt Banks, III 30 Joseph Takeem Jones 34 Carl Anthony Brooks, Jr. 33 Torrey Jones 46 Christopher John Closure 39 Cameron Isiah Joshua 22 Chazz Eugene Davis 39 Dontae Eugene Lewis 43 Louis Dickerson, Jr. 42 Shaun Kardover Lewis, Jr. 25 Isaiah Dale Duncan 22 Kimia Tranese Ratcliff 26 Thristian Davonte Duplechin 31 Ario Decleo Stephens 25 Jaevion Armond Hackett 21 Keyia Rochelle Thomas 34 Markeesha Kenya Hampton 28 James Glen Turk 32 James Dionte Hood 32 Kerry Lewis Walker 37 Jasmine Shanee Howard 23 Alvin Bernard Whidby, II 43 Redrick Dewayne Jackson 33 Jonathan Marijahlee Williams 37Investigators with the DEA LRDO worked in conjunction with the following law enforcement partners:
DEA New Orleans Division (Little Rock District Office, Fayetteville Resident Office, Shreveport Resident Office, Mobile Resident Office),
DEA Special Operations Division,
DEA Houston Division (Houston TDS Group, Galveston Resident Office),
DEA Omaha Division,
DEA Rocky Mountain Division (Salt Lake City District Office, Cheyenne Resident Office),
DEA Atlanta Division (Columbia District Office),
DEA Miami Division (Pensacola District Office),
FBI Little Rock Field Office,
FBI Cast Team,
U.S. Marshals Service,
Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics,
Harris County Sheriff’s Office,
Houston Police Department Northeast Division Crime Suppression Team,
Houston Police Department CID,
Arkansas State Police, and other Arkansas local law enforcement partners.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anne Gardner and Amanda Fields.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
Pediatric Dentist Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Paul Kim, a pediatric dentist, has pleaded guilty to possessing thousands of images and videos of minors, including some 12 years old and younger, engaging in sexually-explicit activity.
“Kim possessed materials depicting the sexual exploitation of minors at the same time that parents were entrusting their children to his pediatric care,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Possessing child pornography exploits and abuses children, essentially creating lasting effects for the victims each time the images are distributed online.”
“Every time child exploitation imagery is shared, it re-victimizes innocent and vulnerable children. Our office is focused on using all the resources needed for the very important work of protecting children in Georgia and beyond,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This plea demonstrates that no person is above the law. Regardless of employment, wealth, or social status, the FBI will continue to seek out all individuals who seek to abuse children and victimize them through the downloading and possession of child pornography.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: An FBI investigation of Paul Kim resulted from a broader investigation into a commercial sexual exploitation ring which advertised and sold child pornography on several online platforms. FBI Special agents identified Kim as one of the suspected purchasers of the material.
In December 2023, the agents executed a search warrant for Kim and his residence in Sandy Springs, Georgia, seizing approximately 30 electronic devices. The agents located about 1,948 images and 798 videos of child pornography on these devices. Several videos in Kim’s possession depicted prepubescent females engaged in sexual acts with adult males or objects.
Paul Bogeun Kim, 31, of Sandy Springs, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography on August 23, 2024. Kim’s sentencing is scheduled for November 21, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwayne A. Brown Jr. is prosecuting the case.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Pasco County Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing A Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that James Vega, Jr. (28, Zephyrhills) has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Vega faces up to 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the court records, in 2016, Vega was convicted of the felony offense of aggravated battery with great bodily harm. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
On July 29, 2023, Vega was stopped for a traffic violation in Lake County. Vega told the officer that he had a firearm in his pocket. The officer took the firearm, which was loaded. The officer later discovered another loaded firearm in a bag on the passenger seat of the vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Groveland Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
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.
Palmdale Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Importing Ancient Roman Mosaic from Syria Depicting HerculesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Antelope Valley man was sentenced today to three months in federal prison for illegally importing an ancient floor mosaic from Syria depicting the Roman demigod Hercules that is believed to have been made nearly two millennia ago.
Mohamad Yassin Alcharihi, 57, of Palmdale, was sentenced by United States District Judge George W. Hu, who also granted the government’s application for a preliminary order of forfeiture for the mosaic.
At the conclusion of a five-day trial, a jury in June 2023 found Alcharihi guilty of one count of entry of falsely classified goods.
In August 2015, Alcharihi illegally imported the mosaic – which dates from the era of the Roman Empire – by means of a false classification as to its value and quality. The mosaic arrived at Alcharihi’s direction at the Port of Long Beach as part of a shipment from Turkey.
The mosaic depicts a story from ancient Greek and Roman mythology depicting Hercules rescuing Prometheus, who had been chained to a rock by his fellow gods for stealing fire for humanity.
Alcharihi purchased the mosaic in 2015. Instead of disclosing to United States customs officials that he was importing a Syrian antiquity for which he had paid approximately $12,000 and that he knew was worth much more, Alcharihi lied to his customs broker and caused it to falsely declare that he was importing ceramic tiles from Turkey valued at less than $600. Alcharihi paid $40,000 to restore the mosaic and the government’s appraisal expert valued the mosaic at $450,000.
The false classifications occurred months after the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution condemning the destruction of cultural heritage in Syria, particularly by the terrorist organizations Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Al-Nusrah Front.
The mosaic was placed inside a large metal shipping container holding many vases and two other mosaics. An x-ray image of the container taken by CBP showed that the mosaic was hidden in the front of the container – away from the rear access doors – behind a pile of vases. After passing through customs, the mosaic was shipped via truck to Alcharihi’s home.
The mosaic is 15 feet long, 8 feet tall, and weighs approximately 2,000 pounds. It has been stored at a secure facility in Los Angeles since federal agents seized it from Alcharihi’s garage in March 2016.
The FBI’s Art Crime Team and Homeland Security Investigations investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark A. Williams and Matthew W. O’Brien of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section, Assistant United States Attorney Maxwell K. Coll of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section and Justice Department Trial Attorney Christian A. Levesque of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section prosecuted this case.
Owner of chain of coffee stands plead guilty to multi-million-dollar tax avoidance schemeRead the Press Release
Seattle – The owner of a string of coffee stands pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to making and subscribing a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Assad Baragzai, 47, of Auburn, Washington, admits that between 2016 and 2020 he failed to report as much as $6 million in income on his tax returns. Baragzai faces up to three years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge John H. Chun on November 18, 2024.
According to the plea agreement, Baragzai significantly under-reported his income when he provided information to his tax accountant. The government believes that the tax loss over the five years that Baragzai underreported his income is more than $1.7 million. The tax loss in 2017 alone is more than $687,000. Baragzai disputes the government figures and believes the tax loss is $1.3 million. Judge Chun will determine the tax loss at the sentencing hearing.
Baragzai is the second defendant to enter a guilty plea in this investigation. In March 2024, Baragzai’s brother-in-law, 45-year-old Rajesh Mathew, also of Auburn, pleaded guilty to making and subscribing a false tax return. In his plea agreement Mathew, who also owns a string of coffee stands, admits that he too underreported a substantial amount of income over a period of several years. Mathew is scheduled for sentencing on October 9, 2024.
Both Baragzai and Mathew have agreed to make restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. Both may also face additional civil penalties, fines, and interest for the tax loss.
Filing or subscribing a false tax return is punishable by up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine or twice the gain or loss from the offense.
The case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Dion.
Owner of San Diego-based Shammas Funding Inc. Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining $5 Million in Pandemic-Related LoansRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 29, 2024
SAN DIEGO – Andre Shammas, owner of Shammas Funding Inc., pleaded guilty in federal court today to fraud charges, admitting that he submitted bogus applications for more than $5 million in pandemic-related loans intended to help struggling businesses during the pandemic.
Shammas admitted using his accounting and tax preparation business, Shammas Funding, to illegally apply for more than 40 loans from the Paycheck Protection Program known as PPP.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was enacted to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering economic harm as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act established the PPP, under which banks would make forgivable loans to small businesses, so that those businesses could keep their doors open and employees on their payroll. If a business used the money for payroll and other eligible business expenses, the loans would be forgiven, and the federal government’s Small Business Administration would pay back the bank.
According to court documents, Shammas solicited and recruited clients of Shammas’s tax preparation business and people to apply for fraudulent PPP loans. Shammas then prepared fraudulent tax and other documentation to support fraudulent PPP loan applications. Co-conspirators then prepared and filed the PPP applications using the fraudulent documentation provided by Shammas.
Some examples include:
- One of the bogus applications submitted by Shammas and his co-conspirators was for a PPP loan on behalf of Nasser Salman and the entity LGDG (charged in federal Case No. 23-CR-0821-LL). This fraudulent PPP application generated $85,000 in PPP proceeds.
- An application for a PPP loan was submitted on behalf of Rafael Santiago and the entity Blacktie Co-Investors, Inc. (charged in federal Case No. 23-CR-01915-LAB). This fraudulent PPP application generated $117,233 in PPP proceeds.
- Another fraudulent application was submitted for a PPP loan on behalf of Wendell Pialet and the entity Hope Nuggets, LLC (charged in federal Case No. 23-CR-02156-LL). This fraudulent PPP application generated $100,000 in PPP proceeds.
To induce the Small Business Administration and banks to approve the fraudulent PPP loans, Shammas and his co-conspirators included false and fraudulent statements in the loan applications, including false representations regarding the number of employees, the average monthly payroll, and the gross receipts earned by these purported businesses.
“The Paycheck Protection Program served as a lifeline to many businesses desperately trying to stay afloat during the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “These charges will hold Shammas accountable for abusing this critical program.”
“As an accountant and tax preparer, Mr. Shammas is a gatekeeper who has a responsibility to do what is right for both his clients and the system. Mr. Shammas blatantly ignored that responsibility, and instead recruited clients to join his criminal conspiracy,” said FDIC OIG Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Korner. We are proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners to protect our nation’s financial system and bring to justice individuals, like Mr. Shammas, who defraud our system to line their own pockets, while stealing benefits designated for those most in need during the pandemic.”
“Conspiring to defraud programs aimed at assisting small businesses that struggled to survive the pandemic is both unacceptable and reprehensible,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King. “Our office is committed to ensuring that SBA funds reach those who truly need them and are not diverted by fraudulent schemes. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners in bringing those who exploit these programs to justice.”
Shammas is scheduled to be sentenced on November 18, 2024, at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Thomas Whelan.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Conover.
DEFENDANT Case Number - 24-CR-1765-W
Andre Shammas Age: 43 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General
Homeland Security Investigations
Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 63 Months for Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Jason C. Nottingham, age 39, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced on August 29, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for transportation of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Nottingham to 63 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Nottingham will be required to complete a 5-year term of supervised release.
Internet child pornography investigators began investigating a CyberTipline report from Yahoo! stating that a user had uploaded 37 files of child pornography between January 16, 2023, and January 19, 2023. Of the 37 files, 34 were videos and 3 were photos. One file was described as a 4-minute-and-9-second video, during which an adult male sexually assaulted a naked female, approximately 3 to 5 years old. The CyberTipline report indicated that at least one of the video files was attached to an email sent from Nottingham’s Yahoo! email account to his Gmail account on or about January 18, 2023.
On May 25, 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at defendant’s residence in Omaha. Investigators contacted Nottingham and advised him that the warrant was related to child pornography. Prior to the end of his interview with investigators, Nottingham acknowledged his use of the Yahoo! email account reported by in the CyberTipline report. The warrant authorized investigators to seize Nottingham’s electronic devices.
Investigators also executed search warrants to Google for the Gmail account and to Yahoo! for the Yahoo! email account. Within the return from Google, the agent observed several hundred images and videos of artificial intelligence (“AI”) -created child sexual abuse material.
Investigators forensically examined the defendant’s electronic devices. On his computer tower hard drive, they found 26 images of child pornography. On an external hard drive, investigators located several images of partially clothed young females, approximately 13-15 years. One of the females had “I’m 14 years old” written on her chest. Based upon the forensic examination, investigators believe that the images were obtained through chats on Facebook. Investigators also located “several hundred” images and videos of AI-created child sexual abuse material on the external hard drive.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations.
Ohio Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Burglarizing Southern Illinois Pharmacies of Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district court judge sentenced two Columbus, Ohio, men to federal prison for burglarizing several pharmacies of oxycodone, hydrocodone and morphine pills with intent to illegally distribute the controlled substances.
George H. Cunningham, 42, was sentenced to 100 months’ and Tarvin M. Hamler, III, 43, was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances: oxycodone, hydrocodone and morphine, conspiracy to commit burglary involving controlled substances and burglary involving controlled substances.
“Targeting, disrupting and burglarizing locally-owned pharmacies that provide vital healthcare services impair rural communities, and controlled substances must be lawfully distributed by medical professionals to help prevent misuse and abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “I commend the DEA agents for their efforts to piece together this investigation in order to seek justice for the pharmacists, pharmacy employees and patrons.”
According to court documents, the pair targeted and entered pharmacies in McLeansboro, Illinois; Irvington, Illinois; Carthage, Missouri; St. James, Missouri; Hillsboro, Missouri; Ladue, Missouri; North Vernon, Indiana; and Reidsville, North Carolina, by breaking glass windows, prying open locked doors and stealing bulk quantities of oxycodone, hydrocodone and morphine from March 2018 through February 2020.
“Criminals that target community-based pharmacies rip at the core of health and safety for many whom rely upon these much needed services,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Joseph Dixon, head of Drug Enforcement Administration investigations in southern Illinois. “DEA will remain steadfast in its commitment to the citizens of southern, Illinois and beyond. DEA and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate anyone who puts greed ahead of patient care and is committed to preventing the diversion of controlled substances.”
In a similar case, McKindley V. Allen, 32, of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty to federal charges Wednesday for conspiracy to commit burglary involving controlled substances, conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and attempted burglary involving controlled substances.
According to court documents, Allen and others unlawfully entered a pharmacy in Casey, Illinois, with intent to steal controlled substances in December 2023 by using a Sawzall to cut through the exterior wall. In January, Allen and others burglarized a pharmacy in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and took more than 16,000 pills. After burglarizing the pharmacies, Allen admitted to conspiring with others to distribute the stolen oxycodone, hydrocodone and morphine. Allen’s sentencing is scheduled at the federal courthouse in Benton at 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 11.
Allen’s alleged co-conspirator Deleon J. Fontennet, 27, of Houston, is facing the same three federal charges. In addition to involvement in the two other pharmacy burglaries, the charging document alleges Fontennet also burglarized a pharmacy in Murphysboro, Illinois. He is scheduled to appear in federal court in Benton on Sept. 10.
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
DEA St. Louis is leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Hudson and John Trippi are prosecuting the cases.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison After Pleading Guilty to Threatening to Kill Law Enforcement OfficersRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – Aron McKillips, 30, of Sandusky, Ohio, was sentenced to 41 months in prison by Judge James G. Carr, after pleading guilty to interstate communication of threats and unlawful possession of a machine gun.
McKillips pleaded guilty to the offenses in court on April 9, 2024. According to court documents, from September 2021 to July 2022, McKillips made at least five online threats to harm or kill law enforcement officers. In one such threat, he submitted a photo he took from his residence while aiming a semi-automatic rifle at an officer who was parked in a police vehicle further down the street who was there to assist residents on an unrelated matter.
Additionally, McKillips unlawfully possessed a machine gun, specifically, a drop-in auto sear that could convert an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle into a fully automatic machinegun. Expert testing confirmed that the sear allowed multiple rounds to be fired with a single pull of the trigger.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division-Toledo Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gene Crawford for the Northern District of Ohio.
If you witness threatening behavior toward members of law enforcement, visit tips.fbi.gov/home to submit a tip.
Ocean Springs Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute over 6,000 Grams of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – An Ocean Springs man pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 6,208 grams of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Eric Donte Pittman, 51, traveled to California with a co-conspirator to pick up a package of methamphetamine to bring back to Jackson County, Mississippi. When returning to Mississippi on August 28, 2023, Pittman and his co-conspirator encountered a Rankin County Sheriff’s Deputy during a traffic stop on Highway 49. The Deputy observed a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed two small bags of marijuana and a black garbage bag containing several packages of methamphetamine. The total amount of methamphetamine was 6,208 grams with 98 percent purity.
Pittman is scheduled to be sentenced on December 4, 2024, and faces up to twenty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team, Rankin and Jackson County Sheriff’s Departments, and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones is prosecuting the case.
North Platte Man Sentenced for Meth Distribution and Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Brad Jay Leeper, age 47, of North Platte, Nebraska, was sentenced August 29, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for distribution of 5 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Leeper to a total of 84 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Leeper’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
Beginning in 2021, the FBI and CODE Drug Task Force opened an investigation into drug trafficking in the North Platte, Nebraska area. In June of 2022, they were able to conduct a controlled buy, set up over Facebook, involving Leeper. The buy was audio recorded and surveilled by law enforcement. Leeper was present as the passenger in the vehicle involved in the controlled buy, personally handed the meth over, and was recorded advising the total weight as 28.38 grams. Subsequent testing by the state crime lab confirmed the substance was 100% pure meth and weighed 28 grams.
Leeper was federally indicted and on January 23, 2024, law enforcement went to Leeper’s trailer home to serve the arrest warrant. Leeper was taken into custody near the front door and gave officers permission to enter his trailer to ensure no one else was present for officer safety. When officers entered the trailer, they observed, in plain view, a 9mm handgun. When asked, Leeper then consented to a complete search of his trailer which located 53 rounds of ammunition, as well as a loaded syringe with suspected meth/fentanyl, a smoking bong, a mirror with meth residue, baggies with meth residue, and additional unused syringes. At the time of his arrest, Leeper had three prior felony convictions out of Nebraska state courts. He was also on state probation.
This case was investigated by the CODE Task Force which is made up of law enforcement agencies throughout a 22-county area in west-central/southwest Nebraska and includes the North Platte Police Department, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Red Willow County Sheriff’s Office, Frontier County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
Nineteen Gang Members and Associates Charged in Federal Sweeps Targeting Boston GangsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Earlier today, charges were unsealed against 10 members and associates of the H Block Gang (Appendix A) for drug conspiracy. Separately, nine members and associates of the Mission Hill Gang (Appendix B) were charged with engaging in financial fraud. The charges are the result of separate, multi-year investigations into gang violence in Boston and follow the February 2024 takedown of over 40 members and associates of the Heath Street Gang for alleged racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking, firearms and financial frauds.
According to the charging documents, the H Block Street Gang is one of the most feared and influential city-wide gangs in Boston. Originally formed in the 1980s as the Humboldt Raiders in the Roxbury section of Boston, the gang re-emerged in recent years as H Block. Current members of H Block have a history of violent confrontation with law enforcement, including a 2015 incident when a member shot a Boston Police officer at point blank range without warning or provocation.
The current investigation of H Block began in response to an uptick in gang-related drug trafficking, shootings and violence. According to court documents, since the start of the investigation in 2021, law enforcement attributed at least a dozen incidents involving firearms and gunfire to the tensions involving H Block gang associates. Six H Block members and associates were arrested today and charged with drug dealing in Boston and the surrounding communities. Four additional H Block members and associates are already in state custody. Additional drugs and four firearms were seized during today’s arrests.
In addition, three members and associates of H Block are charged with a conspiracy to smuggle illegal drugs into a Massachusetts prison. According to court documents, the Massachusetts Department of Correction has seen a significant increase in the smuggling of synthetic cannabinoids, a/k/a “K2,” and other dangerous substances into the prison system. A common method of introducing the drugs is by exploiting the Department of Correction’s inmate mail policies, which prohibit delivery to inmates of original copies of any materials contained in incoming mail except for legal mail, original copies of which are inspected and delivered via the U.S. postal system. Sheets of paper are saturated or sprayed with liquid narcotics, dried, printed with fake legal correspondence, and then mailed to inmates in an envelope marked as legal mail, in the hopes that the drug-laced paper will be delivered undetected. It is alleged that 14 sheets of paper containing PCP (Phenylcyclidine) and illegal K2 were seized over the course of the investigation. It is estimated that a single sheet of such drug-laced paper would be worth as much as $80,000 inside the prison.
Separately, charges were filed today against Mission Hill street gang members and associates for their involvement in a mail theft and financial fraud scheme known as “card cracking.” According to court documents, card cracking involves the theft and laundering of money through bank accounts in various names that are controlled by the primary offenders. Card cracking schemes are fueled by checks that are stolen from postal collection boxes, and chemically washed and rewritten to various recruited bank account holders. These washed checks are then deposited into checking accounts for cash withdrawal or laundering through money transfers and other means, such as the purchase of postal money orders. Six Mission Hill members and associates were arrested today and charged with financial crimes, along with three additional Mission Hill members and associates who are already in custody.
The Mission Hill Street Gang operates in the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, centered on the “Mission Main” and “Annunciation Road” housing developments in Boston.
Today’s announcement follows the February 2024 takedown of over 40 members and associates of the Heath Street Gang, which is involved in a violent rivalry with both H Block and Mission Hill. According to charging documents, Heath Street Gang, which was formed in the 1980s and has over 150 members, operated primarily out of the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments in Jamaica Plain (previously known as the Bromley Heath Housing Development). Since February, five members and associates of Heath Street Gang have pleaded guilty to crimes including drug trafficking; firearms charges; and financial frauds, including COVID-related fraud.
“Keeping communities safe involves combatting a number of different types of threats. The fight to keep our streets safe from dangerous gangs and drugs is an ever-constant struggle and, as this case shows, extends to our state’s prison facilities. Today’s arrests are an important step forward in making our streets and prisons safer,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “These arrests send a message that the federal government is actively engaged with our state and local partners and stands ready to hold accountable those who violate federal laws.”
“I am proud of our Boston Police officers and all of our law enforcement partners for this great work. These are individuals who do not value life, they have terrorized and wreaked havoc in our City. These investigations were intricately designed and carried out and there is no doubt that all of those in law enforcement who were involved, have put themselves in danger to get to this point, Partnering and pulling together our resources is powerful, it makes our residents safer, and we are seeing the result of that collaboration today,” said Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox.
“Dismantling violent gangs is a top priority of the DEA. Operations like these have a direct, positive effect on the neighborhoods in which these gangs sell drugs and cause violence,” said Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division. “Today’s arrests should serve as a warning that we will not tolerate drug trafficking, gang related violence, and those who cause it. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative local, state and federal law enforcement efforts and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“ATF remains resolute in our mission to apprehend trigger pullers and firearms traffickers,” said James M. Ferguson Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division “By leveraging crime gun intelligence, we empower law enforcement to break the cycle of violence by concentrating on the individuals and criminal organizations fueling gun-related crime in our communities. Today's arrests exemplify ATF's unwavering commitment to collaborating with our local, state, and federal partners to combat the violent gang and drug activities that jeopardize public safety. Our collective efforts are crucial in holding violent offenders accountable, mitigating threats to the public, and driving down violent crime.”
The charge of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (cocaine) provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, not less than three years of supervised release, up to life, and a fine of up to $1 million. The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (cocaine, cocaine base, fentanyl, PCP, and controlled substance analogues, i.e. K2) provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, not less than three years of supervised release, up to life, and a fine of up to $1 million. The charges of theft of government property provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of conspiracy to steal or possess stolen mail provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; BPD Commissioner Cox; DEA Acting SAC Belleau; ATF SAC Ferguson; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Special Agent in Charge Andrew Murphy of the U.S. Secret Service Boston Field Office; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the Depart of Labor, Office of Inspector General made the announcement. The investigation was supported by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; and the Braintree, Quincy, Randolph, Watertown and Wellesley Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorneys Fred M. Wyshak, III, John T. Dawley and Philip C. Cheng of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Jeremy Franker of the Department of Justice’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the cases.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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APPENDIX A
- Trea Lankford, a/k/a “Heff,” a/k/a “Hefna Don,” a/k/a “Montana,” a/k/a “Tre Cain,” 33, of Boston;
- Dennis Wilson, a/k/a “Deuce,” a/k/a “Deep Jhonenson,” 36 of Boston;
- Avery Lewis, a/k/a “Wave,” 32 of Dorchester;
- Mark Linnehan,25, of West Roxbury;
- Eric Celestino,30, of Boston;
- Timothy Hearns, a/k/a “King Kill,” a/k/a “Tool Man,” a/k/a “Tooly,” 34;
- Dominique Carpenter-Grady, a/k/a “8-Zipp” a/k/a “Eighty,” 35;
- Robert Heckstall, a/k/a “Ribbs,” a/k/a “Buck,” a/k/a “Buck Corleone,” 41, of Roxbury;
- Jason Bly, 44, of Quincy; and
- Jerry Gray, 28, of Dorchester.
APPENDIX B- Imanol Rios-Franco, 24, of Brookline;
- Jairo Cabral-Santos, 22, of Boston;
- Brandon Baez, 22, of Framingham;
- Jiovanny Matos, 25, of Boston;
- Josman Romero Delgado, 22, of Boston;
- Jonathan Martinez, 25, of Roslindale;
- Anthony Worthen, 28, of Roslindale;
- Tyrone Brimage, 28, of Boston; and
- Glenroy Miller, 28, of Boston.
Newton Man Charged in Scheme to Conceal Bomb MakingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Newton, Mass. man has been charged with allegedly engaging in a scheme to conceal his efforts to develop bomb making skills after he triggered an explosion in his dormitory room at the University of Chicago. He is also charged with making false statements to federal officials at Logan International Airport after his bags set off alarms for explosives.
Aram Brunson, 21, is charged in a criminal complaint with falsifying, concealing and covering up a material fact by trick, scheme or device and making false statements to federal officials. Brunson is believed to be living in Yerevan, Armenia and attending the American University there.
According to the charging documents Brunson’s bomb-making activities were linked to his desire to take militant action against Azerbaijanis and others who pose a threat to ethnic Armenians living in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.
It is alleged that Brunson came to the attention of law enforcement officials in Chicago in January 2023, after he trigged and explosion in his dormitory room at the University of Chicago. Law enforcement allegedly discovered that Brunson was constructing a large black powder device when he accidentally set it off, burning his room and causing the evacuation of the dormitory. At the time, he allegedly told law enforcement that he was just mimicking a prank he had seen on the internet.
A subsequent investigation allegedly revealed that Brunson sought to engage in what he described as revolutionary direct action and terrorism in support of Armenian causes. It is further alleged that Brunson made videos of himself teaching others how to make explosive devices and rig doors and desks with grenades. His internet searches also allegedly suggested that he planned to take action against foreign diplomatic facilities in the United States.
According to court documents, in August 2023, as Brunson was departing Boston to travel to Armenia, his bags set off explosive alarms for an unusual and highly volatile explosive. He allegedly told Customs and Border Protection officials that he had no idea how or why traces of the explosive material came to be on and in his bags. It is alleged that, during a subsequent search of his Newton home, a detailed recipe for making that explosive was found and a bomb dog detected three locations in the bedroom.
“It is alleged that Mr. Brunson crossed the line between political expression and mobilization, by taking affirmative steps to carry out unlawful acts. While radical political views may be offensive, they are constitutionally protected. However, experimenting with extremely dangerous explosives in support of those views and then engaging in false statements about your conduct is crossing the line. We will investigate and prosecute anyone who crosses that line in order to keep our communities safe,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.
“What Arum Brunson is accused of is alarming. We believe he engaged in a calculated scheme to conceal his efforts to develop bomb making skills and construct an explosive device in support of his violent extremist activity,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division. “This case highlights how FBI Boston’s Joint Terrorism Task Force takes its mission to thwart political violence, wherever it may occur, seriously.”
“The men and women of CBP work diligently alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure that anyone intending to inflict harm is held accountable and brought to justice,” stated Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office.
Each of the charges provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy; FBI SAC Jody Cohen; and CBP Director De La O made the announcement today. This matter was investigated with the assistance of the Newton Police Department, the Chicago Police Department, the Chicago Fire Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Illinois, the Department of Justice National Security Division and the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. McNeil of the National Security Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHARVAN MORRIS (“MORRIS”), age 27, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on August 29, 2024 before U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe to two counts of distributing fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C).
According to court documents, on February 16, 2024, MORRIS sold 3.26 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives at the London Lodge Motel on Airline Highway. During the transaction, MORRIS was in the driver’s seat of a vehicle while the front seat passenger sat armed with a visible AR-style pistol. On February 20, 2024, MORRIS sold 5.53 grams of fentanyl to the same confidential informant at the London Lodge.
MORRIS faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, a minimum of three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 as to each count.
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, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MAURICE FLORANT (“FLORANT”), age 36, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty today, before United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier to being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).
FLORANT faces up to15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. The offense also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
Judge Barbier scheduled sentencing for December 5, 2024.
Court documents reveal that on September 9, 2022, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (“JPSO”) deputies responded to a stolen vehicle alert and saw FLORANT at a gas station, seated in the stolen vehicle. When deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, FLORANT fled, triggering a high-speed and dangerous chase. FLORANT struck a JPSO police vehicle before crashing into the exterior air conditioning unit of an apartment complex. The defendant fled on foot and was eventually arrested. Deputies searched the vehicle and found two firearms; a Palmetto State Armory Model PA-15, .556 - millimeter pistol, located on the rear driver's side floorboard, and a CZ Scorpion Model EVO 3 S1, nine- millimeter pistol, located on the front passenger side floorboard.
Court documents also revealed that FLORANT had been previously convicted of Manslaughter in Orleans Parish District Criminal Court.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Miller of the Narcotics Unit is assigned the prosecution.
New Jersey Man Convicted of Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Hackensack, New Jersey man was convicted by a jury on federal firearms charges, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Kadir Reeves, 40, was convicted of two counts of aiding and abetting the false statement in connection with the acquisition of firearms.
The jury heard testimony about how Reeves and another defendant conspired to have others purchase and transport guns to New Jersey where Reeves had street gang affiliations. One of the firearms transported was recovered following an incident where shots were fired at a high school football game in Jersey City, New Jersey.
“West Virginia is a source state for firearms that are used to commit crimes in other parts of the country,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “We’ll continue to crack down on all those who unlawfully obtain guns here, especially when they’re used to engage in violence.”
Three other defendants, Curtis Neal, 46; Kareem Neal, 43; and Bukiye Hatten, 41; all of Morgantown, West Virginia are awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to firearms charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zelda Wesley and Christie Utt prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.
Chief U.S. District Court Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
New Hampshire Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Harass and Intimidate Two JournalistsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Hampshire man was sentenced on Aug. 27, 2024 for his role in a conspiracy to stalk journalists employed by New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR). The harassment and intimidation of the victims included the vandalism – on five separate occasions – of the victims’ homes and the home of one of the victims’ parents with bricks, large rocks and red spray paint.
Tucker Cockerline, 33, of Salem, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Cockerline pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in December 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel and using a facility of interstate commerce. Cockerline was initially arrested and charged by criminal complaint in June 2023. He was later indicted along with co-defendants Eric Labarge, Michael Waselchuck, and Saniatan. Labarge and Waselchuck have both pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Saniatan is expected to plead guilty in federal court in Boston on Sept. 5, 2024.
In March of 2022, after a year-long investigation, an NHPR journalist (Victim 1) published an article detailing allegations of sexual and other misconduct by a former New Hampshire businessperson (Subject 1). Another NHPR journalist (Victim 2) also contributed to the article, which appeared on NHPR’s website during and after March 2022. In response to this reporting, Labarge – who is a close personal associate of Subject 1 – Cockerline, Waselchuck, and allegedly Saniatan, agreed to harass and intimidate Victims 1 and 2 and their immediate family members by vandalizing their homes in the middle of the night with bricks, rocks and red spray paint.
Specifically, Labarge solicited Cockerline to vandalize Victim 1’s former residence in Hanover, N.H., using a brick and red spray paint. On the evening of April 24, 2022, Cockerline spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front door of the home and threw a brick through an exterior window. Saniatan allegedly agreed with Labarge to vandalize Victim 2’s home in Concord, N.H., and Victim 1’s parents’ home in Hampstead, N.H., using large rocks and red spray paint. On the evening of April 24, 2022, Saniatan allegedly spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front door and threw a large rock at the exterior of Victim 2’s home; and he allegedly threw a softball-sized rock through a front exterior window and spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front of Victim 1’s parents’ home.
Labarge also solicited Cockerline to vandalize Victim 1’s parents’ home in Hampstead, N.H., and Victim 1’s home in Melrose, Mass., using bricks and red spray paint. Cockerline, in turn, recruited Waselchuck to vandalize Victim 1’s residence, providing him with a brick and a can of red spray paint. On the evening of May 20, 2022, Cockerline spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front of Victim 1’s parents’ home, and left a brick on the ground near the front door. Several hours later, Waselchuck threw a brick through an exterior window of Victim 1’s home and painted the phrase “JUST THE BEGINNING” in large red letters on the front of the house.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Concord, Hampstead and Hanover, N.H. Police Departments, the Melrose, Mass. Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Casey and Torey B. Cummings of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mother and Son Guilty of Federal Controlled Substances Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JERAD M. BARRETT (“BARRETT”), age 40, and JENNIE L. JAMES (“JAMES”), age 67, both of New Orleans, pled guilty on August 28, 2024, before United States District Judge Ivan L. R. Lemelle. Specifically, BARRETT pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, fifty (50) kilograms or more of marijuana, two counts of possession with intent to distribute, fifty (50) kilograms or more of marijuana, and maintaining a drug-involved premises, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), 846, and 856(a)(1). JAMES pled guilty to maintaining a drug-involved premises, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 856(a)(1), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
After receiving information regarding BARRETT’s narcotics distribution activity and conducting an investigation, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies, recovered approximately 940 kilograms of marijuana in both his residence and multiple storage units. Agents also uncovered communications between JAMES and BARRETT related to distribution, packaging, and relocation of narcotics within the Eastern District of Louisiana.
BARRETT and JAMES are scheduled to be sentenced on December 11, 2024. For conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, BARRETT faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, and at least five (3) years of supervised release. For maintaining a drug-involved premises, BARRETT and JAMES each face up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $500,000, and up to three (3) years of supervised release. As to each charge, both BARRETT and JAMES face payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana State Police, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
Mission Man Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on August 28, 2024.
Tevin Thin Elk, Sr., age 27, was sentenced to time served through September 25, 2024, or approximately 16 months in custody, three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. He was also ordered for forfeit the firearm.
Thin Elk Sr. was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. He pleaded guilty on May 30, 2024.
The conviction stemmed from a traffic stop on August 19, 2022, in Mission, within the Rosebud Indian Reservation. During the course of the traffic stop a drug K9 alerted to the vehicle, resulting in a search. Officers located marijuana, a methamphetamine pipe, and an extended magazine on Thin Elk’s person, and a Glock pistol in the backseat of the vehicle. Thin Elk admitted to officers the firearm was his and he was a regular user of marijuana and methamphetamine. Thin Elk’s UA that day was positive for both substances.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Thin Elk Sr. was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Miami Tax Return Preparer Agrees to Permanent Injunction and DisgorgementRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida issued a permanent injunction today against Miami tax return preparer Richard Louis, which bars him from preparing federal income tax returns, working for or having any ownership stake in any tax preparation business, assisting others (including family members) prepare tax returns or set up business as a preparer and transferring or assigning customer lists to any other person or entity. The court also ordered Louis to disgorge $390,000 in ill-gotten gains he received from his return preparation business. Louis agreed to both the injunction and ordered disgorgement.
In June, the Court enjoined seven independent contractors who worked with Louis — Harold Bornelous, Romeo Davis, Teddy Davis, Joseph Garrett, Demetrius Knowles, Daniel Oku and Marlyne Wah — from preparing returns for others, but allowed the seven defendants to apply for reinstatement as return preparers after two years if they successfully complete the IRS' Annual Filing Season Program. The independent contractors agreed to the injunctions entered against them.
The complaint alleged that Louis and the independent contractors prepared returns for customers that claimed various false or fabricated deductions and credits, including fabricated residential energy credits, false and exaggerated itemized deductions and fictitious and inflated business expenses. According to the complaint, Louis marketed himself as Taxman and he, acting in concert with the seven independent contractors, prepared thousands of tax returns for customers over the past ten years.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers guidance on the credentials and qualifications that taxpayers should seek from their return preparer.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Louis Injunction and Disgorgement Order_0.pdf June 2024 Injunction Order_0.pdfMexican Citizen Indicted for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ulises Perez-Herrera, age 35, a Citizen of Mexico, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien.
According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Perez-Herrera was previously removed from the United States on June 15, 2019, through Hidalgo, Texas. It is alleged that he was subsequently found in the United States on July 27, 2024, in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the country.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty upon conviction for the charged offense is 10 years imprisonment, three years of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by a court after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Man Admits Embezzling $2 Million from Newington Business, Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that EVAN BOBZIN, 39, of Chester, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to offenses stemming from a $2 million embezzlement scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from July 2013 until December 2023, Bobzin was an employee of Hoffman’s Gun Center (“Hoffman’s”) in Newington and, in 2016, he became the head of information technology at Hoffman’s. In January 2016, Bobzin began to steal cash receipts from a safe in Hoffman’s front office. Bobzin would arrive at work before other employees, disconnect ethernet cables from the company’s computers servers to cameras that captured views of the safe, enter the front office, open the safe, steal thousands of dollars in cash from receipt pouches, return the pouches to the safe, and then reconnect the ethernet cables. He would then deposit some of all of the cash proceeds into his personal bank accounts.
Between 2016 and 2023, Bobzin and his former spouse made 287 cash deposits of stolen money from Hoffman’s totaling $1,901,250 into his bank accounts, and seven cash purchases of cashier’s checks totaling $161,330. Bobzin used the funds to pay for personal expenses, including to pay monthly American Express bill and to make mortgage payments.
In October 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office notified Bobzin that he was conducting cash transactions in amounts below $10,000 in a manner indicative of structuring to avoid having his bank file Currency Transaction Reports. Bobzin ceased making cash deposits at his bank, opened new accounts at a different bank, and resumed making structured cash deposits into those accounts.
Bobzin failed to report the stolen income on his federal personal income tax returns for the 2016 through 2022 tax years, resulting in a loss to the IRS of $436,178. As an example, on his income tax return for the 2020 tax year, Bobzin reported taxable income of $9,914 and tax owed of $0. The return omitted income of approximately $432,615 and understated tax due and owing by approximately $110,530.
Bobzin pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transmission of stolen money, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and one count of tax evasion, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for November 26.
Bobzin has agreed to pay restitution of $2,062,580, and to cooperate with the IRS to pay $436,178 in taxes, as well as penalties and interest.
Bobzin is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Magoffin County Man Convicted of Methamphetamine and Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
PIKEVILLE, Ky. – A Salyersville, Ky., man, Daniel Jackson, was convicted on Wednesday, by a federal jury sitting in Pikeville, following a two-day trial, of possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to evidence at trial, on February 7, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle being driven by Jackson. During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement located and seized over 70 grams of methamphetamine. Jackson then attempted to discard a bag of fentanyl, in the police car, after his arrest.
Jackson was indicted on May 23, 2024.
Jackson will appear for sentencing on December 9, 2024. He faces a maximum of 40 years in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Erik Davodowich, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff William “Bill” Meade of the Magoffin County Sheriff’s Department made the announcement.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, the Magoffin County Sheriff’s Office, and Operation UNITE. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Trimble is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
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Madison Man Sentenced for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that John A. Maser, 35, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 4 months in federal prison for attempting to possess fentanyl intended for distribution. Maser pleaded guilty to this charge on April 11, 2024. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
The government’s investigation revealed a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was responsible for bringing over 4 kilograms of fentanyl pills into Madison from Arizona. Law enforcement began investigating the organization in January 2022, following the seizure of two mail packages that each contained one kilogram of fentanyl pills. The packages had been mailed by an individual in Arizona to addresses in Madison.
One of the packages was addressed to Maser’s residence. That package contained 1,075 grams of fentanyl pills (9,949 pills in total). On January 24, 2022, officers conducted a controlled delivery of the package at his residence. Maser was observed picking up the package. Officers then executed a search warrant at his residence. Maser told officers that he had agreed to accept the package for Deshawn Davis, who was his drug dealer.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson noted that Maser was responsible for the package addressed to his residence, which contained a significant quantity of fentanyl. Judge Peterson also said that the overall drug trafficking organization that Maser was involved with posed a serious danger to the community, and even minor participants like Maser needed to be held accountable. In arriving at a sentence, Judge Peterson weighed the seriousness of Maser’s actions with other factors including his lack of criminal record, his lesser role in the conspiracy, and his recovery efforts confronting his serious drug addiction.
Five other defendants involved in this fentanyl trafficking operation were charged in a separate indictment and have already been sentenced. Dejon C. Glover was sentenced on May 16, 2024, to 4 ½ years in federal prison for attempting to possess fentanyl intended for distribution. Lloyd M. McKire-Bennett was sentenced on May 17, 2024, to more than 13 ½ years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possessing firearms and ammunition as a felon. Deshawn P. Davis was sentenced on May 22, 2024, to 5 ½ years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl. Yoshi R. Walker was sentenced on July 24, 2024, to 6 years in federal prison for attempting to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Christopher S. Wilson was sentenced on July 29, 2024, to 5 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Two others were charged in connection with this trafficking organization: Jessica E. Leyvas and Dantrell T. Stevenson. Leyvas has pleaded guilty, and her sentencing hearing is yet to be scheduled. Stevenson’s case is scheduled for trial, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charge against Maser was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Dane County Narcotics Task Force. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Macy Man Sentenced for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Victor Miller, age 32, of Macy, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 29, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Miller to 41 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Miller’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
In May 2023, Miller approached a group of people playing horseshoes in a residential area of Macy, Nebraska. Miller ran up to one of the players, a male victim known to Miller, and began slashing at the victim with a blade. The victim shouted to others present that Miller had a knife, and Miller’s blade cut the victim’s hand and wrist. The victim and others present began throwing horseshoes at Miller to stop his attack, and Miller fled the scene. After a call for emergency medical services, the victim was transported for care and required several sutures to close the lacerations caused by Miller.
This case was prosecuted in federal court because the assault was a felony and occurred on the Omaha Nation Indian Reservation in Nebraska.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Luzerne County Attorney Pleads Guilty to Multiple Charges of Failing to Pay Income TaxesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and the Department of Justice, Tax Division announced that Jill Moran, age 55, of Conyngham, Pennsylvania, appeared in federal district court today and pleaded guilty to a three-count criminal information charging her with failing to pay individual income taxes for calendar years 2016, 2017, and 2018, in connection with substantial legal fees she earned as the owner and operator of The Powell Law Group, P.C., a Luzerne County-based law firm, and as a member of the Trust Advisory Committee for the mass tort litigation described below. Moran was released on an unsecured bond while awaiting her sentencing.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Moran did not pay individual income taxes for tax year 2016 on approximately $1,215,000 she received, and also did not pay individual income taxes for substantial income that she received in tax years 2017 and 2018.
In total, Moran caused a tax loss to the IRS of between $250,000 and $550,000.
Below is a detailed statement of facts that accompanied the guilty plea. In 2009, Moran became the Managing Director and President of the Powell Law Group, when the founder and owner of the firm, Robert J. Powell, was suspended from the practice of law and ultimately disbarred. Moran and Powell agreed, however, that she would collect 10% and he would collect 90% of any future fees the firm earned after the payment of expenses. Specifically, The Powell Law Group represented thousands of plaintiffs in a mass tort litigation that settled for approximately $5.15 billion in 2015, from which the firm was expected to receive approximately $120 million in attorneys’ fees.
Prior to the attorneys’ fees disbursement, The Powell Law Group and its co-counsel used those future legal fees as collateral to obtain a series of loans totaling over $125 million. In 2014 and 2015, Moran received two disbursements of $500,000 each from those loan proceeds. Moreover, Moran received approximately $215,000 for her work on the Trust Advisory Committee.
In June 2016, most of the attorneys’ fees were finally disbursed and the loans were repaid. Nevertheless, Moran did not pay taxes on both the $1,000,000 she received in attorney’s fees that year, and the $215,000 she received for her work on the Trust Advisory Committee. Likewise, in both 2017 and 2018, Moran received substantial income, but nonetheless did not pay taxes on it.
On August 14, 2024, Robert Powell pleaded guilty to evading taxes on the millions of dollars in income he received in legal fees from the mass tort litigation. Powell awaits sentencing.
"Running a business is not a license to avoid paying taxes,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Denise Leuenberger. “Moran’s misconduct by not reporting her income cheated all Americans, since we all pay our fair share for the government services and protections that we enjoy."
The cases were investigated by the Scranton office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. Senior Litigation Counsel Phillip J. Caraballo, Tax Division Trial Attorney Alexandra Fleszar, and Criminal Division Chief Bruce D. Brandler are prosecuting the cases.
The maximum penalty under federal law is one year in prison for each failure to pay count, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine and restitution. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Statement of Facts
Defendant Jill Moran is an attorney and a resident of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Jill Moran is the owner and operator of The Powell Law Group, P.C. (“Powell Law Group”), and has been since on or about August 31, 2009. The Powell Law Group is a law firm located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, and incorporated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in or about December 2002. Prior to August 31, 2009, Robert J. Powell was the founder and owner of the Powell Law Group. In or about August 2009, Robert J. Powell’s license to practice law was suspended by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Robert J. Powell subsequently was disbarred from the Bar of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in or about January 2015.
Prior to Robert J. Powell’s suspension from the practice of law, he owned 90% of the shares, and Jill Moran owned 10% of the shares of the Powell Law Group. On or about August 31, 2009, Robert J. Powell relinquished his directorship of the Powell Law Group, and Jill Moran became the Managing Director and President of the Powell Law Group. Robert J. Powell also surrendered his shares in the Powell Law Group, leaving Jill Moran the sole shareholder.
Beginning prior to Robert J. Powell’s suspension from the practice of law, the Powell Law Group served as counsel for approximately 4,300 plaintiffs in a mass tort litigation (the “Mass Tort Litigation”). On or about September 15, 2009, Robert J. Powell and Jill Moran entered a Memorandum of Understanding whereby they agreed that any future attorneys’ fees from the Mass Tort Litigation would first be applied to pay the Powell Law Group’s expenses, with 90% of the remaining fees disbursed to Robert J. Powell, and 10% of the remaining fees disbursed to Jill Moran. In or about April 2014, the Mass Tort Litigation settled for approximately $5.15 billion. Of that settlement, the Powell Law Group expected to receive attorneys’ fees in excess of approximately $120 million.
In or about May 2014, the Powell Law Group and two co-counsel law firms entered a loan agreement with Financing Company #1. Pursuant to that loan agreement, Financing Company #1 agreed to loan approximately $100 million to the Powell Law Group and the two co-counsel law firms. The loan was collateralized by the anticipated attorneys’ fees from the Mass Tort Litigation. In or about June 2014, Jill Moran received $500,000 of those loan proceeds.
In or about May 2015, the Powell Law Group and the two co-counsel law firms refinanced the loan agreement with Financing Company #1, by entering an agreement with Financing Company #2. Pursuant to that agreement, Financing Company #2 agreed to repay Financing Company #1, and to distribute an additional approximate $7.6 million to the Powell Law Group and the two co-counsel law firms. The funds distributed by Financing Company #2 were collateralized by the anticipated attorneys’ fees from the Mass Tort Litigation. In or about December 2015, Jill Moran received another $500,000 of the refinancing proceeds.
Between in or about February and June 2016, the trustee overseeing the Mass Tort Litigation (the “Tort Trustee”) repaid Financing Company #2 in full, by distributing approximately $125,849,595.59 in attorneys’ fees due to the Powell Law Group. In 2016, as a member of the Trust Advisory Committee for the Mass Tort Litigation’s trust, Jill Moran received approximately $215,000 for services rendered to the Trust Advisory Committee.
On or about April 18, 2017, Jill Moran willfully failed to pay taxes for tax year 2016, on the $1,000,000 she received from the Mass Tort Litigation, and on the $215,000 she received for services rendered to the Trust Advisory Committee.
In tax year 2017, Jill Moran received a substantial income and was required to pay federal income taxes. However, on or about April 17, 2018, Jill Moran willfully failed to pay taxes on personal income earned in tax year 2017.
In tax year 2018, Jill Moran received a substantial income and was required to pay federal income taxes. However, on or about April 15, 2019, Jill Moran willfully failed to pay taxes on personal income earned in tax year 2018.
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Lincoln Man Sentenced for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Michael A. Nolte, age 38, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced August 29, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for receipt of child pornography. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Nolte to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Nolte’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On July 25, 2022, KIK reported a CyberTip to NCMEC indicating that KIK user “stvhp44” had uploaded one file on or about July 19, 2022, which would be considered child pornography. The IP addresses associated with the CyberTip came back to a Nebraska residence belonging to Michael Nolte.
On December 15, 2022, the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force served a residential search warrant at Nolte’s residence in Lincoln where Nolte resided with his family. During the contact with law enforcement, Nolte admitted to previously using the KIK messenger application on his phone but deleted the application.
During a forensic examination of a laptop belonging to Michael Nolte, law enforcement observed at least 553 photographs and at least 5 videos depicting child pornography. These photographs depicted toddlers and other children under the age of twelve, including files depicting sadism. These files also included depictions of fellatio, and digital, penile, vaginal and anal penetration. There were also at least 500 photographs depicting child erotica.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Level III Sex Offender Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A level III sex offender who has four prior state convictions on child pornography charges has now been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for additional federal child pornography offenses, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
In July 2023, less than one month after being released from state prison after completing a four-year term of incarceration, Patrick M. O’Donnell, 63, was found to be in possession of two cellphones, in violation of the conditions of the terms of his state probation, which forensic review determined to have been used to access child pornography.
O’Donnell pleaded guilty in federal court on April 8, 2024, to a charge of possession of child pornography. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court William E. Smith to 10 years of incarceration to be followed by lifetime federal supervised release.
The case in federal court was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Cranston Police, and the Rhode Island Department of Corrections, Probation and Parole.
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 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc
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Lafayette Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to a Decade in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS—Kyle Lee Stacy, 44, of Lafayette, Indiana, has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on August 17, 2023, Kokomo Police Department officers pulled over Kyle Lee Stacy for committing multiple traffic violations. During the traffic stop, a specially trained narcotics detecting canine alerted to the presence of a controlled substance coming from the driver’s side of the vehicle.
A search of the interior of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of 459.8 grams of pure methamphetamine, hidden inside a black Adidas lunch bag. A subsequent search of Stacy’s cell phone revealed a text message he sent to an individual shortly before the traffic stop, which read: “All right cuz, I’m almost there ....and I got a pound of dope on me.”
Stacy has amassed a lengthy criminal history dating back to 1998. His prior felony convictions include, burglary, theft, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and five separate charges for possession of methamphetamine.
“The federal prison sentence imposed against this drug dealer demonstrates that there will be serious consequences for those who traffic in deadly drugs with utter disregard for human life,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Our federal prosecutors are committed to working closely with our partners including the DEA and Kokomo Police Department to get dealers off the streets of every community.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Kokomo Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Senior Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Barry D. Glickman, who prosecuted this case.
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Kentucky Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Transporting a Minor Across State Lines and Engaging in Sex ActsRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin P. Davidson announced the sentencing of a Lexington, Kentucky man for unlawfully transporting a minor across state lines with intent to engage in sexual activity. On August 28, 2024, a federal judge ordered that 44-year-old Glendon Arnold Carpenter, Jr., serve 240 months in prison. The judge also ordered that Carpenter remain on supervised release for life following his prison term. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole.
According to court records, in 2023, Carpenter began communicating with a 14-year-old girl in Lee County, Alabama through an online messaging application. After establishing a relationship with the minor, Carpenter convinced her to leave home. In July of 2023, Carpenter traveled to Alabama to pick up the 14-year-old and take her back to Kentucky where the two engaged in sexual activity. The victim’s parents reported her missing and law enforcement immediately began searching for her. Agents located Carpenter and the victim in Kentucky within two days. A federal grand jury indicted Carpenter for unlawfully transporting a minor across state lines in August of 2023. On February 12, 2024, Carpenter pleaded guilty to the charge.
The FBI Mobile Field Office and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case, with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Richmond, Kentucky Police Department, and the FBI Louisville Field Office. Assistant United States Attorney Tara S. Ratz prosecuted the case.
Jury Convicts Colorado Man for Kidnapping Employee from Michael Bloomberg’s RanchRead the Press Release
CHEYENNE - A federal jury convicted a Colorado man yesterday for kidnapping a woman from Michael Bloomberg’s ranch in February 2022.
Joseph Beecher, 51, of Craig, was convicted of kidnapping, carjacking, using/carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, and transportation of stolen firearms.
According to evidence presented at trial, Beecher lived and worked at an apartment complex in Craig. In the early morning hours of Feb. 2, 2022, Beecher was informed by his employer that his services were no longer needed. Beecher broke into his employer’s home and stole two firearms, including a Bushmaster AR-style rifle. Beecher then drove to a ranch in Colorado owned by Michael Bloomberg, intent on killing Mr. Bloomberg, but finding only a female employee present on the property. Beecher took the woman hostage at gunpoint and forced her to drive him to various locations in an effort to locate and kill another media mogul in Colorado. Unable to find his second target, Beecher eventually forced the woman at gunpoint to drive him to the Stage Coach Motel in Cheyenne, where Beecher could rest and figure out his next criminal act. In the early morning hours of February 3, 2022, SWAT officers with the Cheyenne Police Department rescued the woman and arrested Beecher at the motel. The woman was physically unharmed.
The trial was held before U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson in Cheyenne.
Beecher was indicted on March 17, 2022, and pleaded not guilty on March 21, 2022. Sentencing has been set for November 18. Beecher faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years and up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Vierbuchen prosecuted the case.
The FBI, Cheyenne Police Department, Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, and the Craig Police Department investigated the case.
Case No. 22-CR-00028
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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