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11 October 2024
Sparta Man Pleads Guilty to Killing A Bald EagleRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Robert Garner Gambill, 91, of Sparta, N.C., appeared in federal court in Charlotte today and pleaded guilty to killing a bald eagle, in violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Douglas Ault, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement (USFWS), Southeast Region, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed plea documents and today’s court proceedings, on June 5, 2024, Gambill, without being permitted to do so, set his firearm on a fencepost, and aimed, shot, and killed a bald eagle that was perched in a tree near the Farmers Fish Camp Road Bridge in Sparta. Gambill killed the federally protected bird with a Ruger M77 Mark 2 22-250 rifle with an attached Nikon Monarch MR31 4x16-42 scope. As Gambill admitted in court today, after killing the bald eagle, Gambill left the scene in his vehicle, abandoning the eagle carcass on the bank of the New River. The carcass was recovered with the assistance of two individuals who witnessed the incident and was subsequently taken into the custody of the USFWS. A necropsy performed by a USFWS forensic laboratory identified injuries suffered by the bald eagle that were consistent with a gunshot wound from a high-powered rifle.
In 1940 Congress enacted the Eagle Protection Act, predecessor to today’s Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA), to protect the bald eagle from extinction. The BGEPA makes it a crime against the United States to hunt, take, capture, kill, possess, and to otherwise deal with the bald or golden eagle, or any part, nest or egg thereof, except as authorized by a valid permit issued by the U.S. Secretary of Interior.
Gambill pleaded guilty to unlawful taking of a bald eagle, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss derived from the offense. Gambill also agreed to pay a fine in the amount of $9,500. Gambill was released on bond. A sentencing date has not been set.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the investigation of the case and thanked the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and the Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office for their substantial assistance with the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Armstrong of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
For immediate assistance with fishing or hunting violations, please contact the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission or local law enforcement. If you have information about any other wildlife crime, please follow the link https://www.fws.gov/wildlife-crime-tips, or call 1-844-397-8477. Please do not leave reports requesting assistance for injured wildlife/birds. Learn more about what to do with injured or orphaned wildlife here.
Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – William Bradley Noletto, age 44, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison after entering a guilty plea to Possession of Child Pornography. Noletto entered his guilty plea on May 15, 2024.
According to court documents, in October 2021 and May 2022 the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) received a tip from an internet service provider that files containing child pornography had been uploaded by a user with an email address associated with Noletto. In February 2023, members of the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office (“MCSO”) executed a search warrant at Noletto’s residence. A number of devices were seized and examined. There were approximately 2500 images and 300 videos of child pornography found. Noletto was initially charged with state crimes and was released on bond.
On August 4, 2023, an MCSO deputy was conducting an online investigation to identify people who were sharing child pornography online. The deputy was able to download two files of suspected child pornography from a local internet user and was then able to identify that user as Noletto. In September 2023 members of the MCSO executed a second search warrant at Noletto’s address. Multiple electronic devices were seized. An exam of the cell phone belonging to Noletto revealed approximately 50 images of child pornography.
At his plea, Noletto admitted that he possessed over 600 images/videos of child pornography, including images of prepubescent children. Noletto received an enhanced sentence because he had previously been convicted in Mobile County Circuit Court of Attempted Sexual Abuse of a Child Less than 12.At sentencing, Judge DuBose imposed a 120-month sentence of incarceration, with credit for time served, and a twenty-year term of supervised release upon Noletto’s discharge from prison. During his term of supervised release, Noletto will be subject to sex offender treatment, substance abuse testing and treatment as well has mental health treatment. Noletto will be required to register as a sex offender and is to have no contact with minors. Noletto was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments.
Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kacey Chappelear and Beth Stepan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources
Seminole County Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Rian Reid Miller, age 23, of Wewoka, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during a federal crime of violence.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
On February 7, 2024, Miller pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on April 29, 2023, Miller shot an individual twice with a .380 Smith and Wesson handgun during an assault at a Wewoka residence. Miller then fled the scene but was identified by the victim, who survived the assault. Law enforcement later apprehended Miller, who was found hiding in the crawlspace of an area residence in possession of a .380 Smith and Wesson handgun. The crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Miller will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
San Diego Physician and Medical Practice Pay $3.8 Million to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Dr. Janette J. Gray of San Diego and her former medical practice, The Center for Health & Wellbeing in San Diego, have agreed to pay $3.8 million to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting false claims to the Medicare and TRICARE programs.
Dr. Gray and The Center claimed to operate an “alternative,” “integrative,” and “holistic” clinic, which was staffed by medical doctors, nurse practitioners, naturopathic doctors, chiropractors, acupuncturists, and mental health professionals, along with ancillary medical and administrative staff. Dr. Gray and The Center promoted IV infusion therapy, hormone/supplement therapy, and a variety of other alternative treatments.
The settlement resolves allegations that from 2012 to 2022, Dr. Gray and her practice billed Medicare and TRICARE for services that were not covered under either program by disguising the rendering provider, misrepresenting the services provided, “unbundling” services (by billing for a procedure or service in separate parts instead of a single code), or billing for services not medically necessary. In addition to paying $3.8 million to resolve the allegations, Dr. Gray will now be excluded from participating in Medicare, Medicaid, and all other Federal health care programs for five years.
“There’s no price tag on the integrity of our healthcare system,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “When a doctor engages in billing fraud, we will protect patients and taxpayers from deceit.”
“The civil settlement holds Dr. Gray and her former medical practice accountable for questionable actions that circumvented the TRICARE billing guidelines and allowed them to receive payments for services that should not have been reimbursed by TRICARE, costing American taxpayers millions of dollars,” said Bryan D. Denny, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Western Field Office. “DCIS and its partners will always aggressively investigate those who defraud TRICARE, because those deceptive actions ultimately harm those defending our country and their families.”
“This investigation is proof that the FBI and its law enforcement partners remain committed to investigating and bringing to justice anyone who tries to violate the American health care system,” said FBI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge Houtan Moshrefi.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California; the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; DCIS; and the FBI. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maritsa A. Flaherty.
The resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
San Bernardino County-Based Home Health Agency and Owner Settle False Claims Act Allegations Related to Improper COVID-Relief LoanRead the Press Release
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
LOS ANGELES – Allstar Health Providers Inc., a Rancho Cucamonga-based home health agency, and its owner, Maria Chua, have agreed to pay $399,990 to the United States to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act when they knowingly received and retained more than one Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan prior to Dec. 31, 2020, in violation of PPP rules, the Justice Department announced today.
The PPP, an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA), was intended to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. A borrower applying for a PPP loan was required to make multiple certifications relating to its eligibility and compliance with program rules. Among other things, PPP loan applicants in 2020 were required to certify that they would not receive more than one PPP loan prior to Dec. 31, 2020.
The United States alleged that Chua submitted two PPP loan applications on behalf of Allstar Health Providers in May 2020, and in both applications, she certified that the company would not receive more than one loan prior to Dec. 31, 2020. Despite these certifications, the United States alleged that Allstar Health Providers received two PPP loans in 2020, and thereafter knowingly and improperly retained the second, duplicate loan. According to the United States, Allstar Health Providers failed to repay the duplicate loan, which resulted in a loss to the SBA when it purchased the loan guaranty on the duplicate loan.
“When an individual violates the False Claims Act by fraudulently receiving and retaining PPP loans, taxpayers lose,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “Those who violate the law by fraudulently receiving and retaining PPP loans will be held accountable.”
“PPP loans were intended to provide critical relief to small businesses,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to pursuing those who knowingly violated the requirements of the PPP or other COVID-19 assistance programs and obtained relief funds to which they were not entitled.”
“This is another excellent example of the success of the combined investigative efforts of the Small Business Administration and the Department of Justice in aggressively pursuing instances of misconduct and recovering funds from those who choose to commit fraudulent acts against SBA’s COVID-relief programs,” said General Counsel Therese Meers of SBA.
The settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by J. Bryan Quesenberry. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Quesenberry v. 2 Evil Geniuses et al., No. 20-cv-8495 (C.D. Cal.). Mr. Quesenberry will receive a total of approximately $60,000 in connection with this settlement.
Assistant United States Attorney Frank D. Kortum of the Civil Division’s Civil Fraud Section and Justice Department Trial Attorney Jared S. Wiesner of the Civil Division handled the matter.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international actors committing civil and criminal fraud and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at NCDF Disaster Complaint Form.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Russian woman charged with attacking CBP officerRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Olesia Sumina, 43, of Russia, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with assault on a federal officer, which carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew J. Henning, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on October 9, 2024, Sumina traveled to Canada with her two children to file an asylum claim. The claim was refused by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), which resulted in Sumina being driven by CBSA to the Peace Bridge Point of Entry. CBSA officers informed Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers that Sumina became difficult to deal with during transport and that she had spit inside their vehicle.
CBP officers attempted to interview Sumina utilizing a language translation application but were unsuccessful. Sumina was uncooperative throughout the interview and was also reluctant to provide her personal information. As officers attempted to gain access to Sumina’s cellular telephone, she grabbed the phone and quickly put it in her pocket. As officers attempted to retrieve the phone, Sumina quickly became aggressive towards them. As they attempted to render control, Sumina grabbed their shirts and scratched and dug into one officer’s wrists and left hand. Following the altercation, medical aid was administered to the officer’s wounds from the altercation by a colleague before she was transported to the hospital for further treatment.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
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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Rochester man pleads guilty to secretly recording minor victim in showerRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Gregory M. Brooks, 53, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that in February 2021, Brooks secretly placed a video camera in a bathroom where he knew that a Minor Victim showered. He positioned the camera to capture naked videos of the Minor Victim entering and exiting the shower. Between February 2021, and August 31, 2023, Brooks received and stored the videos of child pornography captured by the video camera on his cellular telephone.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 6, 2025, before Judge Geraci.
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Repeat Felon Sentenced to over Seven Years in Prison for Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Oakdale man has been sentenced to 90 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on February 13, 2023, an officer from the New Hope Police Department initiated a traffic stop after observing a maroon Chevy Suburban commit several traffic violations. The officer noticed the smell of marijuana as he approached the vehicle and saw drug paraphernalia in the center console. Officers subsequently searched the vehicle and found a Glock model 17 GEN5 9mm caliber pistol equipped with a switch and a large capacity magazine hidden in a compartment underneath the cupholders. They also found a second large capacity magazine and additional ammunition on the driver’s side of the vehicle. DNA from the firearm’s textured grip and slide serrations matched the driver, Detroit Davis-Riley, 35. It was also later discovered that the firearm had previously been reported as stolen.
Because Davis-Riley has multiple prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
On March 14, 2024, Davis-Riley pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. He was sentenced on October 9, 2024, in U.S. District Court by Judge Michael J. Davis.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the New Hope Police Department, Crystal Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary S. Riverso prosecuted the case.
Repeat Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Firearm After Shootout at Gas StationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A convicted felon has pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on March 17, 2023, Samit Mao, 43, entered a gas station in St. Paul and tried unsuccessfully to purchase a cash card using reward points. Mao then punched the glass window in front of the cash register with one hand and was asked to leave the store by a cashier and a security guard. After the security guard and Mao exited the store, they exchanged gunfire. Mao was hit in the left arm. The defendant entered his car and fled the scene. Responding officers apprehended Mao in his vehicle nearby the gas station. Underneath Mao’s seat in the vehicle, officers recovered a Springfield model Hellcat 9mm semiautomatic pistol containing eight rounds and a round in the chamber.
Because Mao has multiple prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Mao pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Michael J. Davis to one count of illegal possession of a firearm as a felon. A sentencing hearing will take place at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the St. Paul Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert is prosecuting the case.
Recidivist Fraudster and Identity Thief Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Birmingham woman was sentenced to 39 months in prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, Valnica Strong Garner, 41, stole checks from a 94-year-old woman’s mailbox in Baldwin County. On November 17, 2023, Garner forged the stolen checks, which bore the elderly victim’s personal and bank account information, and used the forged checks to buy more than $1,000 in merchandise at Walmart stores in Bay Minette and Daphne. On December 8, 2023, Garner again used the victim’s forged checks to buy more than $400 in merchandise at a Walmart in Chelsea.
On January 21, 2024, deputies in Alabaster arrested Garner in possession of stolen social security cards belonging to eight different people and stolen checks. At the time Garner committed the offenses in this case, she was on federal supervised release. Garner has five prior federal convictions, all in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama: (1) theft of mail (2003); (2) theft of mail and check forgery (2004); (3) theft of mail (2010); (4) aggravated identity theft (2016); and (5) bank fraud (2020).
In addition to the 39-month prison term, Senior United States District Judge Callie V.S. Granade ordered Garner to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon her release from prison, during which time she will be subject to drug testing and treatment, will receive mental health evaluation and treatment, and will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Granade ordered Garner to pay $1,034.65 in victim restitution and $200 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Readout of the Justice Department’s Interagency Convening on Advancing Equity in AIRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division on Wednesday convened principals of federal agency civil rights offices and senior government officials to foster AI and civil rights coordination.
This was the fourth such convening by the Civil Rights Division, coming up on the one-year anniversary of President Biden’s Executive Order on the Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence (EO 14110), which tasks the Civil Rights Division with coordinating federal agencies to use our authorities to prevent and address unlawful discrimination and other harms that may result from the use of AI in programs and benefits, while preserving the potential social, medical and other advances AI may spur.
The convening highlighted a recent Justice Department symposium on AI focusing on combating technology-enabled crime — including crime facilitated by AI. The Civil Rights Division’s Chief Technologist presented remarks at the symposium, and the event included discussion of the department’s role in negotiating the first international agreement providing a shared baseline for using AI in a way that is consistent with respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
To strengthen the division’s efforts to ensure equity in AI, the Civil Rights Division recently retained a Chief Technologist, Dr. Laura Edelson. She is helping to systematically expand the division’s AI enforcement capacity and to increase the efficiency of its operations by harnessing technological modernization.
At the convening, agency technologists and researchers, including Dr. Edelson, discussed the role of auditing in preventing, investigating, monitoring, and remedying algorithmic bias. Auditing is used to verify that algorithms generate accurate results, as opposed to reflecting historical bias against protected classes.
Agencies discussed their efforts to safeguard civil rights through robust enforcement, policy initiatives, rulemaking and ongoing education and outreach. These accomplishments include:
- A Federal Trade Commission report finding that large social media and video streaming companies engaged in vast surveillance of their users, including kids and teens, with insufficient privacy controls;
- An Equal Employment Opportunity Commission report highlighting barriers to equal opportunity in the high tech workforce and sector and calling for concerted efforts to address discriminatory barriers;
- A Department of Labor (DOL) sponsored resource to help employers consider disability inclusion and accessibility in AI hiring technologies; and
- A Department of Education guide that reminds developers who design for education with AI that they share responsibility with educators for advancing equity and protecting students’ civil rights.
The interagency convening's attendees included representatives from the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Interior, Labor, Transportation and Treasury, as well as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Federal Trade Commission and Social Security Administration. Director Naomi Barry-Perez of the DOL’s Civil Rights Center and Department of Transportation Civil Rights Director Irene Marion were in attendance to provide updates for their agencies.
All participants pledged to continue collaboration to protect the American public against any harm that might result from the increased use and reliance on AI, algorithms and other advanced technologies. The agencies also agreed to partner on external stakeholder engagement around their collective efforts to advance equity and civil rights in AI.
For more information, see the Civil Rights Division’s webpage, which centralizes content related to the division’s work on AI and civil rights. This resource provides information about how advanced technologies can result in unlawful discrimination and what the division can do to assist victims of discrimination. The webpage also includes key resources on AI and civil rights from enforcement agencies throughout the federal government.
Previously Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Loaded Firearm with Obliterated Serial NumberRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Haverhill man has pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Rashad Diggs, a/k/a “Summers,” 37, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Jan. 14, 2025.
In December 2022 in Revere, Diggs possessed a semiautomatic pistol with an obliterated serial number loaded with over 40 rounds of ammunition. Due to prior felony convictions, including for unlawful firearms possession, Diggs is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The charge of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Malden Police Chief Glenn Cronin made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Hoefle of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
Owner of Tax Preparation Company Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison for Bank Fraud and $2.1 Million COVID Relief FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence woman was sentenced in federal court in Boston for using stolen identities of taxpayers and businesspeople to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a bank, and the Small Business Administration (SBA).
Luz Paulino, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 54 months in prison, four years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $37,056 in restitution to MetaBank and $456,300 to the Small Business Administration. In June 2024, Paulino pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud conspiracy, one count of bank fraud, two counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
Paulino was arrested in December 2020 and indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2021. While on pretrial release, Paulino fled the United States and remained a fugitive for 19 months. Panamanian authorities ultimately returned her to the United States, where she was arrested for a second time.
Paulino owned and operated Agape Financial Services, a Lowell-based company that provided tax preparation and notary services. In 2019 and early 2020, Paulino filed false and fraudulent federal tax returns using the stolen identities, names and Social Security numbers of individual victims. The fraudulent tax returns reported false information regarding wages, employers and dependents, among other things, to claim tax refunds. To conceal her involvement, Paulino falsely represented to the IRS that the returns had been prepared by two former employees of Agape. Paulino then used the fraudulent returns to obtain Refund Advance Loans from a bank in the names of her victims. Paulino and others she recruited then cashed the loan checks using false identification documents and forged signatures.
Paulino separately used stolen identities of businesspeople living in California, Michigan, Indiana and elsewhere to apply to the SBA for $2.1 million in COVID-19 Emergency Injury Disaster Loans. Between June 2020 and October 2021, Paulino’s false applications listed fictitious companies that purportedly lost revenue during the pandemic. She used the fraudulently obtained loan proceeds to wire more than $395,000 to the Dominican Republic and to buy a 2020 Cadillac for $86,000, among other purchases.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations; and Melix Bonilla, Acting Chief of the Lawrence Police Department made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department's response to the pandemic, please visit Justice.gov/Coronavirus and Justice.gov/Coronavirus/CombatingFraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
Okemah Resident Pleads Guilty to Felony AssaultRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cainen Isaac Shephard, age 22, of Okemah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Indictment charging him with one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country.
The Indictment alleged that on July 2, 2024, Shephard assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon. The crime occurred in Okfuskee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Okemah Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Shephard was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison on Child Sexual Exploitation ChargeRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Barron M. Poole, 50, of Ripley, Ohio, was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison after having pled guilty to attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, announced Thomas J. Jaworski, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to court documents, on February 2, 2023, a user with the profile of “Barron read bio,” who was later identified as Barron M. Poole, contacted an FBI online covert employee (“OCE”) on an online dating application that is frequented by minors and those who seek to exploit them. The OCE was conducting an online covert investigation utilizing a profile of an 18-year-old female, which contained a photo of a female’s face. Above the photo was a status block, which contained the text, “hi im really 13.” Poole messaged and texted with the OCE, who he believed to be a 13-year-old girl, asked her to send him nude photographs, sent her photos of nude adult females in the poses he wanted the OCE to recreate, and sent her photographs of his penis and abdomen which had distinctive tattoos. The communications continued for a week. When he was arrested at his home in Ohio, Poole admitted to using the online dating application, and admitted that “Barron read bio” was his profile with his photograph.
After serving his sentence, Poole will be on supervised release for 5 years.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Clarksville Resident Agency, Nashville Field Office, and assisted by the FBI’s Cincinnati Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison prosecuted the case.
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New York Man Sentenced to 54 Months’ Imprisonment for Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on October 10, 2024, Charles Lawrence (age 50) of Northpoint, New York, was sentenced to 54 months’ incarceration for committing an investment fraud scheme that resulted in a loss of over $4,000,000 to investors across the country and abroad.
Court records established the following: Lawrence was an investment advisor who held Series 7, 55, and 63 securities licenses from 1996 to 2006. By 2020, Lawrence became associated with various entities using the name “Landes,” including Landes Trust, Landes & Compagnie Trust Prive, and Landes Prive LLC. Lawrence used these entities to solicit money from unsuspecting victims by selling them an opportunity to join a “trading program” that he claimed would net them significant returns. As part of the scheme, Lawrence lured individuals into soliciting investments on his behalf by promising, and paying, “finder’s fees.” He used these unsuspecting “finders” to make himself, and the trading program, appear legitimate. Once a finder located a potential investor, Lawrence sent written communications and contracts that promised that the victims’ initial investment would be segregated in a separate account and would not be at any risk. Lawrence also promised that profits of 50% or more were possible and likely.
After the victims agreed to invest with Lawrence, Lawrence directed them to wire money into a bank account that he controlled. Lawrence also provided his victims a web portal to a Landes bank account on which they could see their initial investment, and provided frequent false updates about how their investment was performing. The web portal, Lawrence’s promises, and his updates were all fraudulent. Lawrence never invested any of the nearly $5,000,000 he received from his victims. Instead, Lawrence spent the money to fund an extravagant lifestyle that included lavish vacations, trips on private jets, spending hundreds of thousands at luxury retailers, and purchasing a 10.8-carat diamond Cartier ring.
In announcing his sentence, United States District Judge Lynn Adelman focused on the sophisticated nature of the scheme, noting that Lawrence’s victims took false comfort in the website where they could see their funds. Judge Adelman noted that Lawrence’s “lies were brazen,” that this was “a scam from the very beginning,” and that Lawrence was motivated solely by greed.
In addition to the 54-month period of incarceration, Lawrence was ordered to pay restitution to his victims in the amount of $4,030,263.51, and to forfeit the 10-carat Cartier ring and a Range Rover he purchased using $91,000 of his victims’ money.
“This scheme had a devastating impact on the victims taken in by Lawrence’s false promises and the elaborate measures he took to convince them that their investments were safe and lucrative,” said U.S. Attorney Haanstad. “I commend the excellent work of all involved in bringing Mr. Lawrence to justice for his actions.”
“The defendant in this case was held accountable for fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars through an investment scam and using those stolen funds to enrich himself, at the expense of unsuspecting victims. The defendant’s lulling activity included the creation of a website purporting to be that of a bank,” Special Agent in Charge Vince Zehme of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG) said. “The FDIC OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and bring to justice those who participate in fraudulent schemes and threaten to undermine the integrity of our Nation’s banking system.”
The case was referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office by the Securities and Exchange Commission. It was investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julie F. Stewart and Farris Martini.
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Myrtle Beach Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — Joshua Levon West, 39, of Myrtle Beach was sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on March 9, 2023, following a traffic stop, officers with the Myrtle Beach Police Department discovered West in possession of a loaded, stolen firearm. West is prohibited from possessing a firearm based on his prior convictions for armed robbery, strong arm robbery, attempted strong arm robbery, and possession of a weapon during commission of a violent crime.
United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III sentenced West to 30 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Myrtle Beach Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case.
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More indicted in nationwide business email compromise schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of seven people in multiple states have been charged in a superseding indictment related to a large business email compromise (BEC) scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Authorities have now arrested Houston resident Amber Bush, 29. She is expected to make her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan Oct. 15 at 2 p.m.
The three-count superseding indictment also charges Houston residents Bolaji Okunnu, 30, and Philip Ogbeide Jr., 34, along with Ayodeji Okunnu, 25, Austin; Victor Rubio Jr., 27, and Bougar Robert Linares Soto, 42, both of Los Angeles, California.
Another Houston resident - Destini Godfrey, 30 – is considered a fugitive and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000.
All are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
The BEC scheme involved deceiving victims into sending money to others and causing millions in losses, according to the charges.
Conspirators allegedly posed as legitimate businesses and fraudulently diverted money from victim bank accounts into accounts they controlled. According to the allegations, they gained access to business email accounts and spoofed email addresses to deceive victims into believing they were making legitimate payments.
The superseding indictment indicates fraudulently diverted payments from numerous victims throughout the United States, including a financial services company from Oregon, a township in New Jersey, a demolition company in Texas, a healthcare liability insurance company in Georgia and a nutrition products manufacturer outside Texas.
Conspirators allegedly used email accounts to request payment for services to be sent to new bank accounts that did not belong to the vendor, according to the charges.
They allegedly deceived victims into wiring millions to fraudulent bank accounts the conspirators opened instead of actually paying the vendor. The charges further allege conspirators laundered the funds in a manner designed to conceal the source, ownership and control of the funds by quickly transferring the money from the receiving account to other bank accounts they controlled.
They then withdrew the fraud proceeds incrementally in cash, according to the charges.
If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison on the conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges as well as five years for the money laundering and illegal money transmitting charge. Each charge carries a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The FBI-Bryan Resident Agency and IRS-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation with valuable assistance from the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office and the Edison Police Department in New Jersey and other law enforcement agencies and U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and James Hu are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Mobile Man Sentenced to More Than 33 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Gary Daniel-Kyle Hay, age 26, was sentenced today to 405 months in prison after entering guilty pleas to twenty counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and one count of Access with Intent to View Child Pornography. Hay entered his guilty pleas on June 20, 2024.
Evidence received by the judge established that Hay sexually abused an eight-year-old child and filmed the abuse on multiple occasions.
At sentencing, Judge DuBose imposed the 405-month sentence of incarceration and a 15-year term of supervised release upon his future release. During his term of imprisonment, Hay will be subject to sex offender treatment, substance abuse testing and treatment, and mental health treatment. Hay will be required to register as a sex offender and is to have no contact with minors. Hay was ordered to pay $45,500 in restitution to the victim of his offenses and $2,100 in special assessments.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kacey Chappelear and Beth Stepan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources
Miami Jury Finds Hollywood Car Dealership Employee Guilty of Carjacking CustomerRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Oct. 8, a federal jury found Erik Hadad, 58, guilty of carjacking a customer of the car dealership his family operated.
According to evidence introduced at trial, Hadad and members of his family operated Guru Auto Sales (Guru), a car dealership that sold the victim a 2020 Honda Accord in October 2023. The victim, a 24-year-old Haitian immigrant, was not given a copy of the sales paperwork he signed. In making the purchase, the victim understood that he was paying a finance company. What the victim was not aware of was that there was an agreement between the finance company and Guru, and if the victim was late on a payment within the first two months of the loan, then the finance company could demand the approximately $13,800 it paid for the loan back from the dealership. That part of the agreement mattered because the victim’s first payment bounced after he set up autopay, with the victim paying the first installment late and with a late fee in late November 2023. Because of that, the finance company sent Guru a letter on Dec. 14, 2023 saying that Guru needed to buy the loan back and owed about $13,000 for the contract—the amount the finance company paid less the amount the victim had paid at that point.
The carjacking occurred on Dec. 19, 2023, five days after Guru received a letter from the finance company informing them that they needed to buy back the loan. The victim was current on his account that day, and Guru was expressly told they couldn’t repossess the car. Nevertheless, that morning, the victim was followed by a black BMW. When he reached a red light, Hadad, whom the victim had never met before, got out of the black BMW in the middle of the intersection and approached the victim’s Honda, ripping off the paper temporary tag and aggressively yelling at the victim to get out of the car. The victim was able to get away when the light turned green, but Hadad eventually caught up to the victim and continued aggressively screaming for the victim to get out of the car. Hadad lifted his shirt to reveal that he had a gun holstered in his waistband, which led the victim to surrender his keys. The victim called the police shortly thereafter, and Hadad was arrested on scene. Hadad was found to be armed with a loaded Smith & Wesson pistol, holstered in his waistband.
U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore is scheduled to sentence Hadad on Jan. 9, 2025, after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, made the announcement.
ATF Miami Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary A. Keller and Brianna Coakley are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20220.
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Member of Bonanno Crime Family Convicted of Extortion of a WitnessRead the Press Release
Today, a federal jury in Brooklyn convicted John Ragano, also known as “Bazoo,” a member of the Bonanno organized crime family, for the extortionate collection of credit from a victim. The verdict followed a four-day trial before United States District Judge Hector Gonzalez. When sentenced, Ragano faces up to 20 years in prison. The defendant was acquitted of extortionate collection of credit conspiracy, witness harassment and witness tampering.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the verdict.
“The defendant’s extortion of a victim while on pre-trial release, carried out even in the sanctity of the federal courthouse, is an affront to the criminal justice system and a glaring example of this Bonanno mobster’s flagrant disrespect for the law,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “With today’s verdict, the jury has delivered a clear message that the rule of law will prevail over extortionate threats.”
“Despite previous arrests and detention, John Ragano tormented his victim to make weekly exorbitant loan payments and enforced humiliating methods when faced with resistance,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy. “His actions reflected his apathy to the criminal justice system as he repeatedly attempted to extort his victims in the midst of active legal proceedings. Today’s verdict emphasizes the FBI’s intolerance of the mob’s historical inclination to utilize coercive and threatening tactics to fulfill their greedy demands.”
In early 2021, John Doe (“the victim”) borrowed $150,000 from Ragano and made interest payments of approximately $1,800 a week to him. On September 14, 2021, Ragano was arrested in connection with the extortionate loan to the victim, as well as separate schemes to traffic marijuana and commit fraud. While Ragano was on pre-trial detention in that case, and after he was released on bond from the Metropolitan Detention Center in December 2021, he continued to try to collect the 2021 loan from the victim. On November 28, 2022, Ragano pleaded guilty in connection with his loan to the victim. In 2022 and 2023, despite Ragano’s arrest, court supervision, guilty plea and sentence of 57 months’ imprisonment, he continued to extort the victim on the 2021 loan, including at status conferences held at the federal courthouse.
On March 25, 2023, the victim recorded a meeting with Co-Conspirator #1 who explained that Ragano wanted the entire amount of the loan repaid and that “nobody’s looking for anybody to get hurt.” On July 5, 2023, the victim went to a used auto parts yard where Ragano worked to discuss the loan and recorded the meeting. The victim told Ragano that he was going to stop repaying the loan. Ragano accused the victim of cooperating with the government and demanded that he remove all his clothes. Ragano stated: “Okay, well then take off your f-----g s—t right now my man. Take off your f-----g pants right now, lemme see, I want to see.” At Ragano’s insistence, the victim complied and took off all his clothing. At that point, two men at the business walked up behind Ragano, one of whom was holding metal tools. Ragano then demanded the victim pay the money the defendant believed he was owed. Despite being forced to strip naked, the victim was still able to record the confrontation.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Devon Lash and Andrew D. Reich are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kristina Kim.
The Defendant:
JOHN RAGANO
Age: 62
Franklin Square, Long IslandE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-50 (HG)
Man Who Received and Downloaded Child Pornography Sentenced to More than Eight Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who received child pornography over the internet was sentenced today to more than eight years in federal prison.
Christopher Goins, age 47, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 13, 2024, guilty plea to one count of receiving child pornography.
In a plea agreement, Goins admitted that between December 2019 and December 2021, he knowingly received and downloaded photos and videos of child pornography, including depictions of minors under 12 years of age. During a search of Goins’ home in December 2021, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized 33 storage devices containing over 600 images of child pornography. In January 2024, following his arrest on federal child pornography charges, Goins said that additional child pornography would be found on his phone. During a search of Goins’ home, FBI agents found child pornography on Goins’ laptop and additional storage devices which Goins had obtained after his home was searched in December 2021.
Goins was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Goins was sentenced to 97 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $3,000 in restitution to a child victim depicted in videos and photos he possessed. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Goins is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-06.
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Lewiston Man Arrested for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston man has been arrested for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Muktar Abshir (Mo) Aden, 25, was arrested at his residence in downtown Lewiston today on an arrest warrant issued by the court. He made his first appearance in U.S. District Court in Portland today.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, Maine State Police and Lewiston Police Department.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Leader of Fatal Migrant Smuggling Conspiracy Sentenced to 10 YearsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Felipe de Jesus Rosales-Herrera of Riverside was sentenced in federal court today to 120 months in prison for leading an extensive migrant smuggling ring responsible for illegally transporting more than 100 migrants and causing one death.
According to his plea agreement, Rosales-Herrera employed foot guides to lead migrants over the border and drivers to pick them up on the U.S. side and deliver them to a stash house to meet a sponsor. Rosales-Herrera admitted that he charged approximately $10,000 per migrant. According to court documents, some of the smuggling events in the conspiracy resulted in high-speed chases and crashes, which placed the migrants, drivers, law enforcement and members of the public at risk. This culminated in a tragic collision on December 25, 2021.
Rosales admitted in his plea agreement that, even after learning his driver killed someone, he and his co-conspirators continued the conspiracy. As co-defendant John Douglas Oglesby III admitted in his plea agreement, drivers were told to flee if Border Patrol attempted to pull them over. Unfortunately, many drivers did just that, resulting in numerous high-speed chases and several crashes.
During the Christmas Day event in 2021, Kevin Antonio Quevedo-Moncada, acting under the supervision of co-defendant (and Rosales’ subordinate in the smuggling ring) Jose Luis Alejo-Cruz, picked up three undocumented migrants in a remote area. When Border Patrol attempted to pull him over, Quevedo-Moncada fled into a nearby campground, swerving wildly and careening around a field at high speed before ramming a Border Patrol vehicle to escape. As agents pursued him, he sped away on wet, winding roads, reaching speeds of close to 100 mph. Quevedo-Moncada lost control of his car and struck a tree, killing one of the migrants and leaving the other two in critical condition. Quevedo-Moncada pleaded guilty to charges related to this incident. Alejo-Cruz discussed the smuggling event with Rosales before the crash. Shortly after the crash, Rosales sent Alejo-Cruz a news article about the accident and confirmed that it was their driver.
Alejo-Cruz also relied on intimidation to preserve his position, tracking down and robbing two of his former drivers at gunpoint when he felt they had wronged him and plotting to kidnap a rival migrant smuggler.
“You traded in human life, trafficked in people… to line your own pockets” U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo told the defendant at todays hearing. “The worst-case scenario in alien smuggling, where someone died, did not deter you.” Judge Bencivengo ultimately ruled that the appropriate sentence was “fully and fairly the statutory maximum.”
“These smugglers viewed migrants as dollar signs, not people,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “This significant sentence demonstrates the importance of protecting the public from the reckless tactics of criminal networks.”
“This event highlights the danger that these criminal organizations pose to the migrants they are transporting as well as the general public.” said U.S. Border Patrol, San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Patrica McGurk-Daniel. “This outcome is the result of a concerted effort by Border Patrol agents and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to dismantle human smuggling networks and bring those responsible to justice. The sentencing today sends a clear message; if you smuggle people across our borders, you will face serious consequences.”
Co-defendants Alejo-Cruz and Oglesby were previously sentenced to 120 months and 70 months in federal prison, respectively. The final defendant, Miguel Isaac Villa-Gomez, is scheduled to be sentenced on December 6, 2024.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Benjamin.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 23-CR-871-CAB
Felipe de Jesus Rosales-Herrera Age: 38 Riverside County, CA
Jose Luis Alejo-Cruz Age: 23 Long Beach, CA
John Douglas Oglesby III Age: 20 Chesapeake, VA
Miguel Isaac Villa-Gomez Age: 27 Downey, CA
Case Number 22-CR-1995-B__
John Douglas Oglesby III Age: 20 Chesapeake, VA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Transport Aliens – Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
United States Border Patrol
Last of Three Men Sentenced for Meth and Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Three Co-Conspirators to Serve 27 Years Collectively in Federal Prison
OKLAHOMA CITY – JAMES BUCHANNON WIYNINGER, 50, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 80 months in federal prison for drug conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On February 8, 2024, Wiyninger was charged by Superseding Information for his role in a drug conspiracy involving approximately 70 pounds of methamphetamine and four pounds of fentanyl. According to public record, on September 6, 2023, a Wheeler County, Texas Sheriff’s deputy initiated a traffic stop on I-40 of a vehicle occupied by CARLOS ALREDO HERRERA-JIMENEZ, 30, and ARTURO NAJERA-TORRES, 28. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement located two trash bags with the approximately 70 pounds of methamphetamine and four pounds of fentanyl inside. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) were able to determine that the drugs were meant to be delivered to a location in Oklahoma City. DEA agents thereafter delivered the drugs as planned to a pickup and another vehicle at an Oklahoma City hotel on September 7, 2023. Law enforcement then followed those vehicles to a metro address, where they arrested Wiyninger without incident.
The driver of the other vehicle, JERRY WARD, 53, rammed his vehicle into an Oklahoma Highway Patrol car and tried to flee the scene. Authorities were able to disable Ward’s car, and he was arrested shortly after.
This year, Wiyninger, Ward, and Jimenez all pleaded guilty to individual superseding informations, charging each of them with drug conspiracy.
At the sentencing hearing on October 7, 2024, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Wiyninger to serve 80 months in federal prison.
Ward has been sentenced to serve 200 months, and Jimenez has been sentenced to serve 44 months in federal prison.
Torres was scheduled for a combined plea and sentencing hearing in September 2024, but he did not appear. A bench warrant was issued and he remains at large.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Leverett is prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Last Defendant Convicted of Robbing Lake Charles Jewelry Store Receives 20 Year Federal Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Trevione James Terry, 26, of Houston, the last remaining defendant convicted in jewelry store robbery case in Lake Charles, has been sentenced. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced Terry to 241 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Terry admitted to his involvement in the robbery of Nederland Jewelers in Lake Charles on June 8, 2020, as well as Korman Fine Jewelry in Austin, Texas on May 7, 2020. Terry pleaded guilty to a Bill of Information on July 8, 2024, charging him with interference with commerce by robbery, and using, carrying and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to information introduced in court, on May 7, 2020, Terry, along with five other co-conspirators, were involved in an armed robbery of Korman Fine Jewelry in Austin, Texas. On that date, Terry waited near the store in a white Porsche while the five others arrived at the jewelry store and exited the vehicle. The robbers burst into the store wearing masks. One of the robbers brandished a loaded firearm while shouting and ordering the employees and customers to get on the floor. Within a few seconds of bursting into the store, the robbers encountered a security guard. The armed robber pointed his gun at the security guard and shot him. Another customer was struck in the back of the head by the same robber, and he pointed his gun at other employees ordering them to the ground. Meanwhile, two other robbers smashed a Rolex watch display case and grabbed several Rolex watches. The robbers ran out of the store and were later apprehended. Law enforcement investigators were able to tie Terry to the Korman robbery through phone records and cellular telephone data obtained after the robbery proving that Terry was responsible for setting up the Korman robbery.
On June 8, 2020, Terry and six other coconspirators traveled from Houston to Lake Charles with the intention to commit a robbery of Nederland Jewelers. On that date, co-defendant Phaezon Stewart entered the store armed with a black Springfield XD handgun and ordered the employees to get on the ground. Terry and others entered the store wearing masks and armed with hammers. While Stewart pointed the firearm at the employee victims, the others broke the glass display cases and removed over 34 Rolex watches with an estimated value of over $350,000. Stewart, Terry, and the other coconspirators then exited the store and fled the scene in a white Porsche.
The white Porsche then traveled to the L’Auberge Casino and stopped and met with a Chevrolet Impala being driven by Carey Nimmons, with Johnson Moore as a passenger. Terry exited the Porsche with a backpack containing the stolen Rolex watches and got into the Impala with Nimmons and Moore and began traveling towards a residence in Lake Charles. Law enforcement agents were able to track the suspects to a specific area on Pryce Street in Lake Charles and began to search the area. Officers located Terry and co-defendant Joshua Evans hiding in a shed with the backpack in their possession which contained 32 of the 34 stolen Rolex watches. Nimmons was found in a nearby carport and Moore was found behind a residence less than 200 feet from where the other defendants were located, and all were subsequently arrested.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Lake Charles Police Department, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and Austin Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Vermaelen. The case in the Western District of Texas was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Devlin.
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Justice Department Sues Virginia for Violating Federal Law’s Prohibition on Systematic Efforts to Remove Voters Within 90 Days of an ElectionRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against the State of Virginia, Virginia State Board of Elections and Virginia Commissioner of Elections to challenge a systematic state program aimed at removing voters from its election rolls too close to the Nov. 5 general election in violation of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA).
Section 8(c)(2) of the NVRA, also known as the Quiet Period Provision, requires states to complete systematic programs aimed at removing the names of ineligible voters from voter registration lists no later than 90 days before federal elections. The Quiet Period Provision applies to certain systematic programs carried out by states that are aimed at striking names from voter registration lists based on a perceived failure to meet initial eligibility requirements — including citizenship — at the time of registration.
“As the National Voter Registration Act mandates, officials across the country should take heed of the law’s crystal clear and unequivocal restrictions on systematic list maintenance efforts that fall within 90 days of an election,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “By cancelling voter registrations within 90 days of Election Day, Virginia places qualified voters in jeopardy of being removed from the rolls and creates the risk of confusion for the electorate. Congress adopted the National Voter Registration Act’s quiet period restriction to prevent error-prone, eleventh hour efforts that all too often disenfranchise qualified voters. The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy and the Justice Department will continue to ensure that the rights of qualified voters are protected.”
The Quiet Period is an important protection for voters, because systematic removal programs may be error-ridden, cause voter confusion and remove eligible voters days or weeks before Election Day who may be unable to correct the State’s errors in time to vote or may be dissuaded from voting at all. States may remove names from official lists of voters in various ways and for various reasons, but they may not carry-on this kind of systematic removal program so close to a federal election.
On Aug. 7, the governor of Virginia signed an executive order requiring among other things that the commissioner of the Department of Elections certify that the Department of Elections was conducting “Daily Updates to the Voter List.” These updates included “compar[ing] the list of individuals who have been identified as non-citizens” by the State Department of Motor Vehicles “to the list of existing registered voters.” Local registrars were then required to “notify any matches of their pending cancellation unless they affirm their citizenship within 14 days.” The letter directs recipients who are in fact U.S. citizens and eligible to vote to complete and return an Affirmation of Citizenship form. The notice informs voters that, if they do not respond to the notice within 14 days, they will be removed from the list of registered voters. This process has led to U.S. citizens having their voter registrations cancelled.
The process laid out in the executive order formalized an ongoing list maintenance procedure that has been carried out into the quiet period, including at least as recently as late September. This systematic voter removal program, which the State is conducting within 90 days of the upcoming federal election, violates the Quiet Period Provision.
The Justice Department seeks injunctive relief that would restore the ability of impacted eligible voters to vote unimpeded on Election Day and would prohibit future quiet period violations. The department also seeks remedial mailings to educate eligible voters concerning the restoration of their rights and adequate training of local officials and poll workers to address confusion and distrust among eligible voters accused of being noncitizens.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia and U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia made the announcement.
Individuals who are eligible voters and believe that they may have been removed from the voter rolls as a result of Virginia’s systematic removal process should contact the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section through the internet reporting portal at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931. More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting. More information about the NVRA and other federal voting laws is available at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section. The department recently announced a new guidance document addressing limits on when and how jurisdictions may remove voters from their voter lists. Complaints about discriminatory voting practices may be reported to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section through the internet reporting portal at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.
Justice Department Sues South Bend, Indiana, for Discriminating Against Black and Female Police Officer ApplicantsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against the City of South Bend, Indiana, alleging that the hiring process for entry-level police officers at the South Bend Police Department (SBPD) violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Specifically, the department alleges that South Bend uses a written examination that discriminates against Black applicants and a physical fitness test that discriminates against female applicants.
Title VII is a federal statute that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, sex, color, national origin and religion. Title VII prohibits not only intentional discrimination but also employment practices that result in a disparate impact on a protected group, unless such practices are job related and consistent with business necessity.
“Equal employment opportunity is critical to ensuring that law enforcement agencies do not unfairly exclude otherwise eligible job applicants based on discriminatory practices,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Discriminatory barriers that deny qualified Black and female applicants the opportunity to be police officers violate civil rights and undermine public safety efforts. The Justice Department is committed to equal access to employment opportunities in the policing sector so that all qualified applicants have a fair chance to protect and serve their communities.”
The lawsuit stems from a pattern and practice investigation launched by Civil Rights Division in 2021 into SBPD’s hiring practices. The investigation found that SBPD’s written examination and physical fitness test do not meaningfully distinguish between applicants who can and cannot perform the position of entry-level police officer. These tests also had the effect of disqualifying Black and female applicants from the hiring process at significantly disproportionate rates. The department thus concluded that these tests violate Title VII’s bar on discrimination in employment.
Filed in the Northern District of Indiana, the lawsuit alleges that, since at least 2016, South Bend has used a written examination that has disproportionately excluded Black applicants and a physical fitness test that has disproportionately excluded female applicants from consideration for police officer positions. The complaint asserts that South Bend’s uses of these tests are neither job related nor consistent with business necessity, and thus, violate Title VII.
The Justice Department is seeking a court order to ensure that South Bend uses only lawful tests in its entry-level police officer hiring process. The department also seeks relief for Black and female applicants disqualified by the challenged tests, including back pay and, for those who can successfully complete the new lawful selection process, job offers with retroactive seniority.
The full and fair enforcement of Title VII is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. The division recently proposed consent decrees to resolve lawsuits challenging similarly discriminatory hiring processes at the Maryland Department of State Police and the Durham Fire Department. The division has issued a fact sheet on combating hiring discrimination by police and fire departments to help applicants for public safety jobs understand their Title VII rights to be free from discriminatory hiring processes. More information about the Civil Rights Division can be found at www.justice.gov/crt.
Jury Convicts Fort Dodge, Iowa Man for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a firearm was convicted by a jury on October 10, 2024, after a three-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.
Lennox Vanvacter, 31, was convicted of one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. The verdict was returned following about 7 hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that on July 30, 2023, law enforcement officers observed Vanvacter operating a motor vehicle. Based on their observations and the fact Vanvacter had an active arrest warrant for a previous eluding charge, officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop and apprehend him. When emergency lights/sirens were activated, Vanvacter engaged in a high-speed attempt (approximately 30 minutes in duration) to elude law enforcement, including speeds of 70 mph or more in Fort Dodge and 100 mph or more outside city limits in Webster County. Two sets of spike strips deployed by officers ultimately stopped the vehicle. Once stopped, Vanvacter attempted to flee from the officers on foot, through the passenger door, but was captured a short distance later. Officers located a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, near the end of the vehicle’s flight path. Later, officers determined by review of patrol car camera video, that the firearm was thrown from the vehicle at the end of the pursuit.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Vanvacter remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Vanvacter faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
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 is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-3037.
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Jamaican woman sentenced for passport fraudRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Maria Josephine Wright-Lawrence, 34, a Jamaican citizen, who was convicted of false use of a passport, was sentenced to serve nine months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who handled the case, stated that on January 4, 2024, Wright-Lawrence and another individual arrived at the Rainbow Bridge Port of Entry from Canada at around 11:30 p.m. attempting to enter the United States. While at primary inspection, a Customs and Border Protection officer interviewed the two to determine their status and their ability to legally enter the United States. Wright-Lawrence provided the CBP officer with a United States Passport, with the purported name “K.E.M,” and stated she was a U.S. Citizen living in the state of Texas. The CBP officer noticed that the photograph on the passport was blurry and altered, and observed that Wright-Lawrence was acting nervous, and avoided making eye contact. Wright-Lawrence and the other individual were referred to secondary inspection for further questioning. During secondary inspection, another CBP officer examined the passport and confirmed that it had been forged and altered. Further investigation by confirmed that the passport had been stolen in Kingston, Jamaica, and belonged to “K.E.M.,” not Wright-Lawrence. Her fingerprints also confirmed her true identity was Maria Josephine Wright-Lawrence, a Jamaican citizen not legally permitted to enter the United States. A search of the vehicle also recovered several identification cards with Maria Josephine Wright-Lawrence’s real name and photograph.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
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Iowa Farmer Sentenced to More Than Fifteen Years in Cattle Theft and Bankruptcy Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Clayton County farmer who stole over $5 million in livestock and COVID-19 pandemic benefits was sentenced on October 10, 2024, to more than 15 years in federal prison. Michael Wayne Butikofer, age 54, from Monona, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 1, 2023, guilty plea to one count of theft of livestock, one count of wire fraud, and one count of false bankruptcy declaration.
Evidence in the case established that Butikofer operated a large farming operation in northeast Iowa known as “Fawn Hollow.” Butikofer operated a so-called “custom cattle” feeding operation in which employees of his organization would raise and care for cattle owned by other individuals, including cattle investors located across the United States. Fawn Hollow then sold the cattle, primarily to a Wisconsin slaughterhouse.
At no time was Butikofer or “Fawn Hollow” registered with the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) as a “dealer” under the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 (“the Act”). Butikofer participated in the “H-2A” visa program and recruited agricultural workers from the Republic of South Africa to work at Fawn Hollow.
Between July 2020 and February 2022, Butikofer converted the proceeds of sales of cattle owned by eight cattle investors, totaling over $2.5 million, to his own use. Butikofer had convinced the cattle investors to allow Butikofer to sell the cattle in his own name. When Butikofer sold the cattle to the Wisconsin slaughterhouse, Butikofer falsely represented to the slaughterhouse that he had “good and merchantable title to” the cattle when he did not, in fact, own or otherwise have title to the cattle. By convincing the cattle investors to permit Butikofer to sell their cattle in his own name, and by fraudulently concealing the true ownership of the cattle from the slaughterhouse, Butikofer attempted to evade the requirements of the Act and its regulations for registration, posting of a dealer bond, and prompt payment, which would have protected the cattle investors’ funds.
In July 2020 and August 2020, Butikofer defrauded the USDA of more than $1.2 million in emergency assistance funds designed to assist livestock producers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, applications were submitted in the name of another individual and entitled “Coronavirus Food Assistance Program” (“CFAP”) payments. A cattle producer qualified for CFAP payments on a per head basis based on the producer’s owned inventory of eligible beef cattle on a date selected by the producer between certain dates in calendar year 2020. It was part of Butikofer’s wire fraud scheme that Butikofer falsely represented in CFAP applications that he and some of his associates owned cattle when, in truth, they did not own the cattle in question.
In February 2022, Butikofer received over $1.5 million from the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) as part of an application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”). Butikofer made false representations to the SBA about his financial condition and intended use for the SBA loan funds. Butikofer used part of the SBA funds to file for bankruptcy later that same month.
During the bankruptcy case, Butikofer perjured himself five times and made a series of false and fraudulent statements about his financial condition in bankruptcy filings. In March 2022, Butikofer submitted a false and fraudulent statement of financial affairs in his bankruptcy case. There were more than 100 creditors in Butikofer’s bankruptcy case, and Butikofer used the bankruptcy case to intentionally delay and hinder their legitimate collection efforts.
In 2018, Butikofer used forced labor to financially benefit Fawn Hollow. Butikofer dumped dead cattle near a house in which the H2-A workers lived on his farm. The workers had no hot water or furniture, and their water was contaminated. On one occasion, Butikofer assaulted one worker, grabbing the migrant worker by the shirt and pushing him towards a corn auger. Butikofer also tied the hands of another South African H-2A worker with a cable tie to an electric jigsaw and threatened workers with hanging and an electric shock dog collar. In 2020, three migrant workers obtained a $247,000 civil judgment against Butikofer in federal court for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Trafficking Victims Protective Reauthorization Act. Butikofer later used his fraudulent bankruptcy proceeding to convince the workers to settle their judgment for $75,000.
From April 2023 to November 2023, while on federal pretrial release, Butikofer recruited and caused another person in the Fawn Hollow criminal organization to recruit H-2A workers to the United States under false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. The false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises included: (1) the housing conditions provided to the employees; (2) the location of the employees’ work; (3) the terms and timing of reimbursement for the employees’ work and expenses; and (4) payment for injuries sustained during the employment. For example, Butikofer convinced an H2-A worker from South Africa to come to the United States and bring his wife and teenaged daughter with him. When the family arrived, however, Butikofer moved the family to live in a camper without water, electricity, or heat. Ultimately, agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security rescued the family and paid for their food and shelter at a hotel in Cedar Rapids. Agents later rescued other workers bound for Fawn Hollow in April 2024.
While Butikofer’s criminal case was pending, he repeatedly contacted witnesses in violation of a court order. Butikofer also attempted to convince grand jury and trial witnesses to make false statements and sign false documents in attempts to obstruct justice.
Butikofer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. At the sentencing, Judge Williams observed that Butikofer was operating a “Ponzi” scheme with investor cattle. Butikofer was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment. Butikofer was ordered to make over $5.7 million in restitution, forfeit $500,000, and repay $5,000 in attorney fees. Butikofer must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. As part of his plea agreement, Butikofer promised to pay the H-2A workers’ entire $247,000 judgment and also to voluntarily terminate and cease participation in foreign labor programs with respect to any program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor or U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Butikofer is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax stated, “Butikofer treated his victims and the rule of law with equal contempt, and fully deserves his fifteen-year sentence to federal prison. This office will continue to aggressively prosecute people who defraud the government through the agricultural sector, the bankruptcy court, and by the mistreatment of foreign workers.”
“Michael Butikofer exploited the H-2A program in order to enrich himself at the expense of agricultural workers. Butikofer recruited H-2A workers from South Africa. Once the workers were in the United States, Butikofer used threats of force to compel them to work for him. This sentencing sends a clear message that those who abuse the H-2A program will be held accountable. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who exploit foreign labor certification programs,” said Casey Howard, Special Agent-in-Charge, Central Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
“This sentencing demonstrates the commitment to holding individuals accountable for defrauding government programs, especially those designed to provide critical relief during the pandemic,” said Brady Ipock, Special Agent in Charge of the SBA OIG’s Central Region. “Our office will continue to pursue justice for victims and ensure the integrity of SBA’s disaster relief programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their collaboration and dedication to justice.”
“The defendant in this case was held accountable for a number of serious fraudulent activities,” said Justin Bundy, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG). “He converted more than $2.5 million through a cattle investment scam and used those funds to enrich himself, at the expense of unsuspecting victims. He also falsely represented his financial condition and the intended use for SBA loan funds and defrauded the USDA of more than $1.5 million in funds designed to assist livestock producers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also egregious was his use of forced labor to financially benefit his business and his mistreatment of migrant works that he employed. The FDIC OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and bring to justice those who participate in fraudulent schemes and threaten to undermine the integrity of our Nation’s banking system and government programs intended to benefit the American people.”
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General, the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-1018.
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Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Oct. 11 was:
Johntay Jujuan Taylor, 27, of Texas, on charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud. If convicted of the most serious crime, Taylor faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine and five years of supervised release. Taylor was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI; U.S. Secret Service; Chubbock, Pocatello and Kemmerer, Idaho, Police departments; Bannock County, Idaho, Sheriff’s Office; Idaho State Police; Missoula, Bozeman, Helena, Livingston and Laurel, Montana, Police departments; Yellowstone County, Montana, Sheriff’s Office; Teton County, Wyoming, Sheriff’s Office; and Evanston and Mountain View, Wyoming, Police departments conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-13.
Appearing Oct. 10 was:
Keegan Allan Strelnik, 42, of Florence, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Strelnik faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Strelnik was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Probation Office and Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-54.
Nicole Lynn Shain, 39, of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Shain faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Shain was detained pending further proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations and the Flathead Tribal Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-50.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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IMPD Sergeant Facing Federal Charges for Possession and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS—A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Sergeant, Javed Richards, 42, with five counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. Richards had his initial appearance in federal court on October 10th.
According to the indictment, on July 14, 2024, Richards allegedly distributed at least five videos of minors under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct to other individuals via the Kik messenger application. Richards is further charged with possessing numerous images and videos of child sex abuse material on his iCloud account.
IMPD announced it has suspended Sergeant Richards pending a recommendation of termination to the IMPD Civilian Police Merit Board.
The FBI and Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is investigating this case, with cooperation from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. If convicted, Richards faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who is prosecuting this case.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI which is part of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a multiagency task force led by the Indiana State Police that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. Visit https://www.internetcrimesagainstkids.com to learn more about their efforts.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
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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Hagerstown Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Sexually Explicit Images of ChildrenRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Chad Christopher Langgle, age 30, of Hagerstown, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for possession of child pornography.
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, and Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
According to his guilty plea, in December 2022, Langgle emailed more than 50 videos containing child pornography, possessed images of child pornography on his cell phone, and had additional videos stored in his email account. Langgle was previously convicted of sex abuse of a minor and second-degree assault on a minor in the Circuit Court for Calvert County, Maryland. Additionally, he was previously convicted of a second-degree sex offense in the Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County, Maryland.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended HSI, the Maryland State Police, and the United States Marshals Service for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Reema Sood, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Greenwood Felon on Federal Supervised Release Sentenced for Weapons Violation Arising from State Domestic Violence ChargesRead the Press Release
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Thaddeus Deon Devlin, Jr., 29, of Greenwood was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on March 11, 2023, a victim called 911 stating that her children’s father had a gun, threatened her with it, and had taken her 5-year-old son. Greenwood Police Department officers responded to the location where the victim indicated Devlin would likely take her child and saw Devlin pull up. When Devlin and the child exited the car, Devlin was holding a liquor bottle and stated that he had been drinking. Officers searched the car and located a loaded .40 caliber pistol. At the time of the offense, Devlin’s criminal history included multiple incidences of domestic violence, assault and battery, and a prior felon in possession of a firearm charge. Devlin was on federal supervised release at the time.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr., sentenced Devlin to imprisonment for a term of 84 months on the indictment and a consecutive 16 months on the supervised release violation, all to be followed by a one-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Greenwood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen is prosecuting the case.
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Fresno Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Series of Vehicle Pipe-BombingsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Scott Eric Anderson, 46, of Fresno, was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison for conspiracy to destroy property, malicious destruction by means of an explosive device and being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between November 2022 and February 2023, Anderson committed a series of pipe-bombings on unoccupied vehicles and property in Fresno. The bombings damaged vehicles belonging to two auto-related businesses on Clinton Avenue in Fresno. On Feb. 19, 2023, a bomb heavily damaged a vehicle used by a home health care business on Fallbrook Avenue in Fresno. Anderson sometimes recorded his crimes by video. Law enforcement also recovered a pistol in Anderson’s bedroom. Anderson was previously convicted of carrying a loaded and concealed weapon and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael G. Tierney prosecuted the case.
Fraudulent developer imprisoned for spending over $500,000 of investor’s funds on vacations and mortgageRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 48-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Walter Salek pleaded guilty April 5 to his involvement in a fraudulent scheme to obtain more than $1 million and falsely informing an investor the funds would be used to develop real estate.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Salek to serve 15 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. He must also pay the victim $571,000 in restitution. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony from the victim that described how Salek portrayed himself as a successful real estate developer who flew around in private jets and was letting the victim in on investments that before had only been available to Salek’s family. The victim testified that the worst part was not the fraud, but that Salek betrayed his trust by taking his money when Salek knew the victim’s wife was dying and leaving him with three children to raise. In handing down the prison sentence, the court noted that Salek’s claim he engaged in the fraud during a “manic episode” could not be true because the fraud and cover-up went on for years.
“Walter Salek took money from a friend who was in the midst of a family tragedy,” said Hamdani. “Instead of investing the money, he used it to live an extravagant lifestyle that included things like traveling by private jet, a $100,000 family vacation to Scotland and mortgage payments on a brownstone in Boston and his multi-million dollar house here in Houston. Today’s sentence demonstrates that everyone, even people living like the top 1%, will be held accountable for their criminal conduct.”
“Walter Salek committed clear-cut fraud, lived a care-free life until he got caught and will now spend time in federal prison for his crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston field office. “Salek took advantage of a friend’s long-time trust and money to invest in his fraudulent property ventures. He let his personal greed supersede that friendship and any potential opportunity for lawful prosperity.”
At the time of the plea, Salek admitted between 2019 and 2021, he entered into agreements with an investor to develop real estate in the Houston area. As per the agreement, Salek was to contribute real estate and the investor was to provide cash to develop the properties. Once developed, properties were to be either leased or sold.
The investor believed the funds would be used for the developments and deposited over $1 million into business bank accounts that Salek controlled through use of interstate wire communications. However, Salek diverted at least $571,000 of the investment funds for his own personal use on mortgage payments and luxury vacations.
Salek was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek prosecuted the case.
Former Tufts Medical Center Doctor Convicted of Attempted Sex Trafficking of a ChildRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former anesthesiologist at Tufts Medical Center was convicted yesterday by a federal jury of attempted sex trafficking of a child.
Sadeq Ali Quraishi, 47, was convicted of one count of attempted sex trafficking of a child. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for Jan. 28, 2024. Quraishi was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2022.
“The trafficking of women and minors for commercial sex is ever present in our communities and sex buyers from all walks of life drive this demand. As a practicing physician, Sadeq Quraishi was in a position of trust and expected to possess a strong ethical and moral compass. Instead, he engaged in extended negotiations with a purported trafficker and ultimately agreed to buy sex with a 14-year-old girl. Fortunately, this was a law enforcement operation and no real child was involved, but sadly that is not always the case.” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “We are actively prosecuting the men and women who traffic adults and kids for profit, but in order to make a real dent in this pernicious conduct, we also must go after the demand part of the equation –the people who are trolling the internet and trying to purchase sex with little kids. I hope that every coward behind a keyboard who is thinking about engaging in the rape of the child under the auspices of a commercial transaction thinks twice – you may very well be talking to an undercover federal agent. Don’t do it. If you do, you are looking at a minimum of 10 years or more behind bars.”
“As a society, we put our trust in doctors and hold them to the highest ethical standards. Quraishi betrayed that trust by seeking out and attempting to pay to sexually abuse a child,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “HSI will never relent in our pursuit of bringing child predators to justice.”
In November 2022, Quraishi, then a practicing anesthesiologist at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, responded to an online advertisement offering commercial sex with two young girls. Through an ensuing text conversation with undercover agents posing as the seller of the two girls, Quraishi agreed to pay $250 for a sex act to be performed by a 14-year-old girl. Shortly thereafter, Quraishi obtained cash from an ATM, and drove from his Boston home to a Waltham hotel to meet with the purported seller. Once at the hotel, he met with an undercover agent, confirmed he had the money to pay for the commercial sex act, and accepted a keycard he believed would give him access to the room where the 14-year-old girl would be located. During that meeting, Quraishi was arrested and found to be in possession of exactly $250.
The charge of attempted sex trafficking of a child carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and provides a maximum sentence of up to life in prison, a term of supervised release of at least five years 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.
If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact [email protected].
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and HSI SAC Krol made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian A. Fogerty of the Office’s Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit and Lauren A. Graber of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
Former School Janitor Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Bradley Arkesteyn, 29, of Kent County, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. Arkesteyn is scheduled to be sentenced on February 12, 2025, and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
“Child exploitation cases are some of our most critical as we work to protect our most vulnerable: our children,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “While thankfully the evidence in this case did not reveal any hands-on abuse of children, there is everlasting harm suffered by the victims whose images were traded on the internet by Mr. Arkesteyn. I am proud of the law enforcement work to hold him accountable.”
In pleading guilty, Arkesteyn admitted to possessing over 700 images of child pornography, some involving children who had not yet reached puberty. As described in more detail in the criminal complaint, Arkesteyn posted images and videos of child pornography in a social media group called “kiddo only.” Arkseteyn also communicated privately with an undercover FBI task force officer about a sexual interest in children and his work as a custodian in a Kent County elementary school. The relevant school district was notified.
“Today's conviction of Bradley Arkesteyn sends a stern message to those who commit crimes involving our children that they will be investigated and arrested by members of the FBI and our law enforcement partners in Michigan. Mr. Arkseteyn used his position as a school janitor to feed his sexual interest in children,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Michigan. “The members from FBI Michigan, alongside task force officers from the West Michigan Based Child Exploitation Task Force, worked tirelessly to investigate this crime, and their dedicated work contributed to the conviction of a sexual predator.”
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case.
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Former Owner of ‘The Timepiece Gentleman’ Luxury Watch Consignment Store in Beverly Hills Pleads Guilty to Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles man who ran a Beverly Hills luxury watch consignment business and was known as “The Timepiece Gentleman” pleaded guilty today to swindling dozens of his customers of out a total of at least $5.6 million.
Anthony Farrer, 36, formerly of downtown Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud. He has been in federal custody since November 2023.
According to his plea agreement, from November 2022 to November 2023, Farrer used his business – also called “The Timepiece Gentlemen” – to connect purchasers and sellers of high-end watches. In a typical consignment sale, a client would ship a watch to The Timepiece Gentleman and Farrer would take possession of the watch, agreeing to display it at his Beverly Hills store and through online and social media marketing. The items involved in this case included luxury watches by Rolex, Richard Mille, and Patek Phillipe, among others.
Once the watch was sold, Farrer was supposed to remit the sales proceeds back to the client, minus a consignment fee, which typically was approximately 5% of the sales price. If the watch did not sell within a specific time or for a specified price, Farrer was to return the watch to the client.
However, instead of remitting watch sales proceeds – or the unsold watches themselves – back to the clients, Farrer sold the client watches and kept the proceeds for himself. He also used client watches – without the client’s knowledge or permission – as collateral for loans that he took out from lenders.
When a client asked about the status of a watch on consignment sale, Farrer lied and said that the watch had not yet been sold. In fact, Farrer already had sold the watch or otherwise disposed of it, keeping the funds for his own personal benefit.
In addition to his consignment sale business, Farrer also purported to purchase watches on behalf of his clients. Typically, a client sent funds to Farrer, often by wire transfers to his bank accounts or through payment processors such as Zelle, for the purpose of Farrer locating and buying a specified watch on the client’s behalf.
But in fact, Farrer took the clients’ money and used it for other purposes, including to fund his lavish lifestyle such as buying or leasing luxury automobiles, apartments, and other luxury goods.
When a client who had sent him money asked Farrer about the status of a watch purchase, Farrer often sent another watch to the client to tide the client over or lull them into a false sense of security regarding the status of the purchase. Similar to a Ponzi scheme, the other watch Farrer sent to the client often belonged to other clients who had themselves sent him that watch for a consignment sale. These clients were unaware Farrer was using their watches for that purpose, rather than attempting to sell the watches on behalf of the clients.
In total, Farrer fraudulently obtained money and property belonging to more than 40 victims and caused total losses of at least $5,691,005.
United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton scheduled a January 31, 2025, sentencing hearing, at which time Farrer will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count.
The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Beverly Hills Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua O. Mausner of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Former King County Jail guard sentenced to more than eight years in prison for accepting bribe to bring narcotics into facilityRead the Press Release
Seattle – A former King County Jail guard with a history of corrupt actions was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 102 months in prison for bribery and distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl pills, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Former jail employee Mosses Ramos, 40, of Milton, Washington, had been a King County jail guard for 18 years before he was fired last year. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez told Ramos “You betrayed your fellow corrections officers…. You jeopardized the safety of other officers as well as the safety of inmates…. You were smuggling deadly poison into the jail.”
“Corrections officers are critical for operating safe, humane, and secure detention facilities,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “In this case Mr. Ramos betrayed the trust placed in him and jeopardized the safety of his colleagues and detainees by smuggling highly addictive and lethal drugs into the jail.”
According to records filed in the case, between March and May 2023, Ramos accepted a $5,000 bribe to bring about a pound of methamphetamine and 100 fentanyl pills into the jail for inmates Michael Anthony Barquet, 37, and Francisco Montero, 25. Both men are currently incarcerated. Montero is facing trial in King County Superior Court for a double homicide. Barquet is scheduled for trial on drug and bribery charges for this case in April 2025.
The web of bribes and drug trafficking extended outside the jail with three coconspirators who are alleged associates of the two inmates: Neca Silvestre, 38,of Kent; Katrina Cazares, 38, of Burien; and Kayara Zepeda Montero, 27, of Seattle have all pleaded guilty in the case and await sentencing.
In asking for a ten-year sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Cindy Chang wrote to the court, “Ramos has a history of abusing his authority as a long-serving King County corrections officer. For years, he introduced drugs and other contraband into the facility. He disclosed confidential information to inmates. He allowed inmates to assault one another and even expressed a desire for an inmate to be assaulted when he believed the inmate “snitched” on him. Ramos’ unwavering abuse of power before, during, and after the charged offenses is an aggravating factor for his sentence.”
“Impact in our community is built on the foundation of trust, and Mr. Ramos chose to violate that trust,” said Kelly M. Smith, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of FBI Seattle. “We are grateful for the exceptional collaboration with the King County Sheriff’s Office and the King County Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention who share our commitment to holding public servants accountable and keeping drugs out of our correctional facilities. This successful joint investigation demonstrates the commitment by public safety professionals to hold those who violate this trust to the highest standards.”
“The Sheriff’s Office is eager to take any steps necessary to help keep fentanyl and other deadly drugs out of our communities, including our jails,” said King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall. “We are glad to have played a role in helping the Department of Justice shed light on these egregious and appalling crimes.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and the King County Sheriff’s Office with support from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cindy Chang and Vince Lombardi.
Former Correctional Officer Sentenced for Smuggling Mobile Phones into Federal Detention CenterRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Lee E. Moore, Jr., 36, of Sicklerville, New Jersey, was sentenced yesterday to three years of probation with six months of home detention and a $5,000 fine by United States Magistrate Judge Scott W. Reid, all arising from Moore smuggling mobile phones into the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia (“FDC”) while he was employed as a correctional officer at the FDC.
From August 2016 to June 2023, Moore was a correctional officer at the FDC. During May-June 2020, Moore smuggled mobile phones into the FDC in exchange for payments from an inmate’s wife. In June 2020, Moore also approached a second inmate about smuggling in contraband or other special favors in exchange for payment.
“Correctional officers have a tough enough job without having to deal with inmates who have access to smuggled contraband,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Lee Moore put his fellow COs and the public at risk by smuggling cell phones into the FDC for a price. But the price for breaking his law enforcement oath is much higher: he’s lost his job and now has a federal conviction on his record.”
"When a corrections officer chooses greed over integrity, it undermines the hard work and dedication their colleagues put forward every day to ensure a safe environment inside our detention centers," said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. "The FBI and our partners reaffirm our commitment to holding accountable those in the corrections system who abuse their positions of trust."
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Detention Center and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vineet Gauri.
Former Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Hospital Added to Federal Indictment Alleging Corruption and EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An ongoing federal investigation into alleged corruption and embezzlement at a Chicago hospital has resulted in a conspiracy charge against the hospital’s former Chief Executive Officer.
A 45-count, second superseding indictment accuses former CEO GEORGE MILLER, JR., 73, of Dallas, Texas, of conspiring with the hospital’s then-Chief Financial Officer, ANOSH AHMED, 40, of Houston, Texas, to corruptly steer vendor contracts and other hospital business to certain medical supply companies in exchange for cash from the companies’ owner, SAMEER SUHAIL, 47, of Chicago. Ahmed, Suhail, and the hospital’s former Chief Transformation Officer, HEATHER BERGDAHL, 37, of Houston, Texas, were originally indicted earlier this year on fraud, embezzlement, and money laundering counts. The charges accused them of causing the hospital to issue payments to purported vendor companies for goods and services that they knew had not been provided. Many of the purported vendor companies were created by Suhail and Ahmed under various names to conceal their association with the fraudulent payments, the charges alleged. Bergdahl allegedly opened bank accounts in the names of two legitimate hospital vendors and caused the hospital to deposit fraudulent payments into those accounts.
The second superseding indictment, which was returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago, renews the prior charges against Ahmed, Suhail, and Bergdahl, adds Miller as a defendant, and includes new tax charges against Ahmed for allegedly underreporting income in his individual tax returns. The newly returned indictment alleges that from 2018 to 2021, Suhail paid Miller and Ahmed a share of $19 million in payments that he received from the hospital, in return for Miller and Ahmed steering those contracts and business to him. The payments to Miller and Ahmed were in addition to the millions of dollars in fraudulent payments charged in the prior indictment.
Arraignments on the second superseding indictment have not yet been scheduled.
The second superseding indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Mario Pinto, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sheri H. Mecklenburg and Kelly L. Guzman.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
ahmed_et_al_second_superseding_indictment.pdfFormer Accounting Chief at Now-Shuttered Girardi Keese Law Firm Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Money from Clients and the Firm ItselfRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The former longtime head of the accounting department at the now-shuttered Los Angeles plaintiffs’ personal injury law firm Girardi Keese pleaded guilty today to enabling the embezzlement of tens millions of dollars from the firm’s injured clients and to embezzling money from Girardi Keese itself.
Christopher Kazuo Kamon, 51, formerly of Encino and Palos Verdes and who was residing in The Bahamas at the time of his November 2022 arrest, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud.
According to his plea agreement, from 2004 until December 2020, Kamon was the head of the accounting department at Girardi Keese, a plaintiffs’ personal injury law firm based in downtown Los Angeles. In this position, Kamon worked closely with Thomas Vincent Girardi, 85, formerly a resident of Pasadena but who now resides in Seal Beach, as well as other senior lawyers at the law firm.
In December 2020, Girardi Keese’s creditors forced the once-prominent law firm into bankruptcy proceedings. The law firm dissolved in January 2021 and the State Bar of California disbarred Girardi in July 2022. On August 27, a federal jury in Los Angeles found Girardi guilty of four counts of wire fraud. Girardi’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 6.
In addition to supervising the law firm’s accounting department, Kamon oversaw facilitating payment of the law firm’s expenses. Kamon had a duty to keep accurate books and records of Girardi Keese, including accounting of money held in its attorney-client trust accounts. Typically, Girardi determined and directed which clients would be paid, how much they would be paid, when they would be paid, and signed all outgoing checks to clients. Kamon had signatory authority on additional Girardi Keese bank accounts.
From at least 2010 until December 2020, Girardi and Kamon schemed to defraud Girardi Keese clients out of their settlement money, using the misappropriated funds to pay the law firm’s payroll, the law firm’s credit card bills, and to pay Girardi and Kamon’s personal expenses.
Specifically, one victim – a Girardi Keese client who suffered severe burns all over his body when a natural gas pipeline exploded in San Bruno, California, in September 2010 – had a $53 million settlement negotiated. This deal was negotiated and agreed to without the client’s prior approval. Per the terms of the settlement, $25 million was invested into an annuity. The remaining $28 million was wired into a Girardi Keese client trust account in January 2013. Girardi, assisted by Kamon, misappropriated, and embezzled that client’s settlement money and used the funds to pay other Girardi Keese expenses and liabilities unrelated to this client, including payments to other law firm clients whose own settlement funds previously had been misappropriated by Girardi and others.
To prevent the victim from discovering Girardi’s embezzlement, Girardi lied to the client by saying the funds had been transferred into a separate interest-bearing account. In fact, no such transfers had been made and no such interest-bearing account containing these funds existed.
Girardi and Kamon sent lulling payments to the victim as purported “interest payments” deriving from the purported interest-bearing account. In July 2019, they sent the victim a $2.5 million check, purportedly as disbursement of the victim’s settlement funds. In fact, Girardi and Kamon knew these settlement proceeds belonged to other Girardi Keese clients. Girardi already had spent the victim’s settlement funds through disbursements unrelated to the victim’s case.
In a separate criminal case, Kamon admitted to running a years-long scheme in which he embezzled Girardi Keese funds for his personal enrichment. From at least 2013 to December 2020, Kamon utilized co-schemers to pose as “vendors” who were providing goods and services to the law firm. Kamon caused the supposed vendors to issue fraudulent invoices to Girardi Keese for goods and services that they purportedly provided to the law firm.
Kamon caused Girardi Keese to pay the amounts due on the fraudulent invoices. In fact, the law firm was paying the “vendors” for Kamon’s personal benefit, including for construction projects at his homes in Palos Verdes and Encino.
According to evidence presented at the recent trial of Tom Girardi, part of Kamon’s scheme involved payments to a female companion amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars, including a monthly stipend of $20,000, out of the Girardi Keese operating accounts despite the woman having no employment relationship with Girardi Keese.
United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton scheduled a January 31, 2025, sentencing hearing, at which time Kamon will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison on each count. Kamon has been in federal custody since December 2022.
Kamon – along with Girardi and David R. Lira, Girardi’s son-in-law, and a former Girardi Keese lawyer – also faces federal fraud charges in Chicago. Trial in that case is scheduled for March 3, 2025.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ali Moghaddas of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force and Scott Paetty of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case.
Felon Sentenced for Possession of Firearms and FentanylRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Joseph McKinley Phillips, 34, of Tulsa, for Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute and Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Judge Russell ordered Phillips to 188 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in Dec. 2023, Tulsa Police officers approached Phillips, and he took off running. After officers caught and detained Phillips, they found he had two loaded handguns and more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
Data shows that only two milligrams of fentanyl can be a lethal dose. Seven out of ten contraband pills seized and tested by the DEA contained fentanyl.
Phillips will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam McConney and Kenneth Elmore prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Federal Jury Finds Brooklyn Park Felon Guilty of Possession of Fentanyl, Firearm Following Deadly Vehicle CrashRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury found Derrick John Thompson guilty of illegal possession of a firearm and fentanyl following a deadly vehicle crash that killed five victims, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Following a five-day trial in U.S. District Court before Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan, Thompson, 28, was found guilty of one count of possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possessing a firearm as a felon, and one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
According to evidence presented at trial, on June 16, 2023, a trooper with the Minnesota State Patrol observed a black Cadillac Escalade speeding north on I-35W, traveling at 95 miles per hour in a 55 miles per hour speed zone. The trooper observed the driver, later identified as Thompson, abruptly cut across four lanes of traffic to exit the freeway at the Lake Street exit. The trooper began following the SUV but did not activate the emergency lights or sirens because the trooper did not want to attempt a traffic stop on city streets given the Escalade’s dangerous driving. At the intersection of 2nd Avenue South and East Lake Street, Thompson sped through a red light at the intersection without stopping or slowing. The SUV struck at full speed the driver’s side of a Honda Civic that was traveling lawfully through the intersection. All five occupants of the Honda Civic, four adult females and one juvenile female, were killed. When law enforcement responded to the scene of the crash, witnesses told officers where Thompson fled. Officers found Thompson, wearing clothing that matched the description given by witnesses, sitting on the curb outside of a nearby restaurant. Officers detained Thompson, who was later transported to Hennepin County Medical Center for evaluation.
According to evidence presented at trial, an officer found at the scene a Hertz rental record for the Cadillac Escalade indicating that Thompson rented the vehicle from a Hertz located at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport approximately 30 minutes before the crash. After obtaining a warrant to search the vehicle, officers found a black leather bag on the front passenger side floor that contained a loaded Glock pistol with an extended magazine, as well as three baggies containing more than 2,000 blue “M-Box 30” fentanyl pills, a baggie containing an additional 14 grams of fentanyl powder, a baggie containing 35 grams of cocaine, and a digital scale. Subsequent testing determined that Thompson’s DNA was present on the firearm, the fentanyl powder, and the cocaine. A search of Thompson’s phone found dozens of texts indicating fentanyl deals.
Because Thompson has multiple prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Minneapolis–St. Paul Airport Police Department, in coordination with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Calhoun-Lopez and Ruth S. Shnider tried the case.
Executives of Immigration Services Company Charged in Scheme to Submit Fraudulent Asylum ApplicationsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury indicted Dongquan “Derek” Jin and Yimin “Kelly” Lu with aiding and abetting false statements on asylum applications, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) San Francisco Field Office Special Agent in Charge William Chang, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Tatum King.
According to an indictment filed Aug. 20, 2024, and unsealed Sept. 19, 2024, Jin and Lu operated Gospel Immigration Service, Inc., a Newark, Calif., corporation that held itself out as providing individuals with assistance in applying for immigration documents and benefits, including asylum.
The indictment alleges that Jin and Lu were listed as the application preparers on more than 200 asylum applications submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) between 2013 and 2024. Jin and Lu allegedly provided their clients with sample personal statements describing persecution for use in the clients’ own asylum applications. According to the indictment, it was Jin’s and Lu’s practice to review and edit clients’ personal statements and, in doing so, Jin and Lu would include false and embellished details they believed would increase the clients’ chances of being granted asylum.
The indictment further alleges that, before their clients had their asylum interviews with USCIS, Jin and Lu would instruct their clients to memorize false details in their applications and would also facilitate interview training sessions to increase the odds of a favorable determination. Jin and Lu charged clients at least $5,000 for their assistance and would pressure clients for bonuses, or “red envelopes,” once their clients’ applications were approved.
Defendants are next scheduled to appear in federal court on Oct. 16, 2024, before the Hon. Charles R. Breyer, Senior U.S. District Judge.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Jin and Lu each face a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jared S. Buszin and E. Wistar Wilson are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Tina Rosenbaum. The prosecution is the result of an investigation led by the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and DSS representatives to the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), overseen by HSI. The DBFTF is a multi-agency task force that coordinates investigations into fraudulent benefit and immigration documents. USCIS’s Office of Fraud Detection and National Security provided significant assistance with the investigation.
Dongquan Derek Jin Indictment
Elmore County Man Sentenced to 165 Months in Prison Following Federal Drug ConvictionRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, AL – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the sentencing of a Millbrook, Alabama man for possession of cocaine and marijuana with intent to distribute the illegal drugs. On October 10, 2024, a federal judge sentenced 44-year-old Derrick Andrea White to 165 months in prison. In addition, the judge ordered that White serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on March 18, 2023, an Alabama state trooper attempted to stop a vehicle in the city of Wetumpka after observing a vehicle violation. The driver, later identified as White, refused to stop. A pursuit ensued and the trooper observed White throwing objects out of his car window. The vehicle pursuit ended once White reached a dead end and exited the car. White then fled on foot but was apprehended after a short chase. Investigators recovered the items discarded by White during the pursuit. The items were eventually determined to be packages of cocaine and marijuana. During his plea hearing on July 9, 2024, White admitted to possessing the illegal drugs because he intended to distribute them.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated this case, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and other agencies. Assistant United States Attorneys Justin L. Jones and Eric M. Counts prosecuted the case.
District Teen Sentenced to More Than Nine Years in Prison for Several Armed Robberies in July of 2023Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jahmius Brown, 19, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to more than nine years – or 115 months – in prison for his role in a series of armed robberies that took place on July 23, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Superior Court Judge Heidi M. Pasichow sentenced Brown to serve 40 months in prison for a robbery charge and 75 months for an armed robbery charge to be served consecutively for a total of 115 months. Judge Pasichow also ordered Brown to serve three years of supervised release.
Co-defendant Ricky Bronson, 18, of Washington, D.C., will be sentenced at a later date.
Brown and Bronson both previously pleaded guilty to one count of armed robbery and one count of robbery in January of 2024. In exchange for their guilty plea, the government agreed not to pursue charges for two additional armed robberies that were alleged to have been part of defendants’ crime spree.
According to the government's evidence, the first robbery occurred at the intersection of 2nd and Bryant Streets, NW, as the first victim was walking down the 100 block of Bryant Street, NW, and observed one of the defendants standing on the corner and a blue sedan parked nearby. As the victim walked down the street, they were suddenly cut off by Brown, who told the victim to stop and then demanded that the victim hand over any valuables. Bronson exited the blue sedan, armed with a firearm, and the victim proceeded to hand over an iPhone and provided the defendants the password to it, per the defendants' demand. Both defendants then re-entered the blue sedan and fled the scene.
MPD later responded to 1331 D Street, NE for another report of an armed robbery. At this scene, detectives interviewed the victim, who stated that they were standing at the rear of a vehicle when another vehicle, a blue sedan, approached the victim from behind. The victim was first approached by Brown, who grabbed the victim's shoulder and said, "Don't scream." Co-defendant Bronson then approached the victim and pressed a gun into their stomach, to which the victim told both men to "Take whatever you want."
Bronson took the victim's cell phone and ordered the victim to unlock it. Brown then grabbed the victim's keys out of their pocket. Both defendants then fled the scene in the blue sedan. Six minutes later, officers responded to a call for an armed robbery in the 1000 block of F Street, NE. There, the victim told officers that they were walking down F Street when they heard a speeding vehicle and observed a blue sedan stop nearby. The victim observed two men get out of the vehicle, and one of them demanded that the victim, "Give me what you got," while the other man pulled out a gun and pointed it at the victim. The victim gave the defendants a cell phone and wallet, and both men fled the scene in the blue sedan.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tamara Rubb and Jacqueline Yarbro.
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Defendant Pleads Guilty to 2022 Murder that Happened in Northeast D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Chanos Monroe, aka Chanos Gillis, 41, of District Heights, MD, pleaded guilty today to charges of voluntary manslaughter and unlawful possession of a firearm – prior felony conviction, for the 2022 murder of Keith Sistare, 52, at a BP gas station along Benning Rd. Northeast, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Monroe has been in custody since his arrest on June 25, 2024. His guilty plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon 14-year prison sentence, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, Monroe and an unidentified male chased down the Mr. Sistare after he attempted to get into the driver’s seat of Mr. Monroe’s vehicle which was left idling outside the BP gas station store. Monroe’s fiancé was still in the front seat at the time. Surveillance video shows Mr. Monroe repeatedly stomping on Mr. Sistare’s head while he was lying prone on the ground. Mr. Monroe then went back to his vehicle and got a handgun, but his fiancé convinced him to come back to their car with the gun. Mr. Sistare died, on September 11, 2022, as a result of his injuries.
This case is being investigated by officers, detectives, and other personnel of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.