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Wednesday 28 August 2024
Former Army Private Found Guilty of Child Exploitation Charges, Including Production of Sexually Explicit Material of MinorRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A federal jury today found a former Army private based at Fort Irwin guilty of producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting a 14-year-old girl, using Snapchat to receive CSAM of her when she was 13 years old, and possessing CSAM featuring her on his iPhone. In addition, White was found guilty of receiving CSAM of a 15-year-old girl via Snapchat.
Parker William White, 23, of Johnsonville, New York, was found guilty of one count of production of child pornography, three counts of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to evidence presented during a five-day trial, in January 2022, the Department of Children and Families in Bay County, Florida received a tip that White was engaging in an online, sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl. Later, investigators found CSAM of her on White’s iPhone as well as CSAM that White had received via Snapchat featuring her and another minor.
White used Instagram, Snapchat, and other social media platforms to find minor “girlfriends” as young as 13 years old, according to court documents. White groomed these minor girls by boasting about his military service, telling them that they were “beautiful” and “queens,” and pretending to be in love with them. In some instances, White deceptively portrayed himself as teenager to earn their trust. White’s behavior would then escalate to a practice that he called “teasing.” He would send these children sexually explicit videos and photographs of himself via social media and encourage them to “tease” him back by doing the same.
United States District Judge André Birotte Jr. scheduled a February 7, 2025 sentencing hearing, at which time White will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a statutory maximum sentence of 100 years in federal prison.
White has been in custody since his arrest.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lyndsi C. Allsop of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Laura A. Alexander of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section are prosecuting this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Justice Department’s 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Fiscalía Federal anuncia cargos contra un grupo que facilitó y organizó el turismo criminal de SudaméricaRead the Press Release
LOS ÁNGELES – El día de hoy, las fuerzas del orden público aprehendieron a seis acusados que un gran jurado federal imputó mediante una acusación formal de 46 cargos que alega que un hombre del Valle de Santa Clarita facilitó un grupo de turismo criminal consistente de sudamericanos y otras personas que participaron en robos con allanamiento de morada, hurtos y otros delitos por todos los Estados Unidos y luego lavaron millones de dólares estadounidenses en ganancias ilícitas.
La acusación formal, dictada el 1 de agosto y publicada el día de hoy, imputa a siete acusados de varios delitos graves, entre ellos fraude electrónico, lavado de dinero, asociación delictuosa y la estructuración de transacciones a modo de evadir los requisitos federales de presentación de informes financieros.
Los grupos de turismo criminal para robo consisten en personas, a menudo oriundas de Sudamérica y otros lugares fuera de los Estados Unidos, que participan en robos con allanamiento de morada, hurtos y otros delitos por todos los EE. UU. Como parte del modo de operación de los grupos de turismo criminal para robo, las personas ingresan a los Estados Unidos y participan en oleadas de delitos de robo. Con frecuencia, los frutos de los robos se comparten con los facilitadores y coconspiradores, quienes ayudan a los turistas delictivos a cometer sus delitos, así como con otras personas tanto dentro como fuera de los Estados Unidos.
“El turismo criminal es un problema importante que afecta no sólo al sur de California, sino a toda nuestra nación,” dijo el fiscal federal Martín Estrada. “Estos acusados facilitaron y dirigieron el crimen a turistas que cometieron cientos de robos en todo el país – en esencia, actuaron como mariscales de campo de un equipo de ladrones. Continuaremos trabajando con nuestros socios locales para hacer responsables a quienes vengan a nuestro país y aprovechen nuestras libertades para robarle al pueblo estadounidense.”
“Hoy desmantelamos un facilitador no tradicional del crimen organizado y ahora tenemos un plan para futuras investigaciones,” dijo Akil Davis, subdirector a cargo de la oficina local del FBI en Los Ángeles. "Esperamos que estos arrestos disuadan a futuras empresas de realizar operaciones similares, reduciendo así el número de robos y hurtos en nuestras comunidades."
"Esta investigación requirió años de mucho esfuerzo y dedicación por parte del Departamento de Policía de Los Ángeles y nuestros socios," dijo el jefe de LAPD, Dominic Choi. “Me complace que nuestros esfuerzos colectivos hayan dado como resultado la detención de estos delincuentes profesionales que se han dedicado a victimizar a nuestros residentes y facilitar el movimiento de delincuentes extranjeros. Estoy convencido de que sacarlos de las calles hace que nuestras comunidades sean más seguras.”
Según la acusación formal, Juan Carlos Thola-Durán, de 57 años, alias "Parcero", de Canyon Country, y su pareja conviviente Ana María Arriagada, de 41 años, alias "Parcera", controlaban y operaban la empresa acusada Driver Power Rentals (DPR), un negocio de arrendamiento o venta de autos con sede en Van Nuys. Arriagada era la dueña registrada de DPR.
Desde al menos enero de 2018 hasta julio de 2024, Thola-Durán dirigió a socios, con frecuencia miembros de grupos de turismo criminal para robo que viajaban desde Sudamérica, para que viajaran a varias partes de los Estados Unidos para cometer robos, incluso los robos de artículos en tiendas, robos con allanamiento de moradas y negocios, y robos de tarjetas de crédito y débito de víctimas.
Thola-Durán, Arriagada y DPR suministraban vehículos de DPR para que los coconspiradores viajaran por los Estados Unidos para cometer hurtos y robos con allanamiento de morada, y para que los arrendamientos de autos parecieran legítimos y así mantener el anonimato, requerían que sus coconspiradores suministraran tarjetas de identificación falsas al arrendar un vehículo para fines de los registros de DPR.
Thola-Durán y Arriagada les daban instrucciones a los ladrones coconspiradores que se robaban tarjetas de crédito o débito para que fueran inmediatamente a tiendas como Target, Best Buy, The Home Depot y otras, y gastaran el máximo crédito disponible en la compra de dispositivos electrónicos, tarjetas de regalo, bolsos de diseñador y otros bienes de alto lujo antes de que las tarjetas robadas pudieran ser restringidas o canceladas.
Luego, Thola-Durán hacía arreglos para que los ladrones entregaran los artículos robados u obtenidos fraudulentamente a socios en DPR, o bien los enviaran por correo a otros coconspiradores, entre ellos el acusado Miguel Ángel Barajas, de 57 años, de Northridge, u otros coconspiradores en una tienda FedEx en Sherman Oaks. Por instrucción de Thola-Durán, los acusados Barajas, John Carlo Thola, de 33 años, de Canoga Park, y otros recogían los paquetes y luego se los entregaban a Thola-Durán y otros coconspiradores. Luego Thola-Durán se desempeñaba como "comerciante de artículos robados" y compraba los artículos, a una fracción de su valor en el mercado minorista, y les pagaba a los ladrones un porcentaje del valor de los artículos. Luego, en el transcurso de la asociación delictuosa, procedió a venderles a otros compradores los artículos robados por un total aproximado de $5.5 millones de dólares estadounidenses, incluidos aproximadamente $5.1 millones de dólares estadounidenses enviados a diversas cuentas bancarias controladas por los coconspiradores.
Presuntamente, los acusados usaron sus ganancias mal habidas para comprar y mantener activos, entre ellos inmuebles y caballos, y estructuraron retiros de dinero en efectivo de manera que evitaran activar el requisito de que los bancos presenten informes al Departamento del Tesoro de los EE. UU. sobre transacciones que exceden de $10,000 dólares estadounidenses.
La acusación formal alega además que desde mayo de 2020 hasta junio de 2021 Thola-Durán, Arriagada y otros se asociaron delictuosamente para obtener de manera fraudulenta $274,998 dólares estadounidenses en préstamos de socorro financiero para negocios por COVID-19.
Una acusación formal es meramente una alegación. Se presume que todos los acusados son inocentes hasta tanto se pruebe su culpabilidad más allá de una duda razonable en un tribunal de ley.
“Desde 2019, hemos arrestado a más de 130 sospechosos responsables de perpetrar estos delitos, y la gran mayoría utilizó automóviles suministrados por Driver Power Rentals,” dijo el sheriff del condado de Ventura, James Fryhoff. “Nuestros esfuerzos no terminan ahí. Nos asociamos formalmente con el FBI y creamos el Grupo de Trabajo contra Robos Mayores del Condado de Ventura. "Este grupo de trabajo ha sido fundamental para presentar cargos federales contra Thola-Duran y otros miembros de su organización criminal."
“Driver Power Rentals proporcionó automóviles que supuestamente se utilizaron para llevarse mercancías y joyas de alta gama de los propietarios del condado de Ventura,” dijo el fiscal de distrito del condado de Ventura, Erik Nasarenko. "Derribar a un operador clave que impulsó el turismo criminal es esencial para la seguridad de la comunidad, y agradezco al fiscal federal Estrada y su equipo por procesar agresivamente esta red."
"Estos delincuentes estaban llevando a cabo una operación de robo con una sofisticación que rivaliza con la de Amazon y, en lugar de enviar conductores de reparto, estaban enviando ladrones entrenados por todo el sur de California para robar en lo que debería ser el lugar donde estamos más seguros: nuestros hogares," dijo el fiscal de distrito del condado de Orange, Todd. Spitzer. "El crimen no paga en el Condado de Orange y las personas que participan en el turismo criminal están conscientes de que mi oficina trabajará con nuestros socios locales y federales para continuar exigiendo responsabilidad y llevando ante la justicia a quienes victimizan a nuestra comunidad."
Una acusación es simplemente una acusación. Se presume que todos los acusados son inocentes hasta que se demuestre su culpabilidad más allá de toda duda razonable en un tribunal de justicia.
De recibir condenas, los acusados enfrentarían una sentencia estatutaria máxima de 20 años en una prisión federal por cada cargo relacionado con transferencias electrónicas y lavado de dinero, hasta 10 años en una prisión federal por cada cargo de estructuración y hasta cinco años en una prisión federal por el cargo de asociación delictuosa para transportar bienes robados entre estados.
El FBI, la Fiscalía de Distrito del Condado de Orange, la Fiscalía de Distrito del Condado de Ventura, la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Ventura y el Departamento de Policía de Los Ángeles investigan esta causa. El Servicio de Inspección Postal de los Estados Unidos, la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Meriwether (Georgia) y el Departamento de Policía de Scottsdale (Arizona) prestaron asistencia.
Las Fiscales Auxiliares de los Estados Unidos Jennifer Chou y Lindsay M. Bailey de la Sección de Delincuencia Organizada y Violenta y el Fiscal Auxiliar de los Estados Unidos Ryan J. Waters de la Sección de Decomiso y Recuperación de Activos procesan esta causa.
Federal judge convicts Great Falls woman for 2021 crash on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation that resulted in serious bodily injuryRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A U.S. District Court judge on Aug. 27 convicted a Great Falls woman for a December 2021 crash on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation that resulted in serious bodily injuries to a juvenile passenger, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
After a one-day bench trial on Aug. 27, Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris found the defendant, Noblee Rose Littledog, 23, of Great Falls, guilty of assault resulting in serious bodily injury as charged in an indictment. Littledog faces a maximum of ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for Jan. 9, 2025, and continued Littledog’s release pending further proceedings.
“Reckless driving often ends tragically, but driving recklessly while also consuming alcohol almost always guarantees someone will be severely injured, which is exactly what happened here. Our office, as well as the victim’s family, are relieved and thankful for the guilty verdict because accountability will now rightfully occur for Littledog. I applaud and thank the entire Blackfeet prosecution team, including Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, the Montana Highway Patrol, and the FBI for their outstanding work on this case,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that on Dec. 1, 2021, Littledog was driving a 2019 Jeep Cherokee on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation with the victim, a passenger identified as Jane Doe, who was 17 years old. While driving on a secondary highway between BIA Route 1 and U.S. Highway 89, Littledog passed two vehicles at a high rate of speed in a no passing zone. Littledog failed to negotiate the corner, causing the vehicle to leave the roadway, rolling approximately five times. The vehicle was destroyed and both occupants were injured. Jane Doe was pinned in the passenger seat. Emergency responders had to cut Jane Doe from the car before they could triage her injures. Jane Doe suffered severe trauma to her lower extremities that has caused permanent damage.
Law enforcement seized the vehicle’s event data recorder and analyzed the data. At trial, the government presented evidence that the data captured by the vehicle showed that seconds before the crash, Littledog was traveling at a minimum speed of 105.6 mph. The data also showed that both occupants were restrained at the time of the crash. Jane Doe reported that Littledog had consumed alcohol on the drive, and Littledog told law enforcement at the hospital that she had consumed two alcoholic beverages approximately 30 to 40 minutes before the crash. Evidence at the scene of the crash matched her description of the alcohol she reported consuming.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Montana Highway Patrol and the FBI conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Cut Bank Police Department.
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Employee of Brooklyn Moving Company Sentenced for Defrauding CustomersRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Andre Prince was sentenced by United States Circuit Judge Denny Chin to 24 months in prison for his participation in a fraudulent moving company scheme. Prince was convicted in December 2023 of conspiracy to commit wire fraud following a one-week trial. As part of the sentence, Prince was ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $100,000.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, and Christopher A. Scharf, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, Northeastern Region (DOT-OIG), announced the sentence.
“The defendant enticed victims to use the moving companies he worked for and then held their belongings hostage to substantially higher prices and the threat of auctioning them off unless they agreed to the fraudulent demands,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “For his crime of conviction, it is Prince who will be moving -- to a federal prison. My Office is committed to protecting consumers from costly and fraudulent schemes in the moving industry.”
FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Curtis stated: “Andre Prince enticed customers to entrust fraudulent moving companies with their household goods, only to financially extort them with threats of selling their belongings. Prince utilized his skills as a sales representative to prey upon more than 800 victims undergoing a stressful event by boxing them into misleading contracts and false estimates. May the defendant’s move to prison reflect the FBI’s dedication to disrupting widespread fraud schemes and deter future unlawful attempts to monopolize an industry.
“Today’s sentence stemming from the criminal investigation conducted with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners demonstrates our commitment to detecting and prosecuting fraudulent household goods movers who take advantage of unsuspecting customers by holding their personal belongings hostage,” stated DOT-OIG Special Agent in Charge Scharf. “We will continue our vigorous efforts to root out bad actors from the moving industry and reinforce adherence to Federal laws and regulations designed to protect the public.”
As proven at trial, between at least January 2017 and August 2020, Prince and co-defendant Kristy Mak worked for a number of moving companies controlled by co-defendant Yakov Moroz, which operated under various names including Great Moving USA, Green Movers, New City Moves, Cross Country Moving and Storage, and Movers Consulting. Mak was a customer service representative for the companies and supervised Prince, who, as a senior sales representative was responsible for convincing individuals to choose one of the fraudulent moving companies. The defendants lured customers to these movers by posting fake reviews online and having sales associates offer low-cost transportation of their household goods. After a contract was signed and, in some cases, after the customer’s belongings were loaded on the truck, the movers would spring new expenses on them. If the customer tried contacting the sales associate about the surprise fees, that person was unreachable, and the customers were faced with drivers who threatened to hold their goods hostage unless they paid additional fees which were sometimes double or triple the original estimated cost. In one conversation on the Slack messaging app, Prince reacted to two memes sent to him from another salesperson depicting their scheme to cut off contact with the customer on the day of the move, stating: “[rolling on the floor laughing emoji] that is so accurate.” As a result of the fraudulent scheme, the defendants, together with others, wrongfully obtained more than $3 million from over 800 victims.
Mak, who was convicted at trial of the same wire fraud conspiracy charge as Prince, is awaiting sentencing. Moroz absconded while on pre-trial release and is currently a fugitive.
If you have been the victim of a similar fraud, a complaint can be filed with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration at https://nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov/nccdb/home.aspx
The government’s case was handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Arun Bodapati and Elias Laris are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Special Agent Rebecca Sidhu and Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Heyward.
The Defendant:
ANDRE PRINCE (also known as “Allen Parks” and “Aaron”)
Age: 45
Taramac, FloridaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-342 (DC)
El Dorado Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
EL DORADO – An El Dorado man was sentenced yesterday to 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute More Than Fifty (50) Grams of Methamphetamine. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in El Dorado.
According to court documents, Wallace Kenya Cutter Sr, a/k/a “Kilo”, age 47, was identified by law enforcement to be distributing methamphetamine in El Dorado, Arkansas area.
During March of 2023, investigators were able to make a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Cutter.
On March 27, 2023, a search was conducted at Cutter’s residence, resulting in investigators locating and seizing approximately 1,162.79 grams of pure methamphetamine. The methamphetamine seized during the search warrant and from the controlled purchases was subsequently forwarded to the Drug Enforcement Administration Laboratory for confirmatory testing.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The 13th Judicial District Drug Task Force investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trent Daniels and Graham Jones prosecuted the case.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov.
Dominican Republic National Pleads Guilty for His Role in a Human Smuggling Event that Resulted in a Child’s DeathRead the Press Release
A national of the Dominican Republic pleaded guilty yesterday to his involvement in a deadly human smuggling conspiracy in Puerto Rico.
Alcibades De Paz, 34, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of bringing certain aliens into the United States, resulting in death.
According to court documents, the defendant was identified as one of the captains of a vessel illegally carrying individuals, including a three-year-old child, from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico. The defendant admitted to operating the vessel during the human smuggling venture. While the co-conspirators were evading Puerto Rican law enforcement attempting to intercept the vessel safely, the vessel stopped functioning; De Paz admitted that he aided in starting the engine and throttling the boat’s engine towards the Puerto Rican shoreline. The vessel capsized as it reached the shoreline, leading to the child’s death.
“While smuggling migrants by boat to the United States, Alcibades De Paz attempted to evade law enforcement and sped toward the beach — a decision that resulted in the death of a three-year-old child after the vessel capsized,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This tragedy demonstrates human smugglers’ callous disregard for human life. The Criminal Division is committed to combating human smugglers who prey upon vulnerable migrants.”
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. De Paz faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Puerto Rico investigated this case, with assistance from Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD)’s Joint Forces of Rapid Action (FURA) and U.S. Border Patrol, Ramey Sector.
Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emelina M. Agrait-Barreto for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
The investigation is being conducted under the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a joint partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
Detroit Man Sentenced for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Detroit man, Jarrett Howard, 56, was sentenced on Wednesday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, to 300 months, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of firearms as a convicted felon, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to testimony at trial, in November 2021, law enforcement received information that Howard was responsible for distributing fentanyl in Madison County. They then conducted a search of Howard’s residence, finding 285 grams of fentanyl, 416 grams of cocaine, and two loaded firearms. Law enforcement also discovered a digital scale and $34,450 at the residence.
Under federal law, Howard must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for eight years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Erek Davodowich, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA Louisville Field Division; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Detroit Field Division; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Louisville Field Division; Phillip J. Burnett, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police (KSP); Chief Rodney Richardson, Richmond Police Department; and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff's Office, jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by DEA, ATF, KSP, Richmond Police Department, and Madison County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Greenfield prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Delaware County Woman Pleads Guilty to January Armed Carjacking in South Philadelphia, Two Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Nateirah Ortiz, 25, of Darby, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Judge Chad F. Kenney to one count of carjacking, one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the commission of a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Ortiz was charged by indictment with these offenses in April of this year, in connection with a January carjacking in South Philadelphia.
As described in the indictment, on January 31, 2024, at approximately 7 p.m., the victim reported being carjacked on the 1100 block of Washington Avenue. He relayed that, while walking to his vehicle, a silver 2018 Toyota RAV4, the defendant, Nateirah Ortiz, demanded his car keys and pointed a gun at him. The victim complied, giving the defendant his key, and ran to a nearby business for assistance calling 911. The defendant entered the victim’s vehicle and fled the scene.
Information about the incident was soon broadcast via police radio citywide. At approximately 9:17 p.m., 24th District police officers on patrol observed the carjacked vehicle traveling on the 3100 block of Kensington Avenue and attempted to conduct a vehicle investigation. The officers stopped their vehicle in front of the RAV4 and another police unit stopped behind it. After waiting for the officers to get out of their car and approach her, Ortiz fled at a high rate of speed, nearly striking their police vehicle in the process. The officers immediately went over the air requesting assistance, and units in the area began searching for the carjacked vehicle.
As police officers drove down Richmond Street, they observed that a RAV4 fitting that description had crashed into several cars parked on the 3700 block of Richmond. The officers saw the defendant walking away from the scene and apprehended her, with police recovering a loaded handgun from underneath a parked van a few feet away.
“Carjackings are crimes that can terrorize victims and rattle entire communities,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “That’s exactly why my office is committed to prosecuting these cases, working in lockstep with the Philadelphia Police Department and our federal partners to take violent criminals off the street. By holding carjackers like Nateirah Ortiz responsible for their actions, we’re having a direct effect on public safety in Philadelphia.”
“This case again shows that carjacking is dangerous and a serious federal crime, requiring many years in federal prison at a minimum,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Office. “The perpetrator’s reckless actions caused extensive property damage and put the victim and bystanders in grave danger. ATF Philadelphia Field Division applies our unique forensic and investigative tools with the Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force to solve crimes and to make our communities safer.”
“The quick apprehension of Nateirah Ortiz is a testament to the dedication and coordination of our officers and federal partners,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel. “This incident also highlights the importance of our continued collaboration and commitment to removing violent offenders and illegal firearms from our streets. The safety of our communities is our top priority, and we will not tolerate those who choose to threaten the peace and security of our city.”
Ortiz is set to be sentenced on December 18 and faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum of seven years’ 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 was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony J. Carissimi and Robert E. Eckert.
Dark Web Vendor Pleads Guilty to Distributing Fentanyl Through the MailRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Ryan Scott Cochran, also known as “namedeclined,” pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine through the United States mail. Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr. As part of his guilty plea, Cochran agreed to forfeit more than $200,000 in cash, cryptocurrency and money in bank accounts already seized by law enforcement, and agreed to forfeit an additional $900,000 at a later date. When sentenced, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of twenty years’ imprisonment.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the guilty plea.
Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Field Office and San Francisco Field Office; Internal Revenue Service, Oakland Field Office; and the Drug Enforcement Administration, San Francisco Field Office, for their assistance on the case.
According to court documents and facts presented at the guilty plea proceeding, Cochran was a highly rated vendor on numerous dark web marketplaces for more than a decade. Cochran advertised and sold fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, among other drugs, and shipped them throughout the United States and around the world through the United States mail. Cochran also sold fraudulent identification documents and other forged documents, such as health insurance cards, on the dark web.
Assistant United States Attorney Philip Pilmar is in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Thomas Englert and Rachel Friedman.
The Defendant:
RYAN SCOTT COCHRAN, aka “namedeclined”
Age: 34
San Jose, CAE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-063 (RER)
Dallas Man Pleads Guilty in $27M Oil & Gas, Water Rights FraudRead the Press Release
A Dallas man pleaded guilty Tuesday to defrauding investors out of more than $27 million in various oil and gas and water rights scams, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Dennis James Rogers, II, 35, originally of Las Cruces, NM, was charged via felony information. On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to two counts of securities fraud.
“This defendant lined his own pockets at the expense of would-be investors, lying and cheating his way to a life of luxury,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “Today’s plea is a step towards justice for his victims.”
“Investment and securities scams result in high volumes of complaints and high loss amounts to victims, and also undermine the integrity of our financial markets at-large,” said Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough. “The FBI is committed to investigating criminal activity that is designed to defraud unsuspecting individuals and will continue to dedicate substantial resources to investigating ever-evolving fraud schemes like those perpetrated by the defendant.”
According to plea papers, in August 2019, Mr. Rogers successfully solicited $10 million from an investor, purportedly so that his company, Oregon Mountain Trading Company, could purchase fuel. The investor, identified in court documents by the initials J.I., handed over the funds after the pair agreed he would receive a fifty percent return on investment. Instead of purchasing fuel as promised, Mr. Rogers diverted the funds to a private jet service, a custom home builder, a law firm, an investment account, business entities, credit card companies, and other personal expenditures.
Ten months later, Mr. Rogers solicited $4.1 million and $2.1 million from investors S.W. and D.W., respectively. He told the investors that a large international fuel company was exiting its stock position in Brownsville, Texas and planned to dispose of its fuel via an exclusive, invitation-only auction. (In reality, the company never held an auction and had no relationship with Mr. Rogers.) Instead of purchasing fuel at auction, Mr. Rogers diverted the money to fund an unrelated investment account, purchase real estate, and pay personal expenses.
Mr. Rogers also successfully collected $11 million in investments for a purported water rights deal associated with a dairy farm in New Mexico. In furtherance of the scheme, he held a call with an investor and an alleged member of the dairy farmer family. He also told investors he had an account worth $5 million that could be used as collateral. In reality, Rogers never had a relationship with the dairy farmer, the account had no collateral value, and there was never a contract for water rights.
Mr. Rogers now faces up to ten years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is set for Dec. 18, 2024 before U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcus Busch is prosecuting the case.
Cumberland County Man Admits Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Cumberland County, New Jersey, man today admitted possessing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced.
Raymond Stickelman, 51, of Vineland, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams in Camden federal court to an information with one count of possession of child pornography. He was released on $100,000 unsecured bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In November 2021, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Stickelman’s residence. Law enforcement located an electronic file storage device that contained over 500 files containing images of child sexual abuse. Stickelman admitted possessing that device and the child pornography files it contained.
The count of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 7, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Harteis and Elisa Wiygul of the Camden office.
stickelman.information.pdfCruise Ship Employee Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Placing Hidden Cameras Inside Passenger Staterooms to Record ChildrenRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Aug. 28, Arvin Joseph Mirasol, a citizen of the Philippines, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa Damian to 30 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to producing child pornography.
On Feb. 25, a guest aboard the Symphony of the Seas cruise ship, which is owned by Royal Caribbean Group, discovered a hidden camera affixed to the counter under the sink in the guest’s bathroom. The guest reported the camera to ship security.
Mirasol, a stateroom attendant who serviced passenger cabins, was detained until the cruise ship docked at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Once the ship docked, on March 3, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel boarded the ship and began their investigation. Mirasol’s electronics were seized and searched. Law enforcement discovered that Mirasol’s electronics contained numerous videos of children in various stages of undress. The focus of the videos was on the children’s genital areas. One video showed Mirasol himself installing a camera in a guest’s bathroom. HSI agents were able to identify children depicted in the videos, ranging from 2 to 17 years of age.
According to the agreed upon factual proffer, Mirasol had been placing cameras in passenger cabins since December of 2023. Mirasol would enter the guests’ rooms while they were showering and hide under their beds so he could secretly record them exiting the shower.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of HSI, Miami, and Carlos Martel, CBP Director of Field Operations, made the announcement.
HSI Fort Lauderdale investigated the case with invaluable assistance from CBP. Royal Caribbean Group security also provided assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Koontz prosecuted the case.Anyone with information regarding suspected crimes which may have occurred on cruise ships, to include, sexual abuse and the offenses related to child pornography, is encouraged to contact the HSI tip line at 1-866-347-2423.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-60046.
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Country Club to Pay over $440,000 to Resolve Allegations It Received Paycheck Protection Program Loan as an Ineligible Nonprofit OrganizationRead the Press Release
Resolution Builds on a Steady Stream of Civil and Criminal Cases to Protect Taxpayer Dollars Spent as Pandemic-Related Assistance
GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Gull Lake Country Club of Richland, Michigan, has agreed to pay $440,312.50 to resolve allegations in a civil case that it falsely obtained a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in 2020 when it was an ineligible nonprofit organization.
“The Paycheck Protection Program provided important financial relief to eligible small businesses and other entities,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Today’s resolution demonstrates our continued commitment to protect taxpayer dollars and investigate allegations of fraud on critical government programs.”
SBA’s General Counsel Therese Meers stated, “The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, other federal law enforcement agencies, as well as private individuals who uncover fraudulent conduct to recover the product of this fraud as well as penalties.”
When Congress enacted the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, it authorized forgivable PPP loans to eligible small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP loan program was administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Under the rules applicable at the time of the loan covered by today’s settlement, certain nonprofit organizations were not eligible to receive a PPP loan. The United States alleges that Gull Lake Country Club was an ineligible nonprofit 501(c)(7) organization at the time it applied for the PPP loan.
This settlement resolves the allegations brought in a lawsuit against Gull Lake Country Club filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit was filed by Relator Wade Riner and is captioned United States ex rel. Riner v. Bay Harbor Yacht Club, et al., No. 1:24-cv-284 (W.D. Mich.).
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan has demonstrated a steady commitment to hold accountable individuals and organizations that received pandemic-related funds, but did not comply with eligibility requirements or other rules. For example, the Office has announced the following cases since 2022:
- March 4, 2022 – Two Men Sentenced for Paycheck Protection Program Loan Fraud.
- March 13, 2023 - Michigan Nonprofit Organizations Agree to Pay $225,887 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Improper Receipt of Paycheck Protection Program Loans
- June 22, 2022 – Owners of Grand Rapids Trucking Company Plead Guilty to Bank Fraud Conspiracy, Pay $1,000,000 In Related Civil Case, In Connection With COVID-10 Relief Fraud.
- November 18, 2022 – Former State Employee and Three Others Indicted for $1 Million COVID-19 Fraud Scheme.
- December 15, 2022 – Grand Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Covid-19 Relief Fraud.
- December 21, 2022 – Judge Sends Cocaine Dealer to Prison for Covid-Relief Fraud.
- February 23, 2023 – Former Police Officer Sentenced for Money Laundering ($500,000 in fraudulently obtained COVID-19 relief funds).
- December 5, 2023 – Roshell Beaty Sentenced to 124 Months in Prison for Over $1 Million in COVID Fraud.
- June 18, 2024 – Northern Michigan Physician Assistant Charged with Covid-19 Pandemic Assistance Fraud.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew J. Hull and Whitney M. Schnurr investigated this matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Convicted Felons Plead Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearms in Project Safe Neighborhoods Investigations in Macon and Middle GeorgiaRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Two Georgians with criminal pasts pleaded guilty to illegally possessing firearms resulting from separate Project Safe Neighborhoods investigations.
Travis Marcia Davis, 45, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If determined by the Court to be an Armed Career Criminal, Davis faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years up to a maximum of life imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine; if determined by the Court to not be an Armed Career Criminal, Davis faces a maximum of ten years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
Johnny Grilliot aka “Julio,” 48, of Calhoun, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Grilliot faces a maximum of 15 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
The hearings occurred before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Aug. 26. The sentencing dates for the defendants will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“These cases demonstrate the ongoing efforts by federal, state and local law enforcement in Macon and across the Middle District of Georgia to protect communities from gun violence,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “We are thankful for the valuable work of our law enforcement partners to help us hold these individuals accountable for crimes that jeopardize the safety of our communities.”
“Among ATF’s top priorities is ensuring that firearms traffickers are aggressively investigated and swiftly brought to justice,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Atlanta Field Division Beau Kolodka. “This is an excellent example of such an investigation that was worked cooperatively by partner agencies with outstanding results.”
According to court documents and statements made in court in the Davis case, ATF began investigating Davis in May 2022 for firearms trafficking. Working with a confidential informant, agents conducted a series of controlled purchases of firearms and ammunition from the defendant in May and June at locations in the Macon area, including at Davis’s residence, acquiring 12 firearms. The firearms sold illegally by the defendant included a .380 caliber handgun with an obliterated serial number and a sawed-off shotgun that Davis hid in a separate location from other firearms he was selling because he stated he was “scared” of that particular sawed-off shotgun as “it will get you Fed time.” Davis is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court in the Grilliot case, GBI agents took Grilliot into custody on a warrant in a pending narcotics conspiracy investigation on Sept. 1, 2023, at a rest stop off I-475. A search warrant was obtained for the 18-wheeler Grilliot was driving. Inside, agents found a loaded .40 caliber pistol along with a small plastic bag of suspected methamphetamine and a pipe with suspected methamphetamine residue. Grilliot was previously convicted for one count of possession of an unregistered firearm due to his possession of a rifle that had been sawed off on both the barrel and stock to below the legal length with a homemade silencer taped to the shortened barrel, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia on July 7, 2021, and was serving supervised release at the time of this offense.
These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results
The Davis case was investigated by ATF. The Grilliot case was investigated by GBI and ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom is prosecuting the cases for the Government.
Connecticut Dentists Pay $1.7 million to Settle False Claims AllegationsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and William Tong, Connecticut Attorney General, today announced that STANISLAV GINTAUTAS, DDS and TATIANA AGABABAEVA, DDS, and their businesses, FAMILY DENTISTRY OF BRIDGEPORT PC, FAMILY DENTISTRY OF HARTFORD PLLC, and FAMILY DENTISTRY OF STAMFORD, PC, have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal and state governments and have paid $1.7 million to resolve allegations that they violated the federal and state False Claims Acts.
Gintautas and Agababaeva are both licensed to practice dentistry in Connecticut. Gintautas, Agababaeva, Family Dentistry of Bridgeport PC (“FD Bridgeport”), Family Dentistry of Hartford PLLC (“FD Hartford”), and Family Dentistry of Stamford PC (“FD Stamford”) are enrolled as dental providers in the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program (“CTMAP”), which includes the state’s Medicaid program.
It is alleged that, in violation of their CTMAP provider agreements and the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, FD Bridgeport, FD Hartford, FD Stamford, and Gintautas submitted claims to the CTMAP related to dental services rendered to Connecticut Medicaid patients referred to the businesses by a third-party “patient recruiting” company. FD Bridgeport, FD Hartford, FD Stamford, and Gintautas paid a patient recruiter $115 for each Connecticut Medicaid patient the recruiter referred to them whenever the patient received services over and above routine preventative care, such as dental cleanings and exams, and submitted claims for dental services rendered to those patients. With each submitted claim, they impliedly certified that the conditions of receiving payment were met, including, but not limited to, that they did not pay kickbacks or violate any terms or provisions of the Connecticut Dental Health Partnership (“CTDHP”) provider manual concerning the submitted claim.
The CTDHP provider manual, which is an addendum to both the CTMAP provider agreement and the CTMAP provider manual, expressly prohibits per-patient compensation for individuals referred to CMAP providers.
To resolve the allegations under the federal and state False Claims Acts, FD Bridgeport, FD Hartford, FD Stamford, Gintautas, and Agababaeva agreed to pay $1.7 million to reimburse the Medicaid program for conduct occurring from February 2016 through August 2018.
Under the False Claims Act, the government can recover up to three times its actual damages, plus penalties of $13,946 to $27,894 for each false claim.
This case stems from a larger investigation into fraudulent activity by health care providers who submit kickback-tainted claims to the CTMAP for services rendered to Connecticut Medicaid patients referred by third-party patient recruiting companies.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office; and the Connecticut Department of Social Services. The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Thidemann, and Assistant Attorney General Joshua L. Jackson of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
Columbus man sentenced to 25 years in prison for sex trafficking womenRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Terrael A. Alls, 29, of Columbus, was sentenced in federal court here today to 300 months in prison for sex trafficking and use of a facility of interstate commerce in aid of racketeering.
According to court documents, the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force first received a tip about Alls in February of 2022. Alls provided a business card advertising a modeling agency to a woman when she was staying at the Red Roof Inn on Renner Road in Columbus. The woman found the interaction suspicious and called law enforcement. The business card was for a company called Elite Diamond Studios and the advertised phone numbers were ultimately linked to Alls and various online sex escort advertisements.
Alls, who is also known as “Rell” and “Ace,” recruited women under the guise of modeling for him as a photographer. He lured them in with promises of being “star players” who, as part of his team, would work with his marketing and advertising agency. In reality, Alls served as a manager for his victims, advertising them for sexual escort services on various websites and often filming their sexual exploitation.
Alls controlled some of his victims with drugs, such as fentanyl and methamphetamine, then later used their drug dependency against them to continue profiting from their sexual exploitation. For other victims, Alls controlled them with physical violence and threats. He fired a gun near one victim’s head and threatened to pistol-whip her, punched the victims and slammed them onto tables.
The defendant’s laptop had more than 42,000 sexually explicit images, videos and advertisements, including images and videos of the victims identified in this case. Alls used many of those videos to continue to earn money from the exploitation of his victims and revictimize them in the process.
Alls was arrested in March 2023 and pleaded guilty in February 2024.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the guilty plea sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
The case was investigated by the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, which was formed under Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, and includes resources from the Columbus Division of Police, Homeland Security Investigations, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Powell Police Department, Bureau of Criminal Investigations, The Ohio State University Police Department, Marysville Division of Police, Salvation Army, Southeast Healthcare, the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office and the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office.
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Claremore Man Sentenced After Shooting at VictimRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Justin Mark Boyce, 43, for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime in Violence and Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Boyce was ordered to serve 180 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.
In August 2022, Boyce confronted the victim about an unpaid debt. During the argument, Boyce fired several rounds towards the victim and fled. While investigating the shooting, Rogers County Sheriff’s Department conducted a search warrant on Boyce’s home. Deputies found several firearms, ammunition, and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Boyce admitted that he possessed the methamphetamine with intent to sell and distribute.
Boyce is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and he will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rogers County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Brasher 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.
Chatham County man awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to making a bomb threatRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Chatham County man faces a possible five-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to making a bomb threat.
Mohammed Arafat Afaneh, 28, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to False Information and Hoaxes, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The guilty plea subjects Afaneh to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison and substantial financial penalties, and up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Bomb threats terrorize innocent people and needlessly burden first responders with identifying and investigating the reported danger,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Such threats exacerbate tensions in a world already on edge; this defendant and any other person considering a similar course of conduct will face serious consequences for their actions.”
As described in court documents and testimony, on Nov. 17, 2023, Afaneh wrote and published a social media post on Facebook and Instagram stating, “They said there is a BOMB inside the WTOC Center on Chatham Parkway that will detonate at 3 p.m. It’s in one of the employees (sic) trunks. #Helpppppp!!!!! My friends are housed in the jail next door.”
Afaneh’s hoax resulted in evacuations of the office park – which houses the federal courthouse and a television station – and caused emergency responses from multiple agencies including the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, the Savannah Police Department, and the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators determined the threat was a hoax.
Afaneh was later located and arrested on unrelated state charges in Louisville, Kentucky, and remanded to the custody of U.S. Marshals.
“We will not normalize violent threats in America, whether targeting businesses, federal courthouses, or average citizens,” said FBI Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Ozden. “The FBI will pursue to the fullest extent of the law anyone who threatens violence.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darron J. Hubbard and L. Alexander Hamner.
Charlotte Man Is Sentenced to Prison for Stealing and Cashing Checks Valued at $300,000Read the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – John Calvin Davis, III, 28, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for executing a scheme involving stolen checks, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which oversees Charlotte, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court records and court proceedings, from August 2022 to January 2023, Davis obtained approximately 50 checks that were stolen from U.S. Postal Service mail collection boxes in Charlotte. Davis fraudulently endorsed the stolen checks, used ATMs to deposit the checks into bank accounts he controlled, and quickly withdrew the funds via ATMs or mobile transfers before the victims or the bank discovered the checks were stolen. Through this scheme, Davis fraudulently obtained $304,355.56 in fraudulent proceeds.
In February 2024, Davis pleaded guilty to wire fraud. He will be ordered to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
U.S. Attorney King thanked the USPIS and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Smith of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Cambridge Springs Resident Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Possession of Material Depicting Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on August 23, 2024, to two years in prison on his conviction of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Conrad Troy Shearer, 50.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around June 2017 to March 2019, Shearer possessed visual images depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Assistant United States Attorney Molly W. Anglin prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Shearer.
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 (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
California woman sentenced to year of federal supervision for mid-air assault on toddlerRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 33-year-old resident of Davis, California pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to time served and a year of federal supervision for a misdemeanor charge of Assault by beating, wounding, or striking, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Breanna R. Mistler was arrested at Sea-Tac Airport when the Delta flight from Puerta Vallarta, Mexico arrived on May 1, 2024. Magistrate Judge Brian Tsuchida imposed the sentence today, noting that in September Mistler will begin serving a four-month sentence in California for an arson conviction. Mistler’s federal supervision will begin after that state sentence.
Judge Tsuchida noted that Mistler will be supervised not only by the federal probation office, but by Child Protective Services, and California probation officers as well. “You are taking steps …. I hope you start over with a more stable life – you have a very young child, and she deserves that,” Judge Tsuchida said.
According to the criminal complaint, multiple passengers on the flight observed Mistler abuse the child. The child was in the window seat and Mistler in the aisle seat. The child woke-up Mistler, and then according to witnesses, Mistler turned and kicked the child. In her plea agreement, Mistler denies that she kicked the child but admits hitting and shaking the 2-year-old. Witnesses reported Mistler struck the child multiple times with her hand, and one witness reported Mistler shook the child “like a rag doll.” Despite interventions from passengers, Mistler persisted in the abuse. She told the passengers to “mind their own (expletive) business.”
Customs and Border Protection officers detained Mistler at the airport. The Port of Seattle Police and the FBI took over the investigation. Mistler was held at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac for about three weeks.
Mistler is currently taking parenting and anger management classes. Prosecutors noted the extreme vulnerability of the victim in this case writing to the court, the victim “was two years old, and trapped in the window seat on an airplane. Given her young age and her physical confinement, she had no recourse to resist or avoid being hit, kicked, or shaken by her mother.”
At today’s sentencing hearing, Mistler’s attorney Dennis Carroll told the court that the assault came when Mistler hit her “lowest point.” She is now “sober, reflective and remorseful and currently has supervised visits with her daughter,” Carroll said.
For her part, Mistler told the judge “I hit rock bottom. I am a better person now. I want to continue to be better.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn Forstein.
California man sentenced to 20 years in prison for armed fentanyl trafficking in Butte, Helena communitiesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A California man who admitted to mailing thousands of fentanyl pills to co-conspirators in the Butte area for redistribution and to possessing a firearm as part of a large trafficking operation was sentenced on Aug. 27 to 20 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
The defendant, Anthony Wayne Johnson, II, 47, pleaded guilty in April to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Johnson II was part of a large conspiracy that brought fentanyl and methamphetamine to the Butte and Helena communities. The drug trafficking organization would transport meth from California to Montana by using co-conspirators to drive large amounts of meth between the states. The investigation also determined that the organization mailed packages of fentanyl pills from California to Montana. The government further alleged that in November 2022, Johnson II mailed three packages to co-conspirators in Butte for distribution. Two of the packages were intercepted by law enforcement in Montana and were found to contain approximately 9,000 fentanyl pills. The third package was delivered to one of the heads of the conspiracy, and a co-conspirator who was present when the package was opened, observed that it contained approximately 8,000 fentanyl pills. In January 2023, law enforcement arrested Johnson II at a hotel in Butte. In his hotel room, law enforcement found a firearm under the mattress as well as fentanyl on Johnson II’s person. Johnson II admitted his DNA would be on the firearm.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Missouri River Drug Task Force, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Montana Highway Patrol conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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California Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding CARES Act Programs and Commercial LendersRead the Press Release
A California man pleaded guilty today in the Eastern District of Virginia to wire fraud for defrauding Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Main Street Lending Program (MSLP), of more than $10 million.
Craig David Davis, 49, of Venice, was the owner of Bright Vanguard LLC., which he held out as a computer hardware retailer and storage space provider. According to court documents, in 2020, Davis submitted at least two PPP loan applications and one MSLP loan application on behalf of Bright Vanguard. In those applications, Davis falsely claimed Bright Vanguard had substantial sales and as many as 17 employees. In reality, Bright Vanguard had no employees and no legitimate revenue. To substantiate his claims, Davis presented fraudulent tax returns, payroll documents, and financial statements to at least three different banks.
Davis also admitted to participating in a years-long scheme to defraud commercial equipment lenders using fraudulent invoices. Davis directed business owners to submit loan applications to banks to purchase computer equipment evidenced on invoices they received from companies such as Bright Vanguard. The lenders approved the loans and submitted the proceeds to accounts controlled by Davis or his co-conspirators. Davis and his co-conspirators then remitted the majority of the proceeds to applicant borrowers, keeping a portion for themselves, without providing the equipment shown on the invoices. This scheme caused more than $60 million of fraudulently induced lending across more than 350 separate loans.
Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 12. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey D. Pittano of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG) Mid-Atlantic Region and Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) made the announcement.
The Department of the Treasury’s Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, IRS-CI and FDIC OIG investigated the case, with significant assistance from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Office of Inspector General.
Trial Attorney David A. Peters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Drew Bradylyons and Katherine Robeson for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at [email protected].
Buffalo man pleads guilty to fentanyl chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Hector Anaya, 51, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $5,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who is handling the case, stated that in April 2024, Buffalo Police detectives received information that Anaya was in possession of a large quantity of narcotics. Detectives surveilled Anaya’s residence and observed him making three hand-to-hand transactions of suspected heroin and cocaine during controlled purchases. On April 25, 2024, a search warrant was executed at his residence during which investigators seized a firearm, ammunition, and a quantity of suspected fentanyl. Anaya was arrested at the scene.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 3, 2025, before Judge Sinatra.
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Buffalo man arrested on meth chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Terell Gwyn, 30, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with distribution of methamphetamine, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in June 2024, Homeland Security Investigations and Amherst Police began investigating Gwyn for his involvement in narcotics trafficking. In July 2024, investigators conducted three controlled purchases of cocaine and methamphetamine from Gwyn. On August 15, 2024, a search warrant was executed at a Koons Avenue residence and on a vehicle associated with Gwyn. During the search, law enforcement recovered a rifle, magazine, ammunition, drug paraphernalia, pills, powder, and two cell phones.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino and the Amherst Police Department, under the direction of Chief Scott Chamberlin.
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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Bucks County Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Counterfeit Opioid Pills OnlineRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Robert Davis, 36, of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Judge John Frank Murphy on three counts of trafficking in counterfeit goods.
The defendant was charged in a superseding indictment on May 9, 2023, with selling counterfeit opioid pills through his website, rcproppill, advertising the fake pills for use as props in films or music videos, from in or about 2015 through August 2019. The counterfeits contained no controlled substances, but mimicked the trademarks of certain opioid pills.
The defendant made fake pills with the unique drug markings and trademarks of various frequently-abused opioid pills, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and the anti-anxiety drug Xanax. The defendant’s buyers made regular and repeat buys, consistent with using the counterfeits in drug dealing rather than in films or videos.
Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on December 20, and on each count, faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Food and Drug Administration, and the FBI, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Diviny.
Bronx District Leader and Board of Elections Employee Charged with Bribery, Extortion, Fraud, and Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Christie M. Curtis, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); and Jocelyn E. Strauber, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging NICOLE TORRES, an elected district leader in the Bronx and an employee of the New York City Board of Elections (the “NYC-BOE”), with illegally demanding payments from Bronx residents to herself and a local organization (the “Bronx Organization”) in exchange for selecting those individuals as poll workers. TORRES is also charged with falsifying documents to make it appear that certain individuals had worked as poll workers on particular dates, when, in truth and fact, they had not. TORRES and other members of the scheme then allegedly split the fraudulently obtained paychecks issued to the no‑show poll workers. TORRES was arrested yesterday morning and presented yesterday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Nicole Torres, an elected official and City employee, brazenly abused her power and lined her own pockets for over five years by demanding that poll workers pay her bribes in order to work as a poll worker and by falsifying records to make it look like certain individuals worked as poll workers during an election even though they never did. This Office is committed to holding elected officials and public employees accountable if they abuse their positions of trust and break the law.”
Acting Assistant Director in Charge Christie M. Curtis said: “For at least five years, District Leader Nicole Torres allegedly abused her position within the Board of Elections by charging Bronx residents a fee to work as poll workers and misrepresenting poll workers’ presence on assigned shifts to fraudulently collect their salaries. Elected officials have a duty to act within the community’s best interests, not steal thousands of dollars from this city’s government and its citizens. The FBI will never tolerate corrupt individuals who selfishly manipulate their authority at the cost of those they are expected to serve.”
DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said: “As charged, this City Board of Elections employee and elected district leader abused her authority for personal profit. She allegedly demanded payments from prospective poll workers whom she was responsible for selecting, and pocketed salaries that were paid to no-show poll workers based on documents that she falsified, according to the indictment. When a City employee uses their trusted position to illegally enrich themselves, as alleged here, they undermine public trust and confidence in government and unfairly tarnish the reputations of those who do their jobs with integrity each and every day. I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI for their partnership on this important investigation.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment:[1]
Since in or about 2019, TORRES has been a district leader for New York’s 81st Assembly District in the Bronx, New York. In addition, since at least in or about 2016, TORRES has been an employee of the NYC-BOE. While working at the NYC-BOE, TORRES has, at times, been responsible for ensuring that poll workers are paid for their work during early voting and election day. TORRES abused her power as a district leader and a NYC‑BOE employee to engage in two illegal schemes.
First, from at least in or about 2019, up to and including in or about August 2024, TORRES agreed to require and required Bronx residents to pay a sum of money, usually $150, either to her or to the Bronx Organization in exchange for TORRES selecting those individuals as poll workers for upcoming elections. Both the Bronx Organization and TORRES profited from the scheme. TORRES personally obtained at least approximately $28,000 in illegal payments. TORRES received the payments, often in the amount of $150, through mobile payment applications, money orders, and checks. In certain instances, TORRES received money orders or checks that were written out to the Bronx Organization, and TORRES altered the payee line on those money orders or checks to say “Nicole Torres” so that she could deposit that money into her personal bank account.
Second, from at least in or around 2018, up to and including in or about August 2024, TORRES agreed to falsify the Forms Booklet—which is a NYC‑BOE record in which poll workers record their attendance at a particular poll site—to make it appear that certain individuals (the “No‑Show Poll Workers”) worked as poll workers during early voting and election day when, in truth and fact and as TORRES well knew, those individuals did not work on those dates. TORRES often worked with coordinators who oversaw the Forms Booklets at specific poll sites. These coordinators signed in No-Show Poll Workers in the Forms Booklets, frequently at TORRES’s direction. TORRES and her co‑conspirators then received the salaries for the No‑Show Poll Workers—sometimes through the mail—and split the fraudulently obtained salaries among themselves. While working at the NYC‑BOE, at relevant times, TORRES was responsible for ensuring that poll workers, including the No-Show Poll Workers, were paid. In furtherance of the scheme, TORRES communicated with her co-conspirators in person, on phone calls, and through text messages. Through these communications, TORRES and her co-conspirators, among other things, shared the personal identifying information of the No-Show Poll Workers, discussed which co-conspirator should falsely sign the No-Show Poll Workers’ names in the Forms Booklets, and discussed how to split the fraudulently obtained salaries of the No-Show Poll Workers. Based on her participation in the scheme, TORRES personally obtained at least approximately $36,000 in fraud proceeds, and her co-conspirators personally obtained money as well.
From in or about March 2021 through in or about April 2021, TORRES and a co‑conspirator (“CC-1”) used, transferred, and possessed the name of a No‑Show Poll Worker when they listed that No‑Show Poll Worker as having worked as a poll worker in March 2021 even though that No‑Show Poll Worker did not work in that month. Torres and CC-1 then split the purported salary that the NYC‑BOE issued to that No‑Show Poll Worker.
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TORRES, 43, of Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, one count of extortion under color of official right, one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, one count of honest services wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, one count of mail fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. The first six counts each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and the seventh count carries a mandatory term of imprisonment of two years.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of FBI and DOI.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin M. Burkett and Rebecca T. Dell are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Bartlesville Resident Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Luther Lee Taylor, age 43, of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to a one count Indictment of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The Indictment alleged that on April 21, 2024, Taylor knowingly and intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Howard-McLeod Correctional Center, the Atoka County Sheriff’s Office, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
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. Taylor will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
Arlington fentanyl trafficker sentenced to prison after selling pills that caused an overdose deathRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arlington man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl and carrying a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime.
According to court documents, from May 2020 to April 27, 2023, Shan Mehmood, 21, regularly acquired and sold fentanyl. On March 7, 2023, a purchaser contacted Mehmood through Instagram to buy four fentanyl pills. Mehmood met the purchaser at a shopping center in Falls Church and sold him four fentanyl pills at 1:15 p.m. At 6:45 p.m., police responded to a suspected overdose at a residence in Arlington and found the purchaser unconscious and in cardiac arrest. Lying next to him was a piece of foil wrapped around a partially burnt fentanyl pill and another fentanyl pill was in his pocket. The victim was transported to a hospital that evening and was pronounced dead the following day. An autopsy identified acute fentanyl intoxication as the cause of death.
Mehmood learned of the victim’s death shortly after it occurred but continued to distribute fentanyl pills.
On April 27, 2023, Arlington County Police executed a search warrant at Mehmood’s residence. Mehmood possessed a plastic bag containing 357 blue M30 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl with a net weight of 38.46 grams, two one-gallon bags containing four ounces of marijuana, a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, 9mm ammunition, firearm accessories, digital scales, and $3,846 in cash.
Mehmood pled guilty on Feb. 28 to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David E. Geist, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr.
The Arlington County Police Department provided significant assistance in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys James L. Trump and Catherine Rosenberg prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-11.
Arizona Residents Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that two Arizona residents, Devier Tamon Washington, age 25, and Gabriel Donte Cunningham, age 28, were sentenced for federal drug charges. Washington was sentenced to 63 months in prison and Cunningham was sentenced to 34 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
The charges arose from investigations by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and the Roland Police Department.
On December 19, 2023, Washington pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. On January 10, 2024, Cunningham pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
According to investigators, on March 29, 2022, law enforcement stopped Washington and Cunningham for speeding on Interstate 40 in Roland, Oklahoma. During a search of the car, officers found 30 ziplock baggies of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, a loaded firearm, and approximately $4,000 in cash.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Washington and Cunningham will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve non-paroleable sentences of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Anchorage man sentenced to 10 years for attempted enticement of a minorRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for attempting to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
According to court documents, Peter Joseph Hickel Jr., 34, used social media to communicate with and attempt to meet an individual that he believed to be a 12-year-old girl for the purpose of sexual contact. Hickel asked the individual to chat with him on Kik, an encrypted chat platform, and within minutes began asking to meet up with the purported minor.
Hickel was arrested when he arrived at a meeting he arranged with the purported minor. He pled guilty in May 2024 to one count of Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. He was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, 15 years of supervised release, and a $5,000 special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. In imposing the 10-year sentence, the court emphasized that society should protect, rather than exploit, vulnerable minors on the internet.
“Mr. Hickel disregarded the norms and laws of our society by attempting to sexually exploit a child on the internet,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska. “Our office will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to vigorously investigate and prosecute online child sexual exploitation and to apprehend online predators before they can do further harm.”
“The defendant’s abhorrent and brazen actions sought to exploit and victimize Alaskan children, all for his own gratification,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “With a task force approach, the FBI and APD will continue to work aggressively to protect our community’s children from individuals like Peter Hickel.”
The FBI and Anchorage Police Department investigated this case as part of the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Ivers prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
If you are a victim of child abuse or suspect someone you know is a victim, you can report to APD at [email protected] or 3-1-1/(907) 786-8900, the state OCS at [email protected] or 1(800) 478-4444, or the FBI at tips.fbi.gov.
Albany Man Sentenced to Prison in Bank Fraud Conspiracy Targeting SEFCURead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Davon Parson, age 20, of Albany, was sentenced today to 15 months in prison, to be followed by 2 years of post-release supervision, for his role in a bank fraud conspiracy targeting SEFCU. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
Parson previously pled guilty to one count of bank fraud conspiracy and one count of aggravated identity theft. He admitted that he was a member of a conspiracy to defraud SEFCU by, among other things, applying for loans using stolen identities of real people, and withdrawing the money in cash. Parson admitted that he applied for a $25,000 loan in another person’s name using a fake driver’s license. Parson also admitted that he had cashed and attempted to cash fraudulent checks drawn on real customers’ accounts.
Parson was charged by indictment, along with Evan Cutler, of Queensbury, New York, Dnauticah Taylor-Sterman, of Albany, and Allahson Allah, formerly known as Gwyn Cancer, of Albany. According to the indictment and statements made by prosecutors in court, the conspirators obtained customer account information from Caeshara Cannon, age 33, of Albany, a former Member Service Manager at SEFCU, and used that information to create counterfeit checks, which were presented for negotiation at SEFCU branches in the Northern District of New York. The conspirators also obtained personal identifying information of real people, which they used to fraudulently obtain loans from SEFCU and then withdraw the proceeds in cash.
Parson was also ordered to pay $9,000 restitution to SEFCU. The remaining defendants have all pled guilty and are due to be sentenced later this year. In addition, Caeshara Cannon was previously arrested and pled guilty on September 14, 2023 to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. She is scheduled for sentencing on October 4, 2024.
HSI is investigating the case, with assistance from the Bethlehem Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting this case.
Albany Felon Sentenced to 27 Months for Illegally Possessing Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Alexander Wilson, age 31, of Albany, was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for illegally possessing a pistol as a convicted felon.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; United States Marshal David L. McNulty; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement.
As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Wilson, who has two prior felony convictions, admitted that on March 16, 2023, he threw a loaded pistol from a vehicle while being pursued by a New York State Trooper on Interstate 90 in Albany.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release, to begin after Wilson is released from prison. Judge D’Agostino also ordered Wilson to forfeit the firearm.
The United States Marshals Service, ATF, and NYSP investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and 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.
52 Members of a Violent Drug Trafficking Gang in Caguas, Puerto Rico, Charged in a Superseding IndictmentRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury issued a superseding indictment on August 21, 2024, charging 52 violent gang members from the municipality of Caguas with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, possession and distribution of controlled substances, firearms violations, murder, and money laundering, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
The initial federal indictment charged 38 individuals with drug trafficking, firearms violations, and one murder. The superseding indictment supplants the initial indictment, charges 14 additional defendants, and charges money laundering offenses and four more shootings involving 8 victims -- including the December 7, 2021, shooting in Cidra where five victims were killed.
“A year ago, we announced the arrests of some of the members of this violent gang, but our investigation did not end with those arrests. Today, we announce that through the efforts of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors, additional defendants have been arrested and charged with additional murders,” said United States Attorney Muldrow. “We will continue to hold violent gang members accountable for their crimes. Although the leader of this violent gang remains a fugitive from justice, we will continue to pursue him and his criminal associates, no matter where they hide or how long it takes.”
“Our communities are being torn apart by the devastating impact of drug trafficking. It’s crucial to understand that everyone involved, from the kingpins to those who support their criminal operations, share responsibility for the destruction and violence that follows in their wake. We will not rest until those responsible for perpetuating this cycle of suffering are brought to justice,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “In the FBI, we are committed to pursuing every avenue to dismantle this criminal network, which includes seizing and forfeiting all ill-gotten gains and assets acquired through drug trafficking. This will encompass everything from boats and cars to houses and businesses, and even the arrest of those who are making it possible for fugitives of this organization to remain at large. There will be no safe haven for those who profit from this illegal activity.”
The superseding indictment alleges that from 2017 through the present, the drug trafficking organization distributed heroin, cocaine base (commonly known as “crack”), cocaine, marihuana, Fentanyl, Oxycodone (Percocet), and Alprazolam (Xanax) within 1,000 feet of the Brisas del Turabo, the Raúl Castellón, the Turabo Heights, and the Juan Jiménez García Public Housing Projects; and at the Barriada Morales, Barriada La Pajilla, and Bunker Wards in Caguas, and other areas throughout Puerto Rico, all for significant financial gain and profit.
Defendant [1] Nelson Torres-Delgado, the alleged leader of the violent drug trafficking organization charged in this Superseding Indictment, has held power over drug trafficking in the Caguas area since the early 2010s. He has been a federal fugitive since 2017 and has maintained control over the organization as a fugitive through deadly violence and intimidation, and by engaging in violent turf wars against rival drug trafficking organizations. His methods of avoiding capture while controlling his gang include limiting face-to-face contact to only the highest and most trusted leaders in his organization.
The defendants allegedly acted in different roles to further the goals of the drug trafficking conspiracy, to include: leaders, enforcers, runners, sellers, facilitators, and lookouts. The members of the gang allegedly used force, violence, and intimidation to maintain control of the areas in which they operated. The defendants charged in the drug trafficking conspiracy are:
[1] Nelson Torres-Delgado, a.k.a. “El Burro/Burro/
Father/Nelsito/Cuatro Patas/El Animal/El Animal de Cuatro Patas
[2] Edwin Padilla-López, a.k.a. “Play/NBA/Pliki/Biscochito/Bizcochito/Juga”
[3] Ronald Aponte-Marquez, a.k.a. “El Enano/Enano/Sepe”
[4] Eroz Rodríguez-Hernández, a.k.a. “Eros/Wason/El Joker”
[5] José Jiménez-Ramos, a.k.a. “El Mono/Mono/Joel El Mono”
[6] Lenne Carrasquillo-Serrano, a.k.a. “Taz/Leny/Lenny/Lenee/La J”
[7] Giovanny Solis-Carrasco, a.k.a. “Blanquito/Jova El Blanco/Joba El Blanco/Jova”
[8] Evaristo González-Vega, a.k.a. “Sonic/Viejo/Eva”
[9] Jariel Figueroa-Maymi, a.k.a. “Moni”
[10] José Torres-Pagán, a.k.a. “Abelino/Ave/Abe”
[11] Carlos De Jesús-García, a.k.a. “Oreja/Orejas”
[12] Gabriel Vázquez-Roldán, a.k.a. “Gordo/Gabby Gordo/Goldo/
Goldito/Goldo Vázquez”
[13] José Martinez-Galvez, a.k.a. “El Chef/El Che/Chef”
[14] Armando L. Rivera-Rodríguez
[15] Jan Borges De Jesús, a.k.a. “El Man/Jan el Man/Jan El Chulo”
[16] Lester Vélez-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “El Eco/El Feo/Coco”
[17] Vanessa Santiago-Cotto
[18] Diana Mimoso-Figueroa, a.k.a. “La D/Di”
[19] José de la Vega, a.k.a. “Chupi/Pablo/Pablito”
[20] Michael Rodríguez-Flores, a.k.a. “Pinki”
[21] José Gautier-Medina, a.k.a. “Tempo”
[22] Miguel González-Sánchez, a.k.a. “Miky/Mikyy/El Code”
[23] Brian Sierra-Feliciano, a.k.a. “Kobe”
[24] Eric Camacho-Castro, a.k.a. “Pali”
[25] Héctor Torres-Pagán, a.k.a. “Pepo”
[26] Christian Martines-Franco, a.k.a. “El Menor/Menor/El Mynor/
Mynor/Christian Menor”
[27] Edward Vázquez-Concepción, a.k.a. “Draculín/Drácula/Draco/Bestia Demon”
[28] Juan Acevedo-Ramos, a.k.a. “Tono/Tonito/Pelotero Kuker”
[29] Jean Villanueva-Figueroa, a.k.a. “Mueca/Mueka/Jan Mueca/Jean Mueca”
[30] Waldemar Pedraza-Díaz, a.k.a. “Walde”
[31] Melquiades Santana-Martínez, a.k.a. “Melki/Melqi”
[32] Juan Orellano-Díaz, a.k.a. “El Indio/Indio”
[33] Cesar Acevedo-Adorno
[34] Elimelec García-Escoda, a.k.a. “Flaco/Eli/Elimelek”
[35] Christopher Contreras-Baez, a.k.a. “Chimuelo”
[36] Luis Burgos-Ofarril, a.k.a. “Pájaro”
[37] Francisco López-Sánchez
[39] José E. Ortiz-Colón, a.k.a. “Enki/Enky”
[40] Jean Carlos Baez-Algarín, a.k.a. “Taxista/Jan El Jincho/Lindo/Jan Buko/Jan”
[41] Juan Manuel González-Cotto, a.k.a. “Juanma”
[42] Carlos Rolón-Pérez
[43] Joel Omar Jiménez-Díaz, a.k.a. “Quiteo/Kuiteo”
[44] Edgard E. González-Vázquez, a.k.a. “Tomate”
[45] Rafael Acosta-Vega, a.k.a. “Gordo Rafa”
[46] Joey Divan Del Valle-Delgado, a.k.a. “Besito/Jowy”
[47] Minerys Burgos-Caez
[48] Glenda Irizarry-Campos
[49] Sebasthian García-Agostini, a.k.a. “Seba”
[50] Jeremy Johan Pérez-Bonilla, a.k.a. “Jere”
[51] Steven Omar Padilla-López,
[52] Wesley Abel Pedraza-Díaz
Thirty-six defendants are charged in Count Seven with possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Count Eight charges 10 defendants with possession of a machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Count Nine charges defendants [15] Jan Borges De Jesús, [20] Michael Rodríguez-Flores, [21] José Gautier-Medina, [22] Miguel González-Sánchez, and [23] Brian Sierra-Feliciano for the murder of M.R.M. on May 15, 2022, in Caguas, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(j). The superseding indictment now also charges those same defendants in Count Sixteen with the same murder in violation of another federal offense -- the drive-by shooting statute (18 U.S.C. § 36).
Count Ten charges [38] Sheila Luyando-Fuentes with wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information. According to the indictment, Luyando-Fuentes, who was employed in the health care industry and had access to protected health information, acted as a facilitator and shared protected health information with gang members, including information about rival gang members hospitalized with injuries resulting from gun fights between the gangs, to assist in the gang’s efforts to locate and kill their enemies.
Count Eleven charges [2] Edwin Padilla-López, [37] Francisco López-Sánchez, and [42] Carlos Rolón-Pérez for the murder of R.B.M., using firearms, on June 6, 2020.
Count Twelve charges [1] Nelson Torres-Delgado, [2] Edwin Padilla-López, [4] Eroz Rodríguez-Hernández, and [37] Francisco López-Sánchez for the murder of R.M.O. on July 18, 2021.
Counts Thirteen and Fourteen charge [2] Edwin Padilla-López, [3] Ronald Aponte-Marquez, [4] Eroz Rodríguez-Hernández, and [39] José E. Ortiz-Colón for a massacre that occurred on December 7, 2021, in Cidra, Puerto Rico. These defendants murdered J.O.C., S.F.C., A.B.R., J.D.R., and B.A.C. in a drive-by shooting.
Count Fifteen charges [1] Nelson Torres-Delgado, [3] Ronald Aponte-Marquez, [4] Eroz Rodríguez-Hernández, and [41] Juan Manuel González-Cotto for the murder of G.A.H. on March 19, 2022.
Count 17 charges [49] Sebasthian Agostini-García and Count 18 charges [48] Glenda Irizarry-Campos for harboring and concealing E.P.L., a fugitive.
Count 19 charges [2] Edwin Padilla-López, [5] Jose Jiménez-Ramos, [36] Luis Burgos-Ofarril, [37] Francisco López-Sánchez, [47] Minerys Burgos-Caez, [48] Glenda Irizarry-Campos, [49] Sebasthian Agostini-García, and [51] Steven Omar Padilla-López with conspiracy to commit money laundering. These defendants obtained proceeds from drug trafficking in the continental United States and in Puerto Rico and used businesses like M.O. Service LLC and Gnails Marketplace to launder the proceeds. The defendants opened personal and business bank accounts to invest the proceeds into real estate properties, rental properties, motor vehicles and improvements to residential and commercial real estate.
This investigation was led by the FBI San Juan Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Force, which is comprised of Special Agents and Task Force Officers from the FBI, Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), San Juan Municipal Police, Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Puerto Rico Treasury Department (Hacienda), United States Department of Housing and Urban Development - Office of the Inspector General (HUD-OIG), Carolina Municipal Police Department, Bayamón Municipal Police Department and the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
The FBI thanks the United States Marshals Service (USMS) for their partnership in this investigation. The FBI also thanks the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, especially the Caguas Drug Unit, Caguas Intelligence Unit, Caguas Homicide Unit, Guayama Homicide Unit, Special Arrests Unit, and Caguas Strike Force, for their assistance in this investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Gang Section Alberto López-Rocafort, Deputy Chief of the Gang Section, AUSA Teresa Zapata-Valladares, and AUSAs Héctor Siaca Flores, and R. Vance Eaton are prosecuting the case. If convicted on the drug charges, the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life in prison. If convicted of both the drug and firearms charges in Count Seven, the defendants face a minimum sentence of 15 years, and up to life in prison. The defendants charged in Count Eight with possession of machineguns in furtherance of drug trafficking face a mandatory consecutive sentence of thirty years in prison. The defendants charged in Counts Nine and Eleven through Sixteen with the firearms-related murders face a potential sentence of life imprisonment and, if authorized by the Attorney General of the United States, the death penalty. The defendant charged in Count Ten faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. Defendants charged in Counts Seventeen and Eighteen face up to five years in prison. The defendants charged for the money laundering counts face up to 20 years in prison.
All defendants charged in the drug conspiracy are facing a narcotics forfeiture allegation of $132 million and the United States is seeking forfeiture of the following property:
- Cond. Costamar Beach Village West, Loíza, PR
- Urb. La Campiña, Las Piedras, PR
- Urb. Lake View State, Caguas, PR
- Jardines Palmarejo, Canóvanas, PR
- Urb. Estancias de Cambalache, Vistas de Río Grande, Canóvanas, PR
- Yagrumos St. Monteverde Cupey 1, Sand Juan, PR
- 2024 Lexus TX
- 2017 Mercedes Benz GLC 300
- 2020 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
- $33,470 in cash
- Fourteen black cell phones cloud Mobile C7 (12 in boxes, 2 without boxes), and eighteen T-Mobile Sim cards.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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31st Annual Four Corners Indian Country Conference Focuses on Partnership and JusticeRead the Press Release
IGNACIO – Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch hosted the 31st Annual Four Corners Indian Country Conference in Ignacio, Colorado this week.
The three-day event, held at the Sky Ute Casino Resort, focused on collaboration, commitment, and relationship building between the Department of Justice, Offices of the United States Attorneys in the region, and tribal communities.
“Our office and the Department of Justice have a long-held commitment to tribal communities here in Colorado and across the west,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “I am proud of the work we do to support our Indian Country partners and appreciate our ability to come together to better our working relationships.”
Started in 1992, The Four Corners Indian Country Conference focuses on prosecution, justice, and victims’ issues in Indian Country, specifically in the “four corners” states of Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. The District of Colorado was proud to highlight additional efforts put in place this year to support the law enforcement on tribal lands including the hiring of additional federal prosecutors, law enforcement trainings, and successful prosecutions which sought justice for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Colorado is home to two federally recognized tribes, the Southern Ute and the Ute Mountain Ute. In addition to critical meetings focused on law enforcement and legal issues, the conference featured speakers, cultural presentations, and a local tribal artist to help attendees celebrate the rich cultural legacy of these tribes.
Next year’s Four Corners Indian Country Conference will be held in New Mexico.
15 Arrested in Uvalde Gang TakedownRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – Five confirmed gang members and 10 other individuals with gang ties were arrested in Uvalde on criminal charges related to their alleged conspiracy to possess and distribute methamphetamine.
The following 15 defendants were indicted Aug. 21 in a federal court in Del Rio for one count of conspiracy to distribute & possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distribution & possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
- Cesar Ramirez-Musquiz, 49
- Kasandra Nicole Gutierrez, 31
- Shawn Kyle Garza, 23
- Rosemary Flores-Lopez, 44
- Sammy Josephine Arellano, 35
- Consuelo Gutierrez-Rodriguez, 36
- Fidencio Garcia Jr., 29
- Christopher Lee Salazar, 36
- Elysia Armendariz, 27
- Osvaldo Ortiz-Sandoval, 32
- Tommy Hernandez-Rodriguez, 24
- James Pargas Ruiz, 40
- Raul Alberto Olivarez Jr., 35
- Edmundo Nicolas Garza, 27
- Anthony Rios-Orozco, 22
If convicted, they face 10 years to life in prison and up to a $10 million fine for each charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District for Texas and Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio made the announcement.
HSI, Texas Department of Public Safety, Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office, and 38th Judicial District Attorney’s Office are investigating the case with valuable assistance from Border Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Garner is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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12 Arrested in San Antonio for Alleged Possession and Trafficking of Stolen Firearms, Machinegun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – 12 individuals were arrested Tuesday in San Antonio on criminal charges related to their alleged involvement in trafficking firearms stolen from vehicles in and around San Antonio.
The following defendants were indicted in a federal court in San Antonio for various charges that include firearm trafficking, possession of a stolen firearm, and possession of a machine gun.
Jonathan Adrian Briseno aka “SaTone Slick,” 20
- One count of firearm trafficking
- One count of possession of a stolen firearm
- One count of possession of a machine gun
- One count of possession of unregistered machine gun
Ruben Gonzalez Jr., aka “Roman Hernandez,” 29
- Two counts of possession of a machine gun
Joel Alejandro Martinez aka “Bo Jackson,” 25
- Three counts of firearm trafficking
- Three counts of possession of a stolen firearm
Margarita Hernandez Martinez, 43
- Two counts of firearm trafficking
- One count of possession of a stolen firearm
Julio Alejandro Sanchez, 27
- One count of firearms trafficking
- One count of dealing in firearms without a license
- One count of possession of a stolen firearm
Arnulfo Javier Maldonado, 21
- One count of firearm trafficking conspiracy
- One count of possession of a machine gun
- One count of dealing in firearms without a license
Darius Springs aka “Dee STN,” 21
- One count of firearm trafficking conspiracy
- Two counts of possession of a machine gun
- Two counts of firearms trafficking
- One count of possession of a stolen firearm
- One count of dealing in firearms without a license
Giovanni Martinez Larios, 18
- One count of firearm trafficking
- One count of dealing in firearms without a license
- Two counts of possession of a stolen firearm
- Two counts of possession of a machine gun
- Two counts of unregistered machine gun
Jesus Hernandez Jr. aka “Chuy,” 22
- One count of possession of a machine gun, aiding and abetting
- One count of possession of unregistered firearm
Bernardo Melendez Jr., 25
- One count of possession of a machine gun, aiding and abetting
Joe Randy Cano, 34
- One count of felon in possession of a firearm
Patrick Michael Cuellar, 23
- One count of possession of unregistered firearm
- One count of possession of a machine gun
Defendants indicted on charges related to machine gun possession allegedly possessed machinegun conversion devices, commonly referred to as “switches” or “auto sears,” which are designed and intended solely and exclusively for use in converting a semi-automatic weapon into a weapon that can be fired as a fully automatic weapon by a single function of the trigger.
Penalties in the indictments range from up to five years in prison for dealing in firearms without a license, to a maximum of 10 years in prison for the possession charges, and up to 15 years in prison for the firearm trafficking and felon in possession charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the case with valuable support from the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Wannarka and Zachary Parsons are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Tuesday 27 August 2024
Wilkes-Barre Accountant Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Embezzling over $1.5 Million from EmployerRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Lawrence Malachefski, age 39, of Wilkes-Barre, PA, was sentenced on August 26, 2024, by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to 30 months’ imprisonment and a three-year term of supervised release for wire fraud.
According to the United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, from approximately March 2023 to May 2023, while serving as the financial Controller of a Wilkes-Barre based Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) business, Malachefski embezzled over $1.5 million from his employer, converting the funds to his own personal use and then spending the money primarily on online sports betting websites. At his sentencing, Malachefski was also ordered to pay $1,586,557.45 in restitution to the victim-company.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Philadelphia Division and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John.
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Uzbek National Sentenced for Role in Long-Running Immigration and Passport Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton has sentenced Dilrabo Obidova (36, Uzbekistan) for her role in a long-running immigration and passport fraud conspiracy. The Court sentenced Obidova to a time-served sentence reflecting the time Obidova was detained pending trial. The Court has also entered an order immediately deporting Obidova to Uzbekistan with no option to apply for asylum or any other immigration relief. Obidova entered a guilty plea in May 2024. Obidova’s husband, Abduvosit Razikov, was charged in the same indictment. He remains at-large.
According to court documents, Razikov and Obidova conspired since at least 2007 to bring Obidova to the United States from Uzbekistan and fraudulently obtain immigration benefits for her. To this end, Obidova entered into a sham marriage with a U.S. citizen, even though she was already married to Razikov. To perpetuate the myth that she was legitimately married to a U.S. citizen, Obidova moved in with her sham husband, filed joint tax returns with him, staged photos, and even listed her sham husband on her and Razikov’s children’s birth certificates. Obidova, with Razikov’s assistance, also filed several immigration and passport applications, each time making false statements or concealing information about her sham marriage and her marriage to Razikov.
After obtaining lawful permanent resident status, Obidova attempted to become a naturalized U.S. citizen. In her application for naturalization, Obidova made numerous false statements, under penalty of perjury, relating to her background, marriages, and past attempts to illegally obtain immigration benefits and status. Law enforcement officers took Obidova into custody when she traveled to Orlando for her final naturalization interview.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kara M. Wick and Richard Varadan.
U.S. Navy Shipbuilder Pleads Guilty to Financial Accounting Fraud Scheme and Obstructing a Defense Department AuditRead the Press Release
Austal USA LLC (Austal USA), a Mobile, Alabama-based shipbuilder that constructs vessels for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, pleaded guilty yesterday and has agreed to pay $24 million to resolve an investigation by the Justice Department related to an accounting fraud scheme and efforts to obstruct the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) during a financial capability audit. Austal USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Austal Limited, an Australian company that is publicly traded on the Australian Securities Exchange and was traded over-the-counter in the United States via American Depositary Receipts.
The Justice Department’s criminal resolution was coordinated with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Separately, Austal USA also entered into a False Claims Act settlement with the department’s Civil Division to resolve claims that it knowingly provided non-compliant parts to the U.S. Navy.
“Austal USA, a shipbuilder for the U.S. military, engaged in a years-long scheme to illegally inflate its profits on ships the company was building for the U.S. Navy, reporting false financial results to investors, lenders, and its auditors,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The investing public, the U.S. Navy, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency relied on Austal USA to tell the truth about its financial condition and its performance on U.S. Navy contracts. Today’s guilty plea underscores the Department of Justice’s commitment to holding U.S. government contractors accountable for their criminal misconduct and ensuring that they engage honestly with the U.S. government.”
“Maintaining our national security and military infrastructure cannot come at the cost of the integrity of our contracting processes,” said U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello for the Southern District of Alabama. “Today’s actions ensure accountability and promote the rule of law in this critical arena.”
According to court documents, from at least in or around 2013 through at least in or around July 2016, Austal USA and its co-conspirators conspired to mislead Austal Limited’s shareholders, independent financial statement auditors and the investing public about Austal USA’s financial condition. Specifically, Austal USA artificially suppressed an accounting metric known as an “estimate at completion” (EAC) in relation to multiple Littoral Combat Ships that Austal USA was building for the U.S. Navy. Suppressing the EACs had the effect of falsely overstating Austal USA’s profitability on those shipbuilding efforts and Austal Limited’s earnings reported in its public financial statements. Austal USA and its co-conspirators manipulated the EAC figures in part by using so-called “program challenges,” which were false plug numbers to hide growing shipbuilding costs that should have been incorporated into the company’s financial statements. Austal USA did this to maintain and increase the share price of Austal Limited’s stock. When the higher costs were eventually disclosed to the market, Austal Limited wrote down over $100 million, and the stock price was significantly negatively impacted.
“Defense contractors that engage in fraud erode the public’s trust in our Armed Forces,” said Director Omar Lopez of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). “NCIS and our investigative partners are determined to hold those accountable whose actions erode that trust. We are committed to rooting out economic crime that negatively impacts the readiness of the Department of the Navy.”
“This case is a direct result of the superb dedication of the investigative and prosecution teams,” said Director Kelly P. Mayo of the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). “These committed professionals’ efforts send a clear message to DoD contractors of our unwavering resolve to investigate and prosecute fraud, corruption, and efforts to circumvent compliance measures that reduce our combat effectiveness.”
The department reached this resolution with Austal USA based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense and the pervasiveness of the misconduct at the most senior levels of Austal USA. Austal USA received credit for affirmative acceptance of responsibility and limited credit for its cooperation with the department’s investigation, which included facilitating interviews with current and former employees, enabling the department to promptly produce records in a related court case, and making a timely disclosure of all relevant facts and documents pertaining to an unrelated matter. However, Austal USA’s cooperation was limited in a number of respects, including: Austal USA did not provide to the department any relevant facts relating to this conduct until two years after learning of the department’s investigation; Austal USA produced certain relevant documents after significant delay; Austal USA was delayed in responding to certain requests from the government, and often required follow-up requests from the government before responding; and Austal USA did not at all times demonstrate a commitment to full and timely cooperation.
Austal USA also engaged in remedial measures, but those remedial measures were untimely and incomplete, including that Austal USA did not begin disciplining employees involved in the misconduct until more than two years after Austal USA learned of the government’s investigation and did not undertake any independent steps to make restitution to the victims of its securities fraud scheme. Austal USA has begun remediating weaknesses in internal controls that allowed the company’s misconduct to occur, but Austal USA’s remediation of its controls is still ongoing and requires additional improvements and testing.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, which still must be accepted by the court, Austal USA pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud and one count of obstruction of a federal audit. Based on application of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, the department determined that the appropriate criminal penalty is $73,572,680.10. However, due to Austal USA’s demonstrated inability to pay the criminal fine, Austal USA and the department agreed, consistent with the department’s inability to pay guidance, that Austal USA would pay a criminal fine of $24 million and restitution of up to $24 million for losses to Austal Limited shareholders. The department has agreed to credit all of the criminal fine and restitution against amounts Austal USA will pay to resolve an investigation by the SEC for related conduct.
Austal USA has also agreed to retain an independent compliance monitor for a period of three years, and Austal USA and Austal Limited have agreed to continue to implement a compliance and ethics program at Austal USA designed to prevent and detect fraudulent conduct throughout its operations. Austal USA and Austal Limited have also agreed to continue to cooperate with the Justice Department in any ongoing or future criminal investigations relating to this conduct. In addition, Austal USA will serve three years of probation.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Nov. 25.
Three former Austal USA executives, Craig Perciavalle, Williams Adams, and Joseph Runkel, were indicted on March 30, 2023 on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud affecting a financial institution, five counts of wire fraud, and two counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution. They await trial.
NCIS and DCIS are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and authorities in Australia, as well as DCAA’s Office of Investigative Support, provided valuable assistance in the matter.
Assistant Chief Kyle Hankey and Trial Attorneys Laura Connelly and Spencer Ryan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Bodnar for the Southern District of Alabama are prosecuting the case.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at [email protected]. Victims can find case updates and additional information at www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-vns/case/austal-usa-llc.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, the SEC would handle the distribution of funds to harmed investors. Investors harmed as a result of the misconduct of defendant should watch the SEC’s Harmed Investors page for further developments regarding the SEC’s distribution of funds to harmed investors.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Shares Internet Safety Materials for Families During the Start of the SchoolyearRead the Press Release
BOISE – With families and communities throughout Idaho marking the start of the school year, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit and his team are sharing online safety resources with parents, educators, and students.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office works hand-in-hand with federal, state, and local partners to ensure Idaho’s children are protected online. Sadly, the prevalence of smartphones and other electronic devices has been associated with criminal activity targeted at young people. Predators seek to exploit and abuse children through online communication and through “sextortion” and other schemes. In 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received over 36 million reports related to online sexual exploitation, an increase of 12 percent from 2022. And this problem extends to Idaho. In the first half of 2024, the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received 2,424 reports of child exploitation.
Awareness is critical to preventing these heinous crimes. The U.S. Attorney’s Office encourages parents, educators, and community members to review helpful safety resources available to the public, including those found at NCMEC’s NetSmartz website: missingkids.org/NetSmartz/home. Printable internet safety tips sheets for parents and children, in both English and Spanish, are provided with this press release.
In addition, today, U.S. Attorney Hurwit and his Office’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator, Kassandra McGrady, released a public service announcement, available here, to bring awareness to sextortion, a type of blackmail used by offenders to acquire sexual content from a child. The criminal may use deceit or coercion to obtain a nude or sexual image of the child before blackmailing them for money or more content.
“As we begin a new schoolyear full of excitement and promise, I urge parents and educators to help educate our youth on internet safety,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Sextortion and other crimes lead to devastating effects on our children, causing stress, mental health issues, and even suicide. We must protect our children from online predators and arm our children with the knowledge and resources for how to seek help if they fall victim.”
The PSA aims to raise awareness about the unfortunate growing prevalence of sextortion and highlight the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to working alongside Idaho’s dedicated federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to put an end to this awful crime.
Follow these steps if you believe your child has been a victim of sextortion:
- Preserve the evidence. Take screenshots or write down names, usernames, and phone numbers.
- Report to law enforcement. Contact your local law enforcement and/or your local FBI field office and report it online at tips.FBI.gov.
- Report the perpetrator on social media. Social media apps have safety features you can use to report misconduct that violates their terms of service.
- Please do not comply with the predator’s demands. Complying with, or paying the perpetrator, rarely stops the harassment or blackmail and may fuel them to continue.
- Let NCMEC help get your images down. Visit missingkids.org/IsYourExplicitContentOutThere to learn how to notify companies yourself or visit missingkids.org/gethelpnow/cybertipline to report to NCMEC for help with the process.
Remember, the blackmailer is to blame. Even if your child made a choice they regret, the blackmailer is committing a very serious crime.
“We are here to help. If you have concerns, reach out to our office, your local law enforcement agency or contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Together we can end the sexual exploitation of teens and kids in Idaho. Please take time to learn how to identify and respond to people who are at risk or who have experienced sextortion.”
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U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announces $10.8 million civil settlement with St. Peter’s Health over False Claims Act misconductRead the Press Release
HELENA — U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana, Jesse Laslovich, today announced a settlement agreement between the federal government and St. Peter’s Health, in Helena, in which St. Peter’s will pay $10,844,201 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims for payments to federal health care programs for services performed by an oncology doctor.
U.S. Attorney Laslovich announced the settlement agreement today during a press conference at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Paul G. Hatfield Federal Courthouse in Helena.
“One of the purposes of the False Claims Act is to protect the American taxpayer from paying for false claims submitted by health care providers to federal health care programs. We take these allegations seriously, which is why I am pleased we obtained this settlement agreement that returns almost $11 million to the United States. Our health care providers simply must submit accurate claims when billing these taxpayer-supported federal health care programs for services. This settlement would not have been possible without the cooperation of St. Peter’s Health, who voluntarily disclosed the misconduct and cooperated with federal investigators to identify the problem and amount of false billing,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
“Today’s settlement highlights our unwavering commitment to enforcing the False Claims Act and upholding the integrity of federal health care programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “St. Peter’s submission of false claims and its associated compensation practices violated both legal and ethical standards. We will continue collaborating with our law enforcement partners to hold entities accountable, prevent similar violations, and safeguard public funds.”
“VA’s Community Care programs provide veterans and their families critical healthcare services from providers within their own communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov, of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northwest Field Office. “This civil settlement reinforces the VA OIG’s commitment to safeguarding the integrity of VA’s healthcare programs and operations and preserving taxpayer funds.”
The settlement agreement, signed on August 26, 2024, is among the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, on behalf of the Medicare and Medicaid programs; the Defense Health Agency, on behalf of the TRICARE program; the Office of Personnel Management, which administers the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); the Office of Inspector General of the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) and St. Peter’s Health.
Under the terms and conditions of the settlement agreement, St. Peter’s is to pay $10,844,201 no later than 30 days after the effective date of the agreement.
The settlement agreement contends that St. Peter’s violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims for payments to federal health care programs relating to services performed and referred by Dr. Thomas Weiner, an oncologist employed at its cancer treatment center. The government alleged that between Jan. 1, 2015 and Dec. 31, 2020, St. Peter’s, relying on Dr. Weiner’s documentation and certification, submitted claims which were determined to be false. St. Peter’s knew, or should have known, that Dr. Weiner submitted claims for office visits that were coded at a higher level of service than was actually performed or did not meet the requirements of a significant, separately identifiable service when performed on the same day as administration of chemotherapy. Further, St. Peter’s, relying on Dr. Weiner’s documentation and certification, compensated Dr. Weiner with a salary that was based on the false claims, and therefore, caused his salary to be inconsistent with fair market value.
The settlement agreement credits St. Peter’s for voluntarily self-disclosing the misconduct. St. Peter’s also performed and disclosed the results of an internal investigation; disclosed documents beyond existing business practices or legal requirements; identified individuals who were aware of relevant information or conduct; made officers and employees available for interviews; assisted in determining the losses caused by the misconduct; and has enhanced its corporate compliance program.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s handled the matter. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General provided investigative support.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Attachment
Settlement agreementXXX
Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Their Roles in a $300 Million Nationwide Magazine Fraud Scheme Targeting EldersRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Anthony Eugene Moulder and Abdou-Rahmane Diallo have been sentenced to 120 months and 90 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in a $300 million nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme that targeted elderly and vulnerable victims, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Moulder, 63, of Fort Myers, Florida, owned and operated several Florida-based companies involved in fraudulent magazine sales, including Gulf Coast Readers Inc., ARCO Media Inc., KMK Magazines Inc., and Leisure Time Resources Inc. As part of the scheme, from 2008 through 2020, Moulder purchased lists that contained the information of consumers—many of whom were elderly and vulnerable—who were already receiving magazines through other companies. Moulder provided the lists to his sales teams and directed them to use deceptive sales scripts to induce victims into making large or repeat payments to Moulder’s companies for unwanted magazine subscriptions. Over the course of the scheme, Moulder and his companies defrauded thousands of victims across the United States out of approximately $86,589,272.
According to court documents, Diallo, 36, of Montreal, Quebec, was a co-owner and operator of Readers Services, a Canadian-based company that carried out a telemarking fraud scheme. From 2011 through 2020, Diallo and other participants of the fraud scheme targeted people who had previously been victimized by fraudulent magazine companies and were currently being billed by one or more fraudulent magazine companies on an ongoing basis—and used this vulnerability to victimize them all over again through promises of being able to cancel their unwanted magazine subscriptions. Diallo pretended to be from the “magazine cancellation department” and offered to pay off the victims’ “outstanding balance” and cancel their existing magazine subscriptions in exchange for a large, lump-sum payment. In reality, the victims did not owe Diallo or his company any money, and Diallo had no power or ability to cancel the victims’ existing magazine subscriptions or any outstanding balances. As a result of this “piggyback” fraud scheme, Diallo and other participants in the fraud scheme defrauded more than 20,000 victims—many of whom were elderly and vulnerable—across the United States out of approximately $30 million.
On January 13, 2023, Moulder pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. On March 4, 2024, Diallo pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. Both men were sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John R. Tunheim.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the FBI. Additional assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), and the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs and Garrett S. Fields prosecuted the cases.
Suffolk services provider pleads guilty to healthcare fraudRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk woman pled guilty yesterday to one count of healthcare fraud and six counts of making false statements relating to healthcare matters.
According to court documents, from June 2016 through October 2018, Whitteney Guyton, 43, engaged in a scheme to defraud the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS), which administers Medicaid in the Commonwealth. Guyton owned and operated Synergy Health Systems LLC (Synergy), Which provided healthcare services to patients covered by Medicaid. Ms. Guyton billed Medicaid for the services she claimed Synergy provided to patients. However, the company’s records were falsified, incomplete, failed to comply with basic Medicaid requirements, and included inflated time.
Synergy offered two types of care: personal and respite care, and mental health skill building (MHSS). The services that Synergy offered required assessments by licensed professionals to comply with Medicaid regulations. To be paid for personal care, a registered nurse (RN) must complete the patient assessment. A licensed mental health professional (LMHP), such as a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) is required to fill out assessments for, and periodically re-assess, patients receiving mental health services.
While Guyton had an LCSW contractor from 2016 to July 2017, she did not have another LMHP to do the assessments or reassessments until October 2018. Guyton instructed her staff to forge the original LCSW's signature on assessments and certifications. Guyton and Synergy submitted documents to DMAS for authorization for MHSS for over 35 patients that contained forged signatures and authorizations, fraudulently billing and receiving over $740,000 from DMAS.
Guyton and Synergy did the same for personal care and respite services. Guyton and Synergy forged signatures of an RN and fraudulently billed and received over $50,000 from DMAS. Synergy billed and received from DMAS an additional $480,000 for patients for whom there was no documentation that any assessment had ever been done or while they were in the hospital or at other care settings. Guyton and Synergy also inflated the time for billing for mental health services.
As a result of these schemes, Guyton illegally obtained approximately $1,320,088.
Guyton is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 10, 2025. She faces up to 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); and Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth M. Yusi and Clayton D. LaForge are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-35.
St. Francis Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a St. Francis, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on August 26, 2024.
George Allen Scott, age 39, was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Scott was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2024. He pleaded guilty on May 30, 2024.
Scott was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact in 2012. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and to update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment. In December of 2023, Scott relocated from St. Francis to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and appropriately updated his sex offender registration. He subsequently moved out of his Sioux Falls residence, however, and did not update his registration. He was arrested in St. Francis on January 26, 2024.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Scott was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Springfield Business Owner Indicted for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., business owner was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Garry Earl Shidler, 49, was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. Shidler is the owner of Chappell’s Tire in Springfield.
Today’s indictment alleges that Shidler was in possession of a Colt 5.56-caliber semi-automatic rifle with a 30-round magazine on Dec. 18, 2023.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Shidler has three prior felony convictions for burglary and prior felony convictions for forgery, tampering and trafficking in stolen identities.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Dallas County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 17.5 years in prisonRead the Press Release
DETROIT –For years, Quiyemabi Summerlin preyed on drug addicted women and lured them into his basement with false promises. Once there, he supplied them with heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine, and forced them to engage in endless commercial sex acts. At times, Summerlin used violence to ensure his victims’ compliance. He also raped several of his victims.
Summerlin, 45, of Detroit, was sentenced to 17.5 years for sex trafficking using force and coercion, maintaining a drug premises, and felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of FBI Detroit.
“This defendant treated his victims like commodities,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “He targeted vulnerable women and exploited them for his own profit. He manipulated his victims’ drug addictions and provided them with a constant supply of heroin and crack cocaine. He built a business through violence and coercion without regard to the consequences for other human lives.”
"Sex trafficking, violent acts and coercion are never acceptable and will be meticulously investigated by members of FBI Michigan, including local law enforcement partners assigned to the FBI’s Southeast Michigan Trafficking and Exploitation Crimes (SEMTEC) Task Force,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The sentencing of Quiyemabi Summerlin is a testament of the diligent work performed by the men and women of the FBI and the thorough prosecution from the United States Attorney’s Office of Eastern Michigan. Mr. Summerlin’s sentencing is an important next step in healing to those victimized by his heinous and deplorable actions.”
Summerlin pleaded guilty to trafficking three victims. During the investigation, the FBI identified 25 women that stayed in Summerlin’s home for some period of time, performing commercial sex acts at his direction.
The case was investigated by special agents of the FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara D. Woodward and Tara Hindelang.
Prospect Man Sentenced to over 11 Years in Federal Prison for Bank Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY –A Prospect, Kentucky, man was sentenced yesterday to 11 years and 4 months in federal prison for seven felony offenses which include conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. The man’s wife was sentenced to three months for misprision of a felony.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Vince Zehme of the FDIC Office of Inspector General, and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, Jeffrey Robert Owen, age 60, was sentenced to 11 years and 4 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for two counts of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, two counts of bank fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering. Jeffrey Owen’s wife, Kimberly Dawn Owen, age 56, was sentenced to three months in federal prison for one count of misprision of a felony. Jeffrey Owen and Kimberly Owen were convicted following a jury trial in March of 2024.
Both Jeffrey Owen and Kimberly Owen were ordered to pay $587,345.07 in restitution.
There is no parole in the federal system.
From 2013 to 2014, Jeffrey Owen conspired with Kimberly Owen to apply for four commercial real estate loans from three financial institutions using personal financial statements that omitted liabilities and judgments. After the loans at one of the banks went into default, Jeffrey Owen and his wife took steps to block the collection through fraud, including filing a fraudulent bankruptcy petition to stay foreclosure proceedings on one of the properties. To obtain escrowed insurance proceeds, Jeffrey Owen also provided the bank with invoices from a fake business and identified an acquaintance who had been dead for several years as one of the people who worked at the business. To thwart the bank and other creditors, Jeffrey Owen and his wife filed a lawsuit on behalf of one of their entities against Jeffrey Owen’s wife in her individual capacity. Jeffrey Owen used the lawsuit to garnish his wife’s wages, so another creditor would be unable to garnish them. They then spent the money from the garnishment on their household expenses such as the mortgage on their $750,000 home and tuition for their two children at a local private school.
The FDIC Office of Inspector General and the FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Gregory and Nicole Elver prosecuted the case with assistance from paralegal James Aaron Cooper.
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Peoria Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Federal Prison for Threatening to Assault and Murder a U.S. District Court JudgeRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois, man, Paul Jordan Klawer, 34, was sentenced on August 21, 2024, to 42 months in federal prison for threatening a federal judge. Klawer was also order to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon completion of his term of confinement.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins, the government established that in May 2022 Klawer was representing himself as a party in a civil rights case pending in federal court in the Central District of Illinois. When Klawer became frustrated with matters in that case, he wrote a series of threatening emails to the lawyer representing the opposing party. In the emails, Klawer made multiple threats, including “tell the judge if he doesn’t take my warnings serious…I’ll blow his f****** brains out in broad daylight and put on his Tombstone exactly how much value he gave our future by suppressing evidence of misconduct…” Klawer went on to threaten others as well, promising that if his demands in the case were not met, he would commit various violent acts including blowing up the Department of Human Services in Springfield.
Also at the sentencing hearing, Judge Jenkins found Klawer’s repeated threats to the judge who was presiding over the civil case were “tremendously serious.” Judge Jenkins noted that the threats were “specific, graphic, disgusting, and criminal, and all arising out of the normal and natural progression” of any civil case instituted in the country. Jenkins stated that the messages Klawer sent degrade our justice system, are destabilizing, and are dangerous when directed to people who were fulfilling their role in the larger justice system.
Klawer was arrested in December 2023 after a criminal complaint was filed in federal court. A federal grand jury returned an indictment in mid-December 2023. Klawer initially pled not guilty but entered a change of plea with Judge Jenkins in April 2024. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest.
“The judiciary is designed to be insulated from intimidation, harassment, and fear of retribution so judges can render fair, impartial and independent decisions. The defendant’s actions were an attack on the justice system itself,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney, Ronald L. Hanna. “We will not tolerate actors like Klawer who try to use fear and intimidation to get their way.”
The statutory penalties for threatening a federal official are up to 10 years’ imprisonment, followed by up to three years of supervised release.
The U.S. Marshals Service; Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; the Illinois State Police; and the Northbrook, Illinois, Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hanna represented the government in the prosecution.
Owners of Local Real Estate Investment Company Indicted in Federal Court for FraudRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—An indictment was unsealed in federal court today charging the owners of a local real estate investment company with defrauding individual investors and commercial lenders out of more than $18 million.
Robert D. Christensen, 54, of Sherwood, Oregon, and Anthony M. Matic, 55, of Damascus, Oregon, have been charged in a 21-count indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
According to the indictment, from approximately January 2019 through June 2023, Christensen and Matic are alleged to have devised and carried out a scheme wherein they convinced individual investors to fund the purchase and renovation of undervalued residential real estate properties. After renovating the properties, Christensen and Matic claimed they would rent the properties to generate income and then refinance them to extract their increased value from the renovations. The pair further misled investors into believing they would be repaid their full principal investment along with interest as high as eight to fifteen percent and a large lump sum payout, all within periods as short as 30 to 90 days.
Christensen and Matic’s scheme failed to generate the promised returns almost immediately and they began using new investments to repay earlier investors to keep their business afloat. When they were unable to raise enough money from new investors, Christensen and Matic are alleged to have devised a separate scheme to defraud commercial lenders. By December 2020, the pair began submitting loan applications with false financial information to different commercial lenders and, based on their misrepresentations, received millions of dollars in loans.
In total, Christensen and Matic’s two schemes defrauded individual investors out of more than $11 million and commercial lenders out of more than $7 million.
Christensen and Matic made their initial appearances in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. Both were arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and released on conditions pending a 7-day jury trial scheduled to begin on October 29, 2024.
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud are punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Money laundering in punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. All three charges may also result in fines of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gains or losses resulting from the offense.
This case was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Trisotto.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.