Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
2 October 2024
Four Leaders of Notorious Nuestra Familia Prison Gang Convicted of Racketeering and Related CrimesRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – A federal jury found David Cervantes (aka “DC”), James Perez (aka “Conejo”), Guillermo Solorio (aka “Capone” aka “Caps”), and George Franco (aka “Puppet”) guilty of racketeering, for their roles as senior members of the Nuestra Familia criminal enterprise, which engaged in murder conspiracies, attempted murder, drug distribution, and money laundering. The jury’s verdict follows a 12-week trial before the Hon. Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, U.S. District Judge.
“Prison gangs are a blight on the criminal justice system and on society,” said Martha Boersch, Chief of the Office of the U.S. Attorney’s Criminal Division. Prisons are supposed to protect the community from further crime and offer people the chance for rehabilitation, but prison gangs frustrate both goals. They perpetuate violence and criminality inside prisons, and through the use of contraband cell phones, gang leaders are able to oversee vast criminal networks on the streets. Successful prosecutions like this send an unmistakable message that this will not be tolerated simply because it’s happening behind prison walls.”
“These convictions are the culmination of eight years of complex investigative work by the FBI-led Santa Clara County Safe Streets Task Force. Through tireless investigative efforts and collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we have dismantled a core part of this criminal enterprise, whose illicit drug distribution and violent crime have long plagued our community,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp. “The FBI remains committed to ensuring that those who lead and engage in such violence, no matter where they operate, are brought to justice.”
The evidence at trial established that the four defendants—Cervantes, 76; Perez, 70; Solorio, 45; and Franco, 59 – all were senior members of the Nuestra Familia (NF) prison gang, all serving on the General Council, the primary decision-making body for the gang. Through the testimony of more than 50 witnesses and dozens of wiretapped phone calls, the trial evidence revealed a lucrative and violent criminal enterprise with a presence in every Bay Area county and the roles that each defendant played in it.
The trial evidence established that Cervantes was one of the NF’s three “Generals.” As outlined in the Nuestra Familia’s written Constitution, the three generals sat atop the NF organizational structure and made final decisions on serious matters involving governance of the enterprise. As the sole member of the General Advocates Office, Cervantes oversaw member discipline—a role that at times included deciding when members should be attacked or killed for violating gang rules. Further, the trial evidence established that Cervantes was responsible for (1) receiving “complaints” containing allegations of member wrongdoing within the NF, (2) appointing investigators to look into alleged wrongdoing of gang members, (3) accepting and modifying “findings and recommendations” of the investigators, and (4) forwarding final recommendations regarding member discipline to a seven-member General Council. Cervantes also was the “Regimental Commander” of the NF street gangs in Kings County. As Regimental Commander, Cervantes was responsible for overseeing, managing, directing, and otherwise controlling criminal activity conducted by Norteño street gang members in Kings County. In addition to convicting Cervantes of Racketeering Conspiracy, the jury found Cervantes responsible for the conspiracies to murder Lorenzo “Lencho” Guzman in 2015 and John “Shanks” Reyna in 2019, as well as the attempted murders of Antonio “Sombras” Villagrana in 2015, John “Knockers” Muzquiz in 2016, and Matt Rocha in 2019.
The trial evidence demonstrated Perez was another General of the prison gang, specifically, the “General of Prisons.” In this role, Perez was responsible for maintaining authority over all NF regiments within the California prison system. His responsibilities included appointing NF members and associates to leadership positions within California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) facilities, as well as overseeing and regulating criminal activity occurring in these facilities. In his role as General of Prisons, Perez collected a portion of profits from the prison regiments. He also was the Regimental Commander of the San Mateo County Street Regiment. In addition to convicting Perez of Racketeering Conspiracy, the jury found Perez responsible for the conspiracy to murder Lorenzo “Lencho” Guzman, as well as the attempted murders of Antonio “Sombras” Villagrana, John “Knockers” Muzquiz, and Matt Rocha.
At trial, the evidence established that Franco was a member of the NF’s “Inner Council” and was Regimental Commander of San Joaquin County. As a member of the Inner Council, Franco was an advisor to the three NF Generals (two of whom were Cervantes and Perez) and was part of the General Council that, in addition to member discipline, made other significant decisions in conducting the affairs of the NF. In addition to convicting Franco of Racketeering Conspiracy, the jury found Franco responsible for the conspiracy to murder Lorenzo “Lencho” Guzman, as well as the attempted murder of Matt Rocha.
Solorio also was part of the NF “Inner Council” and was an advisor to the NF Generals. Solorio also was the Regimental Commander over the Monterey County Street Regiment. The evidence at trial demonstrated Solorio oversaw a prolific drug trafficking operation in Fresno, Calif. In addition to convicting Solorio of Racketeering Conspiracy, the jury found Solorio responsible for the attempted murder of Matt Rocha.
In sum, all four defendants were found guilty of racketeering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962, along with various special findings pertaining to the acts involving murder described above. The maximum statutory sentence for each defendant is life in prison. Judge Gonzalez Rogers scheduled the defendants’ sentencings for Mar. 6, 2025.
The trial of these four defendants marks the culmination of the prosecution of the NF leadership in the Northern District of California. The prosecution stems from a five-year investigation by the FBI, which resulted in the indictment of 54 Nuestra Familia members and associates, including defendants both on the streets and in California state prisons. With the jury’s verdict this week, the government has now obtained convictions of all 7 members of the NF’s General Council, its entire senior leadership team.
This case is being prosecuted by Mari Overbeck, Leif Dautch, and Aseem Padukone of the Organized Crime Strike Force for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI (San Francisco, Sacramento, and Phoenix Divisions), the DEA, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshal Service, with the assistance of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, and the San Jose Police Department, and with support from the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, Antioch Police Department, Campbell Police Department, Fremont Police Department, King’s County Sheriff’s Office, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain View Police Department, Sacramento Police Department, Salinas Police Department, Menlo Park Police Department, Santa Clara County Parole Department, Santa Clara County Probation Department, Santa Clara Police Department, Santa Cruz County District Attorney's Office, Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, Modesto Police Department, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, San Francisco Police Department, the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department, Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety, and the FBI’s Cryptanalysis and Racketeering Records Unit.
This investigation and prosecution are part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), which 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.
Former University of Delaware Student Who Stalked Women and Defrauded the Government Out of $1.5 Million Sentenced to over 7 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware announced today that a former University of Delaware student was sentenced yesterday to 87 months in prison and three years of supervised release for cyberstalking and threatening to kill two women while, in the same timeframe, filing fraudulent applications for pandemic relief loans and laundering the proceeds. In addition to the term of imprisonment, the Court ordered the forfeiture of $1,428,664.14 in fraud proceeds from Stevens’ bank accounts. The Honorable U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews pronounced the sentence.
According to court documents, Kyle Stevens, 30, met Victims 1 and 2 while they were all students at the University of Delaware during the 2018-2019 school year. The two Victims did not give Stevens the attention he felt he deserved, and he became fixated on them, building a grudge that lasted four years and stretched overseas.
Stevens wrote a document entitled “Stalker Notes,” which showed that he knew he would be arrested eventually but believed he would be able to avoid repercussions by acting a certain way. Stevens’ talking points included: “right after arrest, repentant . . . can be productive instead of being a waste of tax dollars . . . [and] maybe this won’t have to end as a tragedy of me not doing anything productive with my life.” His focus was on the impact of his actions on himself, rather than the women he threatened or the community at large.
PPP Fraud
Stevens moved to Germany in October 2020 to study abroad. While there, Stevens submitted ten fraudulent applications for COVID-19 pandemic relief loans for small businesses that did not exist. He successfully diverted $1,520,164.14 intended to aid small businesses struggling through the pandemic.
In a note to himself, Stevens wrote that his “current priorities” included mundane tasks like getting a German phone number, as well as “more fraud . . . What’s stopping me from fraud and taking out many 50k loans?”
Cyberstalking
In September 2021, Stevens wrote down a plan to stalk Victims 1 and 2: “vocal harassment bu[i]lds confidence, so steal, move to [h]er, harass, . . . also harass others/family.” Stevens began sending emails and social media messages to Victims 1 and 2, threatening that he “tried to forgive” them for their perceived slights, but that they would get “payback” and “revenge one way or another.” These messages kicked off a months-long stalking campaign which included repeated threats to put a “bullet in your head,” to “kill you,” or to fire a “gunshot” no one would be “able to block.”
Stevens used any means he could to reach these women, including numerous email accounts, phone numbers and social media platforms. He went so far as to find Victim 1’s father’s Facebook page and send him a message stating he couldn’t “wait to bash your daughter’s skull in.” And Stevens planned in advance, setting a calendar reminder for himself a month into the future with the heading: “Death threat??”
On September 15, 2021 – the same day that he submitted his ninth fraudulent application for a pandemic relief loan - Stevens sent Victim 1 his most explicitly violent threat:
I’m going to slaughter you. I’m going to string you up. I’m going to put you on hooks in the back of a freezer like a f[***]ing cow. . . . I could eat your f[***]ing kidneys like Jack the f[***]ing Ripper, dance in your entrails on the UD mall. . . I can jam a barrel down your throat and see how well you can lie to me then. . . . I’m going to come to you. . . . the police can’t help you. I’m going to come to you. I’m going to kill everyone in the way.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, working with the U.S. Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, coordinated with the German Ministry of Justice to extradite Stevens from Germany to face two indictments, for stalking and fraud, on May 23, 2023. German authorities provided further assistance in restraining Stevens’ German bank accounts into which he had deposited pandemic fraud proceeds.
At the time of Stevens’ arrest, German law enforcement agencies seized his cell phone, laptop, and other electronic devices. Within Stevens’ electronic materials, law enforcement found numerous diatribes written by Stevens, with titles like “I Did Not Build This Wall,” “I Hate Pretty Girls,” and “Stalker Notes.” Those writings detailed Stevens’ worldview and justification for his crimes: he believed his life had been unfair, so he was justified in seeking retribution by any means. Because he grew up without the financial resources he desired, he felt justified in stealing as much as he could through fraud. And because the women he met didn’t love him, he vowed to make sure they feared him. Consistent with that worldview, Stevens’ writings also noted that he identified with “incels” or “involuntary celibates” – men whose primary grievance is a lack of sexual attention from women.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “The defendant terrorized multiple women and committed over $1.5 million in pandemic relief fraud. He perpetrated this months-long crime spree, harming individual women and the community at large, all from behind a computer in a foreign country. Today’s sentence demonstrates Stevens is not above the law. Our office is committed to rooting out criminals wherever they are, and we will continue to fight for victims.”
“Numerous innocent victims suffered greatly, enduring years of emotional distress and torture, because of Kyle Stevens’ violent harassment and stalking,” said Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. “In addition to his menacing and predatory behavior, Stevens targeted taxpayers by stealing more than a million dollars of pandemic relief aid. The FBI will always hold accountable those seeking to victimize others for their personal gain and gratification.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly A. Hudson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:22-CR-65 and 1:22-CR-66.
Former Union Treasurer Sentenced for Embezzlement of Funds and Falsifying of Financial RecordsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Blaine, Minnesota, has been sentenced in federal court to six months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release that includes in-home incarceration for the first 180 days, on his conviction of embezzlement and theft of union assets, and falsification of financial records required to be kept by labor unions, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Donald W. Byers, 50, formerly of Tyrone, Pennsylvania, on October 1, 2024.
According to information presented to the Court, Byers was the treasurer of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Division 287. From June 2017 through December 2020, Byers used his position to embezzle over $44,000 of union money by issuing more than 50 unauthorized checks to himself. Byers also falsified a financial report filed with the Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards and forged the signature of a union officer on many of the checks.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Colville stated that Byers’s crime was serious and that incarceration was warranted because of Byers’s criminal history, among other factors.
Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Cessar and Jacqueline Brown prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Byers.
Former Seattle tech worker, who created and promoted website urging incest and child sexual abuse, sentenced to 30 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 40-year-old Seattle woman was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for five federal felonies related to the sexual abuse of children, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Shabnam Dawn Pilisuk was convicted following a four-day jury trial in March 2023. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Tana Lin told Pilisuk, “You committed one of the most heinous crimes, committed against the most vulnerable members of the community: children.”
According to records filed in the case, a Seattle Police detective uncovered information about a website that included discussion of incest and child abuse. The investigation revealed that Pilisuk was the founder and operator of the website. The investigation further revealed that Pilisuk had traveled with an 11-year-old and sexually molested the child. The website is no longer functioning.
In March 2019, Seattle Police and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) served a judicially authorized search warrant on Pilisuk’s Seattle Home. They seized her electronic devices. The devices were forensically examined and determined to have images of child sexual abuse. In November 2021, a victim disclosed the sexual abuse that began when the child was 11 years old.
The jury convicted Pilisuk of: Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor under 12, punishable by a mandatory minimum 30 years to life in prison; Production of Child Pornography punishable by a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison to 30 years in prison; two counts of Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity punishable by a mandatory minimum ten years to life in prison; and Possession of Child Pornography, punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
In asking for a 45-year sentence Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Harmon wrote to the court, “The seriousness of Pilisuk’s crimes cannot be overstated: she raped and molested a child..., made (the child) available for like-minded friends to also abuse (the child), and organized an online community in support of incest and child sexual abuse.”
Pilisuk has been in custody since her arrest in 2021.
The case was investigated by the Seattle Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matt Hampton and Special Assistant United States Attorney Laura Harmon. Ms. Harmon is a Senior King County Deputy Prosecutor specially designated to prosecute child exploitation cases in federal court.
Former Jail Nurse Indicted on Federal Charges for Fraud, Drug Distribution, and PerjuryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TONYA DENISE BROWN (“BROWN”), age 48, of Tangipahoa Parish, a licensed practical nurse, has been charged on September 26, 2024 in a nine-count indictment.
The indictment charges BROWN with four counts of wire fraud, with each count alleging a different scheme. In one alleged scheme, BROWN obtained money with false promises of assistance with state criminal prosecutions. The indictment alleges that BROWN used a nursing job at the Tangipahoa Parish Jail to conduct the scheme. The other three alleged schemes relate to disaster assistance. Specifically, BROWN is accused of defrauding people by claiming that, in exchange for money, she would help them obtain disaster assistance benefits. BROWN is also accused of defrauding the HUD-funded Restore Louisiana Homeowner Assistance Program, which provided grant funding to homeowners affected by disasters. Additionally, BROWN is accused of defrauding FEMA’s rental assistance program that provided grants to help displaced disaster victims pay their rent. BROWN is also charged with Aggravated Identity Theft for allegedly misusing a notary’s identity in the rental assistance scheme.
Further, BROWN is charged with two counts related to the sale of controlled substances. Specifically, she is charged with Use of a Facility in Interstate Commerce in Aid of an Unlawful Activity, by using the internet to sell drugs, including oxycodone and dextroamphetamine-amphetamine. She is also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance by offering to sell oxycodone hydrochloride pills.
Finally, BROWN is charged with two counts regarding false statements. One count charges BROWN with making a False Statement to the FBI. The other count charges her for making a False Declaration Before the Court by allegedly lying to a judge.
The wire fraud counts alleging false promises of assistance with state criminal cases and false promises of assistance with disaster benefits are each punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release. The wire fraud counts related to the Restore program and the FEMA rental assistance program are each punishable by up to 30 years’ imprisonment and five years’ supervised release due to enhanced penalties for fraud involving disaster benefits. The aggravated identity theft count is punishable by two years’ imprisonment and up to one year’s supervised release. The False Statement count, the False Declaration Before the Court count, and the Use of a Facility in Interstate Commerce in Aid of an Unlawful Activity count are each punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release. A fine of up to $250,000 may be imposed for each count except the Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance count, for which a fine of up to $1,000,000 may be imposed. As to each charged count, BROWN also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the defendant’s guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
United States Attorney Evans thanked the FEMA Fraud Investigations & Internal Inspections Division, Fraud Prevention and Investigations Branch for its assistance in this matter.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of Inspector General - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Former Federal Inmate Sentenced to Eight Months for Possessing a Weapon and Alcohol in Butner PrisonRead the Press Release
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – A former federal inmate previously housed at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina (“FMC Butner”) was sentenced to eight months incarceration for possessing a weapon and alcohol inside the federal prison.
“We are prioritizing prison contraband cases for prosecution, and proud of our tight partnership with the Bureau of Prisons on these cases,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Taking a hard line on prison contraband - especially drugs, weapons, and cellphones – is vital to the safety of our corrections professionals and other inmates. We won’t stop till our federal facilities are as safe and secure as they can possibly be.”
According to court documents, Gencis Martinez-Rodriguez, 30, an inmate located at FMC Butner at the time of the offense, was found by Federal Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”) staff to be in possession of a homemade sharpened weapon, which Martinez-Rodriguez had attempted to conceal in the waistband of his pants. After conducting a search of his cell, BOP staff also discovered that Martinez-Rodriguez was in possession of an alcoholic liquid. Martinez-Rodriguez was charged by way of a two count indictment for possession of contraband in prison. On June 20, 2024, Martinez-Rodriguez pled guilty to both counts. Martinez-Rodriguez received eight months incarceration on each count to be served concurrently.
Martinez-Rodriguez’s convictions for possession of a weapon and alcohol also make him ineligible to earn time credits under the First Step Act, which allows federal inmates to earn up to 365 days off of their sentence for participating in eligible programming while incarcerated.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Prisons investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Merrill Ward prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-00041-BO-BM.
Former Corrections Officer Charged with Conspiring to Smuggle Narcotics into Rikers IslandRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jocelyn E. Strauber, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging GHISLAINE BARRIENTOS with conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and false statements as part of a scheme to smuggle narcotics into Rikers Island. BARRIENTOS was arrested today and will be presented before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn later today.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Rikers Island is less safe, for inmates and officers alike, when corrections officers and others in positions of public trust accept bribes to smuggle contraband. As alleged, the defendant in this case engaged in corruption for her own enrichment. In our relentless pursuit of justice, we leave no stone unturned, especially within the confines of jails and prisons, where the safety and dignity of all individuals must be safeguarded. We will not tolerate any breach of trust or corruption that jeopardizes the well-being of inmates and staff.”
DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said: “The contraband trade destabilizes the City’s jails, and City Correction Officers play a vital role in maintaining order and keeping persons in custody, and their fellow officers, safe. But this defendant, as charged, ignored her obligations and violated the trust the City placed in her when she took bribes in exchange for smuggling dangerous narcotics and other contraband into Rikers Island jail facilities. I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI for their partnership with DOI in the effort to stop illegal contraband smuggling in the City’s jails.”
As alleged in the Complaint:[1]
BARRIENTOS, a former New York City Department of Correction (“DOC”) correction officer, conspired with others to smuggle contraband, including cocaine, smokeable synthetic cannabinoids (known as “K2”), and food, to inmates housed at the Robert N. Davoren Complex on Rikers Island in exchange for thousands of dollars in bribe payments.
For example, on April 11, 2024, CC-1, an associate of an inmate (“Inmate-1”), and BARRIENTOS discussed CC-1 sending BARRIENTOS a package through a delivery service. On April 15, 2024, surveillance footage showed BARRIENTOS entering Inmate-1’s cell, where surveillance footage could not capture her actions. Two days later, DOC searched Inmate-1’s cell and recovered sheets of paper that tested positive for the presence of cocaine.
On April 24, 2024, CC-1 sent BARRIENTOS another package using the delivery service. When BARRIENTOS went to work later that day, a drug-detecting canine alerted for the presence of narcotics. DOC employees searched BARRIENTOS’s belongings and found approximately 10 sheets of paper that tested positive for the presence of K2. In an interview with law enforcement, BARRIENTOS falsely stated, among other things, that no inmate had ever asked her to bring them contraband. Law enforcement officers then searched BARRIENTOS’s vehicle and recovered additional sheets of paper, as well as approximately $2,466 in cash, as shown in the following photographs:
* * *
BARRIENTOS, 37, of Mount Vernon, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of false statements, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The statutory maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and DOI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption and Narcotics Units. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Coyle and Sheb Swett are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
Florida Company Charged with Conspiring to Sell Misbranded N95 Masks to Hospital in Early Months of COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida company, and two individuals associated with the company, have been charged and agreed to plead guilty to charges associated with shipping facemasks that were misbranded as N95 respirators, and price gouging hospitals, during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
JDM Supply LLC (JDM) has been charged with one count of conspiracy to introduce misbranded devices into interstate commerce with intent to defraud or mislead, in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Daniel Motha, 40, of Miami, Fla., and Jeffrey Motha, 36, of Norfolk, Mass., were charged with one count of introduction of misbranded devices into interstate commerce and one count of conspiracy to commit price gouging in violation of the Defense Production Act. Plea hearings have not yet been scheduled by the Court. In August 2023, a third individual, Jason Colantuoni, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit price gouging in connection with this investigation.
According to the charging documents, in the spring of 2020, during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, JDM and a company identified as “Company 1” conspired to ship facemasks that were misbranded as National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved, N95 respirators. It is alleged that one hospital accepted and paid for hundreds of thousands of purported N95 masks that were manufactured by Company 1 and sold by JDM. Ultimately, the hospital did not use the masks, which were eventually returned to Company 1. It is further alleged that JDM misled the hospital into believing that the Company 1 masks were NIOSH-approved N95s, when in fact they were not.
In August 2020, a NIOSH lab tested a sample of the Company 1 masks that had been shipped to the hospital. All 10 Company 1 masks fell under the 95% minimum level of filtration efficiency required for N95 respirators.Daniel Motha and Jeff Motha allegedly conspired to use JDM to exploit and profit off of the critical need of hospitals and healthcare workers for scarce N95 masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is alleged that they accumulated N95 masks from various sources and then sold the N95 masks through JDM to hospitals in Massachusetts, and elsewhere, at prices in excess of the prevailing market price.
The charge of conspiracy to introduce or deliver for introduction into interstate commerce a misbranded device with intent to defraud or mislead, brought against JDM, provides for a fine of $500,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss of the offense, whichever is greater and up to five years of probation. The charge of introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce a misbranded device provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison; up to one year of supervised release; and a fine of $100,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit price gouging in violation of the Defense Production Act provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison; up to one year of supervised release; and a fine of up to $10,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Brady and Howard Locker of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal jury convicts Shepherd man of making threats to assault former U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, harassing phone callsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A federal jury convicted a Shepherd man today of charges accusing him of making repeated threatening and harassing phone calls, including threatening to injure former U.S. Congressman and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
After a three-day trial that began on Sept. 30, the jury found the defendant, Richard Lee Rogers, 45, guilty of threatening to assault a member of Congress and two counts of harassing telephone calls as charged in a superseding indictment. Rogers faces a maximum of six years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the charge of threatening to assault a member of Congress, and a maximum of two years in prison, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release on the charge of harassing phone calls.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Jan. 31, 2025. Rogers’ release was continued pending further proceedings.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that on Feb. 3, 2023, Rogers made repeated and harassing phone calls to staff members who worked for former Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who was then Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. The jury found that during one of the calls, Rogers threatened to assault the Speaker. In addition to the harassing and threatening calls placed to the Speaker’s office, Rogers placed at least 150 harassing phone calls to telephone operators at the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center (NTOC) between Dec. 31, 2021 and Oct. 13, 2022.
On Feb. 3, 2023, the U.S. Capitol Police received a report from Speaker McCarthy’s office advising it had received a high volume of phone calls from Rogers. In the calls, Rogers identified himself and said he resided in Billings, Montana. U.S. Capitol Police identified the number used and confirmed it was associated with Rogers.
A staff member who spoke to Rogers reported that the calls consisted of Rogers harassing and swearing at the employees who were answering the calls in the Speaker’s office that day. The staff member reported that Rogers’ comments were at first sexual in nature prior to threatening to assault the former Speaker. An investigation determined that the phone number associated with Rogers called the Speaker’s office 147 times in 75 minutes on Feb. 3, 2023.
The government further alleged that records showed Rogers contacted the FBI’s NTOC more than 100 times between December 2021 and October 2022. During many of the calls, Rogers identified himself and provided his phone number and address when speaking to operators. Rogers behavior with the NTOC operators in many instances consisted of his yelling, berating, being uncooperative and using obscenities toward the employees. During several of the calls, NTOC operators informed Rogers that they were terminating the call because he was being abusive and harassing. During the investigation, an FBI special agent contacted Rogers on Oct. 13, 2022 regarding his numerous calls to NTOC. During the call, Rogers admitted to calling NTOC “thousands of times” and expressed anger with various political officials.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and U.S. Capitol Police conducted the investigation.
XXX
Federal Judge Sentences Rockford Man to Eight Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A federal judge has sentenced a Rockford man to eight years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm in Rockford.
TYRONE SMITH, 37, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of illegal firearm possession. As a previously convicted felon, Smith was prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm. Smith admitted in a plea agreement that while in Rockford in September 2022, he possessed a handgun that was loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition, including one in the chamber.
U.S. District Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins imposed the sentence Monday in U.S. District Court in Rockford.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and Carla Redd, Chief of the Rockford Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodora Anderson.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney's Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
FCI Schuylkill Inmate Charged with Possession of A WeaponRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rasaan Gourrier, age 29, an inmate at the Schuylkill Federal Correctional Institution, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for possessing a weapon in prison.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on August 7, 2024, Gourrier was discovered to be in possession of a homemade plexiglass weapon, known as a “shank.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). Assistant United States Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for possessing a weapon in prison is 5 years imprisonment, a term of supervision following release, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #
Election Officer Named for District of Colorado’s Effort to Ensure Voting IntegrityRead the Press Release
DENVER – Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch announces that Assistant United States Attorney Alison Connaughty will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election.
AUSA Connaughty has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Colorado, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“Voting is the cornerstone of American democracy, and our office takes seriously its role in making sure that everyone who is entitled to vote gets to vote,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch.The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English.
In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, the District Election Officer will be on duty in the District of Colorado while the polls are open and can be reached at (303) 454-0159.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
In the event of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
El Departamento de Justicia y el Poder Judicial de Colorado mejoran el acceso lingüístico en los tribunales para personas con un dominio limitado del inglésRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que el Poder Judicial de Colorado ha tomado medidas importantes para garantizar un acceso lingüístico significativo para las personas con un dominio limitado del inglés (LEP, por sus siglas en inglés) que interactúan con el sistema judicial estatal.
En julio del 2023, la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento se enfrentó al Poder Judicial de Colorado después de recibir quejas de que los tribunales no estaban proporcionando los servicios lingüísticos necesarios a personas LEP según lo requerido por el Título VI de la ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 (Título VI). El Título VI prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de raza, color de piel y origen nacional por parte de entidades que reciben apoyo financiero federal.
En respuesta a la consulta del Departamento, el Poder Judicial de Colorado identificó pasos proactivos que ya se han tomado para abordar las inquietudes planteadas en la queja y ha trabajado con la División para realizar una variedad de otras mejoras en su programa de acceso lingüístico.
«La provisión de servicios de interpretación precisos y oportunos dentro y fuera de la sala judicial es primordial para poder garantizar que todos los usuarios del tribunal tengan acceso igualitario a la justicia», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «Las medidas adoptadas por el Poder Judicial de Colorado sirven como ejemplo y muestran un verdadero compromiso con la creación de un sólido programa de acceso lingüístico».
En el año desde que el DOJ comenzó a trabajar con el Poder Judicial de Colorado, el tribunal ha contratado a un nuevo coordinador de acceso lingüístico; ha revisado la política financiera de la Oficina de Acceso Lingüístico; ha comenzado a crear un nuevo sistema de programación para intérpretes; ha comprado nuevos equipos para su uso en la interpretación judicial, incluidos auriculares y iPads; ha capacitado a personal e intérpretes del tribunal; y ha implementado otras mejoras clave.
El Departamento continuará a supervisar la implementación de estos cambios y recibirá con agrado los comentarios del público. Las quejas sobre prácticas discriminatorias pueden notificarse a través del sitio web de la División de Derechos Civiles en civilrights.justice.gov
Puede encontrar más información sobre la División de Derechos Civiles en su sitio web en www.justice.gov/crt. La información sobre el dominio limitado del inglés y el Título VI está disponible en www.lep.gov y la información específica de los tribunales se puede encontrar en www.lep.gov/state-courts.
Des Moines Woman Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Pamela Brownell, 64, from Des Moines, Iowa was sentenced on October 1, 2024 to 152 months in federal prison after a May 28, 2024, guilty plea in federal court in Sioux City, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings, showed that from September 2022 through October 2023, Brownell and others conspired to distribute more than 65 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Des Moines/Fort Dodge, Iowa areas. In October 2023, law enforcement purchased 3 ounces and ½ pound of methamphetamine from Brownell in two controlled drug transactions. In October 2023, a traffic stop of Brownell, followed by a search warrant at her residence resulted in the seizure of 2½ pounds of methamphetamine which she intended to distribute to others. In 2006 Brownell was previously convicted in federal court of an attempt to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Brownell was sentenced to 152 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of eight-years of supervised release following the imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Brownell remains in custody of the United States Marshal until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Iowa State Patrol, the Iowa DCI Laboratory, and the Polk, Hamilton, and Webster County Sheriffs’ Offices.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3007. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Department of Justice Awards Additional $16 Million in Grants to Support Public Safety Efforts in NevadaRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson today announced awards totaling $16,231,466 in Department of Justice grants to support public safety efforts in the District of Nevada. The grants were awarded by the Department’s Office on Violence Against Women.
“These grant awards will be used to support survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and sex trafficking,” said United Sates Attorney Frierson for the District of Nevada. “We are committed to working with local, state, and Tribal governments, and community organizations to address and reduce violence against women in our communities.”
The following organizations received funding:
- Nevada Attorney General’s Office – $3,232,136
- OVW Fiscal Year 2024 STOP Formula Grant Program – $1,877,858
- OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Sexual Assault Services Formula Program – $854,278
- OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Local Law Enforcement Grants for Enforcement of Cybercrimes Program – $500,000
- Reno-Sparks Indian Colony – $1,322,192
- OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program
- Shoshone-Paiute Tribes – $1,549,951
- OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program – $799,951
- OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program – $750,000
- Walker River Paiute Tribe – $871,600
- OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program
- Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe – $738,793
- OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program
- Washoe Tribe of Nevada & California – $601,681
- OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program
- Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence – $367,379
- OVW Fiscal Year 2024 State and Territory Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program
- County of Elko – $700,000
- OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program
- Gay & Lesbian Community Center – $599,927
- OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Grants for Outreach and Services to Underserved Populations Program
- Board of Regents of Nevada System of Higher Education – $397,807
- OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Grants to Reduce Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking on Campus Program
- Nevada Outreach Training Organization No to Abuse – $500,000
- OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Program
- National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges – $5,350,000
- OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Training and Technical Assistance Initiative – $1,450,000
- OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Training and Technical Assistance Initiative – $1,800,000
- OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Training and Technical Assistance Initiative – $1,600,000
- OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Training and Technical Assistance Initiative – $500,000
The awards announced above are being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle. More information about these and other OVW awards can be found on the OVW Grant Awards Page.
About the Office on Violence Against Women
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent reauthorizing legislation. Created in 1995, OVW has awarded more than $11 billion in funding to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies, and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW supports policy development and undertakes special initiatives in response to community-identified needs. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
###
- Nevada Attorney General’s Office – $3,232,136
Connecticut Orthopedic Practice Makes Changes to Ensure Effective Communication with Persons with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that SPORTS MEDICINE & ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY, P.C. (“SMOS”), an orthopedic medical practice with offices in Manchester and Tolland, has entered into a settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”).
The matter was initiated by a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Justice by an individual who is deaf and speaks American Sign Language alleging that SMOS did not provide them with a qualified interpreter for American Sign Language at medical appointments. The government’s investigation determined that SMOS did not provide an American Sign Language interpreter for three medical appointments, and that SMOS offered to communicate with the complainant by typing back and forth on a computer, which did not provide effective communication for a medical appointment.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, SMOS has agreed not to discriminate based on disability in the future and will provide persons with disabilities with full and equal enjoyment of its services. As part of that obligation, SMOS will provide auxiliary aids and services, including American Sign Language interpreters, to ensure effective communication with its patients and their companions who have disabilities. SMOS has also agreed to provide reasonable modifications to policies and procedures for individuals with disabilities consistent with the ADA.
U.S. Attorney Avery noted that SMOS has worked cooperatively with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to improve their ADA compliance without litigation.
The settlement agreement is effective for three years, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will monitor compliance during that time.
Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-821-3700 and ask for the Civil Rights Intake Specialist.
Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TTY). More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stewart C. Dearing.
Claremore Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison After Sharing Video of Himself Sexually Abusing a ToddlerRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Brayden Kent Bull, 26, for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 in Indian Country, Production of Child Pornography, and for the Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography. Judge Russell ordered Bull to be sentenced to 600 months imprisonment, followed by a lifetime supervised release. Upon his release, Bull will also be required to register as a sex offender.
“This 50 year sentence of imprisonment is direct consequence of the severity and depravity of Bull’s criminal conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “To combat child predators it takes a community effort. Parents, teachers, caregivers, and law enforcement are vital players in this effort. I want to commend all those that helped bring this sexual predator to justice.”
“Those who produce, share, and view images of child sexual abuse materials create a lasting cycle of trauma and victimization, making these offenses extremely harmful," said acting Special Agent in Charge Travis Picard HSI Dallas. "Identifying child predators particularly those involved in the sexual abuse of innocent children requires a collaborative effort in bringing them to justice. We greatly appreciate the strong partnerships we have with our law enforcement colleagues, ensuring this individual will never harm a child again."
According to court documents, Bull admittingly filmed himself sexually abusing a toddler he was babysitting. Bull then shared the video on social media. Law enforcement received several CyberTips that led them to Bull. After a search warrant was conducted, law enforcement found additional material that showed explicit videos of children being sexually abused.
Bull is a citizen of the Navajo Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Robert and Christopher J. Nassar prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Chinle Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Kidnapping and AssaultRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jared Josh John, 32, of Chinle, was sentenced on September 11, 2024, by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 25 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. After a jury trial in May 2023, John was convicted of Carjacking, Kidnapping, Robbery, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Assault with Intent to Commit Murder, Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony, and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.
In July 2020, the victim was passing through the Navajo Nation on a road trip when John and a co-defendant broke into his car while he was resting for the night. Led by John, the two co-defendants drove the victim into the desert, where John slit the victim’s throat three times and left him to die. The victim survived by playing dead until the defendants left, and then used his clothes to fashion a tourniquet for his neck before going to find help.
John’s co-defendant, Everickk Matthew Begay, 55, of Chinle, pleaded guilty to Kidnapping, Robbery, and Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony on March 20, 2023. Begay was sentenced on August 14, 2023, to 97 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Division of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alanna R. Kennedy and Tracy Van Buskirk, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handed the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-08113-PCT-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-134_Begay et al.# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Campaign Treasurer for Candidate for Brooklyn Borough President Charged with Scheme to Defraud New York City's Campaign Finance BoardRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Erlene King was charged with wire fraud in connection with her attempt to steal funds from New York City’s Campaign Finance Board (CFB).
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the charge.
Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the New York City CFB for its cooperation and assistance during the investigation.
CFB Overview
The CFB oversees and administers a publicly funded campaign finance system in connection with municipal elections in New York City. This includes a “matching funds program” that provides eligible candidates with public funds based on the number and amount of certain donor contributions. According to the CFB, the program “empowers New Yorkers in every neighborhood to make their voices heard in city elections” and “by encouraging candidates to raise small-dollar contributions from average New Yorkers, the program increases engagement between voters and those who seek to represent them.”
Candidates running for the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President in the 2021 election cycle were eligible to participate in the CFB’s matching funds program if they met certain criteria. Among other things, to be eligible to receive public funds, candidates were required to meet a two-part fundraising threshold. Specifically, a candidate had to collect a minimum number of donations and raise a minimum amount of money from New York City residents before the CFB paid any matching funds.
For candidates who ran for the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President during the 2021 election cycle, candidates received up to $8 in matching funds for each $1 of eligible contributions, up to $175 per contributor. In other words, if a candidate received an eligible contribution of $175, a candidate for the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President could collect up to $1,400 in matching funds. In total, the matching funds program provided up to $1,457,777 in public matching funds to a candidate for the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President. Because campaigns for Brooklyn Borough President during the 2021 election cycle needed to raise at least $50,000 in eligible contributions to receive any matching funds, any candidate who was eligible to receive matching funds necessarily received at least $400,000 in matching funds from the CFB.
The Scheme
As alleged in court documents, King served as the campaign treasurer for a candidate who ran in a primary for the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President during the 2021 election cycle (Candidate #1). King obtained fraudulent donations for the purpose of inducing the CFB to provide matching funds to the campaign. A number of those contributions, which were obtained at King’s direction, were fraudulent nominee contributions made in the names of individuals who either did not personally fund the contributions or were later reimbursed for their contributions (i.e., straw donors). For example, King used CashApp to send money to intermediaries and instructed them to distribute the money to fund contributions from straw donors to Candidate #1. Other fraudulent contributions were made in the names of individuals whose identities were stolen and who had not personally contributed to Candidate #1. The CFB ultimately determined that the campaign submitted fictitious records and did not pay any public matching funds to the campaign.
The charges in the information are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Philip Pilmar and Eric Silverberg are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
ERLENE KING
Age: 71
Brooklyn, NYE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-374 (CBA)
Bộ Tư Pháp và Cơ Quan Tư Pháp Tiểu Bang Colorado Cải Thiện Khả Năng Tiếp Cận Ngôn Ngữ tại Tòa Án Cho Những Cá Nhân Có Trình Độ Tiếng Anh Hạn ChếRead the Press Release
Bộ Tư Pháp hôm nay thông báo rằng Cơ Quan Tư Pháp Colorado đã thực hiện các bước quan trọng để đảm bảo quyền tiếp cận ngôn ngữ có ý nghĩa cho những người có trình độ tiếng Anh hạn chế (Limited English Proficiency, hoặc LEP) khi tương tác với hệ thống tòa án tiểu bang.
Vào tháng 7 năm 2023, Ban Dân Quyền của Bộ đã liên hệ với Cơ Quan Tư Pháp Tiểu Bang Colorado sau khi nhận được khiếu nại rằng tòa án không cung cấp các dịch vụ ngôn ngữ cần thiết cho những cá nhân có trình độ tiếng Anh hạn chế (LEP) theo yêu cầu của Tiêu Đề VI của Đạo Luật Dân Quyền Năm 1964 (Tiêu Đề VI). Tiêu Đề VI nghiêm cấm hành vi phân biệt đối xử dựa trên chủng tộc, màu da và nguồn gốc quốc gia của người nhận hỗ trợ tài chính liên bang.
Để trả lời yêu cầu của Bộ, Cơ Quan Tư Pháp Tiểu Bang Colorado đã xác định các bước chủ động được thực hiện để giải quyết những lo ngại nêu trong khiếu nại và làm việc với Ban để thực hiện nhiều cải tiến khác cho chương trình tiếp cận ngôn ngữ của mình.
“Trợ Lý Tổng Chưởng Lý Kristen Clarke thuộc Ban Dân Quyền của Bộ Tư Pháp cho biết: “Việc cung cấp dịch vụ phiên dịch chính xác và kịp thời trong và ngoài phòng xử án là tối quan trọng để đảm bảo tất cả người dùng tòa án đều được tiếp cận công lý một cách bình đẳng”. “Những hành động mà Cơ Quan Tư Pháp Tiểu Bang Colorado thực hiện là hình mẫu và thể hiện cam kết thực sự trong việc xây dựng một chương trình tiếp cận ngôn ngữ mạnh mẽ.”
Trong năm kể từ khi DOJ (Bộ Tư Pháp) bắt đầu làm việc với Cơ Quan Tư Pháp Tiểu Bang Colorado, tòa án đã tuyển dụng một điều phối viên tiếp cận ngôn ngữ mới; sửa đổi Chính Sách Tài Chính của Văn Phòng Tiếp Cận Ngôn Ngữ; bắt đầu tạo hệ thống lập lịch trình mới cho phiên dịch viên; mua thiết bị mới để sử dụng cho việc phiên dịch tại tòa án bao gồm tai nghe và iPad; đào tạo nhân viên tòa án và phiên dịch viên; và thực hiện các cải tiến quan trọng khác.
Bộ sẽ tiếp tục theo dõi việc thực hiện những thay đổi này và hoan nghênh phản hồi từ công chúng. Khiếu nại về các hành vi phân biệt đối xử có thể được báo cáo thông qua trang mạng của Ban Dân Quyền tại civilrights.justice.gov
Quý vị có thể tìm hiểu thêm thông tin về Ban Dân Quyền trên trang mạng của bộ phận này tại www.justice.gov/crt. Thông tin về trình độ tiếng Anh hạn chế và Tiêu Đề VI có tại trang mạng www.lep.gov,và thông tin cụ thể về tòa án có thể được tìm thấy tại trang mạng www.lep.gov/state-courts.
Burlington, Vermont Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Gun and Assault CaseRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on September 30, 2024, Hasan Williams, 27, recently of Burlington, Vermont was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to a term of 60 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Williams previously pleaded guilty to possessing a loaded handgun after having been convicted of a felony, specifically assault and robbery in 2016.
According to court records, Burlington Police Department responded to a late-night call shortly after midnight between August 27-28, 2023 in downtown Burlington regarding a possible assault and possession of a firearm. When police arrived, they located Williams walking away from the call location and on the grounds of the Chittenden County Superior Court. Police approached Williams who denied being involved in the alleged assault. The police asked Williams if he had a gun on him and he replied that he did not. Williams was wearing a shoulder bag that the police stated they wanted to remove without looking inside, knowing that another recent call involved someone with a similar shoulder bag containing a gun. Williams refused to comply, turned his back on the officer and began reaching for the shoulder bag. Williams instigated an altercation with the officer, punching him in the head before four additional officers and a civilian helped restrain Williams. After the altercation, the zipper on Williams’s shoulder bag had opened, making plainly visible a handgun inside. Police obtained a search warrant for the shoulder bag which contained a loaded handgun.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest stated: “I want to thank the officers and agents of the Burlington Police Department and the ATF for their vigilance and care investigating and apprehending the defendant in this case, which is another example of members of law enforcement putting themselves at risk while protecting this community.”
“Firearms in the hands of violent felons are a major driver of additional violent crime in our communities,” said ATF Boston Field Division Special Agent in Charge James M. Ferguson. “The sentence handed down today delivers a clear message: violent offenders will be held accountable. ATF remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding our neighborhoods, with the reduction of gun violence as a top priority.”
“Getting violent criminals off the street is a key responsibility for law enforcement,” said Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad. “I’m grateful for our federal partners and the fair but effective sentences they win. The community is safer when such offenders are incarcerated not only because the offenders can’t hurt more people from prison, but also because these types of offenders tend to be ‘violence drivers,’ who make others around them more prone to violence, as well. Thanks to the great work by our officers and by the prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, that’s what happened here.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Owyang. Williams was represented by Timothy B. Fair, Esq. and Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven L. Barth.
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.
Buckhannon Man Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – David Walter McCauley has been indicted by a federal grand jury on child pornography charges, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
McCauley, age 66 of Buckhannon, West Virginia, is charged with two counts of production and one count of possession of child pornography. The indictment alleges that McCauley enticed a 17-year-old boy to engage in sexually explicit conduct for photo and video production. The indictment further charges McCauley with knowingly possessing illegal images on his computer.
“As alleged, David McCauley produced child pornography involving a juvenile boy on multiple occasions,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “Those who prey upon and exploit our youth will be held accountable, no matter their status in the community.”
McCauley faces at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison for each of the production charges and up to 10 years on the possession charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pittsburgh Police Department, and the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Brownsville resident heads to prison for trafficking cocaine in hidden compartmentRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 51-year-old man has been sentenced following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Rosalio Mendoza pleaded guilty May 1.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Mendoza to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the severity of drug case punishments and admonished Mendoza that should he ever return to the drug business, he could be facing potential life in federal prison.
On Jan. 26, Mendoza applied for entry into the United States at the Veteran’s Port of Entry in Brownsville, at which time authorities referred him to secondary inspection.
There, a K-9 alerted law enforcement to the driver’s side door and eventually to the center console in the vehicle. Law enforcement removed the console and found a hidden compartment containing 14 packages that tested positive for cocaine.
The drugs had a combined weight of 12.42 kilograms with an estimated street value of $155,250.
Mendoza will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Arreola prosecuted the case.
Brockton Man Convicted of Passport FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was convicted today following a three-day trial for lying that his United States passport had been lost in order to secure a replacement to enter the country, when in fact, the passport had been confiscated by the prosecutor’s office in Cabo Verde following his arrest for the murders of two victims.
Johnny Barros Brandao, 41, was convicted of one count of passport fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Jan. 9, 2025. Brandao was arrested on May 9, 2023.
According to court records, on March 27, 2014, in Cabo Verde, Brandao allegedly shot an individual in the head using a .45 caliber revolver, took one million and five hundred thousand Cape Verdean Escudos from the victim and then dumped the victim’s body on the side of a road next to a waste dump. On July 26, 2021, Brandao allegedly shot and killed another individual using a 9mm caliber firearm and threw the victim’s body off a bank at the same place as the 2014 victim.
Brandao was arrested in Cabo Verde on these charges. On Dec. 12, 2022, after a period of pretrial detention, Brandao was released subject to supervision. The Cabo Verde court also ordered that Brandao not depart Cabo Verde – confiscating his Cabo Verdean national ID card as well as his United States and Cabo Verde passports.
On Dec. 28, 2022, Brandao applied for a replacement United States passport at the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, Senegal. In the section of the form that directs the applicant to explain how his prior passport was lost or stolen, Brandao reported he had lost his passport in Dakar, Senegal while out to dinner on Dec. 25, 2022.
“Johnny Barros Brandao was accused of two homicides in Cape Verde. Rather than facing those charges, he chose to lie to U.S. authorities in order to replace his confiscated passport and flee to America to evade justice,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “I am grateful for the diligent work of my office and our law enforcement counterparts, without their commitment, a suspected murderer would be walking our streets and avoiding prosecution for his crimes.”
“The Diplomatic Security Service is firmly committed to working with the U.S. Department of Justice and our other law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of crime related to passport and visa fraud. And DSS’ global network of special agents working together to interdict visa and passport crimes is vital to bringing those who commit these crimes to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew O’Brien of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Boston Field Office.
The charge of passport fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and U.S. DSS SAC O’Brien made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Protective Services. Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan Cleary, David Tobin and Brian Sullivan of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
Beaumont convenience store robbers guilty of killing clerk with firearmRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – Two men who robbed a Beaumont convenience store and killed the clerk last December have pleaded guilty to federal firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Larry Nathaniel Hagan, 27, of Houston, pleaded guilty to possessing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death before U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone on October 2, 2024. Keandre Marquis Robinson, 20, of Beaumont, pleaded guilty to the same offense before Judge Crone on October 1, 2024.
According to information presented in court, on December 29, 2023, Robinson and Hagan were wearing masks and brandishing semi-automatic pistols when they entered the Kris Food Mart located on Gulf Street in Beaumont. Robinson quickly forced the clerk behind the counter and demanded cash while Hagan guarded the front door. Seconds later, Robinson shot the clerk two times in the chest, killing him. Robinson grabbed cigarettes from behind the counter and fled with Hagan. No cash was taken.
Later that night, the Beaumont Police Department posted images from the robbery to social media and a tip identified Robinson. Police detained Robinson about three hours after the robbery as he was leaving his residence just a few blocks from the store. Robinson later confessed to his role in the robbery and killing but would not identify Hagan.
Detectives searched Robinson’s phone and discovered text messages with Hagan related to the robbery. The texts began on December 28 at 10:15 a.m. and ended a few minutes after the robbery. During the conversation, Robinson and Hagan planned to rob the store to “[g]et some money.” In one text, Robinson told Hagan that he would “knock [the clerk’s] top” [to eliminate any] “lose [sic] ends…”. The conversation ended on December 29 at 10:07 p.m. (approximately 4 minutes after the shooting). In that text, Hagan told Robinson to “[s]tay in the house for some days”.
Robinson was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 7, 2024. Hagan, who was at large until April 24, 2024, when he was arrested in New Orleans by the U.S. Marshals Service, was added to the indictment by the federal grand jury on May 1, 2024.
Robinson and Hagan each face up to life in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department, the FBI, and the U.S. Marshals Service, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.
###
Baltimore Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for A Series of Armed Bank and Commercial RobberiesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Dexter Nikoe Eaton, age 34, of Baltimore, to 14 years in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for armed bank robbery, related to a series of bank and armed commercial robberies.
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to Eaton’s plea agreement, between June 3 and July 30, 2022, Eaton committed six separate robbery incidents-five robberies and one attempted robbery of banks and other businesses and used a firearm in four of the robberies. Specifically, Eaton admitted that on June 3, 2022, he robbed a bank in the 3200 block of West North Avenue in Baltimore, providing a note to the teller that demanded money and threatened to kill the teller’s family if the teller did not comply with Eaton’s demands. On June 9, 2022, Eaton attempted to rob a check cashing and financial services business located in the 1600 block of West North Avenue, again by passing a note to the teller. The teller refused to read the note, instead activating an alarm, and Eaton fled. Law enforcement collected the note passed by Eaton, which again demanded money and threatened to kill the family of the employee if Eaton’s demands were not met.
On June 10, 2022, Eaton, armed with a handgun, entered a bank in the 3200 block of West North Avenue wearing a black head covering and a surgical mask and pointed the gun at customers and employees stating, “Nobody move. Give me $4,000 or everyone in this b***h is dead.” Eaton forced a customer to the ground at gunpoint and took the customer’s wallet and cash. With the gun still pointed at the customer’s head, Eaton demanded that an employee get him $4,000 or Eaton would shoot the customer. The bank employee, fearing for her safety and the safety of others, gave Eaton cash, and Eaton fled the bank. On June 27, Eaton, armed with a handgun, robbed a bank in the 4700 block of Liberty Heights Avenue in Baltimore, pointing a gun at the security guard’s head and forcing the security guard to accompany Eaton to the teller window, where a customer was conducting a transaction. With the gun still at the security guard’s head, Eaton demanded that the teller give him $7,000-$8,000 and threatened to shoot the security guard and the customer if the teller did not give him money or pushed any alarms. Fearing for her safety, the teller gave Eaton cash and he fled the bank.
Finally, on July 23, 2022, and July 30, 2022, Eaton robbed two businesses in the 3100 block of West North Avenue. In both robberies, Eaton held employees at gunpoint and demanded money, threatening an employee in the second robbery for moving too slow. The employees in both robberies gave Eaton cash and he left the stores.
U.S. Attorney Barron praised the FBI and Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reema Sood and Paul E. Budlow, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Atlanta Man Sentenced for Million-Dollar Money Order SchemeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Jeremiah Carbon has been sentenced to federal prison for depositing nearly $1.5 million in fraudulent money orders into accounts at several metro Atlanta banks and for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
“Carbon took advantage of a monetary instrument intended to serve as a secure means for transferring funds and used it for his personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Maintaining the security of our banking systems is paramount as millions of Americans rely on these institutions to protect and grow their finances. Thanks to the investigative efforts of our law enforcement partners at the U.S. Secret Service, Carbon will be held accountable and will face the consequences for his crimes.”
“Carbon believed he could evade law enforcement when he resumed his criminal ways,” said Frederick D. Houston, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Atlanta Field Office. “What he learned is that the Secret Service consistently adapts our methods to uncover illicit financial schemes. We are mandated to safeguard our nation’s critical financial infrastructure and will continue to deploy every asset to do just that.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Between December 2019 and September 2022, Carbon purchased nearly 1,500 money orders from retail stores in Georgia and at least two other states using fake names and fake driver’s licenses, many of which were legitimate driver’s license numbers of individuals. Carbon made copies of the blank money orders, completed those money orders with fictitious purchasers’ names, and then deposited the copied money orders into one of multiple bank accounts in at least five different federally insured banks. Some of the bank accounts were in Carbon’s name, and others were in the names of his conspirators. After Carbon deposited the copied money orders into the bank accounts, he returned all of the originally purchased blank money orders to the various retail stores and received refunds. Carbon purchased, copied, deposited, and then returned almost 1,500 money orders totaling nearly $1.5 million.
Carbon was also recorded on surveillance cameras at the various retail store locations buying and returning the money orders. In some instances, after using a fake driver’s license to purchase money orders, Carbon made additional purchases from the retail store using his actual debit card.
On February 22, 2022, deputies with the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop while Carbon was driving due to an unrelated traffic violation. During the stop, deputies discovered multiple blank money orders, a receipt for the recently purchased money orders, a printer/copier, and a paper cutter. Additionally, Carbon was found to be in possession of a semi-automatic firearm, which he was prohibited from possessing due to his status as a convicted felon.
Jeremiah Carbon, 36, of Lithonia, Georgia was sentenced by U.S District Judge Victoria M. Calvert to three years, five months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Carbon was convicted on charges of bank fraud conspiracy, bank fraud, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, after he pleaded guilty on June 6, 2024.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bethany L. Rupert and Alison Prout prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Asbestos Removal Training Center Owner Convicted of Making False Statements to EPA and RIDOHRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – The owner of a Rhode Island-based asbestos abatement training center admitted to a federal judge on Tuesday that he provided false documentation to the Rhode Island Department of Health, attesting that nearly two dozen individuals paid for, attended, and successfully completed an Environmental Protection Administration (EPA)-approved abatement training program when, in fact, no one attended the classes, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
The Toxic Substances Control Act, implemented by the EPA, requires that workers who perform asbestos abatement attend and pass an EPA-approved asbestos training program which, in Rhode Island, is overseen by the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH).
Jose Virgilio Fernandez, owner of Rhode Island Safety Environment Training Center (“RISE”), was accredited by RIDOH to provide asbestos abatement training courses to workers. An investigation by RIDOH and EPA revealed that, on multiple occasions between 2021 and 2023, Fernandez submitted documents to RIDOH falsely certifying that participants attended all days of instruction and achieved passing examination scores.
As reflected in charging documents and information provided to the court, Fernandez falsely stated in signed documents that twenty individuals, whose names he provided to the RIDOH, attended and successfully completed a five-day, 40-hour program the week of May 22, 2023. In fact, no one attended the training sessions, with the exception of an EPA agent acting in an undercover capacity who attended for two hours on the first day of classes. Fernandez later admitted to the EPA that, in many cases, he issued certificates to asbestos workers even though they did not actually attend or complete the abatement class.
Fernandez pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a federal charge of making false statements. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 7, 2025. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Asbestos poses significant health risks when handled improperly,” remarked U.S. Attorney Cunha, “and that’s why commonsense environmental regulations require that those working with it be trained to do so safely. Fernandez’ lies put Rhode Island contractors, not to mention those exposed to improperly handled asbestos, at risk. This week's guilty plea should serve as a reminder to those who cut corners with toxic substances that they will be held accountable.”
“Proper training ensures protocols are followed for the handling of hazardous substances, lead, and asbestos by workers and supervisors on jobsites throughout Rhode Island,” stated Tyler Amon, Special Agent in Charge for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division in New England. “Training providers that cut corners undercut the companies playing by the rules and the integrity of Rhode Island’s important training certification mission.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Rhode Island Department of Health.
###
Arizona Man Sentenced for 10 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Carlos Daniel Ruelas, age 21, of Arizona, was sentenced October 2, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for possessing cocaine with intent to distribute. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Ruelas to 46 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Ruelas also agreed to forfeit $68,460.
On July 31, 2023, the DEA Criminal Interdiction Unit was working at the bus station in Omaha, Nebraska, when they made contact with Xavier Olivas-Valenzuela. During the contact, Olivas-Valenzuela admitted to contraband in his bag. When investigators began to search his bag, Olivas-Valenzuela ran out the door. After a short pursuit, Olivas-Valenzuela was detained. A search of his luggage resulted in 51 pounds of methamphetamine being seized. A search that night of Olivas-Valenzuela’s phone showed that he was directed to stay at a residence in the 1700 block of N. 10th Street. A search warrant was obtained for that residence. Investigators found Ruelas at the residence, along with 10 kilograms of cocaine and $68,460.
Olivas-Valenzuela has pleaded guilty and is set for sentencing on October 23, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's Office Recent SentencingsRead the Press Release
Drug Trafficking
Amanda Rose Brown, 40, of Riverton, Wyoming was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents, on Sept. 26, 2023, agents conducted a controlled buy of 3.5 grams of methamphetamine from Brown for $150 on the Wind River Indian Reservation. A review of Brown's Facebook account showed she was contacted by multiple parties looking for "blues" (fentanyl) and either she had them or sought to get them; she also advised she had methamphetamine and could get "bud". She was indicted on May 16, pleaded guilty on July 1, and U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Sept. 26, in Cheyenne. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-00081Firearm Offenses
John Otis Marsh, 57, of Wamsutter, Wyoming was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment with two years of supervised, release for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of an unregistered firearm. According to court documents, on June 8, 2022, deputies were called to a Love's convenience store in Wamsutter to investigate an injured man. The victim said he was threatened with a gun, punched, and dragged by a man who shared a trailer with Marsh. The victim stayed, with the permission from Marsh, in a camper across the road, on Marsh’s land. The investigation led the deputies to the trailer where they found multiple guns and ammunition. Both Marsh and his roommate are convicted felons and unlawfully possessed the firearms. Marsh was indicted on July 19, 2023 and pleaded guilty on July 12. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Sept. 25. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigate the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom prosecuted the case. Case No. 23-00099Littlefawn Lebeau, 41, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison with three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Dec. 23, 2023, law enforcement was called to Lander Sage West Hospital for a report of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The defendant denied she had shot herself in the foot at first because she knew she was a felon and illegally possessed the firearm, but later admitted to the accident. She was indicted on Jan. 4, pleaded guilty on July 12, and U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Sept. 25, in Cheyenne. This crime was investigated by the FBI and the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore. Case No. 24-CR-00018
Illegal Re-entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Jesus Montano-Martinez, 32, of Chihuahua, Mexico, was sentenced to time served plus 10 days to allow for deportation proceedings, for illegal reentry of a previously deported alien into the United States. According to court documents, on Feb. 20, Montano-Martinez was arrested by Wyoming Highway Patrol in Carbon County for driving under the influence of alcohol and not having valid immigration documents permitting him to be in the U.S. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was contacted. A Deportation Officer processed the defendant and obtained fingerprints matching pre-existing fingerprints in their database indicating Montano-Martinez was in the U.S. illegally. ICE investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Sept. 24, in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00127
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:Environmental Justice
The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.
To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime#trafficking
68 Defendants Charged in Indictment of Dozens of Members and Associates of San Fernando Valley White Supremacist GangRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal and local law enforcement have arrested 42 members and associates of the SFV Peckerwoods, a San Fernando Valley-based white supremacist street gang, on a 76-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they engaged in a years-long pattern of racketeering activity that included trafficking of drugs – including fentanyl – illegal firearms possession, and COVID-19 benefits and loan fraud, the Justice Department announced today.
The indictment unsealed today charges a total of 68 defendants with a score of federal crimes: conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of controlled substances, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, and possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices.
The 29 defendants arrested today are expected to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Prior to today’s takedown, 13 defendants were already in custody.
During the investigation, law enforcement seized large quantities of illegal firearms, and dozens of pounds of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin, according to the indictment.
“The Peckerwoods’ violent white-supremacist ideology and wide-ranging criminal activity pose a grave menace to our community,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “By allegedly engaging in everything from drug-trafficking to firearms offenses to identity theft to COVID fraud, and through their alliance with a neo-Nazi prison gang, the Peckerwoods are a destructive force. In prosecuting the members of the Peckerwoods criminal organization, our office is carrying out its mission to protect the public from the most dangerous threats.”
“The Justice Department has dealt a decisive blow to the San Fernando Valley (SFV) Peckerwoods, a violent white supremacist gang that we charge is responsible for trafficking deadly fentanyl and other drugs, committing robberies, and perpetrating financial fraud to fund both their criminal enterprise and that of the Aryan Brotherhood,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “With today’s charges and arrests, the Justice Department, together with our state, local, and federal partners has targeted the heart of this gang’s operations, and we will continue to zero in on the criminal enterprises that endanger our communities.”
“This operation, led by our Joint Terrorism Task Force, disrupted a racially motivated violent extremist group who engaged in a wide range of criminal activity,” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “This case strikes at the heart of our collective mission to rid our communities of the corrosive elements that fuel violence and extremism that greatly impact our way of life. The FBI, along with our federal, state, and local partners, remains strongly committed to working every day to make sure the people of the Southland remain safe.”
“The San Fernando Valley Peckerwoods, the Aryan Brotherhood and their associates are fused by one thing: hatred,” Matthew Allen, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Los Angeles Field Division. “It appears, however, that the business of hate was not enough for them. Driven by greed, they engaged in other crimes, including drug distribution, pushing out deadly fentanyl onto our streets. Operating from corners of the San Fernando Valley, they conducted their crimes within and beyond the 8-1-8 community. Today’s large-scale indictments and arrests reflect our relentless commitment to dismantling criminal organizations that continue to harm our communities.”
According to the indictment that a grand jury returned on September 26, the Peckerwoods is a street gang based in communities in the San Fernando Valley whose members engage in a wide variety of criminal activity, including drug trafficking, violent crime, and fraud. As a white supremacist gang, the Peckerwoods at times takes orders from the Aryan Brotherhood, California’s dominant prison-based white supremacist gang, and maintains an alliance with the Mexican Mafia prison gang, which controls most Latino street gangs in California. The Peckerwoods use Nazi tattoos, graffiti, and iconography to indicate their violent white supremacy extremist ideology. These tattoos and iconography include swastikas, the symbol “88”, used by violent white supremacy extremists as code for “Heil Hitler,” and images of Nazi aircraft.
Members and associates of the gang used social media to share information with each other about their criminal activities and gang rules, to identify gang members in good standing, and to target people who broke the gang’s rules. The social media use included a members-only Facebook group and private, direct messages between the gang’s members and associates.
From at least December 2016 to September 2024, Peckerwoods members conducted and participated in the affairs of their criminal enterprise by engaging in violence and threats of violence to preserve and expand the gang’s criminal operations, which promoted a climate of fear. Members and associates of the gang illegally maintained firearms and ammunition in furtherance of these aims.
To generate revenue for the gang, its members trafficked narcotics, including fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine. Specifically, lead defendant Claire Patricia Haviland, 62, of Chatsworth, and co-defendants Brian Glenn Ekelund, 53, of Chatsworth, and Brianne Brewer, 38, of North Hollywood, maintained and oversaw drug stash houses where large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and other drugs were stored prior to distribution. Haviland and Ekelund allegedly mailed illegal drugs to customers and used applications such as Zelle and CashApp to receive money from drug buyers and send money to their drug sources.
They also generated revenue via robberies and financial fraud and participated in identity theft schemes. For example, from at least March 2021 to July 2023, defendants Sean Craig Gluckman, 35, of Encino, Maria Anna James, 30, of Canyon Country, and others submitted false and fraudulent applications for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was designed to aid businesses harmed by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. The defendants – posing as sole proprietors – signed fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of individuals incarcerated in California state prisons and collected a portion of the fraudulently obtained proceeds from co-conspirators as payment for their assistance.
Gluckman in April 2021 submitted an application that falsely stated he was a self-employed “artist/writer” with a gross income of nearly $250,000. Later that month, he obtained a PPP loan in the amount of $20,833. In a separate scheme, Gluckman submitted fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) applications in the names of other people to the California Employment Development Department (EDD) to fraudulently obtain jobless benefits.
“The proliferation of gang related organized crime deteriorates the core of our society,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Dominic Choi. “Taking guns out of the hands of gang members and drugs from our streets is just one more step towards reducing this deterioration. Today is yet another example of how local, regional, and federal law enforcement, with a matched dedication, are working together to investigate, apprehend and prosecute criminals.”
“When criminal organizations cross jurisdictional lines, it makes conducting investigations and subsequent prosecutions much more difficult,” said Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff. “Having our federal law enforcement partners involvement in such cases greatly enhances our ability to protect not only the citizens of our county, but also those of our region of the state.”
“The DOL-OIG will continue to allocate investigative resources to support our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners in the fight against organized crime, particularly when it involves matters within our jurisdiction,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General’s Western Region. “This investigation reinforces our commitment to protecting the integrity of the nation's unemployment system.”
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
The FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office are investigating this matter. Other law enforcement agencies that assisted in today’s takedown are the Simi Valley Police Department; California Highway Patrol; the Glendale Police Department; the Burbank Police Department; the Redondo Beach Police Department; the Beverly Hills Police Department; the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; the United States Marshals Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police; the United States Department of Labor; the Federal Bureau of Prisons; the Los Angeles County Probation Department; the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services; the Pasadena Fire Department; United States Customs and Border Protection; and IRS Criminal Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Reema M. El-Amamy of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, Jeremiah M. Levine of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, and Alexander Su of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central and Eastern Districts of California to jointly head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. The Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors, as well as those who committed multiple instances of pandemic relief fraud. The Strike Force uses prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. Additional information regarding the Strike Force may be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-covid-19-fraud-strike-force-teams.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
1 October 2024
‘Swatting’ Phone Call Targeted IRS Employee, Led to LockdownRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been charged in federal court with making a hoax telephone call that led to an IRS employee being detained and the IRS office on Pershing Road being locked down.
Anthony M. Alford, 46, was charged in a criminal complaint that was filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, Sept. 27. The complaint was unsealed and made public today following Alford’s arrest and initial court appearance. Alford remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Friday, Oct. 4.
The federal criminal complaint alleges that Alford placed a hoax telephone call to emergency services, falsely claiming that an individual was armed with a firearm and was threatening to shoot people in an IRS building.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Alford called 911 on Sept. 10, 2024, and reported that a person identified in court documents as “Victim One” had a gun and was threatening to shoot up the Internal Revenue Service building at 333 W. Pershing Road in Kansas City, Mo. Victim One is an employee of the IRS.
Kansas City police officers were dispatched to the building, where they contacted IRS security and Federal Protective Service officers. Victim One had been detained and searched for weapons based on the 911 call. Following the 911 call, the B-Wing of the IRS building was locked down. The IRS announced that there was an active shooter in the building and told those in the B-Wing to stay locked down.
Victim One was unarmed. Victim One told investigators she had been dating Alford for about a month and was trying to break up with him. Alford had never been violent, she said, but had exhibited controlling, possessive, and jealous behavior. Alford had repeatedly called and messaged her the previous night, she said, and earlier that morning sent her messages threatening to involve the police.
Investigators interviewed Alford afterward, according to the affidavit, and he told them Victim One did not threaten to shoot up the IRS Building, as he had said in the 911 call. Alford stated his intention when he called 911 was to instigate trouble for Victim One at work.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Youth Mentor with Philadelphia Anti-Gun Violence Organization Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Participating in Interstate Gun Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Kyle McLemore, 47, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Harvey Bartle III to 120 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $300 special assessment for selling illegal firearms from South Carolina on the streets of Philadelphia.
McLemore was one of seven defendants convicted for participating in a scheme to straw purchase nearly 60 firearms in South Carolina and traffic them up the “Iron Pipeline” to Philadelphia. Between approximately November 2020 and February 2021, McLemore worked closely with co-conspirator Terrance Darby in Philadelphia to place orders for firearms with co-conspirator Ontavious Plumer, who was incarcerated in a South Carolina prison. Plumer would then direct other co-conspirators to straw purchase firearms at gun stores in South Carolina and transport them to Philadelphia, where Darby, McLemore, and co-conspirator Cory Brookins would resell them.
McLemore started trafficking firearms with Darby just a few months after he was released on parole from a Pennsylvania state prison after serving 21 years for a 1999 murder conviction. While he was reselling illegal guns in Philadelphia, McLemore worked as a “youth advocate” at the NoMo (New Options More Opportunities) Foundation, an organization that provides children and teens with education, tutoring, mentoring, career readiness training, behavioral health counseling, and other services to reduce the factors that lead to gun violence.
McLemore was charged in a superseding indictment on March 6 of this year with conspiracy, dealing in firearms without a license, and possession of a firearm by a felon. He pleaded guilty to all three counts on May 8. Darby, Plumer, Brookins, and three other co-conspirators have also been convicted and sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy.
“Kyle McLemore sold dozens of guns from South Carolina on the streets of Philadelphia, while pretending to work to reduce gun violence on those same streets,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “My office and the ATF will continue to target gun traffickers for federal prosecution – and federal prison time. Every illegal gun and unlawful seller we put out of commission makes our city that much safer.”
“McLemore knew all too well from his criminal history and community work that illegally trafficked firearms fuel the deadly violence in his community,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Eric DeGree. “Stopping gun trafficking, which puts firearms in the hands of violent criminals and other prohibited people, is a top priority at ATF. We work tirelessly with our local, state and federal partners to dismantle trafficking operations and federally prosecute the criminals that endanger our communities.”
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 is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Jeanette Kang and Matthew T. Newcomer and Special Assistant United States Attorney Alexander B. Bowerman.
Winterport Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Winterport man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for distributing child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Steven Mathis, 35, to 240 months in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release. Mathis pleaded guilty on April 25, 2024.
According to court records, in August 2021, Mathis used an online chat platform to discuss child sexual abuse material with others. In one exchange, another user requested a sexually explicit image of a child, and Mathis provided an image. In an interview with the Maine State Police, Mathis admitted that he had distributed child sexual abuse material online.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Maine State Police investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – in legal terms, "child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are shared or viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
###
Vice President of International Cargo Airline Sentenced to 32 Months in Prison for Defrauding EmployerRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ABILASH KURIEN was sentenced to 32 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman in connection with a massive scheme to defraud Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. (“Polar”), a leading cargo airline, of more than $32 million dollars in revenue. KURIEN previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Abilash Kurien betrayed his employer’s trust. Over the course of more than a decade, Kurien took millions of dollars in kickbacks for himself and caused tens of millions in dollars in losses to the company he worked for. This Office and our law enforcement partners will not stop in rooting out corporate fraud.”
According to the charging documents and other filings and statements made in court:
From at least in or about 2009 through in or about July 2021, KURIEN and at least nine other individuals participated in a massive scheme to defraud Polar. At all relevant times, KURIEN and three codefendants were senior executives of Polar (the “Executive Defendants”), and six codefendants (the “Vendor Defendants”) owned and operated various Polar vendors and customers.
The Executive Defendants agreed to accept millions of dollars in kickbacks from the Vendor Defendants, and also reaped substantial financial benefits as a result of their secret ownership interests in certain Polar vendors, in exchange for ensuring that those vendors received favorable business arrangements with Polar. The fraud they perpetrated—which involved a substantial portion of Polar’s senior management and at least 10 customers and vendors of Polar—led to pervasive corruption of Polar’s business, touching nearly every aspect of the company’s operations, for over a decade.
As a result of the scheme, the Executive Defendants, along with two co-conspirators who also worked as senior executives at Polar, received unlawful payments, either directly or through various limited liability companies they controlled, in excess of approximately $23 million in kickback payments or disbursements as a result of their ownership of conflicted companies.
KURIEN was Polar’s Vice President of Marketing, Revenue Management, and Network Planning. He personally received kickbacks totaling over $7 million.
Nine of the defendants charged in this case have pleaded guilty. Skye Xu, the remaining defendant, is scheduled for trial on October 28, 2024.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, KURIEN, 46, of Wilton, Connecticut, was sentenced to 3 years of supervised release. KURIEN was also ordered to forfeit $7,192,064.41 and to make restitution to Polar in the amount of $22,956,341.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danielle Kudla, Kevin Mead, Qais Ghafary, and Jerry J. Fang are in charge of the prosecution.
U.S. Attorney’s Office, ATF, and HSI Charge Mexican Nationals with Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two Mexican nationals are facing federal charges for allegedly attempting to traffic a machinegun, rifles, and a grenade into Mexico.
Fernando Espino-Ortiz and Perla Janeth Ruiz-Lozano appeared before a federal judge today. Espino will remain in custody and Ruiz will be released on conditions pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the criminal complaint, on September 25, 2024, Espino and Ruiz allegedly traveled from Mexico to Albuquerque to illegally purchase firearms, including a machinegun, three rifles, and a grenade from an undercover ATF agent. The defendants brought $100,000 in cash to exchange for the weapons.
During the transaction, Espino took possession of the weapons and loaded them into a vehicle, stating they were to be transported back to Mexico. Both defendants were arrested at the scene.
If convicted of the current charges, Espino and Ruiz each face up to 15 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso made the announcement today.
The ATF and HSI jointly investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico State Police. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
View the Criminal Complaint (Fernando Espino Ortiz et al.).pdfA criminal complaint 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 indicts five child exploitation cases in September, discusses joint effort to protect Alaska’s childrenRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker announced that a federal grand jury in Alaska returned five unrelated child exploitation indictments in September, emphasizing Alaska law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute cases to keep children safe.
“Those who target children for sexual gratification are an urgent threat to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “My office, alongside our dedicated federal, state and local law enforcement partners, maintains our steadfast commitment to identifying, investigating, and prosecuting anyone who tries to harm our children—especially in this digital age, where predators can reach victims from anywhere in the world.”
“These arrests demonstrate the FBI's continued prioritization of combatting child exploitation crimes in Alaska – no matter where these violations occur or who commits them,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. "Together with our law enforcement partners and the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, we will identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who put our most vulnerable at risk."
"We, whether it is as a federal law enforcement agency such as HSI or as a community as a whole, have a duty to protect the most vulnerable among us, our children," said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. "Victims of any type of child exploitation crime are survivors of unimaginable trauma. When we successfully stop child predators, we help victims attain safety and a chance to reclaim their lives.”
“The U.S. Secret Service stands firmly with our law enforcement partners to investigate crimes that exploit and target children,” said Glen Peterson, U.S. Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Seattle Field Office. “We continue to use our tools, resources and expertise to identify and arrest individuals that victimize children.”
U.S. v. Feltovic
According to court documents, on Aug. 22, 2024, William Alexander Feltovic, 36, an Anchorage U.S. Postal employee, allegedly attempted to coerce an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years to engage in sexual activity. Feltovic was arrested on Sept. 23 and is charged with one count attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Schroeder is prosecuting the case.
U.S. v. Hadley
According to court documents, in June 2023, Jesse Hadley, 31, of Kotzebue used a minor in Bethel to produce and possess visuals of child pornography. Hadley was arrested on Sept. 30 and is charged with one count sexual exploitation of a child—production of child pornography and one count sexual exploitation of a child—possession of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and the Bethel Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey is prosecuting the case.
U.S. v. Madros
According to court documents, on Aug. 27, 2024, George Floyd Madros III, 43, of Anchorage, contacted an individual he thought was a 13-year-old female on a social media platform. Madros and the individual began communicating through a private chat via the platform and text messages. Madros then allegedly asked the individual for sexually explicit content, asked to meet in person, and talked about potential sexual interactions if they met in person. Madros was arrested on Aug. 28 on related charges filed in a criminal complaint. The indictment charges Madros with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ainsley McNerney is prosecuting the case.
U.S. v. Rose
According to court documents, on Aug. 27, 2024, Robert Nicholas Roy Rose, 44, of Anchorage, contacted an individual he thought was a 13-year-old girl on a social media platform. Throughout the course of the chat, Rose allegedly had sexually explicit conversations with the individual, including explanations of actions he wanted to do or perform with the 13-year-old, and organized a time to meet in person.
In 2006, Rose was convicted of sexual abuse of a minor in the first degree in the Superior Court for the State of Alaska. As part of the conviction, he was required to register as a sex offender in Alaska. Rose was arrested on Aug. 30 on related charges filed in a criminal complaint. The indictment charges Rose with one count of attempted exploitation of a child – production of child pornography, one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and one count offense by a registered sex offender. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison for the one charge of attempted production of child pornography, followed by an additional mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison that runs consecutively for the count of offense by a registered sex offender.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ainsley McNerney is prosecuting the case.
U.S. v. Steadman
According to court documents, William Steadman, 34, of Juneau, allegedly produced child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) depicting a minor known to him. Additionally, court documents indicate that he allegedly spent time with other children in his community. Steadman was arrested on Sept. 6 on related charges filed in a criminal complaint. The indictment charges Steadman with sexual exploitation of a child, also known as production of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison.
The U.S. Secret Service is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mac Caille Petursson, Jack Schmidt, William Reed and Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) 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.
If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
###
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Sentencing of Mentmore Man for Federal Firearms Violation After Domestic Violence IncidentRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mentmore man was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for federal firearms offenses following a domestic violence incident during which he assaulted his wife and kidnapped their four children.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on the morning of September 23, 2021, Rumaldo Peshlakai's wife reported to the Navajo Nation Police Department that she had been assaulted by Peshlakai, 43, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. He then fled their home with their four children, ages 10, 7, 5, and 2, in his wife’s vehicle. The wife informed police that Peshlakai was likely under the influence of alcohol and cocaine, armed with a firearm, and had threatened to shoot officers if they attempted to stop him.
A multi-agency search ensued, involving the Navajo Nation Police Department, FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and U.S. Marshals Service. Peshlakai evaded law enforcement for several hours, traversing over six miles on foot and at one point hiding the children in a drainage culvert. Along the way, Peshlakai buried the firearms under a tree along the path they walked and covered the hole with leaves and branches in an attempt to conceal them. Peshlakai eventually left the children at his mother’s home in Fort Defiance, Arizona, before turning himself in the next day, on September 24, 2021.
Following Peshlakai’s arrest, with the assistance of a specially-trained K-9 gun-sniffing canine, law enforcement recovered three firearms – two handguns and a rifle – that he had buried during his escape. As a previously convicted felon – including a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, Peshlakai was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Upon his release from prison, Peshlakai will be subject to three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to forfeit the firearms and ammunition, which included a Glock 19 9mm handgun, a Phoenix Arms .25 Automatic Colt pistol, a Marlin .22 caliber rifle, and various calibers and brands of ammunition.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the FBI Phoenix Field Office, United States Marshals Service, New Mexico State Police, McKinley County Sheriff's Office and Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander F. Flores and Kimberly Bell are prosecuting the case.
# # #
U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Guilty Plea in Federal Assault CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Ohkay Owingeh man pleaded guilty in federal court to assault resulting in serious bodily injury after shooting John Doe.
According to the plea agreement, on June 28, 2023, Robert Abeyta, 51, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh, confronted John Doe at Doe's residence while armed with a pistol. Abeyta threatened John Doe with the firearm before shooting him multiple times in the upper body. John Doe suffered gunshot wounds to his cheek, neck, shoulder, and chest.
Abeyta will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Abeyta faces seven to 10 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Abeyta will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Ohkay Owingeh Police Department and Santa Clara Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Abeyta).pdf# # #
U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Guilty Plea in Fatal Navajo CrashRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges of involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury, admitting to causing a fatal three-vehicle crash.
According to the plea agreement, Olan Jumbo, 31, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, admitted that on November 26, 2022, shortly after midnight, he caused a three-vehicle crash in Navajo, New Mexico while driving under the influence of alcohol. Jumbo was speeding when he collided with a vehicle driven by Jane Doe, with John Doe as a passenger. As a result of the collision, Jane Doe suffered fatal injuries, while John Doe sustained serious bodily harm.
At sentencing, Jumbo faces up to 10 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Jumbo will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Jumbo).pdf# # #
U. S. Attorney Hairston Announces $48 Million in Justice Department GrantsRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, NC – United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina (NCM) today announced that communities, organizations, and programs in the district have been awarded at least $27,949,065 in Department of Justice grants as part of the end-of-year funding cycles of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs and Office on Violence Against Women.
In addition, the North Carolina Courts, State Bureau of Investigation, and Departments of Justice, Public Safety, and Corrections, were awarded more than $20 million in grants for programs and research with state-wide impacts.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community and supported if the unthinkable happens and they become a victim of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Hairston. “These grants help improve public safety, serve crime victims, support America’s youth, advance science, support law enforcement, and promote equal justice for all. I am pleased that the Department of Justice is making these funds available to our community partners and proud of the work we are engaged in, together, to create a safer, more equitable country.”
Office on Violence Against Women (OVW)
Created in 1995 to implement the provisions of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and its subsequent reauthorizations, OVW provides national leadership on domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. OVW has distributed over $11 billion in funding authorized by VAWA since its enactment. Through its grant programs and partnerships, OVW helps strengthen local responses to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking and provides funding annually to all 50 states, six territories, and many Tribal nations. By funding essential services for survivors, OVW ensures that communities are better equipped to address these critical issues.
Recent OVW awards for FY24 to entities in NCM total at least $2,997,009 and include the following recipients:
City of Greensboro$500,000.00NC Coalition Against Domestic Violence$114,533.00Alamance County$950,000.00Winston-Salem State University$499,976.00Second Bloom of Chatham, Inc$550,000.00Stand Up - Speak Out of NC$328,500.00Office of Justice Programs
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime; advance equity and fairness in the administration of justice; assist victims; and uphold the rule of law. More information about OJP and its program offices – the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office for Victims of Crime, and SMART Office – can be found at www.ojp.gov.
NCM organizations and programs received a total of at least $24,952,056 in funding from OJP in the recent grant-making cycle, including the following:
City of Winston-Salem$300,000.00City of Greensboro$500,000.00City of Durham$549,671.00Justicematters Inc$800,000.00Maggies Outreach Community Economic
Development Center
$705,604.00Research Triangle Institute$17,408,550.00Piedmont Triad Regional Council$862,040.00Randolph County$150,000.00Moore County$900,000.00Rockingham County$900,000.00Alamance County$900,000.00UNC Greensboro$799,995.00PSN funding (NC DPS)$176,196.00These awards include $2.7 million for RTI International and its subrecipients, the Eradicate Hate Global Summit and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, to launch BJA’s new Coordinated Hate Crimes Resource Center; $1.8 million for establishing veterans courts; and $176,198 for Project Safe Neighborhood sites in NCM. More information about these and other OJP awards can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.
###
Two Fugitive Tenderloin Drug Traffickers Sentenced to Prison After Being Extradited from HondurasRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Two drug dealers who fled to Honduras from the Bay Area while on bond pending federal drug trafficking charges have been extradited to San Francisco and were sentenced to prison terms of 82 months and 34 months, announced U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Acting Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris.
Victor Viera-Chirinos, 42, was one of 14 defendants indicted in August 2019 for trafficking large quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine base, and cocaine in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. Viera-Chirinos was a high-level manager responsible for overseeing portions of the network’s drug trafficking activities. On Apr. 28, 2020, he was ordered released on bond. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to possess and distribute controlled substances in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B). One week prior to his sentencing scheduled for June 2, 2021, Viera-Chirinos fled. The court issued an arrest warrant and federal authorities ultimately found Viera-Chirinos in Honduras. Viera-Chirinos was extradited to the United States and on Sept. 4, 2024, the Hon. Charles R. Breyer, U.S. District Judge, sentenced him, ordering him to serve 82 months in prison.
Mayer Benegas-Medina, 30, was indicted on Dec. 16, 2020, in a separate conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl in the Tenderloin. Benegas-Medina was also ordered released on bond. The terms of his release included electronic monitoring and a curfew. In March 2021, he fled. Federal authorities ultimately found him in Honduras and extradited him to the United States. Benegas-Medina pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge and on Sept. 24, 2024, the Hon. William H. Alsup, U.S. District Judge, sentenced him to 34 months in prison.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Honduran authorities to secure the extradition of Viera-Chirinos and Benegas-Medina to the United States.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sailaja M. Paidipaty and Dan M. Karmel are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Madeline Wachs. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by DEA.
Two Businesses and Their Owner Consent to an $850,000 Judgment to Resolve COVID-19 Relief Fraud AllegationsRead the Press Release
BOISE– Brett Deuter and his businesses, Deuter Construction, LLC, and Enlighten, LLC, consented to an $850,000 judgment against them in United States District Court after admitting to violations of the False Claims Act, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced.
The fraud perpetrated by Deuter involved misappropriating funds from two different COVID-19 Relief Programs: the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.
In the consent judgment, Deuter admitted that Deuter Construction no longer had employees or operations at the time that it applied for PPP funds. Deuter further admitted that the recipient of the PPP funds – Enlighten, LLC – was ineligible to receive funds because it was not in operation prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Deuter also admitted to falsely stating the PPP loan was exclusively used for payroll and other covered expenses when, in fact, some of the funds were used to cover Deuter’s personal expenses, including personal credit card debt and gambling expenses in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Additionally, Deuter admitted to recklessly making false statements in an application for EIDL funds. Deuter falsely claimed that the EIDL funds would be used as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the pandemic. Instead, Deuter used the EIDL funds to pay personal and business debts incurred before the pandemic started. Deuter also admitted that EIDL funds were used to purchase real property in Hailey, Idaho.
“Fighting COVID-19 relief fraud has been, and will continue to be, a priority for my office,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We will continue to bring to justice those individuals and companies who seek to obtain taxpayer funds through fraudulent schemes or illegal practices.”
This judgment includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Stuart Hallam. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. Mr. Hallam will receive approximately $161,500 as his share of the total settlement.
“This outcome demonstrates our unwavering commitment to ensuring relief funds provided through the PPP and EIDL programs are used for their intended purposes,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King. “The unauthorized use of these funds for personal expenditures undermines the integrity of these programs. The whistleblower award serves as a tool to bring more whistleblowers forward. This result would not have been possible without the qui tam relator and the hard work of our dedicated law enforcement partners.”
This matter was investigated jointly by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wertheim handled this case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For additional case information and publicly available court documents, see United State ex rel. Stuart Hallam v. Brett Deuter, et. al., 1:23-CV-00348 (U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho).
###
Tulsa Man Sentenced for Coercion of a Minor and Possessing More than 600 Sexually Explicit Photos of Minor ChildrenRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Justin Ray Walters, 49, for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor and Possession of Child Pornography. Judge Russell ordered Walters to be sentenced to 300 months of imprisonment, followed by ten years of supervised release. Upon his release, Walters will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents from November 2022 through April 2023, Walters professed his love and engaged in sexually explicit conversations with a child victim he knew was under 16 years old. Walters pressured the child victim to produce and share sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, Walters possessed more than 600 images that depicted the sexual abuse of children. Several of the images showed the sexual abuse of children under the age of 12.
Walters will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd prosecuted the case.
If you believe sexually explicit photos or videos of you were posted online, Take It Down can help. Take It Down is a free online website hosted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. You can anonymously request help to remove or stop the sharing of sexually explicit content. Take It Down also provides services for victims, survivors, siblings and caregivers looking for mental health and peer support. Further, if you are being threatened by image sharing or other forms of online exploitation, you can submit a report online.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Terre Haute Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Today, a Terre Haute, Indiana, man pleaded guilty to illegally transferring a firearm to a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, and Sheriff Derek Polston of the Russell County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, Shawn Michael Kays, 41, pleaded guilty to an information charging firearms trafficking. According to the plea agreement, between November of 2023 and January of 2024, Kays transported and transferred a Smith & Wesson, Model SD9VE, nine-millimeter pistol to a convicted felon. A criminal complaint filed on September 19, 2024, alleged that firearm was later used to kill a Russell County Sheriff’s Deputy on September 16, 2024. Kays is not charged with or alleged to have been involved in the shooting.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 10, 2025. The maximum penalty is fifteen years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Louisville Field Division, Bowling Green Branch Office, and the Russell County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the ATF Columbus Field Division, The ATF Indianapolis Field Division Office, and the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted, and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
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.
###
Tehama County Man Sentenced to over 19 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Eduardo Castillo, 39, of Corning, was sentenced today to 19 years and seven months in prison for online enticement of a minor for sexual purposes, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Castillo had previously fled to Mexico to avoid prosecution; however, he was returned to the United States in August 2023 thanks to the collaboration of the FBI, Mexican law enforcement officials, and Mexican immigration officials.
According to court documents, between July 13, 2020, and Aug. 27, 2020, Castillo used a cellphone and the internet to entice at least five minor victims into sending him images and videos of themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
During that timeframe, Castillo posed as one or more teenage girls on social media platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram. Using images of teenage girls that he had downloaded from the internet, Castillo initiated chats and then exchanges of images with his male victims. Castillo then asked for child sexual abuse material in return, assuring his victims that the images and videos would be deleted. In reality, Castillo screen-recorded the videos and images and saved them on his devices.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow 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 the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Sumter Man Sentenced to Federal Prison After Multi-State Drug Trafficking InvestigationRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Seneca Moore, 43, of Sumter was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of methamphetamine.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on July 28, 2020, Moore sold 112 grams of methamphetamine to FBI agents during an undercover operation. The initial meeting took place at Moore’s trucking business in Mayesville. Moore later left the location and texted the buyer to meet him in the parking lot of a local gas station where he sold 112 grams of meth with 99 percent purity to the FBI. During the sale, Moore spoke of the prices the meth could be sold for and of other drugs he could provide.
Further information presented to the court revealed that April 28, 2021, Moore conducted a second drug transaction at his trucking business. Law enforcement became aware of this transaction after the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the FBI received information that a drug courier was headed to Sumter County from Alamance, N.C. to purchase a large amount of cocaine from Moore at his trucking business. Agents with the FBI contacted the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, who established surveillance in the area. Agents observed the courier arrive at Moore’s trucking business in a blue sedan and interact with Moore before leaving the location. DEA and Sumter County reported the information back to North Carolina and the Alamance Narcotics Enforcement Team, NCSBI, and DEA established surveillance in North Carolina and observed the same car arriving back in Alamance County. The Alamance County Sheriff’s Office performed a traffic stop on the vehicle and searched the vehicle after a narcotics K-9 alerted to the presence of drugs. Officers found 16.04 kilograms of cocaine in the trunk of the vehicle.
As a condition of Moore’s guilty plea, he was required to forfeit his interest in nine properties, 31 items of personal property, including vehicles, and his business inventory. Moore has a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Moore to 144 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the FBI Charlotte Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Alamance Narcotics Enforcement Team, the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sumter Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar Fyall is prosecuting the case.
###
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Lawrence L. Piersol has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on September 30, 2024.
Justin Lee Williams, age 48, was sentenced to three years and five months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Once released, Williams must register as a sex offender.
Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 15, 2024.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between March 23, 2023, and June 27, 2023, when Williams possessed images of child pornography. A CyberTip was received which showed that Williams had accessed child pornography on his cellular phone. Law enforcement conducted multiple searches and located two cell phones with several images and videos of child pornography, including that of a minor female as young as 6-10 years old.
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 Homeland Security Investigations, the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
Williams was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Joliet, Ill. man has been sentenced to 27 years in federal prison for sex trafficking and facilitating the sex trafficking of multiple women.
KENDALL GUYTON admitted in a plea agreement that he recruited three women to engage in commercial sex acts from 2017 to 2020. Guyton admitted that he advertised commercial sex acts online and arranged for the victims to meet individuals in various locations in the Chicago area. He provided the victims with illicit drugs, including heroin or cocaine, and often beat his victims to force them to comply with his demands.
At sentencing, the government presented evidence that Guyton facilitated the trafficking of at least five other victims, including a minor, by beating and sexually assaulting them.
Guyton, 29, pleaded guilty last year to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion. U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis imposed the 27-year sentence on Thursday during a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
A co-defendant, GREGORY INGRAM, 45, of Richton Park, Ill., also pleaded guilty to his role in the trafficking of multiple victims, including a minor whom he invited to live in his home while he trafficked her. Ingram controlled the 14-year-old victim using drugs and threats of harm. Judge Ellis in May sentenced Ingram to 20 years in federal prison.
The sentences were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Carol Stream, Ill. Police Department, Lisle, Ill. Police Department, Will County, Ill. Sheriff’s Office, Joliet Police Department, Richton Park Police Department, and Downers Grove, Ill. Police Department.
“Defendant’s crimes were incredibly serious and had long-lasting impacts on his victims,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine M. O’Neill and Prashant Kolluri argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum in Guyton’s case. “Defendant knew these women were vulnerable and he preyed upon these vulnerabilities.”
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1-800-843-5678 or logging on to http://www.missingkids.com. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Schenectady Woman Pleads Guilty to Charges Related to Theft of Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Annmarie Ditoro, age 42, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty yesterday to multiple counts of social security fraud, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office.
Ditoro admitted that she stole Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) benefits and Social Security Survivor’s benefits intended for her four disabled children. Ditoro was previously the representative payee for all four of her children. A representative payee is a person or organization receiving Social Security benefits on another person’s behalf and tasked with ensuring the benefits are used only to support the beneficiary. Ditoro admitted that Schenectady Department of Social Services removed all four of her children from her custody in July 2022. Ditoro failed to inform the Social Security Administration of the change in custody, and she continued to receive Social Security benefits on her children’s behalf. Ditoro admitted that she spent the benefits for her personal use despite knowing that she was not entitled to that money. In total, Ditoro stole over $25,000 in benefit payments intended for her children.
Ditoro faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised of up to 3 years. She will also be required to pay restitution to the Social Security Administration. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Sentencing is scheduled for January 31, 2025, in Albany.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Tuck.