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25 September 2024
Texas Businessman Accused of $1.9 Million COVID Test Kit FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Texas businessman has been indicted in St. Louis and accused of fraudulently seeking more than $4.5 million from Medicare for COVID test kits and obtaining more than $1.9 million.
Rashid Naqvi, 51, of the Houston area, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on September 4 on four counts of wire fraud conspiracy and one count each of obstruction of a federal audit and conspiracy.
He appeared in court Wednesday and pleaded not guilty.
The indictment accuses Naqvi of fraudulently obtaining $1,974,479 from Medicare from March 2023 through September 2024 by billing for numerous COVID-19 test kits that were sent to patients who had never requested them. Many of the patients were dead, the indictment says. Naqvi obtained victims’ Medicare Numbers and identifiers without their knowledge or consent by paying a total of $488,435 in illegal kickbacks to co-conspirators, the indictment says. It says Naqvi used two laboratories that he owned to submit the false claims to Medicare, Elite Diagnostics Inc. in Missouri and Astro Diagnostics Inc. in the Southern District of Texas.
The indictment says Naqvi attempted to conceal his scheme by disguising kickback payments as payments for COVID test kits, creating a sham contract with one of the companies supplying the information and submitting false documents to Medicare investigators during an audit. He continued submitting false claims to Medicare even after patients called to tell him that they did not request or want the test kits, the indictment says. Naqvi sought a total of $4,579,850 from Medicare.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. Obstruction of a federal audit and conspiracy are each punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
“Today’s indictment reflects our unwavering commitment to safeguarding Medicare and ensuring that its resources are used appropriately,” said Linda T. Hanley, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “There are serious consequences for individuals who seek to manipulate federal health care programs by exploiting enrollees’ personal information and participating in illegal kickbacks. HHS-OIG is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold those accountable who undermine the integrity of our health care system.”
The FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
Tamaulipas man sentenced for importing 25 kilograms of cocaine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 58-year-old man has been sentenced for importing 25 kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Fidel Aguirre-Montalvo pleaded guilty June 6, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Aguirre to serve 46 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
On April 25, Aguirre arrived in a vehicle at the Pharr Port of Entry from Mexico. Authorities then referred him for secondary inspection where they discovered 24 bundles of cocaine hidden in the floor area of the vehicle. Aguirre admitted to attempting to bring narcotics into the country in return for an undisclosed amount of money.
The cocaine weighed approximately 25 kilograms.
Aguirre will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan prosecuted the case.
Springbrook Man Sentenced to Prison for Failure to Pay Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Gregory Vreeland, 55, Springbrook, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to one year and one day in federal prison for failure to pay employment taxes. Vreeland pleaded guilty to this charge on April 18, 2024. Vreeland paid $684,469 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in unpaid taxes prior to entering a guilty plea in the case.
Vreeland owns and operates Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad, Inc. (the Railroad) which provides recreational train ride experiences, as well as rail car storage and rail switching services. Vreeland also co-owned and operated the Country House Motel and RV Park (the Motel) starting in August 2015. Both the Railroad and the Motel operated out of Spooner, Wisconsin.
The defendant served as the Railroad’s president and the Motel’s managing partner and was responsible for all aspects of the businesses, including among other things: signing checks, paying creditors, paying employees, signing and filing payroll taxes, making payroll tax deposits, and making banking deposits. Vreeland made the financial decisions for the Railroad and the Motel, including the filing of employment tax returns.
Vreeland failed to file employment tax forms for the Railroad from the fourth quarter of 2017 through all of 2021 and failed to pay over the associated employee withholdings for that same time period. Vreeland also failed to file employment tax forms for the Motel from the third quarter of 2015 through the third quarter of 2020 and failed to pay over the associated employee withholdings for that same time period. Vreeland used the employee withholdings to buy land and equipment to expand the Railroad’s operations, and to purchase a personal residence in Springbrook.
Vreeland was aware of his obligation to file employment tax forms and pay employment taxes because from 2014 to mid-2016, he received civil notices from the IRS for non-payment, which he initially ignored. Vreeland made no attempt to cooperate with the IRS until it began levying bank accounts.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson stated that Vreeland’s failure to pay employment taxes was a serious crime and was “part of a long-sustained pattern of criminal conduct.” Judge Peterson noted that the crime was aggravated by the fact that Vreeland had failed to pay over employment taxes from his businesses from 2014 - 2016 and then he engaged in the same conduct again starting in 2018. Judge Peterson also called Vreeland’s acts selfish and said the acts showed that Vreeland did not believe the tax laws applied to him.
The charge against Vreeland was a result of an investigation conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.
Spokane Man Caught with Methamphetamine Sent Through the U.S. Mail Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Ramon Alonso Delgado, age 24, of Spokane, Washington, was sentenced on one count of Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or more of Actual Methamphetamine. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 51 months in federal prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on August 30, 2022, a postal inspector in Spokane was contacted by another postal inspector in Arizona about a suspicious parcel, addressed to Delgado’s Spokane address. The parcel was subsequently sent directly to the U.S. Postal Inspector’s Office in Spokane.
On September 2, 2022, the postal inspector executed a search warrant on the parcel and seized a pound of methamphetamine and 2,000 fentanyl-laced pills.
“My office will continue to battle the drug epidemic on all fronts, including attempts to use the U.S. Postal Service as a way to traffic illegal substances,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Thanks to the stellar investigative work by our law enforcement partners and dedicated prosecutors in my office, drugs that are responsible for so much death and destruction in our communities were removed from the street, and the distributors were held accountable.”
“Today’s sentencing should send a clear message that using the U.S. Mail to facilitate drug trafficking activities will not be tolerated,” stated Anthony Galetti, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Seattle Division. “This successful investigation is a result of strong partnerships both within the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and with our local and federal law enforcement partners. Together we will continue to be vigilant in the pursuit of justice against those who illegally utilize the U.S. Postal Service to traffic dangerous narcotics.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick J. Cashman and Timothy J. Ohms.
2:22-cr-00126-TOR
South Carolina Man Indicted for Fraudulently Obtaining Millions from Delaware State Child Support Services Bank AccountRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Brandon Lamont Swain (53, Columbia, SC) with eight counts of bank fraud. If convicted, Swain faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison on each count.
According to the indictment, Swain fraudulently obtained millions of dollars from the State of Delaware, Division of Child Support Services (DCSS), Positive Pay bank account. The State of Delaware used the DCSS account to distribute child support payments to custodial parents.
In connection with the scheme, Swain caused more than $2.7 million to be transferred from the DCSS account to various businesses and financial institutions, for his personal gain. For example, Swain used the DCSS account to purchase over $2 million in timeshare interests in resort properties in Orlando and elsewhere.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.
Six Block Gang Member Faces Minimum of Ten Years in Federal Prison for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Al’Donta Easterling (26, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Easterling faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, beginning no later than October 2022 and continuing through July 2024, Easterling was an armed distributor for a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that transported large quantities of marijuana from California to Jacksonville. Easterling and his co-conspirators routinely traveled to California, where they acquired marijuana and smuggled it back to Jacksonville in suitcases on commercial flights or through mail parcels. In Jacksonville, Easterling and his co-conspirators sold marijuana from short-term rental properties. At these residences, Easterling and his co-conspirators routinely carried and possessed firearms to protect themselves, the drugs they distributed, and proceeds from the drug sales. Federal agents seized more than 100 kilograms of marijuana from the DTO during the investigation. On May 22, 2024, detectives from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) arrested Easterling after finding a pound of marijuana and a loaded Glock pistol in his vehicle. According to JSO, Easterling is a documented member of the Six Block street gang.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Aakash Singh and Kirwinn Mike.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Sheriff’s Deputies Allegedly Tipped Off DEA TargetRead the Press Release
Two sheriff’s deputies who allegedly tipped off a drug trafficker about an impending DEA raid are being federally prosecuted, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Kyle Linker, 33, was charged via criminal information and pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of obstruction of justice.
His colleague, Paul Jessen, Jr., 34, was indicted Tuesday on one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, two counts of obstruction of justice, and two counts of making false statements. He has not yet entered a plea.
“Local, state, and federal law enforcement must work in concert to keep our communities safe. When we find a uniformed officer has undermined another agency’s investigation, we take swift action,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “Law enforcement works best when we work as a team.”
"It's deeply troubling when sworn Law Enforcement officers disclose information about upcoming operations to criminals," said Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. "It endangers the officers in the operation and jeopardizes the evidence they are seeking. The FBI will continue to provide all available resources towards identifying, investigating, and presenting for prosecution any individuals who betray their badges and their oaths of office."
“Every day, the men and women of the DEA work with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to bring drug dealers to justice,” said Towanda Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s El Paso Field Division. “Mr. Linker chose to partner with the drug dealers instead, and now he too will face the consequences.”
According to Mr. Linker’s plea papers, the two deputies met the drug trafficker during the execution of a state search warrant in Los Ranchos, New Mexico, in July 2021. After finding methamphetamine inside his residence, they recruited him as a confidential informant.
In November 2021, a DEA agent notified Mr. Linker that the agency planned to conduct an operation near the drug trafficker’s home. Fearing the operation might target the trafficker, Mr. Linker reached out to warn him about the impending operation. The drug trafficker canceled his upcoming transaction, and the DEA was unable to gather evidence against him.
Upon examining the drug trafficker’s phone records, DEA agents began to suspect that he had been tipped off by Mr. Linker and decided to conduct another operation without notifying Mr. Linker first.
In December 2021, the DEA executed a search warrant at the drug trafficker’s residence and located more than 470 grams of methamphetamine and a firearm.
During the ensuing interview, the drug trafficker admitted to the agents that he had been previously tipped off by Mr. Linker. The DEA devised a plan to confirm the trafficker’s account.
Shortly thereafter, an agent contacted Mr. Linker to inform him the DEA was planning to use an informant to purchase methamphetamine from the drug trafficker. Although the agent specifically instructed Mr. Linker not to contact the trafficker, Mr. Linker messaged the trafficker to “call me ASAP.”
Unbeknownst to Mr. Linker, the drug trafficker was still in the presence of law enforcement.
The drug trafficker called Mr. Linker, who told him he was “on DEA’s radar” and instructed him to have someone else deliver drugs to the DEA informant.
Shortly after receiving word from the DEA that the operation would continue as planned, Mr. Linker texted Mr. Jessen to complain about the DEA’s plan.
“Tell [trafficker] not to sell to anyone. And go to a hotel or stay with someone else for a bit,” Mr. Jessen allegedly responded.
“What I should do is have you call [trafficker] that way when they ultimately say I tipped [trafficker] off I can show them my call logs and be like I haven’t talked to him since this morning,“ Mr. Linker texted back.
“I’ll [expletive] do it,” Mr. Jessen allegedly responded.
“Perfect,” Mr. Linker said. “Plausible deniability for me.”
The pair then allegedly called the drug trafficker from Mr. Jessen’s phone.
Mr. Linker told the drug trafficker the DEA would move forward with the operation and advised him to “shut everything down.” He then gave the trafficker excuses he could use to explain why he’d called off the transaction.
The drug trafficker was charged in a separate federal case. In June 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and is currently awaiting sentencing.
Mr. Linker now faces up to 20 years in federal prison. His sentencing date has not yet been set.
Mr. Jessen – who is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law – faces up to 70 years in federal prison if convicted of all counts.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Albuquerque District Office, and the Department of Justice – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Northern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Long is prosecuting the case in the District of New Mexico.
Second Child Predator Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing a Child and Drugging Them with MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS—Dustin Scott Cox, 54, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child.
According to court documents, between at least February and September of 2020, Dustin Cox conspired with Zachary Nichols to sexually abuse and produce sexual images of a fifteen-year-old child. Cox is a repeat child sex offender, convicted in 2004 for coercing a 14-year-old to perform sex acts in exchange for a new bicycle.
In 2020, Cox was Zachary Nichols’ methamphetamine dealer. Nichols sexually abused the child victim for years. Nichols began allowing Cox to sexually abuse the child as well, in exchange for supplying Nichols with methamphetamine. On multiple occasions, Cox and Nichols recorded their sexual abuse of the victim. The child was nearly incapacitated because of drug use in some of the child sex abuse material that Nichols and Cox created.
In June of 2024, Zachary Nichols was sentenced to 42 years in federal prison for his role in sexually exploiting and abusing the child.
“These heinous predators repeatedly sexually abused a child, incapacitated them with meth, and traded the victim’s body for drugs,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Our hearts go out to the survivor of these horrific abuses, and we hope this prosecution brings them some measure of peace. The lifelong trauma inflicted by these sick criminals merits federal prison sentences that will ensure that neither of them ever harms another child. Together with our partners at the FBI and IMPD, our office is committed aggressively prosecuting sex offenders who prey upon our children and removing them from our communities.”
“Every child deserves to be live and thrive in a safe environment without worry of harm and abuse. This sentence reflects the severity of this heinous offense and should put others on notice that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold accountable those who prey on our children,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton.
The FBI and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II. Cox has also been ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to the victim and maintain his sex offender status wherever he lives, works, or goes to school upon release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
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Ra Medical Systems, Inc. & Physicians Pay over $8 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations of Illegal KickbacksRead the Press Release
DETROIT – United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today a series of three civil settlements, totaling over $8 million, related to, among other allegations, kickbacks that medical device company Ra Medical Systems, Inc. (Ra Medical), paid to various physicians across the country related to Ra Medical’s DABRA laser.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Chicago Regional Office, Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Northeast Field Office.
Ra Medical was a medical device company that was formerly headquartered in Carlsbad, California. From 2017-2019, Ra Medical manufactured and sold a device known as the DABRA Laser. The settlement with Ra Medical resolves the following alleged violations of the False Claims Act:
- Ra Medical marketed the DABRA Laser for use in atherectomies, a procedure whereby plaque is mechanically removed from occluded blood vessels in patients suffering from peripheral artery disease. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, however, had not approved the DABRA Laser for use in atherectomy procedures.
- Additionally, Ra Medical knowingly marketed the DABRA Laser despite product performance issues causing frequent calibration and overheating problems, which posed a risk to physicians and patients, and prompted a recall in August 2019.
- Ra Medical also knowingly offered and paid illegal remuneration to certain physicians to induce them to use the DABRA Laser in violation of the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute. The United States contends that the illegal remuneration consisted of cash payments and fees paid in connection with purported training events and consulting services. The United States further contends that RMS tracked utilization of its high-volume physician customers using an internal document titled “Who Deserve[] Love,” which was used to identify physicians that RMS should target with offers of improper remuneration. Two of the recipients of the alleged kickback payments were Elias Kassab, M.D. (Kassab), of Dearborn, Michigan, and David Allie, M.D. (Allie), of Lafayette, Louisiana.
The Federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering or paying anything of value to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare and other federally funded programs. The statute is intended to ensure that a medical provider’s judgment is not compromised by improper financial incentives.
Under the terms of the agreement with Ra Medical, which was entered into pursuant to DOJ’s inability to pay settlement guidelines and was executed in December 2020, Ra Medical paid $2.5 million up front and would pay up to $28 million more if future financial contingencies were met. In January 2023, Ra Medical paid an additional $5 million, after its reverse merger with Catheter Precision, Inc., triggered one of the contingencies.
The settlement with Ra Medical remained under seal while the United States continued its investigation into Kassab and Allie, among others, who were alleged to have received improper kickbacks. In a separate settlement, Kassab and two of his companies agreed to pay $450,000 to resolve the allegations against them. In the third settlement, Allie and his consulting company agreed to pay $250,000 to resolve the allegations against them.
“The United States will not allow doctors to hold out their hands expecting to be paid to use and promote a device,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “The millions of people who depend on our federal healthcare programs deserve and expect medical decisions untainted by kickbacks, and this settlement reflects our commitment to pursuing not just the companies that pay illegal kickbacks, but also the physicians who willingly extract and accept them.”
“The payment of kickbacks to induce referrals can undermine the trust in our nation’s providers and result in costly reductions to our federal health care programs," said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “We will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement partners to ensure the appropriate use of taxpayer dollars.”
“Healthcare services are being unlawfully influenced by medical providers engaging in criminal kickback schemes, significantly impacting programs such as Medicare and Medicaid," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "Our office is fully committed to investigating and holding accountable those individuals and organizations involved in illegal profit-driven practices that harm our medical system.”
“Protecting TRICARE, the healthcare system for military members and their dependents, is a top priority for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General," stated Special Agent-in-Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, DCIS Northeast Field Office. "The settlement agreement announced today demonstrates our ongoing commitment to work with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to investigate allegations of healthcare fraud.”
The civil settlements resolve the claims brought by Robert Gruber, under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under these provisions, a private party may file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Gruber v. Ra Medical Systems, Inc., et al., No. 19-12044 (E.D. Mich.). The whistleblower will receive a combined $1,722,000 from the three settlements. The claims resolved by the settlements are allegations only; there has been no determination or admission of liability.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonny Zajac of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, with assistance from HHS-OIG, the FBI, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
RGV tax preparers sent to prison for $3M tax fraud schemeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – Three local sisters have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to aid and assist in the preparation of filing fraudulent tax returns to the IRS, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Maria Lourdes Campos and her sisters Elizabeth Romo and Gloria Romo pleaded guilty May 2.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now imposed a 42-month term of imprisonment for Campos, while Elizabeth Romo received 36 months and Gloria Romo received a one-year term of supervised release. Campos, Elizabeth Romo and Gloria Romo were ordered to pay $151,741, $119,793 and $9,528 in restitution, respectively. Campos and Elizabeth Romo were also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following their sentences. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony that included details about the systemic nature of the tax fraud at Campos Tax Service where employees, without explicit instruction, perpetuated inflated and fraudulent tax returns as part of the business model. Throughout the years that Maria Campos orchestrated this scheme, she enjoyed the financial spoils, including purchasing luxury vehicles and expanding her business to three locations.
“These sentencings stand as a resolute warning – the Southern District of Texas is unwavering in its commitment to eradicating financial crimes that plague the South Texas border,” said Hamdani. “To those who think they can exploit or perpetuate financial crimes in the Rio Grande Valley, it’s not a matter of if, but when you will face the full force of the Department of Justice. It is our duty and profound obligation to ensure that justice is not just an ideal, but a reality that resonates through every corner of our community.”
“The Campos and Romo sisters turned their family business into a large-scale tax fraud operation, expanding their scheme across multiple locations to drastically increase the number of fraudulent tax returns submitted to the IRS. Through their actions, they amassed millions of dollars in illegal tax refunds. This is a clear demonstration of criminal intent, driven by greed,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “Their business model was not just about financial gains, but also undermined the public’s trust in the integrity of tax preparers, who are relied upon to submit honest and accurate tax returns.”
Campos was the owner and operator of Campos Tax Service (CTS) located in the Rio Grande Valley for over 10 years. Employed at Campos Tax Service were Campos’s two sisters, Elizabeth Romo and Gloria Romo.
With the sisters’ assistance, most CTS clients fraudulently applied for and claimed either residential energy credits, business expenses or childcare credits. CTS employees did this to earn larger tax refunds for its clients. Once CTS employees completed the tax returns, they did not review the completed documents with their clients and only provided them with refund amounts or incomplete documents.From 2018 to 2020, Campos Tax Service filed approximately 6,501 federal income tax returns which included over $5 million of residential energy credits.
The false and fraudulent filings between Campos, Elizabeth Romo and Gloria Romo resulted in a total sustained tax harm of $3,672,472.
All were permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric D. Flores and Cahal P. McColgan prosecuted the case.
Quincy, Illinois, Man Sentenced to Five Years for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Quincy, Illinois, man, Damond Thomas, 31, was sentenced on September 23, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough, to 60 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine.
Thomas was indicted in September 2023 and pleaded guilty in May 2024. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Myerscough concluded that Thomas was responsible for the distribution of more than 60 grams of methamphetamine in the Central District of Illinois. Thomas’ criminal history includes two Illinois state court convictions involving weapons offenses.
The statutory penalties for distributing methamphetamine are up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Illinois State Police, the Quincy Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Thomas 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.
Providence Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Acquisition of SNAP Benefits, Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Dominican national unlawfully present in the United States and living in Providence was sentenced today to two years in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy that defrauded the United States Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) of more than $213,000 in benefits, and for illegally possessing a firearm at the time of his arrest, announced United States Attorney Zachary Cunha.
Giomar Lopez Meireles, 41, pleaded guilty on May 29, 2024, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, illegal acquisition or use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, and unlawful possession of a firearm. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 24 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. At the government’s request, the court also ordered the defendant to pay restitution in the amount of $213,397 to the Rhode Island Department of Human Services, which administers federal SNAP benefits in Rhode Island.
Lopez Meireles previously admitted to a federal judge that he conspired with others to submit fraudulent online applications for SNAP benefits in the form of electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards. As part of the scheme, the group used the real identities and social security numbers of third parties to submit fraudulent benefit applications . The ill-gotten, government funded, benefit cards were then either mailed to Lopez Meireles’s own residence or to a nearby addresses. The defendant sold some of these cards for cash while using some of the cards to make purchases for himself and others. He also sent some of the cash he received from selling the EBT cards to individuals in the Dominican Republic who were involved in the scheme.
During a court-authorized search of Lopez Meireles’s residence in October 2023, law enforcement seized a collection of fraudulently obtained EBT cards, many of which were wrapped in a paper ledger listing dollar amounts and PINs. Also seized was a 9mm pistol located in Lopez Meireles’s bedroom closet, wrapped in clothing.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julianne Klein.
This matter was investigated the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General and the Rhode Island Office of Internal Audit - Fraud Detection & Prevention Unit. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General, Rhode Island State Police, Providence Police Department, and Woonsocket Police Department.
Prineville Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Multi-Million Dollar Drug Treatment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A Prineville, Oregon woman was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for using stolen identities to submit fraudulent health care claims resulting in over $1.5 million in misappropriated funds from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Medicaid Program and filing false tax returns that failed to report earnings she received.
Darla K. Byus, 55, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $2,033,315 in restitution to OHA and the IRS.
“Her crimes betrayed the trust placed in this company as a substance abuse treatment provider in Oregon. We thank the state and federal investigators for their dedication and commitment to ending this scheme,” said Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eugene and Medford Branch Offices. “Business owners who abuse the system to line their pockets at the expense of our communities will be held accountable.”
“HHS-OIG is committed to protecting Oregon communities and taxpayer funds from schemes targeting Oregon’s Medicaid program, which provides necessary services to vulnerable populations,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG values our continued partnership with the Oregon Department of Justice’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and other law enforcement partners and will continue to investigate those who threaten the integrity of federal and state health care programs and the people served by them.”
“I am pleased that the joint investigation between our Medicaid Fraud Unit at Oregon DOJ and five federal agencies turned up the evidence needed for the United States Attorney to successfully prosecute this complex case. Oregon’s Medicaid program will get back over a million dollars it is rightfully owed, and those who try to defraud Oregonians and undermine our social safety net programs should be on notice— they will be caught and prosecuted,” said Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum.
According to court documents, from January 2019 to August 2021, Byus used her company, Choices Recover Services (CRS), to overbill the OHA Medicaid Program for substance abuse counseling services and to submit fraudulent reimbursement claims using the stolen identities of Medicaid recipients.
As an OHA Medicaid Provider for drug and alcohol related counseling services, CRS had access to a provider portal through the Medicaid Management Information System. Byus exploited this access to privileged information to determine a victim’s Medicaid eligibility. She then used their personally identifiable information to submit claims without the victim’s knowledge or authorization. Byus used the stolen identities more than 45 victims, at least a third of which were identified by searching jail roster websites for recent drug or alcohol related offenses.
Using CRS, Byus submitted over $3 million in false claims to the OHA Medicaid Program and received over $1.5 million in fraudulent proceeds. She used the misappropriated funds to purchase multiple properties in Oregon and to gamble. In addition, Byus knowingly filed false tax returns for herself and CRS, failing to pay approximately $450,438 in taxes.
On May 13, 2024, Byus was charged by criminal information with heath care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and making a false tax return and, on June 20, 2024, she pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Justice Tax Division, and the Oregon Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. It was prosecuted by Joseph H. Huynh and Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Previously convicted felon sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for fentanyl, firearmsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man who illegally possessed kilograms of narcotics and multiple loaded firearms in the same residence as six young children was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 135 months in prison.
Shedrick Hawkins, 33, possessed with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine and illegally possessed firearms as a previously convicted felon.
According to court documents, in April and May 2023, investigators learned Hawkins was the source of supply for many undercover drug transactions they had conducted.
In June 2023, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at Hawkins’s residence, where six children ranging from infancy to 9 years old were present. At the residence, investigators discovered nearly one kilogram of fentanyl, more than 1.7 kilograms of cocaine and four firearms. One of the firearms had a sear installed, which makes the firearm capable of acting as a fully automatic weapon. Investigators also discovered nearly $18,000 in cash, five cell phones and multiple rounds of ammunition in the residence.
Hawkins was charged federally in June 2023 and pleaded guilty in May 2024.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein announced the sentence imposed by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and Kevin W. Kelley, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Heidy T. Carr of the Columbus City Attorney’s Office are representing the United States in this case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and gangs that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison for Receipt of Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of the Western District of Pennsylvania has been sentenced to 108 months of imprisonment, followed by ten years of supervised release on his federal felony conviction pertaining to his receipt of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Shawn Michael Hoffman, age 41, following his guilty plea to this violation of federal law. In imposing the sentence, Judge Hardy emphasized the extremely serious nature of this federal offense and the harm the defendant caused to the minor victim.
The one-count Information named Shawn Michael Hoffman, age 41, formerly of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the information presented to the court, in September 2019, Hoffman initiated online communications and solicited sexually explicit visual depictions of the minor. Hoffman also received visual depictions of the minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct using the internet and cellular phone.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Transporting a Minor with the Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – John Oathout, age 54, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on Friday to 25 years in prison for transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Oathout admitted that after a romantic relationship ended with the victim’s mother, the victim’s mother permitted the defendant to take her daughter on overnight trips to Virginia and New York. During the week of Thanksgiving 2021, the defendant arranged to pick up the 5-year-old child from her home in Delaware and transport her to a hotel in Kingston, New York, where he subjected the child to sexual contact.
In addition to sentencing Oathout to serve 25 years in prison, Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also imposed a 20-year term of supervised release, which Oathout will begin serving after he is released from prison, at which time Oathout will also be required to register as a sex offender.
The FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated this case. The Task Force includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Assistant United States Attorney Carling Dunham prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locates, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Over 100 Defendants Federally Charged with Fraud Related to the COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the results achieved by the Middle District of Florida’s efforts to combat fraud related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March 2020, the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO-MDFL) has federally charged 109 individuals with fraud schemes designed to exploit state and federal programs implemented to alleviate the economic hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. These efforts include complementary actions by the USAO-MDFL’s Criminal, Civil, Asset Recovery, Appellate Divisions, in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
“The Middle District of Florida United States Attorney’s Office, in cooperation with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, is committed to holding accountable those people who schemed to steal or otherwise obtain through misconduct benefits intended for Americans coping with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg.
With respect to criminal enforcement, the USAO-MDFL and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies combined resources in March 2020 to form the Middle District of Florida COVID-19 Fraud Task Force with the purpose of identifying, investigating, and federally prosecuting fraud related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Since its inception, the Task Force has prosecuted 109 defendants for fraud schemes designed to exploit federal programs including the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”), Unemployment Insurance (“UI”), the Main Street Lending Program (“MSLP”), the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (“ERAP”), as well as government Healthcare programs such as Medicare. Collectively, these defendants sought to defraud the United States of over $96 million. Of the 109 charged defendants, 74 have already been found guilty while prosecution remains pending against 35 defendants.
The Middle District of Florida COVID-19 Fraud Task Force continues to aggressively investigate and prosecute individuals that took advantage of COVID-19 programs. On September 20, 2024, for example, a federal grand jury convicted Angela Chew (60, Leesburg) of conspiracy to bribe a public official and commit wire fraud, three counts of bribery of a public official, and six counts of wire fraud. Chew faces up to 5 years in federal prison on the conspiracy count, up to 15 years in federal prison on each of the bribery counts, and up to 20 years in federal prison on each of the wire fraud counts. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 18, 2024.
According to evidence presented at trial, Chew conspired with three others to submit applications for COVID-19 EIDLs containing false and fraudulent information in exchange for bribe payments. The evidence showed Chew used her position as a loan specialist for the Small Business Administration (SBA) to internally access those loan applications that she and a co-conspirator had submitted on behalf of others. Chew then took actions on the applications within the SBA’s internal processing system that moved the loans towards approval. For example, Chew submitted a loan on behalf of a co-conspirator’s business that she knew was not active or operating at the time she submitted the loan. The loan was flagged as a duplicate by the SBA’s internal system, which stopped the application from progressing toward approval and funding. Chew then entered the SBA’s loan processing system, accessed the loan application, reactivated it, and manipulated the loan’s status multiple times to progress the application toward approval and funding in the amount of $150,000. In exchange, Chew received thousands of dollars in bribe payments from two of her co-conspirators. The evidence showed that Chew caused the funding of at least six EIDL applications, for a total loss of over $800,000.
In July 2024, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Jared Dean Eakes (33, Jacksonville) with five counts of wire fraud and three counts of bank fraud. According to the superseding indictment, Eakes participated in a scheme to defraud investors and fraudulently secured approximately $4,752,270 in PPP loans. Eakes caused the submission of four PPP loan applications—including applications for two of the entities involved in the scheme to defraud investors—which contained false and fraudulent supporting documentation and statements regarding the entities’ employees and payroll. Once Eakes obtained the PPP loans, he did not use the funds for qualifying expenses as required by the program. Instead, he used the funds to engage in options trading or withdrew the funds in cash.
In addition to criminal prosecutions, the MDFL-USAO continues to investigate and pursue civil redress against individuals and entities who fraudulently or otherwise inappropriately obtained PPP funds. As an example of the latter scenario, in September 2024, Miles Partnership, LLC (“Miles”), a travel and tourism consulting company headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, agreed to a civil settlement of $2,281,950 to resolve allegations that Miles improperly obtained and received forgiveness for a second draw PPP loan. According to the information contained in the qui tam complaint, Miles was required to file a registration statement under FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act) due to its work with various foreign tourism boards. The United States investigated these allegations with the cooperation of Miles. The civil settlement will conclude the lawsuit.
Further, the USAO-MDFL’s Asset Recovery Division and federal seizing agencies have completed the forfeiture of more than $20 million of EIDL, UI, and PPP funds that were fraudulently obtained, depriving the fraudsters of their ill-gotten gains and recovering the proceeds for the victims. More than $18 million in additional pandemic fraud proceeds have been seized and are pending civil or criminal forfeiture.
The U.S. Attorney General has 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. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Through the PPP, the federal government authorized over $600 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. The EIDL program provides economic relief to small businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. The MSLP provided support to small and medium-sized businesses and their employees across the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. UI programs provided unemployment benefits to eligible workers who became unemployed through no fault of their own.
The criminal cases charged by the Middle District of Florida COVID-19 Fraud Task Force have been investigated by the Small Business Administration—Office of Inspector General, the Small Business Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation, the Department of Labor—Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Service, the Federal Housing Finance Agency—Office of Inspector General, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation—Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board—Office of Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services—Office of Inspector General, Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General, U.S. Agency for International Development, the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the Winter Park Police Department, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys throughout the Middle District of Florida.
The Department of Justice needs the public’s assistance in remaining vigilant and reporting suspected fraudulent activity. To report suspected fraud, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (“NCDF”) at (866) 720-5721 or file an online complaint at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. Complaints filed will be reviewed at the NCDF and referred to federal, state, local, or international law enforcement or regulatory agencies for investigation.
United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida
COVID Fraud Criminal Cases
Charged Cases
Defendant(s) (Age)
Charge(s)
Max. Imprisonment
Type of Fraud*
Intended Loss Amount
Tampa Division
Devontaie DeravilAggravated identity theft
Maximum Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive
Access device fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years
UI$480kJordan RossWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Illegal monetary transactions
Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years
EIDL/PPP$1.3MMarquett James
Alyson Marquett
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
EIDL/PPP$96kWillie Murray Jr.Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Aggravated identity theft
Maximum Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive
HCF$5MCharles Driver Jr.Conspiracy
Maximum Prison Term: 5 years
Access device fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 10 years
UI$175kEric CanonicoWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Illegal monetary transactions
Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years
PPP$2.3MAlexander LeszczynskiWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Bank fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Illegal monetary transactions
Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years
PPP$1.1MCapree HolmesWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
EIDL$159kJavarus PoliteWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP$20kLuis MoralesWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP$40kRosson HamiltonWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP$20kDavid AntonettiWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP$40kCarlos DonesWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP$14kSantos Cruz RiveraWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP$16kTevyan HepburnWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP$20kJeanty CherilusWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
EIDL/PPP$370kGage BowenWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP$20kThese COVID Fraud cases from the Tampa Division are being handled by AUSAs Tiffany Fields, Greg Pizzo, Candace Rich, Jennifer Peresie, Michael Kenneth, Merrilyn Hoenemeyer, and Daniel BaezaOrlando Division
Evan Edwards
Joshua Edwards
Conspiracy to commit bank fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 30 years
Bank fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 30 years
Visa fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 10 years
False statements
Maximum Prison Term: 30 years
PPP$8MEmmet BowensWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Illegal monetary transactions
Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years
PPP$740kLatresia WilsonFalse statements
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
HCF$2.6MShawn Simmerer
Seth Downes
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 years
Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 years
False claim
Maximum Prison Term: 5 years
PPP$344k
Daniel Bohorquez
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 years
Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 years
EIDL$546kThese COVID Fraud cases from the Orlando Division are being handled by AUSAs Kara Wick, Amanda Daniels, and DOJ Trial Attorney Keith ClouserFort Myers Division
Venera PriceMail fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
ERAP$82kTimothy JolloffWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Money laundering
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Illegal monetary transactions
Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years
PPP/EIDL$2.1MLisa JolloffMoney laundering
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Illegal monetary transactions
Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years
PPP/EIDL$2.1MDiop McKenzieBank fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 30 years
Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Aggravated identity theft
Maximum: Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive
EIDL/PPP$237kThese COVID Fraud cases from the Fort Myers Division are being handled by AUSA Yolande Viacava and Trent ReichlingJacksonville Division
Jared EakesWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Bank fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 30 years
PPP$4.7MNatasha Hemming
Tiffany Gonsalves
Joshua Seedhaire
Conspiracy
Access device fraud
Aggravated identity theft
Maximum: Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive
UI$5.6MThese COVID Fraud cases from the Jacksonville Division are being handled by AUSAs David Mesrobian and John CannizzaroOcala Division
Lisa Starkes
Ivan Starkes
Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP$80kThis COVID Fraud case from the Ocala Division is being handled by AUSA Hannah NowalkAdjudicated Cases
Tampa Division
Demarius WilsonWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP$18kThis COVID Fraud case from the Tampa Division is being handled by AUSA Michael KennethOrlando Division
Robert BurnsWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP$57kWilliam Barrientos
Grisoris Barrientos
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
EIDL$693kAngela ChewConspiracy
Maximum Prison Term: 5 Years
Bribery of a public official
Maximum Prison Term: 15 Years
Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
EIDL$732kThese COVID Fraud cases from the Orlando Division are being handled by Amanda Daniels, Diane Hu, and Richard VaradanJacksonville Division
James WiggWire Fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 years
PPP$476kCrystal HarvellWire Fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 years
PPP$20kThese COVID Fraud cases from the Jacksonville Division are being handled by AUSA, Kevin Frein
and Tysen Duva
Ocala Division
Passion JacksonWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP$20kNicole HardingWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP$20kHenry WadeWire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
EIDL$500kThese COVID Fraud cases from the Ocala Division are being handled by AUSA Hannah NowalkSentenced Cases
Tampa Division
Louis Thornton, IIIWire fraud
Sentence Imposed: 42 months in federal prison
EIDL/PPP$815kKary Stevenson
Corey Quinn
Conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft
Sentence Imposed: 5 years, 10 months in federal prison (Stevenson)
Sentence Imposed:7 years in federal prison (Quinn)
UI$1MBridgitte KeimBank fraud
Sentence Imposed: 2 years in federal prison
PPP$588kWayne GanawayConspiracy to commit wire fraud
Sentence Imposed: 4 years in federal prison
EIDL$300kRolanda WingfieldAccess device fraud, aggravated identity theft
Sentenced Imposed: 3 years in federal prison
UI$135kEriaius BentleyRacketeering conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud
Sentence Imposed: One year in federal prison
UI$3MTywon SpannRacketeering conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud
Sentence Imposed: 6 years and 9 months in federal prison
UI$3MKeaujay HornsbyRacketeering conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud
Sentence Imposed: 10 years and 10 months in federal prison
UI$3MKareem SpannRacketeering conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud
Sentence Imposed: 10 years and 10 months in federal prison
UI$3MRandy JonesWire fraud, aggravated identity theft
Sentence Imposed: 5 years and 1 month in federal prison
EIDL/UI$250kJulio LugoConspiracy to commit money laundering
Sentence Imposed: 7 years and 6 months in federal prison
EIDL/PPP$4.4MKeith NicolettaConspiracy to commit money laundering
Sentence Imposed: 24 months in federal prison
PPP$1.9MRosenide VenantConspiracy to commit money laundering
Sentence Imposed: 5 years in federal prison
EIDL/PPP$413kMelinda HernandezConspiracy to commit wire fraud,
wire fraud and aggravated identity theft
Sentence imposed: Three years and six months in federal prison
UI$1.5MBri’antina MillsWire fraud and theft of government funds
Sentence imposed: 15 months in federal prison
EIDL$10KJorge Gutierrez EcheverriaWire fraud
Sentence imposed: Two years and six months in federal prison
EIDL$150kOmar Esquivel BelloWire fraud
Sentence imposed: 15 months in federal prison
EIDL$242kSteve Moodie
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft
Sentence imposed: 5 years and 10 months in federal prison
UI$1.5MRichard SimpkinsConspiracy to commit money laundering
Sentence imposed: 5 years and 10 months in federal prison
PPP$1.9MDevaris McClainConspiracy to commit wire fraud, access device fraud
Sentence imposed: 5 years and 1 month in federal prison
UI$85kJalissa McDuffyWire fraud
Sentence imposed: 3 years supervised release with 6 months home detention
PPP$41kKieanna GarrettWire fraud
Sentence imposed: 60 days’ imprisonment
EIDL$40kMarqus Willard JohnsonBank fraud
Money laundering
Sentence imposed: 18 months’ imprisonment followed by 60 moths supervised release
PPP$500kMehdi TaziConspiracy, Aggravated identity theft
Sentenced imposed: 5 years imprisonment followed by4 years supervised release
UI$1.5MTyree WingfieldConspiracy, Aggravated identity theft
Sentenced imposed: 5 years and 10 months imprisonment followed by4 years supervised release
UI$1.5MDawn OgundeleTheft of government funds
Sentence imposed: 2 years’ probation
PPP$20kAlexander AlliWire fraud conspiracy
Sentence imposed: 13 months’ imprisonment
EIDL$80kCharles CunninghamBank fraud
Sentence imposed: 21 months’ imprisonment
PPP$800kJailyn HolmesWire fraud
Sentence imposed: 5 years’ probation
PPP$20kNicole Bramble-KingWire fraud
Sentence imposed: 5 years’ probation
PPP$40kTommy LouisvilleWire fraud
Sentence imposed: 12 months’ imprisonment
PPP$33kJoseph AbdoWire fraud
Illegal monetary transactions
Sentence imposed: 5 years’ probation
PPP$500kBarrett PurvisWire fraud
Money laundering
Sentence imposed: 2 years and 9 months in federal prison
EIDL$499kBergeline LexisConspiracy to commit wire fraud
Sentence imposed: 10 months in federal prison
EIDL/PPP$68kThese COVID Fraud cases from the Tampa Division were handled by AUSAs Rachel Jones, Greg Pizzo, Tiffany Fields, Diego Novaes, Jennifer Peresie, Merrilyn Hoenemeyer, Jay Trezevant, SAUSA Chris Poor, and DOJ Trial Attorney John ScanlonOrlando Division
Daniel JohnsonConspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, unlawful transfer of firearm
Sentence Imposed: 7 years, 6 months in federal prison
UI$2.3MJacquavius SmithPossession of short-barreled rifle; felon in possession of firearm; and aggravated identity theft
Sentence Imposed: 7 years, 1 month in federal prison
PPP$10kJohnson EustacheWire fraud
Sentence Imposed: 5 years in federal prison
EIDL/PPP$2.2MJoseph HarrisonConspiracy to commit wire fraud
Sentence Imposed: 12 months in federal prison
UI$2.1MTomas ZiupsnysConspiracy to commit bank fraud; bank fraud; aggravated identity theft
Sentence Imposed: 5 years in federal prison
PPP$2MHolly UrbanConspiracy to commit bank fraud
Sentence Imposed: 30 months in federal prison
PPP$1.5MJoel GreenbergConspiracy to commit wire fraud and other offenses while on pretrial release
Sentence Imposed: 11 years in federal prison
EIDL$430kDon Cisternino
Wire fraud, illegal monetary transactions, and aggravated identity theft
Sentence Imposed: 8 years and 6 months in federal prison
PPP$7.2MKeith IngersollConspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft
Sentence imposed: 9 years, 1 month in federal prison.
EIDL$66kJaheim DavisAccess device fraud and aggravated identity theft
Sentence imposed: 3 years, 6 months in federal prison.
UI$219kTeresa McIntyreConspiracy to commit wire fraud and other offenses
Sentence Imposed: 5 years’ probation
EIDL$730kBrian BlakePossession of device-making equipment, access device fraud, aggravated identity theft
Sentence Imposed: 9 years and 8 months in federal prison
PPP/UI$832kJoseph FaubertBank fraud
Sentenced Imposed: 5 years probation
PPP$778kThese COVID Fraud cases from the Orlando Division were handled by AUSAs John Gardella, Amanda Daniels, Chauncey Bratt, Emily Chang, Shannon Laurie, and Jennifer Harrington, and U.S. Attorney Roger HandbergJacksonville Division
Jacob ByrdWire fraud
Sentence Imposed: 5 years’ probation
PPP$10kDeconna BurkeWire fraud
Sentence Imposed: 5 years’ probation
PPP$20kDesmond WilliamsWire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud
Sentenced Imposed: 5 years’ probation
PPP$40kKenneth LandersWire fraud and illegal monetary transaction
Sentence Imposed: 1 year in federal prison followed by 1 year of supervised release
PPP$1.4MChristopher DaragjatiWire fraud , Theft of government funds, and Aggravated identity theft
Sentenced imposed: 5 years’cisternino imprisonment followed by 3 years’ supervised release.
PPP$150kThis COVID Fraud case from the Jacksonville Division was handled by AUSA Kevin Frein and Michael CoolicanFort Myers Division
Casey CrowtherBank fraud, false statement to a financial institution, illegal monetary transaction
Sentence Imposed: 3 years, 1 month in federal prison
PPP$2.7MAnthony Bruey
Amber Bruey
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, illegal monetary transactions
Sentence Imposed:
Anthony Bruey: 4 years, 3 months in federal prison
Amber Bruey: 4 years in federal prison
PPP/EIDL$881kEdrica Leann WatsonFalse statement to a lending institution
Sentence Imposed: 15 months in federal prison
PPP$392kDaniel Joseph TisoneWire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft, possession of ammunition by a prohibited person
Sentence Imposed: 7 years in federal prison
PPP/EIDL/MSLP$10.7MLiliana GonzalezWire fraud
Sentence Imposed: 5 years of probation with 18 months of home confinement
PPP$169kAl Clint LaRocheBank fraud
Sentence Imposed: Two years in federal prison
PPP$1MDenis CasseusBank fraud and illegal monetary transaction
Sentence Imposed: 2 years in federal prison followed by 3 years’ supervised release
PPP$298kEvan GravesWire fraud
Sentence Imposed: 18 months in federal prison
EIDL$1.3MIsmaelle ManuelBank fraud
Sentence Imposed: Credit for time served followed by 5 years supervised release
PPP$280kThese COVID Fraud cases from the Fort Myers Division were handled by AUSAs Trent Reichling, Michael Leeman, Jesus M. Casa, Simon Eth, and Yolande ViacavaOcala Division
Lavelle HarrisWire fraud
Sentence Imposed: Two years and three months in federal prison
PPP$1.2MThis COVID Fraud case from the Ocala Division was handled by AUSA Hannah NowalkTypes of Fraud*
Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
Unemployment Insurance (UI)
Main Street Lending Program (MSLP)
Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)
Health Care Fraud (HCF)
Nine Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On May 15, 2024, a federal grand jury in Knoxville, Tennessee, returned a 21-count indictment against nine defendants—Jamal Witcher, 35, of Mansfield, Ohio; Taeshawn Witcher, 18, of Detroit, Michigan; Skyler Anthony Starkey Steward, 18, of Mansfield, Ohio; Ricky Lynn Coffey, 36, of Bean Station, Tennessee; Keshon Lee, 27, of Detroit, Michigan; Emani Mason, 25, of Detroit, Michigan; Gianna Ryan, 22, of New Castle, Pennsylvania; Payton English, 27, of Mooresburg, Tennessee; and Bernie Smallwood, 62, of Mooresburg, Tennessee.
The indictment charges all the defendants with a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846. It additionally charges Jamal Witcher, Taeshawn Witcher, Steward, Coffey, Lee, Mason, and Ryan with possession with intent to distribute or distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The indictment charges Coffey with possession with intent to distribute cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), possession of a firearm, including a firearm equipped with a silencer, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), and possession of an unregistered firearm in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d). It also charges Jamal Witcher, Taeshawn Witcher, and Steward with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 924(c). Jamal Witcher is charged with money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(3). English and Smallwood are also charged with maintaining drug involved premises in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 856(a)(2).
The indictment was unsealed after the last of the defendants appeared in court on September 25, 2024, before the Honorable Debra C. Poplin, United States Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. All have pleaded not guilty, and the trial has been set for November 19, 2024, before the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court at Knoxville.
Upon conviction, Jamal Witcher, Taeshawn Witcher, and Steward each faces a statutory mandatory minimum term of 15 years and up to life in prison and other penalties; Coffey faces a statutory mandatory minimum term of 40 years and up to life in prison and other penalties; Lee, Mason, Ryan, and Smallwood each faces a statutory mandatory minimum term of ten years and up to life in prison and other penalties; and English faces up to 20 years in prison and other penalties.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III, of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
This indictment is the result of an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the 4th Judicial District Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the 3rd Judicial District Drug Task Force, the Grainger County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Hamblen County Sheriff’s Office, the Knoxville Police Department, the White Pine Police Department, and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigation.
The case is a part of the 313 Initiative, a concerted and organized effort by numerous local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to identify, target, and dismantle groups from the Detroit area that are bringing deadly drug combinations into Knox County and surrounding areas.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Hollingshead-Cook will represent the United States.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Niagara Falls woman pleads guilty to fentanyl charge involving overdose deathRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Ranique Davis, 31, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, fentanyl, was sentenced to time served and three years’ probation by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson, who handled the case, stated that on April 22, 2021, the Lockport Police and Fire Departments responded to a 911 call at a South Street residence and found Davis’s mother and stepfather, both unconscious and unresponsive. and suffering from fentanyl overdoses. Davis’s stepfather was revived with Narcan and survived. First responders attempted lifesaving treatment on Davis’s mother, but she could not be revived and was pronounced deceased. The cause of death was determined to be acute fentanyl intoxication. Earlier in the evening, Davis communicated with her stepfather by cell phone and agreed to provide blue Percocet pills. After exchanging messages, Davis and two co-conspirators drove to the South Street residence and sold Davis’s stepfather four fake Percocet pills from the conspirators, which were shared with Davis’s mother. The fake Percocet pills contained fentanyl. A short time later, Davis’s stepfather and mother ingested the pills and both lost consciousness.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, and the Lockport Police department, under the direction of Chief Steven Abbott.
New Britain Resident Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Child Sex Abuse VideosRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LUIS A. ROSADO, 31, of New Britain, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for possessing videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in May and June 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) received two CyberTipline reports from Kik Messenger that two separate Kik Messenger accounts had been used to upload video files depicting the sexual abuse of children. The investigation connected both Kik Messenger usernames to Rosado and determined that, between April and June 2022, he used them to upload and distribute 104 video files depicting the sexual abuse of children, including prepubescent children.
Rosado, who resided in Manchester at the time of the offense, was arrested on October 6, 2022. On February 5, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.
Rosado, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on December 4.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Connecticut State Police, the Manchester Police Department, and the Connecticut Center for Digital Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
New Bedford Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing over $450,000 in Veterans Disability FundsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man pleaded guilty today to stealing over $450,000 in disability benefits issued by the United States Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) intended for a 20-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps who was suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Joseph Smith, 71, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government benefits and one count of conspiracy to steal government benefits before U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick, who scheduled sentencing for Jan. 15, 2025. Smith was charged in June 2024.
Shortly after the victim’s ALS diagnosis in August 2015, the VBA approved the victim’s application for disability benefits and awarded him approximately $8,318 in monthly payments. The VBA began issuing payments in September 2015 via monthly checks mailed to the victim’s former residence in New Bedford, where he had resided with Smith’s relative.
Between approximately 2015 and 2020, while the victim was hospitalized for ALS, Smith and others received monthly VBA disability checks intended for the victim and deposited those checks into bank accounts they controlled. Smith first deposited the disability checks into a bank account in his own name and then began depositing the checks into a bank account that he and others fraudulently opened in the name of victim. Shortly after depositing the disability checks, Smith withdrew the funds in cash and used the money for personal expenses.
In total, between in or around 2015 and 2020, Smith and others stole more than $450,000 in VBA disability benefits intended for the victim.
“This defendant’s craven actions represent a gross betrayal of our nation’s veterans and the sacrifices they make to keep our country free and safe. Stealing from a Marine Corps veteran who bravely served for 20 years and was literally fighting for his life as he battled a devastating illness is about as low as it gets and it is a crime,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Every American owes a debt of gratitude to the men and women who have worn the uniform. Stealing from them is simply immoral.”
“Today's guilty plea underscores our commitment to investigating and holding accountable those involved in fraudulent activities, especially those who target our veterans,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service's Boston Division. “This investigation showcases the results that postal inspectors strive to achieve in collaboration with our law enforcement partners. We remain dedicated to our mission of identifying and prosecuting those who exploit others through fraudulent schemes.”
“Today’s guilty plea sends the message that the VA Office of Inspector General will work to hold accountable those individuals who would steal benefits intended for deserving veterans with disabilities,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their excellent work in pursuing justice in this case.”
“Misusing someone’s identity and Social Security number to steal federal disability benefits is a crime and these particular offenses are deplorable,” said Michelle L. Anderson, Acting Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “My office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to protect taxpayers’ funds from those seeking to defraud federal programs. I thank our partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work in this case.”
The charge of theft of government benefits provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of conspiracy to steal government benefits provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, USPIS INC Larco-Ward, VA-OIG SAC Algieri and SSA-OIG Acting INC Anderson made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of the Securities Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Nashville Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Multiple Armed Robbery and Firearms ConvictionsRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE - Terrell Stevenson, 35, of Nashville was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison today, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Henry C. Leventis.
Within 40 minutes on Halloween night 2018, Stevenson robbed a Dollar General Store and a Mapco gas station in Nashville, brandishing a semi-automatic pistol and pointing it at the head of the clerk working at the Dollar General Store. Stevenson and his accomplice were arrested by police officers after fleeing from a traffic stop. Stevenson was charged by a federal grand jury in January of 2020 with two counts of Hobbs Act Robbery, two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was convicted on all charges following a jury trial in September 2023.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Stephens and Kathryn Risinger prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Muskegon County Man Charged in Bomb HoaxRead the Press Release
Threat disrupted Caribbean cruise
GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Joshua Darrell Lowe II, 19, of Bailey, Michigan, was indicted on criminal charges related to an alleged bomb hoax.
“We take every threat of mass violence seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Hoaxes can endanger lives, incur needless costs, and divert public safety resources needed to address real threats. My office has zero tolerance for wrongdoers who intentionally convey false and misleading information that prompts a law enforcement response.”
In January 2024, Carnival Cruise Lines received an e-mail warning, “Hey, I think someone might have a bomb on your sunrise cruise ship.” The cruise ship, Sunrise, had just departed Miami, Florida with a full complement of passengers and crew, and was sailing toward Jamaica as part of a Caribbean cruise. As a result of the message, the ship’s personnel individually searched over a thousand staterooms. Carnival alerted the U.S. Coast Guard and Jamaican authorities, whose Marine Police escorted the ship to port. According to court documents, Lowe is charged with making a false bomb threat.
“Bomb threats are not a laughing matter and are extremely irresponsible,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “When individuals make false hoax threats, they divert critical law enforcement resources and spread unnecessary fear. The FBI takes all threats to life seriously and will ensure that those who resort to this kind of intimidation face the appropriate consequences.”
If convicted, Lowe faces a penalty of up to five years in prison and will be required to pay restitution for expenses associated with the hoax.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler is prosecuting it.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Montgomery County Man Pleads Guilty to Election Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Philip C. Pulley, 62, of Huntington Valley, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before Chief United States District Court Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg on charges of falsely registering to vote, double voting, and election fraud. Pulley was charged with those violations by information last month.
In 2018, while registered to vote in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, the defendant also registered to vote in Broward County, Florida.
In 2020, while already registered to vote in Montgomery County and Broward County, he registered to vote in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, using a false home address in Philadelphia and social security number.
In the 2022 general election, which included the election for United States Senator, Pulley voted in both Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.
“Ensuring that our elections are free and fair is critical to maintaining the public’s trust in the results,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “My office and the FBI will continue to enforce the federal laws prohibiting election crimes like Mr. Pulley’s. We will investigate, prosecute, and hold these violators accountable.”
“Free and fair elections are the foundation of American democracy, and voter fraud undermines our democratic system,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Protecting the right to participate in this process remains a top priority for the FBI and our partners.”
Pulley is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2025. On each count, he faces a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $10,000 to $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nancy E. Potts and Mark B. Dubnoff, with support from James Price, Senior Deputy Attorney General and Special Assistant United States Attorney.
Mission Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, Larceny, and Failure to AppearRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, Larceny, and Failure to Appear. The sentencing took place on September 16, 2024.
Hunter Brave, 21, was sentenced to one year and ten months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, $1,000 restitution, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brave was indicted for possession of an unregistered firearm in September of 2023. He was indicted for failure to appear, and robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon, by a federal grand jury in January of 2024. On May 14, 2024, a Superseding Information charging Larceny was filed. Brave pleaded guilty in all three cases on May 22, 2024.
On August 6, 2023, Brave was in a vehicle parked outside the Sunrise Apartments in Mission, South Dakota, on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. Brave was in possession of a “short shotgun” also known as a sawed-off shotgun, and fired a round off prompting calls to 911 by community members. Law enforcement responded and found Brave with the shotgun that was not registered to him in the National Firearms and Transfer Record. Following his indictment, Brave was released on bond conditions.
On November 28, 2023, Brave and a co-defendant stole a vehicle in Mission, driving in a reckless manner, causing damage to the vehicle. On November 30, 2023, Brave failed to appear for a bond revocation hearing in federal court in Pierre as required by his bond conditions.
These cases were investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Brave was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Minnesota man pleads guilty in conspiracy to create and share animal torture videosRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Minnesota man pled guilty yesterday to conspiracy to create and distribute animal crushing videos.
According to court documents, from at least June 11, 2021, to July 8, 2022, Jeffrey Radtke, 61, of Bloomington, Minnesota, received over 20 electronic payments ranging from $1 to $300 from his coconspirators, to fund, among other things, payments to videographers outside of the United States, including Indonesia, to create videos depicting the torture and deaths of juvenile macaque monkeys.
Radtke and others had direct communications with Coconspirator 11 (CC11) in Indonesia. Radtke and others routinely communicated with CC11 for the creation of animal crush videos and would direct the videographers how to torture the animals. Between June 7, 2021, and Aug. 5, 2022, Radtke sent over 40 payments ranging from $25 to $295 to CC11 to create new animal crush videos to send to the coconspirators.
On April 24, 2023, law enforcement seized Radtke’s electronic devices. Radtke’s computer contained over 2,600 videos and 2,700 images depicting animal crushing.
Radtke is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 13, 2025, and faces up to five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-88.
Mexican National Gets 6 Years in Prison for Leading $25 Million Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Miguel Martinez, 39, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, was sentenced today to six years in prison for leading a $25 million fraud against the IRS, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
“Martinez sought to steal millions in taxpayer funds meant to provide services for us all,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Today’s sentence is fitting for someone who embodies such reckless disregard for the law. This office will continue our efforts to bring to justice those who would organize and lead such schemes.”
“Miguel Martinez’s involvement in this complex tax scheme ultimately earned him six years in prison. IRS-CI special agents worked extremely hard day in and day out to dismantle this group of bad actors who preyed on innocent, hardworking taxpayers, and the United States government,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley. “Today’s sentencing is a true reflection of the collaborative commitment between IRS-CI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect the people in our communities, uphold a fair tax system, and bring justice to light.”
According to court records, from November 2019 through June 2023, Martinez led a scheme to file hundreds of fraudulent tax returns that claimed millions of dollars in refunds. Martinez used stolen identities to create fake businesses and report phony wage and withholding information for the businesses to the IRS. He then submitted hundreds of individual income tax returns to the IRS in the names of still other individuals whose identities he had also stolen, claiming that those individuals worked for the fake businesses and were owed tax refunds based on the phony wage and withholding information that had been reported.
Martinez used several people to help him carry out the scheme. This included Martinez’s co‑defendant, Victor Cruz, who was a tax return preparer in Bakersfield and is alleged to have helped to file some of the fraudulent tax returns. It also included a former IRS tax examiner who gave Martinez advice on how to avoid the IRS’ fraud detection systems. In exchange, Martinez paid them thousands of dollars and took them out to lavish dinners.
As a result of the scheme, the IRS paid out $2.3 million in tax refunds. When federal agents arrested Martinez and searched his three homes, he was found with $750,000 in fraudulent tax refund checks, identification cards for more than 200 individuals, and multiple firearms that he could not lawfully possess due to his illegal status in the United States.
Importantly, Martinez lied to government agents when he was first interviewed in the beginning of the investigation. Martinez initially said that he had no knowledge of, or involvement in, tax preparation for others, and that he just sold gold and ran a party rental business. He also said that he did not know others who were involved in the scheme and that he did not have any relevant text messages or other evidence. Those statements, however, were later contradicted by his conviction in this case.
This case is the product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Henry Carbajal III are prosecuting the case.
Victor Cruz is awaiting trial. The charges against him are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Media Advisory - News ConferenceRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael Easley, will hold a press conference today to provide an update on an investigation into drug trafficking in Eastern North Carolina. The update will include an announcement of the sentence of Michael Kenneth Cox, a former Wayne County Sheriff’s deputy who pled guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy and mail and wire fraud.
WHERE: U.S. Attorney’s Office – 150 Fayetteville Street, Suite 2100
WHEN: Wednesday, September 25 at 3:00 p.m.
Media: please arrive by 2:30 for set up.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for over $500,000 in Retail TheftRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Michael O’Brien, Jr., was sentenced to 60 months in prison for crimes related to fraud, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and United States Secret Service (USSS) Special Agent in Charge Shawn M. Bradstreet. The sentence was imposed by the Honorable Beth Labson Freeman, United States District Judge.
On Apr. 25, 2024, O’Brien, 32, of Worcester, Mass., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, and five counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. A grand jury indicted O’Brien on Aug. 3, 2023.
According to court documents, from May 22, 2018 to about Oct. 23, 2018, O’Brien conspired with others to defraud the Target Corporation (Target). O’Brien, who served as the leader of the conspiracy, purchased gift cards from Target, stole the gift card codes, and then sold the codes online. After O’Brien sold the codes, he and others returned the gift cards for a full refund.
O’Brien’s scheme was far reaching, affecting Target stores in California and 35 other states. O’Brien’s scheme involved thousands of gift cards resulting in the theft of at least $508,000. Judge Freeman ordered O’Brien to repay Target $508,000 in restitution. In his plea agreement, O’Brien admitted that the scheme’s intended loss was $1,077,100. In addition to the prison term, Judge Freeman ordered O’Brien to serve three years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed.
Assistant United States Attorneys Neal C. Hong and E. Wistar Wilson prosecuted the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by USSS and Homeland Security Investigations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and USSS appreciate the assistance of Target’s Field Investigations Team.
Maryland Woman Sentenced for Conspiring to Destroy the Baltimore Region Power GridRead the Press Release
Sarah Beth Clendaniel, 36, of Catonsville, Maryland, was sentenced today to 18 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for conspiring to damage or destroy electrical facilities in Maryland and a concurrent sentence of 15 years in prison and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
“Those who seek to attack our country’s critical infrastructure will face the full force of the U.S. Department of Justice,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Sarah Beth Clendaniel sought to ‘completely destroy’ the city of Baltimore by targeting five power substations as a means of furthering her violent white supremacist ideology. She will now spend the next 18 years in federal prison. The Justice Department will continue to aggressively counter, disrupt, and prosecute those who seek to launch these kinds of hate-fueled attacks that target our critical infrastructure, endanger entire cities, and threaten our national security.”
“The defendant plotted to disable the power grid around the entire Baltimore region and cause harm to thousands of people in pursuit of a racially motivated violent extremist agenda,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Her plan failed thanks to the great work of the FBI and our law enforcement partners. Today’s sentencing should serve as a warning to others that you will be held accountable if you attempt to carry out violent attacks on our infrastructure or threaten the safety of those in our communities.”
“Such cowardice, designed to disrupt and endanger the lives of Maryland’s citizens, will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “My office remains committed to protecting the security and well-being of the community by prosecuting such conduct to the full extent of the law.”
According to her plea agreement and other court documents, in 2018, Clendaniel became acquainted with Brandon C. Russell, a Florida resident, who is currently charged with conspiracy to damage or destroy electrical facilities in Maryland and is awaiting trial. Clendaniel and Russell espouse a white supremacist ideology and advocate a concept known as “accelerationism.” To “accelerate” or to support “accelerationism” is based on a white supremacist belief that the current system is irreparable and without an apparent political solution, and therefore violent action is necessary to precipitate societal and government collapse.
According to court documents, from at least December 2022 through February 2023, Clendaniel conspired with Russell to damage energy facilities involved in the transmission and distribution of electricity and to cause a significant interruption and impairment of the Baltimore regional power grid. The intended monetary loss associated with the planned attacks would have exceeded $75 million.
As set forth in her plea agreement, Clendaniel admitted that she communicated and planned over encrypted communication applications (ECA) to carry out attacks against energy facilities. Russell and Clendaniel communicated their plans to commit an attack on the Baltimore region power grid to a confidential human source (CHS-1).
Their plans began to coalesce on Jan. 12, 2023, when CHS-1 and Russell discussed the planned substation attack in Maryland with a goal of working with Clendaniel to “maximize impact” and “to coordinate to get multiple [substations] at the same time.” Later that same day, Clendaniel, using the moniker “Nythra88,” sent a message to CHS-1 on ECA confirming her support of the attack.
In the ensuing conversation, which continued through Jan. 14, 2023, Clendaniel told CHS-1 that she lived near Baltimore. She also stated that she was a felon, and had previously, but unsuccessfully, attempted to obtain a rifle. She asked CHS-1 to purchase a rifle for her, stating that she wanted to “accomplish something worthwhile” and that she wanted the rifle “within the next couple of weeks” to “accomplish as much as possible before June, at the latest.” On Jan. 18, 2023, on ECA, Clendaniel told CHS-1 that she had identified a few potential locations to target in her attack. CHS-1 stated that CHS-1 would have to be the “driver” and Clendaniel would have to be the “shooter” in the attack. Clendaniel confirmed that she was “determined to do this” and stated she would have done something earlier on her own if she had not lost her rifle “a few months ago.” The conversation continued with CHS-1 and Clendaniel discussing the specifics of the desired rifle and agreeing that Clendaniel would send CHS-1 a “wish list,” which she did the following day.
At various times from Jan. 21, 2023, through Jan. 29, 2023, CHS-1 exchanged encrypted messages, separately with Clendaniel and with Russell, in which they discussed in detail the rifle and specific firearms accessories that Clendaniel wanted and potential targets for their attack.
On Jan. 29, 2023, Clendaniel told CHS-1 that the five substations she planned to target included “Norrisville, Reisterstown, and Perry Hall.” Clendaniel described how there was a “ring” around Baltimore and if they hit a number of them all in the same day, they “would completely destroy this whole city.” She added that they needed to “destroy those cores, not just leak the oil . . . ” and that a “good four or five shots through the center of them . . . should make that happen.” Further, she stated that: “[i]t would probably permanently completely lay this city to waste if we could do that successfully.” When CHS-1 asked if it would accomplish a “cascading failure,” Clendaniel replied, “[y]es . . . probably” and that the attack targets are all “major ones.” Clendaniel also said that the most difficult target that they would have to do together has “fire walls on three sides.”
During that conversation, Clendaniel sent CHS-1 five links to the “Open Infrastructure Map” which showed the locations of five specific Baltimore, Gas and Electric (BGE) electrical substations in Maryland. BGE is an energy company that utilizes substations, like the five targeted sites, to produce, convert, transform, regulate and distribute energy. Three of the five substations were located near the towns of Norrisville, Reisterstown, and Perry Hall. The remaining two substations were in the vicinity of Baltimore City. Each location is a BGE substation with significant infrastructure.
On or about Jan. 31, 2023, Russell discussed with CHS-1 the attack of the targeted substations on ECA, including how to “make sure it’s done right,” how “it has been studied,” and how to make it “cascading” so as to maximize damage. Russell and Clendaniel believed that attacking these five electrical substations in the greater Baltimore area would serve accelerationism.
On Feb. 3, 2023, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Clendaniel’s residence in Catonsville, Maryland. During the search, law enforcement agents recovered from Clendaniel’s bedroom various firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Federal law prohibits Clendaniel from possessing these items because she is a convicted felon, including convictions in Cecil County, Maryland, for robbery in 2006 and robbery and attempted robbery in 2016.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen O. Gavin and Michael Aubin for the District of Maryland prosecuted the case with valuable assistance from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland is a partner in the Justice Department’s United Against Hate community outreach program. The United Against Hate initiative seeks to directly connect federal, state, and local law enforcement with traditionally marginalized communities in order to build trust and encourage the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents. Attorney General Garland announced the nationwide launch of the initiative and its expansion to all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
Maryland Woman Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Destroy the Baltimore Region Power GridRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – On September 25, 2024, Senior United States District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Sarah Beth Clendaniel, a Catonsville, Maryland resident, to 18 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for conspiring to damage or destroy electrical facilities in Maryland, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1366(a), and a concurrent sentence of 15 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and 3 years of supervised release, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1).
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
“Such cowardice, designed to disrupt and endanger the lives of Maryland’s citizens, will not be tolerated,” said Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland. “My Office remains committed to protecting the security and well-being of the community by prosecuting such conduct to the full extent of the law.”
“Those who seek to attack our country’s critical infrastructure will face the full force of the United States Department of Justice,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Sarah Beth Clendaniel sought to ‘completely destroy’ the city of Baltimore by targeting five power substations as a means of furthering her violent white supremacist ideology. She will now spend the next 18 years in federal prison. The Justice Department will continue to aggressively counter, disrupt, and prosecute those who seek to launch these kinds of hate-fueled attacks that target our critical infrastructure, endanger entire cities, and threaten our national security.”
“The defendant plotted to disable the power grid around the entire Baltimore region and cause harm to thousands of people in pursuit of a racially motivated violent extremist agenda,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Her plan failed thanks to the great work of the FBI and our law enforcement partners. Today’s sentencing should serve as a warning to others that you will be held accountable if you attempt to carry out violent attacks on our infrastructure or threaten the safety of those in our communities.”
“Sarah Beth Clendaniel engaged in a hate-filled scheme to destroy the infrastructure Marylanders rely on every day,” said Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. “Through rigorous investigation and law enforcement partnerships, her radical plan was halted. Today’s sentence underscores the FBI’s commitment to protecting our national security and holding accountable those conspiring to commit violence.”
According to her plea agreement and other court documents, in 2018, Clendaniel became acquainted with Brandon C. Russell, a Florida resident, who is currently charged with conspiracy to damage or destroy electrical facilities in Maryland and is awaiting trial. Clendaniel and Russell espouse a white supremacist ideology and advocate a concept known as “accelerationism.” To “accelerate” or to support “accelerationism” is based on a white supremacist belief that the current system is irreparable and without an apparent political solution, and therefore violent action is necessary to precipitate societal and government collapse.
According to court documents, from at least December 2022 through February 2023, Clendaniel conspired with Russell to damage energy facilities involved in the transmission and distribution of electricity and to cause a significant interruption and impairment of the Baltimore regional power grid. The intended monetary loss associated with the planned attacks would have exceeded $75 million.
As set forth in her plea agreement, Clendaniel admitted that she communicated and planned over encrypted communication applications (“ECA”) to carry out attacks against energy facilities. Russell and Clendaniel communicated their plans to commit an attack on the Baltimore region power grid to a confidential human source (“CHS-1”).
Their plans began to coalesce on January 12, 2023, when CHS-1 and Russell discussed the planned substation attack in Maryland with a goal of working with Clendaniel to “maximize impact” and “to coordinate to get multiple [substations] at the same time.” Later that same day, Clendaniel, using the moniker “Nythra88,” sent a message to CHS-1 on ECA confirming her support of the attack.
In the ensuing conversation, which continued through January 14, 2023, Clendaniel told CHS-1 that she lived near Baltimore. She also stated that she was a felon, and had previously, but unsuccessfully, attempted to obtain a rifle. She asked CHS-1 to purchase a rifle for her, stating that she wanted to “accomplish something worthwhile” and that she wanted the rifle “within the next couple of weeks” to “accomplish as much as possible before June, at the latest.” On January 18, 2023, on ECA, Clendaniel told CHS-1 that she had identified a few potential locations to target in her attack. CHS-1 stated that CHS-1 would have to be the “driver” and Clendaniel would have to be the “shooter” in the attack. Clendaniel confirmed that she was “determined to do this” and stated she would have done something earlier on her own if she had not lost her rifle “a few months ago.” The conversation continued with CHS-1 and Clendaniel discussing the specifics of the desired rifle and agreeing that Clendaniel would send CHS-1 a “wish list,” which she did the following day.
At various times from January 21, 2023 through January 29, 2023, CHS-1 exchanged encrypted messages, separately with Clendaniel and with Russell, in which they discussed in detail the rifle and specific firearms accessories that Clendaniel wanted and potential targets for their attack.
On January 29, 2023, Clendaniel told CHS-1 that the five substations she planned to target included “Norrisville, Reisterstown, and Perry Hall.” Clendaniel described how there was a “ring” around Baltimore and if they hit a number of them all in the same day, they “would completely destroy this whole city.” She added that they needed to “destroy those cores, not just leak the oil . . . ” and that a “good four or five shots through the center of them . . . should make that happen.” Further, she stated that: “[i]t would probably permanently completely lay this city to waste if we could do that successfully.” When CHS-1 asked if it would accomplish a “cascading failure,” Clendaniel replied, “[y]es . . . probably” and that the attack targets are all “major ones.” Clendaniel also said that the most difficult target that they would have to do together has “fire walls on three sides.”
During that conversation, Clendaniel sent CHS-1 five links to the “Open Infrastructure Map” which showed the locations of five specific Baltimore, Gas and Electric (“BGE”) electrical substations in Maryland. BGE is an energy company that utilizes substations, like the five targeted sites, to produce, convert, transform, regulate and distribute energy. Three of the five substations were located near the towns of Norrisville, Reisterstown, and Perry Hall. The remaining two substations were in the vicinity of Baltimore City. Each location is a BGE substation with significant infrastructure.
On or about January 31, 2023, Russell discussed with CHS-1 the attack of the targeted substations on ECA, including how to “make sure it’s done right,” how “it has been studied,” and how to make it “cascading” so as to maximize damage. Russell and Clendaniel believed that attacking these five electrical substations in the greater Baltimore area would serve accelerationism.
On February 3, 2023, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Clendaniel’s residence in Catonsville, Maryland. During the search, law enforcement agents recovered from Clendaniel’s bedroom various firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Federal law prohibits Clendaniel from possessing these items because she is a convicted felon, including convictions in Cecil County, Maryland for Robbery in 2006 and Robbery and Attempted Robbery in 2016.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen O. Gavin and Michael Aubin who are prosecuting the federal case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland is a partner in the U.S. Department of Justice’s United Against Hate community outreach program. The United Against Hate initiative seeks to directly connect federal, state and local law enforcement with traditionally marginalized communities in order to build trust and encourage the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents. Department of Justice Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the nationwide launch of the initiative and its expansion to all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
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.
Madison Man Sentenced for Receipt and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Madison, South Dakota, man convicted of Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on September 16, 2024.
Christopher James Smith, age 32, was sentenced to six and a half years 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. Smith must register as a sex offender upon his release from federal prison.
Smith was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on June 26, 2024.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between January 18, 2021, and August 19, 2022, when Smith knowingly received files containing child pornography, including victims as young as one and two-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. Attorneys Jeffrey C. Clapper and Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
Smith was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Macon Mother and Son Sentenced for Roles in Decade-Long Business TheftRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Two members of the same family who illegally wrote millions in checks to themselves from their employer’s operating account were sentenced to prison and ordered to pay restitution for their crimes.
Billy Lee Wells, Jr., 47, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay the following jointly and severally with co-defendant Eva Wells: $2,583,003.80 restitution to Phil J. Sheridan Company d/b/a Mid-Georgia Sales and $150,000 restitution due to Donegal Mutual Insurance Company. In addition, he was ordered individually to pay $586,112 to the IRS in restitution and $3,404,772.22 in forfeiture. Eva Rebecca Wells, 75, was sentenced to serve 46 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. She was ordered to pay the above-mentioned restitution amounts with co-defendant Billy Wells and was also ordered individually to pay $586,112 to the IRS and a total of $3,990,884.22 in forfeiture. Both defendants previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud a financial institution before U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal on Jan. 23. Billy Lee Wells also pleaded guilty to making and subscribing a false return. There is no parole in the federal system.
"The defendants used their position as trusted employees to steal from a small business for more than a decade, a crime that can carry long-term repercussions for all those affected," said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. "Working with our law enforcement partners, our office will continue to do all we can to both hold fraudsters accountable and protect hard-working and honest citizens."
“This case serves as a warning to individuals who commit fraud upon others and the U.S. government that their criminal acts will come with consequences,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners will continue investigating and bringing to justice those who participate in illicit schemes to enrich themselves.”
“These fraud scams, although not violent, are not victimless and can be devastating to local business and ruin livelihoods,” said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “The FBI is dedicated to working with our partners to hold anyone accountable who would steal from hard working and honest individuals, rather than put in the work themselves.”
According to court documents in the Wells case, Eva Wells was the Office Manager for Mid-Georgia Sales and was responsible for its finances, including issuing weekly payroll and making other payments on behalf of the business. Her son, Billy Lee Wells, Jr., was also employed at Mid-Georgia Sales, working in IT and sales. In Dec. 2008, Eva Wells began writing unauthorized checks to herself and her son from the company’s general operating fund, as opposed to the account used for payroll. When the theft was discovered, a full accounting was conducted. Between Dec. 31, 2008, and May 10, 2019, Eva Wells wrote a total of $3,404,772.22 in unauthorized checks to Billy Lee Wells, Jr. which were either cashed or deposited in his bank account. In addition to the checks made to Billy Lee Wells, Jr., Eva Wells also wrote unauthorized checks to herself which she cashed or deposited into her bank account.
The Wells case was investigated by the FBI, the IRS and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard prosecuted both cases for the Government.
Leader of Eau Claire Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 10 YearsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Hector A. Jimenez-Sosa, 40, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 10 years in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Jimenez-Sosa pleaded guilty to this charge on July 8, 2024.
The government’s investigation revealed that Jimenez-Sosa was the leader of a methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine trafficking organization in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He received large quantities of controlled substances through the mail from his sources in California. Between August and October 2023, law enforcement officers purchased methamphetamine and fentanyl pills from Jimenez-Sosa and his associates on multiple occasions using a confidential informant. The drug sales took place at two workshops operated by Jimenez-Sosa. The final drug sale occurred on October 31, 2023, when Jimenez-Sosa sold approximately one pound of methamphetamine to the informant.
On December 8, 2023, Jimenez-Sosa was arrested, and search warrants were executed at his residence and workshops. Officers located cocaine, marijuana, ammunition, and drug trafficking supplies.
During this investigation and while running his drug trafficking organization, Jimenez-Sosa was out on bond and later convicted and placed on probation for a state felony domestic abuse conviction.
At sentencing, Judge Conley found that the total quantity of narcotics Jimenez-Sosa’s organization distributed in the Eau Claire area was significant. He noted that Jimenez-Sosa had an extensive arrest history that included convictions for drug trafficking, violence, and illegal weapons possession. Judge Conley said that Jimenez-Sosa’s drug trafficking was a dramatic escalation in conduct and “caused some real damage” to communities in the Eau Claire area.
Another individual, Mario R. Aviles, was charged in connection with this drug trafficking organization. Aviles pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine on July 16, 2024, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Conley on October 17, 2024.
The charges against Jimenez-Sosa and Aviles were the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force, Eau Claire Police Department, Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and United States Postal Inspection Service. The Eau Claire County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Reginald Clay Jackson, 43, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to eight years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 3, 2023, law enforcement officers arrested Jackson after conducting a traffic stop of a scooter he was operating in St. Albans. The scooter was reported stolen and Jackson could not produce a valid license, insurance, or registration. Jackson was taken to the South Charleston Detachment of the West Virginia State Police and processed. The following day, officers found a plastic bag under a bench in the booking area. The bag contained seven individually wrapped baggies that each contained approximately 1 ounce of fentanyl. Security video footage showed Jackson removing the bag from his clothing and throwing it under the bench during his processing.
Jackson has a long criminal history that includes prior convictions for drug offenses, domestic battery and strangulation.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the assistance provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-33.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jonathan Fitzpatrick, 33, of Pratt, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 3, 2024, Fitzpatrick sold approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in the Kanawha City area of Charleston. Fitzpatrick admitted to the transaction and further admitted to distributing a total of approximately 90 pounds of a substance that contained methamphetamine to the confidential informant from approximately December 2022 to in or about April 2024.
Fitzpatrick is scheduled to be sentenced on January 14, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force, which consists of members of the Mingo County Sheriff's Office, the Logan County Sheriff's Office, the Boone County Sheriff's Office, and the West Virginia State Police.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Samuel D. Marsh is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-112.
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KC Man Sentenced for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm after he pointed his pistol at an ex-girlfriend’s head and threatened to kill her, then crashed into several vehicles while attempting to flee from law enforcement officers.
Jonathan Good, 33, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 10 years in federal prison without parole, the statutory maximum penalty for this offense.
On March 21, 2023, Good was found guilty at trial of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Good was in possession of a Taurus 9mm handgun on July 29, 2020.
Kansas City police officers were called to a residence on July 29, 2020. A woman at the residence reported that Good had arrived on her front porch, drunk and belligerent, at about 11:24 p.m., waving a gun around and yelling. She told him to leave, after which she heard a single gunshot from the front porch. She followed Good to his car, where he pointed his pistol at her head and threatened to kill her. Good got into his silver Ford Mustang and left as officers were arriving.
A Kansas City police officer was parked in front of the victim’s residence at approximately 11:47 p.m. Good returned to the scene in his Ford Mustang, then shifted into reverse and began driving away. When Good reached the intersection of 72nd Steet and Walrond, he shifted his car into drive and drove south on Walrond. Officers pursued Good, who was driving 60 miles per hour through a residential neighborhood. Good failed to stop at one stop sign before losing control of his vehicle. Good’s vehicle hit the sidewalk then spun and collided with one vehicle parked on Walrond before slamming into another two vehicles parked in a residential driveway, where it was disabled. Good was arrested and transported to a local hospital to check for injuries. While at the hospital, when staff lifted him off the gurney onto the hospital bed, they found three live rounds of 9mm ammunition.
At approximately 1 a.m. on July 30, 2020, officers searched Good’s residence and found the loaded Taurus 9mm pistol hidden inside an old charcoal grill with the legs missing, which was sitting on the grass in the front yard. Forensic investigators indicated a DNA sample recovered from the trigger guard of the pistol implicated Good as a major contributor. The KCPD expert testified the genetic information from the trigger was 7 octillion times more likely to be observed if Jonathan Good and four unknown individuals are the contributors than if five individuals are the contributors.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of a firearm or ammunition. Good has four prior felony convictions for domestic assault, two prior felony convictions for unlawful use of a weapon, and prior felony convictions for armed criminal action, violating an order of protection, and stealing/theft of livestock.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stefan C. Hughes and Brandon E. Gibson. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Operation LeGend
Operation LeGend was a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in Kansas City, Mo., in 2020. The operation honored the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women Announces $86.16M in Grants to Support American Indian and Native Alaskan Survivors of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, Stalking, and Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced yesterday more than $86.16 million in grants administered by the Tribal Affairs Division within the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to American Indian and Alaska Native communities to support survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and sex trafficking.
The grants provided through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) will fund services for victims of these crimes while providing support for Tribal governments, including law enforcement, prosecutors, and Tribal courts, to enhance safety and support Tribal sovereignty. The Tribal Affairs Division within OVW is responsible for the administration of Tribal specific grant programs and initiatives, management of Tribal specific training and technical assistance, and coordination with other federal departments and Justice Department offices on Tribal issues. Principal Deputy Director Allison Randall of OVW made the announcement at the annual Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program Institute, a convening of Tribal officials, victim advocates, and other Tribal leaders, as well as OVW-funded training and technical assistance advisors, who work to support Tribes in developing and improving programs to support survivors of sexual assault.
“Tribal communities, and particularly American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls, have experienced disproportionately high levels of violence for too long,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This $86 million dollar investment represents the Justice Department’s commitment to working in partnership with Tribal nations to address and prevent gender-based violence and provide safety and justice for survivors.”
Included in these awards is more than $7.58 million that OVW is awarding under its new Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program: Strengthening Tribal Advocacy Responses Track (START) Program. The program is for Tribal governments that have not previously or recently participated in OVW’s Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program and focuses on capacity building early in the project period. Awardees will receive additional training, technical assistance, and support to implement their programs. Additionally, OVW awarded $45.17 million under the established Tribal Governments Program to support Tribal governments in responding to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and stalking in Tribal communities.
OVW also launched a new grant program this year through its Healing and Response Teams Special Initiative, which was created in response to recommendations made by the Not Invisible Act Commission. OVW awarded $2 million under this initiative to support the creation, training, and sustainability of Healing and Response Teams using a Tribal-based model of care to respond to Missing or Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) cases related to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and sex trafficking.
OVW is awarding grants totaling more than $3.57 million to Tribes under its Special Tribal Criminal Grant (STCJ) Program and $1.5 million under its Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction: Targeted Support for Alaska Native Tribes Special Initiative. The programs support Tribes that are preparing to exercise or are already exercising STCJ to ensure that victims find safety and justice and that non-Indians who commit covered crimes within their communities, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and sex trafficking, are held accountable.
OVW is also awarding grants totaling $3.75 million under its Violence Against Women Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Initiative to support the collaboration between Tribes and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in their investigation and prosecution of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, sex trafficking, and stalking cases in Indian country.
OVW is also awarding grants totaling more than $11.11 million under its Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program to support Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Tribal nonprofit organizations in operating sexual assault services programs in Indian country and Alaska Native villages. Additionally, OVW awarded funding totaling more than $8.28 million under its Grants to Tribal Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program to support the development and operation of nonprofit, nongovernmental Tribal domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions.
“We are committed to addressing the disproportionately high rates of violent crime faced by American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls and ensuring everyone can access both safety and justice,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “This funding supports Tribal governments and Tribal organizations’ efforts to provide legal services, housing assistance, medical care, and counseling to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other forms of gender-based violence.”
OVW is also awarding grants totaling $3.2 million for Tribal training and technical assistance (TA) programs. The TA programs support grantees through in-person and online educational opportunities, peer-to-peer networks, on-site technical assistance, and tailored support to help grantees further develop expertise and targeted strategies to implement their programs successfully.
“The strength of VAWA is enhancing a coordinated community response,” said OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo. “These grant programs provide critical support for Tribes to address gender-based violence by fostering essential partnerships among victim services organizations, law enforcement, prosecutors, community-based organizations, and other key stakeholders who play a crucial role in supporting survivors and providing pathways for them to access justice, safety, and healing.”
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent 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.
View the Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction: Targeted Support for Alaska Native Tribes Special Initiative (STCJ AK) Program Award.
View the Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Initiative Awards.
View the Tribal Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Invitation to Apply Awards.
View the Indian Tribal Governments: Strengthening Tribal Advocacy Responses Track (START) Awards.
View the Healing and Response Teams Special Initiative Awards.
View the Indian Tribal Governments Program Awards.
View the Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program Awards.
Justice Department Secures Language Access Agreement with Alameda County Sheriff’s Office in CaliforniaRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a resolution agreement with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) in California resolving an inquiry into whether ACSO is in compliance with its nondiscrimination obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI).
Under the terms of the agreement, ACSO has agreed to take a number of steps to improve language access for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP) in its jurisdiction. Title VI prohibits entities that receive federal financial assistance from discriminating on the basis of race, color and national origin. Differential treatment based on language spoken, including exclusion from or denial of the benefits of programs and services to people with LEP, may constitute national origin discrimination in violation of Title VI.
“The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is committed to ensuring that our nation’s law enforcement agencies can serve and protect everyone in their communities, regardless of whether they may have limited English proficiency,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Through this agreement, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office has demonstrated its commitment to and has taken major steps toward improving services to the communities it serves.”
The department’s inquiry into ACSO began after receiving information raising concerns that individuals with LEP may not receive adequate language services during encounters with ACSO personnel.
Through this agreement, ACSO will establish a formal, office-wide language access directive, designate a member of its personnel as the LEP Coordinator for ACSO, provide staff trainings on language assistance, improve quality controls to require accurate and quality-assessed language assistance services and undergo a period of departmental monitoring.
This agreement is part of the department’s Law Enforcement Language Access Initiative (LELAI), a nationwide effort to assist law enforcement agencies in overcoming language barriers to better serve and protect communities and keep officers safe. Led by the Civil Rights Division, the initiative provides technical assistance resources and tools that can help state and local law enforcement provide meaningful language access to individuals with LEP; affirmatively engages law enforcement agencies that want to review, update and/or strengthen their language access polices, plans and training; and strengthens the connection between law enforcement agencies, community stakeholders and populations with LEP.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt and information about limited English proficiency and Title VI is available at www.lep.gov. More information on LELAI is available at www.lep.gov/law-enforcement. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
Justice Department Awards Nearly $30M to Combat the Rise of Hate and Bias CrimesRead the Press Release
Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer announced today nearly $30 million in grant funding through the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) that will be awarded to law enforcement agencies, states, community-based organizations, national civil rights organizations, and other stakeholders to fight the rise in hate and bias crimes and incidents. These awards will help communities improve the investigation and prosecution of hate and bias crimes, solve hate crime cold cases, serve victims of these offenses, and support related research.
“These grants are vital in helping to ensure law enforcement and community members get the support they need as they continue to strive to keep all communities safe,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “Everyone in this country deserves not only to feel safe but to be safe in their communities, and we’re excited about the new grant funding investments made.”
The funding was announced at the inaugural hate crimes grantee conference organized by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). The grants are part of the Justice Department’s wide-ranging efforts to improve community safety, serve victims of crime, support America’s youth, advance science, and promote equal justice. OJP is the largest grantmaking component of the Department and houses its criminal and juvenile justice-related science and statistical units.
“Freedom from intolerance and from the fear of violence is foundational to community safety and fundamental to the concept of equal justice,” said OJP Acting Assistant Attorney General Brent J. Cohen. “I’m very pleased that OJP is making these important resources available to our community partners and proud of the work we’re engaged in, together, to end hate and bias crimes and incidents in our country.”
The funding announced today includes:
- $12 million in grants under BJA’s Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Program to help local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors’ offices investigate and prosecute hate and bias crimes, as well as collaborate with community partners on outreach and education to targeted communities.
- More than $7.6 million in awards from BJA to 11 different community-based organizations and civil rights organizations for projects around the country dedicated to developing and implementing comprehensive hate crimes prevention and response strategies.
- $1 million for the Orleans Parish, Louisiana, District Attorney’s Office under BJA’s Emmett Till Cold Case Investigation and Prosecution Program to provide resources in cold case homicide cases involving civil rights violations that occurred before 1980.
- $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.
- $1.125 million for the Washington State Attorney General’s Office through the Office for Victims of Crime’s Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act State-Run Hate Crime Reporting Hotlines program.
- $2.5 million through Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act funding for the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ research and analysis project on National Incident-Based Reporting System data and hate crime reporting patterns.
- $2.5 million in funding from the National Institute of Justice for three research projects on responding to hate crimes with specialized law enforcement units, including LGTBQI+ liaison units to respond to hate crimes against transgender individuals, and addressing the needs of survivors of hate crimes and their communities.
In addition to these new grant awards, Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Mizer announced OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Youth Hate Crimes and Identity-Based Bullying Prevention Curriculum to provide resources to address hate crimes, bias incidents and identity-based bullying among youth. The curriculum is designed for middle and high school-aged youth and the teachers, counselors and others who work with them. He also announced the Community Oriented Policing Services (the COPS Office) is launching a new training on investigating hate crimes, which builds on the training the COPS Office released in 2022 on recognizing and reporting hate crimes.
Jury Votes to Acquit Rensselaer County OfficialsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – A jury today voted to acquit Richard W. Crist, James R. Gordon and Leslie A. Wallace on all charges following a 13-day trial.
The jury voted to acquit Crist, Gordon and Wallace of conspiring to violate the rights of Rensselaer County voters in connection with elections held in 2021.
The jury also found Gordon not guilty of witness tampering and found Wallace not guilty of making false statements.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Barnett and Steven D. Clymer prosecuted this case.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Aggravated Assault while Armed in Gresham Place ShootingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Adrian Lee, 49, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of aggravated assault while armed and other related charges for a late-afternoon shooting and assault against two victims that took place on April 18, 2023, on Gresham Place, NW, in the Columbia Heights neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.
The verdict was returned on September 24, 2024, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Judge Rainey Brandt scheduled sentencing for December 13, 2024.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 3:15 p.m. on April 18, 2023, the victims were driving home after celebrating their anniversary at a DC restaurant when the defendant’s wife sideswiped their car. Lee came down to the accident scene and provided an expired insurance card. While the victim was on the phone with the insurance company, the defendant became aggravated that the process was taking too long. He directed his wife to drive away, and he ran off on foot. The victims followed behind in their car, in an attempt to get insurance or vehicle information from the defendant. The victims were driving a Tesla that day, which was equipped with exterior video cameras. Tesla cameras captured footage of the defendant running from the victims’ car. After Lee ran, the victims flagged down a police officer, and were instructed to return to the site of the accident to make a police report. In an attempt to get back to the scene of the accident, the victims turned down Gresham Place, NW – the street where the defendant lived.
Upon seeing the victims, Lee retrieved a gun from his house and ran towards them. The defendant first pointed the gun at the female victim, and then turned and shot the male victim one time in the torso.
Lee and his wife then fled to Florida. The defendant was apprehended back in DC in March of 2024 by United States Marshals.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rashmika Nedungadi and Sara Matar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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Jamestown man pleads guilty to his role in drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Charles Lawson a/k/a Charley Marley, 34, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $1,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey E. Intravatola and Evan K. Glaberson, who are handling the case, stated that between January and March 2020, Lawson conspired with others to sell heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. Lawson was a close associate of Rocco Beardsley and actively assisted Beardsley’s drug trafficking activities. Lawson used Facebook to advertise and sell Beardsley’s heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, and he received narcotics for personal use from Beardsley as compensation for his services. On January 23, 2020, investigators conducted a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Beardsley and Lawson participated in the purchase. Beardsley was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarantino, III, New York Field Division, and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
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Iowa Drug User Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
On September 24, 2024, Richard Quintana, 24, from Dolliver, Iowa, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment for illegal possession of a firearm. Quintana pled guilty on May 23, 2024, to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that Quintana illegally purchased and possessed firearms on five occasions between 2021 and 2022. Despite being a drug user, Quintana marked on his firearm purchasing forms that he was not. As a drug user, defendant was prohibited from purchasing and possessing firearms. Three of the firearms Quintana purchased were later recovered by law enforcement as part of crimes committed by other individuals. In December 2023, law enforcement observed Quintana driving a vehicle in Fort Dodge, Iowa. As law enforcement attempted to stop the vehicle Quintana was driving, he led law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit through residential areas of Fort Dodge before ultimately stopping and being arrested.
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.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Quintana was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment and must serve a two-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Quintana remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and Fort Dodge, Iowa Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-3034. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
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Inmate Pleads Guilty to Possessing Weapon at FCI McDowellRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Demoreal Killebrew, 26, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell, pleaded guilty today to possession of a weapon by an inmate at a federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 29, 2023, an FCI McDowell staff member conducted a search of Killebrew and found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” in his left shoe. The shank was a metal rod approximately five and one-half inches long, with a sharpened point on one end and a plastic cap on the other end as a handle. Killebrew admitted to possessing the shank, and further admitted that it was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.
Killebrew is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-108.
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Inmate Pleads Guilty to Possessing Weapon at FCI McDowellRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Savion Garcia, 24, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell, pleaded guilty today to possession of a weapon by an inmate at a federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 19, 2023, an FCI McDowell staff member conducted a random search of Garcia’s prison cell. During the search, the staff member found two handcrafted weapons commonly known as “shanks” on Garcia’s person. One was a six-inch-long flat metal bar with a cloth wrapped around one end as a handle. The other shank was a piece of metal approximately six and three-fourth inches long, with one end sharpened to a point and a cloth wrapped around the other end as a handle. Garcia admitted to possessing the shanks, and further admitted that they were designed and intended to be used as weapons.
Garcia is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-91.
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Independence Man Sentenced to 19 Years for Drug Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today after law enforcement officers seized 22 firearms and a large quantity of a variety of illegal drugs from his residence and his two campers in Bagnell, Mo.
Jonathan P. Henik, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 19 years and two months in federal prison without parole.
On April 4, 2024, Henik pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, two counts of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possessing THC with the intent to distribute, two counts of possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, and possession of an unregistered firearm.
Independence police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop while Henik, whose driver’s license was revoked, was driving a Dodge Charger on Sept. 1, 2021. However, as officers attempted to contact him after he pulled to the side of the road, Henik accelerated at a high rate of speed and fled the area.
On Oct. 5, 2021, officers executed a search warrant at Henik’s residence. Investigators found 11 firearms in Henik’s bedroom, including two Taurus .45-caliber firearms, a Glock 9mm semi-automatic firearm, a Glock .40-caliber firearm, a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber firearm, a Colt .45-caliber firearm, a CZ 9mm firearm, a Diamond Back .223-caliber firearm, a Freedom Ordnance 9mm firearm, an ATI OMNI .223-caliber firearm, and a KEL-TEC 9mm firearm.
Officers also found two jars of THC wax and drug paraphernalia in the kitchen. Officers found a black duffel bag that contained a Palmetto 7.62 x 39mm firearm, several rounds of ammunition, 105 grams of marijuana, and drug paraphernalia in a closet near the front door.
In the garage, officers found six more firearms, including a Glock .40-caliber firearm, two Glock 9mm firearms, a Sig Sauer 9mm firearm, an SCCY 9mm firearm, a Ruger 9mm firearm, a 9mm extended magazine, a 7.62x39 magazine, and two 9mm magazines. Officers also found 928 grams of methamphetamine, a container of approximately 8.6 kilograms of THC edibles, numerous heat-sealed bags that contained a total of approximately 8.6 kilograms of marijuana, a bag that contained approximately 510.8 grams of marijuana, a bag that contained approximately 166 grams of marijuana, a bag that contained approximately four grams of psilocybin mushrooms, several prescription medications, approximately 40 pills of suspected MDMA (ecstasy), and a bag that contained approximately four grams of THC edibles.
On Aug. 2, 2023, Henik was arrested on a federal warrant related to the original indictment in this case following law enforcement surveillance at his Sandpiper and Catalina campers parked in Bagnell.
Officers searched the campers and found two firearms on the table in the living room of the Cataline camper, a loaded Browning Arms Company .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol with a silencer (which was not registered) and a loaded Polymer80 9mm semi-automatic firearm with no markings. In the Sandpiper camper, officers found a large bag of apparent marijuana on the table. In a black bag in the living room, they found multiple bags of apparent marijuana and a plastic bag that contained approximately 145 grams of cocaine. On a dresser in the bedroom, officers found a gun case that contained magazine and live ammunition, seven explosive devices, and approximately four grams of psilocybin mushrooms. In the dresser, officers found approximately 60 grams of methamphetamine.
The total amount of marijuana recovered was approximately 1,723 grams (3.8 pounds).
Officers also searched Henik’s Lincoln SUV and found a loaded Heckler & Koch 9mm semi-automatic pistol in the driver’s side floorboard, a loaded FMK 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a YETI cup that contained three different types of pills, $662 in cash in the center console, and a large bag of apparent marijuana in the back hatch.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Henik has prior federal felony convictions for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and use of a firearm in connection with a drug offense.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the Mid Missouri Drug Task Force.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Highway Contractor to Pay $950,000 to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. B A Rahway, New Jersey-based highway contractor will pay $950,000 to resolve allegations that it improperly represented itself as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) in order to obtain federally funded contracts, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced today.
The settlement resolves allegations that from October 2016 through April 2019, MV Contracting Inc. obtained several contracts funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) set aside for DBE companies as part of a program designed to remedy ongoing discrimination in federally assisted highway contracting markets. The United States contended that MV Contracting procured these contracts despite knowing that it did not in fact qualify as a DBE. The company submitted improper claims for payment under the contracts, which were paid using federal funds.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Eric J. Soskin, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Office of Inspector General , under the direction of Inspector General John Gay, with the investigation of the allegations against MV Contracting.
The United States is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark C. Orlowski of the U.S. Attorney’s Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
mvcontracting.settlement.pdfHammond Man Indicted for Identity TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ERNEST X. TAYLOR, JR. (“TAYLOR”), age 39, a resident of Hammond, Louisiana, was indicted on September 20, 2024 for identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1028(a)(7) and 1028(b)(1)(D).
According to court documents, in December 2021, TAYLOR used means of identification belonging to a victim to obtain a $25,000 loan from Collins Community Credit Union.
Specifically, TAYLOR used identification in the victim’s name, without the knowledge or consent of the victim. If convicted, TAYLOR faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.
Grand Jury Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Madison Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearm with Machine Gun Conversion Device
Jontrae M. Larsen, 22, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm as a felon and possessing a firearm with a machine gun conversion device. The indictment alleges that Larsen possessed a Glock 17 handgun with a machine gun conversion device from November 22, 2023, through on or about January 6, 2024.
If convicted of the charge that he possessed a firearm as a felon, Larson faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The machine gun charge carries a 10-year maximum penalty.
A machine gun conversion device converts a handgun from semi-automatic to fully automatic. Machine gun conversion devices are illegal, as are any firearms with the devices.
The charges against Larsen are the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consisting of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Waunakee, Deforest, and Monona Police Departments also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala is handling the case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Minnesota Man Charged with Possessing Fentanyl and Heroin for Distribution
Ernest N.R. McCurty, 42, Minneapolis, Minnesota, is charged with possessing 40 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl and heroin intended for distribution. The indictment alleges that McCurty possessed the mixture on or about November 7, 2023.
If convicted, McCurty faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
The charge against McCurty is the result of an investigation by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon is handling the case.
Black River Falls Man Charged with Possessing Methamphetamine for Distribution
Michael B. Kingsley, 43, Black River Falls, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution. The indictment alleges that Kingsley possessed the methamphetamine on or about November 8, 2023.
If convicted, Kingsley faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
The charge against Kingsley was the result of investigation by the Monroe County Sherriff’s Office and the Fort McCoy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the case.