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23 September 2024
Cayuga County Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Brien Fredendall, age 46, of Port Byron, New York, pled guilty today to two counts of possession of child pornography. 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, Fredendall, who has a previous New York State conviction for possession of child pornography, admitted that he possessed videos and images of child pornography he received from a minor on his Snapchat account. He also admitted to possessing additional child pornography on his cellular phone.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 21, 2025, before Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes. Fredendall faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00 and a term of supervised release of between five years and life, to begin after imprisonment. Fredendall will also be required to continue to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force with the assistance of the Cayuga County Sherriff’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Tuck prosecuted Fredendall as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Casper man sentenced to 90 months on a federal firearm offenseRead the Press Release
Frank Ray Berris, 53, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Berris was convicted of this crime at a jury trial in June 2024. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Sept. 20, in Cheyenne.
According to evidence presented at trial, on Feb. 3, a Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) trooper conducted a traffic stop, near Casper, on a black Ford Explorer being driven by Berris. The defendant, who considers himself a “sovereign citizen,” was driving with fictitious license plates that said, “United States of America Republic Diplomat Foreign National” and “UCC1-308.” Berris was unable to provide proof of a valid driver’s license, insurance, or registration to the trooper. While talking with Berris, the trooper noticed a pistol in a holster between Berris and the console and an AR-style rifle between the console and the passenger seat. The traffic stop escalated into three-hour standoff where the defendant refused to exit his car and told officers they would have to kill him. Berris eventually surrendered and was arrested.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Berris’s vehicle and seized a semiautomatic rifle, two semiautomatic pistols, and ammunition of various calibers. Berris was a felon and therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
At the sentencing hearing, the government showed that Berris had been uncooperative, threatened law enforcement, and possessed firearms during two previous traffic stops.
“Mr. Berris has repeatedly refused to recognize that he is required to follow the law just like everyone else,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Eric Heimann. “His arrogance, threats, and unlawful possession of guns put the defendant, law enforcement officers, and the general public in harm’s way. The prison sentence in this case delivers a clear message that no one is above the law, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute felons who unlawfully possess firearms.”
Berris was indicted by a grand jury and pleaded not guilty to the charges in March 2024. Berris represented himself at trial.
WHP, Natrona County Sheriff’s Office and Mills Police Department responded to the scene and special agents with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this crime. Assistant United States Attorney Mackenzie Morrison and Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Sprecher prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Case No. 24-00034
Businessman Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Federal Prison for Running Fencing Operation out of Suburban Chicago StoresRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A businessman has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison for running a fencing operation out of his suburban Chicago stores.
ZIAD I. ZAYED used his store – Crestwood Electronics Inc. in Crestwood, Ill. – and other businesses to knowingly purchase stolen electronic devices and other merchandise, re-package the items, and then sell them to buyers out of state and overseas. Some of the items fenced by Zayed included laptop computers, fitness tracking devices, and digital cameras, some of which were stolen from railcars near Chicago.
Zayed, 49, of Frankfort, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to a federal conspiracy charge. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman on Wednesday sentenced Zayed to two years and four months in federal prison and ordered him to pay more than $1.3 million in restitution.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.
“By providing a marketplace to sell stolen goods, the defendant has incentivized thieves to steal and rob, whether that’s off tractor trailers sitting on railcars or phones from innocent victims,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barry Jonas and Ann Marie E. Ursini argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum.
Browning man admits assaulting woman with belt on Blackfeet Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Browning man accused of beating and then using a belt to assault a woman on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation admitted to an assault charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Briar Joseph Crawford, 29, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. Crawford faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Jan. 29, 2025. Crawford was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on Aug. 6, 2023, Crawford went to Twin Lakes go fishing with the victim, identified as Jane Doe. They got into an argument, and Crawford began to severely beat Doe over several hours as they traveled from Twin Lakes to the East Glacier Cut Across Road. At one point, Crawford removed his belt, wrapped it around Doe’s neck, grabbed it and lifted her weight off the ground until she blacked out. Doe suffered numerous injuries from the prolonged assault.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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Boston Man Charged with Violating National Defense AirspaceRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was arraigned today in federal court for allegedly flying a drone near the finish line at the Boston Marathon in April 2024. The drone flight prompted law enforcement and bomb technicians to seize the drone mid-air, land it and evaluate its threat to the public.
Allan Nip, 30, was charged with unlawfully flying a drone in restricted National Defense Airspace. A deferred prosecution agreement filed along with the charging document reflects that the defendant has agreed to pay a $5,000 criminal fine and to forfeit his drone, valued at approximately $4,000. The United States also filed a civil forfeiture complaint in connection with this matter to forfeit the drone and its related controller.
According to court filings, Nip was flying his drone within a few blocks of the Boston Marathon finish line approximately 20 minutes before the professional men in the wheelchair division were finishing the race The drone was detected by federal law enforcement monitoring the airspace near the finish line, was intercepted mid-flight, and was landed in a secure location in Back Bay. Once the drone was taken down and evaluated by bomb technicians, law enforcement responded to Nip’s apartment on West Springfield Street in Boston, where he allegedly admitted to flying the drone that morning.The controller on Nip’s drone, as with most drone controllers, allegedly provided warnings that day that he was flying in a restricted zone. In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration had sent out notices warning anyone seeking to fly any type of aircraft (including drones) not to fly near the start or finish lines of the Boston Marathon on race day, without a special permit. Those special permits are not granted for amateur drone operators.
The charge of operating a drone in restricted National Defense Airspace carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a $100,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division; Colleen D'Alessandro, Regional Administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration in New England; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. McNeil of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit is prosecuting the civil forfeiture case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Allport Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Role Directing Large-Scale Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Allport, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 204 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his convictions of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful possession of a firearm, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Alexis Brolin Jr., 55, on September 20, 2024.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around July 2019 to in and around April 2020 in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Brolin conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. Brolin, who directed the drug trafficking organization’s activity in Clearfield and surrounding areas, was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining kilogram quantities of methamphetamine that he distributed to others, and was arrested in possession of more than 650 grams of methamphetamine destined for Clearfield during an April 2020 interdiction stop.
Executing a search warrant at Brolin’s residence on the day of his arrest, law enforcement agents seized additional quantities of methamphetamine, as well as 11 firearms and ammunition, including five shotguns, two rifles, an AK-style rifle, and three pistols, with numerous of the firearms not having serial numbers. Under federal law, Brolin was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition based on his earlier felony conviction for robbery. Brolin also pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime.
Additionally, from in and around July 2019 to June 2020, Brolin conspired to commit money laundering by having various distributors pre-pay him for the drugs he was to provide them through money wires to and from various locations within Western Pennsylvania.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Brolin. Additional agencies participating in this investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
21 September 2024
U.S. Attorney’s Office Joins with Federal Bar Association and Law Schools to Hold Third Annual Sacramento Region Diversity Career FairRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — For the third year running, the Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair, held Sept. 21, 2024, connected employers with diverse legal candidates for future and current job openings in the greater Sacramento area. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, the UC Davis School of Law, and the Federal Bar Association Sacramento Chapter made the joint announcement following today’s event.
The Diversity Career Fair provided law students and attorneys with the opportunity to connect in person with over 65 employers from the private and public sectors. Starting with a panel discussion that featured state and federal judges as well as the managing partner of a national law firm, the day continued with employer table talks, and concluded with a reception during which students, attorneys, and employers could relax and continue their conversations. The Diversity Career Fair is the first legal career fair in the Sacramento region with an online platform where employers can post legal jobs and law students and attorneys can submit applications. In addition to the opportunity to talk to employers at their tables, this year the Diversity Career Fair included both interview and résumé collection components. A wide variety of employers, bar associations, law students, attorneys, and judges attended the Diversity Career Fair held at the McGeorge School of Law campus.
“The Sacramento region has amazing public and private legal employers, and the Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair shows the strength of that community and its commitment to diversity,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “This annual program proves the importance of working with our law schools, bar associations, and the larger legal community, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to sponsoring it.”
“The Diversity Career Fair is a wonderful opportunity for our students and legal employers to meet on our beautiful campus and get to know each other,” McGeorge School of Law Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz said. “For a law school like McGeorge that is one of the most diverse law schools in the country and is in a city, Sacramento, that is one of our country’s most diverse cities, this fair is a perfect fit.”
“It is truly an inspiration to see so many employers committed to diversifying the legal profession,” UC Davis School of Law Dean Jessica Berg said. “Equity and inclusion are driving principles at UC Davis Law, and it is an honor to be included with our incredible partners in this groundbreaking Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair as we work together to create invaluable opportunities for our students.”
“FBA Sacramento is proud to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the law schools, and local affinity bar associations to enrich our legal community by welcoming diverse applicants into the Sacramento Region’s legal workforce,” said Victoria Boesch, President of the Sacramento Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.
The panel discussion featured Sacramento Superior Court Judge Jerome Price, U.S. Magistrate Judge Allison Claire (E.D. Cal.), and Stoel Rives LLP Managing Partner Melissa A. Jones.
The Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair was co-sponsored by all of the affinity bar associations in Sacramento, including the Asian/Pacific Bar Association of Sacramento (ABAS), Cruz Reynoso Bar Association, the Disability Bar Association of Sacramento (DIBAS), Leonard M. Friedman Bar Association, Sacramento Filipino American Lawyers Association (SacFALA), South Asian Bar Association (SABA), SacLegal Sacramento’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association, Wiley Manuel Bar Association (WMBA), Women Lawyers of Sacramento (WLS), the Yolo Unity Bar, and by the Sacramento County Bar Association.
For more information: https://www.sacramentodiversitycareerfair.org/..
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow Statement on the Passing of Former United States Attorney Daniel López RomoRead the Press Release
United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow released the following statement regarding the passing of former United States Attorney Daniel López Romo.
On behalf of the United States Attorney’s Office, we extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of former United States Attorney Daniel López Romo and recognize his exceptional service to the people of Puerto Rico and the nation.
López Romo was a distinguished attorney and a great man, and we honor his many years of dedicated public service. May he rest in peace and may his memory be eternal.
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20 September 2024
‘We knocked her out with some gummies:’ coordinator in unaccompanied child smuggling ring admits to conspiring to smuggle toddler from MexicoRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 23-year-old Laredo woman has pleaded guilty to smuggling a young child into the United States for financial gain, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
From August to September 2023, Vanessa Valadez and other family members operated a child smuggling ring working to bring young non-citizen children from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, into the United States. All the children were under the age of five.
On the night of Sept. 19, 2023, members of the smuggling ring retrieved a young girl from a stash house which the organization members operated. The co-conspirators smuggled the girl across the border and delivered her to Valadez in downtown Laredo. Co-conspirators then took the child further into the United States and delivered her to unknown people.
On Sept. 21, 2023, members of the smuggling ring attempted to transport another young girl. However, law enforcement intercepted them following a routine border inspection at the Juarez Lincoln Bridge in Laredo. To carry out their scheme, co-conspirators had sedated the girl with melatonin gummies and used an unlawfully obtained birth certificate to deceive authorities into believing the girl was a family member.
According to one of the conspirators, the smuggling ring had attempted to similarly transport at least four girls into the United States, three of whom remain unidentified, and their whereabouts are unknown. Members of the smuggling ring obtained birth certificates of U.S. citizen children to pose as a family unit at ports of entry to the United States. At times, members of the smuggling ring used melatonin gummies to sedate at least one child to ensure a successful smuggling attempt.
The investigation revealed one of the co-conspirators sent a text message and an image depicting an unconscious child and a caption, “La noquiamos con unas gomitas,” translated in English as “we knocked her out with some gummies.”
“This smuggling case ranks among the most chilling we’ve ever seen - involving the systematic trade of transporting young children to unknown final destinations,” said Hamdani. “Let this prosecution serve as a stark warning to all those parents who might consider entrusting a precious child to the care of a criminal organization bent on making money by smuggling vulnerable children - your child could be sedated or drugged . . . or worse.”
Co-conspirators Ana Laura Bryand, 47, Dallas; her niece Kayla Marie Bryand, 20, Laredo, Jose Eduardo Bryand, 43, Laredo; Nancy Guadalupe Bryand, 44, all of Laredo; and Lizeth Esmeralda Bryand Arredondo, 32, Mexico, previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentence Jan. 8, 2025. At that time, Valadez faces up to 10 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from Border Patrol, Laredo Police Department, Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General and FBI. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Terence A. Check Jr. is prosecuting the case with the assistance of AUSA Michael Makens.
Westwego Man Guilty of Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DONALD GREEN (“GREEN”), age 35, a resident of Westwego, Louisiana, pled guilty on September 17, 2024, before United States District Judge Susie Morgan to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Distribute Cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) and, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).
For the Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Distribute Cocaine charge, GREEN faces not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000 and at least 4 years of supervised release. For the Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine charge, he faces up to 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least 3 years supervised release. For the Felon in Possession of Ammunition charge, he faces up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. Each offense also requires payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. Sentencing in this matter will occur on December 17, 2024.
According to court documents, on June 13, 2023, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) deputies and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) special agents observed GREEN distribute cocaine. As law enforcement officers approached GREEN, he fled and was later located in a Westwego apartment. JPSO detectives recovered a Ruger Model P-94, .40 caliber, semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 10 live nine-millimeter rounds with one round in the chamber, under a mattress in the back bedroom. Additionally, the detectives recovered a High Standard, .22 Caliber, revolver in the same room in which GREEN was hiding.
The vehicle driven by GREEN was also searched and a Norinco Model SKS, 7.26 caliber rifle was recovered from the trunk.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Miller of the Narcotics Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
West Park Man Pleads Guilty to Filing Thousands of Fraudulent COVID-19 Testing Reimbursement Claims in the Names of Homeless, Incarcerated and Deceased Individuals, Agrees to Forfeit over $5.6 Million and PropertiesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Willie F. Murray, Jr. (55, West Park) today pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Murray faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud offense and a consecutive two years’ imprisonment for the aggravated identity theft offense. Murray has also agreed to forfeit $5,671,611.74 in U.S. currency, $1,578,925.56 from a bank account, and seven real properties located in Punta Gorda, Fort Lauderdale, Belle Glade, Hollywood, and South Bay, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense.
According to the plea agreement, Murray was the registered agent and manager of Lab Tess, LLC, a Florida company that purportedly provided its customers with COVID-19 testing services. In fact, Lab Tess provided no such services. Murray used Lab Tess to submit fraudulent claims for reimbursement to the Health Resources and Services Administration for COVID-19 testing services supposedly provided to uninsured individuals. To complete the scheme, Murray used personal identifying information of individuals incarcerated by the Florida Department of Corrections, individuals falsely reported as having been tested at homeless shelters and electrical substations, and deceased individuals. Murray submitted more than 126,000 fraudulent claims and received reimbursement in the approximate amount of $5,671,611.74, which he used, in part, to purchase real properties in South Florida.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Pizzo and Suzanne Nebesky.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Waterloo Fentanyl Dealer Found Guilty After Four Day TrialRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who traveled to Mexico to acquire fentanyl was convicted by a jury today after a four‑day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Javoni Marcelius Butler, age 43, from Waterloo, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, one count of international money laundering, and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. The verdict was returned this morning following about forty minutes of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that, beginning in January 2022, and continuing until December 20, 2023, Butler traveled to Mexico on several occasions to acquire fentanyl. During that time, Butler obtained over 10,000 pills containing fentanyl and a significant quantity of fentanyl powder. After obtaining the fentanyl from his Mexican source of supply, Butler worked with several people in Waterloo, Iowa, to distribute the fentanyl. On at least one occasion, Butler conducted an international wire transfer of drug proceeds.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Butler was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the verdict was returned and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Butler faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 100 years’ imprisonment, a $10,500,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hudson, and it was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the United States Postal Inspection Service; and Homeland Security Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23‑CR‑02078‑CJW.
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U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI Announce Criminal Charges in Fruitland CarjackingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Farmington man was charged by indictment for carjacking incident in 2022 in Fruitland, New Mexico.
Myles Cordelle Dan Padilla, 32, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared before a federal judge and will remain in custody pending trial, which is set for November 12, 2024.
According to the indictment, on April 10, 2022, Padilla took a motor vehicle from John Doe by force. During the incident, Padilla discharged a firearm. Padilla is prohibited by federal law from handling or possessing firearms or ammunition due to his previous felony convictions, which include breaking and entering, battery upon a peace officer, and battery against a household member.
If convicted of the current charges, Padilla faces not less than 10 years and up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case.
Padilla Indictment.pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Summer Anti-Violence Initiative Leads to 65 Individuals Indicted for Firearms and Violent Crime Offenses, Including Charlotte Man Charged with Gun Trafficking and Possessing A MachinegunRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal grand jury in Charlotte returned a criminal indictment this week, charging Joshua Herman Phillips, 39, of Claremont, N.C., with gun trafficking, possession of a machinegun, and dealing in firearms without a license, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to allegations in the indictment, between July and August 2024, in Catawba County, Phillips engaged in the trafficking of 23 firearms. The firearms included handguns and AR type rifles. The indictment also alleges that Phillips possessed a Privately Made Firearm, AR Style Rifle chambered in 7.62 x 39, which is classified as a machinegun.
This case is prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
This week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office also filed charges against 10 defendants for illegal possession of firearms and related offenses. Among those charged are:
U.S. v. Jodeic Savage – Savage, 28, of Pembroke, N.C., is charged with two counts of carjacking and two counts of possession and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
U.S. v. Rodney Regan Dunham – Dunham, 43, of Rock Hill, S.C. is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
U.S. v. Ismael Jarquin Cortes – Cortes, 39, of Charlotte, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien and illegal reentry by an alien.
In June, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced efforts to enhance safety across communities in Western North Carolina, especially during the summer months when violent crime historically increases. As a result of those efforts, over the summer, the U.S. Attorney’s Office indicted 65 individuals for illegally buying, selling, or possessing firearms, committing a violent crime, or using a firearm in the commission of the crime.
“Our priority is to reduce violent crime, remove illegal firearms from our streets, and keep the people of the Western District of North Carolina safe,” said U.S. Attorney King. “In collaboration with our federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement partners, we are focusing on investigating and prosecuting individuals that pose a threat to the community, spread violence and drugs in our neighborhoods, traffic or possess illegal firearms, and drive-up violent crime.”
In addition to bringing criminal charges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s continues to enhance community safety through community partnerships and crime prevention programs.
“Our crime reduction efforts extend beyond prosecutions,” said U.S. Attorney King. “To enhance public safety, we must incorporate prevention programs and intervention strategies, and work closely with community organizations and stakeholders that share our commitment to a safer community.”
An important initiative in these efforts, especially during the summer months, was the relaunch of Think Again. Think Again is an informational campaign aimed at deterring illegal firearms activity. For this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office partnered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to educate the public on how to prevent illegal firearms from getting into the wrong hands, the legal consequences of illegally purchasing and selling firearms, and the importance of reporting suspected criminal activity. Through social media messaging and billboard advertisements throughout the Western District of North Carolina, Think Again strives to increase public awareness about gun crimes and the dangers of illegal firearms purchasing or misuse.
In collaboration with law enforcement agencies, community organizations, nonprofit entities, and school districts, the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to engage in violence prevention initiatives, particularly with adolescents and emerging adults. Earlier this summer, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the Asheville Police Department (APD), hosted an outreach event at My Daddy Taught Me That, a youth development program in Asheville, designed to support young people through advocacy, education, and mentoring. During the event, U.S. Attorney King introduced APD Police Chief Michael Lamb to a group of young males and facilitated a group discussion about APD’s community engagement goals under Chief Lamb’s leadership.
In August, the U.S. Attorney’s Office partnered again with APD to host a community forum with Asheville community leaders where U.S. Attorney King discussed partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement to reduce violent crime and explore ways law enforcement can partner with community organizations and stakeholders to assist in these joint efforts.
Throughout the summer, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Attorney King continued collaborating with youth programs and school districts in the Western District and the Qualla Boundary, home to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, to hold listening sessions and have impactful conversations with young people on the causes and consequences of violence.
Also, in July, U.S. Attorney’s Office personnel joined the Charlotte and Asheville winners of the “Do the Write Thing” (DtWT) essay contest, for the National Recognition Week in Washington, D.C. DtWT is a contest organized by the National Campaign to Stop Violence and seeks to encourage middle school students to express the impact of violence in their lives through writing, and to empower students to become catalysts for positive change by sharing their ideas on ways to reduce youth violence. U.S. Attorney King serves as Chair of the DtWT Committee in Asheville.
For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office and programs centered on enhancing community safety, please visit our website.
The charges contained in the indictments are allegations and the defendants are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court of law.
U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Sentence of Isleta Village Man for Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Los Lunas man was sentenced to 15 months in prison for shooting at a family friend with a shotgun following a dispute.
According to court records, on December 14, 2023, Vincent Jerome Martinez opened fire on a family friend with a 12-gauge shotgun when the victim arrived to give a ride to Martinez's grandmother and her granddaughters. Martinez exited his residence, pointed the shotgun at the victim, and yelled "I'm going to kill you!" before discharging the firearm multiple times. The victim fled the scene in his vehicle.
The incident stemmed from a verbal altercation the previous night after the victim refused to take Martinez to purchase alcohol.
As police responded, Martinez attempted to conceal the shotgun under railroad ties behind a metal shed. He was apprehended shortly after and initially denied having a weapon, despite shotgun shells falling from his pockets. During a subsequent interview, Martinez admitted to the shooting.
Martinez will be subject to three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $3,900 fine.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Isleta Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Delivers 12 Year Prison Sentence for 2019 Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 12 years and one day in prison for a violent crime spree that included two carjackings at gunpoint, an attempted bank robbery, and a high-speed chase with law enforcement.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on the evening of January 8, 2019, Charles Chavez, 33, approached a home on Gold Ave SW, rang the doorbell, and asked the homeowner to use the telephone. When the homeowner refused, Chavez brandished a loaded rifle and demanded the keys to the homeowner's truck. Fearing for his life, the homeowner complied, and Chavez fled in the truck.
Shortly after, Chavez abandoned the stolen vehicle at a gas station located at 511 Bridge Blvd SW. There, he encountered E.E., who was refueling his vehicle. Chavez, armed with the same rifle, threatened E.E. and his passengers, demanding the keys to the vehicle. E.E. handed over the keys, and Chavez forcibly took the vehicle, leaving behind the first stolen truck.
Chavez continued his crime spree at a Wells Fargo ATM near Rio Bravo Blvd SW, where he blocked in a vehicle occupied by A.B. and V.E. Chavez pointed the rifle at the pair and demanded money. When they could not produce any cash, Chavez ordered them to withdraw funds from the ATM. His attempt to rob the victims was interrupted when a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived at the scene and ordered Chavez to surrender.
Instead of complying, Chavez shouted expletives and fled in the stolen vehicle, initiating a high-speed chase. Driving at speeds of up to 100 mph, Chavez ultimately crashed the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot, still armed with the rifle. Deputies gave repeated commands for Chavez to surrender, but he refused, threatening officers and indicating he might shoot himself. Even after placing the rifle down, Chavez kept it within arm’s reach and continued to resist arrest. Deputies were forced to deploy non-lethal beanbag rounds and a K-9 unit to finally apprehend him.
Upon his release from prison, Chavez will be subject to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated this case with the Albuquerque Police Department and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niki Tapia-Brito prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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U.S. Attorney and ATF Announce Charges Against Five in Bernalillo County Firearms and Drug Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Five young men face federal charges for allegedly running a firearms and drug trafficking operation that utilized social media platforms to sell machine gun conversion devices and cocaine.
The indictment alleges that from approximately February 13, 2024, to July 2024, Micah Maestas, 19, Dominic Ramirez, 20, Daniel Garcia, 18, and Oscar Ruiz Salmeron, 19, engaged in a conspiracy to illegally sell firearms, including machine gun conversion devices, and distribute cocaine in Bernalillo County. Jesus Ruiz Salmeron, 19, is accused of unlawfully possessing a machinegun.
The defendants allegedly used social media platforms such as Instagram and Telegram to advertise and negotiate the sale of firearms. They are accused of transporting firearms to meet buyers and completing sales for cash. Specifically:
- On February 13, 2024, Maestas, Ramirez, and Garcia allegedly distributed cocaine.
- On March 1, 2024, Maestas, Ramirez, and Garcia sold a Glock 30 .45 caliber pistol with a machine gun conversion device to an undercover officer for $1,200, distributed cocaine, and used a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
- On May 2-3, 2024, Ramirez and Garcia sold a Glock 19x with a machine gun conversion device for $1,300, distributed cocaine, and used a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
- On May 9, 2024, Maestas, Ramirez, and Oscar Ruiz Salmeron sold a Diamondback firearm 300 blackout caliber rifle for $1,100, distributed cocaine, and used a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
- On or before June 13, 2024, Jesus Ruiz Salmeron possessed and transferred a machinegun.
- On July 3, 2024, Maestas possessed and sold a Glock 19 9mm pistol with a machine gun conversion device for $1,300. The machine gun conversion device in this incident was described as “invisible,” fitting flush with the back of the firearm, whereby evading potential law enforcement detection.
Garcia will remain in custody pending trial. Maestas will remain in custody pending a detention hearing, which is currently scheduled for September 24, 2024. Ramirez and the Salmeron brothers have been ordered to reside in a halfway house pending trial, which is currently scheduled for November 4, 2024.
If convicted, Garcia, Maestas, Ramirez and Oscar Ruiz Salmeron face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison up to life in prison for possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Jesus Ruiz Salmeron faces up to 10 years in prison for possession of a machine gun conversion device.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Letitia Carroll Simms is prosecuting the case.
Maetas et al. Indictment.pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Council Bluffs Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Two Council Bluffs men were sentenced for their roles in conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Council Bluffs metropolitan area:
- Douglas Marqueis Louis, 45, was sentenced on August 28, 2024, to a 210-month prison term; and
- Nikolas Alan Koebel, 27, was sentenced on September 20, 2024, to a 100-month prison term.
According to public court documents, in December 2023 during a search warrant a Louis’s Council Bluffs residence, law enforcement located more than three pounds of methamphetamine, more than one pound of marijuana, more than an ounce and a half of cocaine, and more than $13,000 cash. Some of the cash at Louis’s residence came from a controlled purchase of fentanyl that law enforcement made from Koebel. In total, law enforcement arranged six controlled purchases of fentanyl from Koebel.
After completing their terms of imprisonment, Louis and Koebel will each be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement, Council Bluffs Police Department, and Omaha Police Department.
Twelve Defendants, Including Members of International Criminal Gangs, Indicted for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy in South FloridaRead the Press Release
MIAMI - An indictment has been unsealed charging 12 defendants, including members of international criminal gangs MS-13, Sur-13, and the Mexican Mafia, with drug offenses in and around Broward and Miami-Dade Counties in the Southern District of Florida.
The twelve-count indictment charges Edgar Garcia-Velasquez, a/k/a “Diablo,” 34, a citizen of Honduras, Francisco Rangel, a/k/a “Casper,” 41, of Calif., Gabriela Rodriguez-Carrillo, 42, of Calif., Luis Portillo, a/k/a “Shadow,” a/k/a “Sombra,” 35, of Miami, Jose Puga, a/k/a “Stranger,” 45, of Calif., Malinda Martinez, 42, of Fort Myers, Fla., Karina Martinez-Vazquez, 34, of Miami, Rafael Gutierrez, a/k/a “Rafy,” 28, of Miami, Jose Hernandez, a/k/a “Blue Demon,” a/k/a “Labomba3,” 39, of Belle Glade, Fla., Loupe Loredo, a/k/a “L3g3nd,” 39, of Lake Wales, Fla., Felipe Gonzalez, a/k/a “Wicked,” 41, of Calif., and Hugo Cruz, a/k/a “Houdini,” 33, of LaBelle, Fla., with conspiring with each other, their co-defendants, and others to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties.
The indictment charges Garcia-Velasquez, Rodriguez-Carrillo, Puga, Gonzalez, and Martinez Vazquez, with conspiring with each other, their co-defendants, and others to possess with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties.
Garcia-Velazquez, Rodriguez-Carrillo, Martinez, Portillo, Gutierrez, Puga, Loredo, and Martinez Vazquez face additional charges for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties.
Arrests of the defendants began on Sept. 12, at various locations, and thereafter they began making their initial appearances in the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, all of the defendants face up to life imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami; Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division; and Sheriff Gregory Tony of the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) made the announcement.
HSI Fort Lauderdale, FBI Miami, ATF Fort Lauderdale, DEA Miami, and BSO investigated this case with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Fort Myers, FBI Los Angeles, and FBI Fort Myers. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila Fernandez is prosecuting the 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, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
An indictment contains allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any update) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-60174.
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Three Plead Guilty to Wire Fraud in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Haji Osman Salad, Sharmarke Issa, and Khadra Abdi pleaded guilty to their roles in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Salad, 34, the owner and operator of Haji’s Kitchen LLC, enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future and Sponsor A. Salad and his co-conspirators, including Issa, 42, and Abdi, 42, opened sites across the state of Minnesota, as well as multiple shell companies, which were used to facilitate the fraud scheme.
Between June 2020 through 2022, Salad falsely claimed that Haji’s Kitchen was a food vendor for more than 15 million meals to various Federal Child Nutrition Program sites in Minnesota. Co-defendants, Issa and Kawsar Jama were among the largest recipients of purported food from Salad. For example, in November 2021, Salad created fraudulent food invoices falsely claiming that he supplied Kawsar Jama’s Pelican Rapids site, a small town in west-central Minnesota with a population of approximately 2,500 people, with $293,300 worth of food for 140,000 meals and snacks. In total, Salad fraudulently received approximately $11,483,827 in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds, which he spent on real estate and luxury vehicles.
According to court documents, Issa, the principal of Minnesota’s Somali Community and Wacan Restaurant LLC, fraudulently received Federal Child Nutrition Program funds under the sponsorship of Sponsor A and Feeding Our Future, respectively. As part of the scheme, Issa used fraudulent records and food invoices to falsely claim his sites served at least 2.3 million meals to children. Issa also operated other entities such as ANS Projects LLC and Bubah Baraka Properties LLC which he used to launder proceeds of the fraud scheme to purchase assets, primarily real estate, which had nothing to do with feeding children. For example, Issa acquired, among other properties, a $785,000 private residence for himself located in Edina. In total, Issa fraudulently received approximately $3,586,231 in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
According to court documents, Abdi, was the principal of Shafi’i Tutoring & Homework Help Center, which was registered as a meal site under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Between April 2020 and December 2021, Abdi fraudulently claimed entitlement to $3,479,191.92 in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. However, relatively little of this money was used by Abdi to purchase food.
Salad, Issa, and Abdi each pleaded guilty to wire fraud this week in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert, Joseph H. Thompson, and Harry M. Jacobs are prosecuting the case.
Three Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Roles in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose of Southern Oregon TeenagerRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—Three Oregon men were sentenced to federal prison Thursday for distributing fentanyl that caused the overdose death of a Medford teenager.
Hunter Fenstermaker, 23, a Medford resident, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison and six years’ supervised release; Napoleon Gomez, 22, also of Medford, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison and six years’ supervised release; and Conner Lee Francis, 27, of Portland, Oregon, was sentenced to 73 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release. All three were also ordered to pay restitution to the victim’s family.
According to court documents, on September 7, 2021, officers from the Medford Police Department responded to a report of an overdose death of a local 17-year-old high school student. Investigators soon learned the teenager had taken a counterfeit Percocet pill containing fentanyl, and, within days, identified Fenstermaker, Gomez and Francis as the teen’s first-, second- and third-level drug suppliers.
On February 3, 2022, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a five-count indictment charging Fenstermaker and Gomez with distributing fentanyl, and Francis with possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On April 9 and June 17, 2024, respectively, Fenstermaker and Gomez pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl to a person under twenty-one. On June 24, 2024, Francis pleaded guilty to possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
On May 14, 2024, a fourth individual—John Rocha, 31, of Medford—was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for his role in the Medford teen’s overdose death. Rocha was the teen’s fourth-level drug supplier.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Medford Police Department, and the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement Team (MADGE). It was prosecuted by Marco A. Boccato, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
MADGE is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. MADGE is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and is composed of members from the Medford Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices, the Jackson County Community Corrections, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.
Thirteen Members of Drug Trafficking Organization Plead Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that thirteen members of a drug trafficking organization pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and other federal drug crimes.
Heath Lloyd Taylor, age 45, Aaron Guy Key, age 46, Mallory Nicole Laird, age 36, Terri Angela Stroud, age 52, Kandi Anne Hankins, age 43, Travis Austin Powers, age 37, Tracie Ann Sells, age 54, Jeremy Paul Newman, age 47, each pleaded guilty to Drug Conspiracy.
Cody Wade Reece, age 33, and Whitney Marie Granite, age 36, pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
Heather Leigh Brown, age 33, pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
Taylor Dain Parnell Caldwell, age 34, and Randi Shawn Gann, age 34, pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The Indictment alleged that beginning in or about August 2022 and continuing until on or about November 15, 2023, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendants willfully and knowingly combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed together, and with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United Sates, namely the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The joint investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, working in cooperation with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
Additionally, several law enforcement agencies contributed at various stages of the investigation, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the District 16 Drug and Violent Crime Taskforce, the District 18 Drug and Violent Crime Taskforce, the Poteau Police Department, the Spiro Police Department, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, the Seminole Police Department, the Pocola Police Department, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Office, the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshals Service.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson and the Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judges in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the pleas and ordered the completion of presentence investigation reports. All defendants are in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Cornell and Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.
Texas Man Arrested and Charged with Making Threats to Kill Nashville District Attorney Glenn FunkRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE –A federal criminal complaint filed today charges David Aaron Bloyed, 59, of Frost, Texas, with threatening to lynch and kill Glenn Funk, the elected District Attorney General (“DA”) for Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Henry C. Leventis.
According to the complaint, on July 14, 2024, members of the Goyim Defense League (“GDL”) – an antisemitic Neo-Nazi group – were protesting in downtown Nashville when they encountered an employee of a local bar. A fight broke out and a GDL member was arrested and charged with aggravated assault for hitting the bar employee repeatedly using a metal flagpole with a swastika flag affixed to the top.
While in Nashville, GDL members routinely posted about their activities on various social media platforms, including Telegram. Following the arrest of the GDL member, a Telegram user associated with GDL posted threats against DA Funk that included a photograph of DA Funk with the caption, “Getting the rope,” and an emoji finger pointed towards Funk’s image. The posts also included a photograph of a person hanging by the neck from a gallows, with the phrases, “The ‘Rope List’ grew by a few more Nashville jews today,” and “Will you survive the day of the rope?” Law enforcement subsequently identified another social media account with an almost identical username, belonging to Bloyed and containing threats nearly identical to those posted on the Telegram account.
“In a functioning democracy, we simply cannot tolerate threats of violence against elected officials,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “The charges announced today are just the latest illustration of the Department’s commitment to protecting public servants and upholding the rule of law.”
If convicted, Bloyed faces up to five years in federal prison. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Resident Agency, Memphis Field Office and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.
A federal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Specially Designated Global Terrorist Mohammad Bazzi Pleads Guilty to Sanctions EvasionRead the Press Release
Lebanese national Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi, 60, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to conduct and to cause U.S. persons to conduct unlawful transactions with a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
In May 2018, the Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Bazzi as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for assisting in, sponsoring and providing financial, material and technological support and financial services to Hizballah. Hizballah is a foreign terrorist organization that, since the 1980s, engaged in numerous terrorist activities, including attacks against American military members, government employees and civilians abroad.
According to the OFAC designation, Bazzi is a key Hizballah financier who has provided millions of dollars to Hizballah over the years, generated from his business activities in Belgium, Lebanon, Iraq and throughout West Africa. As a result of the designation, Bazzi’s interest in any property in the United States were blocked, and all U.S. persons were generally prohibited from transacting business with, or for the benefit of, Bazzi.
Following Bazzi’s designation and according to the court documents, Bazzi and his co-defendant, Talal Chanine, who remains at large in Lebanon, conspired to force or induce an individual located in the United States (U.S. Person) to liquidate their interests in certain real estate assets located in Michigan and covertly transfer hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds of the liquidation out of the United States to Bazzi and Chahine in Lebanon without the required OFAC licenses, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
During recorded communications, Bazzi and Chahine proposed numerous methods to conceal from OFAC and law enforcement officials that Bazzi was both the source and destination of the proceeds of the sale and to create the false appearance that the U.S. Person was conducting legitimate arms-length transactions unrelated to Bazzi and Chahine. For example, Bazzi and Chahine proposed that the funds be transferred through:
- A third party in China as part of a fictitious purchase of restaurant equipment from a Chinese manufacturer;
- A third party in Lebanon as part of a fictitious real estate purchase;
- Chahine’s family members in Kuwait as part of fictitious intra-family loans; and
- As part of a fictitious franchising agreement as payment for the rights to operate a Lebanese-based restaurant chain throughout the United States.
Bazzi was arrested in February 2023 by Romanian law enforcement authorities and subsequently extradited to the Eastern District of New York. The Justice Department thanks the Romanian authorities for their assistance in this matter.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Bazzi faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. He has also agreed to forfeit the nearly $830,000 that was involved in the illegal transaction, and to be removed from the United States upon completion of his sentence. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco J. Navarro, Jonathan P. Lax, Nomi D. Berenson, Claire Kedeshian and Robert M. Pollack for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Charles Kovats of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Section. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted with the extradition in this case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Specially Designated Global Terrorist Mohammad Bazzi Pleads Guilty to Sanctions EvasionRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct and to cause United States persons to conduct unlawful transactions with a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry. Bazzi also agreed to forfeit the nearly $830,000 that was involved in the illegal transaction, and to be removed from the United States upon completion of his sentence. When sentenced, Bazzi faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Cheryl Ortiz, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New Jersey Field Division announced the charges.
“Today, Specially Designated Global Terrorist Mohammad Bazzi accepted responsibility for his role in conspiring to secretly move hundreds of thousands of dollars from the United States to Lebanon in violation of sanctions placed on him for assisting the terrorist group Hizballah,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This outcome demonstrates our commitment to enforcing sanctions imposed to starve terrorism financiers of funds, and the stark consequences that will be enforced when they are ignored.”
Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Romanian authorities for its assistance on the case.
“The guilty plea from Mohammed Bazzi is a result of the collaborative effort DEA New Jersey has with our law enforcement partners, and foreign counterparts, in effectively targeting those individuals and organizations that violate sanctions by providing financial assistance to terrorist organizations, like Hizballah.” stated DEA New Jersey Field Division Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz. “The DEA remains committed to disrupting and dismantling these organizations and those who choose to support them financially.”
In May 2018, the United States Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Bazzi as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for assisting in, sponsoring, and providing financial, material, and technological support and financial services to Hizballah, a foreign terrorist organization that, since the 1980s, has engaged in numerous terrorist activities, including attacks against American military members, government employees, and civilians abroad. According to the OFAC designation, Bazzi is a key Hizballah financier who has provided millions of dollars to Hizballah over the years, generated from his business activities in Belgium, Lebanon, Iraq, and throughout West Africa. As a result of the designation, Bazzi’s interest in any property in the United States were blocked, and all U.S. persons were generally prohibited from transacting business with, or for the benefit of, Bazzi.
Following Bazzi’s designation, Bazzi and his co-defendant Talal Chahine, who remains at large in Lebanon, conspired to force or induce an individual located in the United States (U.S. Person) to liquidate their interests in certain real estate assets located in Michigan and covertly transfer hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds of the liquidation out of the United States to Bazzi and Chahine in Lebanon without the requisite OFAC licenses, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
During recorded communications, Bazzi and Chahine proposed numerous methods to conceal from OFAC and law enforcement officials that Bazzi was both the source and destination of the proceeds of the sale and to create the false appearance that the U.S. Person was conducting legitimate arms-length transactions unrelated to Bazzi and Chahine. For example, Bazzi and Chahine proposed that the funds be transferred through:
- a third party in China as part of a fictitious purchase of restaurant equipment from a Chinese manufacturer;
- a third party in Lebanon as part of a fictitious real estate purchase;
- Chahine’s family members in Kuwait as part of fictitious intra-family loans; and
- as part of a fictitious franchising agreement as payment for the rights to operate a Lebanese-based restaurant chain throughout the United States.
Bazzi was arrested in February 2023 by Romanian law enforcement authorities and subsequently extradited to the Eastern District of New York.
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 government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Francisco J. Navarro, Jonathan P. Lax, Nomi D. Berenson, and Robert M. Pollack are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Charles Kovats of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Assistant United States Attorney Claire Kedeshian and Senior Law Clerk Alfred Pelargu of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section are handling forfeiture matters. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted with the extradition in this case.
The Defendant:
MOHAMMAD BAZZI
Age: 60
Lebanon, Belgium, and United KingdomE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-041 (DLI)
Shenandoah Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Shenandoah man was sentenced today to seven years in federal prison for receipt of child pornography.
According to public court documents, Evaristo Hernandez Flores Carnes, 34, uploaded images and videos containing child sex abuse material to a social media application. Law enforcement executed search warrant at Carnes’s residence and seized a cell phone that was later found to contain images and videos of child sex abuse material.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Carnes will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), DCI Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Shenandoah Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigations.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Second Maui Man Arrested in Connection with IEDRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Clare E. Connors announced that Jess Kiesel Lee, age 43, of Kula, Maui, was arrested on September 18, 2024 pursuant to a criminal complaint for possessing explosives as a felon and damaging property by means of explosives. An initial appearance in federal court is set for September 23, 2024.
The complaint and affidavit allege that on August 7, 2024, Maui Police Department (“MPD”) officers encountered multiple improvised explosive devices (“IEDs”) near Kaamana Street in Kula. One of the IEDs, which had been exploded before MPD arrived, contained a mixture of compounds consistent with the remnants of explosive powder.
If indicted and convicted of the charged offenses, the defendant would face up to ten years in prison on the felon in possession of explosives charge and a mandatory minimum sentence of at least five years in prison, but no more than and up to 20 years in prison, on the property damage charge. The charges and information contained in the federal complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until indicted and proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lee is not charged for the IED located near Lono Avenue in Kahului on July 23, 2024 or the explosion damaging a car in Pukalani on August 8, 2024, both mentioned in the complaint filed on August 13, 2024 charging another man for the IED located on July 23, 2024.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and MPD conducted the investigation resulting in the complaint and arrest, and the investigation into this matter remains ongoing. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan D. Slack and Wayne A. Myers.
San Antonio Woman Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Performance by a ChildRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio woman was sentenced in federal court to 325 months in prison followed by 30 years of supervised release for one count of sexual performance by a child.
According to court documents, Keisha Lyn Swarner, 42, induced a 13-year-old boy to engage in sexual conduct with a 12-year-old girl. Swarner, who was a fifth-grade teacher, facilitated meetings between the two children at her home on Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Swarner induced sexual conduct between the children in various text messages she sent to the boy on a cell phone she had given him, instructing him not to tell his parents.
Swarner was arrested on April 14, 2022, and has remained in federal custody. She pleaded guilty on Jan. 9, 2024, to one count of sexual performance by a child, admitting that she had authorized and induced a child younger than 14 years of age to engage in sexual conduct.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Calve and Bettina Richardson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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San Antonio VA Official Sentenced for Accepting Bribe as Contracting ConsultantRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Veteran’s Affairs contracting officer in San Antonio was sentenced after a guilty plea to taking a bribe in return for contract.
According to court documents, Glenn Dartone Johnson, 50, identified himself as a “consultant” and was hired by codefendant Javor McCoy to help McCoy win bids for VA transportation contracts. Using his acquisition knowledge gained through his official position, Johnson helped McCoy improve his chances of winning two competitive awards. On or about Aug. 13, 2021 and Aug. 23, 2021, McCoy paid Johnson a total of approximately $100,000 by placing the U.S. currency into a gym locker for Johnson to collect, which he did.
Johnson pleaded guilty on Dec. 20, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official. In addition to the sentence, Johnson will forfeit $43,790, pay a $58,000 fine, and serve 1,500 hours of community service.
“Protecting the integrity of government funds is one of the most important functions of our office,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “The public deserves to have confidence in how their tax dollars are spent, and this case demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that those who abuse the contracting system will be held responsible.”
"The Department of Veterans Affairs is charged with serving those who served our country," said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI's San Antonio field office. "Any employee seeking to take advantage of their position to enrich themselves will be held accountable. The FBI remains committed to ensuring our veterans and the benefits they deserve are preserved, protected and honored.”
“This sentence should send a clear message that those who would defraud VA’s programs and services will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s South Central Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners for their efforts to achieve justice in this case.”
The FBI and VA-OIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Chung and Jay Porier prosecuted the case.
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Romanian Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Stealing Identities to Fraudulently Obtain Public Assistance FundsRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A one-time Orange County man who is one of Romania’s most notorious criminals was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison for stealing victims’ identities to withdraw money from their public-assistance accounts without their permission.
Florin Duduianu, 39, whose last known residence was in Mission Viejo, was sentenced by United States District Judge John W. Holcomb, who also ordered him to pay $1,850 in restitution.
Duduianu pleaded guilty on January 5 to three counts of bank fraud and unlawful use of unauthorized access devices. After a two-day bench trial, Judge Holcomb on January 23 found Duduianu guilty of two counts of aggravated identity theft.
“This defendant came to our country to victimize the neediest members of our society,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Our nation is not a piggy bank for foreign criminals, and those who think they can take advantage of our liberties to harm our people are sorely mistaken.”
“Duduianu stole money which was meant to serve as a critical lifeline to those most in need,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “It was a serious offense, and the FBI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners across the globe to identify fraudsters like this defendant and hold them fully accountable for their crimes.”
In August 2023, law enforcement was conducting an operation to combat Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) fraud at various banks and ATMs in Placentia. Police saw Duduianu, accompanied by a passenger, drive up to a Wells Fargo ATM and make multiple withdrawals on different cards. Based on this information, officers pulled Duduianu over. Duduianu lied to the officers, telling them he was depositing, not withdrawing, money from the ATM.
During a search of Duduianu’s passenger, officers found four Visa gift cards, three Wells Fargo ATM receipts, and $1,850 in cash. The Visa gift cards were encoded with EBT card numbers. Those numbers were run through an EBT database, which showed that they belonged to four different people. Based on the Wells Fargo receipts, Duduianu used two of the cards to make three withdrawals totaling $1,850 from the ATM.
The FBI contacted the accountholders for the two EBT accounts from which Duduianu made withdrawals. The accountholders said that they did not know Duduianu or his car passenger and did not give permission to anyone to withdraw funds from their accounts.
During a search of Duduianu’s cellphone, law enforcement found dozens of photos and videos related to ATM skimming as well as tools and techniques used to skim EBT information. Law enforcement also found photos of large sums of cash and hundreds of EBT numbers from multiple states. In the chat history of Duduianu’s phone, the government found an article about EBT fraud that was sent from his phone to four other phone numbers.
On another smartphone law enforcement recovered during Duduianu’s arrest, law enforcement found additional videos related to ATM skimming. Phone records and EBT records showed that this phone was used to check the balance of the EBT accounts of the victims in this case, five days before Duduianu withdrew $1,850 from those same accounts.
“Until his arrest in this case…Duduianu was one of Romania’s ‘Most Wanted’ criminals and an INTERPOL fugitive,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “He leads the ‘Duduianu Clan,’ an exceptionally violent and influential
organized crime group and was previously convicted of attempted murder. In 2020, [Duduianu] fled Romanian prosecution following charges of robbery and blackmail.”
The FBI and the Placentia Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys David Y. Pi of the Major Frauds Section and Diane B. Roldán of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
Rock Island Man Sentenced to 210 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Meth and MarijuanaRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Rock Island, Illinois man was sentenced on September 18, 2024, to 210 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana.
According to public court documents, in early 2021, Jesus Alfonso Ruiz, 37, along with co-conspirators, distributed meth and marijuana in the Quad Cities area. Surveillance footage showed Ruiz obtaining meth in Illinois. On May 28, 2021, Ruiz was stopped in Eldridge, on his way back from Illinois, and law enforcement officers found approximately one pound of meth in the trunk of the car. In November 2021, Ruiz was arrested at his residence due to an outstanding parole violation warrant in a state drug trafficking case. In Ruiz’s residence, law enforcement located distribution quantities of marijuana and cocaine, and a firearm.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Ruiz will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Scott County Sheriff’s Office and Dubuque Drug Task Force.
Rochester woman arrested, charged with bilking elderly landlord out of tens of thousands of dollarsRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Nahtahna Castner, 45, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with wire fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, between July 2020, and February 2023, Castner gained the trust of an elderly Victim in her mid-90’s who allowed her into her home. The Victim owned a duplex and lived on one side, while Castner lived on the other side. Using her position of trust, Castner gained access to the Victim’s personal identifying information and banking information. She then withdrew large sums of cash from ATM’s, often close to the daily ATM limit, conducted wire transfer peer-to-peer payments to her own personal bank account, and made unauthorized purchases using the Victim’s debit card. The complaint states that Castner defrauded the Victim out of approximately $252,672.97 from two different banking institutions. In addition, Castner also used the Victim’s personal identifying information to complete at least three unauthorized credit card applications, which were approved with credit limits of $2,000, $600, and $500. Castner then used the credit cards and defrauded the three financial institutions out of approximately $3,668.11. Castner used the money she stole from the Victim on a variety of purchases, such as travel, which included a trip to Hawaii, hotels, car repairs, insurance, and car payments.
On January 6, 2022, the Victim was hospitalized, but her family was not notified and only became aware a few days later. When family arrived, Castner was already there, referring to herself as the Victim’s granddaughter, and making the healthcare decisions on behalf of the Victim. Still unsure of Castner’s full involvement with Victim A and under the impression that she had helped Victim A with various tasks, family members offered to provide some money to Castner for helping the Victim when hospitalized. Castner was adamant that she did not want any money and told them she helped “out of the kindness of her heart.” However, the Victim’s son decided to go to the bank anyway to get money, at which time he became aware that the bank accounts were empty. Castner immediately moved out of the duplex without notice and did not contact any of the Victim’s family again. In speaking with his mother about the missing money, the Victim stated it must have been “Tana.” The Victim passed away on February 23, 2023. Just two months prior, her accounts at the two banking institutions had only approximately $99.59.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Red Oak Woman to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
On September 19, 2024, Ann Sulsberger, 49, from Red Oak, Iowa, was sentenced to 6 years’ imprisonment for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing on April 18, 2024, Sulsberger admitted that between April 2023 and May 2023, she and others conspired to distribute over a pound of methamphetamine in the Woodbury and Monona County areas.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Sulsberger was sentenced to 6 years’ imprisonment and must serve a term of four years supervised release following the imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Sulsberger remains in custody of the United States Marshal until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Bureau of Indian Affairs, DEA Laboratory, Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4002.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Readout of Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division’s Meeting with Jewish Community StakeholdersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department yesterday convened its quarterly interagency meeting with Jewish community stakeholders. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland provided remarks to those at the meeting, underscoring the department’s commitment to addressing hate crimes. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division outlined relevant enforcement efforts across the department and highlighted actions to prevent and combat discrimination and hate crimes. Assistant Secretary of Education Catherine Lhamon of the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights also addressed the attendees and highlighted efforts to ensure safe learning environments at schools, colleges, and universities.
Justice Department leadership, including representatives from the Civil Rights Division, FBI, Community Relations Service, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Privacy & Civil Liberty, and the Office of Public Integrity, heard from participating organizations about hate crimes and incidents, campus safety, and civil rights protections around the election, among other areas. Representatives from other federal government agencies were also in attendance, including Officer Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and representatives from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Combating hate crimes, protecting religious freedom, and addressing claims of discrimination are among the division’s top priorities. Yesterday’s meeting represents the department’s ongoing efforts to engage with organizations and stakeholders on issues affecting Jewish communities.
The department has continued to prosecute hate crimes, including recent cases involving a North Carolina man charged with making antisemitic threats to a rabbi in Georgia; California man who pleaded guilty to shooting two Jewish men, leaving an Los Angeles synagogue; Michigan man convicted and sentenced for conspiring with other members of a white supremacist group, the Base, to victimize Jewish and Black people, including desecrating a Jewish synagogue in Hancock, Michigan, with Neo-Nazi symbols; Mississippi man who pleaded guilty to cyberstalking and harassing synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses in Pennsylvania; Indiana man sentenced for sending violent antisemitic threats to the Anti-Defamation League; and the leaders of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group for using digital platforms to solicit others to engage in hate crimes and terrorist attacks against immigrants and other groups based on hate-fueled bigotry and white supremacy.
In May, Assistant Attorney General Clarke recognized Jewish Heritage Month and delivered remarks at the annual federal inter-agency Holocaust Remembrance Program.
In March, the department hosted a community safety webinar for Jewish community stakeholders, during which the department released resource documents designed to help the public better understand federal civil rights laws, including laws that prohibit violence and discrimination on the basis of religion and national origin, and protections afforded by the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, a law that prohibits discriminatory land use decisions, and Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in public accommodations.
If you believe that you or someone else experienced religious or national origin discrimination, you can report a civil rights violation online at civilrights.justice.gov. If you believe you are a victim or a witness of a hate crime, you can report it to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitting a tip at tips.fbi.gov. Learn more about the department’s work on hate crimes here.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke meets with Jewish stakeholders during the quarterly interagency meeting.Readout of Director Rachel Rossi’s Trip to KansasRead the Press Release
Director Rachel Rossi of the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ) traveled to Kansas this week to engage with stakeholders about the access to justice challenges rural communities face and to discuss innovative solutions. The visit built upon the ongoing work of ATJ to address the rural access to justice gap in the United States.
Director Rossi began by meeting with the Executive Director of Kansas Legal Services, a grantee of the Legal Services Corporation that serves all 105 counties in Kansas, to discuss the importance of civil legal aid, the barriers that low-income Kansans face in addressing their civil legal needs and the operational challenges of providing legal services in rural areas of the state. Director Rossi highlighted various initiatives, including the office’s work to expand and modernize the Federal Government Pro Bono Program — which mobilizes federal government employees to engage in pro bono work, often in partnership with legal service providers, and the online resource developed through the Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable to make federal funding opportunities more accessible for legal service providers.
Following her meeting with Kansas Legal Services, Director Rossi met with the Dean of the University of Kansas (KU) School of Law and Directors of the Law School’s Legal Aid Clinic, which offers students the opportunity to represent low-income clients in civil, criminal and juvenile cases under the guidance of supervising attorneys. Director Rossi and KU Law faculty discussed the recruitment and retention issues plaguing public defense and youth defense systems in Kansas. The clinical professors and Dean shared unique insight into current challenges and potential solutions to several access to justice issues in Kansas, focusing on creative recruitment strategies to encourage law students to pursue public interest and public defense careers.
Later in the day, Director Rossi met with the Executive Director and the Director of Special Projects for the Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services (BIDS), which oversees Kansas’ 18 regional public defender offices and manages the statewide assigned counsel program, legal services for people in prison, non-capital appellate services and capital defense. Director Rossi shared ATJ’s Public Defense Resource Hub, a digital compilation of federal resources and materials that can be used to support public defense. The meeting included a discussion of caseload and workload standards, the public defense recruitment and retention crisis and the expansion of public defense in Kansas. Following her meeting with BIDS, Director Rossi met with the Federal Public Defender for the District of Kansas, who also serves as the chair of the Defender Services Advisory Group, to discuss issues federal public defenders are facing, implementation of the Report and Recommendations Concerning Access to Counsel at the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Pretrial Facilities and the innovative defense provided laptop program within the district that ensures discovery access for detained clients.
On Thursday, Sept. 19, Director Rossi met with the Rural Justice Initiative Committee, which was created in 2022 by the Kansas Supreme Court to collect information and data on unmet legal needs and the availability of legal help in rural Kansas and to issue a report and recommendations to address gaps and promote effective solutions. Director Rossi also met with the Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Committee and the Language Access Committee to discuss their programs in rural Kansas and ways in which ATJ can advance access to justice in rural areas. Director Rossi also had the opportunity to meet with a group of state court judges and Kansas Supreme Court justices who serve on these committees to hear their perspective on the role that the judiciary plays in addressing access to justice barriers in the state. She highlighted the work of ATJ to convene all 40 state access to justice commissions quarterly, and the office’s work to expand language access under the leadership of the department-wide language access coordinator.
Director Rossi next met with the Kansas Farm Bureau (KFB) Legal Foundation, an organization established by the Kansas Farm Bureau to provide legal education, information and research for those directly engaged in agriculture or related enterprises. They discussed the civil legal help provided by the KFB Legal Foundation to agricultural communities, including programs to educate farmers and ranchers about significant legal issues such as farm bankruptcy and probate issues, farm ownership transitions, agricultural land use and zoning and more. They also discussed the need for more attorneys and legal help in rural communities, and how the KFB Legal Foundation recently responded through the launch of a Rural Law Practice Grant to help defray the educational costs of law school and to encourage new attorneys to locate their legal practice in rural Kansas.
To conclude the trip, Director Rossi traveled to Washburn University Law School (Washburn Law), in Topeka, Kansas, to meet with faculty, administrators and students participating in Washburn Law’s Rural Law program that focuses on identifying rural externship and employment opportunities and providing support for students to transition into rural law practice. They discussed the program’s effort to expand the range of accelerated and remote study options to lower the barriers to rural students seeking a degree. This engagement highlighted the perspectives of law students, many with backgrounds from rural communities, on effective solutions to the rural lawyer shortage.
Director Rossi and ATJ staff met with faculty at the University of Kansas School of Law. Director Rossi and representatives from Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services. Director Rossi and ATJ staff convened with representatives from the Kansas Rural Justice Initiative, Access to Justice and Language Access Committees. Director Rossi engaged with Washburn University School of Law faculty and former and present law students.- Quincy, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Distributing Methamphetamine
Queens Couple Sentenced for $380,000 COVID Unemployment Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – William Taylor, age 33, of Jamaica, New York, was sentenced to serve 36 months’ imprisonment for aggravated identity theft and conspiring with his girlfriend, Patricia Clarke, to commit mail and wire fraud. Clarke, 27, also of Jamaica, was also sentenced to 12 months’ and one day imprisonment for the conspiracy.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region (USDOL-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino; U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division (USPIS) Postal Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward; and New York State Inspector General (NYSIG) Lucy Lang made the announcement.
Taylor and Clarke used stolen identities to fraudulently obtain pandemic unemployment insurance benefits from the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL). They used the names, dates of birth, and social security numbers of at least 20 individuals to submit claims to NYSDOL. Based on those false claims, NYSDOL wired funds directly to accounts controlled by Taylor, Clarke, or both; and NYSDOL directed bank cards to be mailed to the addresses directed by Taylor and Clarke. In total, NYSDOL paid $381,815 on the claims submitted by Taylor and Clarke under the stolen identities.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also ordered both defendants repay $381,815 in restitution to NYSDOL; Taylor to forfeit $315,723 in criminal proceeds; and Clarke to forfeit $66,092 in criminal proceeds. Judge D’Agostino also sentenced both defendants to 2 years’ supervised release.
USDOL-OIG, HSI, USPIS, and NYSIG investigated the case, with assistance from the New York State Department of Labor’s Office of Special Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner prosecuted the case.
Peshtigo Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on September 20, 2024, Zachary A. Zastawniak (age: 24) of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison by Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach.
According to court records, Zastawniak pled guilty to knowingly persuading a minor to send him a sexually explicit video. In his plea agreement and at the sentencing hearing, Zastawniak acknowledged that he had victimized numerous minors in Oconto County and Northeast Wisconsin by employing coercive techniques to force them to engage in sexual activity. Much of the coercive activity was accomplished using various social media applications.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Griesbach described the case as “horribly aggravated” and stated that Zastawniak repeatedly made “evil decisions” and engaged in “monstrous behavior.” Judge Griesbach also noted the bravery and courage of the victims, many of whom spoke at sentencing, when cooperating with law enforcement and ending the defendant’s criminal acts. Judge Griesbach also described Zastawniak’s prior involvement in similar crimes as “quite frightening.” Ultimately, the judge determined that a sentence of 300 months in federal prison was appropriate. Upon the completion of his federal prison sentence, the defendant will spend 25 years on supervised release. He will also have to register as a sex offender under state and federal law.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigations, the North Fond du Lac Police Department, Oconto Falls Police Department, Oconto Police Department, Oconto County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kingsford, Michigan, Department of Public Safety. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
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Orleans Parish Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Possession and DistributionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – THEODORE TARDIE (“TARDIE”), age 55, of New Orleans, was sentenced on September 17, 2024, by United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute, methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846, respectively. Specifically, TARDIE was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, TARDIE conspired with others to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine, within the Eastern District of Louisiana and elsewhere, on or about January 22, 2020, and continuing to on or about July 29, 2020.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, and the Kenner Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Lynn E. Schiffman and Nolan D. Paige of the Narcotics Unit.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Enticement of A Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity and Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Theron Charles Lord (36, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and production of child sexual abuse materials. Lord faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison for the production offense and a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison for the enticement offense. Lord has also agreed to forfeit the cellphone that was used in the commission of the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Lord and a 15-year-old child victim (CV) met online and began messaging on social media platforms. The messages quickly became sexual in nature and spanned from March until August 2022. In April 2022, Lord drove to meet the CV for the first time and engaged in sexual abuse of the CV. Between April and November 2022, the CV and Lord met in person at least six times and sexual abuse occurred at each meeting. During these meetings, Lord recorded videos of the sexual abuse. Additionally, Lord caused the CV to record and send him specific videos of child sexual abuse material.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Rockledge Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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.
Operators of Lux Living and Big Sur Construction and Chief Accountant Indicted on Wire Fraud Charges Involving Apartment DevelopmentsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two operators of St. Louis area apartment complex construction and development companies, along with their companies’ chief accountant, have been indicted and accused of conspiring to defraud the City of St. Louis Minority Business Enterprise and Women Owned Business Enterprise program to gain millions of dollars’ worth of City tax incentives.
Sidarth “Sid” Chakraverty, Victor Alston and Shijing “Poppy” Cao were indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis September 18 on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 11 counts of wire fraud. The indictment was unsealed Friday morning.
Chakraverty and Alston operate Big Sur Construction LLC, a construction management and development company and LuxLiving LLC, which primarily handled the development, brokerage, daily management, marketing and leasing of apartment complexes built by Big Sur. They also operate the entities which developed the Chelsea multifamily apartment development in the Pershing-DeBaliviere neighborhood of St. Louis, and the SoHo multifamily apartment development* in the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis.
Cao was the chief in-house accountant for all the Big Sur-affiliated companies.
St. Louis’ Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Women Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) programs include participation goals that seek to address historical social and economic disadvantages experienced by women and members of minority groups, and to reduce barriers to participation by those groups in construction projects. Available tax incentives include sales tax exemption on the purchase of construction materials and property tax abatement once the projects are completed. The St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) reviews proposals for redevelopment projects in St. Louis and makes recommendations to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen regarding requests for tax incentives. Once incentives are approved, the SLDC enforces compliance with the City’s MBE and WBE participation goals.
The Chelsea Project
For the Chelsea project, which began in 2019 and was completed in 2021, the participation goals set out in the City ordinance granting a 10-year tax abatement were 25% for MBEs and 5% for WBEs. Big Sur was itself certified as a Subcontinent Asian American MBE, so its own reported labor and material supplies made up the majority of MBE participation on Chelsea. A WBE subcontractor was paid about $21,504 for cleaning services it provided on the project, but the indictment says the defendants falsely claimed an additional approximately $272,393 in materials and labor had been supplied by that WBE company. To conceal and carry out the fraud, Big Sur Construction LLC issued sham “joint checks” that were written to the WBE subcontractor and the non-WBE companies which had actually purchased and supplied materials and labor for the project, the indictment says. In emails, Chakraverty, Alston and Cao discussed which non-WBE companies would be willing to accept a joint check to facilitate the scheme, the indictment says. Big Sur submitted false “Utilization Reports” about MBE and WBE participation, which were required by SLDC throughout the construction phase, and a false final lien waiver and other documents claiming that the WBE had been paid $298,897. Big Sur also submitted a false “Good Faith Narrative” claiming that the company had made a good faith effort to meet the WBE participation goal, the indictment says. They did not disclose that of their claimed WBE participation on the Chelsea project, 93% of the total came from falsely attributing $272,393 in materials and labor costs to the WBE subcontractor, the indictment says.
The SoHo Project
The City ordinance approving a 10-year tax abatement for the SoHo project set a 21% participation goal by African American MBEs, an 11% participation goal for WBEs and a 0.5% participation goal for Native American MBEs. The same WBE cleaning company subcontractor that worked on Chelsea was paid approximately $60,780 for its actual labor and materials on SoHo, but defendants falsely attributed approximately $1.15 million in labor and materials supplied by non-WBE companies to that company in its reporting to SLDC, the indictment says. It also says Chakraverty met with the owner of an African American MBE and offered $10,000 to the owner to allow Big Sur to falsely represent that non-MBE work had been performed by that company. The owner refused. But the owner of another African American MBE company agreed to a 5% “markup” fee on an eventual total of $2.17 million in materials and labor supplied by non-MBE companies that were falsely attributed by defendants to that MBE company in reporting to SLDC, the indictment says. That included $1 million in appliances purchased from Home Depot by Big Sur, but falsely attributed to the African American MBE company, it says. Chakraverty met with the owner of a Native American MBE and struck a deal for the owner to receive a 6% markup fee for construction materials and labor supplied by another non-Native American MBE company, the indictment says. False information as to the materials and labor supplied by the non-Native American company, but attributed to the Native American MBE, was submitted to SLDC, the indictment says. The indictment says Big Sur also issued sham joint checks and sham purchase orders on the SoHo project and submitted false reports to the SLDC, similar to defendants’ conduct on the Chelsea project.
After SLDC officials and employees developed suspicions about false reporting by Big Sur, Chakraverty, Alston and Cao repeatedly tried to get the cleaning company WBE to falsely verify the inflated payments in reporting to SLDC, the indictment says. When they failed, they sought another WBE to act as a front company, it says.
The indictment alleges that the fraudulent conduct on the Chelsea project resulted in at least $551,022 in sales tax exemptions and a property tax abatement worth about $1.75 million. Big Sur received more than $1 million in sales tax exemptions for the SoHo project but did not receive the anticipated property tax abatement due to SLDC’s concerns about the legitimacy of their WBE claims, the indictment says. The defendants originally anticipated a tax abatement on the SoHo valued at approximately $7 million.
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.
The conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The wire fraud charges each carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting the case.
*There are other developments with similar names in the St. Louis area.
redacted_indictment_0.pdfOneida County Pastor Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – James H. Swanson, age 59, of Rome, New York, was sentenced today to three years in federal prison for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office.
As part of his earlier guilty plea, Swanson admitted that between March 25, 2022, and March 28, 2022, he uploaded several videos of child pornography to a cloud storage account under his control. Swanson also admitted that he had engaged in this type of conduct for years but would periodically purge his collection of child pornography before eventually accessing, viewing, and downloading more. According to documents filed in United States District Court, Swanson worked as a pastor for decades and most recently served as the pastor of the Rome Wesleyan Church.
In addition to sentencing Swanson to serve time in federal prison, Chief United States District Judge, Brenda K. Sannes, also imposed a 15-year term of supervised release which Swanson will begin serving after he is released from prison at which time Swanson will also be required to register as a sex offender.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HIS), the New York State Police (NYSP), and the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Ohio Restaurant Owner Convicted of Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
After five days of trial, a federal jury convicted Richard Bhoolai, 65, of Cincinnati, today for failing to pay taxes he withheld from employees’ wages at three restaurants he owned and operated.
According to evidence presented at trial, Bhoolai owned and operated Richie’s Fast Food Restaurants Inc., an S-Corporation used to operate three fried chicken restaurants in the Cincinnati area since 1991. Bhoolai was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from employees’ wages and paying those funds over to the IRS. Bhoolai employed between 22 and 34 employees between at least 2017 and 2018. During that time, he withheld taxes from employees’ wages but did not pay them over to the IRS. Prior to that time, Bhoolai had not paid over such taxes from earlier years and the IRS had assessed a penalty against him for failing to do so. Instead of paying over the taxes, Bhoolai used money from the businesses for his personal benefit, including gambling.
The jury found Bhoolai guilty of eight counts of failing to pay over taxes for four quarters in 2017 and four quarters in 2018. Bhoolai’s sentencing date has not yet been set. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each failure to pay taxes count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole for the Southern District of Ohio presided over the jury trial.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Alexandra K. Fleszar of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ebunoluwa Taiwo for the Southern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.
Ochelata Teen Sentenced After 2022 Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Kaleb Joesph Scullawl, 20, for Robbery in Indian Country. Judge Hill ordered Scullawl to 108 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Scullawl broke into a pawn shop in Bartlesville with two other juveniles. They stole several firearms from the store. A few weeks later, Scullawl messaged someone to buy marijuana. During the illegal drug purchase, Scullawl entered the vehicle and drew a firearm. He demanded the victim's money, wallet, and marijuana. Scullawl then forced the victim to drive home, where Scullawl stole marijuana. Prior to exiting the vehicle, Scullawl discharged the stolen firearm into the victim’s vehicle .
Scullawl is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bartlesville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reagan Reininger prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Notorious Mexican Cartel Leader Convicted for International Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez, also known as El Menchito, today of conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine while knowing and intending that they would be imported into the United States, and using, carrying, and brandishing firearms, including destructive devices, in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy, following a two-week jury trial in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between 2007 and 2017, Oseguera-Gonzalez, 34, led an international drug trafficking organization responsible for importing large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico into the United States. Oseguera-Gonzalez was the second in command of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), which is based in the State of Jalisco in Mexico. The CJNG is one of the most dangerous drug cartels in Mexico. Oseguera-Gonzalez personally used firearms, destructive devices, murder, and kidnapping to control the drug trafficking organization. Oseguera-Gonzalez also ordered his subordinates to shoot down a Mexican military helicopter so that he could escape capture by Mexican law enforcement.
“El Menchito led the Jalisco Cartel’s efforts to use murder, kidnapping, and torture to build the Cartel into a self-described ‘empire’ by manufacturing fentanyl and flooding the United States with massive quantities of lethal drugs. Today, fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever faced,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “El Menchito now joins the growing list of high-ranking Cartel leaders that the Justice Department has convicted in an American courtroom. We are grateful to our Mexican law enforcement partners for their extensive cooperation and sacrifice in holding accountable leaders of the Jalisco Cartel.”
“Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez pioneered the manufacturing of fentanyl in Mexico to help build his father’s Jalisco Cartel into one of the world’s most powerful drug syndicates. His crimes caused horrific violence and death in the United States, Mexico, and around the globe,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Today’s guilty verdict demonstrates that our prosecutors and agents, working with our Mexican law enforcement partners, will relentlessly pursue justice against the leaders of the drug trafficking organizations who destroy lives and poison our communities.”
“As second-in-command of CJNG, Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez used extreme violence to traffic massive amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine into the United States,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His conviction underscores the Criminal Division’s commitment to disrupting and dismantling organizations that manufacture and distribute deadly drugs into our communities. Today’s verdict also sends a powerful message to the cartel leadership: we will work with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to find you and bring you to justice. We are especially grateful to the Mexican authorities for their substantial assistance in this case.”
“Today’s guilty verdict sends a clear message that the DEA will stop at nothing to investigate and dismantle criminal drug networks that threaten the safety and health of the American people,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “As one of the highest-ranking members of the Jalisco Cartel, Oseguera-Gonzalez was responsible for pushing vast quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States while engaging in violence, kidnapping, and bribery to build and protect the Jalisco Cartel. I commend the men and women of the DEA Los Angeles Field Division for their outstanding work on this case.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, from 2012 to 2015, Oseguera-Gonzalez oversaw the manufacture of more than three million pounds of methamphetamine in one area of Mexico. In April 2015, Oseguera-Gonzalez personally directed the distribution of over 55,000 pounds of cocaine. According to trial testimony, in October 2013, Oseguera-Gonzalez made plans to “do it big” with counterfeit oxycontin pills—just before the fentanyl epidemic began in the United States. According to witness testimony, the defendant said in 2015 that he was “building an empire with . . . fentanyl.” Oseguera-Gonzalez was arrested by Mexican authorities on local charges in June 2015. He remained detained in Mexico until his extradition to the United States in February 2020. While in prison in Mexico, Oseguera-Gonzalez continued to control the CJNG, negotiating drug transactions and approving the purchase of firearms and destructive devices, including .50 caliber firearms and 40 mm grenades.
Oseguera-Gonzalez personally used extreme violence to grow and control the cartel. For example, when five men owed Oseguera-Gonzalez money for drugs in the United States, Oseguera-Gonzalez violently killed all five men. On another occasion, the defendant shot one of his drivers in the head a close range. In an intercepted message, Oseguera-Gonzalez also described having 13 people tied up—one of whom he decided to release only after the man agreed to make fentanyl pills for Oseguera-Gonzalez.
Oseguera-Gonzalez also amassed an arsenal of weapons. His hitmen, which he called the Special Forces of the High Command, used the weapons to protect him and help him escape capture by Mexican authorities. For example, on May 1, 2015, the defendant’s hitmen—acting on Oseguera-Gonzalez’s personal orders—shot down a Mexican armed forces helicopter while 18 soldiers and police were on board. At least nine people on board the helicopter died as a result of Oseguera-Gonzalez’s order. Oseguera-Gonzalez’s men used an Iranian-made rocket-propelled grenade and a .50 caliber belt-fed firearm to shoot down the helicopter. Both weapons were painted with “CJNG” and a pixel camouflage pattern unique to Oseguera-Gonzalez’s hitmen.
Less than two months after escaping capture, Oseguera-Gonzalez was arrested in Jalisco, Mexico. When he was surrounded by soldiers and police, he brandished an assault weapon and grenade launcher, demanding to be released because he was a member of the CJNG. The weapon Oseguera-Gonzalez used to threaten police bore the same pixel camouflage pattern and was emblazoned with CJNG and Oseguera-Gonzalez’s nicknames: Menchito, 02, and Jr.
Oseguera-Gonzalez faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 40 years in prison and a statutory maximum penalty of life plus 30 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The DEA Los Angeles Field Division investigated the case with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in securing the extradition of Oseguera-Gonzalez and in obtaining important evidence for the trial. The Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations provided significant assistance. The Justice Department thanks Mexican authorities for their assistance in securing the extradition of Oseguera-Gonzalez and in securing evidence and testimony presented in court.
Acting Deputy Chief Kaitlin Sahni and Trial Attorneys Kate Naseef, Jonathan R. Hornok, and Lernik Begian of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Notorio líder de un cártel mexicano declarado culpable de delitos de tráfico internacional de drogas y armas de fuegoRead the Press Release
Un jurado federal hoy declaró culpable a Rubén Oseguera González, también conocido como “El Menchito”, de conspirar para distribuir cinco kilogramos o más de cocaína y 500 gramos o más de metanfetaminas a sabiendas y con la intención de que serían importadas a los Estados Unidos, y por usar, portar y blandir armas de fuego, incluyendo dispositivos destructivos, en apoyo de la conspiración para el tráfico de drogas, tras un juicio con jurado de dos semanas en el Tribunal de Distrito de los EE. UU. para el Distrito de Columbia.
Según los documentos judiciales y las pruebas presentadas en el juicio, entre 2007 y 2017, Oseguera González, de 34 años, dirigió una organización internacional de tráfico de drogas responsable de importar grandes cantidades de metanfetaminas y cocaína de México a Estados Unidos. Oseguera González era el segundo al mando del Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), con sede en el estado de Jalisco, México. El CJNG es uno de los cárteles de la droga más peligrosos de México. Oseguera González utilizaba personalmente armas de fuego, artefactos destructivos, asesinatos y secuestros para controlar la organización de narcotráfico. Oseguera González también ordenó a sus subordinados derribar un helicóptero militar mexicano para poder evitar su captura por las fuerzas del orden mexicanas.
“El Menchito dirigió los esfuerzos del Cártel de Jalisco por utilizar el asesinato, el secuestro y la tortura para convertir el cártel en un autodenominado ‘imperio’ mediante la fabricación de fentanilo y la inundación de Estados Unidos con cantidades masivas de drogas letales. Hoy en día, el fentanilo es la amenaza de drogas más mortífera que jamás se ha enfrentado Estados Unidos”, declaró el fiscal general Merrick B. Garland. “El Menchito se une ahora a la creciente lista de altos dirigentes de cárteles que el Departamento de Justicia ha condenado en un tribunal estadounidense. Estamos agradecidos a nuestros socios mexicanos del orden público por su amplia cooperación y sacrificio para hacer rendir cuentas a los líderes del Cártel de Jalisco”.
“Rubén Oseguera González fue pionero en la fabricación de fentanilo en México para ayudar a construir el Cártel de Jalisco de su padre en uno de los sindicatos de la droga más poderosos del mundo. Sus delitos causaron violencia y muertes terribles en Estados Unidos, México y en todo el mundo”, declaró la vicefiscal general Lisa Monaco. “El veredicto de culpabilidad de hoy demuestra que nuestros fiscales y agentes, en colaboración con nuestros socios mexicanos del orden público, perseguirán implacablemente la justicia contra los líderes de las organizaciones de narcotráfico que destruyen vidas y envenenan nuestras comunidades”.
“Como segundo al mando del CJNG, Rubén Oseguera González utilizó la violencia extrema para traficar cantidades masivas de metanfetaminas y cocaína a los Estados Unidos”, dijo la vicefiscal general adjunta principal Nicole M. Argentieri, jefa de la División Penal del Departamento de Justicia. “Su condena subraya el compromiso de la División Penal de desarticular y desmantelar las organizaciones que fabrican y distribuyen drogas mortales en nuestras comunidades. El veredicto de hoy también envía un poderoso mensaje a los dirigentes de los cárteles: trabajaremos con nuestros socios nacionales e internacionales del orden público para encontrarlos y llevarlos ante la justicia. Estamos especialmente agradecidos a las autoridades mexicanas por su importante ayuda en este caso”.
“El veredicto de culpabilidad de hoy envía un mensaje claro de que la DEA no se detendrá ante nada para investigar y desmantelar las redes criminales de drogas que amenazan la seguridad y la salud del pueblo estadounidense”, dijo la administradora Anne Milgram de la Administración para el Control de Drogas (DEA). “Como uno de los miembros de más alto rango del Cártel de Jalisco, Oseguera González fue responsable de introducir grandes cantidades de cocaína, metanfetaminas y fentanilo en los Estados Unidos, al tiempo que se dedicaba a la violencia, el secuestro y el soborno para construir y proteger el Cártel de Jalisco. Felicito a los hombres y mujeres de la División de Los Ángeles de la DEA por su extraordinario trabajo en este caso”.
Según las pruebas presentadas en el juicio, de 2012 a 2015, Oseguera González supervisó la fabricación de más de tres millones de libras de metanfetaminas en una zona de México. En abril de 2015, Oseguera González dirigió personalmente la distribución de más de 55,000 libras de cocaína. Según el testimonio en el juicio, en octubre de 2013, Oseguera González hizo planes para «hacerla en grande» con pastillas de oxicontina falsificadas - justo antes de que comenzara la epidemia de fentanilo en Estados Unidos. Según el testimonio de testigos, el acusado dijo en 2015 que estaba “construyendo un imperio con... fentanilo”. Oseguera González fue detenido por las autoridades mexicanas por cargos locales en junio de 2015. Permaneció detenido en México hasta su extradición a Estados Unidos en febrero de 2020. Mientras estuvo en prisión en México, Oseguera González continuó controlando el CJNG, negociando transacciones de drogas y aprobando la compra de armas de fuego y dispositivos destructivos, incluidas armas de fuego del calibre .50 y granadas de 40 mm.
Oseguera González personalmente actuaba con violencia extrema para hacer crecer y controlar el cártel. Por ejemplo, Oseguera González mató violentamente a cinco hombres que le debían por drogas vendidas en Estados Unidos. En otra ocasión, el acusado disparó a quemarropa en la cabeza a uno de sus conductores. En un mensaje interceptado, Oseguera González también relató que tenía atadas a 13 personas, una de las cuales decidió liberar sólo después de que el hombre accediera a fabricar pastillas de fentanilo para él.
Oseguera González también acumuló un arsenal de armas. Sus sicarios, a los que llamaba Fuerzas Especiales del Alto Mando, utilizaban las armas para protegerlo y ayudarlo a evadir la captura por las autoridades mexicanas. Por ejemplo, el 1 de mayo de 2015, los sicarios del acusado -actuando bajo las órdenes personales de Oseguera González- derribaron un helicóptero de las fuerzas armadas mexicanas mientras 18 soldados y policías se encontraban a bordo. Al menos nueve personas a bordo del helicóptero murieron a consecuencia de la orden dada por Oseguera González. Para derribar el helicóptero, los hombres de Oseguera González utilizaron una granada propulsada por cohete de fabricación iraní y un arma de fuego de calibre 50 alimentada por cinturón. Ambas armas estaban pintadas con las siglas “CJNG” y un patrón de camuflaje de píxeles exclusivo de los sicarios de Oseguera González.
Menos de dos meses después de escapar de la captura, Oseguera González fue detenido en Jalisco (México). Cuando fue rodeado por soldados y policías, blandió un arma de asalto y un lanzagranadas, exigiendo que lo dejaran en libertad porque era miembro del CJNG. El arma que Oseguera González utilizó para amenazar a la policía tenía el mismo patrón de camuflaje de píxeles y estaba adornada con las siglas del CJNG y los apodos de Oseguera González: Menchito, 02 y Jr.
Oseguera González se enfrenta a una pena mínima obligatoria de 40 años de prisión y a una pena máxima legal de cadena perpetua más 30 años de prisión. La vista para dictar sentencia está prevista para el 10 de enero de 2025. Un juez de tribunal federal de distrito determinará la sentencia tras considerar las directrices para la imposición de penas de EE. UU. y otros factores legales.
La División de Los Ángeles de la DEA investigó el caso con la ayuda del Servicio de Alguaciles de Estados Unidos. La Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales del Departamento de Justicia prestó una ayuda fundamental para conseguir la extradición de Oseguera González y obtener importantes pruebas para el juicio. La Oficina de Operaciones de Aplicación de la Ley de la División Penal prestó una ayuda significativa. El Departamento de Justicia agradece a las autoridades mexicanas su ayuda para conseguir la extradición de Oseguera González y para asegurar las pruebas y testimonios presentados ante el tribunal.
La jefa adjunta en funciones, Kaitlin Sahni, y los fiscales litigantes Kate Naseef, Jonathan R. Hornok y Lernik Begian, de la Unidad de Narcóticos y Drogas Peligrosas de la División Penal, están llevando el caso.
Este esfuerzo forma parte de una operación de las Fuerzas Especiales de Lucha contra la Droga y la Delincuencia Organizada (OCDETF). La OCDETF identifica, desarticula y desmantela las organizaciones delictivas de más alto nivel que amenazan a Estados Unidos, utilizando un enfoque multiinstitucional, dirigido por fiscales e informado por datos de inteligencia. Puede obtenerse más información sobre el programa OCDETF en www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
Nine Individuals Indicted in $28 Million Illegal Opioid Distribution Conspiracy Three Doctors and A Clinic Owner Among Those IndictedRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today charging nine individuals with conspiracy to illegally distribute prescription drugs, announced U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
U.S. Attorney Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto, of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
Charged in the indictment are: Dr. Charles Wasson, 70, Orchard Lake, MI Dr. Maurice Potts, 65, Detroit, MI
Dr. Bruce Kaplan, 83, Commerce Township, MI
Sharlene Dawson (aka Sharlene Crawford), 55, Detroit, MI Desiree King, 41, Sterling Heights, MI
Lanise Gortman, 53, Warren, MI Aaron Thomas, 42, Southfield, MI Valecia Logan, 33, Detroit, MI and Antoine Arnold, 38, Mt. Clemens, MIThe indictment alleges that from June 2021 through September 2024, Sharlene Dawson (aka Sharlene Crawford), owner of P&A Aftercare, located in Southfield, Michigan, hired Drs. Charles Wasson, Maurice Potts, and Bruce Kaplan to issue controlled substance prescriptions for a cadre of “fake” patients, without medical necessity and outside the usual course of professional medical practice, in exchange for cash payments. According to the indictment, the “fake” patients were recruited by Lanise Gortman, Aaron Thomas, Valecia Logan, and Antoine Arnold. These recruiters would fill the prescription at area pharmacies and sell the controlled substances on the street. The indictment further alleges that Desiree King ran the front office at P&A Aftercare and worked closely with the recruiters to facilitate the issuance of the controlled substance prescriptions.
The primary prescription controlled substances illegally prescribed by the doctors named in the indictment included Schedule II controlled substances Oxycodone, Oxycodone-Acetaminophen (Percocet), and Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen (Norco). While most of the unlawful controlled substance prescriptions were paid for in cash, both controlled and non-controlled
“maintenance” medications were billed to health care benefit programs by pharmacies. It is also alleged that billings to the Medicare and Medicaid programs for medically unnecessary prescription drug medications and maintenance medications during this conspiracy exceeded
$20 million.The case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisandra Fernandez-Silber and Regina R. McCullough. The Eastern District of Michigan is one of the twelve districts included in the Opioid Fraud Abuse and Detection Unit, a Department of Justice initiative to combat the opioid epidemic.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Nigerian National Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Afeez Akinloye, age 44, a Nigerian citizen, was sentenced on September 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Akinloye to a total of 30 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Akinloye’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release and is subject to removal from the United States.
In the Fall of 2016, continuing to the summer of 2017, Akinloye participated in a scheme to defraud U.S. based businesses involved in real estate transactions. As a part of the scheme, Akinloye and other individuals gained access to email accounts and account information related to real estate transactions and then posed as the seller in the real estate transaction, requesting wire transfers be sent to locations and accounts that the fraudsters had access to. The accounts Akinloye and the other fraudsters had access to were as a result of other co-conspirators victimizing unwitting mules through romance scams. There were two victims in the District of Nebraska who lost $52,000 as a result of the wire fraud conspiracy. There were a total of eleven victims with losses of $1,850,000 and attempted losses of $4,600,000. Akinloye and the co-conspirators committed the offense from outside the United States, mostly from South Africa. At the request of the United States, South African authorities arrested Akinloye for the purpose of his extradition in September 2022, a court in South Africa found him extraditable in June 2023, and South African authorities extradited him to the United States in December 2023. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, in coordination with the South African Department of Justice, provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Akinloye.
Akinloye’s co-defendants, Saliu Jimoh Akinloye, Ebenezer Gbenga Omoshagba, and Sheriff Opeyemi Olalere, remain at large.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Mexican Man Sentenced for Five Pounds of Pure MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Luis Enrique Sagaste-Rodriguez, age 35, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced September 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, for possessing with intent to distribute almost 5 pounds of pure methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Sagaste-Rodriguez to 121 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On November 2, 2023, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office stopped Sagaste-Rodriguez for a traffic violation. Sagaste-Rodriguez was the sole occupant of the vehicle. During the encounter, Sagaste-Rodriguez was extremely nervous, including shaking and sweating despite the cool temperature. A drug detection K9 was deployed, which indicated to presence of drugs in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle resulted in 2,146 grams of pure meth being seized.
Sagaste-Rodriguez is in the United States illegally and will be deported back to Mexico after serving his sentence.
This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Maryland woman pleads guilty to taking bribes to steer government contractsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland woman who formerly worked as a federal government contracting specialist pled guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services wire fraud.
According to court documents, Kyana C. Washington, 44, worked for a company that contracted with the Government Publishing Office (GPO) to provide support for the Acquisition Services Business Unit. Washington’s title at GPO was senior contract specialist, and her duties included assisting contract officers with acquisition planning and solicitation, source selection, the preparation and issuance of contracts, delivery orders, and the modifications and management of various contractual vehicles.
In August 2021, Washington met an individual identified in court records as Person A at a social gathering. Person A’s business provides consulting services that include finding opportunities for his affiliate companies to secure government contracts. At the social gathering, Washington told Person A that she worked in contracting at GPO, and while she did not have direct approval authority over GPO’s contracts, her supervisor did, and Washington’s supervisor followed Washington’s recommendations.
On Aug. 13, 2021, Washington and Person A met at a restaurant in Maryland. Washington told Person A that she could help him get contracts with GPO, but she wanted to be paid 20% of the value of the contracts she steered to Person A. Person A told Washington that he could not pay her directly, so the two agreed that Person A would pay Washington through Washington’s daughter to disguise the bribe payments. Washington brought her government laptop to the meeting and showed Person A confidential information about then-available GPO contracts on which Person A and his business associates could bid. Washington and Person A identified an IT/cloud services contract (Contract-1) which Washington could plausibly steer to Person A’s affiliated businesses.
In September 2021, as GPO’s fiscal year was coming to a close, Washington provided Person A screenshots of her GPO computer that contained nonpublic information about GPO contracting opportunities. Person A later texted Washington the names of three of the companies he was working with, including a Fairfax County business identified in court documents as “Contractor A.” Washington prepared a memorandum for GPO, dated Sept. 29, 2021, indicating that quotes were received from only three companies (those named by Person A) and recommending that Contract-1 be awarded to Contractor A.
Originally, Contract-1 was valued at approximately $1,000,000, to be paid out over five years, which would have required a higher level of approval. Instead, Washington restructured the contract so that it was valued at just under $200,000, to be paid out in one year, and subject to renewal under the same terms for a total of five years, which required only the approval of Washington’s supervisor, who approved the award to Contractor A based on Washington’s recommendation.
Contractor A agreed to pay Person A a percentage of the profits from the contract, and Person A agreed to pay Washington a percentage of the money that he received. Person A and Washington set up a sham “marketing agreement” between Person A’s company and Washington’s daughter’s company to funnel the bribe payments. From the beginning to the conspiracy until the date the government disrupted the scheme, Washington received a total of $7,098.37 in bribe payments from Person A.
GPO has paid a total of $487,887.50 for work performed on Contract-1. During the conspiracy, Person A received approximately $2,362 per quarter for bringing Contract-1 to Contractor A, or a total of approximately $23,362.
Washington is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 9, 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; David E. Geist, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; Stephen Ravas, Acting Inspector General for AmeriCorps; and John Perez, Special Agent in Charge, Headquarters Operations, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB-CFPB OIG); and Nathan J. Deahl, Inspector General for the Government Publishing Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine E. Rumbaugh and Heidi B. Gesch are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-186.