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Tuesday 6 August 2024
Former British Virgin Islands Premier Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Import Cocaine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Former British Virgin Islands (BVI) Premier Andrew Alturo Fahie was sentenced yesterday to 135 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams after having been convicted at trial of cocaine trafficking and money laundering conspiracies for agreeing to facilitate the safe passage of tons of Colombian cocaine through BVI ports headed to Miami. In exchange for his assistance Fahie would make millions, which would be funneled through different businesses or smuggled back to the BVI to hide the money’s source.
According to evidence introduced at trial, during March and April 2022, Fahie, Managing Director of the BVI Ports Authority Oleanvine Pickering Maynard (O. Maynard), and the Port Director’s son, Kadeem Stephan Maynard (K. Maynard) participated in a series of meetings with the purported Sinaloa Cartel drug trafficker to broker the arrangement. Fahie and O. Maynard agreed to secure licenses, shield the cocaine-filled boats while in BVI’s ports, and grease the palms of BVI government officials and employees. They discussed bringing 3,000 kilograms of cocaine through a BVI port as a test run, followed by 3,000 kilograms once or twice a month for four months. Fahie and O. Maynard would get a percentage of the millions of dollars in cocaine sales.
In April 2022, Fahie and O. Maynard were arrested in Miami as they prepared to pick up a $700,000 cash advance on their deal. K. Maynard was arrested in St. Thomas.
O. Maynard and K. Maynard previously pled guilty to conspiracy to import cocaine and were sentenced by Judge Williams to 112 months and 57 months in prison, respectively.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, announced the sentence.
DEA Miami Field Division investigated this matter. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Gerarde and Sean McLaughlin prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture.
Members of the South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force carried out this case and prosecution. HIDTA was established in 1990. This program, which is made up of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, fosters intra-agency cooperation among law enforcement agencies in South Florida and involves them in developing a strategy to target the region's drug-related and violent crime threats to public safety, as with the opioid epidemic, fentanyl, and the cocaine threat to our nation. South Florida HIDTA uses funding provided by the Office of National Drug Control Policy out of the Executive Office of the President of the United States and sponsors a variety of law enforcement initiatives that target the region's illicit drug and violent crime threats to our community.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-CR-20191.
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Former Boston Police Officer Sentenced for Overtime Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Boston Police officer was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with an investigation of overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department’s (BPD) evidence warehouse.
Diana Lopez, 62, of Milton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to six months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. Lopez was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and $36,028 in restitution. In June 2021, Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds.
Between January 2015 and February 2019, Lopez submitted false and fraudulent overtime slips for overtime hours that she did not work for overtime shifts at the evidence warehouse. The “purge” overtime was a 4 – 8 p.m. weekday shift intended to dispose of old, unneeded evidence. For the “purge” shift, Lopez claimed to have worked from 4 – 8 p.m., but she routinely left at 6 p.m., or earlier.
Between January 2015 and February 2019, Lopez personally collected approximately $36,028 for overtime hours she did not work.
To date, over a dozen Boston Police officers have been charged in connection with committing overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department’s evidence warehouse. Lopez is the eighth officer to be sentenced.
From 2016 through 2019, BPD received annual benefits from the U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Justice in excess of $10,000, which were funded pursuant to numerous federal grants.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohan, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Russell W. Cunningham Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Mid-Atlantic Region made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Firefighter candidate trying to work in the South Pole forged medical documentsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 30-year-old man will have to submit to monitoring following his conviction related to his attempt to circumvent a needed and required screening process for those charged with protecting National Science Foundation (NSF) facilities in Antarctica, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Brandon Mikula pleaded guilty April 23.
At his sentencing hearing, the court heard how Mikula’s conduct was intended to circumvent the medical screening process the NSF imposes upon anyone joining the agency’s mission in Antarctica. The court heard that by submitting false documents and providing false medical information during the screening, Mikula was attempting to undermine a process that aims to protect the lives of the individuals working at the NSF bases in Antarctica - and any rescuers that might be needed for a medical emergency.
“Antarctica is the highest, driest and coldest continent on earth. Average winter temperatures at dip below -75 degrees Fahrenheit. Medical evacuations from NSF’s Antarctica facilities, in those harsh conditions, could take days or weeks in the winter," said Hamdani. "As a firefighter at the Antarctic Fire Department, Mikula would have been responsible for the daily safety of those occupying NSF’s stations. While Mr. Mikula’s misconduct may at first blush seem minor, his misconduct had the potential to end in tragedy for him and for others. That’s why my office will work with agency partners like the NSF to ensure that any efforts to circumvent their requirements or deceive the public will result in accountability.”
The screening process is designed to ensure applicants are medically and psychologically fit to endure the extreme conditions of life in Antarctica. Proper evaluations are necessary and important given the extreme risks of any rescue operation. Under optimal conditions, a medical evacuation could take several days or even a week - and only if a vessel is in the vicinity. Winter evacuations are high-risk events that may take weeks and may, depending on conditions, be impossible.
“It is imperative that federal contractors are fully qualified to perform critical functions, especially in Antarctica’s extremely remote and harsh environment.” said Allison Lerner, NSF Inspector General. The NSF - Office of Inspector General (OIG) is committed to vigorously pursuing oversight of the U.S. Antarctic Program, and I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its strong support in this effort.”
The NSF’s - Office of Polar Programs supports Arctic and Antarctic science through grants to research across the United States and by providing polar facilities and operational support. Among other things, NSF operates McMurdo Station, Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and Palmer Station in Antarctica.
In 2022, an NSF contractor had hired Brandon Mikula, Mexico, Missouri, to work as a firefighter at the U.S. Antarctic Program’s Antarctic Fire Department. The Antarctic Fire Department is responsible for all emergency responses for the Antarctic Program, including fire, rescue, emergency medical services, hazmat and other emergency situations. All buildings on the Antarctic bases are considered critical, and the loss of a single structure could effectively shut down a significant portion of station operations.
As a result, NSF required contractors like Mikula to undergo a rigorous medical screening process. Mikula also had to submit a physician’s evaluation and other materials to staff at the UTMB-Galveston staff. Mikula provided false information on required NSF forms and hid, among other things, certain medical conditions and medications.
On Aug. 2, 2022, UTMB and NSF staff determined Mikula was not physically qualified to travel to Antarctica.
Subsequently, in an effort to reverse this determination, Mikula submitted false information. Among other things, Mikula faxed a letter to the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) from his primary care physician claiming he was medically fit; however, he had forged the letter. He also submitted other false documents and sent harassing emails to UTMB and NSF officials in efforts to reverse their determination. Ultimately, investigators identified that documents Mikula had submitted were forgeries.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown has now ordered Mikula to serve one year of probation, during which time he will need to submit to monitoring and other conditions.
NSF-OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Gray is prosecuting the case.
Federal Jury Convicts New York Resident of Acting as a Covert Chinese AgentRead the Press Release
Shujun Wang, 75, a naturalized U.S. citizen of Chinese descent, an academic and author who helped start a pro-democracy organization in Queens, New York, that opposes the current communist regime in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), was convicted today on all four counts of an indictment charging him with acting and conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government without prior notification to the U.S. Attorney General, criminal use of identification and making false statements to law enforcement.
“This defendant infiltrated a New York-based advocacy group by masquerading as a pro-democracy activist all while covertly collecting and reporting sensitive information about its members to the PRC’s intelligence service,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s verdict demonstrates that those who would seek to advance the Chinese government’s agenda of transnational repression will be held accountable.”
“The indictment could have been the plot of a John LeCarre or Graham Greene spy novel, but the evidence is shockingly real that the defendant led a double life, pretending for years to be an activist for democracy while he was secretly passing information to the Chinese government,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “The defendant was a perfect stooge for the PRC, a well-known academic and founder of a pro-democracy organization who was willing to betray those who respected and trusted him. When confronted with his shameful conduct, Wang lied to the FBI, but today’s verdict revealed the truth of his crimes and now he will face the consequences.”
“This conviction underscores the FBI’s commitment to countering espionage schemes by holding those accountable who collect U.S. activist information for the benefit of China,” said Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “Any support for transnational repression is unacceptable, and the FBI works diligently with its partners to seek out and bring to justice those who support such activities.”
Wang is one of the founders of the pro-democracy Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang Memorial Foundation, an organization located in Flushing, Queens, whose members are well-known pro-democracy dissidents who oppose the current government of the PRC. But instead of promoting democracy in the PRC, Wang, at the direction of PRC government officials, used his position within the Memorial Foundation and his status within the Chinese diaspora community to collect information about prominent activists, academics and dissidents, and reported that information to the PRC government.
According to court documents, since at least 2006, Wang operated under the direction and control of his co-defendants – four officials of China’s Ministry of State Security, which is responsible for the PRC’s foreign intelligence collection. At the MSS’ direction, Wang gathered information on people and groups that the PRC considers subversive, such as Hong Kong democracy protestors, advocates for Taiwanese independence and Uyghur and Tibetan activists, both in the United States and abroad. Wang conducted face-to-face meetings with MSS officials while on trips to the PRC and used an encrypted messaging application to receive taskings from his co-defendants and to send and receive written messages and files.
Wang often memorialized the information he collected in email “diaries” to be accessed by the MSS. These “diaries” included details about Wang’s private conversations with prominent dissidents, as well as the activities of pro-democracy activists and human rights organizations. Law enforcement recovered from Wang’s residence approximately 163 “diary” entries that he wrote to He, Ji, Li and Lu and other MSS officials. Additionally, in connection with his work for the MSS, Wang possessed telephone numbers and contact information belonging to Chinese dissidents.
Wang made materially false statements to federal law enforcement, falsely denying that he had contacts with PRC officials or the MSS. Over the course of three separate interviews, between 2017 to 2021, Wang repeatedly denied having any contact with individuals from the Chinese intelligence agency. During one of the interviews, in 2019, Wang was interviewed by federal law enforcement agents at John F. Kennedy Internation Airport in Queens, after he returned from China. Wang falsely stated that he had no contact with anyone from the Chinese government and that he had no Chinese government contact information.
The verdict followed a one-week trial. Wang’s co-defendants in the espionage and transnational repression scheme, Feng He, Jie Ji, Ming Li and Keqing Lu are MSS officials who remain at large. Wang is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 9, 2025 and faces up to 25 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ellen Sise and Nina Gupta for the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Garrett Coyle of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Eden Prairie Man of COVID Relief Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Following a ten-day trial, a federal jury convicted an Eden Prairie man of fraudulently applying for more than $2.1 million in COVID-19 relief funds and then spending the fraud proceeds on himself, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
As proven at trial, between March and May 2020, Harold Bennie Kaeding, 75, applied for at least $2,182,625 in loans through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program. Kaeding used the name of his own close family members to submit the loan applications in the names of six different purported corporate entities. But these entities filed no tax returns and did not report the payment of wages to a single employee for calendar years 2019 and 2020. Kaeding instead fabricated tax documents, manufactured bank statements, and submitted other records to ensure the applications appeared legitimate. These false statements to lenders included the number of employees a given entity employed, the amount of average monthly payroll expenses, and false statements about the intended use of the loan proceeds.
As a result of his material falsehoods and omissions, Kaeding initially received approximately $1,642,670 in fraud proceeds before some banks detected irregularities and clawed back some of the money. This left Kaeding with $658,490 in fraud proceeds, which he transferred to bank accounts—often opened in the names of close family members—that he controlled. Kaeding then used his fraud proceeds to, among other things, get his personal residence out of impending foreclosure, purchase an SUV, and stockpile more than $80,000 in cash. In early 2021, Kaeding fled to Colombia in an apparent attempt to evade prosecution. Law enforcement eventually located Kaeding and successfully deported him back to the United States to face prosecution.
Following a ten-day trial before Judge Eric C. Tostrud in U.S. District Court, a jury found Kaeding guilty on August 2, 2024, of three counts of wire fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of money laundering. A sentencing hearing will take place at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and IRS.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan L. Sing and Robert M. Lewis tried the case.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to 30 Years’ Imprisonment for Assault with Intent to Commit Murder and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Lorenzo Scott, age 51, formerly of Rayville, Louisiana, and an inmate at the United States Penitentiary (USP) at Lewisburg, was sentenced on August 2, 2024, by Chief District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann, to 30 years’ imprisonment following his conviction of assault with intent to commit murder and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Scott was an inmate at USP Lewisburg on March 25, 2015, when he physically assaulted his cellmate and repeatedly struck, stomped, and inflicted blunt force trauma to the cellmate’s head resulting in severe, life- threatening injuries. A corrections officer at USP Lewisburg, who was conducting rounds at 4:00 a.m., observed Scott stomping on the cellmate’s head as the cellmate lay on the floor of the cell in a puddle of blood. The cellmate died approximately two years and two months after the assault from the injuries inflicted by Scott.
The indictment in this case originally charged Lorenzo Scott with murder. However, the charge of murder was withdrawn by the government due to existing federal caselaw regarding the “year-and-a-day-rule,” which bars a prosecution for murder in cases in which the victim dies more than a year and a day after the infliction of the wound causing the victim’s death.
During the trial, Scott testified and admitted that he intended to kill his victim, who suffered a traumatic brain injury because of Scott’s attack.
The case was investigated by the FBI-Williamsport Division and the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Special Investigations Section (SIS). Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. O’Hara and Kyle A. Moreno prosecuted the case.
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Court Enjoins Fraudulent Medical Debt Collection Scheme Targeting Veterans and Older AmericansRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that, as of Aug. 2, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma has entered permanent injunctions that bar three Tulsa, Oklahoma-area men and two companies from running a fraudulent medical debt collection scheme that targeted current and former servicemembers and older Americans.
In its civil complaint, the United States alleged that Christopher Parks, 63, Christopher Noah Parks, 31, and Stephen Miller, 39, sent thousands of fraudulent debt collection notices on Assured Collections LLC and Assured Financial LLC letterhead to consumers nationwide. The letters demanded thousands of dollars in payment purportedly for medical devices that some consumers received for past medical procedures, such as leg compression devices used to prevent blood clots after surgery. The United States alleged that defendants had no authority to collect any debt from those consumers and that the debts for which defendants sought repayment were in many cases illusory — i.e., consumers did not actually owe the money, but many paid it anyway. The complaint further alleged that Christopher Parks and his co-defendants knew that the debt collection notices were fraudulent yet continued to harass consumers and demand payments.
According to court documents, Christopher Parks directed significant aspects of the scheme while spending time in prison on other healthcare fraud charges. For example, recorded telephone calls obtained from the facility where Parks had been incarcerated revealed that Parks directed Stephen Miller to switch names and operate under Assured Financial LLC instead of Assured Collections LLC after numerous consumers filed Better Business Bureau complaints accusing Assured Collections LLC of fraud.
Under the terms of their civil consent decrees, defendants agreed to be permanently enjoined from, among other things, engaging in any future billing and debt collection activities and accepting any future payments from any consumer who received a debt collection notice from Assured Collections LLC or Assured Financial LLC. Additionally, defendants agreed to disclose the consent decrees to any current, prospective and/or future employee, employer, business partner, client or associate engaged in the healthcare or debt collection industries.
“The department is committed to preventing vulnerable consumers from being harmed by false claims about debts they purportedly owe,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “I am thankful for the tireless efforts of our investigative partners who were integral to our success in this case.”
“Christopher Parks, a former attorney, devised a scheme to defraud Northern District of Oklahoma citizens of millions of dollars while he was in prison for a previous healthcare fraud scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “Defendants were brought to justice for their brazen scheme through a collaborative effort between the department and our investigative partners. My office will zealously pursue fraudsters who swindle citizens of their hard-earned money.”
“Protecting the integrity of the healthcare system for our military members and their families is a top priority of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan Settle of the DCIS Southwest Field Office. “DCIS will continue to work with its law enforcement partners and the Justice Department to hold fraudsters accountable for their illicit activities and to ensure America’s service members are not victimized.”
“Preserving veterans’ access to world-class health care is a priority for the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA OIG), and we will investigate anyone who would seek to exploit VA’s programs and services,” said Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper with the VA OIG’s South Central Field Office. “The VA OIG is grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and our law enforcement partners for their efforts to achieve justice in this case.”
In an unrelated case brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Christopher Parks was sentenced in October 2023 to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to offer and pay health care kickbacks as part of a scheme where consumers were steered to obtain prescriptions from Parks-controlled compounding pharmacies. Parks is also currently awaiting trial in the Eastern District of Texas on other federal criminal healthcare fraud charges stemming from his billing practices as the principal of a company called USA Medical.
The VA-OIG, DCIS, Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Wesline N. Manuelpillai and Assistant Director Patrick R. Runkle of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marianne Hardcastle for the Northern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma can be found at www.justice.gov/usao-ndok. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the Federal Trade Commission at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Convicted felon admits to possessing distributable amounts heroinRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 32-year-old Laredo man has pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
The investigation began in January when law enforcement learned Raul Garcia Jr. aka Rule was selling drugs in the Laredo area. Over the next two months, investigators continued to receive information Garcia was selling narcotics, and possibly out of his home.
In March, law enforcement obtained a warrant to search Garcia’s home. During the search, authorities located heroin packaged for street sale. A month later, law enforcement obtained a second search warrant and again found heroin. Similar to drugs recovered during the March search, they noted the heroin found in April was also packaged for street sale.
As part of his guilty plea, Garcia admitted to possessing the drugs located and seized throughout the investigation.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Garcia faces up to 40 years in federal prison and a possible $5 million maximum fine.
Garcia will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Laredo Police Department’s Narcotics Division conducted the investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Bajew and Leslie Cortez are prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Columbus man sentenced to 27 years in prison for crimes related to sexually exploiting & sextorting more than 25 identified victimsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 324 months in prison for crimes related to sexually exploiting and sextorting more than 25 known victims in at least four states.
Lorenzo A. Winfield, 23, persistently and aggressively sought out and collected nude files of high school classmates and minor females he met online.
“Acts of sextortion are serious and have no place in our society. As we heard in court today from more than a dozen victims, this conduct creates significant harm,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Today’s sentencing reflects that we will hold such perpetrators accountable for their damaging actions.”
According to court documents, from at least 2016 until 2021, Winfield used extortion tactics to solicit and collect explicit photos of underage girls at his Columbus high school, the Arts and College Preparatory Academy (ACPA), where he was known as the “ACPA Hacker”.
Winfield would contact students at ACPA and demand nude images and videos of them. He would also hack into victims’ social media accounts and use the photos he obtained in their private accounts against them as leverage for more content. Winfield would threaten the victims, letting them know he had nude content depicting them or other students and that he would distribute those images and videos unless the victims complied with his demands. On numerous occasions, Winfield followed through on these threats, distributing sexually explicit photos of his victims to others to prove he was serious with his threats in a bid to contain more content. In addition, Winfield told the victims to send him sexually explicit images or videos in order to regain control of their own social media accounts.
Winfield used several social media accounts of his own to engage in the exploitation and extortion of the victims. His accounts were active across platforms such as Discord, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Skype and Google Hangouts.
Winfield was separately investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office for extorting and exploiting at least four victims in Fairfax and Prince William counties in Virginia.
For example, one identified victim was approximately 11 years old at the time Winfield first contacted her online. During their communications, Winfield obtained nude images of her and videos of her masturbating. Winfield used this content as leverage and eventually sent nude photos of the victim to students at a Virginia middle school to prove he was serious about his sextortion of her. Eventually, as the victim got older, Winfield also sent the images to students at her high school, promising the victim that if she got her friends to help her out by sending him nude images, that he would stop. Winfield threatened to harm the family of the Virginia minor if she did not comply with his requests for sexually explicit photos and videos and continued to exploit and extort her until his arrest.
Similarly, Winfield exploited at least one victim in College Station, Texas. The investigation revealed that the Texas victim sent approximately 50 pictures and videos to Winfield. Winfield demanded explicit images and videos of her daily. On one occasion, when the victim did not comply with Winfield’s demands, Winfield sent images of the victim’s nude breasts and vagina to the victim’s brother and friend.
The defendant pleaded guilty in December 2023 to sexually exploiting minors, possessing child pornography, and communicating interstate with the intent to extort.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. U.S. Attorney Parker and Special Agent in Charge Iatarola commended the cooperative investigation in this case with FBI divisions and state and local law enforcement agencies in Ohio, Virginia and Texas. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
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Cartel-Linked Minnesotan Indicted for Operating a Mexico-Based Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Fifteen individuals have been charged in a Mexico-based drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl throughout the Twin Cities and surrounding areas, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
“Every year, thousands of Minnesotans die from illicit drugs trafficked into our communities, including methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other synthetic opioids,” said U.S. Attorney Luger. “Today’s indictment disrupts one of the most sophisticated and significant drug trafficking organizations we have prosecuted in my tenure as U.S. Attorney, and I am grateful to the DEA and FBI for their hard work bringing this operation to justice. The Department of Justice would also like to recognize the Mexican authorities for their assistance on this case.”
“While many people look for ways to improve and grow their communities, Clinton Ward aligned himself with two Mexican cartels thinking only of the profits lining his pocket,” Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Steven T. Bell said. “Ward’s organization left a trail of destruction in its wake. This investigation and today’s arrests are the result of exceptional teamwork. Never underestimate the unified strength of state, local and federal law enforcement agencies.”
"Drugs trafficked into our communities fuel violent crime and endanger the safety and well-being of our neighborhoods," said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. "Thanks to the strong partnership between local, state, and federal agencies, today's arrests have disrupted a significant drug trafficking network. The FBI remains committed to protecting our communities and bringing those who threaten them to justice."
According to court documents, on January 4, 2019, Clinton James Ward was arrested in the parking lot of a motel in Vadnais Heights with more than eight pounds of methamphetamine. At the time, Ward was selling methamphetamine from his hotel room to various customers. Within weeks of his arrest, Ward fled to Jalisco, Mexico, where he met up with Mexican and American drug traffickers who all had ties to the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
According to court documents, from January 2019 until his arrest in March 2024, Ward established and operated his own cartel-sourced Mexican-based drug trafficking organization that distributed thousands of pounds of methamphetamine to Minnesota through a network of drug traffickers. Using an existing cartel pipeline, Ward would transport large drug loads into the United States through various means including concealing shipments in semi-trailers crossing the border at various locations. The shipments were later broken down into smaller quantities and transported into Minnesota via private vehicles and semi-trailers.
Over the course of the investigation, more than 50 defendants with connections to Ward have been charged with methamphetamine trafficking and other drug trafficking offenses. In total, law enforcement has seized more than 1,600 pounds of methamphetamine, four kilograms of cocaine, two kilograms of fentanyl, 30,000 counterfeit fentanyl pills, 45 firearms, and more than $2.5 million in drug proceeds.
On March 11, 2024, Ward was taken into custody by Mexican authorities and returned to the United States to face prosecution.
The following thirteen members and associates of the Ward drug trafficking organization are in custody and have been charged in a federal superseding indictment:
- Clinton James Ward, 45, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and distribution of methamphetamine.
- Shawnette Lynn Andreasen, 46, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine.
- Jonathon Beau Bailey, 33, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
- Vin Chanry, 37, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
- Perry John Coyle, 65, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine.
- James Joseph Graczyk, 51, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine.
- Benjamin DeWayne Johnson, 40, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine.
- Joseph Allen Pappenfus, 41, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
- Breezie Lynn Pena, 46, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine.
- Aaron Michael Teadt, 47, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine.
- Jimmy Thithavong, 38, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine.
- Peter Charles Watkins, 45, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine.
- Nicole Marie Williams, 41, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine.
All defendants made their initial appearances in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the DEA, FBI, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota Department of Corrections, Minnesota State Patrol, St. Paul Police Department, Mounds View Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Wright County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Hollenhorst is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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California Man Sentenced for Distributing Methamphetamine and Fentanyl and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Ramon Lopez-Larios, age 53, of San Ysidro, California, was sentenced August 6, 2024 in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 100 grams or more of fentanyl and for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Lopez-Larios to 168 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Lopez-Larios is released from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. He will also forfeit $2,900.00 in U.S. currency to the United States as drug proceeds.
On August 18, 2022, Nebraska State Patrol conducted a traffic stop of a California vehicle on I-80 at mile marker 231. Law enforcement utilized a K-9, which indicated to the presence of narcotics. Law enforcement then searched the vehicle and located two statues. Law enforcement used a Viken Backscatter X-ray machine, and it showed concealed packages inside the statues. Troopers tested the packages, and they contained meth. Law enforcement seized 59 pounds of meth and 9 pounds of fentanyl from the vehicle. Upon further investigation, a firearm was located inside a bucket in the back of the vehicle. Law enforcement confirmed that Lopez-Larios is an illegal alien. In addition, $2,900.00 in U.S. currency was seized from Lopez-Larios’ pants pocket.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Bessemer Man Charged in Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Bessemer man has been charged in an elder fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Terrance Alonzo Pruitt, 47, of Bessemer, with wire fraud.
According to the indictment, in September 2023, Pruitt executed a Power of Attorney over the victim, an elderly family member, without the victim’s knowledge or permission. Between September 2023 and December 2023, Pruitt devised a scheme to defraud the victim by becoming a joint account holder on the victim’s bank accounts, removing two payable on death (POD) beneficiaries from one of the accounts, and adding two POD beneficiaries to an account. Pruitt also transferred more than $500,000 in funds from the victim’s accounts to his personal bank accounts.
Pruitt faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan S. Rummage is prosecuting the case.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and attempted fraud is critical to law enforcements efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud, and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10am-6pm Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov. Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at this website or by calling 1-800-225-5324.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on 59th Anniversary of the Voting Right ActRead the Press Release
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the 59th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act:
“The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law 59 years ago in the wake of a generations-long struggle to make real the promise of the 15th Amendment: that no American citizen be denied the right to vote on account of race.
The Act gave the Justice Department some of its most powerful tools to protect the right to vote.
Between 1965 and 2013, the Department was able to block more than 3,000 restrictive voting changes in jurisdictions with a history of suppressing the vote because of the law.
But court decisions in recent years drastically weakened the protections of the Voting Rights Act. Since those decisions, there has been a dramatic increase in legislative measures that make it harder for millions of eligible voters to vote and to elect the representatives of their choice.
The Justice Department is not standing down in the face of those restrictions. We are challenging discriminatory, burdensome, and unnecessary restrictions on access to the ballot. We are working to block discriminatory redistricting plans. We are working with jurisdictions to ensure that their voting centers are accessible to voters with disabilities. We are defending the constitutionality of several Voting Rights Act provisions, including the prohibition on voter intimidation. And we continue to urge Congress to restore the provisions of the Voting Rights Act that courts have weakened, to ensure that we have the authorities we need to protect voting rights.
At the same time, efforts to undermine the right to vote have expanded to include a disturbing rise in threats of violence against the citizens we rely on to fairly administer voting — state and county elected officials, career administrators, and even volunteer poll workers.
The Justice Department has used and will continue to use every authority we have to protect the right to vote, and to protect the public servants who make voting possible. We are aggressively investigating and prosecuting threats of violence targeting election workers, officials, and volunteers.
While there are many things open to debate in our country, the right to vote must not be one of them. The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy, the right from which all others flow. The Justice Department will never stop working to ensure that every eligible voter can cast a vote that counts.”
Armed Cocaine Trafficker from Eden, Vermont Sentenced to 29 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on August 5, 2024, Damien Peatman, 26, of Eden, Vermont, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 29 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Peatman previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court records, Peatman distributed over two kilograms of cocaine from February 2021 to December 2022 from his family home in Eden, Vermont. Peatman kept a handgun as part of his operation that he got from a drug customer as payment for drugs. When police searched Peatman’s residence, Peatman had a flag hung in his bedroom which read, “It’s not a crack house, it’s a crack home.” Witnesses described the Peatman residence as “the main place to go in Eden” to purchase cocaine. Peatman even used cocaine as a way to pay contractors for work done on the house.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nate Burris, Nicole Cate and Colin Owyang. Peatman was represented by Lisa Shelkrot, Esq.
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.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Public Land Offenses
Robin Thoenig, 58, of Jackson, Wyoming, was convicted of reckless driving, speeding, failing to notify authorities of a motor vehicle accident, and impermissibly removing a motor vehicle from the scene of an accident. On May 10, at approximately 9:30 p.m. while visitors in Grand Teton National Park were gathered to view the aurora borealis, Thoenig was driving in Grand Teton National Park at speeds of up to 127 mph in areas where the speed limit is 45 mph. While doing so, Thoenig struck and killed an elk, then drove her vehicle several miles from the scene, left it near the Gros Ventre Campground and obtained a ride out of the park. Upon pleading guilty to the four charges, she was sentenced to three days of incarceration and ordered to pay a $750 community service payment, $1,000 in fines and $70 in mandatory court costs. This crime was investigated by the National Park Service and the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes.
Child Pornography
Thomas Matthew Ezell, 46, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced on Aug. 1, to 120 months in federal prison with 10 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography, subsequent offense. He was also ordered by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy J. Freudenthal to pay $9,000 in restitution and a $100 assessment. According to court documents, between August and December 2023, CyberTips received several notifications from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children involving the possession and distribution of child pornography from an account on Snapchat and X (Twitter). Search warrants conducted on those accounts linked them back to the defendant. Ezell is a registered sex offender with two previous convictions involving children and possession of child pornography. Ezell pleaded guilty on April 24. This crime was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children task force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case.
Drug Trafficking & Firearm Offenses
James Eugene Nemeth, 65, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on July 30. According to court documents, on Nov. 10, 2023, Casper Police Department received a tip that a man named “Jim” was selling narcotics out of the Super 8 Motel in Evansville. Deputies conducted a free air sniff around the defendant’s vehicle in which K9 Duke indicated to the presence of controlled substances. Officers received a motel roster and confirmed James, aka Jim Nemeth, was staying there. The K-9 also indicated to the presences of controlled substances in Nemeth’s room. Nemeth cooperated with officers and told them he had a loaded weapon, a half a pound of methamphetamine, and over $5,000 in cash. Nemeth pleaded guilty on May 7. This crime was investigated by the Casper Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie Morrison.
Firearm and Ammunition Offenses
Joshua Allen Frescas, 34, of Rawlins, Wyoming, was sentenced to 44 months’ imprisonment for being a felon in possession of ammunition. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on July 31. According to court documents, on July 30, 2023, the Rawlins Police Department received a report of a stolen vehicle. Officers located it at a gas station. A review of the station’s security camera showed that Joshua Frescas pulled into the station driving it, then exited the vehicle and got into another vehicle. Officers located the other vehicle and placed Frescas under arrest for the stolen vehicle and five outstanding warrants. Frescas also had a backpack with 4.5 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, a firearm and ammunition. Frescas was a convicted felon, which prohibited him from possessing firearms or ammunition. He pleaded guilty on May 8. This crime was investigated by the Rawlins Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U. S. Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom prosecuted the case.
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Environmental Justice
The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime#trafficking
Monday 5 August 2024
Yuba City Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Gun TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Aug. 1, 2024, Sukhmanpreet Singh Jawanda, 22, of Yuba City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to 10 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl pills and illegally dealing firearms, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in 2022, Jawanda sold fentanyl and at least six firearms to an undercover agent. On March 25, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of Jawanda as he traveled on Interstate 5 in San Joaquin County and recovered more than 30,000 fentanyl pills, a kilogram of cocaine, and a firearm.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Highway Patrol, and the Yuba Sutter Narcotic and Gang Enforcement Task Force (NET-5). Assistant U.S. Attorney Alstyn Bennett 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 U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Winchester Man Arrested for Making Threats Against Vice PresidentRead the Press Release
Charlottesville, Va. – A Winchester, Virginia man, who made online threats against the Vice President and thousands of posts and replies in online forums targeting the President of the United States, FBI Director, and other public officials, was arrested today on federal charges.
Frank Lucio Carillo, 66, made his initial court appearance this morning in U.S. District Court in Roanoke, Virginia after being arrested last week at his home in Winchester. Carillo is charged in a federal criminal complaint with one count of making threats against the Vice President of the United States.
“Open political discourse is a cornerstone of our American experience. We can disagree. We can argue and we can debate. However, when those disagreements cross the line to threats of violence, law enforcement must step in,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia said today.
“The FBI’s mission is to protect the American people. We take all threats of violence seriously, and we will investigate them to the fullest and hold those responsible accountable,” Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI’s Richmond Division said today.
According to court documents, on July 27, 2024, the Maricopa County, Arizona, Recorder’s Office notified the FBI’s Phoenix Office of potential threats being made on the social media platform GETTR. The threats were being made by a user with the name “joemadarats1.”
FBI searched the “joemadarats1” user account and discovered approximately 4,359 posts and replies made by the user targeting various public officials including, but not limited to, President Joseph Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and FBI Director Christopher Wray.
Vice President Harris was mentioned 19 times by “joemadarats1,” including numerous threats of violence.
In a February 2024 post, “joemadarats1” said he had his “AR-15 LOCKED AND LOADED.”
Authorities used GETTR subscriber information and other investigative methods to match the “joemadarats1” username with Carillo and to locate his physical location in Winchester, Virginia.
On August 2, 2024, authorities at the FBI Richmond executed a search warrant at Carillo’s home and seized a 9 mm pistol, an AR-15 rifle and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
The FBI in both Richmond, Virginia and Phoenix, Arizona, and the United States Secret Service are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Welsh is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Watertown Man Found Guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Heath Kelvin Hagen, age 37, of Watertown, South Dakota of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Aberdeen. The verdict was returned on August 1, 2024.
The charges carry a penalty of a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in custody and/or a $10,000,000 fine, a mandatory minimum of five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hagen was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2023.
Hagen was part of a group of people who trafficked thousands of pills in the Northeastern part of South Dakota. Hagen obtained the pills from Minneapolis and redistributed them to others primarily in Watertown and Sisseton. Witnesses identified Hagen as the biggest fentanyl dealer in Watertown for a period of time in early 2022.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for October 21, 2024. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Upshur County Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Fraudulently Obtain Unemployment and COVID-19 BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Christopher Grant, 41, of Buckhannon, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to steal public money, property or records. Grant admitted that he fraudulently obtained approximately $14,336 in unemployment benefits, including COVID-19 supplementary funds, and a $20,832 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about March 25, 2020, Grant applied for unemployment compensation after he was laid off as a sales manager at a Charleston auto dealership when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Grant legitimately received unemployment benefits until the week ending April 18, 2020, when he returned to work.
Grant admitted that from at least April 25, 2020 through at least July 25, 2020, he continued to apply for unemployment benefits that he knew he was not entitled to because he had returned to work. Grant fraudulently obtained approximately $14,336 in unemployment benefits, including supplementary funds provided by the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program (FPUC) of the CARES Act.
WorkForce West Virginia administers the unemployment compensation program for the State of West Virginia. Grant admitted that as part of his scheme, he falsely certified on the WorkForce West Virginia website for 14 consecutive weeks that he was entitled to unemployment benefits. Grant submitted the false certification answers while using his personal electronic device in St. Albans.
On March 21, 2021, Grant applied for a PPP loan because he had earned income as an independent contractor during previous tax years. PPP loans were available to qualifying independent contractors and self-employed individuals adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to replace their normal income and for certain other expenses. Grant admitted that he falsely represented that he had earned $104,580 as an independent contractor for the prior tax year when he knew he had only earned $33,900. Grant further admitted that he made this false representation in order to receive $20,832, the maximum loan amount available to independent contractors.
Grant also admitted that he used the fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits and PPP loan funds to make purchases and pay his bills.
Grant is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Grant also owes $35,168 in restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the WorkForce West Virginia Integrity Section, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG), the Litigation Financial Analyst with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-113.
United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana to Take Part in Community Events During National Night Out 2024Read the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana will join community organizers, neighbors, and law enforcement partners to participate in National Night Out events on August 6, 2024. During this year’s National Night Out, U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers will attend block party events in the surrounding Indianapolis areas and IMPD’s Crime Fighter of the Year ceremony, honoring outstanding civilian leaders in their communities committed to public safety.
“A positive, ongoing relationship between neighbors and law enforcement is vital to building trust and keeping the public safe,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “It is important for people to see that we are a part of the communities we serve, and I am looking forward to visiting with several different neighborhoods for the second year in a row. Through events like National Night Out, community members can place a friendly face to the law enforcement agencies that serve to protect them and engage in meaningful discussions about crime, safety, and responsibility.”
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
Coordinated by local law enforcement agencies and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
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United States Attorney's Office to Participate in Community Events During National Night OutRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts will join community organizers, neighbors and law enforcement partners in National Night Out events across the Commonwealth.
“Protecting Massachusetts would be impossible without the critical support from our law enforcement partners. In doing their job, it is imperative that they are seen and known across the communities they serve,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “National Night Out is a terrific opportunity to build additional trust between our law enforcement partners and the neighborhoods in which they work. We look forward to joining our colleagues across the state, meeting members the communities we all serve.”
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides an opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
Two Sentenced for Shooting Death of MinorRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Manderson, South Dakota, man convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter, and a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Misprision of a Felony. The sentencings took place on August 2, 2024.
Tyson White Plume, 29, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Sarah Stone, 44, was sentenced to time served, followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
In February of 2022, a federal grand jury indicted White Plume for Second Degree Murder and Stone for Accessory After the Fact to Second Degree Murder. White Plume pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter and Stone pleaded guilty to Misprision of a Felony. The change of plea hearings took place on May 3, 2024.
The convictions arose out of the shooting death of White Plume’s seventeen-year-old girlfriend on February 5, 2022. White Plume admitted pointing a pistol at the minor’s face and pulling the trigger, after removing the magazine but failing to ensure the firearm did not have a bullet in the chamber. The shooting occurred in Stone’s residence near Rockyford, South Dakota, in the Pine Ridge Reservation. Stone knew the minor had been killed in her home, but concealed and lied about what she knew when she was questioned by law enforcement officers.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
White Plume was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Two Nigerian Men Extradited to U.S. in Connection with the Sextortion and Death of an Area Young ManRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Imoleayo Samuel Aina, 26, and Samuel Olasunkanmi Abiodun, 24, were extradited from Nigeria to the United States to face charges related to the sexual extortion and death of a young man in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Aina is charged with cyberstalking, interstate threat to injure reputation, and receiving proceeds of extortion. Both Aina and Abiodun are charged with wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy.
After being charged by complaint, Aina and Abiodun were arrested in Nigeria and taken into custody by the FBI on July 31, 2024. They were extradited to the United States with the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI Legal Attaché in Abuja, and the FBI. The support and assistance of Nigerian security authorities was essential to this effort, notably that of Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Justice’s International Criminal Justice Cooperation Department, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Aina and Abiodun have now been brought to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for prosecution and appeared in federal magistrate court in Philadelphia before U.S. Magistrate Elizabeth T. Hey on Friday, August 2.
If convicted of the charged offenses, Aina faces a maximum possible sentence of lifetime imprisonment, and Abiodun faces a maximum possible sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Abington Township Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Brown.
An indictment, information or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Individuals Indicted and Arrested for Coercion and Enticement, and Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Juan Carlos Peña-Luguera, 39, and Joshua Jandel Pérez-Lebrón, 20, with coercion and enticement of a minor, sex trafficking of minors, and receipt of child pornography. The FBI is in charge of the investigation and is seeking information from the public regarding these two individuals.
According to court documents, from July 2023 through December 2023, the defendants knowingly recruited, enticed, harbored, and solicited a male minor, between the ages of 16 and 17 years old, knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that the male victim had not attained the age of 18 years, to engage in a commercial sex act. The defendants used cellular phones, as well as internet instant messaging services to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce the male minor to engage in sexual activity. In addition, Peña-Luguera and Pérez-Lebrón are charged with receipt of child exploitation material, that is, images and videos depicting a male minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct via an instant messaging application using a cellular telephone.
“Those who engage in child exploitation, including the sex trafficking of children and possession of child sexual abuse material, will be held accountable for their criminal conduct,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The United States Attorney’s Office and law enforcement agencies will continue to take full advantage of our investigative tools and prosecution powers in order to protect our children from sexual predators. We want to remind the public to report all inappropriate behavior with children to their local authorities and together, local and federal law enforcement will see that justice is carried out.”
If you have been a victim of these subjects or know someone who may have been, call the FBI San Juan Field Office at 787-987-6500. We need the public to come forward, it is everyone’s responsibility to keep our children safe.
“Sex trafficking of children is and will continue to be a priority for our office,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “We want victims and their families to know that the FBI is here for them and will continue to pursue these cases aggressively. There is no place in our society for those who exploit our youth. Witnesses and victims can trust that we will protect them and that all available federal government resources will be at their disposal.”
If convicted, the defendants face the following possible sentences: a minimum of 10 years up to life in prison for enticement and coercion of a minor and sex trafficking charges, and not less than 5 years up to 20 years of imprisonment for the receipt of child pornography, followed by a term of supervised release of 5 years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez-Lora of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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 www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Foreign Nationals Indicted for Alleged Series of Armed Robberies of Convenience Stores Across Southern CaliforniaRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A South Los Angeles man was arraigned today, charged in an eight-count federal grand jury indictment that alleges he and another defendant conducted a series of armed robberies at eight convenience stores across Southern California over a period of just over five months earlier this year.
The following defendants were both arrested fleeing from a robbery on June 13 and have been charged with eight counts of Hobbs Act robbery:
Jesus Soto-Parada, 26, who was deported to El Salvador during the robbery spree but later returned to the United States, continued the robbery spree, and was found to be residing in South Los Angeles, is scheduled to begin his trial on September 24.
Daniel Pavon, 20, a Honduran national living in Gardena, is currently in state custody and awaiting transfer to federal custody to face charges.
According to court documents, Soto, Pavon, and co-conspirators allegedly entered convenience stores wearing surgical masks. One suspect would reportedly brandish a handgun at the clerk while stealing money, while the other served as a lookout.
According to the indictment filed on June 26, Soto, Pavon, and their co-conspirators beginning on January 11, allegedly robbed convenience stores in Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Pomona, Newport Beach, Agoura Hills, and Gardena. The group reportedly stole approximately $13,950 in cash and $7,415 in merchandise.
Following the Gardena robbery on June 13, law enforcement located the suspects and conducted a traffic stop, resulting in the arrest of Soto and Pavon. During the search, officers reportedly discovered cash, a box of blue medical face masks, the tracking device, a black replica semi-automatic handgun, and two long-sleeved black hooded sweatshirts. Shortly afterward, a clerk at the victimized Gardena store was brought to the scene and identified Soto and Pavon as the individuals who committed the robbery, noting they were wearing the hooded sweatshirts during the robbery.
An indictment and complaint contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
“These defendants’ alleged violent crime spree has now earned them federal criminal charges carrying major potential prison time,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Criminals should take note that we are partnering with local law enforcement more than ever to send a clear message that violent crime has no place in our community.”
Operation Safe Cities establishes strategic enforcement priorities with an emphasis on prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime. Across this region, the most damaging and horrific crimes are committed by a relatively small number of particularly violent individuals. This strategic enforcement approach is expected to increase the number of arrests, prosecutions and convictions of recidivists engaged in the most dangerous conduct. It is designed to improve public safety across the region by targeting crimes involving illicit guns, prohibited persons possessing firearms, or robbery crews that cause havoc and extensive losses to retail establishments.
If convicted, Soto and Pavon face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each Hobbs Act robbery count.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Orange County Violent Crime Task Force (OCVCTF), which is comprised of federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the ATF, the Brea Police Department, the Santa Ana Police Department, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, and the Fullerton Police Department, is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jena MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Caitlin Campbell of the Santa Ana Branch Office are prosecuting this matter.
Two Charged in Red Lake Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Two Bemidji individuals have been indicted for conspiring to distribute fentanyl in and around the Red Lake Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between October 2023 and November 2023, Derek Jon Paddy, 28, and Robyn Lea Lussier, 20, conspired to distribute fentanyl throughout the state of Minnesota. On November 2, 2023, Paddy and Lussier were found in possession of over 40 grams of fentanyl.
Paddy and Lussier made their initial appearances in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty on August 2, 2024. They are both charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Red Lake Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren O. Roso is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Men Sentenced for Trafficking Firearms and Other Gun-Related OffensesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Alvin Demar and Joshua Carter have been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking dozens of firearms that were later recovered from crime scenes in multiple states and Canada. Jamal Plunkett was sentenced for possessing one of the trafficked firearms.
“Firearm traffickers present an acute and dangerous threat to communities within and outside our district,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “The sentencing of these defendants is an example of our office’s unwavering commitment to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to identify and dismantle gun trafficking operations, and to prosecute those who jeopardize the wellbeing of our communities by funneling firearms to criminals.”
“Identifying and disrupting firearms trafficking is one of ATF’s key missions,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “These convictions and subsequent sentences send a clear message that firearm trafficking and the illegal possession and use of firearms will not be tolerated.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: Between July 2021 and January 2022, Alvin Demar, a convicted felon with convictions for drug trafficking and aggravated robbery, paid individuals, including Joshua Carter, to straw purchase dozens of handguns in the metro Atlanta area. Demar then sold the straw-purchased weapons to other people who also trafficked them or used them in additional crimes.
The guns purchased and sold by Carter and Demar were recovered from crime scenes in Atlanta, Georgia; Baltimore, Maryland; the District of Columbia; Gainesville, Georgia; French Camp, California; Edmonton, Canada; and Toronto, Canada. Some of the firearms were used in shootings before they were confiscated by law enforcement. For example, in November 2021, Carter purchased a Glock pistol that was linked to three shootings in Atlanta. Carter also purchased a Ruger pistol equipped with an extended magazine, and within two months of the purchase, Jamal Plunkett, a convicted felon, stole and discharged the pistol 17 times in Gainesville, Georgia.
Demar also illegally possessed numerous firearms for his own use. For example, in December 2019, Demar was arrested by Atlanta police officers after a loaded Glock pistol was found in a vehicle he was driving. In November 2022, federal agents found another loaded Glock pistol in Demar’s bedroom, and they also seized a USAS-12 semiautomatic shotgun from his garage. The USAS-12 is a large-bore, military-type assault shotgun with a 10- or 20-round magazine. Under federal law, the USAS-12 is classified as a destructive device that must be registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Due to his criminal history, Demar was prohibited from possessing firearms of any type.
Alvin Marvin Demar, 47, of Decatur, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Eleanor L. Ross to 15 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Demar was convicted of two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, conspiracy to make false statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer, making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer, and possession of an unregistered destructive device. He pleaded guilty to these charges on March 27, 2024.
Joshua Carter, 29, of McDonough, Georgia, was sentenced by Judge Ross to three years in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release on June 5, 2024. Carter was convicted of conspiracy to make false statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer after he pleaded guilty on January 23, 2024.
Jamal Plunkett, 36, of Snellville, Georgia, was sentenced in a separate case on October 10, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones. He is currently serving a sentence of four years, three months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Plunkett was convicted of possession of a stolen firearm after he pleaded guilty on May 19, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the DeKalb County (Georgia) Police Department and Gainesville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg 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 further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Three Additional Dominican Nationals Extradited to Face “Grandparent Scam” Charges in New JerseyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Three residents of Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, were extradited to the United States last week and made their initial appearance in Newark federal court yesterday on charges relating to their participation in a sprawling “grandparent scam” that defrauded elderly Americans out of millions of dollars.
Juan Rafael Parra Arias, aka “Yofre,” 41; Miguel Angel Vasquez, aka “Miguel Disla,” 24; and Jose Ismael Dilone Rodriguez, 34, are among 11 Dominican Nationals charged in a 19-count indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey and unsealed on April 29. Following their initial appearance today, the court ordered the three men detained pending trial. The extradition of Parra Arias, Vasquez, and Dilone Rodriguez follows that of their co-conspirators Rafael Ambiorix Rodriguez Guzman, aka “Max Morgan,” 59, and Felix Samuel Reynoso Ventura, aka “Fili” and “Filly the Kid,” 37, who appeared in Newark federal court on July 22 to answer the indictment.
According to the indictment, Parra Arias, Vasquez, Dilone Rodriguez, and their conspirators engaged in a long-running “grandparent” or “family in need of bail” scam against hundreds of seniors across the United States, including in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. Parra Arias is alleged to have led a network of call centers in Santiago, Dominican Republic, while Vasquez and Dilone Rodriguez worked in these centers to recruit co-conspirators in the United States.
As detailed in court filings, members of the conspiracy referred to as “openers” called elderly victims in the United States and impersonated the victims’ children, grandchildren or other close relatives. The call centers used technology to make it appear that the calls were coming from inside the United States. Typically, the victim was told that their grandchild had been in a car accident, was arrested in connection with an accident and needed help.
Once openers tricked victims into believing their loved ones were in dire trouble, others working at the call centers, known as “closers,” allegedly impersonated defense attorneys, police officers or court personnel and convinced victims to provide thousands of dollars in cash to help their loved ones. The cash was typically retrieved by couriers – including those recruited and dispatched by Parra Arias, Vasquez, and Dilone Rodriguez – from the victims’ homes, or mailed by victims at the direction of the closers.
Parra Arias, Vasquez, and Dilone Rodriguez each face multiple charges, including mail and wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count, a maximum fine of $250,000 for each count of mail and wire fraud and a maximum fine of $500,000 for money laundering conspiracy and money laundering.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“As alleged, these three defendants played a role in a scheme that relied on the love and devotion of elderly victims in order to cheat them out of millions of dollars. In this ‘grandparents’ scam,’ some of the defendants allegedly impersonated grandchildren in distress, claiming, for example, they had been arrested after a car accident involving a pregnant woman who later miscarried, and they needed immediate cash for bail or a lawyer. Conspirators like Parra Arias, Vasquez, and Dilone Rodriguez allegedly operated the call centers or dispatched couriers to pick up money from the victims. My office is committed to protecting the rights of all victims, and we will relentlessly prosecute those who allegedly target vulnerable seniors to steal their hard-earned savings.”
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and its law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue criminals who defraud victims through so-called ‘grandparent scams,’” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to identify perpetrators of these schemes and prioritize the pursuit of those who deliberately target vulnerable Americans from abroad. We thank the government of the Dominican Republic for extraditing these defendants to the United States to face charges.”
“These defendants and their co-conspirators are accused of heartlessly robbing countless elderly victims of their precious time and often their life savings – all from more than 1,500 miles away,” said Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York. “Parra Arias, Vasquez, and Dilone Rodriguez were among the 16 individuals charged in this appalling scheme, which spanned at least four U.S. states and allegedly threatened hundreds of innocent Americans’ livelihoods. The merciless greed of perpetrators is boundless, but is no match for HSI New York’s El Dorado Task Force, its Cyber Intrusion Group and the greater law enforcement community. I am proud to stand alongside our global partners in our relentless commitment to the safety and overall wellbeing of the vulnerable public.”
“The grandparent scam is a cruel fraud scheme that deliberately preys on elderly and vulnerable persons within society. Perpetrators, often cowardly operating off-shore, cause extreme emotional and financial harm to the innocent people they target in commission of this crime,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley Parker of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) Boston New York Field Division. “SSA OIG proudly joined HSI, the FBI, the Justice Department and the NYPD in investigating these complex, international scams aimed at defrauding SSA beneficiaries and we appreciate the diligence of the U.S. Marshals Service in facilitating the extradition of these defendants from the Dominican Republic to New Jersey to hold them accountable for their actions.”
“We are now one step closer to holding accountable the alleged fraudsters who financially exploited hundreds of elderly Americans,” said Commissioner Edward A. Caban of the New York City Police Department (NYPD). “This should serve as a reminder to other criminals about the extensive reach of New York law enforcement and our unwavering commitment to delivering justice to all victims. I applaud our NYPD investigators and all of our federal partners for their dedication to this important case.”
HSI, SSA-OIG, NYPD and the FBI are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition from the Dominican Republic of the defendants with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Justice Department officials also recognized the critical cooperation of the Dominican government in effecting the extradition of Parra Arias, Vasquez, and Dilone Rodriguez pursuant to the treaty between the two countries.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Silane for the District of Jersey and Trial Attorneys Jason Feldman, Joshua Ferrentino and Emily Powers of the Civil Division's Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Additional Dominican Nationals Extradited to Face “Grandparent Scam” ChargesRead the Press Release
Three residents of Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, were extradited to the United States last week and made their initial appearance in Newark federal court yesterday on charges relating to their participation in a sprawling “grandparent scam” that defrauded elderly Americans out of millions of dollars.
Juan Rafael Parra Arias, also known as Yofre, 41; Miguel Angel Vasquez, also known as Miguel Disla, 24; and Jose Ismael Dilone Rodriguez, 34, are among 11 Dominican Nationals charged in a 19-count indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey and unsealed on April 29. Following their initial appearance yesterday, the court ordered the three men detained pending trial. The extradition of Parra Arias, Vasquez and Dilone Rodriguez follows that of their co-conspirators Rafael Ambiorix Rodriguez Guzman, also known as Max Morgan, 59, and Felix Samuel Reynoso Ventura, also known as Fili and Filly the Kid, 37, who appeared in Newark federal court on July 22 to answer the indictment.
According to the indictment, Parra Arias, Vasquez, Dilone Rodriguez and their co-conspirators engaged in a long-running “grandparent” or “family in need of bail” scam against hundreds of seniors across the United States, including in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. Parra Arias is alleged to have led a network of call centers in Santiago, Dominican Republic, while Vasquez and Dilone Rodriguez worked in these centers to recruit co-conspirators in the United States.
As detailed in court filings, members of the conspiracy referred to as “openers” called elderly victims in the United States and impersonated the victims’ children, grandchildren or other close relatives. The call centers used technology to make it appear that the calls were coming from inside the United States. Typically, the victim was told that their grandchild had been in a car accident, was arrested in connection with an accident, and needed help.
Once openers tricked victims into believing their loved ones were in dire trouble, others working at the call centers, known as “closers,” allegedly impersonated defense attorneys, police officers or court personnel and convinced victims to provide thousands of dollars in cash to help their loved ones. The cash was typically retrieved by couriers — including those recruited and dispatched by Parra Arias, Vasquez, and Dilone Rodriguez — from the victims’ homes, or mailed by victims at the direction of the closers.
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and its law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue criminals who defraud victims through so-called ‘grandparent scams,’” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to identify perpetrators of these schemes and prioritize the pursuit of those who deliberately target vulnerable Americans from abroad. We thank the government of the Dominican Republic for extraditing these defendants to the United States to face charges.”
“As alleged, these three defendants played a role in a scheme that relied on the love and devotion of elderly victims in order to cheat them out of millions of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “In this ‘grandparents’ scam,’ some of the defendants allegedly impersonated grandchildren in distress, claiming, for example, they had been arrested after a car accident involving a pregnant woman who later miscarried, and they needed immediate cash for bail or a lawyer. Conspirators like Parra Arias, Vasquez and Dilone Rodriguez allegedly operated the call centers or dispatched couriers to pick up money from the victims. My office is committed to protecting the rights of all victims, and we will relentlessly prosecute those who allegedly target vulnerable seniors to steal their hard-earned savings.”
“These defendants and their co-conspirators are accused of heartlessly robbing countless elderly victims of their precious time and often their life savings – all from more than 1,500 miles away,” said Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York. “Parra Arias, Vasquez and Dilone Rodriguez were among the 16 individuals charged in this appalling scheme, which spanned at least four U.S. states and allegedly threatened hundreds of innocent Americans’ livelihoods. The merciless greed of perpetrators is boundless, but is no match for HSI New York’s El Dorado Task Force, its Cyber Intrusion Group and the greater law enforcement community. I am proud to stand alongside our global partners in our relentless commitment to the safety and overall wellbeing of the vulnerable public."
“The grandparent scam is a cruel fraud scheme that deliberately preys on elderly and vulnerable persons within society. Perpetrators, often cowardly operating off-shore, cause extreme emotional and financial harm to the innocent people they target in commission of this crime,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley Parker of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) Boston New York Field Division. “SSA-OIG proudly joined HSI, the FBI, the Justice Department and the NYPD in investigating these complex, international scams aimed at defrauding SSA beneficiaries and we appreciate the diligence of the U.S. Marshals Service in facilitating the extradition of these defendants from the Dominican Republic to New Jersey to hold them accountable for their actions.”
“We are now one step closer to holding accountable the alleged fraudsters who financially exploited hundreds of elderly Americans,” said Commissioner Edward A. Caban of the New York City Police Department (NYPD). “This should serve as a reminder to other criminals about the extensive reach of New York law enforcement and our unwavering commitment to delivering justice to all victims. I applaud our NYPD investigators and all of our federal partners for their dedication to this important case.”
Parra Arias, Vasquez and Dilone Rodriguez each face multiple charges, including mail and wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count, a maximum fine of $250,000 for each count of mail and wire fraud and a maximum fine of $500,000 for money laundering conspiracy and money laundering.
HSI, SSA-OIG, NYPD and the FBI are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition from the Dominican Republic of the defendants with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. Justice Department officials also recognized the critical cooperation of the Dominican government in effecting the extradition of Parra Arias, Vasquez and Dilone Rodriguez pursuant to the treaty between the two countries.
Trial Attorneys Jason Feldman, Joshua Ferrentino and Emily Powers of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Silane for the District of Jersey are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Trinidad and Tobago Becomes Second Caribbean Nation to Implement Interpol Washington Border Security EnhancementsRead the Press Release
INTERPOL Washington, with support from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), has deployed advanced technology and software solutions in Trinidad and Tobago that will help law enforcement detect and interdict transnational criminals and terrorists traveling through the nation. Trinidad and Tobago is now the second nation in CARICOM to implement these sophisticated border security enhancements, following Barbados’s announcement on July 26.
“This tremendous milestone underscores the vital importance of international partnerships in enhancing border security,” said INTERPOL Washington’s lead for Project Terminus, Keith Hood. “By working together with Trinidad and Tobago, we are fortifying not only their borders but also the security of the entire Caribbean region and beyond. Collaborative efforts like these are essential in our global fight against crime and terrorism.”
Through Project Terminus, an INTERPOL Washington team successfully installed two custom software solutions: the Stolen and Lost Travel Documents (SLTD) Workbench and the Stolen Motor Vehicles (SMV) Workbench, both developed by INTERPOL Washington. These systems empower Trinidad and Tobago to efficiently share, manage, and extend vital document and vehicle information with 195 other INTERPOL member nations.
The newly installed applications include 11,000 test records and 243 live records that have already been successfully uploaded to the INTERPOL SLTD database. The SLTD Workbench solution has also been used to extend 100 expiring records. They also enhanced critical day-to-day operations for INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) Trinidad and Tobago.
Lt. Col. Michael Jones, Executive Director of CARICOM IMPACS, stated that crime and criminality is an issue that affects everyone in the region. “It is for this reason that collaboration among agencies is important to combat the effects of crime and terrorism that are plaguing our Member States. CARICOM IMPACS is pleased to partner with and support Project Terminus as we work together to reduce and eliminate the impact of this scourge.”
The success was achievable through funding from the U.S. Department of State Counter Terrorism Bureau and close coordination with NCB Trinidad and Tobago.
INTERPOL Washington’s Project Terminus, a collaborative effort with the U.S. Department of State, aims to enhance INTERPOL screening and record submission by member countries by providing cutting-edge computer hardware and custom software solutions. These initiatives are designed to streamline service adoption and maximize data usability and effectiveness.
Beyond its primary goal of capacity-building, Project Terminus is pivotal in supporting the broader U.S. government law enforcement mission. By fostering connections between U.S. government law enforcement agencies and partner nation entities, this project enhances the law enforcement capabilities of partner nations and helps build a safer world.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to Fourteen Years in Federal Prison for Meth Trafficking and Immigration OffensesRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine while illegally in the United States was sentenced on August 2, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City.
Juan Cardona-Tinajero, 34, from Guadalajara, Mexico, pled guilty on March 15, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and being an illegal alien in United States.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that from January 2023 and September 22, 2023, Cardona-Tinajero and others in the conspiracy agreed to distribute nearly 20 pounds of methamphetamine. Cardona-Tinajero also admitted that he was caught receiving approximately nine pounds of methamphetamine by mail which he intended to further distribute. Cardona-Tinajero was receiving packages through the U.S. postal service from California which contained methamphetamine that he distributed in Sioux City area. Evidence further showed that Cardona-Tinajero was removed from the United States in 2010, and again in 2014, and was in the United States illegally.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Cardona-Tinajero was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment and must serve a five-year term of supervised release following the imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Cardona-Tinjaro remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Shawn S. Wehde and Kevin C. Fletcher and was investigated by 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 23-4063 and 23-4072.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Salem Man Sentenced for Trafficking Methamphetamine and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and CocaineRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Salem man was sentenced today in federal court for drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Todd Mobley, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante to 60 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. On April 15, 2024, Mr. Mobley pled guilty to four counts of distribution of controlled substances, namely methamphetamine, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, namely methamphetamine and cocaine.
“Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for trafficking dangerous narcotics in our state and puts an end to his drug dealing activities,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “We remain committed to working with our federal, state, and county law enforcement partners to stem the sale of illegal narcotics in our communities.”
Between May 22, 2023 and June 26, 2023, Mobley sold a total of more than 534 grams of methamphetamine on four occasions. On July 10, 2023, he was arrested en route to another sale. On July 11, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant and recovered more than 890 grams of methamphetamine in the defendant’s vehicle and 84 grams of cocaine in the defendant’s storage unit.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Strafford County Sheriff’s Office led the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Strelzin prosecuted the case.
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Rapid City Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Robert A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on August 1, 2024.
Lucy Medicine Eagle, age 33, was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Medicine Eagle was indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2022. She pleaded guilty on April 26, 2024.
On March 28, 2022, Medicine Eagle was at a residence in St. Francis, in the Rosebud Reservation, drinking alcohol with family members and had a verbal argument with her adult brother. She thought her brother had stolen and pawned her Xbox gaming console, but it was actually simply misplaced and sitting behind a couch on the premises. Not knowing this, Medicine Eagle struck and punched her brother in the face and head numerous times. He told her to stop, but she did not stop and he put his arms up in a defensive position as she continued to strike him. She stopped striking him when other household members intervened. By that time, the brother had suffered severe head injuries and was soon unresponsive. He was transported to Monument Health in Rapid City where he was kept alive on life support machines. He died on April 1, 2022 and his cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma injuries to the head.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher prosecuted the case.
Medicine Eagle was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal to serve her sentence.
Puerto Rico Man Indicted and Arrested for Bankruptcy Fraud, PPP Loan Fraud, Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On July 31, 2024, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Richard Ramos-Hernández, from Humacao, Puerto Rico, with bankruptcy fraud and false statement under penalty of perjury in a bankruptcy case, false statement on loan and credit applications, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to court documents, from January 4, 2019, through May 20, 2024, defendant Richard Ramos-Hernández devised and executed a scheme to defraud creditors in a bankruptcy proceeding in the District of Puerto Rico by means of materially false and fraudulent representations, all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 152 and 157.
On January 4, 2019, Richard Ramos-Hernández filed and caused the filing of a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Puerto Rico, in the proceeding titled In re: RICHARD RAMOS HERNANDEZ, Case No. 19-00021(ESL).
The indictment alleges that during the bankruptcy proceedings, Ramos-Hernández concealed property and income and failed to disclose to the trustee charged with control of the debtor’s property and from the creditors and the United States the creation, operation, ownership, and control of All Market and Bakery LLC and Smart Energy General Contractors LLC.
All Market and Bakery LLC was a limited liability company registered on February 11, 2015, with the Puerto Rico Department of State and operated as an establishment in the Municipality of Humacao that produced and sold baked goods, food, beverages, and convenience related products.
Smart Energy General Contractors LLC was a limited liability company registered on June 12, 2018, with the Puerto Rico Department of State, that performed and provided construction related services to private and government clients. The defendant failed to disclose income received from Smart Energy General Contractors LLC, which had been awarded contracts with the municipalities of Canóvanas and Ceiba exceeding $800,000.
Additionally, Ramos-Hernández is charged with making false statements in relation to a $15,000 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1014. On April 30, 2020, Ramos-Hernández, on behalf of All Market and Bakery LLC, submitted a PPP loan application through a third party, which was approved and disbursed by May 11, 2020. The defendant knowingly used, without lawful authority, the name, address, and signature of a person with initials M.M.T. to submit the application for the PPP loan, therefore engaging in bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1028A and 1344.
If convicted, Ramos-Hernández may be sentenced to a maximum term of imprisonment of five years for each count under 18 U.S.C §§157 and 152 (Bankruptcy Fraud) and a fine of $250,000; a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years and a fine of $1,000,000 for violations of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1014 and 1344 (Bank Fraud); up to 30 years for false statement on loan and credit applications; and a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years of imprisonment for each aggravated identity theft count.
“The defendant used bankruptcy proceedings to defraud the United States Trustee Program and creditors to illegally benefit himself,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains vigilant in investigating bankruptcy-related fraud and appreciate the excellent work of the Office of the United States Trustee.”
“Together with U.S. Attorney Muldrow and our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue fraud and abuse in bankruptcy cases,” said U.S. Trustee Mary Ida Townson for Georgia, Florida, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands (Region 21). “I am thankful for the appointment by the U.S. Attorney of two Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys from our San Juan office that will allow us to prosecute all those who engage in fraudulent conduct.”
The U.S. Trustee Program is the component of the Justice Department that protects the integrity of the bankruptcy system by overseeing case administration and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws.
“Maintaining integrity in bankruptcy proceedings and ensuring eligibility for government benefits are essential to upholding the law and promoting fairness in our society,” stated Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “It is crucial that individuals are truthful in these matters to maintain the integrity of the system and ensure that resources go where they are truly needed. We ask that anyone with information on bankruptcy -or any other fraud scheme- report it by leaving a tip online through tips.fbi.gov or calling 787-987-6500. Here in the FBI we are committed to bringing consequences upon those who insist on mocking our system.”
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney José Capó Iriarte and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney José C. Díaz Vega from the Office of the U.S. Trustee.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Accessory after the Fact. The sentencing took place on August 1, 2024.
Charles Brings Plenty, age 32, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,938.48 in restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brings Plenty was indicted for the charges of Second-Degree Murder and False Statement by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty to Accessory after the Fact on April 3, 2024.
Brings Plenty and his juvenile codefendant picked up the victim from the East Ridge housing area in Pine Ridge on the evening of April 21, 2023. Brings Plenty and the juvenile defendant went to a fairly isolated area near the Old Sundance Grounds in Pine Ridge. Brings Plenty and the juvenile codefendant were intoxicated. On the way to the Old Sundance Grounds, the death of a relative that Brings Plenty and the juvenile codefendant shared was brought up. Brings Plenty got out of the car and began to question the victim. The juvenile codefendant used the vehicle to assault the victim and then assaulted him with a black baseball bat. Brings Plenty assisted the juvenile codefendant and then left the victim. The victim was reported missing by his family approximately two-weeks later. In July of 2023, the skeletal remains of a human were found north of the Old Sundance Grounds. DNA testing revealed that the remains were that of the victim.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Brings Plenty was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pearl Woman Pleads Guilty to COVID-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Pearl woman pled guilty to carrying out a scheme to defraud the COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to court documents, Robbie Reese, 46, fraudulently claimed and received over $1.3 million in federal tax rebates and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds. Reese submitted false Internal Revenue Service tax forms claiming reimbursement for payments to nonexistent employees and false loan documents for PPP loans.
Reese is scheduled to be sentenced on November 7, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi, Supervisory Special Agent Louis Norvell of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and Resident Agent in Charge Kyle Smith of the Secret Service made the announcement.
The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the Secret Service are investigating the case.
Deputy Criminal Chief Lynn Murray is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Owner of South Gate-Based Tattoo Removal Business Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud Scheme That Recruited ParaplegicsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The owner of a tattoo removal business in South Gate pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for recruiting paraplegics in a health care fraud scheme that netted more than $1.7 million and for cheating on his taxes.
Joseph Tusia, 60, of Leominster, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with health care fraud and tax evasion.
According to his plea agreement, Tusia operated a laser tattoo removal business in South Gate and 10 durable medical equipment supply companies (DMEs) in California, Nevada, and Massachusetts. Tusia controlled the tattoo removal companies and the DMEs but intentionally withheld his name from bank accounts and state registrations to evade tax liability.
On December 30, 2015, Tusia and a co-schemer submitted an application to Anthem Blue Cross (“Anthem”) for a small group health insurance plan. Anthem’s small group plan permitted benefits and health coverage for permanent employees who worked full-time. Despite the eligibility requirements, Tusia caused to be submitted to Anthem the names of nine individuals purported to be full-time employees of Tattoo Removal and a person who was a dependent of the Tusia. None of these purported employees were employed by Tattoo Removal or eligible for health insurance coverage under Tattoo Removal’s plan with Anthem.
According to his plea agreement, Tusia identified the Purported Tattoo Removal Employees from his friends and associates who were paraplegic and required medical supplies, knowing and expecting that the Purported Tattoo Removal Employees would purchase their medical supplies from the DMEs that were controlled by Tusia and his associates.
From March 2016 to June 2020, Tusia and his co-schemers submitted fraudulent claims to Anthem on behalf of the DMEs for medical supplies provided to the purported employees, knowing that none of them were eligible for coverage. As a result of these fraudulent claims, Anthem paid the DMEs controlled by Tusia approximately $1,731,215.
Tusia also admitted in his plea agreement to knowingly and willfully failing to report income he received from the DMEs in tax years 2017 through 2020, totaling more than $1,573,644. Tusia admitted that he failed to pay tax to the IRS and that he took affirmatives steps to evade paying taxes, such as by creating the DMEs and opening bank accounts for the DMEs in the names of his associates and co-schemers.
United States District Judge George Wu scheduled a December 5 sentencing hearing, at which time Tusia will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison on the health care fraud count, and up to five years in federal prison for the tax evasion count.
The United States Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration, the FBI, and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Mitchell of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.
Orlando Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Xavier Hernandez-Gerena, (34, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Hernandez-Gerena faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. Sentencing is set for October 23, 2024.
According to court records, in July 2022, Hernandez-Gerena was pulled over for a traffic violation as the sole occupant of a vehicle. Sitting near his lap was an unzipped bag that contained a Ruger firearm. Prior to possessing the firearm, Hernandez-Gerena had been convicted in federal court for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. As a convicted felon Hernandez-Gerena was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff.
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.
Non-Profit Executive Convicted of Conspiring to Defraud Federal Government and to Obstruct Federal Administrative ProceedingRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that on Friday, August 2, 2024, a jury found ARIE RANGOTT guilty of conspiring to defraud the federal Head Start program, to submit a false document to the federal government, and to obstruct a federal administrative proceeding. RANGOTT was found guilty following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Jennifer H. Rearden and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 10, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “By secretly exploiting a non-profit entity for personal gain, Arie Rangott defrauded the federal government and undermined the public’s trust in the Head Start program. This Office is committed to pursuing justice against those who place greed above their responsibility to be stewards of federal funds, and I commend our law enforcement partners and the dedicated team of career prosecutors of this Office for their outstanding work.”
According to the Indictment, public court filings, and the evidence presented at trial:
Between 2021 and January 2023, RANGOTT was the shadow executive director of a non-profit entity, Project Social Care Head Start Inc. (“PSCHS”), that operated in the New York City area. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), which administers the federal Head Start program, annually granted to PSCHS millions of dollars that were to be overseen by an independent board of directors, to be used exclusively on the Head Start program, and from which earning a profit is prohibited by law. RANGOTT and others conspired to submit numerous fictitious documents to HHS that fraudulently asserted PSCHS had an independent board of directors and had in place controls to guard against fraud, waste, and abuse. In truth, PSCHS had neither an independent board nor sufficient controls in place. RANGOTT and his co-conspirators used their control over PSCHS to impermissibly direct PSCHS’s Head Start funding to for-profit companies owned by co-conspirators through rampant undisclosed self-dealing.
In December 2021, HHS sent a letter to PSCHS detailing several complaints about self-dealing at PSCHS, among other things. In response, RANGOTT and his co-conspirators prepared and submitted a report to HHS that falsely denied the self-dealing and made other misstatements. Then, in August and September 2022, the HHS Office of the Inspector General opened an investigation into related issues at PSCHS. RANGOTT and his co-conspirators agreed to obstruct that investigation by lying to the investigators, coordinating stories, and submitting false documents.
Several of RANGOTT’s co-conspirators have pled guilty. Among others, Martin Handler and Menachem Lieberman, each of whom secretly controlled PSCHS and directed PSCHS to steer federal funds to their own for-profit companies, pled guilty in March 2024. Isidore Handler, who played a significant role in falsifying documents submitted to HHS, pled guilty in September 2023. All three await sentencing.
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RANGOTT, 54, of Toms River, New Jersey, was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to falsify documents and records, and conspiracy to obstruct an agency proceeding. Each of the three offenses carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the HHS Office of the Inspector General. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General and the New York City Department of Investigation for their assistance.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob R. Fiddelman, Catherine Ghosh, Stephanie Simon, and Daniel H. Wolf are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Jayda Foote.
New Jersey Man Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter for 2022 Lehigh Valley Plane Crash That Killed Student PilotRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Philip Everton McPherson II, 36, of Haddon Township, NJ, was charged by indictment with one count of involuntary manslaughter and 40 counts of serving as an airman without a certificate, in connection with a 2022 plane crash in Lehigh County that killed a student pilot.
According to the indictment, on September 28, 2022, McPherson took off as the pilot-in-command of a Piper-28-140 aircraft from Queen City Airport in Allentown, PA, with student pilot K.K. Shortly after takeoff, McPherson crashed the plane, killing K.K.
The indictment alleges that McPherson acted with gross negligence because he knew that he was not competent to safely fly an aircraft as the pilot-in-command. Specifically, McPherson knew that: (1) he was not competent to safely operate the aircraft because he had two prior accidents and almost a third; (2) he failed his September 29, 2021, reexamination for his pilot’s certificate for a lack of demonstrated competence; (3) he voluntarily surrendered his pilot’s certificate on October 7, 2021, acknowledging his lack of competence; and (4) he allowed his Temporary Airman Certificate to expire on November 8, 2021, thus further acknowledging his inability to demonstrate to the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) his competence to fly safely.
The indictment further charges McPherson with 40 counts of illegally serving as the pilot-in-command of an aircraft with passengers while not possessing an FAA pilot’s certificate permitting him to do so. These flights occurred between October 12, 2021, and September 20, 2022.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 128 years’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, a $10.25 million fine, and a $4,100 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert W. Schopf and Special Assistant United States Attorney Marie Miller.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Middletown Man Charged with Illegally Possessing MachinegunsRead the Press Release
Wilmington, Del. – A Middletown, Delaware, resident was arrested on August 1, 2024, and charged with illegally possessing machineguns, announced David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware.
According to court documents, Eric Quinn, 36, ordered and received Glock auto sears, also known as “Glock switches,” from China. Glock auto sears are conversion devices designed and created for the sole purpose of converting semi-automatic Glock pistols into fully automatic machineguns. When installed properly, Glock auto sears allow a firearm to expel more than one projectile by a single pull of the trigger, at a rate of approximately 1,200 rounds per minute.
A criminal complaint charges Quinn, who is a convicted felon, with possessing machineguns as well as being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition. If convicted of these charges, Quinn faces a maximum penalty of 15 years of imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations, an agency within the Department of Homeland Security, conducted the investigation in this matter, along with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Delaware State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan C. Williamson is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER.
A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Manderson Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Manderson, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Anthony Tibbitts, age 40, was sentenced on August 2, 2024, to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Tibbitts was indicted by a federal grand jury in the summer of 2023, and pleaded guilty on April 19, 2024.
Tibbitts’ conviction stemmed from his involvement in a large-scale methamphetamine distribution operation in Rapid City, South Dakota, and on the Pine Ridge Reservation. During this conspiracy, Richard Glover and his significant other, Teresa Goodroad, were the source of supply for Mark Bond and Todd Pape in South Dakota. Bond and Pape would make trips to Colorado to pick up pounds of methamphetamine from Goodroad and Glover. Other times Goodroad and Glover would deliver the drugs to Bond and Pape in South Dakota. Once the drugs were in South Dakota they would be brought to various homes on the Pine Ridge Reservation, including Tibbitts’, where they would be further distributed by multiple individuals, including Tibbitts, Marlena Pond, Chris Janis, Tessie LaForge, Tyler LaForge, and others. All told, between 15 and 45 kilograms of methamphetamine was distributed during the course of this criminal enterprise.
Glover, Goodroad, Bond, Pape, Pond, Janis, and Tessie LaForge were sentenced earlier this summer. Glover received a sentence of 17 years and six months in prison; Goodroad received a sentence of 17 years and six months in prison; Bond received a sentence of 26 years and eight months in prison; Pape received a sentence of 25 years in prison; Pond received a sentence of six years in prison; Janis received a sentence of six years in prison; and Tessie LaForge received a sentence of two years and six months in prison. Tyler LaForge is set for sentencing later this summer.
This case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of agents from the FBI, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, Martin Police Department, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan N. Dilges and Edward Tarbay prosecuted the case.
Tibbitts was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following his sentencing.
Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Carjacking and Armed Robbery in 2022 Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Deangelo Richardson, 22, of Washington, DC, pleaded guilty on August 2, 2024, to committing an armed carjacking on July 14, 2022 and armed robbery on November 26, 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Richardson pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of armed carjacking and one count of armed robbery. The Honorable Erik Christian scheduled sentencing for November 1, 2024.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 14, 2022, Richardson along with two unidentified co-conspirators committed a series of violent offenses in Washington, D.C., ending with an armed carjacking near the 600 block of Morton Place NE. During the commission of each violent crime, all three assailants covered their faces. Richardson and his unidentified co-conspirators, armed with firearms, attempted to carjack two separate individuals before proceeding to the 600 block of Morton Place NE at approximately 6:49 p.m. Once at the location, they approached the victim who was parking her car at the location. One of the co-conspirators brandished a handgun and stated, “Give me everything!” Richardson and two associates took the victim’s car keys, phone, and credit cards attached to her phone, and other property. Then they took her car. Richardson later used the victim’s credit card at gas stations and a restaurant.
Richardson also pleaded guilty to an armed robbery that took place on November 26, 2022, near the 1300 block of South Carolina Avenue SE. At approximately 7:54 p.m., Richardson parked a car ahead of the victims who were walking their dog after dinner. When the couple walked near his car, the defendant jumped out with a gun and robbed the husband of his phone. Richardson was arrested that evening after a vehicle pursuit.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Taskforce Unit. This case was being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Evans and Omeed Assefi.
Man Admits Stealing Guns, Other Items from Farm and Home Store in PotosiRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Missouri man on Monday admitted stealing firearms and other items from a farm and home store in Potosi, Missouri in 2021.
Gregory Snyder, 45, of Bismarck, in St. Francois County, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to theft of firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer and possession of body armor by a violent felon.
He admitted in his guilty plea that he hid in the store on Sept. 19, 2021. He emerged after closing time to steal power tools, camping gear and 13 guns, including eight rifles and five shotguns. Snyder loaded the guns and some of the other stolen goods in his car, and then took them to a river in eastern Washington County. He returned early the next morning for more, but by then, Potosi Police Department officers had spotted evidence of the burglary. They stopped and questioned Snyder, who no longer had the stolen goods in his car. They arrested Snyder later that day. He denied being involved in the burglary but was drinking a Mountain Dew that had been stolen from the store. He was also wearing clothing matching that worn by the burglar and had stolen Kevlar vests in his car.
Two of the shotguns have been recovered. The other guns are among more than $12,000 in stolen goods that remain missing.
Snyder is scheduled to be sentenced November 6.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Potosi Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Nino Przulj is prosecuting the case. Anyone with information about the stolen firearms is asked to contact the ATF at 314-768-3120 or online at https://www.atf.gov/contact/atf-tips or the Potosi Police at 573-438-5468.
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.
Man Admits St. Louis CarjackingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Monday admitted carjacking and robbing two people in St. Louis, Missouri in 2023.
Bradley C. McKinney, 35, pleaded guilty to carjacking, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and possession of a machine gun. McKinney admitted as part of his plea agreement that shortly after midnight on July 29, 2023, he and an accomplice were both armed with handguns when they approached two people who had just exited a 2015 Chevy Cruze near the intersection of 16th Street and Lucas Avenue. The robbers rummaged through the victims’ pockets and took the keys to the Cruze and other valuables. McKinney’s associates pulled up in a white GMC Terrain and McKinney got into the Cruze with another accomplice. Both vehicles then sped off.
After the victims called police, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) found footage of the vehicles crossing into Illinois. Investigators identified the GMC Terrain and put out a “wanted” for both vehicles. Later that morning, the Cruze was found abandoned in East St. Louis with the key still in the ignition.
About 25 hours after the carjacking, the RTCC received a license plate recognition hit for the GMC Terrain, and officers used a spike strip to deflate several tires. McKinney was the driver and sole occupant. In plain view beneath the driver seat, officers noticed a black Glock 17 handgun with an extended magazine and an auto-sear, or “switch,” installed, making it a machinegun. McKinney admitted owning the fully automatic Glock, knowing that he was a convicted felon and prohibited from doing so.
McKinney is scheduled to be sentenced November 6. Both sides have agreed to recommend a sentence of 19 years in prison.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the East St. Louis Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Zachary Bluestone is prosecuting 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.
Lynn Man Sentenced for Counterfeit Pill Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man was sentenced today in federal court for his role in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Nelson Mora, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 44 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Mora was among 23 individuals charged in October 2022 in connection with a wide-ranging conspiracy to traffic counterfeit prescription pills. The defendants were subsequently indicted along with two additional alleged co-conspirators in December 2022. Two additional defendants were indicted for money laundering in connection with the drug conspiracy in April 2024. The DTO distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, among other things, to various individuals in the Lynn area. Mora is the sixth defendant to be sentenced in the case.Co-defendant, Lawrence Michael Nagle, distributed controlled substances to a small network of individuals who would then redistribute the drugs to other traffickers, including Mora, who also had access to a pill press machine which he used to create counterfeit pills. In 2022, Mora sold 2,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement officer. In October 2022 several hundred pharmaceutical grade oxycodone pills were recovered during a search of Mora’s residence.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office and the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan D. Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuted the case.This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lexington Brothers Sentenced for Money Laundering Conspiracy Involving Luxury CarsRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Two Lexington men, Hussein Qasim, 34, and Ibrahim Qasim, 29, were sentenced on Monday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, to 57 months and 45 months, respectively, for their roles in a money laundering conspiracy. Hussein and Ibrahim Qasim were also each ordered to pay $3,274,690 in restitution.
According to their plea agreements, the Qasims’ co-conspirators, who lived outside the United States, targeted luxury car dealerships via email and phone calls in which they impersonated real employees of other dealerships. The co-conspirators would deceive the luxury car dealerships into purchasing expensive vehicles that the co-conspirators did not own and would not deliver. At the co-conspirators’ direction, the luxury car dealership victims sent payments to specific bank accounts opened by the Qasims, who then collected the money and transferred it through a sophisticated web of financial transactions, which eventually ended with investments, payments for personal expenditures, and payments to accounts outside the United States, often in crypto-currency, for the benefit of the co-conspirators.
Between June 2022 and December 2023, the Qasims and other co-conspirators were responsible for laundering over $6 million in victim funds, which had been sent from at least seven different luxury car dealerships across the country.
Under federal law, the Qasims must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon their release from prison, they will both be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Robert Holman, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Dieruf prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Labor union president arrested for embezzling over $280,000 in union fundsRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 41-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been taken into federal custody for alleged embezzlement from a local labor union, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Authorities have arrested Robert Cirilo. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason B. Libby at 9:45 a.m. Aug. 6.
According to the indictment returned July 31, Cirilo was the president of the United Steelworkers Local 13-1647 in Corpus Christi. While serving in that role, he allegedly used a union debit card to make approximately 430 unauthorized personal purchases and ATM cash withdrawals.
The indictment charges Cirilo with 13 counts of wire fraud and one count of embezzlement from a labor organization.
If convicted, Cirilo faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine on each of the wire fraud counts. He also faces up to five years and up to a $10,000 fine upon conviction of embezzlement.
The FBI and Department of Labor’s Office of Labor Management Standards conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Foster and John Marck are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Kyle Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on August 1, 2024.
Rudolfo Ceron III, 26, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Ceron will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Ceron was indicted for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor by a federal grand jury in October of 2023. He pleaded guilty on April 5, 2024.
The conviction stems from Ceron, who was 25 years old at the time of the assault, raping a 13-year-old girl. In sentencing Ceron to 14 years in prison, Chief Judge Lange noted a need to protect the public and provide both punishment and deterrence.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Ceron was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Justice Department to Monitor Compliance with Federal Voting Rights Laws in MichiganRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in several communities in western Michigan for the Aug. 5 primary election. The department will monitor in Allegan County (Clyde Township and the City of Fennville) and Van Buren County (Covert Township).
The Justice Department enforces the federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country. In addition, the division also deploys federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management, where authorized by federal court order.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section, working with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Civil Rights Act and Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.
More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section. Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.