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Tuesday 30 July 2024
Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Shooting Restaurant WorkerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Eric Davis Jr., 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced after pleading guilty to aggravated assault while armed for a 2023 shooting in a carry-out restaurant located in the 1400 block of H Street NE. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.
On July 26, 2024, Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan sentenced Davis to 84 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised probation. The defendant was sentenced under the Youth Rehabilitation Act over the government’s objection.
According to the government’s evidence, with which the defendant agreed, at approximately 12:30 pm on May 24, 2023, Davis entered a carry-out restaurant in the 1400 block of H Street NE to pick up a food order. As soon as Davis reached the counter, the victim threw a plastic bag at Davis, consistent with a food order. Davis quickly grabbed the plastic bag and threw it back at the victim. Davis then pulled out a concealed handgun from his waistband and fired multiple times, hitting the victim, before fleeing to his girlfriend’s home. Davis was arrested on November 28, 2023 and pleaded guilty to aggravated assault while armed on May 6, 2024.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of the officers of the Metropolitan Police Department who investigated the case.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Evans, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening U.S. RepresentativeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Sean Patrick Cirillo has pleaded guilty to transmitting interstate threats to injure U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.
“Threatening to kill a public official is reprehensible,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our office will not tolerate any form of violence, threats or intimidation against public officials. The prosecution of individuals who threaten the lives and welfare of public servants is a top priority for our office, as well as for our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.”
“We will not normalize violent threats in America, whether targeting elected officials or average citizens,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Our democracy depends on the ability of members of Congress to do their jobs without fearing for their safety. We will continue to prosecute threats against public servants made in any form.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: On three occasions on November 8, 2023, Sean Patrick Cirillo called the Washington, D.C. office of U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and spoke with her staffers. During the calls, Cirillo made multiple threats, including the following:
•“I got a bead on her. Like a sniper rifle. A sniper rifle. And I’m gonna kill her next week. I’m gonna murder her;”
•“I’ll kill you too if you want;” and
•“You’re gonna die. Your family is gonna die.”
Sean Patrick Cirillo, 34, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting interstate threats. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bret R. Hobson and Brent Alan Gray are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Magnolia Man Sentenced to 26 Months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Magnolia man was sentenced to 26 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Edward Dewayne Cockerham, 35, was found in possession of a firearm by Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics agents and a Pike County Sheriff’s deputy during a traffic stop. Cockerham had a prior felony conviction for failing to support minor children and was on supervised probation at the time he possessed the firearm.
Cockerham was indicted by a federal grand jury for possessing the firearm as a convicted felon. He pled guilty on April 30, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Pike County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway 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.
Local Gymnasium and Landlord Agree to Settle Allegations that They Violated the Americans with Disabilities ActRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee announced today that the United States has reached agreements with Ryan Stemper; Whole Strength CrossFit Smyrna a/k/a Inner Strength, LLC; Mark Gellner; and MCMM Properties, LLC to settle allegations that a Smyrna CrossFit gymnasium violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) by failing to remove architectural barriers to accessibility for individuals with disabilities patronizing the gymnasium. As part of the settlements, the parties have agreed to cease using the building as a place of public accommodation. Ryan Stemper and Whole Strength CrossFit Smyrna will pay $10,000 to the complainant who brought this issue to the United States’ attention and will pay a $5,000 civil penalty to the United States. MCMM Properties, LLC and Mark Gellner will pay a $2,000 civil penalty to the United States. Combined, the payments under the settlements will total $17,000.
“We are committed to enforcing the rights of persons with disabilities in Tennessee,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “Gyms are classic places of public accommodation, and the ADA applies no matter the size of the gym. Landlords and tenants must be aware of their joint responsibilities under the ADA to remove architectural barriers to accessibility.”
The United States alleged that the gymnasium business, Whole Strength CrossFit Smyrna a/k/a Inner Strength, LLC and its owner, Ryan Stemper, had been aware that the building the business occupied did not have accessible restrooms or an accessible door and failed to remove barriers to accessibility. The complainant alleged that the business had been aware of these issues but failed to act. In addition, the allegations were that the landlord and owner of the building, Mark Gellner and MCMM, LLC, also were aware of the building’s issues and did not remove barriers to accessibility. The ADA applies to both landlord and tenants, though the responsibility for complying with the ADA may be allocated by lease or other contract. 28 C.F.R. § 36.201.
The civil claims settled by this Settlement Agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
The ADA was passed on July 26, 1990, 34 years ago last week. The Act reaffirmed our nation’s commitment to ensuring that people with disabilities have the right to live, work, and fully participate in the community alongside their fellow citizens. Despite the passage of more than three decades, there are still allegations of continued violations of the ADA and denial of rights of persons with disabilities occurring in the United States and in Middle Tennessee.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Tackeff investigated the complaint and negotiated the Settlement Agreement.
For more information on the ADA and to access these publications, visit www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD). ADA complaints may be filed by email to [email protected].
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Lake County Convicted Felon Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Theft of A Firearm from A Licensed Gun DealerRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Frank Thomas Diviak (24, Altoona) to five years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a stolen firearm, and stealing a firearm from a federal firearms licensee (FFL). Diviak entered a guilty plea in April 2024.
According to the court records, Diviak was previously convicted of three state felonies, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement. On December 4, 2023, Diviak entered a Lake County pawn shop, took a revolver from a display, and put it in his pocket. He then fled from the store on his bicycle, but he was quickly apprehended by law enforcement. As Diviak raised his hands to surrender to the officers, the stolen revolver fell out of his clothing. As a convicted felon, Diviak is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Eustis Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
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.
Kern County Man Sentenced for Assaulting a U.S. Postal CarrierRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Marco Pergis, 42, of Wasco, was sentenced on July 26, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer to three years in prison for assault on a federal employee with bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on June 21, 2023, Pergis assaulted a United States postal carrier by striking him in the face, causing serious bodily injury. Pergis admitted to assaulting the postal carrier without any provocation.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Services and the Kern County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Antonio Jose Pataca and Chan Hee Chu prosecuted the case.
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Religious Land Use Case Involving Arizona Food Ministry that Serves the HungryRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a statement of interest yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona explaining that a church’s claims under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) are ready for judicial review in federal court.
The statement of interest was filed in Gethsemani Baptist Church v. City of San Luis, a lawsuit alleging that the City of San Luis, Arizona, (the City) imposed a substantial burden on the religious exercise of Gethsemani Baptist Church (the Church) and treated the Church less favorably than secular institutions. The lawsuit alleges that the Church has operated a Food Ministry on its property as part of its religious exercise since 1999 and has provided food to thousands of people in need. The City recently became hostile to the Church, claiming that its use of its property and its use of semi-trucks to deliver food and supplies to the Ministry violated the City’s zoning code. The City took enforcement action to stop the Church from operating the Food Ministry, including by issuing multiple citations to the Church’s pastor.
“Churches have been on the front lines helping to alleviate hunger and meet the needs of those experiencing food insecurity across the country,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Federal law provides broad protection to religious exercise, including for ministries that serve people who are hungry or in need of basic supplies. Once a municipality applies its zoning code to restrict religious exercise, impacted groups do not need to jump through procedural hoops to obtain relief in federal court. The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that religious groups can properly exercise their rights under RLUIPA.”
The City filed a motion to dismiss the Church’s lawsuit, arguing in part that the Church’s RLUIPA claims could not proceed. The department’s statement of interest refutes this claim, asserting that the Church is not required to apply for a conditional use permit and that doing so would have been futile. The statement also argues that the Church has sufficiently shown the City’s ability to conduct an “individualized assessment” of the Church’s use of the property as required by RLUIPA.
RLUIPA is a federal law that protects religious institutions from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use regulations. In June 2018, the Justice Department announced its Place to Worship Initiative, which focuses on RLUIPA’s provisions that protect the rights of houses of worship and other religious institutions to worship on their land. More information is available at www.justice.gov/crt/placetoworship. As part of this initiative, the department has filed statements of interest in other RLUIPA cases involving faith-based services to persons in need, including in Micah’s Way v. City of Santa Ana (Central District of California) and St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church et al. v. City of Brookings (District of Oregon). Additionally, the department hosted outreach forums with religious leaders at Seton Hall Law School in Newark, New Jersey, and Chapman University Law School in Santa Ana, California, on combating religious discrimination under RLUIPA and also issued a letter to state, county and municipal leaders throughout the country to remind them of their obligations under RLUIPA.
Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions can contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section at (213) 894-2879 or the Civil Rights Division Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (833) 591-0291 or may submit a complaint through the complaint portal on the Place to Worship Initiative website. More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php.
Justice Department Files Complaint Against Norfolk Southern to Stop Amtrak Passenger Train DelaysRead the Press Release
The United States filed a civil complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that the Norfolk Southern Corporation and Norfolk Southern Railway Company (collectively, Norfolk Southern) delays passenger trains on Amtrak’s Crescent Route in violation of federal law.
The Crescent Route, operated by Amtrak (also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corporation), is a 1,377-mile passenger line that stops at 33 towns and cities between New York City and New Orleans. Norfolk Southern controls 1,140 miles of rail line on the Crescent Route and handles dispatching for all trains along that segment, including freight trains it operates. Approximately 266,000 passengers traveled on the Crescent Route during 2023. That year, only 24% of southbound Crescent Route passenger trains traveling on Norfolk Southern-controlled track arrived at their destination on time.
According to the complaint filed on July 30, federal law requires Norfolk Southern to give Amtrak passenger trains preference over freight trains. The complaint alleges that Norfolk Southern regularly fails to do so, leading to widespread delays that harm and inconvenience train passengers, negatively affect Amtrak’s financial performance, and impede passenger rail transportation. The complaint includes several examples of how Norfolk Southern’s failure to give passenger trains the required preference causes many of these delays. For example, on Jan. 1, an Amtrak train 10 miles outside of New Orleans was delayed for nearly an hour when Norfolk Southern dispatchers required it to travel behind a slow-moving freight train. On another occasion, Norfolk Southern dispatchers forced an Amtrak train to wait over an hour while allowing three separate freight trains to pass. In many cases, Norfolk Southern runs freight trains along the Crescent Route that, due to track limitations, are so long they cannot move to the side for passenger trains to pass them.
“Americans should not experience travel delays because rail carriers break the law. Our action today alleges that Norfolk Southern violates federal law by failing to give the legally required preference to Amtrak passenger trains over freight trains,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to protect travelers by ensuring that rail carriers fulfill their legal obligations.”
“For half a century, federal law has required freight rail companies to give Amtrak passenger rail service preference on their tracks — yet compliance with this important law has been uneven at best,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We will continue to engage the railroad industry and work with Amtrak to ensure that freight railroads comply with their legal obligations and that Amtrak customers are not subjected to unacceptable, unnecessary, and unlawful delays.”
Trial Attorneys Max Goldman, Amber Charles, and Pauline Stamatelos of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are handling the case.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
A complaint is merely a set of allegations that the government would need to prove by a preponderance of the evidence if the case went to trial.
ComplaintJohnston County Resident Sentenced for ManslaughterRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Edward Jay Williams, age 47, of Milburn, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 96 months imprisonment for one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, the Tishomingo Fire Department, the Milburn Fire Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On November 30, 2023, Williams pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on December 8, 2022, Williams crashed his motorcycle into another motorcycle while both riders traveled northbound on State Highway 48A in Johnston County. Williams’ passenger was thrown from the motorcycle and died from injuries sustained in the collision. A blood test revealed Williams was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision. The crime occurred within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the sentencing hearing. Williams will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Jacksonville Man Previously Convicted of Domestic Violence Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Failed Attempt to Illegally Purchase A FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Peter Alexander Lawrence (42, Jacksonville) to 18 months in federal prison for making false statements and representations to a federally licensed firearms dealer. Lawrence entered a guilty plea on April 23, 2024.
According to court documents, in March 2023, Lawrence completed an ATF Form 4473 while attempting to purchase a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer. On the form, Lawrence indicated that he had not been convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison, and that he had never been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Both statements were false. Specifically, in 2008, Lawrence was convicted and sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment for various firearms offenses, and in 2018, he was convicted of misdemeanor domestic battery.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta.
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.
Jacksonville Contract Postal Carrier Indicted on Credit Card Fraud and Theft of Mail ChargesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Daniel Diaz Garcia (34, Jacksonville) with credit card fraud and theft of mail. If convicted, Diaz faces up to 10 years in federal prison on the credit card fraud charge, up to 5 years in prison on the theft of mail charge, and payment of restitution to the victims in the case. Diaz was arrested on July 29, 2024, by the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General. This case is set for the September 2024 trial calendar.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Illinois Man Convicted at Trial of Odometer Tampering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
After a week-long trial, a federal jury convicted an Illinois man last Friday of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, for agreeing with his brother and another man to alter the odometer readings on hundreds of used cars and sell those cars to unsuspecting consumer victims.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Hussein Ghzo, 42, of Palos Heights, conspired with his brother Laith Ghzo, 38, and Musab Sawai, 36, to roll back the odometer readings on hundreds of used cars. The defendants purchased high-mileage cars at auto auctions, brought the cars to Chicago, had the odometer readings on those cars altered, falsified title documents to reflect the false low mileage, submitted those false titles to the Illinois Secretary of State and then sold the cars at other auctions with the false low mileage titles and false odometer readings. The evidence at trial revealed that Hussein Ghzo was warned on three separate occasions that the cars he was selling had rolled back mileage, but he nevertheless continued to participate in the scheme, including by attempting to pose as other people and hide his true identity. U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah of the Northern District of Illinois presided over the trial.
“The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting those who prey on unsuspecting consumers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The scheme at issue here deprived consumers of important information relating to vehicle safety and future repair costs.”
“Odometer fraud endangers the public and keeps older, less-safe vehicles on our nation’s roads,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure that consumers are purchasing vehicles with valid odometer readings.”
Ghzo is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 22, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Ghzo and Sawai have previously pleaded guilty in connection with this matter and are awaiting sentencing. Ghzo will be sentenced on Oct. 31. Sawai’s sentencing date has not yet been set.
The U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Odometer Tampering Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. The matter was originally referred to the federal government by the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration.
Trial Attorneys Joshua D. Rothman and Thomas S. Rosso of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman for the Northern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case.
Idaho Diesel Parts Companies and Owner Sentenced for Tampering with Emissions Control Systems and Selling Tampering SoftwareRead the Press Release
Diesel performance parts retailers GDP Tuning LLC and Custom Auto of Rexburg LLC, doing business as Gorilla Performance, and owner Barry Pierce were sentenced today in federal court in Pocatello, Idaho. Senior U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill for the District of Idaho sentenced Pierce to four months in prison. GDP Tuning and Gorilla Performance were sentenced to five years of probation. All defendants were ordered to jointly pay a $1 million fine. The companies and Pierce had previously pleaded guilty.
The charges in the case relate to illegal tampering with monitoring devices required under the Clean Air Act, specifically the on-board diagnostic (OBD) systems in diesel trucks. The first part of the tampering process is to physically remove the emissions control devices, known as “deleting” a truck. In part two, computer software is used to reprogram or tune the vehicle’s OBD to not recognize what has happened; this process is known as “tuning.”
An OBD normally detects any removal or malfunction of a vehicle’s emissions control equipment, recording a diagnostic trouble code and triggering a vehicle’s “check engine” light. If a malfunction is not remedied, a vehicle can, in some circumstances, be forced into “limp mode,” with a max speed of five-miles-per-hour. Tuning bypasses these checks even with the emissions control equipment removed.
According to court documents, from approximately 2016 to 2020, Pierce and GDP Tuning and Gorilla Diesel Performance tuned and deleted hundreds of vehicles at the Gorilla Diesel Performance auto repair shop in Rexburg, Idaho. Through various distributors, GDP Tuning also sold tens of millions of dollars’ worth of tunes, tuners and equipment around the country, including what GDP Tuning described as “custom tunes.” GDP Tuning knew the tunes were being used to illegally reprogram vehicles.
Pierce told Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) inspectors in 2018 that his companies sold kits to delete trucks and products to tune them, including tunes and tuners. In response to EPA’s later follow-up, GDP Tuning produced sales data indicating that it sold over 20,000 tuning products for approximately $14 million in revenue from January 1, 2018, through approximately August 7, 2019.
EPA law enforcement agents conducted undercover operations to determine the extent of illegal activity at GDP Tuning and Gorilla Diesel Performance. Employees told an uncover agent that the companies routinely “deleted” trucks at the Gorilla Diesel Performance location. Evidence gathered showed that Gorilla Diesel Performance conducted hundreds of deletes and used GDP Tuning products, with at least seven employees conducting deletes or obtaining tunes for the deleted vehicles. Pierce was aware of and directed the conduct.
“The defendants knowingly and repeatedly flouted Clean Air Act regulations even after being told that this conduct was against the law,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We are committed to enforcing the law and holding individuals and businesses accountable.”
“Despite being warned by EPA that his conduct was illegal, Barry Pierce and his companies continued to flout the law for years, selling millions of dollars of products that defeated emissions controls on diesel trucks,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann, of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “These products resulted in thousands of tons of excess pollutants being emitted into the air, putting our most vulnerable populations at risk. This brazen behavior must stop and EPA will continue to seek jail time for violations until it does.”
“Protecting Idaho’s environment and promoting public health are top priorities for my office, and the extreme amount of pollution emitted from illegally modified diesel trucks threatens both of these goals,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit for the District of Idaho. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable anyone who purposefully and illegally pollutes our air.”
The EPA investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Cassandra Barnum of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit for the District of Idaho and EPA Regional Criminal Enforcement Counsel Karla Perrin prosecuted the case.
Idaho Diesel Parts Companies and Owner Sentenced for Tampering with Emissions Control Systems and Selling Tampering SoftwareRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Diesel performance parts retailers GDP Tuning LLC and Custom Auto of Rexburg LLC, doing business as Gorilla Performance, and owner Barry Pierce were sentenced today in federal court in Pocatello, announced U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced Pierce to four months in federal prison. GDP Tuning and Gorilla Performance were sentenced to five years of probation. All defendants were ordered to jointly pay a $1 million fine. The companies and Pierce had previously pleaded guilty.
The charges in the case relate to illegal tampering with monitoring devices required under the Clean Air Act, specifically the on-board diagnostic (OBD) systems in diesel trucks. The first part of the tampering process is to physically remove the emissions control devices, known as “deleting” a truck. In part two, computer software is used to reprogram or tune the vehicle’s OBD to not recognize what has happened; this process is known as “tuning.”
An OBD normally detects any removal or malfunction of a vehicle’s emissions control equipment, recording a diagnostic trouble code and triggering a vehicle’s “check engine” light. If a malfunction is not remedied, a vehicle can, in some circumstances, be forced into “limp mode,” with a max speed of five-miles-per-hour. Tuning bypasses these checks even with the emissions control equipment removed.
According to court documents, from approximately 2016 to 2020, Pierce and GDP Tuning and Gorilla Diesel Performance tuned and deleted hundreds of vehicles at the Gorilla Diesel Performance auto repair shop in Rexburg, Idaho. Through various distributors, GDP Tuning also sold tens of millions of dollars’ worth of tunes, tuners and equipment around the country, including what GDP Tuning described as “custom tunes.” GDP Tuning knew the tunes were being used to illegally reprogram vehicles.
Pierce told Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) inspectors in 2018 that his companies sold kits to delete trucks and products to tune them, including tunes and tuners. In response to EPA’s later follow-up, GDP Tuning produced sales data indicating that it sold over 20,000 tuning products for approximately $14 million in revenue from January 1, 2018, through approximately August 7, 2019.
EPA law enforcement agents conducted undercover operations to determine the extent of illegal activity at GDP Tuning and Gorilla Diesel Performance. Employees told an uncover agent that the companies routinely “deleted” trucks at the Gorilla Diesel Performance location. Evidence gathered showed that Gorilla Diesel Performance conducted hundreds of deletes and used GDP Tuning products, with at least seven employees conducting deletes or obtaining tunes for the deleted vehicles. Pierce was aware of and directed the conduct.
“Protecting Idaho’s environment and promoting public health are top priorities for my office, and the extreme amount of pollution emitted from illegally modified diesel trucks threatens both of these goals,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable anyone who purposefully and illegally pollutes our air.”
“The defendants knowingly and repeatedly flouted Clean Air Act regulations even after being told that this conduct was against the law,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We are committed to enforcing the law and holding individuals and businesses accountable.”
“Despite being warned by EPA that his conduct was illegal, Barry Pierce and his companies continued to flout the law for years, selling millions of dollars of products that defeated emissions controls on diesel trucks,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann, of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “These products resulted in thousands of tons of excess pollutants being emitted into the air, putting our most vulnerable populations at risk. This brazen behavior must stop and EPA will continue to seek jail time for violations until it does.”
The EPA investigated the case.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, Senior Trial Attorney Cassandra Barnum of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section, and EPA Regional Criminal Enforcement Counsel Karla Perrin prosecuted the case.
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Habitual Domestic Violence Sends Lapwai Man to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE – Gordon Milton Bennett, Jr., 46, of Lapwai, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for domestic assault by habitual offender, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, in June 2023 Bennett committed a domestic assault against his wife. The investigation found that Bennett had at least two prior convictions in Nez Perce Tribal Court for domestic violence. Federal criminal law makes it a felony offense to commit a domestic assault within the borders of a reservation if a defendant has at least two prior convictions for domestic assault. The maximum penalty for the offense is up to five years in federal prison. Chief U.S. District Court Judge David C. Nye also sentenced Bennett to three years of supervised release after his release from prison. During that time Bennett will be required to comply with the terms and conditions of his supervised release which include counseling and treatment as well as regular meetings with his federal probation officer.
“I am grateful for the collaboration that allows the Tribe and our office to fight against domestic violence,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We must all work to prevent the distressing trauma that victims and survivors endure from repeated abuse.”
Nez Perce Tribe’s Prosecuting Attorney, Anne Kelleher, underscores the benefit of the Tribe’s partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to address repeat violent offenders like Bennett. “Though the Nez Perce Tribe has successfully prosecuted Bennett in the past, he continued to use violence to terrorize and control victims. The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s continued commitment to prosecuting major crimes in Indian Country is crucial and sends a message that violent repeat offenders will be held accountable.”
“Domestic violence not only harms the victim but has a long-lasting impact on families and communities too,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “We want victims to know they are not alone. The FBI and our partners will work to help end the cycle of abuse, bring offenders to justice, and protect others from this horrible crime.”
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit commended the joint work of the Nez Perce Tribal Police, the Nez Perce Tribal Prosecutor’s Office, and the FBI, which led to the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci Whelan prosecuted this case.
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Greenville Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison for Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Greenville, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 77 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm and ammunition after a prior felony conviction, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Devon Smith, 26.
According to information presented to the Court, on December 22, 2021, Smith unlawfully possessed two pistols and ammunition after having been convicted of drug trafficking and aggravated assault crimes through two state prosecutions in 2020 as well as several other crimes through prior state prosecutions. Smith was on parole for the drug trafficking and aggravated assault convictions at the time of his 2021 offense. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Smith.
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 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.
Gloucester County Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Healthcare FraudRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Gloucester County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for defrauding his employer’s health insurance plan out of more than $4 million by submitting fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary compounded medications, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced.
Christopher Gualtieri, 51, of Franklinville, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to one count of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit health care and mail fraud and one count charging him with obtaining oxycodone through fraud. U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Compounded medications are specialty medications mixed by a pharmacist to meet the specific medical needs of an individual patient. Compounded drugs can be properly prescribed when a physician determines that an FDA-approved medication does not meet the health needs of a particular patient, such as if a patient is allergic to a dye or other ingredient.
Gualtieri and others learned that certain compound medication prescriptions were reimbursed by their health insurance plan for up to thousands of dollars for a one-month supply. Gualtieri recruited co-workers who were covered by their employer’s self-funded health insurance plan to agree to receive medically unnecessary compounded medications for themselves and their family members. Gualtieri and others caused the submission of fraudulent prescriptions to compounding pharmacies, which filled the prescriptions and billed the health insurance plan’s pharmacy benefits administrator. The pharmacy benefits administrator paid the compounding pharmacies more than $4 million for compounded medications arranged by Gualtieri and two conspirators for themselves, their dependents, and other family members. Gualtieri received a portion of the amount paid by the pharmacy benefits administrator to the compounding pharmacies. Gualtieri admitted to paying cash to his conspirators for their participation in the scheme. When questioned by special agents of the FBI, Gualtieri falsely denied recruiting others to receive compounded medications and falsely denied paying cash to others for their participation in the scheme.
During the same time period as the conspiracy involving compounded medications, Gualtieri also prepared and caused the filling of fraudulent prescriptions for oxycodone for himself and a family member.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Gualtieri to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $5.4 million in restitution.
Attorney for the United States Khanna credited agents of the FBI, Philadelphia Field Office, Health Care Fraud Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs; task force members from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General; the Philadelphia Police Department; and diversion investigators of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey Division, Camden District Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. Attorney for the United States Khanna also thanked U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Gibson County Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Jason Daniel Smith, 33, of Gibson County, has been sentenced to 188 months in federal prison after being convicted of possessing and distributing child sex abuse materials on two separate occasions, once in 2019 and again in 2023. Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on March 13, 2019, Smith used a filesharing program to distribute more than 150 files of child sex abuse material to an undercover police officer in Indiana. After determining Smith’s address in Milan, TN, the Indiana officers collaborated with the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office, which executed a search warrant at Smith’s residence and discovered more than 20,000 videos and images of child pornography. Smith was arrested and charged with child pornography crimes in Gibson County Circuit Court.
On January 24, 2023, while the Gibson County case was pending, Smith again used a filesharing program to distribute more than 100 files of child sex abuse materials, this time to an agent with the Memphis FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force. The FBI, in collaboration with the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office, executed another search warrant at Smith’s residence and discovered more than 10,000 images and videos of child pornography.
In July 2023, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging Smith with distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography on each occasion, and in February 2024, Smith pled guilty to the offenses.
On July 29, 2024, United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Smith to 188 months imprisonment, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Smith must also register as a sex offender in any state in which he lives, works, or attends school.
This case was investigated by the Michigan City Police Department in Indiana, the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Memphis FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force.
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Delery, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Four-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Kristian Ramos (44, Kissimmee) to six years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Ramos to forfeit a Beretta Nano 9mm handgun, which was involved in the offense. Ramos entered a guilty plea on February 27, 2024.
According to court documents, on May 23, 2023, Ramos possessed a Beretta Nano 9mm handgun. At the time of the offense, Ramos had prior felony convictions for robbery with a deadly weapon, possession of a controlled substance, and robbery. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.
This case was 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.
Founder of “BitClout” Digital Asset Charged with Fraud in Connection with Sale of “BitClout” TokensRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christie M. Curtis, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the arrest of NADER AL-NAJI, the founder and promoter of the “BitClout” token. AL-NAJI was charged with defrauding a “BitClout” purchaser by making false and misleading representations disclaiming control over the use of the investment funds. AL-NAJI was taken into custody on Saturday, July 27, 2024, and was presented yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in California.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “BitClout may have been a new token, but Nader Al-Naji’s alleged fraud was nothing new. He allegedly lied to get access to millions of dollars, then gave the money away to family and friends. Today’s arrest signifies this Office’s commitment to holding to account people who use deception to enrich themselves.”
FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Christie M. Curtis said: “Nader Al-Naji, founder of the BitClout protocol, allegedly lied to investors and misappropriated investments in the protocol for personal expenses and gifts. Failing to properly disclose the use of invested funds disrupts the integrity vital to investing and can breed distrust for future opportunities. The FBI does not tolerate individuals who use false promises and half-truths to exploit well-intended investors of their funds.
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:[1]
AL-NAJI is the founder of BitClout, a social media and cryptocurrency trading platform that purportedly allowed users to purchase BitClout tokens using Bitcoin, ostensibly through a decentralized protocol without any centralized issuer, for the purpose of trading BitClout tokens in connection with the social media profiles of other BitClout users.
BitClout held itself out as a “cross between a financial app and a social app.” Specifically, BitClout was touted as “a social network built from the ground up as its own custom blockchain. It’s not a company, it has no employees—it’s just code and coins . . . . [W]e refer to BitClout as a ‘protocol’—it is ultimately nothing more than an open-source piece of code running on machines all over the world. No company, just code and coins.”
In or about January 2021, AL-NAJI contacted representatives of a prospective investor (“Investor-1”) to discuss the BitClout project and provided Investor-1 with BitClout’s marketing material. On or about January 18, 2021, AL-NAJI met with representatives of Investor-1 and stated, in substance and in part, his intent to use the Bitcoin raised from selling BitClout to develop the BitClout protocol. As part of negotiations with Investor-1, AL-NAJI claimed, in substance, that the role played by his entity was merely to purchase BitClout tokens from the protocol, and that he did not have any control over the funds after the purchase was complete.
In fact, contrary to AL-NAJI’s representations to Investor-1, AL-NAJI did maintain control over the proceeds provided by Investor-1 and used them for, among other things, personal expenses and gifts to AL-NAJI’s family members. After inducing Investor-1 to invest approximately $3 million, AL-NAJI routed the funds through multiple accounts for the ultimate benefit of himself and family members.
* * *
Al-NAJI, 32, of Los Angeles, California, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the FBI and also thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a civil enforcement action against the defendant, for its assistance in the investigation.
The case is being overseen by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Mortazavi and Nicholas Folly are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Fort Myers Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that JD Irons, Jr. (37, Fort Myers) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Because of Irons’s criminal history—which includes at least three convictions for serious drug crimes—he faces a minimum mandatory term 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has been set for October 28, 2024.
According to court records, on December 8, 2023, Irons fled from officers with the Fort Myers Police Department who were attempting to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Irons was the front-seat passenger. Irons was subsequently found hiding in a nearby apartment. Concealed in the glovebox of the vehicle from which Irons fled, officers found a loaded Sig Sauer 9mm handgun. Irons was later forensically linked to the firearm through DNA testing. As a convicted felon who previously served time in prison, Irons is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. As a result of his criminal record, which includes multiple prison sentences for serious drug crimes involving cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, Irons faces enhanced sentencing for unlawfully possessing a firearm under the Armed Career Criminal Act.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Myers Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.
Former jailer convicted for straw purchasing firearm receiverRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A former sheriff’s office jailer has pleaded guilty for his role in the straw purchasing of a firearm receiver on behalf of a Mexican national, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Gonzalo Everardo Gonzalez, 32, Roma, admitted to making false statements during the purchase of a firearm.
On June 13, 2023, in connection with an acquisition of a firearm receiver, Gonzalez falsely stated on a form associated with the purchase that he was the true purchaser of the receiver. The investigation revealed this statement was false.
In fact, Gonzalez purchased a firearm receiver on behalf of a Mexican national who intended to smuggle it into Mexico.
At the time he made the false statement, Gonzalez was a jailer with the Starr County Sheriff’s Office.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane will impose sentencing October 8. At that time, Gonzalez faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He will remain on bond pending his sentencing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the joint investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan is prosecuting the case.
Former Nurse Practitioner Indicted in D.C. on Charges of Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lucas Allen Fussell, 42, of Onley, Virginia, was indicted today by a federal grand jury on charges of distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott, of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The indictment, unsealed today, alleges that on June 22, 2024, and again on June 30, 2024, Fussell, a former nurse practitioner, distributed numerous image and video files depicting adult men engaged in sexual intercourse with prepubescent minor boys.
According to court documents, between December 20, 2023, and February 7, 2024, Fussell used an anonymous account on an end-to-end encrypted messaging application to exchange videos and images containing child pornography with another individual whose phone was later seized and searched by the FBI pursuant to a search warrant. In the course of those conversations, Fussell shared details that revealed his identity. Those details included his home address, a description of his vehicle, and numerous comments about examining the genitals of patients—some as young as 11 years old—that he saw in the course of his work as a nurse practitioner. In June 2024, an undercover agent with the FBI-MPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force used the seized phone to respond to a message from Fussell on the end-to-end encrypted messaging app. On June 22, 2024, and again on June 30, 2024, Fussell sent the undercover agent numerous images and videos depicting the rape and sexual abuse of prepubescent boys.
On July 16, 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at Fussell’s residence in Onley, Virginia, and seized numerous encrypted electronic devices. Fussell was arrested pursuant to a criminal complaint and arrest warrant issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He has remained detained ever since.
Distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a statutory maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment. The statutory sentences for federal offenses are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes. Any sentence will be determined by the Court based on the advisory Sentencing Guideline and other statutory factors.
This case is being 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 Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and MPD’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI Norfolk Field Office, the Accomack County Sheriff’s Office, the Onley Police Department, CEOS’s High Technology Investigative Unit, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Anyone with additional information about Fussell’s alleged conduct is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or to submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov.
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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Former Federal Correction Officer Sentenced to Prison for Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Smuggling Contraband into the Metropolitan Detention Center in BrooklynRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, former federal correction officer Quandelle Joseph was sentenced by United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry to 30 months’ imprisonment for accepting bribes in exchange for providing contraband to individuals detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn. Joseph pleaded guilty in January 2024 to the charge of accepting bribes as a public official.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Ryan T. Geach, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Region (DOJ-OIG), and Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence.
“Quandelle Joseph put his own interests above the safety of incarcerated individuals and other correction officers at the Metropolitan Detention Center by accepting bribes to smuggle drugs, cell phones and other contraband into the jail he was sworn to protect,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office has zero tolerance for corruption in prison facilities and those who abuse the trust placed in them to carry out their duties will find themselves on the wrong side of the bars like this defendant.”
“We trust Correctional Officers to carry out their duties with honor and integrity. Joseph did the opposite when he accepted tens of thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for smuggling dangerous contraband into MDC Brooklyn. Today’s sentencing shows that Correctional Officers who commit these selfish crimes will be held accountable,” stated DOJ-OIG Special Agent in Charge Geach.
“Quandelle Joseph abused his authority as a former correction officer by supplying inmates with contraband for cash and offering advanced warnings to his clientele to obscure this illicit trade from other guards. His actions not only violated the order and regulation necessary for a secure correctional institution, but also threatened the public’s trust in our system. The FBI remains diligent in its pursuit of corrupt public officials who value personal benefit over fulfilling their duty to protect and serve,” stated Acting Assistant Director in Charge Curtis.
According to court documents and facts presented at today’s sentencing proceeding, Joseph became a correction officer at the MDC in May 2020. During his employment, Joseph accepted tens of thousands of dollars from inmates in exchange for smuggling narcotics, cigarettes, and cell phones into the MDC. In one instance, Joseph accepted bribes to smuggle contraband into the MDC for an inmate, who then sold the contraband widely throughout his unit. Joseph also warned the inmate about upcoming contraband searches at the MDC. For example, on January 26, 2021, Joseph texted an inmate from whom he was taking bribes: “Tighten up search comin clean phones out call logs n text n try to stash it.” The next day, Joseph texted the inmate: “keep your phones cleannnnnnnnnn erase texts and call logs every night.”
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Philip Pilmar and Sara K. Winik are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
QUANDELLE JOSEPH
Age: 34
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-306 (DLI)
Florida Man Sentenced to Serve Three Years in Federal Prison for COVID Relief Loan FraudRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, ADONIJAH LINDSAY, 39, of Miami, Florida, was sentenced to serve 36 months in federal prison for wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On August 16, 2023, a federal grand jury returned an Indictment, which charged Lindsay with two counts of wire fraud. According to the Indictment, on June 24, 2020, Lindsay applied to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan, which provided loans to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Indictment alleges that in the loan application, Lindsay claimed to own a business with revenue of more than $200,000 in 2019. In fact, Lindsay did not own a business, had spent most of 2019 incarcerated in federal prison, and applied for the loan while in a Bureau of Prisons residential reentry center in Florida. Based on his false statements, Lindsay’s application was approved by the SBA for a $75,000 loan, which was disbursed to a banking account in his name in Enid, Oklahoma in June 2020.
On January 10, 2024, Lindsay pleaded guilty to the Indictment, and admitted he provided false information to defraud the SBA.
At the sentencing hearing yesterday, U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton sentenced Lindsay to serve 36 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Heaton also ordered Lindsay to pay $75,000 in restitution to the SBA. In announcing his sentence, Judge Heaton noted that Lindsay committed his offense while still in federal custody on a prior conviction for armed robbery. Judge Heaton further noted that Lindsay had conspired in additional fraudulent COVID relief loan applications—totaling more than $400,000—and in doing so, took advantage of a “genuine public health emergency.”
This case is the result of an investigation by the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC). The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20-member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program and EIDL program. The PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney D.H. Dilbeck prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Florida Man Indicted for Assault of Federal Courthouse Security OfficersRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Sarasota, Florida, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of assaulting federal officers, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Steven M. Seitz, 34, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about July 9, 2024, Seitz entered the Joseph F. Weis, Jr., U.S. Courthouse in Pittsburgh looking for the Central Intelligence Agency and refused several requests from Courthouse Security Officers to leave the building. When Courthouse Security Officers attempted to escort Seitz from the building, Seitz unlawfully and forcibly assaulted, resisted, and opposed the officers, resulting in bodily injuries to at least two of the officers. Seitz remains detained since his arrest under a federal criminal complaint for these charges on July 9, 2024.
The law provides for a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security Federal Protective Service and United States Marshals Service conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Five Plead Guilty to Drug, Firearms, and Immigration Offenses after Law Enforcement Investigation into Sales of Cocaine in Mississippi to Purchase Firearms and Machine Gun Conversion Devices for Delivery to MexicoRead the Press Release
JACKSON, MS– Five individuals with ties to Mexico have pled guilty over the past month to felony offenses related to drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, and immigration offenses as a result of a law enforcement investigation involving sales of cocaine in Mississippi to purchase firearms and machine gun conversion devices for delivery to Mexico.
According to court documents, Rosendo Gonzalez Mora, 40, Jaime Bladimir Dela Cruz, 28, Oscar Gonzalez, 39, Juan Deferia Mondragon, 32, and Gabriel Guerrero Gallegos, 36, were indicted by a federal grand jury for various felony offenses as a result of a joint operation between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Agency, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General.
Jaime Bladimir Dela Cruz, an American citizen residing in Richland, MS, pleaded guilty today to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.
Rosendo Gonzalez Mora, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty on June 17, 2024, to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. He faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.
Mora and Dela Cruz’s charges stemmed from their attempts to barter an exchange of cocaine for fully automatic firearms, machinegun conversion devices, and explosives. It was the intent of Mora and Dela Cruz to source firearms and explosives from Jackson, Mississippi, and deliver them to organized crime syndicates in Mexico.
Oscar Gonzalez, an American citizen residing in Jackson, MS, pleaded guilty on June 17, 2024, to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. His charges stem from his attempt to barter an exchange of cocaine for three machinegun conversion devices. He faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison with a maximum of life in prison.
Juan Deferia Mondragon and Gabriel Guerrero Gallegos, both citizens of Mexico, also pleaded guilty on June 17, 2024, to illegal re-entry of a previously removed alien for their unlawful return into the United States after being previously deported. Mondragon had been previously removed from the United States on three separate occasions. They each face a maximum sentence of two years in prison followed by possible deportation.
In addition to criminal prosecution, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi has seized numerous firearms, machinegun conversion devices, and over $200,000 of suspected drug trafficking proceeds as a result of this investigation. After discoveries made during the execution of various search warrants during the investigation, the Department of Justice has also initiated legal proceedings to seize over twenty acres of real property in Hinds County, Mississippi used in furtherance of the firearms and drug trafficking scheme as well as an illegal animal fighting venture involving over 200 illegally owned fighting chickens.
“These charges demonstrate how transnational criminals are reaching even into Mississippi to obtain the weapons they are using to fuel violence abroad and in the United States,” said United States Attorney Todd Gee. “I want to thank all the federal, state, and local law enforcement agents that helped investigate and dismantle this international firearms trafficking network.”
“ATF will continue to lead in investigating and disrupting firearms trafficking as we bring our expertise and resources to enhance law enforcement’s collectively ability to disrupt deadly weapons trafficking between Mississippi and Mexico,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “The guilty pleas from these five individuals send a strong message to drug and gun traffickers that ATF will work tirelessly to protect our communities and hold accountable those who threaten our safety.”
“This case highlights the dangerous intersection of drug trafficking and firearms smuggling,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer, with the Drug Enforcement Administration New Orleans Division. “These transnational criminal organization not only fuel addiction in our communities, but they also put weapons in the hands of violent criminals, both here and abroad.”
“These individuals, who were willing to trade illicit, deadly narcotics in exchange for firearms and explosives intended for Mexican organized crime syndicates, showed complete disregard for the safety of our communities and willingness to contribute to international violent crime,” said HSI New Orleans acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune. “This case is a great example of how HSI leverages its unique transnational authorities, alongside our local, state, and federal partners, to disrupt narcotics and firearms traffickers.”
“The provisions of the Animal Welfare Act were designed to protect animals from being used in illegal fighting ventures, which often entail other forms of criminal activity involving drugs, firearms and gambling,” Special Agent-in-Charge Dax Roberson of the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General said. “Together with the Department of Justice, animal fighting is an investigative priority for USDA-OIG, and we will work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and assist in the criminal prosecution of those who participate in animal fighting ventures.”
Mora, Gonzalez, Mondragon, and Gallegos are scheduled to be sentenced on September 17, 2024. Dela Cruz is scheduled to be sentenced on October 29, 2024. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General are investigating the case with assistance from the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Mississippi Agricultural & Livestock Theft Bureau, the Jackson Police Department, and the Capitol Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel Goff and Matthew Allen are prosecuting the case.
Final Two Defendants Sentenced for their Roles in Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Nicholasville, Ky., man, Bradley Lawson, 42, and a Corbin, Ky., woman, Amy Johnson, 39, were sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, to 180 months and 68 months, respectively, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, in July 2022, Lawson developed relationships with multiple sources of supply of methamphetamine, from whom he regularly obtained methamphetamine for resale. Lawson then worked with his co-defendants, Amy Johnson, Jesse Taylor, and Michael Nakonechny, to obtain and distribute the methamphetamine in Laurel and Whitley Counties. Specifically, in September 2022, law enforcement conducted a search and discovered two pounds of methamphetamine that they intended to distribute. Law enforcement also found Lawson in possession of a loaded firearm. Both Lawson and Johnson had previously been convicted of federal drug felony offenses, and Lawson was still on federal supervised release at the time on the commission of these new offenses. Lawson received an additional, consecutive sentence for his supervised release violation, of twelve months and a day.
Nakonechny was previously sentenced to 163 months and Taylor was previously sentenced to 98 months.
Under federal law, Lawson and Johnson must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon his release from prison, Lawson will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years, and Johnson will be under supervision for five years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff John Root, Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF, KSP, and Laurel County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Trimble prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Final Defendant in Drug Trafficking Organization Operating in Maury and Lewis Counties Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Julio Esparza, 47, of Alamo, Texas, was sentenced yesterday to 70 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a $1,031,600 money judgment, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis.
In December 2022, Esparza pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. The conviction stems from Esparza’s involvement in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was responsible for distributing substantial quantities of controlled substances, including cocaine and marijuana, from Texas to Tennessee between 2015 and 2019. Esparza hired his codefendants Freddy Quinones and Jesus Silva to transport the narcotics to Tennessee, and the drugs ended up in the hands or under the control of other codefendants in Tennessee, including Brent Burns, Henry Davis, and Brandon Dailey, who further distributed them within Tennessee. The individuals in Tennessee sent substantial drug proceeds, which Quinones and Silva also transported, back to Esparza in Texas.
The other individuals charged in the indictment with Julio Esparza have all pled guilty and were previously sentenced, as follows:
- Terry Strayhorn, 43, of Columbia, Tennessee, was sentenced to 150 months in prison followed by 8 years of supervised release
- Brent Burns, 40, of Columbia, Tennessee, was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release
- Derrick Nixon, 55, of Mount Pleasant, Tennessee, was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 8 years of supervised release
- Vincent Conner, 40, of Mount Pleasant, Tennessee, was sentenced to 100 months in prison followed by10 years of supervised release
- Tory Hardison, 29, of Pulaski, Tennessee, was sentenced to 100 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release
- Tristen Tisby, 32, of Columbia, Tennessee, was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release
- Samuel Abernathy, 46, of Mount Pleasant, Tennessee, was sentenced to 75 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release
- Henry Davis, 44, of Mount Pleasant, Tennessee, was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release
- Freddy Quinones, 50, of Pembroke, Kentucky, was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release
- Shanika Odom, 34, of Mount Pleasant, Tennessee, was sentenced to 20 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release
- Jesus Silva, 42, of Harlingen, Texas, was sentenced to 15 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release
- Carson Lunn, 27, of Rogersville, Alabama, was sentenced to 6 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Memphis Division, Columbia Resident Agency; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Columbia Police Department; the Hohenwald Police Department; the Spring Hill Police Department; and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Levine and Nani M. Gilkerson prosecuted the case.
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Federal grand jury indicts Buffalo man for selling methRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Mario Pittman Jr., 30, of Buffalo, NY, with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who handled the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, since March 2024, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and the Lackawanna Police Department have been investigating Pittman’s drug trafficking activities. The investigation included multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Pittman. The investigation also determined that Pittman has two prior violent felony convictions.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Packard, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Federal Jury in Louisville Finds Two Defendants Guilty of Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – This week a federal jury convicted two Louisville men, following a seven-day trial of numerous felony offenses, including conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Interim Chief Paul Humphreys of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
“I commend the excellent work of the trial team as well as the outstanding investigative effort by ATF, LMPD, and our federal, state and local law enforcement partners who assisted in the investigation and apprehension of the defendants,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “We will continue to prioritize the identification, apprehension, and prosecution of those whose conduct drives violence in the Western District in order to make our communities safer for all.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between September 25, 2021, and August 22, 2023, Jerlen Horton, 30, and Chicoby Summers, 29, conspired to possess with the intent to distribute over one kilogram of fentanyl, over 250 grams of heroin, and a mixture of cocaine base, commonly referred to as “crack cocaine.” Additionally, on November 3, 2021, both defendants possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine and possessed firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking crimes. Lastly, the evidence presented at trial established that on November 3, 2021, Summers was on federal supervised release and escaped from custody.
Both Horton and Summers were utilizing false identities and were fugitives from justice until they were apprehended by law enforcement following a standoff with members of the United States Marshals Task Force on August 22, 2023, in Long Beach, California.
Horton and Summers are scheduled for sentencing on November 13, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Both defendants remain detained pending sentencing. Both defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence for each defendant after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The ATF and LMPD investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI, DEA, United States Postal Inspection Service, Kentucky State Police, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Long Beach California Police Department, Verdigris Oklahoma Police Department, and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Josh Porter are prosecuting the case, with assistance from paralegal specialist Adela Alic.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Fake Doctor Selling Unproven COVID-19 Cure is Sentenced to 36 MonthsRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A United States District Court Judge sentenced a Utah County man Monday, who posed as a fake doctor, to three years’ imprisonment and one year of supervised release after he scammed consumers looking to heal a variety of ailments, including Coronavirus.
In March, on the second day of trial, Gordon Hunter Pedersen, 64, of Cedar Hills, Utah, pleaded guilty to committing mail fraud and introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with intent to defraud and mislead.
According to court documents, and statements made at the change of plea hearing, Pedersen posed as a practicing medical doctor, lied about his credentials, and exaggerated the palliative abilities of his consumer products containing silver to make money. Between 2012 and 2020, Pedersen orchestrated and executed an expansive scheme to sell his silver products under the pretense that they were a suitable and effective remedy for various illnesses and ailments including influenza, diabetes, arthritis, pneumonia, and the novel Coronavirus. His fraudulent salesmanship generated thousands of dollars and his sales skyrocketed in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, and before approved vaccines were available. Mr. Pedersen distributed his Silver Products through his company My Doctor Suggests, LLC (MDS), where he was 25% owner and the company spokesman and primary marketer. In total, the known revenue of My Doctor Suggests related to this scheme is estimated around $6,110,473.
In addition, Pedersen committed mail fraud by using the United States Postal Service to deliver his silver products in furtherance and in execution of the scheme and his intent to defraud the consumer. His silver products included silver lozenges, silver probiotics, silver soap, silver mouthwash and silver gel.
“Mr. Pedersen defrauded consumers for years by lying about his credentials and the products he sold. His years of deliberate misrepresentations resulted in financial harm to consumers who trusted in his claims, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “Pedersen profited off citizens during a vulnerable time then fled from law enforcement for three years to avoid prosecution. My office remains committed to prosecuting financial fraud and seeking justice for victims.”
“Mr. Pedersen was a modern day snake oil salesman, exploiting vulnerable people, especially during the pandemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “His sentencing reflects the dedicated work of the FBI and our partners in rooting out fraud and ensuring the community’s safety.”
“The FDA continues to work with its law enforcement partners to protect the public health by identifying, investigating and bringing to justice those who attempted to profit from the pandemic by offering and distributing fraudulent products claiming to treat or cure COVID-19,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Grinstead, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Kansas City Field Office. “Americans expect and deserve treatments that are safe, effective and meet appropriate standards, and the agency will continue to bring to justice those who place profits above the public health.”
The case was investigated jointly by the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigation (FDA-OCI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Salt Lake City Field Office, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Valuable assistance was also provided by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jacob J. Strain and Brian Williams from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Speare Hodges and Sarah Williams from the Department of Justice, Civil Division’ Consumer Protection Branch. James Smith from FDA’s Office of Chief Council also assisted.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
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gordonhunterpedersen.sentencingmemo.pdfEufaula Resident Sentenced for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Danny Gene Kirby, age 66, of Eufaula, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
On June 28, 2023, a federal jury found Kirby guilty of causing the death of the victim. According to investigators, on July 23, 2022, Kirby crashed his motorcycle while leaving the Fountainhead Marina Bar in Checotah, Oklahoma. Kirby’s passenger was thrown from the motorcycle and later died from injuries sustained in the crash. A blood sample was drawn and tested as part of the investigation and revealed that Kirby had alcohol, marijuana, amphetamine, tramadol, citalopram, trazodone, and oxycodone in his system. The crime occurred in McIntosh County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Kirby was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Howanitz and Joshua Satter represented the United States.
Eight Members and Associates of Philadelphia Gang Known as Omerta Indicted on Federal Racketeering and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that an indictment charging eight members and associates of a local Philadelphia gang known as Omerta was unsealed today. The indictment charges various crimes including racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit counterfeiting, and mail and wire fraud.
The defendants charged in the nine-count indictment are Jahlil Williams, aka “Bill,” “25th Street Bill,” “Kill Bill,” age 25; Rakiem Savage, aka “Roc,” “Fat Roc,” “roc30st_,” age 26; Kyair Garnett, aka “Ky Jefe,” “Jefe,” age 23; Haneef Roberson, aka “Haneef Robinson-Tucker,” “Neef,” “Black Neef,” “BlackNeef25st,” age 23; Biheis Moore, aka “Heis,” “Klay,” “klay_30st,” “heis.30st,” age 24; Rakiem King, aka “Cat,” “Hellcat,” “Hellcat30st,” age 25; Ward Roberts, aka “Rob,” “YoungWard25,” age 25; and Harry Draper, aka “Coach,” “Unk,” age 46.
The indictment alleges that the defendants were part of a racketeering enterprise that was engaged in murder, murder for hire, shootings, firearm possession, counterfeiting, money laundering, illegal gambling, robbery, drug trafficking and mail and wire fraud related to COVID-19 relief payments. The conspiracy spanned from 2018 to 2023, and during that time, members of the conspiracy engaged in multiple acts of violence and fraud to enrich their enterprise, protect their gang territory and their reputation. The Omerta organization is based in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood of Philadelphia, and is also closely aligned with another, larger Philadelphia gang named “Zoo Gang.” Omerta used social media, music, and music videos to enrich its members, promote their identity and image, recruit new members, brag about their own violent acts, and insult rival gangs and gang members.
Specifically, in September 2021, members of the conspiracy murdered C.J. and shot two other women in a murder-for-hire gone wrong. Then, in November 2021, members of the conspiracy murdered fourteen-year-old S.J. on a street corner in broad daylight because they felt he had either mocked their gang or was related to someone who killed one of their gang members. In addition, mentioned in the indictment are at least two other shootings that members of Omerta committed during the course of the conspiracy to protect their territory, as well as plans to commit murder for hire.
To fund Omerta, members of the conspiracy committed over $1.5 million worth of counterfeiting by visiting stores throughout Pennsylvania and up and down the eastern seaboard to illegally change counterfeit currency for U.S. currency. In addition, members of the conspiracy filed fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Assistance applications, receiving a total of over $443,000 to fund their illegal enterprise.
If convicted, some defendants face a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison, while others face a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI, United States Secret Service, Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Lanni, Everett Witherell, and Shayna Gannone.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Dominican Republic Resident Admits Role in Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A resident of the Dominican Republic today admitted participating in a conspiracy to distribute and transport bulk quantities of fentanyl into northern New Jersey communities from a drug mill located in the Philadelphia area, as well as possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Hector Luis de la Cruz Nunez, 32, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Two other individuals, Emmanuel F. Almonte Mejia, 39, and Loanny F. Duran Hiciano, 43, were also charged in March 2022 for the same offense. Their cases are pending.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In February 2022, law enforcement officers learned that a drug-trafficking organization was utilizing a private residence in the Philadelphia area to operate a large-scale fentanyl production and distribution mill from which they were regularly transporting bulk quantities of fentanyl into northern New Jersey communities. On March 8, 2022, law enforcement officers observed Nunez exit the mill carrying a large, weighted bag which he placed in a clandestine compartment hidden inside of his private vehicle. Nunez then departed in the vehicle and left the Philadelphia area before proceeding onward into New Jersey.
Law enforcement agents stopped Nunez’s vehicle in Union, New Jersey and discovered four large, wrapped bricks each of which contained approximately 100 individual packages of fentanyl, for a total of 400 individual packages, which Nunez stated were destined to be distributed to individuals located in northern New Jersey.
The two charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl each come with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $1 million. Sentencing for Nunez is scheduled for Dec. 5, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker, HSI Philadelphia, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Katie Bay, and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent D. Romano of the Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges against Almonte Mejia and Duran Hiciano are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
nunez.information.pdfDelaware Man Convicted of Kidnapping, Hobbs Act Conspiracy, and Firearm Charges for Multi-State Crime Spree, Which Ended in Sexual AssaultRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that on July 25, 2024, a federal jury convicted Tonnaire McNair-Matthews, 24, on charges of Kidnapping, Carjacking, Hobbs Act Robbery and Conspiracy, and Brandishing and Use of a Firearm in Relation to Hobbs Act Robbery and Kidnapping. Chief U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly accepted the verdict.
According to court records and evidence presented at the four-day trial, McNair-Matthews together with David Hinson, 23, Michael Caldwell, 21, and Mahkiya Powell, 20, conspired to rob unsuspecting drivers by rear-ending them with a stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee (“the Jeep”) with the intent to rob the drivers when they got out to inspect their cars for damage. After three unsuccessful carjacking attempts, McNair-Matthews, while driving the Jeep, rear-ended the victim, then approached the victim’s car and abducted the victim at gunpoint.
McNair-Matthews then drove the victim, against her will, in the victim’s car from Delaware back into Pennsylvania where he had rear-ended her. During the ride, McNair-Matthews forced the victim to disrobe, demanded the victim’s PIN code, and digitally penetrated her against her will. After arriving in Pennsylvania, McNair-Matthews then forcibly raped the victim at gunpoint. McNair-Matthews then abandoned the victim and drove the victim’s car to Delaware convenience stores, withdrawing money from the victim’s bank accounts via ATM transactions using the stolen PIN code.
McNair-Matthews then reunited with Hinson, Powell, and Caldwell in Wilmington, Delaware. Once there, McNair-Matthews provided them the victim’s bank cards, PIN, and the firearm he used in the carjacking and rape. Hinson, Powell, and Caldwell then cleaned the victim’s car and stole her purse. After McNair-Matthews changed clothes to try and evade detection, the four men met up at a Wilmington gas station, where law enforcement tracked them. On sight, McNair-Matthews and Powell led law enforcement on a high-speed chase in the Jeep and evaded capture. McNair-Matthews was arrested three days later after fleeing to Maryland.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “The defendants engaged in a heinous crime spree with devastating consequences. Coordination between my office and our state and federal law enforcement partners to bring Mr. McNair-Matthews and his coconspirators to justice was swift and exceptional. We will continue to work together to remove violent offenders from our streets. I commend the victim’s bravery and hope that the jury’s guilty verdict brings some measure of closure.”
“The amount of harm and senseless violence McNair-Matthews and his coconspirators carried out in a single day is astonishing said,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “I am deeply grateful for the expert help of Deputy Attorney General Diana Dunn and the rest of our team, as well as the Delaware and Pennsylvania State Police, and our partners with the FBI in bringing them to justice and holding them accountable for the harm they’ve so callously inflicted.”
“There is no place in our society for a violent rapist, kidnapper, and criminal like Tonnaire McNair-Matthews. This conviction ensures he will spend time behind bars for the horrible and cruel attack he viciously inflicted upon an innocent woman,” said Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “I am proud of the work the FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force does with our local, state and federal partners to identify and arrest dangerous criminals like McNair-Matthews and bring them to justice.”
McNair-Matthews faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Chief U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Weiss, Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, and the Delaware State Police (DSP) Troop 2 Commander commended the work of those who investigated the case, including DSP, the FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Taskforce, Wilmington Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Delaware Department of Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin P. Pierce and Samuel S. Frey, along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Dunn are assigned to prosecute 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 23-68.
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to Seventeen Years in Federal Prison for Coercion and Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced defendant Paul Francis Blaisse, 65, of Walkersville, Maryland, to seventeen years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release for one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. Judge Maddox also ordered Blaisse to pay $83,694 in restitution to his victims and, after his release from prison, to register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student.
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Nicole M. Argentieri; Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and J. Charles Smith III, State’s Attorney for Frederick County, Maryland.
According to court documents, beginning as early as 2011, Blaisse engaged in live video chats with minor children who were engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Mr. Blaisse exchanged messages with hundreds of individuals on video chat sites who offered access to minor children via webcam. During these chats, Blaisse discussed his sexual interest in children and distributed child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office identified Blaisse after receiving a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an individual using an IP address associated with Blaisse’s residence uploaded CSAM to a video chat account.
In October 2018, Blaisse used an online video chat application, to entice a minor child in the Philippines to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Records of Blaisse’s activity show that he communicated with an adult in the Philippines who arranged for the minor child to participate in a video chat with Blaisse. In addition to these chats, Blaisse’s electronic devices contained hundreds of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including prepubescent minors.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the FBI Baltimore Field Office, the Justice Department’s High Technology Investigative Unit, and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Leading the prosecution of this case are Department of Justice Trial Attorney Eduardo Palomo, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Aubin, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joyce King. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Convicted Health Care Fraud defendant sentenced to an additional six-month sentence for failing to report to prison as directedRead the Press Release
Seattle – The former co-owner of a defunct medical testing company, who failed to report to prison as directed last spring, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to an additional six months in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Richard Reid, 55, was convicted in March 2022, of five federal felonies connected to his scheme to profit from illegal kickbacks in the medical testing industry. In January 2023 he was sentenced to two years in prison.
At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour said Reid’s persistent failure to accept responsibility “takes my breath away.”
Reid had repeatedly petitioned the judge to delay his prison reporting date, claiming to have COVID-19 and then long COVID. Judge John C. Coughenour refused to delay the date past the end of April 2023. Rather than report to prison, Reid left his home in Astoria, Oregon and went on the run. The FBI issued a “Wanted” poster.
On May 7, 2023, a member of the public reported seeing Reid, and he was arrested in Taylorsville, Oregon.
In asking for an additional ten months in prison, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Dion wrote to the court, “Richard Reid refused to accept responsibility for his role in a healthcare kickbacks scheme, and then refused to serve the sentence imposed by the Court. He exploited the Court’s generosity in granting him two extensions of his reporting date, and simply ignored the Court’s rejection of this third request. Many hours of law enforcement resources were wasted in a multi-day fugitive investigation that ended with Reid being arrested in a bar.”
The activities of Bellevue-based Northwest Physicians Laboratory (NWPL) have been the subject of extensive civil and criminal litigation. Richard Reid was one of the owners and the Vice President of Sales for NWPL. Reid helped NWPL obtain more than $3.7 million in kickback payments by steering urine drug test specimens to two labs that could bill the government for testing.
The case was investigated by the FBI, Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Dion
Convicted Felon Indicted on Federal Charges for Armed CarjackingsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rasheed Jenkins, 25, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges arising out of armed carjackings he allegedly committed in August 2023 and January 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The superseding indictment, unsealed today, charges Jenkins with two counts of carjacking, two related counts of using, carrying, possessing, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The indictment alleges that Jenkins committed armed carjackings on August 25, 2023, and January 26, 2024. The indictment further alleges that on August 26, 2023, and February 2, 2024, Jenkins unlawfully possessed semi-automatic pistols and ammunition. Federal law prohibits Jenkins from possessing firearms and ammunition because he was previously convicted, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, Maryland, of offenses that are punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
According to Court documents, on August 25, 2023, Jenkins carjacked a man at gunpoint outside a residence in Southeast Washington, D.C., taking a Dodge Charger. After MPD’s Air Support Unit spotted the carjacked vehicle and illuminated it with a spotlight, Jenkins fled through the District before abandoning the vehicle in the Logan Circle neighborhood of Northwest Washington, D.C. MPD officers found Jenkins hiding near the basement entrance of a row home in the block, and they recovered a loaded Smith & Wesson M&P9 Shield 9mm semi-automatic pistol from a mailbox just feet away. On January 26, 2024, Jenkins and an unidentified accomplice carjacked a woman at gunpoint outside of a convenience store in Capitol Heights, Maryland, taking a BMW 328i. A week later, on February 2, 2024, officers with the Forest Heights Police Department spotted the carjacked BMW in Oxon Hill, Maryland, and attempted a traffic stop. Jenkins fled at a high rate of speed, leading officers on a chase into the District of Columbia. He ultimately abandoned the vehicle in the Eastern Market neighborhood of Southeast Washington, D.C., and was apprehended after a short foot pursuit. Officers recovered a loaded Glock 30 Gen4 .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol from the vehicle’s backseat. DNA testing and analysis linked Jenkins to the firearms recovered during his August 2023 and February 2024 arrests. In addition, ATF Special Agents later obtained historical cell site location data for Jenkins’ cellphone, which revealed that Jenkins’ phone was present near the scenes of both the August 2023 and January 2024 armed carjackings.
A federal grand jury previously indicted Jenkins for his February 2, 2024, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. Jenkins was arrested on July 4, 2024, and has remained detained ever since. The case is assigned to the Honorable Dabney L. Friedrich of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Jenkins faces a mandatory minimum of 14 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence imposed in this case will be determined by the Court after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Division’s Strategic Pattern Armed Robbery Technical Apprehension Group (SPARTA). Valuable assistance was provided by MPD, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Forest Heights Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul V. Courtney and Cameron A. Tepfer with significant assistance from former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Toth.
Charlotte Man Charged with Illegal Possession of A Firearm Appears Before A Federal JudgeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – D’Angelo De’Mara McNeil, 34, of Charlotte, appeared in federal court today on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations in the indictment and today’s court proceedings, on June 2, 2022, CMPD responded to a 911 call at an apartment complex in Charlotte, about an individual shooting at children. The caller indicated that after the incident, the individual – later identified as McNeil – had fled the scene in his vehicle. CMPD located McNeil in his parked vehicle in the parking lot of another apartment complex in the area. CMPD officers approached McNeil and the defendant was taken into custody. The arresting officers also retrieved a handgun from underneath the front passenger seat of the vehicle. The firearm’s magazine was empty and there was one round in the chamber.
According to court records, investigating officers spoke with an individual who had witnessed the shooting. The witness told the officers that two young boys had run up to him and told him that McNeil was allegedly shooting at them. The witness also indicated that he then observed McNeil chasing children, heard two gunshots, and saw McNeil put a firearm in his pocket before driving away. A second witness told the officers that two children had run up to her and asked to be let into the apartment complex’s leasing office because a man with a gun was chasing them.
Following the court hearing, McNeil was remanded into federal custody. The charge of possession of a firearm by a felon carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
The charge in the indictment is an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The ATF and CMPD investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shavonn Bennette of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Canadian Man Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Steal Millions of Dollars from Bank Accounts of Thousands of Victims in the United StatesRead the Press Release
A Canadian man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Las Vegas to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in connection with a scheme to steal millions of dollars from thousands of victims in the United States.
According to court documents, Poupak Jannissar, 52, of Quebec, Canada, operated and controlled sham companies that used fake checks and other fraudulent debits to steal from victims’ accounts at banks in the United States. The defendant and his co-conspirators used various names for the sham companies, including Computer Run, EBooks, Joreeb, Memo Storage, Our Online Backup, You Can Fax Too and Your E-Library. These companies pretended to sell various internet-based services for consumers, such as cloud storage, internet faxing and online books. However, the sham companies did not actually provide any real products or services. Instead, the sham companies served to conceal the theft of money from bank accounts by Jannissar and his co-conspirators.
According to court documents, Jannissar and his co-conspirators bought lists containing misappropriated personal information belonging to thousands of potential victims. Jannissar and his co-conspirators then falsely represented to banks and others that individual victims had authorized debits from their bank accounts. If the individual victims did not notice and dispute initial charges made by the sham companies, the sham companies would fraudulently debit bank accounts multiple times. Jannissar and his co-conspirators transferred money they stole to accounts in Canada.
Jannissar pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of money laundering in front of U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada.
Jannissar was arrested on Jan. 22, at the Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport in Florida based on a criminal complaint and arrest warrant issued in the District of Nevada by U.S. Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler. He was subsequently indicted on the charges to which he pled guilty today.
“Through various sham entities, the defendant and his accomplices stole consumers’ hard-earned money directly from their bank accounts,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will use all of the tools at its disposal to apprehend and prosecute criminals, whether located inside or outside the United States, who steal from Americans.”
“Today’s guilty plea demonstrates our commitment to finding and prosecuting individuals who steal from consumers,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “Defrauding consumers and stealing their hard-earned dollars is a crime against the individuals but it also violates the trust we have in free commerce. With our law enforcement partners, we are committed to holding accountable those who violate federal law. We thank our partners for their investigative efforts to help bring justice for victims.”
“Mr. Jannisar and his co-conspirators used sham companies to steal from unknowing victims by accessing their bank accounts using personal identifiable information from illegally obtained lists, and sadly nothing more than a keystroke on a computer,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of U.S. Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations (USPIS-CI). “His actions and those of his co-conspirators represent a crime of greed and opportunity but will not go unpunished thanks to the law enforcement community, who have dedicated their mission to uncovering and putting an end to devious schemes like these.”
"The defendant's guilty plea holds him accountable for perpetrating a fraudulent scheme that stole funds from thousands of victims' bank accounts,” said Special Agent in Charge Vincent R. Zehme of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG) Chicago Regional Office. “The FDIC OIG continues to work closely with our law enforcement partners to pursue those who cause financial harm to consumers and threaten to undermine the integrity of our Nation's banking system."
Jannissar faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per charge. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
USPIS-CI and FDIC OIG are investigating the case. U.S. Customs and Border Protection provided valuable assistance.
Senior Trial Attorney Daniel Zytnick of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez for the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Consumer complaints can 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 fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Canadian Man Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Steal Millions of Dollars from Bank Accounts of Thousands of Victims in the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Canadian man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Las Vegas to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in connection with a scheme to steal millions of dollars from thousands of victims in the United States.
According to court documents, Poupak Jannissar, 52, of Quebec, Canada, operated and controlled sham companies that used fake checks and other fraudulent debits to steal from victims’ accounts at banks in the United States. The defendant and his co-conspirators used various names for the sham companies, including Computer Run, EBooks, Joreeb, Memo Storage, Our Online Backup, You Can Fax Too and Your E-Library. These companies pretended to sell various internet-based services for consumers, such as cloud storage, internet faxing and online books. However, the sham companies did not actually provide any real products or services. Instead, the sham companies served to conceal the theft of money from bank accounts by Jannissar and his co-conspirators.
According to court documents, Jannissar and his co-conspirators bought lists containing misappropriated personal information belonging to thousands of potential victims. Jannissar and his co-conspirators then falsely represented to banks and others that individual victims had authorized debits from their bank accounts. If the individual victims did not notice and dispute initial charges made by the sham companies, the sham companies would fraudulently debit bank accounts multiple times. Jannissar and his co-conspirators transferred money they stole to accounts in Canada.
Jannissar pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of money laundering in front of U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada.
Jannissar was arrested on Jan. 22, at the Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport in Florida based on a criminal complaint and arrest warrant issued in the District of Nevada by U.S. Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler. He was subsequently indicted on the charges to which he pled guilty today.
“Through various sham entities, the defendant and his accomplices stole consumers’ hard-earned money directly from their bank accounts,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will use all of the tools at its disposal to apprehend and prosecute criminals, whether located inside or outside the United States, who steal from Americans.”
“Yesterday's guilty plea demonstrates our commitment to finding and prosecuting individuals who steal from consumers,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “Defrauding consumers and stealing their hard-earned dollars is a crime against the individuals but it also violates the trust we have in free commerce. With our law enforcement partners, we are committed to holding accountable those who violate federal law. We thank our partners for their investigative efforts to help bring justice for victims.”
“Mr. Jannisar and his co-conspirators used sham companies to steal from unknowing victims by accessing their bank accounts using personal identifiable information from illegally obtained lists, and sadly nothing more than a keystroke on a computer,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of U.S. Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations (USPIS-CI). “His actions and those of his co-conspirators represent a crime of greed and opportunity but will not go unpunished thanks to the law enforcement community, who have dedicated their mission to uncovering and putting an end to devious schemes like these.”
"The defendant's guilty plea holds him accountable for perpetrating a fraudulent scheme that stole funds from thousands of victims' bank accounts,” said Special Agent in Charge Vincent R. Zehme of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG) Chicago Regional Office. “The FDIC OIG continues to work closely with our law enforcement partners to pursue those who cause financial harm to consumers and threaten to undermine the integrity of our Nation's banking system."
Jannissar faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per charge. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
USPIS-CI and FDIC OIG are investigating the case. U.S. Customs and Border Protection provided valuable assistance.
Senior Trial Attorney Daniel Zytnick of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez for the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Consumer complaints can 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 fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
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Buffalo woman pleads guilty to filing a false tax returnRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Maureen Holleran, 61, of Buffalo, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to filing a false tax return, which carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A.C. Penrose, who is handling the case, stated that between September 2015 and October 2023, Holleran worked remotely as a worker’s compensation claims handler for Insurance Company 1, which is headquartered in Canada. In this role, Holleran evaluated and, if appropriate, paid workers compensation claims for policies issued by Insurance Company 1. If a claim was determined to be eligible, Holleran had authority to send payment to the claimant. She had the authority to send payments of up to $2,000 without further approval by her supervisor. Between July 2020 and June 2023, Holleran submitted more than 1,200 fraudulent claims in Insurance Company 1’s claim processing system, with each claim below the $2,000 threshold. Claims were then paid into bank accounts controlled by Holleran.
Holleran created fictious expenses, such as claims for lost wages and reimbursements for medical supplies and copays, to justify the fraudulent payments. In total, she submitted approximately $2,370,848.24 in fraudulent claims. To carry out the scheme, she created fictitious email accounts that superficially appeared to be associated with the policy claimant. Holleran then used these email addresses to sign up for Insurance Company 1’s client portal. She would then input her own banking information into the portal. For the tax years 2020 through 2022, Holleran embezzled approximately $1,592,095 from Insurance Company 1 that she did not report on her income tax returns for those years. The Internal Revenue Service estimates tax due and owing for these tax years is $545,792.
The plea sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Fattorusso.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 4, 2024, at 12:30 p.m. before Judge Arcara.
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Brooklyn Business Owner Convicted of Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business, Bank Fraud, Money Laundering and Other Felony ChargesRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Brooklyn today convicted David Motovich of perpetrating a years-long scheme to establish and conceal a massive illegal check-cashing operation. Motovich was found guilty on 16 counts of an indictment charging him with operating an illegal money transmitting business, failure to file currency transaction reports, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. The verdict followed a three-week trial before United States District Judge William F. Kuntz, II. When sentenced, Motovich faces up to 30 years in prison.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), announced the verdict.
“Taken behind the façade of a seemingly legitimate lumber business in Brooklyn, the jury followed the trail of evidence to find an infestation of crimes,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Motovich operated an illegal money transmitting business that funneled millions of dollars to himself to get rich, evade taxes and fund a lavish lifestyle of luxury cars, jewelry and a spectacular penthouse apartment. With today’s verdict, the defendant finds there is a very high price to pay for his blatant disregard for the law.”
“David Motovich developed an illicit scheme using his family’s business to launder more than $55 million through construction companies to finance lavish purchases. For seven years, Motovich funneled his proceeds through falsely named bank accounts to conceal the profits and evade authoritative oversight. Despite his efforts to disrupt our investigation into his unlawful activity, today’s verdict highlights the FBI’s tireless dedication to apprehending criminals who employ fraudulent tactics to fund expensive lifestyles,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Curtis.
“Motovich made millions from his back office deals, cashing checks for clients who paid more in fees just to know their transactions were hidden from the government. But we found out. And although his shady business allowed him to lease a high-end apartment with expensive renovations and luxury cars, today’s verdict will ensure that his next lease is only for a prison cell, no renovations required,” said Thomas M. Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of IRS CI New York.
As proven at trial, Motovich used his family-run business in the Midwood section of Brooklyn as a front for an illegal, unlicensed check-cashing operation. From the second floor of Midwood Lumber on Coney Island Avenue, Motovich offered his services primarily to the owners and operators of construction companies, cashing millions of dollars in checks to fund off-the-books payrolls for those businesses. As part of the scheme, Motovich cashed checks for his customers in exchange for a fee or a percentage of the face amount of the checks, ranging between four and 15 percent. Motovich’s customers paid a higher fee to Motovich than the fees charged by licensed check cashing businesses because the customers understood that Motovich would not file Suspicious Activity Reports or Currency Transaction Reports for cash transactions in amounts greater than $10,000, as required by federal anti-money laundering statutes. Motovich supplied his check cashing customers with fraudulent documents that they could use to disguise the transactions as payments by the customers for materials and/or subcontracting work if the customers were audited by the New York State Workers Compensation Board or tax authorities.
In furtherance of his scheme, Motovich created shell companies for the sole purpose of facilitating his illegal check cashing business and instructed his customers to issue checks drawn against their business accounts and make the checks payable to one of the companies. Motovich then deposited the checks into bank accounts that he created at several financial institutions. To conceal his control and ownership of the funds in the accounts, and to avoid detection of his scheme, Motovich opened the accounts in the names of other individuals.
In total, between 2012 and 2019, Motovich deposited more than $55 million into the accounts that he had opened in the names of other individuals and used the funds to purchase real estate; pay personal and corporate credit card accounts; purchase luxury items, including millions of dollars of diamonds, watches, jewelry and clothing; make lease and purchase payments for Porsche and Lexus luxury vehicles; pay premiums on multi-million dollar life insurance policies for himself, his wife and others; renovate his penthouse apartment in Manhattan to include a swimming pool; and to fund other business ventures.
Motovich’s co-defendants Marina Kuyan, Kemal Sarkinovic, and Joshua Markovics, all previously pleaded guilty to various charges in connection with the scheme. They are awaiting sentencing.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Polemeni, Erik Paulsen, Andrew Grubin and Matthew Skurnik are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Eastern District of New York Special Agent George Dietz and Paralegal Specialist Kavya Kannan.
The Defendant:
DAVID MOTOVICH
Age: 49
New York, NYE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-497 (WFK)
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Prison for Drug Distribution and Firearm Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JONATHAN BONAPARTE, 36, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 80 months of imprisonment, followed by seven years of supervised release, for drug distribution and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 30, 2022, law enforcement stopped Bonaparte’s vehicle after he was observed conducting hand-to-hand drug transactions. Bonaparte was arrested after a search of his person revealed fentanyl, cocaine, and $2,382 in cash, and a search of his vehicle revealed 100 rounds of 9mm ammunition. The next day, a court-authorized search of a home in Derby where Bonaparte resided revealed six firearms, eight extended magazines, ammunition, fentanyl, cocaine, and items used to process and package narcotics.
Bonaparte’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for robbery and firearm offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
On March 20, 2024, Bonaparte pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition by a felon. He is currently detained.
This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives (ATF), and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins, through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice 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 www.justice.gov/psn.
Bounthavong Sonthikoummane Pleads Not Guilty to Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont. The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Bounthavong Sonthikoummane, 42, of White River Junction, pleaded not guilty today in United States District Court in Burlington to an indictment charging him with possessing seven firearms as an unlawful user of controlled substances. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin Doyle released Sonthikoummane on conditions pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
On June 12, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a multi-count superseding indictment charging Sonthikoummane and his partner with bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, money laundering and making false statements. At the same time, the court issued a warrant for Sonthikoummane’s arrest. On the morning of June 13, federal and local law enforcement officers went to Sonthikoummane’s White River Junction home to arrest the defendant. While inside, officers and agents noticed a number of firearms and quantities of ammunition. They also learned that Sonthikoummane was a heroin addict who soon went into withdrawal. As an unlawful user of controlled substances, Sonthikoummane is prohibited from possessing firearms. Law enforcement seized the weapons and ammunition, which included three pistols, three AR-style rifles and a shotgun. On July 24, a federal grand jury returned an additional one-count indictment charging Sonthikoummane with unlawfully possessing those weapons and ammunition.
The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charge in the new indictment is merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.
If convicted on this charge, Sonthikoummane faces up to 15 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Sonthikoummane is represented by Christoper Dall. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime https://www.justice.gov/psn
Monday 29 July 2024
Vian Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jonathan Colby Williams, age 47, of Vian, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition after a felony conviction.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On July 26, 2023, Williams pleaded guilty to the crime. On October 28, 2022, Williams was found in possession of a firearm and ammunition after having been previously convicted of a felony offense punishable by more than one year and knowing of the conviction.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Williams will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.
United States Attorney Ritz Announces Nine Federal Indictments for Firearm and Violent CrimesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced today that, on July 25, 2024, nine individuals were charged with federal gun and violent crime offenses in West Tennessee. United States Attorney Ritz also reinforced his office’s commitment to federal prosecution of individuals who commit violent crimes, illegally possess machine gun conversion devices (also known as “switches”), or commit other federal firearm offenses.
“Violent crime is not just a threat to physical safety—it is a threat to our citizens’ ability to go about their day-to-day lives,” said United States Attorney Ritz. “The citizens of Memphis deserve to feel safe, and that’s why there is no higher priority for my office than reducing violent crime in our city. Our prosecutors will continue to work with law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who violate federal firearm laws.”
The following defendants were charged with federal crimes involving switches:
- Kaderion Stokes, 19. Stokes was previously charged with stealing guns from a federally licensed firearms dealer and possession of stolen firearms. In a superseding indictment on July 25, 2024, Stokes was also charged with possessing a gun with an attached machine-gun conversion device.
- Keelon Shields, 28. Shields was indicted on July 25, 2024, on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing a gun with an attached machine-gun conversion device.
- Jamario Bobo, 21. Bobo was indicted on July 25, 2024, on one count of possessing a gun with an attached machine-gun conversion device.
- Jarvis Clayborn, 25. Clayborn was indicted on July 25, 2024, on one count of possessing a gun with an attached machine-gun conversion device.
The following defendants were charged with other firearm or violent crime offenses:
- Davonte Vortis, 26. Vortis was indicted on July 25, 2024, for committing an armed carjacking and an armed business robbery, both on August 31, 2023. He is charged with one count of carjacking, one count of robbery of a business in interstate commerce, and two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to these crimes.
- Michael Kelly, 27. Kelly was indicted on July 25, 2024, for committing an armed carjacking and illegally possessing a firearm on January 16, 2022. He is charged with one count of carjacking, one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the carjacking, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
- Markel Strong, 28. Strong was indicted on July 25, 2024, on two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, after having been previously convicted of three serious drug offenses or violent felonies.
- Turante Nunn, 32. Nunn was indicted on July 25, 2024, on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, after having been previously convicted of three serious drug offenses or violent felonies.
- Demetrius Williams, 28. Williams was indicted on July 25, 2024, on two counts of possessing stolen firearms. The indictment alleges Williams possessed a total of 21 stolen firearms.
These cases are being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force; the Project Safe Neighborhoods Gun Task Force; and the Memphis Police Department. Anyone with information about switches or other federal gun crimes can call 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867).
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law. If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of the factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.
These indictments are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department 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, using data-driven methods to set focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked the Assistant United States Attorneys who are prosecuting these cases, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the cases.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Partners with Area Nonprofit to Raise Awareness About Human TraffickingRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael Easley is partnering with the local chapter of A21 to host a training to raise awareness and provide tools on how to recognize and combat human trafficking. The training is being held on July 30, a day proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly to be “World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.” The event is open to the public and will include how to recognize indicators of human trafficking (both labor and sex). The program will also highlight a new campaign to promote the U.S. Human Trafficking Hotline encouraging citizens to report suspected labor trafficking featured on signs at the airport.
“We are prioritizing human trafficking prosecution like never before. Our new task forces bring law enforcement and service providers to the table for the dual mission of locking up traffickers and rescuing victims. Survivors across North Carolina can have faith that we will help them find resources and have their backs. But we can’t do it alone,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This training gives the public the tools to identify and report the signs of human trafficking. Together we are building a community that is safer and more free, one survivor at a time.”
“Labor trafficking remains a profound challenge, necessitating continuous education and community engagement,” said Robin Seitz, Chief Marketing Officer of A21. “Through initiatives like A21's Can You See Me? campaign, we can visually communicate the signs of trafficking to the public, empowering individuals to recognize and report suspicious activities. This partnership underscores the importance of collective action in safeguarding vulnerable individuals and communities. We are resolute in our commitment to drive meaningful change and ensure that North Carolina becomes a safer place for all. We commend the U.S. Attorney's Office for their leadership and look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts in the fight against human trafficking.”
Event Details:
When: Tuesday, July 30 from 9:30 a.m. to noon
Where: Hope Community Church – Raleigh Campus – 321 Buck Jones Road in Raleigh
Individuals who wish to participate in the training, can register online.
Media interested covering the event can contact [email protected].
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U.S. Attorney and FBI Charge Albuquerque Man with Drug Distribution and Assault on Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man has been charged with multiple federal crimes, including drug trafficking and assaulting federal officers during a high-speed pursuit.
Nicholas Mares, aka “Youngster,” 22, appeared before a federal judge today for a detention hearing, and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the criminal complaint, on May 28, 2024, Mares sold 5,000 fentanyl pills to an undercover FBI agent during a controlled purchase.
Photograph of MARES, taken during the May 28, 2024, controlled drug buy
On July 18, 2024, FBI agents attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Mares in Albuquerque. Mares allegedly rammed his vehicle into an FBI vehicle occupied by four special agents, then fled at high speed in oncoming traffic with a child in his car. During the pursuit, approximately 10,000 fentanyl pills were allegedly discarded onto the roadway from Mares’ vehicle before he eluded capture.
Photograph from the July 18, 2024, attempted FBI contact with Mares where he discarded approximately 10,000 fentanyl pills, while recklessly fleeing
If convicted of the current charges, Mares faces up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Violent Gang Task Force of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Elena Stiteler.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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