Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
27 August 2024
Former Columbus police officer pleads guilty to stealing cocaine from crime scenes, police evidence roomRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Columbus police officer pleaded guilty in federal court here today to crimes involving more than 10 kilograms of cocaine and money laundering.
Joel M. Mefford, 35, of London, Ohio, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, one count of possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and one count of money laundering.
According to court documents, Mefford was a Columbus police officer assigned to investigate drug crimes. On three occasions between February and April 2020, Mefford worked with another officer to steal and traffic cocaine.
In February 2020, Mefford and the other officer were investigating a drug crime and unlawfully gained access to a detached garage belonging to the subject of the investigation. Without a warrant, they entered the garage and discovered two kilograms of cocaine in the rafters. They unlawfully seized one of the kilograms and left the other to be found during the execution of a search warrant the next morning. The other officer gave the stolen narcotics to another individual to sell.
Similarly, in February and March 2020, Mefford and the other officer were investigating drug-trafficking activity at houses on Ambleside Drive and Kilbourne Avenue in Columbus. On March 7, 2020, the officers took a bag containing multiple kilograms of cocaine from the house on Ambleside Drive and arrested an individual there. They then traveled to the house on Kilbourne Avenue and removed a kilogram of cocaine. That same day, Mefford turned in one kilogram of cocaine to evidence, and the officers stole the other kilograms to be sold.
In April 2020, Mefford and the other officer stole between 10 and 20 kilograms of cocaine from the Columbus police property room and replaced it with fake cocaine. Mefford transported the stolen cocaine in a police cruiser and the other officer later gave the drugs to another individual to sell. The drug proceeds were then given to the other officer, who provided Mefford his cut. Mefford personally received a total of approximately $130,000 from cocaine sales.
Mefford deposited more than $72,000 of the cash derived from the cocaine sales into his personal bank account.
Possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine is punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison. Possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine carries a potential penalty of five to 40 years in prison. Money laundering is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Congress sets the minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr.
Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are representing the United States in this case.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Southern Ohio Public Corruption Task Force, which includes special agents and officers from the FBI, Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office and the Columbus Division of Police.
# # #
Farrell Man Sentenced to 19.5 Years in Prison for Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Farrell, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 235 months in federal prison on his conviction of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine trafficking crimes, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Quinton Pinkins, 39, also ordering Pinkins to serve six years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Pinkins previously pleaded guilty in this case to conspiring to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl, 100 grams of heroin, and 500 grams of cocaine between June 2020 to June 2021, and to distributing fentanyl within 1,000 feet of public playground and housing authority properties on May 27, 2021.
According to information presented to the Court, Pinkins was a leader of a drug trafficking organization in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, and was responsible for the distribution of 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl, 100 grams of heroin, and 500 grams of cocaine during 2020 and 2021. The Court was further informed that, by May 2021, Pinkins was aware that his fentanyl dealing had resulted in the recent death of one of his customers and the hospitalization of another, but continued dealing the drug in Mercer County and even expanded his fentanyl dealing to Erie County. Prior to 2020, Pinkins had been convicted for heroin and cocaine trafficking and sentenced to incarceration in two separate Pennsylvania prosecutions in 2009 and 2018.
Assistant United States Attorneys Craig W. Haller and Benjamin C. Dobkin prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Pennsylvania State Police, Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Mercer County Drug Task Force, New Castle Police Department, Sharon Police Department, Hermitage Police Department, and Farrell Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Pinkins.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Dog Daycare Employee Indicted on Charges of Felony Cruelty to Animals for Kicking a Dog to DeathRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Adriano Demorais, 33, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, was arrested and arraigned today on an indictment charging him with felony cruelty to animals stemming from an incident on February 16, 2024.
Demorais was arraigned on August 27, 2024, at a hearing in Superior Court of the District of Columbia before the Honorable Robert Salerno. If convicted, Demorais faces a maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison. Any sentence will be determined by the Court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to the government’s evidence, on February 16, 2024, Demorais, an employee of District Dogs, was working overnight at the Navy Yard location. Demorais was feeding dogs in the early morning when Bronny, a 5-month-old Mountain Cur/German Shephard dog, was near Demorais’ feet. Demorais forcefully kicked Bronny in the left side of his stomach. Bronny briefly circled the room before collapsing several seconds later. Bronny was transported to a veterinary facility where he was pronounced dead. Demorais admitted to striking Bronny, claiming he kicked Bronny out of frustration over Bronny becoming too energetic while Demorais was trying to feed dogs. A necropsy report confirmed that Bronny’s cause of death was blunt abdominal trauma with subsequent hemorrhagic shock.
This case is being investigated by the Humane Rescue Alliance and the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Valerie Tsesarenko.
Disbarred Personal Injury Lawyer Tom Girardi Found Guilty of Defrauding Clients Out of Tens of Millions of DollarsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Disbarred plaintiffs’ personal injury attorney Thomas Vincent Girardi was found guilty by a jury today of leading a years-long scheme in which he embezzled tens of millions of dollars of money that belonged to his clients, some of whom awaited payment for treatment of severe physical injuries.
Girardi, 85, of Seal Beach, was found guilty of four counts of wire fraud.
“Tom Girardi built celebrity status and lured in victims by falsely portraying himself as a ‘Champion of Justice,’” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “In reality, he was a Robin-Hood-in-reverse, stealing from the needy to support of a lavish, Hollywood lifestyle. Today’s verdict shows that the game is up – we can all now see this defendant for what he was and the victims he callously betrayed.”
“Mr. Girardi exploited his clients’ misfortunes on a grand scale,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “His clients sought his help in the wake of significant trauma and injury, yet he violated their trust to steal from them and fund his own lavish lifestyle, and he will now face the consequences of his actions.”
“Mr. Girardi was retained to advocate for clients who put their trust in him, but instead, lied to them and stole their money to fund his lavish lifestyle,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. “Girardi falsely promoted himself in the media as a pillar of the legal community with a heightened sense of justice, but the clients he wronged for many years have now found actual justice in today's verdict.”
According to evidence presented at a 13-day trial, Girardi – a once-powerful figure in California’s legal community – ran the now-defunct law firm Girardi Keese. For years, Girardi misappropriated and embezzled millions of dollars from client trust accounts at his law firm. The scheme involved defendant Girardi stealing millions of dollars in client settlement funds and failing to pay Girardi Keese clients – some of whom had suffered serious injuries in accidents – the money they were owed.
In carrying out this scheme, from October 2010 to late 2020, Girardi provided a litany of lies for failure to pay clients and directed a law firm employee to pay previously defrauded clients or other unrelated expenditures. Girardi sent lulling communications to the clients that, among other things, falsely denied that the settlement proceeds had been paid and falsely claimed that Girardi Keese could not pay the settlement proceeds to clients until certain purported requirements had been met. These bogus requirements included addressing supposed tax obligations, settling bankruptcy claims, obtaining supposedly necessary authorizations from judges, and satisfying other debts.
Girardi diverted tens of millions of dollars from his law firm’s operating account to pay illegitimate expenses, including more than $25 million to pay the expenses of EJ Global, a company formed by his wife related to her entertainment career, as well as spent millions of dollars of Girardi Keese funds on private jet travel, jewelry, luxury cars, and exclusive golf and social clubs.
At the end of 2020, as Girardi and his law firm faced mounting legal problems related to his years-long theft of client funds, Girardi Keese was forced into involuntary bankruptcy. The State Bar of California disbarred Girardi in July 2022.
United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton scheduled a December 6 sentencing hearing, at which time Girardi will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count.
Relatedly, co-defendant Christopher Kazuo Kamon, 50, formerly of Encino and Palos Verdes and who was residing in The Bahamas at the time of his November 2022 arrest on a federal criminal complaint, awaits trial in this matter in January 2025. Kamon, the former chief financial officer at Girardi Keese, is charged with multiple fraud counts for allegedly aiding and abetting Girardi’s scheme to defraud clients. Kamon allegedly also embezzled millions of dollars from the law firm’s accounts for his own personal enrichment. Kamon, who remains in federal custody, has pleaded not guilty to these charges.
Girardi, Kamon, and David R. Lira, Girardi’s son-in-law and a former lawyer at Girardi Keese, also face federal fraud charges in Chicago. Trial in that case is scheduled for March 3, 2025.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI investigated this matter. The Office of the United States Trustee provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Scott Paetty of the Major Frauds Section and Ali Moghaddas of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force are prosecuting this case.
Des Moines Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced August 23, 2024, to 35 years in federal prison for producing and receiving child pornography.
According to public court documents and information presented at sentencing, Brett Michael Bailey, 36, sexually abused a minor and created child pornography of the minor on multiple occasions, including when the minor was twelve years old. In addition, Bailey downloaded tens of thousands of videos and pictures of child pornography from the internet on multiple electronic devices belonging to Bailey. The electronic devices were seized when police executed a search warrant at Bailey’s Des Moines residence in October 2023.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Bailey will be required to serve seven years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Bailey was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $145,500 to 34 different victims portrayed in the images collected by Bailey.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Iowa DCI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, and FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.
Del Rio Armed Career Criminal Sentenced 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Kenneth Lorenzo Jackson (49, Del Rio) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Jackson entered a guilty plea on October 18, 2023.
According to the plea agreement, Jackson was indicted on September 7, 2022, in a separate federal case charging him with possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. As a result of that indictment, Jackson was the subject of a federal arrest warrant. On October 18, 2022, officers from the Tampa Police Department were patrolling the Sulphur Springs neighborhood of Tampa when they encountered Jackson walking down the street. The officers were familiar with Jackson and were aware of his outstanding arrest warrant. The officers recovered a loaded firearm (Phoenix Arms HP22A .22 caliber pistol) from the front waistband of Jackson’s pants, along with a crack cocaine rock in his pocket and a small quantity of MDMA. Jackson later admitted to possessing the firearm for protection.
Jackson has multiple prior felony convictions for drug offenses and, therefore, 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 Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Shauna Hale.
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.
Convicted Felon Is Sentenced for Illegally Possessing A Loaded Firearm Fitted with an Extended MagazineRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Monwazee Raymon Boston, 32, of Charlotte was sentenced today to five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a loaded firearm fitted with an extended magazine, 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, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and court proceedings, on July 21, 2021, law enforcement were surveilling an area known for frequent drug trafficking and illegal firearms activity, when they observed the defendant, with an extended firearms magazine sticking out of his pants, leave the area in his vehicle. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement located Boston’s parked vehicle with Boston already outside the vehicle. When Boston saw the officers, he fled on foot and hid behind a truck parked in a driveway. The officers located Boston and placed him under arrest. The officers also found a Glock pistol behind the same truck where Boston hid. The pistol was fitted with a fully loaded 30-round extended magazine, with an additional round in the chamber. Officers also conducted a search of Boston’s vehicle where they located 445 methamphetamine pills, and almost half a kilogram of marijuana.
Court documents show that, in 2011, Boston was convicted of drug trafficking and firearms offenses in federal court in South Carolina. Boston was on federal supervised release for that conviction when he possessed the loaded firearm.
On May 1, 2023, Boston pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte 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.
Columbus woman sentenced to more than 23 years in prison for kidnapping infant twinsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus woman was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 280 months in prison for two counts of kidnapping a minor.
Nalah T. Jackson, 26, kidnapped two infants in December 2022 and traveled interstate with one of them.
“Jackson left one five-month-old twin baby alone and strapped in a car seat in an airport parking lot in subzero temperatures. Then, she left the other twin baby strapped in his car seat in an abandoned vehicle in another state. Even if her crime had started as a crime of opportunity to steal a running vehicle, Jackson’s blatant disregard for the lives of two helpless infants is heinous,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Today’s sentence represents the serious and significant nature of harm Jackson caused to these children and our community.”
According to court documents, close to 10pm on the night of Dec. 19, Jackson walked out of Donatos Pizza on North High Street in Columbus and drove away in a black Honda Accord that had been left running in the parking lot. Two twin five-month-old infants were buckled in the back seat. The infants’ mother was inside Donatos to pick up a delivery order at the time.
Over the next several hours, Jackson drove from Columbus to Dayton and to various other locations in central and western Ohio.
Jackson arrived at the Dayton International Airport close to 3am. She parked in an economy lot and left the infants in the car while she entered the airport. Jackson attempted to hire an Uber to find the stolen car in the economy lot, but could not pay, and ultimately found the stolen car on foot. After finding the vehicle, Jackson left one of the infants in the parking lot at approximately 4am. A passerby parking their vehicle saw the baby in his car seat wrapped in a quilt between two vehicles and alerted security.
After Jackson left the Dayton International Airport parking lot at high speeds, she traveled to Indianapolis with the second baby still in the vehicle.
She arrived at a Papa Johns Pizza on Indiana Avenue near the university district at approximately 8am on Dec. 20, and exited the stolen car on foot. She never returned to the vehicle, leaving the second baby strapped in his car seat in the back seat of the car.
The baby remained strapped in the car seat for the next two-and-a-half-days while family members, concerned citizens and law enforcement officers continued to search for him.
By happenstance, an Indianapolis woman encountered Jackson after she abandoned the stolen vehicle on Dec. 20. Jackson was selling stolen merchandise outside of a local gas station. The woman gave Jackson a ride to a nearby shopping plaza and gave Jackson her cell phone number in case Jackson came across any more holiday gifts for resale.
That night, the woman noticed several social media posts regarding the kidnapping and recognized Jackson as the alleged kidnapper. The woman called her cousin, and together they formulated a plan to meet up with Jackson to confirm her identity, recover the infant if possible and lead Jackson to law enforcement.
On Dec. 22, the women met up with Jackson, whom they traced to a local residence through a phone number Jackson had previously used to call one of them. The women confirmed that Jackson was the same person identified as the kidnapping suspect and drove her to several shopping centers in Indianapolis, all-the-while surreptitiously attempting to contact law enforcement in Columbus and Indianapolis.
Eventually, one of the women was able to route local law enforcement to their vehicle over the phone by pretending that she was speaking with her boyfriend and providing updates on her location. The women tried to signal to Indianapolis police that Jackson was the kidnapping suspect, and eventually told officers when they were removed from Jackson’s immediate presence. Jackson provided a false name and another individual’s identification card to the officers. After some time, the officers confirmed Jackson’s identity and arrested her for kidnapping. After the arrest, they let the two women go without interviewing them about their time spent with Jackson.
The two women decided to continue searching for the missing infant. They discovered a bus schedule that Jackson left behind in the backseat of their vehicle and decided to focus their search on a bus route near the university district.
While driving around searching that area to no avail, and with driving conditions worsening quickly due to an impending snowstorm, the women decided to get something to eat before heading home. As they were pulling into a Blaze Pizza, they noticed a black Honda Accord at the nearby Papa Johns and noticed snow had already accumulated on the car.
They drove up to the stolen car and attempted to open the back door, which was locked. The driver’s door did open. Due to an overwhelming foul smell coming from the car, and the silence of the baby, one of the women screamed, assuming the baby was deceased. Upon hearing the scream, the baby alerted and began crying. One of the women removed the baby from his car seat and began comforting him.
The women then noticed an empty Indianapolis police cruiser parked nearby and began looking for officers, who they found on their lunch break inside the Blaze Pizza. Indianapolis police then relocated to Papa Johns Pizza and took custody of the baby, taking him to a local hospital. The infant was treated for dehydration, heart abnormalities due to the dehydration, extreme diaper rash and skin deterioration due to him being buckled in a car seat for three days while sitting in his own excrement.
Jackson was charged federally in January 2023.
U.S. Attorney Parker acknowledged the numerous law enforcement agencies who have assisted in this case, including FBI offices in Columbus, Dayton and Indianapolis; the Columbus, Dayton, Huber Heights, Riverside, Vandalia, Dayton International Airport and Indianapolis police departments; the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office; Ohio State Highway Patrol and U.S. Marshals Service’s Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST).
Assistant United States Attorneys Emily K. Czerniejewski and Noah R. Litton are representing the United States in this case.
# # #
City of Atlanta’s Former Chief Financial Officer Sentenced to Prison for Federal Program Theft and Tax ObstructionRead the Press Release
The City of Atlanta’s former chief financial officer (CFO) was sentenced today to 36 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $177,197.48 and a fine of $10,000 for abusing his position to steal public money and obstruct the IRS.
According to court documents, from 2011 to 2018, Jimmie Anthony “Jim” Beard, 60, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, oversaw the City of Atlanta’s Department of Finance, in which his primary responsibility was to manage the city’s financial condition. At least as early as 2015, Beard devised and executed a scheme to use his authority as CFO to obtain money and property from Atlanta for his own use, including to pay for thousands of dollars in personal travel expenses for himself, his family, and his travel companions, and to buy and possess restricted machine guns.
Further, while CFO, Beard submitted years of fraudulent tax returns in which he claimed personal business expenses to lower what he owed in taxes. During a 2015 audit of one of those returns, Beard lied to the IRS and obstructed auditors by submitting receipts for transactions that were actually paid by the City of Atlanta in connection with Beard’s official duties. The investigation later revealed that Beard had no personal business, and years of tax deductions were based on a lie.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia; Executive Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch; Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley of the FBI Atlanta Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Atlanta Field Office; and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Jones of ATF Atlanta Field Division made the announcement.
The FBI, IRS-CI, and ATF investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Trevor Wilmot of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett Bradford, Tiffany Johnson, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Davis for the Northern District of Georgia prosecuted the case.
Cincinnati woman sentenced to 2 years in prison for laundering money for online romance scammersRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati woman was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison for laundering money for online romance scammers.
Pamela Moore, 65, admitted in her guilty plea in February 2024 that she laundered more than $8 million in scam proceeds.
According to court documents, between 2020 and 2023, Moore’s personal and business bank accounts with multiple banks received more than $8 million in criminally derived funds. Moore personally received approximately $1.7 million of the funds, which she used or converted to Bitcoin at the direction of the scammers.
For example, Moore maintained multiple business bank accounts for PSM Custom Designs and Jewelries and used the purported jewelry business accounts solely for money laundering.
As part of her sentence, Moore will pay $1,680,900 in restitution.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Yvonne Dicristoforo, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service; announced the sentence imposed by Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorneys Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo and Ryan A. Keefe represented the United States in this case.
# # #
Carrollton Businessman Sentenced for Failing to Pay over Payroll TaxesRead the Press Release
NEWNAN, Ga. - Barry Lee White has been sentenced to federal prison for willful failure to pay more than $2.4 million in payroll taxes.
“Payroll taxes fund important social insurance programs, including Social Security and Medicare,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “White refused to pay payroll taxes after withholding those funds from his employees’ paychecks for years – stealing from his employees and United States taxpayers. Employers who fail to comply with their legal obligations will be held accountable.”
“Employment tax evasion is stealing from the government and the American taxpayer,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Business owners are entrusted to collect and turn over IRS withholding taxes; not doing so may affect employees’ future social security and Medicare benefits. Investigating employment tax fraud is very important to IRS Criminal Investigation. Our special agents will work hard to ensure those who engage in this criminal activity are held accountable.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Between 2012 and 2019, Barry Lee White owned and operated, at different times, two construction maintenance and electrical companies: I-Barr Construction, Inc. and T-Line Construction, LLC. As an employer, White’s companies were required to withhold from employees’ gross pay Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes, which represent Social Security and Medicare taxes, and federal income taxes. Collectively, these withheld taxes are referred to as “payroll taxes.”
As the sole operator of the companies, White had the responsibility to collect, truthfully account for, and pay the IRS the payroll taxes. From at least 2015 to 2018, White withheld over $1.8 million in payroll taxes from his employees but failed to pay the taxes to the IRS. In addition, White was required to pay a certain portion of Social Security and federal unemployment tax for the companies; however, he failed to pay more than $600,000 for the employer’s portion of the payroll taxes.
Barry Lee White, 59, of Carrollton, Georgia, was sentenced to one year, 10 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,499,473.07. White was convicted of these charges on May 7, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela Adams and Erin N. Spritzer prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Cape Girardeau Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Selling Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Tuesday sentenced a Cape Girardeau man who sold pounds of methamphetamine to confidential informants to 12 years in prison.
Dewayne K. Clark, 57, pleaded guilty in May to two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and one count of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
In the plea, he admitted selling two pounds of meth and 20 fentanyl pills on March 23, 2023, to confidential informants working for investigators in exchange for $8,000 cash. On April 13, 2023, Clark sold two pounds of meth and 40 fentanyl pills for $8,000 to the informants.
On May 10, during a court-approved search, investigators found over one pound of meth, 978 pills containing fentanyl, 8 grams of cocaine, a stolen Glock pistol, a Smith & Wesson pistol and an AR-15-style pistol in his home. Clark admitted selling meth and said his biggest customer was a woman who bought a pound every other month, the plea agreement says.
A court filing says Clark also sold one pound of meth and 20 fentanyl pills to the informants on March 10, 2023.
The Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force, the Mineral Area Drug Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, the Cape Girardeau police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter prosecuted the case.
California Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Los Angeles, California, man convicted of Possession of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on August 26, 2024.
Terrell Stanley, age 25, was sentenced to three years and ten months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Stanley must register as a sex offender upon his release from federal prison.
Stanley was indicted by a federal grand jury in November of 2023. He pleaded guilty on June 18, 2024.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on April 12, 2022, when Stanley knowingly possessed video files with child pornography. The videos involved a 16-year-old female that Stanley met online. The video files were obtained without the minor’s consent and were subsequently used to attempt to coerce the victim into providing more pornographic files.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Brookings Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
Stanley was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
California Drug Courier Is Sentenced to Prison for Attempting to Smuggle 20 Pounds of Cocaine Through Charlotte AirportRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Carlos Fernandez, 33, of Porterville, California, was sentenced today to 87 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for attempting to smuggle 20 pounds of cocaine through the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and court proceedings, on July 27, 2021, law enforcement conducting routine interdiction operations at the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport questioned Fernandez for suspected drug trafficking, after a drug detecting dog alerted to the presence of narcotics in the defendant’s suitcase. Fernandez had just arrived in Charlotte on a flight that originated in California. Court documents show that law enforcement searched Fernandez’s suitcase and found a smaller suitcase that contained three vacuum-sealed packages, or “bricks.” A lab analysis of the bricks confirmed that the substance was cocaine, weighing approximately nine kilograms, or 20 pounds, total. A forensic analysis of Fernandez’s seized cell phones revealed messages discussing drug trafficking activity. During the investigation, law enforcement also determined that Fernandez had frequently traveled between California and Charlotte as a drug courier.
On November 7, 2023, Fernandez pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and aiding and abetting. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked HSI and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shavonn Bennette of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
California Doctor Sentenced for Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A California man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for his role in a $2.8 million fraud scheme in which Medicare was billed for hospice services that the patients did not need.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, John Thropay, M.D., 75, of Arcadia, was the medical director of multiple hospice companies, including Blue Sky Hospice Inc., located in Van Nuys, California. From October 2014 to March 2016, Thropay fraudulently certified Medicare patients of Blue Sky Hospice as having terminal illnesses that the patients did not have so that the company could bill Medicare for hospice services. In 2015, Thropay was listed as attending provider for more hospice claims paid by Medicare than any other provider in the nation.
Thropay was convicted at trial in the Central District of California of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and four counts of health care fraud on Feb. 15.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney E. Martin Estrada for the Central District of California, Acting Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Timothy DeFrancesca of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG)'s Los Angeles Regional Office made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Assistant Deputy Chief Niall M. O’Donnell and Trial Attorney Eric C. Schmale of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
CEO of Publicly Traded Company Arrested in Securities Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
The chief executive officer of Minerco Inc. (stock ticker MINE) was arrested last week on charges of securities fraud related to a scheme to defraud investors in Minerco.
According to court documents, between about October 2019 and June 2021, Julius Jenge, 54, allegedly defrauded investors in the publicly traded securities of Minerco by, among other things, working together with his co-schemer to take control of Minerco in late 2019; causing the issuance of one billion Minerco shares to a nominee shareholder; and causing positive press releases about Minerco to be issued to the public, at least some of which contained materially false and misleading information, in an effort to artificially increase the share price of Minerco. Beginning in or around January 2020, Minerco purported publicly to be in the business of developing, marketing, and distributing psilocybin mushrooms, also known as magic mushrooms or psychedelic mushrooms.
Jenge allegedly concealed the involvement in Minerco of a co-schemer who had a criminal history and who controlled all aspects of Minerco’s operations. Among other things, Jenge allegedly failed to disclose his co-schemer’s involvement with Minerco in public filings, although he was required to do so. In addition, as part of the securities fraud scheme, and during an investor video conference, Jenge allegedly falsely stated that he had earned an MBA in marketing and a BA in accounting.
Minerco’s stock price and trading volume increased during the period of the alleged scheme, as investors purchased Minerco stock during this period.
Jenge was arrested on Aug. 22 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, where he was booked on a flight to Tanzania.
Jenge is charged with one count of securities fraud. If convicted, Jenge faces up to 20 years in prison.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Inspector General Deborah Jeffrey of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Office of Inspector General (SEC-OIG), and Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group made the announcement.
The SEC-OIG and USPIS are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Kyle Crawford of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at [email protected]. You are also encouraged to visit our webpage for this case at www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-vns/case/united-states-v-julius-makiri-jenge.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Broward Deputy Sheriff and SWAT Team Member Sentenced to Prison for COVID-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Today, U.S. Senior District Judge sentenced Alexandra Acosta, a Broward deputy sheriff and SWAT team member, to 4 months’ imprisonment after a jury convicted her of one count of conspiracy to defraud the Small Business Administration (“SBA”), two counts of false statements to the SBA, and one count of wire fraud, all in relation to her COVID-19 relief fraud scheme.
In 2021, Acosta, 38, of Tamarac, Fla., conspired with her tax preparer, Vilsaint St. Louis, to apply for and receive a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for herself as a sole proprietor doing business as a realtor based upon materially false information about her average monthly income in 2019, including two falsified IRS tax forms submitted with the application. Acosta also sought and received forgiveness of the fraudulently obtained PPP loan, which totaled over $20,000 in principal and interest. During the period of the scheme, Acosta was employed as a deputy sheriff and SWAT team member with the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO).
In addition to the term of incarceration, Acosta was also ordered to pay a $4,000 fine. Acosta previously repaid the fraudulently obtained loan funds.
St. Louis pled guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and was sentenced for his involvement in the scheme.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe; Special Agent in Charge Brian Tucker of the Eastern Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB-OIG); Sheriff Gregory Tony of BSO; and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FRB-OIG, BSO, and FBI Miami investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trevor Jones and Adam Love prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren Grove is handling asset forfeiture.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. The Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors, as well as those who committed multiple instances of pandemic relief fraud. The Strike Force uses prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. Additional information regarding the Strike Force may be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-covid-19-fraud-strike-force-teams.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-60170.
###
Bronx Resident Sentenced to 96 Months for Possessing and Intending to Distribute over Five Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Jevon Henry, age 43, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced today to 96 months in prison for possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Henry admitted that on January 29, 2024, he travelled to Syracuse from New York City carrying approximately 5.5 kilograms of cocaine in two pieces of luggage. Henry also admitted that he intended to distribute the cocaine in Syracuse. DEA agents were able to stop Henry at a local hotel before he could distribute any of the cocaine.
United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 4-year term of supervised release, to begin after Henry is released from prison.
DEA investigated the case with assistance from the Syracuse Police Department, Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, and Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone prosecuted the case.
Berwick Man Sentenced to 7 ½ Years for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Berwick man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland today for distributing, and possessing with intent to distribute, methamphetamine and fentanyl.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Bo Rodden, 34, to 90 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Rodden pleaded guilty on November 30, 2023.
According to court records, in January and February of 2023, Rodden sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to a confidential source. On February 14, 2023, a police officer stopped Rodden’s vehicle in Lebanon, Maine. He possessed five bags containing a total of approximately 49 grams of fentanyl and two bags containing a total of approximately 150 grams of methamphetamine.
The FBI, Strafford (NH) County Sheriff’s Office and York County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
###
Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Evann Robinson, 39, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 9, 2023, Robinson sold a controlled substance containing methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Beckley.
Robinson is scheduled to be sentenced on December 19, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-198.
###
Austal USA LLC Agrees to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Involving Navy ShipsRead the Press Release
Austal USA LLC (Austal), a Mobile, Alabama, based company, has agreed to pay $811,259 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly supplying valves that did not meet military specifications.
Austal manufactures numerous ships for the United States, including the Independence Class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). The United States' settlement alleges that, under a 2011 Navy contract, Austal invoiced for military grade high performance butterfly valves and triple offset butterfly valves it installed on five LCS hulls when it knew the valves had not met the testing requirements to be deemed military grade.
“It is essential to the safety and operational readiness of our Navy fleet that contractors comply with applicable military specifications,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department's Civil Division. “We will continue to hold accountable those who knowingly supply equipment to the U.S. military that fails to meet contract specifications.”
“We cannot and will not tolerate companies who cut corners and misrepresent the products they provide to our military,” said U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “This office is committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and will pursue fraud wherever we find it.”
“Supplying nonconforming parts to the Department of Defense (DoD) compromises military systems and potentially endangers the lives of U.S servicemembers,” said Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones of DoD Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “DCIS and our law enforcement partners are fully committed to ensure the safety of our military personnel and protecting the integrity of the DoD supply chain.”
“Product substitution risks degrading warfighter capability and wastes U.S. taxpayer dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Navy Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. “I want to thank our investigative partners for their collaboration in working with NCIS to protect the integrity of the Department of the Navy procurement process.”
DCIS, NCIS and the Defense Contract Audit Agency's Office of Investigative Support investigated the case
Senior Trial Counsel Art J. Coulter of the Civil Division's Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Lamppin Colson for the Southern District of Mississippi handled the case.
The claims resolved by the settlements are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
SettlementAustal USA LLC Agrees to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Involving Navy ShipsRead the Press Release
Austal USA LLC (Austal), a Mobile, Alabama, based company, has agreed to pay $811,259 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly supplying valves that did not meet military specifications.
Austal manufactures numerous ships for the United States, including the Independence Class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). The United States' settlement alleges that, under a 2011 Navy contract, Austal invoiced for military grade high performance butterfly valves and triple offset butterfly valves it installed on five LCS hulls when it knew the valves had not met the testing requirements to be deemed military grade.
“It is essential to the safety and operational readiness of our Navy fleet that contractors comply with applicable military specifications,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department's Civil Division. “We will continue to hold accountable those who knowingly supply equipment to the U.S. military that fails to meet contract specifications.”
“We cannot and will not tolerate companies who cut corners and misrepresent the products they provide to our military,” said U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “This office is committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and will pursue fraud wherever we find it.”
“Supplying nonconforming parts to the Department of Defense (DoD) compromises military systems and potentially endangers the lives of U.S servicemembers,” said Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones of DoD Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “DCIS and our law enforcement partners are fully committed to ensure the safety of our military personnel and protecting the integrity of the DoD supply chain.”
“Product substitution risks degrading warfighter capability and wastes U.S. taxpayer dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Navy Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. “I want to thank our investigative partners for their collaboration in working with NCIS to protect the integrity of the Department of the Navy procurement process.”
DCIS, NCIS and the Defense Contract Audit Agency's Office of Investigative Support investigated the case
Senior Trial Counsel Art J. Coulter of the Civil Division's Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Lamppin Colson for the Southern District of Mississippi handled the case.
The claims resolved by the settlements are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Settlement
Atlanta’s Former Chief Financial Officer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - The City of Atlanta’s former Chief Financial Officer, Jimmie “Jim” A. Beard, has been sentenced to federal prison for a multi-year scheme involving theft of funds, purchase and possession of two machine guns, and obstructing federal tax laws using altered documents and a fake business.
“Jim Beard abused the trust and confidence placed in him by the people of the City of Atlanta when he decided to steal tens of thousands of dollars from taxpayers to support his lavish lifestyle,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Beard’s sentencing is a demonstration of our commitment to hold accountable public officials who trade their position of power for greed and personal gain.”
“As this prosecution shows, the Department of Justice will work vigorously to protect the integrity of federal funds. Today’s sentence sends a strong message of deterrence to prevent fraud and theft from state and local governments receiving federal benefits,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri.
“Beard’s actions eroded public trust in government. As one of the most powerful people in Atlanta city government, he stole tens of thousands of dollars from taxpayers so he could go on luxurious trips and even buy custom-made machine guns,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Public corruption is one of the FBI’s top priorities and we continue to work to protect citizens against officials who abuse that trust.”
“Public officials are entrusted by the citizens they serve to conduct the business of government on their behalf,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Jim Beard failed in his responsibilities to the community and utilized public tax dollars to satisfy his greed. The sentence today reinforces IRS Criminal Investigation’s commitment to investigating and forwarding for prosecution those who commit financial fraud.”
“Beard repeatedly abused his position, broke the law he was sworn to uphold and betrayed the trust of the people of Atlanta,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Jones. “This case demonstrates the partnerships of law enforcement to enforce the law and hold individuals accountable, regardless of their position or status.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: From approximately November 2011 to May 2018, Beard served as the Chief Financial officer (“CFO”) of the City of Atlanta (the “City”). As CFO, Beard directed and managed the Department of Finance, with primary responsibility for oversight and management of the City’s financial condition, earning a salary of over $260,000 per year.
During his tenure, Beard devised and executed a scheme to obtain money and property from the City for private use, including using City funds to: (1) pay for personal luxury travel expenses for himself, his family, and his travel companions; (2) buy items for personal use, including two machine guns; (3) pay for travel to conferences or meetings for which the conference or meeting host reimbursed Beard, with Beard pocketing the reimbursements instead of giving them to the City; and (4) pay for travel that Beard falsely claimed as business deductions on his taxes for a non-existent personal consulting business.
In total, Beard stole at least tens of thousands of dollars from the City. By way of example only:
•In the summers of 2015 and 2016, Beard charged nearly $4,000 to the City for weekend stays at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. However, Beard was not in Chicago those weekends and the hotel rooms were actually for his stepdaughter to attend the Lollapalooza music festival.
•In December 2015, Beard ordered two custom-built machine guns using a purchase order and $2,641.90 check from the City, telling the manufacturer that the machine guns were for the exclusive use of the Atlanta Police Department (“APD”) – even though Beard took the guns to his own home and APD had no knowledge of them.
•In April 2016, Beard charged more than $2,600 to the City for airfare and hotels for two weekend trips to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Beard had no City business in New Orleans during either trip, and took his wife one of the weekends and a different personal companion the other.
•In June 2016, Beard charged $975.52 to the City for travel to Washington, D.C. for a meeting with the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (“MSRB”). Even though Beard had the City pay for this travel, Beard asked the MSRB to reimburse him personally for these costs and submitted copies of his receipts to the MSRB. As a result, the MSRB issued a check to Beard, which he kept and deposited into his personal bank account.
•In April 2017, Beard charged more than $10,000 to the City for a four-day stay for him and his wife at the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris, in a deluxe suite with a view of the Eiffel Tower.
Beard exploited his position and power to execute his scheme. When lower-level City staff members responsible for processing travel reimbursements asked him for receipts or work justifications for his trips, Beard refused and ordered the staff (who worked for him) to process the reimbursements without the requisite documentation. A City employee described the culture under Beard as, “if the [] CFO asks you for something, you do not ask questions.”
While CFO, Beard also submitted years of fraudulent tax returns in which he claimed personal business expenses to lower what he owed in taxes. During a 2015 audit of one of those returns, Beard lied to the IRS and obstructed auditors by submitting receipts for transactions that were actually paid by the City in connection with Beard’s official duties. The investigation later revealed that Beard did not operate a personal business, and years of tax deductions were based on a lie.
Jimmie “Jim” A. Beard, 60, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones to three years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Beard was also ordered to pay a fine of $10,000 and restitution in the amount of $177,197.48. Beard was convicted on these charges on April 8, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett Bradford and Tiffany Johnson, Department of Justice Trial Attorney Trevor Wilmot, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Davis prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances and Being a Felon in Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Roy Edsel Heifner, Jr., classified as an armed career criminal based on his multiple prior convictions, will spend 15 years in federal prison for his involvement in the distribution of controlled substances, including fentanyl, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on Monday by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
On February 4, 2020, Heifner, 76, of College Station, Arkansas, was indicted by a federal grand jury for being a felon in possession of a firearm. In a superseding indictment filed on February 7, 2023, Heifner was charged with six counts related to the distribution of Schedule II substances, including fentanyl and oxycodone, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
At the conclusion of a jury trial on March 1, 2023, the federal jury found Heifner guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl and oxycodone, as well as two counts possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and oxycodone, and of being a felon in possession of a firearm. In addition to the 180-month sentence, Judge Rudofsky sentenced Heifner to serve three years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On September 3, 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) received information Heifner was distributing various types of prescription medication from his residence located in College Station. An investigation into Heifner’s background revealed that he was a convicted felon with numerous arrests. On October 17, 2019, a search warrant was executed at Heifner’s residence where law enforcement seized over 300 pills resembling oxycodone but which were in fact fentanyl, as well as approximately 100 pills that were confirmed to be oxycodone and hydrocodone. Law enforcement also seized two firearms and more than $300,000 in United States currency believed to be drug proceeds during the search of Heifner’s residence.
After Heifner was first indicted on February 4, 2020, he was released on bond. While on bond, an investigation revealed that he continued to sell pills. In July 2021, law enforcement made controlled purchases of pills from Heifner at his residence, and while again the pills appeared to be oxycodone, they were confirmed as fentanyl. Heifner was taken back into custody and remained detained until his trial.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Arkansas State Police, Saline County Sheriff’s Office, and the Little Rock Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anne Gardner and Reese Lancaster.
# # #
Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
26 August 2024
Wilmington Crips Gang Member Who Fired a Sawed-Off Rifle Near a School Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Wilmington man was sentenced to 180 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after he fired a sawed-off rifle at another person near a school then led officers on a high-speed chase. On May 22, 2024, Jahmez Tavaughn Jackson pled guilty to the charge.
“This Crip gang member was a one-man crime spree, firing shorts towards a Wilmington charter school and leading police on a high-speed chase topping 118 mile per hour,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “The new Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is built for cases just like this and got this felon 15 years in federal prison. We’re using the new law to prosecute violent gangs and shooters across North Carolina, especially those endangering our kids. Our law enforcement efforts help ensure kids can start the school year ready to hit the books, not dodge bullets.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Jackson, 24, fired a 9mm sawed-off rifle multiple times at another individual. The shooting occurred during the day on February 22, 2023, at the intersection of 6th Street and Campbell Street in Wilmington, just over 200 feet away from the Roger Bacon Douglas Academy, a K-5 charter school, where children were present. No one was injured during the shooting, though a vehicle parked at the school was struck by one of the bullets. Four additional shell casings were found on scene. Officers located Jackson driving a vehicle in Pender County shortly thereafter and attempted a traffic stop. Jackson fled from law enforcement officers at high rates of speed—as fast as 118 mph—and tossed the gun out of the car window. Eventually, Jackson lost control and crashed the vehicle into a median. A search of the vehicle yielded marijuana and oxycodone along with drug paraphernalia. Jackson’s phone contained evidence of his involvement in the drug trade along with photos in which he posed with firearms, including the sawed-off rifle used in the shooting. Jackson has been convicted of several felony offenses in the past, including assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, felon in possession of a firearm, attempted first degree burglary and attempted second degree kidnapping. He was on state probation and wearing an ankle monitor at the time of the federal offense.
“I am glad to see that the man responsible for these dangerous crimes will be heading to prison for a very long time. There is no place for gun violence in the City of Wilmington. The WPD is doing our part to combat that day-in and day-out. We are thankful that no one was struck by the gunfire that was fired so close to one of our local schools. As a felon, the man convicted in this case should have never had a firearm in his possession. Through his involvement with narcotics and violent gun crimes, he has clearly shown that he is not ready to be out on the streets. I want to thank our women and men for their hard work on this case. Our officers and detectives work long hours to help provide our community with a safe place to live and work. We also appreciate our partner law enforcement agencies and U.S. Attorney Michael Easley who helped us ensure a strong conviction,” said Chief Donny Williams.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Wilmington Police Department investigated the case with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pender County Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William Van Trigt and Assistant United States Attorney Sarah E. Nokes prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:23-CR-112-D-RN.
Violent Carjacker Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – An Andalusia, Alabama, man was sentenced to 32 years in federal prison for a brutal, violent carjacking, brandishing a firearm during the commission of a violent crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Kenneth Lamar Douglas, 49, was convicted of the federal crimes by a jury during April of 2024. Evidence produced at the trial showed that Douglas was staying at the victim’s residence in Andalusia overnight on March 7, 2022, and on March 8, he threatened her and physically struck her, knocking her to the floor in her kitchen. Douglas was trying to arrange with a supplier to get methamphetamine, as he had been a heavy user of methamphetamine for years. Finally, during the afternoon of March 8, Douglas agreed to leave the residence and he and the victim got into her car. Douglas had a bag containing his clothes and a shotgun when he got into the car. Douglas asked to go to a residence where a methamphetamine supplier lived, but when they arrived, Douglas asked to go to a different location. The victim, who was driving her own car, refused to take him to another location. Douglas struck the victim in the side of the neck and head with such force that she was knocked unconscious. When she regained consciousness, she was upside down in the passenger’s seat and covered in blood. She was bleeding from gashes in her head and mouth. Her face was covered in blood.
Douglas was driving her to an abandoned house in the woods of Escambia County, where he told her he was going to kill her and bury her in the backyard where no one could find her. She pleaded with him not to kill her, and when they arrived at the abandoned house, Douglas took his clothes into the house and returned to the car. He asked the victim how much money she had, and she said she did not know but he could have it all and asked again that he not kill her. Douglas took the money and drove back toward the drug supplier’s house. Douglas stopped the car a short distance from the drug suppliers house, took shotgun, and walked away from the car. The victim got behind the wheel and drove to Andalusia, to a friend’s workplace near the hospital. The victim’s friend testified at the trial that she was horrified at the victim’s appearance and told her she would follow her to the emergency room. There, the victim was treated, and medical personnel at the hospital called the police to report the violent assault demonstrated by the victim’s injuries.
Her eyes were almost swollen shut. She had cuts and bruises all over her face. Her face and head were literally covered in blood and the examination revealed a large gash on the top of her head. Her lips were swollen and cut on the inside of her mouth. She had a chipped tooth. Her nose was broken in three places and the breaks were displaced. The x-rays showed that she had blood in her sinuses from the force of the repeated blows to her head. She had a large bloody scrape on her leg. She also had a sprained left wrist from the initial attack on her in her kitchen at the house. A photograph from two weeks later still showed significant bruising and injuries to the victim’s face. The victim testified that she also had bruises on her upper chest and side. She explained that suffered serious and prolonged pain from these injuries. She stayed away from her house at a friend’s house for two weeks, until after Douglas was arrested, out of fear that Douglas would return and further harm her or kill her. The victim described to the jury that she had a large bruise on the side of her face and neck shaped like the butt stock of Douglas’ shotgun.
Andalusia Police spoke to the victim at the hospital and began to search for Douglas. After dark, they surrounded the abandoned house in Escambia County, along with Escambia County sheriff’s deputies. The house had no electricity or plumbing but a generator was running a light inside. The deputies approached the house and saw Douglas standing beside the light in the house. Douglas pointed the shotgun at the deputy approaching the open front door and the deputies took cover. They attempted to talk Douglas out of the house, but he escaped under cover of darkness. The shotgun was recovered from the house along with paraphernalia used for intravenous methamphetamine abuse. DNA testing showed the victim’s blood in the grooves on the end of the butt stock.Douglas claimed during the trial that he did not use the shotgun to strike the victim and that he did not intend to carjack her vehicle due to his severe drug addiction. A psychologist from the Bureau of Prisons had examined Douglas prior to the trial to address his claims of legal incapacity based upon his mental condition and testified at the trial to contradict Douglas’ claims. The jury found Douglas guilty of all three counts charged in the indictment.
United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose sentenced Douglas to a total of 32 years in prison, consisting of 10 years on the felon in possession charge, 25 years on the carjacking charge, to run concurrently with each other, and 7 years on brandishing a firearm in connection with a violent crime, to run consecutively to the sentences on the other two counts. When Douglas is released from prison, he will serve a five-year term of supervised release. Judge Dubose further ordered that Douglas undergo drug abuse counseling and treatment and mental health evaluation and treatment while he is in prison. The judge ordered that drug testing and treatment as well as mental health counseling will also be included as conditions of his supervised release. The judge ordered that the shotgun used in the commission of the crime is forfeited to the United States, and Douglas will also be required to pay $100 to the victim of the carjacking as restitution. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that Douglas pay $300 in special assessments.U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Andalusia Police Department and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney’s Office Issues Statement on the Passing of Lynn CrooksRead the Press Release
Fargo – United States Attorney for the District of North Dakota Mac Schneider today issued the following statement on the passing of Lynn Crooks, a former long-time federal prosecutor with the United States Attorney’s Office:
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota is mourning the loss of Lynn Crooks, a beloved colleague to many of our attorneys and staff and arguably the greatest prosecutor in the history of North Dakota.
During more than three decades of service to the Department of Justice and the District of North Dakota, Lynn served as Criminal Chief, Civil Chief, First Assistant United States Attorney, and Acting United States Attorney. He was a jack of all trades and a master at it all, twice receiving the prestigious Director’s Award for Superior Achievement.
While North Dakota will remember Lynn for prosecuting challenging and consequential federal cases of national prominence, his colleagues will remember him as a kind and generous man who was never too busy to help a friend or mentor a young attorney. Personally, my family and I will never forget his comforting words at the memorial service for United States Attorney John Schneider after he passed away following a cancer diagnosis over 20 years ago.
Relatively few attorneys have had the privilege of representing the United States in federal court. Virtually none of them did it better than Lynn Crooks. He will be missed dearly.
######
United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama Announces ResignationRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA – United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross has announced his resignation effective August 24, 2024. Next month, he plans to enter private practice in the Birmingham, Alabama area.
Mr. Ross, a graduate of the University of South Carolina and the Duke University School of Law, joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama in 2014 as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA). During the years that followed, Mr. Ross served as First Assistant U.S. Attorney and Acting U.S. Attorney. The United States District Court appointed him to the position of United States Attorney in April of this year.
During his tenure as an AUSA, Mr. Ross prosecuted a variety of cases, focusing primarily on white collar offenses and illegal opioid distribution cases. From 2019 through 2022, he was as the office’s Senior Litigation Counsel, responsible for facilitating training for both new and experienced attorneys. As United States Attorney, Mr. Ross prioritized the prosecution of violent offenders, including those who possessed machine gun conversion devices, and narcotics dealers.
“It has been an honor to serve the people of the Middle District of Alabama over the past ten years,” said Ross. “I am thankful to all the federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for their support during my time with the Justice Department. These agencies, in addition to the professional and talented staff at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, are responsible for any achievements I had as a federal prosecutor and United States Attorney.”
As of August 25, 2024, First Assistant Kevin P. Davidson will serve as Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District. A native of Birmingham, Mr. Davidson has served with the U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2012, prosecuting a variety of crimes with a focus on violent and drug crimes.
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Acting U.S. Attorney Davidson served as a Deputy District Attorney in Montgomery County for eight years. Mr. Davidson is a graduate of Auburn University Montgomery. He received his law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law
The Middle District of Alabama covers 23 counties, and includes the cities of Alexander City, Andalusia, Auburn, Clanton, Dothan, Enterprise, Eufaula, Greenville, Montgomery, Opelika, Ozark, Phenix City, Prattville, Troy, and Wetumpka. The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for conducting all criminal and civil litigation in the district involving the United States government.
United Seating and Mobility, LLC, D/B/A Numotion, Agrees to Pay $13,500,000 to Resolve Alleged False Claims for Custom WheelchairsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – United States Attorney Gary M. Restaino announced today that United Seating and Mobility, LLC, d/b/a Numotion (Numotion), a Missouri limited liability company that provides specialized durable medical equipment, agreed to pay $13,500,000 to resolve allegations that the company violated the federal False Claims Act (FCA).
The settlement resolves allegations by the United States that Numotion submitted false claims to Medicare and other federal health care programs for custom wheelchairs and wheelchair parts. According to the United States’ allegations, the claims were false because they were based on patient evaluations that were unlawfully authored, completed, or signed by Numotion employees rather than being authored, completed, or signed by qualified medical professionals. Additional details of the United States’ allegations are set forth in the settlement agreement, available here.
Numotion Settlement Agreement“The custom wheelchairs and parts involved in this investigation are critical to helping patients who rely on federal health care programs, including America’s veterans, meet their medical needs and thrive,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “But medical professionals must evaluate the need, not sales personnel from the supplier. Thanks to Numotion for self-reporting this conduct and cooperating in the investigation, and to the Inspector General for protecting the public fisc and ensuring accountability.”
“Providers that participate in the federal health care system are required to obey the laws and regulations meant to protect the integrity of these programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy DeFrancesca of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold providers accountable when they do not follow these statutes.”
The settlement resolves three qui tam, or whistleblower, lawsuits filed in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. Under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, private citizens may bring civil actions on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery obtained. The lawsuits resolved by the settlement agreement are:
- United States ex rel. Weiss v. United Seating & Mobility, LLC, d/b/a Numotion (CV-20-1573-PHX-SPL)
- United States ex rel. Vega v. United Seating and Mobility d/b/a Numotion, et al. (CV-21-1306-PHX-DJH)
- United States and State of Tennessee ex rel. Prager v. United Seating and Mobility LLC, d/b/a Numotion (CV-22-1899-PHX-CDB)
Through a series of self-disclosures, Numotion voluntarily reported several overpayments to the United States and cooperated with the United States’ investigation. The United States considered Numotion’s self-disclosures as one of several factors in reaching the settlement amount and the resolution of the case. The settlement is neither an admission of liability by Numotion, nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well founded.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation in this case. The case was handled by the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona and by the Department of Justice, Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section.
Individuals with information regarding fraud, waste, or abuse related to federal programs should contact the relevant federal agency. A list of agencies and contact information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-az/agency-links.
CASE NUMBERS: CV-20-1573-PHX-SPL
CV-21-1306-PHX-DJH
CV-22-1899-PHX-CDB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-117_Numotion
# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.U.S. Attorney’s Office Obtains $850,000 Settlement with Fresno Acupuncturist to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations of Improper BillingRead the Press Release
kim_agmt_fully_executed.pdfFRESNO, Calif. — Fresno medical provider Young Sam Kim has agreed to pay the United States $850,000 to resolve allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by fraudulently billing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for health care services that were not in fact provided, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today.
Kim is an acupuncturist practicing at the Acuworld Health Clinic in Fresno, and who provided care to a number of Veterans through various federal programs funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that, between 2016 and 2020, Kim submitted claims for payments to the VA for acupuncture services that were significantly overstated, including multiple instances in which Kim submitted claims totaling more than 24 hours in a single day.
“The exploitation of federal health care programs designed to help Veterans is inexcusable,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “We will continue to hold accountable those who defraud such programs for personal gain.”
“The VA Office of Inspector General is committed to ensuring veterans receive the quality health care they deserve, and we will continue to work to make certain that VA healthcare services are not compromised by fraudulent billing practices,” said Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northwest Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in this investigation.”
The resolution announced today was made possible by an investigation conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. Kennedy handled this matter for the United States.
U.S. Attorney's Office Collaborates with FBI to Secure Guilty Plea in Shiprock Murder CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Pinehill man pleaded guilty to charges of voluntary manslaughter in connection with a fatal stabbing during a family gathering in Shiprock.
According to court documents, on July 31, 2023, Kirtie Cohoe, 48, an enrolled member of Navajo Nation, attended a gathering at a relative's home in Shiprock, New Mexico. During the event, Cohoe and John Doe were alone in the kitchen when a dispute erupted. Cohoe lost self-control and, instead of walking away, stabbed John Doe multiple times in the torso with a knife.
After the incident, Cohoe fled the scene on foot, taking the weapon with him. Navajo Police Department officers responding to the call found John Doe deceased at the home. Cohoe was later apprehended in a nearby wooded area, with blood visible on his clothing. The weapon was recovered near Cohoe's wallet.
At sentencing, Cohoe faces 15 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Cohoe will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
This case was investigated by the Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau Investigation with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Meg Tomlinson and Mark Probasco are prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
U.S. Attorney Secures Guilty Plea from Santo Domingo Man in Child Sexual Abuse CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Santo Domingo man pleaded guilty in federal court to sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl on the Navajo Nation after meeting her online and lying about his age.
According to court documents, Jordian Pacheco, 33, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Santo Domingo, met Jane Doe on the internet and they began to communicate via phone, email, and social media platforms.
On January 9, 2021, Pacheco drove to Jane Doe's residence, located within the Navajo Nation, when her mother was not home. He then engaged in sexual intercourse and other sexual acts with Jane Doe, knowing she was only 14 years old at the time. Pacheco, who was 29 years old, did not disclose his true age to Jane Doe.
On January 10, 2021, Navajo Police Department (NPD) officers responded to a call from Jane Doe’s mother about a man hiding in Jane Doe's closet. Upon arrival, they found Pacheco, who initially provided false identification and denied any wrongdoing. He was detained and transported to Window Rock Adult Detention Center.
NPD officers located an unknown vehicle outside Jane Doe’s residence and towed it. When they ran the plates, it came back as belonging to Pacheco. Officers spoke to Pacheco again who confirmed that he had given them false identification. He later confessed to engaging in sexual acts with Jane Doe and lying to her about his age during an interview with the FBI.
At sentencing, Pacheco faces 63 to 78 months in prison. Upon his release from prison, Pacheco will be subject to not less than five years and up to life of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case.
# # #
Two high-seas mariners convicted for violation of Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act in the Eastern Pacific OceanRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted two Nicaraguan nationals on Aug. 23 for possession with intent to distribute over two tons of marijuana on the high seas, in international waters in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, on board a stateless vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Sept. 27, 2023, while on routine patrol in the Eastern Pacific, a maritime patrol aircraft located a go-fast vessel (GFV) in international waters 97 nautical miles southwest of Malpelo Island, Colombia. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) James (WSML 754), a National Security Cutter, was patrolling nearby and maneuvered to intercept the GFV.
After requesting and receiving authority, Cutter James launched a helicopter, which first attempted to contact the GFV on a maritime channel, then activated its blue warning lights, fired three warning shots across the bow, and, as the vessel failed to yield, engaged a precision gunner to disable the GFV’s engines.
A boarding team launched from the Cutter James and found three individuals onboard, including Maximo Zacarias, 43, Ismael Alexis Martinez, 29, and Bernacio Solares Ramon, 30. The boarding team determined the GFV, El Tanque, was without nationality. The team was authorized to recover 74 bales of marijuana, weighing of 4,610 pounds, and a five-gallon bucket containing electronics devices such as a GPS, SAT phone, ship-to-ship walkie-talkie, and other communication devices. Ramon was in possession of paperwork with GPS coordinates for the routes of travel to near a Pacific island off the coast of Costa Rica.
Zacarias and Ramon are scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 19. They face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison.
Martinez pled guilty on Aug. 8 to possession with intent to distribute more than 1000 kilograms of marijuana on board a vessel. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 17, and faces a mandatory minimum of ten years and up to life in prison.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Rear Admiral Joseph R. Buzzella, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes accepted the verdict. The Maritime and Counternarcotics Unit within the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division provided substantial assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin M. Comstock, Eric M. Hurt, and Joseph E. DePadilla are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-129.
Two Members of Violent Waterbury Gang Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
EZRA ALVES, also known as “EJ” and “Ezzy,” 24, and his brother, AHMED ALVES, also known as “Stones,” 26, both of Waterbury, were sentenced today in Bridgeport federal court for offenses related to their participation in a violent Waterbury street gang. U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley sentenced Ezra Alves to 252 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release, and Ahmed Alves to 54 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang. On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging Ezra Alves, Ahmed Alves, and 14 other 960 gang members with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, firearm possession, murder, attempted murder and assault, and obstruction of justice offenses.
On March 20, 2024, Ezra Alves pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, three counts of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, two counts of carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances.
Alves specifically admitted that he and other 960 members were engaged in drug trafficking and violent activity, and conspired to shoot and murder members of rival gangs.
- On September 21, 2018, in retaliation for the murder of an associate, Ezra Alves and other 960 members participated in a drive-by shooting of an occupied residence on Scott Road in Waterbury.
- On October 6, 2018, in a drive-by shooting, Ezra Alves and other gang members attempted to murder individuals believed to be members of a rival gang, which resulted in gunshot wounds to an individual.
- On November 18, 2018, Ezra Alves and other gang members participated in a drive-by shooting of rival gang members, which resulted in gunshot wounds to two individuals.
Ezra Alves has been detained since November 15, 2019.
On March 12, 2024, Ahmed Alves pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of being an accessory after the fact. Alves admitted that he trafficked drugs in furtherance of the 960 enterprise. He also admitted that, after the gang-related shooting that occurred on November 18, 2018, he picked up 960 members who participated in the shooting using a stolen car, and drove them to a 960 member’s residence where they stashed firearms. Later, 960 members drove the stolen car and left it in Meriden, and Ahmed Alves again picked them up.
Ahmed Alves, who was arrested on September 16, 2021, has been released on a $100,000 bond. He is required to report to prison on October 7.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Waterbury Police Department, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Southington Police Department, Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, and the DEA Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr., and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr., and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office, who have been cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is 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.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Two Correctional Officers Indicted for Civil Rights Violation and Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice in Connection with Assault o Pretrial DetaineeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two Passaic County correctional officers were indicted today by a federal grand jury for their role in violating a pretrial detainee’s civil rights and conspiracy to obstruct justice, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Sergeants Jose Gonzalez, 45, and Donald Vinales, 38, are each charged in a two-count indictment with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. Gonzalez and Vinales were previously charged by complaint. They will be arraigned on a date to be determined.
According to the indictment:
On Jan. 22, 2021, a pretrial detainee at the Passaic County Jail (PCJ) squirted a mixture containing urine onto a correctional officer. The following day, Gonzalez, Vinales and other correctional officers transported the detainee through an area of the PCJ that does not have a video surveillance camera, which correctional officers and inmates at the PCJ have referred to as a “blind spot.” While in that blind spot, Gonzalez and Vinales assaulted the detainee, while he was handcuffed, when they knocked him to the ground and struck him multiple times. One day after the assault, the detainee was taken to a local hospital, which documented injuries from the assault.
The defendants were required to submit documentation regarding their use of force. None of them submitted any such reports.
In April 2022, after receiving federal grand jury subpoenas in connection with this investigation, Gonzalez, Vinales, and Correctional Officer Lorenzo Bowden, among others, met to discuss the federal investigation. The group agreed not to cooperate with the federal investigation and also agreed to say that nothing had happened to the detainee (referring to the assault). During an interview with federal investigators in October 2022, Bowden falsely stated that the detainee had not been assaulted and that there had not been any meeting or communication among those who participated in or witnessed the assault.
Bowden pleaded guilty on April 18, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz to an information charging him with conspiracy to obstruct justice and is awaiting sentencing.
The charge of deprivation of rights under color of law carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and the charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Both charges carry a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office Division of Internal Affairs, under the direction of Acting Director Gary F. Giardina, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Levin, Co-Chief of the General Crimes Unit, and R. Joseph Gribko, Deputy Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
gonzalezvinales.indictment.pdfTrumbull Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Receipt of FirearmRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHASE DRALLE, also known as “Chevy,” 21, of Trumbull, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a firearm offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 26, 2023, Stefan Bagley, Jr. was shot and wounded while traveling in his vehicle in Bridgeport. Later that same day, Bagley’s vehicle was used in another shooting incident in Bridgeport. An investigation revealed that, between October 2022 and October 2023, Bagley purchased approximately 20 9mm handguns from licensed firearm dealers and then trafficked the guns to a network of customers, including Dralle. Bagley typically scratched the serial numbers off of the firearms before providing them to his customers, making the guns more difficult to trace.
During the investigation, a search of Bagley’s text messages revealed communications between him and Dralle in which the two discussed Bagley purchasing a firearm and ammunition for Dralle. Dralle then paid Bagley more than $700 for a 9mm firearm.
Dralle was arrested on December 18, 2023. On May 2, 2024, he pleaded guilty to receipt of a trafficked firearm.
Dralle, who had been released on bond, has been detained since August 21, 2024, when his bond was revoked.
Bagley pleaded guilty to a related charge and awaits sentencing.
Most of the firearms purchased by Bagley are unaccounted for.
U.S. Attorney Avery noted that this case is being prosecuted, in part, under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
This matter is being investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham.
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 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.
The Office of the Pardon Attorney Releases Spanish Language Commutation ApplicationRead the Press Release
The Office of the Pardon Attorney (Pardon) released a Spanish-language version of its application for commutation of sentence. The Spanish-language application can be used to request that the President commute the sentence of an individual who is incarcerated. This application follows the launches of the improved pardon application in June 2024, and the English-language commutation application in November 2023.
In 2023 and 2024, Pardon revised all its clemency forms to make them more accessible and user-friendly. The revisions have been part of a department-wide effort to expand access to justice by simplifying public-facing forms and documents, consistent with the recommendations described in the 2022 and 2023 Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable Reports.
“Through collaboration with the Office for Access to Justice, regular community outreach and education, and the hard work of our team, we have been able to overhaul our entire platform of clemency applications,” said Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer. “The Spanish-language application will allow a large number of people within the Federal Bureau of Prisons to better access the clemency process going forward. It is a key step in our efforts to make clemency more transparent and to meet our obligation to increase language access for our applicants.”
Pardon is also working with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) to make the Spanish-language commutation form available to Spanish speakers within FBOP facilities.
To learn more about the work and outreach of the Office of the Pardon Attorney, visit Office of the Pardon Attorney | Office of the Pardon Attorney (justice.gov).
Texarkana Physician Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison for Prescribing Controlled Substances Without a Legitimate Medical PurposeRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA, AR – A Texarkana Physician was sentenced today to 87 months in prison followed by three years of supervised on two counts of Distribution of a Schedule II Controlled Substance Without an Effective Prescription and 12 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release on two counts of Distribution of a Schedule V Controlled Substance Without an Effective Prescription, all to run concurrently. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Texarkana.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Little Rock District Office (LRDO), Tactical Diversion and Diversion Groups initiated an investigation into Dr. Lonnie Parker, age 59, of Texarkana, Arkansas in 2018 after receiving complaints from local law enforcement about a suspected pill mill and possible overdose death of a patient. Investigators analyzed prescription drug monitoring data attributed to Dr. Parker, and the investigation revealed Dr. Parker prescribing controlled substances, to include opiates, benzodiazepines, and promethazine with codeine cough syrup with unusual frequency and in unusually large quantities in the Texarkana area. In the two-year period analyzed, Dr. Parker prescribed approximately 1.2 million dosage units of opiates, including oxycodone and hydrocodone, to approximately 1,508 patients (approximately 847 dosage units per patient). Dr. Parker also prescribed approximately 16 gallons of Promethazine with Codeine cough syrup to approximately 29 patients during the same time period. These prescriptions included several for combinations of narcotics and sedatives to high diversion-risk patients.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Little Rock District Office (LRDO), Tactical Diversion and Diversion Group, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Texarkana Police Department, and the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS) investigated the case.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Anne Gardner and Assistant United Sates Attorney Graham Jones prosecuted the case for the United States.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov.
Tehachapi Man Sentenced for Fraud and Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Blake Wayne Reed, 28, of Tehachapi, was sentenced today to four years and four months in prison and ordered to pay $48,052 in restitution for committing bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between August 2020 and April 2021, Reed obtained hundreds of pieces of stolen mail that included at least 130 checks and approximately 30 debit cards or credit cards belonging to other individuals and businesses. Reed then forged signatures on the stolen checks and used the stolen debit cards to deposit the checks into victims’ bank accounts. He then made cash withdrawals from the accounts. Reed’s scheme caused more than $40,000 in fraudulent transactions to be made on the victims’ accounts.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany M. Gunter and Joseph D. Barton prosecuted the case.
Shelby County Man Convicted of Theft of Government BenefitsRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. - A Shelbyville, Ky., man, Jeremy Wayne Harrell, 43, was convicted on Friday, August 23, by a federal jury in Frankfort, of theft of government benefits. The jury’s verdict was returned following a five-day trial and less than two hours of deliberations.
According to testimony at trial, Harrell intentionally stole money from the United States in an amount exceeding $1,000, namely U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Individual Unemployability (IU) disability payments that he was not entitled to receive.
Specifically, the evidence presented at trial indicated that Harrell was initially awarded IU benefits in 2011. In 2019, Harrell then founded Veterans Club, Inc., and he served as the Founder and CEO of the organization. The evidence that showed Harrell had a high level of work activity for Veterans Club, from 2019 through 2023. This included working 40-60 hours per week, actively running the organization, organizing events, managing over $400,000 in assets and approximately 6,000 volunteers, engaging in news media interviews, appearing on podcasts, appearing and speaking at community events, meeting with business and political leaders, teaching classes, accepting donations, among other work. This evidence confirmed that Harrell, as the active and successful Founder and CEO of Veterans Club, could maintain substantial gainful employment, rendering him ineligible to receive the IU benefits that he received from 2019 through 2023. Additionally, the evidence showed that Harrell made numerous false statements to the government about his daily life and work activities, depicting himself as withdrawn, without the ability to perform work, leading a highly restricted life, and rarely leaving his home; when in truth, he was an active and successful CEO of a vibrant organization. The evidence confirmed Harrell made these false representations to the government to depict himself as unemployable, conceal his active role as CEO of an organization, and attempt to continue to receive IU benefits. In total, Harrell wrongfully received more than $108,000 in IU benefits.
“In the end, this case was about a simple principle: preventing people from taking government assistance they are not entitled to receive,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “He provided false information to the government, which concealed his ineligibility, and he wrongfully obtained a significant amount funds – funds that should have been provided to other veterans who were eligible for this assistance. I commend the efforts of our law enforcement partners and trial team, whose work defended this simple principle, and resulted in a verdict reaffirming it.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and VA Inspector General Michael J. Missal, jointly announced the verdict.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Chapman.
Harrell will appear for sentencing on December 9, 2024. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing its sentence.
— END —
Rochester Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Rochester man has been sentenced to 240 months followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, beginning in July 2022—shortly after he was released early from prison for prior controlled substance felonies—through December 2002, Panh Thavong, 51, was part of a conspiracy in which he would distribute methamphetamine in the greater Rochester area. After an investigation that was conducted over several months, law enforcement identified locations and vehicles that Thavong was using to facilitate his methamphetamine distribution along with one or more of his conspirators. On December 9, 2022, law enforcement executed search warrants at these locations and seized over 34 kilograms of methamphetamine: 3.5 kilograms from the stash house, 4.5 kilograms from the rental unit, and 26 kilograms from a conspiracy vehicle. As part of his guilty plea, Thavong admitted that the seized controlled substances were intended for distribution.
On July 20, 2023, Thavong pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced on August 23, 2024, in U.S. District Court by Judge Eric C. Tostrud.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crime Task Force, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office, the Rochester Police Department, and the Red Wing Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter prosecuted the case.
Roanoke Man Pleads Guilty to Selling ‘Ghost Gun,’ Pressed Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke man pled guilty last week to a handful of federal drug and gun charges after orchestrating the straw purchase of a firearm and selling pressed fentanyl pills and multiple firearms (including a ‘ghost gun’) to a confidential informant.
Julius Frederick Muse, III, 19, of Roanoke, Virginia, pled guilty last week to four counts of selling a firearm to another person knowing or having a reasonable cause to believe that person was a convicted felon, two counts of distributing fentanyl, one count of aiding and abetting a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer and one count of knowingly possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
As part of the plea agreement, the government and the defendant have agreed to recommend a sentencing range between 70 and 108 months. The final sentence will be determined by the Court at sentencing.
According to court documents, in December 2022, Muse provided cash to another person to purchase an AR-style pistol on his behalf and paid that individual with marijuana. In order to do so, the individual made a false statement on ATF Form 4473.
Later that month, Muse sold a confidential informant four pressed fentanyl pills and two firearms. Eight days later, Muse sold the same informant 27 more pressed fentanyl pills and a Polymer 80 privately-made firearm, also known as a ‘Ghost Gun,” which Muse claimed was “untraceable.”
Muse later sold the informant four more firearms, including another AR-pattern pistol. At the time of these sales, Muse knew or had a reason to believe the informant was a convicted felon who was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Federal agents searched Muse’s apartment in March of 2023 and discovered, among other items, a 9mm Hi-Point pistol with an obliterated serial number.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Homeland Security Investigations provided valuable support and assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee S. Brett is prosecuting the case for the United States.
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.
Quincy Landlord Agrees to $15,200 Settlement for False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Quincy landlord has agreed to a settlement for a False Claims Act violation.
Mario Bianco, 79, of Quincy has agreed to pay a $15,200 settlement for submitting false claims to the government after receiving side payments in excess of approved monthly rent from a low-income tenant participating in a federal housing subsidy program.
The Federal Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly referred to as “Section 8,” provides federal funding to low-income individuals to help them secure safe and affordable housing. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides this funding through local public housing agencies, which establish the total monthly rent due to landlords of Section 8 tenants. HUD pays the housing subsidy directly to landlords. In return, landlords agree to comply with certain program requirements, including that they will not charge Section 8 tenants rent exceeding the amount set by the public housing agency.
Despite this restriction, Bianco demanded and received side rent payments from a Section 8 tenant, who brought a lawsuit against Bianco under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. As part of today’s settlement, Bianco admits to demanding and receiving side payments from the Section 8 tenant in violation of his agreements with HUD.
“The Section 8 program provides critical assistance to families in need of safe and affordable housing,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “We will vigorously defend the integrity of the Section 8 program against landlords that seek to take advantage of members of our community for their own financial gain. We encourage any Section 8 tenants who have been forced to pay excess rent in violation of the terms of their leases to bring their concerns to our Office’s attention.”
“Mr. Bianco preyed on the vulnerability of a low-income household by demanding rent payments in excess of the agreed upon amount by HUD from a tenant participating in HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher Program,” said Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis. “This type of financial fraud scheme takes valuable dollars out of the pockets of low-income households and reduces the number of families that HUD’s assisted housing programs can serve. Our office will continue to pursue these matters with the United States Attorney’s Office to bring justice to those victimized by these schemes and to promote safe, affordable housing.”
The False Claims Act allows private citizens with knowledge of fraud to bring civil actions on behalf of the government. The settlement agreement requires the defendant to pay $15,200 to the United States, and the whistleblower will share in that recovery.
Acting United States Attorney Levy and Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Seol of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter.
Plant City Man Indicted for Making ThreatsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Janye B. Evans (18, Plant City) with interstate transmission of a threat to injure. If convicted, Evans faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
According to court records, on July 24, 2024, law enforcement learned that Evans had posted a photograph of himself on social media. The photograph depicted Evans in front of a Hillsborough County high school and contained a caption threatening to injure others. Law enforcement obtained additional photographs from Evans’s account on the social media platform, several of which depicted Evans in possession of what appeared to be firearms.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.
Philadelphia Fentanyl Trafficker Is Sentenced to 12 ½ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, Jomeir Zakied McCutchen, 27, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 150 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine, 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 court documents and the sentencing hearing, on October 10, 2022, at approximately 5:46 p.m., a CMPD officer was at a Quick Trip (“QT”) gas station in Charlotte, when he observed an individual, later identified as McCutchen, engage in a hand-to-hand drug transaction. Specifically, the officer observed an individual hand McCutchen U.S. currency in exchange for a clear bag containing suspected narcotics. Court records show that when McCutchen saw the officer he quickly walked into the QT and then was picked up at a side door of the store by a juvenile female, who drove away from the gas station in a white SUV at a high rate of speed. The officer followed McCutchen and attempted to conduct a traffic stop but the juvenile driver did not obey and drove away. A little while later, the officer located the unoccupied white SUV parked in the parking lot of an apartment complex. While looking through the vehicle’s windows, the officer observed in plain view drugs and drug paraphernalia, including digital scales. Law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle, seizing a bag containing more than 12 grams of fentanyl. The officers also located identifying documents in the vehicle in the name of the defendant. Further investigation revealed that McCutchen was a convicted felon on parole in Pennsylvania.
According to court records, on October 11, 2022, law enforcement located McCutchen at a gas station in Charlotte. Law enforcement observed McCutchen exit the gas station and approach a red vehicle. CMPD Officers attempted to stop McCutchen, but the defendant fled on foot, dropping a black pistol to the ground as he ran off. McCutchen was arrested and detained. Law enforcement searched the red vehicle and seized over 83 grams of methamphetamine. Law enforcement also recovered the discarded firearm and determined it was loaded with a round in the chamber.
On February 21, 2024, McCutchen pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. McCutchen is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In imposing the sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth D. Bell noted that prior convictions and probation from other courts had not deterred the defendant.
U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Gleason with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte 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.
Parkersburg Man Admits to Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Michael McHenry, age 22, of Parkersburg, West Virginia, has admitted to the unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, McHenry is prohibited from having firearms because of a grand larceny conviction in Wood County. McHenry had a 9mm pistol.
McHenry faces up to 15 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Aaron Cardinale, age 48, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced August 22, 2024, in federal court in Omaha after having pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Cardinale to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Cardinale’s release he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On July 27, 2022, Cardinale was stopped for a traffic violation in South Omaha. During the stop officers became suspicious of illegal activity and called for a canine that alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from within the vehicle Cardinale was driving. A search of the vehicle revealed 87 grams of actual meth.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Drew Lamont Scruggs, 48, of Akron, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 27, 2024, Scruggs pawned a Kimber model Stainless Ultra Carry II .45-caliber pistol at a Huntington business. Scruggs admitted to possessing the firearm and that the firearm was later determined to have been stolen at the time he possessed it.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Scruggs knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for voluntary manslaughter on June 25, 1997, trafficking in cocaine on April 1, 1998, and on November 12, 2012, and failure to comply with order or signal of a police officer on November 3, 2015, and on August 6, 2019, all in Summit County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas.
Scruggs is scheduled to be sentenced on December 9, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-49.
###
New York Auto Repair Shop Owner Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A New York man was sentenced today to 20 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States by concealing income from the IRS.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Aniello Strocchia, of Maspeth, owned and operated an auto repair shop. From 2013 to 2017, Strocchia cashed, with the help of others, more than $1.3 million in checks made out to the shop at commercial check-cashing businesses, instead of depositing those funds into the shop’s bank account. Strocchia then hid the check-cashing activity from his return preparers, thereby causing his preparer to file false tax returns for himself and his business. The business returns underreported the shop’s gross receipts and ordinary business income; and his personal returns underreported his total income. In addition, Strocchia did not pay the full amount of the taxes he reported as due on his personal returns. Instead of reporting all his income and paying all the taxes he owed, Strocchia spent money on luxury items, including a luxury car collection, a second home and approximately $500,000 on extensive home renovations.
In total, Strocchia caused a loss to the IRS of $989,976.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Hector Gonzalez for the Eastern District of New York ordered Strocchia to serve two years of supervised release and to pay approximately $989,976 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Matthew Cofer of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Morgantown Physician Admits to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – David M. Anderson, age 63, of Morgantown, West Virginia, has admitted to filing a false tax return, according to United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld.
According to court documents, Anderson, a physician, filed false tax returns that understated his taxable income, causing a loss to the IRS of $143,599.
“The Justice Department works every day to ensure that those who fail to pay their income taxes are held to account,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “Dr. Anderson fell far short of his obligation and now he must pay up, plus penalties and interest, and faces a lengthy prison sentence.”
Anderson faces up to three years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.