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Friday 12 July 2024
Registered sex offender going to prison for 35 years for production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Charles Porterfield, 37, of Springville, NY, who was convicted by a federal jury of production of child pornography and committing the offense as a registered sex offender, was sentenced to serve 420 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that in 2011, Porterfield was convicted in Erie County Court of Engaging in a Course of Sexual Conduct in the 2nd Degree and sentenced to five years in prison and three years post release supervision. Porterfield was also required to register as a sex offender for life. Less than one month after completing his post release supervision, Porterfield paid a 13-year-old girl (Victim) to engage in an online sexual relationship. Porterfield used the Victim to produce images and videos of child pornography.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Northern York County Regional Police Department.
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Readout of Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen’s Trip to the HagueRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division traveled to The Hague, Netherlands, this week to address the Counterterrorism Law Enforcement Forum (CTLEF) and to convene a high-level meeting with European partners on stopping the illicit flow of sensitive technology to foreign adversaries.
The CTLEF was held on July 10-11 at the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol). Assistant Attorney General Olsen delivered opening remarks, along with U.S. Deputy Coordinator for Counterterrorism Ian Moss. In his remarks, Assistant Attorney General Olsen discussed the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat heightened threats from domestic violent extremists in the United States, including those engaged in racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism (REMVE) and individuals who cite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East as inspiration in targeting Jewish and Muslim Americans. He also highlighted the importance of international law enforcement cooperation to confront transnational connections among REMVE actors who spread violent ideologies across borders, including through social media and online gaming platforms.
On July 12, Assistant Attorney General Olsen cohosted a meeting at the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) aimed at enhancing transatlantic cooperation in the fight to keep sensitive western technology out of the hands of Russia and other foreign state adversaries. In addition to the Assistant Attorney General, keynote remarks were delivered by Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin, European Commissioner Didier Reynders (by video), and Eurojust President Ladislav Hamran. Representatives from more than 30 countries as well as several EU institutions participated in the meeting.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen (left), Eurojust President Ladislav Hamran (middle) and Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin (right).In his remarks, Assistant Attorney General Olsen described the threats posed by adversaries seeking sophisticated American technologies like semiconductors, quantum, hypersonics and artificial intelligence. Adversary regimes can exploit these tools to increase their military capabilities, engage in mass surveillance, and commit human rights abuses. He highlighted the success of the Department’s Disruptive Technology Strike Force – an interagency enforcement effort co-led with the Commerce Department to prevent critical technological assets from being unlawfully acquired and used by foreign adversaries. Citing recent criminal prosecutions, Assistant Attorney General Olsen emphasized the concrete impacts of criminal enforcement of U.S. sanctions and export control laws and the force-multiplier effect of international partners’ complementary efforts to deny malign actors these technologies.
“The countries represented here have a shared commitment to the common goal of combating the national security threat posed by the misuse of critical technology,” said Assistant Attorney General Olsen. “International partnerships are critical to our work. Our adversaries’ efforts to obtain sensitive technology reach across the globe, and it demands an international response.”
Valuable insights were also shared by senior officials from the European Commission, Eurojust, Europol, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
Queens Man Arrested for Bank Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Queens, N.Y. man was arrested today in connection with an alleged scheme to steal over $3 million in COVID relief tax credits using the stolen identity of a corporate executive in New Jersey.
Linval Jackson, 32, was charged by complaint with bank fraud, bank fraud conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft. Following an initial appearance in the District of Connecticut, Jackson was detained pending a hearing scheduled for July 15, 2024. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. Jackson’s alleged co-conspirator, Isaiah Aaron Tenryk, was previously arrested and charged by a separate criminal complaint in May 2024. He was subsequently released on conditions.
According to the charging documents, Jackson and Tenryk allegedly used a fraudulent driver’s license as well as the name and Social Security number of a corporate executive in New Jersey to open a bank account in Boston. Tenryk then allegedly deposited an approximately $3 million Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) check payable to the executive’s company into the fraudulent account. ERTC is a refundable tax credit for certain eligible businesses that had employees and were adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the check was deposited, Jackson allegedly attempted to link the fraudulent account to other bank accounts he controlled to transfer the stolen money.
The charges of bank fraud and bank fraud conspiracy each provide for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year sentence in prison to be served consecutive to any sentence imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, Boston Field Office; and Ketty Larco Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Postal Employee Charged with Destruction of MailRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that PJ WHITAKER (“WHITAKER”), age 34, of New Orleans, was indicted on July 11, 2024, on two counts of destruction of mail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1703. According to the indictment, WHITAKER, a postal employee, unlawfully secreted, destroyed, detained, delayed, and opened multiple parcels of mail on August 8, 2023 and November 7, 2023.
If convicted, WHITAKER faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years of imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00 and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Christine Calogero of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Postal Employee Charged with Destruction of MailRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JORRY HARRISON (“HARRISON”), age 36, of Houma, Louisiana, was indicted on July 11, 2024, for destruction of mail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1703.
According to the indictment, HARRISON, a postal employee, unlawfully secreted, destroyed, detained, delayed, and opened multiple parcels of mail, including one large brown parcel, on October 25, 2023.
If convicted, HARRISON faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years of imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Christine Calogero of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Portsmouth Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Possessing Fentanyl and FirearmRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, the investigation into Carlton Jamel Dillard, 40, began on December 31, 2022, when a Portsmouth ambulance found an unconscious male who was suffering from gunshot wounds in the middle of Randolph Street. The male was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. Police discovered the crime scene to be at 1700 Atlanta Avenue with several spent cartridge casings. During the investigation, the police learned that the victim had a conflict with another narcotics distributor, identified as “Mel,” who detectives determined was Carlton Jamel Dillard. A witness stated that Dillard arrived in an unknown vehicle as a passenger with an unknown driver in front of 1700 Atlanta Avenue. Dillard and the driver approached on foot and started firing shots at the victim.
Based on this information, on January 1, 2023, a felony arrest warrant for homicide was issued in the City of Portsmouth for Dillard, and police attempted to located him. Two days later, law enforcement found Dillard, took him into custody, and searched him incident to arrest. On his person, law enforcement recovered eight capsules of fentanyl and keys to a parked SUV. Within plain view, detectives observed a 9mm ammunition box in the back seat of the SUV and a digital scale. Law enforcement then obtained a search warrant for the SUV and, from within the vehicle, recovered a loaded black CZ 75 P-01 semi-automatic pistol, four clear plastic bags, cocaine, a digital scale, and ammunition from the back seat. After being advised of his rights, Dillard admitted to shooting the victim with the firearm recovered during the search.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan M. Montoya prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-64.
Pittsburg County Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Willie Ray Carter, age 36, of Haileyville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to five years in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On May 11, 2023, Carter pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to investigators, on November 13, 2021, an OHP trooper conducting a routine traffic stop discovered Carter to be knowingly in possession of a firearm and ammunition after having been previously convicted a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The Honorable William P. Johnson, U.S. Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Carter will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorneys Richard J. Lorenz and Edith Singer represented the United States.
Pharmaceutical Marketer Sentenced for Compounded Medications Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Texas pharmaceutical marketer was sentenced today to two years and five months in prison and ordered to pay over $59 million in restitution for conspiring to defraud the United States, receiving illegal kickbacks in exchange for compounded medications prescription referrals, and money laundering.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Quintan Cockerell, 43, of Palos Verdes Estates, California, worked with others to create and market expensive compounded medications, which are intended to be custom-tailored to individual patient needs, that were not medically indicated. Cockerell and others used preloaded prescription pads that identified the high-billing formulations for doctors to easily select. Cockerell, along with his co-conspirators at the compounding pharmacy that received the fraudulent prescriptions, implemented “standing orders” that enabled the pharmacy to swap out ingredients in the medications originally prescribed by doctors to maximize insurance reimbursements. Cockerell and others recruited doctors to write prescriptions for these expensive compounded medications by creating so-called “investment opportunities” so that doctors who wrote prescriptions to the pharmacy could profit from pharmacy operations. Cockerell and others also took doctors on expensive and lavish trips to Las Vegas, Mexico, and the Grand Caymans, among other places.
In an effort to conceal the illegal kickbacks Cockerell received in exchange for prescription referrals, the pharmacy paid Cockerell’s wife at the time as a sham employee. Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Cockerell’s wife did not work at the pharmacy, but that Cockerell communicated with the pharmacy using her email address and received checks for his kickbacks in her name. Cockerell then spent the proceeds from the kickback scheme.
In October 2023, a federal jury in the Northern District of Texas convicted Cockerell of one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of receiving kickbacks, and one count of money laundering.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Michael Mentavlos of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS); Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Dallas Regional Office; Special Agent in Charge B. Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Dallas Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Casey Howard of the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) Central Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) South Central Field Office made the announcement.
DCIS, HHS-OIG, FBI, DOL-OIG, and VA-OIG investigated the case.
Assistant Chiefs Kate Payerle and Brynn Schiess and Trial Attorneys Jacqueline DerOvanesian and Lee Michael Hirsch 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.
Oklahoma Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting a ChildRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—An Oklahoma City man was sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for sexually abusing a child and capturing the abuse on video.
Jeremy Lee Peterson, 44, was sentenced to the statutory maximum sentence of 360 months in federal prison and a life term of supervised release.
According to court documents, on February 18, 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding a video depicting child sexual abuse. Agents reviewed the video’s file data and suspected it was created in a specific apartment in Eugene, Oregon. The agents identified distinctive physical characteristics of the abuser in the video, including a scorpion tattoo on the man’s chest.
On February 24, 2022, investigators searched the apartment and identified furniture and bed sheets consistent with those appearing in the abuse video. Investigators also found photos of Peterson on social media and obtained a booking photo from a previous arrest, both of which matched the likeness and physical attributes, including the scorpion tattoo, as depicted in the abuse video. During their investigation, agents learned the minor victim and the victim’s parent had recently moved to a residence in Oklahoma that matched Peterson’s most recent address.
On February 28, 2022, agents in Oklahoma executed a search warrant on Peterson’s address and found the minor victim and parent living there. Peterson was arrested and the child was rescued. Soon after, agents learned that Peterson had recently helped the victim and the victim’s parent move to his residence in Oklahoma.
On March 15, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a one-count indictment charging Peterson with sexually exploiting a child and producing child pornography.
Months after Peterson was charged, his minor victim contacted law enforcement to discuss the abuse in Oregon and disclose additional abuse in Oklahoma.
On March 27, 2024, Peterson pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting a child.
This case was investigated by HSI in the District of Oregon and the Western District of Oklahoma, with assistance from the Eugene Police Department. It was prosecuted by William M. McLaren, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are
encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct
involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes
being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’
exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the
child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for
Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May
2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation
and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit
www.justice.gov/psc.Odessa Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for January CarjackingRead the Press Release
MIDLAND, Texas – An Odessa man was sentenced in federal court in Midland to 30 years in prison for carjacking and discharging a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence.
According to court documents, Isaac Ramirez Carrasco, 38, carjacked a couple on Jan. 30 by pointing a shotgun at the driver and ordering both occupants out of their vehicle. The victim did not initially comply, and Carrasco fired the shotgun at least one time in the air before returning his aim to the victim. The couple ultimately exited the truck and Carrasco drove away in it. Odessa Police were able to track the truck to a nearby residence, where they also located Carrasco and the shotgun.
“This 30-year sentence sends a strong message that violent crime in our community will not be tolerated and will be met with the full force of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “Carrasco demonstrated a complete and total disregard for human life and risked causing innocent people severe injury or worse. Thanks to the response by our local law enforcement partners, Carrasco is off the streets and our community is safer.”
“The partnerships that we have with other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and prosecutors allows us to create a safer community for all of our citizens,” said Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke. “We are appreciative that multiple entities came together to remove this dangerous criminal from our streets.”
The Midland/Odessa Violent Crimes Task Force investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Mahoney prosecuted the case.
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Norwalk Felon Admits Possessing Loaded Handgun with Obliterated Serial NumberRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that PATRICK ELMORE, 32, of Norwalk, pleaded guilty yesterday in Bridgeport federal court to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, which has been investigating gang violence in Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Stamford, assisted local law enforcement in executing a state arrest warrant for Elmore on April 12, 2023. At the time of his arrest, Elmore possessed a loaded SCCY, model CPX-2, 9mm semiautomatic handgun with an obliterated serial number.
Elmore’s criminal history includes state convictions for felony drug distribution and weapon possession offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Elmore has been detained since his federal arrest on May 25, 2023.
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Norwalk Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham with the assistance of Law Student Intern Michael Fording.
This prosecution 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.
New London Man Charged with Cocaine Distribution and Firearm Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned an indictment charging LUIS OLIVER-GARCIA, also known as “Bebo,” 34, of New London, with cocaine distribution and firearm possession offenses.
The indictment was returned on July 2, 2024, and Oliver-Garcia appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven pleaded not guilty to the charges. He has been detained since his arrest on June 21, 2024.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force identified Oliver-Garcia as a large scale distributor of cocaine. The investigation revealed that Oliver-Garcia rented a storage unit at a facility on Cross Road in Waterford to store narcotics and other items. On June 21, 2024, Oliver-Garcia arrived at the storage facility shortly before investigators were about to conduct a court-authorized search of his storage unit. Oliver-Garcia was arrested after the search revealed more than three kilograms of cocaine, approximately $30,000 in cash, and a 9mm firearm, and a search of the car that he drove to the facility revealed an additional quantity of cocaine and two boxes of 9mm ammunition.
It is alleged that Ortiz-Garcia’s criminal history includes state convictions for felony drug distribution and weapon possession offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
The indictment charges Oliver-Garcia with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years; unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of at least five years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force, which includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reed Durham.
New Jersey Woman Convicted of Investment FraudRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A New Jersey woman pled guilty today to an investment scheme in which victims from West Virginia and elsewhere lost more than $300,000.
United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced that Diana Mae Fernandez, age 38, of Bergenfield, New Jersey, admitted to wire fraud.
According to court documents, Fernandez, also known as “Diana Fernandez Koporan,” “Dana Fernandez,” and “Dajana Ko,” operated purported investment firms known as “The Self Made Success” and “Diana Mae K., LLC.” Fernandez used social media and email to solicit investors, claiming she offered “no-risk” and “guaranteed” investment opportunities. Multiple victims, including a victim from Marion County in West Virginia, were defrauded of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Fernandez used the money she stole for her personal benefit and made false claims about why returns on investments could not be provided to her clients.
“We should always approach investment opportunities that promise high returns and no risk with skepticism,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “One way to protect yourself before investing is to use the FINRA BrokerCheck, a valuable tool that’s free and allows you to research the background and experience of financial brokers, advisers, and firms.”
Fernandez faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The FBI investigated the case.
U.S. Magistrate James P. Mazzone presided.
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Multiple-Time Convicted Felon and Former U.S. Postal Service Carrier Sentenced for Mail TheftRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 20 months in prison for theft of mail by a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee.
According to court documents, Terell Taylor, 40, a USPS employee and postal carrier assigned to deliver mail in Richmond from at least April 2023 through December 2023, stole mail entrusted to his care on multiple occasions. Taylor then sold stolen mail in bulk to a co-conspirator in exchange for cash. For instance, on November 29, 2023, Taylor removed mail from the mail stream in his USPS vehicle and placed the mail in two black trash bags. Then, Taylor sold the two black trash bags for $300.
Taylor was a multiple-time convicted felon, with over 20 prior convictions for felony theft-related offenses. He also had prior convictions for eluding police and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Taylor is no longer employed by the USPS.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jeff Krafels, Special Agent in Charge of the Mid Atlantic Area Field Office for the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-28.
Montgomery County Landlord and His Property Management Company Agree to Pay $570,000 to Settle Allegations of Collecting Excess Rent from Section 8 TenantsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Landlord Allan R. Posner and his property management company ILJOR Properties, LLC, have agreed to pay $570,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act during their participation in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP), commonly known as “Section 8.”
The HCVP is the federal government’s primary program for helping low-income families, the elderly, and disabled people to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. As conditions of participation in the HCVP, landlords must regularly certify that the rents they charge to tenants who receive housing assistance vouchers (“assisted tenants”) are not higher than those paid by unassisted tenants residing in comparable properties, and must certify that they are not charging any additional amounts to assisted tenants other than charges specified in each housing assistance payment contract.
The United States contends that, during the period from January 1, 2017, through December 31, 2020, ILJOR regularly charged Section 8 tenants more than unassisted tenants in comparable properties. These overcharges arose, in part, from Posner’s engagement in a prohibited quid pro quo sexual relationship with an unassisted tenant in which he made an unwelcome proposal to lower that tenant’s monthly rental payments in exchange for sex. The individual acquiesced because she was afraid of losing her housing. Then, Posner regularly lowered her rent in exchange for sexual acts. In doing so, Posner overcharged the Section 8 tenants whose rent was higher than this unassisted tenant, whose rent was regularly reduced.
“Quid pro quo harassment, where a landlord requires a person to submit to an unwelcome sexual request in exchange for housing, is illegal. Here, where the landlord lowered the rent of an unassisted tenant in exchange for sex, he also falsely certified to the government that Section 8 tenants and HUD were not being charged more than unassisted tenants in comparable units,” said Jacqueline C. Romero, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “This office will continue to investigate landlords who take advantage of tenants and who overcharge the government under the Section 8 program.”
ILJOR also charged assisted tenants additional fees that exceeded the fees paid by unassisted tenants, and that were not specified in the housing assistance payment contracts, including excess fees for storage space, garage access, and laundry.
In one circumstance, the housing authority determined that a tenant, JS, could only afford to pay $4 a month toward her rent. Posner agreed in the Section 8 contract with the housing authority that the tenant would have no additional charges, other than electric services, aside from the agreed-upon rent. But in the lease for this unit, Posner charged JS $25 a month for a storage locker. Posner later threatened to evict JS when she could not make a $30 payment for rent of her apartment and the storage locker. In another instance, Posner charged assisted tenant LR, someone with an amputation who used a wheelchair for mobility, $125 a month for a storage unit located down a flight of stairs in the basement. This additional fee was not included in the housing assistance payment contract Posner entered into with the housing authority, as required. From January 1, 2017, to December 1, 2020, Posner received over $38,000 in fees he was not allowed to receive from HCVP-assisted tenants.
“Exploiting vulnerable individuals through sexual misconduct or overcharging HUD-assisted tenants is both reprehensible and abusive,” said Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “We will continue to partner with the United States Attorney to hold these landlords accountable, protect low-income households from sexual and financial predation, and promote the integrity of HUD programs.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and HUD’s Office of Inspector General invite participants in HUD’s Section 8 program who have experienced sexual harassment by a landlord or a landlord requesting extra money from them to call the HUD OIG hotline at 1-800-347-3735.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Lindgren.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Mexican National Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years for Trafficking Meth through Eagle Pass Port of EntryRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 235 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on Nov. 12, 2020, Braulio Reyes, 27, of Agujita, Coahuila, Mexico, attempted to enter the United States through the Eagle Pass Port of Entry pedestrian lane. Customs and Border Protection Officers discovered Reyes had several packages strapped to his waist, containing 3.45 kgs of methamphetamine hydrochloride with a purity level of 100%.
Reyes pleaded guilty Feb. 26, 2021, facing a federal prison term of 10 years to life and a maximum fine of $10,000.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rex Beasley and Holly Pavlinski prosecuted the case.
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Media Advisory – Press Conference: U.S. Attorney to Provide Update on Wilmington Violent Crime Strategy, Including Recent Indictments and SeizuresRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael Easley, along with representatives from the Wilmington Police Department, the New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will hold a press conference on Monday to provide an update on the Wilmington Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP). The update will include information on recent arrests and seizures.
WHERE: Wilmington Police Department – Blue Room – 615 Bess Street, Wilmington, NC 28401
WHEN: Monday, July 15 at 11:00 a.m.
Media please arrive at the Police Department by 10:30 a.m. for set up.
For logistical information in advance of the media availability, please contact Brandon Shope at the Wilmington Police Department or the Public Information Office at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. No case specific information is available until the press conference.
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Madison Man Sentenced to More Than 4 Years for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Joshua Gentle, 31, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 4 years and nine months in federal prison for possessing firearms as a felon. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Gentle pleaded guilty to this charge on April 9, 2024.
In October and November of 2023, Gentle sold three handguns to a person he knew could not legally possess them. During one of the transactions, Gentle commented that he had avoided a prior federal case for selling guns. He threatened to shoot one of the people involved in the transaction, as he believed that person was an undercover police officer.
Gentle is prohibited from legally possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions, including convictions for armed robbery and felon in possession of a firearm.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson determined that a sentence near the top of advisory sentencing guideline range was appropriate because of the serious nature of the crime and the fact that this was one of the most aggravated gun possession cases that the court has seen. Judge Peterson found that Gentle was callous firearms dealer who had served as a pipeline for diverting guns to criminals who could not legally possess them. Judge Peterson also noted that Gentle was fully aware that his conduct was both illegal and dangerous.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting individuals who illegally sell firearms on the street,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea. “I am grateful for the strong partnership we have with ATF and with our local law enforcement partners to reduce gun violence by holding accountable those who use guns in crime and those who provide guns to criminals.”
“Given the defendant’s lengthy history of violence, it was a priority to investigate his recent firearms activity,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle, of the St. Paul Field Division. “I’m grateful for the work our agents and partners put into this case. I hope with this sentence today the community will be a little bit safer, and Mr. Gentle can have some time to consider modifying his behavior upon his release from prison.”
The charge against Gentle was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to 292 Months in Prison for Retaliation Murder on Long IslandRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Edwin Amaya-Sanchez, also known as “Strong,” a member of the Guanacos Lil Cycos Salvatruchas clique of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, a transnational criminal organization, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gary R. Brown to 292 months’ imprisonment. Amaya-Sanchez pleaded guilty in April 2018 to firearms-related murder charges in connection with his participation in the July 14, 2014 murder of Jose Lainez-Murcia, who was shot and killed while sitting in a car outside his home in Brentwood.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Robert E. Waring, Acting Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the sentence.
“As Amaya-Sanchez admitted, the murder he committed was premeditated and brutal. Now he will have a long time to think about his cruel actions as he serves his sentence behind bars,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue working tirelessly to eliminate MS-13 and the threat this transnational criminal enterprise presents to our community.”
“After ten years, justice has been served. In 2014, Edwin Amaya-Sanchez, a MS-13 gang member, meticulously planned the calculated murder of Jose Lainez-Murcia based upon unverified assumptions of his involvement in the deaths of former MS-13 affiliates. Today’s sentencing affirms the FBI’s relentless commitment to eradicating the presence of violent gangs in our neighborhoods,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Curtis.
“Edwin Amaya-Sanchez's calculated actions to seek out the victim at his home are proof that he would stop at nothing to carry out his crimes,” Suffolk County Police Acting Commissioner Robert Waring said. “This sentencing sends a message that the Suffolk County Police Department and its law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to combat violent criminal enterprises and bring justice to the victims and their families.”
As set forth in the government’s sentencing memorandum, prior court filings and statements during the sentencing, Amaya-Sanchez and other MS-13 members orchestrated the murder of Lainez-Murcia because they suspected that Lainez-Murcia was an assassin who had killed MS-13 members in El Salvador. Amaya-Sanchez knew where Lainez-Murcia lived, what car he drove, and what time he left for work in the morning, because they previously worked together. In the early morning hours of July 14, 2014, Amaya-Sanchez drove two other MS-13 members, each of whom was armed with a 9mm handgun, to Lainez-Murcia’s neighborhood and dropped them off. When Lainez-Murcia left the house and entered his car, the MS-13 members approached and fired multiple times with the 9mm handguns, killing him. The two MS-13 members ran down the block where Amaya-Sanchez picked them up and drove away.
Amaya-Sanchez, an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, who previously was deported from the United States and illegally returned, was initially arrested on September 21, 2015, in connection with federal immigration charges. During today’s hearing, Judge Brown also sentenced the defendant to time served following his guilty plea to the immigration charge in April 2016. Upon completion of the 292-month sentence, the defendant faces deportation from the United States.
Today’s sentencing is the latest achievement in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13, a violent, transnational criminal organization. The MS-13’s leadership is based in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States. With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the most violent criminal organization on Long Island. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 70 murders in the Eastern District of New York, resulting in the convictions of dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers of the FBI, SCPD, Nassau County Police Department, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Probation Office, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Hempstead Police Department, the Rockville Centre Police Department and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys John J. Durham, Paul G. Scotti, Justina L. Geraci and Megan E. Farrell are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
Edwin Amaya-Sanchez (also known as “Strong”)
Age: 36
Brentwood, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-CR-403 (JFB)
Justice Department Meets with International Partners to Enhance Cooperation to Counter Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent ExtremismRead the Press Release
Racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism (REMVE) is a serious global threat. REMVE attacks and transnational linkages are increasing, and new threats are emerging posed by technological changes and Russia-linked actors developing and spreading false narratives on REMVE in Ukraine. The international community has developed strong coordination and cooperation over the last 20 years to counter terrorist groups and networks, such as al-Qa’ida and ISIS. There is not yet the same type of routine information sharing for REMVE threats.
To address this gap in international cooperation, the Justice Department’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) and U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism (State CT) co-hosted the third annual meeting of the Counterterrorism Law Enforcement Forum (CTLEF) in The Hague on July 10 and 11. The CTLEF gathered law enforcement, prosecutors, and other criminal justice practitioners from around the world to discuss how to effectively address and counter REMVE threats. The CTLEF increased the participants’ shared understanding of REMVE global activity, including the overlap between anti-government and conspiracy theorist movements. This meeting, which builds on the conversations that participants had in the first two forums in Berlin and Oslo in 2022 and 2023, respectively, reflects the type of cooperation that will be needed in the coming years as REMVE threats continue to build their transnational ties. The CTLEF continues to serve as a locale to begin building lines of communication between like-minded law enforcement and other partners and practitioners around the world who are working on combating REMVE.
Assistant Attorney General (AAG) Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division delivered opening remarks, along with U.S. Deputy Coordinator for Counterterrorism Ian Moss. AAG Olsen discussed the Justice Department’s efforts to combat heightened threats from domestic violent extremists, including those who cite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East as inspiration in targeting Jewish and Muslim Americans. AAG Olsen also highlighted the importance of international law enforcement cooperation to confront the increased transnational connections among REMVE actors, many of whom spread their violent ideologies across borders, including through their use of social media and online gaming platforms.
OPDAT Director Faye Ehrenstamm, along with Deputy Director for Counterterrorism Jill Rose, delivered closing remarks after both days of the CTLEF. Director Ehrenstamm noted the importance of international cooperation to combat the REMVE threat, especially considering new threats from rapid technological changes and Russia-linked false REMVE narratives in Ukraine.
Participants came from numerous like-minded countries in Europe, North and South America, the Pacific Rim (Australia and New Zealand), and South Africa, as well as specialists from Europol, INTERPOL, the European Union, Global Counterterrorism Forum, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law, and other multilateral organizations.
For more information about OPDAT’s capacity building efforts around the world, visit www.justice.gov/criminal-opdat.
Jury Convicts Two Executives in Longstanding Antitrust Conspiracy to Fix Prices, Rig Bids and Allocate Markets for ConcreteRead the Press Release
A jury convicted Gregory and David Melton yesterday in the U.S. District Court in Savannah, Georgia, for their role in a conspiracy to fix prices, rig bids and allocate markets for sales of ready-mix concrete in Georgia and South Carolina. The conspiracy, which began as early as 2010 and continued until about July 2016, involved coordinating price-increase letters to customers, allocating specific jobs in the coastal Georgia area and submitting bids to customers at collusive and noncompetitive prices.
Including yesterday’s verdicts, this investigation resulted in five criminal convictions and one deferred prosecution agreement. Defendants James Pedrick, Timothy Strickland and Strickland’s company, Evans LLC, previously pleaded guilty as a part of the same conspiracy. Pedrick’s former employer, Argos USA LLC, previously entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Antitrust Division, admitted to its participation in the conspiracy and agreed to pay a $20 million criminal penalty.
“Concrete is essential to our nation’s infrastructure,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Today’s guilty verdicts reflect the Antitrust Division’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for cheating American consumers out of the opportunity to purchase necessary building materials free of corruption and collusion. The division and its law enforcement partners will continue to prioritize their work prosecuting individuals responsible for this illegal and unethical conduct.”
“Customers expect to receive fair value for construction materials – not to enrich unscrupulous vendors who collude to unfairly increase their profits,” said U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg for the Southern District of Georgia. “This verdict makes it clear that our office and law enforcement partners will hold accountable those who violate the law to pad their bottom line.”
“Today’s verdict shows the determination of the FBI and our partners to hold accountable those who interfere with a free marketplace for consumers,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “The public should expect an open and fair market, free from corruption and collusion, with the ability to purchase essential building materials."
“Bid rigging and fraud schemes are serious criminal actions that adversely impact the competitive contracting marketplace,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Harris of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT OIG), Southern Region. “Today’s conviction should serve to deter individuals and companies from engaging in deceptive practices that violate federal regulations and the public’s trust.”
“The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, along with our other federal law enforcement partners, secured a victory with today’s guilty verdict in our fight against bid-rigging and collusion,” said Executive Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cleevely of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Office of Inspector General (OIG). “The USPS OIG will vigorously investigate those who would engage in harmful anticompetitive practices, and we continue to ask for the public’s assistance in identifying and reporting those engaged in this type of activity.”
Violating the Sherman Act, which is a federal criminal antitrust statute, is a felony. The maximum penalty for individuals convicted of violating the Sherman Act is 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office, DOT OIG and USPS OIG investigated the case.
Attorneys Patrick S. Brown and Julia M. Maloney of the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Greg Gilluly Jr. for the Southern District of Georgia prosecuted the case, with valuable assistance from Senior Litigation Counsel Gary Bell, Assistant Chief Megan Lewis and Trial Attorney Daniel A. Loveland of the Antitrust Division.
In November 2019, the Justice Department created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government – federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
Joint Communique from the 2024 U.S.-Canada Cross Border Crime Forum (CBCF)Read the Press Release
The United States and Canada have a longstanding and enduring security, law enforcement, and intelligence partnership that is centered on protecting public safety, consistent with rights protected by law. Yesterday, to advance our shared goals, U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas hosted Canada’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Arif Virani, and Canada’s Minister of Public Safety, Dominic LeBlanc, in Washington, D.C., for the U.S.-Canada Cross Border Crime Forum (CBCF). This meeting is the third CBCF since it was reestablished by President Biden’s and Prime Minister Trudeau’s 2021 “Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership.”
Building on the success of previous CBCF meetings, including the “Statement of Partnership to Prevent, Investigate, Prosecute, and Disrupt Cross-Border Crime,” which was signed at last year’s meeting, the four U.S. and Canadian officials (“the Ministers”) discussed ways to enhance collaboration in the following areas:
Foreign Interference/National Security
The Ministers acknowledged the threat from hostile foreign actors, including in the context of electoral interference. Malign actors may seek to influence outcomes and undermine public confidence in elections in many ways. They may deploy efforts to subvert democratic processes, such as engaging in cyber-attacks and other interference activities against election campaigns and election infrastructure to disrupt election processes. They may seek to influence elections, including by covertly exploiting and fueling divisions within society; and this, in turn, may also help fuel coercive activity and harassment, and threats of violence toward voters, candidates, and election personnel. Both the United States and Canada agreed that fair and secure elections are cornerstones of democracy and emphasized the need to work together to combat any threats that seek to undermine it.
Malign foreign actors also have demonstrated an intent and willingness to use insiders, computer intrusion, or other means to steal trade secrets and sensitive technologies. This global problem requires a global response, and the United States and Canada will continue to investigate and, where appropriate, prosecute espionage that threatens our economies and export control violations. In this vein, the Ministers agreed on the need to preserve the cross-border flow of data between allies and partners that is critical to our economic well-being, while maintaining the security of sensitive personal data.
The Ministers similarly reaffirmed their united front in protecting our democracies and the democratic process. A key tool in combating the threat of transnational repression, as well as malign foreign influence and interference generally, is transparency through foreign agent registries; the United States discussed the use of its Foreign Agents Registration Act and related statutes, while Canada highlighted its newly passed legislation in this area, Bill C-70, “An Act respecting countering foreign interference,” which will establish a Foreign Influence Transparency Registry and update criminal law tools to better safeguard democracy. These efforts, along with investigations and prosecutions of transnational repression-related cases, will further enhance the ability of the United States and Canada to protect those living within our borders.
Law Enforcement Cooperation and Information Sharing
The United States and Canada continue to combat the devastation caused by fentanyl and synthetic opioids by working together at disrupting the illicit supply chain, to include production and distribution and the importation of illicit precursor chemicals from China and elsewhere. Similarly, the violence wrought by firearms smuggled across the U.S.-Canada border requires continued efforts to target those responsible, including shippers and receivers, by seizing illicit firearms and tracing their origins.
Key in all these counter opioid and firearm efforts is enhanced information sharing between U.S. and Canadian law enforcement agencies, which has already led to successful operations. The Ministers applauded the advances in cooperation between U.S. and Canadian law enforcement since the last CBCF and underscored the need to build on and further operationalize prior Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs). The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to provide clear policy direction and training to ensure that institutional policies and practices maximize information sharing within the context of each other’s laws and regulations, and in accordance with recent MOUs. They plan to continue to work together to improve the operationalization and systemization of intelligence and law enforcement sharing at the border, with the goals of supporting interdictions and investigations, countering transnational organized crime, continuing to build the global coalition against synthetic drug threats, and disrupting the synthetic opioid and firearm supply chains.
In the context of enhancing information sharing, the Ministers also discussed the challenges associated with cross-border human smuggling that is occurring in both directions, and challenges in related investigations. Accordingly, the Ministers called on their officials to continue strengthening ways to gather and share information for the detection and investigation of organized crime groups and networks that target vulnerable people and engage in human smuggling. They also tasked officials to review information sharing case studies of border incidents and identify opportunities to further improve intelligence sharing, detection, and interdiction, in order to disrupt cross-border smuggling and investigate and hold accountable those involved.
With respect to law enforcement cooperation and information sharing at the border, the Ministers also considered their respective country’s approach to providing advance notification of sex offender travel, which remains a key tool in making informed admission decisions. Both countries will seek to maximize the sharing of sex offender travel notifications, in the interest of ensuring public safety.
Online Crime and Hate Crimes
The Ministers began their discussion of online crime by acknowledging the need to maintain tightly controlled lawful access to communications content that is vital to the investigation and prosecution of serious crimes, including terrorism and online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
The Ministers then turned to collective efforts to address the increasing prevalence of online child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The Ministers noted the increase in both countries of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated CSAM and the need for international engagement to combat this threat, to include law enforcement, non-governmental organizations, the technology industry, and others.
With respect to AI more generally, the Ministers acknowledged the benefits and risks posed by AI technology. Moreover, the Ministers recognized that AI crosses over multiple government equities, including criminal law, civil rights, and antitrust law, and recommended that this continue to be a focus of study by the CBCF.
The need for strategic and coordinated engagement between and among international partners was also discussed in the context of elder fraud and romance scams. The Ministers discussed avenues available to collectively identify and disrupt such schemes to prevent further victimization.
The United States and Canada also acknowledged the ways in which hate crimes erode communities. The Ministers noted with concern the increased number of attacks motivated by anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of bias on both sides of the border and pledged to work together to address this issue.
The Ministers also welcomed the outcomes of the strengthened collaboration between their respective Access to Justice Offices over the past year, including on strategies to overcome systemic inequality and discrimination, as part of efforts to increase access to – and strengthen confidence in – the justice system.
Conclusion
The Ministers plan to continue their close contact on all these critical issues, both in the context of the CBCF, and in other bilateral exchanges. They reiterated the strength, success, and depth of the security and law enforcement relationships along the U.S.-Canada border and the need to remain aligned.
Contacts
Jean-Sébastien Comeau
Deputy Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc
Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
343-574-8116
Media Relations
Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657
Chantalle Aubertin
Deputy Director, Communications
Office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
613-992-6568
Media Relations
Department of Justice Canada
613-957-4207
Nicole Navas Oxman
Senior Communications Advisor for International Law Enforcement/Spokesperson
U.S. Department of Justice
202-305-5625
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Office of Public Affairs
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared recently before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on July 11 was:
Kaitlyn Beth Cochran, 33, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Cochran faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Cochran was detained pending further proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations, the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Billings Police Department and Bozeman Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 24-68.
Shanley Leonard Bighorn, 39, a transient, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bighorn faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Bighorn was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-49.
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on July 1 was:
Owen David James, 50, of Dillon, on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, James faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug charges and a mandatory minimum of five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other crime, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm charge. James was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Montana Highway Patrol. Beaverhead County Sheriff’s Office, Butte Silver Bow Law Enforcement and Idaho State Police investigated the case. PACER case reference. 24-19.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Indian River County Drug Dealer Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On July 11, Keyon Lewis, 27, of Indian River County, Fla., was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison, to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl resulting in death.
According to the court record, on Nov. 5, 2021, Lewis distributed fentanyl to a man in the parking lot of a restaurant in Vero Beach, Fla.. The next day, the man’s wife found him dead on the kitchen floor of their residence. After law enforcement discovered the victim’s body, they used the victim’s cellphone to order more fentanyl from Lewis, unbeknownst to Lewis that law enforcement was posing as the victim. On Nov. 7, 2021, Lewis showed up at the victim’s residence with more fentanyl, at which point he was arrested by deputies with the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office (IRCSO).
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, and IRCSO Sheriff Eric Flowers made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon in Fort Pierce, Fla. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter.
According to the DEA’s National Drug Threat Assessment, synthetic drugs, such as fentanyl, are poisoning our nation. Fentanyl has proven to be a deadly poison that does not discriminate. Its victims include every gender, race, age, and economic background, and its debilitating effects are the same across all demographics. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Even in small doses, fentanyl can be deadly. Just one fentanyl pill can kill, as noted in DEA’s One Pill Can Kill campaign. As little as two milligrams, about the size of 5 grains of salt, can be fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths. Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The State of Florida has also seen an exponential increase in overdoses associated with fentanyl. In 2022, more than 5,622 people died from overdoses involving fentanyl and fentanyl analogs in Florida.
For more information visit: https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/MEC/Publications-and-Forms/Documents/Drugs-in-Deceased-Persons/2022-Annual-Drug-Report-FINAL-(1).aspx; https://www.cdc.gov/opioids/basics/fentanyl.html#; and https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/fentanyl.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-CR-14030.
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Illegal Possession of Fentanyl and Firearms Results in Federal Prison for Three MenRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Three South Louisiana men were sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. in separate cases involving illegal possession of firearms and narcotics, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown.
Duane Khristopher Huntsberry, 36, of Lake Charles, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, on firearms charges. On May 3, 2021, an anonymous citizen’s complaint was received alleging drug activity at a local apartment in the Lake Charles area. Deputies with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office went to the apartment and were approached by Huntsberry, who advised them that he lived at the apartment, but it was in his girlfriend’s name. When deputies informed him of the reason for their visit, Huntsberry advised that there was a firearm inside the apartment and admitted that he was currently on parole. Deputies subsequently asked the girlfriend for consent to search the residence, but she declined. A search warrant was obtained to search the residence and upon entry of the apartment, officers found and seized a Troy AR style pistol with a loaded magazine, as well as four boxes of ammunition in the master bedroom. Law enforcement agents determined that Huntsberry has numerous felony convictions, including illegal possession of a stolen firearm, possession of controlled substances, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and pleaded guilty to the charge on March 11, 2024.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog.
Kirk Wayne August, 46, of Lake Charles, was sentenced to 63 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On May 14, 2022, Lake Charles Police Department officers responded to a complaint of gunshots fired in an area near N. Lyons Street in Lake Charles. Officers spoke to a citizen who informed them that they had observed August in his backyard holding a firearm. When officers approached August and questioned him about the incident, he denied possessing any firearm. Officers were able to obtain a search warrant for August’s residence and upon execution of the warrant, found and seized a Henry .22 caliber rifle and a Savage .410 shotgun. August was charged and pleaded guilty on March 28, 2024, and admitted to possessing the firearm despite knowing he was prohibited from doing so. August has a prior felony conviction for simple burglary from 2022.
This case was investigated by ATF and Lake Charles Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig R. Bordelon.
Brandon Alfred, 33, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 46 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In April 2021, detectives with the Anti-Drug Task Force based in Calcasieu Parish began an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Alfred. On April 14, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted mobile surveillance of the vehicle Alfred was driving and conducted a traffic stop. When officers made contact with Alfred, they detected the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Alfred admitted that he had a bag of marijuana in his pants pocket and the officer retrieved approximately 4 grams from Alfred’s person. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a tan compressed substance wrapped in plastic in the driver’s side door where Alfred had been sitting. The substance was sent to the crime laboratory for testing, and it was confirmed to be a mixture containing tramadol, heroin, and fentanyl and weighed approximately 236 grams. Alfred was charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances containing fentanyl and pleaded guilty on February 26, 2024.
This case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security Investigations and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel J. Vermaelen.
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I-295 Drive-By Murder Defendant Gets More Than 35 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Oscar Ramos, 34, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 39.5 years in prison for first degree murder while armed and assault with intent to kill while armed for the May 28, 2015 shooting that killed one many and injured another, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
A jury found Ramos guilty in April of killing 50-year old Pedro Melendez Alvarado and wounding 56-year old Miguel A. Rodriguez Carabantes. The two men, both of Alexandria, Virginia, were driving to work together when Ramos shot them from his car on I-295. Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan ordered Ramos to serve 360 months in prison for the first-degree murder conviction and 114 months in prison for assault with intent to kill.
According to the government’s evidence, Ramos, who is a member of MS-13, was one of three men in a car that was driving on I-295 NB, in Southwest, D.C., near exit 1, when the car he was in pulled alongside the victims’ car. Two men in the defendant’s car then opened fire on Mr. Alvarado’s car, striking the victims, and then pulled away.
The defendant was charged in 2021 after evidence was developed identifying him as having plotted to kill Mr. Alvarado. The defendant and Mr. Alvarado are both from El Salvador. The defendant believed Mr. Alvarado was somehow involved in the death of the defendant’s father, years earlier, in El Salvador.
U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from MPD, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Department of Justice Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. Field Office, the Prince George’s County (Md.) Police Department, the Montgomery County (Md.) Police Department, the Chelsea, Massachusetts Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County (Md.) Fire Department. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Liebman and Jacqueline Yarbro who prosecuted the case at trial.
Guatemalan Man Previously Deported Three Times Sentenced to Seven Months in Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Guatemalan man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Genaro Romero-Romos, 34, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge William G. Young to seven months in prison and one year of supervised release. He will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In April 2024, Romero-Romos pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry.
Romero-Romos is a citizen of Guatemala who had been deported from the United States on three prior occasions and served two prior sentences for immigration offenses. In November 2023, Romero-Romos was arrested for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Immigration and Customs Enforcement became aware of Romero-Romos’ unlawful presence in the United States following this arrest.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Georgia Woman Sentenced to Nine Months in Prison for Role in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Georgia woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for her involvement in trafficking cocaine and cocaine base as part of a larger drug trafficking conspiracy.
Tatiana Morrissey, 39, of Atlanta, Ga., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to nine months in prison and three years of supervised release. On Feb. 12, 2024, Morrissey pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. Morrissey was charged with 24 others in June 2020 as part of Operation Snowfall.
Beginning in November 2018, an investigation began into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) for which Kenji Drayton was a principal drug supplier. The DTO was comprised of Boston-based street gang members and associates in the Commonwealth Development in Brighton, formerly known as Fidelis Way, a multi-apartment public housing development. It is alleged that the DTO assumed control over multiple apartments, where they stored, cooked, packaged and sold drugs – most of which was cocaine or cocaine base, which the DTO supplied to customers, wholesalers and distributors. As a result, the DTO caused a blight of the development and reduced the quality of life of the other residents.
It is alleged that the DTO continued to distribute cocaine and cocaine base throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown. In 2019, Drayton ordered drugs from an alleged high-level drug supplier and co-conspirator Derek Hart. Hart allegedly put Drayton in touch with Morrissey, who delivered a kilogram of cocaine to Drayton on or about July 27, 2019. Morrissey delivered smaller quantities of cocaine or cocaine base, including between 14 grams of cocaine base and up to 125 grams of cocaine, on multiple other occasions in July and August 2019. Morrissey also collected drug proceeds from Drayton, accepted a drug order from Drayton, stored drugs at her residence.
Morrissey is the 23rd defendant to be sentenced in this case. The remaining defendant, Derek Hart, remains at large.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Brian Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Braintree, Cambridge, Canton, Randolph and Weymouth Police Departments; the Suffolk, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorneys’ Offices; and the Suffolk, Plymouth and Norfolk County Sheriffs’ Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell and Timothy E. Moran of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit 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.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Franklinton Mail Contractor Indicted for Forged Check Scam and Mail TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that RACHEL WATTS SANDERS (“WATTS SANDERS”), age 39, of Loranger, Louisiana, was indicted on July 11, 2024, for bank fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344(2), and mail theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1708.
According to the indictment, WATTS SANDERS stole over forty checks from the mail, forged endorsements on the stolen checks, and deposited them into her own bank account.
If convicted, WATTS SANDERS faces a maximum penalty of thirty (30) years of imprisonment, up to five (5) years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for bank fraud; and a maximum penalty of five (5) years of imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.00 for the theft of mail. WATTS SANDERS also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Christine Calogero of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Former Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Pleads Guilty to Smuggling ContrabandRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad announced that on July 12, 2024, Johanna Grace (age: 34) plead guilty to providing marijuana and a cellular telephone to an inmate of the Waukesha County Jail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2(a), 1791(a)(1), 1791(b)(3), and 1791(b)(4).
Publicly filed documents reflect that when Grace committed this offense, she was serving as a Lieutenant with the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office. She coordinated with associates outside the Waukesha County Jail to bring contraband inside the facility, and when she realized her crime would be discovered, Grace shared internal law enforcement reports with those same associates. Grace has acknowledged that as part of her offense of conviction, she obstructed justice.
Grace faces a statutory maximum of five years’ imprisonment. Sentencing is set for October 9, 2024, before United States District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller.
This matter was investigated by the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine Halopka-Ivery and Kevin Knight.
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Former Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Pleads Guilty to Smuggling ContrabandRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad announced that on July 12, 2024, Johanna Grace (age: 34) plead guilty to providing marijuana and a cellular telephone to an inmate of the Waukesha County Jail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2(a), 1791(a)(1), 1791(b)(3), and 1791(b)(4).
Publicly filed documents reflect that when Grace committed this offense, she was serving as a Lieutenant with the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office. She coordinated with associates outside the Waukesha County Jail to bring contraband inside the facility, and when she realized her crime would be discovered, Grace shared internal law enforcement reports with those same associates. Grace has acknowledged that as part of her offense of conviction, she obstructed justice.
Grace faces a statutory maximum of five years’ imprisonment. Sentencing is set for October 9, 2024, before United States District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller.
This matter was investigated by the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine Halopka-Ivery and Kevin Knight.
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Former Owner of Oklahoma Oil and Gas Services Provider Charged with Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Indictment Alleges More Than $2,000,000 Worth of Losses for Bank
OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, a federal grand jury indictment was unsealed charging RYAN BLOOM, 34, of Oklahoma City, with bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
Between February and September 2023, Bloom was owner and manager of Pathfinder HDD, LLC, which provided boring and drilling related services to oil and gas and public utility companies, and constructed fiber optic communications lines for telecommunications companies. Pathfinder had a bank account with Valliance Bank during this time. According to the Indictment, in February 2023, Bloom executed an agreement with Valliance, in which Pathfinder was provided a line of credit from the bank secured by its accounts receivable. It is alleged that Bloom regularly submitted to Valliance invoices and other information regarding what he represented to be Pathfinder’s valid accounts receivable when, in truth, most of the invoices were false and fraudulent. It is further alleged that Valliance relied on Bloom’s false representations and purchased nearly $3,000,000 of Pathfinder’s purported accounts receivable. Then, in August 2023, Pathfinder declared bankruptcy. After the bankruptcy was filed, the Indictment alleges Valliance learned that at least $2,300,000 worth of purported accounts receivable were fraudulent.
If found guilty, Bloom faces up to 30 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The public is reminded this charge is merely an allegation, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney D.H. Dilbeck is prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Former Hospitality Executive Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Multiple Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Geoffrey Palermo, a former hospitality executive who went on to operate numerous auto repair shops in the Bay Area, was sentenced to 65 months in prison, following his conviction on wire fraud, failing to pay over taxes, and other charges, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Robbins, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp, and IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley of the Oakland Field Office. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable James Donato, U.S. District Judge.
Palermo, 60, of Novato, Calif., pleaded guilty on March 11, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349; two counts of honest services wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 1346; one count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343; one count of making a false statement to a bank, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1014; and one count of willful failure to collect or pay over tax, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7202. He had been charged in a Second Superseding Indictment in October 2021 with these charges.
During the relevant time, 2008 through 2016, Palermo was working as the manager of the Hilton hotel located in downtown San Francisco. During this timeframe, Palermo had authority to enter into contracts, choose contractors, and otherwise manage construction and capital improvement projects at the hotel.
According to his plea agreement, Palermo admitted he devised a kickback scheme involving contractors to deprive the Hilton hotel’s owners of more than $1.8 million in kickbacks that went to Palermo. As part of the scheme, Palermo agreed with one contractor, Adan Roldan, 56, of Roseville, Calif., that Roldan would submit falsely inflated invoices for construction and renovation work at the hotel, that Palermo would approve the false invoices, and that Roldan and the second contractor would pay a kickback to Palermo associated with the falsely inflated invoices. From 2013 through 2016, as a result of this scheme, Palermo approved—and the hotel’s owners paid—over $6.4 million to A. Roldan Construction based on invoices submitted by Roldan’s construction company. In exchange, Roldan paid more than $1.6 million in kickbacks to Palermo. Additionally, in 2014 and 2015, Palermo approved—and the hotel’s owners paid—over $2 million to a second contractor based on falsely inflated invoices submitted by that contractor, and the contractor paid Palermo over $300,000 in kickbacks. In exchange for kickbacks, Palermo continued to hire Roldan and the second contractor to do work at the Hilton.
According to Palermo’s plea agreement, after leaving his job as a manager at the Hilton San Francisco in 2016, Palermo managed GMP Cars, LLC, a collision and auto repair business he owned and controlled. Beginning in approximately August 2019 and continuing through December 2019, Palermo devised and participated in a scheme to obtain approximately $5 million in Small Business Administration (SBA) loans for GMP Cars from a commercial lender by making false statements and omissions in loan applications. Specifically, when applying for SBA loans, GMP Cars failed to disclose that its business banking account was overdrawn by more than $700,000, presented false bank statements showing inflated cash balances, submitted an incomplete debt schedule, submitted false financial statements showing inflated revenue, and presented falsified documents relating to an acquisition.
Furthermore, according to the plea agreement, on April 3, 2020, Palermo caused GMP Cars to make false statements in its application for a Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan. Specifically, Palermo caused GMP Cars to falsely certify on its loan application that it had employees for whom it paid salaries and payroll taxes, and Palermo caused GMP Cars to submit a purported payroll summary showing that payroll taxes were being accrued and paid when in fact Palermo had caused GMP Cars to not pay payroll taxes.
Also as part of his plea agreement, Palermo admitted that as the owner and manager of GMP Cars he had a duty to collect, account for, and pay over employee federal income tax, Social Security tax, and Medicare tax. Palermo admitted that in 2018 he caused GMP Cars to withhold federal income tax, Social Security tax, and Medicare tax totaling more than $1 million. Palermo willfully caused GMP Cars to fail to pay over to the IRS more than $1 million in federal taxes withheld from employee paychecks owed to the IRS for 2018.
A federal grand jury issued a second superseding indictment against Palermo and Roldan on October 5, 2021. Palermo and Roldan were charged with one count of wire fraud conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349. Palermo was charged with two counts of wire fraud and honest services wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 1346; one count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343; one count of making a false statement to a bank, in violation of 18 U.S.C § 1014; and four counts of failure to collect or pay over taxes due and owed, in violation of 26 U.S.C § 7202. At Palermo’s sentencing, the three outstanding tax counts were dismissed pursuant to the plea agreement between Palermo and the United States, and the related case, United States v. Palermo, Case No. 21-cr-187 JD, was also dismissed.
Palermo has been detained since June 27, 2023.
In addition to the 65-month sentence, Judge Donato ordered Palermo to serve three years of supervised release, which will begin after he leaves prison. Judge Donato scheduled a hearing for August 19, 2024, to determine issues regarding restitution and forfeiture.
On March 11, 2024, Roland pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 12, 2024.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christiaan Highsmith and Noah Stern are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Aarian Beti. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-CI.
Former Georgia Insurance Commissioner Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - John Oxendine, the former Georgia Insurance Commissioner, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud in connection with unnecessary lab testing.
“Oxendine abused his position as the former Georgia Insurance Commissioner by undermining the integrity of the state’s healthcare system when he conspired with a physician to order hundreds of unnecessary and costly lab tests,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “This case demonstrates our office’s commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to hold individuals accountable who prioritize personal greed at the expense of the public’s trust.”
“John Oxendine was motivated more by personal greed than his duty to patients and the citizens of Georgia whom he used to represent,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Not only did the former state insurance commissioner line his pockets off the unnecessary tests, but he also directed another to lie to federal agents to try and cover up the fraud. The FBI will continue to investigate healthcare fraud to ensure those who abuse the system are brought to justice.”
“The sentence imposed today reaffirms our commitment to protecting the integrity of our nation’s health insurance programs from those who illegally profit through fraudulent activities,” said Tamala E. Miles of the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to work closely with our federal law enforcement partners to bring bad actors who defraud our programs to justice.”
“Today’s sentencing should serve as a strong deterrent to those in positions of power who seek to exploit and defraud TRICARE, the military’s healthcare system relied on by our service members, retirees, and their families,” said Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones, Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “DCIS and our law enforcement partners will aggressively investigate allegations of healthcare fraud that put DoD personnel and their families at risk.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: John Oxendine conspired with Dr. Jeffrey Gallups and others to submit fraudulent insurance claims for medically unnecessary Pharmacogenetic, Molecular Genetic, and Toxicology testing. Physicians associated with Dr. Gallups’ ENT practice were pressured to order these medically unnecessary tests from Next Health, a lab in Texas. As part of Oxendine’s healthcare fraud scheme, Next Health agreed to pay Oxendine and Dr. Gallups a kickback of 50 percent of the net profit for eligible specimens submitted by Dr. Gallups’ practice to the lab company.
In connection with the scheme, Oxendine gave a presentation at the Ritz Carlton in Buckhead, Georgia where he pressured doctors in Dr. Gallups’ practice to order the unnecessary tests. Next Health later submitted insurance claims seeking more than $3 million in payments from private health insurers for the unnecessary tests. The insurance companies paid more than $750,000 to Next Health because of these fraudulent claims. Next Health then paid $260,000 in kickbacks to Oxendine and Dr. Gallups. Some patients were also charged for the tests, receiving bills of up to $18,000.
To conceal the kickback payments, Oxendine and Dr. Gallups arranged for the payments to be made from Next Health to Oxendine Insurance Services, Oxendine’s insurance consulting business. Oxendine used a portion of the kickback money to pay a $150,000 charitable contribution and $70,000 in attorney’s fees for Dr. Gallups.
When a compliance officer at Dr. Gallups’ practice raised concerns about the kickbacks, Oxendine told Dr. Gallups to lie and say the payments were loans. He also directed Dr. Gallups to repeat the lie after he was questioned by federal agents about Next Health. When Oxendine was interviewed about Next Health by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in connection with a private lawsuit, he falsely denied working with the lab company or receiving money from the business.John W. Oxendine, 62, of Port St. Joe, Florida, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones to three years, six months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $760,175.34, and a $25,000 fine. Oxendine was convicted on these charges on March 22, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
This case is related to United States v. Gallups, criminal no. 1:21-cr-00370-SCJ, in which Dr. Jeffrey Gallups pleaded guilty to health care fraud and was sentenced to 33 months in prison.This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, and Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Huber and David A. O’Neal prosecuted the case.
A video statement by U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan can be found here.
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.
Former Chief Financial Officer of Chicago Hospital Among Three Defendants Charged in Alleged $15 Million Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The former Chief Financial Officer of a Chicago hospital schemed with a colleague and the owner of a medical supply company to embezzle more than $15 million in hospital funds, according to a superseding indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
As the hospital’s CFO, ANOSH AHMED was responsible for managing the hospital’s finances, including its Finance, Accounting, and Accounts Payable departments. From 2018 to 2022, Ahmed schemed with the hospital’s Chief Transformation Officer, HEATHER BERGDAHL, and the medical supply company owner, SAMEER SUHAIL, to cause the hospital to issue payments to vendor companies for purported goods and services that the defendants knew had not been provided, the indictment states. Many of the purported vendor companies were created by Suhail and Ahmed under various names to conceal their association with the fraudulent payments, the indictment states. Bergdahl opened bank accounts in the names of two legitimate hospital vendors and caused the hospital to deposit fraudulent payments into those accounts, the indictment states.
In an effort to conceal the scheme, Ahmed, Bergdahl, and Suhail allegedly created fictitious invoices, payment requests, delivery receipts, and other false documents about goods and services purportedly provided to the hospital. As a result of the scheme, the defendants caused the hospital to pay more than $15 million into bank accounts that they controlled, the indictment states.
The superseding indictment was returned on Thursday. It charges Ahmed, 40, of Houston, Texas, with eight counts of wire fraud, four counts of embezzlement, eleven counts of aiding and abetting embezzlement, and three counts of money laundering. Bergdahl, 37, of Houston, Texas, is charged with 14 counts of wire fraud, 21 counts of embezzlement, and one count of money laundering. Suhail, 47, of Chicago, is charged with six counts of wire fraud, six counts of aiding and abetting embezzlement, and two counts of money laundering. Arraignments in federal court in Chicago have not yet been scheduled.
The superseding indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Mario Pinto, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and Jason Bushey, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sheri H. Mecklenburg and Kelly L. Guzman. The officials noted that the investigation remains ongoing.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Ahmed et al superseding indictmentFormer Boston Police Officer Sentenced for Overtime Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Boston Police officer was sentenced yesterday in connection with an investigation of overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department’s evidence warehouse.
Thomas Nee, 67, of Yarmouth, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to two years of supervised release. Nee was also ordered to pay a fine of $2,000, as well as $16,151 in restitution. In November 2021, Nee pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds.
From at least February 2015 through February 2018, Nee submitted false and fraudulent overtime slips for overtime shifts that he did not work at the evidence warehouse. The “purge” overtime was a 4 – 8 p.m. weekday shift intended to dispose of old, unneeded evidence. “Kiosk” overtime involved driving to each police district in Boston one Saturday a month to collect old prescription drugs to be burned.
For the “purge” shift, Nee claimed to have worked from 4 – 8 p.m., but he routinely left at 6 p.m., or earlier. For the “kiosk” shift, Nee submitted overtime slips claiming to have worked eight-and-one-half hours, when in fact he only worked three-to-four hours of those shifts.
Between February 2015 and February 2018, Nee personally collected approximately $16,151 for overtime hours he did not work.
Nee was one of 15 police officers charged in connection with committing overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department’s evidence warehouse, 10 of whom have been convicted either by guilty plea or jury verdict. Of the remaining officers charged, four were acquitted in April 2023 and one officer passed away while charges were pending. Nee is the fourth defendant to be sentenced in the case.
From 2015 through 2019, BPD received annual benefits from the U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Justice in excess of $10,000, which were funded pursuant to numerous federal grants.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Russell W. Cunningham, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Washington Field Office; and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Found Pryor Man Guilty of Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A jury deliberated less than two hours today prior to convicting Adam Joseph King, 35, of Pryor, for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 in Indian Country and Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor Under 12 in Indian Country. The minor victim is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation.
“Today, a jury held Adam King accountable for his abusive actions towards an innocent child,” U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson said. “This guilty verdict resulted because of the courage of the child victim and the collaborative work among local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, demonstrating a commitment to the Justice Department's Project Safe Childhood initiative.”
"A defenseless child suffered at the hands of Adam King. These cases are among the most difficult for the FBI, but they are also the most impactful,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Kaplan of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “Thanks to our partnership with the Catoosa Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, this depraved individual will now face justice for his terrible crimes.”
According to evidence presented at trial, from Nov. 2017 through Aug. 2021, King knowingly engaged in a sexual act with a minor under 12. In 2017, King rekindled a relationship with a former girlfriend with an eight-year-old daughter. Shortly after the girlfriend moved in with King, he began sexually abusing the child while her mother was at work.
During the trial, the child victim described the sexual abuse she received and reported the abuse to a school counselor. Experts further testified that the evidence collected from King’s bedroom matched the DNA of the child victim.
The investigation showed that King and his girlfriend, the mother of the victim, denied any wrongdoing by King. Once the investigation began, the minor victim was removed from the mother’s home and placed in the custody of her grandparents.
King will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
The FBI, the Catoosa Police Department, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria Luster and Matthew Cyran prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Federal Jury Convicts St. Croix Man on Production of Child Pornography and Second-Degree RapeRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that a federal jury convicted Dante James, 28, of St. Croix, on production of child pornography and second-degree rape charges. James awaits sentencing on a date to be set by District Judge Wilma Lewis. For his conviction, James faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years incarceration on the federal production of child pornography charge, and a maximum of 10 years incarceration on the local second-degree rape charge.
“Sexual abuse impacts our entire community and exposes its victims to a lifetime of trauma. It is particularly heinous when sexual predators exploit our young children. We remain committed to fully seeking justice for victims of child exploitation and sexual abuse by prosecuting sex offenders of the law in hopes of creating a safe community for our children”, said United States Attorney Delia L. Smith.
“The defendant’s sexual abuse was also an abuse of trust”, said Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge Eugene Thomas. As the victim’s former steel pan instructor, James abused her trust to be a role model and a leader. HSI will continue to work with the Virgin Islands Police Department to ensure that predators who prey on minors in our community are convicted of their crimes.”
According to evidence presented at trial, between January 1, 2021, and August 23, 2022, James engaged in sexual intercourse and other sexually explicit conduct with a 16-year-old minor. James produced a video recording of the sexual acts with the minor with the use of devices shipped in interstate and foreign commerce. The victim only learned of the recording after it was posted on social media, and immediately reported the incident to the Virgin Islands Police Department and provided them with a copy of the video.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Virgin Islands Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rhonda Williams-Henry and Everard Potter. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Eight Year Prison Term Handed Down in Connection with Teen Crime Spree That Ended in DeathRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Duron Hudson, 23, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 102 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter while armed in connection with the killing of a homeless man in Northwest D.C., in November 2019. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Hudson pleaded guilty on December 20, 2023, to involuntary manslaughter while armed, and other felony and misdemeanor charges arising from multiple incidents occurring primarily during a six-week period in 2019, including two others involving serious injuries to the victim. In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt ordered five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s case, on November 29, 2019, at approximately 3:00 a.m., Hudson and his girlfriend were seen arguing while standing near the intersection of 13th and U Street NW. Shortly thereafter Hudson walked across the street in the direction of the Lincoln Theater and approached the victim, Nahzil Zaid Abdul Rahim, a homeless man. After a short conversation, Mr. Rahim walked away from Hudson, in an attempt to distance himself from the defendant. Hudson then began chasing the victim, picked up rocks or a brick-like material and threw it with full force at Mr. Rahim. It missed hitting the victim but Hudson threw another brick which struck Mr. Rahim, who fell down in the street and hit his head on the pavement. While disoriented and lying barely conscious in the street, Mr. Rahim was struck by a car and died from multiple blunt force injuries. The driver of the striking vehicle left the scene.
Later the same day at approximately 2:30 p.m., Hudson robbed a female victim of her cell phone in the 1500 block of U Street Northwest. Hudson approached the victim, took her cell phone by force, and fled the scene. Mr. Hudson was also involved in incidents on December 9, 2019 and January 11, 2020, where he seriously injured the victims trying to take their property.
Hudson was initially arrested and detained on January 16, 2020, in connection with the cellphone robbery on December 9, 2019, and an attempt to steal a motorbike on June 26, 2019. Hudson was 18 years old when the first crime was committed. He was arrested on August 23, 2023, and charged with involuntary manslaughter while armed. He was on release at the time and has been detained since his re-arrest on the manslaughter charge.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from by the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney John Interrante.
Eight People, to Include Five Latin Kings, Charged with Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On July 11, the United States unsealed an indictment charging eight defendants, including five members of the Almighty Latin King gang (“Latin Kings”), with federal drug and firearm offenses.
The twenty-six count indictment charges Dayana Garcia, 34, Eduardo Monteagudo, 41, and Armando Rodriguez, Jr., 38, all of Miami, Fla., with conspiring with Bernardo Olvera, a/k/a “King Handsome,” 35, also of Miami, to distribute 500 or more grams of cocaine in Miami-Dade County.
According to allegations in the court record, to include previously filed criminal complaints, Olvera is a known member of the Latin Kings gang, as are codefendants Jerry Rodriguez, a/k/a “King Suave,” 30, of West Palm Beach, Fla., Blas Barrios, a/k/a “King Blasito,” 44, of Miami, Joshua De Paula, a/k/a “King Vision,” 28, of West Palm Beach, and Ricky Mourin, a/k/a “King Rick,” 33, of Naranja, Fla. Olvera, Rodriguez, Barrios, De Paula, and Mourin engaged in the illegal sale of narcotics and/or firearms on multiple occasions between January and June 2024. The indictment charges Olvera, Rodriguez, Barrios, De Paula, and Mourin with conspiring to distribute 500 or more grams of cocaine, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and 28 grams of cocaine base throughout South Florida.
Olvera, Rodriguez, Barrios, and De Paula also face federal charges for criminal conduct involving firearms. Olvera and Rodriguez, both convicted felons, are charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possessing a firearm after a felony conviction. Rodriguez, Barrios, and De Paula, were also charged with firearms trafficking and possessing firearms after felony convictions, with Rodriguez facing an additional charge for unlawfully transferring a machine gun.
Olvera, Rodriguez, Barrios, De Paula, and Mourin were taken into custody on June 27, at locations across South Florida. They each made their initial appearances in the Southern District of Florida on June 28. If convicted, Olvera, Rodriguez, Barrios, De Paula, and Mourin each face up to life in prison. They are all currently detained.
On July 11, Garcia and Monteagudo were taken into custody in Miami and had their initial appearances in the Southern District of Florida. Garcia and Monteagudo are currently detained. Rodriguez, Jr. is pending arrest. If convicted, Garcia, Rodriguez, Jr. and Monteagudo each face up to 40 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle of the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office; Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division; Director Stephanie V. Daniels of the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD); Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami; and U.S. Marshal Gadyaces S. Serralta of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) made the announcement.
ATF Miami Field Office, MDPD, HSI Miami and USMS Miami investigated the case and executed the arrest warrants. The Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s Office provided invaluable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica K. Castro is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Hyman is handling asset forfeiture.
An indictment and criminal complaint contain mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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.
ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) was used to ascertain historical information regarding firearms. NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This investigation was carried out by members of the South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force. The South Florida HIDTA, established in 1990, is made up of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies who, cooperatively, target the region’s drug-trafficking and money laundering organizations. The South Florida HIDTA is funded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which sponsors a variety of initiatives focused the nation’s illicit drug trafficking threats. For more information regarding HIDTA visit https://www.dea.gov/operations/hidta.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/ or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-20289.
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Douglas Man Who Burned Two Churches Convicted of Hate Crimes and ArsonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Yesterday, a federal jury in Tucson found Eric Ridenour, 58, of Douglas, guilty of all six arson and hate crimes counts, for the burning of two churches on May 22, 2023.
Ridenour burned down two churches in Douglas, Arizona: Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church and First Presbyterian Church. The churches were located on Church Square, a historic district in the border town of Douglas, approximately two hours southeast of Tucson. It is believed to have been the only intersection in the nation containing churches from four different denominations: Southern Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, and Methodist. Trial testimony established that Ridenour intentionally started the fires in both churches because of his hostility towards their practice of having women and members of the LGBTQ community serve in church leadership roles. Ridenour was arrested on May 23, 2023.
“Religious freedom is sacrosanct in America,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “Arson of a church is deplorable. Arson motivated by objections to the religious principles of a church’s congregation is worse. Many thanks to Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church and First Presbyterian Church, and their parishioners, for their collective courage in responding to this hate crime.”
A conviction for Arson of Property Used in Interstate Commerce carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison and maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A conviction for Obstruction of Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs by Fire carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A conviction for Using Fire to Commit Federal Felony carries a penalty of 10 years in prison. A second conviction for Using Fire to Commit Federal Felony carries a penalty of 20 years in prison.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 22, 2024, before United States District Court Judge Scott H. Rash.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Douglas Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Austin Fenwick, Ben Goldberg, and Adam Rossi, District of Arizona, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 23-00908-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-093_Ridenour# # #
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.Dominican National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that PABEL MIGUEL ACOSTA-COLON, 36, a citizen of the Dominican Republic last residing in Jersey City, New Jersey, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 22 months of imprisonment for distributing fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, a Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force investigation revealed that Acosta-Colon was trafficking fentanyl powder and pills. On June 21, 2023, investigators conducted a controlled purchase of approximately 100 grams of fentanyl powder and 100 fentanyl pills from Acosta-Colon in Stamford. Acosta-Colon was arrested on June 28, 2023, after investigators coordinated the purchase of more than 700 grams of fentanyl powder and pills from him.
On January 5, 2024, Acosta-Colon pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl.
Acosta-Colon, who is detained, faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term.
This matter was investigated by the DEA’s Bridgeport HIDTA Task Force with the assistance of the Stamford Police Department and Trumbull Police Department. The DEA’s Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie T. Levick.
Departments of Justice and Interior Host 2024 Tribal Justice, Safety and Wellness SummitRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and the Department of the Interior convened this year’s Tribal Justice, Safety, and Wellness Summit from July 9 – 11. The three-day virtual event featured several key presentations and panels on public safety issues taught by nationally recognized subject matter experts working in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Hundreds of federal, state, and Tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, advocates, court staff, victim/witness services staff, and Tribal leaders attended the Summit.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland provided opening remarks. He reiterated the Department’s commitment to working with Tribal partners to ensure that Tribal communities feel safe. He also discussed the Department’s efforts to address, with our federal and Tribal law enforcement partners, the public safety challenges that Tribes face, including the disproportionately high rates of violence experienced by American Indians and Alaska Natives, the crisis of missing or murdered Indigenous persons, and the devastating impact of human trafficking and drug trafficking.
“Public safety in Tribal communities is a core priority for this Department”, said Attorney General Garland. “And partnerships between federal and Tribal law enforcement are among our greatest tools to meet the many challenges that Tribes face.”
To address the crisis of missing or murdered Indigenous persons and to help families get the justice and answers they deserve, last year the Department created the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Regional Outreach Program, which places five attorneys and five coordinators in designated regions across the United States to aid in the prevention of and response to missing or murdered Indigenous persons.
Summit attendees participated in a variety of panels on public safety issues within four training tracks: resources, missing or murdered Indigenous persons (MMIP), criminal justice law enforcement and prosecution, and technology.
FBI Director Chris Wray also gave opening remarks at the Summit. “Protecting Native American communities has been a priority for the FBI since our organization was founded more than a century ago,” said Director Wray. “And we remain just as committed today as we were then to combatting criminal activity on Tribal land, supporting and protecting victims, and helping Indigenous communities heal and thrive.”
Director Wray also highlighted efforts to combat the unacceptably high levels of violence that Native Americans face. For example, the FBI added two more task forces over the past year as part of the FBI’s Safe Trails Task Forces initiative, which focuses on apprehending the most dangerous and violent criminal offenders in tribal communities. Wray also announced the surge of resources to tribal areas once again this summer for Operation Not Forgotten 2024.
The Summit included presentations on the untold legal history of the Osage murders, elder abuse, environmental justice, MMIP initiatives such as the development of Tribal community response plans, law enforcement responses to sexual assault and domestic violence, and technology initiatives, such as the Tribal Access Program, to support public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
The Justice Department is committed to addressing the persistent violence endured by Native American communities and bringing justice to victims and their families. The widely attended 2024 Tribal, Justice, Safety and Wellness Summit expanded the circle of partners and the knowledge needed to strengthen public safety, health, and wellness in Tribal communities across the country.
Del Valle Felon Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking, Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A Del Valle man was sentenced in federal court to 150 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Anthony Robles, 48, sold nine ounces of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement agent on April 26, 2023. The following day, agents executed a search warrant at his residence and recovered 19 firearms, ballistic vests and body armor, and diamonds. Agents also recovered more than 600 grams of methamphetamine, more than 500 grams of heroin, approximately one kilogram of fentanyl, and more than 50 grams of cocaine.
Robles was arrested Oct. 18, 2023. He pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Harding prosecuted the case.
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Corning sex offender facing new child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Ryan M. Newman, 33, of Corning, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production, distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography. As a convicted sex offender at the time of the alleged crimes, Newman faces an enhanced minimum penalty of 25 years in prison, of maximum penalty of 50 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, Newman was convicted of child pornography crimes by New York State in 2012, sentenced to serve a local jail term and 10 years’ probation, and required to register as a Level 3 Sex Offender, which is someone considered to be at high risk of re-offending and a threat to public safety.
In January 2021, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a report from Snapchat that a user had uploaded a video of child pornography. NCMEC sent the tip to the New York State Police, who executed a search warrant on Newman’s person and residence in 2022. The search determined that Newman uploaded the child pornography video to Snapchat and possessed other child pornography on his electronic devices. Newman remained out of custody following the 2022 search warrant by the State Police.
In April 2024, the FBI Corning received a tip that pornography involving a child in the Corning area, was distributed to an undercover agent in Illinois. Subsequent investigation determined that Newman sexually abused the child and produced the child pornography. Newman was taken into custody by the FBI and Corning Police. In addition, to federal charges, he is also facing charges in Steuben County Court.
Newman made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson and is being held without bail.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Corning Office, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Corning Police Department, under the direction of Chief Kenzie Spaulding.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to Eleven Years in Prison on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge sentenced a convicted felon on drug and gun charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger.
U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala sentenced Allen H. Davis, also known as “Big Homie,” 46, of Midfield, to 132 months in prison. In March, Davis pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute; possession of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine with intent to distribute; and felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the plea agreement, in February 2023, HSI and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency began investigating Davis for suspected fentanyl distribution. On March 23, 2023, agents located Davis at a residence in Midfield and executed a search warrant that day. During the search, agents found methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base. Agents also found a Taurus 9mm pistol with an extended high-capacity magazine and a Zastava Arms pistol. Both firearms were fully loaded.
HSI investigated the case, along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Keown, Sr. prosecuted the case.
Columbia County Man Arrested for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging William Ervin Daniels (45, Lake City) with distributing child sex abuse material. If convicted, Daniels faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5, up to 20 years, in federal prison.
According to the criminal complaint, Daniels distributed two videos containing child sex abuse material in a group called “Da Litl Kidz Gc” on a social media application on November 16, 2023. He identified his name and phone number in his account profile on the social media application. Daniels was also listed as an administrator for the group to which he distributed the videos.
A complaint 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, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Milliron.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Colombian Citizen Pleads Guilty to Illegally Exporting Firearms from Florida to ColombiaRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jorge Giovanny Gonzalez-Lopez (42, Colombia) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle firearms from the United States to Colombia. Gonzalez-Lopez faces a maximum term of five years in federal prison and three years of supervised release, although he is expected to be removed from the United Staes at the completion of his prison sentence. Gonzalez-Lopez was extradited from Colombia to the United States in February 2024, and he has been in custody since that time. His sentencing hearing is expected to be set in the next 90 days.
According to court documents, Gonzalez-Lopez is a citizen of Colombia who traveled to Florida in late 2017 and again in early 2018 and, aided and abetted by others, acquired firearms, including several types of assault rifles, then illegally exported them from Clearwater, Tampa and Kissimmee, Florida, to Colombia. Gonzalez-Lopez and his co-conspirators attempted to obliterate the serial numbers on some of the firearms so that they could not be traced. Neither Gonzalez-Lopez nor his co-conspirators applied for or obtained the necessary licenses for exporting defense articles as required by federal law.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Colombia’s Policía Fiscal y Aduanera (POLFA), a unit of the National Police of Colombia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs, Jr. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá worked with Colombian authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Gonzalez-Lopez.
Clay County White Supremacist Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Danny Ray Boree (39, Keystone Heights) has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Boree faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison on the drug charge and up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the firearm offense. Boree also agreed to forfeit a Raven Arms pistol traceable to the firearm offense. Boree was arrested on September 8, 2023 and ordered detained. No sentencing date has been set.
According to court documents and court proceedings, Boree is a member of The Unforgiven, a violent white supremacist gang. On June 8, 2023, a deputy with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) pulled over a Jeep for a stop sign violation in Keystone Heights. Upon approaching the car, the deputy observed Boree in the passenger seat with a meat cleaver/hatchet directly in front of him and a knife in a sheath, by his feet. For officer safety, the deputy directed Boree to step out of the car. As Boree got out, he observed part of a clear baggie in the waistline of Boree’s shorts. During a pat down of Boree, the deputy removed the baggie which contained a large amount of methamphetamine. During a subsequent search of the car, CCSO located a Raven Arms pistol and additional methamphetamine.
At the time of the drug offenses, Boree had previously been convicted in state court in Florida for 10 felonies, including battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2007, 2019). As a convicted felon, Boree is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law. Boree had recently been released from the Florida Department of Corrections in January 2023, for his last firearm conviction.
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
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.
Centralia Man Sentenced to 30 Years on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A federal judge in southern Illinois sentenced a man from Centralia to 30 years’ imprisonment for selling drugs, unlawfully possessing a firearm and tampering with a witness.
In February 2024, a jury convicted De’Andre Owens, 37, on one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of tampering with a witness, victim or informant. In February 2022, Owens pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
“Felons who continue to sell drugs, possess firearms illegally and attempt to pay off witnesses to further conceal their crimes are a true threat to public safety, and I commend the law enforcement officers who worked this investigation that ultimately placed De’Andre Owens behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, a jury found Owens guilty of selling 18 grams of meth in March 2022. The jury also found Owens guilty of trying to pay off an individual to prevent their testimony in his case.
“This substantial sentence underscores De’Andre Owens’ criminal history as a career offender,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jermaine Deans. “The successful outcome of the investigation is a testament to the collaborative efforts and teamwork of multiple law enforcement agencies working shoulder-to shoulder with the FBI to make safer communities.”
Owens was prohibited from possessing a firearm as an individual with a prior felony drug conviction from 2016. In December 2019, police conducted a search warrant on Owens’s vehicle and found a 9mm pistol.
Following imprisonment, Owens will serve eight years of supervised release.
The FBI Springfield Field Office, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, the Centralia Police Department and the Carlyle Police Department contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Hudson and David Dean prosecuted the case.