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21 August 2024
Latvian National Extradited for Scheme to Illegally Export Advanced U.S.-Origin Aircraft Technology to RussiaRead the Press Release
Oleg Chistyakov, also known as Olegs Čitsjakovs, 55, of Latvia, made his initial appearance in a federal court in Kansas City, Kansas, today after being extradited from Latvia. Chistyakov is the third defendant in this case to face charges in connection with a years-long conspiracy to sell sophisticated avionics equipment to Russian companies, after Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine and despite heightened additional U.S. economic countermeasures levied against Russia.
According to court documents, Chistyakov allegedly conspired with U.S. citizens Cyril Gregory Buyanovsky, 61, of Kansas, and Douglas Edward Robertson, 56, of Kansas, to facilitate the sale, repair and shipment of U.S.-origin avionics equipment to customers in Russia and in other countries that operate Russian-built aircraft, including the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB). Buyanovksy and Robertson were charged and arrested in March 2023 and have both pleaded guilty. Buyanovsky is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 14 and Robertson is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 3.
As alleged, Chistyakov, while operating from Latvia and often through his Emirati company RosAero FZC, worked with Buyanovsky and Robertson through their U.S. company, KanRus Trading Company Inc. (KanRus), to circumvent U.S export laws by purchasing avionics equipment from U.S. companies for customers in Russia. Chistyakov allegedly acted as a broker for KanRus by soliciting quotes, negotiating prices and terms of delivery and facilitating payments between KanRus and customers in Russia. As alleged, Chistyakov and his conspirators attempted to conceal their illegal activities by creating false invoices, transshipping items through third-party countries, such as Germany and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), using bank accounts in third-party countries, such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and the UAE, and exporting items to intermediary companies which then reexported the items to the ultimate end destinations.
Many of the entities and individuals involved in Chistyakov’s alleged scheme were added to the Commerce Department’s Entity List in December 2023, which imposes specific license requirements on transactions made by all listed individuals and entities.
Chistyakov is charged with conspiracy, Export Control Reform Act violations, smuggling and money laundering violations. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and up to a $1 million fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the Commerce Department, Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI National Security Branch and U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher for the District of Kansas made the announcement.
The FBI and the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Rask and Ryan Huschka for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Adam Barry of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Latvian authorities to secure the extradition of Chistyakov to the United States.
The investigation was coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022, and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.
Last Defendant Sentenced to Prison for Role in Heroin Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – Jose Carlos De La Rosa-Lopez was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Andrew P. Gordon to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a conspiracy to distribute heroin in Las Vegas.
From August 2021 to May 4, 2022, De La Rosa-Lopez and co-defendants Eduardo Lopez, Jose Luis Marin-Flores, Luis Alfredo Vela-Aguirre, Jose Rivera-Hernandez, Irene Alejo-Hernandez, and Luis Alberto Lopez Benitez conspired to distribute over three kilograms of heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance.
Previously, six co-defendants were sentenced. Eduardo Lopez was sentenced to 70 months in prison. Jose Luis Marin-Flores was sentenced to 46 months in prison. Luis Alfredo Vela-Aguirre was sentenced to 46 months in prison. Jose Rivera-Hernandez was sentenced to 60 months in prison. Irene Alejo-Hernandez was sentenced to time served. Luis Alberto Lopez Benitez was sentenced to 37 months in prison.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams for the DEA Las Vegas District Office made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the DEA. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Brister prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
If you are aware of controlled substance violations in your community — which may include the growing, manufacture, distribution or trafficking of controlled substances — please submit your anonymous tip through the DEA Tip Line at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip.
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Key Leader in Texas Human Smuggling Organization Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 480 months in prison for illegal alien transportation resulting in death.
According to court documents, Nicolas Mondragon-Gonzalez, aka “Chayo” and “Flaco,” 36, of Luvianos, Mexico, was a leader and orchestrator of a human smuggling organization (HSO). Mondragon-Gonzalez had hired Sebastian Tovar, a driver who was sentenced in August 2023 to 420 months in prison for his role in the operation. Tovar had been transporting nine undocumented noncitizens when he led a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper on a pursuit and collided with another vehicle in the oncoming traffic lane. Eight of the nine passengers in Tovar’s vehicle were killed, while the two occupants of the other vehicle were seriously injured. Following the crash, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered a second smuggling vehicle carrying undocumented noncitizens. The driver stopped and the occupants fled on foot. USBP agents were able to locate them.
Mondragon-Gonzalez was arrested Sept. 28, 2021. He pleaded guilty to four counts January 10, 2022: one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, one count of illegal alien transportation resulting in death, and two counts of transportation of illegal aliens.
“The result in this case is a testament to this office's commitment to seek justice for our community members,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “It reflects the hard work and interagency cooperation of our federal and state law enforcement partners, whose efforts brought this case to a successful conclusion.”
“This defendant will spend the next 40 years in federal prison for his actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for HSI San Antonio. “Human smuggling is dangerous but as this case demonstrates, it’s also deadly. HSI will not stop investigating and bringing smugglers to face justice. There can be no safe haven for smugglers who evade our nations laws, endangering our communities and causing deaths.”
Codefendant Ruben Junior Rodriguez-Jaimes, a foot guide, was sentenced in August 2023 to 180 months in prison. Rogelio Manuel Luna was sentenced in June 2024 to 108 months in prison with credit for time served. Jennifer Oralia Davis, aka “Paypa,” was sentenced in September 2023 to 151 months in prison with credit for time served.
Four additional defendants pleaded guilty in 2023 to one count of illegal alien transportation resulting in death: Lauren Michelle Malmquist aka “Mama” and “Lala,” Veronica Torres-Mendez, and Eduardo Rivera Benitez aka “Lalo” and “Casper,” each face a maximum penalty of life in prison. Jose Eli Rodriguez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Another individual indicted in the case, Marco Antonio Hernandez aka “Temo,” was arrested on June 27 in Houston. Hernandez had previously been sentenced on Oct. 11, 2023 to 24 months in prison with credit for time served.
HSI, USBP and DPS investigated the case with valuable assistance from the Travis County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Banister prosecuted the case.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Donald A. Ennis, 43, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to two counts of wire fraud. Ennis admitted that he filed false insurance claims to obtain $347,237.70 after setting fire to his residence and defrauded a volunteer fire department of $153,728 while serving as its finance and operations manager.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2018 Ennis purchased a residence on Ridgeview Way in St. Albans with assistance from a mortgage company that required him to insure the residence for loss. Ennis obtained a residential insurance policy with a maximum value of $161,100 for the dwelling and $120,825 for its contents. Ennis paid an annual premium of approximately $979.35 for the policy, which had effective dates from November 8, 2020, through November 8, 2021. The policy covered losses for multiple contingencies including fire, and explicitly excluded intentional acts of loss or damage by Ennis.
Ennis admitted that he intentionally set fire to his residence on February 15, 2021. The fire department responded but could not extinguish the fire, which consumed the residence and left it and its contents a total loss. Ennis falsely reported the fire to his Indiana-based insurance company as an accident later that day and began the process of filing a claim. Ennis admitted that he placed a series of claims electronically from February 21, 2021, to March 19, 2021, fraudulently claiming losses from the fire. Ennis further admitted that he obtained $347,237.70 from the insurance company as a result of this wire fraud scheme. The fraudulent insurance funds were deposited in Ennis’ bank account.
From at least 2009, Ennis worked for a volunteer fire department serving the Tornado area of Kanawha County. As its finance and operations manager, Ennis had access to the fire department’s debit card with a North Carolina-based bank and regularly acted as its accountant. Ennis admitted that from some time prior to March 19, 2020 through about September 18, 2022, he fraudulently obtained $153,728 of the fire department’s funds through a series of ATM withdrawals and dozens of unauthorized online purchases with its debit card for his personal benefit.
Ennis is scheduled to be sentenced on November 18, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Ennis also owes $500,965.70 in restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner-Special Investigations Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-129.
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Justice Department Announces an Organizational Assessment of the Charlottesville, Virginia, Police Department under the COPS Office’s Collaborative Reform InitiativeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced that it will conduct an organizational assessment of the Charlottesville, Virginia, Police Department through its Collaborative Reform Initiative. Over the next year, the Charlottesville Police Department will work with the COPS Office Collaborative Reform Initiative team to focus on:
- Community Policing/Problem Solving;
- Crime Analysis/Crime Prevention;
- Employee Wellness, Training, Development and Retention;
- Resource Analysis/Strategic Planning; and
- Accountability, Oversight and Evaluation.
“The overall goals of the Organizational Assessment program include building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve, enhancing officer safety and wellness and improving fairness and effectiveness in an agency’s operations,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “Any department that actively commits to pursuing those goals is taking a step in the right direction.”
“This is a comprehensive assessment that includes data and document review, direct observations of the agency’s activities and practices, interviews, focus groups and more,” said COPS Office Director Hugh T. Clements, Jr. “At the same time the work is taking place, the public will receive regular updates, as transparency is a critical part of this process.”
Regular updates on the team’s work with the Charlottesville Police Department will be provided at cops.usdoj.gov/active-oa-site-charlottesville-va-police-department as part of the transparency and public accountability of this new Organizational Assessment effort.
The Collaborative Reform Initiative encompasses three programs offering expert services to state, local, territorial and Tribal law enforcement agencies: the Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center, Critical Response and Organizational Assessment programs (complete details of these programs can be found at cops.usdoj.gov/collaborativereform). Managed out of the COPS Office, this continuum of services is designed to build trust between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve; improve operational efficiencies and effectiveness; enhance officer safety and wellness; build agencies’ capacity for organizational learning and self-improvement; and promote community policing practices nationwide.
The Organizational Assessment program provides the most intensive form of technical assistance on the continuum, involving in-depth assessments and long-term assistance on systemic issues that can challenge community trust and confidence. A continual assessment and implementation process ensures that time and resources are used to focus on identifying areas for improvement, reinforcing agency strengths and assisting with the implementation of improvements expeditiously. At the same time, the process provides transparency and accountability with routine public reporting. Each engagement will be supported by a multidisciplinary assessment team composed of subject matter experts with diverse experience and perspectives, including in law enforcement, community engagement, research and evaluation, program management and organizational reform.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Justice Department responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Justice Department agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has been appropriated more than $20 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, territorial and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 138,000 officers.
Jury finds members of violent Third World Mob gang guilty of trafficking more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuanaRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal jury has convicted two members of the Third World Mob gang with conspiring to traffic more than 2,000 pounds of marijuana. Third World Mob is a violent criminal organization in Columbus.
After an 8-day trial before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr., jurors deliberated for less than six hours before finding Klegewerges Abate, 35, and Abubakarr Savage, 34, both of Columbus, guilty on all counts.
Abate, who is also known as “Bells,” “Robell” and “Sosa,” was convicted of conspiring to traffic at least 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, firearms offenses, and wire fraud related to illegally obtaining COVID-19 pandemic relief funds.
Savage was charged with and convicted of conspiring to distribute at least 1,000 kilograms of marijuana. Savage is also known as “Sav” and “Savdripp.”
According to court documents and trial testimony, Third World Mob members brought hundreds of pounds of marijuana into Ohio from other states like California and Georgia to sell in central Ohio. They used U-Haul trucks and rental cars to move the drugs. Coconspirators used rental houses or houses leased or owned in other individuals’ names as “stash houses” or “trap houses” to facilitate the drug trafficking and to store significant amounts of cash from the drug proceeds.
For example, in August 2019, Abate and others possessed a suitcase with approximately $940,000 in cash in it in a house on Phlox Avenue in Blacklick.
During a November 2022 search of a residence on Chapel Stone Road in Blacklick, law enforcement officials found Abate and two of his co-conspirators, along with more than 700 kilograms of marijuana and three firearms.
Third World Mob leaders and members used violence and the threat of violence to maintain authority over their drug trafficking.
Surveillance video presented at trial showed Abate, a convicted felon, shooting a man at a restaurant in Columbus. Jurors also heard testimony about numerous shootings, a pistol-whipping, and other acts of intimidation.
Abate was also convicted of wire fraud for falsely applying for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, fraudulently claiming that he had been a self-employed landscaper during the time he trafficked drugs.
In total, seven members of the Third World Mob have been charged federally since 2021. Fellow member Menelik Solomon pleaded guilty in November 2023 and was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison. Coconspirator Teddy Asefa entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana and wire fraud just prior to trial. Another defendant stood trial with Abate and Savage and was acquitted of the single obstruction of justice charge against him.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit; and Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin announced the verdict. U.S. Attorney Parker recognized the assistance from the Columbus, Whitehall and Tucson, Arizona, police departments and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth A. Geraghty and S. Courter Shimeall represented the United States in this case.
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Johnstown Woman Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Amanda Weidner, 40, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Superseding Indictment before Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around February 2021 to in and around June 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Weidner conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute quantities of heroin and cocaine base. Weidner was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that she distributed to others.
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for January 7, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Weidner. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice and Meet an 11-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Amol Chandrashekhar Khedkar (59, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to using his cellphone and the internet to attempt to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Khedkar faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Khedkar was arrested on November 29, 2023, and he has been detained since that time. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 19, 2024.
According to court documents and evidence discussed in open court, on November 28, 2023, an undercover FBI agent (the “UC”) in the Jacksonville area was conducting an online undercover operation to identify adults seeking to meet and engage in sexual activity with children. Posing as the parent of an 11-year-old child, the UC posted a notice in the open forum of an online social messaging application (the “app”). Minutes later, an individual named “drbrownee,” who was subsequently identified as Khedkar, contacted the UC online via private message on the app. After being advised of the “child’s” age, Khedkar confirmed that he would “love to see [the “child.”] He asked the UC specific questions about access to the “child” and the “child’s” sexual experience. Khedkar and the UC discussed meeting in person the next day at the “child’s” residence. Khedkar stated, “I’ll show up, … [t]hen you can invite me inside.”
On November 29, 2023, Khedkar and the UC exchanged text messages and confirmed meeting later that day at a prearranged location in St. Johns County. When Khedkar arrived at the location, he was arrested by FBI agents as he exited his vehicle. During an interview, Khedkar stated that his username was “drbrownee,” he used his online account to communicate with the UC, he asked the UC about sexually abusing the “child,” and he directed the UC to take a shower with the “child.” A review of the contents of Khedkar’s cellphone, pursuant to a search warrant, revealed that it contained the online communications and text messages exchanged between Khedkar and the UC, as well as photos depicting the sexual abuse of children.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.jutice.gov/psc.
Indianapolis Man Sentenced to 284 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Brandon James, 35 years old, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
James was sentenced to 284 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in May 2019, James agreed with others to buy methamphetamine in California to bring back to the Midwest for distribution. James provided the cash to buy bulk methamphetamine at a low price. James then flew to California with several co-conspirators, obtained more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, and loaded it into a car. As the methamphetamine was being driven across the country, the car was stopped in Missouri, and the methamphetamine was discovered.
James’ co-defendants previously received the following sentences:
Benjamin Hicks was sentenced to 292 months of imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release.
Terrence Reid was sentenced to 150 months of imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release.
Kelvin Franklin was sentenced to 108 months of imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration including the DEA North Central Laboratory with the assistance of the Mishawaka Police Department, the Indiana State Police, the former St. Joseph County Drug Investigation Unit, and the Missouri State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
Indiana man sentenced to 30 years for producing child pornographyRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Indiana man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison and life on supervised release for his role in a conspiracy to produce child sexual abuse materials.
According to court documents, Darin Schilmiller, 26, and his co-conspirator Denali Brehmer, 24, conspired to murder Cynthia Hoffman in June 2019 while Schilmiller was residing in Indiana. While they were conspiring to commit Hoffman’s murder, they also conspired to exploit a minor victim to produce sexually explicit images, which Brehmer took and sent to Schilmiller via text message at his direction.
Schilmiller and Brehmer pleaded guilty to production of child pornography in the U.S. District Court in July 2023. Brehmer was sentenced to serve a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and the rest of her life on supervised release. Both defendants were also sentenced by the State of Alaska to 99 years in prison for their roles in Hoffman’s murder.
In imposing the sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Ralph R. Beistline cited public safety as a paramount consideration, describing the defendant’s actions as predatory, perverted and sophisticated. Judge Beistline stated, "I can't think of anything worse than what that I've seen here,” and that, “the defendant can't be permitted to hurt anyone else."
“This sentence marks the conclusion of a years-long effort to hold the defendants accountable for the tragic consequences of their actions,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “I want to thank the FBI Anchorage Field Office and the Anchorage Police Department for their commitment to protecting Alaska’s children, and to the Alaska Department of Law for diligently prosecuting the homicide. We remain committed to keeping our state safe and pursuing justice.”
“Mr. Schilmiller committed some of the darkest crimes imaginable, causing immeasurable harm to the victims and their families,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day. “This sentencing underscores the unrelenting efforts by the investigative and prosecution teams to ensure that none of his sadistic crimes went unpunished. The FBI, the Anchorage Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prioritize holding dangerous offenders accountable and protecting our most vulnerable.”
“This heinous crime had a profound life-long effect on the victim’s family and on this community as well,” stated Anchorage Police Chief Sean Case. “It is important that those responsible are held accountable for their actions. Our department is grateful for the assistance we received from the local FBI Office in bringing this case to its conclusion.”
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department investigated the case as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Husband and Wife Sentenced for Defrauding an Elderly Victim Out of Her Home and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
BOISE – James Dougherty, 44, of Boise, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for wire fraud involving a scheme to defraud an elderly victim of money and real property, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also sentenced Dougherty to three years of supervised release to follow his prison term. His wife, Jessica Dougherty, 43, also of Boise, was sentenced to three years of probation for obstruction of justice.
According to court records, in early 2015, James Dougherty and his wife, Jessica Dougherty, moved into a building on the victim’s 46-acre ranch in Boise to ostensibly provide the victim with assistance with her ranch and horses in exchange for free rent. Prior to 2015, the victim, a retired elementary schoolteacher, lived independently on her ranch and enjoyed a comfortable retirement.
In late 2015, the victim’s health deteriorated. During that time, James Dougherty gained control of the victim’s finances, including being named as the victim’s power-of-attorney for finances. A trust was executed, ostensibly signed by the victim, naming James and Jessica Dougherty as primary beneficiaries of the victim’s estate, including the ranch, and naming James Dougherty as successor trustee.
Shortly thereafter, in December 2015, the victim’s ranch was transferred from the victim to the newly formed trust benefitting the Doughertys. In March 2016, the victim was then declared incapacitated by two doctors, and James Dougherty was appointed sole trustee of the trust.
In 2015 and 2016, James Dougherty began to access, use, and transfer funds from the victim’s banking and financial accounts for his own personal use, benefit, and ownership. James Dougherty used the victim’s funds without her knowledge or consent to pay his and Jessica Dougherty’s creditors to rehabilitate their credit and to qualify for a mortgage to ultimately transfer the victim’s ranch into the Doughertys’ personal names.
In July 2017, James and Jessica Dougherty entered into an agreement to purchase the ranch from the trust, executed by James Dougherty, as trustee. The victim was not involved in the transactions. James Dougherty as trustee sold the ranch to himself and Jessica Dougherty, signed as both the “Buyer” and as the “Seller” on the purchase and sale agreement, for less than the market value.
James Dougherty did not place the ranch for sale on the public market and the purchase price he paid simply represented the amount to clear the existing debt on the ranch. According to the Ada County Assessor, however, the value of the ranch at the time was approximately twice the amount of the purchase price.
The sale of the ranch to James and Jessica Dougherty was a breach of fiduciary duty under the trust and James Dougherty admitted he acted with the intent to defraud. In total, as a result of James Dougherty’s fraud, the victim suffered a loss of more than $250,000.
After James and Jessica were arrested in August 2022, and while in pretrial custody, Jessica Dougherty made a call from the Ada County jail and requested that an individual “flash” or “reset” a Dell laptop computer located at the ranch. Within hours, an individual followed Jessica Dougherty’s request and records relevant to the investigation involving the victim were permanently destroyed from the Dell laptop computer.
Jessica Dougherty admitted to knowingly causing the destruction of the records with the intent to obstruct the Department of Justice’s investigation.
“Defrauding this vulnerable victim out of her home was a reprehensible crime,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “I am grateful for the dedication of the investigators and prosecutors in this case. The justice achieved here reinforces our commitment to protect our senior citizens from fraud and abuse.”
“These sentences should serve as a reminder to anyone attempting to defraud or manipulate a senior citizen that their actions will bring severe consequences,” said Tom Demeo, Acting IRS CI Special Agent in Charge, Denver Field Office. “As a community, it is our responsibility to care for our elders. As a law enforcement community, it is our duty to hold individuals accountable who abuse their position of trust and we will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect our senior citizens.”
“Elder abuse preys on vulnerable individuals, stripping seniors of their hard-earned savings, and will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue working with our law enforcement partners to raise awareness of this growing crisis and pursue those who engage in this abhorrent conduct.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Ada County Sherriff’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations Division, and the Office of Inspector General of Health and Human Services, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Mazorol and Brittney Campbell prosecuted the case.
Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. The mission of the Department’s Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s seniors.
To learn more visit www.justice.gov/elderjustice. The public is encouraged to report their victimization and suspected fraud schemes. To find the right reporting agency visit www.justice.gov/elderjustice/roadmap or call the victim connect hotline at 1-855-484-2846.
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Greenbrier County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Wilbur Curtis Arnold Jr., 58, of White Sulphur Springs, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 29, 2024, law enforcement officers found a Winchester model 190 .22-caliber rifle at Arnold’s residence while arresting him on a warrant. Arnold told officers the rifle belonged to him.
On June 30, 2023, Arnold brought a Rock Island Armory model 1911 .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun to a White Sulphur Springs business, where he sold the firearm for $300. Arnold presented his identification and signed a purchase agreement for the sale of the gun.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Arnold knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on March 7, 2016.
Arnold is scheduled to be sentenced on December 19, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, which consists of members of the West Virginia State Police, the Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Department, and the Lewisburg Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-61.
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Fraudster sentenced for nationwide scheme to sell thousands of fake Texas paper vehicle tagsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 35-year-old Dallas man who formerly resided in Houston has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of conspiring to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Daniel Rocky Christine-Tani pleaded guilty Nov. 29, 2023, to conspiring with others to buy and sell thousands of fraudulent Texas-issued temporary buyer tags for car sales when no cars were actually sold.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Christine-Tani to serve 93 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard how Christine-Tani and others engaged in a widespread fraud to use fictitious car dealerships to generate and sell Texas temporary buyer tags without actually selling cars. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Christine-Tani committed the offense utilizing mass marketing and sophisticated means. Christine-Tani must also pay restitution to the Texas Department of Motor vehicles in the amount of $3,440,625.
“The prosecution sounded the alarm that led to changes in Texas law which will make paper vehicle tags a thing of the past by next year,” said Hamdani. “Christine-Tani’s behavior was part of an epidemic of fake Texas paper tags that threatened the safety of Texans and citizens throughout the United States.”
“Through the sale of thousands of fake Texas temporary tags, Christine-Tani and his partners permitted criminals to commit crimes without fearing the consequences,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “This paper tag scheme enabled criminals to use fake Texas buyer tags while perpetrating violent crimes like drive-by shootings and armed robberies. FBI Houston agents proudly worked alongside law enforcement partners across the nation to dismantle this conspiracy which endangered so many American lives.”
Christine-Tani and co-conspirators used the internet to buy and sell the fraudulent state-issued buyer tags and exchange proceeds from the illegal tag sales.
At the time of his plea, Christine-Tani acknowledged he and his co-conspirators used accounts on Google Mail, Instagram and Facebook to receive and deliver fraudulent buyer tags to illegal sellers and to make purchases all over the United States.
He also admitted he and his co-conspirators received and shared fraud proceeds via electronic payment services such as Cash App and Zelle.
Christine-Tani was taken into custody following the sentencing hearing.
Emmanuel Padilla Reyes aka Christian Hernandez Bonilla or Noel Rivera is still a fugitive in this case. The FBI is offering a $5,000 reward to anyone providing information that directly leads to his arrest. Those with information about the fugitive’s location should call 1-800-call-FBI or email TIPS.FBI.GOV.
The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance of Travis County Precinct 3 Constable’s Office, Houston Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police and New York City Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Adam Goldman prosecuted the case.
Four People Indicted on Charges Related to Robbery of Denver Jewelry StoreRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney for the District of Colorado announces that Oswaldo Lozada-Solis, 23, Jesus Daniel Lara Del Toro, 20, Jean Franco Torres-Roman, 21, and Edwuimar Nazareth Colina-Romero, 18, all Venezuelan nationals, were indicted by a federal grand jury this week on charges related to the armed robbery of a Denver-area jewelry store.
According to the indictment, on the afternoon of June 24, the suspects entered the Joyeria El Ruby Jewelry Store on West 38th Avenue in Denver. During the robbery, suspects pointed weapons at employees, struck several employees with their weapons, and took a large amount of gold and jewelry. The suspects were later located in the El Paso, Texas area.
Lozada-Solis, Del Toro, and Torres-Roman are charged with armed robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Colina-Romero is charged with transporting stolen goods and possession of stolen goods.
The defendants made their initial appearances in Denver on August 20 and 21 in front of Magistrate Judge James P. O’Hara.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent of the charges unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Denver, the Denver Police Department, the FBI Denver Field Division, FBI El Paso Field Division, Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector, Texas Department of Public Safety, El Paso Police Department, and West Texas Anti-Gang Center. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Leah Perczak and Assistant United States Attorney Garreth Winstead.
Case Number: 24-CR-00247-NYW
Founder of Miami-Based Cryptocurrency Token CluCoin Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Austin Michael Taylor, 40, was the founder of cryptocurrency project CluCoin and owner of CLU LLC, a company incorporated and headquartered in Miami-Dade County Fla., that handed CluCoin’s operations. On Aug. 15, Taylor pled guilty to wire fraud for a scheme involving the transfer of $1,140,000 of CluCoin investor funds to Taylor’s personal account.
According to court records, Taylor leveraged his sizable social media following to generate interest in a digital token he called “CLU.” Taylor generated interest in CLU’s initial coin offering (“ICO”), which is a capital raising event in which an entity offers investors a unique digital token in exchange for a more established cryptocurrency or fiat currency. Taylor created a “white paper” for CluCoin, which was meant to educate and entice investors to participate in the ICO, which promised to have a charitable focus. After raising investor funds, Taylor successfully launch CluCoin’s ICO on May 19, 2021. Taylor then shifted CluCoin’s focus to other projects he devised: the minting of non-fungible tokens (“NFTs”), the development of a computer game, and a metaverse platform.
According to court records, Taylor organized and paid for an event called “NFTCon: Into the Metaverse,” which took place in a hotel in Miami on April 4 and 5, 2022 to drive interest and investment in CLU, CluCoin, and related projects. Shortly after the conference, in May 2022, Taylor gained the ability to make withdrawals from the cryptocurrency address he controlled into which a portion of the CLU investor funds automatically flowed. From May 2022 and continuing through December 2022, Taylor sent approximately $1.14 million in investor funds to his personal account at a virtual currency exchange and then used the funds at multiple online casinos, where he lost these investor funds to gambling.
Taylor’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 31, at 10:00 A.M., before U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Becerra. Taylor faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison for the wire fraud conviction. Judge Becerra will determine Taylor’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri, FBI Miami, made the announcement.
FBI Miami and Washington Field Offices are investigating the case. Assistant U.S Attorney Manolo Reboso is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S Attorney Emily Stone is handling asset forfeiture.
Identified victims will be notified via NFT. If you invested in CLU, believe you are a victim, and/or received an NFT, please visit https://www.fbi.gov/CluCoinInvestors to provide relevant information to the FBI.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-20308.
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Fort Myers Drug Trafficker Convicted Following Bench TrialRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Nicholas P. Smith (45, Fort Myers) has been found guilty of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance following a bench trial before United States District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell. Smith faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 18, 2024.
According to evidence presented at trial, on September 5, 2023, officers with the Fort Myers Police Department stopped Smith for multiple traffic infractions near Winkler Avenue and Fowler Street in Fort Myers. During a subsequent search of Smith, officers retrieved a large plastic bag containing 11 smaller bags of a pink powdery substance that later tested positive for Para-fluorofentanyl and fentanyl.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Fort Myers Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.
Former Luxury Homebuilder Sentenced for Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former owner of a now-defunct luxury home building business in West Springfield was sentenced yesterday for conspiring to defraud the United States and creating false documents to help one of his clients obtain a mortgage.
Kent Pecoy, 66, of San Marco, Fla., previously of Wilbraham, Mass. was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to time served (one day) and two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $24,000 fine and $35,982 in restitution. In May 2024, Pecoy pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of making a false statement to a federally insured financial institution.
Kent Pecoy was previously indicted in December 2019 along with his son, Jason Pecoy, and Kevin M. Kennedy, the former owner of a golf management company, for conspiring to defraud the United States by concealing cash payments for the construction of Kennedy’s two homes in East Longmeadow and West Dennis. The defendants were later charged in a superseding indictment in January 2020.
Kent Pecoy owned and operated Kent Pecoy & Sons, Construction Inc. (KPSC) – a West Springfield-based commercial and luxury home construction company – as well as Sturbridge Development, LLC (Sturbridge) and Legacy General Contractors, LLC (Legacy). KPSCI constructed two homes for Kennedy in East Longmeadow and West Dennis – for which Kennedy paid Kent Pecoy in cash.
From 2009 through 2016, Pecoy conspired with others to conceal income from the IRS by dealing in cash. Specifically, Pecoy received $1,116,900 in cash payments from Kennedy for the purchase and construction of custom-built homes in East Longmeadow and on Cape Cod. Kent Pecoy failed to deposit most of the cash into business bank accounts, and instead distributed the cash directly to vendors and subcontractors. For the payments Kent Pecoy did deposit, he deposited the cash in amounts less than $10,000 to avoid the filing of currency transaction reports.
Kent Pecoy also created and maintained separate ledgers documenting Kennedy’s cash payments, created and maintained false contracts and cover sheets and created false entries in KPSC’s accounting system to conceal the cash payments.
Additionally, in January 2010, Kent Pecoy and Kennedy made false statements to Charles Schwab Bank on a loan to Kennedy and his wife for the construction of a residence in East Longmeadow in an attempt to conceal $160,000 cash down payment. These false statements included understating the sale price of the residence lot, the price of the construction and the deposit and earnest money paid by Kennedy.
On April 24, 2024, Kennedy was sentenced to 13 months in prison after being convicted by a federal jury for conspiracy to defraud the United States and making a false statement to a federally insured financial institution. Jason Pecoy was convicted in June 2024 of two counts of conspiracy to defraud the United States and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 12, 2024.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven H. Breslow and Neil L. Desroches of the Springfield Branch Office are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Eric B. Powers of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
Former Crafton Resident Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Cocaine and Heroin from Mexico and Commit Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Crafton, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics and money laundering laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Andrew Beatty, 40, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon: conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and one kilogram or more of heroin, and conspiring to commit money laundering. Beatty has a prior federal drug trafficking conviction from 2007 for which he was sentenced to 78 months in prison.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that communications intercepted on federal wiretaps by law enforcement between September 2013 and March 2014 revealed that Beatty was obtaining kilogram quantities of heroin and cocaine from a Mexican drug trafficking organization, communicating directly with an unidentified Mexican male known only as “Guero.” Guero arranged for heroin and cocaine to be hidden in vehicles in California and then transported to Pittsburgh and several other cities via car carrier trucks. Beatty, with the assistance of conspirators, would receive the cars and unload the heroin and cocaine, and also sell the drugs to other individuals, who further distributed the drugs throughout Western Pennsylvania. Once the drugs were sold, Beatty, again with the assistance of co-conspirators, hid the money in vehicles that he shipped to the Mexican organization in California. Often, the vehicles involved were older model Acura sedans equipped with sophisticated concealed compartments with hydraulic arms that were opened through a series of actions.
In December 2013, DEA agents arranged for the Ohio Highway Patrol to conduct a traffic stop of a car carrier truck based on information obtained through Beatty’s intercepted communications. The truck was carrying a car that Beatty had shipped to the Mexican organization in California, a search of which resulted in the seizure of approximately $130,000 in U.S. currency.
On January 12, 2014, and again on February 9, 2014, an undercover DEA agent posing as a money courier received from Beatty and his associates approximately $225,000 (on each occasion). The money was then deposited into bank accounts specified by the Mexican organization.
In early March 2014, agents intercepted communications between Guero and Beatty that revealed a car containing cocaine had been shipped to Pittsburgh and left in a parking lot for Beatty. On March 5, 2014, the agents located and towed the car before Beatty had the opportunity to retrieve it. A search warrant was executed, resulting in the seizure of approximately six kilograms of cocaine hidden in metal containers bolted to the wheels inside of the tires.
On March 19, 2014, agents executed search warrants, along with arrest warrants for Beatty and others, and seized approximately $400,000 in cash, the bulk of which was found in Beatty’s storage locker. A search of a conspirator’s residence resulted in the seizure of approximately 40 bricks of heroin and $40,000 in cash. During the execution of the search warrant at Beatty’s home, Beatty showed the agents how to open the concealed compartment of a silver Acura located at the residence, the only contents of which was marijuana, and claimed that he had sold the gold Acura for which the agents also had a warrant.
The following day, agents located the gold Acura belonging to Beatty parked on a city street near a conspirator’s home. The vehicle had an anti-theft steering wheel lock, the key to which, along with the key to the car itself, was found in Beatty’s residence on March 19. The agents also had observed Beatty move the same vehicle the previous night via a pole camera they had installed outside of Beatty’s residence. Upon the execution of a search warrant for the vehicle, agents found approximately 3.5 kilograms of heroin, three firearms, and four cell phones belonging to Beatty inside of a trap compartment in the door panel, which opened in the same unique manner that Beatty showed the agents on the silver Acura located at his residence the previous day. A later search of those cellular telephones revealed that they were among the cellular telephones that were intercepted during the wiretaps, as well as other incriminating evidence.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for December 17, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Baldwin Police Department, Munhall Police Department, Scott Township Police Department, Allegheny County Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Duquesne Police Department, West Homestead Police Department, and Ohio Highway Patrol conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Beatty.
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.
Former Brattleboro Resident Sentenced to Prison for Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that Ella Mae Woods, 76, a former Brattleboro resident who recently has been living in Iowa, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Rutland to twelve months and one day of imprisonment following her May 2024 guilty plea to a charge of wire fraud. Visiting U.S. District Judge Mae D’Agostino from the Northern District of New York ordered that Woods serve a one-year term of supervised release upon completion of her prison term and pay restitution in the amount of $328,000. Woods has been incarcerated since she was found to be in violation of the conditions of her pre-trial release in April.
In September 2022, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Woods with wire fraud and theft of government money. The indictment charged Woods with misappropriating her mother’s Social Security benefit payments for about 28 years after her mother died. Woods’ mother, Jeannette Styles, died in Brattleboro in early 1994. At the time of her death, Styles was receiving monthly Social Security benefit payments and those payments should have stopped upon Styles’ death. The Social Security Administration, however, did not learn of Styles’ death until about 2022 and between 1994 and 2022 SSA continued to send payments to Styles. Woods fraudulently converted the payments to Styles for her own benefit. As part of the scheme, Woods twice opened bank accounts in her mother’s name, years after her death, in one case forging Styles’ signature on account-opening documents. Altogether, Woods misappropriated $328,000 in SSA payments.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commends the Office of the Inspector General for the Social Security Administration for its investigation of this case.
Woods is represented by Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels. The prosecutors are Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Waples and Thomas Aliberti.
Former Benicia Man Pleads Guilty to Embezzling $3.2 Million from His Former EmployerRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Euan David MacGregor, formerly known as David Joseph Bean, 54, of Iowa City, Iowa, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of wire fraud for defrauding his former employer out of more than $3.2 million, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between November 2014 and January 2020, Euan MacGregor, then known as David Bean, used his position as a Chief Administrative Officer to embezzle money from his employer.
According to court documents, MacGregor defrauded his former employer in two ways. First, he diverted at least 122 checks made payable to his employer to bank accounts that he controlled. MacGregor did this by creating a shell corporation that had a business name similar to the name of his employer and depositing the checks into bank accounts that he opened in the name of the shell corporation. MacGregor then presented false financial information to the company’s president and shareholders causing them to believe they had received the monies he diverted. In addition, MacGregor falsely represented to his employer that he was outsourcing his employer’s bookkeeping work to a third party, a company named Essential Business Services, another company that MacGregor created and controlled. MacGregor’s false representations caused his employer to pay Essential Business Services thousands of dollars each month for bookkeeping services that it did not perform. MacGregor used the money he fraudulently obtained to pay for personal expenses for him and his family, including mortgage payments, the payment of credit cards, educational expenses, travel, and the purchase of vehicles.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelley D. Weger is prosecuting the case.
MacGregor is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Jan. 28, 2025. MacGregor faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Former Alliance, Nebraska Man Convicted by Jury for Transportation & Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that a federal jury in Lincoln, Nebraska, returned a guilty verdict today, August 21, 2024, against Tyler Denby, age 39, formerly of Alliance, Nebraska, for one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The verdict subjects Denby to a potential prison term of up to twenty years on each count and a minimum of five years on the transportation count. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis presided over the trial and set sentencing for November 21, 2024.
On July 30th of 2021, Alliance Police Department received two separate calls for assistance concerning an individual threatening others in the Alliance area. Denby, who was then a Montana resident visiting the town of Alliance, was identified as the suspect and was contacted at a local gas station. During the encounter, the officer’s gained probable cause to search Denby’s vehicle when a marijuana pipe was spotted in his pocket. A stolen firearm was then located on Denby’s person. During the search of his vehicle, a large number of electronic devices, along with some other very concerning items, including a pillowcase filled with stained children’s underwear, were discovered by the searching law enforcement officers with the Alliance Police Department and Box Butte County Sheriff’s Office. The items were seized from the vehicle and Denby was arrested for several state crimes. A search warrant was received for the numerous electronic devices. The devices were later reviewed by the Alliance Police Department. Three microSD cards which had been located in Denby’s wallet contained a substantial amount of child pornography files. While Denby was in custody, he was interviewed by law enforcement and he admitted to having child pornography on those devices. He also admitted to travelling from Montana to Nebraska with the child pornography on his devices.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Alliance Police Department.
Final Member of A Hillsborough Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Jose Miriel Morales Sanchez (32, Tampa) to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Morales Sanchez entered a guilty plea on March 4, 2024.
According to court documents, beginning on an unknown date not later than September 1, 2017, and continuing through August 27, 2020, Morales Sanchez conspired with William Franqui and others to distribute heroin and fentanyl in the Middle District of Florida. Franqui, who was the leader of the drug trafficking organization (DTO), used “runners” to field calls from customers and fulfill orders. The runners distributed the heroin to users in plastic baggies for $10 a bag. The DTO included co-defendants Kevin Darnell Diaz Tirado, Edgardo Colon Rosado, Orlando Muniz Escalera, Marie Rodriguez, and others. More than a kilogram of heroin was distributed through the runner network. Franqui also distributed larger quantities of heroin and fentanyl to other drug dealers. Investigators connected multiple overdoses to the heroin and fentanyl distributed by the DTO.
William Franqui was sentenced in August 2023 to 14 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Morales Sanchez and codefendants Diaz Tirado, Colon Rosado, and Muniz Escalera were all part of Franqui’s runner network and also pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and were sentenced in previous hearings. Judge Barber previously sentenced Diaz Tirado to 5 years, Muniz Escalera to 10 years, and Colon Rosado to 6 years and 6 months in federal prison. Franqui’s wife, Marie Rodriguez, who pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of heroin, was sentenced to 3 years and 4 months in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.
This investigation is the result of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
Federal Jury Convicts Maryland Man for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Hagerstown, Maryland man was convicted today by a jury on federal drug trafficking charges, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Darryl Donnell Moore, also known as “Boss” and “Boss Hog,” 36, was found guilty of five felony counts involving the distribution of fentanyl and crack cocaine.
The jury considered testimony regarding how Moore conspired with his co-defendant, Stephanie Guessford, to cause the distribution of illicit substances in Berkeley County, West Virginia, and elsewhere. As part of the investigation, agents searched a storage unit and motel room connected to the drug operation and seized crack cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl capsules, suboxone, and other controlled substances.
“The sale of illicit fentanyl has caused tremendous pain and suffering in the Eastern Panhandle and it’s critical that we hold those who sell it accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “Thanks to the excellent work of law enforcement officers and federal prosecutors, the community won’t have to worry about Mr. Moore for a long time to come.”
Guessford, 29, of Williamsport, Maryland, previously pled guilty to the distribution of fentanyl and was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison in December 2023.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lara Omps-Botteicher and Kyle Kane prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; West Virginia State Police; and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. District Court Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Federal Charges Filed in St. Johns Drive-By Shooting on I-95Read the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Nathaniel Thomas Hatcher, III (28, Jacksonville) and James Toney (20, Jacksonville) with committing a drive-by shooting and discharging a firearm in connection with a crime of violence. The charges stem from their alleged roles in a shooting that occurred along I-95 in St. Johns, Florida, on October 17, 2023.
Hatcher is also charged with conspiring to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana, conspiring to straw-purchase firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, making materially false statements during the purchases of firearms, conspiring to commit money laundering, witness tampering, and obstruction of justice. Toney is also charged with conspiring to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. In addition, the indictment charges Al’Donta Easterling (26, Jacksonville) with conspiring to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
If convicted on all counts, Hatcher faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment, up to two life sentences, plus 115 years. Toney faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life imprisonment, plus 45 years. Easterling faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, up to life, plus 60 years. All three individuals have been arrested and ordered detained pending trial, which is set for November 4, 2024.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is part of an investigation which has led to the arrests of five defendants, including Hatcher, Toney, and Easterling. Desmond Maxwell (28, Jacksonville) previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to straw-purchase firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He faces up to 25 years in federal prison. Yaquasia DelCarmen (28, Jacksonville) previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana and conspiring to commit money laundering and faces up to 40 years in federal prison. DayJon Major (21, Jacksonville) has been charged with illegally possessing a machinegun and possessing a stolen firearm. Major is currently in state custody.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Aakash Singh and Kirwinn Mike.
FCI Schuylkill Inmate Indicted for Possession of A WeaponRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anthony Gilbert-Brown, age 29, a federal inmate incarcerated at FCI Schuylkill, Minersville, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on the charge of possession of a weapon.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Gilbert-Brown with possessing a prohibited object designed to be used as a weapon, commonly known as a “shank.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Special Investigative Services of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is up to five years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Ex-Energy Trader for Vitol Pleads Guilty to Second International Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
Will Forfeit More than $7.1 Million in Funds Involved in Laundering Bribes to Mexican and Ecuadorian Officials; Defendants Ordered to Pay Over $200 Million in Forfeiture and Criminal Penalties
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Javier Aguilar pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and engaging in interstate and foreign commerce to promote and to distribute the proceeds of commercial bribery for paying bribes to officials at PEMEX Procurement International (PPI), a wholly owned affiliate of the Mexican state-owned oil company, PEMEX. The plea follows Aguilar’s conviction at trial earlier this year in a related case for paying bribes to Ecuadorian officials and laundering the bribe money for both the Ecuador and Mexico bribery schemes. The plea proceeding was held before United States District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano. When sentenced in both cases, Aguilar faces a maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment as well as $7,129,938 in criminal forfeiture.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY), Nicole M. Argentieri, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Jeffrey B. Veltri, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea.
“With today’s guilty plea the defendant admits his role in the widespread corruption of the international commodities market and to casting aside laws and rules that apply to all to unfairly line the pockets of the few,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The actions of the defendant and his co-conspirators, and of those who act similarly, destroys people’s faith in their governments, disadvantages those who play by the rules, undermines confidence in American businesses worldwide, and will not be tolerated by this Office or our law enforcement partners.”
Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas for their assistance on the case.
“The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been the law of the land, and enforceable worldwide, for decades. Yet unscrupulous businessmen still try to bribe their way to profit,” said Jeffrey B. Veltri, Special Agent in Charge for the FBI’s Miami Field Office. “My message to them is that the charges and penalties you will face are not worth the gain. I want to commend the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for their diligence pursuing this case, but especially the agents and analysts who leave no stone unturned in pursuit of FCPA violators.”
Between 2015 and 2020, Aguilar was a trader in the Houston office of Vitol, Inc. (Vitol), the U.S. affiliate of the Vitol group of companies, which together form one of the world’s largest energy trading firms. As part of the scheme, Aguilar and his co-conspirators paid approximately $600,000 in bribes to two senior officials at PPI to obtain numerous contracts for Vitol to supply hundreds of millions of dollars of liquid ethane to PEMEX. To conceal the scheme, Aguilar and his co-conspirators used a series of fake contracts, sham invoices and shell entities incorporated in Curaçao and Mexico. The defendant and his co-conspirators also used alias email accounts to communicate about the scheme, and code words, including “shoes,” “medicine,” “invitations” and “coffee,” to describe the bribes.
In December 2020, Vitol admitted to bribing officials in Ecuador, Mexico, and Brazil in violation of the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA. Vitol entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of New York. As a part of the resolution, Vitol agreed to pay a combined $135 million in penalties as part of a coordinated resolution with the Department of Justice, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and authorities in Brazil.
The FCPA conspiracy charge, based in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX), was initially filed in the EDNY in December 2022 as part of a superseding indictment consolidating both the Ecuador- and Mexico-related conduct. In May 2023, the government consented to Aguilar’s pre-trial motion to dismiss that charge in the EDNY on venue grounds. That charge and others related were then refiled in SDTX in August 2023. As part of his guilty plea, Aguilar consented to transfer the SDTX case back to the EDNY, reconsolidating the cases.
Seven of the defendant’s co-conspirators have pleaded guilty in connection with their roles in the scheme and are awaiting sentencing. Together, these individuals have agreed to forfeit more than $63 million.
In July 2022, Mr. Peace was selected as the Chairperson of the White Collar Fraud subcommittee for the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC). As the leader of the subcommittee, Mr. Peace plays a key role in making recommendations to the AGAC to facilitate the prevention, investigation and prosecution of various financially motivated, non-violent crimes including bribery and corruption offenses.
The government’s case is being handled by the Business and Securities Fraud Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS). Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan P. Lax and Matthew R. Galeotti of the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case with Assistant Chiefs Derek J. Ettinger and Jonathan P. Robell and Trial Attorney Clayton P. Solomon of the Fraud Section, Deputy Chief Adam J. Schwartz and Trial Attorney D. Hunter Smith of MLARS, with assistance from Deputy Chief Suzanne Elmilady and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherin Daniel of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Morris assisted with forfeiture matters. The MLARS Special Financial Investigations Unit and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance in this case.
The Defendant:
JAVIER AGUILAR
Age: 50
Houston, TexasE.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 24-CR-304 (ENV) / 20-CR-390 (ENV)
Environmental Manager Pleads Guilty to Stealing from EmployerRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, Ga. - Michael Mayfield, who orchestrated a more than one-million-dollar scheme to defraud his employer by stealing rebate checks and submitting false invoices to his company, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
“Mayfield stole over one million dollars from his employer related to environmental and recycling programs,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “After being entrusted with a fiduciary role, he betrayed that trust and demonstrated that he cared more about his personal gain than the faith his employer placed in him.”
“Michael Mayfield not only betrayed his employer, but his actions ultimately increased the costs of business not only for the company but it’s customers too,” said FBI Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Sean Burke. “The FBI is committed following every lead to bring white-collar criminals like Mayfield to face justice.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Around early December 2016, Michael Mayfield was employed as an environmental manager at the Mars Wrigley factory in Flowery Branch, Georgia. In that role, he oversaw the Health, Safety, and Environmental and Recycling Programs.
The recycling waste produced at the factory was valuable and companies often made direct payments or sent Mars Wrigley rebate checks after disposal of the material. But unbeknownst to Mars Wrigley, Mayfield diverted the checks to his own company, WWJ Recycling. The fraudulently obtained checks totaled over $500,000. Mayfield used the funds to pay for hunting trips worth more than $100,000, a donation to his church for more than $80,000, and more than $200,000 in personal checks.
Mayfield also directed his co-conspirator to create false invoices from ASA Safety Supply, a supplier to Mars Wrigley. The co-conspirator sent the invoiced items to Mayfield for his personal use and then submitted false invoices from ASA Safety Supply to Mars Wrigley for payment. The purchased items included football supplies for the Flowery Branch High School football team, such as cleats and clothing, improvements to the stadium, tickets to a University of Georgia football game, and gift cards. These false invoices totaled over $199,000.
Mayfield also sent invoices from WWJ Recycling to ASA Safety Supply. His co-conspirator directed ASA Safety Supply to pay those invoices and then submit the false invoices to Mars Wrigley for payment for work that was not done. The WWJ Recycle invoices totaled over $750,000.
Michael Mayfield, 55, of Flowery Branch, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on August 19, 2024. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 2, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Richard W. Story in Gainesville, Georgia.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Huber is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Durham Man with Previous Conviction for Domestic Violence Pleads Guilty to Possessing Multiple FirearmsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Durham man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
According to court records, on April 9, 2024, a deputy from the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office served Richard Leblond, 51, with a temporary protection from abuse order. The deputy explained that as part of the order, Leblond was required to relinquish any firearms in his possession. Leblond informed the deputy that he possessed several firearms and consented to a search of his residence. During the search, investigators located multiple handguns, pistols, rifles and shotguns, all of which were recovered from two gun safes inside the residence. Further investigation revealed that Leblond had a 2009 conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, which precluded him from possessing any firearms.
Leblond faces up to 15 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Any sentence would be followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Leblond will also forfeit the firearms seized.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office.
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Danville Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years for Federal Robbery, Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Virginia – A Danville man, who robbed a gas station in December 2022 during which he fired a handgun, was sentenced yesterday to 150 months in prison on federal robbery and firearm charges.
Isaac Graham, 42, pleaded guilty earlier this year to Hobbs Act robbery and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to court documents, in December 2022, Graham entered a Danville convenience store with a handgun, fired a round into the floor, and demanded money from the store clerk. Graham fled with approximately $1,400 but was arrested a short time later by the Danville Police Department.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia and James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Danville Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee S. Brett prosecuted the case for the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Gun and Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
BIRMIHGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon pleaded guilty and was sentenced today for possessing drugs and a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.
U.S. District Judge Madeline Haikala sentenced Nathaniel Kasheen Rembert, 37, of Bessemer, to 156 months in prison. Rembert pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
According to the plea agreement, on July 2, 2021, a Birmingham Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop on Rembert. The officer asked Rembert if he had any weapons in the car. Rembert admitted to having a pistol, and he did not have a pistol permit. After determining that Rembert had multiple outstanding warrants, the officer arrested Rembert on the warrants and for not having a pistol permit. From the car, officers recovered a Glock .45 caliber pistol, a magazine loaded with .45 caliber bullets, a box of .45 caliber ammunition, drugs, and drug paraphernalia.
Rembert is prohibited from having a gun because of multiple prior felony convictions.
ATF investigated the case, along with the Birmingham Police Department and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant United States Attorney Darius Greene prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Found with Gun in Vehicle at Caddo Parish Juvenile Courthouse SentencedRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that William S. Watts, Jr., of Shreveport, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to 40 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
According to information presented in court, on June 8, 2022, officers with the Shreveport Police Department responded to a call from an individual who saw Watts with a gun on his person. Watts was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his 2007 felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Officers proceeded to Watts’ residence where they were told by his girlfriend at the time that her gun was missing, and Watts was on his way to the Caddo Parish Juvenile Court. Other officers were dispatched to assist and intercepted Watts at the juvenile courthouse and secured the Ruger 9mm pistol which was found on the passenger floorboard of his car. He admitted to officers that he knew he was not supposed to have any firearm in his possession.
The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook.
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Connecticut Man Admits Role in $7.8 Million Health Care Fraud and Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Connecticut man admitted his role in a multimillion-dollar durable medical equipment (DME) health care fraud and kickback scheme, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced.
Jesse Foote, 58, of Fairfield, Connecticut, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to a two-count information charging him with conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback statute and conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From December 2017 to March 2021, Foote conspired with overseas telemarking call centers, DME suppliers, telemedicine companies, and doctors to submit fraudulent claims to health care benefit programs, including Medicare and TRICARE, through a circular scheme of kickbacks and bribes. Foote controlled a marketing company though which he purchased patient “leads” from overseas telemarking companies, which consisted of information about Medicare and other beneficiaries and pre-written doctors’ orders for DME. The telemarketing call centers targeted Medicare beneficiaries and others with health insurance to persuade them to accept DME, including orthotic braces, without regard to medical necessity. Foote paid bribes and kickbacks to telemedicine companies, which in turn paid bribes and kickbacks to doctors, to obtain doctors’ orders for DME based on the leads. The doctors often approved the DME orders without having had any contact with the beneficiary and without making a bona fide assessment that the DME was medically necessary. Foote then sold the signed doctors’ orders to others with whom he had kickback arrangements. The doctors’ orders were ultimately submitted to DME suppliers, including DME suppliers controlled by Foote, which submitted fraudulent claims for reimbursement to health care benefit programs including Medicare, TRICARE, and private insurance companies.
In total, Foote and his conspirators caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to health care benefit programs totaling more than $7.8 million for DME.
The kickback conspiracy charge is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison, and the health care fraud conspiracy charge is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison. Both charges are punishable by a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 21, 2025.
Attorney for the United States Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz, and U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Solecki, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Senior Trial Counsel Barbara Ward of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit in Newark.
foote.information.pdfCheektowaga man going to prison for using stolen credit card numbers to purchase tens of thousands of dollars worth of gasRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Cross Malik Williams, 25, of Cheektowaga, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, was sentenced to serve 12 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who handled the case, stated that between August 2022, and July 2023, Williams, along with co-defendant Kingsley Brown, purchased approximately 570 stolen bank cards from various online marketplaces. Williams and Brown then used a card-making device to load the stolen banking card information onto blank plastic bank cards with magnetic strips, which allowed purchases to be made using the victims’ funds from the victims’ bank accounts. Williams and Brown used, or allowed others to use, the stolen bank card information to purchase gas for other individuals. The gas customers would then pay Williams and/or Brown an amount of money less than the cost of the gas. Williams agreed that he was responsible for between $250,000 and $550,000 of total loss.
Kingsley Brown was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
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Charlotte Man Is Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Possession of A Firearm by A FelonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. sentenced Everette Josiah Phifer, 30, of Charlotte, to 84 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced Dena J. King U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and court proceedings, in 2016, Phifer was convicted in North Carolina of Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury and served a term of imprisonment. As a result of the conviction, Phifer is prohibited from possessing firearms. Court documents show that between February 7, 2022, and March 5, 2022, Phifer illegally possessed a firearm. Specifically, on March 5, 2022, CMPD officers responded to a 911 call for a shooting at an apartment complex in Charlotte. When officers arrived on the scene, they discovered that at least 79 shots had been fired from multiple guns, and an innocent resident of the complex had been struck and killed by a stray bullet.
Witnesses directed law enforcement to a particular apartment within the complex believed to be connected to the shooting. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at that apartment. Phifer was located inside along with a quantity of fentanyl pills and several firearms, including an SKS rifle and a loaded Glock handgun with an undermount laser hidden inside a toilet tank, and ammunition. Phifer’s cell phone was also seized and analyzed. Law enforcement recovered from the cell phone photos of Phifer with the same SKS rifle that was found in the apartment, and a video that showed the same Glock handgun also seized from the apartment.
On June 23, 2023, Phifer pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In January 2024, Marcus Alexander Allen, another individual connected to the March 5th shooting and the apartment where Phifer was found, was sentenced to seven years in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon committed on March 5, 2022.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Sielaff of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Thomas McNeil Hedrick II, 36, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 26, 2023, Hedrick visited a Shrewsbury residence while armed with a Ruger model AR-556 semi-automatic rifle loaded with a 60-round drum magazine and equipped with a bipod. Hedrick admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms, and that he sought to conceal the loaded semi-automatic rifle under his jacket when he entered and left the residence. Hedrick further admitted that surveillance video at the residence captured his actions. The surveillance video captured another felony offense committed while Hedrick was in possession of the firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hedrick knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition because of his prior felony conviction for wanton endangerment in Kanawha County Circuit Court on March 1, 2022.
Hedrick is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the result.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-56.
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Centre County Man Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Taylon Hamilton, age 30, of Centre County, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking and firearm offenses.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges that Hamilton possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine and distributed methamphetamine on multiple occasions. It is further alleged that Hamilton possessed a Hi-Point Model C9 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number after previously been convicted of a felony offense.
The charges stem from a joint investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Centre County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Moreno is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the crimes charged in the Indictment is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Canadian National Extradited to the United States Pleads Guilty to Production of Child Sex Abuse Material and Enticement of MinorsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Paul Creighton (67, Ontario, Canada) has pleaded guilty to production of child sex abuse material and enticement of a minor. Creighton faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, between 2012 and 2017, Creighton coerced and enticed a 14-year-old girl in Osceola County into an online relationship. Their interactions began over a messaging app and progressed to texting, emails, and phone calls. While the victim was a minor, Creighton repeatedly directed her to send explicit photos and videos of herself, including videos in which the minor was performing sexual acts. In April 2017, the victim confided in a friend about the relationship she had engaged in with Creighton. The friend notified a high school guidance counselor, who notified the victim’s parents, who then immediately called law enforcement and provided the minor victim’s cellphone and laptop to law enforcement.
After being discovered, Creighton advised the victim on what to say to her parents, to reset her phone, reformat her hard drive, and delete data from an online storage account. Creighton later threatened the victim and told her he would share her images and videos if the victim did not continue to speak to him.
In October 2017, FBI agents stopped Creighton as he landed at Dulles Airport in Washington, DC, traveling from Toronto. Agents searched his carry-on luggage and collected various electronic items from Creighton, who refused to provide passwords to those items. Agents obtained search warrants and conducted forensic reviews of those devices, which revealed photographs of the victim, online searches for the victim and her family, as well as numerous searches for other children throughout the United States.
On October 24, 2017—at the same time that Creighton was flying to Washington, DC, from Toronto—detectives with the Niagara Regional Police, in coordination with the FBI, executed a Canadian search warrant at Creighton’s residence in Ontario. From his home, agents recovered hundreds of images of minor children, including the explicit images of the victim, as well as other minor victims.
Based on these images and the items found in his personal electronic devices, FBI agents identified a number of other minor victims throughout the United States that Creighton had victimized or obtained child sexual abuse material from, including in Florida, Virginia, Georgia, and California.
Creighton was taken into custody by Canadian authorities on November 12, 2020. On February 8, 2024, Creighton was extradited to the United States, and has been in custody since.
This investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tampa Field Office. Substantial assistance was provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the United States Marshals Service, and the Niagara Regional Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.jutice.gov/psc.
Businesswoman Sentenced for Tax and Mail FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Randolph woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for her involvement in a payroll tax avoidance scheme.
Lilian Giang, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 18 months in prison followed by two years of supervised released and ordered to pay $845,382 in restitution. In April 2024, Giang was convicted following a three-day jury trial of four counts of failing to collect and pay over taxes and one count of mail fraud. Giang was indicted in March 2023.
Between 2015 and 2019, Giang owned and operated Able Temp Agency (Able), a temporary employment agency in Quincy that served client companies in Massachusetts. The client companies paid Able for the temporary employees’ work on an hourly basis. Giang deposited those payments into bank accounts in the name of Able that she controlled, and then paid the temporary employees “under the table” through a combination of checks and cash. In doing so, Giang hid more than $3.2 million in payroll and avoided paying more than $800,000 in required payroll taxes. Giang also falsified Able’s payroll numbers to obtain worker’s compensation insurance at lower premium rates.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Bradford County Man Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jamar McDowell, age 32, of Columbia Cross Roads, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking and firearm offenses.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges that on or about May 30, 2024, in Bradford County, McDowell possessed with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, psilocin and marijuana. It is further alleged that McDowell possessed a Glock 37 .45 caliber handgun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The charges stem from a joint investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations Buffalo Border Enforcement Security Taskforce, the Elmira Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the crimes charged in the Indictment is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Burton Man Sentenced to Decades in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploitating ChildrenRead the Press Release
FLINT – Nicholas Dunn, 42, of Burton was sentenced yesterday to 40 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting children, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar, Homeland Security Investigations Detroit.
United States District Court Judge F. Kay Behm imposed sentence on Dunn following his guilty plea to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Judge Behm also sentenced Dunn to 5 years of federal supervised release following his release from incarceration.
According to court records, in December of 2022, an HSI special agent working online in an undercover capacity observed one of Dunn’s co-defendants, Preston Creed-Boehm, post an image of child pornography. Creed-Boehm also sent child pornography directly to the undercover agent and described how he sexually abused two minor victims. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement arrested Creed-Boehm, searched his cell phones, and discovered that Dunn had manufactured one of the images of child pornography found on Creed-Boehm’s cell phone. Law enforcement then executed a search warrant at Dunn’s residence, which he shared with another co-defendant, Joshua Hippensteel. Further investigation revealed Dunn’s extended sexual abuse of five minor children, including grooming, sexual acts, and the production of additional child pornography. Witnesses also disclosed to law enforcement that Dunn had possessed and viewed substantial quantities of child pornography that he obtained over the internet.
Creed-Boehm and Hippensteel have also been charged with sexual exploitation of a minor. Additionally, Creed-Boehm has further been charged with distribution and possession of child pornography. The charges against Creed-Boehm and Hippensteel are still pending.
“This defendant’s actions were heinous, and the sentence underscores our office’s commitment to bringing to justice those who sexually exploit and victimize children,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “This conviction would not have been possible without the work of our dedicated law enforcement partners at HSI and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.”
“Protecting children in our communities across Michigan is a team effort from investigation to prosecution,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “HSI Detroit is proud to partner with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring accountability and justice to sexual predators while providing care and support to the victims. It is my hope that this 40-year sentence brings some measure of solace to the victims in this case so they can continue to heal from these terrible crimes.”
“This conviction demonstrates our unyielding determination to combat child abuse and sexual violence. The safety and well-being of our children is our highest priorities. We hope this case serves as a reminder that we must remain vigilant and proactive in protecting our communities,” said Detective Lieutenant Robert Nicklesen, Genesee County Sheriff’s Office. “We urge anyone who suspects child abuse or has experienced it themselves to reach out to local authorities or organizations dedicated to child protection. You are not alone, and help is available.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Nee.
Armed Lumberton Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to over 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – An armed Lumberton fentanyl trafficker was sentenced today to 150 months in prison. On May 22, 2024, Charlton Townsend, age 29, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, in February 2022, the Fairmont Police Department (FPD) and the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office received multiple complaints about Townsend selling drugs from his residence in Fairmont. As a result, the FPD utilized a confidential informant to make a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Townsend.
On March 7, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Townsend’s residence. Townsend, who was present at the time, was verbally combative with officers and had to be secured in a patrol vehicle. Prior to being secured, officers found a loaded 9mm semiautomatic gun on the ground next to Townsend. The search of the home resulted in the seizure of cocaine base (crack), cocaine, fentanyl, a sawed-off shotgun, a stolen .223/.556 AR-style pistol, a .40 caliber semi-automatic firearm and more than $6000 in cash. Townsend was arrested on the same day as the search.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Fairmont Police Department, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Gainer prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:23-CR-000690D-RN.
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Alcester Woman Sentenced for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced an Alcester, South Dakota, woman convicted of Wire Fraud. The sentencing took place on August 19, 2024.
Michelle Warner, age 57, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100; and restitution in the amount of $261,066.09 to Heartland Counseling Services.
Warner was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. She pleaded guilty on March 20, 2024.
The conviction stemmed from incidents beginning on or about June 1, 2018, and continuing through May 17, 2022, when Warner, who was employed as a bookkeeper/accountant, and later as business administrator for Heartland Counseling Services, fraudulently paid herself unauthorized payroll payments and then used the funds for her own purposes. Additionally, Warner used her employer’s credit card without authority for her own personal use.
This case was investigated by the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Union County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Sioux City (NE) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.
Warner has been allowed to self-report to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service on September 16, 2024.
20 August 2024
White Swan Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Intent to Commit Murder in Violent Stabbing AttackRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Taylor Thomas Rayne Sinclair, 23, of White Swan, Washington, was sentenced on one count of Assault with Intent to Commit Murder. Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian imposed a sentence of 168 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, as well as restitution of $13,625.10.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on the morning of November 19, 2022, Sinclair, who is an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation, entered the victim’s property through an open gate. The victim heard dogs barking and came outside. The victim didn’t recognize Sinclair and asked if he needed help. Sinclair pulled out a folding knife, ran up to the victim, and stabbed her several times, including in the face, abdomen, and hands. The victim and Sinclair wrestled for control of the knife. The victim was able to get ahold of the knife but at the same time, Sinclair put the victim in a chokehold. Sinclair eventually released the victim from the chokehold and the victim ran back inside the home. Sinclair attempted to follow, but the victim pushed Sinclair back outside and locked the door. The victim managed to call 911 with the help of her young child. The victim and her child ran into the bathroom and closed and locked the door. As the victim waited for help to arrive, she could hear windows being broken, loud banging noises, and Sinclair yelling inside the home.
Law enforcement arrived a short time later and arrested Sinclair. Investigators noticed two windows had been broken as well as the front door broken in and partially off the hinges. Investigators also located blood on the porch and around the home. The victim was taken to the hospital and treated for multiple stab wounds, including an orbital fracture and a collapsed lung.
“I commend the bravery of the victim in this case. What began as an offer of help to a stranger, unexpectedly escalated to an unprovoked, violent attack. The victim courageously fought off her attacker, then, despite having serious injuries, managed to call for help and get herself, and her young child, to safety inside a locked bathroom,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “By working closely with our federal, tribal, and local law enforcement partners we will continue to hold those accountable who commit violent acts in tribal communities and work together to make Eastern Washington safer and stronger.”
“Horrifying is the only word that describes what the victim experienced at the hands of Mr. Sinclair,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “Thankfully she survived this vicious and unprovoked assault. Hopefully, she finds some comfort with the sentence delivered today.”
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, The Yakama Nation Tribal Police Department, and the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Murphy and Courtney R. Pratten.
White Earth Man Sentenced to Nearly 25 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography on the Red Lake ReservationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A White Earth man has been sentenced to 292 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for producing and attempting to produce child pornography, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in December 2020, Ryan Edward Thompson, 34, a.k.a. “Ryan Edward Wayne Townsend,” knowingly used a minor in sexually explicit activity to produce pornography images.
Using her school-issued laptop to message the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the 13-year-old victim disclosed that the defendant began sleeping in her room at night and sexually abusing her. Law enforcement responded and later discovered photographs of a sexual nature had been taken with the victim’s own cell phone.
On February 1, 2024, a federal jury found Thompson guilty of two counts of production and attempted production of child pornography. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John R. Tunheim.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Red Lake Department of Public Safety. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the White Earth Nation Indian Child Welfare Services, the Red Lake Nation Victim Services, Fosston Public Schools, Minneapolis Public Schools, and the Family Advocacy Center of Northern Minnesota.
The 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. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
If you need suicide or mental health crisis support, or are worried about someone else, please call or text 988 or visit the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline chat to connect with a trained crisis specialist.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary S. Riverso and Laura M. Provinzino prosecuted the case.
West Palm Beach Sex Offender Sentenced to 5 Years’ Imprisonment after Jury Convicts for Failure to Properly RegisterRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Aug. 19, Ramon Fuertes, a/k/a “Raymond Cortez,” of West Palm Beach, Fla. was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment after a federal jury convicted him of four counts of failure of a sex offender to properly register, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2250(a).
According to evidence introduced during the trial, Fuertes had been convicted in 2009 in federal court for sex trafficking of a minor and enticement of a minor. In 2018, upon completion of his federal prison sentence, Fuentes registered as a sex offender. In January and May 2023, Fuertes created and used two email addresses and a social networking account. Fuertes did not properly register these internet identifiers with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) as required by the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Moreover, on June 2, 2023, Fuertes vacated his West Palm Beach residence and flew to Georgia to live without notifying the proper authorities in the Southern District of Florida that he was terminating his residence in that jurisdiction and commencing his residence in another jurisdiction.
As the evidence at trial showed, while in Georgia, Fuertes did not properly register as a sex offender and by late July 2023, stopped communicating with law enforcement in Georgia and Florida about his whereabouts. An arrest warrant was issued for Fuertes shortly thereafter. He was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Fugitive Task Force on Oct. 24, 2023.
In April 2024, a West Palm Beach jury convicted Fuertes after a six-day trial. On July 18, 2024, U.S. District Judge Melissa Damian sentenced Fuertes to 60 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 60 months’ supervised release. In imposing the sentence, Judge Damian noted that Fuertes “has a history of noncompliance with rules.”
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and U.S. Marshal Gadyaces S. Serralta of the USMS made the announcement.
USMS Miami investigated this matter, with assistance from PBSO, FBI, and Georgia Bureau of Investigations, as well as the Dekalb County Sheriff’s Office, Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, and Gwinnett County Police Department, all in Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller prosecuted the case.
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 www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-CR-80208.
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Venezuelan National Pleads Guilty to Sanctions Evasion SchemeRead the Press Release
Defendant Conspired to Unlawfully Export Millions of Dollars’ Worth of Aircraft Parts from the United States to Venezuela’s State-Owned Oil Company Through Costa Rica and Spain
MIAMI - George Semerene Quintero (Semerene), 60, of Venezuela, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to violate the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA) for his role in a scheme to evade U.S. sanctions imposed on Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), a Venezuelan state-owned oil company.
“Today, George Semerene Quintero admitted that he conspired to circumvent economic sanctions and export controls to aid Nicolás Maduro’s regime in Venezuela in obtaining critical aircraft parts from the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “Together with the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and our law enforcement partners, we will continue to ensure that the integrity and intent of U.S. sanctions are preserved. Semerene’s guilty plea reflects our steadfast commitment to holding those who violate sanctions accountable and to vigorously enforcing export controls to protect our nation’s security.”
“This defendant admitted to participating in an illicit scheme to procure millions in aviation equipment for the Maduro regime,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s conviction demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to hold accountable those who seek to evade export controls and sanctions to prop up rogue authoritarians.”
“By lying to U.S. suppliers, falsifying customs forms and creating fake invoices, Semerene helped PDVSA evade U.S. sanctions,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the Department of Commerce. “But, as today’s guilty plea makes clear, what he couldn’t evade are the consequences of breaking U.S. law.”
According to court documents, between January 2019 and December 2021, after learning of the sanctions imposed on PDVSA, Semerene and his co-conspirators devised a scheme to illegally procure aircraft parts, including bearings, rudder parts, joint slide flexes and actuators, from the United States to service PDVSA’s aircraft fleet in Venezuela, in violation of U.S. sanctions and export controls. Semerene, who was an employee in PDVSA’s procurement department, and his co-conspirators concealed from U.S. companies that the requested parts were destined for Venezuela and PDVSA and utilized freight forwarders and shipping companies located in the Southern District of Florida to move the parts. Semerene and his co-conspirators carried out this scheme by (1) lying to U.S. parts suppliers; (2) making false declarations on customs forms and shipping documents; (3) fabricating supplier invoices; and (4) providing false end-user certificates. Semerene and his co-conspirators further utilized third parties in other countries, including Novax Group SA (Novax), a Costa Rican Aerofalcon SL (Aerofalcon), a Spanish company, to serve as the purported purchasers and end users for the aircraft parts ultimately destined for PDVSA.
The indictment charging Semerene and nine co-defendants, including three other individuals associated with PDVSA, was unsealed in April, following Semerene’s arrest upon his arrival in the United States.
Semerene is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 5 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
BIS is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Stratton for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section (CES) are prosecuting the case. CES Deputy Chief Matthew McKenzie provided valuable assistance during the investigation.
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 www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-CR-20589.
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Venezuelan National Pleads Guilty to Sanctions Evasion SchemeRead the Press Release
George Semerene Quintero (Semerene), 60, of Venezuela, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) for his role in a scheme to evade U.S. sanctions imposed on Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), a Venezuelan state-owned oil company.
“This defendant admitted to participating in an illicit scheme to procure millions in aviation equipment for the Maduro regime,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s conviction demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to hold accountable those who seek to evade export controls and sanctions to prop up rogue authoritarians.”
“By lying to U.S. suppliers, falsifying customs forms and creating fake invoices, Semerene helped PDVSA evade U.S. sanctions,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). “But, as today’s guilty plea makes clear, what he couldn’t evade are the consequences of breaking U.S. law.”
“Today, George Semerene Quintero admitted that he conspired to circumvent economic sanctions and export controls to aid Nicolás Maduro’s regime in Venezuela in obtaining critical aircraft parts from the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “Together with the BIS and our law enforcement partners, we will continue to ensure that the integrity and intent of U.S. sanctions are preserved. Semerene’s guilty plea reflects our steadfast commitment to holding those who violate sanctions accountable and to vigorously enforcing export controls to protect our nation’s security.”
According to court documents, between January 2019 and December 2021, after learning of the sanctions imposed on PDVSA, Semerene and his co-conspirators devised a scheme to illegally procure aircraft parts, including bearings, rudder parts, joint slide flexes and actuators, from the United States to service PDVSA’s aircraft fleet in Venezuela, in violation of U.S. sanctions and export controls. Semerene, who was an employee in PDVSA’s procurement department, and his co-conspirators concealed from U.S. companies that the requested parts were destined for Venezuela and PDVSA, and they utilized freight forwarders and shipping companies located in the Southern District of Florida to move the parts. Semerene and his co-conspirators carried out this scheme by (1) lying to U.S. parts suppliers; (2) making false declarations on customs forms and shipping documents; (3) fabricating supplier invoices; and (4) providing false end-user certificates. Semerene and his co-conspirators further utilized third parties in other countries, including Novax Group SA, a Costa Rican company, Aerofalcon SL, a Spanish company, to serve as the purported purchasers and end users for the aircraft parts ultimately destined for PDVSA.
The indictment charging Semerene and nine co-defendants, including three other individuals associated with PDVSA, was unsealed in April, following Semerene’s arrest upon his arrival in the United States.
Semerene is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 5 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
BIS is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Stratton for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section (CES) are prosecuting the case. CES Deputy Chief Matthew McKenzie provided valuable assistance during the investigation.
United States Announces Settlement Resolving Clean Air Act Violations at Medford, Long Island Metal Shredding FacilityRead the Press Release
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Lisa F. Garcia, Regional Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), today announced a settlement with Gershow Recycling Corporation (Gershow) for its alleged violation of the Clean Air Act (CAA) at the company’s metal shredding facility in Medford, New York. Under the Consent Judgment, Gershow will install and operate technology to reduce the facility’s emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The settlement also requires Gershow to pay a civil penalty of $555,000.
“This Office will vigorously enforce the Clean Air Act to protect local communities from harmful air pollution,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace. “This settlement requires Gershow to implement critical emission control technology that will help improve air quality for local communities, including those with the most vulnerable residents.”
“Thanks to EPA’s action, people in and around Medford will breathe cleaner air and avoid harmful pollution,” said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Breathing air with higher levels of VOCs can cause breathing problems and make people more susceptible to respiratory infection, especially for people who suffer from asthma. This proposed settlement ensures that the company installs proper pollution controls at the facility and meets environmental requirements.”
Background
The CAA was enacted by Congress to promote the public health and welfare through prevention and regulation of air pollution from mobile and stationary sources. The CAA requires states to adopt federally enforceable plans to ensure the implementation and enforcement of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) at the local level. VOC emissions contribute to the formation of ground level ozone and to violations of the NAAQS for ozone. Exposure to VOCs may cause cancer, eye irritation, respiratory problems, and damage to the nervous system. Ground-level ozone, which is a constituent of smog, can also cause determinantal health effects. Under the NAAQS, EPA has designated the New York Metropolitan Area, including Long Island, as a non-attainment area for ozone. This designates the area as having poor ground level ozone.
Consent Judgment
In November 2021, EPA issued Gershow a Notice of Violation citing it for violating the CAA. The notice, and the Complaint filed today with the Consent Judgment, allege that Gershow failed to install pollution controls at its metal shredder, causing illicit emissions of VOCs. Further, Gershow failed to obtain a CAA air permit for the facility’s VOC emissions and failed to properly report the facility’s air emissions.
Gershow’s facility operates metal shredding equipment, which is used to process scrap automobiles and other scrap material. The shredding process generates enough heat to vaporize the plastics, paints, and oils in certain scrap materials, resulting in the emission of VOCs and other air pollutants. Without an emission control system, pollutants disperse into the air and impact the surrounding communities.
Under the Consent Judgment, Gershow is required to bring its facility into compliance with the CAA. Gershow must obtain the required operating permit, and then install and operate emission control equipment to reduce VOCs emitted by the shredder. EPA estimates that the new equipment that Gershow will install will prevent over 49 tons per year of VOC air emissions. The required pollution control equipment will also reduce the formation of harmful ground-level ozone.
The Complaint and Consent Judgment were filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Following a 30-day public comment period, the United States will review any comments and, if appropriate, ask the Court to enter the Consent Judgment.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York vigorously enforces the nation’s environmental laws to address environmental, health, and climate impacts on individuals and communities within the district. Any member of the public who wishes to notify the United States of environmental justice concerns may contact the Office’s Environmental Justice Team here.
The negotiations and settlement were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas R. Price and Matthew Silverman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York’s Civil Division, working with Robert DeLay, Assistant Regional Counsel, U.S. EPA Region 2, with assistance from Shaun Burke, Senior Environmental Engineer, U.S. EPA Air Enforcement Division, Office of Civil Enforcement.
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CV-5794
U.S. Attorney's Office and ATF Announce Criminal Charges Against California Man for Unlicensed Firearms Dealing and Financial CrimesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A California man was charged by superseding indictment for allegedly engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license, interstate travel in furtherance of that offense, and conducting unlawful financial transactions to promote the scheme.
Brian Joseph, 52, appeared before a federal judge and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the indictment, between October 15, 2021, and November 29, 2022, Joseph allegedly engaged in the business of dealing firearms in Bernalillo County and elsewhere without being a licensed firearms dealer. To achieve this, Joseph traveled from California to New Mexico on multiple occasions to acquire firearms and resell them at a profit in California.
In addition to the firearms charges, Joseph is accused of conducting financial transactions involving proceeds from the unlawful firearms dealings. Specifically, Joseph allegedly executed electronic fund transfers from Wescom Credit Union to PNC Bank on various dates in 2022 totaling $6,684.80.
If convicted, Joseph faces up to 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case.
View the Superseding IndictmentAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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U.S. Attorney Easley Provides Update to Ongoing Albemarle Region Violent Crime StrategyRead the Press Release
EDENTON, N.C. – Today, U.S. Attorney Michael Easley, along with federal and local law enforcement, provided an update regarding ongoing and coordinated efforts to address violent crime in the Albemarle Region of Northeastern North Carolina. The Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) is a collaboration of the U.S. Attorney’s Office with the Edenton and Elizabeth City Police Departments, the Sheriff’s Offices in Bertie, Chowan, Perquimans, Pasquotank, Camden, Currituck, Washington, Gates and Dare Counties, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service (USMS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the District Attorney for the region. A primary objective of the VCAP is to investigate and prosecute individuals contributing significantly to crime in the Albemarle Region (Elizabeth City, Edenton, and surrounding areas).
Since the VCAP was launched in January, 21 individuals have been indicted. Just in the past week, law enforcement led a coordinated operation to indict and arrest eleven individuals. According to court documents, the following eight individuals were arrested on federal charges as part of the recent enforcement effort:
- Robert Hall, age 42, kidnapping and possession of a firearm by a felon (Perquimans County)
- Miguel Williams, age 34, possession of a firearm by a felon; possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (Elizabeth City)
- Stanford Dantzler*, age 23, possession of a firearm by a felon (Elizabeth City)
- Anthony McCoy*, age 25, possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of machine gun (Elizabeth City)
- Rashawn Baum*, age 28, possession of a firearm by a felon and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl (Elizabeth City)
- Tysheem Commander*, age 31, possession of a firearm by a felon (Elizabeth City)
- Jamari Ishman*, age 24, possession of a firearm by a felon (Edenton)
- Al Ortiz, age 48, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl (Elizabeth City)
*indicates that defendant is a member of the Blood Gang
Since the beginning of the year, a team of prosecutors, analysts, and investigators have collaborated to identify, charge, and arrest, individuals contributing to violent crime in Northeastern North Carolina leading to 21 individuals, including five who have pled guilty, facing 34 charges and 26 guns seized, including five fully automatic machine guns. In addition, over 240 grams of fentanyl have been seized – enough for 120,000 potentially deadly doses.
“In January of this year, I joined local law enforcement leaders in the Albemarle Region to discuss ways to work together to curb violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Since that initial launch of VCAP, we have brought charges against 21 individuals that we believe are contributing significantly to violence in the region. Those involved in violent crime should take note – our work will continue, and you will be next.”
“The gang and drug violence plaguing our communities is a problem too large for any law enforcement agency to tackle alone. These arrests are an outstanding example of what local, state, and federal partners can accomplish when we operate as a force-multiplier in the fight against violent crime,” said Robert M. DeWitt, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.
“We are proud partners on the team that is working hard to curtail violent crime in eastern North Carolina, and we are bringing all of our available resources to bear,” said Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Charlotte that covers North and South Carolina. “These results of our efforts are encouraging, and we look forward to even greater success in our efforts to protect our communities.”
“Locating, apprehending, and prosecuting the worst of the worst is a focus ATF shares with our law enforcement partners,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “As part of the Violent Crime Action Plan, ATF and our local, state and federal counterparts are combining our efforts and resources to disrupt drug trafficking networks, recover firearms from prohibited individuals, and make our communities safer.”
“These indictments are the result of tireless investigative work and are a prime example of the benefits of our partnership with the U.S. Attorney's Office and local law enforcement,” said Interim Chief George Robinson. “The Edenton Police Department looks forward to continuing to work with our partners across the Albemarle region as we strive to improve overall quality of life and make Edenton one of the safest towns in North Carolina.”
“I want to personally thank our U.S. Attorney Michael Easley of the North Carolina Eastern District and all the local, state, and federal agencies for partnering to rid our communities of some of our most violent offenders. These efforts will provide our citizens the reassurance that we will not tolerate the senseless acts of violence that plague so many of our communities. We want everyone to have a safe place to live, work, and play,” said Elizabeth City Interim Chief of Police James E. Avens, Jr. “Working Together Works!”
“Thank you to the U S Attorney's Office for their hard work along with the many investigators and officers from these jurisdictions,” said Dare County Sheriff Doug Doughtie. “This is truly a team effort, and it takes that commitment from the judicial side as well as their law enforcement counterparts to make it work. Hopefully, this will send a strong message to those individuals who continue to commit violent crimes and to those others who think they can, that their days may be numbered until their time is up!”
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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