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Thursday 27 June 2024
Jefferson Parish Woman Guilty of Misprision of a FelonyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that WHITLEY DEMOLLE (“DEMOLLE”), age 40, of Terrytown, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on June 20, 2024, to Misprision of a Felony, to wit, a Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo.
According to court records, beginning on a date unknown, but prior to June 3, 2021, and continuing to on or about February 4, 2022, having knowledge of the commission of a felony, specifically conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, did conceal the same by allowing a co-conspirator to store controlled substances in their shared apartment and failing to report the co-conspirator’s identity and involvement in a crime to law enforcement.
DEMOLLE faces up to 3 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 1 year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. DEMOLLE’s sentencing is scheduled for September 18, 2024.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit.
Jefferson County Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Smuggle Controlled Substances into William E. Donaldson Correctional FacilityRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala – A federal judge sentenced a Birmingham-area man for his role in a conspiracy to smuggle methamphetamine and heroin into the William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer.
U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala sentenced Adam Demond Andrews, 35, of Birmingham, to 132 months in in prison. In February 2024, Andrews pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including methamphetamine and heroin.
According to the plea agreement, Andrews repeatedly smuggled controlled substances and other contraband into Alabama Department of Corrections (“ADOC”) facilities.
On March 20, 2022, ADOC received information that individuals were trespassing on state property at Donaldson Correctional Facility. ADOC officers responded to the area and observed four suspects on the southwest side of the facility. After being confronted by ADOC officers, the people dropped multiple bags containing contraband on the ground and fled into a wooded area near the facility. The bags contained 60.71 grams of a mixture containing a detectable amount of heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, and Delta-Nine-Tetrahydrocannabinol, and 1406.1 grams of methamphetamine. ADOC officers also recovered a pistol, ammunition, an extended magazine, pocketknives, a canister of pepper spray, prescription medication used to treat opioid use disorder, marijuana, THC gummies, cell phones, cell phone chargers, cell phone cables, a mobile hotspot, memory cards, SIM cards, scales, lighters, cigarillos, cigar wrappers, shoes, jewelry, and watches. Later that same day, ADOC officers apprehended Andrews near the entrance to Donaldson.
The charges against Andrews are related to a larger investigation into fraud and corruption at Donaldson. Link to the related cases: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndal/pr/member-gangster-disciples-sentenced-235-months-prison-role-wide-ranging-prison-based
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case against Andrews with assistance of the U.S. Secret Service and ADOC’s Law Enforcement Services Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward J. Canter and John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the case.
Illinois Man Sentenced to 15 Months’ Imprisonment for Fraud Involving Luxury VehiclesRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on June 26, 2024, Tomasz Bazarewicz (age: 39) was sentenced to fifteen months’ imprisonment for conspiring to commit money laundering. Bazarewicz’s term of imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release. Along with his coconspirators, Bazarewicz also will be responsible for paying $3,500,000 in restitution to his victims.
Publicly filed documents in the case reflect that Bazarewicz and his coconspirators engaged in a sophisticated scheme to defraud vehicle brokers and dealerships involving the foreign sale of luxury automobiles. Over the course of the conspiracy, Bazarewicz both lied to the conspirators’ customers, calming their fears about missing automobiles, and laundered the conspiracy’s proceeds during luxury gambling trips. All told, Bazarewicz was responsible for laundering over three million dollars of ill-gotten funds.
“At the time he learned of the ongoing conspiracy, Mr. Bazarewicz was professionally successful and doing well financially,” said U.S. Attorney Haanstad. “Despite this, rather than avoiding the criminal conduct or doing the right thing by reporting it, he joined in and helped further it for his own financial gain. I commend the hard work of the investigating agents and all who worked to hold the conspirators accountable in this matter.”
“Our commitment to justice is unwavering, and the outcome of this case exemplifies our dedication to dismantling criminal enterprises that exploit the financial system,” said Ramsey Covington, acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “The collaborative efforts of IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been instrumental in achieving this result, ensuring Bazarewicz and his co-conspirators are held accountable for their criminal activities.”
At the sentencing hearing, United States District Judge Lynn Adelman noted that confinement was appropriate in Bazarewicz’s case to deter other would-be fraudsters from engaging in similar conduct. Judge Adelman also noted that while Bazarewicz was not the conspiracy’s ringleader, he took an active role in advancing these crimes, establishing his own subsidiary company to be used in the scheme and encouraging other members of the conspiracy, via text message, to “run it up.”
This matter was investigated by the Criminal Investigation division of the Internal Revenue Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Kwaterski and Kevin Knight.
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Hickory Man Armed with “Ghost” AR-15 Is Sentenced to Prison for Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Kadeem Jamal Albright, 30, of Hickory, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for firearms offenses, 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 Reed Baer of the Hickory Police Department (HPD) join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and court proceedings, on December 27, 2022, at approximately 11:22 p.m., HPD officers received a call for service for a hit and run incident involving a silver vehicle near Main Avenue in Hickory. Officers responding to the call located the silver vehicle and determined Albright was the driver. The officers attempted to pull the vehicle over. Albright initially did not comply, but eventually stopped the vehicle. Albright was intoxicated. Over the course of the traffic stop, the officers searched the vehicle and found more than 9 ounces of marijuana and a loaded .40 cal. pistol underneath the driver’s seat. They also found a bag containing 362 fentanyl pills in the rear passenger area. Finally, they found almost a pound and a half of marijuana and a loaded short-barrel AR-15 semi-automatic rifle with a drum magazine in the trunk. Law enforcement determined that the AR-15 was a privately made firearm, commonly referred to as a “ghost gun.” Albright has prior federal and state criminal felony convictions and he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On December 5, 2023, Albright pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm by a felon. He was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment on each charge with the sentences to run consecutive to one another, for a total sentence of 120 months imprisonment.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and HPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Kent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Herkimer County Woman Sentenced to 37 Months for Stealing from her Former EmployerRead the Press Release
UTICA, NEW YORK – Carol Evans, age 56, of West Winfield, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 37 months in federal prison for wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of her earlier guilty plea, Evans admitted that, while she was employed at Sullivan Contracting, Inc., she doctored invoices from vendors to reflect inflated charges. Unaware that the invoices were altered, Sullivan Contracting, Inc. then issued checks for the amount due in the doctored invoices and gave the checks to Evans to pay the invoices. Evans thereafter deposited the checks into her own bank account. Altogether, Evans admitted to depositing approximately $1,800,000 in checks into her personal bank account from Sullivan Contracting, Inc. Though she used some of that money to pay vendors in furtherance of her scheme, she profited nearly $500,000.
United States District Judge David N. Hurd further sentenced Evans to a three-year term of supervised release to begin after Evans serves her term of imprisonment and imposed a restitution order and forfeiture judgment in the amount of $498,690.01.
FBI investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Tuck prosecuted the case.
Goldsboro Cocaine Distributer Sentenced to 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Christopher Montrell Williams, a 33-year-old resident of Goldsboro, has been sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for distributing cocaine in the Goldsboro area. Williams pled guilty on August 31, 2021.
“This sentence demonstrates that we will not tolerate drug trafficking and violence in our community. We are dedicated to protecting our residents and ensuring that those who threaten our safety are held accountable,” said Goldsboro Police Chief Michael West.
According to the court documents and other information presented in court, on March 18, 2018, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office in Goldsboro conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Williams. A search of the vehicle revealed a handgun, cocaine, marijuana, and a digital scale. In October of 2018, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) began investigating Williams. During the investigation, law enforcement conducted a number of controlled purchases of cocaine from Williams using a confidential source. Thereafter, Williams attempted to purchase a kilogram of cocaine from a second confidential source. On February 2, 2020, the Goldsboro Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Williams. Williams fled the vehicle and was apprehended after a short chase by law enforcement. Officers located a stolen, loaded .45 caliber handgun and approximately 15 grams of “crack” cocaine near the vehicle. Officers also located a cell phone and approximately $2,800 in Williams’ possession during his arrest. While in custody and pending sentencing, Williams engaged in a brutal attack on another inmate causing the inmate to lose consciousness, suffer injuries to his head and face, and be transported to the hospital.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Judge James C. Dever III. The ATF and the Goldsboro Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Nucci 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 number 5:20-cr-0043-D.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 120 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Andre L. Hutchins, 53 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Hutchins was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 8 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in November 2023, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant on a Fort Wayne, Indiana, residence associated with Hutchins. As a result of the search, agents and officers recovered over 3 kilograms of cocaine and evidence of controlled substance distribution. Hutchins has a previous federal conviction in 2012 for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Allen County Police Department, and the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Teresa L Ashcraft.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 100 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE –Patrick N. Adams, 34 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Adams was sentenced to 100 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on two occasions in August 2023, Adams sold counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl. Additional counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl and a handgun were found during a subsequent search of his residence.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R, Speith.
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.
Fort Bend County convicted felon sentenced to federal prison for firearms violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Richmond man was sentenced to federal prison for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Aaron Martinez, 33, pleaded guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on June 27, 2024.
According to information presented in court, on August 3, 2021, Martinez was stopped for a traffic violation in Vidor. During the stop, it was discovered that Martinez had an outstanding felony warrant. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded firearm and ammunition. Further investigation showed Martinez to be a convicted felon and prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Vidor Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
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Former Regions Bank Manager Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement and Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Eric Jason Schouest, age 53, of Plaquemine, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to embezzlement and bank fraud. Schouest’s embezzlement and bank fraud convictions are each punishable by a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, a fine of $1 million, and a period of supervised release.
According to admissions made during his plea, Schouest was employed at Regions Bank from 2010 to 2021 as a branch manager overseeing business transactions and practices at the Regions Bank Plank Road branch. In his capacity as branch manager, he had the authority to access customer accounts, instruct others to open and close accounts, issue cashier’s checks, and transfer funds in and out of bank customers’ accounts.
Beginning in or about 2020, and continuing through in or about April 2021, Schouest exploited his position of trust at Regions Bank to embezzle funds from customer accounts and deposit the money into his personal bank accounts. He also sent false and fraudulent emails and forged documents to other Regions Bank employees to conceal his scheme. Some of the traceable fraudulent funds were used to make loan payments on personal items such as a house and a car. Through his scheme, Schouest misappropriated more than $250,000 from Regions customer bank accounts.
This matter is being investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the U.S. Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Edward H. Warner and Litigation Counsel Jennifer M. Kleinpeter.
Former Hartford Resident Involved in Illegal Pill Trafficking Ring Sentenced to 5 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHNATTAN FERNANDEZ-LOPEZ, 37, a citizen of the Dominican Republic formerly residing in Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 60 months of imprisonment for his role in a narcotics trafficking organization that distributed oxycodone pills, counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, and other drugs in the Hartford area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from a joint investigation by the DEA Tactical Diversion Squad and the FBI Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force targeting individuals who were distributing oxycodone pills, counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, and other drugs from neighborhood grocery stores in New Britain and Hartford.
Between January 2020 and March 2021, investigators made several controlled purchases of illegal pills at the Washington Market, formerly located at 453 Washington Street in Hartford; JZ Tobacco, located at 25 New Britain Avenue in Hartford, and Prestige Market, located at 23 New Britain Avenue in Hartford. Fernandez-Lopez was the primary seller of pills during the evening hours at JZ Tobacco, and possessed a firearm in connection with the offense.
On December 20, 2020, investigators stopped a vehicle registered to Ray Urena, a co-defendant of Fernandez-Lopez, and found approximately 4,000 illegal pills and $51,000 in cash in a hidden “trap” beneath the front passenger seat of the car.
Urena and others were arrested on May 18, 2021. On that date, searches of an apartment on Colonial Street in Hartford that was used by the drug trafficking organization, and two vehicles parked outside of the stash house, revealed approximately two kilograms of fentanyl, approximately 170 grams of heroin, more than 5,000 real and counterfeit oxycodone pills, approximately 2,000 Xanax pills, approximately one kilogram of cocaine, approximately 100 grams of crack, items used to process and package narcotics, two handguns, and ammunition. A search of Urena’s residence in Waterbury revealed approximately $54,000.
Fernandez-Lopez has been detained since his arrest on November 10, 2021. On March 28, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl. He faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term.
Urena pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
The DEA’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad is composed of personnel from the DEA and the Bristol, East Windsor, Hamden, New Britain, West Haven, Newington, Manchester, Glastonbury, and Watertown Police Departments. The FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.
Former Department of Defense Employee Sentenced for Assaulting a U.S. Military Member in KoreaRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A former Department of Defense civilian employee was sentenced today to one year and eight months in prison for assaulting a U.S. military member in July 2020.
U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent Andrew D. Franz of the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Osan Air Base Korea; and Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, Gerald Leon Ray III, 27, of Lathrop, California, intentionally struck the victim in the face near Osan Air Base, a U.S. military installation in the Republic of Korea. The assault caused the victim to fall to the ground strike his head on the pavement and suffer serious bodily injury. The evidence showed that, without immediate medical attention, which he received, the victim could have died. The victim’s injuries included a broken jaw, brain hemorrhage, and ongoing physical and mental health symptoms. At the time, Ray was employed in the Republic of Korea by the Defense Commissary Agency, a Department of Defense agency, on Osan Air Base.
The charge was brought under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA), which establishes U.S. jurisdiction over certain offenses committed abroad by, among others, civilian employees of the Armed Forces.
Ray previously pleaded guilty on March 21 in the Eastern District of California to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
The U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the FBI investigated this case, with assistance from the U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigation Division and the U.S. Marshals Service in connection with the arrest, initial detention, and transport of Ray.
Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Heiko P. Coppola for the Eastern District of California prosecuted the case.
Former Department of Defense Employee Sentenced for Assaulting a U.S. Military Member in KoreaRead the Press Release
A former Department of Defense civilian employee was sentenced today to one year and eight months in prison for assaulting a U.S. military member in July 2020.
According to court documents, Gerald Leon Ray III, 27, of Lathrop, California, intentionally struck the victim in the face near Osan Air Base, a U.S. military installation in the Republic of Korea. The assault caused the victim to fall to the ground, strike his head on the pavement, and suffer serious bodily injury. The evidence showed that, without immediate medical attention, which he received, the victim could have died. The victim’s injuries included a broken jaw, brain hemorrhage, and ongoing physical and mental health symptoms. At the time, Ray was employed in the Republic of Korea by the Defense Commissary Agency, a Department of Defense agency, on Osan Air Base.
The charge was brought under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA), which establishes U.S. jurisdiction over certain offenses committed abroad by, among others, civilian employees of the Armed Forces.
Ray previously pleaded guilty on March 21 in the Eastern District of California to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California; Special Agent Andrew D. Franz of the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Osan Air Base Korea; and Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office made the announcement.
The U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and FBI investigated this case, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigation Division and U.S. Marshals Service in connection with the arrest, initial detention, and transport of Ray.
Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Heiko P. Coppola for the Eastern District of California prosecuted the case.
Essex County Man Admits Defrauding U.S. Department of Defense and Agreeing to Rig Bids for U.S. Department of Defense ContractsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man today admitted engaging in multiyear schemes to defraud the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) by providing military equipment parts that were not authorized under the governing contracts and agreeing with another individual to rig bids for DoD contracts, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Alan Aranowitz, 75, of Roseland, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Julien X. Neals in Newark federal court to an information charging him with two counts of wire fraud conspiracy.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Count One
From 2015 through August 2018, Aranowitz conspired with others to defraud the DoD and one of its combat logistic support arms, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), by engaging in a pattern of unlawful product substitution. Aranowitz owned and operated Arlo Corporation (Arlo), which entered into contracts with the DoD to supply replacement parts for the military, such as screws, nuts, and bolts. Aranowitz conspired with two owner/operators of two companies to provide cheaper counterfeit and/or non-conforming parts to the DoD.
For instance, Aranowitz sometimes falsely represented that the parts would be MIL-SPEC, that is, suitable for military use because the parts had met certain specific requirements—when in fact, he submitted such bids intending to provide parts that were not MIL-SPEC. Aranowitz sometimes falsely represented that the parts would be “Exact Product,” that is, that they derived from a particular manufacturer, when, in fact, he submitted such bids intending to provide parts that were not Exact Product. He also sometimes falsely represented that Arlo or one of the companies he conspired with would be the manufacturer of the parts, when in fact he knew that Arlo or that company would not be the manufacturer. Aranowitz sometimes submitted bids to the DoD in the name of one of the companies with the owner/operator’s knowledge and approval. By committing these acts, Aranowitz and his conspirators increased their own profits. DLA received numerous Product Quality Deficiency Reports (PQDRs) from U.S. military end users reporting that a particular part supplied by Arlo did not physically conform to the contract specifications.
As part of the plea, Aranowitz agreed to forfeit $684,168 in proceeds of the fraudulent scheme charged in Count One and to pay restitution in the amount of $878,644 to the DoD.
Count Two
From 2017 through August 2018, Aranowitz conspired with the owner operator of a company to defraud the DoD and DLA by coordinating bid prices, engaging in bid rigging, with another DoD contractor. Arlo, like all DoD contractors, was required to certify that it had arrived at its bids independently and without consulting or colluding with any other offeror or competitor. On the contrary, Aranowitz regularly consulted with another DoD contractor regarding the bids that each was submitting.
The charges of wire fraud conspiracy each carry a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine, which could run consecutively. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 29, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Solecki, and special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisa T. Wiygul of the Criminal Division in Camden.
aranowitz.information.pdfEl Paso Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Poisoning Death of 19-Year-OldRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – Two El Paso women have been sentenced in a federal court in El Paso prison for their roles in the fentanyl poisoning death of a 19-year-old single mother.
According to court documents, Kathy Lee Nicole Bradford, 32, coordinated the sale of M-30 pills to a woman in El Paso in April 2022. On Bradford’s behalf, codefendant Patricia Tafoya, 40, delivered 10 counterfeit M-30 pills containing fentanyl to the purchaser, who consumed some of the pills and, as concluded by the El Paso County Medical Examiner’s Office, died of acute fentanyl toxicity.
Bradford admitted in March to knowing the pills contained fentanyl, pleading guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance causing death or serious bodily injury. She was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison.
Tafoya pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute. She was sentenced to 21 months in prison and ordered into a drug treatment program.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip Countryman prosecuted the case.
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Eight charged locally as part of national health care fraud enforcement actionRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Several local residents and others are now charged in six separate cases in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) with varying counts related to the Justice Department’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
“The enforcement actions, including one against a Houston-area lab that is alleged to have fraudulently billed Medicare hundreds of millions of dollars, represents our coordinated efforts to combat health care fraud and prosecute those who exploit vulnerable individuals for profit,” said Hamdani.
Those charged in the SDTX include Houston residents Sharon Pickrom, 64, Darlene Burbridge, 65, and Carmalita Landry, 53; as well as Ijeoma Victoria Ehieze, 61, Katy; Michael Ogbebor, 43, Richmond; and Harold Albert “Al” Knowles, 56, Delray Beach, Florida, Chantal Swart, 49, Boca Raton, Florida, and Svitlana Meier, 50, Clearwater, Florida.
The charges are part of a strategically coordinated, two-week law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against a total of 193 people nationwide for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.75 billion in alleged false billings. They allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets. In connection with the enforcement action, authorities seized over $231 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold and other assets.
A federal grand jury indicted Pickrom June 12 with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and paying and receiving kickbacks as well as receipt of kickbacks in connection with a $1.7 million health care fraud and kickback scheme. Pickrom allegedly controlled a purported nonprofit corporation, referred false and fraudulent prescriptions that prescribers issued without their knowledge in the name of Department of Labor - Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (DOL-OWCP) claimants, often without their knowledge, to Custom Care Pharmacy in exchange for illegal kickbacks.
In a separate but related case, Burbridge and Landry were charged by information with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and paying and receiving kickbacks in connection with the same $1.7 million scheme. As alleged in the information, Burbridge owned Criterion Therapy Center, a physical therapy company that serviced DOL-OWCP claimants. She allegedly referred prescriptions to Landry, a pharmacist and owner of Custom Care Pharmacy, in exchange for illegal kickbacks and bribes.
Ehieze was indicted June 5 with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, five counts of health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks. The charges are in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain over $1.5 million in Medicare and Medicaid funds. Ehieze, the owner of Sanctified Home Health Services Inc., allegedly billed Medicare and Medicaid for home health services that were not provided and/or not medically necessary and based on illegal kickback payments to marketers and patients.
A federal grand jury indicted Ogbebor June 12 with health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain millions in private insurance funds. According to the charges, Ogbebor was the chief financial officer of Stafford Dialysis before being fired. Following his termination, the indictment alleges Ogbebor created a “phantom” business under the name “Stafford Renal” through which he billed private insurance for dialysis treatments that were never administered to people who were formerly patients of Stafford Dialysis. Ogbebor allegedly billed approximately $26 million to Cigna and Allegiance - private insurance companies - and caused them to pay over $5.1 million to Stafford Renal for services that were not rendered.
A federal grand jury indicted Knowles and Swart June 25 with conspiracy to defraud the United States and paying and receiving kickbacks. Knowles is also charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, while Swart also faces a charge of receipt of health care kickbacks. The allegations are in connection with a $359 million scheme to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary genetic tests that were induced by kickbacks. As alleged in the indictment, Knowles was the owner of two Houston-area labs, Bio Choice and Bios Scientific. He allegedly entered an agreement with Swart for the referral of Medicare beneficiary DNA samples and signed doctors’ orders for genetic testing Knowles used to bill Medicare through his labs. Knowles allegedly concealed his kickback arrangement with Swart through sham flat fee contracts. The charges allege Knowles knew Swart used call centers and telemedicine doctors to obtain the DNA samples and signed doctors’ orders, and that providers Swart used to obtain these orders were not the beneficiaries’ treating physicians and did not use the genetic testing results to treat the beneficiaries.
The final case against Meier was indicted June 12. She is charged with money laundering and unlawfully operating a money transmitting business in connection with a pharmacy at the center of a health care fraud scheme. Meier allegedly owned Kim Long Pharmacy in Houston that billed private insurance companies for medicines the pharmacy never provided to alleged patients. During the course of the conspiracy, the pharmacy received approximately $4.3 million of fraudulent funds from the insurance companies, according to the charges. At the direction of others, Meier then allegedly transferred approximately $3.6 million of the fraudulent proceeds to overseas accounts in Hong Kong and Singapore.
Conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks carry possible five-year prison sentences. If convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, paying and receiving kickbacks, health care fraud, receipt of health care kickbacks or money laundering, those charged face up to 10 years, while unlawfully operating a money transmitting business carries a possible five-year prison sentence. They could also be ordered to pay hundreds of thousands in fines.
FBI, Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Texas Attorney General’s Office – Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Department of Homeland Security, DOL-OIG, Veterans Affairs – OIG and U.S. Postal Service – OIG conducted the various investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Olson and Grace Murphy of the SDTX and Trial Attorneys Ethan Womble, Devon Helfmeyer, Andrew Tamayo and Monica Cooper of the Department’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force are prosecuting the respective cases.
An information or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Eastern District of Wisconsin Participates in National Health Care Fraud Law Enforcement ActionRead the Press Release
Today, United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad announced that a grand jury had indicted Lori Banyard Butts (age 47; of Wales, Wisconsin) in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud Wisconsin Medicaid and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The indictment charges Butts with eight counts of healthcare fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1347, and eight counts of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. The indictment alleges that through her company, Butts billed for the staffing of adult family homes that was not provided. The indictment alleges that her company received approximately $1.4 million to which it was not entitled, and that Butts then converted a substantial portion of this money to her personal use.
U.S. Attorney Haanstad explained that the indictment in this case was part of the Department of Justice’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action, which was a strategically coordinated, two-week initiative that resulted in criminal charges against 193 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.75 billion in alleged false billings.
More on the nationwide effort, including statements from the Attorney General and the leadership of other participating federal agencies and departments can be found here https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/national-health-care-fraud-enforcement-action-results-193-defendants-charged-and-over-275-0.
If convicted, Butts would face up to ten years’ imprisonment on each of the health care fraud counts and up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the wire fraud counts. Each count of conviction also could result in a fine of up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by FBI-Milwaukee, with assistance from the Criminal Investigation division of the Internal Revenue Service. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Carter Stewart and Zachary Corey.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent.
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Dumfries businesswoman sentenced for employment tax crimesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Dumfries woman was sentenced today to one year and three months in prison and payment of $950,100.18 in restitution of for not paying employment taxes to the IRS.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Gail Jones, 57, was a co-owner who also served as Director, Vice President and President of S&G Property Management Inc. (S&G), a parcel delivery service. Between 2013 and 2018, Jones caused income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes to be withheld from S&G’s employees. However, Jones did not pay those withholdings to the IRS as she was required to do. Moreover, to thwart potential IRS levies and other collection activities, Jones opened new bank accounts using other individuals’ social security numbers, as well as new Employer Identification Numbers, and variations of her business’ name. Between December 2016 and December 2018, she withdrew over $450,000 in cash from business bank accounts in lieu of paying the taxes owed.
In total, Jones caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $950,000.
Additionally, Jones fraudulently applied for two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, which were part of a COVID-19 relief program intended to provide loans to certain businesses to help them retain their employees or stay afloat during the pandemic. Jones applied for the loans even though S&G was no longer operating. She fraudulently received $20,800 in loans.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stuart M. Goldberg, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Shartar for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Marissa Brodney of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-50.
Department of Justice seizes more than $1 million of collectible stamps as proceeds of criminal fraud schemeRead the Press Release
Seattle – The Department of Justice has seized more than $1 million in proceeds from a massive fraud scheme targeting seniors and other vulnerable populations, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington filed a Verified Civil Forfeiture Complaint seeking forfeiture of 149 lots of collectible stamps and other items seized from the Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Inc. of New York. An investigation revealed that the stamps were purchased with monies stolen from victims who were swindled by fraudsters impersonating government agents, regulators, or romantic interests. Once the stamps have been forfeited to the United States, they will be liquidated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the government will seek to return the funds to the victims.
“Too often when victims have been defrauded in these schemes, their money is gone for good,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “We are delighted to be able to share good news with these victims and hope to be able to return funds to them through this civil forfeiture action.”
According to the court filings, the deposits made to the Siegel Galleries and used to purchase the stamps, have been traced to victims of crime. Multiple frauds were used in this case, both government impersonation scams and romance scams. Siegel Galleries is not accused of any crime.
The government has identified 28 victims, from Western Washington and from across the country who were defrauded and mislead. The fraud occurred in two phases. In phase one, victims were called by a person claiming to be from a government entity such as the FBI, SEC, or DOJ reporting that the victim’s bank account or personal identity had been breached and stating that the victim needed to send their funds to a different entity for safe keeping. In some instances, victims were told they had been implicated in a money laundering scheme and to prove their innocence and protect their funds they needed to send them to the account designated by the caller. Victims were told their funds would be returned once the matter had been resolved. Some victims were defrauded of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Some of the victims sent cashier’s checks directly to the gallery. Others were instructed to send the money via cashier’s check to a second set of victims: romance scam victims. These victims were contacted via social media, and believed they were assisting a romantic interest with money from an inheritance, or an investment or to pay debts. This second set of victims were told to deposit the cashier’s checks from the first set of victims and then withdraw the funds and send or wire the money to the gallery.
In all investigators have traced $1,012,300 to the various victims. Funds deposited toward the invoices for purchase of the stamps total $1,383,437. Prosecutors and agents are still working to trace funds to additional victims.
No criminal charges have been filed yet. Potential charges include conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
The FBI is investigating the case in coordination with Asset Forfeiture Assistant United States Attorney Krista Bush.
Dallas Gang Member Charged with Possessing Glock SwitchesRead the Press Release
A gang-affiliated murder suspect has been charged with possessing multiple Glock switches, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Jamarion White, 19, was charged by the feds via criminal complaint with possession of a machinegun and was arrested Thursday evening. He was subsequently charged by the state with the June 9 murder of an 18-year-old boy.
“To think that some of our DFW’s most violent alleged criminals are armed with machinegun conversion devices is not just unsettling – it’s terrifying,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “Switch-equipped guns can fire faster than military-issue M4s. This is not the kind of weapon we want criminals carrying. This is why my office is focused on prosecuting switch cases—to protect our north Texas communities from the life-shattering effects of these devices.”
According to the federal complaint, on June 12, just three days after the alleged murder, law enforcement received a call about two suspicious men smoking marijuana inside a “beat-up Ford.” When officers arrived on scene, they approached the suspect vehicle and found Mr. White, a known member of the 65 Groveside criminal street gang, in the front seat.
An officer spotted a Glock pistol under Mr. White’s leg and directed him to place his hands on the dash. Instead, Mr. White allegedly fled, leaving the gun in plain view on the seat. Officers pursued him into a wooded area, where they lost sight of him. Eventually, they located him at a nearby home after receiving a call about an unknown intruder.
When the officers returned to the vehicle to secure the firearm, it was gone. A bystander reported that during the pursuit, another man had removed a bag from the Ford and placed it in a nearby car. Officers located the bag, which contained three loaded Glocks, all equipped with machinegun conversion devices, colloquially known as “switches.”
A subsequent search of Mr. White’s social media accounts yielded photos of the defendant allegedly holding one of the switch-equipped guns, as well as a music video in which the defendant allegedly explained how switches operate and the devastation they cause.
A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. White is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted of the machinegun charge, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division, and the Mesquite Police Department conducted the federal firearms investigation. The Dallas Police Department conducted the homicide investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marissa Aulbaugh is prosecuting the federal case.
The case is part of “Operation Texas Kill Switch,” a statewide initiative taking aim at machinegun conversion devices, which transform commercially available semi-automatic firearms into fully-automatic weapons capable of firing faster than military-grade machine guns. Spearheaded by U.S. Attorneys Leigha Simonton, Alamdar Hamdani, Damien Diggs and Jaime Esparza, Operation Texas Kill Switch relies on partnerships with state and local law enforcement as well as rewards offered by Crime Stoppers.
Convicted Felon Is Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Castillo Hopkins, 39, of Matthews, N.C. was sentenced today to 42 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, on June 10, 2022, CMPD officers received a call for service for an armed individual at a gas station in the area. When officers arrived on the scene, they observed the individual, later identified as Hopkins, sitting on the hood of his vehicle. As the officers approached Hopkins, the defendant got off the hood of the car and kneeled by the front driver’s side wheel. The officers heard a metallic object hit the ground. Hopkins was arrested and the officers retrieved a semi-automatic pistol from underneath the vehicle. According to court documents, on July 23, 2022, a shooting occurred at The Gold Club in Charlotte. During the investigation, law enforcement identified Hopkins as the possible shooter in that incident. On July 23, 2022, law enforcement located Hopkins sitting in a vehicle at the same gas station he had been arrested previously. Law enforcement ordered Hopkins to step out of the vehicle and proceeded to search the car’s interior, where they located a semi-automatic pistol that had been reported stolen. Hopkins has multiple prior convictions, including strong arm robbery, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, and carrying a concealed weapon, and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
On January 10, 2024, Hopkins pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Sielaff of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Clint Huss, 47, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced June 27, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Clint Huss, 47, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced June 27, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Huss to 151 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Huss’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On May 17, 2022, Omaha police narcotics detectives established surveillance at an Omaha motel. Huss exited the motel, went to his vehicle, placed some items inside, and drove away. During a traffic stop based upon traffic violations, Huss consented to a search of his vehicle and told detectives there would be drugs in the vehicle. Detectives found approximately 236 grams (0.52 pounds) of meth in a fanny pack on the front passenger seat.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Clay Woman Sentenced to 6 Years for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Lauren Roosa, age 39, formerly of Clay, New York, was sentenced today to 72 months in federal prison for her role in a drug-trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine in Onondaga County and elsewhere in Central New York.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.
As part of her prior guilty plea, Roosa admitted that from approximately January 2020 through at least April 2021, she conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Central New York, which had been transported from California. Roosa further admitted that she agreed to receive shipments of methamphetamine at her residence in Clay, New York, which had been sent via commercial delivery service by coconspirators. One of these shipments contained 879 grams of pure methamphetamine. Roosa also acknowledged that she knew that a coconspirator had stored methamphetamine at a small convenience store in Syracuse, New York, which included 405 grams of pure methamphetamine seized by law enforcement, and that the $17,460 in U.S. currency also seized from that location was drug proceeds.
United States District Judge David N. Hurd also ordered Roosa to serve a 3-year term of supervised release to follow her release from prison, and the forfeiture of a total of $22,010 seized currency.
This case was investigated by DEA, U.S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York State Police-Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (NYSP-VGNET), Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, Syracuse Police Department, Oklahoma City Police Department, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie.
Child rapist sentenced for receiving child pornography and assaulting a federal officerRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Honduran national who raped a 13-year-old victim was sentenced today to five years in prison for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and assaulting a federal officer.
According to court documents, Jhoan Esau Lemus Ramos, 23, illegally entered the United States in 2021. In February 2022, Lemus Ramos contacted a 13-year-old girl through SnapChat. In March 2022, Lemus Ramos met the victim in a parking lot in Herndon. When the victim attempted to resist Lemus Ramos’ sexual advances, he forcibly raped her.
For the next several months through at least August 2022, Lemus Ramos repeatedly asked the victim for nude or semi-nude photographs. She eventually complied and sent the photos via cellphone. When she wanted to stop interacting with him, he used the photos to threaten her and force her to have sex with him. The threats only stopped when the victim contacted Herndon Police for help.
A forensic examination revealed messages between him and the victim as well as CSAM.
On Jan. 4, 2024, Deportation Officers from Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., arrived at Lemus Ramos’ residence in Springfield with a warrant for his arrest. As they attempted to arrest Lemus Ramos, he struck an officer in the face, causing an injury that required stitches and left a lasting scar.
This is the second federal conviction for assaulting, resisting, and impeding an ICE officer in the Eastern District of Virginia this year. On Jan. 4, Jose Reyes Rubio pled guilty for causing injury to an ICE officer during an arrest in Woodbridge.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Liana Castano, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sehar Sabir and April Russo prosecuted the case, with assistance from Special Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Cohn.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-34.
Charlotte Fentanyl Trafficker Is Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced today that Antonio Lamar Stukes, 33, of Charlotte, was ordered to serve 61 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking fentanyl, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and court proceedings, in October 2022, law enforcement learned that Stukes was trafficking fentanyl in and around the Charlotte area. Law enforcement initiated an investigation into Stukes. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement arranged several controlled buys of fentanyl from the Stukes. The investigation of Stukes led to the identification of his supplier and several additional co-conspirators. Stukes has a lengthy criminal history, including a 2014 federal conviction in the Western District of North Carolina for possession of a firearm by a felon.
On January 25, 2024, Stukes pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl and aiding and abetting.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI, the ATF, and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rose of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Canadian Man Sentenced for Stolen Valor and Unlawfully Forging Military Discharge PaperworkRead the Press Release
PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – Randall J. Montour, age 45, a resident of Cornwall, Ontario, was sentenced today to two years of probation for violating the Stolen Valor Act of 2013 and for falsifying his military discharge certificate. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and United States Marshal David L. McNulty made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea on February 29, 2024, Montour admitted that he falsely altered his Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, Form DD-214, to reflect he received an honorable discharge from the United States Air Force and that he earned numerous decorations, medals, badges, citations or campaign ribbons, including the Purple Heart. Military records show, however, that Montour received a bad conduct discharge from the Air Force in 2001 and was only awarded the Air Force Training Ribbon during his time in service. He is not a Purple Heart recipient. Montour also admitted that he used his altered Form DD-214 to purchase Purple Heart Recipient license plates from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, which he then affixed to his vehicle.
Montour also appeared at veterans’ events wearing an Air Force uniform belonging to a senior non-commissioned officer, a rank the defendant did not achieve in the Air Force, and displaying a ribbon stack depicting many decorations, medals, badges, citations or campaign ribbons that he did not earn, including the Purple Heart.
United States Magistrate Judge Gary L. Favro also sentenced Montour to 200 hours of community service and a $10,000 fine.
The United States Marshals Service investigated the case with assistance from the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas G. Collyer prosecuted the case.
California Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Large Quantities of Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A California man was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for conspiring with others to distribute hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills throughout the United States.
According to court documents, on March 17, 2021, George Anthony Manzo (37), of Redlands, California, sold 500 fentanyl pills to an individual. As part of the conspiracy, Manzo primarily utilized Snapchat to arrange drug transactions and communicate with customers. On April 2, 2021, Manzo sold approximately 2,000 fentanyl pills to his co-defendant Michel Flores-Paredes. Later, on June 29, 2021, a traffic stop was conducted on a vehicle driven by Manzo’s girlfriend and Manzo was in the front passenger seat. They were traveling back to Las Vegas from Phoenix where they picked up the pills. During a search of the vehicle, investigators found approximately 30,000 pills. A DEA laboratory analysis found that the pills contained fentanyl. Manzo and his girlfriend were released from custody while investigators waited for the drug test results on the pills found in their car. After their release, Manzo, his girlfriend, and her three minor children fled the United States. In December 2021, Manzo was taken into custody in Tijuana, Mexico and returned to the United States that day.
On January 2, 2024, Manzo pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance – Fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance – Fentanyl.
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 and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Melanee Smith 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.
Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever faced, killing 38,000 Americans in the first six months of 2023 alone. In 2022, more than two thirds of the reported 107,081 drug overdose deaths in the United States involved fentanyl. Just one fentanyl pill can kill. Two milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially fatal dose and laboratory testing indicates seven out of 10 pills seized by the DEA contain a lethal dose of fentanyl.
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Businesswoman sentenced for tax evasionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Missouri woman was sentenced to six months in prison followed by six months of home confinement after keeping money that her company collected as payroll taxes from employees instead of sending the funds the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as required by federal law.
According to court documents, Chelli Payne, 59, of Raymore, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of failing to account for or pay over employment taxes.
A Family Tree Enterprises (AFTE), is a business in Olathe, Kansas, providing day and residential services to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. AFTE withheld taxes from its employees' paychecks, including federal income taxes.
Based on her position with the company, it was Payne’s responsibility to oversee collecting and paying over employment taxes to the IRS on behalf of AFTE. In most quarters between the second quarter of 2015 and 2019, Payne failed to pay over the withheld employment taxes causing a tax loss to the IRS of $1,055,367.
A federal judge also ordered Payne to pay restitution in the amount of $1,055,367.
IRS- Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Oakley prosecuted the case.
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Burnsville Man Charged with Defrauding Electronics Manufacturer of $1.2 MillionRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Burnsville man has been charged with three counts of wire fraud after defrauding an electronics manufacturing business out of more than $1.2 million, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between 2019 and 2020, Thomas Thanh Pham, 52, devised a scheme to defraud a California based company of approximately $1.2 million. Pham, who was the CEO of Enterprise Products, LLC, purported to provide consulting and financial services to commercial clients involved in engineering and manufacturing. Pham held himself out as a broker with supposed business relationships with large, well-known companies. As a supposed broker, Pham claimed he could arrange service agreements between an electronic manufacturing services company based in San Jose, California, (identified as Victim A) and his ostensible business affiliates in the electronics and technology sectors.
According to court documents, starting in June 2019, Pham began a series of discussions with Victim A, in which Pham pitched that Enterprise Products could facilitate multi-million-dollar manufacturing and repair contracts between Victim A and large electronics companies. Pham supplied Victim A with bogus documents, including fabricated contracts, correspondence, and business proposals. As part of the scheme, Pham first required Victim A to pay a “deposit bond” in the amount of $1,278,000. Pham’s fraudulent tactics resulted in Victim A agreeing to enter into a contract in September 2019, through which Victim A ostensibly would receive millions of dollars in exchange for repair services. Pham unsuccessfully pitched other phony deals to Victim A that purportedly involved even larger financial contracts deals with other companies.
As part of the scheme and to give the impression that he was fulfilling the fraudulent contract, Pham caused the initial delivery to Victim A in California of approximately 20 samples of electronic devices that supposedly required repairs by Victim A. However, Pham failed to disclose to Victim A that these 20 “sample” devices were, in fact, stolen property. It was additionally part of the scheme that Pham tried to lull Victim A into a false sense of security by offering a series of excuses and promises when Victim A either inquired about its money or demanded a refund. Rather than maintain the money securely in a refundable escrow as promised, Pham fraudulently misappropriate Victim A’s funds for a series of unauthorized uses and transactions.
The indictment charges Pham with three counts of wire fraud. Pham made his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Douglas L. Micko.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert and Rebecca E. Kline are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bronx Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Bronx man pleaded guilty today to travelling to the Worcester area to distribute approximately one kilogram of fentanyl.
Jose Luis Lopez Genao, 32, of Bronx, N.Y., pleaded guilty today to one count of distribution of and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Sept. 23, 2024. Genao was arrested and charged in December 2022.
In and around June 2021, Genao and other subjects were identified as receiving large shipments of fentanyl from outside the United States and then distributing it throughout the Springfield and New England areas. On Dec. 8, 2022, Genao travelled from New York to the Worcester area to deliver approximately one kilogram of fentanyl. Genao was arrested immediately after he delivered the fentanyl to a government witness.
The charge of distribution of and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised released, and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Massachusetts State Police; Chicopee, West Springfield and Easthampton Police Departments; and the Berkshire, Hampden and Franklin County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of the Springfield Branch Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
Bronx Daycare Provider Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of A Child and Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that SILFREDO CASTILLO MARTINEZ was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for producing child pornography with a minor victim who was under his watch in the Bronx daycare CASTILLO MARTINEZ owned and operated. On March 21, 2024, CASTILLO MARTINEZ pled guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and production of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Silfredo Castillo Martinez exploited the trust placed in him as a daycare provider by sexually abusing one of the minor children under his care and recording that abuse. This lengthy prison sentence holds Castillo Martinez accountable for his horrific crimes and the extraordinary harm and trauma he caused.”
According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Information and the Complaint:
From about July 2015 through about May 3, 2022, CASTILLO MARTINEZ operated a licensed daycare facility for children at his residence in the Bronx, New York (the “Daycare Facility”).
From about May 2018 through about July 2018, CASTILLO MARTINEZ induced an 11-year-old minor (“Minor Victim-1”) who attended the Daycare Facility to engage in sexually explicit conduct with him at the Daycare Facility while CASTILLO MARTINEZ recorded that conduct on his cellphone and camera.
On about May 3, 2022, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at CASTILLO MARTINEZ’s residence and seized several electronic devices belonging to CASTILLO MARTINEZ. Those devices contained, among other things, several images and a video containing child pornography depicting Minor Victim-1 and approximately 9,800 other images depicting child pornography.
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In addition to his prison term, CASTILLO MARTINEZ, 34, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Secret Service’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the New York City Police Department. Mr. Williams also thanked the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackie Delligatti is in charge of the prosecution.
Bloomfield Man Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud ChargeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that, on June 21, 2024, SHAWN TYSON, 54, of Bloomfield, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to health care fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Tyson was a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (LADC) with an office located at 330 Main Street in Hartford. From November 2019 to April 2023, Tyson, together with an individual identified in court as “Provider 1,” defrauded the Connecticut Medicaid program (“Medicaid”) by submitting fraudulent claims for psychotherapy counseling sessions that were not provided by Tyson or Provider 1. In addition, Tyson and Provider 1 agreed to submit claims to Medicaid under Tyson’s unique Medicaid provider number for services purportedly provided by Provider 1 that falsely represented that Tyson had personally provided the services to Medicaid patients.
In order to conceal the fraud scheme, in October and November 2022, Tyson provided fraudulent patient records in response to an audit of his claims performed by the Medicaid program.
Health care fraud carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. As part of his plea, Tyson agreed to pay $670,960.72 in restitution to the Connecticut Medicaid program.
Tyson is released on a $15,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.
This investigation has been conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Social Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Sheldon and Auditor Susan Spiegel.
This matter is part of the Department of Justice’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action, a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 193 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.75 billion in alleged false billings. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets, and the government, in connection with the enforcement action, seized over $231 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold, and other assets.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Connecticut Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, and Connecticut Attorney General’s Office meet regularly as part of The Medicaid Fraud Working Group. The Working Group also includes representatives from the Connecticut Department of Social Services; the Connecticut Department of Public Health; the Drug Control Division of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection; the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the FBI. The Working Group reviews pending issues and cases, identifies trends that might indicate fraudulent activity, and coordinates efforts for maximum results.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
Barling Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening Federal Judge and Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
FORT SMITH – A Barling man pled guilty today to one count of Threatening a Federal Official and one count of Receipt of Child Pornography. The Honorable Judge Mark E. Ford presided over the change of plea hearing in the United States District Court in Fort Smith.
According to the plea agreement, Fort Smith Police Department was dispatched to a local shopping establishment pursuant to a 911 call wherein the caller stated the defendant, Rodney Dewayne Sheffield, age 40, had traveled to the shopping establishment in Fort Smith, Arkansas with the intent to shoot people.
Officers with the Fort Smith Police Department subsequently made a traffic stop on Sheffield for operating his vehicle in a reckless manner on Rogers Avenue in Fort Smith. During the traffic stop, the officer observed a rifle on the passenger side floorboard of the vehicle. The Officer separated Sheffield from the rifle and located ammunition on his person.
Further investigation showed Sheffield had a pending Social Security disability claim and was upset at the status of the claim. A witness stated Sheffield had traveled to the building where the Social Security administration offices were located and told him, “I’ve had enough, I can’t take it anymore.” The individual further stated Sheffield told him he was going to shoot the Social Security Administrative Law Judge. Sheffield stated he wanted to do this to “teach the Government a lesson.” The individual stated he called 911 after speaking to Sheffield.
Subsequently a search warrant was obtained for Sheffield’s phone. Officers located images and videos of child pornography including children as young as approximately 5 years old on Sheffield’s phone.
Sheffield’s sentencing date will be set at a later time. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment for Threatening the Federal Official and a minimum of 5 years imprisonment, maximum of 20 years for the Receipt of Child Pornography. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Office of the Inspector General Social Security Administration and Fort Smith Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Marshall is prosecuting the case.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on the Supreme Court’s Order in Moyle v. United StatesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the Supreme Court’s order in Moyle v. United States:
“The Justice Department filed this lawsuit because the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, or EMTALA, guarantees essential emergency care to all Americans, no matter which state they live in. If a patient comes into the emergency room with a medical emergency seriously jeopardizing the patient’s life or health, EMTALA requires hospitals to offer the treatment necessary to stabilize that patient — including pregnancy termination, if that is the treatment required to save a woman’s life or prevent serious harm to her health. Today’s order means that, while we continue to litigate our case, women in Idaho will once again have access to the emergency care guaranteed to them under federal law. The Justice Department will continue to use every available tool to ensure that women in every state have access to that care.”
Arkansas Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Exchanging Nude Pictures with GirlRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday sentenced an Arkansas man who exchanged nude pictures with a minor for five years to 10 years in prison.
Joseph D. Najera, now 26, and the victim met in 2017 via Kik Messenger when Najera sent her a friend request. The victim was 12 and told Najera her age. Najera sent the victim artwork depicting nudity, pornography and graphic violence. He had her create drawings, and his instructions about what to draw became increasingly complex and sexual. On numerous occasions, Najera told the victim to perform sex acts during video chats, and to create pornographic images and pictures. He also sent her pornographic videos. Najera exerted control over the victim, telling her she was not allowed to talk with boys at school. He had to approve her makeup, her clothes and whether she cut her hair. He also had parental controls set up on her phone to monitor her actions. They discussed meeting in person but never did.
Najera, 25, of Lincoln, Arkansas, pleaded guilty in March to one felony count of coercion and enticement of a minor.
The FBI, the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force, the St. Charles County Police Department and the Montgomery City Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting 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 the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Angelina County felon sentenced for federal drug trafficking and firearms violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Lufkin man was sentenced to federal prison for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Johnathan Edward Brandt, 38, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on June 27, 2024.
According to information presented in court, in early 2023, law enforcement agents made multiple undercover purchases of methamphetamine from Brandt. Agents were also able to purchase a firearm from Brandt during one of the undercover purchases.
In March of 2023, Brandt was arrested after law enforcement responded to a report of individuals wearing ski masks and carrying flashlights at a Lufkin business. Brandt was found in possession of a stolen firearm and had an outstanding warrant. Further investigation revealed Brandt drove to the location in a stolen vehicle which also happened to contain another 13 firearms, a large amount of ecstasy pills, methamphetamine, alprazolam, a large amount of cash, and ammunition and magazines. Brandt admitted to trading narcotics for the firearms. A search of Brandt’s residence resulted in the seizure of methamphetamine, digital scales, ecstasy, marijuana, firearms, and a stolen vehicle. Brandt has prior felony convictions for multiple felony thefts, multiple burglary of a habitation offenses, possession of a prohibited weapon, and multiple felony possession of a controlled substance offenses. As a convicted felon he is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Angelina County Sheriff’s Office; and the Lufkin Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.
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Aldie man charged in multi-million dollar investment fraud schemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging an Aldie man with wire fraud and unlawful monetary transactions relating to his scheme to defraud dozens of investors in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, Missouri, and elsewhere, causing millions of dollars in losses.
According to court documents, Babu Ramaraj, 46, and his wife owned DAB Inspection and Consulting Services, LLC (DAB), a small home contractor with modest revenues doing patio and deck projects. Ramaraj allegedly stated that DAB had lucrative contracts with the Federal Aviation Administration, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), and others, and was a joint venture partner on a Washington DC Water Clean Rivers Project, for tens of millions of dollars each, supposedly to perform engineering inspection work on huge infrastructure projects. As alleged in the indictment, Ramaraj claimed he needed to make large upfront bond payments to secure the work but could not obtain bank financing because of the relative youth of DAB as a company and the speed with which DAB needed to secure the funding, which was supposedly not feasible with banks.
In support of his claims, Ramaraj allegedly supplied to victims falsified contract award letters, invoices, DAB financial records, and other documents to induce dozens of investors to loan DAB more than $20 million in aggregate. In reality, according to the indictment, Ramaraj forged the contract documents and the supposed bonds were never paid.
From January 2020 through May 2024, Ramaraj allegedly pitched individuals, including members of his Loudon County cricket league, the opportunity to loan DAB money at high interest rates, annualized at over 100% in some instances. Using money from later investors, Ramaraj allegedly paid initial investors the promised returns to entice them to continue investing and to recruit other friends and family to invest.
Instead of paying for the promised bonds, according to the indictment Ramaraj electronically transferred investor funds to his and his spouse’s online brokerage accounts to engage in securities trades, wired over $1 million to accounts in India in his spouse’s name, purchased several automobiles, obtained real properties, and made other payments to fund his lifestyle.
If convicted, Ramaraj faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and up to 10 years in prison for each count of unlawful monetary transactions.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; and Jehmal T. Hudson, Chair of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, made the announcement.
Ramaraj was arrested on a criminal complaint and ordered detained pending trial before Senior United States District Judge Claude M. Hilton.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell L. Carlberg is prosecuting the case.
Anyone who may have been a victim in this case or who may have information regarding this case is encouraged to contact the FBI’s Washington Field Office at (202) 278-2000 or the FBI’s tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Information may also be submitted online using FBI’s electronic tips form at https://tips.fbi.gov.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-147.
Alaska Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening U.S. SenatorRead the Press Release
An Alaska man pleaded guilty yesterday to making interstate threats to kidnap and injure a sitting U.S. Senator.
According to court documents, Arther Graham, 46, of Kenai, sent a web form submission to a U.S. Senator on Sept. 28, 2023, threatening to injure the Senator. Congressional staff members reported the threat to the U.S. Capitol Police and an investigation was launched.
“Threats of violence against public servants are abhorrent and unacceptable, and as this plea makes clear, the Justice Department will not tolerate them,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Our democracy depends on the ability of members of Congress to do their jobs without fearing for their safety. The Justice Department will continue to do everything in our power to protect those who serve the public and to hold accountable those who endanger them.”
Graham identified himself in the threat. Law enforcement later confirmed the sender was Graham and lived in Kenai. He was taken into custody by special agents from the U.S. Capitol Police and FBI at his home on Oct. 30, 2023.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 1, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Attorney General Garland, U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the U.S. Capitol Police made the announcement.
The U.S. Capitol Police and FBI Anchorage Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Kenai Police Department and the Alaska State Troopers.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Vandergaw for the District of Alaska is prosecuting the case.
Wednesday 26 June 2024
Wheeling Man Admits to Selling CocaineRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Chad Askew, 48, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to the distribution of cocaine.
According to court documents, Askew was selling cocaine in Wheeling in October 2023.
Askew faces up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Nogay is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Vancouver, Washington man charged federally for distributing fentanyl powderRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 26-year-old Vancouver, Washington man appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle today, following his arrest on a criminal complaint for distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Gregory Clark Bolton III, was arrested by the FBI and Clark County Sheriff’s Deputies yesterday, following the investigation of the overdose death of a 60-year-old Vancouver man. Bolton appeared at 2:00 on the first appearance calendar which was held in Seattle today.
According to the criminal complaint, Bolton was arrested back in June 2022 for distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl pills. He was charged in state court but absconded after being released on bail. The complaint today charges that drug trafficking activity under federal law.
In January 2024, Bolton again came on the radar of law enforcement after the overdose death of the Vancouver man. Following the death, law enforcement worked with the victim’s widow and other confidential informants to trace the source of the fentanyl powder that caused the death. Reviewing cell phone data and surveillance video at the scene of the drug sale they alleged that the powder was sold by Bolton. Bolton was arrested on January 24, 2024, and charged with possession of controlled substances with intent to deliver and possession of a firearm. He was again released on bail and informed that a condition of his release was to have no law violations.
In April 2024, a person working with law enforcement purchased 100 fentanyl pills from Bolton. The drug sale was being surveilled by law enforcement. The purchased pills tested positive for fentanyl on June 11, 2024. Bolton was charged federally by criminal complaint on June 18, 2024, and was arrested June 25, 2024.
Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be merited.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Columbia River Organized Crime Task Force which includes the FBI and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristine Foerster.
Uzbekistan man extradited from Ukraine and arraigned on charges of stealing millions of dollars in cryptocurrencyRead the Press Release
Buffalo, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced that Nikita Andreevich Sklyuev a/k/a Valeriy Dorojkin, 37, of Uzbekistan, was extradited from Ukraine and arraigned today on an indictment charging him with wire fraud and fraudulent use of unauthorized access device. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A. C. Penrose, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, in June 2018, Sklyuev submitted a computer software application, “EOSIO Wallet Explorer,” to Apple to be sold through the Apple App Store. The EOSIO Wallet Explorer purported to be a cryptocurrency wallet, but was in fact a malicious computer software application designed to steal the cryptocurrency user’s private key, thereby giving Sklyuev access to the user’s cryptocurrency funds. In September 2018, an individual in the Western District of New York (Victim) purchased the EOSIO Wallet Explorer application and then installed it on his iPhone. Once the Victim entered his private key following the installation, Sklyuev had unauthorized access to the Victim’s cryptocurrency wallet, which contained approximately 2,092,395.5356 EOS cryptocurrency, which at the time was valued at approximately $11.8 million dollars. On September 25, 2018, Sklyuev changed the private key to the Victim’s wallet, which resulted in the Victim losing all control and access to his wallet. In February 2019, Sklyuev transferred the EOS cryptocurrency from the Victim’s wallet to numerous other online wallets that were under his control.
Sklyuev was arraigned this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and is being held pending a detention hearing on July 3, 2024. Today’s arraignment follows the successful June 20, 2024, extradition of Sklyuev from Ukraine. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Romanian and Ukrainian authorities to secure his arrest and extradition.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia and the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Utah Woman Sentenced to 18 Months’ Imprisonment for Stealing an Amazon Truck and PackagesRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – Jaclyn Allred, 38, of Salt Lake City, was sentenced Monday to 18 months’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, and ordered by the court to pay $5,735.19 in restitution. The sentence comes after Allred admitted to stealing an Amazon delivery truck loaded with parcels in 2021.
According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, Allred pleaded guilty in January 2024 to theft of interstate shipments.
On November 15, 2021, Allred, aka “Giggles,” stole an Amazon delivery truck loaded with packages in an apartment complex in Taylorsville, Utah. The estimated value of the packages for delivery exceeded $1,000. Allred admitted that while the Amazon driver was delivering a package to an apartment, she unlawfully entered the van and drove off. At a church parking lot, Allred removed the packages and distributed them to others, therefore depriving the rightful owners of their parcels.
Allred is one of five defendants charged in 2022. Akanesi Tongia was sentenced to three years of supervised release in August 2023. Sentencing for Teofilo Franki Quintana is scheduled for August 2024. Catrina Cascarejo is scheduled for trial in December 2024 at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. Charges against Anetone Simanu were dismissed after the defendant died in September 2023. Simanu was not in custody at the time of death.
The case was investigated jointly by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and the Taylorsville Police Department.
An Assistant United States Attorney from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Utah Man Convicted of Impersonating a Federal Officer and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on June 25, 2024, Juan Carlos Martinez-Napoles (age: 38) of Utah, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for impersonating a federal officer and wire fraud. He was also ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his crime and to serve two years on supervised release following his prison sentence.
According to court documents, between approximately September 2018 and December 2019, Martinez-Napoles posed as an immigration agent from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and falsely represented to numerous victims that he could assist them in achieving legal status in the United States for a fee. During the course of his scheme, Martinez-Napoles induced three Wisconsin families to pay him approximately $45,000 in exchange for his “services.” He also threatened to have members of one family deported if they did not pay him significant fees.
At the sentencing hearing, United States District Court Chief Judge Pamela Pepper discussed the serious nature of the crime and the need to deter the defendant and others from engaging in this type of fraud.
“Fraudulently posing as a USCIS agent, Mr. Martinez-Napoles took advantage of vulnerable individuals, whom he convinced to pay a total of over $45,000 for his ‘help,’” said U.S. Attorney Haanstad. “In reality, he was simply lying to these individuals to line his own pockets. And when a victim questioned his activities, Mr. Martinez-Napoles even threatened to have the victim’s family deported. I commend the hard work of everyone who helped bring Mr. Martinez-Napoles to justice and commend the victims for their willingness to cooperate with the legitimate federal authorities in this matter.”
“Posing as a government official as Martinez-Napoles did for the purposes of exploiting and victimizing other individuals is intolerable,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Fitzgerald of HSI Chicago. “HSI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold such offenders accountable for their crimes.”
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Milwaukee Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Ladwig.
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U.S. Attorney Announces Settlement of Civil Fraud Lawsuit Against VNS Health and Related Entities for Billing for Services They Failed to Provide or DocumentRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Naomi Gruchacz, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), announced today that the United States has settled a civil fraud lawsuit against VISITING NURSE SERVICE OF NEW YORK d/b/a VNS HEALTH, VISITING NURSE SERVICE OF NEW YORK HOME CARE II d/b/a VISITING NURSE SERVICE OF NEW YORK HOME CARE, and VNS HEALTH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, INC. (collectively, “VNS”).
VNS, which operates one of the largest non-profit home and community-based health care organizations in the U.S., is licensed by the New York State Office of Mental Health (“OMH”) to serve as an Assertive Community Treatment (“ACT”) Program provider. The settlement resolves claims that VNS violated the False Claims Act by fraudulently billing Medicaid for services that it either failed to provide or failed to document to persons with serious mental illness at the ACT Program VNS operated in Far Rockaway, Queens (the “VNS Far Rockaway ACT Program”). Specifically, the settlement resolves claims that from January 1, 2014, through December 31, 2018, VNS submitted or caused to be submitted false claims to Medicaid for monthly payments for 103 patients at the VNS Far Rockaway ACT Program who did not receive the full array of services that VNS was required to provide under the ACT Program or for whom VNS did not adequately or timely document provision of such services in accordance with applicable regulations or the ACT guidelines.
Under the settlement approved June 25, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, VNS will pay the U.S. $381,766.59 and has admitted and accepted responsibility for conduct alleged in the U.S. Complaint. VNS has also agreed to pay the State of New York $572,649.89 to resolve state law claims for a total combined recovery of $954,416.48.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The patients with serious mental illness who were receiving services from VNS’s Far Rockaway location deserved better. These individuals needed, and Medicaid agreed to pay for, a full suite of monthly support services so that they could better manage their disabilities. This Office will hold health care providers accountable when they fail to provide the necessary services that the federal and state governments are paying for.”
HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz said: “As an Assertive Community Treatment Program in the State of New York, the defendants obtained funds from the Medicaid program to which they were not entitled because they did not record or provide appropriate services to a vulnerable patient population. Individuals and entities that participate in the federal health care system are required to obey the laws meant to preserve the integrity of program funds and the provision of appropriate, quality services to patients.”
As alleged in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court:
VNS, as an ACT Program provider, receives monthly payments from Medicaid for each patient enrolled in its ACT Program. In order to receive these payments, VNS must comply with certain regulations and guidelines promulgated by OMH, as well as their own contractual agreements with OMH.
However, in violation of these regulations, guidelines, and contractual agreements, VNS repeatedly failed to provide or document essential services to 103 patients at the VNS Far Rockaway ACT Program. Specifically, VNS repeatedly failed to complete intake forms and/or conduct initial assessments, failed to complete immediate needs assessments, failed to complete service plans, failed to provide and/or record monthly psychiatric visits, and failed to record progress notes.
As part of the settlement, VNS admitted and accepted responsibility for certain conduct alleged by the U.S. in its Complaint, including the following:
▪ Intake Forms and Initial Assessments: Intake forms and initial assessments record necessary background information about the patient, inform subsequent treatment, and set a baseline for improvement while the patient is in the program. In multiple instances and contrary to the ACT guidelines, VNS failed to complete intake forms and/or initial assessments for patients enrolled in the VNS Far Rockaway ACT Program, failed to complete intake forms and/or initial assessments in a timely manner, or failed to provide the necessary supervisory review and approval of intake forms and/or initial assessments.
▪ Immediate Needs Assessments: Immediate needs assessments are used to determine patient needs as to safety/dangerousness, food, clothing, shelter, and medical needs. In multiple instances and contrary to the ACT guidelines, VNS failed to complete immediate needs assessments for patients enrolled in the VNS Far Rockaway ACT Program, failed to complete immediate needs assessments in a timely manner, or failed to provide the necessary supervisory review and approval of immediate needs assessments.
▪ Comprehensive Assessments: Comprehensive assessments provide a necessary baseline to provide services and are updated to reflect the patient’s changing needs over time. In multiple instances and contrary to the ACT guidelines, VNS failed to complete comprehensive assessments for patients enrolled in the VNS Far Rockaway ACT Program, failed to complete comprehensive assessments in a timely manner, or failed to provide the necessary supervisory review and approval of comprehensive assessments.
▪ Service Plan: Service plans set forth specific objectives and planned services necessary to facilitate achievement of the patient’s recovery goals. In multiple instances and contrary to the ACT guidelines, VNS failed to complete service plans for patients enrolled in the VNS Far Rockaway ACT Program, failed to complete service plans in a timely manner, or failed to provide the necessary supervisory review and approval of service plans.
▪ Psychiatric Visits: In multiple instances and contrary to the ACT guidelines, VNS failed to document psychiatric visits for patients enrolled in the VNS Far Rockaway ACT Program.
▪ Progress Notes: Progress notes document service contacts and attempted contacts, progress or lack of progress toward goals, and significant events. In multiple instances and contrary to the ACT guidelines, VNS failed to record progress notes for patients enrolled in the VNS Far Rockaway ACT Program until several days or even weeks after the contact with the patient. In addition, VNS sought and received payment at the full monthly level even though, based on the progress notes, they were entitled only to partial payment based on the number of documented contacts with the patient.
In connection with the filing of the lawsuit and settlement, the Government joined a private whistleblower lawsuit that had been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act.
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Mr. Williams thanked HHS-OIG and the New York Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their assistance with this case.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Kennedy is in charge of the case.
U.K. National Sentenced for Fraudulent Wine and Whiskey Scam that Targeted Older AmericansRead the Press Release
Casey Alexander, 27, of London, England, was sentenced to three years of probation by U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Alexander was ordered to pay $202,195.58 in restitution for his role in the scam to the victim investors.
According to court documents, Alexander and others involved, engaged in a cold-calling scheme to target elderly investors throughout the United States. They used aggressive and deceptive tactics and promised large returns if the victims participated in wine and whiskey investments. They told victims that they could buy a portfolio of fine wines and whiskeys on their behalf, and then hold the purchase in a bonded warehouse located in Europe until sold for a profit.
Alexander and his team were able to convince the victims across the country to wire funds or make checks out to one or more suspect companies to participate in the investment opportunities. After the initial investments were made, victims were encouraged, and eventually convinced, to continue investing in order to secure larger returns.
In 2020, a victim’s son notified the Highland Heights Police Department (HHPD) to report the scam which defrauded the victim out of more than $300,000 over an 18-month period. HHPD then discovered similar complaints from others throughout the United States who reported being victims of a “wine scam” after being asked to purchase wine as an investment.
This case was investigated by the FBI. To date, investigators have identified over 150 victims within the United States who collectively invested more than $13 million in the wine and whiskey fraud scheme.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian McDonough for the Northern District of Ohio.
The investigation and prosecution of this case is in response to the Elder Justice Initiative Program originating from the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act of 2017 (EAPPA). The mission of the EAPPA and Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department of Justice’s enforcement efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect, financial fraud, and scams that target the nation’s elderly population.
If you observe something that you believe might be fraudulent conduct involving an older adult, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov to report it.
Related Links:
U.S. Attorney's Office Recognizes Elder Abuse Awareness Month
Public Service Announcement from U.S. Attorney Lutzko
Stay Aware of the Latest Scams
Two Virginia men plead guilty to trafficking in fake IDsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two men pled guilty today to importing, manufacturing, and trafficking fraudulent identity documents.
According to court documents, Arya Ebrahimi, 28, of Gainesville, and Tarik Sayed Metwally, 31, of Fairfax, imported high-quality counterfeit driver licenses and identification cards from China to the United States. Ebrahimi and Metwally operated an online enterprise using various websites, including apexsfakes.com and fakeyourdrank.com, to sell counterfeit IDs.
Ebrahimi opened bank accounts in the name of Top Notch IT Services, Inc., and Apex Tech Services, Inc., through which customers deposited payments through such payment platforms as Zelle. To receive shipments of fake IDs from China, they used fraudulent IDs and fake names. Ebrahimi rented a box in Manassas under the name Brian Padilla using a fake Illinois driver license and a box in Gainesville under the name Jordan Kalan using a fake North Carolina driver license. Metwally rented a box in Fairfax under the name Omar Mustafa using a fake Illinois driver license and a box in Vienna under the name Ahmed Mohammed using another fake Illinois driver license.
The fraudulent identification documents were sold to individuals across the United States. In addition to individuals who wanted to appear 21-years-old or older, some customers were foreign nationals, others had criminal histories for fraud and firearms convictions, and one individual who used a fake ID to operate a scheme to sell stolen vehicles. Ebrahimi and Metwally made or procured thousands of fake identification documents. Their criminal enterprise continued until at least July 2020. On Aug. 8, 2022, Ebrahimi knowingly engaged in a financial transaction of criminally derived property in the transfer of $29,736.83.
Ebrahimi is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18 and faces up to 15 years in prison for trafficking in false identification documents and 10 years in prison for engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. Metwally is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 4 and faces up to 15 years in prison for trafficking in false identification documents. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra Serano and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph D. G. Castro are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-53.
Two Strafford Women Indicted for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Two Strafford, Mo., women were indicted by a federal grand jury today for sexually abusing two children to produce child pornography.
Mallory Nicole Bunch, 40, and Jessica Nicole Pickett, 34, were charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Pickett on June 11, 2024.
Today’s indictment alleges that Mallory Bunch and Pickett participated in a conspiracy with Thomas Bunch (now deceased, formerly Mallory Bunch’s husband with whom they were involved in a polyamorous relationship) to sexually abuse two minor victims to produce child pornography from Sept. 2, 2016, to May 23, 2024.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Mallory Bunch used her cell phone to record the sexual abuse of a child, identified as Minor Victim 1, at the request of Thomas Bunch. She allegedly sent videos of the sexual abuse to Thomas Bunch through text messages. In addition to the conspiracy, today’s indictment charges Mallory Bunch with one count of using Minor Victim 1 to produce child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography.
Pickett is also charged with one count of using a child victim, identified as Minor Victim 2, to produce child pornography and one count of transferring obscene matter to Minor Victim 1. According to the affidavit, Pickett shared with Minor Victim 1 an iCloud link that contained 376 images and two videos of the sexual activity of Mallory and Thomas Bunch and Pickett.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Webster County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Two Romanian Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Bank Card NumbersRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Ion Halmac, 35, and Marian Vasilache, 45, both of Romania, were sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to steal bank card numbers, possession of bank card skimming equipment, and possession of bank card numbers. The sentences were announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“These cases demonstrate the success of cooperative investigations by federal and local agencies working to identify and arrest those attempting to profit from fraud and theft,’” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “The protection of our citizens’ financial information is paramount, and with the help of our law enforcement partners, we will hold criminals accountable, no matter their national origin.”
On April 17, 2023, the Florida Highway Patrol stopped Halmac and Vasilache for speeding as they were traveling on I-10. Both individuals provided false identification, and once properly identified, investigators learned that they were both in the country illegally. A search of their vehicle revealed card skimming equipment, blank cards, and a laptop computer with over 3,000 bank card numbers. Investigators later searched a storage facility in New Orleans belonging to the defendants and found additional skimming equipment.
“Crimes that threaten the identities, financial security, and future of American citizens will not be tolerated,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tallahassee Nicholas Ingegno. “Alongside our state and local partners, HSI will investigate criminals who steal the identities of U.S. citizens and lurk in the shadows of the internet to pick the digital pockets of unsuspecting victims.”
Each defendant was ordered to serve a term of 1-year supervised release following their prison sentence, which will likely be negated due to their immediate deportation proceedings.
This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Walter Narramore prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Two Chimayo Women Charged with Theft in Indian CountyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two Chimayo women were charged by indictment with stealing property from a gas station on Tesuque Pueblo.
Angelica Dominguez, 39, appeared before a federal judge today and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has been scheduled for August 12, 2024.
Billie Jo Gussler, 43, appeared before a federal judge today and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has been scheduled for August 12, 2024.
According to the indictment, on May 22, 2022, Dominguez and Gussler stole property that had a value exceeding $1,000 from the Camel Rock Valero, a business owned and operated by Tesuque Pueblo.
If convicted of the current charges, Dominguez and Gussler faces up to five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Tesuque Tribal Police and Quay County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.
View the 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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Twin Cities Felon Sentenced to 55 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Twin Cities man has been sentenced to 55 months in prison and three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to his plea agreement and court documents, on October 7, 2022, a Minnesota State Patrol officer stopped Salvador Anthony Pacheco, 46, for multiple traffic violations. During the interaction, the officer smelled marijuana in the car and requested a drug-sniffing dog, which alerted officers to additional drugs in Pacheco’s vehicle. A search of the car and its contents revealed a Kahr .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol inside the defendant’s backpack. Because Pacheco has prior felony convictions, including murder, assault, and weapons violations, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Pacheco was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy E. Brasel. The sentence reflects an upward variance from the advisory sentencing guideline range Pacheco pleaded guilty on April 15, 2024, to one count of possession of a firearm as a felon.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Minnesota State Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner prosecuted the case.