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7 August 2024
Former resident of McNeil Island Special Commitment Center indicted for receipt and possession of images of child sexual abuseRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 71–year-old Skagit County man was indicted this week by the federal grand jury for receipt and possession of images of child sexual abuse, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Alan Lewis Meirhofer was originally charged in state court after a teen boy saw images of child sexual abuse on a phone he borrowed from Meirhofer. The teen gave the phone to his mother, who called police.
According to the criminal complaint filed in the case, Meirhofer allegedly befriended teen boys in the Skagit County area by inviting them to hang out at his residence, where he provided them “gifts’ such as food, clothing, alcohol, cash, and marijuana. When one of the boys borrowed the phone, he noticed that Meirhofer had sent members of a group chat, images of his friends. The teen also saw images of child sexual abuse on the phone. Meirhofer was arrested in March 2021 and his electronic devices were seized.
The FBI asked the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, (NCMEC) for any cyber tips associated with internet accounts linked to Meirhofer. There were more than a dozen reports of images of child sexual abuse linked to accounts controlled by Meirhofer. On July 17, 2024, Meirhofer was taken into federal custody.
Due to prior convictions, Meirhofer faces increased penalties if convicted. In 1988 Meirhofer was convicted of burglary, kidnapping and rape. In 1990, Meirhofer was convicted of Burglary in the First Degree While Armed with a Deadly Weapon and Assault in the Second Degree. Meirhofer was civilly committed to the sexually violent predator Civil Commitment Center on McNeil Island. He was released in 2017 as a registered sex offender level 3, the level with the highest risk of reoffending.
If convicted Meirhofer faces a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison and up to 20 years in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment 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.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office, and the Skagit County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.
17_indictment.pdfFormer Lawson Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Lawson, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender pleaded guilty in federal court today to distributing child pornography over the internet.
Lance M. Berry, 37, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to one count of distributing child pornography over the internet.
Berry, the owner of a business in Lawson at the time of his offense, has a prior Ray County, Mo., conviction for the deviate sexual assault of a child under the age of 13, which requires him to register as a sex offender.
By pleading guilty today, Berry admitted that he utilized a peer-to-peer file-sharing program on June 1, 2022, to make images and videos of child pornography available to other users over the internet. On that day, an undercover officer with the Missouri State Highway Patrol was able to directly connect to Berry’s cell phone and download 14 videos of child pornography.
According to court documents, Berry’s cell phone contained 944 unique images of child pornography, including 19 images of sadistic or masochistic violence against a minor, and 168 images featuring infants or toddlers. There were an additional 40 videos of child pornography, which also included depictions of sadistic or masochistic violence and/or infants and toddlers.
Under federal statutes, Berry is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI.
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."
Former Interim President of Puerto Rican Steel Distributor Pleads Guilty to Eight-Year Price-Fixing ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A former executive of a steel distributor in San Juan, Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty today to conspiring with competitors to fix prices for sales of reinforcing bar, or rebar.
According to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court in San Juan, Juan Carlos Aponte Tolentino (Aponte), of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, was Interim President of a steel distributor in Puerto Rico. The company was one of the leading wholesale distributors of rebar in Puerto Rico. Rebar is commonly required for residential and commercial construction projects on the island, and nearly all rebar distributed in Puerto Rico is imported from other countries or the continental U.S. Collectively, Aponte’s company and two other competitors controlled approximately 70% of the wholesale rebar market in the Commonwealth.
Between 2015 and 2022, including the period of reconstruction following Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017, Aponte conspired with competing companies and individuals to suppress and eliminate competition by fixing prices for steel products, including rebar, which were distributed to hardware stores, building contractors and other businesses and individuals in Puerto Rico, resulting in substantial profits to the conspirators.
Among other communications, Aponte and his competitors exchanged WhatsApp chat messages in which they agreed on specific rebar prices, including price increases. For example, in December 2020 an executive at a competing company sent Aponte a chat message with the price of Turkish rebar, and Aponte responded, “The position is the following: Platform $33.95, 10 bundles $34.50, Fewer than 10 bundles: $34.95” before asking, “The question is are we on the same page?” The competing executive responded, “Yes, that is what I am doing.”
In the plea agreement filed today, Aponte admitted that more than $100 million in sales by his company were affected by the conspiracy.
“In pleading guilty, this defendant admitted to fixing prices — for nearly a decade — on rebar, an essential part of the supply chain for the reconstruction of Puerto Rico following the 2017 hurricanes,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Manish Kumar of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “This guilty plea demonstrates the Antitrust Division’s continued commitment to holding accountable individuals who collude to raise construction prices and harm consumers and businesses in Puerto Rico. We and our law enforcement partners will continue to prosecute the people responsible for this type of anticompetitive criminal conduct.”
"We are satisfied with the outcome in this case as it sends a clear message that price-fixing and taking advantage of communities in crisis will not be tolerated," said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office. "In the FBI, we remain committed to disrupting this illegal practice and bringing justice for all those affected by such unethical practices."
Violating the Sherman Act, which is a federal criminal antitrust statute, is a felony. The maximum penalty for individuals convicted of violating the Sherman Act is 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine. The maximum penalty for corporations is a $100 million criminal fine. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum fine.
The court set Aponte’s sentencing hearing for Nov. 8. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section investigated the case, with the assistance of the FBI San Juan Field Office.
Trial Attorneys April Ayers-Perez, Alison Friberg and Taylor Bernhardt of the Washington Criminal Section, and Senior Litigation Counsel John Davis of the Antitrust Division’s Litigation Program, are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258 or visit www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.
Former Georgia Jailer Who Strangled Detainee into State of Unconsciousness Sentenced for Civil Rights ViolationRead the Press Release
A former detention officer with the Fulton County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office was sentenced today to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release for intentionally depriving a detained woman of her civil rights by using unreasonable force.
Monique Clark, 32, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, pleaded guilty last March to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. According to court documents, Clark strangled a handcuffed arrestee into unconsciousness while processing her for intake at the Fulton County North Annex Jail. As part of his plea, Clark admitted that he knew the woman posed no threat to officers and knew that Sheriff’s Office policy prohibited placing detainees in chokeholds or neck restraints except in life-or-death situations.
“This defendant’s violent assault on a handcuffed arrestee rendered her unconscious and is simply inexcusable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “As we have seen too many times, chokeholds and neck restraints can prove deadly. Using high-level force against a person in custody who poses no threat is plainly illegal, but using such a dangerous technique gratuitously is especially disturbing. The Justice Department is committed to holding law enforcement officers accountable for use of excessive force and to protecting the rights of people in custody.”
“Instead of carrying out his mission to ensure the safety and security of detainees in his custody at the Fulton County Jail, Clark abandoned his oath of office when he used excessive force to strangle a pre-trial detainee without cause,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia. “Law enforcement officers who violate their professional duties are not above the law. It is now Clark who will serve time in prison as a result of his reprehensible conduct.”
“Mr. Clark took a sworn oath as a detention officer to uphold the rights of others,” said Executive Assistant Director Michael A. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “He violated that oath when he abused and strangled a female inmate. Today’s sentencing is a reminder that the FBI will relentlessly work to hold accountable anyone who takes an oath to protect others.”
The FBI Atlanta Field Office and Fulton County Sheriff’s Office’s Office of Professional Standards investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bret Hobson for the Northern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Former Fulton County Detention Officer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Former Fulton County Detention Officer Monique Clark has been sentenced for using excessive force against a pretrial detainee at the Fulton County Jail.
“Instead of carrying out his mission to ensure the safety and security of detainees in his custody at the Fulton County Jail, Clark abandoned his oath of office when he used excessive force to strangle a pre-trial detainee without cause,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Law enforcement officers who violate their professional duties are not above the law. It is now Clark who will serve time in prison as a result of his reprehensible conduct.”
“This defendant’s violent assault on a handcuffed arrestee rendered her unconscious and is simply inexcusable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “As we have seen too many times, chokeholds and neck restraints can prove deadly. Using high-level force against a person in custody who poses no threat is plainly illegal, but using such a dangerous technique gratuitously is especially disturbing. The Department of Justice is committed to holding law enforcement officers accountable for use of excessive force and to protecting the rights of people in custody.”
“By violating his sworn oath as a detention officer to protect people, Clark betrayed every honest, hardworking officer, and crossed the line to criminal behavior,” said Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley of the FBI Atlanta Field Office. “Let this sentence be a reminder that the abuse of inmates by prison staff will not be tolerated by the FBI and will always be pursued for prosecution.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, information presented in court and other public information: At the time of the crime, Monique Clark was employed as a detention officer at the Fulton County Jail. On June 5, 2023, while Clark was working at the North Jail Annex in Alpharetta, Georgia, he strangled a pretrial detainee without any legal justification. The detainee lost consciousness and suffered bodily injury as a result of the assault.
Monique Clark, 32, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee to four years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to using excessive force on March 26, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bret R. Hobson and Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Alec C. Ward prosecuted the case.
Florida Woman Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Refund ClaimsRead the Press Release
A Florida woman pleaded guilty today to filing false tax returns with the IRS to fraudulently obtain tax refunds.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2018 and 2020, surgical technologist Yolanda Dewar, of Sunrise, created a trust and sought fraudulent refunds from the IRS. Dewar filed four false tax returns on behalf of the trust she created to seek nearly $2 million in tax refunds. Dewar continued filing such returns even after the IRS notified her that her claims were frivolous and had no basis in law. In total, the IRS issued nearly $500,000 to the trust in response to Dewar’s false claims. According to the indictment, Dewar allegedly used a portion of those tax refunds to purchase a car for a family member, get plastic surgery and renovate her home.
Dewar is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 24. She faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison, a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Melissa S. Siskind and Kavitha Bondada of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Deric Zacca for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Florida man pled guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Arnett Jackson Bonner, 46, a convicted felon, was found in possession of a firearm during a traffic stop in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, on November 1, 2023.
Bonner is scheduled to be sentenced on November 7, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Border Patrol are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Smith is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Receives National Award for Outstanding Service, Leadership Advancing the Role of Women in Federal Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer L. McManus received a national award for her exceptional service in the field of federal law enforcement and her leadership advancing the role of women in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan and beyond.
“First Assistant Jennifer McManus represents the best of federal law enforcement, and I am so grateful for the more than two decades she has devoted to protecting the people of Michigan,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “In addition to her legal brilliance, helping us navigate our toughest challenges, Jennifer has been a trailblazer in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, ensuring full opportunities for women to serve and lead at every level.”
First Assistant McManus was recognized by Women in Federal Law Enforcement (WIFLE), a national organization that advocates for gender equity in federal law enforcement. WIFLE President Catrina Bonus presented McManus with the prestigious WIFLE Award for Outstanding Federal Law Enforcement Employee. This award recognizes individuals who have shown a sustained level of superior performance throughout their career and who serve as role models for women in law enforcement. The presentation took place today at a luncheon in the Washington, D.C. area as part of the organization’s annual conference. U.S. Attorney Mark Totten accompanied McManus at the ceremony.
McManus completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan in 1994 and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1997. After a few years in private practice, she moved from Chicago to Grand Rapids in 2003 and began service in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. She served short stints in both the Civil and Criminal Divisions as a trial attorney and was then promoted to Appellate Chief in 2009, a position she held for the next thirteen years. In 2022 she began service in her current position as First Assistant U.S. Attorney, reporting directly to the U.S. Attorney and managing all aspects of the Office’s work.
Throughout her career, McManus’s sharp legal mind, her sweeping grasp of federal criminal law, and her written advocacy have protected the public from some of the most serious threats in our District. In addition, as a manager and role model, McManus has helped create opportunities for women in the U.S. Attorney’s Office at every level. Although women have long been under-represented in the legal profession, today nearly 50% of the attorneys in the Office are women. She helped put in place flexible work policies that allow employees to balance their many responsibilities while excelling at work. Outside the Office, McManus served as President of the Western Michigan Chapter of the Federal Bar Association from 2012-13 and was only the second woman in the organization’s history to hold that role.
Image of First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer L. McManus. Image of U.S. Attorney Mark Totten and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer L. McManus at the WIFLE Awards Ceremony.###
Evelyn Blevins Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Chattanooga, Tenn. – On August 7, 2024, Evelyn Blevins, 48, of South Pittsburg, Tennessee, was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment by the Honorable Curtis L. Collier, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Following her incarceration, she will be on 5 years of supervised release.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Blevins pled guilty to Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 1028A, for her involvement in a scheme to defraud COVID-19 unemployment programs in several states. In addition, Blevins was ordered to pay $109,683 in restitution to the Tennessee and California Departments of Labor, and to forfeit to the United States $109,683 as part of a money judgment.
According to court documents, from June 2020 through August 2021, Blevins conspired with others to devise a scheme in which she defrauded the United States government and the governments of Tennessee, Alabama, Pennsylvania, and California to obtain money from the states’ COVID relief programs in the form of unemployment insurance proceeds funded by the United States government. Specifically, Blevins acquired personal information from others and used it to fraudulently make mass online applications for money earmarked by the states to provide unemployment insurance relief for those affected by the national pandemic. She falsely claimed in the applications that the individuals whose personal information was reflected on the applications worked in those states. The states then mailed debit cards to addresses in the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Blevins would receive a percentage of the payout of the fraudulent claim. The defendant was personally responsible for the fraudulent distribution of nearly $110,000 of unemployment protection insurance funds. The scheme itself involved the fraudulent distribution of over $550,000 in unemployment protection insurance funds.
“The defendant selfishly sought to take advantage of federal and state efforts to provide relief to those most harmed by the COVID pandemic,” said United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III. “We remain committed to partnering with all law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute those who steal from federal relief plan programs, depriving others who are most in need.”
“The defendant’s actions cheated a program designed to assist people who were suffering as a result of the COVID pandemic,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge, Joseph E. Carrico. “Today’s sentencing exemplifies the continued commitment of the FBI and our federal and state law enforcement partners to hold those who engage in COVID relief fraud accountable for their actions.”
Assistant United States Attorney Steven Neff represented the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the FBI as part of the Smoky Mountains Financial Crimes Task Force.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Duo plead guilty to armed robberies in Forsyth and Randolph CountiesRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – Two Anson County residents pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robberies and firearms charges, announced Sandra J. Hairston, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.
BRANDON DRELLE WALL, age 35, of Wadesboro, North Carolina, and WILLIAM CHAVIS DUNLAP, JR., age 29, of Morven, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to robbing a sweepstakes business in Winston-Salem in June 2022, and another in Liberty in August 2022. The defendants also pleaded guilty to one count each of brandishing a firearm in connection with the robbery in Liberty.
According to court documents, WALL and DUNLAP wore masks and threatened employees with guns in an effort to gain access to business safes. During the robbery in Liberty, the defendants also forced patrons to the floor at gunpoint. WALL and DUNLAP took a phone, wallet, $1400, and two guns in the Winston-Salem robbery. A total of $8,650 was stolen during the Liberty robbery. After his arrest, WALL admitted he also robbed a gas station in Richmond County, and DUNLAP admitted to robbing a discount store in Anson County.
DUNLAP pleaded guilty yesterday and his sentencing is scheduled to take place on October 31, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. WALL pleaded today and his sentencing is scheduled to take place on October 31, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. Both sentencing hearings will be held in Greensboro, North Carolina, before United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr.
At sentencing, each of the defendants faces a sentence of not less than seven years to life in prison, a period of supervised release of up to five years, fines, and other monetary penalties. In addition, WALL and DUNLAP agreed to forfeit their interests in seven firearms plus multiple magazines and rounds of ammunition.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case is being investigated by the Liberty Police Department, Winston Salem Police Department, Anson County Sheriff's Office, Richmond County Sheriff's Office, Wadesboro Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Mary Ann Courtney.
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Defendant Received Nearly $500,000 of $2M Sought from IRSRead the Press Release
MIAMI - A Florida woman pleaded guilty today to filing false tax returns with the IRS to fraudulently obtain tax refunds.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2018 and 2020, surgical technologist Yolanda Samantha Dewar, of Sunrise, created a trust and sought fraudulent refunds from the IRS. Dewar filed four false tax returns on behalf of the trust she created to seek nearly $2 million in tax refunds. Dewar continued filing such returns even after the IRS notified her that her claims were frivolous and had no basis in law. In total, the IRS issued nearly $500,000 to the trust in response to Dewar’s false claims. According to the indictment, Dewar allegedly used a portion of those tax refunds to purchase a car for a family member, get plastic surgery and renovate her home.
Dewar is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 24. She faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison, a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Deric Zacca for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Melissa S. Siskind and Kavitha Bondada of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-60051.
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Clinton Sex Offender Sentenced to 25 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Clinton, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender has been sentenced in federal court for receiving child pornography over the internet.
Roger Lee Kempke, 58, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Wednesday, July 31, to 25 years and five months in federal prison without parole. The court sentenced Kempke to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration and ordered him to pay $81,000 in restitution to his victims.
Kempke, who has a prior conviction for sexually assaulting a minor, pleaded guilty on Nov. 6, 2023, to one count of receiving child pornography.
Kempke admitted that he uploaded an image of child pornography to Microsoft’s Bing Image search on March 16, 2022. A Cyber Tip was issued to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which contacted the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
On June 7, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Kempke’s residence, which was within 1,000 feet of three different elementary and high schools. Officers seized three desktop computers and numerous USB thumb drives. Investigators found 5,521 images and nine videos of child sexual abuse material on Kempke’s electronic devices.
A forensic examination of one of the hard drives in Kempke’s desktop computers found that, on three separate occasions in November 2021, Kempke downloaded hundreds of files of child pornography. He saved these images to a USB storage device that was connected to his computer. One of the USB drives contained thousands of images of child pornography, including images of children under the age of 10 and infants.
Officers also found 16 marijuana plants in Kempke’s residence, along with other equipment consistent with growing, harvesting, and consuming marijuana.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
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."
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to over Five Years in Federal Prison for Being a Prohibited Person in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A felon and drug user who possessed a firearm was sentenced on August 1, 2024, to 63 months in federal prison.
Christopher King, age 52, of Cedar Rapids, received the sentence after a February 26, 2024, guilty plea to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. At the plea hearing, King admitted that, in February 2023, he possessed a Glock pistol after having been convicted of two felonies and while being an unlawful drug user.
King was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. King was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is 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 prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the High Risk Unit of the Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is CR 23-62.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm while on probation for a felony conviction was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.
Marshaun Daniel DeMoss, age 23, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 20, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
At the guilty plea, DeMoss admitted that on October 27, 2023, he knowingly possessed a firearm, a Taurus G3 9x19mm caliber pistol, as a felon. Specifically, during a fight with his girlfriend, DeMoss assaulted, strangled, and hit her in the head with the firearm. When his girlfriend fled in her vehicle, DeMoss followed in his car and pointed the firearm out the car window at her. After his girlfriend reported the assault to police, officers stopped DeMoss’s car and found a loaded Taurus G3 pistol with an extended magazine with a round in the chamber. At the time of the incident, DeMoss was on probation on a state felony conviction for trafficking in stolen weapons. He was also on probation for domestic abuse assault.
DeMoss was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. DeMoss was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
DeMoss is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-01.
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Carbon County Man Charged with Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ignacio Salcido-Lopez, age 19, of Lake Harmony, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on child pornography charges.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that between August 4, 2023, and April 29, 2024, in Carbon County, Salcido-Lopez received and distributed multiple images of child pornography.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Bridgeport Felon Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ZAN HAIRSTON, JR., 26, of Bridgeport, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for illegally possessing firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 9, 2023, the Bridgeport Police Department received a report that Hairston had unlawfully entered a residence of a former girlfriend, searched through her belongings and, during a subsequent FaceTime call with her, threatened her by brandishing what appeared to be a firearm. When officers located and approached Hairston on Union Avenue in Bridgeport, he attempted to flee. He was apprehended a short distance away, and officers recovered from the ground near Hairston a Taurus TX .22 firearm equipped with a mounted laser and loaded with an extended magazine containing 20 rounds of ammunition, a Glock 26 Gen4 firearm loaded with one round, and a Glock magazine with 13 rounds of ammunition.
Hairston’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut for conspiracy to commit robbery in the first degree with a firearm, burglary in the second degree, criminal possession of a firearm, and illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Hairston has been detained since his federal arrest on February 22, 2023. On March 13, 2024, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale and Lauren Clark through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Bogalusa Man Sentenced on Federal Firearms and Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –ROMERO MORRIS (“MORRIS”), age 34, a resident of Bogalusa, Louisiana, pled guilty on April 4, 2024, to Counts 4, 5, 9, 10, and 11 of the indictment pending against him announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
Count 4 charged MORRIS with possession, with the intent to distribute, cocaine and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(b)(1)(C) and (b)(1)(D). Count 5 charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). Count 9 charged him with possession, with the intent to distribute, approximately 40 grams or more of fentanyl and, a quantity of methamphetamine and cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(b)(1)(B) and (C). Count 10 charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Finally, Count 11 charged him with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).
On August 6, 2024, United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry sentenced MORRIS to a total of 160 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release and a $500.00 mandatory special assessment fee. This sentence included a term of 100 months as to Counts 4, 5, 9, and 10 and 60 consecutive months as to Count 11.
During this investigation, MORRIS was identified as a large-scale distributor of fentanyl, heroin, and marijuana during 2022 and 2023. Law enforcement authorities also conducted search warrants at his residence and located drugs and firearms on several occasions.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Louisiana Department of Probation and Parole, and the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr of the Narcotics Unit.
Baltimore County Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud Scheme Involving over $1.8 Million in Fraudulent Bank TransactionsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin today sentenced Damilola Ojo, age 31, of Windsor Mill, Maryland, to 48 months in federal prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, for charges related to a bank fraud scheme totaling more than $1.8 million. As part of his plea, Ojo also admitted to obtaining a fraudulent $475,000 COVID-19 CARES Act loan. Judge Rubin ordered Ojo to forfeit $20,000 and to pay restitution of $546,000.
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (“TIGTA”).
According to his guilty plea, from April 2016 through August 2019, Damilola Ojo conspired with Jamelia Thompson, Victor Ojo, Raissa Kaossele, and others to commit Bank Fraud using the Internal Revenue Service’s (“IRS”) Modernized Internet Employer Identification Number (“Mod IEIN”) system. Mod IEIN is the IRS system that allows users to register for a unique Employer Identification Number (“EIN”). It requires users to enter the valid name and Social Security number of a real living person in order to obtain an EIN for a business.
The co-conspirators, including Damilola Ojo, created and used various EINs (or caused various EINs to be created and used) in furtherance of a scheme to defraud. Many of these EINs were obtained from the IRS using stolen Personally Identifiable Information (“PII”). These EINs, in conjunction with fraudulently obtained state business certificates, allowed the co-conspirators to open bank accounts at various financial institutions for the purpose of depositing stolen and/or altered checks or for receiving fraudulently obtained wire transfers.
Once obtained, the proceeds of this fraudulent activity were rapidly withdrawn and/or transferred to other bank accounts controlled by the co-conspirators. A co-conspirator’s Google account was the source of many of the fraudulent identification and business documents – packaged together as “work kits” – utilized throughout the conspiracy. M any of these emails were sent to electronic accounts linked to Damilola Ojo, who would then forward them to Thompson, Victor Ojo, Kaossele, and other co-conspirators – in addition to utilizing work kits himself. These co-conspirators would then open bank accounts using these work kits, they would send Damilola Ojo evidence of the fraudulent transactions that occurred using these bank accounts. Damilola Ojo would often receive portions of these transactions’ proceeds as they were rapidly dispersed. From the point Damilola Ojo joined the conspiracy, it had an intended loss of at least $1.8 million.
Upon his arrest, Damilola Ojo shared a residence with co-conspirator Thompson. In this shared residence, the Government located evidence of ongoing fraud: numerous ETN documents, business documents in other people’s names, numerous IDs in the names of individuals other than those who lived in the home, identification documents with authentication features, and bank cards in the name of other individuals.
In the plea agreement, Damilola Ojo also admitted to additional fraudulent activity involving a pandemic relief program under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. Financial assistance offered through the CARES Act included forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, in this case through Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”) administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”). On November 21, 2021, Thompson opened a bank account at Woodforest National Bank in Maryland in the name of her business “Jamaria Empire LLC.” On February 14, 2022, a $475,000 EIDL from the SBA was deposited into bank account xxxxxx2866. The intended recipient of this EIDL was the Idaho Women’s Charitable Foundation. Once deposited into bank account xxxxxx2866, these funds were depleted through checks to Damilola Ojo, Thompson, and Certified Promotions Ent LLC (a business registered in Maryland to Damilola Ojo). Upon Thompson’s and Damilola Ojo’s arrest, the EIN application and EIN documents for Jamaria Empire LLC were recovered from their shared residence. Images of a Woodforest Bank Card for Jamaria Empire LLC and a screenshot of the Jamaria Empire LLC bank account transaction history were recovered from Damilola Ojo’s phone, along with an image of the approved $475,000 EIDL. This fraudulent transaction caused $475,000 in actual loss that was reasonably foreseeable to Damilola Ojo.
Co-conspirator Jamelia Thompson, age 30, of Jamaica, previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison. Another co-conspirator, Raissa Kaossele, age 23, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to 8 months in home confinement. Co-conspirator Victor Ojo has pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft and remains to be sentenced.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the TIGTA for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph L. Wenner and Paul Riley who prosecuted the federal case. He also recognized the assistance of the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Arapahoe man sentenced to nine years in federal prison for aggravated child abuse, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and assault with a dangerous weaponRead the Press Release
Truman Sitting Eagle, 36, of Arapahoe, Wyoming, was sentenced to 108 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to reimburse Medicaid of Wyoming over $33,000 in medical expenses for the victim’s care. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Aug. 6 in Cheyenne.
According to statements provided at the hearing, Truman and his wife, Kandace Sitting Eagle, abused their child for months beginning in at least October and lasting until December 12, 2023 when an Arapahoe school resource officer conducted a welfare check on a 13-year-old student that had not been to school in over a month. He eventually found the child in a crawl space under the trailer where the parents, Kandace and Truman Sitting Eagle, were hiding the child. Truman had repeatedly lied to the resource officer and Wind River Police Department regarding the whereabouts and welfare of the child. The investigation proved that the child had suffered weeks of physical beatings with a metal rod and other instruments, isolation, starvation, and psychological abuse at the hands of Kandace and Truman. Judge Johnson increased the sentence from the advisory guideline range of 70 to 87 months to 108 months based on Truman’s extensive criminal history, the severity of the abuse, and the impact of the abuse on the victim and the rest of the five children in the home.
Kandace Sitting Eagle was convicted by a federal jury on June 13 after a four-day trial. Her sentencing is set for August 29, and she faces no less than 10 years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors in that case.
This crime was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook.
Case No. 24-CR-03
Alleged Fentanyl Trafficker Extradited from Honduras to the United States to Face Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Honduran national under federal indictment for conspiring with others to distribute fentanyl was extradited from Honduras to the United States this week to face charges in the District of Oregon.
Orbin Alfredo Velasquez Layaire, 38, has been charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, in September 2022, as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation, special agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) learned that Velasquez was actively involved in distributing fentanyl in Oregon. Investigators soon learned that Velasquez ran a dispatch-style organization that received and processed drug orders from customers in and around Portland.
In early 2023, investigators learned Velasquez had fled to Honduras. On November 15, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Velasquez with conspiring to distribute fentanyl.
On June 13, 2024, Velasquez was arrested in Honduras. On August 6, 2024, he was extradited to the United States.
Velasquez made his initial appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered detained pending a 5-day jury trial scheduled to begin on October 8, 2024.
This case was investigated by DEA with assistance from the DEA Tegucigalpa, Honduras Country Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Paul T. Maloney, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Honduran authorities to secure Velasquez’s arrest and extradition.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Albuquerque Woman Admits Guilt in Multi-Year Cyberstalking and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque woman pleaded guilty in federal court to a series of crimes involving cyberstalking, computer intrusion and false reporting to law enforcement that spanned several years.
According to court documents, from March 2016 to December 2019, Kalani S. Uehara, 26, engaged in a campaign of harassment and intimidation against multiple victims. Uehara assumed the identities of various individuals to send numerous threatening and harassing electronic communications to individuals, schools, and law firms. Uehara threatened to kill, harm, or extort her victims, and took steps to assume others' identities, open false email accounts in their names, make false accusations, and persistently send vulgar, harassing, and terrifying messages.
Specifically, Uehara admitted to engaging in a cyberstalking campaign against N.C., a former Albuquerque Public Schools student. Uehara admitted to:
- Gaining unauthorized access to N.C.'s Google and Twitter accounts;
- Creating fake accounts in N.C.'s name;
- Sending hundreds of threatening and harassing messages impersonating N.C.;
- Obtaining a restraining order against N.C. using fabricated evidence; and
- Falsely reporting N.C. to law enforcement, resulting in N.C.'s arrest.
Uehara also admitted to making false statements to the FBI on July 28, 2016, and July 27, 2018, regarding the cyberstalking activities and use of the TextNow app.
At sentencing, Uehara faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count of conviction. Upon her release from prison, Uehara will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, Albuquerque Police Department and Albuquerque Public Schools Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Brawley, Jaymie L. Roybal and Eva F. Fontanez are prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
6 August 2024
“Frickenwierdo” imprisoned for sending child pornography in chat roomRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 47-year-old Corpus Christi man has been sentenced for distributing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jonathan Follis pleaded guilty Feb. 5.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Follis to serve 228 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional information including conversations Follis had with others detailing sexual assaults he committed in the past, including his family members. The court was also provided with numerous impact letters from the victims of the child pornography materials. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted the “horrendous” conduct demonstrated an illness that Follis will be dealing with for the rest of his life. Follis was further ordered to pay $75,000 in restitution to the victims and will serve eight years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Follis will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
The investigation into Follis began when authorities discovered he was participating in chat rooms involving discussions of child pornography. Follis conducted the majority of these conversations using a cellular phone kept in his office at work.
Law enforcement later conducted a search at that office where they discovered a phone hidden under his keyboard. Follis admitted to using the phone to distribute child pornography.
Law enforcement conducted a forensic analysis of the phone. It confirmed Follis had been engaging in chat rooms discussing child pornography utilizing the username “frickenwierdo.” In addition to those rooms, Follis participated in distributing child pornography in private chats.
The investigation further revealed Follis distributed a video of child pornography April 5, 2023, approximately one month before law enforcement executed the search warrant leading to his arrest.
Follis will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children task force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Overman and John Marck prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Zimbabwe National Found Guilty of Laundering More Than $1.2 MillionRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Following a five-day trial, Sherlyn Sims, a/k/a “Sherlyn Dzinzi,” was found guilty by a jury of conspiring to launder, and laundering, proceeds generated from numerous romance fraud scams and business email compromise schemes. These computer-enabled crimes resulted in more than $1.2 million being diverted to bank accounts controlled by Sims, after which she quickly transferred, withdrew, and spent the funds.
“The fraud schemes that Sims perpetrated in this case have become an epidemic in this country,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our vulnerable elderly population are often targeted in these crimes, resulting in significant financial loss and unimaginable emotional suffering. The jury’s verdict has ended Sims’s attempts to evade culpability for the role that she played in carrying out these schemes.”
“This case serves as a reminder of the sophisticated methods employed by criminals and the need for vigilance in the digital age,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley. “The consequences of this type of fraud scheme are far-reaching, affecting not only people here in Georgia, but also around the world.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Sherlyn Sims was charged with conspiracy and money laundering related to the receipt of funds stolen from dozens of victims between December 2019 and August 2020. Sims and her co-defendants registered sham businesses, including Grace Trading, LLC, a company Sims registered in the state of Georgia. Grace Trading and the other sham businesses had no legitimate earnings, did not have physical premises, and did not pay wages to employees.
Once the businesses were registered, business bank accounts were opened in the companies’ names at various financial institutions. For instance, two days after Grace Trading became registered with the Georgia Secretary of State, Sims opened business bank accounts at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank and Bank of America. Shortly after the accounts were opened, fraud victims were duped into depositing approximately $200,000 into Grace Trading’s bank accounts. Sims quickly wired the fraud proceeds to China and other foreign countries, withdrew cash from the accounts, and transferred or spent the remaining funds.
Over the following seven months, more than $1.2 million in fraud proceeds were deposited into these accounts from romance scams and business email compromise schemes. One of the incidents involved a scam that tricked a victim into sending the earnest money deposit for the purchase of a new home to Sims’s Grace Trading account. Sims was not deterred when the banks closed Grace Trading’s accounts, as she would open a new bank account in the sham business’s name. Sims also used Grace Trading to obtain a fraudulent COVID-loan from the Small Business Administration.
Multiple romance fraud victims testified at trial. The victims recounted how they met male strangers online and were soon convinced they were in a romantic relationship with the men, even though the victims were in communication with the individuals for months without meeting in person. Often these men claimed that they wanted to start a life with the victims and were eager to live with them as soon as some kind of issue was resolved. For example, one romance fraud victim was persuaded to send nearly $100,000 to one of Sims’s accounts because her boyfriend (one of the men online) claimed that he was traveling to Boston but had been detained by customs officials and would not be released until his taxes were paid. This victim depleted her life savings and borrowed from friends and family trying to help the man pay his taxes and be released from detention.
Sherlyn Sims, a/k/a “Sherlyn Dzinzi,” 33, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, is scheduled to be sentenced on November 5, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones. Sims was found guilty by a federal jury on July 31, 2024.
Co-defendant Bright Eigbedion, 36, of Kearns, Utah, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 29, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Jones. Eigbedion was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering on March 27, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
Co-defendant Presley Ihimekpen, 37, of Duluth, Georgia, was previously sentenced by Judge Jones on August 1, 2024, to five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution to the victims. Ihimekpen was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering on March 27, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex R. Sistla and Kelly K. Connors are prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is part of the Department of Justice Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force. The Strike Force focuses on investigating and prosecuting defendants associated with foreign-based fraud schemes that disproportionately affect American seniors. These include romance scams, phone scams, mass-mailing fraud schemes, and tech-support fraud schemes. For further information on these scams, see https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/senior-scam-alert.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Zephyrhills Registered Sex Offender Sent Back to Federal Prison for 17 Years for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Aaron Bicknell (37, Zephyrhills) to 17 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for receiving child sexual abuse material. The court also ordered Bicknell to pay $20,000 in restitution to the victims of the offense. Bicknell entered a guilty plea on April 22, 2024.
According to court documents, in 2011, Bicknell was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for receiving child sexual abuse material over the internet using a filesharing program. As part of his sentence, Bicknell was required to register as a sex offender. The Federal Bureau of Prisons released Bicknell in May 2021, and he began serving a lifetime term of supervised release. In August 2023, law enforcement downloaded files of child sexual abuse material from Bicknell. After executing a search warrant at Bicknell’s home, investigators discovered more than100 images and 80 videos of child sexual abuse on Bicknell’s devices.
“The sentencing of this recidivist felon for collecting child sexual abuse material underscores HSI’s commitment to protecting our communities most vulnerable,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Micah C. McCombs. “Alongside our partners at the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, we will make sure these individuals are not able to hide their actions under a cloak of internet anonymity.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (Tampa), with substantial assistance from the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Claire Favorit.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Youngstown, Ohio, Resident Pleads Guilty to Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in Death and Conspiring to Distribute Large Quantities of Fentanyl, Fluorofentanyl, and CocaineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Youngstown, Ohio, has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of distributing fentanyl resulting in death and conspiring to distribute large quantities of fentanyl, fluorofentanyl, and cocaine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Eliot Gentry, 27, pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab to distributing fentanyl resulting in the death of an individual in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, on January 23, 2022, and conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of fluorofentanyl, and five kilograms or more of cocaine from May 2021 to October 2022.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for December 4, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 20 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Mercer County Drug Task Force, New Castle Police Department, Sharon Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of Gentry.
Wisconsin Man Sentenced to Consecutive Life Sentences for 2018 Double Homicide and Armed Robbery of Florida CoupleRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Alex Jared Zwiefelhofer (27, Wisconsin) to consecutive life sentences in federal prison as a result of his convictions for conspiracy to commit robbery and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, robbery interfering with commerce, discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence which resulted in death, conspiring to kill persons in a foreign country, and a violation of the Neutrality Act. Zwiefelhofer has also been ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $10,886 to the family members of the victims of the offenses. Zwiefelhofer was found guilty by a jury on March 8, 2024.
According to testimony presented at trial, on April 10, 2018, two individuals, S.L., Jr. and D.L., were found dead in Estero, Florida from multiple gunshot wounds to the head and body. Further investigation revealed that the couple had traveled to Estero from Brooksville, Florida to complete the purchase of several firearms from an individual who had listed them for sale on a website known as Armslist. As a result of the investigation, Zwiefelhofer was identified as one of two individuals who was believed to have murdered the couple during the course of an armed robbery of the $3,000 that the couple intended to use to purchase the firearms.
Zwiefelhofer, who had previously fought in Ukraine in 2017 after going AWOL from the U.S. Army, pursued a plan to fight the Venezuelan government and committed the robbery of S.L., Jr. and D.L. to obtain money to fund his travel to Venezuela.
Zwiefelhofer’s co-defendant, Craig Lang, is pending trial.
“There’s no question that Zwiefelhofer belongs behind bars, and his life sentence guarantees that will happen. When it comes to tackling the violent crime threat, our model is to work together with our state and local law enforcement partners to maximize impact and this case highlights those efforts with the Lee County Sheriff's Office,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor, FBI Tampa Division. “We will stop at nothing to protect our communities from these threats.”
“In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, no stone was left unturned in the investigation and federal prosecution of this case,” stated U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. “This defendant committed heinous crimes, and justice was served.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jesus M. Casas and Michael V. Leeman.
Waterbury Gang Member Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
D’ANDRE BURRUS, also known as “Dopeman,” 30, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 216 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for offenses related to his participation in a violent Waterbury street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang. On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging Burrus and 15 other 960 gang members with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, firearm possession, murder, attempted murder and assault, and obstruction of justice offenses.
On March 4, 2024, Burrus pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, and admitted that he trafficked heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine in furtherance of the 960 enterprise. He also admitted that he conspired to murder members of a rival gang in retaliation for the murder of a fellow 960 member. On October 11, 2018, 960 members Gabriel Pulliam and Julian Scott shot into a crowd of people, killing an innocent bystander, 30-year-old Fransua Guzman, and paralyzing a second victim. Burrus was in one of two cars 960 members drove to the scene of the shooting. Guzman was the mother of four children.
Burrus has been detained since his arrest on February 19, 2019.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Waterbury Police Department, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Southington Police Department, Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, and the DEA Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office, who have been cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky to Participate in National Night Out Community EventsRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky will join law enforcement, community leaders, and residents across the country for National Night Out to support safer streets and making our communities stronger.
Today, National Night Out events will be held in communities across the Commonwealth, including five neighborhood events hosted by the Louisville Metro Police Department. To connect with community members across Louisville, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will host a resource booth at LMPD’s Eighth Division event at Walker Warren Park in the Douglas Hills neighborhood and attend LMPD’s other neighborhood events across the City.
“We look forward to participating in National Night Out again this year and building stronger partnerships between federal and local law enforcement and the communities we serve,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “With our shared commitment to creating safer neighborhoods, we can all help to prevent crime.”
Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out brings police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Staff Join National Night Out Events in South FloridaRead the Press Release
Justice Department Leadership Participate in Events Across the Country
MIAMI– Since last Friday, staff from the U.S. Attorney’s Office have taken part in National Night Out (NNO) events in the Southern District of Florida. Tonight, and throughout the week, members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office hope to continue to engage with the local community in support of NNO. This evening, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, and other senior Justice Department officials will also participate in NNO events across the country as part of a Department-wide effort to bring attention to efforts to build stronger police-community partnerships.
The Attorney General will attend a NNO event in Urbandale, Iowa. The Deputy Attorney General will attend NNO events in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Acting Associate Attorney General will attend NNO events in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Established in 1984 from a Justice Department Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) grant, NNO is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live. NNO is a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together through engaging activities and positive circumstances.
This year, NNO takes place as violent crime continues to decline nationwide, following an uptick during the pandemic in 2020. FBI data shows a decrease in violent crime in communities across the country in 2023 compared to the previous year, including an over 13% reduction in homicides. That is the steepest yearly decline in homicides in over 50 years. Early data from 2024 indicates that this trend is continuing.
NNO highlights federal, state, and local law enforcement partnerships that have played key roles in the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime, which focuses federal resources on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime.
For information on National Night Out events in your community, visit www.natw.org.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Additional Sentence Against Defendant for Escape from Federal CustodyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A defendant previously convicted for assaulting an intimate partner was sentenced to an additional 14 months in prison after escaping from federal custody while transitioning to a residential reentry program.
According to court documents, William Valencia, 33, an enrolled member of Laguna Pueblo, was initially sentenced on January 23, 2020, to 75 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release for assault of an intimate partner by strangling and suffocating.
On July 27, 2023, while at Diersen Residential Reentry Center in Albuquerque, Valencia tested positive for alcohol and left the facility without permission. He remained at large until October 5, 2023, when he was arrested by Albuquerque Police for possession of fentanyl.
Upon his release from prison, Valencia will be subject to an additional three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today.
The United States Marshals Service investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Pecoraro prosecuted the case.
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U.S. Attorney to Participate in Raleigh National Night Out EventsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Michael Easley, along with Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Benny Mims; and U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of North Carolina Glenn McNeill, Jr. will join Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson, community organizers, neighbors, and law enforcement partners to participate in the 41st Annual National Night Out. National Night Out began in 1984 through a grant from the Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance, with the goal of building relationships with and between communities and law enforcement. In North Carolina, 133 cities are participating this year in National Night Out.
WHERE: *Subject to change due to inclement weather*
- Maple Temple Church - 304 Dacian Road
- Tarboro Road Community Center - 121 North Tarboro Street
- The Village at Washington Terrace - 1951 Booker Drive
WHEN: Visits will begin at the Maple Temple Church location at 5:30 pm and continue through 7:30 pm
A full list of the Raleigh National Night Out locations is located here.
For logistical information related to the U.S. Attorney’s visits, please contact Katie Holcomb at [email protected].
Tucson Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Assaulting a Federal Officer with a VehicleRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Guadalupe Fermin Ramirez, 37, of Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Ramirez pleaded guilty to Assault on a Federal Officer on May 9, 2024.
On November 30, 2023, the Pascua Yaqui Police Department (PYPD) received a 911 call from an individual who reported that his vehicle had been stolen from his residence by Ramirez. The investigation revealed that, after stealing the vehicle, Ramirez drove it to a gas station on the Pascua Yaqui Indian Reservation and subsequently attempted to steal another vehicle, a delivery truck. Ramirez took the delivery driver’s personal belongings from inside the truck, and then fled from the area in the originally stolen vehicle.
During PYPD’s pursuit, Ramirez deliberately collided into the driver’s side of a police car while driving approximately 45 mph. The victim officer was able to disengage his seatbelt and tuck toward the center console of his vehicle before being struck to avoid injury, but the vehicle sustained substantial damage. After hitting the police vehicle, Ramirez sped away and ran several stop signs, causing two other vehicles to collide. Ramirez was apprehended shortly thereafter and arrested.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pascua Yaqui Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Carin C. Duryee and Brandon Bolling, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution, along with Special Assistant United States Attorney Russell E. Boatwright from the Pascua Yaqui Prosecutor’s Office.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-02362-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-108_Ramirez# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Texas Resident Sentenced to 30 Years for Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct and Sexual Exploitation of A ChildRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael Wayne Green, age 64, of Irving, Texas, was sentenced to 360 months in prison for one count of Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct and 360 months in prison for one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child. The terms of imprisonment are to be served concurrently.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office.
On January 2, 2024, Green pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, in July 2022, Green traveled from his home in Texas to the Eastern District of Oklahoma to engage in sexual acts with a child under the age of twelve, caused the child to engage in sexual conduct, and used his cell phone to create photos and videos of the child engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
“This defendant made the depraved decision to sexually exploit a child, not only failing to meet any standard of human decency, but choosing instead to inflict pain and suffering on an innocent victim,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Joseph Skarda of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “I’m grateful for the collaborative effort between the FBI and our law enforcement partners to ensure Mr. Green will spend the next 30 years behind prison walls, where he undoubtedly belongs.”
“Michael Wayne Green violated his position of trust in the most horrifying, reprehensible, and detestable manner possible,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “I commend the collaborative work of the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sequoyah County District Attorney’s Office, and federal prosecutors in bringing Green to account for his heinous crimes.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Green will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Jessica Bove represented the United States.
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.justice.gov/psc.
We encourage anyone who suspects or has information regarding child sexual exploitation, trafficking of minors, sextortion, child pornography, or any other means of child exploitation to immediately contact law enforcement. You can file a report on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)'s website at www.cybertipline.com, call 1-800-843-5678, contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or call 877-4-HSI TIP.
Rockland County Man Who Distributed Fentanyl That Resulted in Six Poisonings, Including Multiple Deaths, Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JUSTIN TURNICK pled guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl. TURNICK distributed fentanyl that resulted in three fatal fentanyl poisonings and three non-fatal fentanyl poisonings between February 2020 and April 2022 in Rockland County, New York. TURNICK pled guilty earlier today before U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Justin Turnick’s actions didn’t just facilitate addiction—they fueled a crisis that claimed lives and inflicted unimaginable suffering. As we move forward, this Office remains resolute in its mission to combat the fentanyl epidemic and seek justice for the families and individuals affected by these deadly substances.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment, court filings, and statements made in Court:
TURNICK engaged in the regular distribution of narcotics to members of his community in Rockland County, New York, including his friends, partners, and acquaintances. TURNICK knowingly distributed fentanyl — a deadly and highly potent opioid — in various forms, including fentanyl that had been packaged into pills, pure fentanyl, and fentanyl-laced powder.
TURNICK distributed fentanyl to Gustaf Olsen, resulting in his death, on or about February 3, 2020; to Jonathan Shashoua, resulting in his death, on or about July 11, 2020; to a female victim, resulting in her poisoning and serious bodily injury, on or about January 5, 2021; to Ione Koenig, resulting in her poisoning and serious bodily injury, on or about July 30, 2021; to Ione Koenig, resulting in her death, on or about July 31, 2021; and to a male victim, resulting in his poisoning and serious bodily injury, on or about on or about April 19, 2022.
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TURNICK, 25, of Congers, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. As part of his guilty plea, TURNICK stipulated that the substances he conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute resulted in the fatal fentanyl poisonings of Gustaf Olsen, Jonathan Shashoua, and Ione Koenig, and the non-fatal fentanyl poisonings of a female victim, a male victim, and Ione Koenig.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Clarkstown Police Department, and the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office. He also thanked the Ramapo Police Department, the Westchester County Police Department, the Yonkers Police Department, the Putnam County Sherriff’s Department, and the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office for their support and assistance in this matter.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan W. Allison and Kathryn Wheelock are in charge of the prosecution.
Queens Resident Convicted of Acting as a Covert Chinese AgentRead the Press Release
Shujun Wang, an academic and author who helped start a pro-democracy organization in Queens that opposes the current communist regime in China, was convicted today by a federal jury in Brooklyn on all four counts of an indictment charging him with acting and conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government without prior notification to the U.S. Attorney General, criminal possession identification and making false statements to law enforcement. The verdict followed a seven-day trial before United States Second Circuit Judge Denny Chin sitting by designation. Wang’s co-defendants in the espionage and transnational repression scheme, Feng He, Jie Ji, Ming Li and Keqing Lu are officials from China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS). They remain at large. When sentenced, Wang faces up to 25 years in prison.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and Robert Wells, Executive Assistant Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Security Branch (FBI), announced the verdict.
“The indictment could have been the plot of a spy novel, but the evidence is shockingly real that the defendant was a secret agent for the Chinese government,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Posing as a well-known academic and founder of a pro-democracy organization, Wang was willing to betray those who respected and trusted him. When confronted with his shameful conduct, the defendant lied to law enforcement, but today’s verdict revealed the truth of his crimes and now he will face the consequences.”
“This defendant infiltrated a New York-based advocacy group by masquerading as a pro-democracy activist all while covertly collecting and reporting sensitive information about its members to the PRC’s intelligence service,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s verdict demonstrates that those who would seek to advance the Chinese government’s agenda of transnational repression will be held accountable.”
“This conviction underscores the FBI’s commitment to countering espionage schemes by holding those accountable who collect US activist information for the benefit of China,” said Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “Any support for transnational repression is unacceptable, and the FBI works diligently with its partners to seek out and bring to justice those who support such activities.”
Wang is a naturalized U.S. citizen of Chinese descent and one of the founders of the pro-democracy Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang Memorial Foundation, an organization located in Flushing, Queens whose members are well-known pro-democracy dissidents who oppose the current government of the PRC. But instead of promoting democracy in the PRC, Wang, at the direction of PRC government officials, used his position within the Memorial Foundation and his status within the Chinese diaspora community to collect information about prominent activists, academics, and dissidents, and reported that information to the PRC government.
As proven at trial, since at least 2006, Wang operated under the direction and control of his co-defendants, four officials of China’s MSS, which is responsible for the PRC’s foreign intelligence collection. At the MSS’s direction, Wang gathered information on people and groups that the PRC considers subversive, such as Hong Kong democracy protestors, advocates for Taiwanese independence and Uyghur and Tibetan activists, both in the United States and abroad. Wang conducted face-to-face meetings with MSS officials while on trips to the PRC, and used WeChat to receive orders from his co-defendants and to send and receive written messages and files.
Wang often memorialized the information he collected in email “diaries” to be accessed by the MSS. These “diaries” included details about Wang’s private conversations with prominent dissidents, as well as the activities of pro-democracy activists and human rights organizations. Law enforcement recovered from Wang’s residence diary entries that he wrote to He, Ji, Li, Lu and other MSS officials. Additionally, in connection with his work for the MSS, Wang possessed telephone numbers and contact information belonging to Chinese dissidents.
Wang made materially false statements to federal law enforcement, falsely denying that he had contacts with PRC officials or the MSS. Over the course of three separate interviews, between 2017 and 2021, Wang repeatedly denied or downplayed his contact with individuals from the Chinese intelligence agency. During one of the interviews, in 2019, Wang was interviewed by federal law enforcement agents at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York, after he returned from China. Wang falsely stated that he had no contact with anyone from the Chinese government and that he had no Chinese government contact information.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Ellen H. Sise and Nina C. Gupta of the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Garrett Coyle of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Magdalena St. Surin and Rebecca Roth.
The Defendant:
SHUJUN WANG
Age: 75
Queens, New YorkCo-Defendants At Large:
FENG HE (also known as “Boss He”)
Age: 51
Guangdong, PRCJIE JI
Age: 52
Qingdao, PRCMING LI (also known as “Elder Tang” and “Little Li”)
Age: 42
Guangdong, PRCKEQING LU (also known as “Boss Lu”)
Age: 63
Qingdao, PRCE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-230 (DC)
Putnam County Man Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining Unemployment and COVID-19 BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gary Lomax, 62, of Hurricane, pleaded guilty today to theft of public money, property or records. Lomax admitted that he fraudulently obtained approximately $8,760 in unemployment benefits, including COVID-19 supplementary funds, and a $20,832 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about March 24, 2020, Lomax applied for unemployment compensation after he was laid off as a sales associate at a Charleston auto dealership when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Lomax legitimately received unemployment benefits until the week ending April 18, 2020, when he returned to work.
Lomax admitted that from at least April 25, 2020 through at least June 27, 2020, he continued to apply for unemployment benefits that he knew he was not entitled to because he had returned to work. Lomax fraudulently obtained approximately $8,760 in unemployment benefits, including supplementary funds provided by the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program (FPUC) of the CARES Act.
WorkForce West Virginia administers the unemployment compensation program for the State of West Virginia. Lomax admitted that as part of his scheme, he falsely certified on the WorkForce West Virginia website for 10 consecutive weeks that he was entitled to unemployment benefits. Lomax submitted the false certification answers while using his personal electronic device in St. Albans.
On March 29, 2021, Lomax applied for a PPP loan by falsely representing that he had earned $369,730 during the 2020 tax year as an independent contractor. PPP loans were available to qualifying independent contractors and self-employed individuals adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to replace their normal income and for certain other expenses. Lomax admitted that he had no independent contractor income to report for that tax year. Lomax further admitted that he made this false representation in order to receive $20,832, the maximum loan amount available to independent contractors.
Lomax also admitted that he used the fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits and PPP loan funds to make purchases and pay his bills.
Lomax is scheduled to be sentenced on November 13, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Lomax also owes $29,592 in restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the WorkForce West Virginia Integrity Section, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG), the Litigation Financial Analyst with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-114.
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Protecting Native Families: Readout from the 2024 Tribal ConsultationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Last month, U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, federal prosecutors, and other staff from the United States Attorney’s Office met with delegations from 17 Tribes, the All Pueblo Council of Governors, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to address critical issues facing Native communities, including the devastating impact of fentanyl and the need for enhanced law enforcement training and retention. The consultation was held on July 18 and 19, 2024 at the University of New Mexico’s School of Law.
Tribal leaders from the Pueblo of Zuni, Pueblo of Sandia, Pueblo of Santa Clara, Jicarilla Apache Nation, Pueblo of Laguna, Navajo Nation, Pueblo of Picuris, Pueblo of Jemez, Pueblo of Zia, Pueblo of San Felipe, Pueblo of Isleta, Pueblo of Nambe, Pueblo of Pojoaque, Pueblo of Tesuque, Mescalero Apache, Pueblo of Acoma, and the Pueblo of San Ildefonso were present along with representatives from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This years’ consultation focused on protecting native families.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez initiated the Tribal consultation by reaffirming his office's commitment to serving Tribal communities, describing it as one of his "greatest honors" as the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico. To underscore this commitment, U.S. Attorney Uballez highlighted the increased resources allocated for community outreach, education, and training for Tribal law enforcement, as well as the expansion of the Indian Country Crimes (ICC) section with the hiring of four Assistant U.S. Attorneys to more effectively address violent crime on Tribal lands.
Since August 2023, Uballez has personally met with ten different Tribes and Pueblos, fostering direct communication and gaining a deeper understanding of their unique needs and concerns. In addition to the U.S. Attorney meeting personally with Tribes and Pueblos, AUSA Tribal Liaisons have meet and coordinated with Tribal leaders and law enforcement separately throughout the year. The United States Attorney's Office engaged in 28 community outreach activities like meetings, presentations, and tabling at Tribal events.
In addition to community engagement, the United States Attorney’s Office has conducted nine training sessions for Tribal and Pueblo law enforcement and community providers, enhancing their capabilities to address crime and public safety issues effectively. These outreach and training efforts have reached over 1,000 people, totaling 52.5 hours of dedicated time.
Furthermore, the United States Attorney’s Office, through Law Enforcement Coordinator Alyssa Skrepcinski, has facilitated the allocation of more than $10 million in grants for Tribes in the last year, providing crucial resources to enhance public safety, support victim services, and strengthen Tribal justice systems.
The United States Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico is notable for being the first federal prosecutor's office in the country to establish a dedicated Indian Country Crimes section, which was created in 2010. This unique organizational structure enables the office to take a proactive and specialized approach to addressing criminal justice issues in Native American communities with training initiatives, community outreach and enhanced coordination among Tribal, state and federal agencies.
U.S. Attorney Uballez also underscored the positive impact of the office’s Tribal liaison program, which differs from other districts by assigning one Assistant U.S. Attorney to two Tribes, rather than having a single liaison for all Tribes in a district. This approach has led to increased communication between his office and the Tribes, enhancing government-to-government relations.
Nearly all of the participants described the deleterious effects of Fentanyl on their communities, culture and family ties, and described how it is leading to more violent crime in their community and higher death rates and incidents of homelessness amongst their members.
During the consultation, U.S. Attorney Uballez outlined a comprehensive strategy to combat fentanyl trafficking and its impact on Tribal communities:
- Expansion of Organized Crime Section: The U.S. Attorney has increased the size of the Organized Crime section to target criminal structures and organizations importing fentanyl across the southern border.
- Dedicated Drug Prosecutors: For the first time, two ICC prosecutors have been designated as drug prosecutors, focusing on building resources and cases related to drug trafficking.
- DEA Collaboration: The office is engaging with the Drug Enforcement Administration to expand its presence and operations in Tribal communities.
- Education Initiatives: The U.S. Attorney plans to enhance efforts to educate parents and law enforcement about the dangers of fentanyl and other illicit drugs.
- Support Services: Secure federal funding for developing support services to treat addiction, aiming to reduce demand for drugs in Tribal communities.
Many participants commended the office’s ongoing efforts to enhance communication and relations with the Tribes, noting the ease of reaching their liaison for responses, the personal visits made by the U.S. Attorney to Tribal leadership, and the active participation of liaisons in Tribal events.
“To know that you put a lot of effort and energy to expanding this program to Indian Country, we’re all sincerely, sincerely grateful for that, because now we have someone, a face.” Pueblo of Jemez Police Chief Roger Foster said.
“We appreciate seeing your faces out there. We appreciate you being out there and letting us know who you are and what you do and to hear your voice, to know that you are there for our people.” Navajo Nation Vice President Richelle Montoya said. “The Navajo Nation appreciates that very much.”
Regarding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) cases, Tribal representatives voiced deep concerns over persistent communication gaps, unresolved investigations, and the ongoing struggle to provide closure for affected families and communities, highlighting the complex challenges in addressing this critical issue. ICC Supervisor Elisa Dimas touted the office’s efforts to help law enforcement agencies establish Tribal Community Response Plans for MMIP cases and offered to help Tribes who did not have one in place yet put one in place.
This initiative, combined with the specialized focus of MMIP AUSA Eliot Neal, aims to improve coordination and response to MMIP cases, addressing some of the communication and investigative challenges raised by Tribal representatives. The establishment of these plans can potentially enhance the handling of MMIP cases by providing a structured framework for communication, action, and cooperation between Tribes and law enforcement.
Nearly every Tribe emphasized the critical need for assistance in both training and retaining their law enforcement personnel. Tribal representatives highlighted several key challenges:
- Training: Tribes are seeking comprehensive training programs that cover a wide range of law enforcement skills, including investigative techniques, evidence gathering and report writing.
- Retention: Retention of trained law enforcement officers is a significant concern. Tribes reported high turnover rates due to factors such as competitive salaries offered by non-Tribal law enforcement agencies, limited career advancement opportunities, and the demanding nature of the job.
- Funding and Resources: Many Tribes called for federal assistance in securing grants and other financial support to build and sustain robust law enforcement departments.
- Collaborative Partnerships: Tribes are also interested in establishing partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to share resources, expertise, and training opportunities.
To highlight the ability of the Tribes to use the office to build collaborative partnerships, Pueblo of Sandia Tribal Police Chief Adrian Montoya described how his department had leveraged the United States Attorney’s Office to build partnerships with the Albuquerque Police Department, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Homeland Security.
Regarding training, Navajo Nation Vice President Montoya said “tell us what we need to do. Our officers are hungry. They’re ready. They’re wanting to know what they can do.”
U.S. Attorney Uballez, Indian Country Crimes Section Supervisor Elisa Dimas and Deputy Supervisor Alexander F. Flores, along with Tribal Liaisons Eliot Neal, Nicholas Marshall, Brittany DuChaussee, Matthew McGinley, Caitlin Dillon, Robert Booth, Zachary Jones, Mia Ulibarri-Rubin, Jena Ritchey, Mark Probasco, Joni Stahl, and Meg Tomlinson as well as Law Enforcement Coordinator Alyssa Skrepcinski received the comments and engaged in discussion with Tribal representatives.
Former President Barack Obama signed the Memorandum on Tribal Consultation on Nov. 5, 2009. The Memorandum pronounces Tribal consultations “a critical ingredient of a sound and productive Federal-Tribal relationship.” The president further directed all federal agencies to develop a detailed plan of the actions taken to fully implement former President Bill Clinton's Executive Order 13175 on “Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments” within ninety days. Within 270 days and annually thereafter agencies were directed to provide a progress report on implementation and any updates to the plan. Executive Order 13175 sets forth criteria “to establish regular and meaningful consultation and collaboration with Tribal officials in the development of Federal policies that have Tribal implications.”
The District of New Mexico embraces this responsibility and the principles of Tribal sovereignty and Indian self-determination by actively promoting public safety in Tribal communities, recognizing the unique cultural heritage of New Mexico's Native American Tribes, and fostering government-to-government relationships.
(Foreground, left to right) ICC Deputy Supervisor Alexander F. Flores, ICC Supervisor Elisa Dimas, U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez (Background, left to right) AUSA Mark Probasco, Law Enforcement Coordinator Alyssa Skrepcinski, Criminal Chief Kristopher Houghton
(Left to right) ICC Supervisor Elisa Dimas, Pueblo of Jemez PD CI Allison Lucero, U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez, Pueblo of Jemez PD Chief Roger Foster
(Left to right) Navajo Nation Attorney Prosecutor Kevin Barnett, ICC Supervisor Elisa Dimas, U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez, Navajo Nation Council Delegate Amber Kanazbah Crotty
(Left to right) ICC Deputy Supervisor Alexander F. Flores, ICC Supervisor Elisa Dimas, U.S. Attorney Alexander Flores, Law Enforcement Coordinator Alyssa Skrepcinski
U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez, Supervisor Elisa Dimas and Deputy Supervisor Alexander Flores listen as Jicarilla Apache Tribal Prosecutor Tonita Vigil and Vice President Sonja Newton speak
(Foreground, left to right) Pojoaque Tribal PD Chief Freddie Trujillo and Major Nathan Barton. (Background, left to right) ICC Deputy Supervisor Alexander F. Flores, ICC Supervisor Elisa Dimas, U.S. Attorney Alexander Flores, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Probasco, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Holland Kastrin, Law Enforcement Coordinator Alyssa Skrepcinski
Artwork by James Sanchez
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Plymouth Woman Indicted for Paycheck Protection Program Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Plymouth woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications on behalf of herself and her father fraud and money laundering.
Katherine Reynolds, 65, was indicted on two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Reynolds will be arraigned in federal court on Aug. 8, 2024. In May 2024, Reynolds was charged by criminal complaint.
According to the charging documents, Reynolds submitted two fraudulent loan applications seeking loans for herself and her father pursuant to the PPP. The loan applications falsely claimed that Reynolds and her then 86-year-old father earned over $100,000 per year providing massage services in their home. The loan applications also included fraudulent tax forms that were not filed with the IRS. In addition, on June 25, 2021, Reynolds withdrew $20,000 in cash from the account into which the PPP loans were paid.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The chard of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. The Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Pakistani National with Ties to Iran Charged in Connection with Foiled Plot to Assassinate a Politician or U.S. Government OfficialsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, a complaint was unsealed charging Asif Merchant, also known as “Asif Raza Merchant,” 46, with murder-for-hire as part of a scheme to assassinate a politician or U.S. government officials on U.S. soil. Law enforcement foiled the charged plot before any attack could be carried out. Merchant is in federal custody in New York.
Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General, Department of Justice, Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Christopher Wray, Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, FBI, New York Field Office, announced the arrest and charges.
“For years, the Justice Department has been working aggressively to counter Iran’s brazen and unrelenting efforts to retaliate against American public officials for the killing of Iranian General Soleimani,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will spare no resource to disrupt and hold accountable those who would seek to carry out Iran’s lethal plotting against American citizens, and will not tolerate attempts by an authoritarian regime to target American public officials and endanger America’s national security.”
“Working on behalf of others overseas, Merchant planned the murder of U.S. government officials on American soil,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “This prosecution demonstrates that this Office and the entire Department of Justice will take swift and decisive action to protect our nation’s security, our government officials and our citizens from foreign threats.”
Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the FBI’s Field Offices in Dallas, Houston, Tampa, Boston, Washington D.C., Chicago and Albany field offices for their partnership on this case. Mr. Peace also expressed his appreciation to the New York City Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their assistance.
“This dangerous murder-for-hire plot exposed in today’s charges allegedly was orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran and is straight out of the Iranian playbook,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “A foreign-directed plot to kill a public official, or any U.S. citizen, is a threat to our national security and will be met with the full might and resources of the FBI.”
“The complaint unsealed today underscores, yet again, that those who engage in lethal plotting on U.S. soil will face the full force of the American justice system,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the National Security Division. “The targeting of former and current officials by foreign actors is an affront to our sovereignty and our democratic institutions and the Department of Justice will use every possible tool to expose and disrupt this egregious activity.”
“Fortunately, the assassins Merchant tried to hire were undercover FBI Agents,” said Acting Assistant Director Christie Curtis of the FBI New York Field Office. “This case underscores the dedication and formidable efforts of our agents, analysts and prosecutors in New York, Houston and Dallas. Their success in neutralizing this threat not only prevented a tragic outcome but also reaffirms the FBI’s commitment to protecting our nation and its citizens from both domestic and international threats.”
According to court documents, Merchant orchestrated a plot to assassinate a politician or U.S. government officials on U.S. soil. In approximately April 2024, after spending time in Iran, Merchant arrived in the United States from Pakistan and contacted a person he believed could assist him with the scheme. That person reported Merchant’s conduct to law enforcement and became a confidential source (the CS).
In early June, Merchant met the CS in New York and explained his assassination plot. Merchant told the CS that the opportunity he had for the CS was not a one-time opportunity and would be ongoing. Merchant then made a “finger gun” motion with his hand, indicating that the opportunity was related to a killing. Merchant further stated that the intended victims would be “targeted here,” meaning in the United States. Merchant instructed the CS to arrange meetings with individuals whom Merchant could hire to carry out these actions. Merchant explained that his plot involved multiple criminal schemes: (1) stealing documents or USB drives from a target’s home; (2) planning a protest; and (3) killing a politician or government official.
At that meeting, Merchant began planning potential assassination scenarios and quizzed the CS on how he would kill a target in the various scenarios. Specifically, Merchant asked the CS to explain how the target would die in different scenarios. Merchant told the CS that there would be “security [] all around” the person.
Merchant stated that the assassination would occur after he left the United States and he would communicate with the CS from overseas using code words. The CS asked whether Merchant had spoken to the unidentified “party” back home with whom Merchant was working. Merchant responded that he had and that the party back home told him to “finalize” the plan and leave the United States.
In mid-June, Merchant met with the purported hitmen, who were in fact undercover U.S. law enforcement officers (the UCs) in New York. Merchant advised the UCs that he was looking for three services from them: theft of documents, arranging protests at political rallies, and for them to kill a “political person.” Merchant stated that the hitmen would receive instructions on who to kill either the last week of August or the first week of September, after Merchant had departed the United States.
Merchant then began arranging means to obtain $5,000 in cash to pay the UCs as an advance payment for the assassination, which he eventually received with assistance from an individual overseas. On June 21, Merchant met with the UCs in New York and paid them the $5,000 advance. After Merchant paid the $5,000 to the UCs, one of the UCs stated, “now we’re bonded,” to which Merchant responded “yes.” The UC then stated “Now we know we’re going forward. We’re doing this,” to which Merchant responded “Yes, absolutely.”
Merchant subsequently made flight arrangements and planned to leave the United States on Friday, July 12, 2024. On July 12th, law enforcement agents placed Merchant under arrest before he could leave the country. Merchant has stated that he has a wife and children in Iran and a wife and children in Pakistan.
The charges in the complaint are allegations and Merchant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Sara K. Winik and Gilbert Rein and Douglas Pravda are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorneys David Smith and Joshua Champagne of the Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
The Defendant:
ASIF MERCHANT (also known as “Asif Raza Merchant”)
Age: 46
Karachi, Pakistan; Tehran, IranE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-MJ-467 (JRC)
Pakistani National with Ties to Iran Charged in Connection with Foiled Plot to Assassinate a Politician or U.S. Government OfficialRead the Press Release
Earlier today, a complaint was unsealed in Brooklyn charging Asif Merchant, also known as Asif Raza Merchant, 46, with murder-for-hire as part of an alleged scheme to assassinate a politician or U.S. government official on U.S. soil. Law enforcement foiled the charged plot before any attack could be carried out. Merchant is in federal custody.
“For years, the Justice Department has been working aggressively to counter Iran’s brazen and unrelenting efforts to retaliate against American public officials for the killing of Iranian General Soleimani,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will spare no resource to disrupt and hold accountable those who would seek to carry out Iran’s lethal plotting against American citizens and will not tolerate attempts by an authoritarian regime to target American public officials and endanger America’s national security.”
“This dangerous murder-for-hire plot exposed in today’s complaint allegedly was orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran and is straight out of the Iranian playbook,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “A foreign-directed plot to kill a public official, or any U.S. citizen, is a threat to our national security and will be met with the full might and resources of the FBI.”
“The complaint unsealed today underscores, yet again, that those who engage in lethal plotting on U.S. soil will face the full force of the American justice system,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The targeting of former and current officials by foreign actors is an affront to our sovereignty and our democratic institutions and the Department of Justice will use every possible tool to expose and disrupt this egregious activity.”
“Working on behalf of others overseas, Merchant planned the murder of U.S. government officials on American soil,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “This prosecution demonstrates that this office and the entire Department of Justice will take swift and decisive action to protect our nation’s security, our government officials and our citizens from foreign threats
“Fortunately, the assassins Merchant allegedly tried to hire were undercover FBI Agents,” said Acting Assistant Director Christie Curtis of the FBI New York Field Office. “This case underscores the dedication and formidable efforts of our agents, analysts and prosecutors in New York, Houston, and Dallas. Their success in neutralizing this threat not only prevented a tragic outcome but also reaffirms the FBI’s commitment to protecting our nation and its citizens from both domestic and international threats.”
According to allegations contained in the complaint and related publicly filed court documents, Merchant orchestrated a plot to assassinate a politician or U.S. government official on U.S. soil. In approximately April 2024, after spending time in Iran, Merchant arrived in the United States from Pakistan and contacted a person he believed could assist him with the scheme. That person reported Merchant’s conduct to law enforcement and became a confidential source (the CS).
In early June, Merchant met the CS in New York and explained his assassination plot. Merchant told the CS that the opportunity he had for the CS was not a one-time opportunity and would be ongoing. Merchant then made a “finger gun” motion with his hand, indicating that the opportunity was related to a killing. Merchant further stated that the intended victims would be “targeted here,” meaning in the United States. Merchant instructed the CS to arrange meetings with individuals whom Merchant could hire to carry out these actions. Merchant explained that his plot involved multiple criminal schemes: (1) stealing documents or USB drives from a target’s home; (2) planning a protest; and (3) killing a politician or government official.
At that meeting, Merchant began planning potential assassination scenarios and quizzed the CS on how he would kill a target in the various scenarios. Specifically, Merchant asked the CS to explain how a target would die in different scenarios. Merchant told the CS that there would be “security [] all around” the person.
Merchant stated that the assassination would occur after he left the United States and he would communicate with the CS from overseas using code words. The CS asked whether Merchant had spoken to the unidentified “party” back home with whom Merchant was working. Merchant responded that he had and that the party back home told him to “finalize” the plan and leave the United States.
In mid-June, Merchant met with the purported hitmen, who were in fact undercover U.S. law enforcement officers (the UCs) in New York. Merchant advised the UCs that he was looking for three services from them: theft of documents, arranging protests at political rallies, and for them to kill a “political person.” Merchant stated that the hitmen would receive instructions on who to kill either the last week of August or the first week of September, after Merchant had departed the United States.
Merchant then began arranging means to obtain $5,000 in cash to pay the UCs as an advance payment for the assassination, which he eventually received with assistance from an individual overseas. On June 21, Merchant met with the UCs in New York and paid them the $5,000 advance. After Merchant paid the $5,000 to the UCs, one of the UCs stated, “now we’re bonded,” to which Merchant responded “yes.” The UC then stated “Now we know we’re going forward. We’re doing this,” to which Merchant responded “Yes, absolutely.”
Merchant subsequently made flight arrangements and planned to leave the United States on Friday, July 12, 2024. On July 12, law enforcement agents placed Merchant under arrest before he could leave the country. Merchant has stated that he has a wife and children in Iran and a wife and children in Pakistan.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara K. Winik, Gilbert Rein, and Douglas Pravda for the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorneys David Smith and Joshua Champagne of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
ComplaintOwner of Newark Contruction Business Admits Tax Evasion and Failure to Collect and Pay over TaxesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man admitted evading taxes through a check cashing scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Alain Rodrigues, 49, of Old Bridge, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court on Aug. 1, 2024, to an information charging him with one count each of tax evasion and failure to collect and pay over taxes.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Rodrigues owned and operated a construction company in Old Bridge and Newark. Beginning around 2017, Rodrigues deposited a portion of the payments from customers into a business bank account and converted the balance to cash and money orders, which he deposited in a personal bank account or used to pay cash wages to employees. Rodrigues only reported the portion of the company’s revenue that was deposited in the business bank account on his business’s taxes. Rodrigues did not report the business revenue deposited directly into his personal bank account as income on his personal income taxes. The company, under Rodrigues’s direction, did not report to the IRS the cash wages it paid to employees and did not collect or pay over employment taxes on these wages. In total, Rodrigues and his company paid $554,873 less than they owed in income taxes and failed to collect and pay over $793,139 in employment taxes, for a total of approximately $1.35 million.
Each count of tax evasion and failure to collect and pay over taxes carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. As part of his plea agreement, Rodrigues has agreed to pay the government restitution of $1.35 million and to file amended tax returns. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 19, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron L. Webman of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
rodrigues.information.pdfOrlando Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Chadwick Lemaine (26, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Lemaine faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is set on October 31, 2024.
According to court records, Lemaine was convicted of felony offenses in 2018 and 2019 and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms. On May 26, 2023, an officer with the Orlando Police Department conducted a traffic stop of Lemaine and discovered narcotics and a firearm inside the vehicle. A DNA analysis confirmed Lemaine was a contributor to the DNA discovered on the firearm.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orlando Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Nate.
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.
Northern District of Indiana US Attorney’s Office to Participate in Community Events During National Night OutRead the Press Release
HAMMOND - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana will join community organizers, neighbors, and law enforcement partners to participate in National Night Out events on August 6, 2024. During this year’s National Night Out, United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson has directed staff to attend community events throughout the Northern District, which includes areas within Northwest Indiana, South Bend and Fort Wayne. Staff will be meeting residents, law enforcement and first responders during this yearly event.
“Community engagement events, such as the National Night Out, are essential building blocks for stronger relationships between law enforcement and the communities we serve,” said United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. “I encourage everyone to participate in your community’s National Night Out events to foster the healthy, positive community and law enforcement partnership that is the bedrock of public safety.”
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the United States Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
North Haven Counselor Admits Defrauding Medicaid of More Than $1.6 MillionRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced that RACHEL COLLINS, 44, of Hamden, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to health care fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Collins was a state-licensed professional counselor and owner of Rachel Collins, LPC Counseling Services LLC, located in North Haven. Collins provided psychotherapy to children, adolescents, and adults, but particularly children and adolescents with a variety of behavioral and mental health issues. She was enrolled individually as a Behavioral Health Clinician provider in the Connecticut Medicaid Program (“Medicaid”).
Between January 2018 and March 2024, Collins submitted and caused to be submitted fraudulent claims to Medicaid for psychotherapy services that were purportedly provided to his Medicaid clients. Specifically, Collins submitted claims under her own billing and performing provider identification number for dates of service when no services of any kind had been provided to the Medicaid clients identified in the claims. Collins submitted claims for purported dates of service when she was purportedly working as a full-time clinician for another provider; billed for 12 hours of purported services in a day and, in some cases, 24 or more hours in a day; submitted false claims for dates when she was traveling out of state, during national holidays, and on weekends; and submitted claims after she had stopped treating the claimed client, had never treated the claimed client, or the claimed client was in the hospital.
Through this scheme, Collins defrauded Medicaid of $1,647,031.51. As part of her plea, Collins has agreed to pay full restitution. She also has agreed to forfeit $114,085.55 that was seized from a bank account during the investigation.
Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for October 30, at which time Collins faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Collins is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
Newton Man Is Sentenced to 10+ Years in Prison for String of Armed Robberies in North CarolinaRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Newton, N.C., man was sentenced to prison today for a string of armed robberies in North Carolina, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Adrian Alexander Bryson, 29, was ordered to serve 121 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for Hobbs Act Robbery and possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Ron Campurciani of the Mooresville Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court records, between October and December 2022, Bryson planned and executed at least nine robberies of HT Hackney delivery trucks as they were attempting to deliver cartons of cigarettes to convenience stores. During the robberies, Bryson and his co-conspirators wore masks and either displayed firearms to the delivery drivers or behaved as if they were armed. Court records show that the robbers generally knew where the higher end tobacco products would be located on the delivery truck and stole the cartons of cigarettes that were the most valuable. In total, HT Hackney reported a loss of more than $70,800, which consisted of 1,129 cartons of cigarettes stolen during the robberies.
According to court documents, investigators determined that a red/maroon GMC Envoy was involved in some of the robberies. Investigators were able to locate the vehicle in Newton and trace it to an address where Bryson had resided. Law enforcement also determined that Bryson was a former HT Hackney employee, who had worked for the company from May to September 2022, and had left after he had been confronted about missing cigarette cartons. Law enforcement also determined that the targeted delivery routes were routes that Bryson used to deliver as a driver.
On December 28, 2022, Bryson was arrested in Hickory and a search warrant was executed at a hotel room where he was staying. During the execution of the search warrant, law enforcement found several containers belonging to HT Hackney, with dates and delivery locations that corresponded with some of the reported robberies. Law enforcement interviewed Bryson, who admitted to arranging and setting up the robberies. Law enforcement also located numerous text messages and photos on Bryson’s phone related to the thefts, as well as photos of Bryson posing with firearms matching the description of those used during the robberies.
On March 6, 2024, Bryson pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery and possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the ATF and the Mooresville Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office.
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.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax ViolationRead the Press Release
A New York man pleaded guilty today to failing to collect and pay over employment taxes from wages of his company’s employees.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2015 and 2021, Nicholas Arcuri, of Staten Island — owner and president of Capri Upholstery Custom Furnishing LLC — paid approximately $2.6 million in off-the-books cash payroll to employees, from which he did not withhold from his employees’ wages any Social Security, Medicare or income taxes or pay over those taxes to the IRS. Arcuri concealed the cash payroll from his return preparer, knowing that he was required to pay taxes.
In total, Arcuri caused a tax loss to the IRS of $486,753.
Arcuri is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 23, 2025. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Richard J. Kelley and Jeffrey A. McLellan of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
New Jersey Man Sentenced for Money Laundering and Identity Theft in Scheme Linked to City of LexingtonRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A North Bergen, N.J., man, Jean Mejia-Garcia was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, to 72 months, for conspiracy to commit money laundering and aggravated identity theft. He was also ordered to pay $4,690,870.81 in restitution.
According to his plea agreement, from February 2022 to February 2023, Garcia worked with his co-conspirators, Nana Kwabena Amuah and Shimea McDonald, to commit money laundering. Garcia also worked for Amuah to procure fake identity documents, establish shell companies with numerous Secretaries of State, and open bank accounts in the names of other, real people to receive funds that Amuah directed towards the accounts. Once the money was received in those accounts, Amuah would notify Garcia of the payments and directed Garcia to bring him the stolen funds, after Garcia retained his portion. Garcia would then wire or bring money or checks to the co-conspirators who facilitated further transfers or initiated the underlying scheme to defraud the victims. Garcia also helped to procure fake identification cards for other coconspirators to use to open bank accounts for the purpose of laundering other victim funds.
In August 2022, using email, the coconspirators impersonated a nonprofit organization working to reduce poverty, which was working with the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government (the “City”) on a housing project. The coconspirators then convinced a City official to wire funds owed to the nonprofit organization, to a bank account at Truist Bank. That account was in the name of Gretson Company LLC, but coconspirator Shimea McDonald had opened that account, in the name of another person, using a fake identity card provided by Garcia. The City wired a total of $3,905,837.05 to the Gretson Company LLC bank account at Truist Bank. At Amuah’s direction and using checks provided by McDonald, Garcia then wrote checks, funded with the money the City had wired, to other bank accounts. Ultimately, Truist Bank and the City were able to recover all the funds that were transmitted.
Amuah was previously sentenced to 86 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. McDonald was previously sentenced to 80 months, followed by three years of supervised release. Both were ordered to pay $4,690,870.81 in restitution.
Under federal law, Garcia must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Dieruf prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Moss Point Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Moss Point man pled guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Larry Donnell Smith, 44, a convicted felon, was found in possession of a firearm by the Moss Point Police Department during a traffic stop on December 31, 2023.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on November 7, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Moss Point Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Smith is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Missouri Sex Offender Admits Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A registered sex offender from Chesterfield on Tuesday pleaded guilty to a felony charge of possession of child pornography.
Charles R. Hamilton, 65, of Chesterfield, admitted possessing 1,288 image files and 185 video files containing child sexual abuse material on his phone.
The investigation began in May of 2023, when law enforcement officers in Alabama identified a Kik social media account that was being used to distribute child sexual abuse material. They traced the account to Hamilton, a convicted sex offender with an active sex offender registration requirement. When investigators interviewed Hamilton on his front porch on May 25, 2023, he denied possessing any unregistered social media accounts but consented to a search of his phone. That search revealed an email account appearing to match the account associated with the Kik user. Hamilton then admitted using the Kik account but denied using it to distribute child pornography. Investigators later found images of child pornography matching those distributed via the Kik account. A forensic examination found that Defendant had used Kik, Instagram and Telegram accounts to receive and transmit child pornography, Hamilton’s plea agreement says.
Hamilton is scheduled to be sentenced February 13, 2025.
The FBI, the St. Louis County Police Department and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes 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.
Mexican National Admits Being Caught with Gun, Fake IDRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Mexico on Tuesday admitted being caught with a firearm and fraudulent identification documents after a road rage incident in St. Charles, Missouri.
Donnovan Mallen, 21, of Berkeley, Missouri, pleaded guilty to illegal entry and unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. He admitted that on Feb. 26, 2021, the St. Charles Police Department was called to the 1500 block of Beale Street for a “shots fired” call. They found Mallen and a Dodge Charger with a shattered rear window. Mallen, who had a fraudulent Permanent Resident Card and Social Security card, denied any involvement in the incident. After further investigation by officers, Mallen admitted that while he was driving to work, a vehicle followed him and fired four shots at him. Mallen said he fired once into the air. Police found a loaded 10mm semi-automatic pistol under the front passenger seat.
At the police station, Mallen admitted buying the pistol for protection from an acquaintance for $750 and the fraudulent identification for $150 to obtain employment, his plea agreement says. There is no record of Mallen lawfully entering the United States, the plea says.
Mallen is scheduled to be sentenced November 5.
Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Charles Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christian Goeke is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.