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Thursday 20 June 2024
Two Virginia prisoners sentenced for pandemic unemployment scamRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A previously incarcerated Chesapeake man and a state prisoner were sentenced for their participation in a scheme to fraudulently obtain federal unemployment benefits related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the pandemic, the federal government expanded and extended unemployment benefits for impacted workers. At that time, Raton J. Tharp, 37, was an inmate at Wallens Ridge State Prison in Virginia. Tharp and George Napoleon Cuffee Jr., 31, conspired to apply for benefits and use the personal identifying information of others to make applications in their names for benefits for which they did not qualify.
Tharp provided the information of other Wallens Ridge inmates to Cuffee, who used that information when he was not incarcerated to apply for fraudulent unemployment benefits in those inmates’ names. Cuffee also provided false information in the applications, including, for example, false addresses, telephone numbers, email accounts, and last employers. Last employers were sometimes completely fabricated, such as “Napoleon Homes,” borrowing from Cuffee’s middle name.
In addition to the scheme with Tharp, Cuffee also unlawfully obtained and used the information of six non-inmates for fraudulent unemployment claims. They did not have knowledge or agree to their information being used.
From Aug. 12, 2020, to Oct. 28, 2020, Cuffee was incarcerated at the Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office Correctional Center. During that time, he directed associates who were not incarcerated to continue recertifying the fraudulent claims to ensure the payments were uninterrupted.
Cuffee also fraudulently filed his own unemployment claim. Cuffee falsely stated his occupation as “real estate broker,” and attested that he could not work due to COVID-19 quarantines. For his own claim, Cuffee received $18,162, of which $2,906 covered time during which Cuffee was incarcerated.
Cuffee and Tharp coordinated how to split and distribute the proceeds of the fraud. Cuffee and Tharp were not truthful with the inmates about the claims’ true value, and agreed to keep a large portion of claim proceeds for themselves. The conspiracy resulted in eight successful claims for $75,960 using other inmates’ information filed by Cuffee, and six more claims for $81,362 using non-inmate information, for a total of $187,928.
Tharp pled guilty on Jan. 25 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On May 28, he was sentenced to three years and four months in prison.
Cuffee pled guilty on Feb. 2 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He was sentenced today to five years and eight months in prison.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., and Ajay Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:3-cr-103.
Two Members of Brooklyn Drug Crew Sentenced to 30 and 20 Years in Prison in Connection with April 2021 Murder of A Rival Crew MemberRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DANZEL MACKINS, a/k/a “Putt,” and DARRIN SAMUELS, a/k/a “Klepto,” were sentenced today to 30 and 20 years in prison, respectively, for trafficking drugs, possessing firearms, and participating in the murder of Felton Durant, Jr. on April 25, 2021. MACKINS and SAMUELS were members of a drug crew based in Brooklyn that distributed crack cocaine on a regular basis from 2019 to 2022. MACKINS and SAMUELS both carried firearms in connection with their drug trafficking and participated in the killing of Durant, who was shot to death when MACKINS and SAMUELS, together with other members of their drug crew, set off across Brooklyn for the purpose of hunting down and killing the leader of a rival drug crew. MACKINS previously pled guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy and firearms possession on November 28, 2023. SAMUELS previously pled guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy on November 21, 2023. U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan accepted both guilty pleas and imposed today’s sentences.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “On April 25, 2021, Felton Durant was shot to death in broad daylight on a weekend afternoon over a drug dispute. Both Danzel Mackins and Darrin Samuels participated in that brutal killing, which took place in the middle of a busy public housing development in South Brooklyn. Because of the hard work of the NYPD and the career prosecutors of this Office, Mackins and Samuels have now both been held responsible for this heinous crime. I remain committed to devoting every resource needed to target gun violence in this City. To be clear, as I have said before and will now say again, we are not going to give up any neighborhood, anywhere in this City to drug violence.”
According to the charging instruments, public filings, and statements made in court:
From 2019 to 2022, MACKINS and SAMUELS were members of a drug crew that operated in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant, selling large quantities of crack cocaine in retail transactions. MACKINS and SAMUELS each carried firearms on multiple occasions in connection with their drug trafficking. For example, in January 2020, MACKINS used a firearm to fire multiple shots at multiple fleeing persons on the street. He later possessed additional firearms that the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) seized from him in October 2020 and October 2021. In August 2020, SAMUELS possessed a firearm that the NYPD seized from him together with a quantity of crack cocaine. In addition, in April 2021, both MACKINS and SAMUELS were carrying firearms as they traveled within Brooklyn from Bedford-Stuyvesant to Red Hook, where they planned to locate and kill the leader of a rival drug crew. Together with other members of their drug crew, MACKINS and SAMUELS found Durant — a member of the rival drug crew, but not the leader — and Durant was shot and killed on sight. Later, in January 2022, while members of the NYPD attempted to arrest MACKINS for the charges in this case, MACKINS tried to flee law enforcement in a car, an attempt which ended when MACKINS ran into a 77-year-old woman, causing her grievous injury.
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In addition to their prison terms, MACKINS, 32, of Brooklyn, New York, and SAMUELS, 36, of Brooklyn, New York, were sentenced to five years and three years of supervised release, respectively.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD and thanked the Kings County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance in this case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas John Wright is in charge of the prosecution.
Two East Idaho Methamphetamine Traffickers Receive Lengthy Federal Prison SentencesRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the sentences for two separate East Idaho methamphetamine traffickers who will serve a collective 21.5 years in federal prison.
Fredy Munoz-Morales, a/k/a Fredi Munoz-Morales, 36, a Mexican citizen and national, was sentenced to 12.5 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court records, the Teton County Sheriff’s Office began investigating Munoz-Morales in April 2023. The investigation ultimately led to the execution of a search warrant at a residence in Victor, Idaho that was associated with Munoz-Morales. Approximately seven pounds of methamphetamine were seized during the investigation along with two firearms.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Munoz-Morales earlier this week to 150 months in federal prison and ordered him to serve five years of supervised release. Munoz-Morales pleaded guilty to the charge on February 28, 2024.
In a separate case, Gabriel Lopez, 40, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced earlier this week to nine years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court records, the BADGES Task Force began investigating Lopez as the source of supply for methamphetamine to others in August 2023. The investigation ultimately led to the execution of a search warrant at Lopez’s residence in Idaho Falls. During the search, law enforcement seized approximately 392.2 grams of methamphetamine and small amounts of cocaine and marijuana.
Judge Nye also ordered Lopez to serve five years of supervised release upon the completion of his prison sentence. Lopez pleaded guilty to the charge on March 28, 2024. A co-defendant, Elizabeth Findlay, 55, of Pocatello, is pending a trial date on July 8, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Teton County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration, which led to the charges in the Munoz-Morales case and applauded the Idaho State Police, which participated as part of the HIDTA BADGES Task Force, for the Lopez investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blythe McLane prosecuted both cases.
The BADGES Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that focuses primarily on drug trafficking crimes in Bannock County and throughout the region.
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Troy Resident Sentenced for Machinegun PossessionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Ahmed AlSaadi, age 19, of Troy, New York, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for possessing a machinegun.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Troy Police Chief Daniel DeWolf.
During his earlier guilty plea, AlSaadi admitted that on August 2, 2023, he possessed three machinegun conversion devices and a Glock handgun that had been modified with a machinegun conversion device that allowed the Glock to shoot and function as a machinegun. AlSaadi also admitted to advertising machinegun conversion devices for sale from March to July 2023.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also sentenced AlSaadi to serve a 3-year term of supervised release to begin after imprisonment.
ATF, FBI and the Troy Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping prosecuted the case.
Tracy Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud and ID Theft in Mail Theft ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Cameron Pope, 30, of Tracy, pleaded guilty today to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Pope entered into a conspiracy to steal mail from the U.S. Postal Service. Pope and others stole from cluster mailboxes throughout Northern California, including throughout Placer County and Sacramento County. From the stolen mail, the conspirators obtained identifying information and financial information from California residents. Pope and the conspirators then digitally altered checks and forged account holder signatures to negotiate and deposit checks. Pope and the conspirators stole thousands of pieces of mail from California residents, including checks totaling over $200,000.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the police departments of Citrus Heights, Folsom, Rancho Cordova, Roseville, and Tracy. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Delaney is prosecuting the case.
Pope is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on Sept. 19, 2024. Pope faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for bank fraud and a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Titusville Man on Federal Supervision Sentenced to Eight Years for Aggravated Identity Theft and Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis today sentenced Carmel Linot (34, Titusville) to eight years in federal prison for bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and violating his federal supervision in a separate case. The court also ordered Linot to pay restitution to the victim he defrauded. Linot pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity on February 26, 2024. At the time of sentencing, Linot was on federal supervised release in the Middle District of Florida for aggravated identity theft. Linot was arrested on June 12, 2023, and the court ordered him detained on the federal supervised release case and the new indictment involving bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to the plea agreement and public records, Linot obtained the Social Security number (SSN) of a minor victim. Using this SSN, a counterfeit Georgia driver license, and false employment documents, Linot opened a bank account under a false identity at a credit union. After opening up the bank account in a false identity, he then obtained a credit card from the credit union using the victim’s SSN. Linot subsequently used the credit card to commit fraud.
This case was investigated by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Three Lake Charles Area Men Sent to Prison for Committing Firearms and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that three defendants were sentenced today for offenses involving firearms and drugs, including heroin and fentanyl. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced the defendants as follows:
Dexter Jamone Allen, 37, of Fenton, Louisiana, was sentenced to 151 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of firearms by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute a substance containing heroin and fentanyl. On February 8, 2022, investigators with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office stopped the vehicle Allen was driving for a traffic violation and to arrest him pursuant to a warrant for his arrest that had been issued earlier that day. During the traffic stop, law enforcement agents lawfully searched Allen’s vehicle and seized a vacuum sealed bag of suspected heroin, .45 caliber ammunition and a large amount of cash. The seized substance was sent to the Southwest Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory for testing and their analysis confirmed that the substance consisted of at least 49.81 grams of heroin, fentanyl, and 4-ANPP. Law enforcements agents also obtained a search warrant for Allen’s residence and seized additional controlled substances, a digital scale, more cash, and five firearms and ammunition. Two of the seized firearms had been reported as stolen. Allen pleaded guilty to the charges on February 7, 2024.
Brendan Alexander Delafose, 28, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, has been sentenced to 24 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a machine gun. In July 2021, Delafose was stopped for careless driving and deputies found him to be in possession of marijuana. Officers performed a lawful search of the vehicle Delafose was driving and found a Glock firearm with a Glock conversion device attached which purposefully converted the firearm to a machine gun. Delafose pleaded guilty to the charge on January 31, 2024.
Daniel Chemeeks Rodasti, 35, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, was sentenced to 105 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Rodasti committed a traffic violation in June 2021 and was stopped by law enforcement officers. When deputies approached the vehicle, they detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside. A search was conducted of the vehicle and deputies found and seized a Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol and an Arex semi-automatic pistol. Rodasti had a previous felony conviction and was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. He pleaded guilty to the charge on February 7, 2024.
These cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Casey Richmond and Danny Siefker.
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Tapestry Hospice Settles Healthcare Kickback Claims for $1.4 MillionRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Tapestry Hospice of Northwest Georgia, LLC, and its owners and managers, David Lovell, MD, Stephanie Harbour, Ben Harbour, and Andrew Nall (collectively “Tapestry”), agreed to pay $1.4 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by entering into kickback arrangements with medical directors in exchange for referrals of hospice patients to Tapestry.
“By entering into kickback arrangements, health care providers can cause doctors to make medical decisions that are motivated by financial gain, rather than the patient’s best interest,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our office is committed to ensuring the accountability of health care providers who put their own financial needs ahead of their patients.”
“The False Claims Act settlement in this case will hopefully be a deterrent to those who selfishly evade our federal healthcare programs for their own benefit,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The message is clear, the FBI will not tolerate companies operating corporate-wide schemes to illegally line their pockets.”
“Decisions regarding end-of-life care are incredibly difficult and personal, and families must be able to trust the intentions of their chosen providers,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “Those who instead take advantage of the system for their own personal gain will be held accountable.”
This case began when a former employee of Tapestry filed a whistleblower complaint alleging that Tapestry paid kickbacks to medical directors to induce them to refer patients to Tapestry. These alleged kickbacks included monthly stipends and a signing bonus paid to the medical directors. The compensation allegedly increased when the medical director referred more patients and decreased when the medical director failed to make referrals.
The Government alleges that these arrangements violated the Anti-Kickback Statute, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b), and caused the submission of false claims in violation of the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3729, et seq.
This civil settlement resolves a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia by Kathy Erwin (the Relator) under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, U.S. ex rel. Erwin v. Tapestry Hospice of Northwest Georgia, LLC, et al., No. 1:18-cv-4320-AT. Under the False Claims Act, private citizens may bring suit for false claims on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery obtained by the government. The Relator has received $252,000 from the settlement.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
The civil settlement was reached by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam D. Nugent and Georgia Assistant Attorney General Rick Tangum. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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.
Tampa Gang Member Sentenced to 15 Years’ Imprisonment, the Maximum Sentence Allowed by Law, for Orchestrating Shootings and Threatening to Commit Violence on A Child and GrandmotherRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Antonio McCray (22, Tampa) to 15 years in federal prison—the maximum sentence allowed by law—for possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony offense. McCray pleaded guilty on November 14, 2023.
According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, McCray was a member of the “2x” gang in Hernando County. In September and October 2022, McCray planned to carry out a murder against a rival gang member, telling his rival gang members, “I’m tryna do these f*** [dudes] so dirty…we getting them tonight…I’m [going] to shoot his a**.” On at least two occasions, McCray and his fellow gang members went to a residence in Hernando County, ultimately surrounding the house and shooting the windows, front door, and back sliding door. Two minor children were present at the time of the shooting, and bullets came through the window of a 9-year-old girl’s room.
On October 29, 2022, detectives from the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle. McCray was seated in the back seat of the car, and in possession of a Hellcat Pistol. McCray’s DNA was found on the firearm, and FDLE revealed a correlation between the Springfield firearm and shell casings recovered from one of the shootings. At the time, McCray had multiple prior felony convictions including burglary of a conveyance while armed, burglary (6 counts), and dealing in stolen property. As a convicted felon he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
McCray’s phone later revealed additional text messages in which he was threatening individuals who owed him a drug debt, telling people; “Listen bra if u care about ur son an ur grandma have my money by Thursday…or I’m coming for u and ur family…I’ll be at ur house tonight…Im torture ur grandma, u don’t know who u playing with.”
This case was investigated by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
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.
Tampa Dentist Charged with Sending Threats of Death and Injury to Multiple VictimsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Richard Glenn Kantwill (60, Tampa) with three counts of interstate transmission of a threat to injure. If convicted on all counts, Kantill faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment and court documents, between August 2019 and July 2020, Kantwill sent threats to approximately 42 different victims. Kantwill used email, social media, and text messages to threaten injury and death to various victims. During that time frame, Kantwill sent approximately 100 threats and various other disturbing messages.
The following is an email Kantwill sent to Victim 1, as alleged in the indictment:
The indictment charges Kantwill with sending the following message to Victim 2:
The indictment also charges Kantwill with sending the following to Victim 3:
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abigail K. King.
Syracuse Man Sentenced to 54 Months for Conspiring to Distribute Cocaine and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Michael Gonzalski, 36, was sentenced Tuesday to serve 54 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine, possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, and money laundering, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.
As part of his earlier guilty plea, Gonzalski admitted that from approximately August 2020, until March 30, 2022, he distributed cocaine to customers in Onondaga County, NY. The court determined as part of Gonzalski’s sentencing that he distributed approximately 10 kilograms of powder cocaine. Gonzalski also admitted committing money laundering by attempting to conceal the source of some of his drug proceeds through an automobile transaction.
United States District Judge David N. Hurd further sentenced Gonzalski to a three-year term of supervised release to begin after Gonzalski serves his terms of imprisonment, and imposed a $333,111 money judgment, which reflected the proceeds Gonzalski obtained through drug dealing.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Syracuse Police Department (SPD), the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), the New York State Police (NYSP), the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sutcliffe.
St. Louis County Man Admits Armed Robbery of Convenience StoreRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Thursday admitted committing the armed robbery of a convenience store in Jefferson County in 2023.
Matthew Ortega, 34, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of robbery and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He admitted pointing a Glock handgun at the clerk of a convenience store and gas station on Hillsboro-House Springs Road in Jefferson County, Missouri and demanding money from the cash register. Ortega was wearing a motorcycle helmet at the time of the robbery and left on a distinctive Suzuki motorcycle. Three days later he was involved in an accident while riding the Suzuki and wearing the same helmet and hard knuckle motorcycle gloves he wore for the robbery. Police later recovered the gun he used in the robbery.
Ortega is scheduled to be sentenced September 18. Both sides have agreed to recommend 11 years in prison.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Lake 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.
Sex offender on state supervision arrested for traveling to Oregon to sexually assault teenRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 27-year-old registered sex offender on supervision with electronic monitoring was brought into federal custody today for allegedly traveling to Oregon to sexually assault a teen, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa Gorman. The criminal complaint charging James Harrison Newcomer alleges that between February and April 2024 Newcomer assaulted three different teens he met via Snapchat. Newcomer will appear today at 2:00 in U.S. District Court in Seattle.
According to records filed in the case, Newcomer was on state supervision following his 30-month prison sentence for two counts of rape of a child. As part of the supervision, Newcomer was on electronic monitoring with an ankle bracelet. On January 19, 2024, the ankle monitor lost connection and when corrections officers went to arrest Newcomer on January 25, 2024, he had left the residence and could not be located.
Over the next three months, Newcomer connected with various teen girls via social media and then arranged to meet them in person. In those meetings he allegedly gave girls drugs and alcohol and sexually assaulted them. The victims were from Snoqualmie, Auburn and most recently, Woodburn Oregon. The victims ranged in age from 14 to 16.
Travel with intent to engage in sexual acts with a minor is punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Woodburn, Oregon Police Department, the Marion County District Attorney’s Office, the Auburn Police Department, the Snoqualmie Police Department, and the Kent Police Department, with the assistance of the Department of Corrections. Anyone with information regarding other potential victims is asked to contact the Seattle FBI Field Office at 206-622-0460.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.
newcomer_complaint.pdfSex Offender Sentenced for ContemptRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A former Franklin man was sentenced today in federal court in connection with his online activities while under court supervision, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Zachary Cote, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Samantha Elliott to 18 months in federal prison for contempt based on his violation of the Court’s order setting his conditions of release, which included that he not commit any violations of state or federal law and that he refrain from possessing computers or accessing the internet. His sentenced is to be served consecutively to the 60 months he is currently serving for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
“The defendant flagrantly violated his conditions of release after his sentencing for possessing CSAM,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “While the Court’s conditions of bail did not deter the defendant’s criminal conduct, the additional 18 months in prison will.”
“The fact that this sex offender continued to engage in criminal conduct while waiting to head to prison is deeply concerning, and demonstrates a blatant disrespect for the law,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “It is our hope that with today’s sentence, Zachary Cote learns his lesson.”
Cote pled guilty to possession of CSAM on September 20, 2021. During a November 2020 detention hearing following his arrest in that case, a magistrate judge ordered Cote released subject to certain conditions, including the condition that he not commit any violations of state or federal law and that he refrain from possessing computers or accessing the internet. Cote was later sentenced to 60 months on the CSAM charge on January 24, 2022 and surrendered to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his sentence on March 4, 2022.
After Cote had been sentenced but before he surrendered to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, federal authorities received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) which indicated that a user on the social media platform Snapchat had uploaded two images of apparent CSAM in February 2022. The IP address associated with the illicit activity resolved to Cote’s residence and Cote was ultimately identified as the user of the account. He remains in the custody of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Accessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Manchester man pleaded guilty today in federal court to a child exploitation offense, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Philip Longeway, 52, pleaded guilty to accessing with intent to view child sexual abuse material (CSAM). U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante scheduled sentencing for September 26, 2024.
Longeway is a sex offender based on a 2006 conviction for travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. While on federal supervised release in connection with that case, Longeway’s internet activity was monitored through the use of special software. That software captured chat communications between Longeway and an individual who stated that he was fifteen years old (referred to in Court documents as “John Doe”). The monitoring software also captured screenshots of John Doe engaging in a sexual act for Longeway during a Zoom video call on two separate occasions. John Doe was later identified as a fifteen-year-old child in New Jersey.
Due to Longeway’s status as a repeat offender, the charging statute provides a sentence of not less than 10 years and not more than 20 years of imprisonment, at least 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of $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.
Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Sedalia Sex Offender Sentenced to 35 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Sedalia, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender was sentenced in federal court today for soliciting sexually explicit photos of a 14-year-old victim.
Dustin Shane Colvin, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 35 years in federal prison without parole.
On Jan. 4, 2024, Colvin pleaded guilty to two counts of receiving and distributing child pornography. Colvin, a registered sex offender, was convicted of the statutory rape of a 13-year-old victim in 2007.
Co-defendant Serena Dowling, 24, of Sedalia, pleaded guilty on March 11, 2024, to one count of receiving and distributing child pornography and awaits sentencing.
Dowling took sexually explicit photos of a 14-year-old victim at the request of Colvin, her fiancé, and sent them to him over Snapchat. Dowling told the child victim she would receive $100 per photo from Colvin, although she only paid about half the money she had promised.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.
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."
Schenectady Resident Indicted for Witness RetaliationRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Patrick Civitello, age 18, of Schenectady, New York, was indicted on Tuesday for witness retaliation for his assault of the child of a witness who testified in a federal criminal trial.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Patrick Civitello is the son of Jeffrey Civitello Sr. and the younger brother of Jeffrey Civitello Jr., both of whom were convicted of federal drug trafficking charges following a jury trial in Albany in April 2023. A witness, identified in the indictment as V-1, testified at that trial.
The indictment and a previously filed criminal complaint allege that on May 19, 2024, Patrick Civitello assaulted V-1’s son, V-2, causing him to suffer head and bodily injuries, with the intent to retaliate against V-1 for her trial testimony. Patrick Civitello’s assault of V-2 occurred in front of V-1 in a restaurant parking lot in the Town of Glenville. The charges in the indictment and complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Civitello was arrested on the criminal complaint on June 13, 2024. Following a detention hearing on June 14, United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart ordered Civitello released with conditions. The Government has appealed that decision and, as a result, Civitello currently remains in custody.
If convicted, Civitello faces up to life in prison, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 5 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The FBI’s Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force is investigating this case, with assistance from the Glenville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Barnett and Dustin Segovia are prosecuting this case.
Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchasing a Shotgun Later Used to Fire Shots Outside of Temple IsraelRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Andrew Miller, age 38, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to conspiring with Mufid Fawaz Alkhader to illegally purchase a shotgun for Alkhader.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.
Miller admitted that between October 1, 2023 and November 6, 2023, he and Alkhader conspired to lie to a firearms dealer in Albany County that he (Miller) was the actual buyer of a Kel-Tec 12-gauge pump shotgun, when in reality, Alkhader was the true buyer. Miller and Alkhader came up with the plan because they believed that Alkhader could not lawfully purchase the shotgun himself. Miller further admitted that on November 5, 2023, he lied on the Firearms Transaction Record (ATF Form 4473) submitted to the gun shop when he falsely stated that he was the true purchaser of the shotgun. On November 6, 2023, Miller and Alkhader returned to the gun shop wherein Miller took possession of the shotgun. Miller also admitted that later on November 6, 2023, he transferred the shotgun to Alkhader.
The shotgun purchased by Miller and given to Alkhader is the same shotgun alleged to have been possessed and shot by Alkhader outside of Temple Israel on December 7, 2023.
Miller will be sentenced on October 18, 2024, by United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Miller faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Judge Nardacci ordered Miller released with conditions pending sentencing.
Alkhader is charged by complaint with two firearms crimes. The charges in the complaint against Alkhader are merely accusations. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, the ATF, and the Albany Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Belliss and Alexander Wentworth-Ping are prosecuting this case.
Reed Point man admits possessing stolen firearmsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Reed Point man on June 18 admitted to possessing stolen firearms found in a stolen vehicle that crashed near Helena following a pursuit, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Jarred Lane Saunders, 25, pleaded guilty to possession of stolen firearms. Saunders faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and there years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Oct. 2. Saunders was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on Oct. 12, 2022, Billings police officers responded to a local hotel where 23 firearms had been stolen from a vehicle parked in its lot. The lawful owners provided a list of the stolen firearms. Saunders likely stole the 23 firearms because his fingerprints were found at the scene. Saunders then brought stolen firearms and fentanyl in a stolen car to Helena. On Oct. 15, 2022, the Montana Highway Patrol initiated a pursuit of a stolen Mercedes, which had been taken in Billings on Oct. 11, 2022. The Mercedes eventually crashed in a private driveway, and Saunders was arrested by Helena police officers. At his arrest, Saunders complained that he ingested 15 to 20 fentanyl pills. A search warrant was executed on the Mercedes, and officers found approximately 300 fentanyl pills, a small amount of methamphetamine and a .22-caliber pistol that had been stolen from the vehicle in Billings. A witness told Billings police of seeing Saunders with three duffle bags full of guns. That person received three of the firearms knowing they were stolen.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Billings Police Department, Montana Highway Patrol, Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Helena Police Department conducted the investigation.
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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Placer County Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation Offense Against a MinorRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ryan Davidek, 40, of Lincoln, pleaded guilty today to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in 2016, Davidek began a sexual relationship with a middle school child who he had met online. Over the course of several years, Davidek booked hotel rooms and traveled across state lines, as well as transported the victim from another state to the Eastern District of California, to commit criminal sexual conduct.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexis Klein and Christina McCall are prosecuting the case.
Davidek is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on Oct. 3, 2024. Davidek faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, a $250,000 fine, restitution as determined by the court, and a lifetime term of supervised release. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
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 those who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced to Prison for Violations of Federal Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on June 18, 2024, to 52 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to two separate violations of federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Raesean M. Wilson, 22.
According to information presented to the Court, Wilson was convicted of a felony in March 2022 in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. Under federal law, a convicted felon is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. On or about September 21, 2022, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police observed Wilson in possession of a 9mm semi-automatic pistol loaded with an extended magazine and 30 rounds of ammunition in Pittsburgh’s Northside neighborhood. On January 3, 2023, a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh indicted Wilson for this incident and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
On or about January 26, 2023, following his indictment for the previous incident, Wilson was stopped by Pennsylvania State Troopers in downtown Pittsburgh for a moving traffic violation and found to be in possession of a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol loaded with an extended magazine and 23 rounds of ammunition, which he possessed in connection with the trafficking of fentanyl and methamphetamine. On February 28, 2023, a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh indicted Wilson for this second firearms offense.
Wilson pleaded guilty to both crimes in December 2023.
Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Pennsylvania State Police, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Wilson.
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.
Peruvian National Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft Charge Stemming from Distraction Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANGEL EUGENIO BANCES CHAPONAN, 60, a citizen of Peru last residing in Queens, New York, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI and local law enforcement agencies in Connecticut and elsewhere have been investigating a series of distraction thefts of wallets from victims at Trader Joe’s grocery stores, TJ Maxx stores, and other retail stores in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Virginia, and elsewhere. The investigation revealed that Bances Chaponan and others rented vehicles to travel throughout the U.S. in order to steal wallets from unwary victims and then use the victims’ credit and debit cards to purchase electronic devices and other items.
Bances Chaponan was arrested on March 13, 2024, shortly after he used a stolen credit card to purchase a MacBook for approximately $2,850 and an iPad Pro for approximately $1,050. He has been detained since his arrest.
Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for September 12, at which time Bances Chaponan faces a mandatory term of imprisonment of two years.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Manchester (Conn.) Police Department, the Fairfax County (Va.) Police Department, the Spartanburg County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Office, and the Spartanburg Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony E. Kaplan and Nathan J. Guevremont.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Benjamin Garmon, Jr. (25, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Garmon faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on January 20, 2024, deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office were conducting a homicide investigation and executed a search warrant at Garmon’s home on Gadwall Lane in Orlando. Garmon was present, along with his girlfriend. During the execution of the warrant, law enforcement located a firearm inside a shoebox in the closet of Garmon’s bedroom. The firearm was a Glock, model 21 Gen 4, .45 caliber pistol, loaded with ammunition. Garmon told the deputies that he had moved the firearm from a dresser in his bedroom to a shoebox in the closet when the deputies arrived at his home to execute the warrant.
At the time Garmon possessed the firearm and ammunition, he had previously been convicted of four felonies, including carrying a concealed firearm on July 25, 2018, burglary of a structure, grand theft, and resisting law enforcement officer without violence in March 2019. As a convicted felon, Garmon is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kara Wick.
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.
Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: California-Based Supplier Pleads Guilty in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization CaseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Alejandro Gallegos, also known as “Alex,” “Rooster,” “G” and “Primo,” 41, of Hacienda Heights, California, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. Gallegos admitted to a major supplier role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about February 2021 to in or about March 2023, Gallegos conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine within the Southern District of West Virginia.
On March 18, 2023, Gallegos directed co-defendant Ildiberto Gonzalez Jr. to deliver approximately 196 pounds of methamphetamine and four kilograms of cocaine from California to Bluefield, West Virginia, in his 2009 Freightliner semi-truck with attached trailer. Gallegos arranged the shipment in exchange for approximately $400,000 with another co-conspirator in West Virginia. Gallegos arranged for Gonzalez and the West Virginia co-conspirator to meet in a particular parking lot in Bluefield on March 22, 2023. There, Gonzalez provided the controlled substances to the other individual in exchange for a box that Gonzalez believed contained the cash.
Gallegos is scheduled to be sentenced on October 10, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
Gonzalez, 30, of San Bernadino, California, pleaded guilty on September 12, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine and awaits sentencing.
Gallegos and Gonzalez are among 32 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.
Gallegos and Gonzalez are also among 29 defendants who have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
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. 1:23-cr-32.
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Omaha Man Sentenced to more than 8 Years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Michael Mireles, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced June 20, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Mireles to 97 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Mireles’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On May 19, 2022, Omaha Police officers conducted a traffic stop in South Omaha on a vehicle with Mireles identified as the front seat passenger. Mireles admitted to having just left a South Omaha residence under surveillance by gang officers. Mireles said that there were approximately 5 pounds of meth and one firearm in the residence.
That same evening Officers executed a search warrant on the residence that revealed one pound of meth hidden in a bedroom belonging to codefendant, Jose Arevalo-Villalobos. An additional 4 pounds of meth were found in a storage room. A firearm was found in a lockbox hidden in the basement that investigators determined belonged to Jose Arevalo-Villalobos, who was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment on January 19, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Meth and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Mark Smith, 51, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced June 20, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Smith to 160 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Smith’s release from prison, he will begin a 4-year term of supervised release.
On July 16, 2022, Omaha police stopped a car for a traffic violation. Smith was the backseat passenger and had a black drawstring bag in-between his feet. Probable cause was developed to search the car and its contents. Inside the drawstring bag, officers found four plastic baggies containing a total of 77 grams of meth, along with a loaded .45-caliber pistol, a digital scale, and $401 cash. The pistol had been reported stolen.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Northumberland County Man Indicted for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that an indictment was returned by a grand jury charging a Northumberland County man with multiple firearms offenses.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges that on or about January 10, 2024, Ryan Edward Mills, age 51, a resident of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, possessed three firearms—that is, a pistol, semi-automatic shotgun, and AR-15 style rifle—knowing that he was prohibited from possessing firearms, having been previously convicted of a felony. In addition, the Indictment alleges one of the firearms Mills possessed had an obliterated serial number.
The charges stem from a joint investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Milton Borough Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Moreno.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the crimes charged in the Indictment is thirty-five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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New York Man Sentenced to 59 Months in Prison on Fentanyl ChargesRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A New York man was sentenced today to 59 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Edgar Jesus Avila Alvarado, 46, of the Bronx, New York, previously pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. Judge Bumb imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case as well as statements made in court:
In July 2022, law enforcement observed Avila Alvarado exit a residence in New York City carrying a duffle bag and enter a vehicle. After conducting a lawful vehicle stop, law enforcement recovered approximately three kilograms of fentanyl within the bag and learned that Avilia Alvarado was on route to New Jersey to distribute the controlled substance to another individual. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement recovered an additional four kilograms of fentanyl inside of Avila Alvarado’s residence also located in New York City. In total, law enforcement recovered nearly 7.4 kilograms of fentanyl from Avila Alvarado.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Avila Alvarado to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge SAC Frank A. Tarentino III, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The New York OCDETF Strike Force is housed at the DEA’s New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA; the New York City Police Department; the New York State Police; Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations; IRS - Criminal Investigation; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the U.S. Marshals Service; New York National Guard; U.S. Coast Guard; Port Washington Police Department; and New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent D. Romano of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.
New Haven Gang Member Involved in 2 Shootings Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NYZAIRE BARNES, also known as “Melo,” 20, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 125 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a violent New Haven street gang, including two gang-related shootings.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; John P. Doyle, Jr., State’s Attorney for the New Haven Judicial District; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address violence in New Haven, the ATF, FBI, DEA and New Haven Police Department, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, have been investigating an ongoing gang war between members and associates of the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in the Hill section and other areas of the city. The Exit 8 gang is named after the geographic area accessed by exiting Interstate 91 at Exit 8 in New Haven. Recently, younger members of Exit 8 are identifying themselves with the word “Honcho,” which is derived from the street name of an Exit 8 member who was murdered on Quinnipiac Avenue in February 2020.
The investigation revealed that Barnes and other members of the Exit 8 gang engaged in drug trafficking, used and shared firearms, and, since June 2018, have committed at least three murders and 16 attempted murders. Exit 8 members and associates also stole vehicles, at times from outside of the state, and used those stolen vehicles when committing acts of violence. Gang members also promoted, coordinated, facilitated, and celebrated their narcotics distribution and acts of violence through text messaging and the use of social media applications and websites including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube.
On March 11, 2024, Barnes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, and specifically admitted that he took part in two gang-related shootings. On April 12, 2022, Barnes and other Exit 8 members shot and attempted to kill rival gang members. On January 20, 2023, Exit 8 members, including Devin Suggs, stole an SUV in Scarsdale, New York. Later that day, Barnes and Suggs committed a drive-by shooting of a rival gang member in New Haven. The victim was shot in the head, but survived the attack.
Barnes has been detained since August 3, 2023.
Suggs pleaded guilty to the same charge on February 20, 2024, and awaits sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by ATF, the FBI, the DEA, the New Haven Police Department, the Hamden Police Department, and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens, Rahul Kale, and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity 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 violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. 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.
Multiple Alabama Individuals Charged for Sex Trafficking and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA – A federal judge in Montgomery, Alabama unsealed an eight-count indictment today charging five individuals with sex trafficking and related offenses.
According to the indictment, Kimani Jones, 30, Treymane Lambert, 48, and Aleecia Scott, 27, of Montgomery, Alabama, used force, fraud and coercion to compel adult women to engage in commercial sex acts between August 2016 and November 2020. Jones also used force, fraud and coercion to compel two minors to engage in commercial sex acts during that period, and Joseph Keon Bowe, 37, of Notasulga, Alabama, used force, fraud and coercion to compel a minor to engage in commercial sex acts between August 2018 and March 2019.
In addition, the indictment charges Jones with transporting one minor and one adult woman across state lines for purposes of prostitution in November 2016 and January 2020. A fifth defendant, Daryle Gardner, 30, of Prattville, Alabama, is charged with transporting an adult woman for purposes of prostitution in January 2020.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, the defendants face a range of penalties, including substantial prison terms, and mandatory restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross for the Middle District of Alabama and Acting Special Agent in Charge Travis Picard of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
HSI, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Montgomery Sheriff’s Office, Montgomery Police Department and Alabama Attorney General’s Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Kate Alexander of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Ratz for the Middle District of Alabama are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Michigan Man Charged with Attempted Online Enticement of an 11-Year Old ChildRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging William Isaak Sparks (23, Kalamazoo, Michigan) with using a cellphone to attempt to entice a child to engage in sex acts. If convicted, Sparks faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to the complaint, an FBI special agent was conducting an online undercover investigation designed to identify and target adults who were seeking sexual activity with children. The undercover agent, posing as the parent of an 11-year-old girl, made contact with Sparks in a chat group on a social media app. Sparks offered to travel from Michigan to Florida for the purpose of sexually exploiting the “child.” The undercover agent asked Sparks if he had experience with “young” to which Sparks responded “Yes . . . 12 and 13” and claimed that these sexual encounters with children had happened “a couple of months ago[.]” Sparks provided his cellphone number to the undercover agent, distributed to the undercover agent two videos of children being sexually abused, and offered to send an explicit video of himself. Via text message, Sparks continued to make arrangements to travel to Florida.
The undercover agent again encountered Sparks in a chat room on May 21, 2024. In that conversation, Sparks again offered to travel to Florida to sexually abuse the 11-year old “child.” Sparks provided his true name to the undercover agent so that the agent could book a bus ticket from Michigan to Florida for Sparks.
The undercover agent later learned that on May 24, 2024, Sparks had been arrested by the Michigan State Police after information was provided by a private citizen that Sparks was attempting to engage in sex acts with a purported 11-year-old child in Michigan. Sparks was arrested after he showed up a condom and $45 in cash expecting to sexually abuse the purported 11-year-old child in Michigan.
A complaint is merely a charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Michigan State Police, and the Township of Kalamazoo Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.
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.
Mexico-Based Drug Cartel Leaders Indicted and SanctionedRead the Press Release
Rodolfo Maldonado-Bustos, also known as Don Jose, and Euclides Camacho-Goicochea, also known as El Quilles, who occupy leadership roles in the La Nueva Familia Michoacana drug cartel, were charged by a federal grand jury with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin and conspiracy to import heroin into the United States.
Earlier today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) announced financial sanctions against Camacho-Goicochea and Maldonado-Bustos, who are fugitives believed to be residing in Mexico.
“These actions demonstrate that in addition to holding cartel leaders accountable for their crimes, we are working together with our partners at the Treasury Department to hit the cartels’ criminal operations where it hurts the most – their profits,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will continue to mobilize a whole-of-government effort to disrupt the cartels profiting from the drug trafficking and human smuggling that devastate communities and endanger our national security.”
“These cartel members allegedly imported massive amounts of heroin from Mexico to the Atlanta area and elsewhere in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia. “The federal indictments in conjunction with the recent imposition of OFAC sanctions send a strong message that our office, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, will relentlessly investigate, prosecute, and defund individuals around the globe who import deadly drugs into our communities.”
“Denying drug cartels the profits earned from distributing poison in our communities is an essential tool in DEA’s efforts to combat these drug cartels,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Murphy of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Field Division. “DEA Atlanta will continue to attack the La Nueva Familia cartel on all fronts by arresting its members, as well as seizing their drugs and assets.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are highly skilled financial investigators who can unravel complex schemes cartels use to hide their money,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI)’s Atlanta Field Office. “IRS-CI and other members of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces will continue working together to bring these international criminals to justice.”
According to the indictments and other information presented in court, in September 2016, agents of the DEA and the IRS-CI initiated an investigation into Mexico-based La Nueva Familia Michoacana cartel members allegedly importing heroin, cocaine, and marijuana into the United States, including to the Northern District of Georgia. As part of the investigation, agents identified Maldonado-Bustos as a high-level cartel member who allegedly coordinated the manufacturing of large quantities of heroin in Mexico.
In particular, the investigation revealed that Maldonado-Bustos allegedly directed the harvesting of gum from opium fields, procured chemicals to process the gum into heroin, and supplied Camacho-Goicochea and other conspirators in Mexico with the heroin to import into cities in the United States, including Atlanta, and Houston. The investigation further revealed that Camacho-Goicochea allegedly coordinated the collection and return of drug proceeds from the United States back to Mexico. In early 2017, agents seized over $580,000 in drug proceeds from vehicles and homes in the Atlanta area, which were ultimately destined for the cartel in Mexico.
Rodolfo Maldonado-Bustos, also known as Don Jose, 59, and Euclides Camacho-Goicochea, also known as El Quilles, 51, both of Guerrero, Mexico, were charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin and conspiracy to import heroin into the United States. Camacho-Goicochea was also charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. The indictments were returned in August 2017 and were recently unsealed.
The DEA and IRS-CI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebeca Ojeda for the Northern District of Georgia is prosecuting the case against Camacho-Goicochea and Maldonado-Bustos. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel Milam for the Northern District of Georgia and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Hartigan for the Eastern District of North Carolina, provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the David G. Wilhelm Atlanta OCDETF Strike Force (the Strike Force) is to degrade and dismantle major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations in the Atlanta metropolitan area and the Northern District of Georgia. To accomplish this mission, the Strike Force will target these organizations’ leaders, focusing on targets designated as Consolidated Priority Organization Targets (CPOTs), Regional Priority Organization Targets (RPOTs), and their associates. The Atlanta Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, DEA, FBI, HSI, USMS, USPIS, and IRS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mexico-Based Drug Cartel Leaders Indicted and SanctionedRead the Press Release
ATLANTA –Rodolfo Maldonado-Bustos, a.k.a. “Don Jose,” and Euclides Camacho-Goicochea, a.k.a. “El Quilles,” who occupy leadership roles in the La Nueva Familia Michoacana drug cartel, were charged by a federal grand jury with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin and conspiracy to import heroin into the United States.
Earlier today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) announced financial sanctions against Camacho-Goicochea and Maldonado-Bustos, who are fugitives believed to be residing in Mexico.
“These actions demonstrate that in addition to holding cartel leaders accountable for their crimes, we are working together with our partners at the Treasury Department to hit the cartels’ criminal operations where it hurts the most – their profits,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will continue to mobilize a whole-of-government effort to disrupt the cartels profiting from the drug trafficking and human smuggling that devastate communities and endanger our national security.”
“These cartel members allegedly imported massive amounts of heroin from Mexico to the Atlanta area and elsewhere in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “The federal indictments in conjunction with the recent imposition of OFAC sanctions send a strong message that our office, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, will relentlessly investigate, prosecute, and defund individuals around the globe who import deadly drugs into our communities.”
“Denying drug cartels the profits earned from distributing poison in our communities is an essential tool in DEA’s efforts to combat these drug cartels,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA Atlanta will continue to attack the La Nueva Familia cartel on all fronts by arresting its members, as well as seizing their drugs and assets.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are highly skilled financial investigators who can unravel complex schemes cartels use to hide their money,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS-CI and other members of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces will continue working together to bring these international criminals to justice.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the indictments, and other information presented in court: In September 2016, agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) initiated an investigation into Mexico-based La Nueva Familia Michoacana cartel members allegedly importing heroin, cocaine, and marijuana into the United States, including to the Northern District of Georgia. As part of the investigation, agents identified Maldonado-Bustos as a high-level cartel member who allegedly coordinated the manufacturing of large quantities of heroin in Mexico.
In particular, the investigation revealed that Maldonado-Bustos allegedly directed the harvesting of gum from opium fields, procured chemicals to process the gum into heroin, and supplied Camacho-Goicochea and other conspirators in Mexico with the heroin to import into cities in the United States, including Atlanta, Georgia and Houston, Texas. The investigation further revealed that Camacho-Goicochea allegedly coordinated the collection and return of drug proceeds from the United States back to Mexico. In early 2017, agents seized over $580,000 in drug proceeds from vehicles and homes in the Atlanta area, which were ultimately destined for the cartel in Mexico.
Rodolfo Maldonado-Bustos, a.k.a. “Don Jose,” 59, and Euclides Camacho-Goicochea, a.k.a. “El Quilles,” 51, both of Guerrero, Mexico, were charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin and conspiracy to import heroin into the United States. Camacho-Goicochea was also charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. The indictments were returned in August 2017 and were recently unsealed.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictments only contain charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebeca Ojeda is prosecuting the case against Camacho-Goicochea and Maldonado-Bustos. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel Milam, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Hartigan, who is presently with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, provided valuable contributions to the investigation.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the David G. Wilhelm Atlanta OCDETF Strike Force (the Strike Force) is to degrade and dismantle major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations in the Atlanta metropolitan area and the Northern District of Georgia. To accomplish this mission, the Strike Force will target these organizations’ leaders, focusing on targets designated as Consolidated Priority Organization Targets (CPOTs), Regional Priority Organization Targets (RPOTs), and their associates. The Atlanta Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, DEA, FBI, HSI, USMS, USPIS, and IRS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.
The Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia recommends that parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following websites: www.justthinktwice.gov; www.operationprevention.com/; and www.dea.gov/onepill.
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.
Men Who Robbed Postal Employee Indicted on ChargesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury has returned a three-count indictment charging Amihr Curtis, 23, Zenesto Martin, Jr., 25, and Christian Proby, 25, all of Lima, Ohio, with interference of commerce by robbery, robbery of mail, money, or other property of the United States, and stealing keys used by the Postal Service for the deposit of mail. The violations allegedly took place in November 2023, in Lima, Ohio, while a United States Postal Service letter carrier was on a delivery route. Curtis and Martin, Jr., were also indicted for one count of mail theft.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the prior criminal record, if any, the defendants’ role in the offenses, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
Sentencing for all three defendants is scheduled for June 20, 2025.
The investigation preceding the indictment was a collaborative effort conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Lima Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank H. Spryszak.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Postal Inspection Service is the federal agency with jurisdiction for investigating crimes against postal carriers and crimes involving the U.S. Mail. Anyone having information about blue collection box thefts or thefts or attempted thefts of mail carriers or mail should contact USPIS at 1-877-876-2455. All information will be kept confidential.
Update Feb. 21, 2025:
Addition of sentencing date
L’anse Man Charged with Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney’s Office Requests Public’s Help in Ongoing Investigation
MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that a federal grand jury indicted Michael Philip Dowd, 56, of the L’Anse Indian Reservation, charging him with one count of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of sexual abuse. Each count carries a maximum sentence of life.
“My office is prepared to make its case in court and strongly encourages anyone with information about Mr. Dowd who can assist with this active investigation to contact our Marquette Office,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Our work protecting victims of sexual abuse and holding offenders accountable is some of the most important work we do.”
The indictment, which was returned Tuesday, alleges that between April 8 and April 9, 2024, Dowd “knowingly engaged in a sexual act” with the victim by using his body to hold the victim down and performing a sexual act on the victim. The indictment further alleges that Dowd “knowingly engaged in a sexual act” with the victim without the victim’s consent and while the victim was “incapable of appraising the nature of the conduct and physically incapable of declining participation in, or communicating unwillingness to engage in” the sexual act.
“I commend the victim for their bravery and for coming forward to law enforcement, especially considering the horrific and severe sexual abuse alleged in this case,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in the Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The FBI, our partners at the Keweenaw Bay Tribal Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to addressing the public safety and violence facing Native American communities.”
This case was investigated by the Keweenaw Bay Tribal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI are continuing to investigate Dowd for sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact. Anyone who has not previously provided information about conduct involving Dowd should contact the FBI or U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, Marquette Branch Office, at 906-226-2500.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Long Island Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl That Contributed to Two Poisoning DeathsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Charles Carter, also known as “Chase,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Gary R. Brown to 20 years in prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl that contributed to two poisoning deaths. In November 2023, Carter pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl. As part of his plea, Carter admitted that fentanyl that he sold contributed to the deaths of two victims in 2020 and 2021 respectively. Carter also admitted that in 2021, he sold more than 43 grams of fentanyl to an undercover Glen Cove Police Department (GCPD) officer (UC-1). As part of the sentence, the defendant was ordered by the Court to pay restitution in the amount of $29,416.50 to cover the victims’ funeral expenses.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner of the Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), and William Whitton, Chief of Police, GCPD, announced the guilty plea.
“Carter, who openly acknowledged his drug dealing was all ‘about the money,’ is held responsible today for callously selling fentanyl that contributed to the deaths of two victims on Long Island. Fentanyl is a lethal drug that is killing so many people across this nation every day,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office is working nonstop with our federal and local partners to address the fentanyl crisis and prosecute those who push the deadly poison for profit.”
“While this guilty plea can't undo the tragic loss of life, it sends a message that we will do everything we can to make sure those responsible for drug related deaths face the consequences for their actions and the families of those lost receive justice. The men and women of DEA New York Division, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to target those responsible for poisoning and destroying our communities” stated DEA New York Division Special Agent-in-Charge Tarentino.
“The sentencing of defendant Charles Carter to 20 years in prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl is a clear example that this behavior will never be tolerated. Two victims lost their lives and their families are suffering due to this poison being accessible. We need to set an example and continue to investigate and arrest these offenders to keep our communities and residents safe. I would like to thank all of the investigators and their agencies for a job well done,” stated NCPD Commissioner Ryder.
“The Glen Cove Police Department will continue to work with federal, state and local law enforcement to prevent the distribution of illegal substances into our community. Those who decide to profit by selling their poison, will be identified, arrested and prosecuted,” stated GCPD Chief of Police Whitton.
Between August 2020 and February 2021, Carter sold more than 40 grams of fentanyl to two overdose poisoning victims and an undercover GCPD detective. The investigation revealed that on August 6, 2020, a 23-year-old individual (Victim-1) died of a drug-related overdose at her residence in Glen Cove, Long Island. Cellular telephone analysis and additional investigation showed that the fentanyl that Victim-1 used was purchased from Carter about two days before Victim-1’s death. On February 5, 2021, a 40-year-old individual (Victim-2) died of a drug-related poisoning at his residence in Farmingdale, Long Island. A search of Victim-2’s phone revealed text messages between Carter and Victim-2 which related to Victim-2’s purchase of fentanyl shortly before, and in the months preceding, Victim-2’s death. For example, on January 21, 2021, Carter wrote text messages to Victim-2, stating “im.(sic) around and I got the good stuff[.] Do u (sic) need to see me..??”
Additionally, Carter repeatedly sold fentanyl to the UC-1 in doses that could have been lethal if consumed, including approximately 43 grams of fentanyl in January 2021. For example, on October 23, 2020, Carter sent text messages to UC-1, stating “Next time imma (sic) give you some super fire cuz (sic) I’m getting some new sh-- in a couple days so let your people know . . . . I ain’t going to lie I’m going to have some way stronger sh-- in the next couple days then I might have to cut it might be that strong seriously.” On January 13, 2021, in response to a text message from UC-1 describing how much money UC-1 could make from reselling Carter’s drugs, Carter wrote “I’m about the money.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Justice, in 2023, nearly 108,000 people died from drug overdoses, making it a leading cause of injury-related death in the United States. The increase in overdose deaths has been driven in large part by fentanyl, a drug that has been described as 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. In 2023, over 74,000 people died from a drug overdose involving synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, a figure that was around 2,000 less than the more than 76,000 synthetic opioid overdose deaths that occurred in 2022. Between 2022 and 2023, overall drug overdose deaths decline approximately 3% from around nearly 111,000 such deaths in 2022.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Bradley T. King and Madeline O’Connor are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Samantha Schroder and Legal Assistants Janelle Robinson and Danielle Casey.
The Defendant:
CHARLES CARTER (also known as “Chase”)
Age: 34
Amityville, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-88 (S-1) (GRB)
Lexington County Woman Sentenced to 14 Months in Federal Prison for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Keisha Carroll Banks, 52, of Lexington, was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Banks was an employee of Ridgeway Manor Health Care in Ridgeway. In her role, she was able to access money in an account of Ridgeway Manor that included funds held for the residents of the facility. The defendant diverted some of those funds and used some of the money for her own benefit. Some of the residents of Ridgeway Manor are considered vulnerable adults.
United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Banks to 14 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The court also ordered the defendant to pay $58,544.61 in restitution.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Attorney General's Office Vulnerable Adult Medicaid Provider Fraud Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Potterfield is prosecuting the case.
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Leaders of One of the Largest No-Fault Insurance Frauds in New York History Sentenced to 15, 12, and Seven Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that PETER KHAIMOV, ALEXANDER GULKAROV, and ROMAN ISRAILOV were sentenced to 15 years, 12 years, and seven years in prison, respectively, by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe for crimes related to their orchestration of a $40 million fraud targeting No-Fault automobile insurance companies. KHAIMOV previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and was sentenced on June 11, 2024. GULKAROV previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft and was sentenced on June 20, 2024. ISRAILOV previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft and was sentenced on May 23, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Peter Khaimov, Alexander Gulkarov, and Roman Israilov organized one of the largest No-Fault insurance frauds in New York history, stealing $40 million through their operation of sham medical clinics and pharmacies. By posing as legitimate medical providers, they exploited the system, prescribed unnecessary treatments, and jeopardized patient care. This case exemplifies our relentless pursuit of justice against those who think they can outsmart the system, and I commend the FBI and our dedicated team of prosecutors for their outstanding work in dismantling this massive fraud operation.”
According to the Indictment, the Informations to which KHAIMOV, GULKAROV, and ISRAILOV pled guilty, their plea agreements, and statements made in court:
New York and New Jersey No-Fault insurance laws require a driver’s automobile insurance company to pay automobile insurance claims automatically for certain types of motor vehicle accidents, provided that the claim is legitimate and below a particular monetary threshold. Pursuant to these requirements, insurance companies will often pay medical service providers directly for the treatment they provide to automobile accident victims without the need to bill the victims themselves. This process resolves automobile claims without apportioning blame or fault for the accident, thereby avoiding protracted disputes and the costs associated with an extended investigation of the accident.
From 2014 through 2021, KHAIMOV, GULKAROV, and ISRAILOV (collectively, the “Clinic Controllers”) conspired to unlawfully own, run, and profit from medical clinics and pharmacies in the New York area. KHAIMOV, GULKAROV, and ISRAILOV knew that clinics and pharmacies are unable to bill insurance companies for No-Fault benefits if the medical facilities are controlled by non-physicians. They nonetheless agreed to submit bills to insurance companies falsely representing that the clinics were owned and operated by licensed medical practitioners, and for medical practitioners to lie under oath during Examinations under Oath (“EUOs”) about the ownership, control, and finances of the clinics. KHAIMOV, GULKAROV, and ISRAILOV unlawfully obtained from insurance companies at least $40,000,000 as part of the scheme.
In connection with the scheme described above, KHAIMOV, GULKAROV, and ISRAILOV also arranged for medical practitioners, including physicians, to prescribe unnecessary medical treatments (including MRIs, EMG/NCV testing, spinal injections, and computerized radiologic mensuration analysis), unnecessary durable medical equipment (including cervical home traction devices and lumbar back support), and medically unnecessary medications (including prescription strength painkillers, topical creams, and topical gels). KHAIMOV and GULKAROV received kickbacks from MRI facilities, pain management doctors, and other specialized care providers, who performed these unnecessary medical treatments. KHAIMOV and GULKAROV further personally arranged for the unnecessary medications to be filled at pharmacies under the control of the conspirators.
GULKAROV also overbilled insurance companies for treatments provided by medical practitioners. In connection with the scheme, GULKAROV owned and operated a billing company, which submitted bills to insurance companies overstating the amount of time that practitioners spent treating patients. The billing company also used improper, unlisted billing codes to bill insurance companies in excess of what is permitted under No-Fault regulations.
The Bribery Scheme
KHAIMOV, GULKAROV, and ISRAILOV further agreed to pay bribes in connection with the above-described scheme. From at least 2014 through November 2019, they agreed with others to pay bribes to hospital employees, 911 dispatchers, and other individuals for the confidential names and numbers of motor vehicle accident victims. As part of the scheme, KHAIMOV, GULKAROV, and others provided approximately $150,000 for the creation of a call center that called victims and lied to them to induce victims to receive medical treatment at, among other places, clinics controlled by KHAIMOV, GULKAROV, and ISRAILOV. KHAIMOV and GULKAROV further personally paid the operation of the call center hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribe payments in cash.
As part of the bribery scheme, KHAIMOV also personally attempted to recruit others to disclose confidential names and numbers of motor vehicle accident victims. These people included, among others, a hospital employee. KHAIMOV was ultimately unsuccessful because these other individuals refused to provide confidential information.
As part of the scheme, GULKAROV arranged for an New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) officer to provide confidential information from NYPD servers. In particular, this officer sent GULKAROV over 400 photos of confidential NYPD motor vehicle accident reports using the encrypted messaging application, WhatsApp. GULKAROV then re-transmitted the reports to others so that they could call patients, lie to them, and direct them to clinics controlled by KHAIMOV, GULKAROV, and ISRAILOV.
Money Laundering and Obstruction Conduct
KHAIMOV, GULKAROV, and ISRAILOV laundered the proceeds of the bribery and healthcare fraud from the bank accounts of the medical clinics and pharmacies to personal accounts using a variety of methods. Among other things, KHAIMOV, GULKAROV, and ISRAILOV agreed to have medical practitioners sign blank checks from the clinics’ bank accounts, which KHAIMOV, GULKAROV, and ISRAILOV used to pay personal expenses such as luxury vacations around the world, expensive meals, jewelry, and parties. GULKAROV also used the blank checks to pay for hundreds of thousands of dollars of construction-related expenses for a three-story, multimillion dollar home in Queens, New York.
KHAIMOV, GULKAROV, and ISRAILOV arranged for checks from the clinics’ bank accounts to be cashed at shell companies under their control or the control of co-conspirators. Over two dozen of these shell companies were opened by foreign nationals, who entered the country on tourism visas, opened bank accounts for the shell companies, provided the debit cards to the co-conspirators, and then left the country.
KHAIMOV and GULKAROV additionally agreed to use the Wisnicki & Associates and Wisnicki Neuhauser (collectively, the “Wisnicki Firm”) to launder proceeds from the No-Fault scheme. KHAIMOV and GULKAROV wrote over $150,000 in checks to the Wisnicki Firm from the No-Fault clinics’ bank accounts. The Wisnicki Firm did not provide any legal services to the No-Fault clinics. Instead, the Wisnicki Firm used this money to purchase real estate for KHAIMOV and another individual. The conspirators deducted the payments to the Wisnicki Firm on the clinics’ tax returns as legal expenses.
In addition, GULKAROV engaged in a multi-month obstruction scheme beginning in February 2021. In February and March 2021, the Government served grand jury subpoenas on the medical practitioners involved in the No-Fault scheme. GULKAROV immediately contacted at least half-a-dozen of his co-conspirators and ordered them not to speak with law enforcement. In return, GULKAROV gave his co-conspirators money to pay for attorneys. GULKAROV also obtained the phones of multiple practitioners and deleted his communications with them from their devices.
Thereafter, on or about April 1, 2021, the Government served a grand jury subpoena on the Wisnicki Firm for documentation surrounding the $150,000 in payments made from the clinics to the Wisnicki Firm. GULKAROV agreed with others that the Wisnicki Firm would fabricate retainer agreements for transmission to the grand jury. The fabricated retainer agreements, which were backdated to 2016 and 2017, falsely represented that the No-Fault clinics had retained the Wisnicki Firm for legal services.
During the following months, in or about April and May 2021, GULKAROV approached multiple medical practitioners and ordered them to sign the backdated, fabricated retainer agreements. The medical practitioners complied. GULKAROV also provided these medical practitioners with checks, written from the Wisnicki Firm, returning the purported “retainer fees” paid to the Wisnicki Firm. GULKAROV ordered the medical practitioners to deposit the checks, withdraw the money in small cash increments, and return the cash to GULKAROV. At least one medical practitioner complied.
Lastly, in or about early 2022, KHAIMOV approached a cooperating witness (the “CW”), who was the registered owner of one of KHAIMOV’s pharmacies. KHAIMOV drove to the CW’s house and began honking his car horn outside. The CW came out, at which point KHAIMOV told the CW that he heard the CW was speaking with law enforcement. KHAIMOV instructed the CW to stop doing so.
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KHAIMOV, 44, GULKAROV, 37, and ISRAILOV, 42, all of Queens, New York, were each sentenced to three years of supervised release, respectively, and they were each ordered to forfeit money judgments of $40,000,000. The Court deferred determination of restitution.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit and the White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mathew Andrews, Ryan Allison, and Timothy V. Capozzi are in charge of the prosecution.
Lawrence Man Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
Brayan Zepeda, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Julia E. Kobick to eight months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. Zepeda will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. On March 28, 2024, Zepeda pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
Zepeda, a citizen of Guatemala, was deported from the United States on Jan. 12, 2023 after serving several state sentences for domestic assault and violation of a restraining order. At some point thereafter, Zepeda returned to the United States and was arrested by the Littleton Police Department in October 2023.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
King County, Washington, murder suspect now indicted in armed carjacking in SeattleRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 19-year-old SeaTac, Washington, man was indicted today for armed carjacking in connection with a crime spree that ended in a homicide, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Salman Subeyr Haji is believed to have fled abroad just days after he allegedly shot and killed a woman in the parking lot of the Tukwila Costco. Haji has been charged with murder in King County Superior Court. The federal indictment for armed carjacking will prompt an international “red notice” for Haji, alerting international law enforcement to take him into custody.
“Our carjacking task force identified this case as meriting federal prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Separate and distinct from the fatal shooting in Tukwila, this defendant is alleged to have used a firearm to steal a car from a woman driving in Seattle. She made a narrow escape. This defendant needs to be held accountable.”
According to the indictment and police reports, on January 26, 2024, Haji stole a Porsche Cayenne at gunpoint from a woman driving on Queen Anne Hill. Haji and another man were following the victim and rear-ended her to cause her to pull over. While attempting to retrieve insurance information from the glove box, Haji held a gun to the victim and demanded the keys to the vehicle and money. Haji then drove off in the vehicle.
The indictment lists several names Salman Subeyr Haji has used: Salmon Subeyr Haji, Salman Hagi, and Markell Somo Jefferson.
Carjacking is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. A second count of using a firearm in a crime of vi0lence is punishable by up to life in prison, with a mandatory minimum seven years in prison to run consecutive to any other prison sentence imposed in the case.
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.
The case was investigated by the Seattle Police Department, Tukwila Police Department, the King County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Wynne. AUSA Wynne is working closely with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office on the case.
Justice Department Sues Five Individuals for Violation of Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) ActRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department filed a civil federal lawsuit today in the Middle District of Florida against five people for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which prohibits anyone from using force, threats of force or physical obstruction against any person because they are seeking or providing reproductive health services.
The lawsuit alleges that Calvin Zastrow, Kenneth Scott, Chester Gallagher, Eva Zastrow and Katelyn Sims, also known as Katelyn Velasco, committed violations of the FACE Act in Ft. Myers, Florida, on Jan. 27, 2022. Specifically, the complaint alleges that the defendants trespassed onto a reproductive health center’s property, blocked the entrances and temporarily stopped operations at the center. The complaint seeks injunctive relief and monetary penalties as provided by the FACE Act.
“These five defendants deliberately obstructed access to reproductive health services,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Physically blocking those seeking or providing reproductive health services in order to impose their views is unlawful. The Justice Department will continue enforcing the FACE Act to protect against such obstruction.”
“The Justice Department ensures that individuals cannot pick which laws they wish to follow,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “We look forward to continuing to protect the rights of patients and providers to access reproductive health care.”
The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida are handling the case.
For additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the Special Litigation Section, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section. Those interested in finding out more about the FACE act may visit www.justice.gov/crt/freedom-access-clinic-entrances-places-religious-worship. Past FACE Act cases by the Special Litigation Section can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section-cases-and-matters#face.
Justice Department Sues Five Individuals for Violation of Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) ActRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a civil federal lawsuit today in the Middle District of Florida against five people for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which prohibits anyone from using force, threats of force or physical obstruction against any person because they are seeking or providing reproductive health services.
The lawsuit alleges that Calvin Zastrow, Kenneth Scott, Chester Gallagher, Eva Zastrow and Katelyn Sims, also known as Katelyn Velasco, committed violations of the FACE Act in Ft. Myers, Florida, on Jan. 27, 2022. Specifically, the complaint alleges that the defendants trespassed onto a reproductive health center’s property, blocked the entrances and temporarily stopped operations at the center. The complaint seeks injunctive relief and monetary penalties as provided by the FACE Act.
“These five defendants deliberately obstructed access to reproductive health services,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Physically blocking those seeking or providing reproductive health services in order to impose their views is unlawful. The Justice Department will continue enforcing the FACE Act to protect against such obstruction.”
“The Justice Department ensures that individuals cannot pick which laws they wish to follow,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “We look forward to continuing to protect the rights of patients and providers to access reproductive health care.”
The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida are handling the case.
For additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the Special Litigation Section, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section. Those interested in finding out more about the FACE act can visit www.justice.gov/crt/freedom-access-clinic-entrances-places-religious-worship. Past FACE Act cases by the Special Litigation Section can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section-cases-and-matters#face.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Worldwide Staffing Agency to Resolve Claims of Hiring Discrimination in the United StatesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with eTeam Inc. (eTeam), an online staffing agency that provides services to companies throughout the United States and around the world. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that eTeam discriminated against non-U.S. citizens with permission to work in the United States by excluding them from job opportunities based on their citizenship or immigration status, in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
“Staffing companies cannot engage in hiring and recruiting practices that unlawfully exclude or deter people with permission to work in the United States because of their citizenship or immigration status,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to hold companies accountable for engaging in practices that create barriers to employment, in violation of our nation’s federal civil rights laws.”
The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER)’s investigation found that during various months in 2021, eTeam regularly distributed job advertisements that contained unlawful hiring restrictions based on citizenship status or otherwise screened out candidates based on their citizenship status. These actions harmed lawful permanent residents and individuals granted asylum or refugee status by deterring them from applying to the job advertisements and failing to meaningfully consider those who did apply.
Under the terms of the settlement, eTeam will pay $232,500 in civil penalties to the United States and set aside $325,000 to compensate affected workers. The agreement also requires eTeam to train its personnel on the INA’s requirements, revise its employment policies and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements.
IER is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute generally prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation and intimidation.
Find more information on how employers can avoid discrimination in recruiting and hiring on IER’s website. Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify) or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Sign up for email updates from IER.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Florida State Attorney’s Office to Resolve Allegations of Discrimination Against Hispanic DefendantsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured an agreement with the Florida State Attorney’s Office for the Second Judicial Circuit (SAO) resolving allegations of violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI).
Specifically, the agreement resolves allegations of discrimination against Hispanic defendants charged with driving without a valid driver’s license by providing less favorable plea offers to them than it did to non-Hispanic defendants charged with the same crime. Title VI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin by recipients of federal financial assistance.
“To ensure fair, equitable treatment as well as public safety, state and local prosecutors must provide equal treatment in all aspects of the administration of justice, including plea deals,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Through this agreement, the State Attorney for Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit is taking action that will help ensure that the community is served without bias or discrimination.”
The department’s inquiry was prompted by allegations that the SAO posted plea offer guidelines that discriminated based on national origin by providing for harsher plea offers for Hispanic individuals driving without a valid license as compared to similarly situated individuals.
The SAO fully cooperated with the department’s inquiry and, under the terms of the agreement, agreed to take a number of steps to ensure nondiscrimination in prosecution, including implementing a new nondiscrimination policy and training its staff about nondiscrimination obligations.
Additionally, the SAO committed to convene a working group of community stakeholders to assist with the SAO’s continuing efforts to develop best practices for working with the community it serves. The SAO also will send a letter to defendants who may have been impacted by the alleged discriminatory policy, offering them an opportunity to seek an alternative disposition of their charge. The letter will be translated for defendants with limited English proficiency. The SAO has stated that it remains committed to ensuring that no defendant was discriminated against with respect to any plea offer made for the charge of driving without a valid driver’s license.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
Justice Department Secures Agreement from Ohio Landlords to Resolve Claims of Sexual Harassment Against Female TenantsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced that Joseph Pedaline, 72, of Youngstown, Ohio, and YLP LLC, who owned and managed residential rental properties in Youngstown, have agreed to pay $199,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that they violated the Fair Housing Act. The department’s lawsuit alleged that Joseph Pedaline sexually harassed female tenants from at least 2009 to at least 2020, and that YLP LLC was liable for Pedaline’s conduct during the period in which it owned and managed the properties.
“No one should ever have to fear sexual harassment when they sign a lease, pay their rent or simply spend time in their home,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Landlords who sexually harass tenants violate the Fair Housing Act, and the Justice Department will continue to hold landlords accountable for this egregious conduct.”
“This consent decree bars Pedaline from ever again having the ability to rent property to others, and thus prevents him from ever again subjecting Ohio tenants to sexual harassment and discrimination in return for a place to live,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “This resolution should serve as a strong reminder to all landlords that they must comply with all aspects of the Fair Housing Act and may not engage in discriminatory behavior that violates the security, safety and wellbeing of their tenants.”
Under the consent decree entered by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Pedaline and YLP LLC must pay $189,000 to former tenants harmed by Pedaline’s discriminatory conduct and must pay a $10,000 civil penalty to the federal government. Pedaline and YLP LLC must also take steps to vacate any adverse judgments and repair the credit of tenants who were evicted after refusing Pedaline’s advances. The consent decree also bars future discrimination, permanently bars Pedaline from managing residential rental properties, mandates Fair Housing Act training and requires reporting regarding compliance with the consent decree’s terms.
The department’s lawsuit alleged that Joseph Pedaline subjected multiple female tenants to sexual harassment. According to the complaint, Pedaline subjected tenants to unwelcome sexual comments, entered the homes of female tenants without their consent, touched female tenants without their consent, offered to excuse late or unpaid rent in exchange for sexual acts and took adverse housing-related actions against female tenants who refused his sexual advances. The department’s complaint also alleged that YLP LLC was liable for Pedaline’s discriminatory conduct while it owned and managed the rental properties.
Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Heyer and Kathryn Andrachik investigated the matter on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio.
Individuals who may have been victims of sexual harassment at rental dwellings owned or managed by Joseph Pedaline or YLP LLC can email [email protected] or call 1-833-591-0291 (press 1 for English, press 2 for sexual harassment and then press 01 for United States v. Joseph Pedaline to leave a message).
If you are a victim of sexual harassment by another landlord or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, email the Justice Department at [email protected] or submit a report online. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
Reports may also may be made by contacting the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online.
The Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The initiative seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative in October 2017, the department has filed 42 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered nearly $17 million for victims of such harassment.
Justice Department Secures Agreement from Ohio Landlords to Resolve Claims of Sexual Harassment Against Female TenantsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Joseph Pedaline and YLP LLC, who owned and managed residential rental properties in Youngstown, Ohio, have agreed to pay $199,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that they violated the Fair Housing Act. The department’s lawsuit alleged that Joseph Pedaline sexually harassed female tenants from at least 2009 to at least 2020, and that YLP LLC was liable for Pedaline’s conduct during the period in which it owned and managed the properties.
“No one should ever have to fear sexual harassment when they sign a lease, pay their rent or simply spend time in their home,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Landlords who sexually harass tenants violate the Fair Housing Act, and the Justice Department will continue to hold landlords accountable for this egregious conduct.”
“This consent decree bars Pedaline from ever again having the ability to rent property to others, and thus prevents him from ever again subjecting Ohio tenants to sexual harassment and discrimination in return for a place to live,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “This resolution should serve as a strong reminder to all landlords that they must comply with all aspects of the Fair Housing Act and may not engage in discriminatory behavior that violates the security, safety and wellbeing of their tenants.”
Under the consent decree entered by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Pedaline and YLP LLC must pay $189,000 to former tenants harmed by Pedaline’s discriminatory conduct and must pay a $10,000 civil penalty to the federal government. Pedaline and YLP LLC must also take steps to vacate any adverse judgments and repair the credit of tenants who were evicted after refusing Pedaline’s advances. The consent decree also bars future discrimination, permanently bars Pedaline from managing residential rental properties, mandates Fair Housing Act training and requires reporting regarding compliance with the consent decree’s terms.
The department’s lawsuit alleged that Joseph Pedaline subjected multiple female tenants to sexual harassment. According to the complaint, Pedaline subjected tenants to unwelcome sexual comments, entered the homes of female tenants without their consent, touched female tenants without their consent, offered to excuse late or unpaid rent in exchange for sexual acts and took adverse housing-related actions against female tenants who refused his sexual advances. The department’s complaint also alleged that YLP LLC was liable for Pedaline’s discriminatory conduct while it owned and managed the rental properties.
Individuals who may have been victims of sexual harassment at rental dwellings owned or managed by Joseph Pedaline or YLP LLC can email [email protected] or call 1-833-591-0291 (press 1 for English, press 2 for sexual harassment and then press 01 for United States v. Joseph Pedaline to leave a message).
If you are a victim of sexual harassment by another landlord or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, email the Justice Department at [email protected] or submit a report online. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
Reports may also may be made by contacting the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online.
The Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The initiative seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative in October 2017, the department has filed 42 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered nearly $17 million for victims of such harassment.
Jury Finds Tampa Man Guilty of Trafficking in Unauthorized Access Devices and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Damond Alford (31, Tampa) guilty of trafficking in unauthorized access devices and aggravated identity theft. Alford faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the trafficking offense followed by an additional two-year mandatory consecutive sentence for the aggravated identity theft offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, officers from the Tampa Police Department stopped Alford twice in August 2020. During those traffic stops, law enforcement searched Alford’s vehicle and discovered debit cards in other individuals’ names and a ledger containing personal identifying information of others. An investigation by the Department of Labor reveled that the personal identifying information on the ledger had been used to apply for unemployment insurance benefits throughout the country on at least 57 occasions. Debit cards containing unemployment insurance benefits were then mailed to Alford and, on several occasions, he used those debit cards to withdraw thousands of dollars. In total, more than $300,000 in fraudulent unemployment insurance payments were attributed to Alford.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Candace Garcia Rich.
June Federal Grand Jury 2023-B Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the June Federal Grand Jury 2023-B Indictments.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Keith Alan Beets. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Beets, 47, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam D. McConney is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-199
Juan Cervando Cervantes. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Cervantes, 37, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in May 2011 at or near Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-202
Cesar Vera Eugenio. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Eugenio, 42, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in June 2023 at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O. Johnston is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-201
Juan Jose Huerta; Miguel Angel Huerta; Carlos Pena-Villalba; Jose Fernando Flores Carillo; Roberto Carlos Valle. Drug Conspiracy (Count 1); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Counts 2 & 8); Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute (Count 3); Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime (Counts 4, 6, 9, 11 & 14); Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute (Counts 5, 10 & 13); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Counts 7 & 15); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 12); Possession of a Firearm by an Alien Illegally in the United States (Counts 16 – 19) (second superseding). Juan Huerta, 57, a Mexican National; Miguel Huerta, 27, of Broken Arrow; Pena-Villalba, 53, a Mexican National; Carillo, 24, a Mexican National; Valle, 45, a Mexican National are charged with conspiring to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine, over 5 kilograms of cocaine, and maintaining a residence to distribute drugs. Juan Huerta is charged with allegedly possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and cocaine with intent to distribute. He is additionally charged with possessing a firearm while drug trafficking. Miguel Huerta is charged with knowingly possessing cocaine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm while drug trafficking. Pena-Villalba is charged with possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm while drug trafficking. Carillo allegedly possessed cocaine with intent to distribute and possessed a firearm while drug trafficking. Valle is further charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine and cocaine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm while drug trafficking. Additionally, Huerta, Pena-Villalba, Carillo, and Valle are charged with possessing firearms and ammunition, knowing they were an illegal alien and unlawfully in the United States. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-118
Dontae Domance Revels, Sr.; Latoyia Deswann Shelton. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 1); Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute (Count 2); Attempted Manufacture of Cocaine Base (Count 3); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Counts 4 & 5). Revels, 41, of Tulsa, and a member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; Shelton, 40, of Tulsa, are charged with possessing methamphetamine and cocaine with the intent to distribute. They both knowingly used and maintained a residence for the purpose of distribution of drugs. Additionally, Shelton knowingly attempted to manufacture cocaine. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy M. Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-192
Mitchell Dean Twidwell. Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Wade, 30, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly receiving, possessing, and distributing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Additionally, he is charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of a child under 12 years old. Homeland Security Investigations – Houston, Tulsa Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-200
Jacksonville Resident Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Andre Lee Long (48, Jacksonville) to 10 years in federal prison for the distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. The court also ordered Long to forfeit a rifle and $113,074, which were traceable to proceeds of the offense. Long entered a guilty plea on March 14, 2024.
According to court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) began an investigation of Long for fentanyl distribution. During the course of three transactions on June 14, June 21, and July 18, 2023, Long distributed over 220 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant. Prior to each transaction, surveillance footage captured Long leaving his residence and meeting the informant in a parking lot.
On August 1, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Long’s residence and located more than 360 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 44 grams of fentanyl, and small quantities of crack cocaine. Authorities also seized a rifle, ammunition, drug scales, baggies, drug paraphernalia, and over $113,000 in cash.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kirwinn Mike.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Federal Prison for Downloading Videos and Photos of Children Being Sexually Abused over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Octavio Adalberto Robledo (54, Jacksonville) to 8 years and 4 months in federal prison for using the internet to download videos and photos of young children being sexually abused. Robledo was also ordered to serve a 20-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender. Robledo entered a guilty plea on March 6, 2024. He was arrested on July 2, 2023, at the Miami International Airport immediately after returning to the United States from Argentina, and he has been detained in federal custody since then.
According to court documents, a detective with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, who was also an FBI task force officer, was investigating individuals located in Florida who were actively receiving child sexual abuse material over the internet using a particular online file sharing network. The detective downloaded a video and several photos depicting children being sexually abused from a particular internet
protocol (IP) address that was traced to an apartment in Jacksonville where Robledo was living.
On April 18, 2017, two FBI agents went to Robledo’s apartment to interview him. Robledo provided consent for the FBI to take custody of his desktop computer and search it. Robledo admitted that he used online file-sharing programs to seek out child sexual abuse material and had done so just two days before. He further stated that he kept these materials locked in a secure program to avoid detection. A short time after this interview, Robledo traveled to Argentina where he remained for more than six years.
The examination of Robledo’s computer revealed that it contained 655 photos and two videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. This material was found in folders and subfolders that were organized alphabetically by either the name of the content or the apparent name of the individual depicted. Robledo downloaded this child sexual abuse material during the period from February 2016 through April 2017 in Jacksonville.
This case was investigated by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Beach Police Department, United States Customs and Border Protection, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville and Miami, with assistance from the State Attorney’s Office in Jacksonville. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
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.