Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Tuesday 18 June 2024
West Haven Woman Pleads Guilty to Diverting Narcotics from Dying VA Medical Center PatientsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Veteran Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Field Office, announced that TARA SEVERINO, 58, of West Haven, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to a charge of stemming from her diversion of narcotics from veterans under her care while she worked as a nurse at the West Haven VA Medical Center.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from January to July 2023, Severino was employed as a registered nurse with the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (the “VA”) in West Haven and was assigned to the VA’s Intensive Care Unit (“ICU”) for sick or dying patients. While employed at the VA ICU, Severino ingested fentanyl, hydromorphone, and oxycodone intended for patients in her care.
In some instances, Severino ingested the “waste” of a substance, meaning she administered part of the substance to a patient and ingested the remaining portion not used by the patient. In one instance, Severino repeatedly introduced fentanyl into the system of a braindead patient after claiming she observed him in pain and having a seizure. She introduced fentanyl to this patient approximately 19 times over a nine-day period so that she could divert some for herself.
In other instances, Severino ingested doses of hydromorphone and fentanyl meant for dying veterans. This affected treatment decisions made by other medical staff who believed that the patients had been receiving, and were unresponsive to, their prescribed narcotics.
In another instance, Severino volunteered to care for a patient not formally assigned to her, and diverted pain medication from him before he died.
In order to cover up her crimes, Severino misrepresented in VA medical records and tracking systems that the narcotics been properly administered to the patient or, in the case of excess narcotics, had been properly disposed of.
Severino pleaded guilty to obtaining controlled substances by fraud or subterfuge, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of four years. She is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny on September 12. She is released on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing.
If you or someone you know may have been victimized by the actions of the Tara Severino while she was employed at the VA, please contact Special Agent Abraham Raymond at (202) 262-2337 or [email protected].
This matter is being investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Donovan and Christopher Lembo.
United States Files Fair Housing Act Lawsuit Against Toll Brothers and Related Entities for Failure to Construct Apartments with Features Accessible to Persons with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that the United States has filed a federal Fair Housing Act (“FHA”) lawsuit against TOLL BROTHERS, INC. and TOLL BROTHERS REALTY TRUST (collectively, “TOLL BROTHERS”), relating to their failure to design and construct new apartment buildings so as to be accessible to persons with physical disabilities. The lawsuit also names certain TOLL BROTHERS affiliates as well as other entities that participated in the design or construction of these residential complexes, as well as a condominium association whose cooperation is essential to ensure retrofits. Upon filing suit, the United States also submitted to the Court a proposed consent decree with LENDLEASE (US) CONSTRUCTION LMB, INC. f/k/a BOVIS LEND LEASE LMB, INC., (“LENDLEASE”), which participated in the design and construction of one such building. This settlement is subject to the review and approval of the U.S. District Judge assigned to the case.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “This is the 19th suit that this Office has filed to remedy the failure of real estate developers to comply with the Fair Housing Act. We appreciate Lendlease’s cooperation in taking responsibility for its actions so that more properties are more accessible to more people. This Office will remain vigilant in ensuring that developers and architects comply with the FHA and remedy inaccessible housing in this District.”
The FHA’s accessible design and construction provisions require multifamily housing complexes constructed after January 1991 to have basic features accessible to persons with disabilities.
According to the allegations in the Complaint:
The inaccessible conditions at TOLL BROTHERS’ buildings include excessively high thresholds at building entrances and entrances to common use areas, common use bathrooms that lack grab bars, excessively high thresholds at entrances to individual apartments and within the apartments, and bathrooms in individual apartments that lack sufficient clear floor space for people who use wheelchairs. These features in the common use areas of TOLL BROTHERS’ buildings, as well as in the buildings’ apartment interiors, did not meet the specifications set forth in the Fair Housing Accessibility Guidelines, Design Guidelines for Accessible/Adaptable Dwellings.
The Complaint identifies, by way of example, inaccessible conditions at the following five properties:
- The Sutton, at 959 First Avenue, New York, New York 10022.
- 49 North 8th Street, Brooklyn, New York 11211 (“North 8th”). Based upon an investigation by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”), the Complaint names several entities as defendants that were involved in the design and construction of North 8th: LENDLEASE (with whom, as noted above, the Government has reached an agreement subject to Court approval); GREENBERGFARROW ARCHITECTS; TOLL LAND XIII LIMITED PARTNER; TOLL NORTHEAST LP COMPANY, INC.; and NORTH8 CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC., which has been named as a defendant not because it created the accessible conditions but because its cooperation is essential to making retrofits to the property.
- 3000 Goldfinch Boulevard in Princeton, New Jersey (“Parc at Princeton Junction”). The Complaint names TB PRINCETON VILLAGE LLC as a developer of the Parc at Princeton Junction.
- 134 Plymouth Road in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania (“Parc Plymouth Meeting”). The Complaint names TB-BDN PLYMOUTH APARTMENTS as a developer of Parc Plymouth Meeting.
- 10 Provost Street, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302.
Similar inaccessible conditions existed at nine additional properties: Emerson at Edge on the Hudson, 203 Legend Drive, in Sleepy Hollow, New York; 160 Morgan Street in Jersey City, New Jersey; 527 Old Bridge Turnpike in East Brunswick, New Jersey; 900 Wessex Place in Princeton, New Jersey; 45 North Main Street in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania; 275 2nd Avenue in Needham, Massachusetts; 2150 Astoria Circle in Herndon, Virginia; and 1011 1st Street, SE and 200 K Street, NE in Washington, D.C.
Due to the inaccessible conditions at the buildings they designed and constructed, TOLL BROTHERS engaged in a pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of rights protected by the FHA and denied such rights to people with disabilities. The Complaint seeks a court order directing TOLL BROTHERS to retrofit individual apartments as well as the public and common use areas of the buildings so that they are accessible, to adopt policies and procedures to ensure FHA compliance in future constructions, and to compensate people who suffered discrimination due to the inaccessible conditions.
Under the settlement with LENDLEASE, LENDLEASE agreed to establish procedures to ensure FHA compliance at future development projects and agreed to institute policies and training to ensure that their employees and agents will comply with the FHA’s accessibility requirements. LENDLEASE also agreed to pay a civil penalty of $10,000, commensurate with its role in designing and/or constructing North 8th.
People who believe they may have experienced discrimination due to the inaccessible conditions at the above-named buildings developed by TOLL BROTHERS may contact the Civil Rights Complaint account at [email protected], use the Civil Rights Complaint Form available on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s website http://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/civilrights.html, or send a written report to:
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York
86 Chambers Street, 3rd Floor
New York, New York 10007
Attention: Chief, Civil Rights Unit
The suit against TOLL BROTHERS is the 19th lawsuit filed by this Office with developers and architects to remedy inaccessible housing in this District, including suits against The Durst Organization, Glenwood Management, Silverstein Properties, Related Companies, and Atlantic Development.
* * *
Mr. Williams thanked HUD for its assistance on the investigation.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Civil Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Kennedy and Danielle J. Marryshow are charge of the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Honors and Celebrates Historical Legacy of JuneteenthRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref announced today that she will join with Federal, State, and Local leaders, in celebrating Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
“Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865, more than two years after the emancipation proclamation took effect, when Major General Gordon Granger landed troops in Galveston, Texas and announced all enslaved persons in that state were now free,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “It is a chance to celebrate the progress made in the fight for civil rights. It is also a day to recognize the work still to be done and recommit ourselves to ensuring freedom and justice for all.”
As part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office commitment to vigorously enforcing civil rights laws, the office’s United Against Hate program directly connects the United States Attorney’s Office and its local and federal law enforcement partners with a diverse group of community organizations to increase community understanding and reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents. This community outreach program seeks to address the chronic underreporting of hate crimes and hate incidents and build strong relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve to share resources and respond to potential unlawful acts of hate more effectively. Consistent with this program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office created a dedicated hotline and online portal for complaints of civil rights violations in Eastern Washington.
U.S. Attorney Waldref further emphasized everyone has a duty to help realize the goal of protecting marginalized groups and the public from hate-motivated crimes. “Working together we can create an Eastern Washington of shared values and foster hope that our communities can be safer, stronger, and more inclusive.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s online civil rights complaint form is available here. The form can be emailed to [email protected], or concerns can be shared by leaving a voice mail for our Civil Rights Team at (509) 835-6306.
Two Men Charged with Armed Carjacking and Possession of A MachinegunRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Bryan Miller, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”); and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the arrests of JOSE RIVERA and JOMAR CRESPO for the armed carjacking of the personal vehicle used by a Sergeant for the NYPD. During the incident, both RIVERA and CRESPO brandished firearms, including a .40-caliber Glock with a “switch” that converts the semiautomatic pistol into an automatically firing machinegun and a 9-millimeter Glock with an extended magazine. The defendants were arrested on June 15, 2024, in Manhattan and presented yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge James L. Cott.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, armed with a machinegun and semi-automatic handgun, both with extended magazines, the defendants committed a brazen and terrifying act of violence against a member of law enforcement when they stole his car at gunpoint. Whether cop or civilian, anyone victimized by this sort of crime can count on my Office to seek swift justice.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller said: “Carjacking is an extreme act of violence that terrorizes communities and senselessly puts innocent lives in danger. I thank the men and women of the ATF/NYPD Joint Firearms Task Force, the NYPD, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of NY for bringing these individuals swiftly to justice. We will expend all necessary resources to ensure that offenders like these defendants are quickly brought to justice and punished to the maximum extent of the law. ATF will continue to work diligently with our local, state, and federal partners to keep our streets safe.”
NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “The NYPD’s swift apprehension of the men who allegedly committed this brazen armed carjacking should serve as a warning to others that criminal acts in New York City will never be tolerated. I thank the prosecutors in the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District for their steadfast partnership and for demonstrating that egregious affronts to public safety will always face the strictest of consequences.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint and statements made in public court proceedings:1
On the evening of June 14, 2024, in Harlem, JOSE RIVERA and JOMAR CRESPO committed a gunpoint carjacking during which they stole the personal vehicle (the “Car”) of an NYPD Sergeant (the “Victim”). Specifically, RIVERA and CRESPO approached the Victim’s Car from behind, one on the driver’s side and the other on the passenger’s side. Both RIVERA and CRESPO wore black clothing and facemasks, and both brandished handguns at the Victim. After ordering the Victim to turn over his keys, RIVERA and CRESPO drove off in the Car, traveling to the vicinity of West 138th Street and Broadway, where RIVERA and CRESPO were captured on various surveillance cameras, as seen below:
NYPD officers apprehended RIVERA and CRESPO after a foot chase, during which they discarded two firearms (“Firearm-1” and “Firearm-2,” respectively). Firearm-1 was determined to be a loaded Glock 27 .40-caliber pistol equipped with what appears to be a Glock automatic switch device (the “Glock Switch”), which, if operable, would cause Firearm-1 to automatically shoot more than one shot by a single function of trigger. Firearm-2 was determined to be a loaded Glock 17 9-millimeter pistol with an extended magazine that could hold up to approximately 30 rounds of ammunition. Both Firearm-1 and Firearm-2 had flashlights mounted beneath their barrels. Photographs of Firearm-1 and Firearm-2 appear below:
* * *
JOSE RIVERA, 20, and JOMAR CRESPO, 21, both of Waterbury, Connecticut, are charged with carjacking, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 15 years in prison; using and carrying firearms, including a machinegun, during and in relation to the carjacking, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum potential sentence of life in prison; and possessing a machinegun, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the ATF, the NYPD, and NYPD Task Force Officers from the Special Investigations Division assigned to the Southern District of New York.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Balsamello and Marguerite B. Colson are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
1 As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Taylor Drug Store Agrees to Pay Civil Penalty to Resolve Alleged Recordkeeping Violations of the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Taylor Drug Store, a pharmacy located in Pineville, Kentucky, agreed to pay $94,432.50 in civil penalties to resolve allegations that it failed to comply with recordkeeping requirements of the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”).
Under the CSA, pharmacies authorized to possess controlled substances are required to maintain complete and accurate records of its inventory, including records of when the controlled substances are sold, distributed to patients, or disposed. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) has the authority to inspect the records of these pharmacies and verify that their controlled substance records are complete and accurate in compliance with the CSA.
In this case, the Government alleged that Taylor Drug Store violated the CSA by failing to maintain complete and accurate records of its controlled substance inventories from August 2019 to August 2021. In an audit performed by the DEA, Taylor Drug Store’s records did not account for the dispensation or disposal of over 4,500 dosage units of highly addictive substances, including hydrocodone, oxycodone, buprenorphine, and alprazolam.
The recordkeeping provisions of the CSA are designed to protect the public from the dangers posed by highly addictive or dangerous controlled substances, such as opioids, being diverted into the illicit market. The CSA creates a closed system that tracks controlled substances from manufacture through distributor, to the ultimate end-user, allowing the DEA to monitor the flow of controlled substances in the United States at every juncture. When a pharmacy fails to maintain complete and accurate records, the system is at risk for illegal diversion into the community.
“These procedures are critical to public safety and pharmacies simply must keep track of these controlled substances,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Especially in areas like ours, that are acutely affected by severe drug abuse, these recordkeeping requirements play an essential role in ensuring that controlled substances maintained by pharmacies are not ultimately diverted for illegitimate purposes.”
“As DEA registrants dispensing controlled substances, pharmacies have an obligation to maintain accurate recordkeeping in accordance with the Controlled Substances Act, and Taylor Drug Store fell short of their obligation,” said Erek Davodowich, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Louisville Division. “A substantial fine, as well as the implementation of corrective measures, should ensure that Taylor Drug Store meets the CSA’s mandatory recordkeeping requirements going forward.”
The DEA and Taylor Drug Store also entered into a Memorandum of Agreement as part of the settlement. Taylor Drug Store agreed to submit compliance reports to DEA and to provide employee training on the identification and reporting of suspected drug abuse or diversion.
The settlement considered the penalties associated with the alleged violations, as well as Taylor Drug Store’s financial ability-to-pay.
The Federal Government is committed to combating the prescription opioid crisis by enforcing the requirements of the Controlled Substances Act that prevent the illegal diversion of opioids. Anyone with concerns about prescription drug diversion can report them to the DEA, by submitting a tip at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s London Resident Office Diversion Group. Assistant United States Attorney Katie Sheridan represented the United States. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
– END –
Staten Island Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and the Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl Causing Death and Serious InjuryRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Keith Wyche was sentenced by United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry to 40 years in prison for distribution of heroin and fentanyl causing the death of a Staten Island man, distribution of heroin causing the overdose of a Staten Island woman, conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Wyche and co-defendant Oneil Allen were convicted by a federal jury in February 2023 following a three-week trial. Allen was previously sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James E. Dennehy, Special Agent-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Field Office (FBI), and Edward A. Caban, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“Both defendants have been punished with very long jail sentences for pushing drugs, including heroin and fentanyl, which tragically claimed the life of one victim and nearly killed another member of our Staten Island community,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “I commend the outstanding work of the NYPD and the FBI in determining who was responsible for trafficking these drugs and holding them accountable for the pain, death and harm they caused.”
“Addiction is an unbelievably insidious and grotesque demon. Drugs envelop and take over people's lives, and the criminals who supply them use the disease to cash in on everyone else's pain. Both Wyche and Allen have now been served justice for the injustice they inflicted on their victims,” stated FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Dennehy.
“Today’s sentencing marks a victory in the NYPD’s battle against illicit drug trafficking and serves as a reminder of our unwavering commitment to hold accountable anyone who puts monetary gain above the lives of New Yorkers,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “We vow to keep pursuing those who peddle illegal drugs in our neighborhoods, and we commend all of our law enforcement partners for their continuing efforts to help stem the opioid crisis.”
Between February 2017 and September 2018, the defendants operated a drug delivery service in Staten Island selling heroin and fentanyl and preying upon those suffering from narcotics addiction. Each day, Wyche and Allen sent out a mass text message advertising that they were open for business. After receiving orders from their customers, the defendants would drive to a preselected location and hand deliver drugs. The defendants would then return to a New Jersey apartment where they packaged the narcotics.
On April 18, 2017, a 43-year-old Staten Island man (John Doe) was found dead in his bathroom by his father. When NYPD detectives responded, they found a syringe containing fentanyl on the floor near the deceased victim’s body along with glassines containing fentanyl. The detectives reviewed the victim’s phone and found recent text messages between him and a person named “Marco 5” who was later revealed to be Wyche.
On October 27, 2017, a then-28-year-old Staten Island woman (Jane Doe) purchased heroin from the defendants, ingested it, and promptly suffered an overdose. First responders saved her life by quickly administering Narcan and transporting her to the hospital. A review of text messages in Jane Doe’s phone showed messages similar to those found in John Doe’s phone. Jane Doe testified at trial that she frequently purchased heroin from the defendants and later assisted law enforcement in gathering additional evidence against them.
The case is being handled by the Organized Crime and Gangs Section and the General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Irisa Chen and Gilbert Rein are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Teri Carby. Assistant United States Attorney Claire S. Kedeshian of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.
The Defendants:
KEITH WYCHE
Age: 38
Staten Island, New YorkONEIL ALLEN
Age: 31
Staten Island, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-561 (S-1) (DLI)
Starkville Man Sentenced to Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – A Starkville man was sentenced today to over seven years in federal prison for drug trafficking.
According to court documents, Lashadus Harris, 33, previously pled guilty to distribution of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Glen H. Davidson sentenced Harris to 87 months in prison following his drug trafficking conviction. Upon release from prison, Harris will serve a three-year term of supervised release. Harris was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals after sentencing.
“This defendant is a repeat offender who continued to sell dangerous narcotics in his community,” remarked U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “Thanks to the hard work of FBI, the Starkville Police Department and AUSA Robert Mims, he will no longer be retailing illegal drugs in Starkville.”
“The FBI is committed to ensuring that our communities remain safe,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff. “When individuals, like Mr. Harris, continuously introduce illegal narcotics into the community, this becomes a danger to society. It is imperative the FBI, DOJ and our Starkville partners fully prosecute these offenders to the extent allowed.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Starkville Police Department.
St. Paul Man Sentenced to over Seven Years in Prison for Unlawfully Possessing Ammunition as a Felon and other ViolationsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has been sentenced to 77 months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, and to a consecutive 10 months in prison for violating his conditions of federal supervised release, followed by three years of additional supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on July 5, 2023, Nakia Marquire Martin, 31, a female acquaintance, and her seven-year-old daughter, went to a sporting goods store in Woodbury, MN. While at the store the female purchased a semiautomatic .40-caliber firearm, while Martin walked into the ammunition section, took a 50-round box of.40-caliber ammunition from the shelf, and left the store with the ammunition without paying for it. Martin was on federal supervised release at the time for a 2018 firearms conviction.
Because Martin has prior felony convictions, he is prohibited from lawfully possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Martin pleaded guilty on January 4, 2024, to one count of felon in possession of ammunition. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Ann D. Montgomery. Martin was also sentenced to an additional 10 months, to be served consecutively to his 77 months in prison, for violating his supervised release terms and conditions resulting from the 2018 federal conviction.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Saint Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar prosecuted the case.
St. Paul Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography in Cyberstalking and Child Exploitation CaseRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Paul man has been sentenced to 240 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release for producing a video depicting his sexual abuse of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and court documents, beginning in July 2019 through February 2023, Chedor TV, 40, created multiple online personas on apps such as Discord and Snapchat to cyberstalk a minor victim. He used aliases such as “Chang Vang” and “Hailey Ly” to pose as a minor and communicate with the minor victim, sending her sexually explicit pictures. During this time, while the minor victim was unaware that TV was cyberstalking her using these online aliases, TV also secretly recorded the minor victim while she was naked in the shower at his residence. TV also recorded a sexually explicit video depicting the minor victim while she was asleep at his residence. When the minor victim tried to cease contact with TV’s online persona “Chang,” TV threatened to share publicly explicit videos and images he took of the minor victim without her knowledge, causing her substantial emotional distress.
TV was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Eric C. Tostrud. During sentencing, Judge Tostrud remarked that all of TV’s conduct towards the minor victim “is just appalling” and that the produced sexual abuse imagery “reflects depravity.” Judge Tostrud also reflected that TV’s conduct was “likely to have a grave, lifelong impact” on the minor victim and her family. TV pleaded guilty on January 10, 2024, to one count of production of child pornography and admitted to cyberstalking the minor victim in his plea.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the St. Paul Police Department and the FBI. It was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor prosecuted the case.
St. Louis Teacher’s Killer Sentenced to Two Consecutive Life Terms in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Ronnie L. White on Tuesday sentenced the man who fatally shot a pregnant St. Louis schoolteacher at the behest of her boyfriend to two consecutive terms of life in prison.
Judge White called Phillip J. Cutler’s crime the “most heinous” he had seen in his career.
A jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in March found Cutler, 46, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, guilty of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and the murder-for-hire of Jocelyn Peters and her unborn child, Micah Leigh, in 2016.
Peters’ boyfriend, Cornelius M. Green, 42, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty on Feb. 28, 2024, to the same charges and admitted hiring Cutler, his longtime friend, to kill Peters. Peters was 31 weeks pregnant with Green’s child. Green was principal of Carr Lane Middle School and used cash stolen from the school to fund the murder.
Green, who was also involved in sexual relationships with several other women and was separated from his wife, researched ways to secretly end the pregnancy after learning that Peters was pregnant, according to a sentencing memo filed by the government. When that plan failed, he contacted Cutler, a childhood friend, and they planned the murder in a series of phone calls.
On March 7, 2016, Green sent Cutler a UPS package containing $2,500 cash.
On March 21, Cutler arrived in St. Louis. Green took a train trip to Chicago to establish his alibi for the murder, giving Cutler the keys to his Kia Optima and Peters’ apartment.
On March 24, Cutler drove Green’s car to Peters’ apartment in the 4200 block of West Pine in St. Louis, let himself in using Green’s keys, and shot Peters in the eye using a potato as a silencer. Peters was working on baby shower invitations at the time she was killed.
Green ensured there would be potatoes in the residence prior to Cutler’s arrival by going shopping with Peters.
At 6:14 a.m. the next morning, Cutler confirmed to Green that Jocelyn and the baby had been killed. Green then bought his return train ticket, and Cutler then went to North Riverfront Park in St. Louis to dispose of evidence.
Upon arriving back in St. Louis, Green got his car back from Cutler and went to Peters’ apartment, where he called 911 to report her death. He pretended he had no knowledge of the circumstances leading to the deaths. Cutler was detained for questioning that same night, after he attempted to retrieve the Kia Optima from the crime scene at Green’s direction.
When told he was being detained, Cutler ate two pieces of paper from a notebook in his pocket.
Peters’ friends and family repeatedly described her as “magic,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Becker said in court Tuesday. Peters’ mother and aunt spoke about the impact of her death on their family. Dr. Nicole Conaway, principal at Mann Elementary School when Peters taught there, also spoke. She called Peters a “natural teacher” who was a “bright light” wherever she went and would start each school day “full of joy.” Dr. Conaway, who had to break the news of Peters’ murder to her 23 third-grade students, said little seemed to console the children or adults at Mann in the days after her death. She said she was called to Peters’ former classroom one day to find a student threatening to throw himself off a balcony in the stairwell, saying he “hated life and wanted to go be with Ms. Peters.”
Green is scheduled to be sentenced June 25. As part of the plea, the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office has agreed to dismiss their case against Green for the murders if he is sentenced to life in federal prison.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) and the FBI investigated the case, which is being prosecuted in cooperation with the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany Becker and Zachary Bluestone are prosecuting the case. Former SLMPD Detective Mark Biondolino was the case agent.
Southern California Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Holly Danielle Adams, 34, of Indio, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine and to conspiring to launder money, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between 2020 and 2022, Adams and co-conspirator Devlin Hosner, 35, operated vendor accounts on the dark web marketplaces known as ToRReZ and Dark0de. Adams and Hosner generated hundreds of thousands of dollars selling counterfeit oxycodone pills pressed with fentanyl, after which they laundered the proceeds using cryptocurrency mixers, wallets, and other online tools.
In September 2021, state law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at an address where Adams and Hosner were residing. After officers announced their presence, Hosner attempted to impede their entry while Adams destroyed pills by pouring them into a chemical solution. Adams and Hosner were arrested and subsequently released by state authorities but resumed selling fentanyl on the dark web a few months later while they were unknowingly under investigation by federal law enforcement agents.
In March 2022, federal law enforcement executed a search warrant at a hotel room in Riverside County where Adams and Hosner were temporarily residing. Officers seized nearly a kilogram of fentanyl-pressed oxycodone pills and sixty grams of methamphetamine from this hotel room and arrested the conspirators on federal charges.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy (NCIDE) Task Force, which includes agents from the IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The NCIDE Task Force is a federal task force focused on targeting all forms of illicit dark web and cryptocurrency activity in the Eastern District of California and beyond. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki is prosecuting the case.
Hosner is detained pending trial. The charges are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Adams is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Sept. 24, 2024. Adams faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, as well as a fine of up to $1 million. 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.
South Carolina Man Sentenced to over 30 Years for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Aaron T. Simmons, 26, of Greenville, South Carolina, was sentenced today to 365 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release after he pleaded guilty in November 2023 to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and one count of sex trafficking of a minor.
“This significant prison sentence reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s brutal conduct inflicted on victims, including a minor, for many months” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The sexual exploitation of victims in this manner robs them of their freedom, dignity and sense of security, and stands to scar them for life. Such venal, rapacious conduct is unacceptable in our society. The Justice Department will use all the tools at its disposal to prosecute sex traffickers and to seek justice for the survivors of human trafficking.”
“Our office will continue to bring every resource we have to bear to stop human trafficking in South Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “Those who victimize human beings, especially children, in this heinous manner will be held accountable.”
According to court documents, the defendant used physical beatings, threats, intimidation, control and psychological manipulation to coerce three adult victims to engage in repeated commercial sex acts in the Greenville area between August 2019 and August 2020. The defendant also provided a 17-year-old minor victim for commercial sex acts in the Greenville area between August 2019 and November 2019.
The FBI Columbia Field Office and Greenville Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Fisher Sherard for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted 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.
Six Individuals Sentenced for Drug Trafficking, Firearms Violations, and MurderRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The last defendant prosecuted in the case for drug trafficking, firearms violations and various murders, including the murder of banker Maurice Spagnoletti, was sentenced to 180 months (15 years) in prison and eight years of supervised release. Alex Burgos-Amaro pleaded guilty to Count one and two of the indictment on December 27, 2023.
On June 5, the following three individuals were sentenced to life in prison:
Luis Carmona-Bernacet, a.k.a. “Canito Cumbre” was sentenced to life in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence resulting in the murder of William Castro-Vidot.
Yadiel Serrano-Canales, a.k.a. “Motombo” was sentenced to life in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence resulting in the murder of Maurice Spagnoletti.
Rolando Rivera-Solis was sentenced to life in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence resulting in the murder of Maurice Spagnoletti.
On March 11, 2024, Alan Lugo-Montalvo was sentenced to 360 months (30 years) in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and Fabiany Almestica-Monge was sentenced to 540 months (45 years) in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. All defendants were convicted by a jury on May 11, 2023.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, since the year 2000 and continuing up to 2014, in the municipalities of San Juan, Trujillo Alto, Guaynabo, and Bayamón, the defendants were members of an enterprise engaged in murder and drug trafficking.
On May 11, 2023, four defendants were found guilty of using firearms during and in relation to drug trafficking crimes. One defendant was found guilty with counseling, commanding, inducing and procuring each other to carry a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and in the course of that crime, causing the death of William Castro on December 30, 2002. In regard to the murder of Maurice Spagnoletti, defendants Serrano-Canales and Rivera-Solis aided and abetted each other with counseling, commanding, inducing and procuring each other to carry a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and in the course of that crime, causing the death of Maurice Spagnoletti.
“The successful prosecution of the defendants’ heinous crimes was the result of exhaustive investigative work by our state and federal law enforcement partners,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The sentences imposed send a message that the U.S. justice system remains a powerful tool to bring perpetrators of violent crime to justice and closure to victims’ families.”
“It has been a long and arduous investigative and judicial process and these sentencings serve as a testament to the undying dedication of the FBI agents, prosecutors, police officers, and all the brave citizens who worked together to ensure justice was served,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “We continue to stand steadfastly with the victims’ loved ones and thank the US Attorney’s Office for believing in the case and fighting alongside us to bring justice to these grieving families.”
The FBI investigated the case with the assistance of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Zenón-Matos, Alberto López-Rocafort, Victor O. Acevedo-Hernández, and Gregory Conner prosecuted the case.
###
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 27 Years for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Sex Trafficking of an Adult by Force and Coercion. The sentencing took place on June 17, 2024.
Odarie Massiah, age 34, was sentenced to 27 years and three months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Massiah was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He was found guilty on March 14, 2024, following a three-day court trial.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between July 1, 2020, and September 24, 2022, when Massiah recruited and forced an adult woman to engage in prostitution. Massiah used physical and emotional abuse to gain the victim’s compliance. Massiah required the woman to give him the money received from the forced prostitution. Massiah fled the state with his victim after a warrant for his arrest was issued in Minnehaha County for physically assaulting her by strangulation on two separate occasions. Massiah was apprehended in Tennessee with his victim in August of 2022.
“Odarie Massiah went to great lengths to keep this victim engaged in prostitution,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsdell. “He manipulated her; he physically abused her; and he used the money she made through prostitution to support his own lifestyle. Massiah’s conviction and subsequent sentence demonstrate our office’s commitment to seeking justice on behalf of the victims of these reprehensible crimes. We do this work alongside our local and federal partners, whose persistence in identifying and investigating sex trafficking makes our communities safer places to live.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey C. Clapper and Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
Massiah was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Shiprock Woman Charged with Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock woman was charged by indictment with straw purchase of a firearm which was later used in a murder following a violent day-long crime spree in Gallup, New Mexico.
Brittania Navaho, 28, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared before a federal judge and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the indictment, on April 24, 2024, Navaho knowingly purchased a firearm on behalf of another person, knowing that person intended to use the firearm in furtherance of a felony.
If convicted of the current charges, Navaho faces up to 25 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Navajo Nation Police Department, the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations and the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney R. Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners. The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components. Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. This prosecution upholds the Department’s mission to the unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of Indigenous victims and their families.
This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
View the IndictmentAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Shiprock Man Pleads Guilty to Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty in federal court to voluntary manslaughter for deadly assault on the Navajo Nation Reservation.
According to publicly available court documents, on June 26, 2022, Morrie Lee Begaye, 37, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, started a fight with John Doe at a residence in Shiprock. During the physical altercation, Begaye punched and kick John Doe in the head and body while they were on the ground. John Doe died because of the injuries Begaye inflicted with extreme disregard for human life.
The Court ordered that Begaye remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
At sentencing, Begaye faces up to 15 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Begaye will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caitlin L. Dillon and Brittany DuChaussee are prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
Roseville Man Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Alex Altoh, 64, of Roseville, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit money laundering, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between January 2021 and November 2021, Altoh and his co-defendant Oumar Sidibe, 30, were involved in a conspiracy to launder the proceeds from two large business email compromise schemes, in which two corporate victims were tricked into making payments to bank accounts controlled by Altoh and another person, rather than to the intended beneficiaries of the payments. Altoh, Sidibe, and others then quickly withdrew a large portion of the funds by way of check deposits, which effectively transferred the funds, concealed their unlawful nature, and prevented them from being clawed back. Law enforcement traced Altoh and Sidibe to about $3.9 million in laundered fraud proceeds. As part of his plea agreement, Altoh agreed to pay restitution on an amount of at least $1,478,000.
Sidibe is yet to be apprehended. The charges against him are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise N. Yasinow and Matthew Thuesen are prosecuting the case.
Altoh is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Sept. 24, 2024. Altoh faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the money laundering conspiracy. 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.
Romanian National Admits Role in 2007 Connecticut Home InvasionRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that STEFAN ALEXANDRU BARABAS, 38, a citizen of Romania, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to a charge stemming from his participation in a 2007 Connecticut home invasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court in this case and related cases, shortly before midnight on April 15, 2007, Barabas, Emanuel Nicolescu, and Alexandru Lucian Nicolescu, wearing masks and brandishing knives and facsimile firearms, entered a home in South Kent, Connecticut. The intruders bound and blindfolded two adult victims and injected each with a substance the intruders claimed was a deadly virus. The intruders ordered the victims to pay $8.5 million or else they would be left to die from the lethal injection. When it became clear that the victims were not in position to meet the intruders’ demands, the intruders drugged the two residents with a sleeping aid and fled in the homeowner’s Jeep Cherokee.
The stolen Jeep Cherokee was abandoned the next morning at a Home Depot in New Rochelle, New York. On April 21, 2007, an accordion case washed ashore in Jamaica Bay. The content of the case included a stun gun, a 12-inch knife, a black plastic Airsoft gun, a crowbar, syringes, sleeping pills, latex gloves, and a laminated telephone card with the South Kent address of the victims.
In 2010, an investigator from the Connecticut State Police connected a partial Pennsylvania license plate, seen by a witness near the victims’ estate on the night of the crime, to a car owned by Michael N. Kennedy. Kennedy had formerly shared an address with Emmanuel Nicolescu, who had been employed by the victim. The investigator then discovered that the data for the cell tower near the New Rochelle Home Depot contained a call by a phone number registered to Emmanuel Nicolescu, minutes after the Jeep was abandoned. Shortly after that, investigators from the State Police and FBI gathered Emanuel Nicolescu’s DNA and found that it partially matched a sample from the Jeep’s steering wheel.
As to the accordion case, investigators learned that Kennedy’s father was a professional accordion player, and witnesses later identified the knife in the accordion case as a gift given to Emanuel Nicolescu by his father-in-law.
The investigation revealed that Emanuel Nicolescu and Kennedy worked with Barabas and Alexandru Nicolescu to commit the crime. Barabas’ co-conspirators planned the home invasion, which included the research and purchase of implements necessary for the crime, such as two-way radios, stun guns and imitation pistols. On the night of April 15, 2007, Kennedy drove Barabas, Emanuel Nicolescu, and Alexandru Nicolescu to a location near the South Kent home, and then picked them up the following morning in New Rochelle at the location where the intruders abandoned the stolen Jeep.
Barabas, Emanuel Nicolescu, Alexandru Nicolescu, and Kennedy fled the U.S. during the investigation. Emanuel Nicolescu returned to the U.S. and was arrested in Illinois in January 2011. Emanuel Nicolescu and Kennedy were charged by indictment in February 2011, and Barabas and Alexandru Nicolescu were charged by indictment in November 2012.
Barabas was a fugitive until his arrest in Hungary on August 16, 2022.
Barabas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Under the terms of a binding plea agreement, if accepted by the court, the parties have agreed that a sentence of between of between 72 months and 84 months of imprisonment is appropriate in this case.
Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for September 11. Barabas has been detained since his arrest.
On March 22, 2012, a jury in New Haven found Emanuel Nicolescu guilty of attempted extortion, conspiracy to commit extortion, and possession of a stolen vehicle. On August 17, 2012, he was sentenced to 240 months of imprisonment.
Alexandru Nicolescu was arrested on November 14, 2013, in the United Kingdom. On January 8, 2016, he pleaded guilty to attempted extortion and conspiracy to commit extortion. On May 15, 2019, he was sentenced to 121 months of imprisonment.
Kennedy, also known as Nicolae Helerea, a dual citizen of Romania and the U.S., voluntarily returned to the U.S. from Romania and, on November 5, 2012, pleaded guilty to attempted extortion and conspiracy to commit extortion. On May 4, 2016, he was sentenced to 48 months of imprisonment.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police and New York City Police Department. U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, Hungarian authorities, and the United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police for their assistance in this case.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.
Robert McLane Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Auto Dealer EmployerRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont. - The United States Attorney’s Office announced that Robert McLane, 36, of Webster, Vermont, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court in Burlington to a charge of mail fraud. U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss released McLane on conditions pending sentencing, which is scheduled for October 31, 2024.
Last month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed an information charging McLane with mail fraud. McLane pleaded guilty to this charge today. According to the information, between approximately March 2019 and September 23, 2022, McLane was employed by Formula Nissan, Inc., an automobile sales and service dealership located in central Vermont. During this period, McLane served as the Parts Manager and then the Director of Parts and Service at Formula Nissan. In his positions, McLane oversaw the parts and service departments; supervised other employees; and ordered, received, and paid for automotive parts needed in Formula Nissan’s operations. In ordering, receiving, and paying for parts, McLane typically communicated with Formula Nissan’s parts supplier, Nissan North America, using dealer management software.
Starting around January 2021 and continuing until September 2022, McLane began defrauding Formula Nissan by ordering certain vehicle parts from Nissan North America. Many of the parts McLane ordered were vehicle suspension lift kits. The cost to Formula Nissan of each lift kit was in the $2,300 to $2,900 range. Nissan North America billed, and Formula Nissan subsequently paid, for the lift kits McLane had ordered.
As part of the scheme, McLane refrained from ordering the lift kits via the dealer management software parts ordering system. As a result of this bypass, the parts McLane ordered were not entered into Formula Nissan’s inventory of parts-on-hand.
Instead of selling the lift kits for the benefit of Formula Nissan, McLane advertised them for sale on Facebook at prices substantially discounted from their wholesale cost to Formula Nissan. Over the course of the scheme, McLane sold more than 200 lift kits to persons around the United States. Purchasers paid for the lift kits via transfers of funds to a personal PayPal account that McLane maintained in his own name. He shipped lift kits to his own customers by using Formula Nissan’s Federal Express account. McLane then used the fraudulently obtained proceeds for his own benefit.
As a result of McLane’s fraud, Formula Nissan and its insurance company suffered an out-of-pocket loss of at least $575,000.
McLane faces up to 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to twice the gross loss caused by the fraud. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
McLane is represented by Assistant Federal Defender Steve Barth. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.
Robbinsdale Man Indicted for Illegal Possession of Machineguns, AmmunitionRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Robbinsdale man has been indicted for illegally possessing machineguns, firearms, and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on or about November 2, 2023, Ronnie Bila Shaka, 42, knowingly possessed three 9mm pistols and two pistols equipped with a machinegun conversion device commonly known as a “switch” or “auto sear,” which enables the weapon to be fired as a fully automatic by a single pull of the trigger. Shaka also possessed multiple rounds of ammunition.
Because Shaka has prior felony convictions in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
The indictment charges Shaka with one count of possessing firearms as a felon, one count of unlawful possession of machineguns, and one count of possessing ammunition as a felon. Shaka was arraigned yesterday in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Douglas L. Micko.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Robbinsdale Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and the Crystal Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruth S. Shnider is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Rikers Island Corrections Officer Sentenced to over Three Years in Prison for Conspiring to Smuggle Contraband in Exchange for BribesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JASON SKEET was sentenced to 37 months in prison for conspiring to smuggle contraband to inmates at Rikers Island in exchange for bribes between January 2020 and June 2022. SKEET smuggled contraband, including marijuana, to inmates approximately 100 times during that period. SKEET previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery before U.S. District Judge Jennifer H. Rearden, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Jason Skeet flagrantly abused his position of public trust by repeatedly smuggling contraband to inmates in exchange for bribes. Rikers Island is less safe, for inmates and officers alike, when corrections officers accept bribes to smuggle contraband. This prosecution and today’s sentence reflect this Office’s commitment to bring accountability to those in the corrections system who abuse their positions of trust.”
According to the Complaint, the Information, court filings, and public court proceedings:
From approximately January 2020 through June 2022, the defendant conspired with others to smuggle contraband, including marijuana, cigarettes, and food, to inmates housed at the Northern Infirmary Command on Rikers Island in exchange for bribes. The defendant smuggled contraband for inmates housed on Rikers Island approximately 100 times between the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and June 2022 in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars in bribe payments.
For example, on April 20 and May 9, 2022, an inmate (“Inmate-1”), using a contraband cellphone, texted the defendant requesting cigarettes and marijuana. On each occasion, SKEET agreed to smuggle in the contraband in exchange for $1,000, and Inmate-1 proceeded to transfer $1,000 via CashApp into an account identified by SKEET. With respect to the May 9, 2022, contraband request, SKEET, referencing two Ziploc bags containing marijuana, texted Inmate-1, in part, “two BIG zip coming your way.” The contraband cellphone used by Inmate-1 was later recovered by law enforcement and found to contain the below photographs, taken only a few days after SKEET agreed to smuggle bags of marijuana for Inmate-1.
SKEET later acknowledged during a voluntary interview with law enforcement officers that he smuggled contraband to inmates on Rikers Island approximately 100 times since the start of the pandemic in exchange for bribes.
In imposing a sentence at the top of the advisory Sentencing Guidelines range, Judge Rearden remarked that SKEET’s “conduct was serious and dangerous and reflected an extraordinary lack of respect for the law.”
* * *
In addition to the prison term, SKEET, 46, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $45,644.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Department of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Z. Margulies, Jonathan E. Rebold, and Derek Wikstrom are in charge of the prosecution.
Postal employee ordered to pay restitution for COVID payroll protection loan fraudRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. – A Southaven woman was ordered to pay more than $80,000 in restitution following her conviction for making a false application for and receiving COVID-19 Payroll Protection loans.
According to court records, LaSonja Jones, 42, previously pled guilty to applying for PPP COVID-19 loans with false information about eligibility of two personal businesses she owned to obtain Federal moneys from the Small Business Administration. Jones was an administrative employee of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at the time she made the false applications.
At a sentencing hearing on Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Jones to time served in prison with five years of supervised release and ordered her to pay $80,433 in restitution.
“The federal government made billions of dollars available to businesses that needed help to stay afloat during the pandemic, and people like this defendant stole that money,” remarked U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “To add insult to injury, the defendant worked for the government at the same time that she was actively stealing from the government, and I appreciate the efforts of the Postal Service to bring her to justice.”
“This case is an example of our unwillingness to tolerate payroll protection fraud, especially by individuals who are placed in positions of authority to protect and investigate this very fraud,” said U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Michael Ray. “I thank Special Agent Jonathan Sawant and AUSA Paul Roberts for their commitment to bringing this case to resolution.”
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General’s Office of Professional Responsibility investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Roberts prosecuted the case.
Port St. Lucie Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Glock SwitchRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On June 11, Darroll C. Gilchrist, 18, of Port St. Lucie, Fla., pled guilty to possession of an unregistered firearm.
Gilchrist was arrested on July 28, 2023, on an outstanding warrant. During his arrest, deputies found a Glock model 19 firearm, modified with a “Glock switch” on Gilchrist’s person. The “Glock switch” enabled the firearm to fire automatically, more than one shot, by a single function of the trigger.
Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 5, before U. S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon in Fort Pierce, Fla. Gilchrist faces up to 10 years in federal prison and up to three years of supervised release. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Office; and Sheriff Keith Pearson of the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
ATF Fort Pierce and St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Hudock is prosecuting it.
This prosecution is a part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through the PSN program, a broad spectrum of law enforcement and community stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs to reduce violence crime and gun violence, and to make our local neighborhoods safer for everyone.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case no. 24-cr-14005.
###
Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty in COVID-19 Pandemic Loan SchemeRead the Press Release
A Pennsylvania man who organized a scheme to defraud the government out of COVID-19 pandemic loan moneys pled guilty on June 14, 2024, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Alhaji Kundu Aly, age 35, from Chester, Pennsylvania, was convicted of one count of wire fraud.
In a plea agreement, Aly admitted that he and others recruited and assisted various individuals in the Northern District of Iowa and elsewhere to apply for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans for which they did not actually qualify, in exchange for a fee. False, fraudulent, and fictitious documents and statements were submitted to various lending institutions in support of the PPP loans for the PPP applicants. After the PPP applicants received the fraudulent PPP loans, it was part of the scheme to demand a portion of the PPP moneys from the PPP applicants and, if necessary, Aly traveled to demand payment in person. Aly traveled to Iowa and demanded payment in person from a PPP applicant. Aly admitted in his plea agreement that he is responsible for no less than $250,000 in loss based on no less than 21 fraudulent PPP loans as a result of the scheme to defraud.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Aly remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing. Aly faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-9.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing and Receiving Child Sex Abuse ImagesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Lucio Daza Marquez (73, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to possession and receipt of child sex abuse material. Marquez faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, an undercover FBI agent discovered an Internet Protocol (IP) address that was sharing files containing child sex abuse material. The IP address was traced to Marquez. During the execution of a search warrant at Marquez’s residence, FBI agents located multiple files depicting the sexual abuse of children on Marquez’s laptop and external hard drives. During an interview with the FBI, Marquez admitted to downloading child sex abuse material. Marquez further told the FBI that he had been viewing child sex abuse material for nearly 10 years, and that he preferred young girls approximately 12 years old. He also admitted to viewing videos involving much younger children being sexually abused, including infants.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.
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.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy Involving Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, and FirearmsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that George Andrew Pherai-Bogeajis (35, Orlando) today pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine and possessing firearms in furtherance of that conduct. Pherai-Bogeajis faces a minimum mandatory of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement and court documents, in March 2024, Pherai-Bogeajis was surveilled paying a known DEA target nearly $150,000 in exchange for a duffle bag. On April 9, 2024, DEA agents searched Pherai-Bogeajis’s primary residence in Orlando and a stash house in Ocoee that he was known to use. Pherai-Bogeajis had approximately 68 kilograms (around 150 pounds) of methamphetamine, nearly a kilogram of fentanyl, four firearms used to protect drugs and drug proceeds, $717,480 in currency, and vehicles used in the offenses, including two vehicles that contained secret compartments to conceal drugs and proceeds during transport. Pherai-Bogeajis has agreed to forfeit the currency that is proceeds of the offense, as well as the firearms and vehicles used to facilitate the offense.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Orlando Police Department, the Ocoee Police Department, the Oviedo Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
Northern Michigan Physician Assistant Charged with Covid-19 Pandemic Assistance FraudRead the Press Release
Todd Kreykes Admitted Using COVID-19 Pandemic Funds Targeted for Patient Care at Boardman Family Practice for His Own Benefit
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Todd Martin Kreykes, 60, of Kalkaska County, was charged in a felony information with theft of government property related to his use of COVID-19 pandemic funding to purchase vehicles, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, remodel his home, and otherwise pay for vacations and his personal expenses.
“Every dollar that Todd Kreykes spent on luxury goods and vacations was one less dollar to help businesses struggling during the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “This conviction can’t make up for that lost assistance now, but it can vindicate the taxpayers and show that criminals who defraud the government will be held accountable.”
Kreykes faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Kreykes has agreed to plead guilty to the felony information and, as part of a written plea agreement, has agreed to make full restitution to the applicable federal pandemic programs prior to his sentencing hearing.
According to the felony information, from April 2020, until November 2021, Boardman Family Practice received over $294,000.00 from the United States through various federal programs designed to assist medical providers in providing care and treatment for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund, CARES Act Rural Health Center Distribution, Rural Health Center Testing Program, and the Rural Health Clinic Vaccine Confidence Program.
Kreykes accepted these federal payments and attested to the accompanying terms and conditions that required the funding to be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 testing and vaccination, or to reimburse the recipient for health care expenses or lost revenues attributable to the coronavirus. Instead, Kreykes stole over $200,000.00 of the federal funds and converted them to his own use by spending the federal funds on a new truck, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a camper, and other personal items and expenses, remodeling his home, paying off personal loans, and taking vacations, all in violation of the terms and conditions of the federal programs.
“Providers who misappropriated federal funds intended to offset costs associated with medical services during the COVID-19 public health emergency showed disregard for taxpayers and the individuals relying on these vital programs,” said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our agency, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to ensuring the integrity of federal programs designed to protect public health.”
The U.S. Health and Human Service Office of Inspector General and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Stella is prosecuting the case.
The charges in a felony information are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
###
Non-Profit Middle East Institute to Pay $718,558 to Resolve PPP Fraud AllegationsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –The Middle East Institute, a Washington, D.C., based nonprofit organization, has agreed to pay $718,558 to settle allegations that the organization violated the False Claims Act when it applied for and received a $359,279 second-draw loan under the Paycheck Protection Act Program of the CARES Disaster Relief Program, and when it further applied for and was granted forgiveness of the entire amount of the loan.
The agreement was announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia and Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Eastern Region.
In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was created to provide emergency financial support to Americans suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small business and other entities, including non-profit organizations, struggling to pay employees and other business expenses. Under the applicable provision of the CARES Act, a business concern or other entity, including a nonprofit organization, is not eligible to receive a second draw loan if it is primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities, which shall include any entity that is organized for research or for engaging in advocacy in areas such as public policy or political strategy or otherwise describes itself as a think tank in any public document.
At the time it applied for the second draw PPP loan, the Middle East Institute certified to the SBA in the loan application that it was “not a business concern or entity primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities, including any entity that is organized for research or for engaging in advocacy in areas such as public policy or political strategy or otherwise describes itself as a think tank in any public documents.” It further certified in the loan forgiveness application that it met the conditions for receiving the second draw PPP loan. The Middle East Institute contends that any misstatements in this application were inadvertent.
Under the False Claims Act, a party found to violate the Act must pay three-times the amount of damage to the United States. Had the Middle East Institute been found liable to the United States under the False Claims Act, it would have been ordered to pay three times the amount of the loan and lost interest, along with civil penalties for each certification made in the loan application and forgiveness application. In connection with this settlement, the Middle East Institute agreed to pay an amount equal to two-times the loan amount, or $718,558.
The settlement announced today stems from a Federal investigation that was initiated when another public interest group, TZAC, filed a whistleblower complaint pursuant to the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. The claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability in the civil case.
The civil settlement was the result of an investigation by Assistant U.S. Attorney Darrell Valdez and Auditor Timothy Hurley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. U.S. Attorney Graves commended Attorneys Gary Fox and Kandace Zeyala of the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of the General Counsel for their assistance in the investigation and settlement negotiations. The case is captioned U.S. ex rel. TZAC v. The Middle East Institute.
Tips and complaint regarding potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or by submitting a NCDF Web Complaint form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
21cr3405
Nineteen-Time Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Luis Rosado (28, Winter Park) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Rosado faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on August 20, 2023, Rosado was stopped by law enforcement after committing a traffic infraction when officers observed a rifle and shotgun on the front passenger seat. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed an additional firearm in the glove compartment, as well as ammunition throughout the vehicle. Rosado was the sole occupant of the vehicle.
At the time Rosado possessed the firearms and ammunition, he had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including thirteen convictions for burglary of a conveyance, four for grand theft of a motor vehicle, one for possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and one for fraudulent-illegal credit card use. As a convicted felon, Rosado is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Rosado has agreed to forfeit a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a Radical Firearm 7.62mm semi-automatic rifle, a Silver Eagle 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, and assorted ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Orlando Police Department with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
New Indictment Alleges Aaron Rossi Committed Fraud in COVID-19 TestingRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A grand jury today indicted a Morton, Illinois man, Aaron Rossi (“Rossi”), 40, on six counts of healthcare fraud, one count of mail fraud, and four counts of wire fraud for allegedly defrauding the State of Illinois and public and private health insurance companies out of hundreds of thousands of dollars during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The indictment alleges that Reditus Laboratories, LLC (“Reditus”), located in Pekin, Illinois, was a full-service pathology laboratory which offered various testing services for patients and clients. As part of those services, Reditus had the capability to run PCR tests for infectious diseases, including the COVID-19 virus. After the COVID pandemic reached the United States in early 2020, Rossi and Reditus began processing COVID-19 PCR tests which were paid for with both public and private health insurance programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Healthlink, and the Health Resources & Services Administration's Uninsured Program. Beginning as early as October 2020, and continuing to at least November 2021, Rossi established policies and procedures at Reditus that directly benefitted himself financially and defrauded healthcare providers. Services provided were mischaracterized in order to receive payment for services that were not actually rendered. This resulted in the six counts of healthcare fraud alleged in the indictment.
In addition, Rossi and Reditus had a contract with the State of Illinois to provide COVID-19 PCR testing. The contract, signed by Rossi as CEO for Reditus, was a flat-rate contract. Reditus could only invoice the State for the difference between what a patient’s healthcare coverage paid and the agreed-upon flat rate arranged with the State. Rossi, however, developed a scheme to bill both the healthcare providers and the State, resulting in Reditus fraudulently receiving double payments for the same COVID-19 PCR tests, one from the State and one from another health insurance provider. This conduct was the basis for the one mail fraud count and the four wire fraud counts alleged in the indictment.
Rossi previously plead guilty to charges of filing false federal tax returns and taking funds from his former employer, Central Illinois Orthopedic Surgery in Bloomington on February 6, 2024. In that case, Rossi admitted to taking funds without the knowledge or permission of his employer and fraudulently purchasing personal items that he had delivered to his home. Due to multiple bond violations, Rossi has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since September 2023, and remains in custody on that case pending his sentencing—currently schedule for July 2, 2024. Today’s indictment alleges new offenses and conduct that are separate from his initial case and which took place after the conduct in his first case had concluded.
If convicted, on the new offenses, Rossi faces maximum statutory penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment for each of the healthcare fraud charges, and up to 20 years imprisonment for each of the mail fraud and wire fraud charges. Each of the 11 charges could also incur a $250,000 fine. Imprisonment could be followed by 3 years of supervised release for each count.
The case investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Internal Revenue Service; the Federal Bureau of Investigation—Springfield Division; the Department of Labor—Employee Benefit Security Administration; Office of Personnel Management—Office of Inspector General; and Department of Health and Human Services—Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas F. McMeyer and Tanner K. Jacobs represent the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Multiple Alabama Individuals Charged for Sex Trafficking and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
A federal judge in the Middle District of 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.
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, U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Ross for the Middle District of Alabama and Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony J. Patrone 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mississippi Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking and Making Antisemitic Threats Targeting Synagogues and Jewish-Owned BusinessesRead the Press Release
Donavon Parish, 29, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, pleaded guilty today to one count of cyberstalking and five counts of abuse and harassment using a telecommunications device. Parish also admitted to a special finding that he targeted his victims based on their actual and perceived religion.
According to court documents, during April and May 2022, the defendant used a voiceover internet protocol service to make a series of phone calls to synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
In these calls, the defendant spoke to individuals answering the telephone calls on behalf of their respective institutions, at which time he repeatedly referenced the genocide of approximately six million Jewish people during the Holocaust, stating, among other things, “Heil Hitler,” “all Jews must die,” “we will put you in work camps,” “gas the Jews” and “Hitler should have finished the job.”
Parish is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24 and faces a statutory maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $1.5 million fine and a $600 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Mathew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
The FBI Philadelphia Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Jeanette Kang for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi.
Mississippi Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking and Antisemitic Harassment of Synagogues, Jewish-Owned BusinessesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Donavon Parish, 29, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Judge Cynthia M. Rufe to one count of cyberstalking and five counts of abuse and harassment using a telecommunications device. Parish also admitted to a special finding that he targeted his victims based on their actual and perceived religion.
According to a June 2023 indictment and superseding information filed last month, during April and May 2022, the defendant used a Voice over Internet Protocol service to make a series of phone calls to synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
In these calls, the defendant spoke to individuals answering the telephone calls on behalf of their respective institutions, at which time he repeatedly referenced the genocide of approximately six million Jewish people during the Holocaust, stating, among other things, “Heil Hitler,” “all Jews must die,” “we will put you in work camps,” “gas the Jews,” and “Hitler should have finished the job.”
In total, the defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, a $1,500,000 fine and a $600 special assessment.
“Cyberstalking is already a serious violation and targeting victims based on their religion is a hate crime, which makes it that much more abhorrent,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “We and our partners will continue to work to hold accountable anyone who criminally misuses today’s technology to spread hate and fear.”
“Antisemitism has no place in our society,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Today’s guilty plea reinforces that we will pursue justice against those who threaten members of our communities with such vile threats. The FBI will continue to work closely with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure our citizens feel safe in the environments they live, work and play in.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Jeanette Kang of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Justin Sher with the Department of Justice’s National Security Division (Counterterrorism Section), with assistance from DOJ’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi.
Michigan Man Who Orchestrated International Computer Fraud and Online Drug Distribution Schemes Sentenced to Decade in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Michigan man was sentenced today for defrauding internet users through scam virus alerts and distributing controlled substances online.
Doyal Kalita, 37, of Redford, Mich., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release. Kalita was also ordered to pay $272,293 in restitution to victims in this case and forfeiture of $2,542,784. In February 2024, Kalita pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud conspiracy, one count of conspiracy to import Schedule II and Schedule IV controlled substances, and one count of money laundering conspiracy.
In 2015, Kalita and co-conspirators organized a scheme to defraud internet users through the use of deceptive pop-up screens that falsely told victims that their computers were infected with viruses (or were otherwise damaged) and directed the victims to call for technical support. In fact, the victims were connected to Kalita’s call centers in India and in Michigan and were scared or deceived into buying products and services that they did not need.
Contemporaneously, Kalita and his co-conspirators launched an online drug distribution scheme that sold prescription drugs, including opioids and other controlled substances, that were shipped from suppliers in India and Europe to individuals in Massachusetts and elsewhere in the United States. Kalita and his co-conspirators facilitated online sales from multiple foreign drug suppliers and received controlled substances from abroad before repackaging and distributing them throughout the United States. To conceal the nature of the transactions, Kalita and his co-conspirators used PayPal and merchant accounts that purported to belong to non-existent consulting companies, health supplement stores, auto parts suppliers and travel agencies. In some instances, Kalita and his co-conspirators created fake travel itineraries and receipts to deceive credit card processors in the United States in order to keep the drug business from being detected.
Two of Kalita’s alleged co-conspirators remain fugitives.
In January 2023, Manish Kumar – a partner in a Mumbai-based prescription drug company and one of Kalita’s suppliers – was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf to 87 months in prison, three months of supervised release and was ordered to pay a fine of $100,000.
In June 2023, Robert Polanco, one of Kalita’s co-conspirators in the money laundering scheme, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 38 months in prison and three years of supervised release and was later ordered to pay $216,900 in restitution to fraud victims.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and the United States Food & Drug Administration made the announcement today. Homeland Security Investigations; United States Customs & Border Protection; United States Marshals Service in Boston; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mexican citizen sent to prison after sharing child pornography on peer-to-peer networkRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 33-year-old Mexican national residing illegally in the United States has been sentenced for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Juan Francisco Meza-Chavez pleaded guilty Sept. 5, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Meza-Chavez to serve 97 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court considered victim impact statements and ordered $45,000 in restitution to be paid to them. Meza-Chavez was further ordered to serve 20 years of supervised release to be served following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
The investigation began in May 2022 following an investigation into the BitTorrent network in which they were able to identify the IP addresses of individuals sharing child pornography. They linked one of the IP addresses to Meza-Chavez.
On Oct. 13, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Meza-Chavez’s residence. There, authorities seized numerous electronic devices capable of storing child pornography.
A forensic analysis of the devices resulted in the discovery of 40 videos and 11 images of child pornography.
Meza-Chavez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana C. Cano prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Mexican National Who Illegally Reentered U.S. is SentencedRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CARLOS FERNANDEZ-BARRITOS, also known as “Ricardo Fernandez,” 30, a citizen of Mexico formerly residing in East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 16 months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 11, 2014, Fernandez was sentenced in Bridgeport federal court to approximately 14 months of imprisonment, time already served, for his role in a narcotics trafficking ring. He was removed from the U.S. to Mexico in January 2015.
On November 4, 2022, Fernandez was arrested by Hartford Police for disorderly conduct, threatening, assault in the third degree, reckless endangerment in the first degree, and interfering with police. He was released on a $20,000 bond shortly thereafter. On March 15, 2023, the East Hartford Police Department responded to a report that Fernandez had stabbed his domestic partner. Fernandez fled before police arrived.
Fernandez has been detained since August 15, 2023, when he was arrested on federal criminal complaint charging him with illegally reentering the U.S. He pleaded guilty to the offense on May 3, 2024.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie T. Levick.
Members of Brooklyn-Based “Bully Gang” Convicted of Racketeering, Murder and Gang-Related CrimesRead the Press Release
On Thursday and today, a federal jury in Brooklyn convicted Moeleek Harrell, Derrick Ayers, Franklin Gillespie and Anthony Kennedy on 21 counts of an eighth superseding indictment charging them variously with racketeering, murder, murder conspiracy, robbery, drug offenses, money laundering and bribery of state correction officers. The defendants are members of a violent Brooklyn-based street gang known as the “Bully Gang,” which operated and committed crimes in and around Bedford Stuyvesant with a headquarters located at 1625 Fulton Street. Harrell was one of the founders and the leader of the Bully Gang; Ayers was a high-ranking member; Kennedy was a longstanding member; and Gillespie was a violent enforcer for the gang. Today’s verdicts followed a 13-week trial before United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan. When sentenced, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of life in prison and mandatory minimum sentences ranging from 15 to 55 years.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Bryan Miller, Special Agent-in-Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Field Division (ATF), Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), and Jocelyn Strauber, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI), announced the verdict.
“With today’s convictions, the leadership of the Bully Gang has been taken down and their criminal enterprise is a shell of the violent crew that wreaked havoc on Bedford Stuyvesant, other parts of New York City and the Eastern Seaboard with murder, broad daylight shootings, robberies, arsons, drug trafficking and bribery of correction officers at Rikers Island to facilitate a drug trafficking scheme,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “They used force and violence against rivals, terrorized the surrounding communities and enriched themselves and their members with the illicit proceeds of their criminal activities. These lawless, so-called ‘Bullies’ have been held responsible for their crimes thanks to the outstanding work by law enforcement agents and detectives who, together with our excellent prosecutors, brought this comprehensive investigation to a successful conclusion.”
“These convictions put an end to the reign of terror committed by this gang, shattering the myth that criminals can commit atrocious acts without consequence. This is the result of a multi-year investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies spanning multiple jurisdictions. I commend our law enforcement partners—NYPD, NYC Department of Investigations, and our law enforcement partners in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maine and prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office—for their relentless efforts in making our communities safer,” stated ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Miller. “In particular, I am proud of the men and women of ATF NY and the ATF/NYPD Joint Firearms Task Force, who fight every day to prevent violence in any form, and are committed to dismantling and disarming violent gangs that plague our streets. ATF once again reaffirms its unwavering commitment to protecting the public from violent offenders.”
“These convictions represent the culmination of an extensive investigation combined with a vigorous prosecution,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “The stakes could not have been higher because these gang members were responsible for an assortment of despicable crimes, including murder, robbery, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, and bribery. A powerful message has been sent: Our city will not tolerate such criminal activity, and the NYPD and our law enforcement partners will keep working tirelessly to identify and investigate these enterprises and bring the individuals involved to justice.”
DOI Commissioner Strauber stated: “The violence and drug trafficking in which these defendants engaged had far-reaching effects, including compromising the security of the City’s jails through the bribery of City correction officers used to traffic drugs from gang members to inmates on Rikers Island. I thank the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, the ATF and the NYPD for their partnership on this significant investigation and their commitment to bring to justice those who would jeopardize the safety of our communities through gang violence.”
MURDER CONSPIRACY, MURDER AND FIREARMS OFFENSES
Ayers was convicted of murdering Jonathan Jackson, an associate of the rival “Stukes Crew” gang, at a gender reveal party for Harrell’s child on March 3, 2018, in Brooklyn. Gillespie was convicted of conspiring to murder Mike Hawley in April 2020 to prevent him from informing authorities about the murder of Paul Hoilett in Brooklyn on April 11, 2020. Hawley was murdered in Queens four days later, on April 15, 2020.Ayers and Harrell were convicted of conspiring to murder the leader of the Stukes Crew, whom they stalked by aggregating information from public databases, including the locations where their cars were ticketed. That stalking led to at least three occasions in 2017 and 2018, when the gang members shot at their rivals and injured some of them.
Ayers and Harrell were convicted of conspiring to murder Chris King, who had previously killed a Bully Gang member. King was stalked, including having his court appearances tracked, and was ultimately shot outside a Queens restaurant. A woman who was with King at the time was also wounded. Both survived their injuries.Finally, Harrell, Ayers, Gillespie and Kennedy were convicted of illegal possession, brandishing and discharge of firearms.
NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING CONSPIRACIES
Harrell and Kennedy were convicted of conspiring to smuggle drugs into Rikers Island from at least 2019 until 2021. During that time, members of the Bully Gang arranged for papers and comic books soaked in synthetic cannabinoids, also known as “K2,” to be mailed to inmates at Rikers, smuggled in by third parties, including correction officers and sold to inmates. Once inmates received the K2-soaked papers, they sold smaller quantities to other inmates at a substantial profit.
Harrell, Ayers, Kennedy and Gillespie were convicted of a separate, years-long scheme to transport large quantities of drugs, including cocaine base, heroin and fentanyl, from New York and New Jersey to Maine, where members and associates of the Bully Gang sold the drugs out of stash houses. The narcotics were transported in vehicles equipped with concealed compartments, also called “traps,” that were professionally installed. Ayers was also convicted of running numerous “stash houses” in Maine, from which his underlings sold drugs on behalf of the conspiracy.
MONEY LAUNDERING
Harrell and Kennedy were convicted of laundering the illicit proceeds from the Rikers drug sales by transferring thousands of dollars each month into CashApp accounts and making wire transfers to co-conspirators through intermediaries. A portion of this money was used to purchase more K2 and bribe correction officers at Rikers.Also, Harrell and Ayers were convicted of laundering the illicit proceeds from the lucrative East Coast drug trafficking scheme. Harrell, Ayers and their co-conspirators purchased high-value assets, including expensive jewelry and vehicles. They also disguised the proceeds of the scheme by having co-conspirators, some of whom had legitimate jobs, use the cash to make ostensibly legitimate purchases that were actually for the benefit of Harrell and Ayers.
BRIBERY
Harrell and Kennedy were convicted of participating in the Rikers Island drug trafficking scheme by bribing correction officers at Rikers. Harrell’s leadership of the gang continued even after his detention at Rikers, where he led a drug trafficking, bribery and money laundering scheme responsible for smuggling drugs into the jail through the use of co-conspirators and the payment of bribes to correction officers.ROBBERY
Gillespie was convicted of robberies on consecutive days in August 2020, in downtown Manhattan. Gillespie and others in the Bully Gang pointed firearms, including a large Mac-10-style firearm, at their victims while demanding their money, jewelry and shopping bags. After the robberies, Gillespie was arrested with some of the same firearms.
* * * * *
The jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict with respect to several remaining counts of the eighth superseding indictment, which charged Ayers with causing Jackson’s death through the use of a firearm; Gillespie with causing Hoilett’s death through the use of a firearm and illegally possessing, brandishing and discharging a firearm in connection with that death; and Gillespie and Kennedy with causing Hawley’s death through the use of a firearm and illegally possessing, brandishing and discharging a firearm in connection with that death. A mistrial was declared as to those counts. The Office intends to retry the defendants on those counts that the jury was unable to reach a verdict. Those charges are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Since 2020, 53 members and associates of the Bully Gang have been publicly charged with a variety of crimes in connection with this investigation, and 49 have been convicted. Three defendants are awaiting trial, and one is a fugitive.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section and Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Drew G. Rolle, Lindsey R. Oken, Joy Lurinsky and Victor Zapana are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lead Legal Administrative Specialist Samantha E. Ward and Paralegal Specialists Emily Moosher and William Daniels, as well as Intelligence Analyst Eungee Hwang and a number of EDNY Criminal Investigators and Special Agents.
The Defendants:
DERRICK AYERS (also known as “Dee” and “Mel”)
Age: 37
Rahway, New JerseyMOELEEK HARRELL (also known as “Moe Money”)
Age: 34
Brooklyn, New YorkFRANKLIN GILLESPIE (also known as “Spazz” and “Frankie Gino”)
Age: 33
Newark, New JerseyANTHONY KENNEDY (also known as “Biggie”)
Age: 38
Queens, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 20-CR-239 (BMC)
Member of Violent Gang Sentenced to Nearly 21 Years in Prison for Racketeering Involving Attempted MurderRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston-area man was sentenced yesterday for his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang.
Daronde Bethea, a/k/a “Freeze,” 32, of Boston and Brockton, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 250 months in prison, and three years of supervised release. In February 2024, Bethea pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, more commonly known as RICO conspiracy; conspiracy to interfere with commerce by force or violence; and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
“This defendant will now pay a very heavy price for all the violence inflicted on our communities,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “The number of law-enforcement agencies that work together to secure this conviction and lengthy sentence is a testament to the federal state and local collaboration to combat violent crime and keep the law, abiding men and women who live in these communities safe.”
“This is another example of our commitment to work tirelessly to protect our communities and hold accountable those who threaten our safety," said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division. "Sending a career criminal like Daronde Bethea to prison sends a message to the community that violent gang members will be held accountable as we work to keep our neighborhoods safe, which is a top priority for ATF.”
“As we all know, drug trafficking in our communities, along with the gun and physical violence that often accompanies it, is a serious threat to our families and communities,” said Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “These crimes rob the neighborhoods of safety and hold law abiding citizens of Massachusetts hostage to drug fueled lawlessness. This is unacceptable and will not be allowed to happen. DEA and its local, state and federal partners are dedicated to bringing to justice those that commit these crimes.”
"The Boston Police Department is proud to work with our federal and state partners to bring violent criminals to justice. Criminals create gangs and other organized structures to disrupt the lives of residents using violence and intimidation, often targeting the vulnerable. This sentencing is an example of how we in law enforcement can bring our resources together to target those bad actors," said Commissioner Michael Cox, Boston Police Department. "We will continue to work with our partners to do all we can to protect the families and individuals we serve here in Boston."
Bethea was identified as a member of Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston. According to court documents, Cameron Street members use violence, including murder and attempted murder, to preserve, protect and expand its territory. They allegedly use social media to promote Cameron Street, celebrate murders and other violent crimes, and denigrate rival gangs. They allegedly possess, carry and use firearms; distribute controlled substances; commit armed robberies; and engage in human trafficking in part to generate income for the gang.
As part of his role in the Cameron Street enterprise, Bethea committed an attempted murder with a firearm of a rival gang member in Dorchester in June 2018. As the victim got into his car, Bethea shot the victim multiple times causing the victim to have a collapsed lung.
In addition to the attempted murder, Bethea was involved in two violent home invasion robberies – in November 2017 in Dorchester and July 2018 in Canton. During a chase from the Canton home, Bethea was captured on a police cruiser camera possessing a loaded handgun that was later recovered.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; ATF SAC Ferguson; DEA Acting SAC Belleau; and BPD Commissioner Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Malta man admits illegal possession of silencerRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Malta man admitted today to illegally possessing a silencer after law enforcement served a search warrant at his residence and found numerous firearms, a suppressor, drug paraphernalia and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Deric Ron Welch, 36, pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered silencer. Welch faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $10,000 fine and three 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. 23. Welch was released pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that on May 27, 2023 in Malta, law enforcement responded to a domestic violence call at Welch’s residence, and a state search warrant was obtained for the residence. Law enforcement recovered numerous firearms, one suppressor, drug paraphernalia and meth. An investigation determined that the silencer found in the search was a device for silencing or muffling a firearm and was not registered as required by federal law.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Phillips County Sheriff’s Office 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.
XXX
Maine Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of a nationwide drug trafficking ring pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to drug trafficking charges. During the investigation, over 160 pounds of pure methamphetamine, as well as an AK-47, a Glock with no serial number, two loaded Smith & Wesson handguns and over 4,200 rounds of ammunition were seized. An illegal marijuana grow operation with hundreds of marijuana plants was also dismantled.
Emil Dzabiev, 44, of Scarborough, Maine, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Oct. 2, 2024.
Dzabiev was arrested and charged along with seven others in July 2021 and was subsequently charged in a superseding indictment that added three defendants in September 2021.
In late 2020, Reshat Alkayisi was identified as a large-scale methamphetamine trafficker, who distributed multi-pound quantities to customers throughout the New England area. Dzabiev was identified as one of Alkayisi’s regular customers who routinely purchased methamphetamine and redistributed it in Maine. In May 2021, Dzabiev was stopped after a meeting with Alkayisi and found in possession of approximately 455 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine in his vehicle.
Dzabiev is the 10th defendant to plead guilty in the case. Alkayisi pleaded guilty in April 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2024.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sherriff’s Office; and Concord, Hudson, Peabody, Reading, Watertown and Waltham Police Departments. Assistance was also provided by the Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea Porter and Katherine Ferguson of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
MS-13 members and associates sentenced for racketeering and narcotics conspiracies and four murdersRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The last defendant of the six La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang members who were convicted at two separate federal trials was sentenced today. The six defendants were sentenced for racketeering conspiracy, narcotics conspiracy, and offenses related to the murders of four men in 2019.
According to court documents and evidence presented in the two trials, the six defendants were members of MS-13’s Sitios Locos Salvatrucha clique (STLS), which operated in Northern Virginia and elsewhere for years. From at least 2017 through 2020, MS-13 members and associates regularly travelled to and from Long Island, New York, for the purpose of obtaining cocaine from Marvin Menjivar Gutierrez, STLS’s leader in the United States. From there, MS-13 members would transport the cocaine to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area to be sold in nightclubs and bars. STLS used the proceeds of their cocaine sales to purchase more cocaine to sell, to buy weapons, and to support other MS-13 members in the United States and El Salvador.
“These defendants—members of the violent MS-13 gang—sold drugs to fuel the gang’s business, surveilled and tracked rival gang members, and even murdered innocent victims, all to increase the grip that MS-13 had on the community,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “With today’s sentencing, we are holding these defendants accountable for the havoc they wreaked. The Criminal Division, along with our federal and local law enforcement partners, is committed to combatting violent criminal organizations that victimize our communities.”
In the spring of 2019, Menjivar and Melvin Canales Saldana, STLS’s second-in-command in the United States, ordered members to begin committing murders so that the junior members could rise in rank within MS-13 and amplify STLS’s prestige and control. In June 2019, three MS-13 members, including Cristian Arevalo Arias and Carlos Turcios Villatoro, lured Victim 1 and Victim 2 to a wooded area and murdered them by shooting and stabbing the victims. The MS-13 members believed Victim 1 belonged to a rival gang, and then murdered Victim 2 to avoid leaving any witnesses to Victim 1’s murder.
“MS-13 represents a cycle of death in our society that cannot be tolerated and must be eradicated. MS-13 sells the poisons that destroy communities, families, and lives, and uses the profits to purchase the weapons they use to kill our people in the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This is why federal, state, and local law enforcement employ a coordinated, comprehensive, and strategic approach to systematically dismantle these organizations and end their ability to do harm.”
In August 2019, Canales ordered an MS-13 member to provide Arevalo with a firearm so that Arevalo, Manilester Andrade Rivas, and other MS-13 members could find and kill any rival gang member. Arevalo, Andrade, and others travelled to the Glen Arbor Apartments in Woodbridge, Virginia, in the hopes of encountering and murdering a rival. They encountered Victim 3, and Arevalo shot him to death.
In September 2019, Jairo Aguilera Sagastizado travelled to Woodbridge from New York and spent hours driving around Northern Virginia and Maryland with two other MS-13 members, looking for a rival gang member to murder at random so that they could rise in rank. Unable to find a rival, the group finally decided to murder Victim 4, whom they observed walking home from a 7-Eleven in Dumfries, Virginia. Aguilera and another MS-13 member shot Victim 4 multiple times, killing him.
“Today’s sentencing is another example of the FBI’s relentless commitment to bringing an end to violent transnational criminal enterprises like MS-13,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “If you engage in racketeering in the advancement of distributing narcotics, rest assured that we will not stop until you face the consequences of your actions.”
“Members of MS-13 spread fear and violence throughout the country—often through senseless murders—but their control is not limitless,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “As evidenced by this case, the FBI will pursue individuals or groups who traffic in violence. We vow to continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to disrupt and dismantle transnational gangs that terrorize our neighborhoods.”
Multiple MS-13 members and associates pleaded guilty prior to trial. Below is additional information about the defendants, all of whom are Salvadoran nationals, who were convicted at trial and have been sentenced.
Name
Age
Residing in
Convictions
Sentence
Marvin Menjivar Gutierrez
32
New York
Racketeering conspiracy; murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to distribute cocaine; use of firearm in federal violent crime resulting in death
Multiple life sentences
Melvin Canales Saldana
32
New York
Racketeering conspiracy; murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to distribute cocaine; cocaine distribution
Multiple life sentences
Cristian Arevalo Arias
28
Virginia
Racketeering conspiracy; two counts of murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to distribute cocaine; two counts of use of firearm in federal violent crime resulting in death; witness tampering by killing; cocaine distribution
Multiple life sentences
Carlos Turcios Villatoro
26
Maryland
Racketeering conspiracy; two counts of murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to distribute cocaine; two counts of use of firearm in federal violent crime resulting in death; witness tampering by killing
Multiple life sentences
Jairo Aguilera Sagastizado
28
New York
Racketeering conspiracy; murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to distribute cocaine; use of firearm in federal violent crime resulting in death
Multiple life sentences
Manilester Andrade Rivas
34
Virginia
Racketeering conspiracy; conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to distribute cocaine; cocaine distribution
14 years in prison
The FBI and Prince William County Police Department investigated the case, with significant assistance from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Prince William County Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, Northern Virginia Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Force, Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and U.S. Marshal Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Blanchard and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Cain for the Eastern District of Virginia and Deputy Chief Matthew Hoff of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, Operation City of Bridges. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-260.
MS-13 Members and Associates Sentenced for Racketeering and Narcotics Conspiracies and Four MurdersRead the Press Release
The last defendant of the six La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang members who were convicted at two separate federal trials was sentenced today. The six defendants were sentenced for racketeering conspiracy, narcotics conspiracy, and offenses related to the murders of four men in 2019.
According to court documents and evidence presented in the two trials, the six defendants were members of MS-13’s Sitios Locos Salvatrucha clique (STLS), which operated in Northern Virginia and elsewhere for years. From at least 2017 through 2020, MS-13 members and associates regularly travelled to and from Long Island, New York, for the purpose of obtaining cocaine from Marvin Menjivar Gutierrez, STLS’s leader in the United States. From there, MS-13 members would transport the cocaine to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area to be sold in nightclubs and bars. STLS used the proceeds of their cocaine sales to purchase more cocaine to sell, buy weapons, and support other MS-13 members in the United States and El Salvador.
“These defendants—members of the violent MS-13 gang—sold drugs to fuel the gang’s business, surveilled and tracked rival gang members, and even murdered innocent victims, all to increase the grip that MS-13 had on the community,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “With today’s sentencing, we are holding these defendants accountable for the havoc they wreaked. The Criminal Division, along with our federal and local law enforcement partners, is committed to combating violent criminal organizations that victimize our communities.”
In the spring of 2019, Menjivar and Melvin Canales Saldana, STLS’s second-in-command in the United States, ordered members to begin committing murders so that the junior members could rise in rank within MS-13 and amplify STLS’s prestige and control. In June 2019, three MS-13 members, including Cristian Arevalo Arias and Carlos Turcios Villatoro, lured Victim 1 and Victim 2 to a wooded area and murdered them by shooting and stabbing the victims. The MS-13 members believed Victim 1 belonged to a rival gang, and then murdered Victim 2 to avoid leaving any witnesses to Victim 1’s murder.
“MS-13 represents a cycle of death in our society that cannot be tolerated and must be eradicated. MS-13 sells the poisons that destroy communities, families, and lives, and uses the profits to purchase the weapons they use to kill our people in the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This is why federal, state, and local law enforcement employ a coordinated, comprehensive, and strategic approach to systematically dismantle these organizations and end their ability to do harm.”
In August 2019, Canales ordered an MS-13 member to provide Arevalo with a firearm so that Arevalo, Manilester Andrade Rivas, and other MS-13 members could find and and kill any rival gang member. Arevalo, Andrade, and others travelled to the Glen Arbor Apartments in Woodbridge, Virginia, in the hopes of encountering and murdering a rival. They encountered Victim 3 and Arevalo shot him to death.
In September 2019, Jairo Aguilera Sagastizado travelled to Woodbridge from New York and spent hours driving around Northern Virginia and Maryland with two other MS-13 members, looking for a rival gang member to murder at random so that they could rise in rank. Unable to find a rival, the group finally decided to murder Victim 4, whom they observed walking home from a 7-Eleven in Dumfries, Virginia. Aguilera and another MS-13 member shot Victim 4 multiple times, killing him.
“Today’s sentencing is another example of the FBI’s relentless commitment to bringing an end to violent transnational criminal enterprises like MS-13,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “If you engage in racketeering in the advancement of distributing narcotics, rest assured that we will not stop until you face the consequences of your actions.”
“Members of MS-13 spread fear and violence throughout the country—often through senseless murders—but their control is not limitless,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “As evidenced by this case, the FBI will pursue individuals or groups who traffic in violence. We vow to continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to disrupt and dismantle transnational gangs that terrorize our neighborhoods.”
Multiple MS-13 members and associates pleaded guilty prior to trial. Below is additional information about the defendants, all of whom are Salvadoran nationals, who were convicted at trial and have been sentenced.
Name
Age
Residing in
Convictions
Sentence
Marvin Menjivar Gutierrez
32
New York
Racketeering conspiracy; murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to distribute cocaine; use of firearm in federal violent crime resulting in death
Multiple life sentences
Melvin Canales Saldana
32
New York
Racketeering conspiracy; murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to distribute cocaine; cocaine distribution
Multiple life sentences
Cristian Arevalo Arias
28
Virginia
Racketeering conspiracy; two counts of murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to distribute cocaine; two counts of use of firearm in federal violent crime resulting in death; witness tampering by killing; cocaine distribution
Multiple life sentences
Carlos Turcios Villatoro
26
Maryland
Racketeering conspiracy; two counts of murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to distribute cocaine; two counts of use of firearm in federal violent crime resulting in death; witness tampering by killing
Multiple life sentences
Jairo Aguilera Sagastizado
28
New York
Racketeering conspiracy; murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to distribute cocaine; use of firearm in federal violent crime resulting in death
Multiple life sentences
Manilester Andrade Rivas
34
Virginia
Racketeering conspiracy; conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to distribute cocaine; cocaine distribution
14 years in prison
The FBI and Prince William County Police Department investigated the case, with significant assistance from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Prince William County Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, Northern Virginia Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Force, Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and U.S. Marshal Service.
Deputy Chief Matthew Hoff of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Blanchard and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Cain for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, Operation City of Bridges. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Lexington Man Sentenced for Armed Fentanyl and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., man, Daniel Matthews, 36, was sentenced on Monday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, to 228 months, for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, including 400 grams of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to his plea agreement, on August 1, 2023, Matthews intended to make a delivery of controlled substances to another dealer that he regularly supplied; but before the delivery could be made, law enforcement stopped his vehicle and seized $3,956 in cash, a large quantity of fentanyl pills (weighing approximately 177 grams), and a loaded pistol, which were in the back pocket of his seat. Thereafter, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the Matthews’s residence, where they located more than 15,000 fentanyl pills (approximately 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl) more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
Under federal law, Matthews must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Trimble prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
— END —
Leader of International Drug Trafficking Organization Operating in Lane County Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—The leader of an international drug trafficking organization operating in Lane County, Oregon, responsible for trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine into the state between 2018 and 2020, was sentenced to federal prison today.
Victor Diaz-Ramirez, 33, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
“While communities across our state continue to struggle with the ongoing drug crisis, there are criminal enterprises, like the Diaz-Ramirez drug trafficking organization, whose sole purpose is to profit from addiction and suffering. This far-reaching investigation demonstrates the deep commitment of all involved law enforcement agencies to combatting drug trafficking and keeping our communities safe,” said Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eugene and Medford Branch Offices.
“Drug traffickers like Mr. Diaz-Ramirez prey on our communities by peddling large amounts of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, often to our most vulnerable,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Seattle Field Division. “I am gratified that the hard work of DEA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our many partners from law enforcement agencies across Oregon led to the lengthy sentence Mr. Diaz-Ramirez received in this case. Justice was truly served.”
According to court documents, from at least March 2018 through August 2020, while operating out of Mexico, Diaz-Ramirez helped lead an international drug trafficking organization responsible for trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine from Mexico into the United States. Diaz-Ramirez’s organization used a network of associates to transport the drugs from Southern California to Oregon and deliver them to local distributors in exchange for cash.
As part of this investigation, law enforcement seized more than 178 pounds of methamphetamine, 12 pounds of heroin, six pounds of fentanyl, 18 rifles, three rifle optics, and ammunition. Investigators also forfeited approximately $1.2 million from the organization, including more than $400,000 in cash. In total, 35 people—including sources of supply in Mexico, couriers, local cell operators in Lane County, and first and second level distributors responsible for sales in and around Eugene—were charged and have been convicted for their roles in Diaz-Ramirez’s organization.
On August 5, 2020, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment charging Diaz-Ramirez with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On November 1, 2023, Diaz-Ramirez pleaded guilty to a one-count superseding criminal information charging him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by DEA, FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Marshals Service, Springfield Police Department, Eugene Police Department, Lane County Sherriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, Linn Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (LINE), and Douglas Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (DINT). It was prosecuted by Joseph Huynh and Judi Harper, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
This prosecution is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the U.S. by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Prison for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced Friday by United States District Judge James C. Mahan to 43 months in prison for using stolen debit and credit cards and checks to make fraudulent purchases at retail stores.
According to court documents, from January 2023 to March 8, 2023, Andy Phouphayry, devised and carried out a scheme to fraudulently obtain debit and credit cards and checks for the purposes of withdrawing cash or making fraudulent purchases at retail stores in Las Vegas. As part of the scheme, Phouphayry stole debit or credit cards or checks from the mail. He would fraudulently obtain pin numbers for the debit and credit cards. Furthermore, he would steal victims’ checks and alter them so that they could be deposited into other victims’ bank accounts. Phouphayry deposited a stolen check into a victim’s bank account, then he fraudulently used a debit card in the name of that victim to withdraw cash from the victim’s account.
On March 8, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Phouphayry’s hotel room. Law enforcement found stolen mail including checks totaling more than $150,000. As a result of this scheme, Phouphayry stole mail from more than 10 victims and he caused at least $20,256.02 in loss to the bank.
Phouphayry pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. In addition to imprisonment, Phouphayry was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $22,473.12.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada made the announcement.
The United States Postal Service investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Edward Veronda prosecuted the case.
###
Lansing Man Sentenced for Possessing A MachinegunRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Michael Andrew Thomas, 20, of Lansing, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for possessing a handgun that had been modified to a fully automatic firearm using a conversion device. A conversion device, also referred to as a “switch,” meets the federal definition of a “machinegun.”
“Gun violence inflicts senseless suffering and lasting trauma on our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “The prevalence of machinegun conversion devices is an especially concerning trend. With the single pull of a trigger, these devices can spray 1,000 rounds a minute. Offenders beware: possess these devices and you face the very real prospect of federal prosecution.”
Thomas was arrested in January 2024 after law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence and found a handgun with a conversion device attached. The gun also had an extended magazine loaded with 34 rounds of ammunition.
Thomas posted a photograph of himself with the handgun on social media prior to the search. At the time, Thomas was on state bond after being charged in a 2023 incident involving carjacking and assault with a dangerous weapon. Law enforcement previously arrested Thomas in September 2023 during a traffic stop in which Thomas possessed a stolen firearm that also had a conversion device attached. Law enforcement later obtained forensic evidence from Thomas’ cell phone indicating he trafficked conversion devices and firearms.
“Machine gun conversion devices are not firearm accessories but machineguns under federal law. A single-shot-function conversion of a weapon poses a severe threat to our community and public safety,” said ATF Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “Mr. Thomas deliberately chose to illegally possess and advertise in his possession an illegally modified firearm. In the end, I urge anyone in Michigan contemplating experimenting with a machine gun conversion device to think of Mr. Thomas who will be spending a considerable amount of time in prison for similar choices and/or behavior. These devices are a clear and present danger to public safety and will be investigated and prosecuted as such.”
Gun violence is an acute problem across the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. firearm homicide rate in 2021 was the highest documented since 1993. While the numbers have slightly declined since 2021, they remain high.
Resources and information on the safe storage of firearms can be found by reviewing the U.S. Department of Justice Safe Storage of Firearms guide, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fact sheet, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives pamphlet. Anyone who possesses a gun must follow all local, state, and federal laws.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney LaToyia Carpenter and investigated by the Lansing Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
###
Justice Department Finds That Utah Violates Federal Civil Rights Law by Segregating People with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today its findings that Utah is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by unnecessarily segregating youth and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) during the day, instead of helping them find work and spend their days in their communities.
The department found that the State relies on segregated settings, such as sheltered workshops and day facilities, where people with I/DD have limited interaction with people without disabilities and have little choice in how to spend their time. As a result, thousands of Utahns with I/DD spend their days separated from their communities. Other individuals with I/DD in the State, including youth with I/DD who are transitioning out of children’s services, are at serious risk of unnecessary segregation in these settings.
“Full inclusion in society is a central promise of the ADA,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are entitled to full inclusion, and to the dignity and purpose that comes with deciding where to work and how to spend their days.”
Utah’s sheltered workshops are often located in large, industrial warehouses. People with I/DD who work in sheltered workshops may spend all day at the warehouse, performing rote tasks — like shredding paper — often for less than minimum wage. In day facilities, people with I/DD may similarly spend all day at the facility with nothing much to do other than craft or watch TV.
The ADA and the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C. require state and local governments to make their services for people with disabilities available in the most integrated setting appropriate to each person’s needs. In October 2023, the department issued guidance explaining how this federal requirement applies to publicly-funded employment and day services.
The Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov/topics/community-integration/.
For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt.
Justice Department Finds State of Missouri Unnecessarily Institutionalizes Adults with Mental Health Disabilities in Skilled Nursing Facilities in Violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Improperly Relies on GuardianshipRead the Press Release
Remote video URL
The Justice Department announced today its findings that the State of Missouri violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by unnecessarily institutionalizing adults with mental health disabilities in nursing facilities. The investigation also examined the role of guardianships in such institutionalization.The Justice Department determined that there is reasonable cause to believe Missouri violates the ADA by failing to provide the community-based services adults with mental health disabilities need in order to remain in their communities. It also found that the state is improperly relying on guardianship and that this leads to people entering nursing facilities even though community-based services are appropriate for their needs.
“People with mental health disabilities should not have to be confined to a nursing facility because they cannot access the community-based services they need,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will safeguard the rights of people with disabilities to participate fully in their communities. The state’s reliance on guardianships that serve as a pipeline to nursing facilities, rather than engaging people in community-based mental health services, has led to violations of the ADA.”
The department’s investigation found Missouri fails to provide community-based mental health services for many people with mental health disabilities who need them, including services such as:
- Assertive Community Treatment;
- Case management;
- Supported employment;
- Mobile crisis response;
- Crisis stabilization services;
- Permanent Supportive Housing;
- Peer support; and
- Supported Decision-Making.
Instead, the state makes nursing facility services for these people. Missouri can reasonably modify its system to remedy this violation by expanding community-based services and implementing processes to ensure that individuals can receive those services rather than entering nursing facilities.
Individuals with information relevant to this matter can contact the department by leaving a voicemail at 833-610-1242 or emailing [email protected]. The Justice Department will hold two virtual community meetings on Tuesday, June 25, at 6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET and Wednesday, June 26, at 12 p.m. CT/1 p.m. ET. Members of the public are encouraged to attend to learn more about the findings. Please register to join these meetings by clicking on the respective link. If you need an interpreter or accommodation to attend, please email [email protected].
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/rights-persons-disabilities and www.ada.gov.
View the findings report here.
View the notice letter here.
Justice Department Finds Alaska Discriminates Against Voters with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today its findings that Alaska violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide an accessible ballot for in-person voting, selecting inaccessible polling places for federal, state and local elections and maintaining an inaccessible elections website. The ADA requires that states’ voting services, programs and activities be accessible to individuals with disabilities.
“For too long, people with disabilities have been denied the fundamental rights and freedoms that citizens of our democracy possess, including the opportunity to fully participate in the voting process,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is fully committed to enforcing the ADA to make sure that individuals with disabilities have an equal opportunity to vote, including by voting privately and independently like everyone else.”
“Voting is a fundamental right for all American citizens and ensuring they have full access to the election process is a hallmark of our democracy,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to collaborate with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to work toward accessibility in voting for all Alaskans.”
The department opened its investigation in response to complaints from individuals with disabilities in Alaska alleging accessibility issues. Voters with disabilities reported that they could not vote privately and independently because accessible voting machines were unavailable or did not work, that they encountered inaccessible polling places and that they could not obtain key election information on the state’s election website. Following an investigation, in a public letter of findings issued to Alaska, the department detailed its findings and asked the state to resolve the identified civil rights violations. The findings include the state’s failure to provide functional accessible voting machines, to provide polling places without physical barriers, such as muddy parking lots or steps, that allow voters with disabilities to vote in person and to ensure the accessibility of its website where voters with disabilities can obtain election information, including voter registration forms, candidate statements and voting dates and polling place locations.
The Alaska investigation is part of the department’s ADA Voting Initiative, which focuses on protecting the voting rights of individuals with disabilities across the country. More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against based on disability, please submit a report online at www.civilrights.justice.gov.
Justice Department Files Statements of Interest in Two Voting Access LawsuitsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that it has filed statements of interest in federal courts in Ohio and Alabama to promote the correct and uniform interpretation of voting laws guarding the rights of voters with disabilities. The statements of interest are part of the Justice Department’s continuing nationwide efforts to ensure that the voting rights of all individuals, including people with disabilities, are protected.
“No voter should be denied access to the ballot based on a disability,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy, and the Justice Department will take action to safeguard that right for all eligible voters, including those with disabilities who need assistance casting absentee ballots.”
Private plaintiffs brought lawsuits in Ohio (League of Women Voters of Ohio v. LaRose) and Alabama (Alabama State Conference of the NAACP v. Marshall) challenging state laws that restrict how voters with disabilities may receive assistance, or from whom they may receive assistance, in casting an absentee ballot. The Justice Department’s statements of interest confirm that Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act permits voters with disabilities who require assistance to receive that assistance from any person they choose, so long as that person is not an agent of the voter’s employer or union. Allowable assistance includes all action necessary to make their vote effective, including casting an absentee ballot. The department’s statement of interest in Ohio also affirms that Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires public entities provide equal opportunities to vote absentee and allows voters with disabilities to use an assistor of their choice as a reasonable modification.
“Every Ohio resident, disabled or not, has a fundamental right to vote. Ohio residents with disabilities should have the access and assistance they need to exercise that basic right of citizenship,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “The Americans with Disabilities Act ensures that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable modifications to undertake their ability to vote. Our office will continue its work to secure the ADA’s protections for Ohio’s residents.”
“Every citizen has the right to vote without discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama. “It is important that those who have specific information about voter discrimination make that information available to my office, the FBI or the Civil Rights Division. The Justice Department will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting. More information about the ADA and the Justice Department’s enforcement of the rights of people with disabilities is available at www.ada.gov. To learn more about the Civil Rights Division visit www.justice.gov/crt and to report possible violations of federal voting rights laws go to www.civilrights.justice.gov or call toll-free at 800-253-3931.