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31 July 2024
Stockton Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Heroin and Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jose Cruz Ivan Aispuro, 39, of Stockton, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 10 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $42,066 to the United States for conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and the distribution of fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between November 2018 and December 2019, Aispuro and co‑defendant Frank Guzman, of Stockton, conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 1 kilogram of heroin and at least 400 grams of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills containing fentanyl. As part of this conspiracy, Aispuro supplied heroin that Guzman sold to an undercover agent and another person on three occasions and supplied 500 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl that Guzman also sold to the undercover agent. Approximately 4.5 kilograms of heroin and $42,066 in cash were seized from Aispuro’s residence. Approximately 10,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and 2.8 kilograms of heroin were seized from Guzman’s residence.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and the San Joaquin Metropolitan Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer prosecuted the case.
Guzman also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Judge Mendez on Dec. 12, 2023.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Springfield, Illinois Man Sentenced to 135 Months in Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Isaiah Robinson, 40, of the 2100 block of East Monroe Street, was sentenced on July 29, 2024, to 135 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Robinson sold methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine to a confidential source. More specifically, he sold over 15 grams of fentanyl on June 24, 2021, over 30 grams of methamphetamine on July 6, 2021, over 80 grams of methamphetamine on August 3, 2021, and 7 grams of cocaine on September 14, 2021. Robinson later admitted to selling heroin, and agents located over 300 grams of heroin during a search of his residence in September of 2021.
During the hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Sue E. Myerscough found that Robinson was a career offender, having been convicted of both robbery and drug dealing, prior to selling illegal drugs to federal authorities. In determining the sentence, the Court noted that, based upon Robinson’s spotty employment record, that the sale of illicit substances was how he supported himself.
Robinson was indicted in October 2021, and pleaded guilty on February 16, 2024. The defendant has remained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since his initial appearance on September 30, 2021.
The statutory penalties for distribution of over 50 grams of methamphetamine are, not less than ten years in prison, not less than 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment. The statutory penalties distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine are not less than five years in prison, not less than 4 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Central Illinois Enforcement Group, and the Springfield Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs represented the government in the prosecution.
South L.A. Man Arrested on Federal Grand Jury Indictment Alleging Series of Armed Carjackings in L.A. County Last YearRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A South Los Angeles man was arrested today on a nine-count indictment alleging he and three other men carried out a series of armed carjackings in Los Angeles County during a three-week crime spree late last year that resulted in the theft of five vehicles and two large-screen televisions.
Sergio Macias, 22, a.k.a. “Checho,” of South Los Angeles, surrendered to federal law enforcement this morning. His arraignment is scheduled for this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
Macias is the fourth defendant arrested in this case. Also charged and previously arrested are:
- Michael Anthony Fisher, 23, a.k.a. “Ghost,” of Bell;
- Andres Silva Cerrillos, 19, a.k.a. “Ruler,” of Buena Park; and
- Jesse Gutierrez, 19, a.k.a. “Lotto,” of Los Angeles.
All four defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit carjacking and are charged with various counts of carjacking, attempted carjacking, interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), and firearms offenses.
“Violent gun crime tears at the fabric of our community and leaves victims with lasting trauma,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “These arrests and this indictment highlight my office’s determination to use our powerful federal laws to punish those who callously risk the lives of others.”
According to the indictment that a grand jury returned earlier this month, from November 15 to December 9, 2023, the defendant went on a crime spree, mostly carjacking – or attempting to carjack – car owners at gunpoint in Downey, Pico Rivera, Norwalk, and Whittier.
On November 15, 2023, Cerrillos and Gutierrez allegedly stole two large-screen televisions from a Walmart store in South Gate. They also allegedly threatened a store employee with violence as they were fleeing.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant committed a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, the defendants would face a mandatory minimum of seven years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 25 years in federal prison.
Operation Safe Cities establishes strategic enforcement priorities with an emphasis on prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime. Across this region, the most damaging and horrific crimes are committed by a relatively small number of particularly violent individuals. This strategic enforcement approach is expected to increase the number of arrests, prosecutions and convictions of recidivists engaged in the most dangerous conduct. It is designed to improve public safety across the region by targeting crimes involving illicit guns, prohibited persons possessing firearms, or robbery crews that cause havoc and extensive losses to retail establishments.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Downey Police Department are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Colin S. Scott of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
San Bernardino County Man Arrested on Complaint Alleging He Robbed Sheriff’s Deputy of Firearm Then Fired Stolen Gun at VictimRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A Victorville man has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging he stole a service weapon belonging to a San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy responding to a call and then fired that weapon while attacking her, the Justice Department announced today.
Ari Aki Young, 26, is charged with three felonies: one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), one count of using and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of possession of a stolen firearm and stolen ammunition.
Young is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside.
“In responding to a domestic disturbance call and trying to protect defendant’s mother, the victim was met by a defendant who allegedly beat her, robbed her of her service weapon, and shot at her as she ran for her life,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Defendant’s violent assault on a peace officer is completely unacceptable. Our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line for us every day and deserve to be protected from violent attacks such as this one.”
“This vicious attack on a law enforcement deputy while she was attempting to help a victim was inhumane,” said Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Los Angeles Field Division Christopher Bombardiere. “These violent individuals will be held accountable for their merciless attacks. ATF is committed to building cases against the ruthless individuals who have no regard for other’s lives.”
According to an affidavit attached to the complaint, which was filed on July 28, this incident occurred in Victorville on September 4, 2019. That morning, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (SBSD) received a 911 emergency call from Young’s mother pleading with police to remove Young from her home. The victim, a female sheriff’s deputy who weighed 135 pounds, responded to the call – alone.
The victim then attempted to pat Young down for weapons. Young resisted and threatened to headbutt her. Young then forcefully knocked away the deputy’s baton and began to pummel her in the head and face with his fists. A neighbor captured part of the incident on video. While being punched in the face and head, the victim unholstered her weapon and warned that she would shoot. Instead of stopping, Young knocked the victim to the ground and straddled the top of her and grappled with her, trying to take her gun from her.
During the struggle, two rounds discharged from the gun. Young allegedly then ripped the gun from her grip. After he had the gun, Young stood upright, racked the gun, and pointed it at the deputy as she staggered to her feet, pleaded for her life, and tried to sprint away from him, the affidavit alleges. Young then fired a round towards her. In so doing, Young knowingly and willfully robbed the victim of a service weapon and ammunition belonging to SBSD. Young allegedly took the weapon and ammunition, which traveled in interstate commerce, from the victim – an on-duty sheriff’s deputy – by means of actual and threatened force, violence, and fear of immediate and future injury to the victim.
After shooting towards the deputy, Young allegedly kept that gun in his hand, racked it again, and walked towards the additional deputies who had just arrived on scene. Young did not drop the gun. Instead, he fired another round into the air, prompting the deputies to fire at him, wounding him. Young was given immediate medical attention.
The victim suffered severe bruising and was medically retired after the incident.
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted of all charges, Young would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison on the Hobbs Act charge and 10 additional years on each of the remaining two offenses.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Lisa J. Lindhorst of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Rockford Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for the Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man was sentenced today to 60 years in federal prison for producing child pornography.
U.S. District Court Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the sentence on GARY WILSON, 53, and ordered that it be followed by a lifetime of court-supervised release.
Wilson admitted in a plea agreement that between 2016 and 2019 he solicited numerous minor boys online through gaming systems such as Xbox and PlayStation, social media applications, and text messages to produce sexually exploitive images and videos for Wilson’s sexual gratification. Wilson, who had previously been convicted of a sex offense, groomed his victims, gaining their trust through conversations during video games. Eventually Wilson coerced and enticed the children into sending him sexually exploitive images and videos in exchange for gaming codes and money.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Lucas Rothaar, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation.
“Few crimes are as grave as preying upon a vulnerable population and memorializing the sexual abuse of minors,” Deputy Criminal Division Chief Jessica S. Maveus argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Had defendant not been caught by investigating agents (and a minor’s parent), defendant would have continued in his pursuit to sexually exploit minors for his own sexual gratification.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please click here.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Ridgeview Man Sentenced for Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Ridgeview, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on July 29, 2024.
Arthur Butcher, 37, was sentenced to seven and a half years in federal prison on each count, to run concurrently, followed by three years of supervised release on each count, to run concurrently, $2,860 in restitution, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Arthur Butcher was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2023. He pleaded guilty on May 6, 2024.
The convictions stem from Butcher assaulting his ex-wife and a Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services officer on May 29, 2023. The officer responded to a residence on the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation following a report of an assault occurring inside the home. The officer found Butcher in a bedroom lying on top of his ex-wife with a knife in his hand. After the officer told Butcher to get off the woman, Butcher kicked a taser out of the officer’s hand and charged at him with the knife. Butcher stabbed the officer in an area of his chest protected by body armor and pushed the officer onto a couch, where the officer kicked Butcher back and fired three shots at Butcher, who was struck and then dropped the knife. Medical aid was provided to Butcher, and he survived. Prior to the officer’s arrival, Butcher had strangled his ex-wife, hit and kicked her multiple times, dragged her around the residence by her hair, threatened her life, and cut her with a knife. Butcher caused multiple injuries to his ex-wife, including extensive bruising on her face and body, severe bruising around her neck, and lacerations to her forehead and neck.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Butcher was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Railroad contractors indicted for obtaining and selling stolen watchesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Two Texas men made their initial appearances after a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment on charges related to stolen merchandise.
According to court documents, Gerald Ditz, 31, and Michael Alaniz, 35, both of El Paso, Texas, are charged with one count of conspiracy to transport stolen property, one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, one count of mail and wire fraud conspiracy, and one count of mail fraud.
Between May 2023 and May 2024, Ditz and Alaniz are accused of using their employment at a freight-contracting company that serves a train station in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, to unlawfully obtain Garmin brand watches that were in transit to Garmin’s warehouse in Olathe, Kansas. Ditz and Alaniz allegedly sold dozens of the stolen Garmin watches over the Internet to unwitting buyers.
According to the indictment, in addition to the watches allegedly associated with or sold by Ditz and Alaniz, other watches stolen from the Garmin shipping container have registrations that appear to be connected to more than a dozen individuals (approximately fifteen percent of the workforce) assigned or formerly assigned at the Santa Teresa train station.
Ditz made his initial court appearance on July 29, 2024, before a Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Texas. Alaniz made his initial court appearance July 30, 2024, before a Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Texas.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan J. Huschka is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Prior Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Possession and Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Shaun Edward McBay, 51, of Freeport, Florida, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.
“Methamphetamine distribution is a scourge on large and small communities of our district,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “With our dedicated law enforcement partners, we are committed to identifying and aggressively prosecuting those who threaten our citizens’ health and safety by distributing such addictive, controlled substances. This sentence acknowledges the defendant’s continued criminal conduct and sends a straightforward message that there are real and severe consequences for federal firearm and drug offenses.”
On April 9, 2023, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s deputies seized 565 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine from McBay during a traffic stop in Destin, Florida. Eight days later, on April 17, 2023, Walton County Sheriff’s Office investigators executed a state search warrant at McBay’s residence in Freeport, Florida. During the search, investigators located and seized 16 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia including digital scales and baggies used for drug distribution, 7 firearms and 146 rounds of ammunition.
McBay’s prison sentence will be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
“Meth distribution doesn’t just devastate individuals. It devastates communities,” said Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden. Every time we partner together to take a meth dealer like Shaun McBay off our streets, we score a victory for the overall health, safety, and quality of life of our entire region.”
“I cannot stress enough the importance of good partnerships and how those translate into successful investigations, arrests, and prosecutions,” said Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson. “The result is getting dangerous drugs off the streets before they poison our community.”
“Our partnerships with local sheriff’s offices, and our state and federal partners make arrests like this one possible,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “This person peddled dangerous substances that rip apart families and communities. Through our joint efforts we were able to take him off the streets.”
This sentencing resulted from the collaborative investigations of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and others with the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Task Force (HIDTA). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan Love.
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.
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Violent Carjackings of Two Food Delivery Drivers, One of Whom Died from His InjuriesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that John Nusslein, 20, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge John M. Younge to 300 months’ imprisonment, five years of supervised release, restitution of $5,300, and a $300 special assessment, in connection with the carjackings of two food delivery drivers in Northeast Philadelphia during November and December of 2021.
Nusslein was charged by indictment in June 2022, and on April 2, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit carjacking, one count of carjacking resulting in death, and one count of carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury.
The defendant and others committed two carjackings during the course of the conspiracy that took place between November 29, 2021, and December 29, 2021. The incidents detailed are as follows:
• On December 2, 2021, Nusslein and two others placed a food delivery order to an address on the 3000 block of Teesdale Street in Philadelphia, as a ruse to lure their intended victim to that location. At approximately 7:00 p.m., when C.C., a food delivery driver, arrived at that location, Nusslein, Person 1, and Person 2 approached C.C. and struck him repeatedly to facilitate the taking of C.C.’s vehicle, a 2004 Toyota Camry. Nusslein, Person 1, and Person 2 then fled the area in C.C.’s stolen Toyota Camry. C.C. was later taken to the hospital by first responders. On December 21, 2021, C.C. succumbed to his injuries and the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the cause of death was the assault that C.C. sustained during the carjacking.
• On December 16, 2021, Nusslein and Person 1 placed a food delivery order to an address on the 9000 block of Hilspach Street in Philadelphia, as a ruse to lure their intended victim to that location. At approximately 9:10 p.m., when W.Z., a food delivery driver, arrived at that location, Nusslein and Person 1 approached W.Z., pointed a firearm at him, demanded his money, and struck him to facilitate the taking of W.Z.’s vehicle, a 2015 Infiniti QX5. Nusslein and Person 1 then fled the area in W.Z.’s stolen Infiniti QX5.
“A man just trying to make a living lost his life, because John Nusslein wanted his car,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Another man was brutally assaulted for the same reason. Such senseless violence demands a strong response on behalf of the victims and the community. Our Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force will continue to work these cases and seek significant sentences to get dangerous criminals off the street. A 20-year-old young man serving 25 years in prison sends a clear message that choosing to commit a carjacking can have life-changing ramifications.”
“This perpetrator’s intentional and brutal acts for nothing more than to rob and steal their unsuspecting victims’ cars is reprehensible,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Eric DeGree. “This case is a reminder that carjacking is deadly dangerous and a serious federal crime with lengthy prison sentences. ATF Philadelphia Field Division will continue our diligent work with our partners in the Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force and sharing ATF’s unique forensic and investigative tools, to ensure justice for the victims and to make our communities safer.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren E. Stram and Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Multiple Victims, Including a MinorRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Kevin L. Smith, 29, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Karen Spencer Marston to 23 years’ imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release for sex trafficking multiple victims, one of them a minor.
On December 2, 2023, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking of a minor, and three counts of sex trafficking by force, threats of force, coercion and attempt.
The charges stemmed from Smith’s operation of a sex trafficking ring in Philadelphia and the surrounding region, including Bucks and Delaware counties. In September 2019, Smith knowingly harbored, maintained, and advertised a minor, knowing the minor would be caused to engage in a commercial sex act. The defendant also operated a sex trafficking enterprise at various times over a period of two years from July 2015 to July 2017, during which he used physical threats to force two young women to have sex for money.
“Smith’s sexual exploitation of his victims was horrific,” said U.S Attorney Romero. “May those victims take some comfort, and find some measure of justice, in the lengthy prison sentence he’ll now be serving. Our office, alongside the FBI and our other partners, is working every day to put away these predatory sex traffickers who for some reason feel entitled to treat vulnerable young people as their personal property.”
“Sex trafficking, especially when it involves a minor, is one of the most heinous crimes we investigate,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The sentencing of Kevin Smith is not just a testament to the diligent investigative work conducted by the FBI and our law enforcement partners, but reaffirms our mission of protecting innocent victims from exploitation.”
This case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
The case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division (CID), the Bensalem Police Department, the Media Borough Police Department, the Tinicum Township Police Department, and the Philadelphia Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Jones and Assistant United States Attorney Priya T. DeSouza.
Pensacola Tax Preparer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Preparing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Wesner Jean-Pierre, 33, of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced to 26 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to charges of preparing false tax returns. The sentence was by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“The United States and its citizens rely on the payment of taxes to defend our country and maintain its operations,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Efforts to steal from hardworking American taxpayers – here by a corrupt tax preparer – will result in swift and significant sanctions.”
Between 2015 and 2019, Jean-Pierre, owner of WJP Financial Services, LLC., a tax preparation business in Pensacola, prepared and filed approximately 1,949 false tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service for various clients. Jean-Pierre falsely represented the taxpayers’ income, deductions, credits, and the refund due, to steal funds from the American taxpayers for his gain.
Jean-Pierre’s prison sentence will be followed by 1 year of supervised release and he was ordered to pay $830,840.00 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
“Clients place special trust in their tax preparers, who have a duty to prepare their clients’ returns accurately and in compliance with the law,” said Ronald A. Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS CI’s Tampa Field Office. “Mr. Jean-Pierre is now paying the price for violating that trust for his own personal gain. This sentencing should serve as a warning to those tax preparers who choose to line their own pockets rather than do what’s best for their clients.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Niobrara Ford Dealership Sentenced in Relation to Clean Air Act ViolationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Moody Motor Co., Inc., located in Niobrara, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 31, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for accessory after the fact to a Clean Air Act violation. United States District Court Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Moody Motor Co., Inc. to a 1-year term of probation, a fine in the amount of $ 39,741.95, and a $125 special assessment.
Moody Motor Co., Inc. is a certified Ford dealership located in Niobrara. In addition to selling new and used vehicles, Moody Motor Co., Inc. has a vehicle service department. Moody Motor Co., Inc. has been in operation since 1955.
In January 2022, Environmental Protection Agency – Criminal Investigations Division (EPA-CID) received information stemming from an investigation in Dallas, Texas involving Diesel Performance of Texas (DPTX). DPTX sold tuners and delete kits which are products used to modify exhaust systems in violation of the Clean Air Act. An employee of DPTX had supplied Moody Motor Co., Inc. with these products. DPTX sold Moody Motors these products approximately 14 times between April 2019 and January 31, 2022.
On April 28, 2022, EPA-CID executed a search warrant at Moody Motor Co., Inc. and interviewed multiple employees. The employees admitted to performing aftermarket delete and tune work. One of the mechanics estimated that they had installed delete devices on approximately 10-20 vehicles. The mechanic confirmed that the tunes used were purchased from DPTX. One truck that Moody Motor Co., Inc. installed a delete device on was identified and was owned by a relative of one of the employees. Moody Motor Co., Inc.’s employees stated that they did this because the truck was a trade in that needed a lot of work done on it to include having sensors out and that this was easier than replacing the sensors. They did install a straight pipe and an EGR block on the truck. The owner of the truck was contacted and agreed to bring the truck in to be inspected by EPA-CID who confirmed that the emissions control system had been illegally modified and the invoice reflected that the delete tune had been purchased from DPTX.
This case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency – Criminal Investigation Division.
Niles Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Gun Linked to Prior ShootingsRead the Press Release
Prosecution Part of a Larger Effort to Disrupt String of Gang-Related, Retaliatory Shootings
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN— U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Lawrence Edward Slaughter II, 20, of Niles, was sentenced to 42 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm that was connected to shootings and modified to a fully automatic weapon. This prosecution was part of an enforcement operation aimed at disrupting a string of gang-related retaliatory shootings in Niles, which had killed two individuals and injured several more.
“From large cities to small towns like Niles, Michigan, we are laser-focused on stopping the few individuals – like Mr. Slaughter – who are driving gun violence in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Safety is a civil right. Every person, regardless of their zip code, deserves to live their life, walk their neighborhood, and play in the park free from the fear of violence and gunfire. We will not stop until this right is a reality for everyone.”
On September 23, 2022, law enforcement received information that members of the Pop Out Gang of Niles, Michigan, were planning a retaliatory shooting for the recent deaths of two individuals. In particular, law enforcement learned that members of the gang planned to use firearms and ammunition located at the home of Mr. Slaughter, who was on state probation for tampering with evidence, concealing a weapon, and assaulting a police officer.
After receiving this information, law enforcement accompanied probation officers from the Michigan Department of Corrections on a probation compliance check. The search located firearms inside a roommate’s bedroom. Underneath the bed, they found a Glock 9mm handgun and an AR rifle with a full “P Mag” that holds approximately 100 rounds of ammunition.
The search also located two additional pistols in the bedroom closet. One of these pistols was a 9mm Glock pistol that DNA evidence connected to Mr. Slaughter. The pistol had an illegal machinegun conversion device attached. This device, often referred to as a “switch,” allows a shooter to spray bullets with a single pull of the trigger and inflict staggering harm. Moreover, the gun was a crime gun linked to four prior shootings that occurred in South Bend, Indiana. A “crime gun” is any gun previously fired in the commission of a crime. These guns are often passed around inside and outside of groups, especially after a shooting.
As recently announced, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is running a summer program with other law enforcement partners focused on firearms offenders who carry crime guns.
“The Niles Police Department, and the citizens of Niles, are happy to see this case concluded with the responsible individual receiving a just punishment for their crimes, and another illegal gun taken off the streets,” said Niles Public Safety Director James Millin. “The Niles Police Department remains committed to working with our citizens, as well as local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, in order to ensure our communities are safer for all.”
“The combined efforts of the Niles Police Department and the FBI contributed to the successful conviction and sentencing of one the most violent offenders, who possessed an illegal firearm and conversion device within this community,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Michigan. “Those who commit crimes, especially involving firearms which can cause serious bodily injury and/or death, will be investigated and arrested by members of the FBI and our law enforcement partners."
The previous press release, press conference footage, and indictment can be viewed here. Government documents filed as part of sentencing and providing further details are attached.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney LaToyia Carpenter and investigated by the Niles Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).
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New York Man Charged with Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Matthew Ronk, age 50, a resident of Hancock, New York, was charged yesterday by a federal grand jury with attempted online enticement, attempted transfer of obscene materials to a minor, interstate travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, and commission of a sex offense by a registered sex offender.
According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Ronk used the internet and an electronic device to attempt to persuade a person who he believed to be 13 years old to engage in sexual conduct and traveled from New York to the Middle District of Pennsylvania to do so. The indictment further alleges that on one occasion, Ronk transmitted obscene material to a person he believed to be 13 years old to further attempt to entice a child to engage in sexual conduct. It is alleged that at the time of the offenses, Ronk was a registered sex offender.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations—Scranton, the Kingston Police Department, and the Wyoming Area Regional Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the crimes charged in the Indictment is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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New Jersey Man Indicted for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jose Colon, age 50, of Bloomfield, New Jersey, was indicted on July 30, 2024, by a federal grand jury on three counts of production of child pornography.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Colon communicated with multiple minor victims who he enticed into creating images of themselves engaged in sexually explicit activity and then directed them to send those images to him via cellphone.
The case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Honora Berti is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is thirty years imprisonment as to each count, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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New Albany Man Sentenced to Twenty Months in Federal Prison for Stealing over $1.2 Million from his EmployerRead the Press Release
NEW ALBANY- Caleb Keller, 38, of New Albany, Indiana has been sentenced to 20 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to wire fraud and money laundering.
According to court documents, Keller began working for his employer in 2011, soon after graduating college. Between April 2017 and June 2021, Keller created and submitted 101 false and fraudulent invoices to his former employer through his side business, Polyglot Developers. After arranging for his employer to contract with Polyglot, he created two fictitious employees, “Matt Pearson” and “Grant Miller.” He then drafted false invoices that billed his employer for services allegedly performed by the two fake employees.
For example, on April 29, 2019, Keller submitted a $19,940 invoice to his employer for services allegedly rendered by four employees, including $15,200 for services allegedly rendered by the two fictitious employees. When an executive at his employer became suspicious of the fake employees and demanded a meeting with “Matt Pearson,” Keller pretended to be Pearson on a Zoom call by using a video filter. During the meeting, it became obvious that Pearson was not real and that the person purporting to be Pearson was actually Keller. Following the meeting, Keller was fired and his employer’s relationship with Polyglot was terminated.
In April 2022, Keller was interviewed by law enforcement investigators and insisted that Pearson and Miller were actual employees who provided services to his employer. In July 2022, Keller was interviewed again and admitted that the purported employees were fake and that he had impersonated Pearson on the Zoom call.
Due to this years’ long scheme, Keller’s employer was deceived into paying Keller approximately $1,210,120 for work they believed was completed by fictitious employees of Keller’s business. Keller used the fraudulently obtained money to pay for personal expenses.
“Trusted employees can cause tremendous harm to a business when they exploit their positions to steal and cover it up,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Protecting Hoosiers and Hoosier businesses from fraud is a top priority for federal law enforcement. Thanks to the efforts of the FBI, IRS-CI, and our federal prosecutor, this criminal has been accountable for his actions. The federal prison sentence imposed here should be a warning to would-be fraudsters that economic crimes can lead to paying a very serious price.”
“The defendant betrayed the trust of his company through his deceit and web of lies for his personal gain and this sentence sends a clear message that there are consequences for such greed,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI is committed to continuing to root out these white-collar criminals and ensure they are held accountable.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message: those who engage in wire fraud and money laundering schemes will be held accountable,” said Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Our dedicated special agents worked tirelessly to uncover this long-running scheme, and this outcome underscores our commitment to bringing justice to individuals like Caleb Keller, who exploit and defraud their employers. IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue and prosecute those who violate the trust placed in them, ensuring that financial crimes do not go unpunished.”
The FBI and IRS-CI investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Keller pay $1,210,120 in restitution to the victim business.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who prosecuted this case.
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More than a Dozen Individuals Indicted in Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a 21-count indictment against 13 individuals for drug trafficking offenses. The indictment alleges that beginning in January 2016, 13 individuals engaged in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute large quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine.
Ten defendants were arraigned in federal court today:
Quincey Jackson, 40, of Columbia
Timothy Gayton, 32, of Rock Hill
Elijah Rhodes, 42, of Columbia
Desane Washington, 19, of Summerton
Shane Bennett, 32, of Summerton
Byron Canty, 35, of Rowesville
James Croslen, Jr., 48, of Summerton
Kenneth Robinson, 46, of Columbia
Clifton Mickles, 43, of Rock Hill
Richard Ragin, 46, of Columbia
Three defendants remain at large.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), FBI Columbia Field Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Marshals Service, Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, City of Columbia Police Department, and Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Major is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Monroe County Man Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Nester, age 54, of Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking and firearm offenses.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Nester with possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm on June 19, 2024, in Monroe County.
The matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Pocono Mountain Regional Police, and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney James M. Buchanan is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Mitchell Man Sentenced for Falsification of Union Financial ReportsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jacob Wilkins, age 43, of Mitchell, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 31, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for two counts of falsification of annual financial reports filed by a labor union. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Wilkins to 5 years’ probation. Wilkins will also have to serve 10 weekends in jail. Wilkins has also been ordered to pay $21,381.82 in restitution to the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 1836. Prior to sentencing, Wilkins paid $2,316.39 in restitution back to the union.
Wilkins served as president of the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 1836 union out of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, from 2001 until he resigned in August 2021. As the union’s president, Wilkins was required by Federal law to keep bank statements and supporting documentation such as receipts and invoices that would justify spending union money. The president and secretary-treasurer annually file an accounting statement with the Department of Labor documenting annual losses, assets, liabilities, receipts, and disbursements.
Between 2016 and 2020, Wilkins used union funds for personal expenses totaling $23,698.21. The embezzlement came to light in 2021 when other union members noticed union funds being used for expenses that were not approved by the union, and that were not union-related purchases. Wilkins admitted he used union funds for personal expenses, could not remember how he spent cash withdrawals from the union checking account, and admitted he did not obtain consent from union members before spending union money. Wilkins admitted he stopped keeping records showing how he used union funds as of 2010.
“There are consequences for individuals who breach the trust placed in them to be good stewards of union funds. Jacob Wilkins embezzled $23,698.21 from National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 1836 that should have been used for its members’ benefit,” said Christiane Abendroth, District Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. “OLMS is committed to hold accountable anyone who unlawfully exploits their position for financial gain at the expense of their fellow union members.”
This case was investigated by U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards.
Mississippi Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Counterfeiting ChargesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Bryan Lyndell Chapman (26, Mississippi) has pleaded guilty to manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Chapman faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the counterfeiting charge, up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the firearm charge, and payment of restitution to the victims he defrauded. As part of the plea agreement, Chapman has agreed to forfeit a Bushmaster pistol, ammunition, and a printer, all traceable to his offenses. Chapman was arrested on February 26, 2024, and ordered detained. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 26, 2024.
According to court documents, in late 2023 into January 2024, Chapman traveled from Tennessee to Florida. During his trip, he manufactured counterfeit Federal Reserve notes and passed them at various businesses. On January 17, 2024, a member of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) investigated a vehicle occupied by Chapman. During the investigation, the CCSO located inside the vehicle a loaded firearm, ammunition, equipment for manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes, 78 counterfeit $20 bills, and 35 pages of incomplete counterfeit bills with only the front of a $20 bill printed on it. The CCSO subsequently determined that Chapman was out on bond for a felony firearm charge pending in Mississippi and had previously been convicted in Tennessee of felony aggravated assault. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office, and the United States Secret Service – Jacksonville Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
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.
Mexican man imprisoned for attempting to enter U.S. with hundreds of child pornography videos and imagesRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 29-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Juan Manuel Garza-Fuentes pleaded guilty Feb. 6.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Garza-Fuentes to serve 78 months in federal prison. Garza was further ordered to serve 35 years of supervised release following the completion of his prison term, during which time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Garza-Fuentes was further ordered to pay $13,000 in restitution and a $3,000 special assessment. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
The investigation began in July 2023 after Garza-Fuentes attempted to make entry into the United States through the Brownsville and Matamoros Port of Entry. Authorities conducted a forensic analysis of Garza-Fuentes’ cell phone and discovered 255 videos and 170 images of child pornography.
Garza-Fuentes will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
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.
Memphis Man Sentenced to over 25 Years in Federal Prison for Hobbs Act RobberyRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Malik Motley, 25, of Memphis, has been sentenced to 303 months in federal prison after being convicted of a Hobbs Act robbery committed in October 2021. Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to the information presented in court, on October 3, 2021, Motley entered a Memphis-area Dollar General store with a black mask covering his face. Instead of paying for items that he placed on the counter, Motley pulled a silver handgun from his pants and demanded money from the register. The cashier was unable to open the cash register, and Motley shot her in the face at point blank range, grabbed items from the counter and fled the store.
Motley was arrested two days later in an abandoned house. During a search of Motley’s residence, officers located the clothing he wore during the robbery and a silver Smith & Wesson .357 revolver. The gun was loaded with three live rounds of ammunition.
In October 2023, Motley pled guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. On July 20, 2024, United States District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes sentenced Motley to 303 months in federal prison for the crimes and ordered him to serve five years of supervised release after his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Memphis Police Department.
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Raney Irwin, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Maryland Woman Pleads Guilty for Role in Million Dollar Fraud Scheme at New Orleans Marine Forces Reserve FacilityRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that KAMILA HORAKOVA DUDLEY (“DUDLEY”), age 43, of Silver Spring, Maryland, pled guilty on July 30, 2024, before United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry to misprision of a felony, namely, wire fraud, in violation of Title18, United States Code, Section 4.
According to court documents, DUDLEY was employed by Company A from September 2008 through March 2023; and, from March 2017 through November 2018, she served as Company A’s office manager. As Company A’s office manager, DUDLEY, among other things, prepared and submitted Company A’s invoices for payment.
In approximately March 2017, Company A subcontracted with Company B to provide onsite support services at the Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES) facility in New Orleans, Louisiana. Company A, by and through multiple employees, committed wire fraud by knowingly submitting materially false invoices to Company B, knowing that Company B would, in turn, present the false information to the United States for payment. From March 2017 through November 2018, Company A billed the United States, through Company B, for services not provided. The fraudulent invoices included the names of Company A’s executives, who performed no work at MARFORRES. The fraudulent invoices also included the names of certain individuals who worked full-time on a separate contract at a separate facility and, thus, performed no work at MARFORRES. Because neither Company B nor the United States was aware of the fraudulent nature of the invoices, Company A was paid approximately $1,300,000 under the subcontract.
Despite having knowledge of these events, that constituted wire fraud, DUDLEY did not make known the information and, further, attempted to conceal it. For example, on or about October 31, 2017, DUDLEY was notified by one of her colleagues that Company A’s cost submissions contained the names of individuals who worked on a separate contract and who performed no work at MARFORRES. DUDLEY did not make that information known, including the fact that prior invoices containing those names were false and fraudulent. DUDLEY resumed the preparation and submission of Company A’s invoices, removed only the challenged names, and concealed the fraudulent nature of the earlier submissions.
DUDLEY faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three (3) years, up to a $250,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release, a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, and restitution to the United States Department of the Navy for her conduct. Sentencing has been scheduled before Judge Guidry on October 29, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the special agents of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and members of the Defense Contract Audit Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andre Lagarde of the Public Integrity Unit.
Man who robbed postal carrier at gunpoint sentenced to 90 months in prisonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Lamarion Gray, 19, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to seven and one-half years in prison for the armed robbery of a United States postal carrier last summer. Gray is one of more than a dozen defendants charged in the Southern District of Ohio since 2022 with crimes related to postal robberies.
Court documents say Gray approached a letter carrier delivering mail on foot on the afternoon of July 12, 2023. Gray brandished a firearm, pointed it at the letter carrier, and demanded that she turn over her keys. After the letter carrier gave Gray the keys, Gray fled on foot. Inspectors canvassed the neighborhood, talked with neighbors, and found surveillance footage showing Gray going into his girlfriend’s residence.
Inspectors executed a search warrant at Gray’s residence. They recovered large amounts of stolen mail, including many stolen checks. Gray pleaded guilty on March 1, 2024, to one count of robbery of U.S. property.
“This case is part of a series of mail thefts and bank frauds that have victimized the Greater Cincinnati area over the past few years,” said Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “Armed assault on a postal worker has a significant, negative impact on all letter carriers, and eventually on everyone in the community who relies on the U.S. Postal Service.”
Gray’s sentence includes five years of supervised release after he completes his time in prison, and $14,176 in restitution to the victim.
Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division; and Colerain Township Police Chief Edwin C. Cordie III joined Mr. Parker in announcing the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case.
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Man Sentenced for Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
A Maryland man was sentenced yesterday to 17 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor.
According to court documents, beginning as early as 2011, Paul Francis Blaisse, 65, of Walkersville, engaged in live video chats on the internet with minor children who were engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Blaisse sent nearly 100,000 messages to hundreds of individuals on video chat sites who offered access to minor children via webcam. During these chats, Blaisse discussed his sexual interest in children and distributed child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The Frederick County, Maryland, Sheriff’s Office identified Blaisse after receiving a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an individual using an IP address associated with Blaisse’s residence uploaded CSAM to a video chat account.
In October 2018, Blaisse used Skype, an online video chat application, to entice a minor child in the Philippines to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Blaisse used screen recording software to create CSAM. Records of Blaisse’s Skype activity show that he communicated with an adult in the Philippines who arranged for the minor child to participate in a video chat with Blaisse. FBI agents interviewed the minor child, who stated that the person paid them to do a sexually explicit show on Skype for a “foreigner.” In addition to these chats, Blaisse’s electronic devices contained hundreds of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including prepubescent minors.
Blaisse was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to pay over $83,000 in restitution to his victims. After his release from prison, Blaisse will be required to register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland; State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith III of Frederick County; and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office made the announcement.
The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, and Justice Department’s High Technology Investigative Unit investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Eduardo Palomo of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Aubin for the District of Maryland, and Chief Counsel Joyce King of the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Louisville Pediatrician Sentenced to 12 years in Federal Prison on Attempted Murder-for-Hire and Aiding and Abetting Interstate Stalking ChargesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY –Stephanie M. Russell was sentenced today on two counts of a federal indictment charging her with using a facility in interstate commerce, or causing another person to travel in interstate commerce, in the attempted murder-for-hire of her ex-husband, as well as aiding and abetting interstate stalking of her ex-husband.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
According to court records, Stephanie Russell, 53, a pediatrician in Louisville was sentenced to 10 years on the attempted murder-for-hire charge and 2 years on the interstate stalking charge, with the sentences to run consecutively for a total sentence of 12 years. Russell’s term of imprisonment will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. In addition, Russell was ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $10,000.
Russell, a pediatrician, owned and ran KidzLife Pediatrics in Norton Commons, in Louisville, Kentucky. Beginning in July 2021, Russell caused another to travel in interstate commerce, and used a telephone, a facility of interstate commerce, with the intent that the murder of her former husband, R.C., be committed in violation of the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and offered to pay for that murder.
In July 2021, during a contentious custody battle with her ex-husband, R.C., Russell began soliciting multiple KidzLife employees, asking if they knew someone who would be willing to kill R.C. In the spring of 2022, the FBI was notified of Russell’s solicitations, and began an investigation. As part of that investigation, a cooperating witness provided Russell with the telephone number of a purported hitman from the Chicago area. That hitman was an FBI Special Agent working undercover. Beginning on May 15, 2022, Russell had several recorded telephone conversations with the purported hitman. In one call, Russell and the purported hitman had the following exchange:
Hitman: Obviously you want [R.C.] killed, right, . . . ?
Russell: I want him to be completely gone from my life, yes . . . .
Hitman: Well I mean that can be in the Bahamas, but I don’t think we’re talking a vacation away. I think we’re talking in the ground.
Russell: I mean, do you like, do they disappear? Do you like shoot them on the road? Like what happens? Or should I just not know?
Hitman: It really depends on, I mean, price dictates. That’s just how that goes. The more work I got to do, the more it’s going to cost you, but it could be, do you want it to look like a suicide? Do you want it to . . .
Russell: Yes, that would be amazing.
Russell ultimately agreed to pay the purported hitman $7,000, with half due up front. On May 18, 2022, Russell was caught on surveillance video leaving $3,500 in a specimen box outside the KidzLife building for the hitman to retrieve. The purported hitman drove to Louisville from Illinois and was videotaped as he picked up the payment. The FBI arrested Russell the next day.
Further, according to court documents and evidence presented at the change of plea hearing, between December 1, 2018, and August 9, 2019, during custody litigation, Russell, aided and abetted by J.S., a person who traveled to Louisville from Michigan, engaged in conduct that caused and attempted to cause her former husband substantial emotional distress, and Russell did so with the intent to harass and intimidate him. Specifically, Russell encouraged J.S. to harass R.C., and she provided J.S. with a burner phone to use while doing so. The harassing conduct included visiting R.C.’s office unannounced, pretending to be a WAVE-3 reporter and leaving R.C. accusatory voicemails from the phone provided by Russell on R.C.’s phone, entering R.C.’s garage and leaving a note inside the garage pretending to be a reporter writing a derogatory story that could involve R.C., and leaving fliers, with R.C.’s photograph and other personal identifying information, on cars at R.C.’s office. The fliers contained defamatory allegations of misconduct and were intended to be viewed by R.C.’s co-workers, supervisors, and potentially clients.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The FBI investigated the case, with assistance from the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa Ford and David Weiser prosecuted the case, with assistance from paralegal specialists Adela Alic and Carissa Moss.
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Leader of Tech Support Fraud Scheme Sentenced to Seven Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that VINOTH PONMARAN was sentenced to seven years in prison for participating in a fraud conspiracy that exploited elderly victims by remotely accessing their computers and convincing victims to pay for computer support services that they did not need and which were never actually provided. In total, the conspiracy generated more than $6 million in criminal proceeds from at least approximately 6,500 victims. PONMARAN previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Vinoth Ponmaran was a leader of a sophisticated fraud scheme that preyed on over 6,000 victims, including the elderly. This conspiracy caused pop-up windows to appear on victims’ computers—pop-up windows which claimed, falsely, that a virus had infected the victim’s computer. Through this and other misrepresentations, Ponmaran's fraud scheme deceived his many victims, including some of society’s most vulnerable members, into paying a total of more than $6 million. Today’s sentence sends a clear message: those who exploit the vulnerable for financial gain will pay a heavy price.”
According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Information, court filings, and statements made in court, including during PONMARAN’s plea proceeding and sentencing:
From approximately March 2015 through July 2018, PONMARAN was a member of a criminal fraud ring (the “Fraud Ring”) based in the U.S. and India that committed a technical support fraud scheme targeting elderly victims located across the U.S. and Canada, including in the Southern District of New York. The Fraud Ring’s primary objective was to trick victims into believing that their computers were infected with malware in order to deceive them into paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for phony computer repair services. Over the course of the conspiracy, the Fraud Ring generated more than $6 million in proceeds from at least 6,500 victims.
The scheme generally worked as follows. First, the Fraud Ring caused pop-up windows to appear on victims’ computers. The pop-up windows claimed, falsely, that a virus had infected the victims’ computers. The pop-up windows directed the victims to call a particular telephone number to obtain technical support. In at least some instances, the pop-up windows threatened victims that, if they restarted or shut down their computer, it could “cause serious damage to the system,” including “complete data loss.” In an attempt to give the false appearance of legitimacy, in some instances the pop-up windows included, without authorization, the corporate logo of a well-known, legitimate technology company. In fact, no virus had infected victims’ computers, and the technical support phone numbers in the pop-up windows were not associated with the legitimate technology company. Rather, these representations were false and were designed to trick victims into paying the Fraud Ring to “fix” a problem that did not exist. And while the purported “virus” was a hoax, the pop-up windows themselves did cause various victims’ computers to completely “freeze,” thereby preventing these victims from accessing the data and files in their computer—which caused some victims to call the phone number listed in the pop-up windows. In exchange for victims’ payment of several hundred or thousand dollars (depending on the precise “service” victims purchased), the purported technicians remotely accessed the victim’s computers and ran an anti-virus tool, which is free and available on the Internet.
PONMARAN was an India-based leader of the Fraud Ring. Among other things, PONMARAN managed a call center in India that was used to provide purported computer repair services to victims of the scheme. PONMARAN also recruited co-conspirators in the U.S. to register fraudulent corporate entities and open bank accounts that were used to receive fraud proceeds from victims of the scheme. PONMARAN also laundered fraud proceeds in multiple ways, including by directing co-conspirators to wire fraud proceeds to accounts in India and the U.S.
* * *
In addition to his prison sentence, PONMARAN, 36, a citizen of India, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and forfeiture of $6,110,884.51.
PONMARAN’s co-defendants, Romana Leyva and Ariful Haque, were both sentenced by Judge Paul A. Crotty in 2022, following their respective guilty pleas. Leyva was sentenced to 100 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and she was ordered to forfeit $4,679,586.93 and to pay restitution of $2,707,882.91. Haque was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and three years of supervised release, and he was ordered to forfeit $38,886.32 and to pay restitution of $470,672.16.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the New York Office of the Homeland Security Investigations’s El Dorado Task Force, Cyber Intrusion/Cyber Fraud Group. Mr. Williams also thanked the New York City Police Department for its assistance on this case.
This matter is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Neff is in charge of the prosecution.
Lakeland Man Sentenced to More Than 3 Years for Bringing Loaded Firearm into Tampa International Airport TerminalRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Abraham Othman Yacoub (26, Lakeland) to three years and six months in federal prison for violating airport security requirements and attempted possession of a dangerous weapon on an aircraft. Yacoub entered a guilty plea on April 10, 2024.
According to the court records, on August 4, 2023, Yacoub arrived at Tampa International Airport to board a flight to Las Vegas, Nevada. Yacoub entered the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening line and placed his backpack, shoes, and other personal items into a TSA bin before proceeding through TSA screening.
The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Rules and Regulations for Tampa International Airport state that “[n]o person except those persons authorized by law may carry a firearm or concealed weapon inside the passenger terminal and sterile areas of the airport…” Further, the airport has clearly posted no-firearms signs at the entry of every airport security line.
TSA electronically screened Yacoub’s items with an x-ray machine and observed a firearm inside of Yacoub’s bag. While TSA agents were attempting to locate the bag containing the firearm, Yacoub took his bag from the conveyor belt and proceeded to the nearest men’s restroom. Once in the restroom, Yacoub removed the firearm from his backpack, wrapped it in toilet paper, and hid it in a trashcan.
A short time later, Yacoub exited the men’s restroom and returned to the TSA screening area, still holding his backpack, where he was met by a TSA agent. TSA agents rescreened Yacoub’s backpack and questioned Yacoub who lied to TSA agents and told them that he had not brought a firearm into the airport. The airport terminal had to be evacuated of passengers and numerous flights were delayed.
The Tampa Airport Police Department (TPA PD) responded to the screening area, questioned Yacoub, and searched the men’s restroom that Yacoub had entered. Inside a trashcan in the bathroom, TSA and TPA PD officers located a black firearm partially wrapped in toilet paper with 14 nine-millimeter rounds of ammunition inside of a magazine loaded into the gun.
Yacoub agreed to forfeit the Glock 19 and assorted ammunition, seized on August 4, 2023, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense.
This is Yacoub’s second time bringing a firearm into a Florida airport. In late 2020, Yacoub brought a firearm into the TSA secured area of an airport in Miami-Dade County. Yacoub pleaded guilty on August 19, 2021, to carrying a concealed firearm for that offense.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Transportation Security Administration, and the Tampa International Airport Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.
Kirkland, Washington, home remodeler pleads guilty to wire fraud for scheme using forged subcontractor invoicesRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 58-year-old Kirkland, Washington, home remodeling contractor pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to wire fraud for his scheme to steal more than $3.5 million from customers using fake invoices, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Joseph D. Bergevin admitted that he forged invoices to steal money from 24 customers who had hired him for their remodeling projects. U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead scheduled sentencing for November 7, 2024.
According to the plea agreement, between 2016 and 2019, Bergevin served as the general contractor on a number of home remodeling projects. As the general contractor, Bergevin was responsible for arranging for subcontractors to do specific work on the project and making sure they got paid. However, during the wire fraud scheme, Bergevin presented his customers with hundreds of forged subcontractor invoices. Bergevin used the names, logos, and other identifying information about the subcontractors to create the false invoices. He then sent them to the customers for payment. Bergevin falsely told the customer that the invoice was for work that had been done or would be done. In some instances, he claimed that by paying “up front” the customer could lock in lower rates for building materials when the work was done.
The false invoices totaled $3,554,054 and went to twenty-four different customers. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Bergevin is responsible for at least $3,554,054 in restitution. Prosecutors will present evidence at sentencing supporting restitution for all the losses caused by the criminal conduct in this scheme.
Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence at the low end of the guidelines range determined by the court. Judge Whitehead is not bound by the recommendation and can impose any sentence allowed by law.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to twenty years in prison.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Kirkland Police Department, and King County Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Dion and Yunah Chung.
Kansas Man Pleads Guilty to Brandishing Gun and Using Death Threats and Racial Slurs to Intimidate Two Black Children and an AdultRead the Press Release
A Kansas man pleaded guilty today to two counts of interference with federally-protected activities, two counts of interstate threats and one count of interference with housing.
Austin Schoemann, 30, of Wichita, admitted during his plea hearing that, on July 27, 2022, he brandished a firearm and used racial slurs in order to threaten two Black juveniles while they were entering a QuikTrip gasoline station, and that he also used his firearm to threaten a Black adult who intervened to support the juveniles.
“This defendant committed serious hate crimes when he used guns and death threats to terrorize two Black children and an adult who came to their aid,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant’s hate-fueled crime spree continued when he made threats to a white woman and her family that he would shoot and kill any Black person visiting her home. Racially-motivated threats and violence, in any form, are unacceptable in our society. The Justice Department is committed to enforcing federal civil rights laws to protect crime victims targeted because of race.”
“Racially based violence and threats of violence should never be tolerated. This reprehensible behavior is illegal and subject to federal criminal prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher for the District of Kansas. “The Justice Department will defend civil rights and prosecute anyone who harasses and threatens people based on their race.”
“There is no place for race-based violence in the state of Kansas,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “Every individual is entitled to the fundamental right to live their lives without fear and intimidation based solely on their race. Today’s plea underscores the FBI’s commitment to investigating and preventing racially motivated crimes. These crimes have a wide-ranging impact and the FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, have no tolerance for these types of threats.”
Schoemann also acknowledged that, beginning in January 2022 and continuing through August 2022, he interfered with the federally protected housing rights of a white woman by making threats to hurt or kill any Black people who visited her home. Schoemann further admitted that he sent videos and messages to the woman’s family members and others in which he repeatedly threatened to shoot and kill Black people.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 16. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Schoemann faces a penalty of 63 to 84 months in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Kansas City Field Office and Wichita Police investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Thomas Johnson of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchase of Firearm Found After Mass Shooting at Super Bowl RallyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to the illegal straw purchase of a firearm recovered at the scene of the mass shooting at Union Station during the celebration of the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory on Feb. 14, 2024.
Ronnel Dewayne Williams, Jr., 22, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to one count of conspiracy to make false statements in the acquisition of a firearm.
By pleading guilty today, Williams admitted that he participated in the criminal conspiracy from Nov. 25, 2023, to Feb. 21, 2024. Williams made false statements to a licensed firearms dealer on Nov. 25, 2023, claiming he was the actual buyer of a Stag Arms lower receiver, which was intended to deceive the dealer into making the sale to Williams. Firearm receivers, or frames, house the firing mechanism and other internal parts of a firearm. The receiver can be loaded and fired, or built into a complete firearm by adding components. By federal definition, a receiver is a firearm and is the only controlled component of a firearm.
Williams admitted he was not the true buyer of the firearm, but was purchasing the firearm on behalf of a co-conspirator who was not of lawful age to purchase the firearm himself. Williams admitted he provided the firearm to his co-conspirator on the same day of the purchase.
Law enforcement officers recovered the firearm, with an affixed 300-blackout barrel, on Feb. 14, 2024, in the area of 30 West Pershing Road, Kansas City, Mo., following the mass shooting incident.
Williams also admitted that, between Feb. 16 and Feb. 21, 2024, he provided materially false statements to federal law enforcement officers regarding the acquisition and disposition of the Stag Arms lower receiver.
Under federal statutes, Williams is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jess Michaelsen. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Bipartisan Safer Communities Act
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.
Jacksonville Man Indicted for Producing, Distributing, and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an eleven-count indictment charging Joshua Keith Davis (52, Jacksonville) with producing, distributing, and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). If convicted, Davis faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison, for each production offense (5 counts), a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years’ imprisonment, for each distribution offense (5 counts), and up to 20 years in prison for the possession offense (1 count).
According to court documents, between 2011 and 2013 Davis produced CSAM and later distributed the material. Davis was also found in possession of CSAM in 2022. He is currently detained pending the resolution of his ongoing state and federal criminal charges.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Nate.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Hartford Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ISSACHAMIL TORRES, also known as “Chamil,” 38, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 66 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation revealed that Torres was trafficking fentanyl from his residence on Crown Street in Hartford, and that he was using an apartment on Nutmeg Lane in East Hartford to store, process and package narcotics for street sale. On January 25, 2023, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of the East Hartford apartment and seized approximately 5,400 dose bags of fentanyl, approximately one kilogram of unpackaged fentanyl, and items used to process and package narcotics. Torres, Efrain Cheverez, and Enrique Rodriguez Rivera, who were present in the apartment, were arrested at that time. That same day, a search of Torres’s Hartford residence revealed distribution quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine, and approximately $30,000 in cash.
On May 7, 2024, Torres pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Torres, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on September 30.
Cheverez and Rodriguez pleaded guilty to related charges. On December 19, 2023, Rodriguez was sentenced to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, and on May 13, 2024, Cheverez was sentenced to 28 months of imprisonment.
This investigation was conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force, which includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Hampton landlord racially harassed and evicted tenants, then used their identities to defraud COVID relief programsRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man pled guilty today to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and race-based interference with housing and employment.
According to court documents, David L. Merryman, 59, owns 39 rental properties in Newport News and 23 more in Hampton. Many of Merryman’s rental properties were in poor condition and located in low-income neighborhoods. He primarily rented the properties to underprivileged African American tenants with limited credit and housing options.
From 2019 through at least January 2024, Merryman engaged in a multifaceted scheme that included obtaining rent relief benefits to which he was not entitled, as well as fraudulently obtaining large initial payments in the form of security deposits, prepaid rent, and other fees for rental homes that were in poor repair. Merryman implied to prospective tenants that he would lease the rentals for longer tenancy terms but intended to evict them as quickly as possible to restart the cycle of fraud and collect more high initial payments from new tenants.
On several occasions, Merryman harassed his minority tenants with slurs, comments about slavery, mocking comments, death threats, and other assaultive conduct related to their race, all in violation of their right to occupy and lease a dwelling free from racially motivated harassment, threats, and force. He also interfered with at least one victim’s right to enjoy employment free from racial threats and assaultive conduct.
Merryman fabricated lease documents, often with incorrect information related to the tenants, and backdated documents before forging tenants’ signatures and falsely representing that he was authorized to act on their behalf.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, state and federal governments made rent relief benefits available to those struggling during the national health crisis. Merryman filed fraudulent rent relief applications and used his tenants' names and personal information without their consent and forged their signatures. In many cases, he obtained significant sums of rent relief without telling the tenants, even evicting, or seeking to evict, the very same tenants for unpaid rent. To obtain housing-assistance payments from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Merryman also made false representations about the condition of his rental properties and whether he was receiving other payments that would be duplicative of federally funded rental assistance.
Merryman also defrauded tenants by obtaining money and property from them under false pretenses, primarily through false representations that he would repair his properties to induce tenants to pay significant upfront fees for neglected, even uninhabitable, properties that he never intended to improve.
For example, a tenant, identified as L.G., made requests for necessary repairs to the home she was renting, to which Merryman repeatedly made racially derogatory responses. In April 2019, Merryman threatened to turn L.G. and her children into “potting soil.” L.G. obtained a protective order against Merryman, who then responded by, among other things, parking his vehicle just outside the prohibited radius of the order and intimidating L.G. and her family.
Another tenant, identified as E.P., regularly paid Merryman rent from 2015 until she was laid off from her job in 2021 during the pandemic after suffering medical problems resulting in her hospitalization. On May 10, 2021, Merryman applied to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development for approximately $15,100 in rent relief benefits for E.P. and forged her signature, all without her consent. Despite obtaining those benefits for E.P., Merryman evicted her, citing her unpaid rent. E.P. then lost all her belongings when Merryman sent a crew to remove them from her home and tow her car when she was hospitalized.
After Merryman failed to complete a driveway construction project, the customer hired a concrete construction business owner, identified as E.S., to finish the job. E.S. had worked in the concrete construction business for more than 40 years. On July 8, 2020, shortly after E.S. finished the project, he received a call from Merryman, who repeatedly threatened him. E.S. obtained a protective order against Merryman, after which, in March 2021, Merryman came to a different jobsite where E.S. was working and stared at him and his team.
Merryman is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 18. He faces up to twenty years in prison for wire fraud, up to one year in prison on both the race-based interference with housing count and the race-based interference with employment count, and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed for aggravated identity theft. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Rae Oliver Davis, Department of Housing and Urban Development Inspector General; and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys D. Mack Coleman, Julie D. Podlesni, and Brian J. Samuels are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-4.
Four Individuals Plead Guilty to Federal Charges Arising Out of International Mail and Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
The scheme operated for years in West Michigan and throughout the United States
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark A. Totten today announced that four individuals pleaded guilty to federal charges for participating in an international mail and wire fraud scheme originating in Nigeria and frequently targeting elderly individuals. Fatai Okunola, 37, of Kalamazoo, Michigan; Oluwaseyi Adeola, 34, of Dallas, Texas; and Cory McDougal, 33, of Romeoville, Illinois, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and Ijeoma Adeola, 36, also of Dallas, Texas, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony (the failure to report the commission of a felony to appropriate authorities and taking an affirmative step to assist in the concealment of the crime) for her role in affirmatively concealing the operations of the conspiracy. Fatai Okunola additionally pleaded guilty to making false statements on his application for naturalization as a United States citizen and money laundering related to assisting other individuals in purchasing vehicles with money from the fraud scheme and exporting the vehicles to Nigeria.
“Securing these guilty pleas is a step forward to ensuring justice for the victims of this international fraud scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “The defendants used modern technology, including the internet and social media platforms – something we all rely upon every day to communicate and carry out legitimate tasks in our daily lives – to prey on elderly and vulnerable victims. Some of the victims in this case lost their retirement savings, took loans against their homes, or suffered other financial distress because of the defendants’ alleged lies. My office will vigorously pursue sentences that appropriately reflect the seriousness of this financial fraud and the damage they have done to the public’s confidence in the information we all receive over the internet every day.”
According to court records, the defendants conspired with individuals primarily in Nigeria to defraud individuals in the United States, many that were elderly or particularly vulnerable, through a variety of fraud schemes using interstate wire transmissions or the mail system. The conspirators in Nigeria created false online personas to develop relationships with their victims over the internet, through social media, by text messages or by telephone. These relationships centered around romantic interests, offers to buy or sell goods or services, apartment rentals, or offers to make loans or provide grant funding, among other schemes. The conspirators sent pictures or provided other information to the victims to make their schemes appear genuine. When the conspirators used telephone calls, they used voice-over-internet-protocol numbers to make it appear as if the calls were originating within the United States near the victims. After developing the relationships, the conspirators asked for money for a variety of reasons related to the scheme.
After the victims agreed, the conspirators directed the victims to send the money to the defendants, who opened numerous bank accounts to receive the victims’ money. On some occasions, the defendants received the victims’ money in post office boxes maintained under alias names or through payments made payable to “shell” businesses that the defendants, including Ijeoma Adeola, created to receive fraud proceeds. The victims sent the money to the defendants through the mail, bank-to-bank transfers, or through peer-to-peer money transfer services like Zelle or PayPal. After the defendants received the money in their accounts, they transferred the money to each other, to the conspirators overseas, and to their own accounts in Nigeria. Fatai Okunola used some of the fraud proceeds he received to assist others in purchasing automobiles in the United States and then exporting them to Nigeria. According to the indictment, defendants received more than $2 million dollars in their accounts from the scheme between 2017 and 2022.
All defendants will be sentenced on January 14, 2025. Fatai Okunola, Oluwaseyi Adeola, and Cory McDougal each face a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison for their roles in the conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and will be ordered to pay restitution to their victims. Okunola additionally faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison for his money laundering conviction, up to 5 years in prison for his conviction related to making false statements on his naturalization application, and possible removal and deportation from the United States. Ijeoma Adeola faces a maximum sentence of up to 3 years in prison and will be ordered to pay restitution to her victims.
“HSI continues to ensure that fraudsters are held accountable for their crimes and today’s guilty plea is evidence of that,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “By working together at all levels of law enforcement, we can dismantle interstate and international fraud networks that prey on hard-working people across the country.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with safeguarding the nation’s mail system, and those who use it, from fraud and exploitation – a charge we take very seriously,” said USPIS Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins. “Particularly when it comes to our most vulnerable populations, we work tirelessly alongside our partners to prosecute such financial predators to the fullest extent of the law. I would like to thank HSI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan for their partnership and the great work on this case leading to today’s guilty pleas.”
Individuals who believe they may be a victim of this fraud and who have not yet communicated with the U.S. Attorney’s Office are encouraged to visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi/victim-and-witness-assistance-program/vw-large-cases/okunola or contact Breane Warner, Victim Assistance Specialist, at (616) 808-2064. A list of post office boxes, email addresses, and fraudulent names used in this case are posted on the website.
Anyone who suspects an ongoing internet crime is encouraged to file a report with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3.gov), the FBI’s central hub for reporting cybercrime. Those reports often provide invaluable information to help the FBI and its law enforcement partners investigate and prosecute fraud schemes like the one charged in this case.
Federal law enforcement provides a number of tips on how to protect yourself from similar internet or email scams, including:
- Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, e-mails, and mailings.
- Never give or send any sensitive information (including your date of birth, account numbers, or passwords), credit or debit card numbers, or money to unverified people or businesses.
- Resist the pressure to act quickly. Scammers create a false sense of urgency to lure people to immediate action.
- If you recognize a scam attempt, immediately end all communication with the perpetrator.
The Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Postal Inspection Service, Grand Rapids offices, are investigating this case. The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety also provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Stella is prosecuting the case.
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Former operations manager admits embezzling from Billings federal credit unionRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — The former operations manager of a Billings federal credit union admitted today to embezzling more than $60,000 while employed there, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Kelly Jo Muzzana, 40, pleaded guilty to an information charging her with embezzlement by credit union employee. Muzzana faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine and five years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Muzzana’s release was continued pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court records that from January 2023 through Dec. 12, 2023, Muzzana, who was the operations manager at Altana Federal Credit Union, embezzled more than $60,000 of credit union funds by using debit cards, credit cards and account information of customers to make unauthorized purchases. In addition, Muzzana processed customers’ fraudulent spending claims personally to avoid detection and prevented many of the customers from filing police reports, Some, however, did file police reports. Muzzana had access to customer data and was responsible for processing Altana’s entire fraud-alert process. Muzzana created duplicate bank cards for customers’ accounts and took them home with her in addition to taking cards Altana received in the mail that were undelivered to customers. Muzzana used the bank cards to make purchases online and in retail stores around Billings.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Billings Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation.
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Former gym owner indicted for recording minors in tanning salon and home, possessing child pornography and enticing childrenRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: The former owner of a Toombs County fitness and tanning business has been indicted on federal charges involving the sexual exploitation of multiple children.
Walter Joey Drew, 41, of Kite, Ga., is charged in a newly unsealed federal indictment with six counts of Production of Child Pornography; three counts of Attempted Production of Child Pornography; six counts of Possession of Child Pornography; and one count each of Receipt of Child Pornography and Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
The charge of Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor carries a statutory minimum sentence upon conviction of 10 years in federal prison, up to life imprisonment, while production or attempted production charges carry a statutory minimum sentence upon conviction of 15 years in federal prison, up to 30 years. Conviction on any of the charges carries substantial financial penalties and restitution, a requirement to register as a sex offender, and up to lifetime supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Drew is the former owner of the now-closed Legacy Performance Center in Lyons, Ga., a gym with a tanning center. The indictment alleges that from February 2021 to June of 2023, Drew produced or attempted to produce sexually explicit visual depictions of at least eight minor victims at the gym and his residence, and had those images in his possession. The indictment also alleges that Drew attempted to entice one of the minor victims to engage in sexual activity to produce child pornography.
Drew faces related state charges in Toombs County, in the Southern District of Georgia, and from separate conduct at a previous residence in White County, in the Northern District of Georgia.
Investigators from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are seeking information from anyone who might be a victim or believes they have relevant information about Drew or his former business. Those with information are asked to call the HSI Tip Line at 866-347-2423.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Jason W. Blanchard.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.
Former Jacksonville Electric Authority CEO Aaron Zahn Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Steal City Funds and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Aaron Zahn (44, formerly of Jacksonville Beach) to four years in federal prison for conspiracy to steal and embezzle City of Jacksonville municipal funds and for wire fraud. Zahn was found guilty after a four-week jury trial on March 14, 2024.
According to court documents and evidence admitted at trial, Zahn became the interim CEO of the Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA) in April 2018, then the permanent CEO in November 2018. During his tenure as CEO, Zahn led a process to convince the JEA Board of Directors that if JEA did not privatize or recapitalize, the historically successful municipal utility (in operation since 1895) faced daunting headwinds that it would not overcome over the ensuing decade, such that considering privatization through a statutorily required process known as an Invitation To Negotiate (ITN) was the only viable path forward. During that process in the summer of 2019, Zahn developed a bonus plan known as the Performance Unit Plan (PUP) that appeared to pay reasonable bonuses to PUP unit holders if JEA hit certain performance metrics. In reality, the PUP had hidden aspects designed to pay Zahn and other JEA executives lavish bonuses based on a calculation tethered to a sale of the municipal utility.
Trial evidence showed that the 100,000 PUP units were designed to increase in value from $10 to upwards of $11,500, for a potential bonus pool of $315,000,000, which would have been funded from the sale or privatization of JEA. Zahn expected to personally benefit from the PUP if JEA was sold in the amount of approximately $40 million, and Zahn expected other high level JEA executives to make approximately $10 million. The PUP was a made-up stock tethered to a public entity (JEA) that had no concept of equity. The formula was engineered to lead to the certainty of large payouts of money if JEA was sold pursuant to minimum requirements for recapitalization that Zahn created.
On November 18, 2019, after studying the PUP and asking numerous questions of Zahn and others, the City of Jacksonville Council Auditor issued a memorandum to the Members of the Jacksonville City Council that exposed the true nature of the PUP, based on potential net proceeds to the City of Jacksonville upon a sale of JEA in the amounts of $3 billion to $5 billion. After the Council Auditor revealed the intention to steal and embezzle funds from the sale of JEA, the ITN process was cancelled, and Zahn was terminated from his CEO position.
“Fraud and corruption pose a fundamental threat to our national security and our way of life, and the FBI will not tolerate those who seek to deceive American citizens. As a taxpayer, you are entitled to decisions based on the public's best interest, and we take very seriously our responsibility to investigate and aggressively pursue individuals who attempt to defraud publicly funded institutions in a selfish effort to line their own pockets,” said Special Agent in Charge Kristin Rehler of the FBI Jacksonville Field Office. “FBI Jacksonville is committed to ensuring that anyone who violates the public's trust is held accountable to the fullest extent possible.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and investigators from the State Attorney’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit assigned to the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys A. Tysen Duva and Chip Corsmeier.
Former Green Beret and Venezuelan National Charged with Violating Export and Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
Note: View the indictment here.
Tampa, FL – Jordan Guy MacDonald Goudreau, 48, of Melbourne, Florida, and Yacsy Alexandra Alvarez, 43, of Tampa, Florida, were arrested yesterday pursuant to a now-unsealed indictment charging them with conspiracy to violate export laws, smuggling goods from the United States, violating the Arms Export Control Act, and violating the Export Control Reform Act. The indictment also charges Goudreau with violating the National Firearms Act and unlawful possession of machineguns.
According to court documents, beginning in November 2019, Goudreau, Alvarez and others conspired to export AR-type firearms, night vision devices, laser sights and other equipment from the United States to Colombia, without obtaining the required export licenses. These unlicensed exports were undertaken to carry out activities in Venezuela. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Goudreau, Alvarez and their co-conspirators procured firearms and military-related equipment through Goudreau’s Melbourne-based company, Silvercorp, and exported those items to Colombia, where some of the items were seized by the Colombia National Police. The indictment further alleges that Goudreau unlawfully possessed machineguns and unregistered silencers.
If convicted, Goudreau and Alvarez face the following maximum penalties: five years in prison for conspiracy, 10 years in prison for smuggling, 20 years in prison for violations of export control laws, and 10 years in prison for each violation of the National Firearms Act and unlawful possession of a machinegun. The indictment also notifies Goudreau and Alvarez that the United States intends to forfeit firearms and other military equipment, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security are investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Risha Asokan and Daniel J. Marcet for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Menno Goedman and Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Green Beret and Venezuelan National Charged with Violating Export and Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
Jordan Guy MacDonald Goudreau, 48, of Melbourne, Florida, and Yacsy Alexandra Alvarez, 43, of Tampa, Florida, were arrested yesterday pursuant to a now-unsealed indictment charging them with conspiracy to violate export laws, smuggling goods from the United States, violating the Arms Export Control Act, and violating the Export Control Reform Act. The indictment also charges Goudreau with violating the National Firearms Act and unlawful possession of machineguns.
According to court documents, beginning in November 2019, Goudreau, Alvarez and others conspired to export AR-type firearms, night vision devices, laser sights and other equipment from the United States to Colombia, without obtaining the required export licenses. These unlicensed exports were undertaken to carry out activities in Venezuela. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Goudreau, Alvarez and their co-conspirators procured firearms and military-related equipment through Goudreau’s Melbourne-based company, Silvercorp, and exported those items to Colombia, where some of the items were seized by the Colombia National Police. The indictment further alleges that Goudreau unlawfully possessed machineguns and unregistered silencers.
If convicted, Goudreau and Alvarez face the following maximum penalties: five years in prison for conspiracy, 10 years in prison for smuggling, 20 years in prison for violations of export control laws, and 10 years in prison for each violation of the National Firearms Act and unlawful possession of a machinegun. The indictment also notifies Goudreau and Alvarez that the United States intends to forfeit firearms and other military equipment, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security are investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Risha Asokan and Daniel J. Marcet for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Menno Goedman and Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
IndictmentForestport Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Henry C. Albrecht, Jr., age 54, of Forestport, New York, was sentenced today to serve 180 months (15 years) in federal prison for presenting, receiving, and possessing child pornography.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
During his previously entered guilty plea, Albrecht admitted that, from at least May 2021 through February 28, 2023, he received child pornography images and videos using social media messaging applications and from another adult who gave him a flash drive with child pornography files saved onto it. Albrecht admitted further that, in December 2022, he had a live video call with another adult and shared his screen with that person and presented multiple videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Albrecht also possessed more than 2,500 files of child pornography on various devices on the day of his arrest.
In addition to imposing a 15-year term of imprisonment, United States District Judge David N. Hurd also sentenced Albrecht to serve a 15-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, at which time Albrecht will be required to register as a sex offender. Albrecht also was ordered to forfeit to the United States the electronic devices he used to commit the offenses.
HSI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Florida businessman indicted for defrauding real estate developers out of millions of dollarsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Florida businessman made his initial appearance after a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging him with defrauding corporate clients in Kansas, Missouri, Utah, and Ohio by fraudulently inducing them to enter loan agreements to finance construction projects and then misappropriating more than $4 million in deposits made by the victims.
According to court documents, David Ingram, 72, of Sanford, Florida (previously of North Carolina), is charged with four counts of wire fraud.
Ingram is accused of making false representations to developers seeking loans for large-scale construction projects. Ingram represented that his company, AltosGroups, had lines of credit with major international financial institutions. Multiple times in 2019, Ingram required victims to wire deposits into AltosGroups bank accounts as a condition of obtaining financing, and he told them the deposits would be placed in dedicated escrow or reserve accounts. Instead, Ingram allegedly commingled most of that money with other funds and made unauthorized transactions including transfers to his and his wife’s bank accounts for personal use. One $3 million deposit was sent to a Mexican financial institution without the developer’s knowledge or authorization. AltosGroups then canceled the financing contracts with the developers without returning the deposits.
The defendant made his initial court appearance on July 30, 2024, in the Middle District of Florida. He is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Teresa J. James of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas at 1:30 p.m. on August 14, 2024.
IRS Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan J. Huschka is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Florida Man Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Fort Welton, Florida, man convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on July 25, 2024.
Giles Frederick Hulsmann, 38, was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hulsmann was indicted for Involuntary Manslaughter by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. He pleaded guilty on May 3, 2024.
On November 24, 2022, Hulsmann found himself lost and near Pine Ridge, South Dakota, significantly off route from his destination. Rather than pulling over and orienting himself with the area, Hulsmann flew into a rage and drove approximately 80 MPH in a 45 MPH zone when he struck a motorcyclist. An accident reconstructionist determined that Hulsmann did not utilize his brakes or swerve before hitting the motorcyclist head on.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Hulsmann was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Florida Businessman Charged with Bankruptcy OffensesRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging David Ingram (72, Sanford) with four counts of making false declarations on bankruptcy forms and one count of making a false oath or account during a bankruptcy proceeding. If convicted on all counts, Ingram faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, in January 2023, Ingram executed and caused to be filed two separate Chapter 11 bankruptcy petitions and associated schedules under criminal penalty on behalf of two companies he controlled: (1) Altosgroups Florida, LLC (Altos-FL); and Altosgroups North Carolina, LLC (Altos-NC) with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida. In each bankruptcy case, Ingram made materially false declarations under penalty of perjury on the Schedules of Assets and Liabilities and Statements of Financial Affairs that Altos FL and Altos-NC held approximately $4.6 million of assets held on behalf of creditors in an Altos-FL corporate bank account he controlled. Ingram knew at the time he made the declarations that he had transferred over $3 million of creditor assets Altos-FL was holding out of the Altos-FL bank account in November 2019.
Additionally, Ingram falsely testified under oath at a Section 341 meeting of creditors that the Altos-FL and Altos-NC Schedules of Assets and Liabilities and Statements of Financial Affairs were true and correct.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Office of the United States Trustee for the Middle District of Florida provided substantial investigative assistance. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
Five Individuals Arrested in Multi-State Investigation of a Conspiracy to Distribute Drugs in the Jackson AreaRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Five individuals were arrested yesterday pursuant to a federal indictment filed in the Southern District of Mississippi charging defendants from Hinds, Madison, and Newton counties. The charges stem from a multi-year federal investigation of a drug trafficking operation distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, and other illegal drugs in the area of Jackson, Mississippi and elsewhere.
The indictment charges nine individuals with various drug trafficking crimes, including, but not limited, to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to do so. Several defendants face mandatory minimum sentences because of the significant quantities of illegal drugs. Additionally, some defendants have been charged with firearms-related crimes.
“The Department of Justice is working hard with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to help make the Jackson area safer by conducting major investigations, like this one, that dismantle drug trafficking and violent organizations,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee. “Criminals in Jackson should be on notice that committing crimes as part of a large group is a one-way ticket to federal prison.”
“The Drug Enforcement Administration is committed to protecting our communities from the scourge of drugs,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw. “These arrests are the culmination of a multi-year investigation, and we will continue to aggressively pursue those who poison our communities with deadly substances.”
“Citizens throughout Mississippi deserve to live in drug free communities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff. “These arrests exemplify the collaborative efforts between federal, state and local law enforcement partners in thwarting illegal drug trafficking operations, as we continue to work together making our communities safer.”
“Working alongside our local, state, and federal partners demonstrates that cooperation consistently leads to successful outcomes,” said Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell. “I am proud of the work done in this case to ensure that we are all united in continuing to combat drug crime and ensure safety in Mississippi.”
“I am extremely excited about the collaboration and collective efforts with our federal partners, state partners, and the U.S. Attorney," said Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade. "U.S. Attorney Todd Gee continues his commitment to assisting JPD in our efforts to combat violent crimes. This effort exemplifies his work, along with the federal partners and the hard work of the men and women of the Jackson Police Department to improve the quality of life for the citizens of the City of Jackson.”
The following defendants were arrested yesterday:
James Naylor, 59, of Jackson; Donald Jordan, 49, of Jackson; Cedrick Barber, 48, of Jackson; Aron Brown, 53, of Madison; and Danita Wheeler, 58, of Jackson.
Initial court appearances were held this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge LaKeysha Greer Isaac in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Marshal Mark Shepherd, Mississippi Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell, Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade and Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones.
The cases are being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Hinds County Sheriff’s Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Jackson Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam T. Stuart is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Clark assisted in the investigation. The Office of Enforcement Operations in the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division also provided assistance.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Five Chinese Nationals Indicted for Scamming Seniors Out of More Than $27 MillionRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – July 31, 2024
SAN DIEGO – An indictment was unsealed today alleging that five individuals participated in a massive, complex fraud and money laundering scheme that resulted in losses of more than $27 million to over 2,000 seniors.
During a coordinated law enforcement operation this morning in Los Angeles, California and Las Vegas, Nevada, about 60 federal, state and local law enforcement officials arrested four of the defendants—Zhao Wang of Henderson, Nevada; Jiandong Chen of Pomona, California; Jun Li of West Covina, California; and Xin Wang of San Gabriel, California—and searched their homes. The fifth defendant, Youfei Gong, was arrested on April 9, 2024, at his home in San Gabriel, California and was in custody on state charges.
According to the indictment and publicly filed documents, the five defendants and their co-conspirators operated a multinational organized fraud ring targeting elderly victims throughout the United States.
The indictment said conspirators contacted victims through unsolicited pop-up ads, emails and phone calls designed to get victims to contact scam call centers in India. The conspirators used social engineering techniques to build trust with victims. In many cases, the conspirators had victims install remote desktop software that the conspirators used to gain remote access to victims’ computers. After building trust with a victim based on fraudulent pretenses, the conspirators used technical support, government impersonation, bank impersonation and/or refund scams to induce victims to send money to other members of the conspiracy, including the five defendants charged in the indictment.
At the direction of conspirators, victims sent wire transfers or cash in express mail packages to locations throughout Southern California, Nevada and elsewhere. The defendants provided fake names and addresses corresponding with retail locations, including CVS Pharmacy locations, where packages were picked up. The defendants and co-conspirators picked up money-laden packages using fake IDs.
According to the indictment, the defendants specifically targeted elderly Americans. After receiving the victims’ money, the defendants laundered it through cryptocurrency transactions to their India-based co-conspirators. As defendant Xin Wang stated in a text message:
The FBI uncovered the multinational conspiracy showing the coordination between the defendants in the United States and their India-based co-conspirators who were in direct contact with victims. Between just 2021 to 2023, agents identified approximately 2,000 victims who lost more than $27 million to the conspirators. The indictment said the conspiracy continued through June 2024.
“Every day swindlers entangle unsuspecting seniors into scams to steal their hard-earned savings,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “We urge everyone to use caution and consult with others before sending money to strangers they know only through phone calls, texts, or a computer.”
“Southern California is sadly a target rich environment for foreign and domestic scam artists who relentlessly prey on vulnerable Americans and their bank accounts,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Today's arrests follow hard work by many dedicated law enforcement agencies and will aid our continuing efforts to educate potential victims to avoid responding to strangers who claim to care about them, and never give or send hard-earned money in response to a solicitation.”
“FBI San Diego Elder Justice Task Force, along with FBI LA, has worked tirelessly to bring justice to individuals who target, exploit, and victimize our most vulnerable citizens,” said Stacey Moy Special Agent in Charge for the Federal Bureau of Investigation San Diego Field Office. “The FBI remains resolute in our commitment to disrupt and dismantle foreign-based fraud schemes that prey on our older Americans. We will continue to work side by side with our law enforcement partners to deter and defeat organized fraud rings, no matter where they are located.”
This case was investigated by the San Diego Elder Justice Task Force and its member agencies, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, Carlsbad Police Department, San Diego Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). You can also report fraud to any local law enforcement agency or on the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mokhtari.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 24CR1317-RSH
Zhao Wang, aka “Oscar” Age: 40 Henderson, NV
Jiandong Chen, aka “Little Tiger” Age: 40 Pomona, CA
Jun Li Age: 40 West Covina, CA
Xin Wang Age: 36 San Gabriel, CA
Youfei Gong Age: 29 San Gabriel, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1349, 2326
Maximum Penalties: Forty years in prison; $1 million fine
Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1956(a)(1)(A)(i), 1956(a)(1)(B)(i) and 1956(h)
Maximum Penalties: Twenty years in prison; maximum fine of $500,000 or twice the amount laundered
Criminal Forfeiture – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 981(a)(1)(C), 982(a)(1), 982(a)(2)(a), 2328 and Title 28, U.S.C., Section 2461(c)
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General
Homeland Security Investigations
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
San Diego County Sheriff’s DepartmentSan Diego Police Department
San Diego Elder Justice Task Force
Chino Police Department
Coronado Police Department
Escondido Police Department
Glendora Police Department
Long Beach Police Department
Orange County Sheriff’s Department
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Felon Who Robbed St. Louis Pizza Delivery Driver Sentenced to 9 1/2 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a convicted felon who robbed a pizza delivery driver at gunpoint to nine and one-half years in prison.
Antione L. Shockley ordered wings and two pizzas and had them delivered to a vacant home in the Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis on April 13, 2023. When the driver arrived, Shockley stepped out of a gangway and demanded the food at gunpoint.
On June 24, 2023, Shockley fired a handgun into the air in a school zone. After St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers arrived, Shockley gave the gun to a woman, then pulled a stolen Ruger from his waistband and a rifle from inside his pants and dropped them on the ground. After he was arrested and while he was being booked by police, Shockley struck an officer, injuring the officer’s head.
Shockley is a convicted felon and is thus barred from possessing firearms.
As part of his agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office to resolve all charges, Shockley has pleaded guilty to firearm and resisting arrest charges in St. Louis Circuit Court, where he was sentenced in January to seven years in prison.
Shockley, 26, pleaded guilty in January in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one robbery charge and one count of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone prosecuted the case.
Fact Sheet: Justice Department Actions to Counter the Scourge of Fentanyl and Other Synthetic DrugsRead the Press Release
Over the past several years, the Justice Department has focused on breaking apart every link in the global fentanyl supply chain – from China to Mexico to the United States.
Since the beginning of 2021, the Justice Department has:
- Extradited over 50 cartel members from Mexico to the United States; and
- Charged a dozen Chinese chemical companies and two dozen of their executives for shipping fentanyl precursor chemicals into Mexico and the United States.
This effort has been spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United States’ lead counter-narcotic law enforcement agency.
In 2024 alone, the DEA has:
- Seized over 30 million fentanyl pills and over 4,100 pounds of fentanyl powder, which represents over 208 million deadly doses; and
- Arrested over 2,100 individuals for fentanyl related charges working with its law enforcement partners.
As Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has said, “Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, and the Justice Department will not rest until every single cartel leader, member, and associate responsible for poisoning our communities is held accountable.”
Arresting and prosecuting cartel leaders, members, and their associates:
- In April 2023, the Justice Department announced charges against several leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, a transnational drug trafficking organization based in Sinaloa, Mexico, and its facilitators across the globe.
- In October 2023, the Justice Department announced the extradition of Ovidio Guzman Lopez, son of Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as El Chapo, from Mexico to the United States.
- In April 2024, the Justice Department charged 41 individuals in a 50-count indictment alleging cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and meth trafficking and related crimes, all operating under the control of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (the Jalisco Cartel or CJNG).
- In May 2024, the Justice Department announced the extradition of Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, also known as El Nini, who the Department alleges was one of the Sinaloa Cartel’s lead sicarios, or assassins.
- In May 2024, the Justice Department announced the extradition of Francisco Pulido after he allegedly supplied the Jalisco Cartel with precursor chemicals used to manufacture controlled substances.
- In July 2024, the Attorney General announced the arrests of alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, Ismael Zambada Garcia (El Mayo) and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, another son of El Chapo. Both men are facing multiple charges in the United States for leading the Cartel’s criminal operations, including its deadly fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking networks. El Mayo and Guzman Lopez join a growing list of Sinaloa Cartel leaders and associates who the Justice Department is holding accountable in the United States.
- In the course of the investigation into the Chapitos network, the FBI and the DEA have arrested several high-profile targets, and the DEA has conducted operations in 10 countries and seized staggering amounts of illicit materials, including over 2.5 million fentanyl-laced pills, 105 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and 37 kilograms of fentanyl precursor chemicals, amounting to 22,747,441 potentially lethal doses.
Disrupting the chemical precursor supply chain:
- The Justice Department, DEA, and FBI have and will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute every link in the fentanyl supply chain, including the chemical companies and executives in the People’s Republic of China supplying the ingredients used to make this deadly drug.
- On Oct. 3, 2023, the Justice Department announced the unsealing of eight indictments charging China-based companies and their employees with crimes relating to fentanyl and methamphetamine production, distribution of synthetic opioids, and sales resulting from precursor chemicals.
- In February 2024, the Department obtained a nearly 19-year sentence of a defendant responsible for importing tons of fentanyl precursor chemicals from China into Mexico as part of the Jalisco Cartel’s fentanyl trafficking operations.
- In May 2024, the Department extradited another of CJNG’s alleged key chemical suppliers.
- In June 2024, the Justice Department announced a 10-count superseding indictment following a multi-year investigation, named “Operation Fortune Runner,” charging associates of the Sinaloa Cartel with conspiring with money laundering groups linked to Chinese underground banking to launder drug trafficking proceeds. Following the Department’s announcement, China and Mexico took law enforcement actions to arrest fugitives named in the indictment who fled the United States after they were initially charged last year.
Additional actions to counter fentanyl’s fatal impact:
- Over the past year, the Justice Department has convicted dozens of defendants of distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of the victim, leading courts to impose lengthy terms of incarceration on these drug dealers, including:
- New York Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl That Contributed to Two Poisoning Deaths
- California Drug Dealer Sentenced to 78 Months in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose of U.S. Marine
- Texas Men Sentenced to Decades in Prison for Supplying Fentanyl and Other Drugs Sold on Darknet and Causing Fatal ODs
- Tennessee Man Sentenced to Life In Prison For Role In Fentanyl Overdose Death
- Florida Man Sentenced To 40 Years In Prison For Distributing Fentanyl Resulting In Death
- DEA started Operation OD Justice to devote resources to fatal poisoning investigations and provide training to federal, state, and local partners. DEA created Fentanyl Overdose Response Teams in 22 offices across the United States; the teams provide investigative support to fatal poisoning investigations. Every DEA division also has an Overdose Response Coordinator for DEA’s federal, state, and local partners. Since 2023, DEA has worked over 350 poisoning investigations with partners.
- DEA has launched the “One Pill Can Kill” enforcement effort and public awareness campaign. DEA and law enforcement partners have seized millions of fake illicit fentanyl-laced prescription pills and hundreds of pounds of illicit fentanyl powder — millions of potentially lethal doses. In 2024, DEA expanded the One Pill Can Kill public awareness campaign to include a partnership with the NFL Alumni Health Association and launching the One Pill Can Kill Game Over esports tournament.
Targeting criminal enterprises on the Darknet:
- The Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) team is a Justice Department initiative led by the FBI with a mission to target and disrupt criminal enterprises utilizing the Darknet or online platforms to facilitate drug trafficking, specifically opioids. JCODE led Operation SpecTor, a coordinated international law enforcement effort that resulted in 288 arrests and the seizure of 117 firearms, 850 kilograms of drugs, and $53.4 million in cash and cryptocurrency.
- JCODE’s successes include the arrest of an individual operating under the name “Redlightlabs,” who sold approximately 3,800 drug transactions between May-Nov 2022, totaling over 123,000 potentially lethal fentanyl pills, approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine, and other illicit narcotics. After the FBI arrested the subject, a review of buyer data identified 15 drug overdose victims who purchased fentanyl-laced pills from “Redlightlabs.”
Building partnerships to combat transnational organized crime:
- The DEA is combating the availability of illegal pill presses by working with online retailers to educate them about the sale of pill presses and components used in the production of deadly fake pills. In February 2024, DEA issued a letter to e-commerce companies regarding their responsibility as regulated entities to comply with the recordkeeping, identification, and reporting requirements of the Controlled Substances Act as it relates to the distribution, importation, and exportation of pill press equipment.
- The FBI has dedicated additional resources to combat transnational organized crime on the front lines throughout Mexico and South and Central America, where the threat is emanating. Assistant Legal Attaches work with international partners to further investigations with U.S interests. The FBI also expands its presence in Mexico through Border Liaison Officers, a dedicated team of agents positioned in FBI Offices along the southwest border with unique authority to routinely work matters of U.S interests in Mexico. The FBI also works with nearly 3,000 task force officers across almost 300 task forces engaged in combating gangs and criminal enterprises that drive the fentanyl crisis.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) continues to work to choke off cartels’ access to weapons through Operation Southbound, the Department’s signature initiative to disrupt the trafficking of firearms from the United States to Mexico.
FCI Allenwood Inmate Charged with Possession of A Weapon and A Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Thomas Burton, age 48, a New York City native, was indicted on July 30, 2024, by a federal grand jury for possessing a weapon and controlled substance while being an inmate in prison.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Burton was discovered to be in possession of a homemade shank and synthetic marijuana on June 19, 2024.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). Assistant United States Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for possessing a weapon in prison is five years imprisonment, three years of supervision, and a fine. The maximum penalty under federal law for possessing a controlled substance in prison is one year of imprisonment, one year of supervision, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Eight People Charged in 23-Count Narcotics Trafficking and Felon in Possession IndictmentRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Seven residents of Florida were charged in a 23-count indictment for their respective involvement in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, fentanyl and oxycodone. An eighth defendant was charged with being a felon in unlawful possession of a firearm.
Michael Donaldson, 37, of Clearview, Leo Gilbert 35, of Miami Gardens, Jamare Andre Gardner, a/k/a “Maury,” 25, of Miami Gardens, Deshun Richard James, 36, Jose Albert Ruiz, 34, of Miami, Kim Whitehurst, a/k/a “A-Boy,” 31, of Miami, and Hasani Nesbitt, a/k/a "Get Right,” 45, of Miami Gardens, were charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and distribution of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school. The indictment charges that cocaine, oxycodone and methamphetamine were distributed within 1,000 feet of south Florida schools. Donte Ike Gosha, 37, of Miami Gardens, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
On July 29, Donaldson, Gosha, Whitehurst, Gardner, and Gilbert were arrested in Miami-Dade County, Fla. On July 30, Donaldson, Gosha, Whitehurst, Gardner, and Gilbert had their initial appearances on the indictment.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, Chief Delma Noel-Pratt of the Miami Gardens Police Department, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, made the announcement.
The FBI, Miami Gardens Police Department, and ATF investigated the case. The Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force (SSVGTF), to include participants from the U.S. Secret Service, City of Miami Police Department, and Miami-Dade Police Department, provided invaluable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Chattah is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This investigation was carried out by members of the South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force. The South Florida HIDTA, established in 1990, is made up of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies who, cooperatively, target the region’s drug-trafficking and money laundering organizations. The South Florida HIDTA is funded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which sponsors a variety of initiatives focused on the nation’s illicit drug trafficking threats.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20282.
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