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Friday 14 June 2024
Jefferson County man charged with federal violations in connection with postal carjackingRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been charged with federal violations related to a carjacking in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Jody Lee Bass, 34, was named in a complaint on June 10, 2024, charging him with carjacking and assault on a federal officer. Bass appeared in federal court on June 12, 2024.
According to information presented in court, on June 8, 2024, Bass approached a mail carrier with the U.S. Postal Service on Avenue F in Beaumont. Bass is alleged to have used a knife to rob the mail carrier of the USPS mail delivery truck while the victim was delivering mail on his route. Bass grabbed the mail carrier and attempted to stab him. The mail carrier escaped, and Bass drove off with the mail truck.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Eastern District of Texas’ Carjacking Task Force.
If convicted of both charges, Bass faces up to 35 years in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.
A complaint or indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Jefferson County Scrap Metal Company Pays False Claims Act Damages for Receiving Brass Shell Casings from Fort DrumRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Northstar Auto and Salvage LLC, of Evans Mills, New York, has agreed to pay $45,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by receiving government property from unauthorized individuals.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Special Agent in Charge Joel Kirch of the Northeast Field Office of the Department of the Army, Criminal Investigation Division made the announcement.
When the Army conducts live-fire exercises at Fort Drum, brass shell cartridges (“brass”) are collected and returned to a centralized processing facility, where the brass is prepared for sale on the open scrap metal recycling market, thereby recovering money for the Government. Northstar Auto and Salvage LLC (Northstar) purchases and processes scrap metal, but Northstar never had a contract to purchase Fort Drum brass. From 2017-2019, a Fort Drum civilian employee and two soldiers took approximately 29,000 pounds of brass from the centralized processing facility. Neither the civilian employee nor the soldiers were authorized to dispose of the brass. These individuals sold the brass to Northstar, delivering it in personally-owned pickup trucks, not military vehicles. Northstar then sold the brass on the open market, receiving $24,012 in profit. Northstar did not make any effort to verify whether the individuals were authorized to dispose of the brass, beyond accepting their verbal assurances that they were authorized.
The knowing receipt of public property from a federal employee or member of the Armed Forces who lawfully may not sell such property, including acting with deliberate ignorance, violates the False Claims Act. 31 U.S.C. § 3729(a)(1)(F).
The investigation and settlement was the result of a coordinated effort among the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, and the Northeast Field Office of the Department of the Army, Criminal Investigation Division. The New York State Police provided substantial assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Moran represented the United States in this matter.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on June 11 was:
Ashley Jocelyn Cortez, 24, of Box Elder, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Cortez faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug charges, and a mandatory minimum of five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm charge. Cortez was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Havre Police Department, Hill County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Rocky Boy’s Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 24-46.
Brooke Olson Newton, 29, of Bainville, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Newton faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Newton was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Valley County Sheriff’s Office, Phillips County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Peck Police Department and Williston, N.D., Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 24-35.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on June 13 was:
Kyle Thomas Ball, 22, of Billings, on charges of false statement during a firearms transaction and possession of firearm with obliterated serial number. If convicted of the most serious crime, Ball faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Ball was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 24-64.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Idaho U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness DayRead the Press Release
BOISE – Josh Hurwit, U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho, joined national, state, local, and Tribal leaders today in recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). Since 2006, WEAAD has been commemorated to promote awareness and increased understanding of the many forms of elder abuse affecting Americans, as well as the resources available to those at risk.
In a new PSA released today, U.S. Attorney Hurwit highlighted the partnership between law enforcement and the public and emphasized the importance of reporting fraud and abuse affecting older Idahoans.
“My office and the entire Department of Justice are committed to prosecuting those who abuse the elderly, including by financial exploitation, but we need help from our community,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Check-in on older adults who may be vulnerable and look for unusual financial transactions – unexplained withdrawals, purchases of gold bars or cryptocurrency, or uncharacteristic efforts to wire large amounts of money. We want to draw attention to these types of cases, as they can create devastating loss for our older population.”
Elder abuse is an act that knowingly, intentionally, or negligently causes or creates a serious risk of harm to an older person by a family member, caregiver, or other person in a trust relationship. Such harm may be financial, physical, sexual, or psychological. The Justice Department maintains a variety of programs and initiatives to combat elder abuse.
The Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force marshals federal and state agencies working collaboratively to investigate and prosecute foreign-based schemes that target older Americans. In addition to aggressively investigating the individuals, organizations, and networks responsible for these crimes, this initiative provides the public with information to guard online fraud like tech support scams and romance scams.
Using one fraud to perpetrate or conceal another, some fraudsters rely on money mules to move the proceeds of their illegal activity. Preying on the good will or financial vulnerability of their targets, these criminals recruit people, many times older victims, to participate in schemes to move money in ways that are less likely to be notices. The Money Mule Initiative identifies and addresses money mule activity to disrupt these fraud schemes, and helps people to recognize and avoid participating in and perpetuating such fraud.
To help older individuals and their families identify and avoid fraudulent activity, the Justice Department provides Senior Scam Alerts with information about the tactics used in specific schemes. For example:
- in Social Security Administration Impostor schemes, scammers impersonate government administrators and falsely reporting suspicious activity to request that the victims provide their Social Security number for confirmation;
- in tech support scams, fraudsters contact victims, sometimes through internet pop-up messages, to warn about non-existent computer problems, ask that the victim give them remote access to their computer, and identify a non-existent problem, then demand large sums of money for unnecessary services; and
- in lottery scams, telemarketers falsely notify victims that they have won a sweepstakes and tell them they must first pay fees for shipping, insurance, customs duties, or taxes before they can claim their prizes.
To learn more about the Department’s elder justice efforts please visit the Elder Justice Initiative page.
The District of Idaho continues to work with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute elder abuse crimes.
In August, a Boise couple is scheduled to be sentenced for wire fraud and obstruction of justice relating to defrauding an elderly victim, who was a retired school teacher, out of her home. James and Jessica Dougherty both face up to 20 years in federal prison.
According to court records, James Dougherty and his wife, Jessica Dougherty, moved into a building on the elderly victim’s 46-acre ranch in Boise purportedly to provide the victim with assistance with her ranch and horses in exchange for free rent. Instead, James Dougherty stole her ranch through ostensibly legitimate estate planning documents and kicked her out of her home.
After James and Jessica were arrested in August 2022, and while in pretrial custody, Jessica Dougherty made a call from the Ada County jail and requested that an individual “flash” or “reset” a Dell laptop computer located at the ranch. Within hours, an individual followed Jessica Dougherty’s request and records relevant to the investigation involving the victim were permanently destroyed from the Dell laptop computer.
Jessica Dougherty admitted to knowingly causing the destruction of the records with the intent to obstruct the investigation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to investigating and prosecuting cases like this to protect older Idahoans and to seek justice for them if they fall prey to wrongdoing. These efforts depend on community members looking out for their loved ones and neighbors and reporting suspected elder fraud or elder abuse.
To report the physical abuse or neglect of elders, and contact local law enforcement or Adult Protective Services (https://aging.idaho.gov/stay-safe/adult-protection/) or 9-1-1 in the case of an emergency.
To report elder fraud, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
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Hampton felon returning to prison for federal firearm convictionRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on July 9, 2023, Jerry Stull, 56, was involved in an argument with a security guard outside the Alley nightclub in Newport News. During the argument, Stull lifted his shirt, pointed at the guard, and then ran away. When the guard shouted that Stull had a gun, a nearby Newport News Police officer pursued and apprehended Stull. Stull was in possession of a 9mm handgun.
Stull has numerous previous convictions, including multiple grand larcenies, assault and battery, assault on a law enforcement officer, possession and distribution of controlled substances, child neglect, and five DUIs, and was on supervised probation when he was arrested on July 9, 2023. As a previously convicted felon, Stull cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police; and Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson C. Yates, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alyssa Levey-Weinstein and Marcus Johnson assisted in the prosecution of this 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. 4:23-cr-89.
Guilderland Man Sentenced to 85 Months for Armed Robbery of Drug DealerRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Alexander G. Madera, age 21, of Guilderland, New York, was sentenced today to 85 months in prison for robbing a marijuana dealer and brandishing a pistol in furtherance of the robbery at the dealer’s residence in Guilderland.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Guilderland Police Chief Daniel P. McNally made the announcement.
As part of his earlier guilty plea, Madera admitted that on January 23, 2022, at about 5 a.m., he and Jorge Rosario, armed with a rifle and pistol, respectively, entered a single-family residence in Guilderland with the goal of robbing a marijuana dealer. After entering the residence, Madera robbed the dealer of $172 in drug money, at gunpoint, in the dealer’s bedroom, while Rosario remained on guard in the living room. Before they could leave the residence, however, they were attacked and disarmed by other residents of the house. They were then restrained until the police arrived and arrested them. Both have remained in custody since that time.
Rosario pled guilty and will be sentenced on July 9, 2024. Under the terms of Rosario’s plea agreement, the parties have jointly recommended that Rosario receive a prison term of between 168 and 188 months, and a 5-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release.
Chief United States District Judge Branda K. Sannes also ordered that Madera serve a 3-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.
ATF and the Town of Guilderland Police Department investigated this case, with the assistance of the Albany County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emmet O’Hanlon and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting the case.
Groveton Man Arrested on Child Exploitation ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Groveton man was arrested on a complaint charging a federal child exploitation offense, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Brandon Couture, 38, was charged with one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Couture was arrested on June 13, 2024, and will appear in federal court in Concord later today.
According to the charging documents, Couture traveled from New Hampshire to Vermont where he picked up the minor female survivor and drove her back to New Hampshire with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity with her.
The charging statute provides a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, with a maximum sentence of life in prison. In addition, the charging statute provides for a minimum of five years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Northumberland Police Department and the Essex County, Vermont Sheriff’s Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Ward is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Group of Check Fraudsters Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Several defendants from Mobile were sentenced for their roles in an organized scheme to commit bank fraud. Two leaders of the scheme were each sentenced to serve eight years in federal prison.
According to court documents, Thomas Charles Bridges, 21, Errol Michael Gilyot, 22, and several codefendants committed widespread bank fraud between November 2021 and April 2023 involving checks stolen from the U.S. mail, which the defendants later altered and deposited at various financial institutions. The fraudulent checks bore the personal identifying information of numerous victim businesses and individuals in the Mobile area and elsewhere. Bridges, Gilyot, and their coconspirators used social media and other means to recruit individuals with accounts at various banks, who provided their account information, debit cards, and other support to further the scheme. Victims of the scheme suffered more than $187,000 in financial losses.
For example, in September and October 2022, bank surveillance video captured Bridges making dozens of fraudulent transactions involving counterfeited checks in the Mobile area. On October 12, 2022, police stopped Bridges and Gilyot in a vehicle after they attempted a fraudulent transaction at a bank branch in Mobile. During that stop, police seized more than $4,700 in cash and debit cards belonging to other people. Later, on October 18, 2022, federal agents executed a search warrant at Bridges’s house in Mobile, seizing a laptop, a printer, several counterfeited checks, and more debit cards belonging to other people.
Agents executed numerous search warrants and obtained voluminous text messages and social media communications between and among Bridges, Gilyot, their codefendants, and others discussing the scheme and recruiting others to take part in it. Additionally, latent fingerprint analysts found Bridges’s and Gilyot’s fingerprints on checks that federal law enforcement obtained from victim banks during the course of the investigation.
At sentencing, United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer reviewed evidence that Bridges and Gilyot continued committing check fraud while they were subject to the court’s release conditions. In addition to their 96-month prison terms, Judge Moorer ordered Bridges and Gilyot to serve five year terms of supervised release upon their release from prison, during which time they will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Bridges and Gilyot to pay $187,941.36 in victim restitution jointly and severally with their codefendants, and a total of $200 in special assessments. The court also forfeited $5,741 and several electronic devices to the United States.
For their roles in the scheme, the court sentenced Bridges’s and Gilyot’s codefendants as follows: LiJordan Alexander Lucas (60 months); Tranealius Lashun Abrams (57 months); Emerson Trevaun Striveson, Jr. (33 months); Ashir Davonte-Jovonta Hogue (24 months); and Amartinez Carson (one day). The court also ordered each of those defendants to serve supervised release terms and pay restitution and special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.The United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Secret Service, Mobile Police Department, Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, and Jackson Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Green Forest Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting and Abusing an 8-Year-Old FemaleRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – A Green Forest man was sentenced today to 360 months imprisonment without the possibility of parole on two (2) Counts of Sexually Exploiting a Minor via the Production of Child Pornography. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearings, which was held in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.
Per Court documents, in February of 2023, agents and task force officers with Homeland Security Investigations received information that Terencio “Junior” Perez-Cancino, age 33, had uploaded images to Snap Chat servers showing him sexually abusing an approximately eight-year-old female. Officers and agents served a search warrant at Perez-Cancino’s home, and in a post-Miranda interview, he admitted he had created the images depicting his abuse of the minor female approximately two years prior. The minor subsequently disclosed in a forensic interview that Perez-Cancino had sexually abused her over an approximately four-year period.
U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, the Eureka Springs Police Department, and the Green Forest Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Still prosecuted these cases on behalf of the United States.
This case was prosecuted 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov.
Grand jury indicts 14 members of Thug Riders Motorcycle ClubRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A federal grand jury here has indicted the Midwest Regional “boss” and 13 other members of the “outlaw motorcycle gang” known as the Thug Riders Motorcycle Club (TRMC). The indictment alleges that the TRMC operated a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in acts of violence like murder, arson and assault. Members also allegedly participated in extortion and identity fraud.
The indictment was returned on June 11. Federal and local law enforcement officials arrested all 14 defendants yesterday.
According to the indictment, members of the TRMC Dayton chapter engaged in overt acts in support of their enterprise, including:
- blowing up a former member’s vehicle in Huber Heights in May 2021;
- killing a man during a September 2021 shootout in Harrison Township;
- shooting more than 190 live gunfire rounds into a rival motorcycle gang’s clubhouse in Lexington, Kentucky, in April 2023;
- threatening and extorting former gang members;
- breaking the leg of a patron at Toby’s Tavern in Dayton in June 2023;
- attacking a rival gang member at Chris’s Band Box in Dayton in July 2023;
- engaging in a shootout at a Springfield, Ohio, motorcycle gang’s clubhouse in March 2024; and
- physically assaulting members of another motorcycle gang in London, Ohio, in May 2024.
Individuals charged in the indictment are:
Name
Also Known As
Age
City of residence
Juan A. Robles
Juan the Man
45
Phoenix, Arizona
Joey A. Marshall
King Joe, Diesel
44
Xenia, Ohio
Jared T. Peters
Savage
37
Dayton, Ohio
Brandon W. Fisher
Road Runner
26
Piqua, Ohio
John A. Smith
Chaos
37
Dayton, Ohio
Norman D. Beach
Stormin’ Normin’
49
Dayton, Ohio
Michael S. Henry
Brutal
40
Xenia, Ohio
Daniel B. Hutton
Havok
39
Fairborn, Ohio
Michael L. Reese
Butcher
44
Miamisburg, Ohio
Matthew J. Hawkins
Hawk
32
Pequea, Pennsylvania
Joseph M. Rader
Delta
32
Richmond, Kentucky
Justin J. Baker
Wild Boy
29
Columbus, Ohio
Cody D. Hughes
Tater
28
Columbus, Ohio
Brent A. Egleston
Be Easy
36
Xenia, Ohio
Court documents detail that the TRMC established a Dayton chapter in late 2019. Robles was allegedly instrumental in the creation of the local chapter and is currently the Midwest Regional “boss.” The Dayton chapter maintained clubhouses on Stanley Avenue in Dayton and on Lodge Avenue in Harrison Township.
Robles, Marshall, Peters, Fisher and Smith have each allegedly held leadership roles in the TRMC. Specifically, Marshall served as the Midwest Regional “sergeant at arms”; Peters served as the president of the Dayton chapter; Fisher served as the “sergeant at arms” of the Dayton chapter; and Smith served as “enforcer” of the Dayton chapter.
The Dayton chapter and Midwest Region are both part of the domestic and international outlaw TRMC motorcycle gang that was originally founded in 2003, and remains a violent gang today located throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Morocco, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Germany and the United Kingdom.
According to the indictment, the Midwest Region is made up of chapters in Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. Midwest Regional chapter meetings are held regularly and are referred to as “church.” Only full or “patched” TRMC members are allowed to attend “church.” Members pay regular dues and fines to the motorcycle gang.
Chapters and Regions fall under the ultimate authority of the national president who sits at the so-called “mother chapter” in Newark, New Jersey.
Count one of the indictment charges Robles, Marshall, Peters, Fisher, Smith, Beach and Henry with racketeering (RICO) conspiracy. The indictment’s remaining three counts charge defendants with assaults, attempted assaults and conspiracy to commit assaults. The racketeering conspiracy as charged in this case is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; John K. Nokes, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Louisville Field Division; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck; Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal; and Huber Heights Police Chief Mark Lightner announced the indictment today.
The Springfield, Columbus, Riverside, Fairborn, Xenia, Lexington and Richmond police departments; Greene, Miami and Clark county sheriff’s offices; Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office and Ohio State Highway Patrol contributed to the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Dwight Keller and Elizabeth L. McCormick are representing the United States in this case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and gangs that threaten the United States 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. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Georgia CPA Pleads Guilty to Promoting Syndicated Conservation Easement Tax Scheme Involving Fraudulent Charitable DeductionsRead the Press Release
A Georgia man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy and filing a false personal tax return related to his participation in the promotion and sale of abusive syndicated conservation easement tax shelters.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Herbert Lewis was a CPA and return preparer at an Atlanta-based accounting firm. Beginning at least in 2014 and through at least 2019, Lewis promoted and sold tax deductions to his wealthy clients in the form of units in illegal syndicated conservation easement tax shelters organized and created by co-defendants Jack Fisher, James Sinnott and others. For their involvement in the scheme, Fisher and Sinnott were sentenced in January to 25 and 23 years in prison respectively.
According to the superseding indictment, the scheme entailed the creation of partnerships that would purchase land and land-owning companies and then donate conservation easements over that land or the land itself. Appraisers would allegedly generate fraudulent and inflated appraisals of the conservation easements that frequently valued the easements at amounts at least 10 times higher than the price actually paid by the partnership for the land or land-owning company – often just months prior to the appraisals. As the superseding indictment charged, the partnerships claimed a charitable contribution tax deduction based on the inflated value of the conservation easement, resulting in a fraudulent tax deduction flowing to the clients who purchased units in the partnership.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Lewis knew that, contrary to law, the transactions related to these illegal tax shelters lacked economic substance; that his wealthy clients participated only to obtain a tax deduction and that his clients received only a tax benefit for their participation in the shelters. For example, a client who purchased units in a partnership had a “vote” ostensibly on what to do with the land the partnership owned. However, Lewis knew that the “vote” held by the partnership each year was just for optics and that the land invariably would be donated largely as a conservation easement.
In some cases, to make it appear that his clients had joined the partnerships before the date of the conservation easement donation, which was necessary to claim the tax benefits, Lewis also instructed and caused his clients to falsely backdate documents – such as subscription agreements and checks – related to the partnerships. In 2019 alone, Lewis assisted 15 clients with claiming false deductions on their 2018 returns. In total, Lewis assisted in the preparation of tax returns that claimed nearly $14 million in false deductions based on backdated documents, causing a tax loss to the IRS of nearly $5 million.
Lewis earned over $1 million in commissions for his role in promoting and selling the illegal tax shelters to clients. Lewis also concealed the amount of commissions he had earned from selling units in these shelters by not fully reporting the commissions on his personal returns and instead fraudulently reporting commission income he had earned as income on the tax returns of nominee entities in his children’s names.
Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 16 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge and three years in prison for the charge of filing false tax returns. Lewis also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
To date, in addition to the convictions of Fisher and Sinnott noted above, eight additional defendants have pleaded guilty to criminal conduct related to the syndicated conservation easement tax shelter scheme, including appraiser Walter Douglas “Terry” Roberts, CPAs Stein and Corey Agee, CPA Ralph Anderson, CPA James Benkoil, CPA Victor Smith, CPA William Tomasello and CPA and Attorney Randall Lenz.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia and IRS Criminal Investigation Chief Guy Ficco made the announcement. They thanked U.S. Attorney Dena J. King for the Western District of North Carolina for her office’s assistance.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Richard M. Rolwing, Parker Tobin, Jessica Kraft, Grace Albinson and Nicholas J. Schilling Jr., of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Huber, Deputy Chief of the Complex Frauds Section, for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.
Fulton County Man and Pennsylvania Man Sentenced for Bank Robbery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Luke Kenna a.k.a. “Lt.,” age 44, of Gloversville, New York, was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for conspiring to commit bank robbery and for illegally possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a prior misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Michael Brown, Jr. a.k.a. “Russ” a.k.a. “Doc Grimson,” age 43, of Exton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for his part in the bank robbery conspiracy.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of their respective guilty pleas, Brown and Kenna each admitted that between November 14 and November 27, 2022, they agreed to and planned to commit an armed bank robbery at a bank branch in Johnstown, New York, with each other and with another conspirator, Brian Tierney a.k.a. “Wodanaz.” As part of that conspiracy, Kenna conducted surveillance of the bank and purchased items, including weapons, to commit the robbery; Tierney ordered handgun parts for use in the robbery and sent photographs of a handgun, and a radio scanning and jamming device, to Kenna; and Brown drove to New York to conduct surveillance of the bank with Kenna.
Kenna also admitted that he possessed a rifle on November 6, 2022, after previously being convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also ordered that both Brown and Kenna serve 3-year terms of supervised release. Kenna was also ordered to forfeit the rifle he possessed in November 2022.
The third conspirator, Brian Tierney, of Lynchburg, Virginia, pled guilty on April 16, 2024, and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 16, 2024, by Chief Judge Sannes.
The FBI Albany Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), which includes FBI Special Agents, and federal, state, and local investigators, including from the New York State Police, investigated the case. The FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office, the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, and New York State Police Special Investigations Unit also provided assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.
Fruitland Woman Charged with Assaulting Another Woman with a KnifeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Fruitland was charged by indictment with two counts of assault.
Richelle R. Upshaw, 24, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared before a federal judge today and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the indictment, on February 21, 2023, Upshaw assaulted Jane Doe with a dangerous weapon, a knife, and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury to Doe’s head and face.
If convicted of the current charges, Upshaw faces up to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
View the IndictmentAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former Utica Tax Preparer Sentenced for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
UTICA, NEW YORK – Dianna Nolan, 48, of Utica, New York, was sentenced today in federal court in Utica to a 3-year term of probation after previously pleading guilty to filing false federal income tax returns. The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Thomas Fattorusso, Executive Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office.
In pleading guilty previously, Nolan admitted that she worked as a professional tax return preparer in Oneida County, New York, between at least 2014 through 2018. On her personal income tax returns for tax years 2017 and 2018, Nolan intentionally did not report all the income she received as a tax return preparer. Nolan also filed income tax returns on behalf of clients that falsely claimed losses from rental properties, thereby reducing the total taxes owed by these clients and causing losses to the IRS.
As part of her sentence, Nolan was also ordered to pay restitution to the IRS totaling $101,636.00 for tax years 2014 through 2018.
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and it is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael F. Perry and Melissa O. Rothbart.
Five Lowcountry Individuals Sentenced for Role in COVID-19 Loan FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Five of eight individuals who were charged for their role in a COVID-19 loan fraud scheme were sentenced this week.
In March 2020, Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to help businesses impacted by COVID-19 to continue paying their employees. Pursuant to the CARES Act, there were two sources of relief. One was through a program called the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and a second was through Emergency Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”). The CARES Act also authorized the SBA to issue emergency advances, also referred to as grants, of up to $10,000.00 depending on the number of employees a small business employed.
Evidence presented to the court showed that the below individuals, and their co-defendants, devised and participated in a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration, and its approved third-party lenders, in their application and receipt of PPP loan funds and EIDL advances. The evidence introduced showed that these individuals submitted fraudulent loan documents, which included the creation of fraudulent companies as well as the submission of falsified tax documentation, to induce the SBA and its third-party lenders to fund the loans. Between the eight individuals charged, three EIDL advances, and 12 PPP Loans were funded by the SBA or their approved third-party lenders for a total of $295,841.00 in loans.
The five individuals sentenced this week were:
- Staci Harley, 41, of Summerville, was sentenced to three years after pleading guilty to wire fraud;
- Anthony Harley, 40, of North Charleston, who was an inmate incarcerated with the South Carolina Department of Corrections at the time he committed these offenses, was sentenced to two years after pleading guilty to wire fraud;
- Benjamin Blue, 42, of Summerville, was sentenced to one year and one day after pleading guilty to wire fraud;
- Sheniqua Mitchell, 37, of North Charleston, was sentenced to 33 months after pleading guilty to wire fraud;
- Roberta Harley, 61, of North Charleston, received a time-served sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
“These sentencings mark another victory against this large-scale criminal operation that tormented the Charleston area with illegal drugs, guns, and financial crimes,” Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “We will continue to prosecute those who threaten the safety of our communities with illegal trafficking rings.”
“The Secret Service is diligent in our investigation and pursuit of those who engage in fraudulent criminal activity. We appreciate the commitment from our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to see that justice was served in this case,” said Resident Agent in Charge, Ben Stafford, of the Secret Service’s Charleston, SC Resident Office. “These sentencings reflect the seriousness with which the government handles financial crimes and should act as a warning to those who aspire to exploit government relief programs that are put in place to help those in need.”
“These individuals deceptively lined their pockets with federally approved loans during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when so many struggling businesses tried to survive,” said Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, are committed to the vigorous pursuit of justice against those who pose harm to our financial systems, and this outcome should send a strong message that offenders will be held fully accountable.”
“This sentencing highlights a significant achievement in dismantling a criminal network engaged in fraudulent activities,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Braithwaite. “Our unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of SBA’s programs ensure that fraud is met with the full force of the law. I want to thank our U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their collaboration and dedication to pursing justice in this case.”
“The City of Charleston Police Department is grateful for the collaboration with its federal partners and will continue to assist in bringing to justice Charleston area residents who commit these financial crimes,” said Charleston Police Deputy Chief Andre Jenkins.
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced the five individuals and each of their sentences will be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The judge also ordered a total restitution in the amount of $286, 272.05 be paid.
This case was brought through a joint investigation called Operation Trendsetter, announced in May 2023. Assistant United States Attorneys Amy Bower and Whit Sowards are prosecuting the cases with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
This prosecution was also 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.
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Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years for Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Treveris Montel Coward, a/k/a “Bad News,” a 31-year-old resident of Raleigh, has been sentenced to 180 months in prison for aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl in the Raleigh area. On April 11, 2017, Coward, assisted in the distribution of fentanyl to a 22-year-old young woman who overdosed and died. Coward pled guilty on October 4, 2022.
“Drug dealers are increasingly selling drugs laced with deadly fentanyl to make them stronger, more addictive, and more profitable. Now thousands of North Carolinians, including kids, are dying from overdoses,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This defendant was the worst kind of coward, rendering aid to an overdose victim only to sell her one final deadly dose. Narcotics dealers take note of this 15-year sentence – if your drugs kill, you will pay a heavy price.”
According to the court documents and other information presented in court, on April 11, 2017, the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) responded to a 911 call for a suspected overdose death. The investigation that followed confirmed that a 22-year-old young woman lost her life due to a fentanyl overdose. Ultimately, law enforcement learned that Coward assisted in the distribution of the fentanyl that led to the woman’s death. On April 10, 2017, the victim had previously received suspected fentanyl from Coward’s girlfriend, Amanda McLeod, and suffered an overdose. Coward and his co-defendant were called to the scene of the overdose. Coward rendered aid and the victim survived. However, despite the victim’s recent overdose, Coward and McLeod provided the victim with additional fentanyl the following day, sourced by Coward’s co-defendant, Reginald Webb, which caused her to overdose and die.
On February 3, 2021, McLeod (5:20-cr-533-D-1) pled guilty to distributing a quantity of fentanyl and aiding and abetting and is awaiting sentencing. On January 5, 2024, Webb (5:21-cr-00148-D-1) pled guilty to distributing fentanyl and heroin and was sentenced to 198 months in prison.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Judge James C. Dever III. The Raleigh Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Nucci prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 5:21-cr-00148-D-2.
Federal Jury Finds Nevada Man Guilty of Conspiring to Distribute and Possessing with the Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Noel Alfredo Garcia (34, Las Vegas, Nevada) guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Garcia faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Garcia was indicted on March 12, 2024.
According to evidence presented at trial, Garcia conspired with his co-defendant, Jesus Villapudua, to transport nearly 30 pounds of methamphetamine from Victorville, California, to Lakeland, Florida for distribution. Villapudua coordinated the shipment and enlisted Garcia to transport the methamphetamine. Phone records showed Garcia in constant communication with Villapudua leading up to, and for the duration of the transportation. Ultimately, on January 29, 2024, the Florida Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop on Garcia and the methamphetamine was in the trunk of his vehicle. Prior to this delivery, Garcia made multiple other trips across the United States to transport narcotics and the proceeds of narcotics sales.
Villapudua previously pleaded guilty to the same offenses on May 23, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Florida Highway Patrol, with assistance from the Bradenton Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeff Chang and Samantha Newman.
Fayetteville Man Involved in Drive-By Shooting Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced to the statutory maximum of 120 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a felon after his involvement in a drive-by shooting. On March 13, 2024, Daron Owens, 22, pled guilty to the charge.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on November 24, 2021, Daron Owens conducted a drive-by shooting into a vehicle on Bragg Boulevard in Fayetteville. Evidence revealed seven bullet holes in the passenger side of the vehicle, and the victim sustained three gunshot wounds.
On December 7, 2021, officers executed an arrest warrant at Owens’ residence. Owens attempted to flee through the back door, however, was quickly apprehended by the officers. Officers executed a search warrant at the residence and recovered two firearms that matched the shell casings recovered from the drive-by shooting from Owens’ bedroom. The officers also recovered and searched Owens’ phone. In a conversation with a subject, the subject sent Owens pictures of the victim’s vehicle and its location on Bragg Boulevard prior to the shooting. Owens responded “done” and a “checkmark emoji” indicating that the shooting was planned and completed by Owens. Additionally, there were pictures on Owens’ phone of him possessing firearms. Owens has previous convictions for larceny, involuntary manslaughter, eluding arrest with a motor vehicle, larceny of a motor vehicle and multiple counts of breaking or entering a motor vehicle.
The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which is a collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, and interagency coordination and intelligence-led policing.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Fayetteville Police Department investigated the case and former Assistant United States Attorney Chad Rhoades and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaren E. Kelly prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-00229-M.
Eastern District of Kentucky Recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness DayRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Carlton S. Shier, IV, U.S. Attorney for the District of Eastern District of Kentucky joined national, state, local, and Tribal leaders today, in recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). Since 2006, WEAAD has been observed to promote awareness and increase understanding of the many forms of elder abuse, as well as the resources available to those at risk.
Highlighting the partnership between law enforcement and the public, U.S. Attorney Shier emphasized the importance of awareness and education.
“Elder abuse is particularly destructive, as it targets especially vulnerable victims and relies on some manner of trust, only to be accompanied by acute deception,” said U.S. Attorney Shier. And convincingly combatting it requires more than just effective law enforcement; it requires the education and vigilance of the public, who is often in the superior position to detect and prevent it. We must all work together to protect our vulnerable older Americans from this predatory conduct; they really deserve nothing less.”
Elder abuse is an act that knowingly, intentionally, or negligently causes or creates a serious risk of harm to an older person by a family member, caregiver, or other person in a trust relationship. Such harm may be financial, physical, sexual, or psychological. The Justice Department maintains a variety of programs and initiatives to combat elder abuse.
The Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force marshals federal and state agencies, working collaboratively to investigate and prosecute foreign-based schemes that target older Americans. In addition to aggressively investigating the individuals, organizations, and networks responsible for these crimes, this initiative provides the public with information to guard against both traditional scams, like tech support fraud, as well as trending schemes, such as romance scams.
Using one scam to perpetrate or conceal another, some fraudsters rely on money mules to move the proceeds of their illegal activity. Preying on the good will or financial vulnerability of their targets, scammers recruit people, many times older victims, to participate in schemes to move money in ways that avoid notice. The Money Mule Initiative identifies and addresses money mule activity to disrupt these fraud schemes, and helps people to recognize and avoid participation in a perpetuating fraud.
To help older individuals and their families identify and avoid fraudulent activity, the Justice Department provides Senior Scam Alerts with information about the tactics used in specific schemes. For example, in Social Security Administration Impostor schemes, scammers impersonate government administrators and falsely reporting suspicious activity to request that the victims provide their Social Security number for confirmation. In Tech Support scams, fraudsters contact victims, sometimes through internet pop-up messages, to warn about non-existent computer problems, ask that the victim give them remote access to their computer, and identify a non-existent problem, then demand large sums of money for unnecessary services. In Lottery scams, telemarketers falsely notify victims that they have won a sweepstakes and tell them they must first pay fees for shipping, insurance, customs duties, or taxes before they can claim their prizes.
To learn more about the Department’s elder justice efforts, please visit the Elder Justice Initiative page.
The Eastern District of Kentucky continues to work with federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute elder abuse crimes. Recent examples of these prosecutions from the Eastern District of Kentucky include:
- U.S. v. Gbadegsein et al.: This case involved the extradition and conviction of Adedunmola Gbadegesin, 34, from Nigeria. He was charged, along with Olatunbosun Oluwakayode Ajayi, 40, of Atlanta; Otunuya Ineh Eqwem Livingstone, 46, of Houston; and Ismaila Fafunmi, 36, of Indianapolis, with conspiracy to commit money laundering. Gbadegesin and his co-conspirators collaborated to create fake online dating profiles that were posted to online dating websites. As part of the conspiracy, they engaged in online chats, emails, and telephone calls with unwitting victims, who were in the United States, including one in Lexington. The conspiracy employed others, in the United States, to receive money from the intended victims and transport that money back to Nigeria, through various means.
- U.S. v. Glass: Donna Sue Glass, of Greenup, Ky., was the owner of Glass Family Care Home. She stole funds from three of her facility’s residents, while acting as their guardian and caregiver. She used one resident’s bank account to purchase items for her personal benefit, including expenses for vacations, her daughter’s beauty pageant competitions, monthly tanning salon memberships, and veterinary care for her pets. She also increased the rent of another resident for whom she served as guardian – to an amount well more than the resident could afford – so that the resident would owe her a debt. She then took funds directly from the resident’s savings account to satisfy this “debt.” When the resident moved to another facility, Glass continued to accept and spend the resident’s retirement benefits, and failed to pay her new facility, under the pretense that she was owed money. Glass was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay $87,700 in restitution.
To report elder fraud, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
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Court Gives 45 Year Prison Term for Murder at a Bus Stop in SoutheastRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Terrell Poe, 37, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 45 years in prison for his role in the murder of Christopher Washington in September 2020. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
On February 15, 2024, a jury found Poe guilty on three counts of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm. Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe sentenced Poe to 45 years in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence presented at trial, at 2:24 p.m. on the afternoon of Wednesday, September 23, 2020, 30-year-old Christopher Washington, was waiting at the bus stop on Southern Avenue, SE when Poe pulled up in a stolen white pickup truck. Poe got out of the truck, armed with an assault rifle, and shot Mr. Washington to death. Just minutes earlier, in a local church parking lot, Poe had switched from his girlfriend’s car into the stolen pickup truck and gone looking for Mr. Washington. Poe passed Mr. Washington as he walked up Indian Head Highway in Maryland, then turned around and followed Mr. Washington, apparently losing sight of him, and then finding him again at the bus stop. After the murder, Poe returned to the church parking lot, dropped off the stolen truck and drove off in his girlfriend’s car.
In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter V. Roman and Wes Faulkner.
Columbus Man with Lengthy, Violent Criminal Past Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Columbus resident with previous convictions for aggravated assault and other felonies was sentenced to serve more than nine years in prison after he admitted to illegally possessing a firearm.
Devontae Jammell Morris, 29, was sentenced to serve 115 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Clay Land on June 11. Morris previously pleaded guilty to one count of illegal possession of a firearm on Jan. 29. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Felons with lengthy violent criminal histories who illegally possess guns can expect federal prosecution and should count on stiff sentences,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Law enforcement at every level and across the Middle District of Georgia is working to reduce violent crime and make our communities safer.”
“This is a clear example of what happens when a convicted felon is caught possessing a gun. It’s illegal,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. “We will continue to work with our federal partners to remove guns from the hands of violent offenders.”
According to documents and statements filed in court, a deputy with the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle after it exited a parking lot on Buena Vista Road in Columbus at a high rate of speed on Nov. 19, 2022. The vehicle, driven by Morris, did not stop and continued on Old Buena Vista Road before stopping. Morris exited the car, ran across the road and entered a store. Deputies found him in a bathroom located in the back storage area of the store. Morris had a small amount of illegal drugs on him and $1,752 in cash. Officers found a semi-automatic Glock pistol with a TruGlo laser, a Glock magazine, an extended magazine, bullets and a digital scale in his vehicle.
Morris has many prior criminal convictions in the Superior Court of Muscogee County, Georgia, including for aggravated assault, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and aggravated battery. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
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 of Justice 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 Muscogee County Sheriff’s Department and ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Crawford Seals prosecuted the case for the Government.
Columbia Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Federal Prison for A Series of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Iric Bolden, 31, of Columbia, was sentenced to 24 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to three counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime, robbery, and attempted robbery.
Evidence presented to the court showed that over the course of nine days in the fall of 2019, Bolden robbed three Midlands convenience stores while armed with a handgun and attempted to rob another.
On Sept. 29, 2019, Bolden entered the 76 gas station located at 2538 Two Notch Rd. He pretended to ask the clerk a question and then walked behind the counter and pointed a gun at the clerk. Bolden demanded the clerk to open the cash register before taking money out of the register, cigarettes from the shelf, and the clerk’s cell phone, which was sitting on the counter. During the robbery, a customer tried to leave but Bolden detained the customer at gun point as well. After taking the items, Bolden ran from the store.
On Sept. 30, 2019, Bolden entered the Marathon Corner Stop located at 1901 Faraway Dr. Bolden entered the store with his gun drawn and a mask over his face. However, Bolden was frightened by one of the clerks, his mask dropped from his face, and he ran from store.
On Oct. 3, 2019, Bolden entered the Mini Mart Located at 900 S. Kilbourne Rd. He walked around as if he was browsing for items and then ran behind the counter and pointed a firearm at the clerk. He forced the clerk to lay on the ground and took the clerk’s cell phone, money from two cash registers, and cigarettes before leaving the store.
On Oct. 6, 2019, Bolden entered Percival Grocery located at 301 Percival Rd. He entered the store and immediately began pulling a firearm from his waistband. He went behind the counter and demanded the clerk to open the cash register. Bolden took money out of the register, cigarettes from the shelf, a cell phone and money from the clerk and ran away from the location.
Law enforcement recovered surveillance footage for all of the incidents which clearly depict Bolden’s actions. Bolden was arrested by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and confessed to the robberies. Prior to these incidents Bolden had multiple convictions for shoplifting and was on probation for strong arm robbery.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Iric Bolden to 288 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and the City of Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall is prosecuting the case.
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Clay Man Sentenced on Federal Drug and Gun ConvictionsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Eugene Gilbert, age 30, of Clay, New York was sentenced yesterday to serve ten (10) years in federal prison for his convictions for distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.
As part of his previous guilty plea, Gilbert admitted that on November 4, 2021, he led DEA Special Agents and other law enforcement officers on a high-speed vehicular chase on Interstate 81 north as they attempted to execute search warrants on his vehicle, his person, and his residence in Clay, New York. Pursuing agents located Gilbert’s Dodge Ram pickup truck abandoned near the Village of Parish. Gilbert left a bag containing 50 grams of cocaine, 39 grams of cocaine base, and 6 grams of fentanyl, as well as a loaded 9mm pistol in a nearby dumpster, where they were recovered by DEA Special Agents. The defendant was later arrested on December 17, 2021, after a second vehicle pursuit through Syracuse, Dewitt, and on Interstate 81 south after he fled from a United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force. As part of his guilty plea, Gilbert further admitted distributing fentanyl on four separate instances between October 14, 2021, and November 2, 2021.
Gilbert was also sentenced yesterday to a post-prison term of supervised release of 5 years.
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, the Syracuse Police Department, the Metro-Jefferson Drug Task Force, U.S. Border Patrol, the New York State Police, the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshals Service investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick.
Canadian Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Obtain Personal Protective Equipment and Event Tickets Through Wire FraudRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – ROBERT VINNIK, 29, of Ontario, Canada, has pleaded guilty for his role in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On June 15, 2021, a federal grand jury returned a 10-count Superseding Indictment against Vinnik and four other co-defendants, all of Canada, charging the group with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and Vinnik and co-defendant, Steven Mesrop, 32, with aggravated identity theft.
According to the Superseding Indictment, Vinnik and his associates operated a scheme to use stolen credit card and identity information to induce businesses to provide goods and services, such as event tickets and personal protective equipment, to resell for a profit. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is alleged that the conspirators began targeting U.S.-based businesses selling goods that were scarce due to the pandemic. The conspirators allegedly used stolen credit card information to purchase items such as nitrile gloves, masks, and gowns and to resell them to third parties. The Superseding Indictment alleges that the conspirators operated the scheme from Canada, the Dominican Republic, Spain, Greece, and Dubai. It further alleges that the conspirators targeted sports teams and event venues throughout the United States and Canada, including Madison Square Garden in New York City.
According to the Superseding Indictment, Vinnik and his associates used 21 different alias email accounts and information from 52 stolen credit cards to purchase over 1,800 tickets to Oklahoma State University athletic events between November 2019 and January 2020. In March 2020, the conspirators allegedly used stolen credit card information to purchase approximately $18,000 worth of toilet paper from a paper supply company in Oklahoma City.
On June 14, 2024, Vinnik pleaded guilty to Count One of the Superseding Indictment, and admitted that he voluntarily conspired with others to use stolen credit card and identity information to purchase goods and services such as event tickets and personal protective equipment, which he and his conspirators agreed to sell to third parties for a profit. At sentencing, Vinnik faces up to 20 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Other defendants in the case have been sentenced as follows:
- Steven Mesrop has been sentenced to serve 80 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
- Dijon Cornelius Shepard, 30, has been sentenced to serve 20 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States.
- Mirna Mahrous Habib, 27, has been sentenced to serve four months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud
- Karin Treister, 27, has been ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $30,000, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations New York’s El Dorado Task Force, the New York City Police Department, and the Irvine (California) Police Department, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry is prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for further information.
Butler Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Butler, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 15 years of imprisonment on his convictions for possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing heroin and 10 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fluorofentanyl and fentanyl, as well as possession of a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Darnell Wynn, 44.
According to information presented to the Court, on February 15, 2021, Wynn was identified by law enforcement as the shooter in an incident that had prompted multiple reports of shots fired. A search warrant executed upon Wynn’s Butler residence resulted in the seizure of Wynn’s wallet and a key to a car that was parked behind the residence. A separate search of that car’s trunk resulted in the seizure of a .40 caliber handgun loaded with 24 rounds of ammunition, additional .40 caliber ammunition, pistol magazines, approximately 170 grams of heroin, approximately 39 grams of a fluorofentanyl and fentanyl mixture, and Wynn’s debit card. A laboratory later confirmed that the shell casings recovered from the scene of the shooting had been discharged by the same firearm.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the City of Butler Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Wynn.
Burlington County Man Sentenced to 245 Months in Prison for Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey man was sentenced to 245 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed more than one kilogram of heroin in Trenton and the surrounding area, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Jerome Roberts, aka “Righteous,” 53, was convicted in October 2021 of conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and distribution of 100 grams or more of heroin. Roberts was convicted following a three-week trial before former then-Chief U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson. U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner imposed the sentence on June 13, 2024, in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in the case and the evidence at trial:
From October 2017 to October 2018, Roberts and others engaged in a large narcotics conspiracy that operated in the areas of Martin Luther King Boulevard, Sanford Street, Middle Rose Street, Southard Street, Hoffman Avenue, and Coolidge Avenue in Trenton, and which sought to profit from the distribution of heroin and numerous other controlled substances. Roberts and his conspirator Jakir Taylor obtained regular supplies of hundreds of “bricks” of heroin from conspirator David Antonio, whom they referred to as “Papi.” Communications intercepted over court-authorized wiretaps showed that Taylor and Roberts agreed to obtain from Antonio what Roberts referred to as the “motherlode,” a supply of as many as 1,500 bricks – approximately 1.5 kilograms of heroin – in a single delivery. Taylor said that he intended to “flood the streets” of Trenton with this large supply. And Antonio said that “as long . . . as I keep it flowing, we never gonna stop.” Evidence in the case also showed that Roberts personally distributed large quantities of heroin to others during the conspiracy. For example, law enforcement surveillance, intercepted communications, and other physical evidence showed that on or about August 10, 2018, Roberts obtained a supply of 200 bricks of heroin from Antonio, which he redistributed to Taylor and others. During coordinated arrests on Oct. 25, 2018, law enforcement arrested Roberts, Taylor, Antonio, and other defendants, and recovered more than 1.4 kilograms of heroin from Antonio’s residence.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, Trenton Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ross A. Marchetti; officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Acting Police Director Steve Wilson; officers of the Princeton Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Nicholas Sutter; officers of the Ewing Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police John P. Stemler III; officers of the Burlington Township Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Bruce Painter; and detectives of the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
He also thanked officers of the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Col. Patrick J. Callahan; detectives of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Angelo Onofri; officers of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John A. Kemler; and members of the N.J. State Board of Parole for their assistance in the case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Ramey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
Antonio pleaded guilty to his role was sentenced in March 2020 to 204 months in prison. Taylor pleaded guilty to his role and was sentenced in January 2023 to 228 months in prison.
This case was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and the FBI’s Greater Trenton Safe Streets Task Force, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to enhance the identification, apprehension, and prosecution of individuals involved in gang-related activities, violent crime, and drug distribution in and around the greater Trenton area. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
Broome County Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Joseph Horan, 40, of Binghamton, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 17-months in federal prison for illegally possessing ammunition as a felon. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), New York Field Division, made the announcement.
When he pled guilty in January 2024, Horan admitted that, on November 4, 2022, while on parole, he possessed a magazine loaded with six rounds of .380 caliber ammunition. A 2019 felony conviction in Broome County Court prohibited Horan from legally possessing ammunition under federal law.
United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also ordered that Horan serve a 3-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.
The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone prosecuted the case.
Bergen County Man Admits Fraudulently Obtaining Cares Act Loan and Laundering the Proceeds of his FraudRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, man admitted that he fraudulently obtained an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and laundered the loan proceeds, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
George Leguen, 51, of Paramus, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on June 12, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From August 2020 through January 2021, Leguen participated in a scheme to defraud to fraudulently receive COVID-19 emergency relief funds meant for distressed small businesses under the EIDL program. Leguen applied to the Small Business Administration (SBA) on behalf of a business he owned and controlled. He submitted fraudulent information in support of that application, including the number of employees, annual gross revenue figures, and fraudulent federal tax returns. Leguen received $149,900. After receiving the fraudulent funds, he diverted the proceeds for his personal gain.
The charge of wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, whichever is greatest. The charge of money laundering carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved in the laundering offense, whichever is greater. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 19, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark: the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz of the New Jersey Field Division; special agents of the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron Hatley, Newark Field Office; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, Northeast Region, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fatime Meka Cano and Aja Espinosa of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
leguen.information.pdfBennington Man Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Ricky E. Bennett, age 38, of Bennington, Nebraska, was sentenced on June 14, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for possession of child pornography. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Bennett to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Bennett’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release. Bennett was also ordered to pay $10,100 in special assessments.
In the late summer to early fall of 2021, Bennett was being investigated for child enticement. During the course of that investigation a search warrant was conducted and his phone and electronic devices were seized on November 3, 2021. Bennett’s electronic devices were forensically reviewed. On a thumb drive of Bennett’s, 183 images, to include duplicates, of child sexual abuse material were located. On a Toshiba hard drive, 162 images of child sexual abuse material were located.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Baltimore Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Machineguns and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – On June 12, 2024, U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Bernard Edwards, age 37, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 70 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for the illegal possession of a machinegun and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department; and Special Agent in Charge Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division.
According to his plea agreement and court documents, on June 8, 2023, at approximately 12:25 a.m., an officer from the Baltimore Police Department (“BPD”) observed a gray 2019 Chevrolet Malibu with an expired temporary license plate and the BPD officer initiated a traffic stop and then observed what appeared to be a gray-colored assault rifle in plain view through the car’ rear passenger window. Edwards refused to exit the car when ordered and instead fled at high speed, leaving behind his license and registration with the officer.
Once law enforcement located and obtained a warrant for Edwards’ residence, BPD searched and recovered five firearms and 1,168 rounds of ammunition from Edwards’ bedroom. Among the firearms recovered was a polymer AR pistol bearing no serial number (“ghost gun”) that was modified with a machine gun conversion device. Another firearm was a Glock handgun modified with a Glock switch.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
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.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the Baltimore Police Department and the ATF for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Gordin, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Anchorage man charged in bomb hoax at a federal buildingRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging an Anchorage man with allegedly making a false bomb threat at a federal building.
According to court documents, on June 11, 2024, James Pearce, 40, falsely stated that he had placed explosive devices at the James Fitzgerald Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse and at six other locations around Anchorage. Pearce allegedly made these statements under circumstances where it may reasonably have been believed that the activity actually took place. He also allegedly made references to the terrorist groups Al-Qaeda and ISIS and the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City.
Pearce was arrested on-site, and the building was evacuated.
Pearce is charged with one count of a bomb hoax at a federal building, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1038(a)(1). The defendant will make his initial court appearance on a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Anchorage Field Office and Homeland Security Investigation, Federal Protective Service are investigating the case. The Anchorage Police Department provided significant law enforcement support the day of the incident.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Will Taylor and Mac Caille Petursson are 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.
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Alamogordo Man Sentenced for Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A member of the notorious Bandidos Motorcycle Club was sentenced to 21 months in prison for unlawful possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to publicly available court records, on August 31, 2023, the FBI and local law enforcement partners executed dozens of search warrants around New Mexico targeting the Bandidos Motorcycle Club. During the search of Jonathan Bivins, 42, home, agents discovered thirteen firearms in a safe located in his bedroom.
As a previously convicted felon, Bivins knew that he was prohibited from owning firearms or ammunition.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Bivins will be required to serve 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and New Mexico State Police led the investigation as part of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph M. Spindle and David B. Hirsch are prosecuting the case.
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30 Year Sentence for District Man Who Stabbed Two Men in Northwest DC, Killing OneRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Joseph Melton, 55, of Washington, DC, was sentenced today, by Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe, to 366 months in prison for the January 2020 murder of a man. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Melton pleaded guilty on March 25, 2024, to second degree murder while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon (knife).
According to the government’s evidence, around 9:10 a.m. on January 14, 2020, Melton approached Kevin Chamberlain in the 1800 block of Connecticut Ave. NW. Mr. Chamberlain recognized the defendant from college, thirty years ago, but did not know the defendant’s name. As they encountered each other, Melton made threats to Mr. Chamberlain, and then pulled out a knife from his pants pocket and attempted to stab him. Mr. Chamberlain was able to escape that attack and Melton fled the scene.
Later that same day, at around 1:15 p.m., a second victim encountered Melton in the 800 block of Vermont Ave., NW. Melton stabbed this victim in a vicious attack. This victim would later physically recover from his injuries.
However, about an hour thereafter, Melton re-encountered Mr. Chamberlain in the area of the intersection of 24th and G Streets, NW, and attacked him again, stabbing him repeatedly. Mr. Chamberlain succumbed to his wounds a few hours thereafter.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Homicide Branch of the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Liebman and Andrea Antonelli.
Thursday 13 June 2024
York Man Sentenced to 13 Months in Prison for Pandemic Unemployment FraudRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tanner Uffelman, age 29, of York, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on June 13, 2024, to time served (approximately 13 months’ imprisonment) by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Uffelman was charged with submitting multiple false applications to states seeking unemployment compensation claiming that the unemployment was a result of the COVID19 pandemic. From 2020 to 2021, Uffelman submitted these false claims using identifications of numerous innocent victims. He and his conspirators submitted the false claims in Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, and California. Uffelman pleaded guilty to the crime in January 2024, and admitted that the fraud scheme stole over $40,000 from the various states.
At sentencing, Judge Wilson noted that at the time he was committing his federal offense, Uffelman was on supervision with York County authorities for unlawful contact or communication with a minor and corruption of minors arising from a 2018 conviction where he, as a 23-year-old man, had a corrupt relationship with a 14-year-old girl. The judge identified this as well as the over 13-months he spent in Dauphin County Prison as sufficient punishment for the federal crime he committed and imposed a time served sentence. Judge Wilson also ordered that Uffelman serve three years of supervised release with the United States Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Ford is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Waukee Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Waukee man pleaded guilty on June 10 to wire fraud and money laundering charges.
According to public court records, William Jack Berg, 51, sold life insurance, annuities, and similar products to individuals in Central Iowa, Saint Louis, and other regions while acting as a financial advisor to many individuals in these areas. From at least January 2019, and continuing to May 2023, Berg defrauded over a dozen individuals by encouraging them to withdraw money out of the individuals’ pre-existing investments or financial accounts and transfer the withdrawn money to Berg for investment through “W Holdings of Iowa” and/or “Excel Performance Management.” The targeted individuals provided Berg with over $1.5 million that Berg did not invest for their benefit. Instead, Berg used the money for Berg’s personal expenses including vehicles, jewelry, rent, travel, groceries, gas, clothing, and dining out. One such expense included a check written from Berg’s bank account in February 2022 to a Clive jewelry store in the amount of $37,343 for the purchase of a custom 14 karat white gold engagement ring featuring a 2.20 carat oval cut diamond and an additional 38 diamonds weighing 1.04 carats in total. A part of his plea, Berg agreed to forfeit this engagement ring and other jewelry purchased with fraudulently acquired monies.
Berg also used the money to make payments to other individuals as purported “returns” or “dividends” on previously received money despite Berg had already spent those individuals’ monies. Berg admitted to making false and fraudulent representations to his victims for the purpose of enriching himself at the expense of the victims.
Berg is scheduled to be sentenced on October 11, 2024, and potentially faces up to twenty years in prison for wire fraud and up to 10 years in prison for money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence Berg will receive after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Berg will also be ordered to pay restitution to all victims of his fraud scheme in an amount to be determined by the sentencing federal district court judge.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Kerndt is prosecuting the case.
Washington man receives jail sentence for thermal trespass and a closure violation in Yellowstone National ParkRead the Press Release
Viktor Pyshniuk, 21 of Lynwood, Washington, was sentenced to seven days in jail for thermal trespass at Steamboat Geyser in the Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). In addition, he was placed on two years of unsupervised release and received a two-year ban from YNP for a closure violation. The court also ordered Pyshniuk to pay a $1,500 fine, $30 mandatory court processing fee and $20 special assessment.
According to court documents, a YNP law enforcement officer was dispatched to the thermal area at Steamboat Geyser by an on-duty park employee who reported a person walking off the boardwalk at that location. The employee had taken a photo of the defendant who had clearly crossed over the fence and was walking up the hillside within 15-20 feet of Steamboat Geyser’s steam vent. When contacted, Pyshniuk told the officer he left the boardwalk to take photos. While speaking with Pyshniuk, the officer showed him the signs posted throughout the area stating it is illegal to leave the boardwalk and explained that walking in a thermal area is very dangerous due to possible weak ground layer, the geothermal features of mud pots, heated steam and water, and all other dangers associated with walking in a heated, unpredictable geothermal area.
Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick imposed the sentence on June 4. During sentencing she explained to the defendant that the sentence was designed to deter him, specifically, but also the public from leaving the boardwalk in this area. She expressed her concern that the defendant’s actions were seen by the people around him, and they might have thought it was okay to do the same thing. And if every visitor to YNP disobeyed the rules, the park would be destroyed, and no-one would be able to enjoy it.
“Trespassing in closed, thermal areas of Yellowstone National Park is dangerous and harms the natural resource,” said Acting United States Attorney Eric Heimann. “In cases like this one where we have strong evidence showing a person has willfully disregarded signs and entered a closed, thermal area, federal prosecutors will seek significant penalties, including jail time.”
Steamboat Geyser is a prominent feature within YNP and the world’s tallest active geyser, but it is also the most dangerous. It has erratic and unpredictable eruptions that can rise anywhere from six to 300 feet high. In the last four years, the intervals between eruptions ranged anywhere from three to 89 days according to the YNP website: https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/steamboat-geyser.htm. Judge Hambrick also explained that the three-foot fencing around the boardwalk is a clear sign that the area is closed and prohibited from entering.
This case was investigated by Yellowstone National Park law enforcement officers and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes.
For questions relating to Yellowstone National Park, please contact the Public Affairs Office at 307-344-2015 or [email protected]. You may also visit https://www.nps.gov/yell
Virgin Islands Government Officials Charged in $4 Million Dollar HUD Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Department of Education Director of Maintenance, Davidson Charlemagne, 50, and his wife Sasha Charlemagne, 44, both of St. Croix, were arrested after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging the pair with government program fraud, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy. The indictment also charges former Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority (“VIHFA”) Chief Operating Officer Darin Richardson, 56, of St. Thomas, with criminal conflict of interest and making materially false statements.
“As alleged, these defendants exploited hurricane recovery efforts in order to develop and carry out a $4 million scheme to defraud taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith. “The indictment levied against these individuals sends a clear message that the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners followed the money and will continue to hold public officials seeking to profit from natural disasters accountable for their crimes. I commend the diligent work done by Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General who worked tirelessly to uncover this conspiracy to defraud the citizens of our Territory.”
According to court documents, the charges stem from a two-year investigation involving a VIHFA contract for storage and management of wood that was shipped to the Territory to be used for the reconstruction of commercial and residential buildings following Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. After both hurricanes, Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) mobilized resources, including a large consignment of wood, to rebuild public and private infrastructure in the Virgin Islands. As part of those efforts, VIHFA received funding through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program to pay for the storage and management of the wood. Initially, VIHFA stored the St. Croix consignment of wood at Sunshine Mall in Frederiksted, St. Croix. However, in 2020, the owner of Sunshine Mall requested that the Government of the Virgin Islands remove the St. Croix woodpile from his commercial property.
On May 12, 2020, VIHFA issued a public request for proposals seeking bids for a contract to store and manage the woodpiles on both islands. On June 2, 2020, VIHFA received a proposed bid from ISG and D&S Trucking, a company owned and operated by Davidson Charlemagne, at a cost of $2,993,500.00, over a three-year period. The proposal included cost estimates for four employees, including a warehouse manager at $120,000.00 per year, a forklift driver at $100,000.00 per year, a shipping and receiving clerk at $80,000.00 per year, and an administrative staffer. These estimates for labor were vastly inflated and above the labor costs estimated by VIHFA. By comparison, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, salaries for forklift drivers, shipping and receiving clerks, and administrative support personnel average approximately $41,000.00 per year, and a manager of warehouse employees earns on average $64,000.00 per year.
As required by HUD and VIHFA, Charlemagne certified in the proposal that his company, D&S Trucking, had general and automotive insurance that expired on December 18, 2020. No evidence exists, however, that Charlemagne had insurance he claimed to have at the time he submitted the bid certification. Without insurance, Charlemagne’s company, D&S Trucking, was ineligible to serve as subcontractor on the woodpile storage and management contract. Charlemagne also failed to disclose in his bid that he was employed as Director of Maintenance for the Virgin Islands Department of Education or that he would be obtaining rent-free warehouse space at Henderson Elementary School, a property owned by the Virgin Islands Government. Essentially, ISG’s bid proposed that D&S Trucking would collect vastly inflated annual fees from one government agency to store and manage the St. Croix woodpile rent-free at another government agency where Charlemagne is employed.
VIHFA received a second request for proposal from Infrastructure and Disaster Recovery Group (“IDRG”), a company incorporated in the state of Texas, in response to VIHFA woodpile management contract. IDRG, however, was not registered with the federal government’s System for Award Management (“SAM”), a prerequisite for companies seeking government contracts, nor a Dun & Bradstreet (“DUNS”) account number. The absence of a SAM registration and DUNS account number should have raised significant red flags to VIHFA, the absence of which effectively rendered IDRG ineligible to be awarded a federal contract. The investigation later revealed that IDRG’s bid proposal was altered by unknown co-conspirators after it was submitted to VIHFA which resulted in IDRG’s bid being less competitive than ISG and D&S Trucking’s bid.
In June 2020, VIHFA COO Darin Richardson convened a Bid Evaluation Committee meeting to review the bids submitted by ISG and IDRG. On July 7, 2020, Richardson, who had total authority over all procurement and contract related decisions at VIHFA, gave ISG’s bid higher ratings across all technical factors, as compared to the bid submitted by IDRG. On January 27, 2021, Richardson formally awarded ISG and D&S Trucking the contract for the storage and management in the amount of $2,993,500.00, commencing on February 1, 2021, and ending January 31, 2024. Pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Regulations which govern all contracts utilizing federal funds, it was unlawful for Richardson to formally award the contract to ISG and D&S Trucking after evaluating and rating proposals from companies. Federal regulations contemplate a bifurcation of these two duties, and Richardson violated the regulations by performing both roles.
On February 1, 2021, Charlemagne, through ISG and D&S Trucking, began collecting payments from VIHFA averaging $83,000.00 per month. Charlemagne, in his capacity as Director of Maintenance for Department of Education, arranged for rent-free storage of the St. Croix woodpile at Henderson Elementary School. Despite receiving payments under the contact from February 2021, Charlemagne did not remove the St. Croix woodpile from Sunshine Mall to Henderson Elementary School until August 2021, seven months after he began receiving payments under the contract. Accordingly, Charlemagne received over $582,000.00 in payments from VIHFA before beginning any work that he had contractually agreed to perform. During the period of February 8, 2021, through November 3, 2022, ISG and D&S Trucking billed VIHFA $1,526,743.00 for labor costs despite paying only $461,379.00 in payroll costs to employees who were purportedly managing the St. Croix and St. Thomas woodpiles.
This sum represents a 331% profit to Charlemagne for labor under the contract. Moreover, of the $461,379.00 in payroll paid by D&S Trucking, $67,037.00 was paid to Sasha Charlemagne. No record exists with the Virgin Islands Department of Labor that Sasha Charlemagne has ever been employed with or earned a salary from D&S Trucking, as required by Virgin Islands Law. Charlemagne also reported hiring an additional 21 individuals to allegedly work under the terms of the woodpile contract on St. Croix and St. Thomas. However, no record exists with the Department of Labor that Charlemagne employed 21 individuals nor paid employer payroll taxes for those employees, as required by the laws of the Virgin Islands. The investigation further revealed that the Charlemagnes used federal funds to pay for a variety of personal and business expenditures, including over $365,000.00 in credit card bills, car loans, and bank lines of credit; approximately $100,000.00 in equipment purchases; over $120,000.00 in cash transfers to themselves; and over $35,000.00 on fireworks.
On June 7, 2021, while serving as COO, and in that capacity, managing and supervising all procurement related decisions for VIHFA, Richardson increased the value of ISG’s contract to $4,043,100.00. The purported justification for the $1,000,000.00 increase was that the length of the contract term was increased from 2.8 years to 3.0 years. This justification, however, was false as the contract term was originally set for a three-year term which would not have expired until January 2024, more two-and-a-half years later. Again, on August 20, 2021, while serving as COO of VIHFA, Richardson increased ISG’s contract to $4,319,816.50, an increase of $276,416.50 in two months. For a third time in eight months, Richardson, in his capacity as COO of VIHFA, again increased the value of ISG’s contract to $4,423,644.50, on October 13, 2021. On February 7, 2022, Richardson, while serving as COO for VIHFA, received a payment in the amount of $107,000.00 from ISG. On February 14, 2023, after resigning as COO from VIHFA, Richardson was interviewed by HUD Office of Inspector General during which he falsely stated that he had recused himself from all VIHFA matters related to ISG, and that he was pursuing a business relationship with ISG. Richardson’s statement was false as he was, in fact, instrumental reviewing and awarding ISG and D&S Trucking the woodpile contract. In fact, a review of relevant documents revealed that Richardson never executed any document with HUD nor VIHFA to formally recuse himself from matters related to ISG.
“The indictment related to theft of HUD disaster relief program funds meant to benefit low-income families is a signal that we take seriously allegations of illegally obtained taxpayer dollars through fraudulent schemes,” said HUD OIG Southeast Region Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, George Richardson. “HUD OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of HUD’s programs and to ensure vulnerable people in our communities are provided critical resources upon which they can rely.”
"The indictment and arrests announced today are a clear demonstration of the FBI's unwavering commitment to justice and the responsible use of government funds. We will not tolerate those who seek to defraud the government and hinder the crucial assistance for those in need. We will continue to vigorously pursue justice for the American people and ensure that disaster relief funds are used as intended," said Joseph Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office. "We call on the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands to join us in this fight by reporting these crimes to our main line at 787-987-6500. Your tips are invaluable, and we assure you that we will do our utmost to protect your identity and investigate every lead."
“Our office is committed to investigating fraud across all SBA programs,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Braithwaite. “We leverage our agent’s expertise to uncover complex fraud schemes, including those that arise during pandemic fraud investigations. Our collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners is essential in protecting taxpayer interests in the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
In January 2024, VIHFA renewed ISG’s woodpile contract for an additional three-year term with payments averaging over $120,000.00 per month to Davidson and Sasha Charlemagne. Since the inception of the contract in February 2021, VIHFA has paid ISG and D&S Trucking over $3,600,000.00 in federal funds, of which approximately $3,177,000.00 has been credited to bank accounts owned and controlled by Davidson and Sasha Charlemagne. The woodpiles in St. Croix and St. Thomas, however, remain almost entirely unused and stacked on pallets outdoors and exposed to the elements for more than three years, and homes across the Territory remain in need of repairs from damage caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017.
This case is being investigated by Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Evan Rikhye.
U.S. Attorney Smith reminds the public that an indictment is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz Announces Several Federal Indictments for Firearm Crimes Involving "Switches" and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz today announced the recent indictments of nine individuals charged in federal court for violations of federal gun laws. United States Attorney Ritz also reinforced his commitment to federal prosecution of individuals who illegally possess machine gun conversion devices (also known as “switches” or “auto sears”) and who commit other federal firearm offenses.
“Our citizens deserve to feel safe in their city, and that’s why there is no higher priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office than reducing violent crime in Memphis,” said United States Attorney Ritz. “As these recent indictments show, federal authorities in the Memphis area are vigorously enforcing federal firearms laws, including the laws prohibiting highly dangerous machine gun conversion devices. Those individuals who are driving the violence in our city will face significant federal penalties where the evidence establishes violations of federal law.”
Among the indictments returned by the federal grand jury in Memphis are a multi-count indictment charging a convicted felon with possession of firearms, one of which was converted to a machine gun with a conversion device, commonly known as a “switch”. Wayne Sanders, 31, of Memphis, Tennessee was indicted on June 11, 2024, after a federal criminal complaint was filed against him on April 24, 2024.
The indictment alleges that on or about February 24, 2024, Sanders possessed a Romarm Cugir 7.62 caliber pistol; a Glock .45 caliber pistol; and a Glock 9mm caliber pistol, which had been converted to a machine gun. If convicted of these offenses, Sanders faces up to fifteen years of imprisonment.
According to information presented in court, the United States Marshal Service Task Force Officers attempted to arrest Sanders pursuant to an arrest warrant based on the criminal complaint when Sanders pointed another illegally possessed firearm at one of the task force officers before fleeing. Officers recovered the firearm, and Sanders was subsequently arrested without further incident.
The following defendants were also charged with federal crimes involving switches:
- Jeremy Walker, 32. Walker was indicted on March 12, 2024, for drug and gun crimes, including possessing a firearm with a switch.
- Leon Moore, 26. Moore was indicted on May 30, 2024, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a machine gun.
- Camron Taylor, 21. Taylor was indicted on May 30, 2024, for possessing a machine gun.
- Montez Carr, 20. Carr was indicted on May 30, 2024, for possessing a machine gun.
The following defendants were charged with other firearm or violent crime related offenses:
- Jocquel Williams, 28. Williams was indicted on May 30, 2024, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
- Al Kendrick Malone, 22. Malone was indicted on May 30, 2024, for carjacking and for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
- Cedric Arnold, 35. Arnold was indicted on May 30, 2024, for being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition.
- Jartavius Lewis, 20. Lewis was indicted on May 30, 2024, for possessing a machine gun.
These cases are being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Gun Task Force. Anyone with information about switches or other federal gun crimes can call 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867).
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law. If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of the factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.
These indictments are 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, using data-driven methods to set focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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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.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Highlights Efforts Aimed at Curbing Summer ViolenceRead the Press Release
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – To combat the uptick in violent crime expected during the summer months, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is working to engage with students, expand community outreach and strengthen relationships with law enforcement in southern Illinois.
“Typically, as temperatures rise, so do the violent crime rates,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “In a proactive effort, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is working to connect with southern Illinois communities and law enforcement to help combat the expected surge.”
This week, U.S. Attorney’s Office employees traveled to various communities around the district to connect with police and civic leaders working to improve public safety.
To discuss violence reduction initiatives, employees visited members of the Public Safety Enforcement Group in East St. Louis on Monday to engage with law enforcement and community leaders. In partnership with the Illinois State Police, members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office joined attendees at the Team Illinois Youth Police Camp Wednesday and participated in the outdoor programming in Jackson County.
"Good relationships between law enforcement and the community are critical when it comes to solving and stopping crime, and keeping communities safe," said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. "Our Public Safety Enforcement Group interacts daily with members of the East St. Louis community to strengthen their trust in law enforcement and show we are there to help them. We also host Team Illinois Youth Police Camps each year to build positive interactions with law enforcement from a young age, as well as teach youth about leadership development, substance abuse resistance, team building principles, and other life enhancing skills - all designed to steer kids away from crime."
On Wednesday, employees took a ride along with a police officer with the Centralia Police Department and met officials with the Marion County Housing Authority to discuss their crime prevention partnership program.
An Assistant U.S. Attorney also visited the Carbondale Police Department this week to brief investigators on federal prosecutorial tools for illegal gun possession and straw purchase cases.
Crime reduction and community outreach efforts will continue throughout the summer. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois serves the state’s lower 38 counties.
U.S. Attorney's Office Advocates the Protection and Safety of Older Adults Through Education and Community AwarenessRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is on Saturday, June 15th. In observance of WEAAD, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is reaffirming its commitment to protect older adults from abuse, neglect, and fraud. WEAAD serves as an important reminder of the prevalence of elder abuse and the need for community awareness, education, prevention, and intervention.
Elder abuse is a growing concern across the nation, affecting millions of older adults each year. It encompasses various forms of mistreatment, including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, as well as neglect and financial exploitation. The consequences of elder abuse are devastating, often leading to severe physical injuries, emotional trauma, and even death.
“Our elderly population deserves to live with dignity and respect, free from fear of abuse and exploitation,” said Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. “World Elder Abuse Awareness Day shines a light on this critical issue and serves as a call to action for our community to protect our most vulnerable citizens.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting those who perpetrate crimes against older adults. However, law enforcement alone cannot address this issue; community awareness and preventive measures are equally important.
To mark WEAAD, the U.S. Attorney’s Office planned a series of outreach events and initiatives aimed at raising awareness and educating the public about the signs of elder abuse and the resources available to prevent and address it. These events included:
- Elder Fraud Bingo: This event, held in Asheville today and previously at other locations throughout Western North Carolina, is a fun activity that delivers vital information to older adults and other community members about the types of scams targeting older adults and encourages the reporting of fraud.
- Educational “Walk for Awareness:” In partnership with local senior centers, healthcare providers, local governments, and other community organizations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office participated in a “Walk for Awareness” held in Charlotte and in Asheville. The focus of the events was to bring awareness to elder abuse, help participants recognize the signs of abuse, understand the rights of older adults, and how to access support services.
- Public Service Announcement (PSA): A PSA featuring U.S. Attorney King delivering a message against elder abuse was posted on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s YouTube Channel and shared on social media, highlighting the importance of recognizing and reporting elder abuse.
- Resource Distribution: The U.S. Attorney’s Office partnered with Mecklenburg County’s Senior Nutrition Program in Charlotte, and Sparc’s Health & Nutrition Program in Asheville, to distribute informational material to homebound older adults through their mobile meal delivery services, to ensure that vital information reaches as many people as possible.
“Our goal is to empower our community with the knowledge and tools to combat elder abuse effectively,” said U.S. Attorney King. “By working together, we can remove the stigma associated with victimization, encourage the reporting of abuse and exploitation, and above all ensure a safer, more supportive environment for our senior citizens.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office encourages everyone to learn more about elder abuse, neglect and exploitation and to be vigilant in protecting older adults.
If you suspect elder abuse, please contact your local law enforcement or the Eldercare Locator Helpline at 1-800-677-1116 or visit eldercare.acl.gov.
You can also report suspected financial exploitation and fraud by calling the Justice Department’s Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) or visiting the Elder Justice Initiative at Justice.gov/elderjustice.
U.S. Attorney Joins with Special Agents in Charge of FBI and DEA to Announce Law Enforcement Surge Combatting Nighttime Fentanyl Trafficking in the Tenderloin District of San FranciscoRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey joined with Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to announce a surge in nighttime activities in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco. The surge is in furtherance of “All Hands on Deck,” a law enforcement initiative to address endemic drug dealing in the area. The law enforcement officials also released a video regarding the surge that can be seen here.
In November of 2023, U.S. Attorney Ramsey convened a press conference and circulated a press release announcing the new joint initiative. The press conference was attended by numerous federal, state, and local officials and dignitaries all of whom pledged to contribute resources to All Hands on Deck. The initiative, designed to change the basic cost/benefit analysis for fentanyl dealers throughout the Northern District of California, included several programmatic elements including the following:
• ramping up arrests of street dealers and suppliers of fentanyl who sell fentanyl near federal buildings (including near the James R. Browning U.S. Courthouse at 7th and Mission Streets, the Nancy Pelosi Federal Building on 7th and Mission Streets, and the Phillip Burton Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse at 450 Golden Gate Avenue);
• expanding efforts to track down and hold accountable suppliers of fentanyl;
• bringing additional charges against persons operating money services operations who turn a blind eye to drug trafficking and money laundering transactions on their networks;
• using targeted wiretaps, arrests, and searches throughout the Bay Area to enable drug seizures and to stem the flow of drugs and dealers coming into San Francisco from nearby counties;
• conducting regular joint federal and SFPD “jump out” operations in the Tenderloin to make on-the-spot arrests for open-air drug dealing;
• “fast-tracking” certain federal cases so that they take as little as a month from time of arrest to disposition; and
• federal “adoption” of state cases to raise the stakes by holding drug dealers accountable in the federal system.As part of today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ramsey confirmed that “since November, we have announced numerous lengthy sentences handed down to drug dealers, extraditions of alleged drug dealers from Honduras, the prosecution of persons operating money services operations who had turned a blind eye to drug trafficking and money laundering transactions on their networks, and the federalizing and fast tracking of certain cases traditionally handled by local governments.”
In addition, Special Agent in Charge Clark stated that in recent weeks, law enforcement officials have “ramped up night operations.” “Federal agents are now being deployed to hold drug dealers accountable regardless of the time of day. Our presence makes it clear there is no time to be safe from law enforcement in our neighborhoods,” he said. The night operations have resulted, thus far, in more than 20 federal criminal complaints as well as the seizure of pounds of drugs (including more than 11 lbs. of fentanyl and more than 5 lbs. of methamphetamine) and over $20,000 in seized cash.
Referring to the unveiling of All Hands on Deck, Special Agent in Charge Tripp stated, “As we stated last November, our objective is to change the equation for drug dealers. As the consequences of choosing to supply drugs in the Tenderloin become more severe, dealers and suppliers are going to have to reassess their risk. Is it worth it? We aim to show the answer is no.”
Since the inception of the initiative in November of 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged over 90 individuals for drug distribution activities in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco. As of this week, over 70 of those cases have resulted in federal convictions.
U.S. Attorney Files Civil Fraud Suit Against LabQ and Its CEO for Fraudulently Billing COVID-19 TestingRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Elysia Doherty, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that the United States has filed a Complaint against LABQ CLINICAL DIAGNOSTICS, LLC (“LABQ”); COMMUNITY MOBILE TESTING, INC. (“CMT”); DART MEDICAL LABORATORY, INC. (“DART MEDICAL”); and their CEO, MOSHE LANDAU (collectively, the “Defendants”), alleging that the Defendants fraudulently billed the federal program that reimbursed health care providers for COVID-19 testing provided to uninsured persons (the “Uninsured Program”). The lawsuit seeks damages and civil penalties under the False Claims Act as well as a recovery of government funds under the common law.
Prior to seeking reimbursement for COVID-19 testing services from the Uninsured Program, testing providers were required to attest to the Health Services and Resources Administration (“HRSA”), a component agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), that they had confirmed their patients were uninsured and that no one else would pay for the cost of the COVID-19 testing. However, as alleged in the Complaint, the Defendants frequently knowingly submitted, or caused to be submitted, claims to the Uninsured Program for COVID-19 testing in instances when the cost of the COVID-19 testing had been (or would be) reimbursed by another source and/or the COVID-19 testing had been provided to persons who had health coverage on the relevant date of the service. The Complaint alleges that the Defendants’ fraudulent scheme drained limited funds appropriated by Congress to cover COVID-19 testing costs for uninsured persons.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, LabQ, CMT, Dart Medical, and their CEO, Moshe Landau, fraudulently took tens of millions of dollars from the Uninsured Program for the testing of individuals with health care coverage, and thereby depleted the funds that Congress authorized for the testing of uninsured individuals who truly needed the federal assistance. This Office will hold accountable those who divert federal funds designed to provide critical medical care to the uninsured population of this city and nation in order to line their own pockets.”
HHS-OIG Assistant Special Agent in Charge Elysia Doherty said: “It is alleged in this case that the defendants knowingly sought reimbursements from federal funds available during the COVID-19 pandemic to which they were not entitled. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to seek resolutions and effect change to preserve the integrity of the federal health care system.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “Moshe Landau, the CEO of various COVID-19 testing companies, allegedly defrauded a federal healthcare program by submitting illegitimate claims to receive unlawful reimbursements. Collecting tens of millions of dollars in reimbursements, Landau and his companies allegedly took advantage of a government initiative that provided support and assistance to healthcare providers during a global pandemic. The FBI is committed to ensuring that people like Landau are rightfully held accountable for their knowing attempts to deceive the government for personal gain, and for exploiting programs designed to serve vulnerable citizens.”
The following allegations are based on the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court on June 13, 2024:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, LABQ provided COVID-19 testing for school districts and nursing homes, as well as to walk-up patients at numerous LABQ-branded vans and tents located on public streets in New York City. LABQ and DART MEDICAL received approximately $130 million from the Uninsured Program for COVID-19 Testing. In direct contravention of their promises and attestations to HRSA, however, the Defendants frequently submitted, or caused to be submitted, ineligible and fraudulent claims to the Uninsured Program for COVID-19 testing in instances when the cost of the COVID-19 testing had been (or would be) reimbursed by another source and/or the COVID-19 testing had been provided to persons who had health coverage on the relevant date of the service.
More specifically, the Defendants engaged in the following schemes: LABQ, DART MEDICAL, and LANDAU double-billed the Uninsured Program and other health care programs and private institutions for the same COVID-19 testing; LABQ and CMT employees frequently told patients and customers, in sum and substance, that LABQ did not need insurance information and, in instances when LABQ possessed patient insurance information, LABQ, DART MEDICAL, and LANDAU often submitted claims (or caused claims to be submitted) to the Uninsured Program for those patients; and in clear violation of the Uninsured Program’s Terms and Conditions, LABQ, LANDAU, and DART MEDICAL, as a matter of policy, sought reimbursement (or caused others to seek reimbursement) from the Uninsured Program for COVID-19 tests provided to people with health care coverage in instances where LABQ, LANDAU, and DART MEDICAL believed that the patient’s insurer might deny LABQ or DART MEDICAL’s claim for reimbursement.
As a result of the Defendants’ fraudulent conduct, the Uninsured Program paid tens of millions of dollars to LABQ and DART MEDICAL to which they were not entitled. Further, at LANDAU’s direction, LABQ, CMT, and DART MEDICAL disbursed a significant portion of these funds to LANDAU’s personal bank accounts.
Through these practices, the Defendants improperly obtained tens of millions of dollars from the Uninsured Program in violation of both the False Claims Act and the common law.
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The Government intervened, in part, in two whistleblower lawsuits before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman that had previously been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act.
Mr. Williams thanked HHS-OIG, the FBI, HHS, and HRSA for their assistance with the case.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zack Bannon, Lawrence H. Fogelman, Charles S. Jacob, and Danielle J. Marryshow are in charge of the case.
Two South Salt Lake Residents Admit to Odometer FraudRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah –Porter R. Hamblin, 20, of South Salt Lake, Utah, pleaded guilty today to three counts of false odometer statements. Last week, Hamblin’s co-defendant, Austin Weilacher, 21, of South Salt Lake, also admitted to the same crimes that defrauded unsuspecting used car purchasers through odometer fraud.
According to court documents, and statements made at the change of plea hearings, beginning in May 2023 to July 2023, Hamblin and Weilacher engaged in a fraudulent scheme to sell vehicles with broken or false odometers. Hamblin and Weilacher admitted they purchased higher mileage vehicles and then advertised the vehicles for sale on local websites, usually KSL.com. They also admitted they sometimes listed the vehicles with different Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) and/or with lower mileage. Hamblin and Weilacher would then sell the vehicles for an inflated price to consumers in the Salt Lake Valley. The purpose of the scheme was to receive inflated prices for the vehicles and then use the cash from the fraudulent sales to purchase other vehicles to sell to unsuspecting consumers, or to purchase high end vehicles for themselves. As a result of the scheme, Hamblin and Weilacher caused buyers of used vehicles to pay more for the vehicles than they would have paid if they had known the vehicles’ correct mileage readings.
Hamblin is scheduled to be sentenced August 16, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.1 and Weilacher is scheduled to be sentenced August 29, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.1. at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake (UPD).
Assistant United States Attorney Stewart M. Young of the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
Three East Idaho Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the outcomes in two separate East Idaho cases in which three defendants were sentenced to federal prison for trafficking controlled substances.
“Curtailing fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking is a top priority for us in Eastern Idaho and throughout the state,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “I am thankful to our law enforcement partners who investigated these cases and helped to dismantle these trafficking operations. We will continue to support this important work and make sure that drug traffickers face the justice that they deserve.”
Last month, Jonathan Joseph Monaco, 43, of Pocatello, was sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl. Earlier this week, as part of the same case, Eric Charles Weimer, 46, also of Pocatello, was sentenced to 6.5 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to court records, on February 4, 2023, Monaco, and his wife (co-defendant Helen Monaco, 38, who was sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison) were traveling from California to Idaho – where they resided – when their vehicle was stopped by law enforcement in Washoe County, Nevada. Law enforcement initially found 65 grams of methamphetamine in the vehicle along with fentanyl, marijuana, and a digital scale. Monaco and his wife were arrested and booked into the Washoe County Jail. While in jail, law enforcement obtained a search warrant to re-search the vehicle and found an additional 4,000 fentanyl pills, and over two pounds of methamphetamine hidden in a void behind the spare tire.
Investigators gathered additional evidence that Monaco, his wife, and co-defendant Weimer were all working together in the distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl in southeast Idaho, and elsewhere. According to court records, on February 5, 2023, Weimer, was traveling from Idaho to Montana when his vehicle was stopped by law enforcement in Montana. Law enforcement found 453 grams of methamphetamine in the vehicle along with 87 grams of fentanyl.
“Illicit drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine are not only dangerous but cause deep, painful harm to individuals, families and communities," said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “These cases are indicative of the success that can be achieved when agencies work together to put drug traffickers out of business and in prison. We will not tolerate the trafficking of illicit drugs in our communities.”
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Monaco and Weimer be placed on supervised release for five years following their prison sentences.
In a separate case, on June 12, 2024, Jason Lou Gneiting, 45, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced to 7.5 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine. According to court records, on May 23, 2022, following a year-long narcotics investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Gneiting’s residence and recovered over 15 pounds of methamphetamine.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Gneiting to be placed on supervised release for five years following his prison sentence.
“The ripple effects from drug trafficking harms everyone, devastating communities by fueling violence, addiction, and crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Our federal, state, and local law enforcement partnerships allow us a way to keep drug traffickers from endangering people across Idaho.”
The Monaco and Weimer case was investigated by the FBI, the Idaho State Police, the BADGES/HIDTA Taskforce, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office in Nevada, and the Montana Highway Patrol. The Gneiting case was investigated by the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, the Idaho Falls Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations in Idaho Falls, and the Idaho State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett prosecuted both cases.
The BADGES Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that focuses primarily on drug trafficking crimes in Bannock County and throughout the region.
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Texas Man Sentenced for Filing False FEC Report for his Super PAC and for Credit Card FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Christopher Richardson, 37, formerly of San Antonio, Texas, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for filing a false report with the Federal Election Commission and for credit card fraud.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Scott Moffit of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration’s (TIGTA) Cybercrime Investigations Division.
Richardson, who has a prior federal conviction for bank fraud, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false entry in a record and one count of access device fraud on February 29, 2024. In addition to the 18-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden ordered Richardson to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in March 2020 Richardson created an independent, expenditure-only Super PAC named Americans for Progressive Action USA (AFPA) that used fictitious names for AFPA’s treasurer and designated agent. Richardson then filed a falsified quarterly report with the FEC claiming that AFPA had raised $4.8 million from several fictitious individuals. Several weeks later, he filed a report of expenditures that falsely claimed that the Super PAC spent over $1.5 million to purchase advertisements and media production opposing certain candidates for the U.S. Senate. Richardson filed another FEC report that falsely stated that AFPA refunded the non-existent $4.8 million in donations. Richardson also used the alias of one of the fictitious donors to AFPA to obtain a credit card, and then used that card to conduct approximately 200 transactions.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and TIGTA Cybercrime Investigations Division. It was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Ryan R. Crosswell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold for the District of Columbia with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Ahmed Baset.
Tampa Man Sentenced to More Than 4 Years for Possession of Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Gerard Eric Beasley (50, Tampa) to four years and nine months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Beasley was found guilty on March 12, 2024, following a bench trial.
According to evidence presented at trial, Beasley was stopped by officers from the Tampa Police Department for driving without his headlights on and for a partially open trunk. During a search of Beasley’s vehicle, the officers located marijuana, crack cocaine, and a Taurus G2C 9mm pistol loaded with one round of ammunition. During an interview, Beasley admitted to possessing the firearm and the narcotics. At the time of the offense, Beasley had multiple prior felony convictions and therefore is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Shauna Hale.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Tampa Man and Woman Sentenced for Narcotics and Firearms Offenses Following Jury ConvictionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Elias Xavier Rosario Torres (26, Tampa) and Veronica Estefania Rodriguez Pinuela (23, Tampa) after both were found guilty by a jury on March 8, 2024. Rosario Torres was sentenced to 38 years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and over 500 grams of cocaine, possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. Rodriguez Pinuela was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and over 500 grams of cocaine, and possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to evidence presented at trial, Rosario Torres and Rodriguez Pinuela were stopped by Tampa Police Department officers on March 8, 2022, for a traffic infraction. During the traffic stop, officers located two backpacks containing nearly a kilogram of cocaine, 16 grams of fentanyl, a Glock 23 handgun, two loaded magazines, and additional ammunition. The Glock 23 was modified with a chip that converted the handgun into a machine gun. At the time of the offense, Rosario Torres was a convicted felon, having been convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeff Chang, James C. Preston, and Samantha E. Beckman.
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.
St. Louis Man Admits Producing Child Sexual Abuse Materials Involving Multiple VictimsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri on Wednesday admitted producing child pornography involving at least eight victims.
Tracy Jenkins, 59, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of production of child pornography and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted sexually abusing five children and recording the abuse. The series of videos have been circulating online since at least 2022. At this point in the investigation, three other victims have also been identified, Jenkins’ plea agreement says.
One of the victims was 6 years old when the abuse began and another was 11. Jenkins provided food, money, clothing and other items of value to some of the victims. Jenkins’ face is clearly visible in many of the videos he produced.
After the FBI’s Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Unit was able to determine the identity of one of the victims, they contacted the St. Louis FBI office. Agents quickly located Jenkins and conducted a court-approved search of his home, finding multiple electronic devices with thousands of files containing child pornography. They also located about 200 videos that Jenkins produced of his sexual abuse of the victims in this case, ranging in length from seconds to over one hour and 45 minutes, the plea agreement says.
Jenkins began making videos at least as early as 2013. He was present with one victim the day before the FBI searched his home.
FBI agents also found a Sarsilmaz 9mm pistol in Jenkins’ home. The gun had been stolen in St. Louis County. Jenkins is a convicted felon and is barred from possessing firearms.
Jenkins is scheduled to be sentenced in December. At sentencing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson will ask for a sentence of 40 years, the plea agreement says.
The FBI investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
St. Louis County Man Accused of Drug Robbery with a Machine GunRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon from St. Louis County, Missouri has been accused of committing a drug robbery while armed with a machine gun.
Walter C. Moore, 19, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a machine gun, robbery and possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a crime of violence.
A June 5 indictment accuses Moore of robbing someone engaged in the sale of controlled substances on April 25.
A motion seeking to have Moore held in jail until trial says he was armed with a Glock equipped with a “switch,” or auto sear, rendering if a fully automatic weapon. The Glock was also equipped with an extended magazine and a laser sight.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a crime of violence charge carries a mandatory minimum prison term of 30 years.
The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Spokane Property Management Company Agrees to Pay More Than $300,000 for Fraudulently Claiming Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars in Rent Assistance During COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington announced All Star Property Management, LLC (All Star), a property management company located in Spokane, and Arlin Jordan, have agreed to pay $329,196 to resolve claims they falsely and fraudulently claimed hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent assistance intended to benefit struggling renters during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress established an Emergency Rent Assistance program to provide funds through local and tribal governments to benefit struggling renters who had fallen behind on rent due to unemployment or other hardship. In Washington, the program was known as the Treasury Rent Assistance Program (T-RAP). Under T-RAP, landlords or property management companies could apply for T-RAP federal funding for a tenant’s past due and projected unpaid rent. As a material condition of receiving federal funds, landlords were required to certify that the information included in the T-RAP application, including the rent amounts, were truthful and accurate, and to certify compliance with material T-RAP program requirements. Landlords were further required to apply any funds received for a particular tenant to that tenant’s balance.
According to court documents, during the relevant time period, All Star was a property management company, owned by Gieve Parker, that managed rental properties on behalf of landlords in Spokane, including several properties owned by Arlin Jordin. Jordin was currently serving a prison sentence at the Coyote Ridge Corrections Center in Connell, Washington, for drugging and raping a tenant, but Jordan continued to own and collect income from Spokane properties managed by All Star, for which All Star and Jordin split the rental income.
“All-Star Property Management, Ms. Parker, and Mr. Jordin used false and fraudulent information as part of a scheme targeting precious and limited rent assistance funds. As a result, they lined their pockets with money that should have been used to keep people in a safe, secure, affordable home during a deadly pandemic,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Landlords and property management companies need to play by the rules. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who abuse critically important housing support programs.”
As All Star Property admitted in the Settlement Agreement, All Star Property and Parker certified and submitted T-RAP applications that contained inaccurate information, including, inflated monthly rental amounts, owed rent money for months when the residents were not living at the property, and owed rent money for months where tenants were receiving rental assistance from outside organizations. This inaccurate information resulted in overpayment of federal emergency rental assistance funds for which All Star and Parker were not eligible. With respect to rental properties managed by All Star Property for Jordin, a management fee was subtracted from received T-RAP funds and retained by All Star Property, and the remaining received T-RAP funds were paid to Jordin. The result of which was that Jordin received overpayment of T-RAP funds that he was not otherwise entitled to.
United States Attorney Waldref further stated that, “Importantly, this case came out of Washington’s right-to-counsel program for indigent renters facing eviction. Equal access to justice in eviction defense is helping shine a light on these fraudulent practices in ways that was not possible before this important program existed. We will continue working with community and housing rights organizations like the Northwest Justice Project to hold landlords accountable when they put profits before tenant’s rights.”
This case was originally brought by the Northwest Justice Project, Washington’s largest legal aid organization, on behalf of Krystal Jeffries, a former tenant in a property owned by Jordin and managed by All Star. Under the False Claims Act, whistleblowers may file an action under seal in federal court. The United States investigates the allegations and determines whether to intervene in the action. Under the False Claims Act, the United States may recover up to three times the damages caused by the Defendant, plus additional penalties for each false claim or statement. Over the past decade, False Claims Act recoveries in the Eastern District of Washington have exceeded $400 million. If the United States obtains a recovery, the whistleblower is generally able to share in a portion of the recovery. Here, Relator Krystal Jeffries will recover more than $68,000 of the settlement amount, plus additional attorney fees of $18,660 recovered by the Northwest Justice Project.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jake Brooks and Dan Fruchter prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Spokane Resident Office.
A copy of the settlement agreement can be found below:
Settlement Agreement