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29 July 2024
Indianapolis Drug Dealer on Community Corrections Sentenced to over 15 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking and Possessing an Arsenal of GunsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Clifton Withers, 49, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 188 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on January 7, 2020, Withers was sentenced and placed on home detention and monitoring by Marion County Community Corrections following a conviction for Dealing in a Narcotic Drug. While serving his community corrections sentence, Withers rented two storage units in Indianapolis.
On May 19, 2020, law enforcement officers conducted a court-authorized search of the storage units and located a clear plastic bag containing three large discs of fentanyl, approximately 250 grams, multiple digital scales, a plastic bottle of lactose—a known drug cutting agent, a large metal press, three handgun holsters, and a black bag containing several boxes of ammunition. Officers also found nine firearms. Withers is prohibited under federal law from ever legally possessing a firearm due to his status as a convicted felon.
Additionally, officers searched Withers’ vehicle and found three plastic bags an additional 55 grams of fentanyl that he intended to distribute, a metal press with heroin residue, two more digital scales, and a second metal press inside of a backpack. Officers also recovered a 9mm handgun Withers possessed in his home, as well as an illegal firearm silencer and three books on building military-grade firearms suppressors.
All told, Withers possessed nine guns, a firearm silencer, approximately over 300 grams of fentanyl that he intended to distribute. Withers has an extensive criminal record, including four felony drug trafficking convictions dating back to 1997, and one felony conviction for promoting animal fighting.
“This defendant is a lifelong drug dealer who has failed to rehabilitate despite given numerous chances to do so. After receiving a Community Corrections sentence armed drug trafficking, he immediately returned to trafficking large quantities of fentanyl and illegally possessing a silencer and an arsenal of firearms,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Fentanyl poisoning takes lives and devastates families in all zip codes and walks of life. Traffickers pose even more danger to our communities when they are heavily armed. Thanks to the outstanding work of our partners at the ATF and our federal prosecutors, the defendant’s career of armed drug trafficking has been halted for many years to come.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Gibson and Corbin D. Houston, who prosecuted this case.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage—a tiny amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil. Seven out of ten illegal fentanyl tablets seized from U.S. streets and analyzed by the DEA have been found to contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug.
One Pill Can Kill: Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death for adults in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tykeith Diemell Martin, 22, of Huntington, was sentenced today to six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 14, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Huntington residence where Martin was staying. Officers found approximately 37 grams of heroin, an SCCY 9mm pistol and 9mm ammunition. Martin admitted that he possessed the heroin and firearm and that he intended to distribute the heroin.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-150.
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Hughes County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lucas James Mitchell, age 36, of Lamar, Oklahoma, entered a plea of guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition.
The Indictment alleged that on November 25, 2023, Mitchell was found in possession of a firearm and 24 rounds of ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Jason L. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Hughes was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.
Fugitive Trinidadian Man Arrested for 2009 Armed Robbery of RestaurantRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Trinidadian and Tobagonian man who has been a fugitive for over 10 years has been arrested and will face charges in connection with the armed robbery of a steakhouse in 2009, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Kofi Edwards, 51, of Trinidad and Tobago, was charged by indictment in 2014 with one count of conspiracy to commit armed Hobbs Act robbery, one count of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Edwards appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court today, entered a plea of not guilty and was detained. He was arrested in California and had an initial appearance on July 10, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Chi Soo Kim in Sacramento, and was detained and transported to the District of New Jersey.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In March 2009, Edwards conspired with other individuals to rob a steakhouse restaurant in Woodbridge, New Jersey, at gunpoint. A conspirator, who was an employee of the restaurant at the time, called the restaurant to determine if any managers were present, because he knew that only managers would be able to open the restaurant’s safe. After confirming that a manager was present, Edwards and another individual entered the restaurant – Edwards carrying a fake gun and the other individual armed with a firearm – and brandished the weapons while demanding that employees open the safe. After the employees complied, Edwards and the other individual bound the employees with plastic zip ties and fled with approximately $150,000 in cash.
Edwards later left New Jersey and began living under a false identity. He was added to the FBI’s “Most Wanted” list and the FBI offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading directly to his arrest. Three other defendants have been convicted and sentenced in connection with the Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy.
Edwards faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the counts of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and Hobbs Act robbery. On the count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, Edwards faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of seven years – which must run consecutively to any other sentence Edwards receives – and a maximum potential penalty of life in prison. Each count also carries a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gain or loss from the offenses, whichever is greatest.
These charges are the result of an investigation by the Newark Central Jersey Safe Streets Task Force. Led by the FBI, the Task Force focuses on violent crime and gang violence, and is made up of agents and task force officers from the New Brunswick Police Department, Middlesex County Prosecutors Office, Raritan Township Police Department, Woodbridge Police Department, Hackettstown Police Department, Clinton Township Police Department, and Hunterdon County Prosecutors Office.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the special agents and task force officers of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the FBI’s Sacramento, California, Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel; and Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction of Field Office Director John Tsoukaris.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor A. Chenoweth of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
edwards.indictment.pdfFresno Resident Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Dario Mata-Manzo, 32, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in June 2022, Mata-Manzo negotiated for the sale of crystal methamphetamine for $1,200 per pound and subsequently delivered 8 pounds of the drug to undercover officers in Fresno.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Initiative (HIDTA), which consists of personnel from the California Department of Justice, the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, the Kings County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Mata-Manzo is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Nov. 20, 2024. Mata-Manzo faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years, and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Four Individuals Charged in Connection with Firearms Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – Four New Jersey men were charged with conspiring to illegally traffic in firearms, including privately manufactured handguns, in Ocean County, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced today.
James Hyres, 38, of Toms River, New Jersey, Dennis McMickle, 35, of Brick, New Jersey, James Opalenik, 51, of Ocean Gate, New Jersey, and Edward Trost, III, 36, of Toms River, are each charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to traffic in firearms and trafficking in firearms. Hyres and McMickle are also charged with two counts of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. McMickle and Opalenik are also charged with one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
Hyres and Opalenik were arrested this morning in Ocean County. Opalenik is scheduled to appear today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni in Trenton federal court. Hyres is scheduled to have his initial appearance on July 30, 2024, before Judge Bongiovanni. McMickle and Trost were already in custody in Monmouth County and Ocean County, respectively, on unrelated state criminal charges.
According to the complaint:
From April 2024 through May 2024, Hyres, McMickle, Opalenik, and Trost were members of a gun trafficking conspiracy that operated in and around Ocean County. During that time, Hyres manufactured privately made firearms, also known as PMFs or “ghost guns,” for resale using various component parts, including firearm frames manufactured by Hyres using a 3D printer. Hyres, assisted by McMickle and Trost, then sold PMFs and other traditional firearms for profit to others, including a confidential source working at the direction and supervision of the FBI. Opalenik, assisted by McMickle, sold a semi-automatic rifle to the confidential source in furtherance of the firearms trafficking conspiracy. McMickle also sold the confidential source a 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun in January 2024. Law enforcement’s investigation revealed that none of these defendants held a federal license to deal or manufacture firearms. Hyres, McMickle, and Trost each have prior felony convictions and are prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.
The counts of conspiracy to traffic in firearms, trafficking in firearms, and possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon each carry a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The count of unlawfully possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited agents with the FBI Newark Red Bank Jersey Shore Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to the charges and arrests. He also thanked the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, the Lakewood, New Jersey, Police Department, and the Toms River, New Jersey, Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian D. Brater of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
hyresetal.complaint.pdfFormer School Employee Charged with Transporting a Former Student Across State Lines to Engage in Unlawful Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
CONCORD –A former Massachusetts school employee was charged by indictment in federal court in Concord for transporting a former student to New Hampshire to engage in unlawful sexual conduct, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Jesus Moore, 35, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was charged with one count of transportation to engage in unlawful sexual conduct. Moore self-surrendered and appeared in federal court today. He was released on conditions.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about March 7, 2022, Moore transported a former student at the school which employed Moore. At the time, the former student was under 18. The former student was transported across state lines to engage in unlawful sexual conduct.
The Department of Homeland Security, the Lawrence Police Department, and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski is prosecuting the case.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment is merely an allegation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Former Rhode Island man convicted of attempt to smuggle more than 400 pounds of methamphetamine and fentanyl across Strait of Juan de Fuca to CanadaRead the Press Release
Seattle –A 67-year-old former resident of Rhode Island, Texas, and Chicago was convicted late Friday July 26, 2024, in U.S. District Court in Seattle of three federal felonies connected to his scheme to smuggle duffle bags full of drugs across the strait bordering Washington State and Canada via watercraft, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. John Michael Sherwood was convicted following a six-day trial of Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and conspiracy to commit international money laundering. The jury deliberated about three hours before reaching the guilty verdict. Judge James L. Robart scheduled sentencing for October 29, 2024.
At the trial, testimony and evidence revealed that Sherwood had brought the drugs up to the Olympic Peninsula from southern California. He was attempting to use a jet ski and inflatable raft to get the drugs across the Strait to his contact on the coast of Vancouver Island. But the smuggling attempts failed.
On April 7, 2021, a family on a beach near Port Angeles, Washington found a partially submerged duffel bag on the beach. The family alerted law enforcement who found more than 50 pounds of methamphetamine inside the bag, as well as two pounds of fentanyl powder. Close in time, a different beachcomber discovered a partially submerged and deflated Zodiac-style raft on the beach and noted a U-Haul van coming and going from the beach area. Just days later, on April 11, 2021, a different beach walker reported another find – seven more duffel bags stashed under a bridge just up from the beach. The bags contained 342 pounds of methamphetamine. The estimated wholesale value of the drugs in Canada was about $1.5 million.
The FBI was able to trace the duffel bags to Walmart and could pinpoint the sale. Sherwood used his debit card to purchase the bags and was caught on surveillance making the purchases. Other evidence such as U-Haul rental records, motel registration, and storage locker records linked Sherwood to the smuggling attempt. Phone records revealed his communication with a coconspirator in Canada about the attempt to smuggle the drugs into Canada via the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
The conviction is the result of an extensive investigation by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol and the Border Patrol Air and Marine Unit, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team (OPNET) including the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office and the Sequim Police Department. The Kootenai County (Idaho) Sheriff’s Office, the Montana Highway Patrol and the Livingston Montana Police Department also assisted with the investigation.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Vince Lombardi and Sean Waite.
Former Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor Pleads Guilty to Defrauding His Elderly ClientRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. –Ronald Diaz, 40, of Tucson, pleaded guilty on July 18, 2024, to Wire Fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for September 27, 2024, before United States District Judge Scott H. Rash.
While working as a financial advisor, Diaz engaged in a scheme to defraud an elderly client. To induce the victim into the scheme, Diaz falsely represented an investment opportunity in an “annuity” that “guaranteed” a 10% return. Between November 2020 and July 2022, to disguise his scheme, Diaz directed the victim to transfer $970,000 to Diaz’s family members. Diaz thereafter instructed his family members to distribute most of the victim’s funds back to Diaz. Once he received the funds, Diaz used large portions of the victim’s money for his own personal benefit including gambling at casinos, making a down payment on a 2021 Range Rover, paying credit card debt, remodeling his family pool, paying his mortgage, and paying other personal expenses. Diaz made some “interest” payments to entice the victim into providing additional money throughout the scheme. None of the victim’s money was used towards any legitimate investment. As a result of the scheme, the victim lost over $867,000. As part of his plea agreement, Diaz will be required to pay restitution to the victim’s estate.
A conviction for Wire Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or both.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-04092-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-104_Diaz# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Eye Practice and Its Physician Owner Agree to Pay More Than $460,000 to Resolve Allegations of False Claims and Receiving Illegal KickbacksRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Burlington County Eye Physicians (BCEP), an ophthalmology practice with locations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and Dr. Gregory H. Scimeca, an ophthalmologist and the owner of BCEP, have agreed to pay $469,232 to resolve allegations that they submitted and caused the submission of false claims for payment for medically unnecessary transcranial doppler (TCD) tests to Medicare and the Federal Employee Health Benefit (FEHB) Program in violation of the False Claims Act.
A TCD test is a noninvasive diagnostic test that can be used to estimate the blood flow through certain blood vessels in the brain. Medicare and the FEHB Program reimburse healthcare providers for both performing the test and for interpreting the test results. When a physician does not perform the test, but interprets the results of the test, they only can bill for their professional services of interpreting the test. A physician cannot bill for interpreting the test when they merely review another physician’s interpretation of the results.
As part of the settlement agreement, BCEP and Dr. Scimeca each admitted to and accepted responsibility for facts underlying the covered conduct. The United States alleges that from May 13, 2019 through Feb. 22, 2021, BCEP submitted and caused the submission of false claims for TCD tests to Medicare and the FEHB Program. BCEP contracted with a medical diagnostics company (the “Company”) to perform TCD tests on BCEP patients. The Company staffed BCEP with a technician, who reviewed patient files and filled out forms to order TCD tests for BCEP patients from the Company. BCEP physicians, including Dr. Scimeca, signed the order forms the Company’s technician completed. At times, BCEP and Dr. Scimeca signed forms which indicated that patients had a diagnosis that they did not have, but that would have supported the medical necessity of the test. In addition, BCEP paid $30 to either the Company or a radiology company associated with the Company to interpret each TCD test, but BCEP physicians, including Dr. Scimeca, also billed Medicare and the FEHB Program for interpreting those tests.
The Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare and other federally-funded programs. The statute is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients.
The United States contends that the claims for TCD tests that BCEP and Dr. Scimeca submitted, or caused the submission of, were false because: (1) the TCD tests were medically unnecessary because the patients did not have symptoms justifying the need for the tests, or the tests were not necessary for the patients’ treatment; (2) BCEP and Dr. Scimeca billed for professional services that they did not perform; and (3) the arrangement between BCEP and the TCD company violated the AKS because BCEP and Dr. Scimeca accepted remuneration from the Company by billing for and retaining payments from Medicare and the FEHB Program for services that the Company provided.
“Health care practitioners must not bill for services they do not perform or bill for unnecessary procedures. Full stop. When they do, they violate the law. These defendants also accepted unlawful kickbacks, which all too often corrupt medical judgment and result in unnecessary medical tests,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “As this case demonstrates, our office is committed to investigating and holding accountable both the recipients of kickbacks and the companies paying them.”
“When health care providers submit claims for services to the Medicare program, those services are expected to be medically necessary, actually performed, and free from the influence of illegal kickbacks,” said Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “The integrity of our federal health care system is undermined when those expectations are not met, and we will continue to thoroughly pursue such allegations.”
The resolution announced today includes claims that were brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. As part of today’s resolution, the whistleblower will receive approximately $84,460.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and HHS-OIG SAC Coviello made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica J. Weber and Christopher Morgan of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled this matter.
Coeburn Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Possessing Firearms, SilencersRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Coeburn, Virginia man, who a jury convicted of conspiring with others to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine in addition to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison.
Earlier this year, a jury convicted Rodney Allen Pickett, 51, of one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, three counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition after having been convicted of a felony, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of firearm silencers.
At trial, witnesses testified that Pickett bought multiple pounds of methamphetamine weekly, which he then sold to others for thousands of dollars. During a search of Pickett’s home, law enforcement officers found multiple firearms, silencers, magazines, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, along with over 500 grams of methamphetamine. Additionally, a drill press witnesses testified was used for making and altering firearms was found in Pickett’s kitchen area.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Craig B. Kailimai of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
The Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, the Coeburn Police Department, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danielle Stone and Lena Busscher are prosecuting the case.
California Man Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Healdsburg, California, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on July 26, 2024.
Steve Tucker, 48, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by three of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Tucker was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on April 26, 2024.
Tucker, who is a felon and thus prohibited from possessing firearms, was arrested in Rapid City, South Dakota, in March of 2023 with a Jimenez Arms brand .22 caliber semi-automatic handgun. When Tucker was found with the firearm, he gave a false name to law enforcement and had multiple pending arrest warrants.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Custer County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Tucker was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
California Man Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Healdsburg, California, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on July 26, 2024.
Steve Tucker, 48, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by three of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Tucker was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on April 26, 2024.
Tucker, who is a felon and thus prohibited from possessing firearms, was arrested in Rapid City, South Dakota, in March of 2023 with a Jimenez Arms brand .22 caliber semi-automatic handgun. When Tucker was found with the firearm, he gave a false name to law enforcement and had multiple pending arrest warrants.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Custer County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Tucker was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Caledonia man sentenced for COVID loan fraudRead the Press Release
OXFORD – A Caledonia man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for receiving $800,000 in fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loans related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to court documents, Herman Nash, 63, applied for three separate loans and received a total of $800,000. Nash claimed the loans for a business that did not exist. Nash’s loan applications claimed that his business generated $455,000 in gross revenue and $90,000 in cost of goods sold when, in reality, Nash did not have a business at all.
U.S. Senior District Judge Glen H. Davidson sentenced Nash to serve 18 months imprisonment followed by 5 years supervised release and $738,000 in restitution. As a part of the investigation, the IRS seized two vehicles from Nash worth over $60,000.
“This defendant stole money that was intended to help legitimate businesses survive during the COVID pandemic, and now he is paying the price for that conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We hope that this sentence will provide notice to all of those who defrauded their fellow taxpayers in similar fashion that they will be held to account for their actions.”
“The sentencing today is an example of the accountability people who fraudulently obtained COVID-19 relief funds can expect,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents have not stopped pursing those who committed fraud on programs that financially helped Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay Dabbs prosecuted the case.
Brooklyn, New York Man Charged with Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that Shane Hardy, 45, of Brooklyn, New York, was arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle after a federal grand jury returned an indictment, on December 21, 2023, charging Hardy with being a felon in possession of firearms. Judge Doyle ordered that Hardy be detained during the pendency of this matter.
According to court records, Hardy possessed six firearms, including AR-15- and AK-47-type weapons after having been convicted of numerous felonies in New York, including manslaughter. Hardy allegedly paid for the six firearms through a combination of drugs and discharging drug debts.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Hardy is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Hardy faces up to fifteen years or life in prison if convicted. The actual sentence would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance by the St. Albans Police Department in making the arrest.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Colin Owyang. Hardy is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Bomb Threat Sent via Bank’s Pneumatic Tube Leads to Guilty Plea for Bank Robber from WestbrookRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Westbrook man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland to bank robbery.
According to court records, on January 26, 2024, Jason Arsenault, 41, pulled up to the drive‑through window of a South Portland bank wearing a black winter hat, sunglasses and a black mask covering his face. Using the pneumatic tube, he passed a note to the teller that read, “CAR BOMB No Cops Alarms or WE ALL DIE $50,000 in 20’s.” The teller placed some money in the pneumatic tube, and Arsenault took the funds and drove away. Using multiple surveillance cameras, investigators were able to trace the vehicle’s movements and capture an image of Arsenault’s face, leading to his identification. Six days following the robbery, Arsenault was arrested in Portland, and he confessed to the robbery and directed investigators to the money hidden in a backpack in Baxter Woods in Portland.
Arsenault faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the South Portland and Portland police departments.
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Bakersfield Residents Plead Guilty to Drug Trafficking Offenses and One Pleads Guilty to a Violation of the Animal Welfare ActRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Two Bakersfield residents pleaded guilty today, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Jorge Calderon-Campos, 43, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of animals for an animal fighting venture in violation of the Animal Welfare Act.
Jose Angel Beltran-Chaidez, 68, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin.
According to court documents, on March 30, 2021, Calderon-Campos, who goes by the name “Americano,” supplied 26 pounds of methamphetamine to co-defendants Mark Garcia, 24, of Lamont, and Alberto Gomez-Santiago, 38, a Mexican national. Between Jan. 16 and April 26, 2022, Calderon-Campos also possessed roosters for the purpose of having the roosters participate in an animal fighting venture, in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce. During a search of his residence on April 26, 2022, law enforcement officers found numerous hens and roosters, various cockfighting implements, to include razors and spurs, and six cockfighting trophies, including several with plates inscribed with “Team Amkno” (shorthand for “Team Americano”). At Calderon-Campos’s stash house, law enforcement officers found 14 hens and 77 roosters, cockfighting leashes, a cockfighting trophy, various types of syringes containing substances believed to be related to cockfighting supplements, and multiple pill bottles containing suspected cockfighting vitamins. The majority of the roosters at the property had been modified for cockfighting.
On Jan. 27, 2022, Jose Beltran-Chaidez, at the direction of his brother Antonio Beltran-Chaidez, 54, a Mexican national, delivered more than 2 pounds of heroin to Calderon-Campos for distribution to Calderon-Campos’s customers. However, when Calderon-Campos was unable to sell the drug, Beltran retrieved it from Calderon-Campos and was in possession of the heroin when stopped by a CHP officer for a traffic violation.
U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston is scheduled to sentence Calderon-Campos on Oct. 21, 2024, and Jose Beltran-Chaidez on Nov. 4, 2024. For the drug offenses, they face a mandatory statutory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, along with a $10 million fine. Calderon-Campos faces up to five years in prison for the Animal Welfare Act violation, a $250,000 fine, and forfeiture of the roosters and hens used to breed fighting roosters. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Antonio Beltran-Chaidez previously entered a guilty plea and is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 26, 2024. Gomez-Santiago pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison. The two remaining co-defendants have requested a jury trial, which is set for Jan. 28, 2025. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Kern County Sheriff's Office, the Kern County Probation Department, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Armed Warrick County Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to Fifteen Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Brian Marchand, 39, of Tennyson, Indiana, has been sentenced to fifteen years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to two counts of distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers in Evansville observed Marchand selling methamphetamine on three separate occasions between July 6 and 25, 2023. On July 6, Marchand arrived at a residence and handed the buyer three small baggies, each containing one ounce of crystal methamphetamine, in exchange for $900 cash. On July 10, 2023, Marchand sold approximately four ounces of crystal methamphetamine for $1,275 in cash, from his home in Tennyson. As Marchand was counting the money, he displayed a loaded semi-automatic handgun. On July 25, 2023, Marchand “fronted” another four ounces of crystal methamphetamine to another individual, which was to be paid for with the proceeds of further sales of the drug.
Laboratory analysis found that the drugs distributed by Marchand during three deals observed by law enforcement officers they contained approximately 293 grams of pure methamphetamine.
“Methamphetamine and other controlled substances are have devastating impacts on users, their loved ones, and our communities,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “These poisons harm our neighbors in every community, and we are committed to holding serious traffickers accountable in federal court, wherever they are found. Our office will continue to work with our partners at the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Trask Force, the Warrick County Sheriff’s Office, and the DEA to make our communities safer by getting meth and meth dealers off our streets.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Trask Force, and the Warrick County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who prosecuted this case.
This prosecution is part of the Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program.
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Armed Robberies of a Convenience Store and a Fast-Food Restaurant Earn District Man a 90-Month Federal Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Damion Byrd, 21, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 90 months in prison for the armed robberies of two commercial businesses – a convenience store and a fast-food restaurant – in December 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Byrd pleaded guilty to two counts of interference with interstate commerce by robbery (also known as a Hobbs Act robbery) on December 20, 2023, in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia. In addition to the prison term, District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan ordered Byrd to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on December 13, 2022, at 11:41 p.m. Byrd entered a convenience store on the 2300 block of Rhode Island Ave., NE, and asked an employee for juice. The employee told Byrd that the juice was in the refrigerator. Byrd retrieved a bottle of water and walked towards the counter where he tossed a $1 bill. Byrd then pointed a firearm at the employee and stated, “I need the money all the money you have.” The employee emptied the register and handed over the cash.
An hour later, on December 14, 2022, at 12:43 a.m., Byrd drove a silver-colored sedan to the drive-thru window of a fast-food restaurant on the 3900 block of Minnesota Ave., NE. Byrd exited the vehicle, pointed a firearm at a cashier, and said, “Open the register and I won’t shoot.” The cashier ran away. Byrd reached in the window, grabbed the cash register, and fled in the vehicle.
Byrd was arrested in the District on January 11, 2023, and has been detained since.
This case was investigated by MPD officers and FBI agents who collaborated as members of MPD's Violent Crime Suppression Unit and FBI's Washington Field Office's Violent Crimes Task Force.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Paralegal Karla Nunez provided valuable assistance.
23cr0054
27 July 2024
Montenegrin Citizen Extradited from Italy to Face Maritime Narcotrafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Milos Radonjic, a citizen of Montenegro, also known as “Pirate of the Unknown,” was extradited yesterday to the Eastern District of New York from Italy. Radonjic, who is charged in a superseding indictment with conspiracy and attempt to violate the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act, had previously been arrested in Italy on October 6, 2023 pursuant to a provisional arrest warrant, after entering the country to compete in an international yacht race in which he was to captain a racing yacht. Radonjic will be arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn on Monday, July 29, 2024, before United States Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Ivan J. Arvelo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York, and David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, announced the extradition.
“This arrest and successful extradition is a lesson that the high seas are not a no-man’s land for the rule of law, and that we are committed to bringing those who violate it to justice,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Working together with our law enforcement partners and allies around the world, this Office will continue to pursue narcotraffickers who seek to corrupt the critical infrastructure of global shipping to transport their poisonous cargo to our communities.”
Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the United States Marshals Service, the United States Department of State, and Italian law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities, including the Ministry of Justice. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance with securing the arrest and extradition of Radonjic.
HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo said: “The defendant’s alleged efforts to utilize the open ocean to transport tons of cocaine were no match for the versatile investigative capabilities of HSI and our law enforcement partners. HSI New York’s El Dorado Task Force is committed to leveraging our international footprint to protect the innocent public – at home, abroad, and in whatever capacity possible. We will relentlessly pursue transnational criminal organizations and their efforts to flout the laws vital to ensuring our communities’ safety and wellbeing.”
“Radonjic and his co-conspirators allegedly transported tons of cocaine across the world using commercial cargo vessels," stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Scott. “His extradition is a testament to global multiagency efforts to disrupt transnational criminal organizations who traffic drugs by air, land, or sea.”
According to the indictment and court filings, in 2020, Radonjic was a high-ranking member of a large-scale transnational criminal organization that trafficked tons of cocaine across the world using commercial cargo vessels traversing the high seas. Radonjic communicated and coordinated with multiple co-conspirators to arrange multi-ton shipments of cocaine from South America to the Balkans and elsewhere. Radonjic allegedly organized three separate attempts, with the assistance of a corrupt crew member on a commercial cargo vessel, to load a container ship with more than 2,500 kilograms of cocaine in Ecuador and off the coast of Colombia.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proved guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment and up to life in prison.
The extradition of Radonjic is the result 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.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nomi D. Berenson and Robert M. Pollack are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Samuel Ronchetti.
The Defendant:
MILOS RADONJIC (also known as “Pirate of the Unknown”)
Age: 34
MontenegroE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-257 (S-1) (ARR)
26 July 2024
“Ghostface Gangster” Sentenced to 30 Years for Supplying Meth to a Raleigh-based DTO Run by a Leader of the Pagan Motorcycle GangRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Georgia Ghostface Gangster member was sentenced today to 360 months in prison for supplying a Raleigh-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) led by a national leader of the Pagan Motorcycle Club with methamphetamine. On November 29, 2023, Ted Cannon, aka “Bam,” pled guilty to one charge of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. Cannon is one of 20 defendants convicted in this operation, which also led to a 75-year sentence for the DTO’s leader.
“This case highlights our comprehensive approach to dismantle the entire drug trafficking networks pumping dangerous narcotics into our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This operation put 20 criminals behind bars for their role supplying drugs across Raleigh and the East Coast.”
“ATF has a long history of confronting violent criminal groups and working with our law enforcement partners to disrupt their illegal activities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “We are proud to be part of a collaborative effort to identify, arrest, and prosecute the most dangerous drug and firearm traffickers and stop their threats to our communities.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Cannon, age 49, was identified as a source of supply for methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA, other drugs and firearms for Christopher Baker. Baker was convicted by a federal jury in 2022 for drug trafficking, firearm and money laundering charges for his role in leading a DTO supplying methamphetamine in Raleigh and along the East Coast. In July of 2021, after a federal wire uncovered plans by Cannon to sell firearms to Baker, a search of Cannon’s residence led to the seizure of 13 firearms, including several high-caliber rifles, various ammunition, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia. On November 3, 2021, Cannon was arrested on a state probation violation in Georgia. During his arrest, he was found in possession of about 800 grams of crystal methamphetamine.
The prosecution of Cannon was a part of Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, 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.
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 and the Raleigh Police Department led the investigation with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Raleigh/Wake City-County Bureau of Identification and United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly L. Sandling prosecuted the case.
Other agencies involved in the investigation include the N.C. Highway Patrol, the Virginia State Police (VSP), the Dekalb County Police Department (GA), the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office (GA), the Georgia State Patrol (GSP), the Gwinnett County Police Department (GA), the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department (NC), the S.C. Highway Patrol, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office (NC), the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department (SC) and the Reidsville Police Department (NC).
A copy of this press release is located on our website. 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. 5:21-CR-00434-M.
Virginia Beach man exploited children through social media and sold child sex abuse materialRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man pled guilty today to coercion and enticement of minors.
According to court documents, in September 2022, law enforcement interviewed Witness 1 (W-1), who admitted that he used Telegram to purchase child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from a Telegram user later identified as Shannon Ashley Robbins, 50. W-1 and Robbins negotiated the price of multiple sales of CSAM and used Cash App for W-1 to pay Robbins.
Robbins asked W-1 questions to assess the age range of victims W-1 preferred. After W-1 sent $100 to Robbins using Cash App, Robbins sent several images and videos of CSAM via Telegram. The approximate age range of the depicted victims is 12 to 14 years of age. W-1 identified one boy of whom he requested more CSAM. Robbins told W-1 that his collection of this boy was “290 pieces” and told W-1 to make Robbins an offer. Robbins sold the lot for $100 and sent to W-1 14 images and six videos depicting a victim of 12 to 13 years of age. Robbins and W-1 conducted at least two other transactions for CSAM.
On Sept. 8, 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTipline report indicating a user had saved, shared, or uploaded four files of suspected CSAM, which was confirmed by NCMEC. On Sept. 19, 2022, NCMEC received another CyberTipline report relating to the same IP address of the Sept. 8, 2022, report. In this second report, 17 files of suspected CSAM were identified. The IP address was assigned with Robbins’ residence in Virginia Beach.
Robbins created multiple accounts on social media both to evade detection and to deceive multiple child victims by assuming false identities. Beginning at least as early as 2021 and continuing until the date of his arrest on Oct. 25, 2023, Robbins engaged with numerous juvenile victims to entice or coerce them into producing CSAM. As Robbins approached minor victims on social media, he presented himself as a minor, sometimes female, other times male. At times Robbins sent CSAM to the minor victims, either to create the impression that Robbins and the victims were mutual participants or to demonstrate the poses Robbins preferred. Robbins used Cash App to pay a 12-year-old victim to produce and send CSAM to Robbins.
The material Robbins sold to W-1 included 135 sexually explicit images and 153 sexually explicit videos depicting one of the victims Robbins engaged through social media and enticed or coerced to produce CSAM.
Robbins was acquainted with two of his victims, each of whom lived near him. Between July 11 and Oct. 24, 2023, Robbins exchanged approximately 1,775 text messages with one of these victims. Between May 21 and Oct. 24, 2023, Robbins exchanged approximately 3,958 text messages with the other victim. He spent time with them when no other adult was present and frequently allowed them to spend time in his garage, where the victims played darts and socialized. Robbins took the victims on outings to Bass Pro Shops and to Busch Gardens with no other adult present. Robbins previously coached a local travel baseball team.
Law enforcement seized Robbins’ cellphone on Oct. 25, 2023. On the phone, Robbins possessed a large volume of CSAM image and video files.
Robbins is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 28, 2025. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and up to life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony C. Marek is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-20.
Vancleave Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Possession of over 83,000 Depictions of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. -- A Vancleave man was sentenced today to nine years in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release, for possession of over 83,000 depictions of child pornography.
According to court documents, Cameron Willis Cotrill, 68, was identified in an online child exploitation investigation as being a user on the BitTorrent network for offenders possessing and sharing child sexual abuse material. Further investigation revealed that Cotrill possessed 2,308 image files and 1,082 video files, which constituted 83,458 known visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Cotrill was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 21, 2023, and pled guilty on December 19, 2023, to possession of child pornography.
At today’s sentencing hearing, the Court also ordered restitution for the victims in the amount of $237,194.12. Cotrill must also pay a $5,000 assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018, and $5,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Cyber Crime Division at the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office.
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 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones prosecuted the case.
Utica Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Carlos Pena Uceta, age 34, of Utica, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 130 months in federal prison for possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. 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, made the announcement.
As part of his plea on February 27, 2024, Pena Uceta admitted that, on June 4, 2023, he possessed a duffel bag in his vehicle containing five kilograms of cocaine, which he had just purchased in New York City and was transporting back to the Northern District of New York. Pena Uceta further admitted that, on the same date, he also possessed two kilograms of cocaine and a Polymer 80 9mm “ghost gun” in a suitcase at his apartment.
Chief United States District Judge Brenda Sannes also imposed a 4-year term of supervised release, which will start when Pena Uceta is released from prison.
The DEA investigated the case with assistance from New York State Police, Utica Police Department, and the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone prosecuted the case.
United States Files False Claims Act Complaint Against Erlanger Health SystemRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced that the United States has filed a complaint against Murphy Medical Center, Inc. doing business as Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital and Chattanooga-Hamilton County Hospital Authority doing business as Erlanger Health System and Erlanger Medical Center (collectively, Erlanger) in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. The government alleges that Erlanger, a health care system located in Tennessee and North Carolina, violated the Stark Law and thereby submitted false claims to the Medicare program.
The Stark Law prohibits a hospital from billing Medicare for services referred by a physician with whom the hospital has an improper financial relationship that does not meet any statutory or regulatory exception. The government’s complaint alleges that Erlanger had employment relationships with a number of physicians that did not meet any Stark Law exception because the compensation Erlanger paid to the physicians was well above fair market value. The complaint alleges that Erlanger received referrals from these physicians in violation of the Stark Law and submitted claims to Medicare knowing that the claims for those referred services were not eligible for payment.
“Improper financial relationships between hospitals and physicians threaten the integrity of clinical decision-making and can influence the type and amount of health care that is provided to patients,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to ensuring that physicians’ treatment decisions are based on the needs of their patients and not their own financial interests.”
“The government’s complaint alleges that Erlanger compromised Stark Law compliance to boost its financial standing, knowingly overpaying physicians whose practices generated profits for the hospital,” said U.S. Attorney King. “We are dedicated to enforcing the Stark Law and protecting patients and the Medicare program from financial relationships that undermine public trust and incentivize overbilling and waste of taxpayer dollars.”
“This complaint serves as a warning to health care entities that attempt to increase profits through improper financial arrangements with referring physicians,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to investigate such deals to prevent financial arrangements that could compromise impartial medical judgment, increase health care costs, and erode public trust in the health care system.”
The United States filed its complaint in a lawsuit originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and to receive a share of any recovery. The Act permits the United States to intervene and take over the lawsuit, as it has done here in part. Those who violate the Act are subject to treble damages and applicable penalties.
The government’s intervention in this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The Justice Department’s Civil Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina handled the case, with assistance from HHS-OIG.
The case is captioned United States of America, the State of North Carolina, and the State of Tennessee ex rel. Alana Sullivan and J. Britton Tabor v. Murphy Medical Center, Inc., et al. No. 1:21-CV-219-MR-WCM (W.D.N.C.).
The claims asserted in the United States’ complaint are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
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United States Files False Claims Act Complaint Against Erlanger Health SystemRead the Press Release
The United States has filed a complaint against Murphy Medical Center, Inc. doing business as Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital and Chattanooga-Hamilton County Hospital Authority doing business as Erlanger Health System and Erlanger Medical Center (collectively, Erlanger) in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. The government alleges that Erlanger, a health care system located in Tennessee and North Carolina, violated the Stark Law and thereby submitted false claims to the Medicare program.
The Stark Law prohibits a hospital from billing Medicare for services referred by a physician with whom the hospital has an improper financial relationship that does not meet any statutory or regulatory exception. The government’s complaint alleges that Erlanger had employment relationships with a number of physicians that did not meet any Stark Law exception because the compensation Erlanger paid to the physicians was well above fair market value. The complaint alleges that Erlanger received referrals from these physicians in violation of the Stark Law and submitted claims to Medicare knowing that the claims for those referred services were not eligible for payment.
“Improper financial relationships between hospitals and physicians threaten the integrity of clinical decision-making and can influence the type and amount of health care that is provided to patients,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to ensuring that physicians’ treatment decisions are based on the needs of their patients and not their own financial interests.”
“The government’s complaint alleges that Erlanger compromised Stark Law compliance to boost its financial standing, knowingly overpaying physicians whose practices generated profits for the hospital,” said U.S. Attorney Dena J. King for the Western District of North Carolina. “We are dedicated to enforcing the Stark Law and protecting patients and the Medicare program from financial relationships that undermine public trust and incentivize overbilling and waste of taxpayer dollars.”
“This complaint serves as a warning to health care entities that attempt to increase profits through improper financial arrangements with referring physicians,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to investigate such deals to prevent financial arrangements that could compromise impartial medical judgment, increase health care costs, and erode public trust in the health care system.”
The United States filed its complaint in a lawsuit originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and to receive a share of any recovery. The Act permits the United States to intervene and take over the lawsuit, as it has done here in part. Those who violate the Act are subject to treble damages and applicable penalties.
The government’s intervention in this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The Justice Department’s Civil Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina handled the case, with assistance from HHS-OIG. The case is captioned United States of America, the State of North Carolina, and the State of Tennessee ex rel. Alana Sullivan and J. Britton Tabor v. Murphy Medical Center, Inc., et al. No. 1:21-CV-219-MR-WCM (W.D.N.C.).
The claims asserted in the United States’ complaint are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
ComplaintU.S. Attorney Secures 10 Year Prison Sentence for Violent OffenderRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man was sentenced to 10 years and one day in federal prison for a violent crime spree that included shooting a stranger during a dispute over face masks and brutally assaulting his own cousin in separate incidents in early 2021.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on February 18, 2021, Michael Shebala, 37, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, shot a man in the chest at the Route 66 Travel Center on Laguna Pueblo after an argument over face mask requirements. The victim, who was traveling from Arizona to Arkansas, was hospitalized for a week with serious injuries.
Approximately two weeks later, on March 5, 2021, Shebala shot his cousin in the leg during an argument. He then kicked the victim in the face and beat him with a baseball bat, causing multiple fractures.
Upon his release from prison, Shebala will be subject to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Violent Crimes and Gangs Task Force investigated this case with assistance from the Laguna Police Department, Navajo Police Department, Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico prosecuted the case.
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Two Members of the Darrin Southall Continuing Criminal Enterprise Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Two Mobile men, Adrian McGhee, 61, and Jadarrin Barnes, 23, were sentenced today in federal court on their convictions for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine as members of the Darrin Southall drug trafficking organization.
According to court documents, Barnes was a distributor in the organization who sold cocaine to a confidential informant. The informant was equipped with electronic equipment that recorded the image of Barnes during the sale. McGhee was a courier for the organization who traveled to California and to Texas to pick up drug shipments and return them to Mobile. Southall bought a vehicle which was equipped with a concealed compartment for McGhee’s use to transport drug money to Houston, Texas, and to return with multi-kilogram shipments of cocaine. Barnes and McGhee were intercepted during a court-authorized wiretap of Southall’s phones. The calls implicated them as members of Southall’s extensive organization and also constituted evidence of their participation in the drug distribution conspiracy. Barnes and McGhee each pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine during 2021.
United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose sentenced McGhee to 60 months in custody, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release. Judge Dubose sentenced Barnes to time served and ordered that he begin a five-year term of supervised release immediately upon his release. Both men will be subject to search upon reasonable suspicion that they have violated the conditions of supervision, and both are subject to drug testing and treatment. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that each defendant pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.The Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Saraland Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Two Long Beach Men Arrested on Indictment Alleging They Sold Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Out of Car Upholstery ShopRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Two Long Beach men were arrested today on an 11-count federal grand jury indictment charging them with selling fentanyl and methamphetamine out of a purported auto upholstery shop in Gardena.
Hector Valle, 48, and Efren Sanchez, 52, were arrested this morning and are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
Valle and Sanchez are both charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, and with being felons in possession of firearms. Valle is also charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“Those who traffic in fentanyl are well aware that they are profiting by putting others’ lives at risk,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “It is important that those bad actors be held accountable. I commend our law enforcement partners with the FBI and Ventura County Sheriff’s Office for their diligence in taking these dangerous drugs and firearms off our streets.”
According to the indictment that a grand jury returned on July 17, Valle and Sanchez on June 9, 2023, sold approximately 433 grams of methamphetamine and 49.95 grams of fentanyl.
During search warrants executed at three locations, law enforcement seized more than 14.3 kilograms (31 pounds) of fentanyl, approximately 424 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 675 grams of cocaine, six firearms, 117 rounds of ammunition, and approximately $21,700 cash. Law enforcement also seized several packages of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine stowed away in a vending machine at a purported auto upholstery shop called “Stitchn’ Time,” Valle’s purported place of business.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted of all charges, each defendant would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 10 years in federal prison.
Operation Safe Cities establishes strategic enforcement priorities with an emphasis on prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime. Across this region, the most damaging and horrific crimes are committed by a relatively small number of particularly violent individuals. This strategic enforcement approach is expected to increase the number of arrests, prosecutions and convictions of recidivists engaged in the most dangerous conduct. It is designed to improve public safety across the region by targeting crimes involving illicit guns, prohibited persons possessing firearms, or robbery crews that cause havoc and extensive losses to retail establishments.
The FBI is investigating this matter. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Matt Coe-Odess of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Tuscaloosa Woman Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Pandemic FraudRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Tuscaloosa County woman pleaded guilty this week to defrauding the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
Erica Lasha Prewitt, 42, of Tuscaloosa, pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler to theft of government funds.
According to the plea agreement, in August 2020, Prewitt received a fraudulent PPP loan totaling $96,875. Prewitt made material misrepresentations on the loan application that was supported by fraudulent documentation. In September 2021, Prewitt submitted a PPP Loan Forgiveness Application in which she claimed her business employed 30 people and the full amount of the loan was spent on payroll costs. Prewitt never owned or operated a business and did not use the PPP loan funds to retain workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prewitt is scheduled to be sentenced on November 26, 2024. The maximum penalty for theft of government funds is 10 years in prison.
FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan “Jack” Harrington is prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 relief funds 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.
Three Montgomery Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing MachinegunsRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA – Today, United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross announced that a federal judge sentenced three individuals from Montgomery, Alabama in cases involving possession of a machinegun. Each of the machineguns at issue was a semiautomatic firearm that had been converted to fully automatic through the installation of a machinegun conversion device, commonly known as a “switch” or “auto sear.”
Earlier this week, 20-year-old Deandre Nyquan Lucas received a 120-month prison sentence. In another unrelated case, a judge imposed a 27-month sentence for 23-year-old Cammeron Leroy Youngblood. Third, a judge sentenced 27-year-old Derrick Dontrell Taylor 21 months in federal prison. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole.
When installed on a firearm, a machinegun conversion device allows a gun to function as a fully automatic weapon capable of firing up to 20 rounds per second with a single pull of the trigger. The possession of a machinegun, which, under the relevant federal statute, includes the possession of a conversion device alone, carries a penalty of up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
“Due to their rapid rate of fire, these conversion devices pose a significant threat to communities and law enforcement,” stated United States Attorney Ross. “Not too long ago, these devices were rare. Unfortunately, in a very short period of time, they have become common in communities across the district. The United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners place a high priority on investigating and prosecuting cases involving the possession of one of these devices.”
These cases 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, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Montgomery Police Department investigated these cases, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon W. Bates, John J. Geer, III, Justin L. Jones, and Michelle R. Turner prosecuted the cases.
Three Individuals Sentenced for Massive $88M Business Telephone System Software License Piracy SchemeRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Three individuals have been sentenced for participating in an international scheme involving the sale of tens of thousands of pirated business telephone system software licenses with a retail value of over $88 million.
Raymond Bradley “Brad” Pearce, 48, of Tuttle, Oklahoma, a computer system administrator, was sentenced yesterday to four years in prison and ordered to forfeit $4 million. In June, Dusti O. Pearce, 46, also of Tuttle, was sentenced to one year and a day in prison and ordered to forfeit $4 million. In July, Jason M. Hines, 44, of Caldwell, New Jersey, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison and an additional 18 months of home confinement, and ordered to forfeit $2 million. In addition, the three defendants have agreed to pay restitution—specifically, $17 million for Brad Pearce, $10 million for Dusti Pearce, and more than $5 million for Hines. The court will hold a separate restitution hearing in a few weeks to determine the details of the restitution order.
According to court documents, Brad and Dusti Pearce conspired with Hines to commit wire fraud in a scheme that involved generating and then selling unauthorized Avaya Direct International (ADI) software licenses. The ADI software licenses were used to unlock features and functionalities of a popular telephone system product called “IP Office” used by thousands of companies around the world. The ADI software licensing system has since been decommissioned.
Avaya Holdings Corporation, a multinational business communications company headquartered in California, sold IP Office to many midsize and small businesses in the United States and abroad. To unlock features and functionalities of IP Office, such as voicemail or telephones, customers had to purchase software licenses generated by Avaya from an authorized Avaya distributor or reseller. Avaya used software license keys to control access to Avaya’s copyright-protected software and to ensure that only customers who paid for the software could use it. Moreover, Avaya required that each software license on an IP Office system be associated with a proprietary memory card with a unique serial number that the end user had to keep in its possession to use the licenses.
Brad Pearce, a long-time customer service employee at Avaya, used his system administrator privileges to generate tens of thousands of ADI software license keys that he sold to Hines and other customers, who in turn sold them to resellers and end users around the world. The retail value of each Avaya software license ranged from under $100 to thousands of dollars. Brad Pearce also employed his system administrator privileges to hijack the accounts of former Avaya employees to generate additional ADI software license keys. Pearce concealed the fraud scheme for many years by using these privileges to alter information about the accounts, which helped hide his creation of unauthorized license keys. Dusti Pearce handled accounting for the illegal business.
Hines operated Direct Business Services International (DBSI), formerly known as Dedicated Business Systems International, a New Jersey-based business communications systems provider and a de-authorized Avaya reseller. He bought ADI software license keys from Brad and Dusti Pearce and then sold them to resellers and end users around the world for significantly below the wholesale price. Hines was by far the Pearces’ largest customer and significantly influenced how the scheme operated. Hines was one of the biggest users of the ADI license system in the world.
Altogether, the Pearces and Hines reaped millions of dollars from the scheme. To hide the nature and source of the money, the Pearces funneled their illegal gains through a PayPal account created under a false name to multiple bank accounts, and then transferred the money to investment and bank accounts. They also purchased large quantities of gold bullion and other valuable items.
In July 2023, Hines pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In September 2023, the Pearces also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Kaplan of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Julia E. Barry for the Western District of Oklahoma and Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section prosecuted the case.
Three Individuals Sentenced for Massive $88M Business Telephone System Software License Piracy SchemeRead the Press Release
Three individuals have been sentenced for participating in an international scheme involving the sale of tens of thousands of pirated business telephone system software licenses with a retail value of over $88 million.
Raymond Bradley “Brad” Pearce, 48, of Tuttle, Oklahoma, a computer system administrator, was sentenced yesterday to four years in prison and ordered to forfeit $4 million. In June, Dusti O. Pearce, 46, also of Tuttle, was sentenced to one year and a day in prison and ordered to forfeit $4 million. In July, Jason M. Hines, 44, of Caldwell, New Jersey, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison and an additional 18 months of home confinement, and ordered to forfeit $2 million. In addition, the three defendants have agreed to pay restitution—specifically, $17 million for Brad Pearce, $10 million for Dusti Pearce, and more than $5 million for Hines. The court will hold a separate restitution hearing in a few weeks to determine the details of the restitution order.
According to court documents, Brad and Dusti Pearce conspired with Hines to commit wire fraud in a scheme that involved generating and then selling unauthorized Avaya Direct International (ADI) software licenses. The ADI software licenses were used to unlock features and functionalities of a popular telephone system product called “IP Office” used by thousands of companies around the world. The ADI software licensing system has since been decommissioned.
Avaya Holdings Corporation, a multinational business communications company headquartered in California, sold IP Office to many midsize and small businesses in the United States and abroad. To unlock features and functionalities of IP Office, such as voicemail or telephones, customers had to purchase software licenses generated by Avaya from an authorized Avaya distributor or reseller. Avaya used software license keys to control access to Avaya’s copyright-protected software and to ensure that only customers who paid for the software could use it. Moreover, Avaya required that each software license on an IP Office system be associated with a proprietary memory card with a unique serial number that the end user had to keep in its possession to use the licenses.
Brad Pearce, a long-time customer service employee at Avaya, used his system administrator privileges to generate tens of thousands of ADI software license keys that he sold to Hines and other customers, who in turn sold them to resellers and end users around the world. The retail value of each Avaya software license ranged from under $100 to thousands of dollars. Brad Pearce also employed his system administrator privileges to hijack the accounts of former Avaya employees to generate additional ADI software license keys. Pearce concealed the fraud scheme for many years by using these privileges to alter information about the accounts, which helped hide his creation of unauthorized license keys. Dusti Pearce handled accounting for the illegal business.
Hines operated Direct Business Services International (DBSI), formerly known as Dedicated Business Systems International, a New Jersey-based business communications systems provider and a de-authorized Avaya reseller. He bought ADI software license keys from Brad and Dusti Pearce and then sold them to resellers and end users around the world for significantly below the wholesale price. Hines was by far the Pearces’ largest customer and significantly influenced how the scheme operated. Hines was one of the biggest users of the ADI license system in the world.
Altogether, the Pearces and Hines reaped millions of dollars from the scheme. To hide the nature and source of the money, the Pearces funneled their illegal gains through a PayPal account created under a false name to multiple bank accounts, and then transferred the money to investment and bank accounts. They also purchased large quantities of gold bullion and other valuable items.
In July 2023, Hines pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In September 2023, the Pearces also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Kaplan of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case.
Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Senior Litigation Counsel Julia E. Barry for the Western District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case.
Tennessee man indicted in $1 million investment schemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Tennessee man with defrauding investors out of more than $1 million.
Alcides Roman, 65, of Lebanon, Tennessee, is charged with eight counts of wire fraud and four counts of money laundering.
According to court documents, Roman did business through Remain In Control, a Tennessee company. Roman is accused of soliciting individuals to invest in high-yield investment programs offered through his company. He allegedly obtained victims’ funds under false pretenses, failed to invest their money as promised, and misappropriated investment funds for his own and others’ benefit without the victims’ knowledge or consent.
The defendant made his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. He is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Teresa J. James of the District of Kansas at 1:30 p.m. on August 9, 2024.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Huschka is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###String of Robberies Lands District Man in Prison for 10 YearsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Stephon Lee, 22, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to just over 10 years in prison for committing a string of six robberies that targeted local businesses, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Lee pleaded guilty on April 19, 2024, to two counts of armed robbery, two counts of robbery, one count of attempted armed robbery, and one count of second-degree theft. Today, the Honorable Judge Robert Salerno sentenced the defendant to 129 months of incarceration, to be followed by five years’ of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, beginning in April 2023 and ending with his arrest in July 2023, Lee robbed a dry cleaner, fast-food restaurants, a pharmacy, and two local convenience stores. Lee targeted stores throughout the city, striking when there were few or no customers. In each instance, Lee attempted to steal money from the cash register. But when he could not easily take the money, Lee fought his victims. On two occasions, Lee was armed with a knife, and one occasion he grabbed a nearby pair of scissors.
On April 5, 2023, Lee went to a dry cleaner on Alabama Avenue SE under the auspices of dry cleaning his jacket. As Lee asked the victim how much the dry cleaning would cost, he suddenly walked behind the counter, grabbed the victim by the back of the neck, and demanded that she open the register. When the victim did not comply quickly enough, the two struggled. Lee grabbed a pair of scissors from under the counter, put them to the victim’s neck, and threatened to stab her if she refused to open the register. She opened the register and Lee took cash before fleeing.
On June 18, 2023, Lee ordered a sandwich at a fast-food franchise on Riggs Road NE, and then left abruptly, saying that he would come back to pay. About 30 minutes later, Lee returned and stood behind a customer who was checking out. Once the employee opened the register to give the customer change, Lee lunged across the counter, grabbed the money tray, and fled the store.
On June 23, 2023, Lee was armed with a knife when he entered a pharmacy on Ingraham Street NE. When the victim, a store employee, was alone, Lee went behind the counter, pulled out a knife, and demanded money from the register. When the victim could not open the register quickly enough, Lee pressed his knife against the victim’s side. The victim opened the register, and Lee took the cash and ran out of the store.
On June 26, 2023, Lee went to a convenience store on First Street NW. As the cashier stood at the register, Lee walked behind the counter, opened the register, took the cash, and fled.
On July 10, 2023, Lee entered a food market on Fourth Street NW. He took an item and attempted to leave the store when a store employee pepper sprayed him. Lee threw the item at the victim, pulled out a knife, and waived it at her. He then grabbed the cash register from the counter and, while still holding the knife, repeatedly slammed the register on the ground until it opened. He took cash from the register and fled.
On July 10, 2023, Lee went to a fast-food restaurant on Marion Barry Avenue SE and milled around as other customers ordered. One customer, with her infant in a stroller next to her, ordered a meal and started to pay with cash. When the restaurant cashier opened the register to give the customer change, Lee lunged across the counter and grabbed cash from the register before fleeing.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Miller and Will Lawrence.
Steele County Man Pleads Guilty for International Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Blooming Prairie man has pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting children outside the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between April 2022 and September 2022, Steven John Sokel, 61, was engaged in the production of child pornography. He was also found to be in possession of sexually explicit images and videos of minors.
Sokel pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric T. Tostrud to one count of sexual exploitation of children. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner is prosecuting the case.
- Spencer Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine
Slingerlands Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Daniel Fuino, age 75, of Slingerlands, New York, pled guilty today to sexual exploitation of a child. 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.
Fuino admitted that between the summer of 2022 and April 2023, he babysat a young female child at his residence. During this period, Fuino used the child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. The victim was 6 years old when the conduct began.
If United States District Judge Mae D’Agostino accepts the parties’ agreed-upon disposition at sentencing on November 26, 2024, Fuino will receive a prison term of 180 months, at least 15 years of supervised release to follow that term of imprisonment, and a fine of up to $250,000. He will also be ordered to pay restitution to the victim, forfeit the device used in the offense, and will be required to register as a sex offender. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force – comprised of FBI Special Agents, and state and local police investigators, including from the New York State Police and Colonie Police Department – investigated this case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who attempted to flee police twice while illegally possessing firearms and drugs, was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison.
Raymon Olague, age 31, from Sioux City, received the prison term after a February 12, 2024, guilty plea to illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Evidence in the case revealed on May 1, 2023, Olague was involved in a car chase that reached speeds in excess of 100 mph. Stop sticks were deployed, which struck a front tire, but Olague continued to flee law enforcement at a high rate of speed for several blocks. Olague pulled into an alley and threw a loaded handgun, with an obliterated serial number, out of the driver’s side door, before fleeing on foot into a nearby residence. Olague failed to comply with officers’ verbal commands but was found hiding under a child’s bed in the residence, and was apprehended. Olague posted a cash bond for the eluding charges.
On September 21, 2023, while officers were conducting surveillance on another incident, Olague was observed entering the residence without any bags or backpacks, and two minutes later, exited carrying a backpack. When a uniformed officer approached Olague, he refused commands and fled on foot, dropping the backpack and multiple items from his waistband. Olague was apprehended and taken into custody on a warrant for failing to appear at a hearing related to the May 1 incident. Officers located the items Olague dropped, and inside the backpack was a second loaded pistol that had been reported stolen, along with drug paraphernalia.
Olague was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Leonard T. Strand to 90 months’ imprisonment adjusted for time served on a related state offense. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Olague is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-4064.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A Sioux City man who previously served time for distribution of cocaine was sentenced today to more than four years in federal prison.
Jerry Wilson, age 62, from Sioux City, received the prison term after a February 23, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon and drug user.
Evidence in the case revealed that on September 20, 2023, Wilson was stopped for traffic violations, and was also found to have a suspended license. As the officer approached, Wilson immediately became apprehensive and argumentative. The officer noticed the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and asked the occupants to step out. Upon search of the vehicle, officers located the keys in the ignition had a container attached which contained approximately 2 grams of a white powdery substance that field tested positive for cocaine. Officers also located a box in the center console, containing a THC vape pen and a contained with approximately 1 gram of a white crystal substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine. In the glove box was another THC vape pen. Under the driver’s seat, officers located a revolver. Prior to transporting Wilson to the jail, officers searched Wilsons’ person and also located a pill bottle in Wilson’s jacket that contained 21 fentanyl pills, disguised as oxycodone, 18 individual baggies containing methamphetamine, and 2 baggies containing cocaine.
Wilson has an extensive criminal history including delivery of controlled substance, pimping and pandering, possession of cocaine and carrying weapons, possession of a weapon by a felon, as well as a previous federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
Wilson was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 51 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Wilson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-4075.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Romanian National Sentenced for Using Debit Card Skimming Devices on ATMs to Steal Nearly $150,000 from Victims Throughout CaliforniaRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Christos Mavrokelos, 37, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay $75,000 in restitution for illegally using counterfeit debit cards and skimming devices, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court records, from July 2021 through November 2023, in Fresno and Madera Counties and elsewhere, Mavrokelos knowingly and with intent to defraud, used counterfeit debit cards that contained victims’ stolen account information to make unauthorized cash withdrawals from the victims’ accounts. The victims’ account information was stolen through the use of skimming devices, which are devices that can be surreptitiously installed on bank ATMs and card readers that are used to record victims’ information.
In total, Mavrokelos made unauthorized cash withdrawals on at least 40 victims’ accounts. The withdrawals were made from banks whose deposits were insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Mavrokelos’s misconduct resulted in a total loss of approximately $149,000.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph D. Barton and Cody C. Chapple prosecuted the case.
Riverside County Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Sexually Explicit Images of Children, One of Whom He Met on Online Gaming PlatformRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A Riverside County man pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge for catfishing a preteen girl he met on an online gaming platform and persuading her to send him sexually explicit photos of herself and, later, of her 5-year-old relative.
John Mathew Piecuch, 64, of Hemet, pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography. He has been in federal custody since August 2021.
“This defendant has admitted his despicable acts and now will face a significant prison sentence,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “I urge parents everywhere to be vigilant when it comes to their children’s online usage. Predators lurk in the shadows and use the internet’s cloak of anonymity to inflict life-long trauma.”
According to his plea agreement, Piecuch met on Roblox, an online gaming platform, an individual identified in court documents as “Minor Victim 1,” a 12-year-old girl. Piecuch told the victim he was a 13-year-old boy.
In January 2021, Piecuch and Minor Victim 1 texted each other, during which time he persuaded her to send him sexually explicit images of herself. Piecuch also persuaded Minor Victim 1 to take and send him sexually explicit photographs of Minor Victim 2, a 5-year-old girl.
Minor Victim 1’s mother saw some of the text messages between her daughter and Piecuch on one of the girl’s mobile devices, which prompted her to contact law enforcement, according to court documents.
United States District Judge John W. Holcomb scheduled an October 25 sentencing hearing, at which time Piecuch will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.
The FBI investigated this matter in conjunction with the Carroll County (Maryland) Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Sonah Lee of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of MachinegunsRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Marcelo Manuel Maysonet (24, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to possession of unregistered National Firearms Act (NFA) weapons, more specifically, a machinegun and 15 machinegun conversion devices. Maysonet faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) executed a search warrant at Maysonet’s residence, where they discovered 15 machinegun conversion devices and a 5.56 caliber AR-style pistol with a machinegun conversion device installed. A machinegun conversion device is an illegal conversion device that converts a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic weapon. Under the National Firearms Act, a machinegun conversion device is classified as a machinegun. None of these items were registered to Maysonet in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law.
As part of the plea agreement, the defendant agreed to forfeit the firearm containing the machinegun conversion device and the 15 additional machine gun conversion devices.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.
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.
North Dakota Man Sentenced to 80 months in Prison for Firearms’ Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A North Dakota man was sentenced Tuesday for a firearms’ trafficking scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.
U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler sentenced Juan Antonio Duran, 29, of Watford City, North Dakota, to 80 months in prison. In January, Duran pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide a false statement to a federal firearm licensee (FFL), false statement during the purchase of a firearm, straw purchasing a firearm, and firearms’ trafficking.
In January, Jose Nicolas Flores, 31, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide a false statement to an FFL, false statement during the purchase of a firearm, straw purchasing a firearm, and firearms’ trafficking. The sentencing hearing for Flores is scheduled for August 29, 2024.
According to related court documents, between May 9, 2023, and May 11, 2023, Duran conspired with Flores to purchase at least three firearms from an FFL in the Northern District of Alabama. Flores, the straw purchaser, falsified documents by specifically stating that he was the actual buyer when in fact he was buying the firearms for Duran. On May 9, 2011, after Duran and Flores traveled into Alabama, Flores attempted to purchase three Barrett .50 caliber rifles from the FFL but was told the transaction was delayed pending completion of a background check. Instead, Flores purchased the FFL’s entire stock of Barrett .50 caliber rifle magazines for $2,769 cash. The next day, the FFL called Duran and Flores and informed them that the background was complete, and the transfer could proceed. On May 11, 2023, Duran and Flores returned to the FFL from out of state. Flores recertified the document stating that he was the actual buyer and provided approximately $31,000 in cash before being detained by ATF agents. Flores told the ATF agents that he received the bulk cash from Duran for the purpose of buying firearms for Duran. Meanwhile, Duran was detained while moving their vehicle in anticipation of receiving the rifles. During a search of Duran’s property, agents found a receipt for three Barrett .50 caliber rifles purchased by another person from an FFL in Grimes, Iowa, on April 28, 2023. The purchase was made in cash for $35,843.91.
The ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles. Homeland Security Investigations provided translation and technical support. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel S. McBrayer and Brittney L. Plyler prosecuted the case.
Niagara Falls man pleads guilty meth chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jevon Flynn, 30, of Niagara Falls, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, a fine of $10,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who handled the case, stated that on March 26, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at a residence in Niagara Falls, during which they located Flynn in a bedroom, with his hands near a clothing hamper. A backpack and a pair of pants were found in the clothing hamper. A plastic bag containing suspected methamphetamine was found in the backpack, while two plastic baggies were found in the pants, one contained suspected fentanyl, the other contained blue-colored pressed pills. Investigators also seized another quantity of suspected methamphetamine and eight grams of suspected crack cocaine.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 3, 2024, before Judge Vilardo.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Drug and Weapons ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – HAROLD DECLOUET, age 22, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on July 24, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Jane T. Milazzo to 70 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, along with a $400 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to two counts of distributing cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C); possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, marijuana, and tramadol, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), 841(b)(1)(D), and 841(b)(2); and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
According to court documents, DECLOUET made two sales of cocaine base to a confidential informant for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, in February of 2022. A few months later, in May of 2022, DECLOUET was arrested with cocaine base, marijuana, tramadol pills, over $1,000 in cash, and a Glock Model 19 handgun, loaded with 31 rounds of ammunition.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Carjacking and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DEVON FRITH (“FRITH”), age 25, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk after previously pleading guilty to carjacking and gun offenses. Specifically, Judge Africk sentenced FRITH to 41 months imprisonment for Carjacking, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119, as well as a consecutive term of 60 months imprisonment for Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A), for a total sentence of 101 months. Judge Africk ordered that FRITH be placed on supervised release for five (5) years following his release from imprisonment and pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee for each count of conviction.
Court documents reveal that on April 10, 2023, FRITH carjacked a vehicle in the Central City area of New Orleans. He was wearing a ski mask and gloves and pointed a loaded Glock Model 26 handgun at the victim while demanding the keys to her car. The handgun had an extended magazine with 17 live rounds. FRITH drove the car to the Westbank where he crashed it into a fence and another parked vehicle. He was arrested within minutes. Law enforcement successfully recovered the weapon, wrapped in the same sweatshirt he wore during the carjacking.
United States Attorney Evans praised the work of the New Orleans Police Department for its quick apprehension of FRITH and the recovery of the weapon.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation- Violent Crimes Task Force, and New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Miller of the Narcotics Unit handled the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Re-Sentenced on Federal Firearm and Drug Trafficking Charges Stemming from New Orleans Hotel ShootoutRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that CLARENCE SANTIAGO (“SANTIAGO”), of New Orleans, was re-sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry to 280 months imprisonment for his participation in a December 28, 2020, shootout at the Jung Hotel on Canal Street.
On April 5, 2022, SANTIAGO pled guilty to Counts 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the indictment, charging him with conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (Count 1); using, carrying and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime (Count 2); conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana (Count 3); and, illegally maintaining a drug involved premises (Count 4).
On March 7, 2023, Judge Guidry sentenced SANTIAGO to serve 360 months of imprisonment. SANTIAGO appealed that sentence to the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction but remanded the case to the District Court for re-sentencing. At the sentencing hearing held on July 23rd, the Government played three video tapes of the shooting that took place on the 15th floor of the Jung Hotel.
After hearing the evidence presented the hearing, Judge Guidry imposed a total sentence of 280 months imprisonment. This consisted of 160 months as to Counts 1 and 4; 60 months as to Count 3; and 120 consecutive months as to Count 2. He was also placed on supervised release for a term of 5 years, after his release from prison. The Court also imposed a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 per count.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the New Orleans Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit and Elizabeth Privitera, Chief of the Violent Crime and Gang Unit.
Montgomery Man Sentenced to 90 Months in Federal Prison Following Federal Gun and Drug ConvictionsRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Today, United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross announced that Franklin Douglas Hambrick, 35, from Montgomery, Alabama, received a sentence of 90 months in prison after pleading guilty to federal gun and drug charges.
According to the federal indictment and other court records, on January 6, 2022, law enforcement in Montgomery initiated a stop on a vehicle after observing a traffic violation. The driver, later identified as Hambrick, fled the vehicle on foot but was apprehended after a short chase. Investigators searched a backpack Hambrick had with him. Inside the backpack, they found, a handgun, fentanyl, and marijuana. Hambrick has a previous felony conviction and is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
On April 2, 2024, Hambrick pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Hambrick’s sentencing hearing occurred on July 22, 2024.
The Montgomery Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney Justin L. Jones prosecuted.
Money Launderers Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Two Mobile women, Jamaka King, 29, and Danielle Dailey, 39, were sentenced today in federal court on their convictions for conspiracy to launder drug proceeds.
According to court documents, King and Dailey both became involved in the Darrin Southall criminal organization by handling his illegal drug proceeds in ways that concealed his illegal activities that generated the cash and that promoted the crimes. King was intercepted in numerous phone calls with Southall during a court-authorized wiretap of Southall’s phones. The calls implicated her one of Southall’s money launderers. Dailey was identified during the initial investigation. Southall’s organization generated millions of dollars in drug proceeds and when the arrests were made, federal authorities seized more than $2 million in cash, 18 vehicles and approximately $160,000 worth of jewelry. King and Dailey each pled guilty to conspiracy to launder drug money during 2021.
United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose sentenced King to 3 months in custody, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Judge Dubose sentenced Dailey to three years of probation. Both women will be subject to search upon reasonable suspicion that they have violated the conditions of supervision, and both are subject to drug testing and treatment and mental health evaluations. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that each defendant pay $100 in special assessments.
U. S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Saraland Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
The investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organization 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.