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25 July 2024
Golden Valley Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing More Than 2,000 Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Golden Valley man has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute more than 2,000 fentanyl pills, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on February 1, 2024, Mason Harris Rosenblatt, 33, was the sole occupant of a hotel room in St. Louis Park when law enforcement executed a search warrant on the hotel room. As a result of the search, law enforcement seized 2,027 M-30 fentanyl pills that were in Rosenblatt’s possession.
Rosenblatt pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge David S. Doty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Louis Park Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett S. Fields and Syngen Kanassatega are prosecuting the case.
Franklin County Man Indicted for Making Threats on Facebook, Cyberstalking, and Unlawfully Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG– The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a federal grand jury indicted Richard Little, age 49, of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, for making threats online, including against a state senator, cyberstalking, and being a person prohibited from possessing a firearm.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on or about June 10, 2024, Little was served with an eviction notice and began posting threatening, harassing, and intimidating videos on Facebook that chiefly targeted an individual with whom Little previously worked. Little also threatened a County Commissioner and, among other things, spoke of a “war,” described “kill zones,” and displayed firearms and ammunition.
Thereafter, on or about June 21, 2024, Little posted a threat against a Pennsylvania State Senator on his Facebook page. The same date, law enforcement arrested Little and searched his residence. Law enforcement seized approximately 17 firearms, ammunition, marijuana, illegal mushrooms, an expired Pennsylvania medical-marijuana card, and drug paraphernalia.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney K. Wesley (Wes) Mishoe is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the charges against Little is 30 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons indicted are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Former science director for the Office of Naval Research Global sentenced to 25 years in prison for child sexual exploitation convictionRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A cleared research scientist at U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and former Assistant Professor at George Mason University was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in prison for receiving, possessing, and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and coercion and enticement of minors.
According to court documents, in November 2021, Daniel Marc Lofaro, 40, of Fairfax, engaged with a victim, identified as Minor 1, who was then 12 years old, on a social media app, telling the victim he was 22 years old. Lofaro told the victim in graphic detail how he would have sex with the victim and continued to entice and exploit the child even when the victim hardly responded. Lofaro requested nude images of the victim and asked the victim to join him in video chats.
In 2019, Lofaro engaged with a 14-year-old victim, identified as Minor 2, through an online dating app. Lofaro chatted with the victim on various social media and messaging apps and had voice and video calls with the victim. On multiple occasions, Lofaro asked the victim to send him sexually explicit pictures and videos. At Lofaro’s request, in February 2022, the victim created a sexually explicit video and sent it to Lofaro. Minor 2 told law enforcement that Lofaro asked for the victim’s address so he could visit the victim, and that the victim stopped talking to the defendant because he was asking the victim to send him photographs every day, even when the child was at school. Lofaro last reached out to Minor 2 on May 18, 2022, the morning law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence.
Lofaro collected CSAM for nearly a decade, amassing approximately 600 CSAM images and videos on two laptop computers. These files include images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including the rape of a toddler and prepubescent children.
Between at least August 2021 and February 2022, Lofaro distributed and received numerous CSAM files through social media. Lofaro was a member of multiple social media groups dedicated to discussing sexual abuse of children and exchanging CSAM. Lofaro frequently discussed with other users his sexual interest in children and the sexual abuse of children in real life. On Feb. 5, 2022, Lofaro chatted with another individual about his sexual abuse of a minor relative while the child slept, and that he was “looking for someone who has a daughter that they are willing to share.”
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; and Brian Platt, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney McKenzie Hightower, a Trial Attorney for the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, prosecuted 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. 1:23-cr-156.
Note: This release was revised on July 26, 2024, to reflect that Daniel Marc Lofaro is not a current George Mason University employee. He has not worked for the university since May 2021.
Former Orange County Education Official Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Federal Prison for Embezzling More Than $16.6 Million from School DistrictRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – The former senior director of fiscal services at an Orange County public school district was sentenced today to 70 months in federal prison for embezzling nearly $16.7 million from the district over several years.
Jorge Armando Contreras, 53, of Yorba Linda, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fred W. Slaughter, who also ordered him to pay $16,694,942 in restitution.
Contreras pleaded guilty on March 28 to one count of embezzlement, theft, and intentional misapplication of funds from an organization receiving federal funds.
“Instead of using his job at a public school district to help socio-economically disadvantaged children, Contreras embezzled millions upon millions of dollars, which he flagrantly spent on a luxury home, car, and designer clothes and accessories,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Today’s sentence highlights my office’s determination to prosecute and punish those who betray the public trust – especially when their behavior affects some of our community’s most vulnerable members.”
Contreras was the senior director of fiscal services at Magnolia School District, which serves students in Anaheim and Stanton. In this role, Contreras, whom the school district hired in 2006, managed the district’s fiscal operations. The schools in this district educate children from preschool through sixth grade – 81% of whom are classified as socio-economically disadvantaged.
He managed and had access to various school district bank accounts as well as the student body bank account. He caused checks from these accounts to be deposited into his personal bank account.
Contreras wrote checks in small dollar amounts written to “M S D,” with the letters spaced out, and, after receiving the proper signatures from others, would include fictitious names and increase the amounts of the checks and deposit the checks into his personal bank account via ATMs. To conceal his fraud, Contreras provided bank reconciliation packets to others at the school district with falsified bank statements and records.
In total, Contreras embezzled approximately $16,694,942 from the school district.
The school district placed Contreras on administrative leave in August 2023 and filed a lawsuit against him in Orange County Superior Court.
Law enforcement so far has seized approximately $7.7 million in personal and real property traced to the scheme, including a home in Yorba Linda, a 2021 BMW automobile, 57 luxury designer bags (mostly Louis Vuitton), various pieces of jewelry, designer clothes and shoes, and eight bottles of Clase Azul Ultra luxury tequila.
The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the United States Department of Education Office of Inspector General investigated this case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Billy Joe McLain of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, Brett A. Sagel of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force, and James E. Dochterman of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section prosecuted this case.
Former Bank Employee Pleads Guilty to $2.4 Million Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Higbee, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to stealing nearly $2.4 million from customers’ accounts at Exchange Bank of Missouri in Fayette, Mo., during a 15-year-long fraud scheme.
Megan Lea Dougherty, 36, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to a federal information that charges her with one count of bank fraud.
Dougherty was employed at the Fayette branch of Exchange Bank of Missouri. By pleading guilty today, she admitted that she engaged in a scheme to embezzle money from Exchange Bank of Missouri from Jan. 1, 2009, to Oct. 17, 2023.
According to today’s plea agreement, Dougherty began working in the bank’s IT and customer service department in 2008. She detected a lack of internal controls and began removing small amounts of money from customer accounts into her own savings account and then to her checking account. Eventually, she also transferred stolen funds into the checking accounts of family members. Dougherty then switched to taking from customer certificate of deposit accounts.
Dougherty falsified the description of these transfers in the bank’s computer systems to conceal her theft. She also rotated which accounts she took funds from so as to avoid detection, and would steal from one account to reimburse another, again to avoid detection.
At the time that Exchange Bank of Missouri discovered the theft, Dougherty was actively stealing from seven different bank customers, some of whom had multiple accounts affected. Records reveal that over a dozen other customers were also victims of Dougherty’s theft, but those accounts were reimbursed when she moved onto victimizing new accounts.
Dougherty told investigators she targeted customers who knew and trusted her. The records show that Dougherty stole a total of $2,393,288 from customers’ accounts.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Dougherty must forfeit to the government her interest nine parcels of real estate in Howard County, Mo., and a money judgment of $2,393,288.
Under federal statutes, Dougherty is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa A. Pierce. It was investigated by the FBI.
Former Asset Manager Director of South Bend Housing Authority Sentenced to 135 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Albert Smith, 47 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge Jon E. DeGuilio after being found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, six counts of bank fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of federal program theft on November 1, 2023, following an eight-day jury trial, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Smith was sentenced to 135 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $3,030,940 in restitution to the victims of the offense.
According to documents in the case, the Housing Authority of South Bend (HASB) provides housing opportunities and services to the South Bend community, managing more than 800 public housing residential units. From approximately 2015 through 2019, Smith served as the Asset Manager Director of the HASB and reported directly to the Executive Director. He was found guilty of conspiring with those at the HASB and with outside contractors to defraud the HASB. The fraud scheme involved the issuance of HASB payment checks to four outside contractors for contracting work that had not actually occurred. These contractors would then deposit the HASB payment checks, withdraw a portion of each check in cash, and hand-deliver the cash back to co-conspirators at the HASB’s main office. Smith was involved in creating hundreds of fraudulent documents to conceal the fraud.
United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson said, “Mr. Smith’s sentencing concludes the sentencing of those who schemed with Tonya Robinson, the former Executive Director of the South Bend Housing Authority, to steal federal housing funds to enrich themselves. Illegal schemes that purloin public money, defrauding taxpayers and jeopardizing tenants’ health and safety, will not be tolerated. My Office has a robust partnership with federal, state and local law enforcement and we will continue to work together to hold all such federal fraudsters accountable.”
“Federal funding for public housing should be used to help ensure all Americans have access to safe, affordable housing - not to enrich those who deprive these programs of their much-needed funding through fraud and theft,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “Today’s sentence shows that those who violate the public trust will be held accountable.”
“Albert Smith and his previously sentenced co-conspirators abused their positions of trust overseeing HUD money that was intended to provide housing assistance to some of the most vulnerable people in their community. Smith engaged in an egregious false billing and kickback scheme, lining his own pockets with scarce taxpayer dollars,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Machelle Jindra with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General. “The sentence handed down today serves as a warning to those willing to commit fraud involving HUD-funded programs that HUD OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working with our Department of Justice, prosecutorial, law enforcement and oversight partners to aggressively pursue those who engage in activities that threaten the integrity of HUD programs.”
"Today's sentencing of Albert Smith underscores the grave consequences of public servants who abuse public office,” said Ramsey Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Public servants hold a sacred trust to serve the public with integrity. When they engage in criminal activities, they not only break the law but also erode public confidence in our institutions. This sentence reaffirms IRS CI and its fellow law enforcement partners’ commitment to holding such individuals accountable and restoring trust in our government.”
Smith’s co-defendants who were previously convicted received the following sentences:
Tonya Robinson was sentenced to a total term of 108 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $3,236,949.97 in restitution to victims of the offense.
Tyreisha Robinson was sentenced to time served, 2 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $363,122.00 in restitution to victims of the offense.
Douglas Donley was sentenced to a total term of 27 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $303,920.00 in restitution to victims of the offense.
Archie Robinson III was sentenced to a total term of 6 months of imprisonment, 2 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $1,152,636.00 in restitution to victims of the offense.
Ronald Taylor, Jr. was sentenced to a total term of 44 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $1,714,956.87 in restitution to victims of the offense.
This case was investigated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Luke N. Reilander, Joel Gabrielse, and Jerome W. McKeever.
Foreign national charged with selling counterfeit cancer drugsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging an Indian national with selling and shipping tens of thousands of dollars in counterfeit oncology pharmaceuticals into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
According to court documents, Sanjay Kumar, 43, of Bihar, India, and his co-conspirators allegedly arranged for the sale and shipment of fake, counterfeit versions of oncology pharmaceuticals - including Keytruda - to individuals in the United States.
Genuine Keytruda is a cancer immunotherapy that is approved in the United States for 19 different indications, including to treat certain types of melanoma, lung cancer, head and neck cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, gastric cancer, cervical cancer and breast cancer. Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, formerly known as Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., has the exclusive right to authorize the manufacture of Keytruda for introduction into interstate commerce.
Kumar was arrested June 26 in Houston after traveling to the United States to conduct further negotiations aimed at expanding his business selling fake Keytruda in the U.S. market.
Kumar is charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit drugs and four counts of trafficking in counterfeit drugs. If convicted, he faces a up to 20 years in prison on each count as well as a possible $2 million fine.
Homeland Security Investigations and Food and Drug Administration conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Jeff Pearlman and Bryce Rosenbower of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Foreign National Charged for Selling Counterfeit Cancer DrugsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Houston returned an indictment today charging an Indian national with selling and shipping tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of counterfeit oncology pharmaceuticals into the United States.
According to court documents, Sanjay Kumar, 43, of Bihar, India, and his co-conspirators allegedly arranged for the sale and shipment of fake, counterfeit versions of oncology pharmaceuticals—including Keytruda—to individuals in the United States. Genuine Keytruda is a cancer immunotherapy that is approved in the United States for 19 different indications, including to treat certain types of melanoma, lung cancer, head and neck cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, gastric cancer, cervical cancer, and breast cancer. Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, formerly known as Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., has the exclusive right to authorize the manufacture of Keytruda for introduction into interstate commerce.
Kumar was arrested on June 26 in Houston after traveling to the United States to conduct further negotiations aimed at expanding his business selling fake Keytruda in the U.S. market.
Kumar is charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit drugs and four counts of trafficking in counterfeit drugs. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas; Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston; and Special Agent in Charge Charles Grinstead of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office made the announcement.
HSI and the FDA investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jeff Pearlman and Bryce Rosenbower of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Florida Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining $2.4 Million in CARES Act LoansRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Florida man was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining over $2.4 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) payments, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Mohamed A. Awad, 61, of Ocala, Florida, pleaded guilty on Nov. 20, 2023, before Judge Michael A. Shipp to an information charging him with wire fraud and money laundering. Judge Shipp imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Awad engaged in a scheme to illegally obtain over $2.4 million in PPP and EIDL loans through numerous misrepresentations to lenders. He submitted fraudulent loan applications that fabricated numbers of employees and misrepresented company information, to induce PPP and EIDL lenders to approve the loan applications that they otherwise would not have approved. Awad submitted falsified tax documents in support of PPP applications. According to IRS records, none of the purported tax documents that Awad submitted in support of the loan applications were ever in fact filed with the IRS. Awad thereafter transferred the loan proceeds among various bank accounts he controlled, withdrawing significant amounts in cash and transferring loan proceeds out of the country via wire transfers to banks based in Egypt.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Awad to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $2.41 million and forfeiture of $1.49 million.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer I. Piovesan; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Boston-New York Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley Parker special agents of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Tucker; special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca in New York; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Florida Man Sentenced for Fraud Involving Small Business Administration Disaster FundsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with his role in conspiring to use stolen identities to fraudulently obtain disaster loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and to launder the funds.
Hector Garcia, 52, of Ocala, Fla., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to time served and three years of supervised release. Garcia was also ordered to pay $25,104.33 in restitution to the Small Business Administration. In April 2024, Garcia pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud.
Garcia conspired with Ramon Cruz, Darwyn Joseph, Edwin Acevedo, and others, to use stolen identity information of United States citizens to apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans. Garcia used stolen identity information of a United States citizen to open a fraudulent bank account, which was then linked to other fraudulent bank accounts set up to receive the SBA funds. Garcia and his co-conspirators used debit cards associated with those accounts to launder the funds by purchasing iPhones for re-sale. Garcia and other co-conspirators wired a portion of the funds to the Dominican Republic.
Over $452,000 in SBA funds were fraudulently obtained in connection with the scheme. Approximately $250,000 of this money was used to purchase iPhones in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Cruz and Joseph pleaded guilty and were each sentenced in August 2023 and October 2023, respectively, to two years and one day in prison and three years of supervised release. Acevedo pleaded guilty and was sentenced in August 2023 to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Orlando, Fla.; Small Business Administration, Office of the Inspector General; Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General; Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General; Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General; Department of State; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Massachusetts State Police; New Hampshire State Police; and the Acton, Nashua (N.H.), Manchester (N.H.) and Ocala (Fla.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna J. Nuzum and Adam W. Deitch of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Fentanyl Dealer Implicated in Two Fatal ODs Sentenced to 22+ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A fentanyl dealer who admitted he was involved in at least three overdoses, two of them fatal, was sentenced Thursday to nearly 23 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Rhett Barclay, 23, was indicted in September 2023 and pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced Thursday to 275 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman.
“This defendant is implicated in multiple deaths, including the tragic demise of his unborn child,” said U.S Attorney Leigha Simonton. “Those who traffic in fentanyl should know that the poison they peddle can take the lives of anyone who ingests it – even their nearest and dearest. Once again, this case proves that even half of one pill can kill.”
“Overdose deaths from fentanyl continue to have a devastating impact on communities across North Texas,” said DEA Fort Worth Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez. “We are directing all our available resources to investigate those who distribute this deadly, illicit poison to our friends and family. Mr. Barclay, while responsible for the deaths of these individuals, also impacted countless others by his callous disregard for life. May others see this as a warning that DEA Fort Worth and our law enforcement partners across North Texas will continue to investigate drug distributors and seek significant jail sentences for their criminal activity.”
In plea papers, Mr. Barclay admitted that the fentanyl he obtained led to two fatal overdoses in less than two years.
On Jan. 24, 2021, Mr. Barclay distributed a single fentanyl pill to two women, identified in court documents as A.R. and T.M. The women split the pill. Both overdosed. Medics were able to resuscitate T.M., but A.R.'s overdose was fatal.
Less than two years later, on Jan. 12, 2023, Mr. Barclay obtained approximately 40 fentanyl pills. His girlfriend, identified in court documents as K.H., ingested one of the pills and suffered a fatal overdose.
At Thursday's sentencing hearing, prosecutors noted that K.H. was pregnant at the time. She passed away as their toddler watched.
The Drug Enforcement Administration's Dallas Field Division – Fort Worth Resident Agency conducted the investigation with the help of the Wise County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Montes prosecuted the case.
Illicitly produced fentanyl pills – often referred to as “M-30s” because of their resemblance to legitimate prescription pills like Oxycontin or Percocet – are highly dangerous. According to the DEA, six out of ten pills laced with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose. One pill can kill. For resources, visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill.
Federal jury convicts Jamestown man of multiple drug chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal jury has convicted Jose Caceras, 39, of Jamestown, NY, of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession of MDMA, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and maintaining a drug involved premises. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 25 years in prison and a maximum of life.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan K. Glaberson and Louis A. Testani, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that on February 27, 2023, Caceras was stopped and arrested by Jamestown Police officers working with U.S. Probation. After his arrest, Caceras attempted to discard a bag of fentanyl hidden in his pants while being transported to the Jamestown City Jail. As a result, the Jamestown Police officer transporting Caceras was exposed to fentanyl and received treatment for the exposure at a local hospital. During a subsequent search of Caceras’ stash house in Jamestown, U.S. Probation officers found over 50 grams of methamphetamine, a bag of MDMA, and drug paraphernalia.
The verdict is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Probation Office, under the direction of Chief Probation Officer Timothy Englert, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division.
A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo, who presided over the trial of the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Kanawha County Man of Federal Robbery and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After three days of trial, a federal jury convicted Camri Calrissian White, 25, of Cross Lanes, today of robbery, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence at trial proved that White robbed a Cross Lanes convenience store shortly before 5:15 a.m. on July 11, 2023, while armed with a Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm pistol with an extended magazine. White entered the business while wearing a mask and fired one round from the pistol into the ceiling. White held two store employees at gunpoint while ordering them to retrieve money from both registers and a locked safe under the front counter. Before fleeing the store, White told the employees that he would return and kill them if they called the police within the next 10 minutes.
Surveillance video from the store and other nearby locations helped law enforcement officers identify White as the culprit of the robbery. On July 17, 2023, officers arrived at the Cross Lanes apartment where White was staying. Officers recovered the pistol with the extended magazine after White tossed it from a rear window of the apartment after they arrived. Officers searched the apartment and found clothing worn by White during the robbery. During the search, officers learned that White had access to a vacant and unlocked apartment nearby. Officers searched that apartment and found more clothing worn by White during the convenience store robbery.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. White was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for first-degree robbery with a firearm in Kanawha County Circuit Court on December 11, 2017. In that case, White pleaded guilty to his role in a January 31, 2017, home invasion robbery, during which he pressed a sawed-off shotgun to the chest of the 84-year-old victim while threatening to kill her.
White is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21, 2024, and faces up to 20 years in prison for robbery, a consecutive term of 10 years and up to life in prison for discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, and up to 15 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
“At the point of a gun, Camri Calrissian White committed this violent act while threatening to kill his victims. Today’s verdicts will keep a dangerous criminal off our streets for a long time,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the South Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for their investigative work in this case. I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys JC MacCallum and Jennifer Rada Herrald and our trial team for securing the guilty verdicts in this case.”
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the jury trial.
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.
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. 2:23-cr-168.
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Fayetteville Felon with Rifles, Drugs, and Cash Sentenced to Six YearsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced to 80 months in prison for possessing multiple firearms, as well as several high-capacity rifle magazines. On December 13, 2023, Jon Alan Davis, age 40, pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on June 5, 2022, officers from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) responded to call at a Fayetteville residence. When they arrived, they found Davis in the residence and a subsequent search of the property resulted in the seizure of a 12-gauge caliber shotgun, two 7.62 caliber rifles, 10 large capacity rifle magazines, two ballistic vests, more than $30,000 in cash, more than 50 pounds of marijuana, 551 grams of hashish, 92 THC vape pens, and 516 THC edibles. On July 19, 2023, members of the CCSO Special Response Team (SRT) attempted to serve a federal warrant for Davis’ arrest at his residence. During the operation, various drug paraphernalia items were found in plain sight, including another pound of marijuana and more than $16,000 in cash.
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 CCSO and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Childress prosecuted the case.
The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which is collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement and interagency coordination and intelligence-led policing.
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. 5:23-CR-0028-M.
Eight Members of Lopez Human Smuggling Organization Operating in Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States Indicted and Two ArrestedRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, and Chief Patrol Agent Anthony Scott Good of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector, announced the unsealing of an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on July 17, 2024, charging eight members of the leadership and middle management of the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization, a transnational criminal organization operating in Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States. Law enforcement officials effected the arrest of two alleged members of the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization in California and Florida in a coordinated, multistate enforcement operation.
In addition, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization today as part of its ongoing efforts to address the national security threat posed by human smuggling. Pursuant to Executive Order 13581, as amended, OFAC has taken action to freeze assets and limit financial transactions of the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization.
According to the indictment, Ronaldo Galindo Lopez-Escobar, aka “Tio Roni,” 46, of Malacatan, Guatemala, leads and oversees the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization from Guatemala.
Elvis Bersai Lopez-Ambrosio, aka “Pepe,” and Whiskey Hans Lopez-Ambrosio, aka “Hands,” coordinated with Mexican human smugglers, including Jumilca Sandivel Hernandez-Perez and a La Linea Cartel member known as “Chikis,” “Chiquis,” “Enano,” and “Chicken” to cross undocumented aliens from Guatemala through Mexico, and into the United States through Southern New Mexico.
Upon smuggling undocumented aliens into the United States through Southern New Mexico, Elvis and Whiskey would oversee and direct a network of mid-level smugglers including Eli Adonis Esteban-Lopez and Wenry Gabriel Gomez-Lopez, who assisted in carrying out the day-to-day operations of the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization, and Karen Stefany Hernandez-Vanegas, who received deposits and made payments to co-conspirators through the United States banking system, peer-to-peer money transfer applications, and bulk cash that were derived from the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization.
Furthermore, Elvis would instruct co-conspirators to open U.S. bank accounts in order to receive smuggling fees from smuggled aliens on Elvis’s behalf and in a manner that would be untraceable to Elvis. Elvis would then instruct co-conspirators to withdraw the funds and either: give the funds to Elvis, convert the funds into assets including real estate, or send funds to Lopez-Escobar or his nominees in Guatemala, utilizing money service business money wires, to minimize the trackability of the funds to Lopez-Escobar.
Federal investigators have uncovered evidence suggesting that the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization generated between $104 million and $416 million in illicit proceeds from their human smuggling activities between September 2020 and April 2023.
“Border security is about neighbors taking care of neighbors, reaching across jurisdictional and agency boundaries to protect our community,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “With this indictment, we bring the fight across borders to the transnational criminal organizations and their leadership. No longer will you profit in safety while migrants suffer and load-drivers take the risks, and the fall, for your greed. We are coming for you and your bank accounts.”
“HSI remains steadfast in vigorously using our broad investigative authority and international footprint to pursue transnational criminal organizations that not only put the lives of migrants at peril, but pose a threat to our national security,” said Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI El Paso. “This case exemplifies a coalesced commitment among our federal law enforcement partners to ensure public safety by locking up violent criminal elements associated with these networks. Our message is clear: Human smugglers will not operate with impunity in our communities.”
“On behalf of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our local law enforcement partners for their role in this significant criminal apprehension,” said Anthony Scott Good, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector. “The successes in the investigation of the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization represents our unified goal as law enforcement partners: protecting the very communities we live in. Border Patrol's mission extends beyond immigration; we strategically collaborate with local law enforcement to deter and address criminal threats.”
If convicted of the current charges, Lopez-Escobar faces up to 20 years in prison. Lopez-Escobar and nine co-defendants were charged with conspiracy to bring in, transport and harbor illegal aliens on May 24, 2023. Lopez-Escobar remains a fugitive.
If convicted of the current charges, Elvis Bersai Lopez-Ambrosio faces up to 20 years in prison.
If convicted of the current charges, Whiskey Hans Lopez-Ambrosio faces up to 10 years in prison.
If convicted of the current charges, Hernandez-Perez faces up to 10 years in prison.
If convicted of the current charges, Chikis faces up to 10 years in prison.
If convicted of the current charges, Esteban-Lopez faces up to 10 years in prison.
If convicted of the current charges, Gomez-Lopez faces up to 10 years in prison.
If convicted of the current charges, Hernandez-Vanegas faces up to 10 years in prison.
HSI El Paso led U.S. investigative efforts, with enforcement assistance from HSI in the Middle District of Florida and the Central District of California. HSI received investigative assistance from HSI Long Beach and San Jose, U.S. Border Patrol Deming, Lordsburg, Blythe, El Centro, Yuma, and Tucson, the U.S. Marshal Service’s Organized Crime and Gangs Branch, as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center/Operation Sentinel, and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department. The Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) of the Department’s Criminal Division also provided support in this matter.
The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Ramirez for the District of New Mexico.
The indictment of these defendants is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is part of JTFA, which was established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Justice Department, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and most recently in the Darién to include Colombia and Panama. The task force focuses on disrupting and dismantling smuggling and trafficking networks that abuse, exploit, or endanger migrants, pose national security threats, and are involved in organized crime. JTFA is comprised of detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of Texas, the Western District of Texas, the District of New Mexico, the District of Arizona, and the Southern District of California. Dedicated support is also provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division that are part of JTFA, led by HRSP, and supported by the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT), the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS), MLARS, the Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO), the Office of International Affairs (OIA), and the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 310 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of human smuggling; over 250 U.S. convictions; over 185 significant sentences of 30 years or more in prison imposed; and substantial seizures and forfeiture of substantial assets and contraband, including hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, real property, vehicles, firearms and ammunition, and drugs; multiple indictments and successful extradition requests against foreign leadership targets.
View the IndictmentTreasury Press Release
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Drug Mule Sentenced to 16 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking Cocaine into ConnecticutRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KARINA CINTRON SANTIAGO, 25, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 16 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine into Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 4, 2023, a search of a luggage bag that Santiago checked prior to boarding a JetBlue flight from San Juan Airport to Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, revealed approximately 12 kilograms of cocaine. When Santiago arrived in Connecticut and discovered that her bag was not at baggage claim, she reported it lost. JetBlue personnel informed Santiago that when her bag was located they would deliver it to her, but she indicated that she would rather pick it up at the airport. On June 7, 2023, undercover investigators posing as JetBlue personnel contacted Santiago to inform her that her bag had been located and would be arriving on a flight to Bradley International Airport the next day.
On June 8, 2023, investigators placed Santiago’s bag, which contained its original contents, on a luggage carousel at Bradley International Airport. Cintron Santiago was arrested after she arrived at the airport and removed her bag from the luggage carousel.
On January 16, 2024, Santiago pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Santiago, who is released on a $75,000 bond, is required to report to prison on September 23.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean P. Mahard and Geoffrey M. Stone.
Detroit Woman Convicted of Stealing Social Security Disability Benefits for More Than a DecadeRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A Detroit woman was convicted by a federal jury yesterday for stealing more than $90,000 from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and its programs, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Chancellor Melvin, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of the Inspector General, Chicago Field Division.
Ernestine Hogue, a/k/a Ernestine Calhoun, 73, was convicted following a two-day jury trial in Ann Arbor, before United States District Judge Judith E. Levy. This is her fourth federal felony conviction for fraud.
Between 2003 and 2015, Hogue—despite working under her true identity—fraudulently collected disability insurance benefits under the name of Ernestine Calhoun, using a second social security number that she had previously obtained under false pretenses. Over the years, Hogue also made multiple false statements to SSA, repeatedly concealing her employment from the government. In total, Hogue’s scheme allowed her to fraudulently obtain $91,461.60 in government money to which she was not entitled.
“This defendant worked (and lied about working) while receiving Social Security disability benefits—benefits meant for people who are unable to work,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “Our office stands ready to aggressively prosecute those who steal from taxpayers and programs designed to help those in need. “
“I thank the jury for their work in this case; their verdict holds the defendant accountable for the crimes she committed by receiving Social Security disability benefits fraudulently. Her longstanding deception speaks to the depth of her intent to defraud the Social Security Administration (SSA) for as long as she could,” said SSA OIG Acting Special Agent in Charge Melvin. “Our office will continue to help safeguard these benefits for those entitled to receive them.”
This case was investigated by special agents of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne M. Lambert and Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Particka.
Defendants with Ties to White Supremacy Sentenced in Connection with Plot to Destroy Energy FacilitiesRead the Press Release
Three men were sentenced today for various conspiracy and firearms offenses in connection with a racially-motivated scheme to destroy an energy facility.
Paul James Kryscuk, 38, of Boise, Idaho, was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for conspiracy to destroy an energy facility. Liam Collins, 25, of Johnston, Rhode Island, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for aiding and abetting the interstate transportation of unregistered firearms. Justin Wade Hermanson, 25, of Swansboro, North Carolina, was sentenced today to one year and nine months in prison for conspiracy to manufacture firearms and ship interstate.
“As part a self-described ‘modern day SS,’ these defendants conspired, prepared, and trained to attack America’s power grid in order to advance their violent white supremacist ideology,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These sentences reflect both the depravity of their plot and the Justice Department’s commitment to holding accountable those who seek to use violence to undermine our democracy.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Kryscuk, Collins, and Hermanson researched, discussed and reviewed at length a previous attack on the power grid by an unknown group. The group depicted in the attack used assault-style rifles in an attempt to explode a power substation. Between 2017 and 2020, Kryscuk manufactured firearms while Collins stole military gear, including magazines for assault-style rifles, and had them delivered to the other defendants. During that time, co-defendant Jordan Duncan gathered a library of information – some military-owned – regarding firearms, explosives, and nerve toxins and shared that information with Kryscuk and Collins. In October 2020, a handwritten list of approximately one dozen intersections and places in Idaho and surrounding states was discovered in Kryscuk’s possession, including intersections and places containing a transformer, substation, or other component of the power grid for the northwest United States.
Previously filed charges alleged that Collins and Kryscuk were members of and made multiple posts on the “Iron March” forum, a gathering point for young neo-Nazis to organize and recruit for extremist organizations, until the forum was closed in late 2017. Collins and Kryscuk met through the forum and expanded their group using an encrypted messaging application as an alternate means of communication outside of the forum. Collins and Kryscuk recruited additional members, including Duncan, Hermanson, and co-defendant Joseph Maurino, and conducted training, including a live-fire training in the desert near Boise, Idaho. From video footage recorded by the members during the training, Kryscuk, Duncan and others produced a montage video of their training. In the video, the participants are seen firing short barrel rifles and other assault-type rifles, and the end of the propaganda video shows the four participants outfitted in Atomwaffen masks giving the “Heil Hitler” sign, beneath the image of a black sun, a Nazi symbol. The last frame bears the phrase, “Come home white man.” Prior to their arrests, Collins and Duncan had relocated to Idaho from North Carolina and Texas, respectively, to be near Kryscuk.
The FBI, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.
Trial Attorney John Cella of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara Kocher and Gabriel Diaz for the Eastern District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorneys for the District of Idaho, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, and the District of Rhode Island.
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to More than Eleven Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material While on ProbationRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Tyler Edward Davis, 35, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 140 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, in August 2022, Davis was convicted in Marion County of two counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material. Just four weeks into his probation period, and a little over a week after he registered as a sex offender, probation officers conducted a field visit and discovered Davis in possession of an unapproved smartphone. A review of the search history revealed searches such as “8-year-old bikini models” and “underground content.” Davis removed his GPS ankle bracelet and fled shortly after probation officer discovered the phone and search history.
A detailed forensic examination of Davis’s cell phone revealed additional graphic internet search history, including searches for sexually explicit content depicting incest and violence. Investigators also found over 2,000 images and videos containing sexually explicit conduct involving minors, including adult men raping toddlers. At least one file contained a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving an infant; bestiality; and sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.
“Not even one month after being sentenced to probation for possession of child sexual abuse material, the defendant began collecting more heinous material, including images depicting the graphic sexual abuse of toddlers,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “There is no higher law enforcement priority than protecting our children from those who would do them harm. We will continue to work closely with our partners at the FBI to hold child sex offenders accountable and removing them from our communities.”
The FBI investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Wood, who prosecuted this 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. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
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Central Oregon Repeat Offender Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Deschutes County, Oregon sex offender with a prior felony conviction for encouraging child sex abuse was sentenced to federal prison today after he requested a sexually explicit image online from an individual he thought was a 14-year-old girl.
Roger Clint Lee Vanwormer, 30, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison and a life term of supervised release.
According to court documents, while on supervision and wearing an ankle monitor, Vanwormer requested a sexually explicit image online from an individual he thought was a 14-year-old girl. Vanwormer further engaged in explicit discussions with the purported minor and arranged to meet. On July 27, 2021, Vanwormer was arrested in Bend when he showed up at the arranged meeting location.
On February 17, 2022, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a three-count indictment charging Vanwormer with attempted sexual exploitation of a child, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and commission of a felony involving a minor by a registered sex offender. Vanwormer pleaded guilty to one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a child.
This case was investigated by the Bend Police Department with assistance from the FBI. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Carlton Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DULUTH, Minn. – A Carlton man has been sentenced to 300 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for the production and attempted production of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between 2015 and 2022, Stephen Jeremiah Hansen, 30, engaged in a pattern of sexually abusing children, including at least six children between the ages of two and 12 years old. The abuse included removing the children’s clothing, touching their genitals, and capturing videos and photos of it on his cell phone. In total, at least 250 images of child pornography were discovered in Hansen’s possession, some of which he created and some of which were downloaded from the internet.
On September 26, 2023, Hansen pleaded guilty to one count of production and attempted production of child pornography. He was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge Jerry W. Blackwell on July 23, 2024.
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, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children in crimes involving child pornography, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case is the result of an investigation led by the FBI, the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruth S. Shnider prosecuted the case.
Bronx Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Prison for Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nicholas Colon, age 37, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for conspiring to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute it.
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.
Colon previously admitted to driving in tandem with Kenny Gonzalez from Long Island to Queens, where they picked up approximately two kilograms of cocaine from their drug supplier. Colon and Gonzalez then drove north to Ulster County, where they were stopped with the cocaine. Colon admitted he and Gonzalez intended to distribute the cocaine in the Northern District of New York.
United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 4-year-term of supervised release. Judge Suddaby previously sentenced Gonzalez to 60 months in prison and a 4-year-term of supervised release.
The DEA investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner prosecuted.
Aurora Man Sentenced for Dealing Firearms Without LicenseRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Timothy Taconi, age 70, of Aurora, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of dealing a firearm without a license. Taconi also voluntarily agreed to pay more than $190,000 in restitution for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loans he received for the illegal firearms business.
According to the plea agreement, from August 2020, through February 5, 2023, the defendant, not being a licensed dealer of firearms, engaged in the business of dealing in firearms. The defendant also admitted to selling unregistered silencers. ATF previously revoked the federal firearms license of the dealer owned by Taconi, finding that his business had committed hundreds of violations of the Gun Control Act. A federal judge affirmed the revocation in 2021.
“Laws regulating the sales of firearms help keep our communities safe,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “We will continue to aggressively prosecute people violating those laws, especially repeat offenders.”
"Despite multiple warnings, Taconi intentionally and repeatedly chose to illegally sell firearms and manufacture ghost guns, what we call Privately Made Firearms, nationwide, particularly along the US-Mexican border," said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chris Ashbridge. "His actions significantly increased the risk of violent gun crime, putting our families and communities in great danger."
The defendant was sentenced by Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney on July 24, 2024.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Denver Division handled the investigation. Special Assistant United States Attorney Leah Perczak and Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Weber handled the prosecution.
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.
CASE NUMBER: 23-cr-00058
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on Arrests of Alleged Leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel Ismael Zambada Garcia (El Mayo) and Joaquin Guzman LopezRead the Press Release
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the arrests of alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, Ismael Zambada Garcia (El Mayo) and Joaquin Guzman Lopez:
“The Justice Department has taken into custody two additional alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world. Ismael Zambada Garcia, or “El Mayo,” cofounder of the Cartel, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of its other cofounder, were arrested today in El Paso, Texas.
Both men are facing multiple charges in the United States for leading the Cartel’s criminal operations, including its deadly fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking networks.
El Mayo and Guzman Lopez join a growing list of Sinaloa Cartel leaders and associates who the Justice Department is holding accountable in the United States. That includes the Cartel’s other cofounder, Joaquin Guzman Loera, or “El Chapo”; another of El Chapo’s sons and an alleged Cartel leader, Ovidio Guzman Lopez; and the Cartel’s alleged lead sicario, Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, or “El Nini.”
Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, and the Justice Department will not rest until every single cartel leader, member, and associate responsible for poisoning our communities is held accountable.”
Arlington, Vermont Woman Sentenced to Home Confinement in Gun Purchase CaseRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on July 24, 2024, Candace Walsh, 38, of Arlington, Vermont was sentenced by United States District Judge Geoffrey Crawford to time served to be followed by three years of supervised release with a special condition requiring seven months of home confinement. Walsh previously pleaded guilty to lying about pending state charges when completing a form for the purchase of a firearm.
According to court records, in May 2023, Walsh purchased a SCCY CPX-2 9 mm firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Vermont. When completing required paperwork for the gun purchase, Walsh denied both being under indictment in a felony criminal case, and drug use, although in fact, Walsh was pending state felony charges and using drugs at the time of the purchase. The firearm Walsh purchased has not been recovered.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for their work in investigating Walsh.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia Cowles. Walsh was represented by Michael Shklar, Esq.
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.
Anchorage man indicted for trafficking drugs, possessing fully automatic “ghost gun”Read the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment last week charging an Anchorage man with possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute and possessing a “ghost gun” as a felon.
According to court documents, on June 9, 2024, James McKinley, 37, was found passed out behind the wheel of a running vehicle in a handicapped parking space in Anchorage. Officers from the Anchorage Police Department contacted McKinley and he attempted to flee by ramming the police vehicle out of the way. When McKinley was unable to escape via his vehicle, he allegedly attempted to flee on foot but was taken into custody on scene.
Court documents further allege that officers searched the defendant and his vehicle and found fentanyl powder and pills, methamphetamine, $35,000 in cash and a loaded pistol with no serial number that had been modified to be capable of fully automatic fire. These firearms, which contain no serial numbers or other means of tracing their origins, are referred to as “ghost guns.” At the time of the offense, McKinley had three prior convictions for misconduct involving a controlled substance in the third degree in violation of Alaska law.
McKinley is charged with one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, one count of possession of a machinegun during a drug trafficking crime and one count of being an armed career criminal in possession of firearms and ammunition. The defendant will make his initial court appearance on July 30. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 45 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office is investigating this case as part of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, with significant assistance from the Anchorage Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Klugman and Mac Caille Petursson are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Albany Man Sentenced to Prison for Pandemic Relief FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Scott Solomon, age 38, of Albany, was sentenced today to 13 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, for defrauding a loan program meant for businesses struggling with the financial effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
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.
In previously pleading guilty to two counts of bank fraud, Solomon admitted that in 2020, he fraudulently applied for and obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for two restaurants in Saratoga Springs, New York, that he had once operated. Solomon submitted false and forged tax documents as part of each loan application, and lied about each restaurant’s number of employees and payroll.
At the time Solomon applied for the loans, neither restaurant was operational, and Solomon used the loaned funds, totaling $163,993, in ways he knew were prohibited by the PPP. Solomon also fraudulently obtained forgiveness of one of the loans, in the amount of $87,500, by falsely telling the lender that he used the loaned funds for payroll.
PPP loans, which were issued by financial institutions in 2020 and 2021 and guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration, needed to be used by the borrowing business only on certain, permissible expenses, such as payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities.
Senior United States District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr. also ordered Solomon to pay $163,993 in restitution and to forfeit that same amount as proceeds of his crimes.
Solomon has two prior felony convictions for grand larceny, as well as a prior misdemeanor conviction for possession of a forged instrument.
The FBI investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett prosecuted this case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
24 July 2024
Woman pleads guilty to “straw purchase” of firearmsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus woman admitted in U.S. District Court here today that she illegally bought two handguns for an individual who was not allowed to have firearms, a process known as straw purchasing.
Connie Bartley, 41, of Columbus pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm.
Court documents say Bartley attended a gun show in Columbus in February 2021 with an acquaintance who had a felony conviction on his criminal record. He picked out two firearms. She filled out the ATF forms indicating that the firearms were for her and bought them. She then gave the guns to him, and he paid her for them. Investigators recovered the firearms three months later when they searched the man’s apartment as part of a federal investigation.
“Don’t lie for the other guy or you’ll find yourself facing harsh consequences,” said Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “Keeping firearms out of the hands of people who are not allowed to possess them is vital to reducing violence in our communities.”
Making false statements during the purchase of a firearm is punishable by up to ten years in prison. The court will determine an appropriate sentence under federal sentencing guidelines.
Mr. Parker was joined by Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) in announcing the plea entered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth A. Geraghty and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
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University City Felon Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a felon who fled from police and was caught with a gun after a shooting to nine years in prison.
On June 25, 2022, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers heard gun shots coming from the area of North Garrison Avenue and Magazine Street, in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood. Officers also saw a maroon Chevrolet Traverse, which was being driven by Sheltkeem Brown, speed away. Brown ignored officers’ lights and sirens and continued to drive recklessly until crashing into a parked vehicle at North Sarah Street and Cottage Avenue. He then fled on foot before being caught and arrested. Brown had fentanyl capsules in a plastic baggie in his pocket. Inside the Traverse, which had been stolen, was a loaded.40-caliber semi-automatic pistol with an obliterated serial number. Brown is a convicted felon and is barred from possessing a firearm.
Brown, 31, of University City, Missouri, pleaded guilty in April to a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Goeke is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney and FBI Charge Farmington Woman for Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Farmington woman faces federal drug trafficking and firearms charges after a high-speed chase led to the seizure of over half a kilogram of methamphetamine, thousands of suspected counterfeit pills, and multiple firearms.
Tasheena Hoskie, 42, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared before a federal judge last week.
According to court document, the arrest stems from a joint investigation by the FBI and the Region II Task Force that consisted of multiple controlled drug buys from and surveillance operations on Hoskie and her activities.
On July 12, 2024, investigators attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Hoskie's vehicle as it traveled from Arizona to New Mexico. Hoskie initially stopped but then fled at high speed, throwing packages from the vehicle. After her vehicle was disabled, Hoskie was taken into custody. Investigators recovered approximately 548 grams of suspected methamphetamine that had been thrown from the vehicle.
A search of Hoskie 's vehicle revealed:
- Two firearms, including a stolen rifle;
- Over 4,000 suspected counterfeit oxycodone pills, as well as a cell phone that had both been submerged into water in a cooler; and
- Additional suspected methamphetamine.
Photograph of Methamphetamine found in the roadway.
Photograph of the cooler after investigators had removed a phone and were continuing to recover the blue pills.
A subsequent search of Hoskie's residence in Farmington uncovered more suspected methamphetamine, approximately 6,000 unidentified pills, and 10 firearms.
Hoskie has a previous felony conviction for drug trafficking from 2011 in Arizona.
If convicted of the current charges, Hoskie faces up to lifetime imprisonment.
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 investigation involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, the Region II Narcotics Task Force, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, and the Farmington Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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U.S. Attorney Secures Sentence for Firearm IncidentRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for a firearms-related offense after a confrontation over a $40 debt.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on August 15, 2022, Ian Channing Lasiloo, 31, an enrolled member of the Zuni Tribe, drove to the residence of his cousin, John Doe. Upon arrival, Lasiloo confronted John Doe with a handgun, demanding payment of a $40 debt. When John Doe denied owing the money, Lasiloo pointed the weapon at his face before aiming at the ground and firing. The bullet struck John Doe in the left heel, causing a superficial wound that required treatment at Zuni Hospital.
Lasiloo was apprehended by law enforcement the following day. During questioning, he expressed remorse for his actions, stating that he had intended to frighten John Doe due to the alleged debt.
Upon his release from prison, Lasiloo will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney Announces Prison Sentence for Domestic Violence Against Pregnant Intimate PartnerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Caddo man was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for brutally assaulting and strangling his pregnant girlfriend.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, between February 11 and 14, 2023, Steven Williams, 30, an enrolled member of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma, repeatedly assaulted Jane Doe, an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Indian Tribe. Williams attacked Jane Doe with his fists, a knife, and by choking and kicking her. Jane Doe was five months pregnant at the time of the assaults.
As a result of the attacks, Jane Doe suffered severe bruising, a broken hand, defensive knife wounds, and strangulation. Fortunately, the unborn child survived. After enduring days of abuse, Jane Doe eventually managed to escape and receive medical treatment with the help of concerned family members.
Upon his release from prison, Williams will be subject to 3 years of supervised release with intensive counselling and treatment for anger management.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case.
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Two Defendants Convicted at Trial of Possessing with Intent to Distribute 36 Kilograms of Fentanyl and Maintaining Two Drug Houses in PhiladelphiaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Gabriel Rivera-Otero, a/k/a “Carlos Vasquez,” a/k/a “Gustavo,” 39, of Philadelphia, PA, and Angel Reyes-Valdez, a/k/a “Abel Anton Alberto Nunez,” 48, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, were convicted at trial of possession with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Reyes-Valdez was also convicted of illegal reentry after deportation.
As proven at trial, on October 28, 2020, Rivera-Otero and Reyes-Valdez met in a parking lot in Philadelphia to transfer six kilograms of fentanyl between them. Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arrested both men, after recovering the fentanyl from a diaper box on the front passenger seat of Rivera-Otero’s vehicle.
The same day, DEA agents searched two separate Philadelphia residences where Rivera-Otero and Reyes-Valdez stored and packaged large quantities of controlled substances. At the residence used by Rivera-Otero, agents seized approximately 700 grams of fentanyl, drug packaging material, and drug manufacturing equipment. At the residence used by Reyes-Valdez, agents seized approximately 30 kilograms of fentanyl, including numerous brick-shaped packages of the drug and over 110,000 fentanyl pills, as well as drug packaging material, drug manufacturing equipment, a loaded firearm, and over $90,000 in U.S. currency.
Both defendants have prior felony drug convictions in the United States and Reyes-Valdez had been previously deported from the U.S. to the Dominican Republic three times between 2007 and 2014.
“Imagine the human damage that 36 kilograms — about 80 pounds! — of fentanyl could have done on the streets of Philly and beyond,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “We and our law enforcement partners will continue to battle the dealers and traffickers endangering our communities just so they can profit from the tragedy of the opioid epidemic.”
“Together Rivera-Otero and Reyes-Valdez possessed over 36 kilograms of fentanyl, which is a staggering amount of a potentially lethal drug that has had catastrophic effects on our region and across the nation at large,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “That Reyes-Valdez was deported from the United States on three prior occasions and returned to the Philadelphia area where he was found in possession of the kilograms of fentanyl noted above, over 110,000 fake pills containing fentanyl, and a loaded firearm shows the threat he posed to our community. Both he and Rivera-Otero will face severe federal prison sentences.”
“Today's most recent federal convictions underscore the critical importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies to combat the epidemic of drug trafficking in our communities,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel. “Let this serve as a strong message to those who seek to profit by poisoning our community members: we will pursue you relentlessly and hold you accountable. The Philadelphia Police Department remains steadfast in our commitment to protecting our neighborhoods and ensuring that justice is served.”
“The criminal collaboration between Gabriel Rivera-Otero and Angel Reyes-Valdez, a noncitizen, is precisely the type of enterprise that the officers of ERO work tirelessly to disrupt in order to safeguard the American public,” said Cammilla Wamsley, Enforcement and Removal Operations Philadelphia Field Office Director. “The interagency cooperation on this investigation has been extraordinary and we look forward to future cooperation with our fellow law enforcement agencies.”
Rivera-Otero faces a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Reyes-Valdez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Philadelphia Police Department, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Ashenfelter and Timothy Lanni.
Three Charged with Trafficking Xylazine-Laced Fentanyl, CocaineRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging LUIS RODRIGUEZ, also known as “Plum” and “Minnie,” 37, of Branford; JERMAINE MONTEETH, also known as “Skee” and “Maine,” 35, of New Haven; and ASHLEY CORDOVA, 27, of Branford; with fentanyl and cocaine trafficking offenses.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, an FBI New Haven Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigation identified a drug trafficking organization led by Rodriguez. Between February and July 2024, investigators made more than 20 controlled purchases of narcotics, including fentanyl laced with xylazine, and cocaine, from Rodriguez, Monteeth, Cordova, and others.
Rodriguez, Monteeth, and Cordova were arrested on federal criminal complaints on July 12, 2024. On that date, investigators conducted court-authorized searches of Rodriguez’s and Cordova’s Branford residence, and other locations, and seized more than $97,000 in cash, drug ledgers, scales, and additional items used to process and package narcotics.
On July 16, 2024, the grand jury returned a five-count indictment charging Rodriguez, Monteeth, and Cordova with conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl and cocaine. Each defendant is also charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl. Each charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Rodriguez, Monteeth, and Cordova appeared today in New Haven federal court and entered pleas of not guilty. Rodriguez is detained, and Monteeth and Cordova are released on $100,000 bonds.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the New Haven Police Department, and the East Haven Police Department. The Task Force includes members from the FBI, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the New Haven, Milford, East Haven, and Wallingford Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie T. Levick through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Tennessee Woman Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances ActRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that BEVELYN BEATTY WILLIAMS was sentenced to 41 months in prison for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (the “FACE Act”) in June 2020 in connection with her interference, including by threats and force, with individuals seeking to obtain and provide lawful reproductive health services at a reproductive health center in Manhattan. On February 22, 2024, WILLIAMS was convicted after a nine-day jury trial of one count of violating the FACE Act before U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Bevelyn Beatty Williams repeatedly intimidated and interfered with individuals seeking and providing critical reproductive health services. She did so by physically blocking access to clinics, threatening staff, and by force. This Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to ensuring that patients exercising their legal right to obtain reproductive health services, and healthcare facilities and their staff providing those services, can do so without unlawful interference or fear of threats or violence.”
According to evidence admitted at trial and other public filings and statements made in Court:
On June 19, 2020, and June 20, 2020, WILLIAMS threatened and used force against patients and staff members at a reproductive health center located in lower Manhattan (the “Health Center”) and blocked patients and staff members from accessing the Health Center. In one instance, and as captured on video, WILLIAMS pressed her body against the door of the Health Center’s patient entrance and refused to move, preventing a Health Center volunteer from entering the Health Center. As a Health Center staff member (“Victim-1”) attempted to open the door for the volunteer, WILLIAMS purposefully leaned against the door, crushing Victim-1’s hand. Victim-1 yelled, “She’s crushing my hand,” but WILLIAMS remained against the door, trapping Victim-1’s hand and injuring it.
At various times on June 19 and 20, 2020, WILLIAMS stood directly in front of the Health Center entrances. WILLIAMS initially blocked the main entrance used by patients, causing the Health Center to have to divert patients to enter through the staff entrance. WILLIAMS responded by moving to block the staff entrance and directing others to do the same.
WILLIAMS livestreamed some of her conduct on June 19 and 20, 2020, on a social media account. On the livestream on June 19, 2020, WILLIAMS stood within inches of the Health Center’s chief administrative officer and threatened to “terrorize this place” and warned that “we’re gonna terrorize you so good, your business is gonna be over mama.” Similarly, WILLIAMS stood within inches of a Health Center security officer and threatened “war.” WILLIAMS also stated that she would act by “any means necessary.”
In addition to WILLIAMS’s conduct in Manhattan, on multiple other occasions from at least 2019 to 2022, WILLIAMS and others intimidated and interfered with individuals seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services at other health clinics across the country, including in Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, and Brooklyn, New York. For example, in January 2022, WILLIAMS travelled to a health center in Fort Myers, Florida, where she directed other individuals to block health center entrances. As a result of the blockade, medical staff was delayed in treating at least a dozen patients, three of whom were scheduled for time-sensitive procedures that could have resulted in bleeding, infection, or significant pain without timely treatment. In addition, in July 2022, WILLIAMS invaded a health center in Atlanta, Georgia, where she screamed through the door at patients attempting to enter the facility until they were forced to leave. Among other things, WILLIAMS shouted that she’d go to jail before letting patients enter the facility for an abortion and that she was “not afraid to get arrested.”
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In addition to the prison term, WILLIAMS, 33, of Ooltewah, Tennessee, was sentenced to two years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily A. Johnson, Mitzi Steiner, and Jamie Bagliebter, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Isabel Loftus, are in charge of the prosecution.
Tampa Serial Robber Sentenced to 45 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Johnny Flores (45, Tampa) to 45 years in federal prison for 3 counts of Hobbs Act robbery. A federal jury found Flores guilty on May 30, 2024.
According to evidence presented at trial, between February 13 and February 25, 2022, Flores entered three Tampa businesses wearing a hooded sweatshirt and facial covering. He brandished and threatened the victims with a weapon and removed cash from the registers. He verbally and physically assaulted the victims during the course of the robberies.
Flores was initially identified through video surveillance recordings that showed him leaving two of the robberies in a vehicle that was traced back to another individual. That individual, however, died prior to the trial. A second individual had dropped Flores off near the robbery. Although he testified that he did not know that Flores had committed a robbery, the individual testified that he had driven Flores to a location near the robbery. Additional video surveillance recordings showed Flores at a clinic prior to the robberies with similar clothing. He was subsequently identified by law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.
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.
Three Men Plead Guilty to Cocaine Distribution Following Undercover OperationRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Niah Henry, 35, Peter Francis, 33, and Kenson Plasimond, 42, all of St. Thomas, pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine. Their sentencing dates will be set by the court.
According to court documents, between December 5, 2023, and December 7, 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Virgin Islands Police Department utilized an undercover agent to conduct purchases of cocaine and oxycodone in the Red Hook area of St. Thomas. During that time, Henry, Francis and Plasimond negotiated cocaine sales with the undercover agent and thereafter sold quantities of cocaine to the agent. For their convictions, Henry, Francis and Plasimond all face maximum sentences of 20 years in prison.
These cases were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Virgin Islands Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cherrisse R. Woods as part of a collaborative operation under the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Task Force Initiative.
South Texas man sentenced for selling fentanyl-laced pills causing deathRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 22-year-old Corpus Christi man has been ordered to federal prison for delivery of fentanyl resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Ricardo Julyan Kross Rios aka Kross pleaded guilty July 26, 2023.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Kross to serve 180 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by four years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence detailing the death of the 20-year-old male victim, found deceased on a living room sofa. He had fallen asleep there next to his girlfriend after a party. When she awoke the next morning, he was cold to the touch and not breathing. She immediately called 911 but paramedics were unable to resuscitate him. In handing down the sentence, Judge Morales noted that the circumstances of the case were tragic and that the loss of a life deserves a significant sentence.
“Falling asleep on a living room sofa should not become a death sentence, especially for a 20-year old beginning his journey into adulthood,” said Hamdani. “Fentanyl-laced pills disguised as something else are killing our kids, and it’s the mission of my office to hold everyone accountable - from the companies that supply the raw materials to the cartels that make the pills to the dealers that place them in the hands of America’s youth. Those like Rios should take note, if your pill kills, we will not rest until justice is done.”
On Dec. 10, 2022, authorities responded to a reported drug overdose in Corpus Christi and discovered a non-responsive individual pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy later determined the cause of death was acute fentanyl toxicity.
The investigation led to the discovery that the victim had purchased pills from Rios who delivered them Dec. 9, 2022, to the parking lot adjacent to an apartment where a party was occurring. The victim consumed them during that event.
Witnesses described the pills as “press made” hydrocodone pills which may have contained fentanyl.
On Jan. 17, 2023, law enforcement encountered Rios at a residence in Corpus Christi in possession of a plastic bag containing “pressed” pills as well as some additional loose powder and partial pills. Laboratory analysis later confirmed the pills and powder in the plastic bag did contain fentanyl.
Rios will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the cooperative law enforcement effort targeting fentanyl with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office and police departments in Corpus Christi, Aransas Pass and Mathis. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert D. Thorpe Jr. prosecuted the case.
Sisseton Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement and Theft from an Indian Tribal OrganizationRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Amanda Joy Quinn, age 42, of Sisseton, South Dakota, appeared before U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann on June 24, 2024, and pleaded guilty to an Indictment that charged her with Embezzlement and Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is five years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
From about June of 2017 through July of 2020, Ms. Quinn, who had been elected Treasurer of the Long Hollow District (“the District”) of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Sioux Tribe, embezzled approximately $107,295. While working in the capacity of Treasurer, Ms. Quinn processed checks from the District’s bank account, she then authorized checks from that bank account for overpayments to herself and others. She negotiated the checks in her name and kept the cash. At her change of plea hearing, Ms. Quinn admitted to the scheme; she acknowledged that she was not entitled to that money and that her receipt of it was unlawful.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for September 16, 2024. The defendant remains on pretrial release pending sentencing.
This case was brought pursuant to the Guardians Project, a federal law enforcement initiative to coordinate efforts between participating agencies, to promote citizen disclosure of public corruption, fraud, and embezzlement involving federal program funds, contracts, and grants, and to hold accountable those who are responsible for adversely affecting those living in South Dakota’s Indian country communities. The Guardians Project is another step of federal law enforcement’s on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination, and positive action on behalf of tribal communities. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the participating agencies include: the FBI; the Offices of Inspector General for the Departments of Interior, Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration, Agriculture, Transportation, Education, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development; IRS Criminal Investigation; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.
For additional information about the Guardians Project, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (605) 330-4400. To report a suspected crime, please contact law enforcement at the federal agency’s locally listed telephone number.
Serial Offender Sentenced to Federal Prison on Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Gage Lyle Forsberg, age 30, was sentenced after pleading guilty to Distribution of 40 Grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 175 months and 6 days imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
In imposing this lengthy sentence, Judge Rice considered Forsberg’s extensive criminal history as well as the string of crimes Forsberg engaged in that ultimately resulted in this federal indictment.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on October 21, 2021, the Spokane Police Department (SPD) conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Forsberg for reckless driving. Forsberg was arrested. During a search, SPD located $1,120 on Forsberg, as well as drug paraphernalia and 9 fentanyl pills in the vehicle. Forsberg was booked into jail and ultimately released.
While that case was pending, on February 4, 2022, SPD spotted Forsberg driving a stolen vehicle with a smashed-out window. SPD arrested Forsberg and during a search, SPD located a baggie of fentanyl pills, cash, and a loaded magazine for a handgun. Inside the vehicle, SPD located a loaded 9mm firearm with the serial number ground off, a 10mm firearm that had been reported stolen, several boxes of ammunition as well as loose rounds of ammunition, multiple knives, more than $22,000, five baseball-sized bags of fentanyl pills, and a bag containing heroin. SPD also located a glass punch, which is used to break vehicle windows. Forsberg was booked into jail and ultimately released t.
A few days later, on February 20, 2022, a 911 caller reported Forsberg had a weapon and was trying to start a fight at a location in Spokane. A witness saw Forsberg was armed and yelled “gun” to alert others. Forsberg took a gun out of his pants and threw it into the street. A bystander retrieved the gun and rendered it safe. When SPD arrived, Forsberg was contacted and arrested. During a search incident to arrest, SPD located $2,980, suboxone strips, a baggie containing fentanyl, and a 9mm magazine. The firearm Forsberg tossed into the street was a 9mm pistol. Forsberg was booked into jail and ultimately released.
On October 26, 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), arranged a controlled buy of approximately 700 fentanyl pills from Forsberg using an undercover agent. Forsberg had two other individuals with him, co-defendants Jonah Chapin and Brady Towner. While the undercover agent was negotiating the sale with Forsberg, Towner brandished a gun and moved to a position of advantage behind the undercover agent. Seeing this, surveillance units gave the signal to call off the deal and the undercover agent walked away. Forsberg then followed the agent and insisted on the sale, which they completed.
Following the sale, Forsberg left the area driving a green Ford Explorer. Given the presence of a firearm and menacing conduct, law enforcement activated their emergency lights and sirens in an attempt to stop Forsberg’s vehicle in Airway Heights. Forsberg failed to yield and ultimately fled, driving recklessly to escape. Forsberg was subsequently federally indicted, and a warrant issued for his arrest.
On November 15, 2022, ATF saw Forsberg driving a vehicle in the Spokane area. ATF attempted to contact the vehicle; however, the vehicle attempted to flee. The vehicle was boxed in by ATF vehicles and stopped. The occupants of the vehicle were not compliant with commands and the vehicle’s windows were heavily tinted, which prevented ATF from initially seeing what was happening in the vehicle and raised safety concerns given the conduct during the October encounter.
Forsberg, Chapin, and Forsberg’s then girlfriend EvaMarie Miller were ultimately removed from the vehicle and detained. During a search of the vehicle, agents seized bags containing large quantities of fentanyl pills and approximately $20,000 in Forsberg’s backpack, two loaded handguns (to include one readily accessible in the driver’s door panel), boxed ammunition, several cell phones, drug ledgers, and a small amount of methamphetamine. There were also many loose fentanyl pills strewn throughout the vehicle as if a large bag of fentanyl pills was carelessly ripped open. Chapin was found to have approximately 100 fentanyl pills in a fake battery on his person as well as brass knuckles.
Forsberg’s co-defendants were previously sentenced for their respective roles in Forsberg’s activities. Chapin was sentenced to 40 months in prison, Towner was sentenced to 84 months in prison, and Miller was sentenced to 36 months in prison.
“Mr. Forsberg showed a willful disregard for the law and the safety of our communities by repeatedly engaging in drug trafficking, recklessly attempting to elude law enforcement, illegally possessing stolen firearms, and vehicle theft,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Members of my Office come to work every day to make Eastern Washington safe for everyone. We accomplish that by working hand in hand with our law enforcement partners to hold individuals accountable who engage in dangerous conduct and repeatedly flout the rule of law.”
“Guns and drugs are a losing combination, particularly when used together in the commission of a crime,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “Mr. Forsberg knew what he was doing was wrong, then exacerbated it by fleeing from law enforcement twice. He certainly earned this justified sentence.”
This case was investigated by the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Moses Lake Police Department, and the Spokane Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard.
Schuylkill County Man Sentenced to 117 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that William Quintana, age 51, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday to 117 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for drug trafficking and firearm offenses.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Quintana previously pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and to the possession of firearms in furtherance of that drug trafficking offense. As part of his guilty plea, Quintana admitted that on September 29, 2022, within Schuylkill County, he knowingly and intentionally possessed a quantity of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it, and that in furtherance of that drug trafficking offense, he also possessed firearms, namely a Star 9mm pistol and a .380 caliber Diamondback pistol.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Pottsville Police Department, the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force, and the Schuylkill County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Santa Paula Doctor Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud for Role in Hospice Scam that Bilked Medicare Out of $3.2 MillionRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Ventura County physician who worked for two Pasadena hospices pleaded guilty today to defrauding Medicare out of more than $3 million by billing the public health insurance program for medically unnecessary hospice services.
Dr. Victor Contreras, 68, of Santa Paula, pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud.
According to his plea agreement, from July 2016 to February 2019, Contreras and co-defendant Juanita Antenor, 61, formerly of Pasadena, schemed to defraud Medicare by submitting nearly $4 million in false and fraudulent claims for hospice services submitted by two hospice companies: Arcadia Hospice Provider Inc., and Saint Mariam Hospice Inc. Antenor controlled both companies.
Medicare only covers hospice services for patients who are terminally ill, meaning that they have a life expectancy of six months or less if their illness ran its normal course.
Contreras falsely stated on claims forms that patients had terminal illnesses to make them eligible for hospice services covered by Medicare, typically adopting diagnoses provided to him by hospice employees whether or not they were true. Contreras did so even though he was not the patients’ primary care physician and had not spoken to those primary care physicians about the patients’ conditions. Medicare paid on the claims supported by Contreras’ false evaluations and certifications and recertifications of patients.
In total, approximately $3,917,946 in fraudulently claims were submitted to Medicare, of which a total of approximately $3,289,889 was paid.
According to Medical Board of California records, Contreras is a licensed physician in California, but has been on probation with the Board since 2015 and is subject to limitations on his practice.
United States District Judge André Birotte Jr. scheduled an October 25 sentencing hearing, at which time Contreras will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Antenor remains at large. Co-defendant Callie Black, 65, of Lancaster, who allegedly recruited patients for the hospice companies in exchange for illegal kickbacks, has pleaded not guilty and is currently scheduled to go on trial on October 15.
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.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and the California Department of Justice investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kristen A. Williams of the Major Frauds Section and Aylin Kuzucan of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Failure to Register in WisconsinRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on July 23, 2024, Chief United States District Judge Pamela Pepper sentenced Celio C. Deluna, aka “Cody Banks,” (age: 33) to 15 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for knowingly failing to register as a sex offender as required by federal law. Deluna previously pled guilty to one count of failure to register as a sex offender, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2250(a).
According to court documents, on May 23, 2014, Deluna was convicted in Cook County, Illinois, for Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault Causing Bodily Harm for having sexual intercourse on several occasions with a 13-year-old victim. He was sentenced to six years in prison for that offense. He completed that sentence on May 20, 2019, and signed documents indicating that he understood that he was required to register as a sex offender. However, after he was released from prison, he moved to Oklahoma and did not register as a sex offender. In September 2023, Deluna travelled from Oklahoma to Princeton, Wisconsin, where he began to reside using the alias of “Cody Banks.” He was ultimately arrested in Princeton.
In court proceedings, DeLuna admitted to using an alias to circumvent his registration requirements as well as to conceal his status as an immigrant who is not authorized to live in the United States.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karine Moreno-Taxman.
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Rosebud Man Sentenced for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota, man convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on July 22, 2024.
Jiles Whipple, age 20, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Whipple was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $17,173. Additional restitution may apply.
Whipple was indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. He pleaded guilty on March 18, 2024.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on May 28, 2022, in Rosebud, South Dakota, within the boundaries of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On that date, Whipple was drinking alcoholic beverages and smoking marijuana at his residence in Rosebud. He subsequently departed the residence in a vehicle that he knew had faulty brakes. As he was driving, Whipple ran a stop sign at a three-way intersection and struck a passing pickup truck. A five-year-old child was riding in the bed of the pickup truck and suffered fatal injuries as a result of the wreck.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Whipple was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rosebud Man Sentenced for Assault on Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Robert A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on July 22, 2024.
Robert Kills Plenty, age 27, was sentenced to six months in federal prison, followed by six months of home confinement, and 30 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Kills Plenty was indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. He pleaded guilty on March 6, 2024.
On November 24, 2022, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services operated a sobriety checkpoint near St. Francis, South Dakota, and Kills Plenty drove a vehicle through the inspection area. Kills Plenty was directed to pull over for a further DWI investigation. Instead, he failed to comply and fled the checkpoint in his vehicle, leading officers on a high-speed chase. Later, he stopped his vehicle and was apprehended. As he was being transported to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Adult Corrections Facility (RSTACF), he became argumentative and combative. Once at the jail, he argued with jail staff and spat upon a correctional officer, striking the officer in the face with saliva. At the time of the assault, the officer was employed by the RSTACF pursuant to a contract between the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher prosecuted the case.
Kills Plenty was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal to serve his sentence.
Romanian Citizens Illegally Residing in United States Sentenced to Federal Prison on Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Dorin Munteanu Racu, Alias Adrian Ciobanu, 41, a Romanian citizen who was unlawfully in the Western District of Louisiana, has been sentenced in connection with a scheme to defraud. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Racu to the maximum sentence of 60 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Racu and his co-defendant, Gheorghe Olar, Alias Alin Mielu, Alias Mihai Papurica, 59, also a Romanian citizen living unlawfully in the United States, were indicted in 2014 and charged with wire fraud, structuring, and possession with intent to use five or more documents or authentication features. Olar pleaded guilty to possession with intent to use five or more documents or authentication features and was sentenced on January 12, 2017, to spend an additional 10 months in prison, for a total sentence of 24 months.
Racu fled from authorities after his initial appearance in court on August 19, 2014, and remained a fugitive for over eight years. He ultimately made it back to Romania, but Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received information on his location, and extradition was sought by the United States. Once extradition was approved, Romanian authorities arrested him pursuant to their treaty with the United States, and he was brought back to Lafayette, Louisiana where he remained incarcerated without bond pending trial and until he pled guilty.
An investigation by law enforcement agents revealed that Racu and Olar were acquaintances and had worked together in the past doing construction work in the Lafayette area. Both men were working to make extra money and sending cash to Romania and other international locations using false identification cards. The amounts Racu and Olar wired were sent in denominations under $3,000 to avoid reporting requirements, almost always in amounts of $2,900, and done numerous times at various locations to avoid suspicion.
On March 13, 2014, Racu recruited Olar to make extra money as they had done before, and Olar agreed. That evening, Racu and Olar continued their pattern of illegal activity of using false identification cards to send money to foreign countries in structured amounts. After several transactions were completed and while the two defendants were traveling to the next location, Racu was stopped by law enforcement officers in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, for a traffic violation. Consent to search Racu’s vehicle was obtained and over $20,000 in cash was located, along with 11 false identification documents, including identification cards and driver’s licenses, depicting Racu and Olar’s photographs but with different names, addresses, and other information. Seven false identification documents, South Carolina identification cards, were located with Olar’s photograph. In addition, MoneyGram documents and a ledger were seized which indicated five previous illegal transactions had been recently wired by Racu and Olar in the amount of $2,900 each.
Forensic evidence seized, along with other evidence from state and federal investigations, revealed that Racu and Olar participated in an illegal conspiracy whereby a group of Romanian and other foreign individuals defrauded hundreds of victims out of over $700,000. These foreign co-conspirators used computers to advertise cars, motorcycles, boats, and other items for sale on Craig’s List and when a victim agreed to purchase the item, the co-conspirators required the victim purchasing the item to wire the purchase price into a Google wallet account. The victim never received the purchased item as promised. The illegal proceeds from this scheme were withdrawn in cash at locations in the United States, and a portion of the proceeds went to Racu and Olar with instructions to wire the funds back to co-conspirators in Romania and other countries. On March 13, 2014, the day of their arrest, Racu and Olar had sent, or were about to send, $35,152 in illegal proceeds back to co-conspirators in Romania and other countries, using false documents at different MoneyGram locations within the Western District of Louisiana.
The case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security Investigations, with fugitive assistance provided by the United States Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Myers P. Namie.
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Rochester Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A man distributing methamphetamine in Rochester was sentenced today in federal court to 7 years imprisonment, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Felix Urrutia, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Paul J. Barbadoro to 84 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On May 28, 2024, Mr. Urrutia pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and four counts of distribution of methamphetamine. The defendant’s co-conspirator, Haley Cahill, pled guilty on May 31, 2024. She is scheduled for sentencing on September 10, 2024.
“The defendant was a large-volume methamphetamine dealer in the Rochester area. His disregard for the welfare of others by pumping poison into the community was exacerbated by his possession of a firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message to drug dealers that conduct like the defendant’s will result in significant incarceration.”
“Like other drug traffickers, Felix Urrutia had no regard for the harm he caused in his community,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Getting dangerous drugs like methamphetamine off the street, and illegal firearms out of criminals’ hands, is a step toward making New Hampshire safer. The FBI’s Major Offender Task Force will continue to work on behalf of all the good, law-abiding folks who live here.”
On four occasions between July and October 2023, Ms. Cahill supplied methamphetamine to Mr. Urrutia, who then sold the methamphetamine to a confidential source. The total amount of the methamphetamine sold by the defendant was approximately 238 grams. Investigators uncovered the conspiracy through surveillance of Ms. Cahill, who left her home and met with Mr. Urrutia prior to drug transactions between Mr. Urrutia and the confidential source. In November 2023, investigators executed a search warrant of Mr. Urrutia’s motel room and recovered a firearm. Mr. Urrutia sold the methamphetamine from that motel room during the investigation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Major Offender Task Force led the investigation. The Major Offender Task Force is comprised of federal agents partnered with law enforcement officers from police departments state-wide. Valuable assistance was provided by the Dover and Rochester Police Departments, the Strafford County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather A. Cherniske prosecuted the case.
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Readout of the Pardon Attorney’s FCI Thomson VisitRead the Press Release
On July 23, Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer and members of her team visited Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Thomson, a low security Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) facility for male inmates with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp, located in Thomson, Illinois. The Pardon Attorney and her team hosted a series of educational sessions about the federal clemency process and answered questions from FBOP staff and incarcerated individuals.
During their visit, the Pardon Attorney and her team worked with FCI Thomson staff to make the Office of the Pardon Attorney’s commutation instructions and form available on TruLincs, a secure email service for inmates and their contacts.
The visit to FCI Thomson is the ninth in a series of educational events conducted by the Pardon Attorney for incarcerated individuals and staff at various FBOP locations.
These educational sessions within the FBOP are part of the initiative by the Office of the Pardon Attorney to increase the accessibility and transparency of the clemency process through education and community engagement.
Reading Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for the Attempted Murder of Three FBI AgentsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Rafael Vega-Rodriguez, 42, of Reading, PA, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Leeson, Jr., to 540 months’ imprisonment, five years of supervised release, a $4,500 fine, and an $800 special assessment for shooting at and attempting to kill three FBI special agents.
In February of this year, Vega was convicted at trial of three counts of attempted murder of a federal law enforcement officer, three counts of assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon, and two related firearms charges.
On March 1, 2020, in Reading, FBI agents were conducting surveillance while looking for the defendant, who was the subject of an active state arrest warrant for a parole violation. At approximately 11:45 p.m., the agents observed the defendant walking with a second individual. When the agents attempted to stop and arrest him pursuant to the warrant, Vega-Rodriguez drew a handgun from under his sweatshirt and fired at the agents. Vega-Rodriguez continued to shoot as he and the second individual fled from the scene. In total, Vega-Rodriguez fired four rounds at the agents.
After an intense manhunt, investigators discovered that Vega-Rodriguez had fled to Leola, Pennsylvania, approximately 30 miles southwest of Reading. In the early morning hours of March 3, 2020, FBI agents and Pennsylvania State Police Troopers located Vega-Rodriguez, who was hiding in a residence in Leola, and arrested him.
“Rafael Vega-Rodriguez tried to murder three FBI agents doing their job, which, on that day, was to effect his lawful arrest,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “He’s proven himself to be a violent, dangerous man, a threat not just to law enforcement, but the community, as well. We’re all safer with him behind bars and today’s sentence ensures that’s exactly where he’ll spend the next several decades of his life.”
“The FBI does not tolerate acts of violence against anyone, let alone against our own,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Each and every day, FBI agents place themselves in harm’s way to protect their fellow citizens. Today’s sentencing makes it clear that we will stop at nothing to bring to justice those who commit an act of violence against federal agents.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy M. Stengel and Everett Witherell and former Assistant United States Attorney Mary Futcher.
Providence Man Arrested, Detained on Federal Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man arrested early Wednesday has been ordered detained in federal custody on child pornography charges, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
James Moses, 30, is charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography. A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
It is alleged in charging documents that Moses uploaded sexually explicit videos involving prepubescent males and adult males during online communications on multiple platforms, and that he allegedly was found to have stored videos of child pornography on personal digital devices.
In May 2024, an FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force Officer assigned to the FBI Washington, D.C. Field Office established online accounts posing as a person interested in the sexual exploitation of children. It is alleged that in mid-May Moses responded to the undercover officer’s posting and began a series of discussions about his interest in having sexual contact with minors. During the discussion, which lasted for more than two weeks, Moses allegedly sent the undercover officer explicit videos of illicit sexual contact involving adult males and prepubescent males.
On July 15, 2024, as part of their investigation of Moses, FBI Providence contacted the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Agents learned that the ICAC Task Force was in the midst of a separate investigation into Moses allegedly being in possession of child pornography. On July 17, 2024, members of the ICAC Task Force executed a state court authorized search of Moses residence. During a brief forensic review of Moses’ electronic devices, a member of ICAC Task Force allegedly identified more than 100 videos of child pornography. Moses was arrested on a Rhode Island state charge of possession of child pornography and was released on $2,500 bail with surety following his arraignment in Rhode Island state court.
Moses was arrested today by the FBI on the federal criminal complaint charging him with distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography. He was ordered detained in federal custody at his initial appearance in U.S. District Court.
This Project Safe Childhood case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc
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