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23 July 2024
Dontrell Nance Sentenced to 15 Years for Role in Benton Harbor Dunham’s Store Handgun TheftRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Dontrell Nance, 25, of Benton Harbor, was sentenced to 15 years for kidnapping and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
“Gun violence is a national epidemic, and my office is focused on the handful of offenders driving gun violence in communities across our District,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “The quick, coordinated actions by law enforcement kept 123 handguns from flooding our streets and further spreading this scourge and the trauma it brings.”
Nance was charged along with his brother and codefendant, Darnell Bishop, for the theft of 123 handguns from the Benton Harbor Dunham’s Sports. Bishop and Nance kidnapped the Dunham’s manager from outside the manager’s home using a pistol, took him to a second location, and convinced the manager to provide the alarm code for Dunham’s. Bishop then went to the store and stole 123 pistols, which he carried away in two large coolers. Law enforcement has since recovered all the firearms.
Bishop previously pled guilty to kidnapping and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence earlier this month. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 25, 2024.
“This sentencing is the consequence of a bad actor who possessed illegal firearms and posed a significant threat to the safety of the community,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The collaboration with the Benton Harbor Safe Streets Task Force and our other law enforcement partners exemplifies the effectiveness of teamwork. I am thankful for the prompt actions of the men and women of the Detroit FBI Field Office, which undoubtedly saved lives.”
This case was investigated by the Benton Charter Township Police Department, Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety, Berrien County Sheriff’s Department, Michigan State Police, ATF, and FBI.
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The previous press releases, complaint, and press conference can be viewed here, here, here and here.
Doctor Convicted for Illegally Distributing over 1.8M Doses of Opioids and $5M Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Louisiana physician yesterday for conspiring to illegally distribute over 1.8 million doses of Schedule II controlled substances, including oxycodone and morphine, and for defrauding health care benefit programs of more than $5.4 million.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Adrian Dexter Talbot, 58, of Slidell, owned and operated Medex Clinical Consultants (Medex), located in Slidell. Medex was a medical clinic that accepted cash payments from individuals seeking prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances. Talbot routinely ignored signs that individuals frequenting Medex were drug-seeking or abusing the drugs prescribed. In 2015, Talbot took a full-time job in Pineville, Louisiana, and although he was no longer physically present at the Slidell clinic, he pre-signed prescriptions, including for opioids and other controlled substances, to be distributed to individuals there whom he did not see or examine. In 2016, Talbot hired another practitioner who, at Talbot’s direction, also pre-signed prescriptions to be distributed in the same manner at the Slidell clinic in exchange for cash deposited into the Medex account.
The evidence also demonstrated that Talbot falsified patient records to cover up the scheme. With Talbot’s knowledge, individuals filled their prescriptions using their insurance benefits, thereby causing health care benefit programs including Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana to be fraudulently billed for prescriptions that were written without an appropriate patient examination or determination of medical necessity.
The jury convicted Talbot of one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances, four counts of unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each of the other counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana; Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s (VA-OIG) South Central Field Office; Executive Assistant Director Michael A. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch; Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil of the FBI New Orleans Field Office; and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill made the announcement.
HHS-OIG, VA-OIG, the FBI, and Louisiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Sara E. Porter and Gary A. Crosby II and Assistant Chiefs Justin Woodard and Kate Payerle of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Doctor Convicted for Illegally Distributing over 1.8M Doses of Opioids and $5M Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Louisiana physician yesterday for conspiring to illegally distribute over 1.8 million doses of Schedule II controlled substances, including oxycodone and morphine, and for defrauding health care benefit programs of more than $5.4 million.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Adrian Dexter Talbot, 58, of Slidell, owned and operated Medex Clinical Consultants (Medex), located in Slidell. Medex was a medical clinic that accepted cash payments from individuals seeking prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances. Talbot routinely ignored signs that individuals frequenting Medex were drug-seeking or abusing the drugs prescribed. In 2015, Talbot took a full-time job in Pineville, Louisiana, and although he was no longer physically present at the Slidell clinic, he pre-signed prescriptions, including for opioids and other controlled substances, to be distributed to individuals there whom he did not see or examine. In 2016, Talbot hired another practitioner who, at Talbot’s direction, also pre-signed prescriptions to be distributed in the same manner at the Slidell clinic in exchange for cash deposited into the Medex account.
The evidence also demonstrated that Talbot falsified patient records to cover up the scheme. With Talbot’s knowledge, individuals filled their prescriptions using their insurance benefits, thereby causing health care benefit programs including Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana to be fraudulently billed for prescriptions that were written without an appropriate patient examination or determination of medical necessity.
The jury convicted Talbot of one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances, four counts of unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each of the other counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana; Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s (VA-OIG) South Central Field Office; Executive Assistant Director Michael A. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch; Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil of the FBI New Orleans Field Office; and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill made the announcement.
HHS-OIG, VA-OIG, the FBI, and Louisiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Sara E. Porter and Gary A. Crosby II and Assistant Chiefs Justin Woodard and Kate Payerle of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Disposal of Evidence in Fatal Shooting Leads to 87-Month Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced a woman who disposed of evidence in a drug-linked fatal shooting in 2023 to 87 months in prison.
On Aug. 2, 2023, Nichole Cheri Birr was riding in a 2012 Ford Fusion with a man, identified in court documents as “T.W.,” who had a large quantity of drugs. A buyer contacted her via Instagram and arranged to make a drug purchase in the 3100 block of Brantner Place in St. Louis. T.W. and the customer, who were both armed, suddenly began exchanging gunfire. Birr fled with the drugs and T.W.’s phone in the Ford. T.W. was able to tell police before he died that Birr and another man had fled in the car.
Birr tried to clean out the Ford and dispose of it to impede the investigation into T.W.’s murder. On August 4 she traded it in for a Nissan Altima. The dealer noticed and mentioned damage from shots that had been fired within the vehicle, to which Birr replied with words to the effect of, “You have no idea,” her plea agreement says.
Birr then fled to Florida, where she was arrested 10 days after the shooting.
Birr, 31, pleaded guilty in April in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to a felony charge of disposal of evidence.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 96 Months in Federal Prison for Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on July 16, 2024, to eight years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Elijah Wires, 20, was found in possession of a firearm with an extended magazine during the early morning hours of January 1, 2022. Wires, a Savage Life gang member who had multiple outstanding arrest warrants, was a passenger in a car that drove recklessly through Davenport, including driving through red lights and down one-way roads. Once the car stopped, Wires attempted to flee from officers on foot but was apprehended and arrested. At sentencing, the Court ordered Wires’s federal sentence to run consecutively to his undischarged state sentences.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Wires will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department.
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.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
Davenport, Iowa – A man was sentenced on July 17, 2024, to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
According to public court documents, Dale Ganaway Lucas, Jr., 39, was responsible for buying and selling large quantities of cocaine in the Quad Cities area. Law enforcement officers conducted a series of controlled buys from Lucas, which eventually led to the execution of a search warrant at Lucas’s home. Within Lucas’s home, law enforcement found approximately 80 grams of cocaine base (crack cocaine) in a vacuum cleaner, approximately 10 grams of crack cocaine in Lucas’s vehicle, and evidence of drug distribution. Lucas has a prior federal conviction for possession of cocaine base with the intent to distribute, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri and a prior conviction for delivery of cocaine, in the Illinois Circuit Court for Rock Island County.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Lucas will be required to serve eight years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced July 16, 2024 to 120 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to public court documents, Lawaun Maurice Webster, 44 distributed approximately 70 grams of methamphetamine to another person from his residence in Council Bluffs, Iowa. During a search warrant at the residence, law enforcement recovered a loaded firearm near where other drugs and drug paraphernalia were found.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Webster will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and Council Bluffs Police Department.
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.
Convicted Romance Scammer Sentenced to 28 Months’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – Clinton Chukudi Uchendu, 26, of Dunwoody, GA, was sentenced to over two years imprisonment, and ordered to pay $170,000 in restitution after he helped scam hundreds of romance fraud victims out of millions of dollars and personally moved $299,000. The sentence was imposed Monday by U.S. District Court Judge Jill N. Parrish.
In March 2024, a federal jury convicted Uchendu for his involvement in a romance scam conspiracy that cost victims more than $2 million. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit money laundering, mail fraud, and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from February 2018 to July 2018, Uchendu provided U.S. based accounts to collect money from victims. Uchendu moved the funds to conceal the origin and destination of funds, often in a complex manner. The object of the conspiracy was accomplished though social manipulators, referred to as “Yahoo Boys,” who set up fake profiles online, developed relationships with their victims, gained the victims trust and then asked the victims for money using a variety of false pretenses. “Yahoo Boys” usually operate overseas, in this case, Nigeria, pretending to be United States soldiers, international businessmen, or celebrities. “Yahoo Boys” rely on their coconspirators in the United States, who have U.S. bank accounts to assist them. These individuals are referred to as “pickers.” As a “picker,” Uchendu provided accounts to collect funds from the victims and to add layers to conceal the source and destination of the funds, to avoid being flagged by banks. Uchendu collected money into bank accounts and then laundered the funds to Nigeria or other destinations. For the time period March 13, 2018 through July 31, 2018, the United States has calculated that the whole group caused $2.4 million in losses to victims.
Uchendu’s co-defendant, Princess Eziyi, is scheduled to be sentenced August 26, 2024, at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
“Uchendu caused profound and permanent harm to victims. Many suffered significant financial loss in their final years of life and are faced with emotional trauma,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “My office is committed to protecting our citizens, and with our law enforcement partners, we will prosecute these crimes to seek justice for the victims and deter others from committing fraud.”
“Scammers operating under the guise of companionship and romance are especially cruel because of the emotional and financial toll on the victims, many of whom are seniors,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI is committed to holding perpetrators accountable, in addition to conducting prevention efforts through outreach and education."
The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Carl D. LeSueur and Stewart M. Young of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A convicted felon has been sentenced in connection with firearm and drug offenses that occurred in 2019 and his subsequent possession of firearms and narcotics while on pre-trial release for the previously charged offenses.
Christian Soares, a/k/a “Eazy,” 31, of Brockton, was sentenced on July 18, 2024 by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 12 years in prison and four years of supervised release. In July 2023, Soares pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl and buprenorphine (suboxone); and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, MDA (methylenedioxyamphetamine) and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
In July 2019, Soares fled on foot from law enforcement during a traffic stop. Soares threw a backpack during the chase before he was ultimately apprehended, arrested and searched. A firearm with rounds of assorted ammunition, as well as a digital scale, firecrackers, a hooked knife and buprenorphine strips were recovered from Soares’ backpack. Quantities of cocaine and fentanyl intended for distribution were also recovered from Soares’ person.
In August 2019, Soares was indicted by a federal grand jury for drug and firearm offenses. In December 2020, following a period of detention, the Court ordered Soares released on pre-trial conditions that included 24-hour confinement to a residence. Those conditions also prohibited Soares from possessing firearms, dangerous weapons, narcotic drugs, or other controlled substances.
In March 2021, while still on pre-trial release, a search of Soares’ residence resulted in the recovery of over 100 grams of fentanyl, over 30 grams of MDA, over 40 grams of methamphetamine and over 70 grams of cocaine, multiple firearms and numerous rounds of assorted ammunition.
Soares is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a prior state conviction for possession of a firearm, for which he served more than one year in prison.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Brian Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistance with the investigation was provided by the Suffolk, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorneys’ Offices; the Suffolk, Plymouth and Norfolk County Sheriffs’ Office; and the Braintree, Cambridge, Canton, Randolph and Weymouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin R. O’Donnell of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted 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 gun violence and other violent crime, 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.
This effort is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Convicted Domestic Abuser Sent to Prison for Making False Statements During Attempted Purchase of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A Hancock County man was sentenced July 23, 2024, to two and one-half years in federal prison for making three false statements in attempt to purchase a firearm.
Trevor Kent Hueneman, age 26, from Garner, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 20, 2024, guilty plea to making false statements during the purchase of a firearm.
In a plea agreement, Hueneman admitted that on or about July 21, 2022, he went to EzPawn in Mason City, Iowa, and attempted to purchase a Glock.40 caliber S&W pistol that he had previously pawned at the store. Hueneman filled out the standard ATF form 4473 and marked he had not been previously convicted of a felony crime, he had not been convicted of a crime of misdemeanor domestic violence and he was not subject to a court order restraining him from harassing, stalking, or threating an intimate partner, all three statements were false.
Hueneman was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Hueneman was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hueneman was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit and investigated by Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tabacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-3017.
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Columbus dealer, Arizona supplier plead guilty to illegal fentanyl conspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A Columbus man and his Arizona supplier have each pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl in Columbus in 2023.
Court documents say Ontario M. Yarbrough, 26, of Columbus operated a drug house in the city’s Hilltop area. Between April and October 2023, Yarbrough received and accepted five packages and tracked at least 13 packages from Arizona to the Columbus area. At least two packages were opened and each contained fentanyl. The packages were mailed from Arizona by Jose Ruben Leyva, 46, of Buckeye, Arizona, and other co-conspirators. Yarbrough accepted the parcels at various locations in the city.
Investigators executed a search warrant at Yarbrough’s house after he received one of the packages. They found that the package contained almost 500 grams of fentanyl. They also seized ten other bags of white powder, two firearms and ammunition, cash and drug trafficking material from the house. A search warrant executed days later at Leyva’s Arizona house recovered pills and powder containing fentanyl, packaging and mailing materials, other drug paraphernalia and cash.
Leyva pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl. Yarbrough pleaded guilty on June 13 to the same crime. The crime is punishable by at least ten years and up to life in prison. The court will determine an appropriate sentence and schedule a sentencing hearing.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and officials with the Ohio HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) announced the plea entered before U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Damoun Delaviz is representing the United States in this case.
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Columbia Woman Charged with Using Discord to Entice Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Connecticut State Police Colonel Daniel Loughman today announced that ALYSON CRANICK, 43, of Columbia, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.
Cranick’s initial appearance in federal court is scheduled for tomorrow at 10:00 am in New Haven. Cranick was arrested on related state charges on November 14, 2023, and has been detained in state custody since November 28, 2023.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, Cranick, first using text messaging and Snapchat, and then using the internet chat service Discord, enticed an 11-year-old boy to engage in sexually explicit conduct with her. Several times during the summer of 2022, the minor victim sneaked out his house after midnight to meet up with Cranick to engage in sexual activity. Between July and October 2022, Cranick exchanged more than 4,700 messages with the minor victim on Discord.
The charge of enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force and the Connecticut State Police’s Eastern District Major Crime Unit. The FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.
U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Tolland for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Citizen of Guatemala Pleads Guilty to Illegally Purchasing and Possessing a Social Security CardRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Henry Estuardo Casteneda-Castro, age 33, who was living in Oneida County, pled guilty to an indictment charging him with illegally possessing a social security card he had purchased unlawfully. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Thomas P. Brophy, Field Office Director, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, (ICE-ERO) Buffalo, NY made the announcement.
During the plea, Casteneda-Castro admitted that several years ago he had illegally entered the United States through Texas. After entering, he purchased an identification card and social security card of another individual to illegally obtain work. In May 2023, Casteneda-Castro was arrested by the Oneida County Sherif’s department on an unrelated matter and was found in possession of the fraudulent identification card and the social security card that he had unlawfully purchased.
At sentencing on November 21, 2024, Casteneda-Castro faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of up to 3 years supervised release. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ICE-ERO investigated the case with the help of the Oneida County Sherriff’s Department and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Tuck prosecuted the case.
Chicago Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Robbing Cell Phone Stores Throughout IllinoisRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Chicago man has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for his role in a string of armed robberies of cell phone stores throughout Illinois.
In 2019 and 2020, JOHNATHAN BYARS and his co-conspirators carried out six robberies and two attempted robberies of cell phone stores, using firearms to threaten and physically assault store employees while stealing cash, phones, and other merchandise. The robberies occurred in Lansing, Ill., Bloomington, Ill., Rockford, Ill., Joliet, Ill., Coal City, Ill., and Mokena, Ill., while the attempted robberies occurred in Aurora, Ill., and Woodridge, Ill.
Byars, 26, pleaded guilty last year to robbery and firearm charges. U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard sentenced Byars on July 16, 2024, to 25 years in federal prison.
“Defendant chose and planned to commit not just one armed robbery, but eight separate robberies with multiple employee victims spanning multiple jurisdictions,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodora Anderson argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “These actions pose a danger to the community, particularly in bringing and using a firearm that was brandished and pointed and used to threaten employees.”
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Illinois State Police, Rockford Police Department, Chicago Police Department, Woodridge Police Department, Mokena Police Department, Lansing Police Department, Coal City Police Department, Bloomington Police Department, Aurora Police Department, Joliet Police Department, and the McLean County, Ill. Sheriff’s Office.
Four other defendants were convicted and sentenced to prison as part of the federal investigation into the robbery spree:
- ANTIONE FULTON, 25, of Chicago, was sentenced to 12 years.
- CALEB MORALES, 24, of Chicago, was sentenced to nine years.
- ISRAEL HALL, 25, of Chicago, was sentenced to seven and a half years.
- VONTE SPAIN, 31, of Chicago, was sentenced to seven years.
Charlotte Gun Trafficker Is Sentenced to Prison and FinedRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – George Bates, 55, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison and two years of supervised release for gun trafficking, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell also ordered Bates to pay a $10,000 fine.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and court proceedings, between 2020 and 2022, Bates legally purchased dozens of firearms, which he then sold illegally to other individuals. Court documents show that Bates, who was not licensed to deal in firearms, did not make an effort to ensure he was not selling the firearms to prohibited persons. On the contrary, court records show that some of the firearms Bates sold were used to commit other crimes, including shootings.
On March 4, 2024, Bates pleaded guilty to dealing in firearms without a license. Bates must report to the Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The ATF handled the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Carthage Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute over 5 Grams of Methamphetamine on the Choctaw Indian Reservation and Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Carthage man was sentenced to 130 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute over 5 grams of methamphetamine on the Choctaw Indian Reservation and possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, in September 2023, Roby Lee Jackson, Jr., 32, possessed the methamphetamine near the Red Water Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
In October 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Jackson for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. On April 23, 2024, Jackson pled guilty to the charges.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi, Regional Agent in Charge Whitney Woodruff of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, the Department of Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns.
Burlington County Man Admits Possessing Destructive DevicesRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey, man today admitted possessing five destructive devices, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Jeremy Giliberti, 52, of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with possessing destructive devices.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On July 26, 2023, Hamilton Township Police Division officers conducted a motor vehicle stop of Giliberti. During a subsequent search of Giliberti’s vehicle, one of the officers found a duffle bag on the front passenger-side floor which contained four pipe bombs. Two of the devices were encased in 5-inch steel pipes and two of the devices were encased in cardboard tubing wrapped in duct tape. Following a search of Giliberti’s residence, law enforcement recovered a fifth destructive device. All five of the devices contained numerous metal pellets, an explosive mixture, and a pyrotechnic fuse.
The charge of possession of a destructive device is punishable by a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 3, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Ross A. Marchetti; members of the Hamilton Township Police Division, under the direction of Chief Kenneth R. DeBoskey; members of the New Jersey State Police Bomb Unit, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; and members of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri, with the investigation leading to today’s plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Trenton.
giliberti.information.pdfBrazilian Man Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Jose Antonio Moreira Martins Desouza, 39, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
Desouza was remanded into federal custody after previously being arrested by police on May 22, 2023 and then detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on June 26, 2024. He will appear in federal court in Boston on a later date.
According to the charging documents, Desouza was deported from the United States on Nov. 14, 2012. It is alleged that sometime after his November 2012 removal, Desouza illegally reentered the United States. Desouza was arrested on May 22, 2023 and detained.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Boston Man Arrested on Firearm Smuggling ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was arrested and charged last week in federal court in Boston in connection with illegal firearm smuggling between the United States and the Dominican Republic.
Alexis Lara Herrera, 26, was charged with one count of smuggling goods from the United States; aiding and abetting. Herrera made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston last Friday and pleaded not guilty. He is currently being held in federal custody pending trial.
According to the charging documents, on or about March 18, 2023, local law enforcement in the Port of Haina in the Dominican Republic conducted security examinations of international freight in the port. In their search of a shipping container from Brooklyn, New York, they discovered a shipping manifest indicating the container contained household goods. During a search of the container, four Glock firearms and 500 rounds of ammunition were found inside an air conditioner. Further investigation revealed that the shipping container originated in Boston.
It is alleged that Herrera purchased four Glock firearms seized in the Dominican Republic from federally licensed firearms dealers. Herrera was also allegedly in communication with multiple co-conspirators throughout the shipment. A search of his phone allegedly showed his engagement in firearms smuggling, including texts and a photo of multiple guns. Additional evidence recovered from the forensics of Herrera’s cell phone indicated that he allegedly discussed numerous shipments of firearms to the Dominican Republic, including one in June of 2023 after authorities seized this shipment.
The charge of smuggling goods from the United States; aiding and abetting provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, in New England; and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Benton Harbor Armed Felon, Prosecuted Under Summer Gun Violence Program, Sentenced to 88 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Darell William Craft, Jr., 30, of Benton Harbor, was sentenced to 88 months in federal prison for possessing a stolen firearm with a high-capacity magazine as a convicted felon, while on probation for a prior conviction. At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Paul Maloney imposed a sentence above the advisory sentencing range, adding that Craft presented “a major risk to the law-abiding public.”
Craft was charged last October under Safe Summer 2023, a gun-violence enforcement program under which the U.S. Attorney’s Office committed to prosecute all firearms offenders who possess crime guns (that is, guns previously fired in the commission of a crime).
“Craft exhibited a stunning disregard for human life, and today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of his crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “No level of violence is acceptable. The people of Benton Harbor, like people in every community across Michigan, deserve the right to walk their streets, relax in their homes, and carry out their lives without the fear of shots fired. We will continue to focus our efforts on people like Darell Craft who are driving violence in their communities.”
In July 2023, following a series of apparently related shootings, police approached a parked car with Craft and his girlfriend inside. They searched it and found a loaded pistol with a high-capacity magazine. Police also searched Craft’s girlfriend’s phone and found videos of Craft holding and pointing the pistol. Ballistics testing showed the pistol had been used in three recent shootings.
U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced the Safe Summer 2024 program on May 23, 2024 in a press release and press conferences in Benton Harbor, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Grand Rapids. Under this program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will prosecute all cases that satisfy two criteria. First, the case must involve a federal firearms offense. The two most common offenses are felon in possession, which prohibits previously convicted felons from possessing a gun, and possession of a machine gun, which generally prohibits persons from possessing fully automatic guns. Second, the case must involve a crime gun, which is any gun previously fired in the commission of a crime. These criteria focus federal efforts on the few individuals driving gun violence in their communities.
Gun violence is an acute problem across the United States. In 2021, for the first time ever, firearm-related injuries became the leading cause of death for American children, ages birth to 19, according to the New England Journal of Medicine (see also here). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. firearm homicide rate in 2021 was the highest documented since 1993. While the numbers have declined since 2021, they remain high.
Moreover, while gun violence has the potential to impact everyone, recent studies show that gun violence has a disparate impact on people of color. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that the disparity in shooting injuries among children before and after the pandemic in four major cities approximately tripled as between white children and children of color (Black, Hispanic, Asian).
This case was investigated by ATF, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Michigan State Police, the Benton Township Police Department, and the Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety. It was prosecuted by Patrick Castle, Assistant U.S. Attorney, working with Victoria Pedri, 2L student at the University of Michigan Law School.
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 gun violence and other violent crime, 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.
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Abington Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Oxycodone ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Abington man was sentenced on June 18th in federal court in Boston for conspiring to distribute oxycodone pills.
Kenneth Veiga, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2024, Viega pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone pills.
Between November 2022 and May 2023, intercepted communications revealed that Veiga and others were involved in an oxycodone drug trafficking organization. During a search of Veiga’s previous residence in July 2023, oxycodone pills along with a polymer-80 9 mm pistol and nine rounds of commercially manufactured ammunition were seized. Additionally, fentanyl pills, oxycodone pills and approximately $58,000 were seized during a separate search of Veiga’s current apartment.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; United States Coast Guard Investigative Service; Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office; and the Barnstable, Dennis, Bourne, Falmouth, Mashpee, Yarmouth and Sandwich Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
22 July 2024
Woodbridge man convicted again for possessing child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal judge convicted a Woodbridge man today on charges of receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on April 23, 2023, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a federal search warrant at the residence of Matthew Scott Rocco, 38. At the time of the search, Rocco was on federal supervised release for a 2017 conviction in the Eastern District of Virginia for possession of CSAM. HSI agents and officers from the United States Probation Department encountered Rocco on the driveway exiting the garage of the residence and located a cellphone in his back pocket.
The phone was seized and manually and forensically searched. In the notes section of the phone, darknet addresses were listed, most of which providing links to child pornography. The phone contained a download history in the “My Files DB” database showing filenames indicative of CSAM and thumbnail images of Rocco’s personal documents, such as payroll records and CSAM among other files. A folder titled “Balalaika_1,” contained ten videos, downloaded on Feb. 16 and 17, 2023, each depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
The phone kept a history of what videos had been played that included files indicative of CSAM. The files Rocco accessed included CSAM ranging from Jan. 23, 2023, to April 21, 2023, two days before the date of the federal search. The search also revealed that several files with names indicative of CSAM were viewed on the phone using an external drive.
Rocco faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 40 years in prison when sentenced on Oct. 31. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff returned the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra Serano and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadia Prinz, a Trial Attorney with the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-25.
Westfield Woman Sentenced for Making Hoax Bomb Threat Against Boston Children's HospitalRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Westfield woman was sentenced on July 18, 2024 in federal court in Boston for calling in a hoax bomb threat against Boston Children’s Hospital.
Catherine Leavy, 38, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to three years’ probation. In September 2023, Leavy pleaded guilty to one count of making a false bomb threat and one count of intentionally conveying false or misleading information that a bomb was on the way to Boston Children’s Hospital.
In August 2022, law enforcement began monitoring threats made against Boston Children’s Hospital and its employees. Among the wide range of healthcare services it provides, Boston Children’s Hospital is home to the Gender Multispecialty Service (GeMS) program – a healthcare program focused on gender-diverse and transgender adolescents.
On Aug. 30, 2022, Boston Children’s Hospital received a telephonic bomb threat in which the caller said, “There is a bomb on the way to the hospital, you better evacuate everybody you sickos.” As a result of the call, the hospital and surrounding area was placed on lockdown status and a bomb squad was dispatched. An investigation determined that there were no explosive devices located at the hospital. Subscriber and call detail records and location information for the phone number that called in the threat determined that the phone number was subscribed in Leavy’s name. In addition, cell tower data indicated the phone was nearby Leavy’s residence at the time the bomb threat was made.
During a search of Leavy’s residence on Sept. 15, 2022, the phone used to make the threat was recovered. According to court records, in an on-scene interview with law enforcement, Leavy expressed disapproval of Boston Children’s Hospital on multiple occasions. Leavy also admitted that she called in the threat to Boston Children’s Hospital on Aug. 30, 2022, but stated that she had no plan or intention to actually bomb the hospital.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Westfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared C. Dolan, Deputy Chief of the National Security Unit, prosecuted the case.
Waterbury Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that OSCAR PENA-CRESPO, also known as “Boti,” 29, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking narcotics.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI’s Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task Force and other law enforcement agencies investigated two drug trafficking organizations based in the city of Waterbury. One organization operated in the area of William Street and the other operated in the area of Maple Avenue. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones, video surveillance, GPS tracking of vehicles, and numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that the two organizations distributed cocaine, crack, and fentanyl through a network of sellers. The organizations shared sources of supply and worked together to further their operations.
Pena-Crespo coordinated the distribution of narcotics for the Maple Avenue-based organization. Between January and June 2023, investigators conducted multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl and crack cocaine from Pena-Crespo.
Seventeen individuals were charged with federal offenses as a result of the investigation. Pena-Crespo and several codefendants were arrested on November 29, 2023. In association with the arrests, investigators executed multiple search warrants and seized approximately 700 grams of crack cocaine, more than 900 vials (“caps”) of crack, approximately 200 grams of loose fentanyl, more than 1,600 dose bags of fentanyl/heroin, two stolen firearms, numerous rounds of ammunition, and more than $39,000 in cash.
Pena-Crespo has been detained since his arrest. On April 3, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
The FBI’s Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task includes members from the FBI, the Waterbury Police Department, the Naugatuck Police Department, and the Connecticut Department of Correction. The DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Connecticut State Police, Wolcott Police Department, and Meriden Police Department have assisted the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth and Shan Patel 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.
U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the Waterbury State Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
U.S. Attorney Announces Non-Prosecution Agreement with International Bus Parts Supplier CBMRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Christopher A. Scharf, the Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Region of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of the Inspector General (“DOT-OIG”); and Daniel Cort, the Inspector General of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“MTA-IG”), announced that international bus parts supplier CBM entered into a non-prosecution agreement (the “NPA”) with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Under the NPA, CBM agreed to pay significant monetary penalties for engaging in a scheme to defraud U.S. transit authority customers through false and misleading statements about the sources of contracted-for bus parts during the period from approximately 2010 to April 2021. Specifically, the NPA requires CBM to forfeit $463,243.41 to the United States, representing its profits from the scheme, and pay a fine of $1,500,000. In addition, CBM has agreed to pay restitution to victims who submit claims and to revert unclaimed funds up to $438,859.52 to the Crime Victims Fund, administered by the Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime. The NPA also requires that for at least two years from the date of the agreement, CBM will further cooperate with the United States, self-report any future violations of U.S. law, and continue its ongoing efforts to implement and maintain an adequate compliance program. In the event that CBM violates the NPA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office may prosecute CBM for any newly discovered criminal activity and for the conduct that gives rise to the NPA.
This corporate action reflects a careful weighing of factors relevant to the appropriate corporate resolution. The NPA recognizes that, although CBM’s serious misconduct was reported to the U.S. Attorney’s Office before CBM self-disclosed it, (i) CBM US cooperated extensively with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including through detailed disclosures and accountings of conduct not already known when CBM’s cooperation began; (ii) the most serious wrongdoing at CBM was limited to two individuals, though they were at the highest levels of the company; (iii) CBM has no history of criminal conduct, including any resolved through prior NPAs or deferred prosecution agreements; (iv) CBM has undertaken extensive remedial measures to ensure that similar conduct does not occur or go undetected in the future; and (v) CBM has taken full responsibility and agreed to make full restitution to all victims that seek compensation.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “CBM, primarily through the actions of a limited number of managers outside of the United States, represented to U.S. transit authorities that CBM was providing bus parts from specific suppliers and under specific brand names. Fortunately, none of the transactions at issue involved parts that bear on the safety of any affected buses. Since this Office’s investigation came to CBM’s attention, the company has cooperated fully and taken significant and commendable steps to remediate the institutional failures that allowed this situation to occur in the first place. But this NPA also ensures that CBM is held financially accountable for its conduct and that victims will be made whole. It should serve as a reminder to all companies that it will lose its profits, and then some, when this Office becomes aware of business practices like CBM’s in this case.”
DOT-OIG Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Scharf said: “This NPA is an important step in remedying the harm caused by CBM when it misled U.S. transit authority customers. DOT OIG remains committed to holding transportation industry suppliers accountable for their actions that compromise the integrity of contracted goods and services.”
MTA Inspector General Daniel Cort said: "The MTA must have faith in the integrity of its supply chain, and any breach of that trust is unacceptable. I thank our federal partners for holding vendors accountable for deceptive behavior."
As part of the NPA, CBM agreed to a statement of facts describing its conduct and the remedial measures that it took in response to learning of that conduct.
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Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the DOT-OIG and thanked the MTA-IG for its assistance.
This matter is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Balsamello is in charge of the matter.
Two Southern Utah Men Sentenced in Cougar Hunting Crime in Violation of the Lacey ActRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A U.S. District Court Judge sentenced the final defendant today in a crime that involved a Utah licensed big game outfitter and his employee/cougar hunting guide in the District of Utah. The two defendants were sentenced separately for their involvement in a crime that defrauded hunters by leading canned hunts for commercial gain, in violation of the Lacey Act.
Wade Lemon, 63, of Holden, Utah, was sentenced July 18, 2024, to two months’ imprisonment, ordered by the court to pay a $10,500 fine, and a one-year commercial ban on federal land. According to court documents, and statements made during his change of plea hearing, Lemon admitted to illegally participating in “canned” mountain lion hunts on January 24, 2021 and December 15, 2020 on Federal BLM and National Forest Service land. Utah law prohibits “canned hunts” of mountain lions. A canned hunt means that a cougar is treed, cornered, held at bay or its ability to escape is otherwise restricted to allow a person who was not a member of the initial hunting party to arrive and take the cougar. The federal Lacey Act prohibits selling in interstate commerce any wildlife taken or sold in violation of state law. The Lacey Act defines the “sale” of wildlife to include providing guiding or outfitting services.
Lemon owns and operates Wade Lemon Hunting based in Holden, Utah. Lemon advertises his business on his website and boasts nearly 100% success rates yearly. However, Lemon has cheated in illegal canned cougar hunts and has defrauded hunters.
Kacey Alan Yardley, 47, of Enoch, Utah, was sentenced July 22, 2024, to six months’ bench probation, after he pleaded guilty to his involvement in an illegal canned cougar hunt with Lemon. As part of his probationary terms, Yardley is banned from federal land for commercial purposes. According to court documents, and statements made at his change of plea hearing, Yardley worked for Lemon as a cougar hunting guide and houndsman. On December 15, 2020, while on the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, Yardley admitted that during a canned hunt, a cougar was held at bay and its ability to escape was otherwise restricted to allow a hunter who was not a member of the initial hunting party to arrive and attempt to take the cougar.
“This is a unique and important case because hunting is an important part of Utah’s culture,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “Canned hunts are illegal because they create an unfair advantage and can lead to inhumane treatment of the animals. It is also unfair to hunters who paid thousands of dollars for a guide and had no idea that they were participating in a canned hunt. My office and our law enforcement partners take these crimes seriously because they negatively impact our state and the hunting community.”
“The Forest Service issues special use permits to many outfitters and guides who provide a valuable service to the public. This case was important to help ensure the legitimacy of permitted services,” said Fishlake Forest Supervisor Mike Elson.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Forest Service and the Utah Attorney General’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Ruth Hackford-Peer and Special Assistant United States Attorney Ben Willoughby of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Two Nashville Men Charged with Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging two individuals for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute approximately five pounds of methamphetamine in Nashville, Tennessee, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee.
The indictment charges Brian Antonio Dotson, 45, and Lavantrez Zarqua Johnson, 28, both of Nashville, with conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Johnson is also charged with possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute and Dotson is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On May 4, 2023, Dotson and Johnson were arrested in an operation by the Metro Nashville Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. MNPD detectives arranged to purchase five pounds of methamphetamine from Dotson. Dotson met with Johnson prior to the sale to obtain the methamphetamine. The defendants then drove separately to the neighborhood where the methamphetamine purchase would occur. Officers arrested Dotson at that time and a search of his car led to the recovery of five pounds of methamphetamine and two firearms.
After arresting Dotson, officers attempted to detain Johnson who fled in his car. Although officers deployed a spike strip that punctured his car’s tires, Johnson was able to escape. While fleeing, Johnson threw a bag out his car. When officers recovered the bag, they found three plastic bags containing a substance later confirmed to be cocaine. Officers apprehended Johnson a few miles away and discovered a four-year-old child in his car. Both defendants are detained in federal custody.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Herbert L. Bunton III is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Additional Romanian Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Bank Card NumbersRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Zamfir Nitu, 48, and Irinel Irimia, 42, both of Romania, were sentenced to 14 months in federal prison, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to steal bank card numbers, and possession of bank card numbers. Each defendant was ordered to serve a term of 1-year supervised release following their prison sentence and will face deportation. The sentences were announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“These cases demonstrate the success of cooperative investigations by federal and local agencies working to identify and arrest those attempting to profit from fraud and theft,’” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “The protection of our citizens’ financial information is paramount, and with the help of our law enforcement partners, we will hold criminals accountable, no matter their national origin.”
In April of 2023, the Eglin Federal Credit Union discovered that Nitu and Irimia had installed skimming devices at two of its ATMs and skimmed several hundred bank card numbers. The defendants then used the skimmed numbers to create fake bank cards and withdraw money from multiple ATMs in the area. They successfully obtained approximately $17,000 and were denied on attempts to withdraw another $35,000.
“This case underscores the importance of investigators from both local and federal law enforcement agencies working together to protect the financial well-being of our good, hardworking citizens,” said Sheriff Eric Aden. “The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office will continue to investigate and prosecute fraudulent activity compromising victims’ financial safety and security.”
“Crimes that steal people’s identities and threaten to destabilize their financial security and wellbeing of unsuspecting victims will not be tolerated,” said HSI Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “Alongside every state and local law enforcement partner, HSI vows to investigate criminals who pick the digital pockets of U.S. citizens by hiding behind the virtual anonymity of the internet.”
This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. Additionally, the assistance of Eglin Federal Credit Union’s Fraud Investigation Division was critical in gathering the necessary evidence. Assistant United States Attorney Walter Narramore prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Topeka man charged with embezzlementRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas man made his initial appearance before a judge after a federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging him with financial fraud.
Matthew Waits, 39, of Topeka is charged with one count of thefts concerning a program receiving federal funds.
According to court documents, between January 2023 and December 2023, Waits is accused of using his position as program manager and director of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation’s Diabetes Prevention Program to embezzle $5,000 or more in federal grant money.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Three Memphis Men Receive Significant Federal Sentences after Carjacking and Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Three Memphis men have been sentenced to a total of 66 years in federal prison after being convicted of three carjackings and three business robberies that occurred in the spring of 2022. Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentences today.
According to the information presented in court, Jermiah Jones, 24, Kevontae Harper, 22, and James Payne, 21, participated in a crime spree that included three carjackings and a series of armed robberies of Memphis businesses. All three men pled guilty to three counts of carjacking, three counts of business robbery, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
United States District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Harper to 25 years of imprisonment on February 14, 2024; Payne to 15 years of imprisonment on March 1, 2024; and Jones to 26 years of imprisonment on July 17, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Safe Streets Task Force, a collective comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement personnel.
United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Rogers and Jermal Blanchard, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated this case.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to International Money Laundering Conspiracy Involving More Than $8,500,000 in Fraud Scheme FundsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Jon Briceno, age 42, of Katy, Texas, pleaded guilty Friday, July 19, 2024, to conspiracy to commit money laundering, relating to his laundering of more than $8,751,523.07 in proceeds of various frauds, such as romance schemes and business email compromise schemes.
The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Christina Bentham of the United States Secret Service (USSS), Baltimore Field Office; and Sheriff Matt Crisafulli of the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the plea agreement, beginning around June 2020, at the latest, and continuing through the date of his arrest by federal law enforcement on February 20, 2024, Briceno entered into an illegal agreement with the individuals referred to as Person A and Person B in the Indictment and numerous other co-conspirators to conduct and attempt to conduct financial transactions affecting interstate and foreign commerce that constituted the fraud schemes.
The conspiracy involved the use of numerous shell companies formed by Briceno and his co-conspirators, as well as the opening of multiple bank accounts in the name of the shell companies that concealed his receipt and transfer of fraud proceeds. These shell companies assisted the conspiracy by allowing Briceno to receive and transfer fraud proceeds while concealing Briceno’s identity and that of his co-conspirators.
In connection with the scheme, Briceno and his co-conspirators each took a percentage of the proceeds from schemes, with the Briceno often taking 10-25% of the fraud proceeds.
Briceno was an organizer or leader of the money laundering conspiracy, which involved multiple participants around the nation. Indeed, the Briceno routinely directed co-conspirators across the county in connection with the scheme, including by (1) recruiting them to open bank accounts in their names or in the names of various purported businesses (shell companies) to launder the fraud proceeds; (2) informing them when proceeds of schemes of defraud were deposited into bank accounts they controlled; (3) directing the co-conspirators regarding the intermediate accounts to which the proceeds were to be transferred; and (4) directing the co-conspirators to provide confirmation to him that the co-conspirators had in fact received and then transferred the proceeds as requested, including (a) photographs of online bank statements and online wire transfer confirmations; (b) mobile device screenshots of confirmations of transfers of funds via Zelle; and (c) mobile device screenshots of online bank statements.
Among the financial transactions Briceno directed with his co-conspirators was their receipt of funds from a victim, the Worcester County Treasurer’s Office in Worcester County, Maryland—referred to as Victim 1 in the Indictment—on 12 separate instances beginning on November 20, 2020 and ending on January 21, 2021 in amounts ranging in size from $16.60 to $41,471.94. In total, Worcester County was fraudulently convinced to provide $167,745.18 in funds to a bank account controlled by Briceno as a result of a business email compromise scheme in which an accounting manager employed by Worcester County received fraudulent emails directing that payments be made in response to a bill be made to the account controlled by Briceno.
Moreover, during the broader timeframe of June 2020 to February 20, 2024, Briceno and his co-conspirators, used numerous accounts opened by Briceno and co-conspirators throughout the United States) to launder fraud proceeds obtained by numerous victims across the United States (including victims from California, Illinois, Virginia, Iowa, North Carolina, Texas, Missouri, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Indiana, South Carolina, Ohio, Alabama), as well as international victims Australia, Singapore, Luxembourg, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Thailand.
In total, Briceno laundered at least $8,751,523.07 in funds that were proceeds of wire fraud, and he personally received in excess of $1,250,000 as his share of the fraudulently obtained funds.
Mr. Briceno used the fraudulently obtained funds he received to purchase, among other things, numerous pieces of jewelry from Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and others, numerous luxury items from designers such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dior, and Christian Louboutin, and at least nine Rolex watches (valued at more than $10,000 each). He invested in crypto-currency using the funds and likewise frequently gambled with large amounts of it. Moreover, Briceno use the funds to lease office space, which he used as a space for running a poker room in Texas.
On June 15, 2022, Briceno’s residence, at the time located in Katy, Texas, was searched pursuant to a federal search warrant. During the search, law enforcement identified and seized numerous bank records, money order receipts, pawn shop receipts, several bankcards and articles of incorporation documents for various shell businesses used in connection with money laundering conspiracy, along with various electronic devices. One of these devices contained numerous WhatsApp messages and audio recordings of evidentiary value, including messages with co-conspirators concerning the money laundering conspiracy and numerous bank accounts used by Briceno, Person A, Person B, and others to launder fraud scheme funds, and numerous shell entities that were founded and used in connection with the conspiracy.
On February 20, 2024, law enforcement executed another search warrant at Briceno’s new home, also located in Katy, Texas, and Briceno was arrested. Numerous items of evidentiary value were seized during the search, including electronic devices with content reflecting the money laundering conspiracy with Person A, Person B, and others.
Briceno faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison followed by up to three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox has scheduled sentencing for October 24, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the USSS and the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Riley leads the prosecution of this federal case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Sixth Nigerian National Sentenced for International Scheme That Defrauded Elderly U.S. VictimsRead the Press Release
A Nigerian national was sentenced today to 85 months in prison for his role in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme. With today’s sentencing, each of the six defendants connected with this matter has been sentenced.
According to court documents, Amos Prince Okey Ezemma, 50, was a member of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States, falsely claiming that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died years before in Portugal. Victims were told that before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees and taxes and were instructed to make other payments. Victims sent money to the defendants through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims. The defendant and his co-conspirators also convinced former victims to receive money from new victims and then forward the fraud proceeds to others.
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to pursue, prosecute and bring to justice transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This case is testament to the critical role of international collaboration in tackling transnational crime. I want to thank the members of the Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations, as well as the Spanish National Police, National Crime Agency and Portuguese Judicial Police for their outstanding contributions to this case.”
“This investigation is a great example of the results the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Justice Department and our law enforcement partners strive to achieve,” said Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the USPIS Miami Division. “We will continue to identify and dismantle transnational groups targeting American citizens and using the mail to further their schemes to defraud. Justice has no borders.”
“Targeting the elderly for pure financial gain is beyond shameful, it’s morally reprehensible,” said Special Agent in Charge Fransisco B. Burrola of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Arizona. “Protecting such a vulnerable population is not just the responsibility of family members but also law enforcement agencies like HSI and our partners. Together, we are a force multiplier committed to apprehending those who scam our seniors. Let these lengthy sentences serve as reminders that HSI will not tolerate criminals who are motivated by greed.”
Each of Ezemma’s five co-defendants has been sentenced to prison for their roles in the scheme. On June 21, 2023, the Honorable Kathleen M. Williams sentenced Emmanuel Samuel to 82 months in prison. On July 25, 2023, Judge Williams sentenced Jerry Chucks Ozor to 87 months in prison. On Aug. 29, 2023, Judge Williams sentenced Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham to 90 months in prison. On Oct. 20, 2023, Judge Williams sentenced Kennedy Ikponmwosa to 87 months in prison. And on Nov. 2, 2023, Judge Williams sentenced Peter Ezennia Neboh to 128 months in prison. Judge Williams also ordered Ezemma and his co-defendants to pay more than $6 million in restitution to their over 400 victims.
The Consumer Protection Branch, USPIS and HSI investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and Europol all provided critical assistance.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Shelbyville Woman Sentenced to over 3 Years in Federal Prison for Defrauding Former EmployerRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Shelbyville, Kentucky woman was sentenced today to 3 years and 1 month in federal prison for engaging in a scheme to defraud her former employer.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Robert Holman of the United States Secret Service made the announcement.
According to court records, Amy Hall, 38, was sentenced to 3 years and 1 month in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for seven counts of wire fraud. The charges in this case stemmed from Hall’s scheme in which, while employed as the Accounting Controller for a Louisville, Kentucky design and construction company, she used her access and position to make unauthorized payments totaling $262,897.69, for her own personal benefit and the benefit of others, on the company’s bank account, a related company’s bank account, and a company credit card without the companies’ knowledge or authorization.
Hall was also ordered to pay restitution to the two victim companies in the amount of $262,897.69.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Elver prosecuted the case.
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Seminole Resident Pleads Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lucus Wayne Cullum, age 25, of Seminole, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country.
The Indictment alleged that, on November 23, 2022, Cullum killed the victim while failing to devote his full time and attention to driving.
The crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from investigations by the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Cullum was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.
Self-Proclaimed “Wolf of Airbnb” Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison in Connection with Ppp and Real Estate Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that KONRAD BICHER was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield to 51 months in prison in connection with his fraudulent operation of real estate businesses, including by entering into lease agreements for residential apartment units in Manhattan on false and fraudulent pretenses and by making false statements to obtain loans guaranteed by the U.S. government. BICHER previously pled guilty to one count of wire fraud in connection with the scheme.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For years, Bicher schemed to defraud New York City landlords and the U.S. Government. Bicher enriched himself by abusing Government programs and tenant protections intended to benefit people and businesses in need during one of the worst economic and public health crises in history. He bragged about his schemes to his friends and the media, proudly referring to himself as the ‘Wolf of Airbnb,’ but as today’s sentence underscores, those who partake in such callous and fraudulent conduct will answer for their crimes, no matter their self-given title.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint, Indictment, other court documents, and statements made in Court:
Beginning in at least February 2019, BICHER and/or individuals working in concert with BICHER, began renting apartment units (the “Units”) in Manhattan. The Units were leased pursuant to lease agreements which required that the lessee make monthly rental payments and also included clauses that prohibited the lessee from renting the Units to third parties on a short-term basis and/or included clauses that prohibited the lessee from subletting the Units to third parties without written consent of the owner. Despite the requirement to make monthly rental payments, BICHER failed to make payments as required by the lease agreements. For many of the Units, BICHER also refused to vacate the Units after the expiration of the lease agreements. During the period of time that BICHER failed to make required rental payments, including the period of time after a lease agreement expired and the premises had not been vacated, BICHER derived income by renting the Units on a short-term basis, including by posting the Units for rent on various online marketplaces, including Airbnb, Inc. (“Airbnb”).
Between in or about July 2019, and in or about April 2022, BICHER and his associates failed to make more than $1,000,000 in payments pursuant to the Lease Agreements or, for the period of time after the expiration of the Lease Agreements, based on the estimated fair market value for the Units. During this period, BICHER caused the Units to be listed for short-term rent on Airbnb and at least one other online marketplace for short-term rentals, resulting in at least $1,170,000 in rental income to BICHER and his associates.
Throughout the course of this scheme, the lessors of the Units made numerous efforts to recover rental payments from BICHER and/or to stop BICHER from continuing to rent the Units on a short-term basis, including by initiating civil litigation against BICHER. BICHER relied on legal protections intended to benefit tenants, including tenant protections adopted in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to oppose the lawsuits. Despite relying on tenant protections for New Yorkers in need, BICHER continued to generate revenue by renting certain Units on a short-term basis.
In addition, between at least in or about April 2021, until in or about July 2021, BICHER obtained Government-guaranteed loans through a loan program of the U.S. Small Business Administration designed to provide relief to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, namely the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). In furtherance of this scheme, BICHER submitted at least four applications for PPP loans on behalf of at least three entities and obtained over $565,000 in loan proceeds. These PPP applications contained fraudulent documents and false information. For example, in connection with the PPP applications, BICHER submitted tax documents which were purportedly filed with the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). These documents were falsified, in that the entities seeking PPP loans had not actually filed the purported tax returns with the IRS, and BICHER had not otherwise reported the purported income to the IRS.
During the course of the scheme, BICHER referred to himself as the “Wolf of Airbnb” and explained to media outlets that this nickname referred to the fact that he was “hungry and ruthless enough to get on top of the financial ladder” and had the “ferocity…of a wolf, because wolves are territorial, vicious, and show no mercy when provoked.”
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In addition to the prison term, BICHER, 32, of Hialeah, Florida, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. He was additionally ordered to forfeit $1,740,407.12 and pay restitution in the amount of $2,227,371.58.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weinberg is in charge of the prosecution.
Savannah roundtable showcases agency collaboration to combat sexual harassment in housingRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and its Office of Inspector General (HUD OIG) hosted a Savannah roundtable for community members and organizations as part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative.
“Sexual harassment or abuse by a landlord is never acceptable,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Our office will continue to vigorously pursue justice and compensation for vulnerable tenants who endure such predatory behavior.”
“Everyone deserves to live in a safe environment without fear of being sexually harassed or assaulted by their landlord or anyone in a position of power over their housing,” said HUD Inspector General Oliver Davis. “I am grateful to U.S. Attorney Steinberg for hosting this summit today. My office remains committed to working with her to hold accountable those who would prey on vulnerable tenants and housing applicants.”
Held at the Chatham County Library on Bull Street, the roundtable’s participants included representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and HUD OIG, and representatives from fair housing organizations and related service providers.
The Department of Justice, through the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Civil Rights Division, enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by the Act. Sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, and others with power over housing often affects the most vulnerable populations – single parents, individuals who have financial difficulties, and people who have suffered sexual violence in the past. These individuals often do not know where to turn for assistance.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division launched the Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative to combat sexual harassment in housing. The Justice Department’s initiative seeks to identify barriers to reporting sexual harassment in housing, increase awareness of its enforcement efforts – both among survivors and those they may report to – and collaborate with federal, state, and local partners to increase reporting and help survivors quickly and easily connect with federal resources.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia collaborates with the Civil Rights Division to raise awareness of the options that are available to help individuals experiencing sexual harassment in housing. Community organizations, such as legal services offices, fair housing organizations, domestic violence advocates, shelters, and transitional housing providers, can identify the misconduct and recommend reporting to the Justice Department, HUD and HUD OIG.
The Justice Department brings cases each year involving egregious conduct, including allegations that defendants have exposed themselves sexually to current or prospective tenants, requested sexual favors in exchange for reduced rents or making necessary repairs, made unrelenting and unwanted sexual advances to tenants, and evicted tenants who resisted their sexual overtures. To date, the Justice Department has filed 42 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered nearly $17 million for victims of such harassment through the Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative.
Earlier this year, the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia secured a $600,000 settlement with a Savannah-area landlord to resolve allegations that he sexually harassed and retaliated against his female tenants for more than 15 years.
If you or someone you know has information about or has been a victim of sexual harassment, sexual assault, or sexual exploitation in housing – even if the events occurred years ago – report it to the HUD Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-347-3735 or visit the website at www.hudoig.gov/hotline. You may also file a complaint with HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at https://www.hud.gov/fairhousing/fileacomplaint.
Additionally, you can contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office by calling 912-652-4422 or emailing [email protected]; or the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division by calling 844-380-6178 or emailing [email protected]. More information about the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
Sandy Woman Sentenced to 15 Months’ Imprisonment After Assaulting Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – Melissa Lynn Trotter, 25, of Sandy, Utah was sentenced today to 15 months’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, and ordered to pay $7,952.67 in restitution after she assaulted federal officers with her car in February 2024.
The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow for the District of Utah. In May 2024, Trotter admitted to assaulting federal officers with a deadly weapon.
According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, on February 7, 2024, Trotter violently assaulted several members of the United States Marshals Service Violent Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (VFAST) with her vehicle outside a CVS in West Valley City. Members of VFAST identified themselves as law enforcement and were attempting to arrest Trotter’s fugitive boyfriend when she reversed her vehicle and rammed into a federal officer’s vehicle where Deputy United States Marshals were standing. Trotter than drove over a parking barrier, hitting the CVS building, and drove on a pedestrian sidewalk outside the store and violently rammed another federal officer’s vehicle while attempting to escape from law enforcement. See prior press release here.
“Trotter’s criminal actions were reckless and dangerous,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “My office is committed to doing everything we can to protect law enforcement while they work to protect our communities.”
“Unfortunately, when pursuing individuals who are wanted and have violent criminal records, incidents like this are all too common,” said Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Nick Chournos for the District of Utah. “The United States Marshals Service Violent Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (VFAST) along with state and local partners are committed to protecting our communities.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin L. Sundwall of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted 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 gun violence and other violent crime, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Philadelphia-Area Doctor Agrees to Resolve Civil Allegations of Improper Prescribing of Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Dr. David L. Mattingly, a doctor of osteopathic medicine in the Philadelphia area, has agreed to resolve allegations that he improperly prescribed opioid controlled substances to individuals. Dr. Mattingly will pay $72,000 to the United States and agree to strict limitations preventing him from prescribing almost all controlled substances, including drugs like oxycodone.
Under the Controlled Substances Act, physicians like Mattingly are registered with the DEA and are generally permitted to prescribe controlled substances only based on a valid prescription. A prescription is valid only when issued for a legitimate medical purpose and in the usual course of professional practice. That legal obligation applies to controlled substances broadly and includes drugs like the opioid oxycodone. The settlement between the United States and Mattingly resolves allegations that, from February 5, 2015, through September 1, 2018, Mattingly illegally prescribed opioid controlled substances like oxycodone without satisfying these important legal obligations as to a certain number of patients whose records were subpoenaed by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The settlement agreement covers liability under the Controlled Substances Act, which imposes substantial civil penalties for illegal controlled substance prescriptions.
The settlement agreement permanently prevents Mattingly from prescribing almost all controlled substances, including oxycodone. Mattingly also entered into an administrative agreement with the DEA that includes additional compliance measures, such as continuing education courses.
“Doctors like Mattingly have a responsibility to their patients and the community when they prescribe controlled substances, particularly opioids like oxycodone,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “It is critical that physicians uphold that responsibility and focus on the safety and well-being of their patients. When they do not and they violate the law by illegally prescribing controlled substances like oxycodone, my office will not hesitate to hold them accountable.”
“Doctors are required to satisfy a two-prong standard when prescribing controlled substances; the first of which is that the prescription be issued for a legitimate medical purpose and the second being that it is done in the usual course of professional practice,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “As part of his obligations under the Controlled Substances Act, Dr. Mattingly was required to ensure that both of these standards were met when he prescribed powerful painkillers such as oxycodone.”
The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Field Division of the DEA. The civil investigation and settlement were handled by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony D. Scicchitano, Investigator Jeffrey Braun, and Auditor Dawn Wiggins.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Palmer man charged with multiple aviation violationsRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a Palmer man with illegally operating an aircraft.
According to court documents, William Marsan, 56, is allegedly the owner and pilot of a private aircraft in Alaska. In June 2023, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) received a report that Marsan did not radio his intention to take off from an airport in Palmer and operated the aircraft against the flow of landing traffic, resulting in a near mid-air collision with another aircraft attempting to land.
Law enforcement investigated the June 2023 incident and discovered that Marsan was allegedly operating an aircraft without a valid license or valid registration. They also discovered he had allegedly obscured the identification number on the side of the aircraft with stickers.
As a result of the investigation, the FAA issued an Emergency Order of Revocation of the defendant’s Airline Transport Pilot Certificate, which required the immediate surrender of his pilot license or the filing of an appeal of the decision within 10 days. Marsan allegedly failed to file an appeal or surrender his license but has continued to operate his aircraft until the date of this indictment.
Marsan is charged with one count of operating an aircraft without an airman certificate in violation of 49 U.S.C. §46306(b)(7), one count of operating an unregistered aircraft in violation of 49 U.S.C. §46306(b)(6)(A) and one count of operating an aircraft displaying a false registration mark in violation of 49 U.S.C. §46306(b)(3). The defendant was arrested on July 18 and will make his initial court appearance on July 23 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott A. Oravec of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. 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, Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office and Regional Administrator Michael O’Hare of the FAA, Alaska Region made the announcement.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and the FAA, Alaska Region are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bradley is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Owner of Home Health Care Company Convicted of Multimillion Dollar Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Westford woman was convicted Friday, July 19, 2024 following a nine-day jury trial in federal court in Boston in connection with a home health care fraud scheme.
Faith Newton, 56, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, one count of health care fraud, and three counts of money laundering. The jury found the defendant not guilty on one count of money laundering conspiracy. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. Newton was arrested and charged along with co-defendant Winnie Waruru in February 2021.
“Ms. Newton deliberately orchestrated a scheme to defraud MassHealth and took advantage of her patients and their families in the process. She chose to violate the trust of government agencies and the broader community to treat herself to million-dollar cash bonuses, a lavish house and a Maserati. This conduct is unacceptable, and she will now pay the price for her choices,” said Acting United States Joshua S. Levy. “Newton billed for countless patient visits that never happened or were unnecessary. Our office is committed to protecting patients and our health care system from fraud and deception, and we will continue to hold those illegal actors accountable for their actions.”
“Newton orchestrated a massive $100 million health care fraud scheme that targeted the Medicaid program, funding her lavish lifestyle at the expense of the American taxpayers,” said Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Today’s guilty verdict underscores the commitment of HHS-OIG and our partners to protecting the integrity of our federal health care system, and it should also serve as a stern warning to criminals who contemplate engaging in similar illegal schemes.”
“Faith Newton’s flagrant greed and theft orchestrated through her healthcare fraud scheme is disgraceful. The jury’s verdict further demonstrates IRS-CI’s commitment to not only protecting the America taxpayers but also the most vulnerable of citizens,” said Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations, Boston Field Office. “By stealing from MassHealth, Newton not only stole from federally-funded programs and taxpayers, but she then used those proceeds to fund a lavish lifestyle for herself. As a direct result of Newton’s scheme, these programs had fewer available funds to assist the individuals who truly needed the help.”
“As Faith Newton’s greed and wealth increased, her elaborate $100 million home health care fraud scheme collapsed. For years, her company billed taxpayers for home health services they did not provide, were not authorized, or were not medically necessary. She paid kickbacks, laundered illegal proceeds, and even bought a Maserati,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Our health care system is under constant attack by fraudsters who have pilfered billions of dollars from Medicare and other health care benefit programs. Today’s verdict should be a warning to others that committing healthcare fraud will not be tolerated.”
From January 2013 to January 2017, Newton was a part owner and operator of Arbor Homecare Services LLC. Newton and others engaged in a conspiracy to use Arbor to defraud MassHealth of at least $100 million.
Specifically, evidence at trial demonstrated that Arbor, through Newton and others, failed to train staff, billed for home health services that were never provided or were not medically necessary and billed for home health services that were not authorized. Arbor, through Newton and others, paid kickbacks for patient referrals, regardless of medical necessity. They also entered sham employment relationships with patients’ family members to provide home health aide services that were not medically necessary and routinely billed for fictitious visits that Newton knew did not occur.
Newton used the laundered proceeds of the $100 million scheme to purchase a house and a Maserati.
Newton’s co-defendant, Waruru, pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy in September 2022. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18, 2024 before U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr.
Newton’s previous trial, beginning on June 26, 2023, ended in a mistrial during jury deliberations on July 10, 2023.
The charges of health care fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and money laundering each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount of the money involved in the laundering. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; HHS SAC Coviello; IRS SAC Chavis; and FBI SAC Cohen, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Brady and Christopher Looney of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: California Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Ildiberto Gonzalez Jr., 30, of San Bernadino, California, was sentenced today to 14 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine. Gonzalez admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 18, 2023, Gonzalez was directed by co-conspirator Alejandro Gallegos to deliver approximately 196 pounds of methamphetamine and four kilograms of cocaine from California to Bluefield, West Virginia. Gonzalez transported the controlled substances in his 2009 Freightliner semi-truck with attached trailer. On March 22, 2023, Gonzalez met a West Virginia co-conspirator in a Bluefield parking lot. There, Gonzalez exchanged the shipment with a box that he believed contained approximately $400,000 as payment for the controlled substances.
Gonzalez was driving away from the transaction in his semi-truck when law enforcement pulled him over. Gonzalez notified Gallegos by phone during the traffic stop. Officers seized his cell phone and a loaded 9mm pistol that Gonzalez also had in the truck’s cab.
Gonzalez admitted that he previously delivered boxes containing controlled substances in approximately January 2023 from California to the individual in Bluefield at the direction of Gallegos. Gonzalez admitted he received cash for that transaction that he took back to California and gave to Gallegos.
Gonzalez and Gallegos are among 32 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.
Gallegos, also known as “Alex,” “Rooster,” “G” and “Primo,” 41, of Hacienda Heights, California, pleaded guilty on June 20, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. Gonzalez and Gallegos are among 29 defendants who have pleaded guilty. Another defendant, Mark Leslie Lively, 57, of Kenna, was found guilty on July 17, 2024, by a federal jury of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Indictments against the remaining defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department..
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
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. 1:23-cr-32.
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Oklahoma Doctor Convicted after Stealing Controlled Substances from HospitalRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal jury has convicted John Nedza, 35, of Edmond, of 18 counts of obtaining a controlled substance by deceit or subterfuge, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On September 19, 2023, a federal grand jury charged Nedza with 18 counts of obtaining a controlled substance by deceit or subterfuge. On July 11, a federal jury found Dr. Nedza guilty on all counts.
Dr. Nedza worked as a contract anesthesiologist at an Oklahoma City based hospital through March 2022. Testimony presented at trial indicated that Dr. Nedza had exploited his role at the hospital to divert controlled substances, including fentanyl, ketamine, dilaudid, and midazolam, over a long period of time. Evidence presented at trial proved that, on at least six different occasions in early March 2022, Dr. Nedza pulled out large amounts of controlled substances by claiming the drugs were for patient surgeries. However, Dr. Nedza was not scheduled to perform—and did not perform—those surgeries. Instead, he claimed to dispose of the drugs, but kept them for his own personal purposes.
Following his conviction, Nedza faces up to four years in federal prison per count for a total possible sentence of 72 years in federal prison.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas B. Snyder and Elizabeth M. Bagwell are prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve 25 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – LAMMON RUSSELL BLONNER, 27, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 300 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to traffic over 46 pounds of fentanyl-laced pills, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to an affidavit in a previously filed criminal complaint, in July 2023, law enforcement intercepted a shipment of fentanyl-laced pills which was en-route to Oklahoma City. Authorities coordinated a controlled delivery with fake “fentanyl pills,” which were picked up by an individual and taken to an Oklahoma City residence. When law enforcement knocked on the door, Blonner attempted to flee out of a back window of the home before he was arrested. At the residence, law enforcement found fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, cocaine, and four firearms.
According to public record, while in custody, Blonner harassed, threatened, and lied to police officers. Public record also reflects that Blonner has a previous felony conviction for robbery with a dangerous weapon in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2013-7880. Blonner had been out of prison less than a year when he was arrested in this case.
On August 16, 2023, a federal grand jury returned an eight-count Indictment against Blonner, charging him with drug conspiracy, possession of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of firearms, maintaining a drug-involved premises, and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute where a minor is present.
On October 5, 2023, Blonner pleaded guilty to Counts 1 & 6 of the Indictment, and admitted to conspiring with others to distribute fentanyl, and to possessing a firearm despite his previous felony conviction.
At the sentencing hearing on July 18, 2024, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Blonner to serve 300 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, Judge Dishman noted Blonner’s serious criminal history and the fact that he began trafficking fentanyl less than one year after his release from state prison.
This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Leverett prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve 15 Years in Federal Prison following Two Armed Robberies in Two DaysRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – ZACHARY SCOTT, JR., 33, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 180 months in federal prison for carrying out two armed robberies, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On October 3, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a three-count Indictment against Scott, charging him with two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. According to public record, in August 2023, Scott attempted two armed robberies in the span of two days. In both robberies, Scott threatened employees with his firearm, telling one such employee he would kill them if they didn’t give him cash from the register. Scott was arrested by Oklahoma City Police on August 16, 2023, and officers located a loaded handgun in the vehicle he was driving.
On December 1, 2023, Scott pleaded guilty to the two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, and admitted he carried out the robberies by force using a firearm.
At the sentencing hearing on July 16, 2024, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Scott to serve 180 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, Judge Dishman noted that Scott had committed the robberies just a couple months after discharging a sentence for similar offenses of robbery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and kidnapping in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-14-8050.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Gridley prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
New York Man Convicted of Traveling to have Sex with Minor, Production of Child Pornography, and Other ChargesRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A New York man was found guilty today on charges stemming from his travel to have sex with a 13-year old New Jersey resident and his production and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Zachary Williams, 37, of New York, was convicted of two counts of interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, production of and possession of child pornography, and coercion and enticement of a minor, following a 13-day trial before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
In September 2020, Williams met the minor via Snapchat. He lied about his age, telling the victim that he was 17 years old, when he was in fact 33 years old. Williams asked the victim for nude photographs of the victim, after receiving them, began to “sextort” the minor by threatening to send the nude photographs to the minor’s friends and family. He ultimately convinced the minor to meet him at a hotel in Atlantic County, New Jersey, and agreed to allow the victim to delete the nude photographs from his phone. On Oct. 2, 2020, Williams traveled to a hotel in Atlantic County and, two days later, engaged in sexual intercourse with the minor in his hotel room. Afterward, despite his earlier promises, Williams continued to send messages to the minor threatening to expose the minor’s nude photographs.
Law enforcement officers arrested Williams in March 2021 in a sting operation through which they lured him to the same Atlantic County hotel by posing as the minor victim. Williams’ phone contained numerous images of child pornography, which have led to the identification of additional child victims in both the Eastern District of New York and the District of Connecticut, where additional charges remain pending against Williams.
Williams faces a maximum of 30 years in prison on each of the two counts of interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years on the production of child pornography, a maximum of 20 years on the possession of child pornography, and a maximum of 10 years on the coercion and enticement of a minor. In addition, Williams faces a $250,000 fine, mandatory restitution to the victims, and lifetime supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 4, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; and officers from the Galloway Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Richard D. Barber, and also recognizes the efforts of the Atlantic City Police Department under the direction of Chief James Sarkos and the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Prosecutor William Reynolds, with the investigation leading to today’s conviction.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diana Vondra Carrig and Patrick C. Askin of the Criminal Division, Camden.
New York Man Admits Role in KidnappingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Queens, New York, man today admitted his role in a Paterson, New Jersey, kidnapping, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Reginald Law, 38, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court to an indictment charging him with kidnapping and Hobbs Act robbery.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Oct. 8, 2020, Law and his conspirator, Maurice Cottman, entered a retail store in Paterson, where they accosted the victim, who was working in the store. Law and Cottman dragged the victim from the store, threw him into the back of a U-Haul truck, and drove him from Paterson to New York. The victim suffered serious bodily injury from the kidnapping. Law admitted that during the kidnapping, he and Cottman called the victim’s family, told them that he had the victim, and demanded ransom for his return.
That afternoon, law enforcement officers saw the U-Haul parked in Harlem, New York. When the officers approached, Law and Cottman fled in the U-Haul and a motor-vehicle pursuit ensued. Law and Cottman crashed the U-Haul and tried to flee on foot. Officers apprehended Cottman, but Law got away. Officers retrieved the victim from the back of the U-Haul. Law was a fugitive until his arrest on May 26, 2021.
The kidnapping charged in Count One is punishable by a maximum penalty of life in prison. The Hobbs Act robbery charged in Count Two is punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Both are also punishable by a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross loss or gain, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 7, 2025.
Cottman previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to an Information charging him with one count of kidnapping. On March 29, 2022, Judge Chesler sentenced Cottman to 15 years in prison with five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. He also thanked the FBI New York Field Office and the Paterson Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae D. Gray of the Economic Crimes Unit.
law.indictment.pdfNew Orleans Man Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – WILL WILLIS (“WILLIS“), age 34, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on July 18, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe for violating the Federal Gun Control Act, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court records, in June 2023, the New Orleans Police Department conducted video surveillance in New Orleans, when an officer saw WILLIS with a bulge in his waistband consistent with a firearm. When police officers responded, WILLIS and another individual, ran. WILLIS attempted to discard his gun, but it discharged. After police arrested WILLIS, they found two handguns, a Glock Model 27, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun and a nine-millimeter handgun, along with one spent shell casing, in his flight path. WILLIS admitted to possessing one of the guns, after having been convicted of four prior felony offenses.
Judge Ashe sentenced WILLIS to 46 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release after imprisonment. Judge Ashe also ordered WILLIS to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller, Senior Litigation Counsel and PSN Coordinator.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a MachinegunRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – XAVION WATTS (“WATTS”), age 21, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty on July 17, 2024, before United States District Judge Lance M. Africk to Possession of a Machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o).
The Possession of a Machinegun charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. Judge Africk scheduled sentencing for October 30, 2024.
Court documents reveal that on October 29, 2022, NOPD patrol officers on foot patrol in the 400 block of Bourbon Street saw a pistol handle shaped object resembling a concealed firearm, protruding from under WATTS’s shirt. When officers approached WATTS, he fled on foot but was apprehended. Officers recovered the firearm/machine gun, specifically, a Glock Model 17, nine-millimeter, with a fully automatic switch, that had fallen out of his waistband during arrest. The firearm was loaded with one live round in the chamber and twenty-one live rounds in the extended magazine. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agents tested the pistol and found it functioned as a fully automatic machine gun, due to the Glock conversion device it contained.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Miller of the Narcotics Unit is assigned the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Indicted for Federal Drug and Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DJOHN BRYANT (“BRYANT”), age 31, of New Orleans, was indicted on July 19, 2024 for violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts.
BRYANT is charged in Count 1 of the indictment with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone, tapentadol, and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D). He is charged in Count 2 with possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i) and he is charged in Count 3 with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).
As to Count 1, BRYANT faces up to twenty years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. As to Count 2, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life in prison, which is to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. As to Count 3, he faces up to fifteen years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
According to court documents, on or about February 4, 2024, BRYANT possessed with the intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone, tapentadol, and marijuana within the Eastern District of Louisiana. BRYANT also illegally possessed a Glock Model 27, .40 caliber handgun and ammunition, in furtherance of his possession with intent to distribute those drugs. As a previously convicted felon, BRYANT was prohibited from possessing the firearm and ammunition.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney James Ollinger of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Charged with Violating Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DENZEL LEE (“LEE”), age 34, from New Orleans, was indicted on July 19, 2024 for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8) in May of 2024. LEE had previously been convicted of three felonies.
If convicted, LEE faces a maximum sentence of fifteen (15) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, a term of supervised release for up to three years, and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee.
According to court documents, on or about May 5, 2024, LEE illegally possessed a Mossberg & Sons Model MC2SC, nine-millimeter caliber semi-automatic handgun. Due to his criminal history, LEE knew that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm. LEE’s criminal history included a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.