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19 July 2024
Man Pleads Guilty to Shooting at Louisville, Kentucky, MayorRead the Press Release
A Kentucky man pleaded guilty today to firing gun shots at current Louisville, Kentucky, Mayor Craig Greenberg during Greenberg’s 2022 campaign.
According to court documents, on the morning of Feb. 14, 2022, Quintez Brown, 23, of Louisville, walked into Greenberg’s campaign office, where Greenberg was having a meeting with four staffers. Brown fired multiple shots at Greenberg before staffers were able to close and barricade the door. Brown was apprehended several blocks from the shooting, carrying the firearm that he had used in the shooting in a backpack. As part of his guilty plea, Brown admitted that he shot at Greenberg because Greenberg was running for mayor.
Brown pleaded guilty to interfering with a federally protected activity and using and discharging a firearm in relation with a crime of violence. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 21. If the court accepts the terms of the plea agreement, Brown faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 18 years and one month in prison. 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; U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky; Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF) Louisville Division made the announcement.
The FBI Louisville Field Office, ATF Louisville Division, and Louisville Metro Police Department investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Alexander Gottfried of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Gregory for the Western District of Kentucky are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Barry Disney of the Criminal Division’s Mental Health Litigation Unit.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys' Offices throughout the country. The task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun.
The task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General memo.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
Man Pleads Guilty to Shooting at Louisville, Kentucky, MayorRead the Press Release
A Kentucky man pleaded guilty today to firing gun shots at current Louisville, Kentucky, Mayor Craig Greenberg during Greenberg’s 2022 campaign.
According to court documents, on the morning of Feb. 14, 2022, Quintez Brown, 23, of Louisville, walked into Greenberg’s campaign office, where Greenberg was having a meeting with four staffers. Brown fired multiple shots at Greenberg before staffers were able to close and barricade the door. Brown was apprehended several blocks from the shooting, carrying the firearm that he had used in the shooting in a backpack. As part of his guilty plea, Brown admitted that he shot at Greenberg because Greenberg was running for mayor.
Brown pleaded guilty to interfering with a federally protected activity and using and discharging a firearm in relation with a crime of violence. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 21. If the court accepts the terms of the plea agreement, Brown faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 18 years and one month in prison. 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; U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky; Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF) Louisville Division made the announcement.
The FBI Louisville Field Office, ATF Louisville Division, and Louisville Metro Police Department investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Alexander Gottfried of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Gregory for the Western District of Kentucky are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Barry Disney of the Criminal Division’s Mental Health Litigation Unit.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys' Offices throughout the country. The task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun.
The task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General memo.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
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Leaders of Methamphetamine Ring Each Receive 200-Month Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—The two leaders of a large-scale methamphetamine organization have been sentenced to a combined 400 months in federal prison. Adan Mendoza, 36, of Dallas, Texas, and Brian I. Wilson, 37, of Little Rock, each received 200-month prison sentences — which equals 16 years, 8 months — from United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr. Judge Moody sentenced Mendoza today, and Wilson on July 12, 2024. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentences.
Wilson and Mendoza were the two lead defendants in a 20-count, nine-defendant indictment that was returned by a federal grand jury on September 8, 2022. Both Wilson and Mendoza pleaded guilty in March 2024 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute methamphetamine. In their plea agreements, each defendant was held responsible for distribution of between 5-15 kilograms of methamphetamine, a range which carried a 10-year minimum sentence.
In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Moody sentenced each defendant to five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
All nine defendants have pleaded guilty in the case. In addition to the sentences handed out to Wilson and Mendoza, Judge Moody sentenced David Chad Lane, 47, of North Little Rock, to 96 months in prison, and Samuel L. Johnson, 37, of Little Rock, to 65 months in prison. Judge Moody will sentence the remaining defendants at a later date.
In this case, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating a methamphetamine trafficking ring in central Arkansas in late 2021. The ring was headed locally Wilson, and supplied by Mendoza, out of Dallas. Wilson acquired methamphetamine from Mendoza in Texas and either personally transported it by car, or had associates transport it for him, to central Arkansas weekly. Wilson and others then distributed the methamphetamine to numerous people in Arkansas.
On two different occasions, the DEA used a confidential informant to purchase a kilogram of methamphetamine directly from Wilson. Also, in February 2022, the DEA seized approximately five kilograms of methamphetamine and one kilogram of cocaine from Wilson following a traffic stop when Wilson was returning from a trip to Dallas.
Mendoza is also implicated in a separate federal conspiracy in Texas that began in 2019. While DEA was conducting surveillance on Mendoza in Dallas, agents observed Wilson meeting with him. During additional surveillance operations in Dallas, DEA agents observed an associate of Wilson (co-defendant Michael Odom) arrive at Mendoza’s house in a Corvette, meet with Mendoza, and then leave with a large bag. Following a high-speed chase with police, local law enforcement eventually arrested Odom and recovered 2.8 kilograms of methamphetamine that Odom received from Mendoza.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, with assistance from the Arkansas State Police, North Little Rock Police Department, Little Rock Police Department, Lonoke Sheriff’s Office, and Arkansas Community Correction. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chris Givens.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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Leader of Lockport drug trafficking organization going to prisonRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Bruno J. Haney, II, 35, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, heroin, fentanyl, and butyryl fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 184 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that between April 2017 and March 2019, Haney organized and led a drug trafficking organization. In June 2017, the Niagara County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at Haney’s residence, during which investigators seized several bags containing butyryl fentanyl, hydrocodone, acetaminophen, and alprazolam pills, $515 in cash, and drug paraphernalia. In January 2019, Haney was arrested, and a search warrant was executed at a second residence. During that search, investigators recovered quantities of fentanyl, a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, marijuana, $978 in cash, and drug paraphernalia. In February 2019, Haney was released from custody on various conditions, which included that he not commit any offense in violation of federal, state, or local law. On March 7, 2019, another search warrant was executed at Haney’s residence, during which a bag containing a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, $373 in cash, and a digital scale were recovered.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Niagara County Drug Task Force and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff Christopher Bourke, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division, and the Lockport Police Department, under the direction of Chief Steven Abbott. Additional assistance was provided by the Niagara County and Orleans County District Attorneys Offices.
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Lake County Man Indicted for Producing Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging John Don Bannister, Jr. (30, Clermont) with two counts of production of child sex abuse material. If convicted, Bannister faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison on each count. Bannister is currently detained pending the resolution of the case.
According to the indictment, on April 26 and May 4, 2023, Bannister employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Mascotte Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Lackawanna County Man Charged with Committing over $1,500,000 in COVID-19 Pandemic FraudRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that James G. Miller, Jr., age 53, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was charged in a criminal information with wire fraud.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the information alleges that Miller and his coconspirators fraudulently obtained in excess of $1,500,000 by filing fraudulent applications for pandemic stimulus funds, including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits, Lost Wage Assistance (LWA) payments, and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. The PUA, LWA, and PPP applications allegedly submitted by Miller and his confederates were filed in the names of victims of identity theft, and bore false representations. For instance, the PUA applications contained false information about the identity theft victims’ demographics, employment statuses, and availability to work. Likewise, the PPP applications were filed on behalf of fabricated businesses, and bore false financial information and forged federal tax documentation.
The PUA program was created by the March 2020 CARES Act, as part of the United States government’s efforts to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public’s health and economic well-being. The PUA program was designed to provide unemployment benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended unemployment benefits. The LWA program was funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, pursuant to the President’s authority under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. LWA payments were designed to supplement unemployment payments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The PPP program, funded by the CARES Act, was designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP funds were offered in forgivable loans, provided that certain criteria are met, including use of the funds for employee payroll, mortgage interest, lease, and utilities expenses.
Today, James G. Miller, Jr. is being held accountable for stealing over $1.5 million from three different COVID relief funds,” said Christopher Nielsen, Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division for the Postal Inspection Service. “Congress set these funds aside to help people and businesses survive the pandemic of 2020 and 2021, not for Mr. Miller and his coconspirators’ personal profit. The Postal Inspection Service has a long history investigating fraud schemes and will continue to do so to protect the American people. I want to thank the special agents of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and Department of Labor Office of Inspector General for partnering with us on this investigation. I also want to thank the United States Attorney’s Office in Scranton, PA for supporting the investigation and prosecuting the case.”
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
"The Department of Homeland Security Inspector General, Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D, said, "Exploiting pandemic relief programs for personal enrichment is unconscionable. DHS OIG will continue to prioritize these investigations, and together with our law enforcement partners, we will hold these individuals accountable for their actions."
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalties under federal law for the charge of wire fraud is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission Extend Public Comment on Request for Information Targeting Serial Acquisitions, Roll-Up Strategies Across U.S. EconomyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are extending the deadline for the public to comment on serial acquisitions and roll-up strategies that harm competition by 60 days. The joint request for information (RFI) seeks to learn more about how corporate actors, including private equity owned businesses, become larger — and potentially dominant — through acquisitions of several smaller firms in the same or related business sectors or industries. The new deadline to submit comments is Sept. 20.
Businesses do not have to report every deal to the federal antitrust agencies, but some non-reportable deals still allow firms to amass significant control over key products, services or labor markets without government scrutiny. These types of transactions can harm competition to the detriment of consumers, workers and innovation across an entire industry or business sector.
The agencies’ RFI seeks to understand more about these deals and strategies, and invites a wide range of stakeholders including consumers, workers, businesses and others to submit their comments. Comments can be submitted via Regulations.gov. Once submitted, comments will be posted to Regulations.gov.
Jury Convicts Phoenix Man of Assault on a Federal Officer and Alien SmugglingRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Michael Leroy Witt, 55, of Phoenix, was convicted by a federal jury last week of Assault on a Federal Officer Causing Bodily Injury, Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit, and Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit. The jury also found that Witt placed human life in jeopardy during and in relation to his alien smuggling offenses.
The guilty verdicts came after a three-day trial before United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker. Witt’s sentencing is set for October 8, 2024.
On February 20, 2023, a U.S. Border Patrol agent stopped Witt near Sonoita, on suspicion that Witt was transporting undocumented noncitizens. After Witt stopped and tried to wave the agent past him, the agent approached the driver’s side window and told Witt to turn off the vehicle. Witt did not comply with the agent’s instruction so the agent attempted to turn off the engine by reaching through the window. Witt then hit the gas pedal, leaving the agent hanging from the car window. The acceleration caused the agent to be dragged alongside the vehicle as it veered into the oncoming lane of traffic. The agent was able to turn the vehicle off and bring it to a stop on the opposite side of the road. In the backseat of the vehicle, Witt had concealed two undocumented noncitizens who were being illegally transported further into the United States.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer H. Berman and Ryan P. DeJoe, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00389-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-099_Witt# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Jamestown woman sentenced on drug chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Brandi M. Whitford, 28, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of maintaining a drug-involved premises, was sentenced to time served and three years’ probation by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that between September 2019 and October 23, 2019, Whitford, and co-defendant Richard E. Kinsey Jr., used a residence on Newland Avenue in Jamestown, to manufacture, distribute, and use methamphetamine. On September 6, 2019, investigators executed a search warrant at the residence, recovering three firearms. A fourth firearm was thrown from the residence during the execution of the search warrant. Investigators also recovered methamphetamine, approximately $12,045 in cash, assorted ammunition, and drug paraphernalia.
Co-defendant Richard Kinsey was previously convicted.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division; and the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force, under the direction of Jamestown Police Chief Timothy Jackson.
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Jamestown man arrested on multiple drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Richard Pearson, 47, of Jamestown, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute acetyl fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and aiding and abetting. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, and a maximum penalty of life.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, late in the evening on June 25, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant on Newland Avenue in Jamestown, during which Pearson was present. During the search, they seized suboxone strips, $200 in cash, a digital scale, quantities of acetyl fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a firearm and ammunition. Pearson was previously convicted of three felony crimes and is legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
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 complaint is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on July 18 was:
Michael James Merzlak, 37, of Butte, on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute meth and fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Merzlak faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years to life of supervised release. Merzlak was detained pending further proceedings. The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Beaverhead County Sheriff’s Office, Butte Silver Bow Law Enforcement, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, Montana Forensic Science Division and Idaho State Police conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-19.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on July 16 was:
Kadin Hawkeye Lewis, 22, of Pray, on charges of possession of an unregistered destructive device. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lewis faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Lewis was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Park County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-143.
Kristopher Mikal Wright, 36, of Cody, Wyoming, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, assault on a federal officer, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serous crime, Wright faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release on the conspiracy charge and a mandatory minimum of five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the charge of possessing a firearm in a drug trafficking crime. Wright was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 24-93.
Jessie Craig Iverson, 37, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute meth and fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Iverson faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug charge and a mandatory minimum of five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the charge of possessing a firearm charge. Iverson was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-90.
Lindsey Whitewolf, 35, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Whitewolf faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Whitewolf was detained pending further proceedings. The U.S. Postal Inspection and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 24-34.
Jacob Charles Berger, 27, of Billings, on charges of possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a firearm while under indictment and possession of an unregistered firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Berger faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $10,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Berger was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 24-82.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Immokalee Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Javier Joel Perez (46, Immokalee) to 8 years in federal prison for possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute it, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Perez to forfeit the firearm involved in the offense. Perez entered a guilty plea on February 21, 2024.
According to court documents, during the execution of a search warrant at Perez’s residence, deputies from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office located marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine packaged for distribution in addition to a loaded firearm. Perez told deputies that the items located in his home belonged to him. Perez is a nine-time convicted felon and is therefore prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
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 out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Hendersonville Business Owner Sentenced for Bank Fraud, Wire Fraud and Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Scotty Thomas Lumley, 56, of Hendersonville, Tennessee was sentenced to serve 47 months in federal prison and to pay $1,198,833.62 in restitution earlier today, announced Henry C. Leventis, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Lumley previously pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges in 2015. The charges on which Lumley was sentenced today are based on additional federal crimes that he committed between 2015 and 2021. For example, beginning shortly after he was sentenced in 2015, Lumley kept taxes he withheld from his employees’ paychecks, rather than paying those funds over to the IRS.
Court documents also show that in 2017, in an effort to avoid a tax debt, Lumley told the IRS that the only vehicle he owned was a GMC 3500 with a negative value. In truth, however, he also owned a 2012 Ferrari 458 Spider which he sold the following year for $187,000.
In 2017 and 2018, Lumley also obtained a series of loans in connection with commercial real estate-related businesses he owned. To obtain those loans, he provided lenders with documents which falsely claimed that his personal net worth was more than $30 million, including cash-on-hand in the amount of approximately $630,000. Lumley also did not disclose that he had an outstanding tax liability of more than $119,000. In total, he tricked lenders into providing more than $3.5 million in loans. Lumley later provided one bank with additional false personal financial statements purporting to show that his net worth had risen to more than $42 million.
In November 2020, after becoming aware of a federal criminal investigation into the above conduct, Lumley flew to Morocco and did not return until he was extradited in February 2023.
While in Morocco, Lumley used a fabricated purchase order to defraud a Utah company of more than $500,000. In December 2021, a grand jury in the District of Utah charged him with wire fraud for this conduct, and that indictment was transferred to the Middle District of Tennessee for plea and sentencing.
“Today’s sentence ensures that this serial fraudster will finally be held accountable for his numerous crimes and kept far away from other potential victims,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “It is also a testament to the outstanding work and tenacity of the investigators and prosecutors who handled this case. I am particularly grateful for the assistance received by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs to secure the defendant’s extradition from Morocco.”
“Failure to remit employment taxes withheld from employee wages is a serious criminal offense. Today’s sentencing sends a message to those who scheme to conceal and reduce federal income and payroll tax liability,” said Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS CI) Charlotte Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to pursue anyone who collects these taxes and uses the funds for their own personal gain.”
The Tennessee case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor J. Phillips is prosecuting the case for the Middle District of Tennessee. The Utah case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Williams and Tyler Murray prosecuted the case for the District of Utah before it was transferred to the Middle District of Tennessee. The extradition was handled by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs with the cooperation of the Moroccan government and assistance from the U.S. Embassy in Morocco.
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Forney Man Who Used Hidden Cameras, Molested Toddler Sentenced to 120 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A Forney man who filmed himself molesting a toddler and used concealed cameras to capture nude images of preteens was sentenced Thursday to 120 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Leslie Michael Alt, 40, was indicted in September 2022 and pleaded guilty in September 2023 to two counts of production of child pornography and three counts of transportation of child pornography. He was sentenced Thursday to 1,440 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Ada Brown.According to court documents, Mr. Alt admitted to using concealed cameras to surreptitiously record sexually explicit videos of two preteen girls.
At Thursday's sentencing hearing, prosecutors noted that sexually explicit videos were found on a computer recovered from Mr. Alt’s home in late August 2022.
During a subsequent search of Mr. Alt’s residence, an FBI electronic detection canine alerted to a safe in Mr. Alt’s closet. The safe was open and appeared to be empty, but the canine insistently continued to alert on the safe. Agents removed the carpeted flooring of the safe and found SD cards and a concealed camera.
On one of the SD cards, they found videos of Mr. Alt sexually abusing a toddler.
“Seeing the images he had of my daughter as a toddler shattered me. Unable to voice she was uncomfortable, unable to communicate to me, her mother, that any of this was happening to her,” the victim’s mother testified at sentencing. “She currently does not have a conscious memory of what has happened. One day, I will have to tell her.”
One of the teenage victims also spoke, saying the news of the defendant’s crimes “shattered me.”
“My trust had been used against me, and I would never fully recover,” she said. “It makes me sick to my stomach.”
The Texas Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigations Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Grand Prairie Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit. FBI Electronics Detection Canine “Iris” played an important role in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandie Wade and Camille Sparks (ret.) prosecuted the case.
Former Slidell Resident Pleads Guilty to False Statements and Theft of over $350,000.00 in Covid-19 BenefitsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that RACQUEL PICHON (“PICHON”), age 40, formerly of Slidell, Louisiana, plead guilty on July 15, 2024 to false statements and theft of government funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1001 and 641. If convicted, PICHON faces a maximum sentence of ten (10) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of $250,000.00, or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person of the offense under Title 18, United States Code, Section 3571. In addition, PICHON faces a term of supervised release of no more than three (3) years after her release from prison, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to court documents, PICHON applied for multiple Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) loans under the business Exotica Beauty LLC (“Exotica”). PICHON was the registered agent for Exotica. On June 12, 2020, PICHON completed a Small Business Administration (SBA) backed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application for Exotica. As a result of the PPP application, on June 19, 2020, PICHON received an SBA backed PPP loan of approximately $194,642.50.
According to the indictment, on June 23, 2020, PICHON also completed and submitted an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loan application for Exotica. As a result, on June 25, 2020, PICHON received an EIDL advance grant of $10,000.00. Then, on June 29, 2020, PICHON received an EIDL loan of $149,900.00 as a business loan.
On or about July 2, through July 7, 2020, PICHON spent, in total, $8,074.00 in EIDL loan proceeds at a high-end retail store in New Orleans. On July 15, 2020, PICHON spent $921.00 in EIDL loan proceeds for tickets to an amusement park in Florida. PICHON also spent $3,303.00 in EIDL loan proceeds at an additional high-end retail store in New Orleans.
In total, PICHON received $354,542.50 in COVID-19 funds.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 15, 2024 before United States District Judge Susie Morgan.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. The Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, is an active member of the PRAC Fraud Task Force.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Department of Veteran Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, and the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of Financial Crimes Unit.
Former NOPD Officer, Member of Executive Protection Unit, Charged Federally with Wire Fraud and Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JEFFREY PAUL VAPPIE, II (“VAPPIE”), age 52, a resident of New Orleans, was indicted today on seven (7) counts of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, for perpetrating a scheme to defraud the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD). VAPPIE was additionally indicted for making false statements to agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(2).
According to the indictment, VAPPIE was a New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officer from April 1997 until his resignation in June 2024. VAPPIE was assigned to serve as a member of the Executive Protection Unit (EPU) responsible for providing personal protection for the Mayor of the City of New Orleans. At least as early as November 2021, VAPPIE and Public Official 1 developed and carried on a personal and romantic relationship. VAPPIE attempted to disguise this relationship by making his interactions with Public Official 1 appear related to VAPPIE’s duties and responsibilities as a member of EPU. In doing so, VAPPIE submitted false timecards to NOPD in which he claimed to be working when, in fact, he was engaged in personal activities, including carrying on a personal and romantic relationship with Public Official 1.
VAPPIE took other steps to further and conceal the scheme to defraud. For example, among these personal activities, VAPPIE spent substantial time inside an apartment owned by the City of New Orleans to which Public Official 1 had access. Additionally, he ate meals and consumed alcohol with Public Official 1, all while being paid to work as a member of EPU. VAPPIE also traveled on purported work-related trips with Public Official 1, paid for by the City of New Orleans. VAPPIE and Public Official 1 exchanged personal and romantic messages and photographs via an encrypted instant messaging application, to avoid detection and continue their relationship. This exchange of messages and photographs occurred as VAPPIE continued to claim only a professional relationship with Public Official 1 and continued to serve as a member of EPU. Near the conclusion of an NOPD administrative investigation into his alleged wrongdoing, VAPPIE attempted to influence the Interim Superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department into exonerating him. During an interview with FBI agents at VAPPIE’s residence on July 14, 2023, VAPPIE made several false statements, including that VAPPIE did not have, and had never had, a physical or romantic relationship with Public Official 1, that VAPPIE had never kissed Public Official 1, and that VAPPIE had never told Public Official 1 that VAPPIE loved Public Official 1.
For each count of wire fraud, VAPPIE faces up to twenty (20) years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. For the false statements count, VAPPIE faces up to five (5) years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter and expressed appreciation for the support provided by the City of New Orleans Office of Inspector General and the Metropolitan Crime Commission. Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, and Nicholas D. Moses, of the Financial Crimes Unit and Health Care Coordinator, are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Manchester Business Owner Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl and Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Manchester man was sentenced today in federal court for distribution of fentanyl and crack cocaine, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Walter Velez, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante to 48 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised released. On April 2, 2024, Velez pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution of controlled substances, namely fentanyl and crack cocaine.
In April 2023, Velez sold fentanyl and crack cocaine to a confidential informant on four occasions at his then business, Velez Alignment & Auto Services, LLC, located at 416 Lake Avenue in Manchester. The four sales totaled over 200 grams of fentanyl and over 20 grams of crack cocaine.
“The defendant distributed a significant amount of drugs from his business, which was located in a densely populated neighborhood,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Law enforcement in the Granite State remains committed to thwarting out drug dealers at every level in the supply chain to hold them accountable for selling dangerous narcotics and to eradicate drug trafficking in our neighborhoods.”
“Velez was caught selling crack cocaine and fentanyl, two deadly drugs that have caused havoc and destruction for too many families in New Hampshire. Today’s sentence puts an end to Velez’s drug dealing. HSI continues to work with our partners in New Hampshire to stop the trafficking and distribution of drugs into our communities,” said HSI New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol.
The Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Ward prosecuted the case.
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Former Kissimmee Police Officer Arrested for Knowingly Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Dariel Javier Quiles-Davila (25, Kissimmee) pursuant to a criminal complaint charging him with knowingly receiving child sex abuse material. If convicted, Quiles-Davila faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison.
According to court documents, Quiles-Davila was an officer with the Kissimmee Police Department in October 2023. At that time, Quiles-Davila met a child victim while on duty. After receiving the child victim’s contact information, Quiles-Davila began to communicate directly with the child victim, sent the child victim money, and solicited and received sexually explicit photographs and videos of the child-victim.
Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland stated, “Our Department is aware of the charges and arrest and we are cooperating fully with the Department of Justice.”
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal offense, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Nate.
This 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (“CEOS”), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Detroit Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug Charges and is Sentenced to Nine Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – On July 18, 2024, a former resident of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty in federal court to drug trafficking charges and was sentenced to nine years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Senior United States District Court Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Andrew Brent Steel, 33.
According to evidence presented during a prior hearing, federal, state, and local law enforcement operating under the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program in Beaver County conducted a joint investigation into a drug trafficking organization from Detroit, Michigan, that was distributing controlled substances in and around Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Several controlled purchase operations revealed that drug customers would call a cellular telephone to purchase drugs. After negotiating the sale, the dealer would direct customers to one of several drug runners from apartments in Ambridge or New Brighton, Pennsylvania. Law enforcement identified the members of the conspiracy through the interception of members transporting controlled substances from Detroit into Beaver County, in addition to controlled purchase operations. In total, law enforcement seized 130 grams of acetyl fentanyl, 330 grams of a fentanyl and heroin mixture, and 200 grams of cocaine base, in the form commonly known as crack. At the time of Steel’s arrest, he was found in possession of the cellular phone used in all controlled purchase operations.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Steel and his conspirators.
Federal jury convicts Rochester woman of drug related chargeRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal jury has convicted Danielle Hampton, 50, of Rochester, NY, of maintaining a drug-involved premises, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katelyn M. Hartford and Nicholas M. Testani, who handled the case, stated that in September 2021, members of the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (GRANET) began investigating the drug trafficking activities at 304 Adams Street in Rochester. During the investigation, investigators made controlled purchases of cocaine from the residence. On November 18, 2021, a search warrant was executed at the residence, during which investigators encountered Hampton inside. During the search, a loaded firearm, approximately 9 grams of crack cocaine, $571.00 in cash, and drug paraphernalia was recovered from the residence. Two children were present during the search. Hampton was taken into custody at that time.
The verdict is the result of an investigation by the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (GRANET), which includes Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 9, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr., who presided over the trial of the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Mississippi Man of Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A federal jury convicted a Harrison County man for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, George Wesley Washington, Jr., 32, was found to be in possession of over 2 kilograms of methamphetamine on March 16, 2023. Further investigation revealed that Washington had been engaged in drug trafficking activity for at least 16 months prior to the March 16th incident. Evidence related to both counts was presented to the jury, who found Washington guilty on both counts of his indictment.
Washington will be sentenced on October 24, 2024 and faces a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Meynardie and Erica Rose prosecuted the case.
Eight Members and Associates of the Zhoove Street Gang Indicted for Conspiring to Traffic Fentanyl and Cocaine, with Two of the Defendants Additionally Charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A total of twelve individuals from the Pittsburgh area have been charged with narcotics and firearms charges, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh returned a three-count Indictment naming Cody Duncan, 33, of Verona; Ronell Cathie, 30, of Pittsburgh; Melvin Gaines, 29, of Oakmont; Curtis Williams, 27, of Pittsburgh; Malik Martinez, 27, of Pittsburgh; Cayce Williams, 22, of Pittsburgh; Devaughn Faulk, 27, of Pittsburgh; and Antonio Arrington, 22, of Pittsburgh, as defendants. The Indictment was unsealed today following their arrests.
According to the Indictment, the defendants were members and associates of the Zhoove street gang that operated in and around the Allentown, Beltzhoover, Knoxville, and Mount Washington neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. From March 2024 until July 2024, the defendants allegedly participated in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, both Schedule II controlled substances. The Indictment also alleges that Arrington and Curtis Williams each possessed a 9mm handgun and ammunition after previously being convicted of a felony, in violation of federal law.
Indictments against three related defendants—Morisee Williams, 41; Syere Franklin, 24; and Charles Stephens, 60; all of Pittsburgh—were also unsealed today, charging each defendant with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Finally, Oneal Olive, 31, of Pittsburgh, was arrested this morning during execution of search warrants in this investigation and charged by criminal complaint with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. These defendants allegedly possessed a variety of firearms, including, as to Williams, an AR-style semiautomatic rifle, and, as to Stephens, a Polymer-80 privately made firearm or “ghost gun.”
“Street gangs like the so-called Zhoove gang terrorize our law-abiding neighbors who simply want to live in communities free of deadly drugs and guns,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “Today’s arrests demonstrate our ceaseless commitment to protecting the people of western Pennsylvania, and we are grateful for the hard work and dedication of our partners at the FBI who stand shoulder to shoulder with us every day.”
“Armed traffickers who funnel this poison into our neighborhoods act with utter disregard for human life, and today’s arrests should send a clear message there are serious consequences for this illegal activity,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will remain relentless in our efforts to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who are a danger to our communities.”
The drug-trafficking conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. The felon-in-possession charges carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of each defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine C. Jordan and Kelly M. Locher are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
An indictment or complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Dixie County Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing 12 Pounds of Methamphetamine with the Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Stephen Godbolt (50, Cross City) has pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) with the intent to distribute it. Godbolt faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 13, 2024.
According to court documents, on January 31, 2024, Godbolt sold three pounds of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. After the transaction, Godbolt was stopped by law enforcement in Dixie County. A search of his vehicle revealed approximately nine additional pounds of methamphetamine, all of which was intended for distribution.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team (UDEST), and the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
Court Sentences Two California Men Caught with Approximately Five Kilograms of Fentanyl to 70 Months ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – On June 17, 2024, United States District Court Judge, Jeffrey U. Beaverstock sentenced Zeshan Malik Fayyaz and Lener Daneski Jairon-Solis, each to 70 months imprisonment each for Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
Documents filed with the Court established that on October 8, 2022 a cooperating source, along with a Mobile County Sheriff's Deputy, acting in an undercover capacity, agreed to meet the two defendants in Mobile County to purchase 2 kilograms of fentanyl for $38,000 per kilogram. When the men arrived at the meet location, Jairon-Solis got out of the vehicle and went into the back seat of the vehicle and opened a suitcase and removed two kilograms of fentanyl in exchange for the cash. Law enforcement had arranged the cash to appear to contain $76,000 by putting $100 bills on the outside and mostly $1 bills on the inside, but in fact it was less than $10,000.
During the operation law enforcement observed what appeared to be more drugs in the suitcase. The vehicle was followed from the location and later stopped by law enforcement and officers recovered an additional three kilograms of fentanyl from the vehicle as well as the undercover buy money. The defendants were planning to deliver the additional three kilograms to Pensacola, Florida.
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello commended the investigators for their hard work and dedication in removing 5 kilograms of the deadly drug fentanyl from the community. Costello added that 2 milligrams of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose and thus this seizure surely saved many lives given the fentanyl overdose epidemic facing the nation. The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.
Court Sentences Moss Point Woman Caught with Approximately Ten Pounds of Methamphetamine to 87 Months ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – On June 17, 2024, United States District Court Judge, Jeffrey U. Beaverstock sentenced Christian Ikenya Amir Lewis to 87 months imprisonment for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 4 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Documents filed with the Court established that on January 22, 2020, officers with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force stopped a vehicle being by Lewis on Interstate 65 in Baldwin County. Pursuant to further investigation a canine gave a positive alert on the vehicle Lewis was driving. Inside the trunk of the vehicle officers found almost ten pounds of pure methamphetamine in a hidden compartment in a large speaker box.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys George F. May and John P. Hutchins III.
Court Sentences Colombian Drug Smuggler Caught with 1,550 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Colombian national was sentenced on July 17, 2024 to 65 months in prison for smuggling 1,550 kilograms of cocaine in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Edgar Parades Sanchez, pled guilty to the drug smuggling offense.
Documents filed with the court in connection with his guilty plea established that on November 7, 2023 while on routine patrol in the eastern Pacific Ocean, a marine patrol aircraft located a target of interest Go Fast Vessel (GFV) approximately 105 nautical miles south of Panama. United States Coast Guard Cutter Waesche was patrolling nearby and diverted to intercept the vessel.
The cutter Waesche launched its small boats and a helicopter to investigate. When the helicopter arrived on scene, the vessel went dead in the water. The small boats launched from cutter arrived on the scene and a team began boarding the GFV. The boarding team encountered four people on board the vessel, including Edgar Parades Sanchez. The GFV had no physical flag flown, no homeport on the hull, no registration numbers on the hull and no name on the hull. The master of the vessel made a claim of Costa Rican nationality for the vessel. The country of Costa Rica was contacted and Costa Rica could neither confirm nor deny the nationality of the vessel. The vessel was thus considered a Vessel Without Nationality under United States law.
The four people on board the vessel and the cocaine found on the GFV were removed to the USCG Cutter Waesche. The vessel was sunk by the Coast Guard due to it being a hazard to navigation due to its distance from land, the fact that there were no suitable tow points, no navigational lights, and there was excessive fuel onboard. The final at sea weight of the cocaine was 1,550 kilograms. The wholesale value of the cocaine seized in this case is conservatively valued at approximately 46 million dollars.
The three people on board the GFV with Sanchez were Abelardo Castellon, Jorge Escobar Mejia and Kainor Antoinio Nicolas Castellon. The three other drug smugglers were previously sentenced by the court.
The case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard, and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.
Coconut Creek Man Charged with Robbing Boca Raton and Delray Beach BanksRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On July 18, 2024, the United States charged Courtney Mallory, 44 years of age, from Coconut Creek, Florida with the commission of two bank robberies: one occurring on June 5, 2024, at a Boca Raton Truist bank; and another occurring on July 12, 2024, at a Delray Beach Bank of America.
According to allegations in the filed criminal complaint, on June 5, 2024, at approximately 9:30 a.m., Mallory is alleged to have entered the Truist Bank on State Road 441, Boca Raton, Florida, brandishing what appeared to be a firearm and wearing a mask. Mallory demanded money from the bank employees, forcing bank tellers to take him to the vault. Mallory fled with thousands of dollars of U.S. currency, in a dark blue Nissan.
On July 12, 2024, Mallory is alleged to have committed a second bank robbery. On this date, Mallory entered the Bank of America on Jog Road in Delray Beach, Florida. Once again, Mallory was wearing a mask and brandishing what appeared to be a firearm. Mallory once again escaped with thousands of dollars in US currency again in a dark blue Nissan.
On July 17, 2024, FBI agents arrested Mallory at his Coconut Creek residence. At that location, and during a separate search of his dark blue Nissan, agents recovered the clothing and backpack Mallory wore during the robbery, a black pellet gun, and thousands of dollars in US currency, some of which were wrapped in Truist Bank and Bank of America bank bands.
Mallory appeared in West Palm Beach Federal Court on Thursday, July 18, 2024, for his initial hearing. He is scheduled for a pretrial detention hearing on July 25, 2024, at 10:00 A.M. before a United States Magistrate Judge in West Palm Beach, Florida.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Veltri and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/ or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-mj-8347.
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Cedar Park Man Sentenced for Dealing Firearms Without a License, Making False Statement to ATFRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A Cedar Park man was sentenced in federal court in Austin to imprisonment for one year and one day, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for dealing in firearms without a license and making a false statement to ATF agents. The court also ordered forfeiture of 32 firearms.
According to court documents, Andrew Darley Pennington, 40, frequently used a gun broker website to advertise firearms shortly after he had purchased them. On Dec. 2, 2021, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed a search warrant, seizing 32 firearms and approximately 18,430 rounds of ammunition from Pennington’s home. In the seven months prior to the search, Pennington had purchased more than 200 firearms.
At the time of the search, Pennington agreed to be interviewed by investigators. When asked by an ATF agent if he had shipped any firearms, Pennington falsely stated that he had not done so since 2016. In fact, he had shipped firearms to California and Nevada on a number of occasions during 2021.
“Federal law forbids anyone who is not properly licensed from engaging in the business of dealing in firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Dealing in firearms without a license is a serious, dangerous crime that our partners at ATF regularly investigate, and this office will prosecute.”
“Firearms dealing without licensing is a form of firearms trafficking which is a top investigative priority for ATF,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel for the ATF Houston Division. “We will continue to leverage both human resources and crime gun intelligence to tackle the issue. We know that these types of firearms contribute to the violence in our communities, and we will continue leveraging the partnerships that law enforcement has to address the dangerous and illicit activity of firearms trafficking.”
ATF investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Castillo and Alan Buie prosecuted the case.
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Casper man arraigned for transportation of a minor, pleads not guiltyRead the Press Release
James Warren Martin, 38, of Casper, Wyoming, was arraigned on July 19, for transportation of a minor, in violation of federal law. Martin pleaded not guilty. A trial has been set for Sept. 23, 2024, before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl.
The State of Wyoming has also charged Martin with 17 felonies, including numerous allegations of sexual assault of a minor and sexual exploitation of children. These counts stem from assaults allegedly perpetrated upon the same victim as in this case. As indicated by a notice filed by the Natrona County District Attorney’s office in the state case, the state and federal prosecutions are proceeding in tandem.
If convicted, Martin faces 10 years to life imprisonment with five years to life of supervised release and up to a $5,000 assessment for Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the FBI, Casper Police Department and the La Paz County Arizona Sheriff’s Office. The case is being federally prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 23-CR-00005
Boston Man Arrested for Possession of MachinegunRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was arrested today for unlawful possession of a machinegun.
James Thelwell-Mullen, 31, has been charged with one count of unlawful possession of a machinegun. Thelwell-Mullen made his initial appearance in federal court today and was ordered detained pending a hearing on Tuesday, July 23, 2024.
According to the indictment, on or around April 28, 2023, Thelwell-Mullen unlawfully possessed a machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch” – a device designed to enable a Glock semi-automatic pistol to fire automatically.
The charging statute 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 other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Major Crimes Unit.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Boston Children's Hospital Anesthesiologist Arrested for Possession and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist fellow at Boston Children’s Hospital has been arrested and charged in federal court in Boston with possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material.
Christopher Sheerer, 35, of Boston, has been charged with one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Sheerer made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston today and was detained pending a hearing on Tuesday, July 23, 2024.
According to the charging documents, Sheerer is currently a fellow in pediatric cardiac anesthesiology at Boston Children’s Hospital and was previously a fellow in pediatric anesthesiology at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. A federal investigation began in Baltimore into a member of a group on an encrypted messaging app that required users to upload nude imagery of children known to them. According to court documents, Sheerer was later identified as that user. Sheerer allegedly uploaded imagery of a child known to him to gain admission to that group.
Following a search last night at Sheerer’s residence in Boston, multiple chats were discovered on Sheerer’s phone, several of which allegedly contained pictures and videos appearing to be child pornography involving children as young as infants. A number of devices, including his phone, a tablet, and computers, were seized and are pending forensic analysis.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.
The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime 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 Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Districts of Maryland and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; Homeland Security Investigations in Baltimore and Harrisburg; and the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anne Paruti and Jessica Soto of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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.
Berkeley County Man Admits to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Beau Thomas Shores, 42, of Bunker Hill, West Virginia, has admitted to the receipt of child pornography.
According to court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported suspicious activity on a cell phone to law enforcement. The investigation led to Shores and a search of his home, phones, and computers. Officers found thousands of images and videos depicting child pornography, some with children as young as 3 years old.
Shores faces at least 5 and up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
This case was investigated by personnel from the FBI and the Ranson Police Department assigned to the West Virginia Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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 Justice.gov/PSC.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
3 Gang Members Sentenced to Decades in Federal Prison for Their Roles in the Robbery and Fatal Shooting of Off-Duty LAPD OfficerRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Three members of a South Los Angeles street gang each were sentenced today to decades in prison for their roles in the robbery and fatal shooting in 2022 of Los Angeles Police Officer Fernando Arroyos.
In separate hearings today, United States District Judge Percy Anderson sentenced Luis Alfredo de la Rosa Rios, 30, a.k.a. “Lil J” and “Lil Malo,” to 50 years in federal prison and ordered him to pay $31,204.07 in restitution. Judge Anderson also sentenced Ernesto Cisneros, 25, a.k.a. “Gonzo” and “Spooky,” to 50 years in federal prison and ordered him to pay $28,604.07 in restitution. Finally, Jesse Contreras, 36, a.k.a. “Skinny Jack” and “Flaco,” was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison and ordered him to pay $31,204.07 in restitution.
At today’s hearing, Judge Anderson said, “The senseless loss of life is all too frequent in our community. It is literally ripping apart the fabric of our society. The sentence imposed today must send a message, not only to this defendant but to everyone, that if you choose to endanger our community by murdering, robbing, and trafficking in narcotics, there will be significant consequences.”
Rios, Contreras, and Cisneros – all members of the South Los Angeles-based Florencia 13 (F13) street gang – pleaded guilty in July 2023 to one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
“Gangs bring death and destruction, most often upon the very communities they claim to represent,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “These defendants coldly and callously murdered an innocent man who grew up in our community and returned home to give back to the city he loved. I hope the major sentences we announce today bring some degree of solace to Officer Arroyos’ family, friends, and colleagues. My office will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and prosecute gang violence.”
“Fernando Arroyos should be with us today, helping to protect a city he was ready and willing to give his life for. Yet he died in a way none of us could have imagined” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “With Officer Arroyos’ senseless killing, we lost a protector, and most importantly, his family lost someone who meant the whole world to them. The sentences handed down today are just and reinforce our commitment to ensuring public safety and holding those who terrorize our communities accountable.”
“Gang violence tears at the very fabric of our communities, causing immeasurable harm and suffering,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. “Today's sentencing sends a clear message that acts of violence, especially against our dedicated law enforcement officers, will be met with the full force of justice. Officer Arroyos had a promising life ahead of him and chose to serve the community where he was raised, and we will forever remember his commitment and sacrifice. We are grateful for our local and federal partners' collaborative efforts in bringing these brazen criminals to justice and preventing them from preying on others in our communities.”
On the night of January 10, 2022, the defendants were driving in Rios’ truck around F13’s “territory” in the Florence-Firestone area of South Los Angeles, looking for people to rob. The defendants decided to rob Officer Arroyos because he was wearing gold chains around his neck. Arroyos was accompanied by his girlfriend – another victim who is identified in court documents as “A.M.” Contreras handed Rios a loaded gun. Cisneros, who accompanied Rios and Contreras in Rios’s truck, already possessed a loaded gun. Rios and Cisneros, both armed, then exited Rios’ truck.
Cisneros approached the off-duty officer, patted him down, and then took his chains and wallet, which contained Arroyos’ LAPD identification card. Rios approached A.M., patted her down and stole her property.
After robbing Arroyos, Rios and Cisneros opened fire. Arroyos was struck by a single bullet, which killed him.
Earlier the same day, Rios and Contreras committed armed robberies against two victims outside a bar within F13’s “territory” in the Florence-Firestone area.
Haylee Marie Grisham, 21, an F13 associate who was Rios’ girlfriend, pleaded guilty in April 2023 to one count of violent crime in aid of racketeering for participating in the fatal robbery of Arroyos. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 9, at which time she will face a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The FBI and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter. The Los Angeles Police Department provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Kathy Yu, Chief of Ethics and Post-Conviction Review, and Christopher C. Kendall of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section are prosecuting this case.
This case 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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
20-Year Prison Sentence Handed Down for Fourth of July MurderRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Brandon Smith, 38, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for the July 4, 2023, death of 43-year old Charles Stanton, of Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department. In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo ordered five years of supervised release and ordered him to register as a gun offender.
Smith pleaded guilty to second degree murder while armed on February 4, 2024. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 4:28 p.m. on July 4, 2023, police received a 911 call for a shooting in the unit bloc of Patterson Street, Northeast, Washington, D.C. Officers arrived to find Mr. Stanton lying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds to the body. He was unconscious and not breathing. Despite all lifesaving efforts, Mr. Stanton succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 4:40pm. It was later determined he had sustained at least 13 gunshot wounds.
During the course of the investigation, detectives viewed video surveillance footage from locations near and around the crime scene that captured the defendant’s car in the unit block of Patterson Street, NE, prior to the shooting. At the time, the victim was sitting on a bicycle on the north side of the street interacting with someone in another vehicle. The video captured Mr. Stanton riding away from that vehicle and toward the defendant's car. A short time later, the defendant exited his car where he engaged the decedent in a conversation. After a few minutes of conversation, the defendant retrieved a handgun from his pants, moved a few steps toward Mr. Stanton and, as Mr. Stanton attempted to leave on the bicycle, extended his right arm toward Mr. Stanton. The surveillance video captured Mr. Stanton falling from the bicycle, to the ground, and never getting back up. The defendant walked toward Mr. Stanton and continued to shoot the victim who remained helpless and defenseless on the ground. No weapons were found on the decedent’s person or near his body. The defendant then reentered his vehicle and left the scene.
In reviewing the surveillance video, detectives were able to retrieve the license plate number on the defendant’s car which ultimately led to his identification and arrest.
This case was investigated by the MPD’s Homicide Branch. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nebiyu Feleke.
18 July 2024
Woman Who Threw over 13 Pounds of Methamphetamine from Car Sentenced to over 22 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who trafficked methamphetamine was sentenced today to 270 months in federal prison for possessing large quantities of methamphetamine.
Victoria Kay Oestereich, age 32, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 23, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance after a prior conviction for a serious drug felony.
In 2023, Oestereich was traffic stopped by police in Waterloo, Iowa, while returning from her drug supplier in Des Moines, Iowa. When police tried to stop the car, the driver, Daniel Chisum, sped off, and Oestereich, a passenger in the car, threw over 13 pounds of methamphetamine from the car window. At the time of the traffic stop, Oestereich had over $11,000 of drug proceeds on her person and was on probation for a prior drug trafficking conviction. Oestereich sourced other large drug suppliers in the Iowa Falls and Waterloo area with methamphetamine.
Oestereich was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Oestereich was sentenced to 270 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Oestereich is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tri‑County Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Black Hawk County Sherriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 23-CR-2071.
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Woman Admits Multimillion-Dollar COVID-19 Relief Program Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A North Carolina woman admitted conspiring to submit fraudulent applications leading to the issuance of 29 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling more than $3.5 million, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Lisa Smith, 61, of Cornelius, North Carolina, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams in Camden federal court on July 17, 2024, to an information charging her with one count of bank fraud conspiracy.
According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in court:
In early 2021, Smith submitted PPP loan applications for two companies that she controlled. The applications included fake bank statements and fake IRS tax forms, and significantly overstated the companies’ number of employees and payroll expenses. Smith obtained $125,000 in PPP loans based on these fraudulent applications. Smith and her conspirators recruited individuals who owned companies with little or no operations to apply for PPP loans. Smith helped the recruited individuals submit PPP loan applications that contained fake bank statements and fake IRS tax forms, and that contained materially false representations about the companies’ number of employees and payroll expenses. Based on these fraudulent PPP loan applications, more than 25 PPP loans totaling more than $3.5 million were approved and funded. Smith received a percentage of the loan proceeds as compensation for her role.
The count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud is punishable by a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 21, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of the Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca; special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs in Philadelphia; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Boston-New York Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley Parker; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman and Jason M. Richardson, Attorney in Charge of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Camden Office.
smith.information.pdfWilson man pleads guilty to drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Kevin S. Wise, Jr., 34, of Wilson, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, being a user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms, and being a felon in possession of firearms, was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that on September 6, 2020, Wise was arrested following a traffic stop on a domestic complaint for two counts of Aggravated Harassment. Subsequently, a search warrant was executed at his two residences on Youngstown Road in Wilson, including vehicles located on the properties. During the searches, investigators recovered 23 firearms, 18,446 rounds of ammunition, ammunition, firearms parts, approximately 374 grams of marijuana, a quantity of MDA, psilocybin mushrooms, two digital scales, and $2,717.00 in U.S. currency. Law enforcement also located 11 marijuana plants and observed multiple trail cameras positioned throughout the back yard, woods, and location of the marijuana plants. Wise admits that, at the time of his possession of the firearms, he was an unlawful user of marijuana and methamphetamine.
On August 1, 2022, investigators executed another search warrant at one of Wise’s Youngstown Road residences in Wilson. Wise was on federal pre-trial release at the time of the search. During the search, law enforcement recovered seven additional firearms, approximately 3,692 rounds of ammunition, numerous firearms parts and accessories, drug paraphernalia and suspected marijuana and THC products. Wise was convicted of a felony in Niagara County in October 2014 and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
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 sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division; and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
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Whitefish doctor admits defrauding Medicare and other federal health programsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Whitefish physician accused in connection with alleged schemes to defraud government health programs admitted on Wednesday to falsely billing Medicare and other health programs in a telemedicine scheme that resulted in more than $39 million in false billing, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said today.
The defendant, Ronald David Dean, 64, had an initial appearance and pleaded guilty to an information filed on June 24 charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The charges are part of the Justice Department’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action. Dean faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Dec. 4. Dean’s release was continued pending further proceedings.
A plea agreement filed in the case calls for Dean to pay at least $780,509 restitution.
The government alleged in court documents that Dean, a licensed physician, was paid by a telemedicine company to sign orders for durable medical equipment that patients did not need. Dean then fraudulently charged Medicare, CHAMPVA and the Railroad Retirement Board programs for telemedicine office visits that did not occur. The telemedicine company also used Dean’s information to prescribe unneeded and unnecessary covid tests to patients. The conspiracy ran from about January 2022 until July 2023. In total, Dean’s orders resulted in false billing to government health care programs of more than $39 million.
The case was part of a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 193 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.75 billion in alleged false billings. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets, and the Government, in connection with the enforcement action, seized over $231 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold, and other assets.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana worked with the Department’s Criminal Division and the following law enforcement organizations to investigate and prosecute the case filed during the enforcement period: the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG), Railroad Retirement Board Office of Inspector General and FBI.
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Virginia Man Sentenced for Selling Ghost Guns in West VirginiaRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Brandon Michael Reckert, 30, of Purcellville, Virginia, was sentenced to 70 months for possessing and selling privately manufactured and unregistered firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Reckert was advertising and selling privately manufactured firearms, also known as ghost guns, on social media. Reckert’s home and vehicle were searched, where officers found multiple firearms, firearms parts, ammunition., and tools believed to be used in the manufacturing of the ghost guns.
Reckert was ordered to forfeit dozens of firearms, firearms parts, rounds of ammunition, and tools.
Reckert will serve three years of supervised release once released from prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police; the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; and the Loudon County, Virginia, Sheriff’s Office investigated.
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.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Vallejo Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Federal Agents with a Firearm and VehicleRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sean Thomas Delapp, 37, of Vallejo, pleaded guilty today to assaulting federal officers with a deadly weapon, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Delapp assaulted two FBI special agents by pursuing them with his car, pulling up alongside them, and aiming a firearm at them through the window, making a recoil motion with the firearm. A subsequent search warrant at his residence resulted in the discovery of a Glock 29 firearm, ammunition, and various firearm parts. Delapp is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he was previously convicted of a felony evasion offense.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Delapp is scheduled to be sentenced on October 31, 2024. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
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 U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation into Fatal Police Shooting of Clifford BrooksRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer for his role in a January 24, 2024, fatal shooting of 41-year-old Clifford Brooks, of Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the MPD Internal Affairs Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident. This included a review of physical evidence, surveillance video footage, body-worn camera footage, audio and visual recordings from an ambulance, witness accounts, autopsy records, and MPD reports.
The evidence shows that early on the morning of January 24, 2024, an on-duty MPD officer encountered Mr. Brooks outside of a 7-Eleven on Benning Road, Northeast. The officer requested that an MPD Crisis Intervention Officer (CIO) be sent to the scene. MPD Officer Claude Jackson, a trained CIO, arrived at around 6:45 a.m., and observed indicators that Mr. Brooks was experiencing a mental health crisis. Officer Jackson stayed on the scene with Mr. Brooks for roughly an hour before Mr. Brooks ran out of the back of the 7-Eleven. Officers found Mr. Brooks hiding in a shed behind a nearby home. Officer Jackson requested assistance and assembled officers to extricate Mr. Brooks. A group of MPD officers removed Mr. Brooks from the shed with minimal force at roughly 8:30 a.m. Mr. Brooks, who remained conscious but largely non-responsive and in an altered mental state, was placed next to a police car. Firefighters with the District’s Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department arrived in an ambulance to transport Mr. Brooks for medical attention.
The ambulance drove towards the District’s Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in Northwest. MPD officers, including Officer Jackson, followed behind the ambulance. While the ambulance was driving on North Capitol Street, NW, Mr. Brooks, who was not handcuffed, began attacking the firefighter seated in the back of the ambulance with him. When the ambulance stopped, Mr. Brooks pushed the firefighter out of the ambulance. The trailing MPD officers got out of their cruisers and approached Mr. Brooks. Mr. Brooks tried to grab the first responding officer’s upper body. Officer Jackson then approached Mr. Brooks and deployed his Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) spray. The spray struck Mr. Brooks but did not debilitate him. Mr. Brooks then fled into oncoming traffic on North Capitol Street.
As he fled, Mr. Brooks pulled at the doors of some of the cars that were slowly driving by. Officer Jackson and two other officers pursued him on foot. Mr. Brooks hid under a box truck that was idling in the traffic. The officers surrounded the truck and ordered the driver not to move and to turn the vehicle off. After a few moments, Mr. Brooks picked up a metal object that was on the ground next to the truck. The officers told Mr. Brooks to “drop it.” Mr. Brooks charged at Officer Jackson with the metal object in his right hand. Officer Jackson said that Mr. Brooks had a knife and ordered him to “drop it” two more times. Officer Jackson backtracked with his firearm out. As Mr. Brooks continued to lunge towards Officer Jackson with the metal object in his hand, Officer Jackson fired his service weapon at Mr. Brooks. Officer Jackson shot at Mr. Brooks six times. Mr. Brooks was declared dead on the scene. An autopsy found that Mr. Brooks had been struck by four bullets, including a fatal shot to the chest.
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Officer Jackson is criminally liable for Mr. Brooks’ death.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. MPD’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces “Operation Flip the Switch” Aimed at Machinegun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Today, U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson announced “Operation Flip the Switch,” an initiative targeting illegal machinegun conversion devices, colloquially known as “switches.”
“The violence that we are seeing in our communities is flagrant and unacceptable,” said U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona. “Machinegun conversion devices have no place in our community. Though small in size, a switch is deadly, and a lot of innocent people can be injured with one pull of the trigger. People should feel safe in their homes, neighborhoods, and public spaces. That is why we will use every tool in our toolbox to aggressively prosecute those who possess such deadly devices.”
“The proliferation of machinegun conversion devices adds another, even more deadly, layer to the firearms violence in our community” said Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson. “These devices, in the wrong hands, can have catastrophic consequences. They easily convert handguns into fully automatic weapons that can fire a remarkable number of shots in a split second. They are an acute danger to our communities, illegal under federal law and a critical priority in our efforts to combat violent crime. Keeping these illegal firearms off the streets of Alabama and the citizens free from the fear of their usage is one of our highest priorities. ATF will continue to aggressively work with our partners to take these devices off the streets.”
About an inch long, auto sears, most commonly known as a Glock switch, may be made of metal or plastic and can be printed on commercially available 3D printers. The device fits onto the back of a Glock and allows the user to switch between semi-automatic and fully automatic. When engaged, the switch overrides the trigger mechanism to function as a machine gun.
The National Firearms Act classifies the switch itself as a machinegun.
At Thursday’s press conference, the U.S. Attorney announced that as part of Operation Flip the Switch, they are partnering with Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama to combat the proliferation of these illegal devices.
Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama will offer cash rewards for information resulting in a warrant being issued or an arrest being made of someone who possesses Glock Switches or 3D printers being used to manufacture them. To be eligible for cash rewards, tipsters must provide information to Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama. Tipsters can call 205-254-7777. Alternatively, Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama encourages you to go to their website to submit a tip or click to download their P3 app. Tips can be submitted 24 hours a day, and all tipsters are anonymous.
Operation Flip the Switch falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.
U.S. Attorney Secures 26 Year Prison Sentence for Gambling-Fueled Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 26 years in federal prison for orchestrating a violent home invasion against his father-in-law and robbing a bank in order to fuel a severe gambling addiction.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on September 14, 2021, Marc Candelaria, 36, staged a home invasion targeting his own father-in-law, John Doe, and was assisted by an unknown co-conspirator who acted as the actual intruder. The intruder entered the home undetected late at night and attempted to force John Doe to open a safe at gunpoint. When John Doe was unable to open the safe, the intruder made Doe write a $23,000 check.
After writing the check, John Doe was brutally beaten, sustaining serious head injuries that caused him to lose consciousness. John Doe was found the next day by his daughter and transported to the hospital in critical condition.
Just hours after the home invasion, Candelaria attempted to deposit the stolen check into his personal bank account, however the bank placed a hold on the check due to what appeared to be two separate handwritings and alerted the victim’s wife to a possibly fraudulent check.
On October 30, 2021, Candelaria robbed a Bank of America branch using a typewritten demand note that threatened cartel violence. The bank teller, fearing for his life, gave Candelaria the cash from his register.
The investigation revealed Candelaria committed both crimes to fund a severe gambling addiction. Between September 2020 and May 2022, he visited a local casino approximately 169 times, losing large sums of money.
On March 27, 2024, Candelaria was convicted by a federal jury of bank fraud. On April 10, 2024, Candelaria entered into a plea agreement on the bank robbery charge.
Upon his release from prison, Candelaria will be subject to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel A. Hurtado and Natasha Moghadam are prosecuted the case.
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U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and HUD Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis Host Safe Housing SummitRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis hosted a summit today focused on promoting the health, safety, and civil rights of tenants living in HUD-assisted housing. The program focused on combatting sexual misconduct and eliminating environmental hazards in HUD-assisted housing.
The summit, which took place at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark, was part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s and Inspector General’s complementary initiatives to promote safe housing strategies related to environmental justice, and how to recognize and report sexual harassment and misconduct in housing.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their home, free from exposure to environmental hazards, and without being subjected to sexual harassment and assault by those with control over their housing. We convened this summit today to raise awareness that all New Jerseyans have protections under federal law and that the U.S. Attorney’s Office, together with our partners at HUD OIG, will continue to work every day to eradicate sexual harassment and environmental injustices in housing throughout the state.”
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger
“Through summits like the one we cohosted today with U.S. Attorney Sellinger, HUD OIG remains focused on raising awareness that HUD tenants and applicants seeking housing have a right to housing that is environmentally safe and and free from sexual misconduct,” Inspector General Oliver Davis said. “We remain committed to working closely with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to aggressively investigate violations of federal law in these areas and pursue bad actors who victimize vulnerable people receiving HUD assistance.”
Attendees included representatives from organizations who routinely work with vulnerable populations most likely to be impacted by environmental injustices, such as lead-based paint in their homes, or subjected to sexual harassment in housing by their landlords, property managers, or others with control over housing. The organizations represented included legal services offices, fair housing organizations, civil rights groups, shelters, and social service organizations.
If you or someone you know has information about environmental hazards and unsafe conditions in HUD-assisted housing or has been a victim of sexual harassment, sexual assault, or sexual exploitation – 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 www.hud.gov/fairhousing/fileacomplaint.
Individuals who believe they have been victims of environmental injustices, sexual harassment in housing, or discrimination may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 1-855-281-3339 or visit the website at www.justice.gov/usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement.
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Two Paterson Residents Admit Conspiring with Physician to Distribute OpioidsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two Paterson, New Jersey, residents today admitted conspiring with a doctor to distribute opioids without a legitimate medical reason, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Jasmine McGregor, 32, and Jhenelle Lewis, 35, both of Paterson, each pleaded guilty this week before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to one count of knowingly and intentionally conspiring and agreeing with others, including Dr. Lisa Ferraro, of Hillsdale, New Jersey, to distribute oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance, outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
McGregor and Lewis each participated in a conspiracy with Ferraro to prescribe oxycodone, an opioid pain medication, to individuals who were not actually Ferraro’s patients and whom Ferraro never physically examined or questioned about symptoms to determine whether there was a legitimate medical need for oxycodone. McGregor conspired with Ferraro from July 2022 to Oct. 3, 2023, and Lewis conspired with Ferraro from January 2019 to September 2023.
Over the course of the conspiracy with McGregor, Ferraro wrote prescriptions for approximately 630 20mg oxycodone pills and approximately 11,410 30mg oxycodone pills. Over the course of the conspiracy with Lewis, Ferraro wrote prescriptions for approximately 9,450 30mg oxycodone pills.
Ferraro has also been charged with the same offense. The charges and allegations with regard to Ferraro are merely accusations, and she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances to which McGregor and Lewis pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Sentencing hearings are scheduled for McGregor on Nov. 20, 2024, and Lewis on Dec. 9, 2024.
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.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ray A. Mateo and Aaron L. Webman of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
mcgregor.information.pdf lewis.information.pdfTwo Lansing Men Sentenced on Gun Charges After Threatening Episode with an Assault Rifle at A Convenience StoreRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that two Lansing-area men, Quentin Earl Booth, 39, and Derrick Smith Jr., 30, were sentenced to prison for possessing an assault rifle and pistol in a convenience store. Booth was sentenced today to 71 months and three years’ supervised release. Smith pleaded guilty in March and was sentenced to 57 months on July 2.
“Booth and Smith inflicted sheer terror on people just carrying out their daily lives,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “There is no acceptable level of violence. Those driving violence will face swift justice. My team and I will not rest until every person, in every neighborhood, in every community enjoys the safety they deserve.”
Booth and Smith were arrested in September 2023 when law enforcement responded to a 911 call that Smith walked into a Lansing convenience store carrying an assault rifle. He made threats before entering the store. A witness reported hearing one of the defendants say, "Everybody is going to die."
Upon arrival, officers saw Booth place the rifle in a nearby SUV. Booth also had a pistol holstered in his pocket.
Law enforcement later obtained surveillance footage that showed Smith walk into the store with the loaded rifle. The video showed Smith pointing and aiming the rifle several times, including pointing the rifle at the store clerk while inside of the store and aiming at a passing vehicle in a residential neighborhood once outside of the store.
Booth is a three-time convicted felon who previously served significant time in prison in 2018 for attempted armed robbery. In 2022, he was convicted of another felony in a domestic violence incident.
Smith previously served significant prison time for conspiracy to commit robbery in Florida. He was also convicted in 2021 for carrying a concealed weapon.
“Quentin Booth and Derrick Smith Jr. are career offenders with repeat felony convictions prohibiting them from possessing a firearm,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “During this incident, both men exercised extremely poor judgment, especially Smith aiming and pointing an assault rifle inside and outside of a convenience store in Lansing. In the end, poor choices have consequences. If you use an illegal firearm to threaten and intimidate people in our community – pack a bag. You’re going to go to prison. Our community deserves better from its members, and it will be safer with both men off the streets.”
These cases were investigated by the Michigan State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob S. Metoxen, Austin J. Hakes, and Constance R. Turnbull handled the prosecutions.
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Two Foreign Nationals Plead Guilty to Participation in LockBit Ransomware GroupRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. –Two foreign nationals pleaded guilty today in Newark federal court to participating in the LockBit ransomware group – at various times the most prolific ransomware variant in the world – and to deploying LockBit attacks against victims in the United States and worldwide.
According to court documents:
Ruslan Magomedovich Astamirov (АСТАМИРОВ, Руслан Магомедовичь), 21, a Russian national of Chechen Republic, Russia, and Mikhail Vasiliev, 34, a dual Canadian and Russian national of Bradford, Ontario, were members of LockBit. The LockBit ransomware variant first appeared in January 2020. Between that time and February 2024, LockBit grew into what was at times the most active and destructive ransomware group in the world. The LockBit group attacked more than 2,500 victims in at least 120 countries around the world, including 1,800 in the United States. Those victims ranged from individuals and small businesses to multinational corporations, and they included hospitals, schools, nonprofit organizations, critical infrastructure, and government and law-enforcement agencies. LockBit’s members extracted at least approximately $500 million in ransom payments from their victims and caused billions of dollars in broader losses, including costs like lost revenue and incident response and recovery.
LockBit’s “affiliate” members, including Vasiliev and Astamirov, would first identity and unlawfully access vulnerable computer systems. They would then deploy LockBit ransomware on victim computer systems and both steal and encrypt stored data. After a successful LockBit attack, LockBit’s affiliate members would then demand a ransom from their victims in exchange for decrypting the victims’ data and deleting stolen data. When victims did not pay the demanded ransoms, LockBit’s affiliates would then leave the victim’s data permanently encrypted and publish the stolen data, including highly sensitive information, on a publicly accessible Internet site under LockBit’s control.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“Astamirov and Vasiliev thought that they could deploy LockBit from the shadows, wreaking havoc and pocketing massive ransom payments from their victims, without consequence. They were wrong. We, in New Jersey, along with our domestic and international law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to hold LockBit’s members and other cybercriminals accountable, disrupt and dismantle their operations, and put a spotlight on them as wanted criminals – no matter where they hide.
“Today’s convictions reflect the latest returns on the Department’s investment in disrupting ransomware threats, prioritizing victims, and holding cybercriminals accountable,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “In executing our all-tools cyber enforcement strategy, we’ve dealt significant blows to destructive ransomware groups like LockBit, as we did earlier this year, seizing control of LockBit infrastructure and distributing decryption keys to their victims. Today’s actions serve as a warning to ransomware actors who would attack Americans: we will find you and hold you accountable.”
“The defendants committed ransomware attacks against victims in the United States and around the world through LockBit, which was one of the most destructive ransomware groups in the world,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “But thanks to the work of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, along with its domestic and international partners, LockBit no longer claims that title. Today’s convictions represent another important milestone in the Criminal Division’s ongoing effort to disrupt and dismantle ransomware groups, protect victims, and bring cybercriminals to justice.”
“It's a common misconception that cyber hackers won't get caught by law enforcement because they're smarter and savvier than we are,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “Two members of the LockBit affiliate pleading guilty to their crimes in U.S. federal court illustrate we can stop them and bring them to justice. These malicious actors believe they can operate with impunity – and don’t fear getting caught because they sit in a country where they feel safe and protected. FBI Newark and our law enforcement partners around the globe have the technology and intelligence to go after these criminals – regardless of where they hide.”
Between 2020 and 2023, Astamirov deployed LockBit against at least 12 victims, including businesses in Virginia, Japan, France, Scotland, and Kenya. Operating under the online aliases “BETTERPAY,” “offtitan,” and “Eastfarmer,” he derived at least $1.9 million in ransom payments from those victims. As part of his plea agreement, Astamirov agreed to forfeit, among other assets, $350,000 in seized cryptocurrency that he extorted from one of his LockBit victims. Astamirov was first charged and arrested in this matter in June 2023.
Between 2021 and 2023, Vasiliev, operating under the online aliases “Ghostrider,” “Free,” “Digitalocean90,” “Digitalocean99,” “Digitalwaters99,” and “Newwave110,” deployed LockBit against at least 12 victims, including businesses in New Jersey, Michigan, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. He also deployed LockBit against an educational facility in England and a school in Switzerland. Through these attacks, Vasiliev caused at least $500,000 in damage and losses to his victims. Vasiliev was first charged in this matter and arrested in Canada by Canadian authorities in November 2022, and extradited to the United States in June.
Astamirov pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Vasiliev pleaded guilty to a four-count information charging him with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse, intentional damage to a protected computer, transmission of a threat in relation to damaging a protected computer, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 45 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The LockBit Investigation
Today’s guilty pleas follow a recent a disruption of LockBit ransomware in February by the U.K. National Crime Agency’s (NCA) Cyber Division, which worked in cooperation with the Justice Department, FBI, and other international law enforcement partners. As previously announced by the Department, authorities disrupted LockBit by seizing numerous public-facing websites used by LockBit to connect to the organization’s infrastructure and by seizing control of servers used by LockBit administrators, thereby disrupting the ability of LockBit actors to attack and encrypt networks and extort victims by threatening to publish stolen data. This disruption succeeded in greatly diminishing LockBit’s reputation and its ability to attack further victims, as alleged by documents filed in this case.
Today’s guilty pleas also follow charges brought in the District of New Jersey against other LockBit members, including its alleged creator, developer, and administrator, Dmitry Yuryevich Khoroshev. An indictment against Khoroshev unsealed in May alleges that Khoroshev began developing LockBit as early as September 2019, continued acting as the group’s administrator through 2024, a role in which Khoroshev recruited new affiliate members, spoke for the group publicly under the alias “LockBitSupp,” and developed and maintained the infrastructure used by affiliates to deploy LockBit attacks. Khoroshev also took 20 percent of each ransom paid by LockBit victims, allowing him to personally derive at least $100 million over that period. Khoroshev is currently the subject of a reward of up to $10 million through the U.S. Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) Rewards Program, with information accepted through the FBI tip website at www.tips.fbi.gov.
Both defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 8, 2025.
A total of six LockBit members, including Khoroshev, the alleged developer, and Astamirov and Vasiliev, both affiliates, have now been charged in the District of New Jersey. Other LockBit charges include:
- In February, in parallel with the disruption operation, an indictment was unsealed in the District of New Jersey charging Russian nationals Artur Sungatov and Ivan Kondratyev, also known as Bassterlord, with deploying LockBit against numerous victims throughout the United States, including businesses nationwide in the manufacturing and other industries, as well as victims around the world in the semiconductor and other industries.
- In May 2023, two indictments were unsealed in Washington, D.C., and the District of New Jersey charging Mikhail Matveev, also known as Wazawaka, m1x, Boriselcin, and Uhodiransomwar, with using different ransomware variants, including LockBit, to attack numerous victims throughout the United States, including the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department. Matveev is currently the subject of a reward of up to $10 million through the U.S. Department of State’s TOC Rewards Program, with information accepted through the FBI tip website at www.tips.fbi.gov/.
The U.S. Department of State’s TOC Rewards Program is offering rewards of:
- Up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction in any country of Khoroshev;
- Up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Matveev;
- Up to $10 million for information leading to the identification and location of any individuals who hold a key leadership position in LockBit; and
- Up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction in any country of any individual participating or attempting to participate in LockBit.
Information is accepted through the FBI tip website at www.tips.fbi.gov/.
Khoroshev, Matveev, Sungatov, and Kondratyev have also been designated for sanctions by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control for their roles in launching cyberattacks.
Victim Assistance
LockBit victims are encouraged to contact the FBI and submit information at https://lockbitvictims.ic3.gov/. As announced by the Department in February, law enforcement, through its disruption efforts, has developed decryption capabilities that may enable hundreds of victims around the world to restore systems encrypted using the LockBit ransomware variant. Submitting information at the ICE site will enable law enforcement to determine whether affected systems can be successfully decrypted.
LockBit victims are also encouraged to visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/lockbit for case updates and information regarding their rights under U.S. law, including the right to submit victim impact statements and request restitution, in the litigation against Astamirov and Vasiliev.
The FBI Newark Field Office, under the supervision of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, is investigating the LockBit ransomware variant. The FBI Atlanta Field Office, under the supervision of Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia; Ontario Provincial Police in Ontario, Canada; and Crown Attorney’s Office in Toronto, Canada, provided significant assistance in the Vasiliev matter. The United Kingdom’s NCA; France’s Gendarmerie Nationale Cyberspace Command; Germany’s Landeskriminalamt Schleswig-Holstein and the Bundeskriminalamt; Switzerland’s Federal Office of Police, Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Canton of Zurich, and Zurich Cantonal Police; Japan’s National Policy Agency; Australian Federal Police; Sweden’s Polismyndighetens; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; Politie Dienst Regionale Recherche Oost-Brabant of the Netherlands; Finland’s Poliisi; Europol; and Eurojust have provided significant assistance and coordination in both matters and in the LockBit investigation generally.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew M. Trombly, David E. Malagold, and Vinay Limbachia for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorneys Jessica C. Peck, Debra Ireland, and Jorge Gonzalez of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and are prosecuting the charges against Astamirov and Vasiliev.
The Justice Department’s Cybercrime Liaison Prosecutor to Eurojust, Office of International Affairs, and National Security Division also provided significant assistance.
Additional details on protecting networks against LockBit ransomware are available at StopRansomware.gov. These include Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Advisories AA23-325A, AA23-165A, and AA23-075A.
vasiliev.information.pdf
astamirov.information.pdfTwo Foreign Nationals Plead Guilty to Participating in LockBit Ransomware GroupRead the Press Release
Two foreign nationals pleaded guilty today to participating in the LockBit ransomware group—at various times the most prolific ransomware variant in the world—and to deploying LockBit attacks against victims in the United States and worldwide.
“Today’s convictions reflect the latest returns on the Department’s investment in disrupting ransomware threats, prioritizing victims, and holding cybercriminals accountable,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “In executing our all-tools cyber enforcement strategy, we’ve dealt significant blows to destructive ransomware groups like LockBit, as we did earlier this year, seizing control of LockBit infrastructure and distributing decryption keys to their victims. Today’s actions serve as a warning to ransomware actors who would attack Americans: we will find you and hold you accountable.”
“The defendants committed ransomware attacks against victims in the United States and around the world through LockBit, which was one of the most destructive ransomware groups in the world,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “But thanks to the work of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, along with its domestic and international partners, LockBit no longer claims that title. Today’s convictions represent another important milestone in the Criminal Division’s ongoing effort to disrupt and dismantle ransomware groups, protect victims, and bring cybercriminals to justice.”
According to court documents, Ruslan Magomedovich Astamirov (АСТАМИРОВ, Руслан Магомедовичь), 21, a Russian national of the Chechen Republic, Russia, and Mikhail Vasiliev, 34, a dual Canadian and Russian national of Bradford, Ontario, were members of LockBit. In the period between January 2020 and February 2024, LockBit grew into what was, at times, the most active and destructive ransomware group in the world. LockBit attacked more than 2,500 victims in at least 120 countries, including 1,800 victims in the United States. Those victims included individuals, small businesses, multinational corporations, hospitals, schools, nonprofit organizations, critical infrastructure, and government and law-enforcement agencies. LockBit’s members extorted at least approximately $500 million in ransom payments from their victims and caused billions of dollars in additional losses to victims, including costs like lost revenue and for incident response and recovery.
LockBit’s “affiliate” members, including Vasiliev and Astamirov, first identified and unlawfully accessed vulnerable computer systems, and then deployed LockBit ransomware on those systems to both steal and encrypt stored data. When LockBit attacks were successful, LockBit’s affiliate members then demanded ransoms from their victims in exchange for decrypting the victims’ data and then claiming to delete the affiliates’ copies of the data. When victims did not pay the demanded ransoms, LockBit’s affiliates often left the victim’s data permanently encrypted and publish the stolen data, including highly sensitive information, on a publicly accessible internet site under LockBit’s control.
“Astamirov and Vasiliev thought that they could deploy LockBit from the shadows, wreaking havoc and pocketing massive ransom payments from their victims, without consequence,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “They were wrong. We, in New Jersey, along with our domestic and international law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to hold LockBit’s members and other cybercriminals accountable, disrupt and dismantle their operations, and put a spotlight on them as wanted criminals—no matter where they hide.”
“Astamirov and Vasiliev were members of the LockBit ransomware group, which has caused severe harm around the globe by attacking computer systems in over a hundred countries damaging organizations ranging from government and law-enforcement agencies to hospitals and schools,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “Today’s plea shows our relentless and unwavering commitment to ensuring that cyber criminals are brought to justice for their actions. The FBI is proud of the international collaboration that led to these individuals being held accountable under the law for the damage their actions have caused.”
Between 2020 and 2023, Astamirov deployed LockBit against at least 12 victims, including businesses in Virginia, Japan, France, Scotland, and Kenya. Operating under the online aliases “BETTERPAY,” “offtitan,” and “Eastfarmer,” he extorted $1.9 million from those victims. As part of his plea agreement, Astamirov agreed to forfeit, among other assets, $350,000 in seized cryptocurrency that he extorted from one of his LockBit victims. Astamirov was first charged and arrested in this matter in June 2023.
Between 2021 and 2023, Vasiliev, operating under the online aliases “Ghostrider,” “Free,” “Digitalocean90,” “Digitalocean99,” “Digitalwaters99,” and “Newwave110,” deployed LockBit against at least 12 victims, including businesses in New Jersey, Michigan, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. He also deployed LockBit against an educational facility in England and a school in Switzerland. Through these attacks, Vasiliev caused at least $500,000 in damage and losses to his victims. Vasiliev was first charged in this matter and arrested in Canada by Canadian authorities in November 2022, and extradited to the United States in June.
Astamirov pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Vasiliev pleaded guilty to a four-count information charging him with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse, intentional damage to a protected computer, transmission of a threat in relation to damaging a protected computer, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 45 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The LockBit Investigation
Today’s guilty pleas follow a recent disruption of LockBit ransomware in February by the U.K. National Crime Agency’s (NCA) Cyber Division, which worked in cooperation with the Justice Department, FBI, and other international law enforcement partners. As previously announced by the Department, authorities disrupted LockBit by seizing numerous public-facing websites used by LockBit to connect to the organization’s infrastructure and by seizing control of servers used by LockBit administrators, thereby disrupting the ability of LockBit actors to attack and encrypt networks and extort victims by threatening to publish stolen data. This disruption succeeded in greatly diminishing LockBit’s reputation and its ability to attack further victims, as alleged by documents filed in this case.
Today’s guilty pleas also follow prior announcements of charges brought in the District of New Jersey against four other LockBit members, including its alleged creator, developer, and administrator, Dmitry Yuryevich Khoroshev. According to an indictment unsealed in May, Khoroshev allegedly acted as the group’s administrator from as early as September 2019 through 2024. In that role, Khoroshev recruited new affiliate members, spoke for the group publicly under the alias “LockBitSupp,” and developed and maintained the infrastructure used by affiliates to deploy LockBit attacks. Khoroshev also took 20% of each ransom paid by LockBit victims, allowing him to personally derive at least $100 million over that period. Khoroshev is currently the subject of a reward of up to $10 million through the U.S. Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) Rewards Program, with information accepted through the FBI tip website at https://tips.fbi.gov/home.
Other charges against LockBit members include the following:
- In February 2024, in parallel with the disruption operation, an indictment was unsealed in the District of New Jersey charging Russian nationals Artur Sungatov and Ivan Kondratyev, also known as Bassterlord, with deploying LockBit against numerous victims throughout the United States, including businesses in the manufacturing and other industries, as well as victims around the world in the semiconductor and other industries.
- In May 2023, two indictments were unsealed in Washington, D.C., and the District of New Jersey charging Mikhail Matveev, also known as Wazawaka, m1x, Boriselcin, and Uhodiransomwar, with using different ransomware variants, including LockBit, to attack numerous victims throughout the United States, including the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department. Matveev is currently the subject of a reward of up to $10 million through the U.S. Department of State’s TOC Rewards Program, with information accepted through the FBI tip website at tips.fbi.gov/.
The U.S. Department of State’s TOC Rewards Program is also offering rewards of:
- Up to $10 million for information leading to the identification and location of any individuals who hold a key leadership position in LockBit; and
- Up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction in any country of any individual participating or attempting to participate in LockBit.
Information is accepted through the FBI tip website at www.tips.fbi.gov/.
Khoroshev, Matveev, Sungatov, and Kondratyev have also been designated for sanctions by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control for their roles in launching cyberattacks.
Victim Assistance
LockBit victims are encouraged to contact the FBI and submit information at https://lockbitvictims.ic3.gov/. As announced by the Department in February, law enforcement, through its disruption efforts, has developed decryption capabilities that may enable hundreds of victims around the world to restore systems encrypted using the LockBit ransomware variant. Submitting information at the IC3 site will enable law enforcement to determine whether affected systems can be successfully decrypted.
LockBit victims are also encouraged to visit www.justice.gov/usao-nj/lockbit for case updates and information regarding their rights under U.S. law, including the right to submit victim impact statements and request restitution, in the litigation against Astamirov and Vasiliev.
The FBI Newark Field Office, under the supervision of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, is investigating the LockBit ransomware variant. The FBI Atlanta Field Office, under the supervision of Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia; Ontario Provincial Police in Ontario, Canada; and Crown Attorney’s Office in Toronto, Canada, provided significant assistance in the Vasiliev matter. The United Kingdom’s NCA; France’s Gendarmerie Nationale Cyberspace Command and Cyber Division of the Paris Prosecution Office; Germany’s Landeskriminalamt Schleswig-Holstein and the Bundeskriminalamt; Switzerland’s Federal Office of Justice and Police, Public Prosecutor’s Office for the Canton of Zurich, and Zurich Cantonal Police; Japan’s National Policy Agency; Australian Federal Police; Sweden’s Polismyndighetens; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; Politie Dienst Regionale Recherche Oost-Brabant of the Netherlands; Finland’s Poliisi; Europol; and Eurojust have provided significant assistance and coordination in both matters and in the LockBit investigation generally.
Trial Attorneys Jessica C. Peck, Debra Ireland, and Jorge Gonzalez of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew M. Trombly, David E. Malagold, and Vinay Limbachia for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the charges against Astamirov and Vasiliev.
The Justice Department’s Cybercrime Liaison Prosecutor to Eurojust, Office of International Affairs, and National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section also provided significant assistance.
Additional details on protecting networks against LockBit ransomware are available at StopRansomware.gov. These include Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Advisories AA23-325A, AA23-165A, and AA23-075A.
Two Charged with Distribution of Protonitazene, A Novel Synthetic Opioid More Potent Than FentanylRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Frank A. Tarentino III, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging MIGUEL DE JESUS REYES MEDINA a/k/a “Azua,” and ERIK ALBERTO LOPEZ VALDEZ with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of protonitazene, a novel synthetic opioid that is up to three times more potent than fentanyl. REYES MEDINA and LOPEZ VALDEZ were arrested today. LOPEZ VALDEZ will be presented later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger, and REYES MEDINA will be presented before Judge Lehrburger tomorrow, July 19, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Miguel de Jesus Reyes Medina and Erik Alberto Lopez Valdez engaged in a scheme to sell dangerous narcotics to New Yorkers, including a novel, and potentially lethal, synthetic opioid. As part of that scheme, the defendants sold protonitazene, which, as alleged, is as much as three times more deadly than fentanyl. This prosecution underscores my Office’s unwavering commitment to protecting our communities from the deadly opioid crisis, including from emergent synthetic opioids that pose even greater threats than fentanyl. We will not allow drug dealers to hide behind novel changes to the chemical structure of drugs to avoid prosecution.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III said: “Today’s arrests show the commitment the DEA and our law enforcement partners have in targeting those poisoning our communities. As alleged, these individuals are not only responsible for the distribution of the lethal drug fentanyl, but the distribution of protonitazene, a novel synthetic opioid that is up to three times more potent than fentanyl. It is safe to say that the removal of these individuals, and the distribution of these illicit drugs from our streets, saved another family from having to bury their loved one. The DEA and members of our NYDETF remain committed to doing everything we can to bring those responsible to justice.”
As alleged in the Complaint:[1]
In or about April 2024, REYES MEDINA agreed to sell fentanyl to a confidential source (the “Source”) working with law enforcement. REYES MEDINA negotiated the price and quantity of fentanyl to be provided, requesting $2,000 for 74 grams of fentanyl. On or about April 10, 2024, REYES MEDINA met with the Source and provided a 74-gram package of narcotics. During the meeting, REYES MEDINA emphasized that the narcotics were high quality and strong. Then, on or about April 16, 2024, REYES MEDINA arranged to have LOPEZ VALDEZ deliver a further 420-gram package of narcotics to the Source for the price of $12,250, which LOPEZ VALDEZ did. Following the arrest of REYES MEDINA and LOPEZ VALDEZ, laboratory testing determined that the packages of narcotics provided to the Source by REYES MEDINA and LOPEZ VALDEZ consisted of nearly 500 grams of protonitazene, a synthetic opioid that is up to three times more potent than fentanyl.
* * *
REYES MEDINA, 49, of Yonkers, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, and two counts of distribution of protonitazene, each of which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
LOPEZ VALDEZ, 38, of Camden, New Jersey, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, and one count of distribution of protonitazene, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the DEA, the New York City Police Department, and the New York State Police in connection with this investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney William C. Kinder is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Spencerport man pleads guilty to his role in fraud schemeRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Michael Grimm 44, of Spencerport, NY, pleaded guilty to wire fraud before U.S. District Court Judge Charles J. Siragusa. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that Grimm, and at least one other person, engaged in an extensive pattern of conduct involving document fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, retail theft, and identity theft. Part of the scheme involved Grimm and others obtaining merchandise by theft or fraud from local retailers, which was then returned in exchange for gift cards and store credit or sold to third parties. In furtherance of the scheme, Grimm presented forged and/or stolen passports and other stolen identification information to merchants. Grimm also admitted his role in the theft of personal identifying information and credit information belonging to multiple individuals, which he and others used to make fraudulent purchases, including car and hotel rentals. The stolen identity information was also used in attempts to open credit cards and obtain loans. To date, at least 10 identity theft victims have been identified resulting in thousands of dollars in losses.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Brian Wood, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 11, 2024, at 9:30 am before Judge Siragusa.
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