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15 July 2024
Stoughton Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robberies of Postal WorkersRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Stoughton man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to the armed robberies of United States Postal Service (USPS) letter carriers that took place on Nov. 29, 2022 in Mattapan and Dec. 16, 2022 in Hyde Park. In one instance, the defendant robbed the letter carrier at knifepoint.
Kenneth Demosthene, 24, pleaded guilty to two counts each of robbery of any person having lawful charge, control, or custody of any mail matter or of any money or other property of the United States, aiding and abetting and two counts each of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees, aiding and abetting. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Oct. 22, 2024. In May 2023, Demosthene was indicted with Myesha Lewis.
USPS has seen a rise in the use of arrow keys to facilitate the theft of U.S. Mail. An arrow key is a specific key designed to open designated blue USPS collection boxes in a specific area. These arrow keys are the property of USPS and it is a federal offense for an unauthorized person to possess one. Since July 2022, there have been at least 23 assaults on USPS letter carriers while in the performance of their official duties in Boston and its surrounding communities. These incidents included the attempted or successful robbery of USPS arrow keys from letter carriers. Additionally, of these 23, 15 of the robberies were instances where the perpetrators were reportedly armed with a knife, firearm, or both.
On Nov. 29, 2022, in Mattapan, Demosthene and, allegedly, Lewis followed forcibly robbed a USPS letter carrier of an arrow key. Demosthene approached the letter carrier and said, “I’m going to need your master key,” before reaching into the letter carrier’s mail satchel and grabbing the arrow key. The arrow key was secured around the letter carrier’s belt with a brass chain. It is alleged that the force used to physically break the brass chain caused the letter carrier to be pulled off the front steps. Demosthene and, allegedly, Lewis fled the scene in a rental vehicle.
On Dec. 16, 2022, in Hyde Park, Demosthene and, allegedly, Lewis robbed another USPS letter carrier of an arrow key at knife point. Demosthene approached the USPS letter carrier and said, “Give me your f****** arrow key.” The letter carrier put their hands in the air as the defendants attempted to remove the arrow key, at first by force pulling at the chain. Demosthene and, allegedly, Lewis then attempted to cut it with the knife – eventually breaking the arrow key loose, and fleeing the scene on foot.
The charges of robbery of any person having lawful charge, control, or custody of any mail matter or of any money or other property of the United States each provide for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Smartphone Fraudster Sentenced to 29 Months’ Imprisonment After Cheating Investors Out of $10MRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A Utah businessman was sentenced in federal court today for the second time this year after he admitted to defrauding hundreds of trusting investors throughout the United States out of $10 million in his smartphone company, SAYGUS.
Chad Leon Sayers, 60, of Midvale, Utah, was sentenced to 29 months’ imprisonment, 15 of which were ordered to run consecutively to his existing sentence of 41 months’ imprisonment, which was imposed in a separate wire fraud case, for a total of 56 months. See prior release here. The sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge David Sam also includes 12 months’ supervised release, and ordered to pay $10,250,834.53 in restitution and a forfeiture money judgement in the same amount.
According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, from 2006 to 2020, Sayers defrauded approximately 300 investors out of $10 million by lying about SAYGUS being on the brink of a multi-billion-dollar pay-out. Sayers claimed to investors he was developing a smartphone called the “V” phone and then later the “V-Squared.” He claimed that a well-known wireless company agreed with SAYGUS to sell and support its phones. Additionally, Sayers told investors that they were capable of receiving 100 times their original investment and that funds would go toward the research, design, and manufacturing of the new smartphone, when in fact no cell phones were being manufactured. Sayers also claimed that SAYGUS was only raising funds through a stock offering to accredited investors, when in fact it was not.
For over a decade, Sayers spent investment funds on various expenses, including personal loans; personal credit card bills; personal rent; personal legal fees; personal BMW car payments; office rent, ponzi-like “note repayments;” investor lawsuit settlements; legal fees and $144,773 on shopping, entertainment, food and personal care.
To support his fraudulent scheme and create the impression of a successful consumer product technology company, Sayers rented office space for SAYGUS, and occupied approximately 25,990 square feet (3 floors) for approximately 10 employees. Additionally, on 26 different occasions, Sayers tweeted that the smartphone would be launching or available by a certain date, when in fact it never launched. Sayers even sent out newsletters to investors, updating them on developments.
Utah Division of SecuritiesU.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated jointly by the Utah Division of Securities and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ruth Hackford-Peer, Jacob J. Strain and Special Assistant United States Attorney Sachiko Jepson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Slidell Man Sentenced to 92 Months for Drug and Weapons ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on July 11, 2024, JAMILE ROBINSON (“ROBINSON”), age 32, a resident of St. Tammany Parish, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to 92 months of imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee on two-counts of the indictment pending against him.
In Count 1 of the indictment, ROBINSON was charged with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). In Count 3 of the indictment, ROBINSON was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, on June 15, 2022, the Slidell Police Department (“SPD”) officers were conducting surveillance at a hotel on Gause Blvd. in Slidell, LA. The surveillance was based upon numerous complaints of narcotics trafficking in and around the hotel. After learning that room 211 of the hotel was registered to ROBINSON, officers approached the room and smelled marijuana coming from within. Officers knocked on the door, a female answered, and the officers saw ROBINSON, in the doorway and reaching into his pocket. After conducting a protective sweep of the hotel room officers saw suspected narcotics on the television nightstand, a digital scale, methamphetamine in the bathroom, as well as a firearm. Officers then obtained a search warrant for the room and recovered a digital scale, marijuana, approximately 122 grams of methamphetamine, and a firearm. Since ROBINSON is a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
ROBINSON subsequently admitted, both in a written and verbal statement, that the contraband in the room belonged to him.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Slidell Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit.
Significant member of a Whatcom County fentanyl trafficking ring sentenced to 4 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A Bellingham, Washington woman who was a redistributor for a fentanyl distribution ring was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Natasha Parkhill, 38, of Bellingham pleaded guilty in March 2024 and was sentenced today to 4 years in prison. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones said, “You knew what the devastation would be since you had a drug addiction yet you still continued to distribute fentanyl without regard for the impact on the community.”
“This drug ring, and specifically Ms. Parkhill as a drug redistributor, had a terrible impact on the Lummi Nation – a tribe that is dealing with tragically high fentanyl overdose deaths,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “I appreciate the Lummi Nation leadership speaking to the court today about fentanyl’s impact on the community, to hold these defendants accountable for the harm they have caused.”
According to records filed in the case, Parkhill was one of six people charged federally in a months-long investigation of fentanyl dealing in Whatcom County. The ring was actively moving fentanyl from the Seattle area to redistributors in Bellingham. Law enforcement officers observed various drug transactions and interdicted the drug loads. In one instance, law enforcement was called to a mini-mart where two people involved with the drug ring overdosed on fentanyl and had to be revived and transported to the hospital.
Parkhill was observed by law enforcement engaging in drug sales. In January 2023 law enforcement attempted to arrest her but she fled. Her car suffered a mechanical problem, and she was taken into custody. She had about 1,000 fentanyl pills and over $1300 in cash when she was arrested.
Lummi Nation Chairman Anthony Hillaire spoke today at the sentencing of Ms. Parkhill. “Drug dealing is a crime that is very much intentional and for monetary gain at the expense of familial loss. This destruction of our generations will have a long-lasting, negative impact on our people,” he remarked. In a letter to the Court, he continued to describe the devastation of the fentanyl crisis: “In our community, I have witnessed spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandchildren, cousins, and friends plan funeral arrangement for a loved one due to a drug overdose. I will never forget the cries of elementary-aged children crying for their father at his funeral and saying, ‘I just want my daddy’.”
Two other members of the drug ring have already been sentenced: 39-year-old Daniel Faix of Bellingham was sentenced in March 2024 to ten years in prison. Ahbdurman Ahmed, 33, of Seattle was sentenced in January 2024 to six years in prison. Defendant Mohamed Abdirisak Mohamed, 35, of Seattle pleaded guilty in January and will be sentenced in September. Defendant Matthew Anderson, 35, of Bellingham, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges on June 25, 2024. Defendant Robel Sisay Gebremedhin, 41, of Burien, WA is being sought by law enforcement.
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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Whatcom County Drug and Gang Task Force, with valuable assistance provided by the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol, the Whatcom County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Lummi Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Hobbs.
Schenectady Man Charged with Distributing Fentanyl and XanaxRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Omar Alaidrus, age 23, of Schenectady, New York, was charged today with distributing controlled substances.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker of the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of the Inspector General Northeast Region (USDA-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office; and Schenectady County Sheriff Dominic Dagostino made the announcement.
According to a criminal complaint, on March 29, 2023, a police officer, posing as a customer, went into the deli and grocery in Schenectady where Alaidrus was working behind the counter. Alaidrus used the officer’s electronic benefits card to record a purchase of $201.15 using what are commonly known as “food stamps,” removed $100 from the cash register, kept that cash, and gave the officer fentanyl pills and Xanax. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charge filed against Alaidrus carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Alaidrus appeared today in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for July 17, 2024.
USDA-OIG, HSI, the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office, the Schenectady Police Department, and the New York State Police are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting the case.
Sanford Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal Prison for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida– U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Cristian Manuel Rodriguez Nunez (28, Sanford) to 10 years and 5 months in federal prison for Hobbs Act Robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the robbery. Rodriguez Nunez entered a guilty plea on April 1, 2024.
According to court documents, on August 10, 2019, Rodriguez Nunez, along with his co-defendants Tauri Benjamin Rivas Nunez (Rivas Nunez), Victor Hugo Castillo Vallejo (Castillo Vallejo), and Luis Miguel Valdez Mendez (Valdez Mendez) robbed a T-Mobile store in Oviedo, Florida. During the robbery, Rodriguez Nunez entered the store wearing a facemask and pointed a firearm at one of the employees. While pointing the firearm at the employee, Rodriguez Nunez forced the employee to open the store’s safe and remove the electronics and other merchandise from the safe into a trash bag. Meanwhile, Rivas Nunez approached another T-Mobile employee, who he placed in a chokehold, after which he stole that employee’s cell phone and money from the cash register. Valdez Mendez searched through a customer’s purse and assisted Rivas Nunez with taking money from the register. Once the robbery was completed, all defendants entered a vehicle driven by Castillo Vallejo, who acted as the lookout and getaway driver.
Unbeknownst to Rodriguez Nunez and his co-defendants, a location tracking device placed into the trash bag containing the stolen merchandise provided law enforcement with their location, which led to the apprehension of Valdez Mendez, Rivas Nunez, and Castillo Vallejo, as well as the recovery of approximately $20,000 in stolen electronics and the firearm.
Rodriguez Nunez had fled the area prior to law enforcement arriving and remained a fugitive for several years. In October of 2023, law enforcement located and apprehended Rodriguez Nunez in New York.
Castillo Vallejo pled guilty and was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison on July 14, 2021. Valdez Mendez pled guilty and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison on July 14, 2021. Rivas Nunez was found guilty by a jury on May 12, 2021, and was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison on July 21, 2021.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian.
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.
Sanford Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal Prison for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida– U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Cristian Manuel Rodriguez Nunez (28, Sanford) to 10 years and 5 months in federal prison for Hobbs Act Robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the robbery. Rodriguez Nunez entered a guilty plea on April 1, 2024.
According to court documents, on August 10, 2019, Rodriguez Nunez, along with his co-defendants Tauri Benjamin Rivas Nunez (Rivas Nunez), Victor Hugo Castillo Vallejo (Castillo Vallejo), and Luis Miguel Valdez Mendez (Valdez Mendez) robbed a T-Mobile store in Oviedo, Florida. During the robbery, Rodriguez Nunez entered the store wearing a facemask and pointed a firearm at one of the employees. While pointing the firearm at the employee, Rodriguez Nunez forced the employee to open the store’s safe and remove the electronics and other merchandise from the safe into a trash bag. Meanwhile, Rivas Nunez approached another T-Mobile employee, who he placed in a chokehold, after which he stole that employee’s cell phone and money from the cash register. Valdez Mendez searched through a customer’s purse and assisted Rivas Nunez with taking money from the register. Once the robbery was completed, all defendants entered a vehicle driven by Castillo Vallejo, who acted as the lookout and getaway driver.
Unbeknownst to Rodriguez Nunez and his co-defendants, a location tracking device placed into the trash bag containing the stolen merchandise provided law enforcement with their location, which led to the apprehension of Valdez Mendez, Rivas Nunez, and Castillo Vallejo, as well as the recovery of approximately $20,000 in stolen electronics and the firearm.
Rodriguez Nunez had fled the area prior to law enforcement arriving and remained a fugitive for several years. In October of 2023, law enforcement located and apprehended Rodriguez Nunez in New York.
Castillo Vallejo pled guilty and was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison on July 14, 2021. Valdez Mendez pled guilty and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison on July 14, 2021. Rivas Nunez was found guilty by a jury on May 12, 2021, and was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison on July 21, 2021.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian.
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.
Preston County Man Charged with Federal Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Stephen David Seeger, 45, of Bruceton Mills, West Virginia, has been indicted on charges of coercion and enticement of a minor for sex and child pornography.
United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced that Seeger was allegedly communicating with a 13-year-old girl online and persuaded her to produce sexually explicit images and videos. Seeger had contact with another victim, a 15-year-old female, from whom he also requested images and videos.
“This case serves as a reminder to parents to be vigilant in monitoring their children’s online activity,” said United States Attorney Ihlenfeld. “Tonight is a good night to look at your child’s phone and determine if they are in contact with anyone who could cause them harm.”
Seeger was arrested in California and will soon be returned to West Virginia to answer to the charges. He faces up to 30 years in federal prison for production of child pornography, and additional prison time for the charges of enticement and possession of child pornography. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine the appropriate 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.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the West Virginia State Police, and the Preston County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Pikeville Doctor Sentenced for Illegally Prescribing AmphetaminesRead the Press Release
PIKEVILLE, Ky. – A Pikeville doctor, Dr. Jason Stamper, 52, was sentenced on Monday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, to 32 months for illegally prescribing amphetamines.
According to his plea agreement, between April 15, 2022, and September 27, 2022, law enforcement made six undercover patient visits to Stamper’s clinic. At each of those visits, Stamper prescribed Ritalin and Adderall to the undercover officer, without a legitimate medical purpose. Stamper performed no medical examinations, did not inquire into the legitimate medical need for the prescriptions, took no action when the undercover officer failed to secure blood work for five visits, increased doses, and switched between the Ritalin and Adderall without explanation.
Under federal law, Stamper must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Erek Davodowich, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pearce Nesbitt prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Oklahoma City Resident Sentenced for Possession of an Unregistered SilencerRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Brandon Scott Coats, age 38, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 55 months in prison for one count of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On September 25, 2023, Coats pleaded guilty to possessing an unregistered silencer. According to investigators, on January 11, 2022, Coats was in possession of a .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle that had a silver cylindrical device attached to the barrel. The device functioned as a silencer and was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Under federal law, a silencer is considered a firearm, and it is illegal to possess a silencer unless the device is registered.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Honorable William Paul Johnson, U.S. Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Coats will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.
North Smithfield Resident Indicted and Arraigned on Charge of International Parental KidnappingRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A North Smithfield woman who allegedly abruptly and without permission removed her five minor children from the United States has been released on unsecured bond and GPS monitoring following her arraignment in federal court on Friday, charged by way of indictment with international parental kidnapping, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
It is alleged in court documents that in December 2021, Jessica Abreu, 33, abruptly and without permission, moved her five children, all under the age of 16, to Alabama, and within months moved them to Tanzania without the knowledge of the children’s father.
In May of 2022, several months after a Rhode Island Family Court judge presided over a nominal divorce hearing for Abreu and the children’s father, one of the children texted her father and stated that she will miss him. The father later learned that Abreu had moved with the children to Tanzania without his knowledge.
According to court documents, the father had scheduled a June 3, 2022, visitation with the children. Abreu and the children did not appear for the visit. A Rhode Island state court judge scheduled a July 19, 2022, hearing on the matter, for which Jessica Abreu failed to appear. In August 2022, a Rhode Island Family Court magistrate judge signed an order awarding joint legal custody to Abreu and her ex-husband, and determined the State of Rhode Island as the “Home State” of the children. Five days later, the family court found Jessica Abreu in violation of the court order; that she was in violation of applicable federal kidnapping statutes by taking the children to Tanzania and not returning to the United States; and she was ordered to return to the United States with all of the children. The children’s father was awarded sole legal custody and physical placement of the children.
On June 1, 2024, Abreu and her children boarded a flight landing in Los Angeles International Airport. Agents from the FBI and the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth, and Families met the plane in Los Angeles. Abreu was taken into custody by the FBI and the children were reunited with their father.
A federal indictment is merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christine Lowell and John P. McAdams.
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North Berwick Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud for Applying for PPP Loans for Travel Agency He No Longer OwnedRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A North Berwick man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to filing fraudulent applications for loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to court records, between April 2020 and September 2021, Frederick Avery, 49, submitted two applications for PPP loans that claimed he was the 100% owner of Superior Cruise and Travel LLC. Avery sold the agency to a limited liability company in Pennsylvania in November 2019. He claimed on the applications that the loans, which totaled more than $215,000, were for payroll, lease/mortgage interest, utilities, and other items. Avery submitted falsified bank statements from a non-existent account to support one of the applications.
Avery faces up to 30 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $1 million, followed by up to five years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case.
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP permitted participating third-party lenders to approve and disburse SBA-backed PPP loans to cover payroll, fixed debts, utilities, rent/mortgage, accounts payable and other bills incurred by qualifying businesses during, and resulting from, the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the SBA.
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New Haven Man Sentenced to More Than 9 Years in Federal Prison for Narcotics and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DONELL ALLICK, JR., also known as “D-Nice,” 25, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 115 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
According to the evidence presented during his trial, between April and October 2022, Allick conspired with others to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine in the New Haven area. In September and October 2022, law enforcement made controlled purchases of fentanyl from Allick and an associate. On October 24, 2022, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of a Hamden apartment that Allick used and seized three loaded handguns with extended magazines, approximately 73 grams of fentanyl, approximately 34 grams of crack cocaine, items used to process and package narcotics for street sale, and $15,000 in cash. A related search of Allick’s car, which had been observed in suspected drug transactions, resulted in the seizure of another loaded handgun with a 30-round extended magazine, quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine, and $2,144 in cash.
Ballistics analysis of the three handguns found in Allick’s residence revealed that they had been used in six shootings, including two homicides, that occurred between September 13, 2021, and September 16, 2022.
On March 21, 2023, Allick was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl and cocaine base (“crack cocaine”); one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl; and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base. The jury found Allick not guilty of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, a quantity of fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute cocaine base; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
After the trial, and before the jury returned its verdict, Allick pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of firearms by a felon.
Allick’s criminal history include state convictions for escape in the first degree, assault in the second degree-serious injury, and carrying a pistol or revolver without a permit.
Allick has been detained since his arrest on November 10, 2022, and is currently awaiting trial in a separate federal case.
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); the New Haven Police Department; and the Hamden Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens and Rahul Kale through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Michigan Man Sentenced to Decade for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Kalen Daevon Lee, age 31, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Lee, also known as “Tay,” was involved with a drug trafficking operation in Harrison, Monongalia, and Taylor Counties. Lee was using a motel room in Morgantown to sell narcotics, supplied out of Detroit, Michigan. Investigators searched the hotel room, a storage unit, and conducted a traffic stop, seizing nearly two pounds of fentanyl.
Lee will report for four years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Mercer County Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Austin Pannell, 27, of Bluefield, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 18, 2022, Pannell sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant outside of a Princeton apartment. Pannell admitted to that transaction and further admitted to selling additional quantities of fentanyl to a confidential informant on three other occasions in Princeton and Bluefield between July 12, 2022, and August 18, 2022.
On July 27, 2023, law enforcement officers arrested Pannell at a residence in Bluefield. Officers executed a search warrant at that residence and found 568 grams of fentanyl, a Delton 5.56mm AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, and a Phoenix Arms .25-caliber handgun that were attributed to Pannell.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The task force consists of members of the West Virginia State Police, the Bluefield Police Department, the Princeton Police Department, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, the McDowell County Sheriff’s Department, and the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-109.
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Member of Delaware Limited Liability Company Indicted for Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
Wilmington, Del. – Deborah Evans Mott, a 69-year-old Virginia woman, has been indicted for making material false statements under oath and under penalty of perjury during a bankruptcy proceeding, announced David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware.
According to the indictment, in January 2022, Team Systems International, LLC (“TSI”) filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (No. 22-10066-CTG). During the relevant time period, Mott was a member of TSI, had sole signatory authority over all of its bank accounts, and acted as its bookkeeper. The indictment alleges that Mott declared under penalty of perjury that TSI’s bankruptcy filings were true and correct despite knowing that the filings failed to disclose, among other things, several million dollars in transfers to Mott and other TSI insiders. The indictment also alleges that Mott was deposed under oath during the bankruptcy and falsely testified regarding various financial transfers from TSI.
Mott is charged with one count of making false statements under penalty of perjury during a bankruptcy proceeding and one count of making false statements under oath during a bankruptcy proceeding. If convicted, she faces a maximum period of five years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Claudia L. Pare and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah J. McCollum are assigned to prosecute this case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Mott IndictmentMcLaughlin Man Sentenced for Vehicular BatteryRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Charles B. Kornmann, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of Vehicular Battery. The sentencing took place on July 8, 2024.
Jerry Bruce Petersen, age 69, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Petersen was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 13, 2023.
Shortly before 9:00 p.m. on January 28, 2023, Petersen was driving his F-150 truck on South Dakota Hwy 63 near McLaughlin, when he struck three pedestrians. One of the pedestrians incurred life-threatening injuries requiring an airlift to Bismarck, North Dakota. Petersen’s alcohol concentration was 0.13. The location of the offense lay within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the General Crimes Act, a federal statute, authorizes federal prosecution of certain crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Petersen was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Lowell, Mass. Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Lowell, Massachusetts man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for distributing and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and conspiring to distribute and possess methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Angel Luis Lozano, 27, to 60 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Lozano pleaded guilty on February 15, 2024.
According to court records, in November 2022, an undercover officer arranged to purchase two pounds of methamphetamine from Mandy Shorey, 43, of Peru, Maine. Lozano traveled from Massachusetts to Maine with at least 938.4 grams of methamphetamine to provide to Shorey. In January 2023, the agent again arranged to purchase two pounds of methamphetamine, and Lozano traveled with other coconspirators from Massachusetts and delivered approximately 459.3 grams of methamphetamine.
Mandy Shorey pleaded guilty on April 18, 2024, to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, conspiring to distribute and possess methamphetamine, and using a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. She faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million followed by supervised release for at least five years and up to life for the two drug charges. She faces a minimum sentence of five years and a fine of up to $250,000 on the firearms charge. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case.
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Lexington Felon Sentenced to over 3 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Lexington, Kentucky man was sentenced today to 3 years and 1 month in prison for illegally possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony offense.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to court documents, Gary Hoskins, 57, was sentenced to 3 years and 1 month in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony offense.
Hoskins was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense.
On or about September 24, 2007, in Laurel Circuit Court, Laurel County, Kentucky, Hoskins, was convicted of second-degree burglary.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF Paducah Post of Duty with assistance from the Kentucky State Police and the Graves County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Leader of Aryan Knights Prison Gang Pleads Guilty to RICO Conspiracy and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
BOISE – James Ramsey, 43, formerly the overall leader of the Idaho prison gang known as the Aryan Knights, or “AK,” pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise under the federal RICO statute (the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act) conspiracy and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid or racketeering, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. With Ramsey’s guilty plea, all defendants in a ten-defendant RICO case charged in 2019 have now pleaded guilty. Sentencing for Ramsey is set for October 22, 2024.
The defendant was a member of an enterprise called the “Aryan Knights” (“AK”) since at least 2007. The AK is a prison gang that operates within Idaho Department of Correction (“IDOC”) prison facilities but also outside of IDOC facilities in the District of Idaho. It was founded to organize criminal activity for a select group of white inmates within IDOC custody. The defendant has held various positions of rank in the AK, including being the overall leader of the gang in 2015 and 2016. The AK is a corrupt racketeering enterprise, as defined in the RICO statute. It has a code of conduct that includes, but is not limited to, carrying out orders and submitting to discipline from the leaders of the gang. The AK derives its revenue from, among other things, extortion and smuggling and distributing controlled substances into IDOC facilities.
The defendant knowingly agreed that he or a co-conspirator would participate in the conduct of the affairs of the enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity. Among other things, AK members were ordered by AK leaders, including the defendant, to engage in criminal activity. As part of his participation in the AK, the defendant frequently communicated with other members of the AK about participating in collecting debts, extortion in IDOC prison facilities to be committed by AK members and distributing controlled substances in IDOC prison facilities.
As part of the racketeering conspiracy, the defendant participated in, and understood that other AK members would participate in the following acts:
- From 2010 to 2017, the AK trafficked drugs within IDOC. This includes a 2015–2016 scheme to smuggle methamphetamine into IDOC using an inmate’s wheelchair, arranging for methamphetamine to be smuggled in using another inmate’s girlfriend, and a system of “kick downs” the Defendant implemented. The defendant, along with other AK members, distributed and arranged the distribution of drugs, including methamphetamine, during this period.
- In the spring of 2016, the Defendant ordered that AK members attack another inmate (the victim). The victim was a former AK member. On June 15, 2016, co-defendant Harlan Hale and two other AK members attacked the victim on an IDOC baseball field. They beat and stabbed the victim multiple times with homemade knives, intending to kill the victim. Hale previously pleaded guilty to participating in the RICO conspiracy and admitted that he committed this attack as an integral aspect of gang membership.
All ten of the AK defendants in this case have pleaded guilty, and eight have been sentenced so far:
- Harlan Hale, 58, was sentenced in March of 2021 to life in federal prison.
- Christopher Foss, 35, was sentenced in September, 2020, to 210 months in federal prison, with 174 months to be served after his earliest possible parole date for his current state prison sentence. Foss was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following his incarceration.
- Buck Pickens, 35, was sentenced in September, 2020, to 206 months in federal prison, with 60 months to be served after his earliest possible parole date for his current sentence. Pickens was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following his incarceration.
- Steven Bowman, 41, was sentenced in May, 2023, to 78 months in federal prison, to be served after his earliest possible parole date for his current sentence. Bowman was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following his incarceration.
- Nicholas Sites, 39, was sentenced in January, 2023, to 55 months in federal prison. Sites was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following his incarceration.
- Mark Woodland, 53, was sentenced in June, 2023, to 51 months in federal prison, to be served after his earliest possible parole date for his current sentence. Woodland was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his incarceration.
- Lucas Johnson, 35, was sentenced in May, 2021, to 48 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
- Michael McNabb, 40, was sentenced in August, 2020, to 28 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from IDOC’s Special Investigations Unit, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office.
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Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Paul Anthony Rucker, 47, of Nitro, was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Rucker admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 15, 2023, law enforcement officers arrested Rucker and searched his Nitro residence. Rucker admitted that he and others used the residence to distribute controlled substances. Officers seized 64.45 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 41 grams of fentanyl, 11 firearms, and ammunition during the search. Rucker admitted that he and another individual possessed the firearms and ammunition and intended to distribute the controlled substances found during the search.
Rucker further admitted to participating in the DTO from at least February 2023 through November 2023. As part of that participation, Rucker admitted that he distributed fentanyl to a confidential informant at his Nitro residence on May 19, 2023, and to transporting quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl from Huntington to Nitro in a vehicle with co-defendant Mark Lawrence Lowe on September 9, 2023. Law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle and seized approximately 149 grams of fentanyl and 222.6 grams of methamphetamine. Rucker admitted that he and Lowe intended to distribute the controlled substances.
Rucker and Lowe are among 27 individuals indicted in a 53-count indictment that charges the defendants with distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl transported from Detroit in Huntington and other locations within the Southern District of West Virginia.
Rucker is also among 21 defendants who have pleaded guilty in the main case. One other of the 27 indicted individuals pleaded guilty to a related offense in a separate case. The indictment against Lowe and the remaining defendants is pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-180.
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Illegal Honduran Alien Indicted for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOAN E. ESCOBAR-REYES (“ESCOBAR-REYES”), age 26, a native of Honduras, was indicted on July 11, 2024 for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(5)(A).
According to court documents, on or about June 30, 2024, ESCOBAR-REYES, an alien illegally present in the United States, was found in possession of a Glock Model 32, .357 SIG caliber, semi-automatic pistol and a H&R Model 92, .22 LR caliber revolver.
If convicted, ESCOBAR-REYES faces a maximum penalty of 15 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, 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.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations and the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
Holdenville Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Bryant Dilbeck, age 28, of Holdenville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Holdenville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On November 20, 2023, Dilbeck pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. According to investigators, on January 3, 2023, Dilbeck knowingly possessed a .38 caliber revolver and ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Honorable William P. Johnson, Chief United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Dilbeck will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.
Guam Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempted Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Kevin Mayberry, age 64, from Tamuning, was sentenced to 110 months imprisonment. He previously pled guilty to Attempted Possession of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride with Intent to Distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The Court also ordered two years of supervised release following imprisonment and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
On August 14, 2017, U.S. Postal Inspectors intercepted a package containing methamphetamine hydrochloride. Law enforcement replaced the drugs with a sham product and conducted a controlled delivery. Mayberry attempted to receive the package. Upon arrest, he admitted that a friend in California sent him the methamphetamine which he intended to sell on Guam. The package contained D-methamphetamine hydrochloride with a net weight of 23 grams and a 95% purity level.
This was Mayberry’s third federal conviction for a drug offense.
“Repeat drug offenders are subject to enhanced penalties under federal law,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “These defendants are priority targets for our office as we continue to combat drug trafficking in an effort to keep our communities safe.”
“Sending methamphetamine in the mail endangers the community and postal workers. Postal inspectors will not allow the U.S. Mail to be used to traffic controlled substances. We work diligently with our law enforcement partners to remove contraband from the mail and hold suspects accountable,” said USPIS San Francisco Division Inspector-in-Charge Stephen Sherwood. “I want to thank our partner members of the Guam Interdictions Anti-Narcotics Trafficking Task Force (GIANT TF), including the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, Guam Police Department, and our federal law enforcement partners for their dependable teamwork.”
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Services and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Rosetta L. San Nicolas, Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Guam.
Fresno Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Nicolas Adan Guereca, 25, of Fresno was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 25 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor and receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. The court also ordered Guereca to pay a total of $60,200 in financial assessments and scheduled a hearing on restitution for September 16, 2024.
The prison sentence will be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release during which time his access to minors, computers, and the internet will be restricted. Guereca was also ordered to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, on approximately July 30, 2019, Guereca used a cellphone and an Instagram account with username jayriggs_14 to locate and communicate with a minor victim. During a series of messages, Guereca coerced the victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct and create visual depictions of that conduct for the purpose of transmitting them to Guereca. Investigators later learned that Guereca had used multiple phones and Yahoo, Snapchat, and Instagram accounts to communicate with minor females. Guereca received images of minors, some as young as 12 years of age, engaged in sexually explicit conduct from approximately June 2019 through July 2020.
This case is a product of an investigation by the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, specifically Homeland Security Investigations, the Clovis and Fresno Police Departments, and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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 those 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.
Former Postal Worker Pleads Guilty to Mail TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DAVID RAYFORD (“RAYFORD”), age 40, of Kenner, La., pled guilty on July 9, 2024, to Mail Theft, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709. His sentencing is set for October 8, 2024.
According to court records , on June 14, 2021, a Postal Service customer, contacted the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General to report non-delivery of a greeting card that was sent to his address. The card was sent by a family member, in early May, 2021. The family member advised that she mailed a Navy Federal Credit Union Visa gift card and cash to the victim and was able to provide a receipt for the purchase of the gift card.
RAYFORD, was an employee of the United States Postal Service and the postman on the route on which the card was stolen. RAYFORD used the stolen Navy Federal Credit Union Visa gift card at Walmart. Walmart Global Investigations identified two purchases utilizing the Navy Federal Credit Union Visa gift card made by RAYFORD.
RAYFORD faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years of imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, for the theft of mail.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Former Jericho Road employee charged with theft of government fundsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Dejan Karlovic, 29, of Amherst, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with theft of government funds, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, between October 16, 2023, and July 2, 2024, Karlovic was employed by Jericho Road as a Senior Grants Accountant. In this position, he had access to three commercial credit cards issued through M&T Bank. Among the expenses charged to these credit cards were charges purportedly related to UHAUL, with many of the most significant UHAUL related charges supported by invoices from an entity named D and D. Between March 1 and June 26, 2024, there were more than $574,000 in D and D related transactions conducted on the credit cards.
In March 2024, Jericho Road switched its credit card process to an online credit card management system called Ramp. Ramp accounts were issued to a limited number of personnel, which did not include Karlovic. One employee who was to receive a Ramp account with administrative access, did not establish his user profile in a timely manner. However, an unknown individual established the employee’s profile on Ramp. At approximately the same time the profile was established, an invitation for administrative access to Ramp was sent to Karlovic and a credit card through Ramp was issued to Karlovic. Karlovic was questioned about this, and he admitted that he received the invitation. Karlovic’s access to the Ramp credit card was revoked. However, when the Ramp program was rolled out to Jericho Road, Karlovic received access to two credit cards. He was to manage the program expenses related to these cards, and was able to make legitimate program purchases using both these credit cards. Between April 10 and June 17, 2024, there were more than $10,000 in D and D related transactions that were conducted on one of the two credit cards Karlovic had access to through Ramp.
Subsequent investigation determined that some of the funds allegedly stolen by Karlovic in the name of D and D, were transferred to his personal bank account at Northwest Bank. The timing of the transactions coincided with transactions on the M&T credit cards. Jericho Road became aware of the suspicious nature of the transactions involving D and D, conducted an internal investigation, and concluded that the charges were not for legitimate business purposes. Since Karlovic’s access was revoked, no new purchases from D and D have cleared on Ramp.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
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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Former Bank Loan Officer Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Federal Credit UnionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston woman pleaded guilty on July 12, 2024 to conspiring to defraud the federal credit union where she worked as a loan officer by obtaining loans in the names of inmates at a Massachusetts prison where a co-conspirator was incarcerated.
Nadaje Hendrix, 26, of Brighton, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. U.S. District Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for Oct. 4, 2024. In January 2024, Hendrix was indicted by a federal grand jury along with alleged co-conspirator Glenroy Miller
Between December 2019 and August 2021, Hendrix and, allegedly, Miller agreed to defraud the credit union where Hendrix worked as a loan officer and assistant branch manager, by obtaining loans in the names of other individuals, including inmates at a Massachusetts prison where Miller was incarcerated. While in prison, Miller allegedly gave Hendrix information about fellow inmates for Hendrix to use in creating fraudulent loan applications, and then arranged to have additional co-conspirators go into the credit union to pretend to be the inmates, sign loan forms and obtain loans from the credit union through Hendrix. The scheme also involved obtaining loans in the names of individuals whose identities were stolen. In total, Hendrix and, allegedly, Miller stole about $134,000 from the credit union in about two months in 2021.
The charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. 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 Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Felon Who Pistol-Whipped Victim Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
A felon who possessed a firearm pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Diago Davis, age 50, from Chicago, Illinois was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm as a felon.
In a plea agreement, Davis admitted that on February 3, 2024, law enforcement officers searched his residence in Hiawatha, Iowa, where they found a firearm that Davis knowingly possessed. Davis has three drug‑related felony convictions. In a prior hearing, evidence showed that earlier in the day on February 3, 2024, Davis had pistol-whipped a victim with that same firearm, resulting in the victim falling down several stairs and sustaining injuries.
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.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Davis remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Davis faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Hiawatha Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-41. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Fallcatcher Principal Charged with Securities and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – An indictment has been unsealed charging Henry Ford, also known as Cleothus Lefty Jackson, with securities and wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. A grand jury in this district returned the charges against Ford in March 2023, but the charges remained under seal until Ford’s arrest in Arizona last week.
According to the indictment, Ford founded and operated a business named Fallcatcher, the stated goal of which was to develop and market an electronic system designed to track use of medication by addiction recovery patients to prevent relapse. The indictment alleges that in Spring 2018, after Ford ran out of investor funds purportedly developing this “system,” Ford used an acquaintance in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania who had access to a network of investors to raise funds from these investors. As a result, in June 2018, Ford made presentations in person to potential investors, who were part of this acquaintance’s network, at locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. During these presentations, Ford made false and misleading statements regarding the proposed investment and showed investors a fraudulent letter of interest in the Fallcatcher business. In addition, Ford caused his acquaintance to distribute further false and misleading statements after these presentations. According to the indictment, as a result of these deceptive fundraising efforts, Ford caused approximately 50 investors to invest approximately $5 million in total in Fallcatcher.
The indictment further alleges that during an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in Fall 2018 and the first half of 2019, Ford took various actions to conceal his fraud upon the investors in Fallcatcher. For instance, it is alleged that Ford lied in multiple SEC depositions. In addition, the indictment alleges that Ford, through his counsel, produced to the SEC a fraudulent email chain to further hide his fraud. Finally, it is alleged that in Spring 2019, Ford accessed Fallcatcher’s investor funds, obtained through fraud, for personal purposes.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 160 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $6,750,000 fine, and an $800 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Murray. The SEC’s New York Regional Office investigated and litigated the civil securities fraud charges, which formed the basis of a portion of the criminal prosecution.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Elk City Man Sentenced to Serve 40 Years in Federal Prison for Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – TIMOTHY STEVEN BLAYLOCK, JR., 38, of Elk City, has been sentenced to serve 480 months in federal prison for producing child pornography and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On November 17, 2023, Blaylock was charged with production of child pornography involving two victims and possession of child pornography. According to public record, in July 2023, an undercover FBI agent began communicating with Blaylock via a mobile messaging service. The agent purported to be the mother of a 12-year-old girl, to whom Blaylock made several sexually explicit comments. The affidavit alleges the conversation continued for several days, during which Blaylock shared several videos with the agent depicting himself sexually abusing minors. Blaylock was arrested on July 28, 2023.
After his arrest, the FBI determined that Blaylock had produced child pornography with two children using his cell phone. Blaylock also downloaded other child pornography via the Internet and possessed it on his cell phone.
On November 27, 2023, Blaylock pleaded guilty and admitted to sexually abusing two minors multiple times, which he filmed using his cell phone between March of 2021 and July of 2023, and to possessing other child pornography on his cell phone.
At the sentencing hearing on July 15, 2024, U.S. District Judge David L. Russell sentenced Blaylock to serve 480 months in federal prison, followed by supervised release for life. In announcing his sentence, Judge Russell described Blaylock’s actions as “unforgiveable,” and added that the “world needs to know you pay a price” for this kind of criminal conduct.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, FBI New Orleans Field Office, and Elk City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Hale prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
El Salvador Citizen Sentenced for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Elian David Vasquez-Lopez, age 24, of El Salvador, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for one count of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by an Illegal Alien. Following his sentence, he will be released to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal from the United States.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Kiowa Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On August 28, 2023, Vasquez-Lopez pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien. According to investigators, on July 17, 2023, officers conducting a routine traffic stop on U.S. Highway 69 discovered Vasquez-Lopez was illegally in the United States and in possession of a 9mm pistol and six rounds of ammunition.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Vasquez-Lopez will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration prior to his removal from the United States.
Assistant United States Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
Dominican Republic National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Passport Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Ivan Desiderio Peralta Rosario (33, Dominican Republic) to four years in federal prison for passport fraud and aggravated identify theft. Peralta Rosario pleaded guilty to these offenses on March 20, 2024.
According to the plea agreement, Peralta Rosario is a citizen of the Dominican Republic who was previously deported from the United States after being convicted of unauthorized possession of an identification card and dealing in stolen property. He subsequently reentered the United States and filed an application for a U.S. Passport. Peralta Rosario presented a false Florida Driver License and birth certificate in the name of L.J.M.M. and used the name, date of birth, and Social Security Number of L.J.M.M. in his passport application.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement- Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Diplomatic Security Service, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Police Department, the North Carolina DMV Police, the Georgia DMV Police, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Dickson Tennessee Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Laurie.
Dominican Republic National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Passport Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Ivan Desiderio Peralta Rosario (33, Dominican Republic) to four years in federal prison for passport fraud and aggravated identify theft. Peralta Rosario pleaded guilty to these offenses on March 20, 2024.
According to the plea agreement, Peralta Rosario is a citizen of the Dominican Republic who was previously deported from the United States after being convicted of unauthorized possession of an identification card and dealing in stolen property. He subsequently reentered the United States and filed an application for a U.S. Passport. Peralta Rosario presented a false Florida Driver License and birth certificate in the name of L.J.M.M. and used the name, date of birth, and Social Security Number of L.J.M.M. in his passport application.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement- Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Diplomatic Security Service, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Police Department, the North Carolina DMV Police, the Georgia DMV Police, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Dickson Tennessee Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Laurie.
Department of Justice Recognizes Assistant United States Attorney for Superior Appellate WorkRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Anthony J. Enright is the recipient of the Director’s Award for Superior Appellate Performance. The Director’s Award recognizes excellence throughout the U.S. Attorney community and honors the exceptional contributions to the Justice Department’s mission by AUSAs in criminal and civil cases, and appellate work, and other programmatic areas, across the 94 federal Districts that comprise the United States.
“For nearly 10 years, Anthony has distinguished himself as one of the top appellate lawyers in the Department of Justice community,” said U.S. Attorney King. “Through this award, the Department of Justice has recognized Anthony for his superior appellate performance, his dedication, and his service to the people of the Western District of North Carolina. Anthony is a committed public servant who has helped advance my Office’s critical appellate work and further the mission of the Justice Department. Anthony’s high standards of professional conduct and his contributions as an appellate litigator have had a powerful impact in ensuring the strength of our justice system and enhancing the security of our communities.”
AUSA Enright joined the Appellate Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2014. During his tenure, Anthony has written countless appellate briefs, presented more than 60 oral arguments before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and secured dozens of published appellate decisions affirming the position of the United States. He has successfully defended on appeal the convictions and sentences of violent offenders, domestic terrorists, child predators, drug traffickers, fraudsters, tax cheats, and people who didn’t follow the rules while on federal property. AUSA Enright has also won decisions about constitutional law, statutory interpretation, sentencing, and the application of our treaties that are helpful to the Justice Department’s mission. AUSA Enright is a stellar example of the best the Justice Department has to offer. Thanks to AUSA Enright’s appellate advocacy, our community in the Western District is a safer place.
AUSA Enright received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Illinois and his law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School. He is originally from Chicago, Illinois.
Defendants Plead Guilty to Stealing Identities of the Homeless to Fraudulently Apply for Unemployment BenefitsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Olabanji Otufale and Marc Lazarre pleaded guilty without a plea agreement to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto. The defendants pleaded guilty as jury selection and trial was set to begin this morning. When sentenced, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 32 years’ imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 2 years’ imprisonment.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jocelyn Strauber, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI), announced the guilty pleas.
“The defendants shamefully stole vulnerable homeless victims’ personal identifying information for their own personal gain,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace. “Instead of investigating fraud, as the City of New York trusted Otufale to do, the defendants abused Otufale’s position and access to sensitive data to commit fraud. That the defendants face a mandatory prison sentence of two years should serve as a deterrent message to others who think about corruptly stealing identities and taxpayer funds.”
“Leveraging his position within the New York City Department of Homeless Services, Olbanji Otufale stole homeless individuals’ personal information and enlisted a co-conspirator to use these sensitive details for his own financial benefit. The defendants’ actions exemplify the harmful abuses of power the FBI is dedicated to preventing, and we applaud the efforts of our office and the Department of Investigation in bringing about this verdict,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Curtis.
DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said, “These two defendants exploited the intended beneficiaries of public funds to steal those funds for their own gain. Unacceptable under any circumstances, this conduct is particularly troubling because one defendant, a City fraud investigator, had a duty to identify and prevent the very crimes in which he engaged, abusing his access and position of trust and authority. I thank the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI for their continued partnership in protecting public funds and holding accountable those who drain these precious resources for personal profit.”
As alleged in the indictment, court filings and statements made in court, in the fall of 2020, the defendants conspired to steal the personal identifying information of homeless individuals and use that stolen information to fraudulently apply for unemployment insurance benefits in the names of those homeless individuals without their knowledge or consent.
At the time of the scheme, Otufale was a fraud investigator with the New York City Department of Homeless Services. In that role, Otufale was responsible for ensuring individuals who applied for homeless services—such as housing in homeless shelters—were qualified to receive New York City Department of Homeless services.
Otufale, however, used his access to a Department of Homeless Services database to steal the personal identifying information—names, social security numbers, dates of birth—of vulnerable victims who had given that personal information to the Department of Homeless Services when they applied for social services. Otufale then texted this victim information to Lazarre who applied online for unemployment benefits in the names of the homeless victims. Otufale and Lazarre conspired to split the fraudulent benefits they received.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Sara K. Winik, Laura Zuckerwise and Katherine P. Onyshko are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Nadya Osman.
The Defendants:
Olabanji Otufale
Age: 41
Brooklyn, New YorkMarc Lazarre
Age: 39
Secaucus, New JerseyE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-170 (KAM)
Davenport Man Sentenced to 137 Months in Federal Prison for Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on Wednesday, July 10, 2024 to 137 months in federal prison, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Sylvester George Taylor Staples, 31, was found in possession of a firearm and 9.24 grams of cocaine base. Staples had multiple prior felony convictions, including a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. At sentencing, the Court also found Staples violated the terms of his federal supervised release and ordered to serve an additional 24 months of imprisonment.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Staples will be required to serve 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Copper Wire Thief Sentenced to 18 Months Federal Prison for Stealing from U.S. Department of the NavyRead the Press Release
Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Albert Benavente Taimanglo, age 69, from Dededo, Guam was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment. He was charged in the U.S. District Court of Guam with Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Government Property, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 371 and 641. The Court also ordered three years of supervised release, restitution of $44,567.90, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
In January of 2019, Taimanglo and others broke into a utility station at the United States Naval Communication Station known as Radio Barrigada. Taimanglo and his co-conspirators cut and removed copper cable. They later sold it as scrap to metal recycling facilities. The wire carried a live current, which electrocuted one of the co-conspirators. It also caused an emergency power outage and hampered important military communications capabilities.
“This case demonstrates the danger of stealing copper cable that is connected to a live grid,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “The damage was beyond a simple repair, and potentially affected national security. The sentence imposed by the Court sends a strong message of deterrence. Recycling facilities are encouraged to report suspected copper theft to law enforcement at the earliest opportunity.”
This investigation was conducted by Naval Criminal Investigative Service and prosecuted by Benjamin K. Petersburg, Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Guam.
Convicted Felon Indicted on Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Charles Wesley Monroe, 19, of Washington, D.C., was indicted today by a grand jury on a federal firearms charge stemming from his possession of a loaded firearm in April 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The indictment, unsealed today, alleges that on April 29, 2024, Monroe unlawfully possessed a 9mm Smith & Wesson SD9 2.0 semiautomatic pistol and 9mm ammunition, knowing he previously had been convicted in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia of an offense punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
According to the government’s evidence, on April 29, 2024, MPD officers approached a man in the 1400 block of Girard Street Northwest to investigate an unrelated offense. Monroe, who was standing nearby, broke into unprovoked flight and evaded police. Moments later, officers observed Monroe return to the scene and run under an apartment building stairwell while clutching his waist. Officers apprehended Monroe and located a firearm nearby. The firearm and its magazine were swabbed for DNA and submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, for testing and analysis. The results linked both the firearm and magazine to Monroe.
Monroe was arrested on April 29, 2024, and initially charged by criminal complaint in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He has remained held without bond since his arrest.
Federal law prohibits Monroe from possessing a firearm and ammunition because, in September 2023, he was convicted in the D.C. Superior Court of robbery, an offense punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Monroe was on probation for that offense at the time of his arrest in this case.
Monroe faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum potential penalties in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence imposed in this case will be determined by the Court after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by ATF and MPD as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle M. McWaters and Paul V. Courtney, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustin Horner.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Colorado Couple Indicted for $5 Million COVID-19 Relief Program Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
DENVER - The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Joshua Lybolt, 45, and Magdalena Lybolt, 46, of Castle Rock, Colorado, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Colorado. Joshua Lybolt has been charged with wire fraud and money laundering and Magdalena Lybolt with wire fraud.
According to the indictment, from April 2020 until around August 2022, Joshua Lybolt applied for and received $4,950,000 in COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and $41,667 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds from an SBA-approved lender. The indictment alleges that Joshua Lybolt falsely certified in fraudulent loan applications that the business entities suffered losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, despite knowing that the business entities were not in operation on the dates required to receive relief funds.
The indictment further alleges that Joshua Lybolt and Magdalena Lybolt falsely certified that all the loan proceeds would be used for business expenses when, in fact, they used the bulk of the proceeds for personal expenses including a 2022 Porsche Taycan, a 2016 Land Rover Range Rover, memberships in a country club, a luxury vacation club, and real estate properties.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans dealing with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act created the PPP, a program administered by the SBA that provided loans to small businesses to retain workers, maintain payroll, and certain other expenses consistent with PPP rules. Additionally, the CARES Act authorized the SBA to provide EIDLs to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The defendants made their initial appearance on July 11, 2024, in Denver in front of Magistrate Judge Scott T. Varholak.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Theodore O’Brien and Craig Fansler.
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.
On July 11, 2023, the Attorney General selected the District of Colorado’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of five national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. The Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors, as well as those who committed multiple instances of pandemic relief fraud. The Strike Force uses prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. Additional information regarding the Strike Force may be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-results-nationwide-covid-19-fraud-enforcement-action.
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
Chester Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Montell De’Angelo Cousar, 33, of Chester, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that on May 5, 2023, the Rock Hill Police Department officers responded to reports of a fight at a local restaurant. As officers were clearing the restaurant parking lot, Cousar dropped a loaded 9mm pistol from his clothing as he walked past an RHPD officer. The pistol was reported stolen. Cousar was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition based on his prior convictions. In 2017, Cousar was convicted of assault and battery, first degree. In that case, Cousar shot the victim twice. In 2016, he was convicted for multiple counts of distributing crack cocaine.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Cousar to 33 months in prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Rock Hill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Taylor is prosecuting the case.
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Checotah Resident Sentenced for False Statement Made During Acquisition of A FirearmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that James Steven Peavler, age 67, of Checotah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for a False Statement During the Acquisition of a Firearm.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On September 29, 2023, Peavler pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 29, 2022, Peavler attempted to receive two firearms from Checotah Firearms, a Federal Firearms Licensee, in Checotah, Oklahoma. During his visit, Peavler intentionally made a false written statement on the ATF Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473, asserting that he was not under indictment or information in any court for a felony or for any other crime for which he could be imprisoned for more than one year. In reality, at the time of the transaction, Peavler was under indictment for a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding of one year and knew of such prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge for the United States District Court in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Peavler will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.
Canadian man indicted, arrested for nearly 30-year Social Security benefit fraud schemeRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Canadian man was arrested in Los Angeles on July 8 after a federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging him with stealing over $420,000 of his mother’s Social Security benefits in a nearly 30-year complex fraud scheme.
According to court documents, beginning in roughly 1995, Ellis Kingsep, aka Ellis King, 77, allegedly created private postal mailbox accounts to hide the fact that he was a sending and receiving his mother’s mail. The defendant allegedly changed the mailing addresses for his mother every few years to a new address in California, and eventually Vancouver, British Columbia, and Alaska.
In 2013, the Social Security Administration received a change of address notice signed by Kingsep’s mother, stating that she was moving to Alaska and requested her address be changed to one in Fairbanks. The address in Fairbanks was for a mail forwarding service that, allegedly per instructions from the defendant, would receive the mail in his mother’s name, repackage it in his name and ship it to two different private mailbox services located in Vancouver. Those services, again allegedly per instructions from the defendant, would repackage and forward the mail to private mailbox services in Los Angeles, where Kingsep would regularly collect his mail. The indictment alleges the mother’s name or information were not used for any of the private mailbox registrations. All registrations were done with Kingsep’s information, and they were all in his name.
Beginning in 1996, the Social Security Administration made direct deposits of Social Security retirement benefits for Kingsep’s mother into a different bank account than previously used. The new account was held in the names of the defendant and his mother. The Social Security Administration continued the direct deposits until 2023. Bank security video shows the defendant regularly withdrawing cash from the account in Los Angeles.
The indictment alleges that the defendant’s mother would be 102 at the time of indictment, and that there has been no record of her since 1993.
Kingsep is charged with five counts of mail fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1341, one count of aggravated identity theft in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1028A and one count of social security fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §408(a)(3). The defendant made his initial court appearance on July 11 before the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and is awaiting transport to Alaska by the U.S. Marshal’s Service. If convicted, he faces a mandatory sentence of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft, in addition to up to 20 years in prison for his other alleged crimes. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent-in-Charge Christian Assaad, of the Denver Seattle Field Division, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General made the announcement.
The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bradley is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Brownsburg Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Stolen Firearms to Pawn ShopRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Jason Compliment, 42, of Brownsburg, Indiana, has been sentenced to 22 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. In February of 2024, a federal jury found Compliment guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon following a two-day trial.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, on July 16, 2022, the defendant sold three firearms to a north Indianapolis pawnshop for $725. Video surveillance footage captured him selling the firearms and receiving the pawn ticket in his own name.
Mr. Compliment has numerous prior felony convictions in Hendricks and Marion Counties—including eight burglaries, resisting law enforcement, and possession of methamphetamine, making him an Armed Career Criminal under federal law. In one prior case, the defendant burglarized a church and stole funds meant for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. Each one of these previous felony convictions prohibits the defendant from ever legally possessing a firearm again.
“The defendant’s long list of prior criminal sentences, ranging from probation to incarceration, have failed to deter him from continuing to illegally possess guns,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “He showed so little respect for the law he was even willing to sell the guns under his own name. Much of the gun violence inflicted on our communities is caused by individuals who are prohibited by law from having a firearm in the first place. Thanks to the work of the ATF, IMPD, and our federal prosecutors the public will be protected from this career criminal for years to come.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S District Judge James P. Hanlon.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy C. Fugate and Bradley A. Blackington, who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Bluefield Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Matthew Alexander Wilson, 29, of Bluefield, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 16, 2023, Wilson and Denise R. Allen were apprehended at a gun store in Princeton, West Virginia. Following their arrest, Wilson and Allen consented to a search by law enforcement officers of a truck they had rented using a stolen identity. Officers found 431 grams of methamphetamine, 21 grams of fentanyl and two Glock 9mm semiautomatic handguns during the search of the rental truck. Wilson and Allen admitted they possessed the methamphetamine and fentanyl and intended to distribute it.
Allen, 30, of Bluefield, was sentenced on June 10, 2024 to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Wilson is scheduled to be sentenced on November 12, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The task force consists of members of the West Virginia State Police, the Bluefield Police Department, the Princeton Police Department, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, the McDowell County Sheriff’s Department, and the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:23-cr-152.
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Arapahoe man is sentenced for assault by strangulationRead the Press Release
Daniel Anthony Whiteplume, 26, of Arapahoe, Wyoming, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for assault by strangulation. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on July 10, 2024.
According to court documents, on September 6, 2022, Whiteplume was receiving a ride to an uncle’s house due to his intoxication. During the ride, he became angry and jerked the steering wheel of the moving car. The driver was near the uncle’s house and pulled over. Whiteplume began beating and then strangling the victim, who was the driver. The victim was later taken to the hospital and contacted by the Wind River Police Department. Special agents and victim services personnel with the FBI were also brought in to assist with the investigation. They observed injuries consistent with the victim’s account of the incident. Whiteplume pleaded guilty to the charge on March 30, 2023.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted this case. Case No. 22-CR-00142
Allegheny County Man and Woman Charged with Fraud and Identity Theft Offenses for Fraudulently Obtaining Prescription MedicationsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Donte Lucas, age 27, and Jania Aceituno, age 26, both of Dravosburg, Pennsylvania, were indicted on July 10, 2024, on charges of wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Lucas, Aceituno, and their coconspirators used stolen identities and DEA registration numbers of healthcare providers to order fraudulent prescription medications at various pharmacies. The indictment further alleges that Lucas, Aceituno, and their coconspirators obtained and distributed those prescription medications, including the controlled substance Promethazine with Codeine—commonly known as “Lean” on the street.
“Fraudulently obtaining controlled prescription drugs violates FDA requirements which exist to ensure that the drugs are safe and used under the supervision of licensed medical practitioners,” said Special Agent in Charge George Scavdis, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to thoroughly investigate those who endanger public health by undermining the integrity of the U.S. supply chain for these tightly controlled drugs.”
The case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of the Inspector General, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Scalera is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the wire fraud conspiracy offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The aggravated identity theft offense carries a mandatory two-year sentence of imprisonment that is to run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed. 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.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Alleged drug dealer to downtown Seattle, Aurora, ID, and homeless encampments indicted for drug and gun crimesRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 48-year-old Seattle area man is in federal custody tonight after being indicted by a grand jury for two counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Simon Offord is allegedly linked to drug dealing in multiple Seattle neighborhoods and in various homeless encampments. Searches of his vehicles and a Shoreline hotel room resulted in seizures of significant quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and Alprazolam.
Offord was arraigned on the indictment on July 8, 2024, and detained on July 11, 2024.
According to police reports and other records filed in the case, Offord came to the attention of Seattle Police patrol officers in December 2023 when he drove the wrong way down a street in Seattle. Before police could contact him, he abandoned the car he was driving in a parking lot. Inside the car officers saw what appeared to be drugs. After getting a warrant to search the vehicle they found drugs packaged to for delivery, scales, and other indications of drug dealing as well as a ‘ghost gun’- one made without a serial number.
Over a number of months, Seattle Police looked for Offord and ultimately tracked him to a Shoreline hotel, just off of Aurora Avenue. On May 30, 2024, Offord was arrested at one of his dealing locations along Aurora in North Seattle. A search of his hotel room and vehicle yielded nine pounds of fentanyl powder, approximately 2900 fentanyl pills, and more than a pound of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, heroin, and other drugs. Police also seized another firearm. Offord was booked into the King County Jail but later was released on bail.
Due to the large amount of drugs involved in these seizures, the crimes are punishable by a mandatory minimum ten years in prison and up to life in prison. Possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime adds an additional five years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Seattle Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Casey Conzatti and Brian Wynne.
13 July 2024
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on Shooting at Former President Donald J. Trump’s RallyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the shooting at former President Donald J. Trump’s rally:
“I have been briefed on the shooting at former President Trump’s rally, and have briefed the President. The FBI, ATF, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and the Department’s National Security Division are currently working with the Secret Service as well as state and local law enforcement partners on the ground in Butler, Pennsylvania.
My heart is with the former President, those injured, and the family of the spectator killed in this horrific attack.
We will not tolerate violence of any kind, and violence like this is an attack on our democracy. The Justice Department will bring every available resource to bear to this investigation.”
12 July 2024
U.S. Navy Reserve Officer Convicted for Bribery Scheme Impacting Department of State’s Approval Process for Special Immigrant Visas for Afghan NationalsRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a U.S. Navy Reserve commander today on multiple criminal charges related to a years-long bribery scheme involving Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for Afghan nationals.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jeromy Pittmann, 53, of Pensacola, Florida, received bribe money from Afghan nationals in exchange for drafting, submitting, and falsely verifying false letters of recommendation for citizens of Afghanistan who applied for SIVs with the U.S. Department of State. Each year, the State Department offers limited SIVs to enter the United States for Afghan nationals employed as translators for U.S. military personnel. In connection with this program, Pittmann signed over 20 false letters in which he represented, among other things, that he personally knew and had supervised the Afghan national visa applicants while they worked as translators in support of the U.S. military and NATO; that the applicants’ lives were in jeopardy because the Taliban considered them to be traitors; and that, based on his personal knowledge of the applicants, he believed they did not pose any threat to the national security of the United States. In reality, Pittmann did not know the applicants and had no basis for recommending them for SIVs. In exchange, Pittmann received several thousands of dollars in bribes. To avoid detection, Pittmann received the bribe money through an intermediary and created false invoices purporting to show that Pittmann was receiving the money for legitimate work unrelated to his military service.
The jury convicted Pittmann of conspiracy to commit bribery and false writing, bribery, false writing, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 21 and faces a maximum penalty of 45 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Inspector General Robert P. Storch of the Department of Defense; Inspector General John F. Sopko of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR); and Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service’s (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office made the announcement.
SIGAR, NCIS, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Matt Kahn and Theodore M. Kneller of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.