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Tuesday 28 May 2024
Broome County man who was convicted by a federal jury of traveling to Wyoming County to attempt to have sex with a 13-year-old going to prison for 20 yearsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that David Lettieri, 36, of Harpursville, NY, who was convicted by a federal jury of enticement of a minor, was sentenced to serve 240 months by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Bonanno and Maeve E. Huggins, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that in October 2020, Lettieri traveled from Broome County to meet a 13-year-old girl (victim) in a park in Wyoming County with the intent of having sexual intercourse, however sexual contact did not occur. Subsequent investigation recovered communications between Lettieri and the victim, including photos of the victim on Lettieri’s phone. Investigators also searched Lettieri’s Facebook account and recovered conversations between Lettieri, the Victim, and the Victim’s sister, which were sexual in nature. The Victim’s age was also revealed during the conversations.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Gregory J. Rudolph, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
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Brevard County Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that William Alfred Harris (62, Cape Canaveral) has pleaded guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Harris faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in January 2023, the FBI identified Harris as a target based on being a recipient or downloader of CSAM on a file-sharing platform. In May 2023, the FBI executed a search warrant at Harris’s residence and seized Harris’s laptop. A forensic examination of the computer revealed CSAM, three file wipers, and encryption software.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Box Elder woman admits assaulting woman during attempted kidnapping on Rocky Boy’s Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Box Elder woman accused of beating another woman during an attempted kidnapping from Great Falls to the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation admitted to an assault charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Taneal Raschae Sutherland, 30, pleaded guilty to assault with the intent to commit a felony, a kidnapping. Sutherland faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Sept. 25. Sutherland was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that between Aug. 13 and 15, 2023, Sutherland and a group of friends, including the victim, identified as Jane Doe, were in Great Falls when they got into a dispute over money. Sutherland grabbed Doe by the hair and pushed her into a vehicle, and the group drove Doe to a home on the Rocky Boy’s Reservation. Doe reported that the individuals punched and kneed her throughout the drive to Rocky Boy’s. Doe further told law enforcement that she was kept at the residence against her will for some time before a friend helped her leave. Doe sought medical attention for injuries, including a concussion. Sutherland admitted to law enforcement that she grabbed Doe by the hair and assaulted her throughout the drive to Rocky Boy’s.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kalah A. Paisley and Amanda L. Myers are prosecuting the case. The FBI and Rocky Boy’s Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Terrance August, age 48, a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 70 months in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The Court further sentenced August to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered him to pay $179,976.99 in restitution to financial institutions.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, August conspired and agreed with others to commit wire fraud. August and other co-conspirators defrauded financial institutions by using the personal identifying information (“PII”) of bank customers, including names, social security numbers, and dates of birth, to obtain access to account information. August and other co-conspirators then used the PII of bank customers to contact financial institutions and request changes to victim accounts. During these calls, members of the conspiracy impersonated victims and falsely represented to the financial institutions that they were the bank customer requesting the changes to the account. In some instances, members of the conspiracy changed the phone number, mailing address, and statement preferences on the customers’ accounts. In others, members of the conspiracy enrolled the victims in online banking, without the victims’ knowledge or consent.
Thereafter, August and his co-conspirators accessed victims’ accounts and initiated interstate wire transfers of funds from victim accounts to accounts held by August and other co-conspirators. Once the funds were received from financial institutions located outside of the State of Louisiana, members of the conspiracy withdrew the funds as cash at multiple ATMs and bank branches located in the Middle District of Louisiana. August and other co-conspirators retained a portion of the stolen funds for their own personal enrichment and financial gain.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen Lundin Craig.
Alleged Sinaloa Cartel Leader and Lead Assassin Extradited from Mexico to the United States on Drug Importation, Murder, Kidnapping, Firearms, and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
Alleged Sinaloa Cartel leader and lead sicario, or assassin, Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, also known as El Nini, 32, of Mexico, was extradited on May 25 from Mexico to the United States to face charges contained in two indictments.
“Today, El Nini joins the growing list of cartel leaders and associates extradited to the United States and held accountable in an American courtroom,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We allege El Nini was one of the Sinaloa Cartel’s lead sicarios, or assassins, and was responsible for the murder, torture, and kidnapping of rivals and witnesses who threatened the cartel’s criminal drug trafficking enterprise. This includes killing a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confidential source and killing others in retaliation for the confidential source’s cooperation. We also allege El Nini was a part of the Sinaloa Cartel’s production and sale of fentanyl, including in the United States. I am grateful to our Mexican government counterparts for their extraordinary efforts in apprehending and extraditing El Nini. The Justice Department will always be relentless in its pursuit of the cartels responsible for flooding our communities with fentanyl and other drugs.”
The first indictment, filed in the District of Columbia by the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS), charges Pérez Salas with cocaine and methamphetamine importation, firearms offenses, and conspiracy to obstruct justice through murder. The second indictment, filed in the Southern District of New York (SDNY), charges Pérez Salas with leadership of a continuing criminal enterprise resulting in the deaths of numerous victims, including a confidential source for the DEA, fentanyl importation and trafficking, obstruction of justice by murdering an informant, kidnapping resulting in the deaths of eight people, including a minor boy, firearms, and money laundering offenses.
Pérez Salas was arrested in Culiacan, Mexico, by Mexican authorities on Nov. 22, 2023. Pérez Salas was presented on the charges contained in the SDNY indictment today at 10:30 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang.
According to court documents, the Sinaloa Cartel is one of the most powerful drug cartels in Mexico and is responsible for a substantial portion of the fentanyl that is manufactured and imported for distribution in the United States. Fentanyl is a dangerous synthetic opioid that is more than 50 times more potent than heroin and is the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 49. In recent years, the cartel has been led, in part, by the sons of the cartel’s notorious former leader, Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Loera, also known as El Chapo, and Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, and Ovidio Guzman Lopez—known collectively as the “Chapitos.” Like their father, the Chapitos have used violence and rely on a sophisticated security apparatus to maintain control and to protect themselves and their operations as they traffic massive quantities of narcotics, including fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, to the United States.
Pérez Salas is allegedly one of the senior leaders of the Chapitos’ security apparatus. Under Pérez Salas’ direction, armed enforcers for the Chapitos, known as sicarios, have allegedly used rampant violence to protect the Chapitos’ operations and to demolish unsupportive businesses, capture contested territory, intimidate civilians, and attack and murder law enforcement members who resist their efforts. In part under the direction of Pérez Salas, the sicarios allegedly regularly used military-grade firearms and explosives, including machineguns and rocket launchers, to kidnap, torture, and kill anyone who opposed the Chapitos.
According to court documents, Pérez Salas is allegedly a leader and commander of the “Ninis,” a violent group charged with providing security for the Chapitos. From at least 2012 until February 2021, Pérez Salas allegedly conspired to distribute and manufacture cocaine and methamphetamine for unlawful importation into the United States, used a firearm in furtherance of the alleged drug-trafficking offense, and killed, attempted to kill, threatened, and caused bodily injury to another to intimidate a government witness and informant.
Pérez Salas has also allegedly committed brutal acts of violence to advance the Chapitos’ trafficking operations. For example, in or about 2017, Pérez Salas, with two of the Chapitos, allegedly captured, tortured, interrogated, and killed two Mexican federal law enforcement officers. In or about May 2017, Pérez Salas, with two of the Chapitos and others, allegedly captured three members of a rival drug cartel, Los Zetas, and tortured them before interrogating and killing them. Also, in or about 2017, Pérez Salas and others allegedly conspired to kill and retaliate against a witness and informant. And in or about 2022, Pérez Salas and another sicario allegedly tested the potency of their fentanyl on individuals.
In addition, Pérez Salas has allegedly participated in the negotiation and sale of fentanyl. More specifically, in or about the summer of 2022, Pérez Salas and other associates allegedly sold fentanyl (later seized by the DEA) in Los Angeles. Finally, in or about October 2023, Pérez Salas and other sicarios acting at his direction, allegedly kidnapped a confidential source and 10 other victims in Mexico—including a U.S. citizen—whom Pérez Salas believed worked for or were related to the confidential source. Pérez Salas and his sicarios allegedly killed eight of the kidnapped victims, including the confidential source, and a 13-year-old boy. Pérez Salas allegedly kidnapped and killed these victims in retaliation for the confidential source’s provision of information to law enforcement in connection with the investigation of Pérez Salas and his associates in the Southern District of New York.
Pérez Salas is charged in the District of Columbia indictment with (i) conspiring to import cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States, which carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison; (ii) using, carrying, and possessing machineguns and destructive devices in connection with the cocaine and methamphetamine conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison; and (iii) conspiracy to obstruct justice by retaliating against a witness and informant through murder, which carries a mandatory minimum of life in prison.
Pérez Salas is charged in the SDNY indictment with: (i) participating in a continuing criminal enterprise resulting in death, which carries a mandatory minimum of life in prison; (ii) conspiring to import fentanyl into the United States, which carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison; (iii) conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, which carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison; (iv) using, carrying, and possessing machineguns and destructive devices in connection with the continuing criminal enterprise and the fentanyl importation and trafficking conspiracies, which carries a mandatory minimum of 30 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison; (v) conspiring to use, carry, and possess machineguns and destructive devices in connection with the continuing criminal enterprise and the fentanyl importation and trafficking conspiracies, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison; (vi) conspiring to launder money, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; (vii) obstruction of justice by retaliating against an informant through murder, which carries a mandatory minimum of life in prison; (viii) conspiring to obstruct justice by retaliating against an informant through murder, which carries a mandatory minimum of life in prison; (ix) kidnapping resulting in death, including of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum of life in prison; and (x) conspiring to commit kidnapping resulting in death, including of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit and the FBI Washington Field Office are investigating the case, with assistance from multiple DEA offices throughout Mexico, as well as the assistance of the U.S. Department of State Rewards for Justice Program and U.S. Marshals Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition Pérez Salas. The Justice Department also thanks Mexican authorities for their role in securing the arrest and extradition of Pérez Salas.
NDDS Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich, Kate Naseef, Samantha Thompson, and Tara Arndt and SDNY Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley, Sarah L. Kushner, Alexander N. Li, David J. Robles, and Kyle A. Wirshba are prosecuting the case.
The case is supported by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF).
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Indictment
Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Drunk Driving Crash Causing Serious InjuriesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man has pleaded guilty in federal court to assault charges stemming from a drunk driving crash on Santa Ana Pueblo in 2021 that left the other driver seriously injured.
In his plea agreement, Lionel Medina, 29, an enrolled member of the Zia Pueblo, admitted that on December 1, 2021, he drove while under the influence of alcohol. Medina was driving recklessly and crashed into a vehicle driven by Jane Doe.
As a result, Jane Doe suffered fractures to her spine, sternum, arm, leg, and foot.
The Court ordered that Medina remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
At sentencing, Medina faces up to 10 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Medina will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Santa Ana Police Department and Sandoval County Sheriff’s department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
Adams Man Arrested and Charged for Allegedly Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Adams man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mass. for sexually exploiting a child to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Brian Warner, 38, was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child. Warner was arrested today and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Springfield, was detained pending a detention hearing tomorrow.
According to the indictment, between July 2016 and December 2016, Warner employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed and coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing CSAM
The charges of sexual exploitation a child and attempted sexual exploitation of a child provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine G. Curley of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
11 Charged with Trafficking Drugs in Southwestern Connecticut, Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Stamford Police Chief Timothy Shaw today announced that the following 11 individuals have been charged with federal offenses stemming from their alleged involvement in narcotics trafficking in southwestern Connecticut:
RODNEY CANADA, aka “Supreme,” 47, of Stamford
TERRELL WILLS, aka “Black Fred,” 50, of Darien
RAMION BAKER, a.k.a. “Ray Ray,” 43, of Stamford
WILLI BAZELAIS, 30, of Stamford
CHRISTOPHER ADAMS, 57, of Norwalk
GERALD COLEY, aka “G Rock,” 54, of Bridgeport
BENJAMIN DOZIER, aka “Ace” and “Blanco, 42, of Bridgeport
DANNY TURKVAN, aka “Smooth” 53, of Stamford
GAVIN HAMMETT, aka “G” and “Silk,” 59, of Bridgeport
JIMMY ARCE, aka “Boe,” “Slim,” and “Jimbo,” 40, of Bridgeport
OMAR PARRA, aka “D” and “Dee,” 37, of StamfordAs alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Stamford Police Department identified Canada as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine in Stamford and elsewhere in southwestern Connecticut. The investigation, which has included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Wills and Baker helped Canada coordinate the street level distribution of narcotics through Coley, Dozier, Turkvan and others. Canada also sold bulk quantities of cocaine to Bazelais and Adams for further distribution. Hammett is believed to have served as a source of supply for the Canada drug trafficking organization, and Arce was a criminal associate of Canada who supplied Parra with fentanyl, cocaine, and crack.
On May 14, 2024, the defendants, with the exception of Parra, were arrested on federal criminal complaints, and additional individuals were arrested on state charges. On that date, investigators conducted court-authorized searches at locations in Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Darien and seized approximately three kilograms of cocaine, nearly 400 grams of raw fentanyl, more than 500 bags of fentanyl, five firearms, a bulletproof vest, and seven vehicles. Parra has been detained in federal custody since March 19, 2024, when he was arrested on a complaint.
On May 22, 2024, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned three separate indictments charging the 11 defendants. In one indictment, Canada, Wills, Baker, Bazelais, Adams, Coley, Dozier, and Turkvan are charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, an offense that a carries a maximum term of 20 years of imprisonment. The indictment also charges Adams and Baker with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; Baker and Dozier with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; and Baker with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least five years. It is alleged that Baker’s criminal history includes a federal crack cocaine trafficking conviction.
The second indictment charges Hammett with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and a quantity of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years; unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. It is alleged that Hammett’s criminal history includes federal convictions in the District of South Carolina and the District of Connecticut for cocaine trafficking offenses, and he is currently on federal supervised release for the prior District of Connecticut conviction.
The third indictment charges Arce and Parra with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and a quantity of heroin, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. In addition, Arce is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and Parra is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
All of the defendants are currently detained.
“We are committed to using federal law enforcement resources to curb the flow of deadly narcotics in southwestern Connecticut and throughout our state,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “Because firearms are typically involved with illegal drug distribution, this creates a heightened concern. We enhance our efforts when individuals who have already been involved in the federal justice system choose to continue criminal activity when they reenter the community. I thank the DEA Task Force, Stamford Police Department, and all of the agencies that have assisted this investigation. Their work is making Connecticut safer.”
“Illegal drug distribution ravages the very foundations of our families and communities here in Connecticut,” said Acting DEA Special Agent in Charge Stephen P. Belleau. “Let these arrests and seizures serve as an example to those who distribute poisons like fentanyl, heroin, crack-cocaine, and cocaine, that DEA will aggressively pursue and hold you accountable. This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners here in Connecticut and our solid relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“This extensive case is an example of teamwork between many federal and municipal law enforcement partners that led to the arrest of numerous suspects that supplied large amounts of illegal narcotics to the Southwestern portion of Connecticut,” said Stamford Assistant Police Chief Richard Conklin. “Many of the suspects have extensive criminal narcotics background and history, and several illegal firearms were seized. Large scale investigations working together in the team format like this will certainly make Connecticut a safer place for all.”
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Stamford Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Danbury, and Darien Police Departments. The DEA HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins 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.
Saturday 25 May 2024
Harrison County Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Having More than 500 Grams of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Joseph Herbert Hobbs, 42, of Reynoldsville, West Virginia, was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements in court, an investigation in Harrison County found Hobbs was a major source of methamphetamine in North Central West Virginia. Hobbs worked with a network of distributors to sell methamphetamine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
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Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on the Extradition of Néstor Isidro Pérez SalasRead the Press Release
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the extradition of Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, also known as “El Nini”:
“This morning, Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, also known as ‘El Nini,’ was extradited to the United States. We allege El Nini was one of the Sinaloa Cartel’s lead sicarios, or assassins, and was responsible for the murder, torture, and kidnapping of rivals and witnesses who threatened the cartel’s criminal drug trafficking enterprise. We also allege El Nini was a part of the Sinaloa Cartel’s production and sale of fentanyl, including in the United States. I am grateful to our Mexican government counterparts for their extraordinary efforts in apprehending and extraditing El Nini. With this enforcement action, El Nini joins the growing list of cartel leaders and associates indicted in, and extradited to, the United States. The Justice Department will continue to go after the cartels responsible for flooding our communities with fentanyl and other drugs.”
Friday 24 May 2024
Two arrested and charged federally in connection with cross border human smuggling schemeRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two men connected to a northern border people smuggling scheme made their initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Seattle today, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jesus Ortiz-Plata, 45, of Independence, Oregon, and Juan Pablo Cuellar Medina, 35, of Everett, Washington were arrested yesterday with three non-citizens who had been smuggled into the United States from Canada. The arrests are the result of a lengthy investigation by Homeland Security Investigation’s Border Security Enforcement Team (BEST).
“These defendants have allegedly been linked to an extremely dangerous smuggling scheme where people are loaded into freight cars on trains traveling from Canada into the U.S.,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Being locked in a freight train car is dangerous – there is no control over the heat, cold, or ventilation, and people can be injured or killed by shifting freight. In one dangerous instance last August, some 29 people were rescued from a boxcar filled with plastic pellets.”
Since late 2022, as Border Patrol and investigators encountered non-citizens who had illegally attempted to cross the border, a phone number later linked to Ortiz-Plata kept coming up as the number the non-citizens were supposed to contact. Ortiz-Plata was identified, and law enforcement got court permission to locate the signal from his cell phone. On Thursday, Ortiz-Plata traveled from his home in Oregon and was followed from Seattle to an apartment in Everett. He left the apartment with three men – all non-citizens. All four were taken into custody. Two had crossed the border in a freight train car and one claimed he had walked across the border and been picked up on the U.S. side. Medina was the resident of the apartment where the men had been staying. Medina was arrested and was identified by one non-citizens as the person who had picked him up after they crossed into the U.S.
Conspiracy to commit illegal transportation of a non-citizen for private financial gain is punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint 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 Homeland Security Investigations, the Border Security Enforcement Team, U.S. Border Patrol, and Border Patrol Air and Marine Group.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Celia Lee.
Two Sets of Brothers Among Ten Defendants Charged with Conspiring to Rob Armored Trucks and ATMs in Chicago SuburbsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted ten defendants, including two sets of brothers, for allegedly conspiring to violently rob armored trucks and automated teller machines in the Chicago suburbs.
Charged with robbery conspiracy and firearm offenses are DEVONTE DAVIS, 27, of Chicago; DARRELL SINGLETON, 19, of Calumet City, Ill., and his two brothers, CORRIE SINGLETON, 22, of South Holland, Ill., and ELIJAH SINGLETON, 21, of Calumet City; ANTHONY WILSON, 22, and his brother, AVEON WILSON, 23, both of Gary, Ind.; BRIAN SNYDER, 24, of Chicago; JUSTIN CAIN, 25, of Chicago; PERRY MAPLE, 21, of Chicago; and WILLIAM COCHRAN, 21, of Chicago.
According to a recently unsealed, second superseding indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago, the robbers brandished firearms in eleven robberies and attempted robberies in 2022 and 2023. The heists and attempted heists occurred in Lansing, Ill., Country Club Hills, Ill., Orland Park, Ill., Homewood, Ill., Blue Island, Ill., and Chicago Heights, Ill., and resulted in a total loss of at least $3.8 million, the indictment states.
One of the robberies occurred on Halloween morning in 2022 when a Brink’s security courier was refilling an ATM in Lansing. Corrie Singleton, Darrell Singleton, and others forcibly dragged the courier into the armored truck at gunpoint and ordered her to open compartments and hand over bags of money, according to a criminal complaint previously filed in the case. Another of the heists occurred on May 2, 2023, when two guards were picking up money from a bank inside of a grocery store in Homewood. One of the robbers struck a guard in the head with a firearm. The robbers took approximately $1.1 million, all of which was recovered by law enforcement upon the arrests of Davis and Darrell Singleton later that day in Calumet Park, Ill., according to a criminal complaint previously filed in the case. Another violent attempted robbery occurred on Oct. 2, 2023, in Country Club Hills, when robbers fired shots at an armored truck guard before carjacking a nearby vehicle to flee the scene, according to a previously filed criminal complaint.
Nine of the ten defendants pleaded not guilty to the superseding charges during arraignments this month in federal court in Chicago. They have been ordered detained in federal custody pending trial. Aveon Wilson is considered a fugitive and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. The FBI has issued a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to Aveon Wilson's arrest and conviction.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in Chicago, Illinois State Police, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Orland Park Police Department, Evergreen Park, Ill. Police Department, Joliet, Ill. Police Department, Calumet Park Police and Fire Departments, Homewood Police Department, Chicago Police Department, Country Club Hills Police Department, Calumet City Police Department, Dolton, Ill. Police Department, Alsip, Ill. Police Department, and Lansing Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elie Zenner, Kirsten Moran, and Simar Khera.
Holding firearm offenders accountable through federal prosecution is the centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative that brings together law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community leaders, and other stakeholders to develop comprehensive solutions to the most pressing violent crime problems in a community. In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Davis et al indictmentTwo Men Indicted Federally in Bowling Green for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment on May 15, 2024, charging two men with methamphetamine trafficking.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Erek Davodwich, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, and Sheriff Brandon Ford of the Allen County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on March 22, 2024, John E. Marks, 61, of Scottsville, Kentucky, and Samuel Corey Vanmeter, 34, of Brownsville, Kentucky, possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in Allen County, Kentucky.
Marks made his initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on May 20, 2024. Vanmeter made his initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on May 21, 2024.
Both defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The DEA Bowling Green Resident Agency and the Allen County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case with the assistance of the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Tulsa Man Sentenced after Federal Conviction of Domestic Violence Strangulation and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – After being convicted by a federal jury, today, U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Dakota Wayne Campus. Judge Heil ordered Campus to 204 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
In November 2022, Campus was convicted of Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; and Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
Campus assaulted the victim who is a tribal citizen and was pregnant at the time. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Studies have found that domestic violence strangulation is a significant predictor of future attempted and completed murders, increasing the odds of death by more than seven times. While signs of strangulation are not always visible, strangulation can result in long-term psychological and physical injuries to victims, including depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, traumatic brain injury, strokes, and more. Timely intervention is critical to minimize the short and long-term negative effects of strangulation.
To find resources for domestic violence victims, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling
800-799-SAFE (7233) or text “START” to 88788. In an emergency, always call 911. Confidential resources can be found
on their website at thehotline.org.The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey P. Todd and George Jiang prosecuted the case.
Three Men and One Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Narcotics ChargesRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced May 21, 2024, to 84 months in federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute 500 grams or more of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencings, Alejandro Almaraz, 24, and three co-defendants, conspired to distribute methamphetamine in the Council Bluffs, Iowa and Omaha, Nebraska metro areas. This case involved the seizure of approximately 12 kilograms of methamphetamine. The seized methamphetamine was transported from Juarez, Mexico to the United States through El Paso, Texas.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Almaraz will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Almaraz’s three co-defendants were sentenced earlier this year. Arnulfo Ibarra-Nunez, 57, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Stacey Hernandez, 19, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Manuel Gamez-Acosta, 25, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Council Bluffs Police Department.
Springfield Man Indicted for Timeshare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., business owner has been indicted by a federal grand jury for a timeshare fraud scheme as well as for failing to pay more than $333,000 in federal taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks.
Brian J. Scroggs, 52, was charged in a six-count indictment returned on May 14, 2024, by a federal grand jury in Springfield.
Scroggs was the owner of several businesses that focused on various aspects of the timeshare exit industry. These businesses claimed to provide a service that would get prospective clients out of their timeshare contracts.
Scroggs owned Vacation Consulting Services, LLC, and The Transfer Group, LLC, both located in Springfield, from 2014 through February 2019. Scroggs also began operating Real Travel, LLC, on June 5, 2018. Although Real Travel was registered in the state of Arkansas, it conducted business from the Vacation Consulting Services office and utilized the same employees, so by all intents and purposes, was actually Vacation Consulting Services operating under a different business name.
According to the indictment, Scroggs employed sales teams who traveled the country hosting seminars during which Vacation Consulting Services / Real Travel presented to timeshare owners they could get them out of their timeshare contracts for a fee. If they failed to get their clients out of their timeshare contracts within a year, they claimed, they would either buy their clients’ timeshare contracts or refund the fee paid by the clients.
By January 2019, the indictment alleges, Scroggs knew that the timeshare industry was no longer negotiating or working with timeshare exit companies such as Vacation Consulting Services / Real Travel or The Transfer Group to get their timeshare contract holders out of timeshare contracts. Despite knowing that timeshare companies would no longer work with his companies, Scroggs allegedly continued soliciting new clients throughout January 2019 by falsely claiming to be able to get people out of their timeshare contracts.
The federal indictment charges Scroggs with three counts of wire fraud related to three clients who allegedly were defrauded by this scheme. According to the indictment, these clients paid a total of over $32,000 to Scroggs’s companies but were not released from their timeshare agreements and never received a refund.
The indictment also charges Scroggs with three counts of failure to pay over federal employment taxes. Scroggs allegedly failed to pay over to the IRS a total of $333,483 in federal income taxes and FICA taxes that were withheld from his employees’ paychecks for the third and fourth quarters of 2018 and the first quarter of 2019.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI.
South Carolina Man Sentenced to 92 Months in Prison for Firearms Conspiracies and Illegal Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A South Carolina man was sentenced today to 92 months in prison for conspiring to traffic and unlawfully sell firearms and for possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Torell Brown, 49, of Orangeburg, South Carolina, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to Counts Three, Four, and Five of a superseding indictment that charged him with conspiracy to unlawfully sell firearms, possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, and conspiracy to traffic firearms. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From April 2021 through May 18, 2021, Brown, a convicted felon, conspired to unlawfully sell firearms to at least one New Jersey resident. He trafficked six firearms and a large quantity of ammunition from South Carolina to New Jersey. From March 2021 through May 18, 2021, Brown also conspired to traffic firearms and ammunition into New Jersey, for use in connection with at least one other felony offense.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Brown to three years of supervised release.
The investigation that led to these arrests is being conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and is part of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Newark. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. The VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety to combat violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Board of Parole, Union County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, N.J. Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark and special agents and task force officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Ross A. Marchetti, with the investigations leading to the charges. He also thanked the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Director Fritz G. Fragé, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura, and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II, for their significant assistance with these cases.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Special Prosecutions Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Fasanello of the Cybercrime Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Olta Bejleri of the Economic Crimes Unit.
San Joaquin County Skydiver Found Guilty for Running Unauthorized Tandem Skydiving Instructor CoursesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a seven-day trial, a federal jury found Robert Allen Pooley, 49, of Acampo, guilty of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft related to tandem skydiving instructor courses, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2010 Pooley obtained ratings as a “tandem examiner” with the U.S. Parachute Association (USPA) and with Uninsured United Parachute Technologies LLC (UPT), a manufacturer of tandem parachute systems. He then began conducting training courses for candidates seeking to obtain their USPA Tandem Instructor ratings and/or their certifications to use UPT tandem parachute systems. The Tandem Instructor certifications Pooley provided enabled students to conduct tandem jumps with members of the public throughout the United States and abroad. Pooley charged money for these courses and conducted them at a skydiving business located in Acampo.
In August 2015, USPA and UPT suspended Pooley’s tandem examiner ratings, which meant that he could no longer conduct the tandem instructor courses on his own. Nevertheless, he continued running USPA and UPT tandem instructor rating courses without authorization, and he concealed his suspensions from tandem instructor candidates. Pooley falsely told students that he was a tandem examiner, led them to believe they could obtain USPA and UPT tandem ratings through his courses, hid the fact that he had been suspended, and helped students fill out USPA and UPT rating paperwork to further the impression that the students would legitimately get their tandem ratings through his courses.
As part of the scheme, Pooley used a digital image of the signature of another properly rated USPA and UPT tandem examiner to sign off on training that Pooley himself had conducted when the other tandem examiner was not even in the country. In 2016, Pooley accepted numerous students in this manner from around the world, including the Republic of Korea, Chile, and Mexico. Each student paid approximately $1,100 for these courses. The signed documents that Pooley provided some of the students led them to believe they were certified to conduct tandem skydives with members of the public. On Aug. 6, 2016, one such student fell to his death in a tandem skydiving accident with a customer who also perished. After those deaths, numerous victims of Pooley’s scheme asked for their money back, but he did not repay them, and several students had to pay for entirely new tandem instructor courses at other locations.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine T. Lydon and Dhruv M. Sharma are prosecuting the case.
Pooley is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 26, 2024, by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb. Pooley faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of wire fraud and a mandatory two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Readout of Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer’s Trip to the Navajo Nation and to the Pueblo of AcomaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, May 21, and Wednesday, May 22, Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer (AASG Mizer or Acting Associate) visited Window Rock, Arizona, and the Pueblo of Acoma in New Mexico to participate in government-to-government meetings with Tribal leaders and other officials from the Navajo Nation and the Pueblo of Acoma. He also toured the Tribes’ facilities to learn more about government services offered to the Tribes’ members and met with law enforcement officers, victims’ advocates, and other stakeholders.
While meeting with these Tribal Nations, the Acting Associate highlighted the Justice Department’s engagement on critical issues including Tribal justice administration, public safety, and victims’ services – all of which the Department supports through grant funding, strategic engagement, and collaboration with Tribal law enforcement. He was joined by Acting Director Daron T. Carreiro of the Office of Tribal Justice (OTJ) throughout the trip.
Acting Associate Attorney General Mizer’s trip to Arizona and New Mexico is the latest in a series of government-to-government meetings with Tribal Nations across Indian Country. Under this Administration, several senior Justice Department officials, including Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, former Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, former OTJ Director Tracy Toulou, Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Director Rosie Hidalgo, and Access to Justice (ATJ) Director Rachel Rossi have traveled to states such as Alaska, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Oklahoma to meet with American Indian and Alaska Native community leaders, members, and stakeholders.
These visits are part of the Justice Department’s continued efforts to strengthen ties to Indian Country, elevate the voices and concerns of American Indians and Alaska Natives, and reinforce the Department’s commitment to supporting Tribal sovereignty and investing additional resources to tackle Tribal issues.
Meeting with Navajo Nation Executive Leadership
In Window Rock, Arizona – the capital of the Navajo Nation – Acting Associate Attorney General Mizer began his visit by meeting with Navajo Nation President Dr. Buu Nygren, Attorney General Ethel Branch Esq., and Chief Legal Counsel Bidtah Becker Esq. Deputy Attorney General Heather Clah Esq., Deputy Chief of Staff Kris Beecher Esq., MBA, and others also attended the meeting. They recognized the work and collaboration between the Nation and the Department, identified challenges and areas of opportunity, and discussed various concerns, including prosecutorial declinations, public safety funding gaps, recruitment and retention of law enforcement officers, and the transport of uranium and potentially other radioactive materials across Tribal lands.
After meeting with the executive branch, the Acting Associate addressed members of the 25th Navajo Nation Council and delivered welcoming remarks highlighting the Justice Department’s efforts to enhance Tribes’ access to Department grants and resources. He described initiatives to streamline existing funding opportunities and identify new ones that can help enhance Tribal justice systems and law enforcement, combat domestic and sexual violence, and provide support for victims of crimes. In addition, he heard presentations from the Utah Navajo Health System and the Navajo Nation Office of the Prosecutor.
Navajo Nation AG Branch (left), Navajo Nation President Nygren (center), and AASG Mizer, seated. AASG Mizer listens to presentations and participates in a discussion with representatives from the 25th Navajo Nation Council, Navajo Nation Office of the Prosecutor, and Utah Navajo Health System. AASG Mizer (right) gives remarks during discussion with various Navajo Nation representatives with Navajo Nation Delegate Amber Kanazbah Crotty to his left. AASG Mizer (back row, third from left) following meetings with Navajo Nation government officials.Touring Navajo Nation Facilities and Meetings with Judicial Branch Leadership and Prosecutors
Following his meetings with President Nygren and members of the Navajo Nation Council, the Acting Associate Attorney General toured the Nation’s various criminal justice system facilities starting with the judicial buildings for the Navajo Nation Supreme Court and Window Rock District Court. During the stop, he spoke with Navajo Nation Chief Justice JoAnn Jayne and Associate Justice Eleanor Shirley about the Court’s funding needs; innovative, community-centered approaches to administering Tribal law, including the Navajo Nation Peacemaking Program; and efforts to create pipelines for more professional opportunities on the Nation.
The Acting Associate then toured the Window Rock District Police Department, where he was briefed by Tribal officials on law enforcement challenges in bolstering public safety, including the housing of offenders and resources for victims of crime.
Navajo Nation Supreme Court Associate Justice Shirley (left), Chief Justice Jayne (center), and AASG Mizer.After the tour, he met with Navajo Nation Chief Prosecutor Vernon L. Jackson Sr. and staff to learn more about the Nation’s efforts to hold bad actors accountable for crimes, as well as how the Justice Department, through its U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the FBI, can better partner with Tribal law enforcement and officials to address their critical needs.
Meetings with Pueblo of Acoma Leadership
On Wednesday, May 22, Acting Associate Attorney General Mizer continued his travels through Indian Country with engagements with members of the Pueblo of Acoma in New Mexico. At Acoma, he had the opportunity to meet with Governor Randall Vicente, First Lieutenant Governor Wendell Chino, and Second Lieutenant Governor Ted Ortiz, as well as other Tribal officials. The group discussed public safety challenges, Tribal courts, cultural resources and patrimony, and water rights, among other topics.
Other Engagements
During his time in New Mexico, Acting Associate Attorney General Mizer also met with members of the All Pueblo Council of Governors, including Tribal leaders from the Pueblos of Santa Clara, Tesuque, Zia, and Zuni. He also met with staff and Native American law students at the American Indian Law Center’s Pre-Law Summer Institute for American Indians and Alaska Natives, where he discussed the Department’s role in upholding the United States’ trust and treaty obligations for Tribes as well as clerkships and other careers in the law. Additionally, he met with the U.S. Attorney and staff for the District of New Mexico.
Justice Department Resources to Address the Unique Needs of Indian Country
The Navajo Nation and Pueblo of Acoma are currently administering over $8.5 million through 14 active awards from across the Justice Department. These funds help to provide the Navajo Nation and Pueblo of Acoma with the resources needed to address issues pertaining to violence against women, criminal reentry, and law enforcement funding. In addition, among other duties, OTJ serves as the dedicated point of contact and hub of experts for legal and political issues unique to Indian Country. In line with a whole-of-Department approach, the Department previously announced the hiring of additional Assistant U.S. Attorneys and support staff to serve Native communities nationwide bolstering other efforts by the Department, including supporting prosecutors in responding to sexual assault and domestic violence and addressing the crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons.
Puyallup, Washington, man sentenced to 15 years in prison for production and possession of images of child sexual abuseRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 23-year-old Puyallup, Washington, man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for production and possession of images of child sexual abuse, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Shawn Stone was arrested at Sea-Tac airport in August 2022, as he returned from a family trip to Germany. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones talked about the impact on victims of child sexual abuse saying, “The damage to young children doesn’t stop, it goes on a lifetime…. Their pain continues and their suffering continues.”
The FBI identified Stone as a person sharing images of child sexual abuse on an online platform in the summer of 2022. When stopped and arrested at the airport, Stone admitted to sexually molesting children in Germany on a 2019 trip. Stone filmed that abuse, producing some of the images that were later disseminated online. Stone also admitted acquiring and sharing images involving the rape and torture of very young children. Stone pleaded guilty in January 2024.
Following the prison term, he will be on 25 years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.
At a future date, Judge Jones will determine the amount of restitution Stone owes the various victims depicted in his collection of images of child sexual abuse. More than 20 victims have filed claims which still must be reviewed by attorneys involved in the case.
The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Washington State Patrol, Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, Washington Department of Corrections, and US Army.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matt Hampton.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Port Arthur man sentenced for firearms violationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Port Arthur man has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Christopher Bryan Jones, 44, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone on May 24, 2024. Bernard Colbert, 40, of Baldwin, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to the same offense and was sentenced earlier this year to 40 months in federal prison by Judge Crone.
According to information presented in court, on May 8, 2022, Port Arthur police encountered Jones and Colbert in a vehicle parked at a convenience store on Gulfway Drive. The officers were investigating a shooting and questioned Jones and Colbert. During the questioning, the officers observed a pistol-grip shotgun on the back seat behind the men. Further investigation revealed Jones had prior felony convictions from Jefferson County including robbery and burglary of a habitation, and Colbert had felony convictions from Louisiana, including possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of a motor vehicle. A federal grand jury indicted the men together on Nov. 2, 2022. Under federal law, felons are prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Port Arthur Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.
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Porcupine Man Acquitted of Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Porcupine, South Dakota, man was acquitted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person following a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota, on May 22, 2024.
Daelan High Wolf, age 37, was indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2024.
High Wolf was charged with possessing a handgun in a vehicle driven he was driving on February 17, 2021. High Wolf is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has a felony conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Philadelphia man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for transporting victims in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution, U.S. Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Mallie M. Evans, 37, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams to a count of the indictment against him charging him with transporting any individual in interstate commerce with the intent that such individual engage in prostitution. Judge Williams imposed sentence on May 23, 2024, in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2015 through 2017, Evans recruited and coerced multiple victims to engage in prostitution for Evans’s financial benefit and transported victims across state lines between Philadelphia and central and southern New Jersey to engage in prostitution. Evans used fraud, emotional manipulation, physical violence, and threats of death and bodily injury to coerce the victims into engaging in commercial sex acts for his benefit.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Williams sentenced Evans to 10 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Ramey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
Owner of Arkansas Tree Service Business Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
An Arkansas man pleaded guilty yesterday to filing a false individual income tax return.
According to court documents, Carlos Gonzalez, 59, of Rogers, filed false tax returns that underreported the gross receipts from his tree-trimming and removal business, Charley’s Tree Service. From 2014 through 2020, Gonzalez deliberately underreported more than $3 million in gross receipts from his business resulting in a tax loss of approximately $920,694.
Gonzalez pleaded guilty to filing a false 2019 income tax return. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. Gonzalez faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes for the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Wilson Stamm and Curtis Weidler of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Marshall for the Western District of Arkansas are prosecuting the case.
New Bedford Man Charged with Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man was charged today in federal court in Boston with fraudulently receiving Social Security disability benefits.
Anthony Patterson, 62, was charged with one count of theft of government money. Patterson will make an appearance in federal court in Boston at a later date.
The charging document alleges that, from May 2013 to May 2023, Patterson stole approximately $92,582 in Social Security disability benefits.
The charge of theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. 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 Bradley Parker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Navy officer, psychologist sentenced for attempting to sexually coerce a minorRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Navy psychologist was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
According to court documents, on May 25, 2023, Michael Andrew Widroff, 34, was a U.S. Navy officer serving as a psychologist in Norfolk when he came to the attention of law enforcement. On the Whisper social media platform, Widroff posted a picture of a male dressed in a U.S. Navy Service Dress White uniform with accompanying text indicating that he wished to engage in fraternization or other violations of military law. In the military context, fraternization is improper relationships between officers and enlisted personnel, including, as stated by Widroff, “when 2 people who aren’t supposed to date-hook up do.” The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) responded to the post in an undercover capacity as a 14-year-old girl.
Believing he was communicating with a child, Widroff moved the conversation to Snapchat and escalated the communications from casual to sexual. Widroff described to the child, in graphic detail, numerous sexual acts in which he wanted them to engage. Widroff requested “sexy” and nude photos of the child as well as sexually explicit recordings. Widroff then attempted to arrange for them to meet, repeatedly asking her to share the location of her house. Expressing anxiety about being seen, Widroff planned to enter her home through the back door.
On June 7, 2023, when Widroff arrived in the neighborhood where he intended to meet a 14-year-old to engage in sex, law enforcement performed a traffic stop on Widroff. As was being pulled over, Widroff deleted Snapchat from his phone.
Widroff pled guilty on Oct. 12, 2023.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Mack Hickman, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Victoria Liu and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-78.
Multi-convicted felon sentenced to prison for committing multiple robberies while on supervised releaseRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On May 23, a Miami multi-convicted felon was sentenced to 240 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for two attempted credit union robberies, one credit union robbery and one bank robbery while on supervised release for a separate case. The sentence comes after the defendant was convicted in a three-day federal jury trial.
On Sept. 29, 2023, Keith Bernard Miller, 54, of Miami, entered two credit unions in Miramar and attempted to rob each one but to no avail. Then, Miller drove to a credit union in Boca Raton, presented a note demanding money, and stole over $1,600. Then, on Oct. 10, 2023, Miller drove to a bank in Davie and presented a demand note to the teller. In fear for her life, the teller relinquished over $1,300 to Miller. Later that day, law enforcement officers located Miller’s getaway vehicle and arrested him. Law enforcement officers then found draft demand notes and clothing worn during the robberies.
In 2020, Miller was sentenced to 65 months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to three counts of credit union robbery. Prior to his 2020 federal case, Miller had been previously convicted of multiple robberies, aggravated stalking with a firearm, burglary with assault and battery and felony eluding, among other offenses.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman.
FBI Miami investigated the case with assistance from the Miramar Police Department, Boca Police Department and Miami-Dade Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ajay J. Alexander and M. Catherine Koontz prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-60199.
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Meth Trafficking Co-Conspirator Sentenced to 17+ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A federal district judge imposed a 210-month term of imprisonment to an individual who admitted to driving a car intended to distract law enforcement from another car trafficking 40 pounds of meth.
At a joint plea and sentencing hearing Wednesday, Jose V. Sanchez, 28, of Lindsay, California, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance: methamphetamine.
“As traffickers try to get creative in concealing drugs by creating diversions for traffic stops, law enforcement sees through the ploys and will continue to work to remove dangerous narcotics such as meth from our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe.
Co-defendant Christopher Palmer, 40, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to federal charges for driving the car containing 40 pounds of meth through southern Illinois and was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment in February.
According to court documents, two DEA highway interdiction officers signaled to pull Palmer’s car over on Illinois Route 143 exit ramp off Interstate 70 near Marine in May 2022. Sanchez was driving a different car and sped in front in an attempt to divert law enforcement, but officers stayed on Palmer’s vehicle and conducted a traffic stop.
“Southern Illinois is a transportation hub for couriers moving illicit drugs from the south to north and northeast,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Joseph Dixon, head of Drug Enforcement Administration investigations in southern Illinois. “Investigations like this one demonstrate that DEA, working in conjunction with our law enforcement partners, will continue to be laser-focused on the nation’s highways and byways for the illegal drugs that are transported to and poison our communities. Let this serve as a warning to the occupants of these vehicles: we will find you, we will arrest, and you will be prosecuted, and ultimately you will go to prison.”
Following a positive indication of narcotic odor from a canine, officers searched Palmer’s vehicle and located a semi-automatic pistol in the center console and a duffel bag in the trunk stuffed with 40 bags holding approximately one pound each of crystal meth, totaling more than 17 kilograms of actual meth.
After finding the meth, officers located Sanchez in his car in a store parking lot. A store employee told police Sanchez had thrown something away in the storm drain and a nearby trashcan, and officers located a disassembled handgun and a round of 9-millimeter ammunition.
DEA led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Trippi prosecuted the case.
Member of Violent Bridgeport Gang Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
JAUWAN EDWARDS, also known as “Yaya,” 26, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 78 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his involvement in a violent Bridgeport street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Connecticut State Police and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members were involved in narcotics trafficking, murder, and other acts of violence. Edwards was a member of the Original North End (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport that committed acts of violence against rival gangs, including the East End gang, the East Side gang, and the PT Barnum gang. O.N.E. members also robbed drug dealers, customers, and others, sold narcotics, and stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut, often using the cars to commit crimes. They frequently used social media to promote and coordinate their criminal activities.
Analysis of numerous social media posts and text messages revealed that Edwards possessed firearms, and that he sold a variety of drugs, including fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack, Percocet pills, and marijuana. Edwards also participated with other O.N.E. members in the theft and possession of stolen vehicles, including a Lexus Rx350 that was stolen from Rye, New York, and used in a homicide.
In early December 2019, O.N.E. members were involved in multiple shots-fired incidents in Bridgeport. In one incident, the mother of two East End gang members was shot outside of her Bridgeport home. In another incident, on December 8, 2019, O.N.E. members used the stolen Lexus in a shooting incident at the P.T. Barnum Housing Complex, and then drove it to Newfield Avenue in Bridgeport, considered the turf of the East End/East Side gang, where they shot and killed Ty’Quess Moore, also known as “Breezo,” 18.
Edwards was arrested on July 27, 2021. A search of his residence on that date revealed fentanyl, crack cocaine, and cocaine packaged for distribution, and a loaded Glock handgun with an extended magazine and a laser sight.
Edwards has been detained since his arrest. On June 30, 2023, he pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy.
Approximately 47 members and associates of the East End, O.N.E. and the GHB/Hotz gangs have been convicted of federal offenses stemming from this investigation, which has solved eight murders and approximately 20 attempted murders.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, Waterbury Police Department, and Naugatuck Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck, Tara E. Levens, Patrick J. Doherty, Rahul Kale, and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state, and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.
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.
Mansfield Tax Preparer Convicted of 33 Counts of Tax Fraud After Bench TrialRead the Press Release
A would-be lawyer who falsely inflated dozens of client tax returns was convicted Friday of 33 counts of tax fraud, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
John Anthony Castro, 40, owner of the virtual tax preparation business Castro & Company, was indicted in January. Following a five-day bench trial before Senior U.S. District Judge Terry R Means, he was convicted on all 33 counts of assisting in the preparation of a fraudulent return and was immediately taken into custody.
“While most tax preparers are honest and provide honest tax services to their clients, some like Mr. Castro victimize their clients all in the name of greed,” stated Jenifer L. Piovesan, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office. “Mr. Castro is now a convicted felon facing a lengthy prison sentence.”
According to evidence presented in court, Mr. Castro – who had graduated law school but repeatedly failed the bar exam – held himself out as an “international tax expert” and “federal practitioner.” (He also falsely claimed to be a graduate of West Point.)
He was successful at marketing to clients around the world, claiming to be an expert on certain tax issues related to Australian ex-pats, among other things. Between 2017 and 2019, he filed more than 1,900 tax returns on behalf of individuals from all over the world.
As part of his pitch, Mr. Castro promised his clients a significantly higher refund than they would receive from other preparers, claiming he knew how to identify and claim deductions that others did not. He added there was no risk, as he would simply split the additional refund amount with them to account for his fee. He would not share the tax return with clients before filing, but would instead simply inform them of the amount of the anticipated refund.
On many occasions, he filed tax returns on behalf of clients without their permission or knowledge. In other instances, he claimed deductions that had no basis in fact. For example, for one client, who made approximately $103,000 in income, Mr. Castro claimed over $90,000 in deductions related to unreimbursed employee expenses.
Mr. Castro claimed deductions based on extreme and unsupported legal theories, including deductions such as (1) those for any expense related to preventing an illness qualified as an “impairment related work expense,” (2) those for expenses related to commuting to and from work, (3) the full value of one’s mortgage and utilities as long as the taxpayer had some type of Schedule C business to claim, (4) those related to dry-cleaning for work clothes, and (5) the full value of one’s cell phone bill even when their employer provided them with a work phone. For example, with respect to one client, Mr. Castro deducted over $26,000 in expenses that he claimed related to a nascent cupcake business that had generated only $250 in revenue.
According to trial testimony, in February 2018, an undercover IRS – CI agent contacted Mr. Castro for assistance. The agent asked to meet with Mr. Castro in person, but Mr. Castro’s office told him that in-person meetings required a $5,000 retainer. They spoke via email instead.
On February 13, 2018, the undercover agent submitted a W2 and a Form 1098-T showing wages of $142,217. About two weeks later, one of Mr. Castro’s employees called the agent to discuss deductions, noting that Mr. Castro would make any decisions regarding what items would be included on the tax filing. The agent denied having any unreimbursed employee expenses, charitable contributions, or other items that could lead to deductions.
On March 12, 2018, Mr. Castro sent the undercover agent his tax analysis. He said that if the agent used another preparer, he would receive a refund of $373, but that if he used Mr. Castro, he would receive a refund of $6,007. Mr. Castro would take half, netting him $3,008. The analysis said the return would include $29,339 in deductions but did not specify which deductions would be used.
Two days later, Mr. Castro filed the agent’s return, which claimed $29,339 in fraudulent deductions, including $2,400 in employee expenses, and 28,600 in other expenses that the undercover agent had never discussed with Mr. Castro or his employees.
According to evidence presented at trial, Mr. Castro engaged in a similar pattern with his other clients. When the victim-taxpayers learned what Mr. Castro had done, many of them demanded copies of their tax returns. Mr. Castro refused to engage in conversation and even delayed providing returns for months at a time. Mr. Castro often acted in a highly vindictive manner when questioned or challenged by clients or others, often berating individuals in emails, threatening legal actions, or by filing amended tax returns, without clients’ permission or knowledge, that removed all deductions, causing the taxpayer-victim to then owe the IRS tens of thousands of dollars.
During the trial, Mr. Castro took the stand in his own defense, and upon cross-examination, admitted that his positions were extreme, outlandish, and not supported by the law. He also admitted to a bevy of prior falsifications and vindictive actions.
Many of the victim-taxpayers have since been audited and/or filed amended returns, causing them significant financial hardship.
Mr. Castro now faces up to 99 years in federal prison, three years per count.
IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys P.J. Meitl and Nancy Larson are prosecuting the case.
Manager of Mexico-Based Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Prison for International Methamphetamine Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
A manager of a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization was sentenced today to 21 years and 10 months in prison and ordered to forfeit $1,339,500 for his role in an international drug trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, beginning around May 2013 and continuing to at least December 2016, Gabriel Cerda-Guillen, 49, of Mexico, was a manager for a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization that served as a source of methamphetamine and marijuana supply for an Omaha, Nebraska-based distribution network. Specifically, from 2013 and through 2014, Cerda-Guillen imported marijuana and methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States and subsequently distributed those controlled substances to cities across the United States, including Omaha and the surrounding areas. During and in furtherance of the conspiracy, Cerda-Guillen participated in the shipment of an estimated 22 to 44 kilograms of methamphetamine and nearly one ton of marijuana. Cerda-Guillen imported drugs to Nebraska from Mexico with the expectation that members of local distribution networks would further distribute the drugs and remit the drug proceeds back to him after receiving payment. Cerda-Guillen provided drugs on credit or before payment was rendered, received reporting on the status of sales, and received drug proceeds through bulk cash transports or through established money laundering networks.
Cerda-Guillen pleaded guilty in December 2023 to a two-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 100 kilograms or more of marijuana and conspiracy to conduct and attempt to conduct financial transactions, affecting interstate and foreign commerce, which involved proceeds of a specified unlawful activity.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Susan T. Lehr for the District of Nebraska; Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the FBI Omaha Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) St. Louis Field Office made the announcement.
This investigation is supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF).
The FBI Omaha Field Office and IRS-CI St. Louis Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Robert Sainvil and Douglas Meisel of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Molsen for the District of Nebraska prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Office of Enforcement Operations provided significant assistance.
Manager of Mexico-Based Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced for International Methamphetamine Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A manager of a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization was sentenced today to 21 years and 10 months in prison and ordered to forfeit $1,339,500 for his role in an international drug trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, beginning around May 2013 and continuing to at least December 2016, Gabriel Cerda-Guillen, 49, of Mexico, was a manager for a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization that served as a source of methamphetamine and marijuana supply for an Omaha, Nebraska-based distribution network. Specifically, from 2013 and through 2014, Cerda-Guillen imported marijuana and methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States and subsequently distributed those controlled substances to cities across the United States, including Omaha, Nebraska, and the surrounding areas. During and in furtherance of the conspiracy, Cerda-Guillen participated in the shipment of an estimated 22 to 44 kilograms of methamphetamine and nearly one ton of marijuana. Cerda-Guillen imported drugs to Nebraska from Mexico with the expectation that members of local distribution networks would further distribute the drugs and remit the drug proceeds back to him after receiving payment. Cerda-Guillen provided drugs on credit or before payment was rendered, received reporting on the status of sales, and received drug proceeds through bulk cash transports or through established money laundering networks.
Cerda-Guillen pleaded guilty in December 2023 to a two-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 100 kilograms or more of marijuana and conspiracy to conduct and attempt to conduct financial transactions, affecting interstate and foreign commerce, which involved proceeds of a specified unlawful activity.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Susan T. Lehr for the District of Nebraska; Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the FBI Omaha Division; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) St. Louis Field Office made the announcement.
This investigation is supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF).
The FBI Omaha Field Office and IRS-CI St. Louis Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Robert Sainvil and Douglas Meisel of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Molsen for District of Nebraska prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Office of Enforcement Operations provided significant assistance.
Man Who Set Ex-Girlfriend’s Apartment on Fire Found Guilty of Arson, Burglary, and ContemptRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –A Superior Court jury, today, found Quenton Jones, 64, of Washington, D.C., guilty of arson, first degree burglary, felony threats, felony destruction of property, and multiple counts of felony contempt, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The Honorable Erik Christian scheduled sentencing for September 11, 2024. Jones faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
According to the government’s evidence, on December 28, 2023, Jones threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend, the victim, after he accused her of cheating on him. On February 2, 2024, he incessantly called her multiple times, leaving demeaning voicemails on her phone in violation of a Stay Away No Contact Order. On February 3, 2024, at approximately 3:00 am, Jones went to the victim’s apartment and wrote on her front door, with a black marker, her name, personal phone number, and a list of sex acts. He left, but at approximately 6:00am, he returned and set a piece of paper on fire and shoved it under her front door, causing her front door to catch fire. All the residents of the apartment building were forced to evacuate the building.
Jones was arrested later that morning and has been in custody since. He persisted in contacting the victim from the DC Jail, including making a number of phone calls to her and writing her a handwritten letter right before trial.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly K. Smith and Monisha Rao from the Domestic Violence Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Man Who Allegedly Used Stolen Identity of Deceased Individual to Work for Local Fire Department Arrested on Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A man whose true identity is unknown was arrested yesterday for allegedly using the stolen identity of a deceased individual to obtain government-issued identification documents, employment, and professional certifications.
John Doe, age unknown, of Quincy, was charged with one count each of false statement in a passport application and aggravated identity theft. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston yesterday, Doe was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for May 29, 2024 at 2 p.m.
According to the charging documents, Doe used the name, date of birth and Social Security number the a victim who passed away in 2002 to obtain and use multiple government-issued identification documents in the victim’s name, including Massachusetts driver’s licenses as well as copies of the victim’s birth certificate and Social Security card. Using these documents, it is alleged that Doe posed as the victim to apply for employment as a paramedic, obtain an EMT-Basic Certification, attend and graduate from a Firefighting Academy, and obtain employment with the Melrose Fire Department. It is alleged that, in March 2023, Doe applied for a U.S. passport using the victim’s stolen identity. However, according to the charging documents, a passport application for the victim had already been executed by the victim’s mother in 1989. Therefore, a passport was not issued to Doe.
During the investigation, facial recognition allegedly identified a second Massachusetts driver’s license issued to Doe under the name of Truong Nguyen. According to the charging documents, Nguyen entered the United States from Vietnam in 1979 and was ordered deported in 1991 following a second-degree burglary conviction. According to court documents Nguyen was never physically deported to Vietnam. In 2010, Nguyen was arrested for embezzlement and larceny for allegedly stealing over $46,000 from the Norwell Firefighters Union while working as an officer for the union.
The charge of false statement in a passport application provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charging statute for aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Boston Field Office; Quincy Police Chief Mark Kennedy; Melrose Police Chief Kevin M. Faller; Acting Melrose Fire Department Chief John White; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan; and Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Arraigned in Federal Court on Multiple Charges of Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Lawrence County man was arraigned in federal court last week on multiple child sexual exploitation charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples.
A 13-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges David Edward Collier, 46, with four counts of sexual exploitation of children, eight counts of transportation of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to the indictment, between January 2017 and August 2022, Collier used, induced, or coerced minor children to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of that conduct. Between October 2022 and September 2023, Collier transported the child pornography. Collier was also charged with possession of child pornography.
FBI North Alabama Violent Crime Task Force and Cybercrime Squad investigated the case along with the assistance of the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, Moulton Police Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Huntsville Police Department, and Limestone County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) and the National Children’s Advocacy Center (NCAC) have partnered and released a digital series to educate parents and caretakers about sextortion and how they can help prevent kids and teens from being victims. This series offers three-to-five-minute videos about current online safety topics and provides essential information about the true dangers of online activities.
The videos can be accessed from the following locations:
nationalcac.org/sextortion-prevention/
https://www.youtube.com/@nationalcac
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Little Eagle Woman Sentenced for First Degree BurglaryRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Little Eagle, South Dakota, woman convicted of First Degree Burglary. The sentencing took place on May 20, 2024.
Amanda Lorraine Bobtail Bear, age 31, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Bobtail Bear was indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. She pleaded guilty on October 30, 2023.
On April 1, 2023, Bobtail Bear learned a 12-year-old girl had kissed Bobtail Bear’s 25-year-old brother-in-law. In response, Bobtail Bear and several other individuals, including Bobtail Bear’s 14-year-old niece, broke into the 12-year-old girl’s Little Eagle home, which is within the Standing Rock Reservation. Bobtail Bear kicked the 12-year-old girl and encouraged her niece to “hit her some more!” while the 12-year-old begged them to stop. Bobtail Bear’s brother restrained the 12-year-old girl’s wheelchair-bound father during the assault to prevent him from protecting his daughter. The 12-year-old girl sustained minor injuries
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Bobtail Bear was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Little Eagle Woman Sentenced for Child AbuseRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Little Eagle, South Dakota, woman convicted of Child Abuse. The sentencing took place on May 20, 2024.
Adele Fay Fast Horse, age 26, was sentenced to two years of probation and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Fast Horse was indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. She pleaded guilty on October 30, 2023.
On April 1, 2023, Fast Horse’s 14-year-old niece showed her photographs of Fast Horse’s husband kissing a 12-year-old girl in Little Eagle, which is within the Standing Rock Reservation. Fast Horse offered the niece money to beat up the 12-year-old-girl. Later that day, the niece and several other individuals broke into the 12-year-old’s home, woke her up and assaulted her. The 12-year-old girl sustained minor injuries. When the niece showed Fast Horse a recording of the assault, Fast Horse paid her $20.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Liberty Lake Man Sentenced to Federal Prison and Ordered to Pay $60,000 in Victim Restitution for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Rick Lynn Johnson, age 69, of Liberty Lake, Washington, was sentenced after pleading guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 60 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Judge Rice also ordered Johnson to pay $60,000 in restitution to seven of his victims, as well as $10,000 in special assessments under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act and the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, between May 30, 2021, and June 16, 2022, federal law enforcement successfully downloaded numerous child pornography files from Johnson. In November 2022, federal agents executed a search warrant at Johnson’s home in Liberty Lake and seized a phone, computers, and hard drives. Forensic analysis of these devices revealed approximately 2,506 images and approximately 97 videos of child pornography. The images and videos included depictions of minors younger than 12 years old. Johnson later admitted to using his phone and computer to download and share child pornography with others online during the last year.
“All children should be safe from sexual predators. Protecting children from harm, especially online exploitation, remains a priority of my office and is critical to building a safe and strong Eastern Washington community, stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “I am grateful for the excellent work by Homeland Security Investigations and AUSA Ann Wick in securing justice for these victims. While nothing can undo the harm these victims endured, the restitution order provides a mechanism to provide these victims the support they rightfully deserve.”
“Child pornography, or Child Sexual Assault Material (CSAM) perpetuates the exploitation and abuse of children, inflicting lifelong trauma that HSI along with our investigative partners are combating every single day,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Any image or video that depicts the exploitation of a child acts like a digital scar and encourages an economy of abuse that can only be deflated by protecting our children from child predators, while ensuring those who have been harmed receive justice.”
The Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018 (AVAA), enacted on December 7, 2018, created new penalties and made a number of changes to existing child pornography laws, specifically providing that restitution must be ordered for all child pornography trafficking offenses in an amount of no less than $3,000 per victim. The AVAA also established a new reserve fund that will be funded by assessments imposed under the Act, and victims of child pornography may be entitled to a one-time payment from the fund if they have not otherwise received restitution covering their losses.
The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA) created a mandatory $5,000 special assessment that applies to “nonindigent” defendants for each count of conviction of certain offenses, including child pornography offenses. The assessment is contributed to the “Domestic Trafficking Victims’ Fund,” which is used to support victims of trafficking.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ann Wick.
Lexington Man Sentenced for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Malachi Evans, 22, was sentenced on Friday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, to 180 months in prison, following his convictions for two counts of distribution of 10 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, two counts of distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a substance containing fentanyl analogue, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to his plea agreement, in the fall of 2021, law enforcement received information that Evans was selling large quantities of heroin and fentanyl. On three occasions in October 2021, law enforcement arranged controlled purchases with a confidential source, to purchase methamphetamine and heroin/fentanyl from Evans. During these three transactions, Evans provided a total of 141 grams of a fentanyl analogue and approximately two ounces of methamphetamine. During a planned fourth transaction, Evans was arrested by law enforcement. A search of Evans’s vehicle then uncovered marijuana, $2,400 in cash, 125.3 grams of heroin/fentanyl, 26.65 grams of methamphetamine, and a handgun.
Evans admitted to possessing the drugs with the intent to distribute them and that he possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
Under federal law, Evans 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 10 years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Erek Davodowich, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Louisville Field Division; Commander Kalan Perdue, Gateway High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force; Chief James Hall, Winchester Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, Gateway AHITDA Task Force, and Winchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Lee County Probationer Sentenced for Distributing Meth, FentanylRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia resident serving federal supervised release and state probation for prior drug distribution convictions was sentenced to serve more than 23 years in federal prison for supplying methamphetamine and fentanyl in the community, including to a woman who had recently given birth to his child.
Brian Chadwick Jeffcoat, 40, of Leesburg, Georgia, was sentenced to serve a total of 286 months in prison to be followed by eight years of supervised release on May 23. Jeffcoat previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Feb. 20; in addition, this sentence includes revocation of his federal supervised release in Case No. 1:19-CR-5. The defendant is not eligible for parole.
“Individuals who repeatedly disregard the law and continue to distribute the deadliest illegal substances into our communities—feeding addiction and affecting innocent lives—will be held accountable for their crimes at the federal level,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “This case is a tragedy on many levels, and we appreciate the willingness of a concerned citizen to speak up.”
“Our communities remain under attack by criminal drug trafficking organizations with no regard for the harm and destruction they cause,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “This investigation and subsequent arrest of this individual demonstrate DEA’s commitment to protecting our community.”
According to court documents, Jeffcoat was sentenced to serve 70 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine and was released on Nov. 2, 2022, to serve federal supervised release. In addition to being on federal supervised release, Jeffcoat was on state probation for a prior state drug conviction. DEA received information in April 2023 that Jeffcoat was continuing to distribute illegal drugs in the Leesburg area. Law enforcement suspected Jeffcoat was also supplying his pregnant girlfriend with fentanyl and heroin after a concerned citizen contacted local law enforcement that she was using drugs heavily, despite her pregnancy. On Nov. 5, 2023, two days after his girlfriend delivered their child, agents conducted surveillance and contacted Jeffcoat at an Albany motel where the couple was residing. Jeffcoat told officers he had fentanyl and methamphetamine in his vehicle and was on his way to meet a drug customer. Agents located three bags of methamphetamine, a bag of fentanyl, a digital scale and a clear glass smoking pipe in his car. His girlfriend told officers their baby was in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and that she had shot up with heroin and fentanyl a few hours earlier.
The case was investigated by the DEA with assistance from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the GBI.
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.
KC Daycare Owner Sentenced for $772,000 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., day care owner was sentenced in federal court today for her role in a conspiracy that resulted in a $653,329 tax loss to the federal government, as well as fraudulently collecting almost $120,000 in government benefits she was not entitled to receive.
Patricia L. Johnson-Rushing, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to two years and three months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Johnson-Rushing to pay $772,861in restitution and to forfeit to the government $95,704.
On Sept. 7, 2023, Johnson-Rushing pleaded guilty to one count of theft of public money, one count of benefits fraud, and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Johnson-Rushing admitted that she fraudulently received $83,394 in public funding for her childcare center, Granny’s Pray & Play, located at 3714 E. 27th Street in Kansas City, Mo., and that she unlawfully received food stamps. Johnson-Rushing also admitted that she participated in a conspiracy to obstruct the collection of federal employment taxes by failing to pay over to the government $154,186 in federal income tax and FICA contributions collected from the paychecks of Granny’s Pray & Play employees. This was part of a total tax loss to the government, including the employer’s share of payroll taxes, of $653,329.
The total fraud to which Johnson-Rushing pleaded guilty is $772,861.
Theft of Public Money
Johnson-Rushing admitted that she submitted false claims to the Missouri Department of Social Services that intentionally reported false information for children attending Granny’s Pray & Play from Jan. 1, 2016, to Nov. 28, 2019. The purpose of the scheme was to receive payments from the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant Program. This program is intended to help low-income families get access to high-quality early care and after-school programs. Parents of adopted children are eligible to receive the childcare subsidy for their children who are under the age of 13 if both parents are working. However, the provider agreement explicitly states that the owner of the childcare center cannot be paid for services to their own children.
Six children adopted by Johnson-Rushing and her husband were approved to receive the childcare subsidy for full time care. In order to qualify for the childcare subsidy, Johnson-Rushing submitted false documentation to misrepresent her ownership of the center and to falsely claim employment elsewhere. According to the plea agreement, the total funds fraudulently paid to Granny’s Pray & Play is $83,394.
Benefits Fraud
From 2016 to 2019, Johnson-Rushing signed food stamp applications to receive subsidy money from the state of Missouri. On those applications, she falsely claimed to have no job or bank account. In reality, she frequently withdrew funds from the Granny’s Pray & Play bank account to purchase cashier’s checks for herself. Personal expenses were also paid in her name from the Granny’s Pray & Play bank account, including $15,000 towards the purchase of a Cadillac Escalade in October 2016.
Based on the fraudulent statements and representations in her application, Johnson-Rushing unlawfully acquired $12,310 in food stamps. Her fraudulent applications, which included additional fraud, caused a total loss to the Missouri Family Support Division of $36,138.
Conspiracy to Defraud the United States
Granny’s Pray & Play had about 15 employees and withheld funds in federal income tax and FICA contributions from their paychecks. Johnson-Rushing failed to pay over those trust fund taxes from her employees to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $154,186.58 from first quarter 2015 through fourth quarter 2018.
The total tax loss in relevant conduct (which includes Johnson-Rushing’s portion of federal and state payroll taxes as the employer) is $499,142, which combined with $154,186 in total tax loss for failure to pay over employee taxes yields a total tax loss of $653, 329.
Bankruptcy Petitions
According to court documents, Johnson-Rushing filed for bankruptcy on June 29, 2023, which is pending before the bankruptcy court. Johnson-Rushing failed to disclose this criminal case in her bankruptcy filings. Johnson-Rushing also filed three bankruptcy cases in 2022, which were subsequently dismissed for failure to comply with bankruptcy court rules. Prosecutors noted these four bankruptcy cases further demonstrate how she abuses the system.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes, IV. It was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Justice Department Announces Achievements in Police Reform in Suffolk County, New YorkRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced yesterday that the Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD) has achieved sustained compliance with provisions of its settlement agreement with SCPD, including requirements concerning tracking and trending hate crimes and hate incidents, investigating allegations of police misconduct and development of policies and training. As a result, the department has terminated those provisions of the settlement agreement.
“The County and its Police Department have made significant progress towards ensuring that all Suffolk County residents benefit from constitutional policing,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Police Department has improved the tracking of hate crimes, is strengthening the handling of internal affairs investigations and has improved the way it handles complaints of discriminatory policing. This progress demonstrates that meaningful policing reform and change can be achieved through our work. The Justice Department is committed to collaboratively working with the community, Suffolk County officials and the police department to ensure constitutional, fair and nondiscriminatory policing for all County residents. Residents across Suffolk County deserve nothing less.”
“We are pleased to see the Suffolk County Police Department’s progress in fulfilling significant requirements of the police reform agreement to help ensure fair and equitable policing and make the County better and safer for its residents and visitors,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “By terminating the areas of the agreement where reform efforts have been successful, we can focus on the areas that require additional attention. We look forward to working together to help the Suffolk County Police Department successfully achieve the reforms required by the remaining areas of the agreement.”
SCPD has made substantial changes in reaching compliance with provisions of the police reform agreement that the Justice Department is terminating, including:
- SCPD provides annual training on responding to, investigating and charging hate crimes.
- SCPD implemented a mapping system to track and analyze hate crimes and hate incidents. These maps are available to the public on SCPD’s website.
- SCPD improved its systems for reporting allegations of discriminatory policing and accepting third-party complaints of discrimination.
- Members of the public can now submit complaints of bias to any part of the police department — the hate crimes unit, internal affairs, any officer and any precinct.
- SCPD improved the quality of internal affairs investigations.
- SCPD now tracks civilian complaints and internal investigations by the nature of the allegation, the status of the investigation and how it resolved the investigation. This tracking allows SCPD to evaluate trends and identify patterns of problematic behavior.
- SCPD has developed and updated a number of policies, which are available on SCPD’s website in English and Spanish.
The Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York entered an agreement with Suffolk County in January 2014 to ensure that SCPD provides fair and equitable policing services to all members of the Suffolk County community, including the Latino community.
In determining that SCPD has achieved and sustained full and effective compliance with significant portions of the agreement, the United States relied on its own independent evaluations of SCPD’s compliance.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on May 23 was:
Tanya Lee Holbrook, 42, of Emigrant, on charges of misappropriation of postal funds and theft of government property. If convicted of the most serious crime, Holbrook faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Holbrook was released pending further proceedings. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-63.
Jessica Denise Bad Moccasin, 33, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bad Moccasin faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Bad Moccasin was detained pending further proceedings. The Billings Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-61.
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on May 20 was:
Dylan James Youngblood, 32, of Kalispell, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Youngblood faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Youngblood was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Kalispell Police Department, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Probation and Parole and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-22.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Illegal Firearm Possession Lands Oklahoma City Couple in Federal Prison for 10 Years CollectivelyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – AMBER NICOLE RANSOM, 40, and GORDON BERNARD HORNER, 51, both of Oklahoma City, have been sentenced to serve 120 months collectively in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On August 1, 2023, a federal grand jury charged Ransom and Horner with being felons in possession of a firearm. According to public record, on May 9, 2023, Oklahoma City Police responded to a drive by shooting at an apartment complex. Though bullets did enter at least one unit, no injuries were reported. After a review of surveillance footage, Oklahoma City Police identified a white sedan as the suspect vehicle, which was pulled over in a traffic stop just days later. Ransom and Horner were in the vehicle, and authorities also located two handguns. After executing a search warrant at the apartment shared by Ransom and Horner, Oklahoma City Police located another firearm, along with several rounds of ammunition. Through the course of the investigation, law enforcement learned it was Ransom who fired several shots at the apartment from the back seat of the vehicle, which was being driven by Horner.
Public record further reflects that both Ransom and Horner hold prior felony convictions—Ransom for robbery in the first degree in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2009-5359, and Horner for possession of a controlled dangerous substance in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-1992-6656.
In the fall of 2023, both Ransom and Horner pleaded guilty, and admitted to possessing firearms.
At sentencing hearings on May 22, 2024, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones sentenced Ransom to serve 90 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and Horner to serve 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentencings, Judge Jones noted the “senseless” nature of the crime, describing the actions of the two defendants as a “reckless disregard for life.”
This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David R. Nichols, Jr., prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Houston Woman Pleads Guilty to Covid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Houston, Texas, woman has pleaded guilty in federal court to fraudulently receiving Missouri and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act unemployment benefits using the identity information of numerous other persons.
Prayshana Washington, 37, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Thursday, May 23, to one count of theft of government property.
By pleading guilty, Washington admitted she facilitated the filing of false claims in her name and the names of other persons, thereby fraudulently receiving unemployment benefits paid through the state of Missouri. These benefits included benefits from the CARES Act.
Washington filed claims for unemployment benefits, using the name and personal identifying information of individuals in the state of Missouri and elsewhere. These persons were not eligible to receive Missouri and enhanced unemployment benefits. The emergency increase in unemployment compensation benefits provided an additional $600 weekly payment.
The total loss amount from May 2020 to June 2021 is at least $550,000 but less than $1.5 million. Under the terms of her plea agreement, Washington must pay restitution as determined by the court.
Under federal statutes, Washington is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General – Office of Investigations & Labor Racketeering Fraud.
Fort Lauderdale man indicted for kidnapping in connection with wife’s disappearanceRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On May 15, a grand jury returned an indictment charging David Knezevich, a/k/a “David Knezevic,” a/k/a “Dusan Knezevic,” with one count of kidnapping in connection with his wife’s disappearance.
According to court documents, Knezevich traveled out of Miami International Airport to kidnap his wife, who was residing in Spain. Upon traveling out of Miami, Knezevich rented a car in Serbia shortly before his wife’s disappearance and drove to Spain. On the last day Knezevich’s wife was seen alive, Knezevich was captured on video surveillance in Spain, purchasing spray paint and duct tape. The same evening, an individual wearing a face covering and a motorcycle helmet, believed to be Knezevich, was captured on video spray painting the surveillance camera at his wife’s apartment building in Madrid. Knezevich’s wife has not been heard from since.
Knezevich was arrested pursuant to a criminal complaint on May 4, 2024, after flying into Miami International Airport from Serbia. On May 10, 2024, Chief Magistrate Judge Edwin G. Torres ordered Knezevich detained pending trial.
If convicted, Knezevich faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Spanish law enforcement authorities. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) provided assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lacee Elizabeth Monk of the Special Prosecutions Section is prosecuting it.
Anyone with related information should contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).
An indictment contains mere allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20201.
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Former physician sentenced for operating a pill millRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A former Kansas physician was sentenced to 120 months in prison following a jury trial conviction and a plea agreement based on charges for selling opioid prescriptions to customers without legitimate medical need for powerful pain medications.
According to court documents, Steven R. Henson, 63, of Wichita pleaded guilty to:
• two counts of conspiracy to dispense, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances,
• eight counts of dispensing and aiding and abetting with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances,
• five counts of dispensing controlled substances, and
• six counts of money laundering.A jury previously convicted Henson of one count of making a false writing and one count of attempting to obstruct a court order, which were charges in relation to drug offenses.
Between July 2014 and August 2015, Henson admits to examining illegitimate pain patients at his clinic in Wichita and writing them prescriptions for oxycodone, methadone, and alprazolam in exchange for cash. He would typically meet his co-conspirator customers during non- business hours without staff present and charge $300 for the visit. These co-conspirator customers told Henson which controlled substances they wanted, and he would oblige with a prescription without conducting examinations, obtaining medical history, or determining if the requested medication was needed. Henson would often prescribe the highest possible strengths and high pill counts.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad, Newton Police Department, Wichita Police Department, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katie Andrusak and Jason Hart prosecuted the case.
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Former U.S. Border Patrol Agent Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Attempting to Distribute Methamphetamine and Receiving BribesRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Former U.S. Border Patrol Agent Hector Hernandez, who admitted that he took bribes to smuggle methamphetamine and people across the U.S.-Mexico border while on duty, was sentenced in federal court today to 87-months in prison.
Hernandez pleaded guilty in January, admitting that he agreed to use his official position to open border fences and allow unauthorized immigrants to enter the United States from Mexico. Hernandez also agreed to move methamphetamine and other controlled substances from the Southern District of California further north to other locations within the United States.
In his plea agreement, Hernandez acknowledged he took Mexico-based smugglers on a tour of the U.S.-Mexico border, showing them the best locations to sneak unauthorized immigrants into the U.S. He also provided information about the location of monitoring devices and cameras – information only known to him by virtue of his position as a Border Patrol agent. Hernandez admitted that he opened restricted border fences on several occasions to allow people to illegally enter the United States in exchange for cash payments of $5,000 per opening.
“In every instance, the U.S. Attorney’s Office stands ready to reinforce public trust in law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “When that trust is undermined by criminal acts concealed behind a badge, it threatens both public safety and the integrity of our judicial system. Hernandez put personal greed above the safety of others and this sentence reflects the magnitude of his actions.”
“Agent Hernandez disgraced his badge when he chose to smuggle both drugs and people across the border,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Chrysanthis. “His sentence reflects the harm he caused his coworkers and his country. As law enforcement we are held to a higher standard, and we must be held accountable for our actions.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that federal officials who betray the people they are sworn to protect will be held accountable for their actions,” said DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari.
According to court records, Hernandez admitted that on May 9, 2023, he met with someone who unbeknownst to him was, in fact, an undercover federal agent, and agreed to pick up a bag full of narcotics that would be hidden near the border fence. Hernandez agreed to pick up the bag while on duty and deliver it to the undercover agent in exchange for $20,000. Once the agreement was made, agents loaded the bag with 10 kilograms of fake methamphetamine, one pound of real methamphetamine, and a tracking device, before placing the bag in a storm drain near the border fence.
Later that evening, Hernandez drove his official vehicle to the storm drain while on duty and retrieved the bag. He drove the bag to his residence in Chula Vista and left the bag there for the remainder of his work shift. On May 10, 2023, after his shift was over, Hernandez returned home, retrieved the bag, and drove to meet with the undercover agent. Upon arrest, agents confirmed that that the bag still contained both the sham and real methamphetamine.
After Hernandez was arrested, agents searched his residence and found $131,717 in cash and 7.7 grams of cocaine. Hernandez admitted at least $110,000 of the cash represented proceeds he received in connection with his narcotics trafficking and bribery activities.
As part of his plea agreement, Hernandez forfeited his personal vehicle used to bring the drugs to the undercover agent; $110,000 of the seized cash; and his interest in his residence where the drugs were maintained.
In court today, U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino said, “Border Patrol is an honorable and admirable agency of the Government sworn to protect and safeguard our borders… [Hernandez] chose to betray the agency, the nation and betray public trust.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Van Demark and Lawrence A. Casper.DEFENDANT Case Number 23cr1114-JLS
Hector Hernandez Age: 55 Chula Vista, CASUMMARY OF CHARGES
Attempted Distribution of Methamphetamine – 21 U.S.C., Sections 841(a)(1) and 846
Maximum penalty: Life imprisonment in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimumReceiving Bribe by Public Official – 18 U.S.C., Section 201(b)(2)
Maximum penalty: Fifteen years in prisonINVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General
Drug Enforcement Administration
Federal Bureau of InvestigationFormer State Employee and Her Husband Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Unlawfully Produce Tennessee Driver's LicensesRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On May 24, 2024, Cheryl Huff, 49, of Knoxville, and Mario Paz-Mejia (“Paz”), 51, of Knoxville, who are married, were sentenced by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court at Knoxville. Huff was sentenced to 37 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release. Paz was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release.
As part of their plea agreements filed with the court, Huff and Paz agreed to plead guilty for conspiring to produce over one hundred false Tennessee driver’s licenses and identification cards for individuals who were not lawfully qualified to receive them, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028(f).
As set forth in the filed plea agreements, Huff was a District Manager for the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDSHS), which issues Tennessee driver’s licenses and identification cards at various Driver Service Centers (DSC) across Tennessee. Huff managed and supervised DSC employees in the Greater Knoxville area and had authority to issue driver’s licenses and application cards.
Paz recruited individuals who were neither citizens of the United States nor residents of Tennessee who wanted to acquire a Tennessee driver’s license or identification card. Using his association with Huff, Paz represented to his customers that, in return for $2,500, he could obtain for them a Tennessee driver’s license or identification card. Paz also assisted his customers in obtaining false citizenship and residency documents—two requirements to obtain a Tennessee driver’s license—including fraudulent lease agreements to establish proof of Tennessee residency, and false birth certificates, Social Security cards, and driver’s licenses from other states and U.S. territories to establish proof of citizenship or legal residency in the United States.
Huff knew, or deliberately ignored a high probability, that Paz was helping his customers obtain false citizenship and residency documents and that Paz charged his customers money to obtain a Tennessee driver’s license or identification card.
Huff used her access to TDSHS’s internal software to confirm that the names and information on the false citizenship and residency documents used by Paz’s customers could be used to obtain a Tennessee driver’s license or identification card. For example, on June 23, 2021, Paz-Mejia texted Huff the name, date of birth, and personal information used on false identification documents, asking Huff to “check that please.” Huff responded, “All of these are not on file. They’re good.”
After Paz’s customers acquired false citizenship and residency documents, Paz arranged to meet them at a Knoxville-area DSC before business hours. With Huff’s assistance, Paz escorted his customers into DSCs before business hours, including through a backdoor employee-only entrance. Once Paz and his customers were inside, Huff initiated driver’s license applications using TDSHS software. Huff also instructed subordinate DSC employees to complete applications and issue driver’s licenses to many of Paz’s customers.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
This prosecution was the result of an ongoing investigation by the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s Criminal Investigation Division, the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the United States Secret Service.
William A. Roach, Jr., Assistant United States Attorney, represented the United States.
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Former DuPage County Assistant State’s Attorney Charged with Communicating Interstate Threat to Two Illinois State Representatives and OthersRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A DuPage County, Illinois, man, Samuel J. Cundari, 30, has been arrested and charged by criminal complaint with transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure another person in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 875(c).
The complaint alleges that on March 17, 2024, the Illinois State Police were contacted by two Illinois State Representatives about a threat that they had received via the social media company X, formerly known as Twitter. The social media post stated, “Our patience grows short with you. The day we put your kids’ feet first into a woodchipper so we can enjoy their last few screams is coming.” Besides the two state representatives, five other individuals or groups were “tagged” with the post to include the Illinois Attorney General. As a result, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division began an investigation.
The complaint further alleges that on May 15, 2024, the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center received an online tip regarding a post on X that seemed to be in response to an advertisement about the Springfield PrideFest which occurred on May 18, 2024. In the post, it states: “I sure hope NOBODY leaves a pressure cooker filled with bail bearings, glass, and nails, filled with diesel fuel and fertilizer, with the over pressure safety valve disabled, near a natural gas line line [sic]. That would be VERY sad and VERY unfortunate.”
The complaint also alleges that law enforcement traced the two social media posts to Samuel Cundari of DuPage County, Illinois who used the internet to communicate the threats. At the time the posts were made, Cundari was an Assistant State’s Attorney in DuPage County. If convicted of communicating an interstate threat, Cundari faces a maximum sentence of imprisonment of no more than five years. The charge also carries up to three years of supervised release and a possible fine of up to $250,000.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Springfield Field Office with assistance by multiple law enforcement agencies including: FBI Chicago and FBI Indianapolis Field Offices, the Illinois Secretary of State Police, the Illinois State Police, the Springfield Police Department, the Pierceton Police Department (Indiana), United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Investigations Unit, and the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger.
Members of the public are reminded that the charges in a complaint are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.