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Wednesday 15 May 2024
Mt. Vernon Woman Indicted for Conspiracy to Purchase Hundreds of Lottery Tickets with Stolen Credit CardsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Mt. Vernon, Mo., woman was indicted by a federal grand jury today for leading a conspiracy to purchase nearly 2,000 lottery tickets with stolen credit cards.
Amy Young, 31, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo.
Today’s indictment alleges that Young obtained stolen credit cards and led a conspiracy to use those stolen credit cards to purchase lottery tickets from a Phillips 66 Fuel Station in Joplin, Mo., between July 22 and Aug. 18, 2022. Young allegedly enlisted the help of others to contact the Missouri Lottery Commission to obtain cash prizes for any winning lottery tickets that were fraudulently purchased using stolen credit cards. They kept a portion of the money for themselves and turned over the rest of the money to Young.
According to the indictment, Young used stolen credit cards to purchase at least 1,957 Missouri Lottery tickets with a value of $62,082. Additionally, Young and her co-conspirators received $54,248 in cash prizes for the winning tickets purchased using stolen credit card numbers.
In total, between the fraudulent credit card transactions and the prize money fraudulently received, Young and her co-conspirators fraudulently received at least $116,330.
Today’s indictment charges Young with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud (related to the fraudulent purchase of $480 in lottery tickets with a stolen credit card on Aug. 18, 2022).
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 the FBI.
Middletown man sentenced to 5 years in prison for possessing firearm as part of drug traffickingRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Christopher Lawrence Spicer, 23, of Middletown, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 60 months in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Spicer led local officers on a high-speed chase in spring 2023 before being arrested.
According to court documents, on March 16, 2023, Spicer was approached by law enforcement while driving a stolen Ford F-150 in a Middletown business parking lot. Spicer backed into a police cruiser and fled throughout Middletown at speeds exceeding 90 miles per hour. While fleeing, Spicer ran a red light at the intersection of Roosevelt Boulevard and Jackson Lane. Spicer collided with another vehicle, rendering his own vehicle disabled. He was arrested at that time.
When officers searched Spicer’s truck, they discovered a loaded Romarm/Cugir Micro Draco 7.62x39mm pistol and more than 200 fentanyl pills.
Spicer was charged federally in September 2023 and pleaded guilty in January 2024.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Middletown Police Chief David Birk announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is representing the United States in this case.
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Middlesex County Man Admits Structuring over $250,000 in Deposits to Evade Reporting RequirementsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man today admitted structuring over $250,000 in bank deposits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Abdel Elgendy, 67, of Piscataway, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to an information charging him with structuring.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From March 2021 to November 2021, Elgendy purposefully engaged in a pattern of structuring activity to deposit over $250,000 in cash at financial institutions in ways to avoid reporting requirements for transactions in excess of $10,000. For example, during one of the deposits in September 2021, Elgendy accidentally provided a teller with more than $10,000 to be deposited. When the teller informed him that the cash totaled more than $10,000, Elgendy took some of the money back from the teller to ensure that the total deposited amount was less than $10,000.
The count of structuring to which Elgendy pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $500,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 29, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, under the direction of Inspector General John Gay; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark; special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker; and special agents with the Department of Defense Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Cyber Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Kenneth A. DeChellis, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. He also thanked the Springfield, New Jersey, and Teaneck, New Jersey, police departments.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Silane and Benjamin Levin of the Criminal Division in Newark.
elgendy.information.pdfMexico Native Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Gustavo Nabor Tolentino Cortes, age 46, of Mexico, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Tolentino Cortes was previously removed from the United States on January 24, 2018. The indictment further alleges that Tolentino Cortes unlawfully reentered the United States without legal permission, and was subsequently discovered in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Members of religious-based company charged in elder fraud scheme against WWII veteranRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Five individuals are now in custody following allegations they tricked an elderly man in his 90s out of over $300,000 in retirement funds, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Authorities arrested Lenel Hopkins, 52, Antoinette Monique Hopkins, 42, Alichia Webster, 60, Neil John Halvorson, 65, and Victor Evans Jr., 70. The arrests occurred in Alabama and Florida where they will first appear before their arraignments in Houston.
All five individuals as well as their company - Ternion Group International LLC aka Ternion Training and Education Center Corporation - are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud.
The indictment alleges Ternion self-identified as a “Christian” company that claimed to be an international investment group performing construction projects and job training for believers. They promised investors high monetary returns and ownership in local development projects in exchange for large investment deposits into Ternion, according to the charges.
Potential investors would allegedly become “hubs” associated with Ternion which would have a Ternion name and the investor’s address as its physical location. According to the indictment, investors would make monetary payments and were supposed to receive millions of dollars in return. The charges allege they actually never received anything in exchange for their payments.
As part of the indictment, Ternion owners convinced a then 92-year-old World War II veteran to form a hub, telling him he would receive $13 million in return if he invested $300,000. The money was supposedly to be used to build a vocational school and to purchase 100 homes, according to the allegations.
The charges allege Evans actually drew a salary from the money the victim transferred from his retirement account.
In furtherance of the scheme, Halvorson also allegedly caused the victim to enter into a new will which gave Evans successor rights and power of attorney over the victim’s property (including his hub), bank accounts and contracts as well as a medical power of attorney he used to execute a do-not-resuscitate form for the victim.
The victim has not received any monies in return for the $300,000 he invested nor heard from anyone from Ternion since 2020, according to the charges. The indictment also alleges the location they had told the victim would be the site of the project is privately owned and not for sale.
If convicted, each faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine for each count.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Laurence Goldman is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of the Elder Justice Initiative. Its goal is to support and coordinate the Department of Justice’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Member of Violent Gang Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Racketeering, Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston-area man was sentenced yesterday for his role in a violent Boston street gang as well as gun and drug trafficking charges.
Kenny Romero, a/k/a “KG,” 29, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 63 months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty in November 2023 to one count of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise (more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy); three counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine; and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Romero was also sentenced to 24 months in prison, to be served consecutively, for committing the offenses while on federal supervised release.
According to court documents, Cameron Street is a violent gang based largely in Dorchester that uses violence and threats of violence to preserve, protect and expand its territory, promote a climate of fear and enhance its reputation. Cameron Street members also allegedly distribute narcotics and firearms, commit armed robberies and engage in human trafficking. Additionally, members allegedly post videos or use social media applications to promote Cameron Street, celebrate murders and other violent crimes committed by the gang and denigrate rivals – in particular the NOB gang – an abbreviation for the Norton/Olney/Barry Streets in Dorchester.
Romero had a “3113” tattoo, which referred to the third, first and 13th letters of the alphabet (“C,” “A,” “M”):
During a two-year investigation, Romero was recorded selling eight firearms, as well as ammunition, cocaine base and cocaine to a cooperating witness who Romero believed was a member of Cameron Street:
Data from Romero’s cell phone and Snapchat accounts determined that Romero generated income for Cameron Street through gun and drug sales as well as human trafficking.
At the time of Romero’s conduct, he was on supervised release for a 2019 federal conviction for interstate transportation of a firearm, for which he was sentenced to 21 months in prison.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Maryland Man Sentenced to Year and a Day in Prison for Multistate Patient Brokering and Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Maryland man was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for participating in a conspiracy to defraud health insurance companies through a multistate patient brokering scheme in which he directed recruiters to bribe drug-addicted individuals to enroll in drug rehabilitation in exchange for referral fees from the rehabilitation centers, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
John Devlin, 37, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence on May 14, 2024.
Six other individuals have previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme: Peter Costas; Seth Logan Welsh; John C. Devlin; Akikur Mohammad; Lauren Philhower; and Anastasia Passas.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Devlin, Dickau, and Welsh, and their conspirators owned and operated a marketing company in California. Devlin, Dickau, and Welsh used the marketing company to help orchestrate a scheme in New Jersey, Maryland, California, and other states that involved bribing individuals addicted to heroin and other drugs to enter into drug rehabilitation centers so Devlin, Dickau, and Welsh, and their conspirators could generate referral fees from those facilities. Two facilities in California that paid such referral fees were owned or operated by Mohammad, Philhower, and Passas.
The marketing company run by Devlin, Dickau, and Welsh maintained contractual relationships with drug treatment facilities around the country, including the ones run by Mohammad, Philhower, and Passas. The marketing company also engaged a nationwide network of recruiters – including Costas in New Jersey – to identify and recruit potential patients, from New Jersey and other states, who were addicted to heroin or other drugs and who had robust private health insurance.
To convince drug-addicted individuals to travel to and enroll in rehabilitation when they otherwise would not have, Costas and other recruiters offered to bribe them – often as much as several thousand dollars – with the approval of Devlin, Dickau, and Welsh. Once the patients agreed to enroll in drug rehabilitation in exchange for the offered bribe, Devlin, Dickau, Welsh, and Costas would arrange and pay for cross-country travel to the drug treatment centers in California and other states, in concert with the owners of the facilities themselves, including Mohammad, Philhower, and Passas. Costas would stay in touch with the New Jersey patients at the facilities and specifically instruct them to stay at the facilities long enough to generate referral payments, and he would pass along information to Devlin, Dickau, and Welsh about the patients’ status at the facilities. Devlin, Dickau, and Welsh would monitor the other patients they brokered by speaking to other recruiters or to the owners and employees of the drug treatment facilities themselves.
The drug treatment facilities run by Mohammad, Philhower, and Passas had contracts with the marketing company. Those facilities typically paid the marketing company a fee of $5,000 to $10,000 per patient referral. Devlin, Dickau, and Welsh, and their conspirators shared that money among themselves. Costas and other recruiters received approximately half that amount for each patient they brokered. Devlin, Dickau, and Welsh, and their conspirators brokered scores of patients to drug treatment facilities around the country, including the ones run by Mohammad, Philhower, and Passas, and the conspiracy caused millions of dollars of losses for health insurers.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Devlin to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading the sentencing. He also thanked the FBI, under the direction of Acting Assistant Director in Charge Amir Ehsaei in Los Angeles and the District Attorney’s Office in Orange County, California.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason S. Gould, Chief of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark, Angelica Sinopole of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark, and Aaron Webman of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
Martinsburg Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Unlawful Possession, Manufacturing, and Trafficking of Ghost Guns Sold as Part of “Hit Kits”Read the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Martinsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 120 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his convictions of possession, manufacturing, and trafficking of firearms, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Harry Miller, 48. His sentencing follows earlier guilty pleas from Miller and two co-defendants, Craig Zahradnik and Wayne Farabaugh, in the case.
According to information presented to the Court, Miller admitted that, between May 2022 and April 2023, he and his co-defendants were part of a conspiracy to engage in the business of manufacturing and dealing in firearms without a license. Specifically, Miller and Zahradnik were partners in an illicit business operation engaged in the manufacturing and trafficking of privately made firearms—so-called ghost guns—with Miller purchasing the components and maintaining many of the weapons at a storage unit that Zahradnik, a retired police detective, controlled. Beginning in July of 2022, Zahradnik provided $5,000 payments to Miller that Miller then deposited into his bank account, totaling $30,000. Miller used these funds to purchase the firearm components from outside of Pennsylvania and repaid Zahradnik with the proceeds from the gun sales, including from the sale of what Miller marketed as “hit kits,” consisting of a 9-millimeter Polymer80 handgun with no serial number, a threaded barrel to attach a silencer, a silencer, subsonic ammunition, and latex gloves.
Miller was permitted and assisted by Farabaugh in using machinery at Farabaugh’s place of employment to drill the components for ghost guns. Miller also used this equipment to manufacture untraceable weapons and weapon components that were required to be registered with the government under the National Firearms Act, including silencers, machineguns, and short-barrel rifles. Zahradnik transported the “hit kits” and other firearms to and from Miller for scheduled buys. On other occasions, Miller and Zahradnik transported firearms together.
In March 2023, Zahradnik transferred a firearm and ammunition to Miller, knowing that Miller intended to sell, dispose of, or transfer the firearm and ammunition in furtherance of a felony, and unlawfully transferred firearms that were not registered to him. Zahradnik and Farabaugh both admitted that they knew Miller was a convicted felon and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.
During his plea hearing, Miller further pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a machinegun, illegal trafficking in firearms, and unlawfully engaging in the business of manufacturing and dealing in firearms.“Harry Miller, a convicted felon who could not lawfully possess a firearm, made tens of thousands of dollars manufacturing and selling ‘hit kits’ containing untraceable ghost guns, silencers, ammunition, and latex gloves,” U.S. Attorney Olshan said. “Today’s 10-year sentence reflects the egregiousness of Miller’s illicit business, which saw untraceable firearms distributed throughout our western Pennsylvania community. This office and our law enforcement partners will continue to root out the unlawful trafficking of firearms and hold those who endanger the public accountable under federal law.”
“Firearms trafficking is a primary focus of ATF,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Miller’s criminal activities fueled the violence in our communities, and the firearms he trafficked will remain a threat for years. ATF is committed to identifying, disrupting, and prosecuting those who illegally manufacture, possess, and traffic in firearms with our unique resources and expertise to protect our neighborhoods.”
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation that led to the prosecutions. This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
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.
Long Island Resident Convicted at Trial of Transporting Illegal Aliens for Financial GainRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Omar Mera-Marquez, age 46, of Medford, New York, was convicted today following a jury trial of transportation of illegal aliens for financial gain. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement.
The trial evidence demonstrated that on October 3, 2023, Mera-Marquez and an accomplice, Jose Calva-Cruz, agreed to drive from Long Island to Fort Covington, New York, near the U.S.-Canadian border, to pick up three men from Mexico who had recently crossed into the United States illegally, in exchange for $1,500. At 3 a.m. on October 4, 2023, Mera-Marquez and Calva-Cruz arrived at the pickup location, which was a motel parking lot just a mile from the border. Mera-Marquez, who was driving a dark SUV with Kansas license plates, stopped in the parking lot just long enough for the three men to run up to the vehicle and jump in. All of this was observed by an agent from U.S. Border Patrol, who was watching the parking lot that evening. Border Patrol agents pulled over the vehicle and everyone was arrested. Calva-Cruz previously pled guilty for his role in the offense and was subsequently deported.
The charge for which Mera-Marquez was convicted today carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. The defendant will be sentenced on September 17, 2024, by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, who presided over the trial.
United States Border Patrol investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael F. Perry and Melissa O. Rothbart are prosecuting the case.
Local man heads to prison for possessing material depicting sexual abuse of childrenRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 68-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for distribution and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Stephen Broussard pleaded guilty Oct. 26, 2022, admitting he possessed over 6000 images.
U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal has now sentenced Broussard to 130 and 120 months for the distribution and possession of child pornography convictions, respectively. They will run concurrently for a total 130-month term of imprisonment. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted that distribution and possession of child pornography are egregious crimes and are not victimless. Broussard was further ordered to pay $36,000 in restitution to the victims and will serve the rest of his life on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Broussard will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Broussard came to the attention of law enforcement after he made child pornography files available for download through a peer-to-peer network. Authorities obtained a search warrant for Broussard’s residence and seized his electronic devices.
A forensic examination of his devices revealed Broussard possessed 6215 images and 109 videos of child pornography. The material includes sadistic or masochistic conduct involving children under the age of 12.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherin Daniel prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Leader of Armed Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – The leader of an armed drug trafficking organization responsible for acquiring at least 250 kilograms of methamphetamine from a prisoner and then distributing the drugs into west central Georgia was sentenced to serve 40 years in federal prison.
Cornelius Leonard aka “Tae,” 29, of Grantville, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 480 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on May 14. Leonard previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; one count of distribution of methamphetamine; and one count of conspiracy to tamper with a witness. The defendant is not eligible for parole.
“Cornelius Leonard and those involved in pushing more than 250 kilograms of methamphetamine into Thomaston and Columbus have been held accountable for their part in this armed drug trafficking organization causing harm in these communities,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Federal, state and local law enforcement collaborated throughout this lengthy and complex investigation to successfully stop a significant criminal organization.”
“This sentencing serves to put criminals on notice that if you bring illegal drugs into our communities, we will employ whatever means necessary to find you and bring you to justice no matter where you are,” said FBI Atlanta Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of the Macon Office Robert Gibbs. “This sentencing closes a significant pipeline for dangerous drugs running through the streets of Georgia. We are grateful to the many law enforcement agencies whose coordinated efforts achieved this sentence.”
“This successful investigation and prosecution is the result of many law enforcement agencies dedicated to securing our communities; we are grateful for the collaboration and hopeful it will make a difference,” said Upson County Sheriff Dan Kilgore.
The following co-defendants have been sentenced:
Pedro Barragan Valencia aka “Casper” aka “Bossman,” aka “Mexican Hitman Pete,” 47, of Calhoun, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 400 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances;
Ramone Zorn aka “Big Razor,” 54, of Thomaston, was sentenced to serve 300 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine;
Kedric Fuller aka “Blakk Ru,” 43, of Woodbury, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances;
Horatio Venable aka “Ray Ray,” 27, of Columbus, was sentenced to serve 144 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Markevious Snipes aka “Big Dawg,” 33, of Thomaston, was sentenced to serve 136 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Mechile Hobbs, 50, of Thomaston, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Darius Wellmaker, 41, of Thomaston, was sentenced to serve 90 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Joshua McAfee, 36, of Thomaston, was sentenced to serve 50 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances;
Rashard Moreland, 38, of Columbus, was sentenced to serve 40 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to use of a telecommunications facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime;
Antovious Hunter aka “Ant,” 41, of Columbus, was sentenced to serve 37 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Dustin Robbins, 34, of Columbus, was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Sabrina Smith, 34, of Thomaston, was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison after she pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine;
Natashai Antley, 36, of Thomaston, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison after she pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility;
Nehemiah Johnson, 30, of Thomaston, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Jennifer Moss, 39, of Molena, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison after she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Dixie Bailey, 34, of Thomaston, was sentenced to time served after she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Mark Dean, 46, of Manchester, Georgia, was sentenced to time served after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Ashley Ingram, 37, of Cataula, Georgia, was sentenced to time served after she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Krystal Juarez Norman, 34, of Thomaston, was sentenced to time served after she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin;
S. Carlton Power, 27, of Manchester, Georgia, was sentenced to time served after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and
D. Justin Whitten, 38, of Hogansville, Georgia, was sentenced to time served after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, FBI was investigating Leonard for leading an armed drug distribution organization supplying controlled substances in late 2021 and early 2022. Agents made four controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Leonard during that time period. The investigation led to multiple wiretaps on Leonard’s phones. Through these wiretaps, law enforcement agents learned that Leonard was conspiring with co-defendant Valencia—who was an inmate at Calhoun State Prison and a member of the Sureños criminal gang—to acquire large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl and other illegal drugs for distribution in Thomaston, Columbus and other Georgia cities. Valencia supplied Leonard with at least 250 kilograms of methamphetamine.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was investigated by FBI and the Upson County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDOC).
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.
Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Travell Lamar Johnson, 45, of Big Chimney, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 14, 2023, Johnson sold approximately 3.5 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Charleston gas station. Johnson admitted to the transaction and to arranging it beforehand with the confidential informant.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on August 7, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Co-defendant Alexis Nicole Davis, 26, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on May 2, 2024, to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and awaits sentencing.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department-Special Enforcement Unit and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-177.
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Justice Department Secures Agreement with National Home Healthcare Company to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination ClaimsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement with Maxim Healthcare Services (Maxim), a home healthcare company based in Columbia, Maryland, with operations in 35 states. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that Maxim violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) at its Gardena, California, office by discriminating against a non-U.S. citizen worker when it rejected her valid document showing her permission to work and requiring lawful permanent residents working for the company to prove their continued permission to work even though it was unnecessary.
“Employers cannot treat employees differently based on their citizenship status when verifying their permission to work,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The department is committed to ensuring that employers do not deny workers equal treatment in the workplace, whether in hiring, checking employees’ permission to work or otherwise.”
After opening an investigation based on a worker’s complaint, the Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) concluded that Maxim improperly rejected the worker’s valid document based on her citizenship status. Specifically, the department determined that the company rejected the worker’s employment authorization document (EAD) because the last name on it was different from the last name on her driver’s license and Social Security card, even though the company accepted documents from U.S. citizens under similar circumstances and believed that the EAD reasonably appeared to be genuine and to relate to the worker, which is all that the Department of Homeland Security rules require.
The investigation also determined that Maxim routinely required lawful permanent residents to present unnecessary documentation when their Permanent Resident Cards expired, which is not required by law. The INA’s anti-discrimination provision prohibits employers from rejecting valid documents or asking for specific or unnecessary documents because of a worker’s citizenship or immigration status. If a lawful permanent resident provides an unexpired Permanent Resident Card to prove their permission to work, employers are not permitted to request new documentation if the Permanent Resident Card later expires.
Under the terms of the settlement, Maxim will pay a civil penalty to the United States and lost wages to the affected worker, train its employees on the INA’s anti-discrimination requirements, revise its employment policies and processes and be subject to monitoring by the department.
IER is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee, unfair documentary practices and retaliation and intimidation.
Find more information about how employers can avoid discrimination when verifying someone’s permission to work on IER’s website. More information on how employers may handle discrepancies in the names that appear on employees’ Form I-9 documents is available as well. Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify) or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email [email protected]; sign up for a live webinar; watch an on-demand presentation or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe for email updates from IER.
Justice Department Announces Civil Rights Investigation into Conditions at Kentucky Youth Detention CentersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department announced today that it has opened a statewide investigation into the conditions at eight youth detention centers and one youth development center run by the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice.
The investigation will examine whether Kentucky protects children confined in these facilities from harm caused by excessive force by staff, prolonged and punitive isolation and inadequate protection from violence and sexual abuse. The investigation will also examine whether Kentucky provides adequate mental health services and required special education and related services to children with disabilities.
“Confinement in the juvenile justice system should help children avoid future contact with law enforcement and mature into law-abiding, productive members of society. Too often, juvenile justice facilities break our children, exposing them to dangerous and traumatic conditions,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are launching this investigation to ensure that children in Kentucky youth detention facilities are safe from harm, receive adequate mental health care and get appropriate special education services. All children held in the custody of the state deserve safe and humane conditions that can bring about true rehabilitation and reform.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky stands ready to protect the rights of all children in Kentucky, including those who end up in juvenile detention,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky. “We look forward to partnering with the Civil Rights Division and our colleagues in the Eastern District to conduct a fair and thorough investigation of these allegations.”
This investigation focuses on detention centers, which primarily hold children awaiting a court hearing. Nationally, detention centers admit nearly 200,000 children every year, holding approximately 16,000 youth on any given night. The average length of stay for a child in detention is 27 days. Research shows that even far shorter stays can have profound and potentially lifelong negative consequences for children.
The department has not reached any conclusions regarding the allegations in this matter. The investigation will be conducted under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. Both statutes give the department the authority to investigate systemic violations of the rights of young people in juvenile justice facilities.
The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section is conducting this investigation jointly with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Western and Eastern Districts of Kentucky. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the department via phone at (888) 392-8241 or by email at [email protected].
The division recently secured a settlement agreement involving the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice’s Broad River Road Complex, the state’s only long-term post-adjudication facility for children, and is currently investigating conditions at five post-adjudication facilities for children in Texas. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work protecting children’s rights in the juvenile justice system is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/rights-juveniles.
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Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Announces Civil Rights Investigation into Conditions at Kentucky Youth Detention Centers
Justice Department Announces Civil Rights Investigation into Conditions at Kentucky Youth Detention CentersRead the Press Release
Remote video URL
The Justice Department announced today that it has opened a statewide investigation into the conditions at eight youth detention centers and one youth development center run by the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice.The investigation will examine whether Kentucky protects children confined in these facilities from harm caused by excessive force by staff, prolonged and punitive isolation and inadequate protection from violence and sexual abuse. The investigation will also examine whether Kentucky provides adequate mental health services and required special education and related services to children with disabilities.
“Confinement in the juvenile justice system should help children avoid future contact with law enforcement and mature into law-abiding, productive members of society. Too often, juvenile justice facilities break our children, exposing them to dangerous and traumatic conditions,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are launching this investigation to ensure that children in Kentucky youth detention facilities are safe from harm, receive adequate mental health care and get appropriate special education services. All children held in the custody of the state deserve safe and humane conditions that can bring about true rehabilitation and reform.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky stands ready to protect the rights of all children in Kentucky, including those who end up in juvenile detention,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky. “We look forward to partnering with the Civil Rights Division and our colleagues in the Eastern District to conduct a fair and thorough investigation of these allegations.”
This investigation focuses on detention centers, which primarily hold children awaiting a court hearing. Nationally, detention centers admit nearly 200,000 children every year, holding approximately 16,000 youth on any given night. The average length of stay for a child in detention is 27 days. Research shows that even far shorter stays can have profound and potentially lifelong negative consequences for children.
The department has not reached any conclusions regarding the allegations in this matter. The investigation will be conducted under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. Both statutes give the department the authority to investigate systemic violations of the rights of young people in juvenile justice facilities.
The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section is conducting this investigation jointly with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Western and Eastern Districts of Kentucky. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the department via phone at (888) 392-8241 or by email at [email protected].
The division recently secured a settlement agreement involving the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice’s Broad River Road Complex, the state’s only long-term post-adjudication facility for children, and is currently investigating conditions at five post-adjudication facilities for children in Texas. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work protecting children’s rights in the juvenile justice system is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/rights-juveniles.
Jury Finds Maryland Man Guilty of Aggravated Assault While ArmedRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mercedes Edmonds, aka Marcedes Edmunds, 38, of Baltimore, Maryland, has been found guilty by a jury of aggravated assault while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and additional firearms charges arising from a 2019 shooting in the 4000 block of Hayes Street NE, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The verdict was returned on May 14, 2024, following a three-day jury trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Edmonds was also found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a shotgun, and related firearms offenses. Following the verdict, the Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld ordered that Edmonds be detained pending sentencing, which she scheduled for July 16, 2024. At sentencing, Edmonds faces a mandatory minimum term of five years of incarceration.
According to the government’s trial evidence, on May 1, 2019, Edmonds was standing with a group in the 4000 block of Hayes Street NE, and the victim was dropping items off at a nearby apartment. Apparently perceiving disrespect by the victim toward a member of the group, Edmonds retrieved a shotgun from his car and ordered the victim to leave the area. As he tried to leave, the defendant shot the victim twice, striking him in the leg. The victim suffered substantial blood loss and had to undergo emergency surgery to save his leg.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. Invaluable assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Bartz and Lauren Winer of the Major Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Jury Convicts New Orleans Man of Carjacking and Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA-United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SHAMPAIN POOLE, 23, of New Orleans, was found guilty by a federal jury on April 29, 2024 after a one-day trial of carjacking, brandishing a weapon during a crime of violence, and felon in possession of a firearm.
Jurors heard evidence that POOLE carjacked a car from an eighty-year-old woman at gunpoint in front of her home. She immediately reported the crime. He was spotted driving the car down a one-way street the wrong way within minutes by an NOPD marked unit. POOLE abandoned the car but was caught on a home security video as he walked away. He ran from the scene and went to the home of a nearby relative. NOPD officers, who established a perimeter, observed POOLE outside the relative’s home but he again fled. He then attempted to hide the gun used in the carjacking in the crawl space of a nearby house. The owner of that home notified police that the attempt was caught on his home security camera. NOPD officers retrieved the security video and recovered the gun, a Smith & Wesson Model M&P 40 Shield, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, which was fully loaded with one bullet in the chamber. POOLE had previously been convicted of two felony offenses, including illegal use of a weapon, and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
United States Attorney Duane A Evans praised the work of the NOPD in this matter as the evidence revealed that their investigation identified the perpetrator within 15 minutes of the offense.
POOLE faces up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release for the carjacking offense; a minimum of seven years up to life imprisonment, which must run consecutive to any other sentence, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and up to five years of supervised release for the brandishing a weapon during a crime of violence offense; and, up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release for the felon in possession of a firearm offense. Each count also requires the imposition of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
United States District Judge Jay Zainey, who presided over the trial, scheduled sentencing for July 23, 2024. He also ordered that POOLE remain in custody.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit and Mark A. Miller of the Narcotics Unit conducted the trial of this matter.
Illinois Man Sentenced to 17.5 Years for Sexual Exploitation After Traveling to Michigan to Meet ChildRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Eduardo G. Torres, 26, of Waukegan, Illinois, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janet T. Neff to 210 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for sexually exploiting a child.
“As the sexual exploitation of children online continues to rise, my office is committed to protecting children and bringing sex offenders to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “The devices that nearly every child and teenager now carry leave kids vulnerable to criminals down the street, across state lines, and around the world. I strongly urge parents, guardians, and loved ones to educate their kids about online dangers, stay aware of their social media activities, and create a trusting relationship where kids are willing to share if something goes wrong.”
In April 2023, Torres sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl and filmed it after initially meeting her online, communicating with her through Snapchat, and then traveling to meet her in person. To do so, he drove from Illinois to Berrien Springs, Michigan. After assaulting the girl, he also transported her back across state lines to his residence in Illinois. Torres previously pled guilty to sexual exploitation of a child on December 18, 2023, for the child pornography he created when he filmed the sexual assault. Federal law prohibits the production, distribution, receipt, or possession of any image containing child pornography.
“Mr. Torres engaged in an egregiously inappropriate relationship with a minor, exploiting and sexually assaulting the young victim. Investigating those who prey on our children is a top priority for the FBI,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “I commend the FBI's Benton Harbor Safe Streets Task Force for their dedicated efforts in this case and their relentless pursuit of justice for our communities' children.”
“The Berrien Springs Oronoko Township Police Department appreciates the work done on this case by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan along with the assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” said Police Chief Paul Toliver. “Working together with these agencies was instrumental in quickly bringing a child predator to justice and returning a child home to her family.”
Parents and caregivers are urged to take steps to protect their children and teenagers from online predators. The FBI most often sees crimes against children begin when an adult either forges a relationship with a young victim online and later arranges to meet and abuse the child; or coerces a child into producing sexually explicit images or videos through manipulation, gifts, or threats.
The FBI offers the following advice for parents to protect their children from online predators:
- Have open and ongoing conversations about safe and appropriate online behavior.
- Educate yourself about the websites, software, games, and apps that your children use.
- Check their social media and gaming profiles and posts. Have conversations about what is appropriate to say or share.
- Explain to your kids that once images or comments are posted online, they can be shared with anyone and never truly disappear.
- Make sure your kids use privacy settings to restrict access to their online profiles.
- Tell your children to be extremely wary when communicating with anyone online who they do not know in real life.
- Encourage kids to choose appropriate screen names and to create strong passwords.
- Make it a rule with your kids that they can't arrange to meet up with someone they met online without your knowledge and supervision.
When children become victims, law enforcement stands ready to help. Report any inappropriate contact between an adult and your child to law enforcement immediately. Notify the site they were using, too. In addition to contacting local law enforcement, parents, victims, and others can report these crimes to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI. Further information about online safety is available at the FBI website, Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers: Protecting Your Kids.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Berrien Springs Oronoko Township Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren F. Biksacky prosecuted the case.
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Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry, Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Honduran national who reentered the United States illegally after he had been removed from the country on three previous occasions, and who used the Social Security number of another individual to gain employment has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Belfran Joel Najera-Chirinos, 42, previously admitted to a federal judge that he was removed from the United States in 2018 and then removed twice more in 2019, but that he nevertheless again reentered the United States illegally prior to being arrested in Providence in January 2023.
At the time of his most recent arrest, Najera-Chirinos was employed by a local shipbuilder, working under the name, and using the Social Security number, of another individual. When arrested, Najera-Chirinos provided law enforcement the name of yet another individual, and produced a Puerto Rican driver’s license in the name of that person.
Najera-Chirinos pleaded guilty on January 31, 2024, to charges of illegal reentry after deportation and Social Security fraud. He was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy on May 9, 2024, to 18 months of incarceration to be followed by one year of federal supervised release. Najera-Chirinos faces deportation proceedings upon completion of his current term of incarceration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
The matter was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General/Office of Investigations.
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Henrico man pleads guilty to two armed robberiesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico man pled guilty today to the armed robberies of two local stores.
According to court documents, on Jan. 22, 2024, Josue Cano-Morales, 19, entered a Lucky Mart on Staples Mill Road and walked around the counter. Brandishing a handgun, Cano-Morales demanded money. After the clerk handed over money from the register, Cano-Morales demanded more money and forced the clerk at gunpoint to go to the back office. Cano-Morales took money from desk drawers, stole a Snickers candy bar, and fled on a bicycle.
Cano-Morales then proceeded to a nearby Smokers World store, which he entered holding a handgun and a backpack. Cano-Morales demanded money from the register, then forced the clerk to the backroom where he took more money. Cano-Morales stole several vapes from a display before attempting to flee through the back door. The door was locked, however, and Cano-Morales fled through the front door.
Henrico County Police officers responding to the Lucky Mart robbery spotted Cano-Morales bicycle at a nearby shopping center. While inspecting the bicycle, they saw Cano-Morales leaving Smokers World. Cano-Morales immediately fled on foot but was quickly apprehended in a parking lot.
Cano-Morales is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 11. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for robbery and, consecutive to the sentence for robbery, seven years to life in prison for using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Eric D. English, Chief of Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony is prosecuting the case.
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. 3:24-cr-44.
Helena man sentenced to prison for meth traffickingRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Helena man who admitted to a methamphetamine trafficking crime after law enforcement intercepted a package containing approximately three pounds of the drug was sentenced on Tuesday to four years and nine months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
The defendant, Bret Russell Hamlin, 54, pleaded guilty in January to attempted possession with intent to distribute meth.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in August 2021, a postal inspector intercepted a suspicious package that was mailed from Fresno, California, to an address in Helena. After obtaining a warrant to search the package, investigators located approximately three pounds of meth inside. The package was addressed to Hamlin. Law enforcement officers served a search warrant on Hamlin’s residence and found additional quantities of meth, drug paraphernalia, digital scales, plastic baggies, more than $2,000 in cash and a pistol. The government alleged that Hamlin received meth in the mail from an individual in California for distribution to others in the Helena area.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes prosecuted the case. The Missouri River Drug Task Force, U.S. Postal Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Grand Jury indicts Michigan man who traveled to Washington State to sexually abuse 14-year-oldRead the Press Release
Seattle – A federal grand jury in Seattle indicted a 30-year-old South Haven, Michigan, man for traveling with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Keith Daniel Freerksen was arrested in South Haven Township on January 31, 2024, following an investigation that stretched from western Washington to Michigan.
According to records filed in the case, the 14-year-old went missing on January 5, 2024. A local police detective requested help from the FBI. An agent who specializes in Violent Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking investigations occurring in Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, Island, and San Juan counties quickly assisted. By analyzing information on Uber rides that had been purchased for the victim by an unknown person, law enforcement was able to identify Freerksen, a registered sex offender in Michigan, as a potential suspect. Using information on Freerksen’s registered vehicle, they were able to trace his movement across the northern tier of states using license plate readers. The readers also captured Freerksen’s return trip through Idaho and Illinois in the days after the teen went missing.
When the police in South Haven Township served a search warrant at the request of the FBI, they recovered the victim and arrested Freerksen. He was ultimately transported to Western Washington and is being detained at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac.
Traveling with intent to engage in a sexual act is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office, local police, and the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.
Grand Jury Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Fitchburg Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearm and Ammunition
Deonte Turner, 32, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. The indictment alleges that Turner possessed a Sig Sauer handgun with an extended magazine and Federal brand ammunition on October 2, 2023.
If convicted, Turner faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The charge against him was the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Stelljes are handling the case.
Three Dane County Residents Charged with Making False Statements During Firearms Purchases
In two separate cases, three Dane County residents are charged with making false statements while purchasing firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers.
Candice Patterson, 36, Middleton, Wisconsin, and Deovion Baker, 19, Madison, Wisconsin, are charged with making a false statement during the purchase of two Glock handguns from a Sun Prairie gun store on September 1, 2023. The indictment charges that Patterson falsely stated on the firearms purchase form that she was the actual buyer of the handguns, when she knew she was not the actual buyer. Baker is charged with inducing and causing Patterson to falsely state that she was the actual buyer of the handguns, when he was the actual buyer.
If convicted, Patterson and Baker face maximum penalties of 5 years in prison. The charges against them are the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the case.
Erik Smay, 44, McFarland, Wisconsin, is charged with two counts of falsely stating on a firearms purchase form that he was not an unlawful user of a controlled substance, when in fact he was an unlawful user of cocaine. The indictment alleges the false statements were made in connection with purchases of Palmetto State Armory handguns from a Madison gun store on July 20, 2022, and September 20, 2022.
If convicted, Smay faces maximum penalties of 5 years in prison on each count. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Fitchburg, McFarland, and Deforest Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala is handling the case.
Eau Claire Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Machinegun and Ammunition
Damon L. Clark, 25, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon and with possessing a machinegun. The indictment alleges that Clark possessed a Glock handgun and Winchester ammunition on January 1, 2024. The indictment also alleges that the Glock handgun had an “auto-sear,” which is an after-market attachment that converts a semi-automatic handgun into a machinegun under federal law.
If convicted of the felon in possession charge, Clark faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. If convicted of the machine gun charge, Clark faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The charges against Clark are the result of an investigation by the Eau Claire Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon is handling the case.
Eau Claire Man Charged with Distributing Methamphetamine
Corey Hobbs, 38, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing methamphetamine on November 1, 2023, and November 7, 2023. He is also charged with distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on December 6, 2023.
If convicted, Hobbs faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each distribution charge. He faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in prison on the charge of distributing 50 grams or more.
The charges against Hobbs are the result of an investigation by the West Central Drug Task Force, Chippewa County Sheriff’s Department, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Remington is handling the case.
Two Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.
Jose Diaz-Guzman, 40, of Mexico, is charged with illegally reentering the United States after being removed. The indictment alleges that he was found in the Western District of Wisconsin on April 24, 2024. He was found in Dane County.
William Alberto-Monte, 30, of Honduras, is charged with reentering the United States after being removed. The indictment alleges that Alberto-Monte was found in the Western District of Wisconsin on May 1, 2024. He was found in Dane County.
If convicted, Diaz-Guzman faces a maximum penalty of 2 years in prison, and Alberto-Monte faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Illegal reentry offenses may carry different maximum penalties based on the totality of circumstances in each case.
The charges against both men are the result of investigations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the cases.
Four More Defendants Sentenced for Federal Civil Rights Conspiracy and Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances OffensesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A U.S. District Court judge today sentenced four more of 10 the defendants who conspired to create a blockade at a Washington, D.C. reproductive health care clinic to prevent the clinic from providing, and patients from receiving, reproductive health services.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly today sentenced Herb Geraghty, 27, of Pittsburgh to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Joan Bell, 76, of Montague, NY, received 27 months incarceration and three years of supervised release. Jonathan Darnel, 42, of Arlington, Va., was sentenced to 34 months and three years of supervised release. Jean Marshall, 74, of Kingston, Mass., was sentenced to 24 months and three months of supervised release. All four were convicted by a jury of civil rights conspiracy and Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act violations.
Three defendants were sentenced yesterday, May 14. Lauren Handy, 30, of Alexandria, Virginia was sentenced to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release. John Hinshaw, 69, of Levittown, New York, received 21 months incarceration and three years of supervised release. William Goodman, 54, of Bronx, New York, was sentenced to 27 months and three years of supervised release. All three were of civil rights conspiracy and FACE Act violations.
Two additional defendants–Paulette Harlow, 75, Kingston, Mass., and Heather Idoni, of Linden, Mich., 59 – will be sentenced in the coming weeks. Another of the defendants, the only one to plead guilty, Jay Smith, 34, of Freeport, New York, was sentenced to 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release in March 2023.
As the evidence at trial showed, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to create a blockade at the reproductive health care clinic to prevent the clinic from providing, and patients from receiving, reproductive health services. As part of the conspiracy, Handy, Hinshaw, and Goodman, traveled to Washington, D.C. from various northeast and midwestern states, to meet with Handy and participate in a clinic blockade that was directed by Handy and was broadcast on Facebook.
According to the evidence, Handy, Hinshaw, and Goodman – along with their co-conspirators – forcefully entered the clinic and set about blockading two clinic doors using their bodies, furniture, chains, and ropes. Once the blockade was established, their activities were live-streamed. The evidence also showed that the defendants violated the FACE Act by using a physical obstruction to injure, intimidate and interfere with the clinic’s employees and a patient, because they were providing or obtaining reproductive health services.
DEFENDANTS
NAME
AGE
GUILTY OF
SENTENCE
Lauren Handy
Alexandria, VA
30
Found Guilty on August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act
Sentenced May 14, 2024, to 57 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release
John Hinshaw
Levittown, NY
69
Found Guilty August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act
Sentenced May 14, 2024, to 21 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release
William Goodman Bronx, NY
54
Found Guilty August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act
Sentenced May 14, 2024, to 27 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release
Jay Smith
Freeport, NY
34
Pleaded Guilty March 1, 2023, to Violating the FACE Act
Sentenced Aug. 17, 2023, to 10 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release
Jonathan Darnel Arlington, Va.
42
Found Guilty September 15, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act
Sentenced
May 15, 2024, to 34 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release
Jean Marshall Kingston, Mass.
74
Found Guilty September 15, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act
Sentenced
May 15, 2024, to 24 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release
Joan Bell
Montague, NJ
76
Found Guilty September 15, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act
Sentenced
May 15, 2024, to 27 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release
Herb Geraghty Pittsburgh, Pa
27
Found Guilty August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act
Sentenced
May 15, 2024, to 27 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release
Paula ‘Paulette’ Harlow
Kingston, MA
75
Found Guilty Nov. 16, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act
Sentencing Scheduled for
May 31, 2024
Heather Idoni Linden, Mich.
59
Found Guilty August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act
Sentencing Scheduled for
May 21, 2024
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with valuable assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office. It was prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the Fraud, Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of New Jersey, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Eastern District of New York, and Southern District of New York; and FBI Field Offices in Newark, New York City, Boston, and Detroit provided valuable assistance.
Former Williamson County State’s Attorney SentencedRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – Former Williamson County State’s Attorney Brandon Zanotti was sentenced Wednesday to two years of probation, a $5,000 fine and 20 hours of community service for a scheme to sell seven commercial rental properties by falsifying loan and other bank documents.
The suspension of Zanotti’s law license is pending before the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.
Zanotti pleaded guilty in March in U.S. District Court in Benton to one felony count of aiding and abetting the making of a false bank entry. He admitted that in an April 6, 2022, meeting with a bank president and the buyer, they all agreed to fraudulently make it appear as if the loan to buy the properties in Williamson and Franklin counties was actually a refinancing. Documents were backdated to falsely indicate the buyer purchased the properties on Feb. 1, 2022, for the falsely inflated price of $545,152. The documents also falsely indicated that the bank was refinancing 80% of that loan, with the buyers bringing 20% in cash to the sale. The real sales price for the properties was $436,122, and the buyers were not bringing any cash to the transaction. The bank’s loan to the buyers was approved by the bank’s loan committee based upon the false information.
Zanotti resigned as State’s Attorney later that year.
The FBI Springfield Office and the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General investigated the case. The prosecution was handled by Special Attorney Hal Goldsmith from the Eastern District of Missouri. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois was recused from the case.
Former Schenectady Nightclub Owners Sentenced for Defrauding COVID-19 Relief ProgramsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Deborah Budhraj, age 52, and her husband Adesh Budhraj, age 54, of Ballston Lake, New York, were sentenced today to time served, to be followed by 2 years of supervised release, for conspiring with each other to defraud loan programs meant for businesses struggling with the financial effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn also ordered the defendants to each pay a $5,000 fine, and to pay $558,514 in restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) (which they paid prior to sentencing).
Deborah and Adesh Budhraj had co-owned a combination restaurant, bar and nightclub in Schenectady, New York (called “Establishment A” in court documents). In February 2020, they contractually agreed to sell this business to another couple (“Couple A”), and received most of the purchase money – $265,720 – from Couple A the following month. Although the sale was not finalized until August 2021, Couple A became the managers of Establishment A as of about March 2020, and assumed day-to-day responsibility for its payroll and other ordinary expenses, such as lease and utilities payments.
In previously pleading guilty, Deborah and Adesh Budhraj admitted that without Couple A’s knowledge, they applied for two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans issued by banks and one Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) issued by the SBA, between April 2020 and June 2021; the loans totaled $558,514 and were meant to support Establishment A and its employees during the pandemic.
Deborah and Adesh Budhraj each admitted that they never had any intention of using the loans for Establishment A’s expenses, and to instead using the loaned funds for impermissible purposes, including on real estate transactions and personal expenses. Deborah also fraudulently obtained forgiveness of the two PPP loans by falsely certifying that the loaned funds were spent in accordance with PPP rules.
The FBI investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett prosecuted this case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Former Penn Hills Resident Sentenced to Three Decades in Prison for Sexual Exploitation and Extortion of Several MinorsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 30 years in prison and lifetime supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $27,826.57 on his conviction of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, production of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, and distribution of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Kuang Myat Kyaw, age 24.
According to information presented to the Court, Kyaw, during various periods between August 9, 2020, and September 2021, used the Internet to entice and coerce five female minor victims ranging in age from 12 to 17 years old to produce photographs and videos depicting their sexual exploitation and engaging in sadistic and masochistic sexual acts. Kyaw initially tricked the minors into providing him with photographs showing themselves naked, and then used the threat of disseminating those images to their family and friends to extort the minors to engage in what he referred to as a “seven-day challenge,” during which he would demand that the victims produce increasingly depraved sexual imagery.
“This case is another unfortunate example of the disturbing increase in the online exploitation of children and teens in recent years,” U.S. Attorney Olshan said. “Our office is dedicated to continuing the important work with our law enforcement partners of protecting children and stemming the tide of devastating sextortion schemes like the one Kyaw perpetrated against multiple victims from behind his keyboard. We commend the strong federal, state, and local law enforcement coordination that helped identify and prosecute the perpetrator in this case.”
“Preying on children, tricking them into producing child sexual abuse material, and extorting them into ever-escalating behavior ranks among the most sadistic crimes the FBI investigates,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “We will never stop working to serve justice for the victims of predators like this individual. Today’s sentencing reflects the unyielding resolve of the FBI and our partners to protect the most vulnerable members of our community.”
In imposing the sentence, Judge Colville stated that a 30-year term of imprisonment reflected a balance between the defendant’s acceptance of responsibility, age, and mental health issues and the egregious and reprehensible nature of his crimes and the resulting consequences to the minor victims.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Fairfax County, Virginia, Police Department; Wright County, Minnesota, Sheriff’s Office, and other local police departments for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Kyaw.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Noel Man Indicted for Kidnapping Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A former Noel, Mo., man who was indicted in 2019 for kidnapping the 4-year-old daughter of a murdered woman whose body was discovered in a suitcase alongside a highway now faces additional charges related to that murder.
Mahamud Tooxoow Mahamed, 39, a Somali national who was a permanent resident alien in the United States, was charged in a three-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. Today’s superseding indictment replaces the original indictment, which was returned on Aug. 20, 2019, and contains additional charges.
The superseding indictment charges Mahamed with one count of kidnapping resulting in death, one count of stalking resulting in death, and one count of kidnapping a minor.
The superseding indictment alleges that Mahamed kidnapped the victim, identified as “J.M.,” which resulted in her death in July 2019. The victim has previously been identified in public court filings as Jessica McCormack of Noel, Mo.
The superseding indictment also alleges that Mahamed stalked McCormack from April 1 to July 17, 2019, which resulted in her death.
The superseding indictment includes the original charge of kidnapping a minor victim (identified in court documents as Jane Doe 1) and transporting her from Missouri to Iowa.
Following his indictment in 2019, Mahamed was a fugitive from justice for nearly a year until he was arrested in Guatemala on July 27, 2021. He has been detained in federal custody since his arrest.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original federal criminal complaint, McCormack’s body was discovered on July 29, 2019, near Missouri Highway 59 between Lanagan, Mo., and Noel. The last time McCormack was seen alive, the affidavit says, was when law enforcement officers responded to a call at her home on July 16, 2019. Also present in the residence were Mahamed, who was identified as McCormack’s paramour, and McCormack’s three daughters, identified in court documents as Jane Doe 1 (four years old), Jane Doe 2 (two years old), and Jane Doe 3 (six months old).
McCormack’s children could not be located after her body was discovered and identified. An Amber Alert was issued for McCormack’s three children, who were located at a residence in Des Moines, Iowa, and taken into state custody on Aug. 8, 2019. According to the affidavit, a woman who formerly worked with Mahamed at the Tyson plant in Noel told law enforcement officers that Mahamed arrived at her Des Moines residence with the children on Aug. 5, 2019. She discovered he had left on Aug. 8, 2019, the affidavit says, when she found a note from Mahamed informing her that he could not care for the children.
Investigators confirmed with the father of McCormack’s oldest child that Mahamed did not have his consent to take Jane Doe 1 outside the state of Missouri.
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 Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI, the McDonald County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Noel, Mo., Marshal’s Office, the Rochester, Minn., Police Department, and the Des Moines, Iowa, Police Department.
Former Mississippi Officer Pleads Guilty to Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
A former Mississippi Bureau of Investigations Officer assigned to the U.S. Marshals’ Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force pleaded guilty today to using excessive force against a handcuffed arrestee.
According to court documents and evidence presented in court, on Sept. 16, 2021, John Winstead was working as a federal task force officer when he willfully deprived arrestee K.K.H. of the Fourth Amendment right to be free from objectively unreasonable force. K.K.H. was arrested during the Task Force operation and was already handcuffed and in the process of being escorted safely by another officer when Winstead struck K.K.H. forcefully in the face, knocking him to the ground.
“Law enforcement officials in our country are entrusted with the responsibility to protect and serve communities, not to exploit and abuse them,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant violently abused his power by using excessive force against an arrestee in his custody who was handcuffed and posed no threat. The Justice Department is committed to holding accountable officers who violate the civil and constitutional rights of people in their custody.”
“Civil rights prosecutions are a priority for the Justice Department, and we work each day towards protecting the constitutional rights of every citizen,” said U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe for the Middle District of Louisiana. “I commend the local and federal partners who worked with our district in ensuring a fair and equitable resolution. May this serve as an example of how collaboration with the Justice Department provides justice in prosecuting the violators of our civil liberties.”
“The defendant assaulted a handcuffed arrestee who posed no threat to him or to the other escorting officer,” said Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI will not tolerate violation of anyone’s civil rights, regardless of incarceration status.”
“We trust law enforcement officers to carry out their duties honorably and with integrity,” said Special Agent in Charge Eric R. Fehlman of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Southeast Region. “Winstead did just the opposite by using excessive force on a handcuffed arrestee. The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG) is committed to bringing to justice federal law enforcement agents who abuse their authority.”
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Winstead faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
DOJ-OIG and the FBI Jackson Field Office are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellison Travis for the Middle District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
Former Mississippi Officer Pleads Guilty to Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
A former Mississippi Bureau of Investigations Officer assigned to the U.S. Marshals’ Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force pleaded guilty today to using excessive force against a handcuffed arrestee.
According to court documents and evidence presented in court, on Sept. 16, 2021, John Winstead was working as a federal task force officer when he willfully deprived arrestee K.K.H. of the Fourth Amendment right to be free from objectively unreasonable force. K.K.H. was arrested during the Task Force operation and was already handcuffed and in the process of being escorted safely by another officer when Winstead struck K.K.H. forcefully in the face, knocking him to the ground.
“Law enforcement officials in our country are entrusted with the responsibility to protect and serve communities, not to exploit and abuse them,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant violently abused his power by using excessive force against an arrestee in his custody who was handcuffed and posed no threat. The Justice Department is committed to holding accountable officers who violate the civil and constitutional rights of people in their custody.”
“Civil rights prosecutions are a priority for the Justice Department, and we work each day towards protecting the constitutional rights of every citizen,” said U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe for the Middle District of Louisiana. “I commend the local and federal partners who worked with our district in ensuring a fair and equitable resolution. May this serve as an example of how collaboration with the Justice Department provides justice in prosecuting the violators of our civil liberties.”
“The defendant assaulted a handcuffed arrestee who posed no threat to him or to the other escorting officer,” said Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI will not tolerate violation of anyone’s civil rights, regardless of incarceration status.”
“We trust law enforcement officers to carry out their duties honorably and with integrity,” said Special Agent in Charge Eric R. Fehlman of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Southeast Region. “Winstead did just the opposite by using excessive force on a handcuffed arrestee. The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG) is committed to bringing to justice federal law enforcement agents who abuse their authority.”
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Winstead faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
DOJ-OIG and the FBI Jackson Field Office are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellison Travis for the Middle District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
Former Milford Second Grade Teacher Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Milford teacher was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Vincent Kiejzo, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 42 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Kiejzo was also ordered to pay $43,500 in restitution to victims. In December 2024, Kiejzo pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
In or around May 2019, an IP address registered to Kiejzo was linked to two websites known to host videos, photos and discussions of content depicting the sexual exploitation of minor victims. During a search of Kiejzo’s Milford home in September 2020, a USB drive plugged into a television in his bedroom was located and found to contain links to websites dedicated to child sexual exploitation. The USB drive also contained well as over 6,000 images of CSAM – including images that involved infants.
At the time of his arrest, Kiejzo was a second-grade teacher in Milford. Upon his release from prison, Kiejzo will be required to register as a sex offender and will be prohibited from contact with children.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. The Milford Police Department also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of the Worcester Office prosecuted 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.
Former Law Enforcement Officer Found Guilty of Attempted Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that a jury returned a verdict on May 14, 2024, following the trial of 49-year-old Koby Don Williams. Williams was found guilty of one count of Attempted Online Enticement of a Minor.
Evidence introduced at trial established that on July 23, 2022, Williams replied to a Craigslist ad as part of an undercover law enforcement operation meant to identify individuals interested in and willing to meet with minors for sex. Over the next three days, Williams chatted over text with 13-year-old “Rebecca,”, who Williams believed to be a minor. During the text conversation, Williams discussed “Rebecca’s” age; her rates she charged for sex acts, Williams’s employment as a “cop;” and arrangements to meet “Rebecca” at a hotel for sex.
On July 26, 2022, Williams arrived at the Quality Inn in Othello, Washington, to meet “Rebecca.” Instead, Williams was contacted by law enforcement and arrested. Following a search of Williams and his vehicle, officers located Williams’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement badge, two bottles of prescription medication that included directions to take prior to sexual activity, and $4,075 in U.S. currency in a credit union envelope.
United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice presided over the trial, which began on May 13, 2024. Sentencing in this matter is set for August 14, 2024.
“No one is above the law, and, as this case demonstrates, the U.S Attorney’s Office is fully committed to vigorously prosecuting those who target the most vulnerable members of our community,” stated U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref. “Mr. Williams’s conduct stands in stark contrast to the trust we place in federal law enforcement to keep Eastern Washington communities safe and strong. Our Assistant United States Attorneys, including AUSA Ann Wick, who tried this case, remain committed to upholding the integrity of our mission to protect and serve.”
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 the FBI, DHS/OIG, and the Othello Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ann Wick.
Former FSU Engineering Student Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Children and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Sean Kurt Paolo Macalacad, 24, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to eighteen years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of receipt of child pornography. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“There is no greater charge than the protection of our children,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “This sentence is yet another example of the unwavering commitment to the protection of our most vulnerable and should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would attempt to harm them. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who engage in such heinous conduct.”
Plea documents reflect that law enforcement officers received Cybertips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that a user of a social media account had transmitted five files constituting child pornography. The subsequent investigation revealed that the account was Macalacad’s, an engineering student at Florida State University. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement officers obtained search warrants for two of Macalacad’s cell phones. An examination of the first phone’s contents confirmed that Macalacad was in possession of multiple child pornography images and videos with victims as young as 6 months of age. Additionally, the first phone contained evidence that Macalacad was engaged in sexually explicit chats with a 15-year-old boy through another social media application. During those chats, Macalacad misrepresented his age by claiming to be younger and requested the minor to send sexually explicit photographs of himself. The search of the second phone revealed that it contained additional child pornography videos, and that it had been used to contact two 17-year-old boys through a social media application and obtain sexually explicit photographs of them.
“The conviction of Macalacad for possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material is a solemn reminder of the profound harm inflicted upon innocent lives,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “It underscores our collective duty, alongside partners at the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, to safeguard the most vulnerable among us and to ensure that those who exploit and victimize children are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Justice has been served, but our commitment to protecting children remains steadfast.”
Macalacad’s prison sentence will be followed by lifetime supervised release, and he will be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to all sex offender conditions. The Court ordered forfeiture of electronic devices used in the commission of the offenses, including two the cell phones.
This conviction was the result of a joint investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen prosecuted 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 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.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Former Employee of Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia Pleads Guilty to Stealing Masters Golf Tournament Merchandise and MemorabiliaRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former employee of the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia admitted in federal court in Chicago today that he stole millions of dollars’ worth of Masters golf tournament merchandise and memorabilia and sold it to online brokers.
RICHARD BRENDAN GLOBENSKY, 39, of Augusta, Ga., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Chicago to a federal charge of transporting and transferring stolen goods in interstate commerce. The conviction is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman set sentencing for Oct. 29, 2024, at 1:30 p.m.
The guilty plea 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. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI's Art Crime Team. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Franzblau and Brian Hayes.
Globensky admitted in a plea agreement that he repeatedly stole the merchandise and memorabilia from 2009 to 2022 while he was employed by the club as a warehouse assistant. The merchandise included Masters shirts, hats, flags, watches, and other goods, while the memorabilia included historically significant items such as the Green Jackets won by Arnold Palmer, Gene Sarazen, and Ben Hogan, and documents and letters written and signed by Bobby Jones. Globensky sold the merchandise to the online broker in Florida for a total of approximately $5.3 million, the plea agreement states. He sold the historically significant memorabilia to the same broker, as well as to the broker’s associate, for nearly $300,000, the plea agreement states.
The brokers later re-sold the stolen merchandise and memorabilia, often at significant markups from the amounts paid to Globensky. At least one of the stolen items was purchased by a collector in Chicago.
Globensky plea agreementFormer Dover Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for the Unlawful Possession of Guns and Ammunition Obtained by a Straw PurchaserRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A former Dover man was sentenced yesterday in federal court for illegally possessing four firearms and ammunition that he acquired by using a straw purchaser, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Christopher T. Brown, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe to 57 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. On February 7, 2024, Brown pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. The straw purchaser in this case plead guilty to two counts of making false statements in connection with acquisition of a firearm and was sentenced on October 25, 2023.
“The defendant used a straw purchaser to unlawfully acquire and possess multiple firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “Individuals prohibited from obtaining firearms cannot use straw purchasers to circumvent federal law. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners will investigate these crimes and bring both the prohibited individuals and the straw purchasers to justice.”
“Firearms possessed by convicted felons, often lead to an increase of violent crime within our communities,” said ATF Boston Field Division Special Agent in Charge James M. Ferguson “The sentence imposed yesterday sends a clear message that convicted felons who possess firearms will be held accountable. ATF alongside our local and state law enforcement partners are committed to keeping our communities safe.”
On January 9, 2023, the defendant’s wife called emergency services and reported that she and the defendant had an argument, and that the defendant had a gun to his head. Dover police officers responded to the emergency call at the defendant’s home. The defendant’s wife consented to a search of the house, and officers found four firearms in the closet of their son’s bedroom. Those guns included two pistols, a .40 caliber rifle, and a 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun with an obliterated serial number. Officers also recovered ammunition.
The defendant later admitted to owning the firearms and knowing that he could not lawfully possess them as a felon. The defendant also admitted that he used a straw purchaser to purchase three of the firearms and asked that straw purchaser to file a false police report that the firearms she bought were stolen.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Dover Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen prosecuted the case.
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Former Deputy Sheriff and DEA Task Force Officer Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Narcotics, Defrauding the United States, and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that James Darrell Hickox (38, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute narcotics, one count of conspiring to defraud the United States, and one count of tax evasion. Hickox faces a combined maximum penalty of 50 years in federal prison for these offenses, including a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment for the drug distribution conspiracy. He has agreed to forfeit the money, firearms, and ammunition traceable to these offenses.
According to the plea agreement, while employed as a Nassau County Deputy Sheriff and designated Task Force Officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Hickox and a co-conspirator engaged in extensive corrupt activity from 2017 to 2023. These acts included the theft of money and illegal drugs that were seized as evidence during criminal investigations; providing illegal drugs (including fentanyl and cocaine) to others to distribute on his behalf; and hiding from the Internal Revenue Service more than $420,000 Hickox had received as a result of his criminal activities. Hickox and his co-conspirator stole more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana from evidence and provided the drugs to others to sell on their behalf. They had covered up the theft by submitting falsified paperwork showing that the marijuana had been destroyed. Similarly, the conspirators stole a kilogram of cocaine from evidence and gave it to a drug dealer to sell for them.
When Hickox’s residence was searched pursuant to a federal search warrant on March 10, 2023, agents found approximately 263 grams of a powder containing fentanyl, as well as cocaine. Hickox intended to distribute these substances. Agents also found a rifle that Hickox had illegally modified to function as a machinegun, as well as four additional firearms that had been seized during law enforcement investigations and should have been entered into evidence or been lawfully destroyed. Hickox had drilled out and obliterated the serial number on one of these firearms. Agents also located more than $195,000 in cash proceeds from Hickox’s illicit activities. A search of Hickox’s workspace at the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office revealed another 260 pills containing methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection wish to thank the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their cooperation during this investigation.
Former Credit Union Employee Sentenced to Nearly Three Years in Federal Prison for Scheme that Stole over $2 Million from Members’ AccountsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Jose Prado-Valero, 35, of Carmel has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to financial institution fraud. He must also pay $2,132,517 in restitution.
According to court documents, from 2016 through August of 2019, Jose Prado-Valero served as the Automated Clearing House coordinator at a credit union beginning in 2019. His duties included posting and coordinating transactions into and out of the accounts of credit union members, which gave him access to members’ personally identifiable information, including Social Security numbers, date of birth, home address and telephone numbers. Prado-Valero also had access to members’ account numbers and account balances.
Sometime prior to February 14, 2019, Prado-Valero was approached by individuals not employed by the credit union who sought his assistance in conducting a scheme to defraud the financial institution and steal money held in member accounts. The co-conspirators promised to pay Prado-Valero a portion of the fraud proceeds if he stole members’ identity and account information.
Prado-Valero agreed to join the scheme and used his position of trust at the credit union to access members’ account information and steal their money. Between February 14, 2019, and August 16, 2019, Prado-Valero and accomplices successfully made 34 fraudulent transfers to themselves out of credit union members’ accounts, in the aggregate amount of $2,078,725. Prado-Valero was paid over $100,000 by his co-conspirators for his role in the scheme.
“Account holders and financial institutions depend on people in positions of trust to keep their information and money safe,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This corrupt employee facilitated the theft of millions of customer dollars to satisfy his own greed. The serious federal prison sentence imposed demonstrates that the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are watching, and those who abuse positions of trust to line their pockets at the expense of others will be held accountable.”
“Prado-Valero was entrusted with a great deal of responsibility over the hard-earned money of the credit union’s members. Instead of using his authority and access to protect the accounts of these customers, he sold his access to a criminal conspiracy so he could enrich himself,” said Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office. “I commend the investigative team for their expert, detailed work in this case, which resulted in this defendant being held accountable for his crimes.”
The FBI investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Warden, who prosecuted this case.
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Former Chester Housing Authority Director of Public Housing, His Chief Assistant, and Contractor Sentenced for Bribery and Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Norman D. Wise, 58, of Mullica Hill, NJ, Douglas E. Daniel, 65, of Philadelphia, PA, and Leonard F. Coleman, 54, of Paulsboro, NJ, were sentenced this week by United States District Court Judge Wendy Beetlestone on bribery and fraud charges related to two schemes: (1) a bribery scheme in which Coleman paid off Wise and Daniel in exchange for contracting work awarded to Coleman at the Chester Housing Authority (“CHA”); and (2) a fraud scheme in which Wise and Daniel created a contracting company that they used to fraudulently bill the CHA and obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds.
During the time they engaged in these offenses, Wise was the Director of Public Housing for the Chester Housing Authority and Daniel was the Housing Program Manager and Wise’s chief assistant.
The defendants were charged by information in connection with the schemes on August 29, 2023.
Wise pleaded guilty in September 2023 to theft from an organization receiving federal funds and wire fraud, and was sentenced on Monday to 37 months’ imprisonment, one year of supervised release, and $544,967 in restitution.
Daniel pleaded guilty in September 2023 to bribery concerning federal programs, theft from an organization receiving federal funds and aiding and abetting, and wire fraud, and was sentenced on Tuesday to 13 months and one day of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and $544,967 in restitution.
Coleman pleaded guilty in October 2023 to bribery concerning federal programs and was sentenced Tuesday to one week in prison, three years of supervised release, and $68,502 in restitution.
“These defendants lined their pockets at the expense of an agency tasked with the critically important mission of providing affordable housing — an agency dealing with already-limited resources,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “They not only compromised CHA’s efficacy and reputation out of sheer greed, they betrayed the public’s trust. My office and our partners will continue to bring such corruption to light and those responsible to justice.”
“These sentencings send the message that corruption will not be tolerated in our cities,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The FBI and our partners will continue to vigorously pursue those who seek to exploit the systems meant to aid our community and our citizens, and bring them to justice.”
“The fraud committed by the defendants as part of these schemes diverted federal funds that were intended to provide safe housing for low-income families,” said Special Agent in Charge Vicky Vazquez with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General. “HUD OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to diligently pursue and hold accountable bad actors who willfully abuse federal assets.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen.
Former Bryant High School Teacher Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Transportation of A Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Heather Hare, 33, of Conway, was sentenced to serve the next 13 years in federal prison for transporting a minor across state lines for the purpose of unlawful sexual activity. Hare was sentenced earlier today by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
The investigation into Hare revealed that Hare taught Family Consumer Science classes at Bryant High School and met the minor victim on their first day of their senior year. Hare began one-on-one counseling sessions with the minor victim, eventually giving them her personal phone number and primarily communicating with them through Instagram and Snapchat.
Hare later told the minor victim that she had a dream of them having sex and gave the victim her home address in Conway. The minor victim and Hare engaged in sexual activity between 20 to 30 times throughout the 2021-2022 school term, including multiple times at her Conway residence, in her vehicle, and in her classroom and parking lots at Bryant High School.
Between April 21 and April 24, 2022, Hare was the sponsor and chaperone for a field trip to Washington, D.C., as part of an extracurricular activity related to the Family Consumer Science courses Hare taught. During the field trip, Hare and the minor victim engaged in the unlawful sexual activity to which she pleaded guilty.
Hare was indicted on August 1, 2023, and charged with one count of interstate/foreign travel for prostitution/sexual activity by coercion and one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. In exchange for her guilty plea, the remaining charge was dismissed.
Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Hare to serve a lifetime of supervised release. Hare faced a maximum sentence of not less than 10 years imprisonment and up to life imprisonment, and not less than five years of supervised release for transportation of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity.
“Teachers who have sex with their minor students should take note of today’s sentence for Ms. Hare which reflects the consequences of abusing her position of trust and taking advantage of the vulnerability of this minor to repeatedly engage in unlawful sexual activity,” Ross said. “Our office will continue to hold accountable those who are in a position of trust that target children and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law, as evidenced by Judge Rudofsky sentencing Ms. Hare to 13 years in federal prison.”
“The FBI takes crimes against children very seriously,” said Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Corder, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Little Rock Field Office. “Today’s sentencing shows that the federal government will continuously work to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals who abuse their position of trust and authority to exploit children in our community.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Saline County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bryant Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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@USAO_EDAR
Five Georgia men sentenced to federal prison for participating in a dog fighting operationRead the Press Release
DUBLIN, GA: Five middle Georgia men have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a large-scale dog fighting operation.
The 96 dogs rescued from the operation were discovered during searches conducted as part of an investigation into a drug trafficking conspiracy in Laurens, Treutlen, Johnson, and Emanuel Counties, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Two of those implicated in the dog-fighting operation also were sentenced in connection with the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
“As this investigation shows, animal fighting operations often occur in conjunction with other illegal activity,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “In this case, holding these defendants accountable protects the welfare of these rescued animals while also removing dangerous drugs from the community.”
The five defendants each pled guilty to Conspiracy to Violate the Animal Welfare Act, and were sentenced in U.S. District Court. They include:
- Travis Martin, a/k/a “Fat,” 43, of Wrightsville, Ga., sentenced to 24 months in prison and fined $1,000. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen ordered the new sentence to be served consecutively to the 200-month sentence Martin is serving as the leader of the drug trafficking conspiracy;
- Sentell Carey, 41, of Wrightsville, Ga., sentenced to 18 months in prison and fined $2,000. Carey is serving a sentence of probation in the drug trafficking conspiracy;
- Dennis Wilcher, a/k/a “Buck,” 42, of Wrightsville, Ga., sentenced to 30 months in prison and fined $3,000;
- Terry Gilmore, 28, of Sandersville, Ga., sentenced to 23 months in prison and fined $2,500; and,
- Jonathan Linder, 35, of Rentz, Ga., sentenced to 20 months in prison and fined $2,000.
The defendants are all prohibited from owning dogs or engaging in any activity involving dogs, and must serve three years of supervised release upon completion of their prison terms. There is no parole in the federal system.
As described in court documents and testimony, the 2022 investigation by the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration led to a 27-county federal indictment charging 11 defendants with participating in an operation distributing methamphetamine and heroin in the greater Laurens County area. That investigation led to multiple searches of residences and vehicles and the seizure of large amounts of drugs, cash, and firearms.
During that investigation, authorities rescued 96 dogs suspected to be part of a dog fighting operation from three locations in Johnson County, and two other locations in Laurens and Washington counties.
The dogs were seized in a civil action brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, and the U.S. Marshals Service contracted with an agency to provide veterinary service, care, and rehabilitation of the rescued dogs.
“The intentional infliction of pain and suffering on animals for sport is unfathomable,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Miles Davis of the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG). “We appreciate the commitment of our law enforcement partners to pursue these individuals who choose to participate in these heinous acts while also committing other severe offenses in our communities.”
The criminal dog fighting prosecution was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and lead Agent Kelsey Tolomeo, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and local law enforcement agencies, and prosecuted for the United States by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica K. Rock, while the civil forfeiture of the dogs was coordinated by Southern District of Georgia Civil Division Chief Shannon Heath Statkus.
The drug trafficking case was investigated by the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Southeastern Regional Drug Enforcement Office, the Emanuel County Sheriff’s Office, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer J. Kirkland.
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Fentanyl, meth trafficking send Great Falls woman to prison for more than three yearsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls woman who admitted to a drug trafficking crime after law enforcement found fentanyl and methamphetamine in a vehicle she was driving was sentenced today to three years and two months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Courtney Price, 28, pleaded guilty in January to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on Feb. 8, 2023, law enforcement officers made a traffic stop of a vehicle Price was driving. A state search warrant was executed later on the vehicle, and law enforcement located fentanyl, meth and a firearm. Price admitted in an interview she knew there was fentanyl in the vehicle at the time of the traffic stop and that she was being paid in fentanyl to drive her passengers from Tacoma, Washington, to Great Falls.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations and Russell Country Drug Task Force conducted the investigation.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Felon in Possession of Firearm Convicted by Federal JuryRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Following a two-day trial, a federal jury today convicted Mario Terrell McBee, 39, of Tulsa, for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on April 23, 2021, McBee was taken to the hospital for a possible drug overdose by a family friend. McBee was unconscious by the time he reached Claremore Indian Hospital. Emergency room nurses removed McBee from the vehicle, placed him on a stretcher, and rushed him into the exam room. While nurses began lifesaving measures, a nurse noticed a firearm in McBee’s waistband. The nurses removed the firearms and administered several doses of Narcan to McBee and he regained consciousness.
The FBI and ATF took possession of the loaded 9mm firearm and discovered that McBee had previously been convicted of several felonies. State court records show that McBee’s previous felonies consist of drug-related offenses, assault and battery on a police officer, and eluding a police officer.
McBee is a member of the Chickasaw Nation and he will remain in custody until sentencing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mandy M. Mackenzie and Thomas E. Buscemi prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Armed Robberies of US Postal Mail CarriersRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident who has prior felony convictions was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for armed robbery of multiple United States Postal Service (USPS) mail carriers in 2023.
According to court documents, from January to March 2023, Robert Earl Thompson (31) brandished a firearm and robbed five USPS mail carriers while they were delivering mail. During one robbery, Thompson pointed a firearm at the mail carrier’s head while making his demand.
On March 9, 2023, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrested Thompson. At the time of his arrest, he unlawfully possessed a 9mm semiautomatic handgun and a .380 caliber semiautomatic handgun. Thompson has prior felony convictions including attempt leaving the scene of an accident, attempt ownership or possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession of stolen property, and attempt burglary, all in Clark County, Nev. He is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm due to his prior felony convictions.
“U.S. Postal Inspectors will relentlessly investigate all acts of violence against USPS employees. Letter carriers are servants of the community and not only deserve respect, but also be able to complete their job safely. This significant sentence sends a message that those who attack public servants will be brought to justice,” said Inspector in Charge Glen Henderson of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Phoenix Division.
Thompson pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery of United States property with use of a dangerous weapon and two counts of felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced by United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva on April 22, 2024.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Inspector in Charge Glen Henderson of the USPIS, Phoenix Division made the announcement.
The USPIS and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Edward Veronda prosecuted the case.
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Federal Jury in Bridgeport Finds 2 Members of Violent Waterbury Gang GuiltyRead the Press Release
On May 10, 2024, a federal jury in Bridgeport found GABRIEL PULLIAM, also known as “G, ” 30, and JULIAN SCOTT, also known as “Ju Sav,” 25, guilty of offenses related their participation in the 960 gang, a violent Waterbury street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; 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; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo.
In an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang. On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging 960 members Pulliam, Scott, and 14 other alleged gang members, with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, firearm possession, murder, attempted murder and assault, and obstruction of justice offenses.
According to the evidence presented during the approximately five-week trial:
- On October 6, 2018, in a drive-by shooting, Scott and other gang members attempted to murder individuals believed to be members of a rival gang, which resulted in gunshot wounds to an individual.
- On October 11, 2018, in an effort to murder rival gang members, Pulliam, Scott, and other gang members participated in a drive-by shooting that resulted in the death of an innocent bystander, 30-year-old Fransua Guzman, and the paralysis of a second victim.
- On November 18, 2018, Scott and other gang members participated in a drive-by shooting of rival gang members, which resulted in gunshot wounds to two individuals.
The jury found Pulliam and Scott guilty of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, murder in violation of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (“VCAR”) statute, causing death through the use of a firearm and in relation to a crime of violence, attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Pulliam was also found guilty of conspiracy to possess, with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances.
At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Pulliam and Scott face a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.
To date, 14 members and associates of the 960 gang who were charged federally in September 2021 have been convicted. The convictions include four defendants who, after a six-week trial, were found guilty on February 14, 2024. Three of the four convicted on that date were found to have committed the murders of Clarence Lewis and Antonio Santos on November 22, 2017, as well as other violent acts. They also face mandatory sentences of life imprisonment.
“This type of gang-related activity, coordinated crimes, and the destruction they cause will not be tolerated by law enforcement, and we will continue to bring all of our resources to bear and combat them,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “No person or group of people is entitled to wreak havoc by engaging in repeated acts of violence, instilling fear and trauma on the children and families who reside in our communities. We are pleased that this investigation and prosecution have had a significant impact on the violence being perpetrated in Waterbury. I thank State’s Attorney Platt, Chief Spagnolo, the FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, the DEA Laboratory, and those police departments that have assigned personnel to multiple federal tasks forces, for the invaluable partnership that has made possible these convictions, removed numerous violent individuals from the community, and made Waterbury safer.”
“The 14 pleas and convictions obtained in this case are the result of years of painstaking work, and illustrate what can be accomplished when both federal and state agencies cooperate by sharing information and working together to make our communities safer,” said Waterbury State’s Attorney Platt. “We are very grateful for the tremendous effort and resources that the U.S. Attorney’s Office put forward to stop these violent gang offenders. I am extremely proud of the hard work, dedication, and professionalism exhibited by members of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office who were led by Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don Therkildsen, and included Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alex Arroyo and Inspector Mike Slavin. Lastly, the Waterbury Police Department, under the leadership of Chief Fernando Spagnolo, must be commended for its thorough and complete investigation of this complex and difficult prosecution.”
“Waterbury community members and surrounding towns are experiencing a sense of relief as a result of this specific operation,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Fuller. “Thanks to the joint efforts of local, state, and federal law enforcement, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we have halted a violent group from operating in Waterbury. We will continue to utilize all of our resources to dismantle violent groups and improve the quality of life in Connecticut communities.”
“The Waterbury Police Department and City of Waterbury are pleased with the results of the recent 960 RICO trial,” said Waterbury Police Chief Spagnolo. “We are grateful for the relationships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, Waterbury States Attorney’s Office, and all members of the Violent Crime Task Force. The individuals that have been convicted posed a significant threat to our community, engaging in acts of violence and causing fear throughout a number of different neighborhoods. Waterbury is a much safer place today as a result of this joint investigation and dedicated prosecution of these individuals.”
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Waterbury Police Department, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Southington Police Department, Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, and the DEA Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Pierpont, Jr., Natasha M. Freismuth, and Geoffrey M. Stone, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office, who have been cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) 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.
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.
Federal Jury Convicts Springer Resident of Federal Firearm ViolationRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that David Colbert Johnston, age 64, of Springer, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, including aiding and abetting another felon in illegally possessing a firearm.
The jury trial began with testimony on Monday, May 6, 2024, and concluded on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, with the guilty verdict.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on May 11, 2023, while serving arrest warrants on Cord Sikes Hutchins at Johnston’s Springer residence, law enforcement officers discovered two semi-automatic firearms, one bolt action rifle, one handgun, and assorted ammunition in the home. After obtaining a federal search warrant, law enforcement seized the weapons and ammunition as evidence. At the time of the discovery, Johnston and Hutchins were both prohibited from possessing the firearms due to prior felony convictions. On April 24, 2024, Hutchins pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
The guilty verdict was the result of investigations by the United States Marshal Service, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Madill Police Department, the Love County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Kenneth J. Gonzales, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court of New Mexico, sitting by assignment, presided over the trial in Muskogee and ordered the completion of a presentence report. The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. The defendant will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal until sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Edith Singer and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Father, Son, Sentenced for Trafficking Cocaine to St. LouisRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Ronnie. L. White on Wednesday sentenced a father and son who brought kilograms of cocaine to St. Louis for years to more than 10 years in prison.
Judge White sentenced Gregory Dixson Jr., 53, to 15 years in prison and ordered him to pay a $10,000 fine. He will also be on supervised release for 10 years after he gets out of prison. His son, Gregory Cornell Dixson III, 33, was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison.
Beginning in at least 2015, the Dixsons conspired with others to bring cocaine to St. Louis. Dixson Jr. admitted that at least 450 kilograms of cocaine could be attributed to his conduct and the conduct of others. For Dixson III, that figure was 50 to 150 kilograms of cocaine.
In late 2016 or early 2017, Dixson Jr. and/or Dixson III sent couriers to Texas to buy kilograms of cocaine from Miguel Angel Gonzalez, who bought it from Carlos Gonzalez. Dixson Jr. was at one point buying as much as eight to 16 kilograms per week.
During the investigation, law enforcement officers intercepted or seized cocaine and cash. In September of 2015, 31 kilograms of cocaine was found hidden inside a vehicle. The cocaine was supplied by Omar Pena Vargas.
In August of 2018, Gonzalez was found in a hotel with two bags containing a total of $634,770 in cash, representing a partial payment for 75 kilograms of cocaine being sold to Dixson Jr.
Drug Enforcement AdministrationOn Oct. 28, 2018, eight kilograms of cocaine bound for St. Louis were seized.
In March of 2020, 23.6 pounds of a mix of heroin and fentanyl was seized from Ruben Sanchez Blanco. Some of those drugs were intended for St. Louis, Dixon III’s plea says.
Drug Enforcement AdministrationIn July of 2021, $161,845 was found hidden inside a vehicle that Quintin Deforest Adkins drove to Texas to buy six kilograms of cocaine.
Dixson Jr. pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and conspiracy to launder money. Dixson III pleaded guilty to the same cocaine conspiracy charge as his father.
Drug Enforcement AdministrationDixson Jr. agreed to forfeit $135,265, the proceeds from the sale of a home in Texas, a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali, a customized 2015 Harley Davidson Road Glide and cash in lieu of a 2018 Dodge Challenger Demon.
Vargas is in federal prison. Miguel Gonzalez, 59, pleaded guilty in November to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and 400 grams of fentanyl. He is scheduled to be sentenced in June. Adkins, 63, pleaded guilty in November to the cocaine and fentanyl conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges and was sentenced in February to 87 months in prison. Blanco, 46, of El Paso, Texas, was sentenced in June to five years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. Carlos Gonzalez is deceased.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Farmington Man Sentenced for ArsonRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A federal judge handed down an 8-month prison sentence to a Farmington man who pleaded guilty to burning down a residence in Two Grey Hills, New Mexico, which is within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to publicly available court records, on Aug. 28, 2023, Ulrick Bruce Canyon, 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, started a fire at the residence by pouring lighter fluid in the bedrooms, lit the fire with a match and threw two propane tanks into the fire. Canyon then left the residence with a wheelbarrow full of his clothing, at which time he was intercepted by Navajo Nation Police officers.
When questioned by a Navajo Nation Criminal Investigator, Canyon admitted to using marijuana and meth. On the day of the incident, Canyon said that he had been hearing voices and they had told him to “put the house on fire.”
Upon his release from prison, Canyon will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McGinley is prosecuting the case.
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Fairfax man pleads guilty to multiple scams totaling over a million dollarsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fairfax man pled guilty today to his role in two scams that defrauded victims and retailers out of over a million dollars.
According to court documents, from Nov. 19, 2020, to Aug. 13, 2023, Sunyu Qian, 31, participated in a scheme to con people into purchasing gift cards that he used to acquire high-value items. Members of a criminal organization contacted individuals, mostly elderly victims, across the United States via telephone or email and, through a variety of false pretenses, convinced them to purchase gift cards from large retailers and convey the gift card information to the fraudsters, including Qian. The value of the cards could be aggregated by Qian to purchase electronics, which Qian then shipped to his co-conspirators. During this scheme, Qian used approximately $1.1 million through unauthorized access.
From April 19, 2023, to March 23, 2024, Qian engaged in another scheme using counterfeit price tags to purchase large containers of baby formula at the lower price of a much smaller cans of baby formula. For instance, on April 19, 2023, Qian scanned counterfeit price tags for 13oz cans of formula priced at $4.99 each that he had placed on larger containers of the same formula priced at $62.99 each. Qian would then deliver the baby formula to co-conspirators who paid him in cash. During this scheme, Qian defrauded two retailers of a total of at least $124,000.
Qian’s total culpability over the two schemes is approximately $1.25 million.
Qian pled guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18 and faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hood is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-60.
Essex County Woman Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Role in Three Robberies and Two Shootings in Jersey CityRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, woman was sentenced to 144 months in prison for her role in a one-night crime spree involving robberies and shootings in Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Siobhan Chandler, 21, of Newark, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an indictment charging her with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, conspiracy to use and carry a firearm in relation to crime of violence, attempted Hobbs Act Robbery, Hobbs Act robbery, and using and carrying a firearm in relation to crime of violence. Judge Martinotti imposed the sentence on May 14, 2024, in Newark federal court. The charges against her conspirator, Rodney Williams, are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On the evening of Nov. 14, 2023, Chandler and Williams robbed a gas station, where Williams pointed his gun at an attendant and demanded money. Chandler and Williams threatened force, violence, or fear of injury to two employees by demanding money while pointing a firearm at the employees. Chandler and Williams then fled.
Chandler and Williams later entered another store, and Williams again pointed his firearm at a clerk and demanded money. The clerk handed money to Williams and he and Chandler then fled.
Chandler and Williams entered a nearby restaurant and threatened force, violence or the fear of injury to a cashier. Williams pointed his gun at the cashier and demanded money. Williams discharged the firearm, shooting the cashier in the chest. The cashier handed money to Williams, after which Williams and Chandler fled.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Chandler to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited officers of the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director James Shea; and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanks the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae D. Gray of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
El propietario del club de striptease de Tolland, el gerente y el portero acusados de 12 cargosRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, Fiscal Federal para el Distrito de Connecticut, Michael J. Krol, Agente Especial a Cargo de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HSI), Nueva Inglaterra, Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Agente Especial a Cargo de la Investigación Criminal del IRS y el coronel de la policía estatal de Nueva Inglaterra y Connecticut, Daniel Loughman, anunció hoy que un gran jurado federal en Hartford emitió una acusación formal de 12 cargos acusando a KENNETH DENNING, de 67 años, de Holland, Massachusetts, a JOSHUA BAKER, de 41 años, de Willimantic, Connecticut, y a WILLIAM MAYO, de 41 años, de Manchester, Connecticut, de delitos relacionados con la operación del club de striptease Electric Blue en Tolland, Connecticut.
La acusación fue emitida ayer y Denning, Baker y Mayo fueron arrestados hoy. Como se alega en la acusación, Denning era el propietario y supervisaba el funcionamiento del club de striptease Electric Blue, que incluía el empleo de bailarinas que realizaban bailes desnudos y bailes eróticos para los clientes. Baker era el gerente y contable del club, y Mayo trabajaba en el club como portero y era el principal responsable de contratar las bailarinas, muchos de las cuales no estaban legalmente autorizadas para vivir ni trabajar en los Estados Unidos.
La acusación formal alega que Electric Blue tenía una “sala de bailes eróticos” semiprivada y “salas VIP” donde las bailarinas regularmente realizaban actos sexuales comerciales para los clientes. Como pago por los actos sexuales comerciales, los clientes normalmente pagaban al club una tarifa de entrada por el uso de la sala de baile erótico o una de las salas VIP y luego pagaban una tarifa adicional directamente a la bailarina. Además, el club cobraba efectivo a través de los gastos de cobertura pagados en la puerta y los honorarios pagados por las bailarinas para realizar sus actos en el club. Baker u otro empleado del club cobraban el efectivo recibido por el club, lo colocaban en sobres indicando el origen del efectivo y luego colocaban los sobres en una caja fuerte en la oficina de Denning. Los acusados se referían a ese efectivo como “dinero de Kenny” y utilizaban ese dinero para pagar gastos comerciales y financiar los gastos personales de Denning, incluidos viajes a casinos donde Denning gastaba grandes sumas de dinero.
La acusación también alega que Denning y Baker proporcionaron información falsa al preparador de declaraciones de impuestos del club en 2020, 2021 y 2022 al no declarar los ingresos brutos del club y excluir los ingresos derivados de actos sexuales comerciales. Aproximadamente 5.7 millones de dólares en ingresos comerciales no fueron declarados al IRS, lo que produjo un pago de impuestos insuficiente de más de 2 millones de dólares.
La acusación formal alega además que Denning cometió fraude al solicitar y recibir un Préstamo por Desastre por Daños Económicos ("EIDL") durante la pandemia del COVID-19 al certificar que la empresa no "presentaba actuaciones de naturaleza sexual lasciva en vivo". Denning recibió un préstamo de aproximadamente $150,000 en julio de 2020. La acusación formal acusa a Denning, a Baker y a Mayo de conspiración para utilizar una instalación interestatal para promover o facilitar la prostitución, un delito que conlleva una pena máxima de prisión de cinco años, y de empleo ilegal de extranjeros, un delito que conlleva una pena máxima de prisión de seis meses.
A Denning y a Baker se les acusa de conspiración para presentar declaraciones de impuestos falsas, lo cual conlleva una pena máxima de prisión de cinco años, y de conspiración para cometer lavado de dinero con fines de promoción y encubrimiento, que conlleva una pena máxima de prisión de 20 años.
A Denning se le acusa de participar en una transacción monetaria con ganancias derivadas de la prostitución, un delito que conlleva una pena máxima de prisión de 10 años, relacionado con un depósito en efectivo de aproximadamente $21,700 en el casino Mohegan Sun. También se le acusa de complicidad en la presentación de una declaración de impuestos falsa relacionada con su declaración de impuestos personal para el año fiscal 2020, un delito que conlleva una pena máxima de prisión de tres años, y de no presentar intencionalmente su declaración de impuestos personal para el año fiscal 2021, delito que conlleva una pena máxima de prisión de un año. También se le acusa de fraude electrónico en relación con la recepción del préstamo EIDL, que conlleva una pena máxima de prisión de 20 años.
El fiscal federal Avery destacó que una acusación no es prueba de culpabilidad. Los cargos son sólo acusaciones, y se presume que cada acusado es inocente a menos y hasta que se demuestre su culpabilidad más allá de toda duda razonable.
Este caso está siendo investigado por Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HSI), el Servicio de Impuestos Internos – División de Investigación Criminal, la Policía Estatal de Connecticut, el Departamento de Protección al Consumidor de Connecticut - División de Control de Bebidas Alcohólicas y la Policía Estatal de Massachusetts, con la ayuda del Departamento de Policía de Willimantic y el Departamento de Policía de Manchester. El caso está siendo procesado por los fiscales federales auxiliares Ross Weingarten y Robert S. Dearington.
Si algún empleado/bailarina de Electric Blue ha sido víctima de los actos ilegales descritos en la acusación, comuníquese con el Defensor de Víctimas de la Oficina del Fiscal de los Estados Unidos en [email protected] o al 203-696-3039.