Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
26 June 2024
Albuquerque Man Sentenced to 25 years for Sexual Abuse in Indian CountyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for sexually abusing two girls in the Jicarilla Apache Nation.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, between October 2012 and October 2013, Christian Quintana, 28, a member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, caused sexual contact with Jane Doe 1, a child who had not yet attained the age of 12.
Then, between October 2019 and October 2020, Quintana raped Jane Doe 2, who was 17 years old at the time. Quintana drove Jane Doe 2 to a secluded location, threatened her life and the lives of her family members, and forcibly had sex with her.
Both incidents occurred within the exterior boundaries of the Jicarilla Apache Nation.
Upon his release from prison, Quintana will be subject to a lifetime term of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
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 investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. McGinley is prosecuting the case.
# # #
Albuquerque Man Charged with Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was charged by indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Arthur Steven Stewart, 23, appeared before a federal judge today and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the indictment, on January 24, 2024, Stewart possessed a firearm and ammunition, knowing that he had been convicted of robbery. As a previously convicted felon, Stewart knew that he was prohibited from owning firearms or ammunition.
If convicted of the current charges, Stewart faces up to 15 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Haynes is prosecuting this case as part of an agreement with the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Through the agreement, Assistant District Attorneys are designated Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) in the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA from the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office screens felony criminal complaints filed in Bernalillo County for federal criminal offenses, prioritizing federal charges against those who drive violence in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Since 2020, the United States Attorney’s Office has reviewed almost 3,000 cases and has charged more than 300 criminal cases pursuant to this program.
The United States Attorney’s Office has similar agreements with the New Mexico Department of Justice and the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office and plans to expand the program throughout the state.
View the Press ReleaseAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
# # #
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Child Pornography
Robert Loren Blanton, 38, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on June 18. The defendant pleaded guilty on Mar. 20. This crime was investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christyne M. Martens.
Firearm Offenses
Donald Ray McIntosh, 39, of Mills, Wyoming, was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on June 16. According to court documents, on May 26, 2023, agents with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted a controlled purchase of a gun from McIntosh, who was at the time a convicted felon. The defendant pleaded guilty on Mar. 20. This crime was investigated by DCI and ATF, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Forwood.
Richard McCloskey, 36, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to 95 months’ imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Jun. 26. According to court documents, in August 2023, a Federal Firearm Licensee who was travelling in Wyoming, reported someone broke into his vehicle and stole three firearms including a 9mm pistol, an MP7 machine gun, and a suppressor. In addition, he reported that $40,000 worth of gold coins were missing. In August 2023, detectives learned that some of the gold coins had been pawned in Casper. The pawn shop said the man was coming back to pawn more and showed police surveillance video, which led investigators to McCloskey. Agents waited for McCloskey to return to the pawn shop and secured a search warrant for his vehicle. They discovered the vehicle was stolen and seized the MP7 machine gun and the suppressor. The pistol was not recovered. McCloskey has a felony burglary conviction from 2016 and is not allowed to possess firearms. The defendant pleaded guilty on Apr. 4. This crime was investigated by ATF and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom
Drug and Firearm Offenses
Robert Joseph Santistevan, 42, of Rock Springs, Wyoming, was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm and distribution of fentanyl. In a related case, Brittany Lyn Isaacson, 35, of Rock Springs, was sentenced to 26 months’ imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentences. According to court documents, on Oct. 31, 2023, Santistevan and Isaacson were pulled over for a traffic violation in Riverton, Wyoming. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, the officer found two pistols and 189 fentanyl pills. Santistevan and Isaacson each admitted handling and carrying one of the firearms. Both Santistevan and Isaacson were previously convicted felons and therefore each was prohibited from possessing a firearm. By pleading guilty, Santistevan also admitted that he distributed fentanyl. These crimes were investigated by DCI and the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist.
Brandon Overson, 31, of North Columbus, Montana, was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on June 25. According to court documents, in the summer of 2023, DCI was conducting a drug investigation in the Gillette area. The evidence pointed to Overson as a suspected dealer. On Sept. 15, 2023, agents learned Overton was driving from Denver to Gillette. Overson was pulled over while driving through Cheyenne. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed 649 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 400 fentanyl pills, a loaded .45 caliber pistol and ten .45 caliber rounds. Overson is a previously convicted felon and is not allowed to legally possess a firearm. The defendant pleaded guilty on Feb. 27. This crime was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), DCI and the Cheyenne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer.
Estefan Morales, 30, of Brighton, Colorado, was sentenced to 92 months’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on June 26. According to court documents, on Sept. 29, 2023, a Fremont County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) deputy noticed a suspicious vehicle at his neighbor’s house. The deputy called the vehicle into the FCSO, Lander Police Department (LPD) and Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP). Once the vehicle was located, the WHP attempted to pull Morales over, but he fled, and a high-speed pursuit followed. The defendant drove into a felid where he got stuck and eventually surrendered. Officers seized 200 fentanyl pills, 40 grams of methamphetamine, and a .22 caliber pistol. Morales is a previously convicted felon and not allowed to possess firearms. The defendant pleaded guilty on Mar. 6. This crime was investigated by DEA, DCI, and the Lander Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer.
Drug Trafficking
Adrian Hernandez, 35, of Ogden, Utah, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on June 21. According to court documents, DEA and the Cheyenne Police Department’s Community Action Team (CPD-CAT) were conducting multiple drug trafficking investigations between July and August of 2023. In two cases, seized phones from individuals taken into custody led detectives to Hernandez. The defendant pleaded guilty on Mar. 7. This crime was investigated by DEA and CPD-CAT, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Forwood.
Illegal Re-entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Alvaro Leon-Campos, 33, of Guanajuato, Mexico, was sentenced to time served plus 10 days to allow for deportation proceedings, for illegal entry into the United States. According to court documents, on Jan.18, Leon-Campos was arrested by WHP for possession of a controlled substance and booked into the Sweetwater County Detention Center. He claimed to be a resident of Mexico, so U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was contacted. A Deportation Officer processed the defendant and obtained fingerprints matching pre-existing fingerprints in their database indicating Mr. Leon-Campos was in the U.S. illegally. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on June 26.
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Environmental Justice
The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime#trafficking
Armed Dark Web Drug Trafficker Sentenced to over a Decade in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Victor Hernandez, the leader of a conspiracy to sell cocaine and counterfeit pills over the dark web and launder the proceeds through cryptocurrency, was sentenced today to 130 months in federal prison, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit Acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphy, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Andrew P. Lawton, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Field Division, and Angelo Horiates III, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI), Acting Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office.
Victor Hernandez, 31, of Detroit, pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to distribute illicit substances, a conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, his distribution of counterfeit pills, and the use of firearms in furtherance of the crime. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Linda V. Parker. As part of the sentence, Hernandez was ordered to forfeit the proceeds from his crimes, in the form of a $3.1 million money judgment.
Hernandez’s sister, Carolyn Hernandez-Taylor, also pleaded guilty in the case and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison by Judge Parker earlier this year.
Hernandez ran a dark web vendor site under the moniker “opiateconnect,” selling illicit scheduled drugs, including cocaine, and various counterfeit drugs. These counterfeit pills were made to look like alprazolam—the most commonly prescribed psychotropic medication in the United States (including under the brand name Xanax), used to manage panic and anxiety disorders—but were in fact uncontrolled research chemicals not scheduled for human consumption.
Federal investigators worked for months to determine the identity of “opiateconnect” and the location he was using. That investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at Hernandez’s house in Detroit, where agents discovered a clandestine drug lab capable of producing upwards of 20,000 pills per hour. They also found around three firearms, a “tub” containing approximately 600 grams of cocaine, thousands of pressed counterfeit alprazolam pills, $340,000 in cash, and more than $1 million in cryptocurrency.
“Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the danger posed to this community by the armed distribution of controlled substances and counterfeit pills,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “This defendant tried to hide in the anonymity he thought the dark web and his use of cryptocurrency provided, but the tireless combined efforts of state and federal investigators pierced that shield. We will continue to pursue digital-age drug dealers and work to ensure that their crimes result in prison and the seizure of their illicit proceeds.”
“The efforts of drug traffickers and criminals have evolved over the years, but our commitment to hold them accountable remains the same,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “As this case has demonstrated, we stand focused and ready to take down other illicit online marketplaces that would poison communities in Michigan.”
“Drug traffickers often believe the anonymity of the dark web can shield them from investigation and prosecution, and this sentencing clearly demonstrates that is a false notion. Along with our local, state and federal partners, DEA will employ every resource to bring drug traffickers like Mr. Hernandez to justice,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Lawton.
“The laundering of illegal drug profits is as important and essential to drug traffickers as the very distribution of their illegal drugs,” said Angelo Horiates III, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI), Acting Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office. “Without these ill-gotten gains, the traffickers cannot finance their organizations. The role of CI in narcotics investigations is to follow the money; we are highly adept at financially disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations, online or in the physical world. We are proud to provide our financial expertise as we work alongside our law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice.”
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The investigation was conducted by the Detroit Dark Web Task Force, which consists of HSI, Postal Inspection Service Office of the Inspector General (USPIS-OIG), Secret Service (USSS), IRS-CI, Michigan State Police (MSP), and CBP. The purpose of the task force is to investigate criminal organizations, to include drug vendors, that operate within dark web marketplaces. The task force has disrupted and dismantled numerous drug trafficking organizations through criminal arrests, and the seizure of the proceeds from criminal activity.
25 June 2024
Zuni Couple Charged with Assault with Intent to Commit MurderRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni couple was charged by indictment with assault with intent to commit murder, conspiracy, and assault resulting in serious bodily injury following a violent attack.
Shannon Concho, 45, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, appeared before a federal judge last week and will remain in custody pending trial, which is currently scheduled for September 12, 2024.
LouAnn Johnson, 28, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, previously appeared before a federal judge in May and will remain in custody pending trial, which is currently scheduled for September 12, 2024.
According to the indictment, on September 3, 2023, Concho and Johnson allegedly initiated a verbal altercation with John Doe, during which Johnson slapped John Doe multiple times. They then took John Doe's phones to prevent him from calling 911. The situation escalated when Concho began beating John Doe with a chair while stating his intent to murder him. Concho then instructed Johnson to kick John Doe in the head, and Johnson complied.
As the assault continued, a witness called the police. Subsequently, Johnson suggested that they flee the scene, which they did together. Concho and Johnson remained on the run until they were subsequently arrested in separate incidents.
If convicted of the current charges, Concho and Johnson face up to 20 years in prison.
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 Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Pecoraro.
View the IndictmentAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
# # #
Williston, ND, Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting Several Minor ChildrenRead the Press Release
Bismarck – United States Attorney Mac Schneider, District of North Dakota, announced that Nicholas Anfin Nesdahl, age 29, from Williston, ND, appeared in Federal court before District Court Judge Daniel M. Traynor for sentencing on seven counts of producing or attempting to produce images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors charged in the District of North Dakota and two counts related to producing or attempting to produce and receiving images and videos of minors that were charged out of the Western District of Pennsylvania. Nesdahl was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for the North Dakota charges and 20 years for the Pennsylvania charges, to run consecutive, with a lifetime supervised release.
Nesdahl’s conduct consisted of himself friending minors using various social networking platforms on the internet. Once his friend request was granted, Nesdahl would begin to groom the minors to produce images and videos of themselves nude or engaging in sexual activity. The activity was first discovered and reported to law enforcement by a parent of two victims located in Pennsylvania, which then resulted in a search of Nesdahl’s residence in Williston, North Dakota. As a result of that search, it was discovered that Nesdahl had victimized at least seven other victims that were located in North Dakota, Minnesota, Maryland, Texas, and New Jersey. The victims ages ranged from 6 to 15 years of age.
“This 50-year sentence is a fitting one considering this defendant’s abhorrent and virtually unspeakable treatment of children,” Schneider said. “Protecting kids is a fundamental priority, and our state, federal, and local law enforcement partners will use cutting edge technology and old-fashioned investigative work to bring child predators offline and into a federal courtroom to face justice.”
“Nesdahl’s conduct online, while reprehensible, is similar to many predators who exploit minors through social networking platforms,” said Jamie Holt, HSI St. Paul Special Agent in Charge. “This is a significant threat to our communities. Parents, guardians, and educators should understand that online apps providing messaging, photo, or video sharing capabilities could lead their children into a world where they may be at risk. It’s very important that adults have conversations with kids and provide oversight to ensure they aren’t exposed to environments where they could potentially be vulnerable to predators.Well done to our special agents and law enforcement partners for bringing Nesdahl to justice.”This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the nation, Project Safe Childhood, in conjunction with Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), help federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies enhance their investigative responses to offenders who use the Internet, online communications systems, or computer technology to sexually exploit children. The ICAC Program is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces engaging in proactive investigations, forensic investigations, and criminal prosecutions. Project
Safe Childhood also helps to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.For additional resources for survivors or victims, help is available at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) and CyberTipline URL https://report.cybertip.org.
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gary Delorme, District of North Dakota.
# # #
WikiLeaks Founder Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Conspiring to Obtain and Disclose Classified National Defense InformationRead the Press Release
Julian P. Assange, 52, the founder of WikiLeaks, pleaded guilty today to conspiring with Chelsea Manning, at that time a U.S. Army intelligence analyst, to unlawfully obtain and disclose classified documents relating to the national defense. After obtaining classified national defense information from Manning, and aware of the harm that dissemination of such national defense information would cause, Assange disclosed this information on WikiLeaks.
The guilty plea concludes a criminal matter that dates back to March 2018, when Assange was first indicted in the Eastern District of Virginia. There, and in superseding indictments, Assange was charged with conspiring with Manning, then a “Top Secret” U.S. security clearance holder, to further Manning’s unlawful acquisition and transmission of bulk classified information, including Manning’s use of a government computer to illegally download hundreds of thousands of classified documents and transmit them without authorization to WikiLeaks.
Assange was detained in the United Kingdom based on the U.S. charges for the last 62 months, while he contested extradition. As part of the plea agreement, Assange was transported to the U.S. District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands to enter his felony guilty plea and be sentenced on the morning of June 26 (Saipan local time) in a U.S. courtroom, with the venue reflecting Assange’s opposition to traveling to the continental United States to enter his guilty plea and the proximity of this federal U.S. District Court to Assange’s country of citizenship, Australia, to which he will return. At today’s proceeding, Assange admitted to his role in the conspiracy to violate the Espionage Act and received a court-imposed 62-month time-served sentence, reflecting the time he served in U.K. prison as a result of the U.S. charges. Following the imposition of sentence, he will depart the United States for his native Australia. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Assange is prohibited from returning to the United States without permission.
Beginning in late 2009, Assange and WikiLeaks actively solicited United States classified information, including by publishing a list of “Most Wanted Leaks” that sought, among other things, bulk classified documents. As set forth in the public charging documents, Assange actively solicited and recruited people who had access, authorized or otherwise, to classified information and were willing to provide that information to him and WikiLeaks—and also solicited hackers who could obtain unauthorized access to classified information through computer network intrusions. Assange publicly encouraged his prospective recruits to obtain the information he desired by any means necessary, including hacking and theft, and to send that information to Assange at WikiLeaks.
Between January 2010 and May 2010, in the course of the conspiracy with Assange, Manning used U.S. government computer systems to download hundreds of thousands of documents and reports, many of them classified at the SECRET level and relating to the national defense, which signified that unauthorized disclosure could cause serious damage to United States national security. In total, Manning downloaded four nearly complete U.S. government databases that contained, among other things, approximately 90,000 Afghanistan war-related significant activity reports, 400,000 Iraq war-related significant activity reports, 800 Joint Task Force Guantanamo (JTF GTMO) detainee assessment briefs, and 250,000 U.S. Department of State cables. Manning also downloaded files regarding rules of engagement in the Iraq war, most of which were classified at the SECRET level and which delineated the circumstances and limitations under which United States forces would initiate or conduct combat engagement with other forces.
After downloading digital reams of classified documents and files, Manning electronically sent them to Assange to be publicly posted on WikiLeaks’s website. During Manning’s bulk exfiltration and passage of classified materials to WikiLeaks, Manning and Assange communicated regularly via online platforms about Manning’s progress and what classified information Assange wanted. For example, after sending the classified JTF GTMO detainee assessment briefs to Assange, Manning told Assange “thats [sic] all I really have got left.” To encourage Manning to continue to take classified documents from the United States and provide them to Assange and WikiLeaks without authorization, Assange replied, “curious eyes never run dry in my experience.”
In or about 2010 and 2011, Assange publicly disclosed via the WikiLeaks website hundreds of thousands of documents that Manning had taken without authorization and given to him, including approximately 75,000 Afghanistan war-related significant activity reports, classified up to the Secret level; 400,000 Iraq war-related significant activity reports, classified up to the Secret level; 800 JTF GTMO detainee assessment briefs, classified up to the Secret level; and over 100,000 State Department cables, some of which were classified up to the Secret level.
Unlike news organizations that published redacted versions of some of the classified documents that Assange obtained from Manning and then shared with those organizations, Assange and WikiLeaks disclosed many of the raw classified documents without removing any personally identifying information. Specifically, in many instances, the classified documents Manning unlawfully provided to Assange were later released publicly by Assange and WikiLeaks in a raw or unredacted form that placed individuals who had assisted the U.S. government at great personal risk. Assange’s decision to reveal the names of human sources illegally shared with him by Manning created a grave and imminent risk to human life. For example, the State Department cables that WikiLeaks disseminated included information from journalists, religious leaders, human rights advocates, and political dissidents who had chosen to provide information to the United States in confidence at significant risk to their own safety. By publicly releasing these documents without redacting the names of human sources or other identifying information, Assange subjected these individuals to serious harm and arbitrary detention. Assange even acknowledged in public statements that he knew that publicly disclosing unredacted classified documents containing the names and other identifying information of people who had shared information with the U.S. government in confidence could put those people at risk of harm.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing Assange’s arrest and in litigating Assange’s extradition. The United Kingdom’s Crown Prosecution Service, National Extradition Unit (and its predecessor in the Metropolitan Police Service), and Central Authority also provided significant assistance to the extradition proceedings over the past five years. Logistical support was also provided by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency’s Joint International Crime Centre, U.K. law enforcement agencies, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section (CES), U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI), and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia handled the case. U.S. Attorney Shawn N. Anderson for the District of Guam and NMI, CES Deputy Chief Matthew McKenzie, and National Security Cyber Section Trial Attorney Jacques Singer-Emery represented the United States in the NMI proceedings. CES Trial Attorneys Nicholas Hunter and Adam Small, and Trial Attorney Rachel Yasser and Legal Advisor/International Affairs Coordinator Amanda June Chadwick of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance.
Link to Criminal Information
Link to Plea Agreement
Virginia Couple Sentenced for Forcing Victim to Work at Their Gas Station and Convenience Store for over Three YearsRead the Press Release
A Virginia couple was sentenced today for compelling the labor of the man’s younger cousin at their gas station and convenience store for over three years. The couple has since divorced.
Harmanpreet Singh, 31, was sentenced to 135 months in prison and Kulbir Kaur, 43, was sentenced to 87 months in prison. Additionally, the court ordered Singh and Kaur to pay the victim $225,210.76 in restitution.
“The defendants exploited their relationship with the victim to lure him to the United States with false promises that they would help enroll him in school,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendants confiscated the victim’s immigration documents and subjected him to threats, physical force and mental abuse to coerce him to work long hours for minimal pay. This sentence should send a strong message that such forced labor will not be tolerated in our communities. The Justice Department is committed to fully enforcing our federal human trafficking statutes to vindicate the rights of survivors and hold human traffickers accountable for such shameful exploitation of vulnerable victims.”
“The crimes committed by these defendants are not merely violations of the law; they are an afront to humanity,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “These defendants preyed on the victim’s earnest desire to attain an education and improve his life. Instead, they deprived him of the most basic human needs and robbed him of his freedom. We remain steadfastly committed to securing justice for victims of human trafficking.”
“The defendants lured the victim to travel from India to Virginia to work at their gas station where they exploited him for over three year,” said Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI will continue to work in all communities to stop forced labor trafficking and the psychological and physical violence that comes with it.”
Following a two-week trial in January, a federal jury in the Eastern District of Virginia convicted Singh and Kaur of conspiracy to commit forced labor, forced labor, harboring for financial gain and document servitude. The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that, in 2018, the defendants enticed the victim, Singh’s cousin and then a minor, to travel to the United States from India with false promises of helping enroll him in school. After the victim arrived in the United States, the defendants took his immigration documents and instead forced him to provide labor and services at Singh’s store for over three years, between March 2018 and May 2021.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Singh and Kaur compelled the victim to work at the store — including cleaning, cooking, stocking and handling the cash register and store records — between 12 to 17 hours a day, nearly every day, for minimal pay. Singh and Kaur used various coercive means, including confiscating the victim’s immigration documents and subjecting the victim to physical abuse, threats of force and other serious harm, and, at times, degrading living conditions to compel him to continue working.
The evidence further showed that the defendants left the victim at the store to sleep in a back office for days at a time on multiple occasions, limited his access to food, refused to provide medical care or education, used surveillance equipment to monitor the victim both at the store and in their home, refused his requests to return to India and made him overstay his visa. The defendants also forced the victim to marry Kaur and used that marriage to threaten to take the victim’s family’s properties or falsely report him to the police if he left. The evidence showed that Singh pulled the victim’s hair, slapped and kicked him when he requested his immigration documents back and tried to leave and, on three different occasions, threatened the victim with a revolver for trying to take a day off and for trying to leave.
The FBI Richmond Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Avi Panth and Peter S. Duffey for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Matthew Thiman of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
U.S. Attorney and HUD Inspector General Host Safe Housing Summit in D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Members of the Anacostia Coordinating Council, today, heard presentations and had discussions with U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis at a panel focused on promoting the health, safety, and civil liberty of tenants living in HUD-assisted housing. The program focused on eliminating environmental hazards and combatting sexual misconduct in HUD-assisted housing. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and Office of Environmental Justice also presented on related topics, including the development of a Department-wide environmental justice strategic plan.
The panel, which took place at the monthly meeting of the Anacostia Coordinating Council at Martha’s Table in the Seventh Metropolitan Police Department District, was part of the HUD Inspector General’s initiatives promoting safe housing strategies related to environmental justice, and how to recognize and report sexual misconduct in housing.
Attendees included members and leadership of communities east of the Anacostia River who might be impacted by environmental injustices, such as lead paint in their homes, or become victims of sexual harassment in housing by their landlords, property managers, maintenance staff, or other housing personnel in positions of authority. Members of the public were encouraged to share their experiences, concerns, and expertise to build future partnerships and provide aid and assistance to beneficiaries when reporting matters related health, safety, or security in housing.
“No one should be subjected to unsafe conditions or harassment in order to have a roof over their head,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The residents of D.C. have a right to feel safe in their homes, to have their rights respected by their landlords, and to not have to worry that they and their families will be harmed by environmental hazards. The affirmative civil rights and environmental justice team in this Office is working, daily, to prevent, correct, and prosecute those cases that violate HUD’s housing assistance program guidelines. Today’s safe housing panel, we hope, will arm residents with the information they need to ensure their rights are protected. You have a right to feel safe in your home.”
“I am grateful for the opportunity afforded us by the Anacostia Coordinating Council to directly engage community members about HUD OIG’s initiatives in pursuit of environmental justice violations and combatting sexual misconduct in housing,” said Inspector General Oliver Davis. “We remain committed to working closely with our partners at the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to raise awareness about violations of federal law in these areas and pursue bad actors who victimize vulnerable people receiving HUD assistance.”
If you have or someone you know has information about environmental hazards and unsafe unit conditions in HUD-assisted housing or you have or someone you know has been a victim of sexual harassment, sexual assault, or sexual exploitation—even if the events occurred years ago—report it to the HUD Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-347-3735 or visit the website at www.hudoig.gov/hotline. You may also file a complaint with HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at https://www.hud.gov/fairhousing/fileacomplaint.
You may also contact the U.S. Department of Justice at 1-844-380-6178 or visit www.civilrights.justice.gov. Individuals who believe they may have been victims of environmental injustices or housing discrimination may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (202) 252-2500, [email protected] or https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/affirmative-civil-rights-and-environmental-justice.
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc and https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/programs/community-prosecution/community-engagements.
U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown Announces the Availability of Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Funds for the Western District of LouisianaRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT / LAFAYETTE / ALEXANDRIA / LAKE CHARLES/ MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown and the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force announced the availability of approximately $152,565 in PSN grant funds for the Western District of Louisiana. The Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP), and Bureau of Justice Assistance is seeking applications for funding of a grant under the PSN Program. At least 30% ($41,192.55) of the grant funds must be designated for grants under the PSN Program to fund new and/or current gang violence reduction strategies in the Western District.
The PSN approach is guided by four key 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 of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions. PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies and community organizations. The programs’ emphasis on community engagement, prevention and intervention measures, focused and strategic enforcement, and measurement and accountability has helped achieve overall reductions in violent crime, including gun homicides, in neighborhoods where PSN strategies have been implemented.
“The PSN program is key in our attack on gun violence in the Western District of Louisiana,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “This grant will help assist officers and others take back our neighborhoods and streets. Times are hard in terms of funding for law enforcement and non-governmental organizations that seek to assist in making our communities safer. Therefore, we are grateful for these funds and encourage those organizations that focus on crime deterrence and prevention to apply.”
Past recipients of PSN grants have been the Alexandria, Lake Charles, Monroe, Shreveport and Lafayette Police Departments as well as the Caddo Parish and Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Offices and Lafayette City Marshal’s Office. Funds were granted for various programs to include assisting with implementation of a new computer software program, body cameras for law enforcement officers, training for officers on gang prevention and overtime hours for law enforcement officers to increase patrols in areas that saw an increase in violent crime, including narcotics, gang and gun-related violent crimes.
The Shreveport Police Department has been named as the fiscal agent for administering the funds allowed through this PSN grant. A committee comprised of community volunteers from the five major cities in the Western District of Louisiana has been appointed to be responsible for reviewing the applications received from law enforcement and non-governmental agencies who submit their grant proposals.
The Shreveport Police Department, on behalf of the DOJ’s OJP, is seeking applications for these grant funds under the PSN Program. At least 30% of the grant funds must be designated for grants under the PSN Program to fund new and/or current gang violence reduction strategies in the Western District. Various types of single of multi-grantee grant proposals are welcome, including those that address the following:
- Gang and gun violence reduction, deterrence, prevention, community outreach and education;
- Enforcement, adjudication and supervision programs;
- Prisoner re-entry programs; or
- Other innovative related projects.
The FY 2023 PSN Grant Announcement can be found by clicking on the "Attachments" link below. To be eligible, grant proposals must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, July 26, 2024, to the following e-mail address: [email protected]. Interested applicants may also e-mail questions or contact Lisa Alwert at (337) 262-6618 for additional information.
An informational meeting will be held via WebEx on Monday, July 1, 2024, at 2 p.m. If you are interested in applying for these grant funds and learning more about the details required to be eligible, please send your e-mail and contact information to: [email protected] by Friday, June 28, 2024 by 5 p.m. in order to obtain the link to the WebEx meeting.
More information about awards under PSN and other OJP grants can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.
Attachments:
Guidelines for FY 2023 Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Proposals# # #
Two Men Sentenced for Orchestrating Multimillion-Dollar Cryptocurrency Securities Fraud and Wire Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Two men were sentenced for manipulating the price of a security and scheming to defraud investors in connection with the purchase of Hydrogen Technology’s cryptocurrency, HYDRO.
Shane Hampton, 32, of Philadelphia, was sentenced today to two years and 11 months in prison. His co-conspirator, Michael Kane, 39, of Miami Beach, Florida, was sentenced yesterday to three years and nine months in prison.
“Shane Hampton, Michael Kane, and their co-conspirators defrauded investors by using a trading bot to manipulate the price of their company’s cryptocurrency,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “In this case, for the first time, a jury in a federal criminal trial found that a cryptocurrency was a security and that manipulating cryptocurrency prices was securities fraud. This prosecution and the sentences imposed today should serve as a warning: The Criminal Division will not hesitate to use all tools at its disposal—including the federal securities laws—to protect the integrity of cryptocurrency markets.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Kane was the co-founder and CEO of Hydrogen Technology, and Hampton was the Head of Financial Engineering at the company. Kane and Hampton hired an outside firm, Moonwalkers Trading Limited of South Africa, to manipulate the price of HYDRO on a cryptocurrency exchange headquartered in the United States by using an automated trading application or “bot” to flood the market with fake and fraudulent orders from October 2018 to April 2019. Kane, Hampton, and their co-conspirators executed approximately $7 million in “wash trades” and placed over $300 million in “spoof trades” for HYDRO through the bot. These manipulative trades were designed to, and did, fraudulently induce retail investors to purchase HYDRO. Through the artificially inflated prices that resulted from their manipulation efforts, Kane, Hampton, and their co-conspirators made approximately $2 million in profits from selling HYDRO over roughly 10 months.
Kane pleaded guilty in November 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit securities price manipulation, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and two counts of wire fraud. Hampton was convicted by a federal jury on Feb. 7 of one count of conspiracy to commit securities price manipulation and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The jury unanimously found that the defendants’ sales of HYDRO constituted investment contracts, making the token a security under federal securities law. Hampton’s case was the first criminal jury trial in which a cryptocurrency was found to be a security.
Two other co-conspirators, Andrew Chorlian and Tyler Ostern, pleaded guilty in May 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit securities price manipulation and wire fraud, and both were previously sentenced.
The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant Chief Scott Armstrong and Trial Attorney Andrew Jaco of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
Two Members of Infamous Ryders Motorcycle Club Convicted of Robbery and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Steven Wong, a/k/a “Chino,” age 43, of Shallotte, North Carolina, and Solomon Rodriguez, a/k/a “Solo,” age 34, of Reading, Pennsylvania, were convicted on June 21, 2024, for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, firearms conspiracy, attempted Hobbs Act Robbery, Hobbs Act Robbery, and two counts of use of firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence following a two-week trial before United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Wong was the president of the Schuylkill County chapter of the Infamous Ryders Motorcycle Club, of which Solomon Rodriguez was a member. Wong used his position to recruit members of the motorcycle club to participate in a series of brutal home-invasion armed robberies in Schuylkill and Berks County in the summer and fall of 2020. Wong rewarded loyal members involved in the conspiracy with money and free drugs. During these home invasion robberies, two or three members of the conspiracy would enter the homes of local street-level drug dealers while wearing masks and armed with firearms and knives and rob the victims of drugs and drug proceeds. One of the firearms used was a fully automatic homemade AR-15 style assault rifle.
During the seven-day trial, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office presented the testimony from approximately 19 witnesses, including expert witness testimony from an ATF Firearms expert, and an expert in historic cell-site location data analysis. Both defendants testified on their own behalf.
“This group acted with extreme violence, invading people’s homes with machine guns drawn, and committing crimes that brutalized their victims,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “Though our cooperative efforts with the Pennsylvania State police and local police departments, we successfully brought these criminals to justice and ended their trail of crimes, making our communities safer again.”
The charges stem from an investigation involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Pennsylvania State Police, the Mahanoy City Police Department, the Schuylkill Haven Police Department, the Pottsville Police Department, the Shillington Police Department, the Reading Police Department, and the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys James Buchanan, Jenny Roberts, and Sarah Lloyd prosecuted the case.
This case is also 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.
In this case, the maximum penalty is life imprisonment. 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.
# # #
Tampa Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Federal Prison for Committing Three Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Donald Robert Smith (29, Tampa) to 24 years in federal prison for three separate Hobbs Act robberies, brandishing a firearm during and in relation to one of the robberies, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to another of the robberies. As part of his plea agreement, Smith has agreed to forfeit the firearm used in the offenses.
According to court documents, on August 1, 2022, Smith robbed a Tampa business pointing a firearm at business employees. Two days later, Smith robbed another Tampa business by pointing a firearm at the cashier and demanding money. During the investigation into the first two robberies, a search warrant for Smith’s vehicle was executed. Inside the vehicle, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives located a Taurus 9mm handgun. This firearm was then linked by a shell casing to another robbery on August 1, 2022. During this robbery, Smith approached an individual as he was turning in his work truck for the night. Smith approached the victim and demanded his wallet. As Smith walked away, he discharged the firearm.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James Muench.
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.
Stilwell Resident Pleads Guilty to Possessing Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Geoff Edward Luethje, age 46, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, entered a plea of guilty to one-count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.
The Indictment alleged that between April and August of 2023, Luethje knowingly possessed, and accessed with an intent to view, visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including depictions of children under the age of twelve.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Residence Agencies in Atlanta, Georgia, and Muskogee, Oklahoma.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Luethje will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Caila M. Cleary represented the United States.
Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man pleaded guilty today to unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Robbie Delgado, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Oct. 2, 2024. Delgado was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024.
On Feb. 8, 2024, Delgado was found in possession of a Baretta .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun. Delgado is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition following a 2019 state conviction in Hampden County of armed robbery and armed assault with intent to rob, for which he was sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by four years’ probation.
The charge of possession of the firearm by a previously convicted felon provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian A. Kyes, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
South Texan imprisoned in cryptocurrency purchase and child pornography downloadRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 32-year-old Edcouch resident has been sentenced for receiving child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Servando Diaz pleaded guilty March 19.
U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton has now sentenced Diaz to 144 months. At the hearing, the court also heard additional information including that Diaz admitted to downloading child pornography to numerus personal devices for his own use online and offline. In addition, the court heard that his collection of child pornography included a wide range of content including videos that ranged in length, sadistic and masochistic files and bestiality. Diaz was further ordered to pay a $5,000 special assessment and will serve 10 years 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. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
From approximately Nov. 30, 2022, to approximately Dec. 7, 2022, Diaz downloaded child pornography from links he purchased by utilizing cryptocurrency.
Law enforcement conducted an ongoing investigation of offenders engaging in a commercial sexual exploitation ring where child pornography was sold and paid for through cryptocurrency. In return, links were provided to the purchaser via MEGA, a file hosting service.
Authorities identified an individual who purchased child pornography directly from the commercial sexual exploitation ring through their transaction information. An open-source database check confirmed the deposit address in Edcouch belonged to Diaz.
On Aug. 15, 2023, Diaz agreed to an interview with law enforcement and admitted to viewing, purchasing and downloading child pornography for approximately 10 years.
Diaz utilized various platforms including Telegram and MEGA to purchase the links with cryptocurrency. Additionally, Diaz paid approximately $50-150 via PayPal to gain access to a private group known to distribute child pornography on either Discord or Telegram.
Law enforcement conducted a forensic search on his digital devices which resulted in the discovery of 360 videos and 178 image files depicting child pornography including prepubescent children engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Diaz will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell 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 tab on that page.
Slovakian Man Admits $730,000 Pandemic Loan FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS –A man from the Slovak Republic pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Tuesday and admitted fraudulently obtaining pandemic relief loans totaling $730,550.
Mark Ethan Jermain, 41, pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud. He admitted submitting three fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications from April 26, 2020, to July 16, 2021, using his prior legal name, Arsene Millogo. The PPP loans were intended to help struggling American businesses and jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The money was supposed to be spent on payroll and other business expenses.
On April 26, 2020, Jermain submitted a fraudulent $80,000 loan application for Crazyeats LLC, a company he’d established in Missouri in 2017. He falsely and fraudulently inflated the average monthly payroll he’d listed for Crazyeats. After the loan was approved, Jermain transferred the money to a Slovakian bank account.
On May 13, 2020, Jermain submitted another fraudulent PPP loan application, this time for a company he’d set up called Unimentors LLC, in the amount of $325,275. The application contained similar false information, and the resulting loan money was also transferred to Slovakia. On Feb. 5, 2021, Jermain submitted a Second Draw PPP loan application for $325,275. After the application was approved, the money was also transferred to Slovakia.
The loans were later forgiven because Jermain falsely claimed that he’d used all the money for payroll purposes. He actually used the money for personal purchases and other unapproved purposes.
Jermain was in the Slovak Republic when he committed his crimes. Jermain returned to the U.S. on August 17, 2023, and was arrested by FBI agents on September 7, the day he was scheduled to leave the country.
Jermain is scheduled to be sentenced January 8. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both prison and a fine.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll is prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about pandemic fraud should call the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or report via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Salvadoran Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salvadoran man living in Somerville pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Tony Joel Salvador Umanzor, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Oct. 9, 2024. In May 2024, Salvador Umanzor was indicted by a federal grand jury. He has been in federal custody since his initial appearance in federal court on May 9, 2024.
Salvador Umanzor was removed from the United States on Oct. 10, 2018 following a state conviction in 2013 for trafficking oxycodone, for which he was sentenced to five years and one day in prison. Sometime after his removal, Salvador Umanzor unlawfully reentered the United States, and was located in April 2024 following a state arrest for unrelated conduct.
The charge of illegal reentry subsequent to conviction of an aggravated felony provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. If convicted, the defendant will be subject to deportation upon completion of an imposed sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Repeat Gastonia Drug Trafficker Is Sentenced to 15 Years for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. –Kenter O’Neal Ruff, 45, of Gastonia, N.C., was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by six years of supervised release for drug distribution, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Trent Conard of the Gastonia Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents, evidence presented at Ruff’s trial, and witness testimony, over the course of an investigation into drug trafficking in Gaston County law enforcement identified Ruff as a local drug distributor. Trial evidence established that, on multiple occasions between October 2020 and April 2021, Ruff sold cocaine base to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. At the time, Ruff was on supervised release stemming from a prior federal drug conviction and had additional state convictions related to drug trafficking and drug possession.
On January 5, 2023, a federal jury convicted Ruff of four counts of distribution of cocaine base. Ruff will remain in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and the Gastonia Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas Kent and Steven R. Kaufman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte and Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman prosecuted the case. Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office.
Reno Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
RENO – A Reno resident was sentenced Monday by United States District Judge Anne R. Traum to 36 months in prison to be followed by lifetime supervised release for possessing over 600 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, between December 11, 2022 and February 14, 2023, Carl Baker (78) possessed and accessed computers and hard drives that contained CSAM. He admitted that he possessed more than 600 images of minors younger than 12 years of age.
In January 2024, Baker pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. In addition to imprisonment, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), Baker must register as a sex offender and keep the registration current.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.
The FBI and the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Penelope Brady and former Assistant United States Attorney Richard Casper 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 U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
###
Previously Convicted Felon from Donora Indicted on Drug Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Donora, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The three-count Indictment named Tre Robert Goins, 30, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about May 24, 2024, Goins was found to be in possession of a quantity of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine, which he intended to distribute. A previously convicted felon, Goins also knowingly and unlawfully possessed a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
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.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
PetroChina International America to pay fine, forfeiture for export violationsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – PetroChina International America Inc. (PCIA) has entered into an agreement to pay a fine and monetary forfeiture totaling $14.5 million for violations of U.S. export law, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani along with Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) - Houston, and Special Agent in Charge Trey McClish, Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Office of Export Enforcement (OEE) - Dallas.
PCIA is a subsidiary of PetroChina International Co. Ltd., one of the largest oil and gas companies in the world. It was incorporated in New Jersey in 2003 and is principally located in Houston.
PCIA agreed to pay the fine and forfeiture after authorities discovered evidence they had reported inaccurate information in the Automated Export System (AES), an electronic database that exporters use to declare international exports from the United States. Specifically, PCIA misclassified more than $32 million of ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel as mineral oil mix for certain export transactions to Mexico that took place in 2019 and 2020.
“From its bustling port to its proximity to Central and South America, Houston is a lucrative hub for international commerce. The city’s continued growth depends on companies playing by the rules, in this case export and import regulations,” said Hamdani. “The potentially false or misleading valuations PetroChina International America input into a government database gave it an unfair competitive advantage while also harming the integrity of global trade with nations like Mexico. The $14.5 million forfeiture and fine assessed against PCIA should send a message to all those companies still not playing by the rules – The Southern District of Texas will hold you to account.”
The investigation that led to fine and forfeiture began in December 2019 after Mexican authorities discovered discrepancies between importation documents for a Panamanian oil tanker after it made entry in Port Veracruz, Mexico. Mexican authorities contacted U.S. trade officials for assistance in clarifying the discrepancies.
Authorities conducted a historical analysis of export data PCIA provided, which revealed additional exports that were misclassified and/or undervalued at the time of export and then entered into AES.
“PCIA misclassified or undervalued millions of dollars in petroleum exports using the U.S. electronic database that is trusted throughout the global marketplace for timely, accurate and reliable data and information,” said Dawson. “These actions helped facilitate illegal activity abroad and damaged America’s reputation as a leader in global trade. The entry of false or misleading information into export systems is a serious law violation. Working in conjunction with our domestic and international partners, we were able to uncover these violations of U.S. export law and levy a fine and forfeiture totaling $14.5 million to level the playing field for competitors and deter similar unlawful conduct in the future.”
“Today’s forfeiture is a prime example of the U.S. government’s strong interagency partnerships working together to effectively target entities engaging in illicit activities abroad, especially those attempting to use the country’s own systems to facilitate that activity,” said McClish. “BIS will continue to identify and disrupt those who attempt to profit from and circumvent U.S. export controls and regulations.”
PCIA has fully cooperated with the investigation into the export violations and has enhanced its compliance program. It has agreed to provide the U.S. Attorney’s Office with details of its efforts in a yearly report for the three-year-term.
HSI, BIS and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Elmilady is handling the matter along with HSI’s embedded counsel.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and HSI Houston actively encourage the submission of voluntary self-disclosures (VSDs) from parties who suspect they may have violated U.S export law. VSDs serve as a strong indication of a party's commitment to complying with U.S. export law and regulatory controls. To prevent unfair trade and ensure a level playing field, HSI also encourages the reporting of suspected or known third-party violations of U.S. export law. To self-disclose a potential violation or report a suspected third-party violation, please contact HSI.
Personal Assistant Sentenced after Embezzling more than $2.1 Million from Long-time Employer and FriendRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Christine Fletcher, 62, for Bank Fraud and Tax Evasion. Judge Hill ordered Fletcher to serve 36 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. She is further ordered to pay $2,188,870 to the victim and $549,964 to the IRS in restitution.
According to court documents, Fletcher was a trusted assistant for over 38 years and worked directly for the business owner. Fletcher had access to several bank accounts and was often included in family affairs. She took advantage of her deeply trusted position by repeatedly embezzling funds for nearly ten years. Fletcher deposited funds into her personal accounts and paid personal credit card bills by forging the owner's deceased spouse's signature on hundreds of checks. Fletcher admitted that her motives were based solely on greed. She further admitted to agents that until she was confronted by the owner and fired, she had no idea how much she had stolen.
Fletcher pled guilty in March 2023 and agreed that the restitution may not be discharged in any bankruptcy proceeding.
Fletcher was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The IRS Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple and Thomas E. Buscemi prosecuted the case.
Palmetto Man Sentenced to 60 Years for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William Jung has sentenced Christopher Lee Thompson (46, Palmetto) to 60 years in federal prison for production of child sexual abuse material. The court also ordered Thompson to forfeit two cellphones, an external hard drive, a box of DVDs, and a 128GB Micro SD Card, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Thompson entered a guilty plea on March 6, 2024.
According to court documents, law enforcement investigated Thompson based on allegations made against him for sexual battery of a five-year-old child. After securing and executing a residential search warrant, law enforcement discovered Thompson possessed nearly 20,000 images of child sexual abuse material and produced his own child sexual abuse material with several different victims, all 13 years of age or younger.
“While it's heartbreaking to learn of yet another case of innocence lost because of a sexual predator, it's reassuring to learn of the continued dedication of special agents and our law enforcement partners in making sure this predator spends a long time in prison for his despicable crime,” said FBI Tampa Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Rodney Crawford.
This case was investigated by Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abigail K. King.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 120 Months Prison for Attempted Access with Intent to View Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Angel Garcia, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on June 24, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for attempting to access with intent to view child pornography after having previously been convicted of a child pornography offense. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Garcia to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Garcia is released from prison, he will begin a 7-year term of supervised release.
In 2023, Garcia was on supervised release, following a federal conviction for receiving and distributing child pornography. Concerned about how Garcia was doing on supervised release, probation conducted a search of his residence, which located internet capable devices Garcia was not allowed to possess per the terms of his supervision.
A forensic review of those devices located evidence that Garcia was attempting to access child pornography online. Several keywords, associated with child pornography, were located on websites Garcia had accessed, as well as specific websites dedicated to conversations about child sexual abuse. The forensic review also found that a media player application on the device had played videos with names indicative of child pornography.
This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Probation Office.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Calvin Dugan, 35, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced June 25, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for possession of child pornography with a prior conviction. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Dugan to 132 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Dugan’s release from prison, he will begin a 15-year term of supervised release. Dugan will also continue to be required to register as a sex offender.
Dugan was previously convicted in October 2018 in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska for possession of child pornography and was on supervised release after serving his prison sentence. During a polygraph exam which was a required condition of his supervised release, Dugan admitted to being in possession of multiple unapproved electronic and internet capable devices. The following day, in August 2023, probation arrived at Dugan’s residence, where he advised probation officers he had the devices ready to be turned over and handed over an Xbox console and a Samsung Galaxy S9 phone. Previously, Dugan had also told his supervised release officer that he had SD cards. When asked about those, Dugan initially advised they must have fallen out of his bag, but when pressed, ultimately turned over three SD cards hidden inside a deck of playing cards. Three additional thumb drives were observed in plain view and seized by probation. Dugan admitted there would be “pictures of teens” on one of the SD cards.
The electronics were turned over to law enforcement for forensic evaluation. That evaluation revealed over 650 images that constituted child pornography.
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 www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Olympia man sentenced for racially motivated threats against federal workerRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 42-year-old Thurston County resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 30 months in prison for making a threat against a Black federal employee at the Social Security office in Olympia, Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Steven L. Veres was initially charged in July 2023. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said, “Your criminal history shows a disrespect for the law.”
“This defendant not only used racial slurs in this case, investigators discovered his use of racial slurs in social media messages back in 2020 when he was threatening to find and assault or kill a different Black victim,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Such conduct is a window into his hate-filled mindset that leads to this prison sentence today.”
According to records filed in the case, on February 16, 2023, Veres and a companion went to the Olympia Social Security Administration office seeking a replacement Social Security card. When a Black Social Security Administration employee told Veres that Veres lacked the proper paperwork to obtain a new Social Security card, Veres became irate, threatening to assault and, per some witnesses, kill the worker. Veres also repeatedly yelled racial slurs at the employee.
Veres pleaded guilty in April 2024 to Influencing a Federal Official by Threat. The Court also imposed a hate-crimes sentencing enhancement, finding that Veres targeted the victim because of the victim’s perceived race or color.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, both sides asked for a sentence of 30 months in prison.
In asking for the 30-month sentence, prosecutors noted that Veres has a history with numerous criminal convictions. “Mr. Veres has an extensive criminal history, including convictions for taking a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property and vehicles, forgery, harassment (domestic violence), malicious mischief, methamphetamine possession with intent to distribute, obstruction, and identity theft. He also has a poor record on supervision, having “made himself unavailable for supervision on five occasions” and having been “returned to custody seven times” in his first stint on supervision in the mid-2000s, and then having made himself unavailable for supervision on 17 occasions and having been returned to custody 19 times on his lengthy period on supervision between 2007 and the present,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memo.
Veres will be on federal supervision for three years following his prison term.
As part of the plea agreement, Grays Harbor County will dismiss an unrelated prosecution against Veres for attempting to elude a police officer.
The case was investigated by the Federal Protective Service.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Will Dreher and Elyne Vaught in coordination with the Criminal Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
Ocala Man Arrested for Possessing A Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Lewis Tinson, Jr. (29, Ocala) on an indictment charging him with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each count. A federal grand jury returned the indictment on May 22, 2024.
According to the indictment, Tinson is a four-time convicted felon. Each of his prior felony convictions involves firearms. Specifically, he has been convicted of carjacking with a firearm (2012), possession of a firearm by a delinquent (2012), possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2018), and shooting at, within, or into a vehicle (2018). As a convicted felon, Tinson is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. On August 27, 2021, Tinson was in possession of three firearms and multiple types of ammunition. On September 6, 2021, he was again in possession of another firearm and ammunition.
An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ocala Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
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.
Newburgh Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Coercion and Enticement of A Minor, Aggravated Sexual Assault, and Traveling with Intent to Engage in Sexual Activity with A MinorRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that VERNON E. COPELAND III was sentenced to life in prison by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas for his years-long aggravated sexual assault, enticement, and transportation of a minor. COPELAND was convicted of coercion and enticement of a minor, aggravated sexual abuse, and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity following a week-long jury trial in July 2023.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For years, Vernon E. Copeland III preyed on some of the most defenseless members of our community. Four of his victims, one of whom was just nine years old when Copeland began abusing her, faced him at trial and courageously told their harrowing stories. This lengthy prison sentence finally holds Copeland accountable for his horrific crimes and the devastating harm and trauma he caused to minor victims and their families.”
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial:
In a motel on Thanksgiving Day in 2004, COPELAND raped two minors, one of whom was 17 at the time and another of whom was 15 at the time. In 2010, COPELAND raped another minor who was 16 at the time in an apartment in Newburgh, New York. From 2016 to 2020, COPELAND repeatedly raped and sexually abused a girl when she was between the ages of 9 and 13 years old. In 2020, COPELAND fled the State of New York when he suspected that law enforcement might be closing in on him. In 2021, he was arrested in Florida and brought back to the Southern District of New York to be prosecuted.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, COPELAND, 39, of Newburgh, New York, was sentenced to lifetime supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, the Town of Newburgh Police Department, and the Tampa Police Department in Tampa, Florida, in connection with this investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danielle Sassoon and Timothy Ly, with assistance from former U.S. Attorney Lindsey Keenan, are in charge of the prosecution.
New York Man Sentenced to 360 Months’ Imprisonment for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Alkayan Khan, age 37, of Ozone Park, New York, was sentenced today to 360 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Julia K. Munley for one count of production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Khan previously pleaded guilty to one count of production of visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Khan admitted that on September 28, 2021, he coerced a minor victim to create and then send him photographs of herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Khan, a family friend of the minor victim’s family, had used his position of trust within the family to engage in a years’ long pattern of abuse against the minor victim. Ultimately, the minor victim became pregnant with Khan’s child and Khan coerced the minor victim to falsely report that she had been raped in her middle school’s bathroom by an unknown assailant. The victim, upon being interviewed by detectives from the Pocono Mountain Regional Police, admitted that Khan was her child’s father and that he had coerced her to concoct the story.
The charges stem from an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department, and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
# # #
New York Man Charged in Connection with Transnational “Grandparent Scam” Operated from Dominican RepublicRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New York man is alleged to have acted as a courier for a Dominican Republic-based “grandparent scam” that targeted elderly Americans.
Victor Anthony Valdez, 39, of the Bronx, New York, was charged by a federal grand jury with one count of wire fraud conspiracy for his role in the scam. According to the indictment, unsealed today in Newark, the scam operated from call centers in the Dominican Republic, making phone calls to elderly American victims purporting to be the victim’s grandchild, an attorney representing the grandchild in criminal proceedings, court personnel or other persons associated with the legal system. Conspirators told the victims that their grandchildren had been arrested and needed cash for bail or other expenses. Once victims were convinced through lies and falsehoods, coconspirators instructed the victims to provide cash to couriers, including Valdez, who went to victims’ homes to pick up the money.
While acting as a courier for the scam between August 2020 and August 2021, Valdez is alleged to have retrieved, or attempted to retrieve, tens of thousands of dollars from defrauded victims at their homes in New York and New Jersey.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“The alleged perpetrators in these scams – including this defendant – target our vulnerable senior population. They count on the grandparents’ love and devotion to their families in order to convince them to put up money. As alleged in this indictment, the defendant today worked as a courier, traveling to the homes of the scam victims to pick up the money. My office will protect the rights of all victims, and we will relentlessly prosecute those who allegedly target the vulnerable to cheat them out of their savings.”
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and its law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue individuals who prey on vulnerable and elderly victims through fraudulent schemes,” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, said. “We will continue to identify perpetrators of these schemes and prioritize the pursuit of those who deliberately target vulnerable consumers, whether located in the United States or abroad.”
“Mr. Valdez knowingly preyed upon the elderly for his own gain,” Inspector General Gail S. Ennis for the Social Security Administration (SSA) said. “We appreciate our law enforcement partners joining us in investigating and prosecuting these complex, international scams aimed at defrauding elderly Americans, many of whom rely on SSA benefits to make ends meet.”
If convicted of the offense in the indictment, Valdez faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Silane for the District of Jersey and Trial Attorney Joshua Ferrentino of the Civil Division's Consumer Protection Branch and are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through OVC, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New York Man Charged in Connection with Transnational “Grandparent Scam” Operated from Dominican RepublicRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury charged a New York man for having acted as a courier for a Dominican Republic-based “grandparent scam” that targeted elderly Americans.
Victor Anthony Valdez, 39, of the Bronx, was charged with one count of wire fraud conspiracy for his role in the scam. According to the indictment, unsealed today in Newark, New Jersey, the scam operated from call centers in the Dominican Republic, making phone calls to elderly American victims purporting to be the victim’s grandchild, an attorney representing the grandchild in criminal proceedings, court personnel or other persons associated with the legal system. Coconspirators told the victims that their grandchildren had been arrested and needed cash for bail or other expenses. Once victims were convinced through lies and falsehoods, coconspirators instructed the victims to provide cash to couriers, including Valdez, who went to victims’ homes to pick up the money.
While acting as a courier for the scam between August 2020 and August 2021, Valdez is alleged to have retrieved, or attempted to retrieve, tens of thousands of dollars from defrauded victims at their homes in New York and New Jersey.
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and its law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue individuals who prey on vulnerable and elderly victims through fraudulent schemes,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to identify perpetrators of these schemes and prioritize the pursuit of those who deliberately target vulnerable consumers, whether located in the United States or abroad.”
“The alleged perpetrators in these scams — including this defendant — target our vulnerable senior population,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “They count on the grandparents’ love and devotion to their families in order to convince them to put up money. As alleged in this indictment, the defendant today worked as a courier, traveling to the homes of the scam victims to pick up the money. My office will protect the rights of all victims, and we will relentlessly prosecute those who allegedly target the vulnerable to cheat them out of their savings.”
“Mr. Valdez knowingly preyed upon the elderly for his own gain,” said Inspector General Gail S. Ennis for the Social Security Administration (SSA). “We appreciate our law enforcement partners joining us in investigating and prosecuting these complex, international scams aimed at defrauding elderly Americans, many of whom rely on SSA benefits to make ends meet.”
If convicted, Valdez faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Joshua Ferrentino of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Silane for the District of Jersey are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through OVC, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New York and Florida Women Arrested for Defrauding over A Dozen Victims of More Than $7 Million in Connection with Romance ScamsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging ROSANNA LISA STANLEY and GINA GUY for their roles in a series of romance schemes and for laundering the proceeds of those schemes. STANLEY was arrested in North Miami Beach, Florida, and will be presented in federal court in the Southern District of Florida later today. GUY was arrested in New York, New York, and will be presented in Manhattan federal court later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Rosanna Lisa Stanley and Gina Guy callously defrauded elderly victims who were simply looking for companionship. They allegedly used the millions of dollars in fraud proceeds to lead lives of luxury at their victims’ expense. As today’s arrests demonstrate, perpetrators of romance scams will be held to account for their crimes.”
FBI Assistant District in Charge James Smith said: “Gina Guy and Rosanna Lisa Stanley allegedly took advantage of innocent individuals seeking companionship and exploited them for their own benefit. Collecting millions of dollars from their victims, the perpetrators allegedly gained and betrayed the trust of primarily elderly individuals to fund their luxury purchases. The FBI is committed to ensuring those who capitalize on personal connections for selfish reasons are brought to justice and prevented from repeating their crimes.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:[1]
STANLEY, from about 2009 to about 2024, and GUY, from about 2020 to about 2024, defrauded at least 16 victims (the “Victims”) of more than $7 million. As part of that scheme, STANLEY and GUY lured the Victims, who were nearly all elderly individuals, into purported romantic or close personal relationships through in-person meetings, phone calls, text messages, and an online dating platform. After earning the Victims’ trust, STANLEY and GUY convinced the Victims to transfer money to STANLEY and GUY under false pretenses, including by, among other things, falsely representing that STANLEY and GUY needed money for fake businesses and organ transplants. Once STANLEY and GUY received the Victims’ money, they moved the money through shell company bank accounts to avoid detection by law enforcement. Ultimately, STANLEY and GUY used the money for their personal benefit, including, for example, for luxury vehicles, a boat, high-end jewelry, and other luxury products.
* * *
STANLEY, 48, of North Miami Beach, Florida, and GUY, 37, of New York, New York, are each charged with one count of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diarra M. Guthrie and Lauren Phillips are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
New Hampshire Man Sentenced for Northeast Kingdom Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on June 24, 2024, Jeremy Allin, 54, of Lancaster, New Hampshire was sentenced by United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 14 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Allin previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base pursuant to a plea agreement with the United States.
According to court records, Allin became associated with his codefendant Juan Carlos “JC” Ortiz in late 2021 while Ortiz was staying at multiple residences in and around Orleans County, Vermont, for the purpose of distributing drugs. Allin initially purchased controlled substances from Ortiz for his own consumption, but he eventually began working with Ortiz to complete drug transactions and to provide transportation for the drug activities. Following the execution of a search warrant at a residence in Westfield, Vermont in February 2022, Ortiz began staying with other conspirators at their residences throughout the Northeast Kingdom, including with Allin. At the time, Allin was living in Lunenburg, Vermont. Allin continued his drug interactions with Ortiz until Ortiz was arrested in August 2022. Earlier in this case, Judge Reiss sentenced Ortiz to 95 months’ imprisonment for his role in the conspiracy.
The sentencing hearing followed a long-term investigation conducted by multiple local, county, state and federal agencies that was led by the Northeastern Vermont Drug Task Force (NEVDTF) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). NEVDTF and ATF were assisted in this investigation by agents with Homeland Security Investigations, detectives and troopers from the Vermont State Police; members of the Orleans and Essex County Sheriff’s Departments, the Newport Police Department; aviators with the Air & Marine Operations component of United States Customs & Border Protection; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaboration of federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies during the investigation and prosecution of the case.
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher. Kevin Henry, Esq. represented Jeremy Allin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Natick Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Natick man was sentenced yesterday in connection with fentanyl trafficking. During a search of the defendant’s apartment the body of a missing 24-year-old woman who had died of a drug overdose was discovered.
Rafael Ashworth, 29, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to six years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The government recommended a sentence of 10 – 12 years in prison. In February 2024, Ashworth was convicted following a six-day jury trial of one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
“This case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of drug trafficking on our communities. Mr. Ashworth’s conduct not only exposed our communities to dangerous drugs, it contributed to the tragic loss of a vibrant young woman,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to combat drug trafficking and keep our neighborhoods safe.”
“Fentanyl is causing deaths in record numbers in Massachusetts and DEA’s top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes this poison,” said Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “This sentence not only holds Mr. Ashworth accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are fueling the opioid epidemic.”
Police found a deceased woman in Ashworth’s apartment after receiving a report of an overdose death. Approximately 100 grams of a substance containing fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin, counterfeit Xanax pills containing etizolam, an illegal benzodiazepine, a large metal press used for pressing counterfeit narcotic pills, kilograms of pill-making material and other paraphernalia associated with drug packaging and distribution were also located in the apartment. When police found the deceased woman, she had been dead for several days. Ashworth made no effort to contact police or paramedics. When police first entered Ashworth’s apartment, he told police officers that he had not seen the deceased woman in weeks.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and DEA Acting SAC Belleau made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Natick Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leah Foley and Stephen Hassink of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.Multi-Convicted Felon Is Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Princess Houghton, 34, of Salisbury, N.C., was sentenced today to 96 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to documents filed in the case and court proceedings, on August 13, 2022, at approximately 3:52 p.m., CMPD Officers were dispatched to East 4th Street and South Brevard Street in reference to a service call for shots fired in the area, which is a short distance from the Transit Center in Uptown Charlotte. While enroute, another call for service came in for the Omni Hotel at 132 East Trade Street, for a victim that had been shot and sustained a gunshot wound. The officers located the victim and began rendering medical assistance. The victim was then transported to the hospital.
According to court documents, law enforcement reviewed surveillance footage from cameras in the area and were able to identify Houghton’s vehicle as it fled the area as well as the address where the vehicle was registered. On August 23, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Houghton’s residence. Law enforcement searched a safe inside the residence, where they found Houghton’s semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 18 rounds of ammunition plus one additional round in the chamber. Law enforcement also recovered a separate extended magazine loaded with additional ammunition. Court records show that Houghton had used the illegal firearm to shoot the victim.
On October 25, 2023, Houghton pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Houghton has multiple prior convictions, to include assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, accessory after the fact – robbery with a dangerous weapon, and charges related to breaking and entering. As a result of the criminal conviction, she is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Houghton is in federal custody. She will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Kent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte 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.
Monroe Woman Is Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling Nearly $2.3 Million from EmployerRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Kristy Lawrence, 45, of Monroe, N.C., was sentenced today to 36 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for embezzling nearly $2.3 million from her employer, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney also ordered Lawrence to pay $$2,224,086 in restitution.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Sheriff Eddie Cathey of the Union County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, from 2016 to April 2022, Lawrence was employed by a small family business located in Monroe. Over the course of her employment, Lawrence worked in a purchasing and accounting function for the business and handled the company’s books and records. Court records show that Lawrence misused her position to embezzle millions of dollars from the company. Lawrence carried out the scheme by making multiple unauthorized electronic transfers from the company’s bank account to pay outstanding balances on her credit card and to make other payments for her personal benefit. Lawrence covered up the fraud by using her position and access to falsify documents and make fraudulent accounting entries in the company’s books and records. Lawrence’s embezzlement scheme was uncovered after the defendant was on extended leave and another employee took over her responsibilities.
In reaching its sentence, the Court highlighted, among other things, the long-running nature of the scheme and the significant economic and emotional harm that Lawrence caused to her employer and her coworkers.
On December 19, 2023, Lawrence pleaded guilty to wire fraud. She remains free on bond and will be ordered to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons to begin serving her sentence upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI in Charlotte and the Union County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Ryan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Mobile Man Sentenced to 77 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced to 77 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.
According to court documents, Randy Fisher Crandle, 26, was arrested by Mobile police on November 22, 2022 following a traffic stop where he was found to be in possession of a firearm. Crandle has multiple prior felony convictions, including convictions for robbery, arson, and assault. As a convicted felon, Crandle is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Crandle was indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm and pled guilty to the charge. United States District Court Judge Kristi K. DuBose sentenced Crandle to 77 months in prison followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for illegally possessing the firearm.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Mobile Police Department investigated 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill and Justin D. Kopf prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Michigan Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Bacarre H. Curtis, age 23, of Eastpointe, Michigan, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Curtis, also known as “TJ,” was transporting methamphetamine from Michigan to Harrison County, West Virginia, and selling it with a network of others. A search of his vehicle yielded methamphetamine and a firearm. The investigation connected 1.2 kilograms of methamphetamine to Curtis.
Curtis will serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Miami-Dade County Woman Arrested for Providing Contraband to A Coleman PrisonerRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Janai Chanel Stephens (38, Opa Locka) on a two-count indictment charging her with making a materially false statement or representation to a federal agency and providing contraband to a federal prisoner. If convicted, Stephens faces up to five years in federal prison. A federal grand jury indicted Stephens on May 28, 2024.
According to the indictment, on March 10, 2024, Stephens made a materially false statement to a Federal Bureau of Prisons Correctional Officer regarding whether she was in possession of tobacco, which is a prohibited item, when she entered the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex. Afterwards, she provided the tobacco to an inmate at that prison facility.
An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being prosecuted as part of a U.S. Department of Justice task force aimed at rooting out contraband and misconduct in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). The task force was led by the BOP and the DOJ Office of the Inspector General, with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
Memphis Man Sentenced to Ten Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. – A Memphis man was sentenced today to ten years in prison for distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to court records, Christopher Brittenum, 39, previously pled guilty to participating in a drug conspiracy. The Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating Brittenum after Brittenum sold fentanyl resulting in the overdose death of an Olive Branch man. In addition, DEA gathered evidence showing Brittenum distributed narcotics to two individuals, who subsequently overdosed but survived. DEA ultimately determined that Brittenum was responsible for distributing 1.5 to 5 kilograms of methamphetamine during the conspiracy.
At a sentencing hearing on Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Brittenum to 120 months imprisonment followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
“Fentanyl has impacted every community in Mississippi and our nation, and those who distribute this poison in our communities need to expect to go to prison without exception,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We will continue to work with our partners at DEA and outstanding local partners like the Olive Branch Police Department to remove both fentanyl and those who distribute it from our streets.”
“This sentence sends a clear message to those who deal fentanyl and methamphetamine – you will be held accountable for the devastation you cause. One life lost is one too many, and this defendant is responsible for the death of a resident in Olive Branch,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge, Steven Hofer of the New Orleans Division. “The DEA will continue to pursue those who bring these dangerous drugs into our neighborhoods.”
“Our department is grateful for the partnership we have with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the US Attorney’s Office,” said Olive Branch Police Chief William Cox. “This sentencing is the culmination of many hours of dedicated service by the detectives and agents of each department and our community is safer as a result. The Olive Branch Police Department will continue to work with these agencies and the US Attorney’s Office to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our community.”
The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case in partnership with the Olive Branch Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stringfellow prosecuted the case.
Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
A Tennessee man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor and sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.
According to court documents, from December 2021 through March 2022, Charles Cunigan, 31, and his girlfriend, Latesha Gardner, transported the victim, who was a minor throughout the timeframe of the conspiracy, across state lines from Tennessee to Illinois, Louisiana, and Texas for the purpose of causing her to engage in commercial sex acts. Cunigan advertised the victim for commercial sex on websites, kept the money the victim made from commercial sex transactions, required the victim to earn a daily quotas from commercial sex, and restricted the victim’s access to food. Cunigan also tracked the victim’s location using a cell phone application and told her that he would find and kill the victim if she ever tried to leave.
Cunigan used violence to accomplish the scheme. For example, if the victim did not comply with Cunigan’s demands, he would beat the victim, which Cunigan did when he punched and kicked the victim during an altercation in February 2022. On occasion, Cunigan also directed Gardner to use physical force against the victim.
Cunigan is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24. If the court accepts the guilty plea, the government and Cunigan have agreed that Cunigan will be sentenced to 22 years and six months’ imprisonment. Cunigan has also agreed to pay $48,750 in restitution to the victim. As a result of his conviction, Cunigan must participate in the sex offender registration and notification program upon his release from custody.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana; and Deputy Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans made the announcement.
HSI New Orleans investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Melissa E. Bücher of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria M. Carboni for the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
Man Convicted of Violent Home Invasion Robberies to Steal CryptocurrencyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal jury in Greensboro, North Carolina, convicted a Florida man today for his lead role in an international conspiracy to break into U.S. citizens’ homes, violently kidnap and assault them, and steal their Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Remy St Felix, 24, of West Palm Beach, was a leader of a robbery crew that targeted cryptocurrency owners through violent home invasions. Between September 2022 and July 2023, St Felix helped to plan and orchestrate a series of robberies in Durham, North Carolina; Florida; Texas; and New York. Victims from St Felix’s home invasions were kidnapped in their own homes and told to access and drain their cryptocurrency accounts.
“St Felix and his co-conspirators targeted victims across the United States for brutal home invasions, kidnappings, and robberies in order to steal cryptocurrency,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Although the members of this violent conspiracy tried to cover their tracks through encrypted communication and anonymous financial transactions, they were not beyond the reach of our dedicated investigators and prosecutors. The jury’s verdict today—the latest in more than a dozen convictions in this case—should serve as yet another reminder that the Criminal Division and its partners are committed to bringing violent offenders to justice, no matter how technically sophisticated their crimes may be.”
“The victims in this case suffered a horrible, painful experience that no citizen should have to endure,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “The defendant and his co-conspirators acted purely out of greed and callously terrorized those they targeted. The jury’s verdict in this case represents a vital step in securing justice for these victims.”
According to trial evidence, in April 2023, St Felix and a co-conspirator forced their way into a victim’s home. There, St Felix and his co-conspirator assaulted, zip-tied, and held the victim at gunpoint, and threatened more violence against the victim and the victim’s spouse, while other co-conspirators transferred more than $150,000 in cryptocurrency from the victim’s account.
Evidence introduced at trial revealed that St Felix and his co-conspirators gained unauthorized access to their targets’ email accounts and conducted physical surveillance prior to attempting the home invasion robberies. They laundered the funds they stole through anonymity-enhanced cryptocurrencies such as Monero, as well as “instant exchanges” and decentralized finance platforms that did not conduct know-your-customer checks. St Felix and his co-conspirators in the United States and abroad used encrypted messaging applications to communicate about their targets and their money laundering efforts.
“Engaging in violence in the furtherance of stealing cryptocurrency, as Remy St Felix did, will not be tolerated by the FBI and its partners,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “We are proud of the work that led to today’s conviction, which should act as a warning to others looking to participate in similar activity that we will not stop until you face the consequences of your actions.”
“The crimes committed by this ring of violent cryptocurrency thieves are shocking. They held victims hostage in their own homes and stole hundreds of millions of dollars from their crypto accounts,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office. “This investigation is an outstanding example of what a local FBI field office can accomplish. We hope the tireless work of our criminal and cyber squads can provide some sense of justice to the victims terrorized by this group.”
St Felix was arrested by the FBI in July 2023 on his way to commit a home invasion in New York. Thirteen of St Felix’s co-conspirators, including members of his home invasion robbery crew, also were arrested and later pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme.
The jury convicted St Felix of nine counts relating to conspiracy, kidnapping, Hobbs Act robbery, wire fraud, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of crimes of violence. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 11 and faces a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina; and Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Durham Police Department and the FBI New York, Miami, Houston, Mobile, and Newark Field Offices. The National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET) of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section is partnered with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina in prosecuting the case. CCIPS/NCET Trial Attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Iverson for the Middle District of North Carolina and CCIPS Trial Attorney Brian Mund are prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Southern District of Florida, Southern District of Texas, and Eastern District of Texas provided valuable assistance.
NCET was established to combat the growing illicit use of cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Within CCIPS, NCET conducts and supports investigations into individuals and entities that enable the use of digital assets to commit and facilitate a variety of crimes, with a particular focus on virtual currency exchanges, obfuscation services, and infrastructure providers. NCET also sets strategic priorities regarding digital asset technologies, identifies areas for increased investigative and prosecutorial focus, and leads the department’s efforts to collaborate with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as the private sector to aggressively investigate and prosecute crimes involving cryptocurrency and digital assets.
###
Man Convicted of Violent Home Invasion Robberies to Steal CryptocurrencyRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Greensboro, North Carolina, convicted a Florida man today for his lead role in an international conspiracy to break into U.S. citizens’ homes, violently kidnap and assault them, and steal their Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Remy St Felix, 24, of West Palm Beach, was a leader of a robbery crew that targeted cryptocurrency owners through violent home invasions. Between September 2022 and July 2023, St Felix helped to plan and orchestrate a series of robberies in Durham, North Carolina; Florida; Texas; and New York. Victims from St Felix’s home invasions were kidnapped in their own homes and told to access and drain their cryptocurrency accounts.
“St Felix and his co-conspirators targeted victims across the United States for brutal home invasions, kidnappings, and robberies in order to steal cryptocurrency,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Although the members of this violent conspiracy tried to cover their tracks through encrypted communication and anonymous financial transactions, they were not beyond the reach of our dedicated investigators and prosecutors. The jury’s verdict today—the latest in more than a dozen convictions in this case—should serve as yet another reminder that the Criminal Division and its partners are committed to bringing violent offenders to justice, no matter how technically sophisticated their crimes may be.”
“The victims in this case suffered a horrible, painful experience that no citizen should have to endure,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “The defendant and his co-conspirators acted purely out of greed and callously terrorized those they targeted. The jury’s verdict in this case represents a vital step in securing justice for these victims.”
According to trial evidence, in April 2023, St Felix and a co-conspirator forced their way into a victim’s home. There, St Felix and his co-conspirator assaulted, zip-tied, and held the victim at gunpoint, and threatened more violence against the victim and the victim’s spouse, while other co-conspirators transferred more than $150,000 in cryptocurrency from the victim’s account.
Evidence introduced at trial revealed that St Felix and his co-conspirators gained unauthorized access to their targets’ email accounts and conducted physical surveillance prior to attempting the home invasion robberies. They laundered the funds they stole through anonymity-enhanced cryptocurrencies such as Monero, as well as “instant exchanges” and decentralized finance platforms that did not conduct know-your-customer checks. St Felix and his co-conspirators in the United States and abroad used encrypted messaging applications to communicate about their targets and their money laundering efforts.
“Engaging in violence in the furtherance of stealing cryptocurrency, as Remy St Felix did, will not be tolerated by the FBI and its partners,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “We are proud of the work that led to today’s conviction, which should act as a warning to others looking to participate in similar activity that we will not stop until you face the consequences of your actions.”
“The crimes committed by this ring of violent cryptocurrency thieves are shocking. They held victims hostage in their own homes and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from their crypto accounts,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office. “This investigation is an outstanding example of what a local FBI field office can accomplish. We hope the tireless work of our criminal and cyber squads can provide some sense of justice to the victims terrorized by this group.”
St Felix was arrested by the FBI in July 2023 on his way to commit a home invasion in New York. Thirteen of St Felix’s co-conspirators, including members of his home invasion robbery crew, also were arrested and later pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme.
The jury convicted St Felix of nine counts relating to conspiracy, kidnapping, Hobbs Act robbery, wire fraud, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of crimes of violence. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 11 and faces a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina; and Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Durham Police Department and the FBI New York, Miami, Houston, Mobile, and Newark Field Offices. The National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET) of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section is partnered with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina in prosecuting the case. CCIPS/NCET Trial Attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Iverson for the Middle District of North Carolina and CCIPS Trial Attorney Brian Mund are prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Southern District of Florida, Southern District of Texas, and Eastern District of Texas provided valuable assistance.
NCET was established to combat the growing illicit use of cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Within CCIPS, NCET conducts and supports investigations into individuals and entities that enable the use of digital assets to commit and facilitate a variety of crimes, with a particular focus on virtual currency exchanges, obfuscation services, and infrastructure providers. NCET also sets strategic priorities regarding digital asset technologies, identifies areas for increased investigative and prosecutorial focus, and leads the department’s efforts to collaborate with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as the private sector to aggressively investigate and prosecute crimes involving cryptocurrency and digital assets.
Local narcotics supplier gets hefty sentenceRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 21-year-old Houston resident has been handed a significant sentence for his role in a poly-drug distribution conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Dhevani Mitchell pleaded guilty Dec. 4, 2023.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now sentenced Mitchell to 324 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Mitchell’s conduct had destroyed lives and families and was a threat to the community. The court also found Mitchell continued to deal drugs and “do harm” after having multiple chances and would continue to do so if given the opportunity.
At the time of his plea, Mitchell admitted to supplying large quantities of meth, cocaine and fentanyl from his residence in February and March 2021.
During a search of the residence March 31, 2021, authorities seized a total of approximately 10.9 kilograms of meth, 1.267 kilograms of China white heroin/gray death heroin, 260 grams suspected fentanyl, large quantities of various pressed pills and five firearms. While securing the location, they found Mitchell in a back bedroom along with a black Stoeger Cougar 9-millimeter handgun under a pillow next to him. They also discovered a Remington 5501 .22 caliber rifle and ammunition.
Mitchell will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative with the assistance of Houston Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety. These such cooperative matters provide 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Day and Christine Lu are prosecuting the case.
Lehigh County Father and Son Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of Machine GunsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Joseph Raymond Berger, 69, and his son, Joseph Paul Berger, 35, both of Bethlehem, PA, were sentenced by United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Leeson, Jr., to 36 months of supervised release and 37 months’ imprisonment, respectively, for illegal weapons possession.
Joseph Raymond Berger’s sentencing hearing was June 24, 2024; Joseph Paul Berger was sentenced on June 12, 2024.
In February of 2022, the men were charged by indictment with possession of a machine gun and possession of non-registered firearms. The charges stemmed from the defendants’ illegal possession of 13 fully automatic machine guns and 12 firearms silencers. The Bergers entered guilty pleas on February 28, 2024.
According to court documents, law enforcement agents with Customs and Border Protection intercepted three firearms silencers that were illegally imported into the United States in packages addressed to the defendants at their shared residence. Investigators then obtained a search warrant for the home and recovered from the basement the 13 fully automatic machine guns and the 12 firearms suppressors/silencers listed in the indictment. The machine guns included 11 rifles and 2 submachine guns.
Investigators also uncovered evidence that the firearms found in the Berger home were originally sold and purchased as semi-automatic firearms, which were then manually converted into unregistered, fully automatic machine guns.
“Our nation’s firearms laws exist to protect public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Abide by those regulations and you’re good to go. But if, like the Bergers, you brazenly flout them by illegally possessing dangerous items like fully automatic machine guns and silencers, expect to be held accountable for your actions.”
“The importation of illegal firearms suppressors is a serious crime that poses a serious threat to the American public,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia Sara Bay. “HSI, along with its partner agencies, is committed to keeping dangerous, illegal weapons off of the streets and out of the hands of criminals.”
“This sentencing validates the tireless efforts of U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers to intercept illicit and dangerous products at our nation’s borders before they can harm America citizens, including fully automatic weapons that could be used on unsuspecting victims or on law enforcement officers,” said Adam Streetman, CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Philadelphia. “CBP remains committed to ensuring that imports comply with our nation’s laws, and to working with our law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe and hold nefarious actors accountable.”
“The combination of machine guns and silencers that these individuals illegally imported created a serious threat to our communities,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “Getting illegal firearms like these, and the people who traffic them, off our street is core to the ATF mission of protecting our communities from violent crime.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Carissimi.
Leader of Money Laundering and Bank Fraud Ring Sentenced to Seven Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ADEDAYO JOHN was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska to seven years in prison for his role as a leader of a money laundering and bank fraud ring that laundered millions of dollars in proceeds derived from business email compromises and romance fraud schemes impacting more than 50 victims. JOHN previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud on January 4, 2024. In total, 11 defendants have pled guilty for their roles in the money laundering and bank fraud schemes.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The defendants in this case have acknowledged their roles as part of a criminal enterprise that not only defrauded businesses by assuming the online identities of legitimate entities, but also preyed on elderly people, deceiving victims into sending money in phony romance scams. As a leader of the scheme, Adedayo John played a particularly important role in the enterprise and victimization of individuals and companies across the country. Today’s sentence ensures that he will be held accountable for his actions.”
According to the Indictment and other court documents:
JOHN, OLUWADAMILOLA AKINPELU, KAZEEM RAHEEM, MORAKINYO GBEYIDE, WARRIS ADENUGA, a/k/a “Blue,” SMART AGUNBIADE, LATEEF GOLOBA, SAMSONDEEN GOLOBA, OLAWOYIN PETER OLAREWAJU, EMMANUEL ORONSAYE-AJAYI, and ARAMIWALE SHITTU (collectively, the “defendants”) participated in either a money laundering conspiracy, a bank fraud conspiracy, or both, which received funds stolen from victims.
Victims were typically defrauded in one of two ways. In some instances, business email compromise fraud schemes were used to trick businesses into transferring funds to bank accounts the victims believed were under the control of legitimate recipients of the funds as part of normal business operations, when in fact the bank accounts were under the control of the defendants or their co-conspirators. In other instances, romance scams were used, primarily through electronic messages sent via email, text messaging, social media, or online dating websites, to deceive victims – many of whom were older men and women – into believing they were in romantic relationships with fake identities, and then using false pretenses to cause the victims to transfer funds to bank accounts controlled by the defendants or their co-conspirators.
As a result of these frauds, law enforcement officers have identified transfers of more than $19 million into bank accounts under the control of the defendants.
JOHN was a leader of the U.S.-based members of the business email compromises and romance fraud schemes. JOHN directed other members of the conspiracy to open new bank accounts and/or to be ready to receive money that was going to be sent from others, and he assisted members with procuring fake passports and other identification documents in order to open fraudulent bank accounts. JOHN also attempted to facilitate the delivery of flowers to a victim of one of the the romance scams. As part of the scheme, approximately $4.5 million in fraud proceeds passed through bank accounts opened and/or controlled by JOHN, and JOHN led a group of individuals based in the U.S. for whom approximately $19 million in fraud proceeds passed through their bank accounts.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, JOHN, 35, of Katy, Texas, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $4,513,438.23 and two vehicles. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,561,562.95. In total, the defendants in this case were ordered to forfeit over $25 million in fraud proceeds and pay over $8 million in restitution.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Secret Service.
The case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Connie Dang, Kaylan Lasky and Matthew Weinberg are in charge of the prosecution.
Last of Five Defendants with Ties to White Supremacy and Who Were Charged with Targeting Idaho Energy Facilities Enters Guilty PleaRead the Press Release
BOISE – Yesterday, in Wilmington, North Carolina, a Boise man with white supremacist ties pleaded guilty to a federal firearms charge stemming from his participation in a group that had discussed targeting the power grid in Idaho and had conducted live-fire training near Boise.
Jordan Duncan, 29, of Boise, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the manufacturing of a firearm as charged in a superseding criminal information filed in the Eastern District of North Carolina. This crime carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in federal prison. Duncan is a former Marine assigned previously to Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
According to court documents, Duncan, with co-defendants Paul James Kryscuk, 38, Liam Collins, 25, Justin Wade Hermanson, 25, and Joseph Maurino, 25, researched, discussed, and reviewed at length a previous attack on the power grid by an unknown group. The group depicted in the attack used assault-style rifles in an attempt to explode a power substation. Between 2017 and 2020, Kryscuk manufactured firearms while Collins stole military gear, including magazines for assault-style rifles, and had them delivered to the other defendants. During that time, Duncan gathered a library of information, some military-owned, regarding firearms, explosives, and nerve toxins and shared that information with Kryscuk and Collins. In October 2020, a handwritten list of approximately one dozen intersections and places in Idaho and surrounding states was discovered in Kryscuk’s possession, including intersections and/or places containing a transformer, substation, or other component of the power grid for the northwest United States.
Previously filed charges allege that Collins and Kryscuk were members of and made multiple posts on the “Iron March” forum, a gathering point for young neo-Nazis to organize and recruit for extremist organizations, until the forum was closed in late 2017. Collins and Kryscuk met through the forum and expanded their group using an encrypted messaging application as an alternate means of communication outside of the forum. Collins and Kryscuk recruited additional members, including Duncan, Hermanson, and Maurino, and conducted training, including a live-fire training in the desert near Boise. From video footage recorded by the members during the training, Kryscuk, Duncan, and others produced a montage video of their training. In the video, the participants are seen firing short barrel rifles and other assault-type rifles, and the end of the propaganda video shows the four participants outfitted in AtomWaffen masks giving the “Heil Hitler” sign, beneath the image of a black sun, a Nazi symbol. The last frame bears the phrase, “Come home white man.” Prior to their arrests, Collins and Duncan had recently relocated to Boise from North Carolina and Texas, respectively, to be near Kryscuk.
Kryscuk, Collins, Maurino, and Hermanson each earlier entered pleas of guilty to various crimes: on February 15, 2022, Kryscuk entered a plea of guilty to conspiracy to destroy an energy facility, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison; on October 24, 2023, Collins pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the interstate transportation of unregistered firearms, which carries a maximum of 10 years in federal prison; and on March 8, 2023 and April 11, 2023, respectively, Hermanson and Maurino pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture firearms and ship interstate, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
All five defendants now await sentencing before Chief United States District Judge Richard E. Myers II.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the FBI field offices in Salt Lake City and Charlotte with assistance from field offices in Boston, New York, and Newark, the Boise Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Eastern District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case for the government with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Idaho, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, the District of Rhode Island, and attorneys from the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
###
Lake County Woman Pleads Guilty to COVID FraudRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Nicole Harding (38, Clermont) has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Harding faces up to 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court records, between March 28 and April 14, 2021, Harding devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Association by submitting a false Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan application. PPP loans were one of the sources of economic relief provided for by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. Harding provided false representations in her PPP application to secure the loan. The loan proceeds ($19,965) were later electronically transferred into her bank account. Harding then used the money for personal expenses, including a tattoo.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department 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 www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Federal Hate Crime Targeting Children OnlineRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Kentucky man pleaded guilty and was sentenced last week to one year and one day in prison and one year of supervised release in the District of Eastern Louisiana for committing a federal hate crime.
According to court documents, Brian Adams, 24, of Paintsville, Kentucky, transmitted a threat to a fifth-grade class at the Laureate Academy Charter School on or about Oct. 14, 2020. At the time, the school was conducting class virtually over Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, Adams used racial epithets against the students and teachers and threatened to “hang them by a tree.” Adams pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting threatening communications. The court found that Adams’ actions were motivated by hate.
“This prosecution should make clear that perpetrators of hate crimes hiding behind computer screens, hacking into teleconferences and disrupting virtual meetings will be held accountable. The defendant used racial epithets and threats against innocent children who were simply trying to get an education,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No child should ever have to endure racially motivated hatred like this in a classroom, a school or anywhere else. The Justice Department is committed to protecting children from such hate-filled assaults and to safeguarding their right to a safe and secure education.”
“Citizens should not fear threats based on their race at any time and especially for students while pursuing their education,” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working closely with federal, state and local law enforcement to ensure hate crimes are investigated, prosecuted and to ultimately hold perpetrators responsible for their actions.”
“Hate has no place in our country, especially in a fifth-grade classroom,” said Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “Protecting the rights of all Americans under the Constitution is the heart of the FBI's mission.”
The FBI New Orleans Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey N. Knight for the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Mary Hahn of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.