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11 June 2024
Woman who Sent Fentanyl Mixture into Jail Sentenced to 71 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who sent controlled substances into a jail was sentenced on June 10, 2024, to 71 months in federal prison.
Brookelyn Marie Lindquist, age 42, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 11, 2024 guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
Lindquist sent multiple packages to another individual in jail. That individual was in prison pending sentencing for a federal drug trafficking conviction. Inside these packages, Lindquist sent the individual controlled substances that included a mixture of fentanyl and heroin. When the individual used the controlled substances sent by Lindquist, they suffered an overdose. Lindquist was on state parole at the time of her conduct due to another drug trafficking conviction.
Lindquist was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Lindquist was sentenced to 71 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Waterloo Police Department, the Black Hawk County Sherriff’s Office, and the Tri-County Drug Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR- 2079.
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United States Reaches $1.2 Million Civil Settlement with Festus Pain Management Doctor over Allegations of False Claims to Federal Health Care ProgramsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri announced today that the United States has reached a civil settlement to resolve allegations that Dr. Nehal Modh and Modh’s company knowingly submitted false claims to Medicare and Missouri Medicaid.
Dr. Modh is the president and sole owner of Progressive Pain Management in Festus, Missouri.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that Dr. Modh and PPM falsely indicated to both Medicare and Missouri Medicaid that ultrasound guidance was used on certain pain management injections, submitted false claims for payment for facet joint injections that did not meet billing substantiation requirements, and improperly coded claims for payment to receive excess reimbursement.
As part of the settlement, Dr. Modh and PPM will repay the United States $1.2 million, consisting of $600,000 in restitution doubled under the False Claims Act (FCA).
The settlement resolves allegations brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the FCA by Donna Chronister, a former employee of PPM. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Donna Chronister v. Progressive Pain Management, P.C., et al, case no. 4:19-cv-2245 in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. Chronister will receive $177,707 of the proceeds from the settlement.
“We thank the whistleblower for her courage to bring her concerns forward,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri. “This settlement is an example of our important civil enforcement efforts where we work with whistleblowers to protect the public fisc.”
"Health care fraud is a serious problem that costs taxpayers millions in wasted dollars while often depriving vulnerable beneficiaries of the care and support they need," said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). "We will continue to aggressively investigate these cases in an effort to eliminate the corruption in our health care system."
This civil settlement was a result of the combined work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, HHS-OIG’s Office of Investigations and Office of Audit, the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the FBI.
United States Enters into A Memorandum of Understanding with the New York State Office of Court Administration Ensuring Access to Rockland County Drug Treatment Court for Participants with Limited English ProficiencyRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Kristen Clarke, the Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, announced today that the United States entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with the New York State Unified Court System, Office of Court Administration (“OCA”) resolving its review of the Rockland County Drug Treatment Court’s compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin by recipients of federal financial assistance. Prohibited discrimination may include a failure to provide meaningful language access.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Members of the community should not be denied meaningful access to court proceedings and programs offering alternatives to traditional sentencing because of their limited English proficiency. We thank the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office and OCA for working with us to ensure that the Rockland County Drug Treatment Court is available to all eligible participants, and we hope that this Memorandum of Understanding can serve as a model for all courts in this district to ensure meaningful access to persons with limited English proficiency, in compliance with Title VI.”
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said: “Ensuring equal justice under law means doing so in a manner that is fair, accurate and understandable for all, but that does not happen unless people involved in the judicial process can communicate with each other. People should not be penalized for their limited English proficiency and should receive the language assistance services they need to fairly participate in court proceedings and court-mandated trainings or treatment programs. This agreement stands as a model for ensuring access to the courts, including its programs and services, for all people, regardless of English proficiency, and outlines the actions needed to eliminate barriers for court users with limited English proficiency.”
According to the MOU and public filings and statements:
In January 2023, this Office reviewed a complaint alleging that people with limited English proficiency (“LEP”) could not participate fully in the Rockland County Drug Treatment Court because the Court did not provide translation and interpretation services. Shortly thereafter, OCA became involved in the language access procedures for the Rockland County Drug Treatment Court and ultimately assumed responsibility for the Court in March 2024. This Office, in collaboration with the Civil Rights Division, worked with OCA and the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, which operated the Drug Treatment Court prior to March 2024, to identify reforms necessary to ensure that all LEP individuals qualified to participate in the Drug Treatment Court had meaningful language access.
During the review of this matter, the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office and OCA took several affirmative steps to provide meaningful access for Court participants with LEP, including committing to provide interpreter services for all court proceedings, conducting outreach to Rockland County Drug Treatment Court stakeholders, and identifying a local treatment provider to provide court-mandated treatment services in Spanish.
Under the MOU, OCA will take a number of additional steps to ensure meaningful access for LEP participants in the Rockland County Drug Treatment Court. These steps include translating all documents into Spanish, Creole, and Yiddish, and into other languages upon request, publicizing the Drug Treatment Court program in these additional languages, and securing treatment providers that will offer court-mandated drug treatment programs in a manner that provides meaningful access to people with LEP, at no cost to participants.
Information about Title VI and limited English proficiency is available at www.lep.gov. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations in the Southern District of New York at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/civil-rights or with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division at www.civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
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Mr. Williams thanked the Civil Rights Division, Federal Coordination and Compliance Section, for its collaboration in resolving this matter.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Civil Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine S. Poscablo is in charge of the case.
U.S. Postal Service Employee Sentenced to Prison for Stealing Nearly $90,000 Worth of Postal Money Orders and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee was sentenced today for embezzling nearly $90,000 and for fraudulently obtaining unemployment benefits.
Jamesa Rankins, 27, of Brockton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 18 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Rankins was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $104,698. In November 2023, Rankins was convicted by a federal jury of one count of theft of government money and three counts of wire fraud.
Rankins worked as a Sales & Service Distribution Associate at the Montello Post office in Brockton for approximately four and a half years. Prior to her termination in January 2021, Rankins had the ability to generate postal money orders, including replacement money orders. Customers could obtain replacement money orders without paying any additional fees if the original postal money orders were lost, damaged or erroneous. Beginning around September 2020, Rankins issued approximately 126 fictitious replacement money orders to an associate for money orders that were not lost, damaged or erroneous. In many instances, the fictitious replacement money orders actually invalidated properly issued money orders. In total, Rankins issued nearly $90,000 worth of replacement money orders.
Beginning in May 2020, Rankins also applied for and obtained Pandemic Unemployment Assistance from the Massachusetts Division of Unemployment Assistance despite being employed by USPS and thus being ineligible to receive unemployment assistance. In total, Rankins collected at least $15,000 in unemployment benefits to which she was not entitled.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office; and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, Northeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris, Deputy Chief of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Two Men Admit Involvement in Fatal University City Drug DealRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two men have admitted being involved in the fatal shooting of a man in University City, Missouri in 2022 because they thought he bought marijuana with counterfeit money.
Nathaniel Brown-Shatto, 21, pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of knowingly discharging a firearm in furtherance of the commission of a drug trafficking crime resulting in death.
Carlos Albert Castellanos Jr., 22, pleaded guilty June 6 to one count of conspiracy to possess one or more firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Brown-Shatto and Castellanos both admitted involvement in a three-person marijuana conspiracy. Brown-Shatto told the others that the victim had previously purchased marijuana from him using counterfeit currency. On Feb. 19, 2022, they were together in a vehicle, selling marijuana. All were armed. When the victim contacted Brown-Shatto to buy more marijuana, the three drove to his home in the 7800 block of Birchmont Drive. Castellanos was driving, Brown-Shatto was in the passenger seat and the third man was in the rear of the vehicle.
When the victim stepped out of his home, Brown-Shatto shot him with a handgun while the third man began shooting him through the vehicle’s sunroof with an AK-style rifle, Brown-Shatto and Castellanos’ plea agreements say. Investigators later recovered a total of 22 spent cartridge casings from both weapons. Both shooters disposed of those weapons, but Castellanos kept his because he didn’t use it, the plea agreements say.
Three days later, University City police stopped Castellanos and Brown-Shatto in a vehicle that matched the description of the one used by the shooters. Castellanos and Brown-Shatto were both armed with handguns and officers found about one pound of marijuana in a backpack in the car.
The third man, Emanuel Benito Vasquez, 21, is facing a marijuana conspiracy charge as well as charges of discharging a firearm in furtherance of the commission of a drug trafficking crime resulting in death and conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He has not yet been arrested. Charges are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Castellanos is scheduled to be sentenced in December and Brown-Shatto in November.
The case was investigated by the University City Police Department, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Two Hudson County Men Admit Gas Station Robberies and Attempted CarjackingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two Hudson County, New Jersey, men admitted their involvement in a string of armed robberies of gas stations, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Wendell Bradley Jr., 27, of Bayonne, New Jersey pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, one count of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of attempted carjacking, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Joseph Brown, 26, of Jersey City, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on May 9, 2024, before Judge Arleo to an information charging him with one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery and one count of Hobbs Act robbery.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From Jan. 3, 2022, to Feb. 4, 2022, Bradley, either alone or with Brown, would drive to a gas station, pull up to a gas pump, ask the gas station attendant to put gas in the car’s tank, and, while the tank was being filled, would pull a gun on the attendant and demand money. On Jan. 20, 2022, in Union, Brown pointed a gun at a gas station attendant, demanded money, and threated to kill him. Bradley then grabbed the attendant from behind, but the attendant was able to break free and escape into the gas station before Brown or Bradley could take any money from him.
The spree ended on Feb. 4, 2022, after Bradley and Brown robbed a gas station attendant at gunpoint in Secaucus, New Jersey. After the robbery, Bradley and Brown fled, and officers chased them from Secaucus to Newark, where Bradley crashed his car.
The conspiracy, robbery, and attempted robbery charges each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gain or loss from the offenses, whichever is greatest. The carjacking charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gain or loss from the offenses, whichever is greatest. The firearm possession charge carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of seven years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. Sentencing for Bradley is scheduled for Oct. 10, 2024; sentencing for Brown is scheduled for Oct. 3, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Ross A. Marchetti; the Clifton Police Department, under the direction of Chief Thomas Rinaldi; the Hillside Police Department, under the direction of Chief Vincent P. Ricciardi Jr,; the Jersey City Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Public Safety Director James Shea; the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé; the North Bergan Police Department, under the direction of Chief Peter Fasilis; the Secaucus Police Department, under the direction of Chief Dennis Miller; and the Union Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Chris Donnelly, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Webman of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
bradleybrown.information.pdfTroy area man sentenced to two months in prison, fined $10,000 for killing grizzly bear, tampering with evidenceRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Troy area man who admitted to killing a grizzly bear on his property in 2020, not reporting the shooting as required and throwing the bear’s GPS collar in the Yaak River was sentenced today to two months in prison and fined $10,000, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Othel Lee Pearson, 80, pleaded guilty in February to tampering with evidence, a felony, and to failure to report taking of grizzly bear, a misdemeanor.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court further ordered Pearson to serve four months of home confinement after his incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In addition, the court ordered Pearson to forfeit a .270 Winchester bolt-action rifle with a scope that he used to kill the grizzly bear and was seized from his residence. The court allowed Pearson to self-report to prison.
“Those of us who grew up in Montana know not just the dangers associated with grizzly bears, but also their protected status as a threatened species, too. When, as here, one illegally kills a grizzly bear, and in an attempt to cover it up, cuts off the bear’s GPS collar, tosses it into the Yaak River, and butchers the carcass for disposal, a federal felony will be pursued. The Cabinet-Yaak area is a designated grizzly bear recovery zone and includes Pearson’s property, which makes Pearson’s conduct even more troubling. Pearson was only caught due to the sophistication and tenacity of agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and our federal prosecutors, for which I am grateful,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
"The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to protecting our nation's natural resources for the continued benefit of the American people. Grizzly bears are a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act and the state animal of Montana, which shows the importance of grizzly bears to the people and our ecosystems," said Edward Grace, Assistant Director for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. "Our agents will work tirelessly to investigate the illegal take of grizzly bears even when faced with the attempts to destroy and cover up the crime."
As alleged in amended court documents, on Nov. 19, 2020, Pearson shot and killed a sow grizzly bear on his residential property, using a .270 rifle. Pearson cut a GPS collar that had been fitted to the bear and discarded the collar nearby in the Yaak River. Pearson also cut paws, ear tags and an identifying lip tattoo from the bear carcass. Pearson then concealed the bear’s claws and an ear tag in a hollowed-out tree on Forest Service land near his residence. Meat from the bear was discovered in Pearson’s freezer inside his home. Pearson attempted to and did tamper with these identifying items to impair the criminal prosecution for failing to report taking of a grizzly bear. Pearson did not report the killing of the grizzly bear to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service within five days of occurrence.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted the investigation.
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Texas Men Sentenced for Conspiracy to Sell Sanctioned Iranian Petroleum to ChinaRead the Press Release
Two Texas men, both of whom were convicted at trial, were sentenced today to 45 months in prison for attempting to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), conspiracy to violate IEEPA and conspiracy to commit money laundering based on their attempt to transact in sanctioned petroleum and launder the proceeds.
According to court documents, Zhenyu “Bill” Wang, 43, a Chinese citizen, and Daniel Ray Lane, 42, of McKinney, Texas, schemed with co-conspirators to evade U.S. economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran) from July 2019 to February 2020 by facilitating the purchase of sanctioned oil from Iran, masking its origins and selling the oil under masked origins to buyers in the People’s Republic of China. To accomplish their goal, the conspirators communicated among themselves and with third parties concerning, among other things, concealing the origin of the oil and the overall illegal transaction, financing the transaction, preparing contracts and other documents needed to effect the sale, shipping the sanctioned Iranian oil, obtaining Antiguan passports to facilitate the transaction and to establish offshore bank accounts to receive funds, distributing proceeds from the intended sale of the sanctioned Iranian oil and concealing and disguising the nature, location, source, ownership and control of the proceeds of the intended transaction.
“Today, Mr. Lane and Mr. Wang are held accountable for attempting to broker illicit oil sales between Iran and China, and launder the proceeds, in violation of U.S. sanctions,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The court’s sentence makes clear that those who place personal profit over national security will face serious consequences.”
“It’s one thing to be entrepreneurial and take risks, but when your business plan hinges on evading U.S. sanctions, you’re doing it wrong,” said U.S. Attoreny Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “Wang, Lane and their co-conspirators’ scheme to make millions also would have enriched Iran, one of our government’s foreign adversaries, in direct contravention of measures meant to protect American interests and national security. Holding accountable those who violate our sanctions laws and export controls is a priority for my office and our partners at the FBI.”
“The FBI will use all our lawful authorities to stop those who seek to evade sanctions on Iranian oil,” said Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “Today’s sentencing of Zhenyu Wang and Daniel Ray Lane reflects our commitment to combatting these illegal actions and serves as a warning to others that violating U.S. sanctions impacts our national security and will not be tolerated.”
Wang played a critical role in this conspiracy, providing the connection to the Chinese buyers who would purchase the Iranian oil. As part of his efforts, Wang communicated with multiple parties in China, secured a written offer from a Chinese buyer and brokered a contract of sale with this buyer. He also arranged for bribe payments to be made to Chinese officials to facilitate the illegal transaction. Lane agreed to help launder the Iranians’ proceeds from the transaction. He offered to use the mineral rights that he sold through his business, Stack Royalties, to conceal the Iranians’ profits, and even purchased a cash machine to count the millions of dollars of laundered proceeds quickly. Wang and Lane worked with three other conspirators who acted as intermediaries seeking buyers for the sanctioned oil.
The conspirators believed that they would profit handsomely from the scheme to evade U.S. sanctions through significant shipments of sanctioned Iranian oil. They planned to start their scheme with a 500,000-barrel shipment of Iranian oil, but intended to increase the shipments to one or two million barrels per month for a year or more. Lane and another co-conspirator understood that the scheme was to be funded by an initial $5 million payment, which would include $4 million provided in cash. And the conspirators believed that they would make significant profits, with Wang stating that he planned to make $1.5 million in profit for each 500,000-barrel shipment.
Wang and Lane acted fully aware that the scheme to sell sanctioned Iranian crude oil was in violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran. In fact, both defendants made statements explicitly acknowledging that their conduct was illegal. Wang, for example, acknowledged the profits he stood to make by engaging in illegal transactions, stating that “I love sanction to be honest with you and the sanctions make everybody money.” Similarly, Lane discussed concealing and disguising the proceeds of the transactions in sanctioned Iranian oil, noting that “sanctions can always be massaged . . . you know, there is always a way around it.”
In January 2024, Wang and Lane’s co-conspirator, Nicholas Hovan, was sentenced to 12 months and a day in prison, and co-conspirators Nicholas Fuchs and Robert Thwaites were each sentenced to 10 months in prison.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick J. Murray and Mary E. Crawley for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania prosecuted the case, with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Beau Barnes of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Taunton Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Jermaine Rodrigues, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for Oct. 10, 2024. In July 2023, Rodrigues was indicted by a federal grand jury.
In June 2022, Rodrigues possessed two Anderson Manufacturing AM-15, .300 blackout firearms – one of which was equipped with a laser sight and optics affixed to the top rail. In addition, Rodrigues possessed almost 100 rounds of .300 blackout ammunition.
The charge of being a felon in possession provides for a sentence of up to 15 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 and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Taunton and Fall River Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorneys Luke A Goldworm and Meghan C. Cleary of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting 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 gun violence and other violent crime, 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.
Sureno Gang Member Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Murder on Yakama Nation Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Jaime Herrera, age 29, of Granger, Washington, was sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of Second-Degree Murder in Indian Country and one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed a sentence of 360-month imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Judge Dimke imposed the 360-month sentence to run consecutively to a 240-month sentence for another murder Herrera committed in Yakima County. Herrera will serve a total of 600 months – or 50 years – in prison.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on July 19, 2017, around 3:15 a.m., Herrera, who is a Sureno gang member and not affiliated with the Yakama Nation, was driving his SUV and pulled up alongside two men walking on the road between Garfield Elementary School and Garfield Park, in Toppenish, Washington, within the external boundaries of the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation. Herrera accused the pair of being traitors to the gang, pulled out a rifle and killed one of the men – an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation. The second man – who survived the shooting – is an enrolled member of the Nez Perce Tribe.
While the investigation into the murder was ongoing, Herrera committed a second, unrelated homicide in the Yakima Valley – arranging an ambush and ultimately shooting the victim. Herrera was arrested shortly after the second murder, pleaded guilty in Washington State Court, and was sentenced to 240 months imprisonment in that case.
“The victim in this case was a son, a brother, and a new father – his daughter, a toddler at the time of his death, is growing up without a father because of Mr. Herrera’s senseless act of violence. While even the lengthy sentence in this case cannot substitute for the tragic loss of life, today’s sentence demonstrates that those who victimize members of our community – and in particular persons who enter Tribal communities to commit violence– will be held accountable,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “As a result of today’s sentence, the Eastern District of Washington is safer and more secure. I am grateful for the dedication of the FBI and the Yakama Nation who worked closely with prosecutors in my office to hold a double murderer accountable for his actions.”
“Senseless is the only word to describe this crime.” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “The violence Mr. Herrera displayed in this case, and subsequently in a separate case, indicates prison is where he belongs. I applaud the work of our investigators and partners who work so hard to make our state’s reservations safe for the people who live on them.”
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.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Yakama Nation Tribal Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Earl Hicks and Michael Ellis.
Suburban Chicago Tax Preparer Convicted of Covid-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – A suburban Chicago tax preparer has been convicted on federal charges for fraudulently assisting customers in obtaining loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.
The jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago on Monday convicted HADI ISBAIH, 42, of Palos Heights, Ill., on all four counts of wire fraud against him. Each count is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman has not yet set a sentencing date.
The conviction was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kartik K. Raman and Rick D. Young.
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (EIDL) were sources of relief established by the CARES Act in 2020. The programs allowed qualifying small businesses to receive low-interest, government-backed loans to cover a temporary loss of revenue during the Covid pandemic.
According to evidence presented at trial, Isbaih owned and operated Flash Tax Service Inc., a tax preparation business in Bridgeview, Ill. From May to August 2020, Isbaih submitted on behalf of several Flash Tax customers PPP and EIDL applications that contained materially false statements and misrepresentations about the customers’ businesses, such as gross revenues and number of employees. Isbaih also prepared and submitted tax returns with the loan applications that falsely represented the number of employees, monthly payroll, gross revenues, and annual income.
Isbaih charged Flash Tax customers an upfront fee of several hundred dollars before he submitted the fraudulent applications. If the customers received the PPP or EIDL funds based on those applications, Isbaih would then charge the customers additional fees.
Anyone with information about attempted Covid-relief fraud can report it to the Department of Justice by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or by completing a NCDF online complaint form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
St. Louis County Man Sentenced to 23+ Years for Shooting at PoliceRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a St. Louis County, Missouri man who shot at police and federal task force officers in 2021 to 23 years and 10 months in prison.
On March 18, 2021, Derek D. Brown fired multiple times at police officers, including those who had been deputized as federal task force officers, who were at his sister’s home. He continued to fire through the home’s screen door and then through the closed front door. Brown eventually surrendered.
Officers were there because early that morning, Brown went to confront his wife at a house in St. Louis County. While there, Brown took his wife’s daughter’s .45-caliber pistol. Responding officers learned about the gun and that Brown had an outstanding warrant for a parole violation. Relatives told police that he would probably go to his sister’s house.
Brown, 50, of Jennings, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in February to one count of assault on a federal officer and two counts of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Boyce 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.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 70 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Robert Hollins Jr., 41 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Hollins was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in November 2023, police recovered more than 350 grams of cocaine, 3 firearms, and more than $56,000 in Hollins’ home in South Bend. At a second location Hollins maintained in South Bend, police recovered more than 154 grams of fentanyl and 3 firearms.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the South Bend Police Department and the Mishawaka Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
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.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 110 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – James Allen, 34 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Allen was sentenced to 110 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, at the time of his arrest on outstanding warrants in January 2023, Allen was found to have possessed three firearms; a loaded handgun, a loaded revolver and an AR-style pistol with an extended magazine, along with heroin and methamphetamine. Allen has two prior felony convictions, either of which prohibit him from possessing the firearms in this case.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the United States Marshals Service, the Indiana State Police including the ISP Laboratory, the St. Joseph County Police Department, and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katelan McKenzie Doyle and Joseph P. Falvey.
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.
Six Sentenced in Federal Court for Gun Charges in Robbery SchemeRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — Three men from the Pee Dee region and three men from New York were sentenced after pleading guilty to their roles in a robbery and related firearms crimes.
- Elijah N. Fitts, 23, of Rochester, New York, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
- Zion Hezekiah Fitts, 24, of Rochester, New York, was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
- Dorian Javon Godbolt, 24, of Darlington, was sentenced to more than five years in prison after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting robbery.
- Harkeem Dewayne Siequan Kennedy, 26, of Florence, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
- Fanotti Nacier Neal, 21, of Effingham, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license.
- Nasir Schifano, 21, of Greece, New York, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license.
Evidence presented to the court showed that just after midnight on March 29, 2022, officers with Florence Police Department responded to a shooting at an apartment complex in Florence. Investigators learned that Godbolt had arranged for Kennedy to come to the apartment complex to sell E. Fitts and Z. Fitts a quantity of marijuana, knowing that E. Fitts and Z. Fitts planned to rob Kennedy. Kennedy arrived at the apartment complex in the passenger seat of a car. Z. Fitts came to the passenger window of the car to conduct the drug deal while E. Fitts stood at the rear of the car. Kennedy provided Z. Fitts a quantity of marijuana. Z. Fitts then pulled a firearm from his hoodie, pointed it at Kennedy and told Kennedy to "give him everything." At that point, shots began to be fired. Several witnesses reported shots coming from the rear of the car, where E. Fitts was standing. Kennedy also pulled a gun and fired shots.
After obtaining information indicating that the robbers came from a particular apartment, law enforcement executed a search warrant at that apartment. Inside, law enforcement found several of those charged, a number of firearms, magazines, ammunition, and a receipt for the purchase of a firearm. Further investigation showed that Neal, Schifano, and others were involved in a conspiracy to deal in firearms without a federal firearms license. The conspirators would purchase firearms in South Carolina, display them in social media videos, negotiate the terms of sale for the firearms via text, and transfer the firearms to others.
“This violent incident has resulted in six defendants spending more than two decades in prison,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “Outstanding investigative work, led by the Florence Police Department and ATF, has made this community safer.”
“The individuals sentenced throughout this case were responsible for a number of violent crimes and sought to put more firearms in the hands of prohibited individuals,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “ATF and our law enforcement partners are focused on shutting down illegal firearms sales and preventing those with criminal intent from harming our communities.”
“We want to take this opportunity to thank our federal law enforcement partners for the indictment of these violent offenders and their subsequent guilty pleas, said Florence Police Chief Allen Heidler. “Law enforcement partnerships, as evidenced here, are a key element in the fight against violent crime. It serves as another notice to violent offenders that Florence area law enforcement, from the federal level down to the local level, will continue our collaborative efforts to bring them to justice.”
United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III sentenced all six individuals. Elijah N. Fitts was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment. Zion Hezekiah Fitts was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment. Dorian Javon Godbolt was sentenced to 63 months imprisonment. Harkeem Dewayne Siequan Kennedy was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment. Fanotti Nacier Neal was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment; Neal’s term of imprisonment on the firearms conspiracy will be run concurrently with a 40-year term of imprisonment on an unrelated State conviction. Nasir Schifano was sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Neal’s term of imprisonment will be followed by an 18-month term of court-ordered supervision. Kennedy, Godbolt and Schifano’s terms of imprisonment will be followed by three-year terms of court-ordered supervision. E. Fitts and Z. Fitts’ terms of imprisonment will be followed by five-year terms of court-ordered supervision.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Florence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn prosecuted the case.
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Sentenced for Role in $2 Million Unemployment Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
A Garland man was sentenced Monday to two years in prison for his role in a $2 million unemployment insurance fraud, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Frank Sherman, 60, was indicted in November 2022. He pleaded guilty in October 2023 to theft of government funds and was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge David Godbey, who also ordered him jointly and severally liable for nearly $2.3 million in restitution.
According to plea papers, Mr. Sherman admitted that from July 2020 through September 2021, he helped unknown coconspirators he met on social media pass fraudulently-obtained unemployment funds to individuals in Canada.
Mr. Sherman agreed to ship preloaded debit cards issued by the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, & Rehabilitation from his home in Garland to unknown individuals in Canada.
Over the course of 14 months, he received at least 200 Nevada unemployment insurance debit cards loaded with more than $2 million in unemployment insurance funds. He shipped most of the cards to Canada, but on at least one occasion, kept a debit card and used it for his own benefit.
Mr. Sherman also admitted to purloining $3,000 in unemployment funds from the California Employment Development Department, despite never having worked in the state.
The U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General and U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marty Basu prosecuted the case.
Second felon headed to prison for firearms offenseRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 39-year-old man has been sentenced for being a felon in possession of a converted machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Christopher Victor pleaded guilty Aug. 14, 2023, to possessing a loaded .40 caliber pistol which was located under his seat.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Victor to serve 57 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the violent nature and circumstances of the offense and found Victor had a history of violent conduct, including prior convictions for aggravated assault and possession of a firearm.
Co-conspirator Melvin Wilkins, 41, Houston, pleaded guilty April 7 to unlawful possession of a firearm and was later sentenced to 59 months. At the time of his plea, Wilkins admitted to possessing an AR-15 style rifle between his legs while in the backseat of a vehicle that Victor drove.
Law enforcement discovered the rifle contained an extra part, which they determined to be a “switch.” A switch is an additional part added to a firearm to convert it into a machinegun or firearm that shoots more than one shot without manual reloading.
The rifle contained one round in the chamber and 74 rounds in the magazine. The safety was set to off and the rifle was in the fire position.
As both a machinegun and short barreled rifle, the firearm requires registration to the possessor in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR). Authorities verified the firearm had no serial numbers or identification number printed, engraved or stamped on the lower receiver of the rifle. Wilkins cannot register the firearm in the NFRTR without serial numbers or identifying information.
As convicted felons, federal law prohibits Victor and Wilkins from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Victor and Wilkins will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives led the investigation in conjunction with the Texas Department of Public Safety, Southeast Crime Suppression Team and Houston Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Day prosecuted the case.
Seattle man who groped teen on flight from Paris to Seattle sentenced to 8 months in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 36-year 0ld Seattle man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 8 months in prison for abusive sexual contact on a flight from Paris to Seattle, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Milan Edward Jurkovic was convicted following a three-day jury trial in December 2023. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik said, “The flight back should have been nothing less than the end of a joyous trip and instead she is the victim of a crime…. It shouldn’t have happened.”
“Trapped in an aircraft cabin, these assaults are particularly traumatic for vulnerable young people who trust the adults around them to behave appropriately,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “In this case the defendant groped a teenager traveling with a school group. She bravely spoke up. As I noted a year ago, we have a zero-tolerance policy for these aircraft sexual assaults. Predators will be prosecuted.”
According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, on July 3, 2022, Jurkovic was a passenger on an Air France flight from Paris to Seattle. Also on the flight was a school group from Western Washington. The students were returning from a class trip abroad. The 16-year-0ld victim was seated next to Mr. Jurkovic.
About three hours into the flight, Jurkovic reached under the Air France blanket covering the victim and began groping the victim’s thigh. The victim was shocked and frozen with fear. Jurkovic proceeded to rub her thigh for an extended period of time, touching her inner thigh, before the victim was able to pull away and seek assistance from a classmate and then her chaperone. The chaperone traded places with the victim for the duration of the flight.
The incident was reported to the flight crew, and Port of Seattle Police met the flight as it arrived at SEA Airport. The victim was interviewed by law enforcement. Jurkovic provided contradictory statements to different audiences. Initially, he told the chaperone he had been rubbing his leg due to bad circulation, suggesting that he inadvertently touched the victim. Later, after being told by a Port of Seattle officer that he was under investigation for allegedly assaulting the passenger seated next to him, Jurkovic said he did not hurt anyone. He later volunteered that he had an itch on his leg. He was indicted by a grand jury on January 4, 2023, and arrested January 30, 2023.
In asking for a 16-month prison sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court, “reports of airline sexual assaults are on the rise. While they are not likely a new occurrence, the increase in reports likely reflects an increased societal desire to hold perpetrators of sexual offenses accountable. Airline sexual assaults demand a significant punishment….”.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Port of Seattle Police.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Yemini and Brian Wynne.
Robert Hunter Biden Found Guilty of Three Felonies Related to the Illegal Purchase of a FirearmRead the Press Release
After a week-long trial, a federal jury in the District of Delaware found Robert Hunter Biden guilty of three felonies connected with his illegal purchase of a firearm in October 2018, including making a false statement in the purchase of a firearm, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed firearms dealer, and possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.
“This case was about the illegal choices the defendant made while in the throes of addiction — his choice to lie on a government form when he bought a gun and the choice to then possess that gun,” said Special Counsel David C. Weiss. “It was these choices and the combination of guns and drugs that made his conduct dangerous. No one in this country is above the law. However, Hunter Biden should be no more accountable than any other citizen convicted of the same conduct. The prosecution has been and will continue to be committed to this principle, and to the principles of federal prosecution in carrying out its responsibilities.”
Biden purchased a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver from a federally licensed firearms dealer on Oct. 12, 2018. When purchasing a firearm, a prospective purchaser must fill out a Firearm Transaction Record, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Form 4473, and certify that all of his or her answers on the form are true and correct.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Biden knowingly made a false written statement on the ATF Form 4473 when he certified that he was not an unlawful user of, or addicted to, any stimulant, narcotic drug or any other controlled substance. In fact, he knew that statement was false. Evidence at trial further proved that Biden knowingly made a false statement and representation to a federally licensed firearms dealer with respect to information the dealer is required to keep under federal law. Lastly, during an 11-day period between Oct. 12 and Oct. 23, 2018, Biden possessed a firearm while knowing he was an unlawful user of or addicted to any stimulant, narcotic drug or any other controlled substance, in violation of federal law.
Court documents and information for this case is located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 23-cr-00061-MN.
Riverview Man Sentenced to 13 Months’ Imprisonment for COVID-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has sentenced Alexander Alli (39, Riverview) to 13 months in federal prison for conspiracy and wire fraud in connection with his fraudulent receipt of COVID-19 relief funds. The Court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $82,400, the proceeds of the fraud. Alli was found guilty by a jury on March 13, 2024.
According to court documents, Alli and a co-conspirator submitted a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application to the Small Business Administration (SBA). Alli falsely represented that he had a business suffering injury due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the EIDL funds would be used only for business-related purposes, as specified in the loan applications. However, Alli’s business was no longer operational at the time his EIDL application was submitted and had ceased operations prior to the start of the pandemic. While Alli certified the EIDL funds would be used for his business, the evidence showed he spent the funds fraudulently. Alli’s false and fraudulent representations caused the SBA to approve and fund a total of $82,500 in EIDL funds.
In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by 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.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Peresie and Merrilyn E. Hoenemeyer.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Richmond felon pleads guilty after being caught illegally possessing a firearmRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man pled guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on Feb. 13, two Richmond Police officers were approaching the 25th Street Market when they noticed three individuals, one of whom was later identified as Chavelle Lamar Lewis, 35, walking toward the market. Officers saw the men take note of them before entering the store. The officers parked and walked into the store to speak with the clerks. One of the officers noticed that Lewis appeared to have a bulge in his clothing and was walking with a slight limp.
Lewis walked out of the store without any items, and without his two friends. As Lewis was walking across the street, one of the officers recognized him from a prior traffic crash. The officer caught up with Lewis and asked how he was doing, if he remembered the officer, and whether his leg was okay, since Lewis was walking with a limp. Lewis stopped walking and engaged in conversation with the officer, saying that his leg was okay. The officer asked Lewis if he had a gun, and Lewis said “no." The officer then asked Lewis if he had a concealed permit for the gun in his pocket, and Lewis again said “no." When the officer asked Lewis what kind of firearm it was, Lewis fled.
The officer pursued until Lewis surrendered. As the officers detained Lewis, he admitted that he had a 9mm firearm in his right pocket. The officers removed and secured the firearm. Lewis has prior felony convictions, including a 2009 conviction for robbery and use or display of a firearm in commission of a felony. As a previously convicted felon, Lewis cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 3 and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police; and Colette Wallace McEachin, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the plea.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven E. Anthony are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-55.
Reno Resident Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Coercion and Enticement of A ChildRead the Press Release
RENO – A Reno resident was sentenced Monday to the mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison to be followed by lifetime term of supervised release for coercion and enticement of a child.
According to court documents, Carlos Heringer Concha (45), between December 20, 2022 and March 2, 2023, he communicated with a 14-year-old child on Discord. The chats revealed that Concha initiated sexual conversations, requested photos from the victim, and sent photos and videos of himself to the victim. On March 2, 2023, he traveled from Reno to Truckee, Calif., in order to meet and engage in sexual intercourse with the victim. He was arrested by law enforcement. Concha was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2023, and he pleaded guilty in February 2024, to one count of coercion and enticement.
In a separate case in the Second Judicial District Court, on April 22, 2024, Concha was convicted of two counts of Luring/Attempting to Lure a Child with the Use of Computer Technology to Engage in Sexual Conduct for crimes he committed when he was on pretrial release for the federal case, and was sentenced on each count to 48 to 120 months imprisonment to run consecutive to each other. The sentence imposed in federal court was ordered to run partially consecutive to Concha’s state sentence. United States District Chief Judge Miranda M. Du ordered 84 months of his federal sentence to run consecutive to his state case.
In addition to imprisonment, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), Concha 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, the Regional HEAT team, and the Truckee Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Megan Rachow 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.
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Readout of Joint Task Force Alpha’s Third Anniversary MeetingRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland marked the third anniversary of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the highly successful national effort to investigate and prosecute human smuggling at the southern border, by convening senior leaders of the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and State to discuss their shared, ongoing work. Over the past three years, the work of JTFA has led to over 300 domestic and international arrests and over 240 convictions in the United States. Among other things, the meeting covered several new initiatives, including JTFA’s expansion to combat human smuggling in Colombia and Panama, which lie on either side of a region known as the Darién; a legislative proposal to increase penalties for the most prolific and dangerous human smugglers; and $8 million in rewards offers issued as part of the new Anti-Smuggling Rewards Initiative announced two weeks ago.
“Today, we are doubling down on our efforts to strike at the heart of where human smuggling networks operate,” said Attorney General Garland. “In the next phase of Joint Task Force Alpha’s work, we are expanding its regional focus, offering new financial rewards for information about key leaders of smuggling criminal organizations, and asking Congress to enact longer sentences for human smugglers. We will continue to work across the federal government to disrupt and dismantle the human smuggling networks that prey on vulnerable migrants and endanger our national security.”
“We are using every tool at our disposal to disrupt and dismantle the human smuggling networks that have spread misery throughout the Western Hemisphere,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “With today’s announcement, we are expanding our enforcement efforts to the Darién—among the most dangerous migrant crossings on Earth—and deploying rewards programs like the ones that have brought down drug kingpins to pursue human smugglers. To those who traffic human beings through the Darién, know this: the full force of the U.S. government is coming for you.”
The Darién is a roadless stretch of mountainous jungle terrain connecting southern Panama with northern Colombia that forms the sole land bridge between Central America and South America. Its treacherous landscape has witnessed a surge in human smuggling as migrants cross it on foot, often exposing themselves to mortal danger at the hands of criminal smuggling organizations to do so. Organized criminals who control the route routinely target migrants—adults and children—for violent crimes, including murder, rape, and robbery, as well as extortion. Many migrants try to circumvent the land route by taking a sea voyage, which is just as dangerous. They risk death on this path, too, facing rough seas, overcrowding, rickety boats, and insufficient life vests.
“Countering human smuggling, and the ruthless criminal organizations that perpetrate it, is a law enforcement priority and critical to our homeland security,” said Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Kristie Canegallo. “The Department of Homeland Security and our partners across the Biden-Harris Administration are prioritizing combatting human smuggling with the coordinated efforts and innovation that this crime demands. The steps taken today to expand the scope of Joint Task Force Alpha will lead to more arrests, indictments, and convictions of traffickers; support our efforts to dismantle transnational criminal organizations; and help protect migrants from those looking to exploit them for financial gain.”
The Attorney General was joined at today’s event by key partners in JTFA’s ongoing work, including Deputy Attorney General Monaco; Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Canegallo; Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Todd D. Robinson; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Deputy Executive Associate Director Patrick McElwain of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Deputy Chief David S. BeMiller of U.S. Border Patrol; U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas; U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas; U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico; U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona; and U.S. Attorney Tara K. McGrath for the Southern District of California.
When the Attorney General created JTFA in 2021, it focused on human smuggling organizations operating in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Since then, JTFA—led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecution Section, in close partnership with all five southwest border U.S. Attorneys’ Offices—has brought many major human smugglers to justice in the United States, including by obtaining years- or decades-long prison sentences. Expanding JTFA to Colombia and Panama recognizes those achievements and seeks to apply that same approach—using expert investigative, prosecutorial, and intelligence resources to target and aggressively pursue, disrupt, and dismantle human smuggling and trafficking networks—to achieve accountability and deterrence, with an unwavering focus on human safety, in Colombia and Panama.
JTFA’s expansion is another example of the Justice Department’s sustained focus on prosecuting human smuggling, following last week’s joint announcement with the Departments of Homeland Security and State regarding a new Anti-Smuggling Rewards Initiative, support for enhancements to the penalties for smuggling, and other efforts.
In addition, earlier today, the Department formally transmitted to Congress a new legislative proposal to increase penalties for the most prolific and dangerous human smugglers. The proposal, titled the “Deterring Human Smuggling and Harm to Victims Act of 2024,” would amend U.S. Sentencing Guideline 2L1.1, which governs human smuggling offenses, by creating steeper penalty tiers based on the number of people smuggled by the defendant; increasing penalties when the defendant’s conduct results in injury or death to more than one person; and ensuring defendants are subject to sentencing enhancements for sexual assault and other types of prohibited sexual conduct committed during the smuggling offense, even if that conduct occurred outside U.S. jurisdiction.
The State Department also announced today the first three awards under the Anti-Smuggling Rewards Initiative. These awards, which total up to $8 million, were discussed at today’s meeting by Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Robinson. These awards focus on human smuggling operations by the Clan del Golfo in the Darién, and offer: (1) Up to $2 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of any key leader of Clan del Golfo involved in human smuggling in the Darién; (2) Up to $1 million for information leading to the disruption of financial mechanisms of the Clan del Golfo to finance, sustain, or support human smuggling operations in the Darién; and (3) Up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of any key leader of Clan del Golfo involved in human smuggling in the Darién by encouraging and inducing aliens to enter the United States resulting in death, in violation of 8 U.S.C. §§ 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv) and 1324(a)(1)(B)(iv). Information in response to the reward offer can be shared with HSI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection by telephone at (866) 347-2423 (toll free) or online at www.ice.gov/tips. Individuals located outside of the United States, can contact the nearest U.S. Embassy/Consulate and all identities are kept strictly confidential.
Fact Sheet
Rantoul Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Deliver more than 50 Grams of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Urbana, Ill. – On June 10, 2024, a Rantoul, Illinois, man Artez L. Johnson, of the 300 block of South Marshall Street was sentenced to 252 months imprisonment to be followed by 7 years of supervised release, for possessing with intent to deliver more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
In August 2023, Johnson was convicted of the offense following a federal jury trial held in front of United States District Judge Colin Bruce. At the trial, the government presented evidence establishing that on February 20, 2023, Johnson was pulled over during a traffic stop near the intersection of Maplewood and Grove Avenue in Rantoul, Illinois. Upon Johnson exiting the car, Rantoul police noticed a small bag of suspected cocaine on the driver’s seat. Officers searched the car and located approximately 330 grams of methamphetamine ice packed in three Ziplock bags in the center console. Johnson claimed ownership of the methamphetamine but claimed it was for personal use. The Government presented additional evidence that Johnson had sold methamphetamine to an individual for several months prior to Johnson’s arrest. Expert testimony was presented that 330 grams is a distribution amount, not a personal use amount.
The statutory penalties for possessing with intent to deliver more than 50 grams of methamphetamine are 10 years to life imprisonment, at least 5 years supervised release, and a fine of not more than $10 million.
The case investigation was conducted by the Rantoul Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Sullivan and Rachel Ritzer represented the government in the prosecution.
Owner of Halo Home Healthcare pleads guilty to health care fraud, tax crimesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI - Sharon Romaine Ward, 52, formerly of West Chester, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to fraudulently billing more than $8.5 million to Medicare, Medicaid, and Veterans Affairs home healthcare programs between 2015 and 2021.
Ward admitted that, when she started Halo Home Healthcare in 2015, she concealed her ownership of the company because she had a prior felony conviction in 2013 for passing forged and fraudulent prescriptions for oxycodone and hydrocodone while serving as a nurse practitioner in Warren County. The conviction made her ineligible to participate in federal health care programs for ten years.
According to court documents, Halo Home Healthcare routinely overbilled federal healthcare programs, charging them for services it did not perform. In one example cited in court documents Halo continued to bill Medicaid for home health services while the patient was hospitalized. In addition, between 2017 and 2020, Halo hired over 50 employees with significant criminal histories which ordinarily should have excluded them from providing home health services, including one individual who was charged with a quadruple murder while ostensibly working for Halo.
Ward submitted at least 92,770 claims to Medicaid seeking $8,556,776.58, receiving $8,403,299.24 between 2016 and 2021. Court documents say she also failed to provide accurate information to her business tax return preparer causing false tax returns to be prepared and filed.
Ward pleaded guilty today to one count of health care fraud and one count of making a false income tax return. Health care fraud is punishable by up to ten years in prison. Filing a false income tax return is punishable by up to three years in prison. Terms of the plea agreement include a recommendation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office that the prison term does not exceed five years for the health care fraud. The court will determine an appropriate sentence under federal sentencing guidelines.
The agreement also calls for Ward to pay restitution to the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Ohio Department of Medicaid in an amount to be determined at sentencing. Ward also agreed to prepare and file corrected business tax returns with the IRS and pay restitution, plus any interest and penalties. The IRS determined a tax loss of $81,617.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Secret Service, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Health Care Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo is representing the United States in this case.
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Orthopedic Surgeon Admits Multiple Counts of Unlawful Distribution of Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey orthopedic surgeon today admitted multiple counts of illegally prescribing pain medication to his patients, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Evangelos Megariotis, 72, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Newark federal court to seven counts of a 34-count indictment charging him with dispensing Oxycodone, Oxycontin, and Oxycodone-Acetaminophen to five patients outside of the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Megariotis was a New Jersey physician specializing in orthopedic surgery and practicing in Clifton, New Jersey. From March 2017 through November 2017, Megariotis issued prescriptions for Oxycodone, Oxycontin, and Oxycodone-Acetaminophen pills to five of his patients, and did so without a legitimate medical purpose and outside of the usual course of professional practice. Oxycodone, Oxycontin, and Oxycodone-Acetaminophen – Schedule II controlled substances – have a high potential for abuse that can lead to severe psychological and physical dependence and can result in fatal overdoses.
Megariotis faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 15, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger credited special agents, diversion investigators and task force officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Mateo of the Opioid Abuse Prevention & Enforcement Unit.
megariotis.indictment.pdfOhio Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BOISE – Gary Hastler, 67, of Delaware, Ohio, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, the investigation began when the teenaged victim disclosed to the Boise Police Department (BPD) that Hastler had sexually abused her on multiple occasions in the summer of 2022. During the investigation, BPD learned that Hastler had sexually abused another child in Ohio. While investigating the abuse in Ohio, the Delaware Police Department located explicit images of the Idaho victim on Hastler’s cellphone. BPD obtained a federal search warrant for the cellphone and confirmed that Hastler had produced sexually explicit images of the Idaho victim while at a hotel in Boise.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also sentenced Hastler to a lifetime term of supervised release. Hastler will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction.
“This case demonstrates the national reach of our efforts to bring to justice those who abuse and exploit children,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “The partnerships we have in Idaho are effective at identifying sex offenders, and we will track them down wherever they may be.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the Boise Police Department, the Delaware Police Department, and the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force which led to charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kassandra McGrady 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. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal 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.
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Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Terry James Cox, 40, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 30, 2023, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Cox in Huntington. Cox admitted that he possessed approximately 5.4 grams of methamphetamine in the vehicle, and that he intended to distribute it. Cox further admitted that he also possessed a loaded North American Arms .22-caliber revolver, .22-caliber ammunition, and digital scales in the vehicle.
Cox is scheduled to be sentenced on September 23, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Owen Reynolds is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-4.
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Oceanside Drug Dealer Sentenced to 78 Months in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose of U.S. MarineRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – June 11, 2024
SAN DIEGO—Jesse Sanders of Oceanside was sentenced in federal court to 6.5 years in prison for selling the fentanyl powder that resulted in the fatal overdose of a 29-year-old active-duty U.S. Marine.
According to the plea agreement, Sanders admitted that she arranged a meeting with the Marine and delivered a small plastic bag of fentanyl to the victim on January 2, 2022. At approximately 3 p.m. that day, military police and emergency medical services responded to an emergency call after the victim’s wife found him unresponsive in his parked vehicle onboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. A small plastic bag with a white, powdery substance was discovered in the front console of the vehicle.
According to the government’s sentencing argument, Sanders was addicted to fentanyl, knew how deadly the drug was, and knew the dangers it posed to users; she sold the deadly fentanyl to the victim with a warning to have naloxone on hand – a medicine that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose - because the powder she was selling was strong. Within hours, the victim was found unresponsive and died from fentanyl toxicity.
Sanders has a history of narcotics-related criminality resulting from her substance abuse and drug addiction, according to the government’s sentencing memorandum. At the time she sold the deadly fentanyl powder to the victim, she was on summary probation from a San Diego Superior Court conviction and still has an additional pending felony case for robbery.
The victim received an Afghanistan Campaign Medal, a NATO International Security Assistance Force Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and multiple Sea Service Deployment Ribbons, certificates of commendation, and letters of appreciation. He was a trained combat marksmanship coach and martial arts instructor.
He was described by family as “patient, caring, and hilarious” and “lit up any room he walked into.” Two weeks prior to his death, the victim and his wife celebrated their 10-year wedding anniversary.
“Fentanyl is so powerful, so toxic, so addictive, that it can snare even the toughest among us,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Today’s outcome cannot bring back this Marine, but it reflects the consequence for peddlers dealing this poison: prison.”
“The illicit distribution and use of fentanyl in the United States poses a critical threat to our local communities, our nation’s service members, and ultimately our national security,” said Special Agent in Charge Todd Battaglia of the NCIS Marine West Field Office. “The sentencing of Ms. Sanders for her role in the tragic death of a U.S. Marine should serve as a warning to criminals that NCIS and our partners will continue to work aggressively to bring to justice those who knowingly distribute lethal narcotics to service members.”
Special Agents with the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service’s Major Case Response Team led the investigation as part of ongoing efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute the distribution of illegal drugs—fentanyl in particular—that result in overdose deaths. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service and military commanders recognize the crucial role that drug use prevention plays in avoiding disastrous consequences for servicemembers and their families.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Wang and Special Asst. U.S. Attorney Arne Bussler.
DEFENDANT Case Number: 23-cr-00270-BAS
Jesse Sanders Age: 24 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Distribution of Fentanyl – Title 18, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Newport News trio convicted for violent crime spree with multiple murdersRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted three Newport News men yesterday on charges relating to a series of violent crimes that included several shootings and multiple murders.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from at least Jan. 16, 2017, through November 2017, Ronzel Monte Dixie, aka Bone or Bizzy, 31; Kwaimain Shy’de Redmon, aka Kwa, 30; and Meko Montez Brown Jr., aka Gangsta or 9-Ball, 26, along with others, carried out at least seven shootings, including multiple murders, four commercial robberies, three drug robberies, stole three cars, and engaged in two high-speed chases from police. During these robberies, the men were armed with various firearms including a .22 caliber Uzi-style firearm, a 1911 handgun, a Ruger P95 9mm pistol, and a stolen P9 Khar 9mm pistol. Victims included cellphone stores, drug dealers, gas stations/convenience stores, a correctional officer, and others. During most of the robberies, the men brandished and sometimes discharged their firearms.
On Oct. 1, 2017, Dixie, Redmon, and another person robbed a drug dealer during a home invasion of her apartment. The group brandished two firearms and took drugs, currency, and the victim’s Lexus sedan.
On Oct. 12, 2017, Dixie and another person robbed a different drug dealer for bail money to secure a bond for Redmon, who had been arrested on of Oct. 11, 2017, while fleeing on foot from the Lexus automobile they had stolen during the robbery on Oct. 1, 2017.
On Oct. 16, 2017, Dixie and Redmon summoned another individual to the Hoss’s Deli in Newport News because they had a problem with someone at the bar. They followed their target, who left Hoss’s Deli on a motorcycle, and Dixie fired a Ruger P95 from the passenger window of their vehicle, resulting in the victim’s death. Following the shooting, Dixie and Redmon rummaged through the victim’s pockets and took his wallet.
Later on Oct. 16, 2017, Dixie, Redmon, and the other individual approached the Happy Shopper convenience store in Hampton as it was closing. While demanding money, the third individual shot the store owner in the face. They proceeded to look through the store owner’s van for money and anything of value. Dixie then executed a store employee by shooting him in the back of the head while he lay face down in the parking lot.
On Nov. 7, 2017, Dixie, Brown, and another individual robbed another drug dealer, taking his P9 Kahr firearm. Approximately an hour later on Nov. 7, 2017, Dixie, Brown, and the other individual robbed an authorized retailer for MetroPCS in Hampton by brandishing the stolen firearm.
On Nov. 8, 2017, Dixie, Brown, and another individual shot and killed a man at 9:20 p.m., and then shot a correctional officer at 9:31 p.m. during an attempted robbery. Dixie boasted that he killed the first man because his nickname was “Wavy 10” and he wanted 10 bodies to his name.
On Nov. 9, 2017, Brown and another individual robbed a Miller Mart convenience store in Chesapeake. Brown brandished the P9 Kahr firearm and stole money from the business.
On Nov. 10, 2017, Dixie, Brown, Redmon, and another individual stole a Cadillac in Newport News. As Brown attempted to drive the Cadillac from the parking lot, he hit another vehicle. When the driver of that vehicle followed the Cadillac, Brown shot and killed him. An hour later, Brown attempted to rob a victim who was just getting home to his apartment. During the robbery, Brown fired the P9 Kahr at the victim, but missed. The gun jammed, however, and the victim returned fire. After Dixie, Brown, Redmon, and the other individual fled the scene, Dixie used the firearm to shoot and kill a homeless person, firing multiple rounds at the victim while exclaiming, “My gun does not jam.”
On Nov. 11, 2017, Dixie, Brown, and another individual robbed another authorized retailer for MetroPCS in Newport News. A family with two young children was present at the time of the robbery. Dixie, Brown, and the other individual brandished the firearm and stole money from the business.
Dixie was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, five counts of interference with commerce by robbery, five counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, five counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and one count of use of a firearm resulting in death. Dixie faces a mandatory minimum of 38 years of incarceration and up to life in prison when sentenced on Jan. 30, 2025.
Redmon was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, three counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and one count of use of a firearm resulting in death. Redmon faces a mandatory minimum of 17 years of incarceration and up to life in prison when sentenced on Jan. 30, 2025.
Brown was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, three counts of interference with commerce by robbery, three counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and one count of obstruction of justice. Brown faces a mandatory minimum of 21 years of incarceration and up to life in prison when sentenced on Jan. 30, 2025.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa McKeel and Mack Coleman, along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard Zlotnick, are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-74.
New Castle Resident Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.Dontae Blackshear, 25, pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine between May 2021 and October 2022.
Blackshear was charged as part of a drug-trafficking crew operating in Mercer and Lawrence counties in the Western District of Pennsylvania. As part of his plea agreement, Blackshear stipulated that he was responsible for conspiring to distribute 20 grams of fentanyl and 100 grams of cocaine. Blackshear has a prior state court felony drug-trafficking conviction from 2021 involving fentanyl and heroin, for which he was sentenced to one to two years in prison and was on parole when he committed the federal drug-trafficking crime.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for October 16, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $2 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based on the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Blackshear remains detained pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Mercer County Drug Task Force, New Castle Police Department, Sharon Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the conviction of Blackshear.
Multiple defendants prosecuted on federal firearms, drug chargesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Newly returned indictments in the Southern District of Georgia include felony charges for illegal firearms possession and drug distribution, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges.
“Keeping guns out of the hands of those who are prohibited to possess them is vital in preventing violent crime in our community,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect our citizens from illegal firearms.”
The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally possess guns.
Those indicted during the June term of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury include:
- Joshua Robert Ward, 44, and Jordan Beverly Howard, 37, both of Augusta, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, Methamphetamine and Heroin; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Darnell Harold Miller, 25, of Savannah, charged with two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number; and,
- Anthony Orlando Jones, 34, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Also previously indicted:
- Howard Barkley, a/k/a “T-Bone,” 46, and Johnny Porter Sr., a/k/a “Unc,” 71, both of Waycross, Ga., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and other drug charges, while Porter also is charged with Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises.
All indicted defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include:
- Joshua Green, 35, of Ridgeland, S.C., was sentenced to 77 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police found Green in possession of a pistol in a closed city park.
- Isaac C. Brown, 40, of Guyton, Ga., was sentenced to time served after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Georgia Ports Authority police conducting enhanced screenings at the Garden City Terminal found a pistol inside Brown’s truck in March 2023.
- Unique Haynes, 26, of Jacksonville, Fla., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine, Cocaine and Fentanyl, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. A co-defendant, Eric Massey, 29, also of Jacksonville, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Illegal Use of a Communication Facility. Haynes and Massey were charged in Augusta following an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Georgia State Patrol.
- Jamario D. Owens, 24, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found Owens in possession of a handgun while investigating a reported disturbance.
- Thomas J. Fazio II, 41, of Grovetown, Ga, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. In May 2023, Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection intercepted suspected firearms silencers being shipped to Fazio, a U.S. Army Staff Sergeant. During a search of Fazio’s residence, investigators found multiple firearms including an illegal short-barrel assault-style rifle and an unregistered firearm silencer.
- Pedro Walker, 24, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers investigating a reported disturbance found Walker had been in possession of a pistol.
The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense.
For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473
Mississippi Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Mississippi man was sentenced to 420 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Mark Anthony Robillia, 55, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on December 1, 2022, Robillia possessed five firearms and approximately 40 grams of methamphetamine, wrapped in 13 separate baggies, at his residence in Gulfport. Further investigation revealed that Robillia purchased three of the firearms and the remaining two were given to him. Robillia had been previously convicted and incarcerated for aggravated assault, being a felon in the possession of a firearm, and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. The evidence also indicated that Robillia was distributing methamphetamine from the residence.
On February 7, 2024, a federal jury convicted Robillia of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was sentenced today to the maximum statutory sentence of 420 months, 240 months for the drug charge and 180 months for the firearms charge.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Gulfport Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Buckner and Lee Smith prosecuted the case.
Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Larry Williams Jr., 53, of Pontiac, Michigan, was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 9, 2023, Williams sold approximately 1 gram of methamphetamine and a quantity of heroin to a confidential informant at a Washington Avenue location in Huntington. Williams admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling quantities of methamphetamine and heroin to a confidential informant in Huntington on January 31, 2023, and March 16, 2023.
On March 21, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Williams’ Adams Avenue residence in Huntington and found approximately 134 grams of methamphetamine, 15 grams of heroin, 6 grams of fentanyl, and 18 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack.” Officers also found digital scales, a drug press and approximately $292 in the residence during the search. Williams admitted to possessing and intending to distribute the controlled substances.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-87.
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Miami Physical Therapist Assistant Sentenced to over 3 Years in Prison for $2.6 million in Fraudulent ClaimsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Yesterday, a federal judge in Miami, sentenced Tania Cesar, a local physical therapist assistant (PTA), to 39 months in prison and three years of supervised release after a jury found her guilty of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and wire fraud, and five counts of healthcare fraud.
According to evidence presented during a weeklong trial last February, over a two-year period at Elite Therapy Clinic, Cesar signed over 1,500 physical therapy notes for treatments and services that she never provided to patients. Several patients testified at trial, many of whom were paid cash in exchange for visiting Elite Therapy, that they did not recognize Cesar, despite their medical records reflecting months of treatment that Cesar purportedly provided. Elite Therapy coworkers testified that Cesar only visited Elite once or twice per week for a few hours to fill out fabricated progress notes. The fraudulent treatment notes led to over $2.6 million in claims billed to Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) and other insurance companies. Trial testimony showed that the year before Cesar started committing fraud at Elite Therapy, Cesar fabricated patient therapy notes at Zion Medical Group Inc., a clinic whose owner was separately convicted for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. The sentencing record showed that the year before the Elite Therapy fraud, Cesar was fired from another medical clinic for billing for therapy that she never provided.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Senior Judge Robert N. Scola, Jr. found that Cesar employed sophisticated means at Elite Therapy to execute and conceal her fraud, and that she abused her special skills as a PTA. Judge Scola ordered that upon Cesar’s release from prison, she cannot work in the health care field while on supervised release, and upon request from the appropriate regulatory agency Cesar must relinquish her PTA license. Cesar was also ordered to pay $939,334.05 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Egozi and Lindsey Lazopoulos Friedman prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-CR-20259.
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Member of Violent New Haven Gang Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
JAEDYN RIVERA, also known as “Jae Honcho,” 23, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 182 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his involvement in a violent New Haven street gang, including multiple shootings.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; John P. Doyle, Jr., State’s Attorney for the New Haven Judicial District; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address violence in New Haven, the ATF, FBI, DEA and New Haven Police Department, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, have been investigating an ongoing gang war between members and associates of the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in the Hill section and other areas of the city. The Exit 8 gang is named after the geographic area accessed by exiting Interstate 91 at Exit 8 in New Haven. Recently, younger members of Exit 8 are identifying themselves with the word “Honcho,” which is derived from the street name of an Exit 8 member who was murdered on Quinnipiac Avenue in February 2020.
The investigation revealed that Rivera and other members of the Exit 8 gang engaged in drug trafficking, used and shared firearms, and, since June 2018, have committed at least three murders and 16 attempted murders. Exit 8 members and associates also stole vehicles, at times from outside of the state, and used those stolen vehicles when committing acts of violence. Gang members also promoted, coordinated, facilitated, and celebrated their narcotics distribution and acts of violence through text messaging and the use of social media applications and websites including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube.
On January 24, 2024, Rivera pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity and he admitted that he took part in four shootings of rival gang members in May 2021. Three individuals were injured during those shootings. On May 14, 2021, one victim was shot in the leg and torso, and on May 20, 2021, one victim was shot in the leg and another victim was shot in the back.
Rivera has been detained since May 21, 2021.
This investigation is being conducted by ATF, the FBI, the DEA, the New Haven Police Department, the Hamden Police Department, and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens, Rahul Kale and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Mason County Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jordan Lee Jobe, 30, of Leon, was sentenced today to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from about April 2022 to about September 25, 2022, Jobe and Edward Daniel Walker Jr. participated in a conspiracy to distribute heroin in the Leon area of Mason County. Jobe admitted to distributing heroin for Walker and transporting Walker to obtain heroin.
On September 25, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 64 near Hurricane of a vehicle driven by Jobe. Officers searched the vehicle and found approximately 105 grams of suspected heroin and a firearm. Jobe admitted to intending to sell the heroin.
Following the traffic stop, officers executed a search warrant that same day at a Barboursville motel room where Jobe was staying. Officer seized approximately 204 grams of suspected heroin, two firearms and $1,000 during that search. Jobe admitted to intending to sell the heroin, and further admitted that the cash was proceeds from previous drug sales.
On March 31, 2023, officers executed a search warrant at a Durham Road residence in Leon, where they arrested Jobe and Walker. Officers seized approximately 135 grams of suspected heroin found at the residence and $2,000 on Walker’s person. Jobe and Walker each admitted to intending to sell the heroin.
Walker, also known as “Jetty,” 39, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced on October 23, 2023, to six years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the Drug and Violent Crime Task Force West.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-40.
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Marijuana Trafficker Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Alonso Hernandez-Hernandez, 38, of Costa Rica, was sentenced by District Judge Wilma Lewis to 57 months of incarceration and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to drug conspiracy charges.
According to court documents, on November 7, 2022, while patrolling in international waters, the United States Coast Guard Cutter Campbell intercepted a go-fast vessel approximately 65 nautical miles south of Boca Chica, Panama. The go-fast vessel “Agamenon” had no physical flag flown and no registration documents. Onboard the vessel were Hernandez-Hernandez and Luis Orellana-Orellana and Keyran Coto-Lopez, both of Columbia, along with 1,860 kilograms of marijuana. Hernandez-Hernandez claimed Colombian nationality for the vessel. Colombian authorities, however, could neither confirm nor deny nationality. The vessel was therefore treated as one without nationality, subjecting it to the jurisdiction of the United States. On November 8, 2023, Coto-Lopez was sentenced to 46 months of incarceration, and on November 28, 2023, Orellana-Orellana was sentenced to 37 months of incarceration for the roles in the drug smuggling operation. All three face deportation after serving their prison sentences.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard and Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel H. Huston and Melissa Ortiz. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Los Estados Unidos Firma Un Memorando De Entendimiento Con La Oficina De Administración De Tribunales De Nueva York Para Garantizar El Acceso Al Tribunal De Tratamiento De Drogas Del Condado De Rockland Para Participantes Con Dominio Limitado Del InglésRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, el Fiscal Federal del Distrito Sur de Nueva York y Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Adjunta de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia, anunciaron hoy que los Estados Unidos firmó un Memorando de Entendimiento (“MOU”) con la Oficina de Administración Judicial (“OCA”) del Sistema Judicial Unificado del Estado de Nueva York, la cual soluciona su revisión del cumplimiento del Tribunal de Tratamiento de Drogas del Condado de Rockland con el Título VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 , que prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de raza, color y origen nacional por parte de los beneficiarios de asistencia financiera federal. La discriminación que se prohibe puede incluir el no proporcionar un acceso sustancial al idioma.
El Fiscal Federal Damian Williams dijo: “A los miembros de la comunidad no se les debe negar un acceso sustancial a los procedimientos judiciales y a los programas que ofrecen alternativas a las penas tradicionales debido a su dominio limitado del inglés. Agradecemos a la Oficina del Fiscal de Distrito del Condado de Rockland y a la OCA por cooperar con nosotros para garantizar que el Tribunal de Tratamiento de Drogas del Condado de Rockland esté a la disposición de todos los participantes elegibles, y esperamos que este Memorando de Entendimiento pueda servir como modelo para que todos los tribunales de este distrito garanticen un acceso sustancial a personas con dominio limitado del inglés, de conformidad con el Título VI”.
La Fiscal General Adjunta Kristen Clarke dijo: “Garantizar la igualdad de justicia ante la ley significa hacerlo de una manera que sea justa, precisa y comprensible para todos, pero eso no sucede a menos que las personas involucradas en el proceso judicial puedan comunicarse entre sí. Las personas no deberían ser penalizadas por su dominio limitado del inglés y deberían recibir los servicios de asistencia lingüística que necesitan para participar de manera justa en los procedimientos judiciales y en las capacitaciones o programas de tratamiento exigidos por el tribunal. Este acuerdo es un modelo para garantizar el acceso a los tribunales, incluidos sus programas y servicios, a todas las personas, independientemente de su dominio del inglés, y describe las acciones necesarias para eliminar las barreras para los usuarios de los tribunales con un dominio limitado del inglés”.
Según el MOU y las presentaciones y declaraciones públicas:
En enero de 2023, esta Oficina analizó una queja que alegaba que las personas con dominio limitado del inglés (“LEP”) no podían participar plenamente en el Tribunal de Tratamiento de Drogas del Condado de Rockland porque el tribunal no brindaba servicios de traducción e interpretación. Poco después, la OCA se involucró en los procedimientos de acceso lingüístico para el Tribunal de Tratamiento de Drogas del Condado de Rockland y finalmente asumió la responsabilidad del Tribunal en marzo de 2024. Esta Oficina, en colaboración con la División de Derechos Civiles, trabajó con la OCA y la Oficina del Fiscal de Distrito del Condado de Rockland que operaba el Tribunal de Tratamiento de Drogas antes de marzo de 2024, para identificar las reformas necesarias para garantizar que todas las personas con dominio limitado del inglés que califican para participar en el Tribunal de Tratamiento de Drogas tuvieran acceso sustancial al idioma.
Durante la revisión de este asunto, la Oficina del Fiscal de Distrito del Condado de Rockland y la OCA tomaron varias medidas positivas para brindar acceso sustancial a los participantes del Tribunal con dominio limitado del inglés, incluido el compromiso de brindar servicios de interpretación para todos los procedimientos judiciales, realizar actividades comunitarias con las partes interesadas del Tribunal de Tratamiento de Drogas del Condado de Rockland, e identificar un proveedor de tratamiento local para brindar servicios de tratamiento ordenados por el tribunal en español.
Según el MOU, la OCA tomará una serie de medidas adicionales para garantizar un acceso sustancial a los participantes con dominio limitado del inglés al Tribunal de Tratamiento de Drogas del Condado de Rockland. Estos pasos incluyen traducir todos los documentos al español, creole y yiddish, y a otros idiomas previa solicitud, publicitar el programa del Tribunal de Tratamiento de Drogas en estos idiomas adicionales y conseguir proveedores de tratamiento que ofrezcan programas de tratamiento de drogas ordenados por el tribunal de una manera que proporcione acceso sustancial a personas con dominio limitado del inglés, sin costo para los participantes.
La información sobre el Título VI y el dominio limitado del inglés están disponibles en www.lep.gov . El público puede denunciar posibles violaciones de los derechos civiles en el Distrito Sur de Nueva York en https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/civil-rights o en la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia en www.civilrights.justice .gov/report/ .
* * *
El Sr. Williams agradeció a la División de Derechos Civiles, Sección de Coordinación y Cumplimiento Federal, por su colaboración para resolver este asunto.
Este caso está siendo atendido por la Unidad de Derechos Civiles de la Oficina en la División Civil. La encargada de este caso es la Fiscal Federal Adjunta Christine S. Poscablo.
Killeen Couple Sentenced for Operating Fraudulent Rideshare Company for SoldiersRead the Press Release
WACO, Texas – A Killeen man and his wife were sentenced in a federal court in Waco for defrauding a Department of the Army transportation program by using the illegally obtained personally identifiable information (PII) of more than 800 soldiers.
According to court documents, Kevin Romulus Pelayo, 45, co-owned and operated a rideshare company, Soldiers Vanpools LLC, with his wife, Cristine Furio Fredericks, 40. The company claimed to shuttle military personnel to and from Fort Hood, now known as Fort Cavazos, from Jan. 1, 2014 through June 10, 2020. Soldiers Vanpools LLC was funded by the Department of the Army’s Mass Transportation Benefit Program (MTBP).
Pelayo and Fredericks submitted the names, social security numbers, and other identifying information of active duty soldiers to the MTBP on a monthly basis from 2014 to midway through 2020, falsely claiming that the soldiers were active participants in the rideshare program.
The couple also purchased vans, SUVs and other vehicles in order to convince the MTBP that they were operating a legitimate business and transporting the riders they claimed in their scheme. Additionally, the couple spent a large portion of the millions of dollars in funds they received on real estate, personal vehicles, and other property. In total, Pelayo and Fredericks purchased 43 vehicles, 129 luxury purses and jewelry items, and 12 real properties in Bell County and Coryell County.
Pelayo was sentenced to 36 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property. Fredericks was sentenced to five years of probation for two counts engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff prosecuted the case.
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Kenyan Citizen Gets 135-Month Prison Term for Advance Fee and Investment Fraud Scheme in Washington D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Paul Maucha, 59, a Kenyan national, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 135 months in prison for perpetrating an advance fee and investment scheme that defrauded numerous victims.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley of the Atlanta Field Office.
In addition to the 135-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols ordered Maucha to serve three years of supervised release; to pay a $200,000 fine, a $400 special assessment, and restitution and forfeiture both in the amount of $1,901,252.
A federal jury convicted Maucha on February 1, 2024, on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property.
“The defendant tricked investors into giving him money with promises of favorable financial opportunities,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “But instead of following through with those promises, the defendant pocketed the fees and caused investors to lose millions. This sentence holds the defendant accountable and sends a clear message to anyone considering a similar scam.”
“Investment fraud scams can be difficult to investigate and prosecute due to the interstate and transnational nature of the criminal activity. But this sentence should serve as a warning that the FBI will persistently investigate these crimes and make sure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Our success in this case is the result of a team effort, with outstanding assistance from our partners. Moving forward we will continue to pursue the collection of restitution for those harmed by the defendant.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Maucha, along with a co-conspirator, engaged in a scheme through a shell company Maucha controlled, American Eagle Services Group Inc. (AESG), to make numerous misrepresentations to victims about AESG, its assets, and its access to money and capital.
In particular, Maucha—through AESG—promised victims who were seeking loans that AESG would provide them with these loans. The victims were required to first provide AESG with an advanced fee. The company misrepresented the purpose of that fee. AESG told victims falsely that the advance fees could be refunded if AESG did not fund the loan. As proven at trial, however, Maucha and his co-conspirator knew that AESG did not have the capital to make these loans at the time the lending agreements were executed, and refunds to victims could not be assured because Maucha and his co-conspirator were splitting the fees between themselves and spending them. There was no money left to be refunded.
The FBI’s Atlanta Division investigated the case, with substantial assistance from Homeland Security Investigations.
Trial Attorneys Tian Huang and Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine M. Macey for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case. Former Assistant Chief William E. Johnston of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Rothstein for the District of Columbia previously provided valuable assistance in the investigation.
21-cr-0322
KC Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy that distributed more than 20 kilograms of methamphetamine in the metropolitan area.
Keith A. Clevenger, 51, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 16 years in federal prison without parole.
On July 25, 2023, Clevenger pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Clevenger admitted that he purchased approximately 1.2 kilograms of methamphetamine from a co-conspirator.
Clevenger attempted to flee on foot from police officers during a traffic stop near the intersection of Truman and Home Road on Nov. 28, 2020. While rolling him over to frisk for weapons, officers saw a plastic baggie that contained 25.7 grams of pure methamphetamine. Officers also found a Glock .40-caliber pistol in the vehicle.
Clevenger is the 13th and final defendant to be sentenced in this case. Co-defendant Nicholas A. Taylor, 41, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced on April 25, 2023, to 19 years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Taylor admitted that he traveled to California in June 2020 and purchased at least 52 pounds (approximately 23.6 kilograms) of methamphetamine, which was transported to Kansas City and distributed to multiple co-defendants.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Barnes. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Justice Department to Monitor Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance at Polling PlacesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada will inspect several polling places in Washoe and Clark Counties for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination in voting based on disability, on Nevada Primary Election Day, June 11. The office has also sent written surveys to all Nevada county election officials to determine whether polling places in those counties are ADA compliant. The purpose of this initiative is to protect the rights of voters with disabilities by ensuring that counties select and provide accessible polling places that voters with disabilities can access independently.
The Department of Justice’s guide on The Americans with Disabilities Act and Other Federal Laws Protecting the Rights of Voters with Disabilities describes the legal protections designed to allow equal access to every aspect of elections, including registration and voting, for people with disabilities.
Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the Department’s ADA website, at https://www.ada.gov/file-a-complaint/.
Learn more about the Department’s enforcement of federal civil and criminal laws related to voting at https://www.justice.gov/voting. You can also report other possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov/report/ or 1-800-253-3931. You can report suspected criminal activity regarding voting to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or by filing an online complaint at tips.fbi.gov or by contacting local law enforcement.
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Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Fort Worth-Area Tax Return PreparerRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas today seeking to bar a Fort Worth, Texas-area tax return preparer from preparing federal income tax returns for others.
The complaint alleges that Ruben Gonzalez and his employees prepared over 14,000 federal income tax returns from 2021-2023 through a sole proprietorship named “Sin Barreras Income Tax.” According to the complaint, in a substantial number of these tax returns, Gonzalez and others he employed significantly overstated customers’ tax refunds by fabricating or inflating business losses, falsifying charitable donation deductions and falsely claiming energy credits and coronavirus family sick leave credits to which the customers were not entitled.
By repeatedly understating customers’ tax liabilities, the complaint alleges that Gonzalez caused the United States harm of almost $20 million in lost tax revenue from 2021-2023.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Attorneys for the Tax Division are handling the case.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways to safeguard their personal information.
In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
1-Gonzalez Complaint.pdfJustice Department Secures More Than 500 Prosecutions Under New Firearms Statutes Enacted by Bipartisan Safer Communities ActRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced it has charged more than 500 defendants under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), which Congress enacted, and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first standalone federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
“Criminals rely on illegal gun traffickers and straw purchasers to obtain the weapons they use to harm our communities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department is using the new tools given to us in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to hold accountable those who fuel gun violence.”
The BSCA was passed in the wake of the tragic mass shootings — including at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Topps Grocery Store in Buffalo, New York, and a house of worship in Laguna Woods, California — that, together with the gun violence experienced in our communities every day, reverberates through our families, communities, and entire nation. As the first significant gun safety legislation in decades, the BSCA provided powerful new tools to prosecute firearms traffickers and address gun violence.
Some recent cases include charging five individuals in Texas for allegedly trafficking military grade firearms to a drug cartel in Mexico; a three year sentence in New Mexico for illegal sale of firearms, including machineguns, and the illegal possession and transfer of machineguns; and a 10 year sentence in Pennsylvania for unlawful possession, manufacturing, and trafficking of ghost guns sold as part of “hit kits.”
The new statutes, 18 U.S.C. § 933 and 932, directly prohibit straw purchasing and firearms trafficking and significantly enhance the penalties for those crimes, providing for up to 15 years in prison. Criminals and prohibited individuals seek out straw purchasers, who lie about who is actually buying the firearm, because, by necessity, straw purchasers do not have a criminal history. The stronger penalty provisions enhance deterrence, signaling to potential straw purchasers and others involved in trafficking that these are serious offenses and not mere “paperwork violations” or victimless crimes.
Although there is more to be done, reaching this milestone shows that federal prosecutors and agents, as well as our state, local, Tribal, and territorial partners throughout the United States, have been using these new authorities to take a monumental step in addressing gun violence.
Justice Department Leaders Meet to Discuss Efforts to Combat Violent Crime in St. LouisRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Justice Department officials are meeting this week with their local, state and federal counterparts, community groups and others to discuss current and planned efforts to combat violent crime in the St. Louis area, including dozens of upcoming grant opportunities.
Officials met with community groups, law enforcement officials and others in the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program yesterday at Washington University to discuss efforts to combat violent crime, including the Violent Crime Initiative. They also discussed seminars planned for next month to help community organizations, law enforcement and others apply for over 80 funding opportunities. Today, officials are training law enforcement about tools to target complex criminal organizations.
PSN is a nationwide program to address violent crime through community engagement, prevention and intervention, focused and strategic enforcement and accountability.
In the PSN meeting, U.S. Marshals Service Deputy Director Mark Pittella said, “Partnerships between federal, state, and local law enforcement, civic leaders, business owners, and local organizations are key to the overall success of law enforcement to reduce violent crime in our communities. The U.S. Marshals Service is committed to leveraging existing relationships and task force partnerships in St. Louis to focus on and apprehend specific fugitives who pose an immediate threat to public safety. Our goal is to provide communities with immediate relief from violent crime by combining our resources and authority with the resources and local knowledge of participating agencies.”
Courtesy of the U.S. Marshals Service.Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General David Rody and others from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division also briefed the PSN group about the Violent Crime Initiative, which relies on partnerships between the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney’s Offices around the country. The VCI has already brought three highly experienced trial attorneys from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, the nation’s foremost experts in federal racketeering law, to work with prosecutors in the Eastern District of Missouri and investigative agents, analysts, and forensic experts from law enforcement agencies.
First announced in Houston in September of 2022, the VCI model has now been expanded to St. Louis; Memphis, Tenn.; Hartford, Conn.; and Jackson, Miss.
In Houston, over 50 gang members have been indicted on charges including murder, armed robbery and drug trafficking and related crimes via more than ten separate investigations.
Rody said that although violent crime is trending downward throughout the country, it is still a chronic problem primarily driven by guns, gangs and other organized groups.
“The Violent Crime Initiative will target the ‘worst of the worst’ violent offenders using data to focus our efforts,” U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming said. Prosecutors and other law enforcement officials will be using tools like RICO and VICAR prosecutions to target the leaders and most violent members of the criminal organizations that are disproportionately driving violent crime in St. Louis and dismantle those organizations. “While arrests and prosecutions play a significant role in reducing violent crime, a variety of tools, like our PSN partnerships, are necessary to help the community,” she added.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Franks, the PSN Coordinator and Director of Community Engagement for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, also previewed a planned collaboration to offer students in the St. Louis Public Schools in-class lessons addressing conflict resolution, decision-making, gang resistance, the justice system and possible careers.
On Tuesday, Justice Department officials are holding a training to aid local law enforcement officials in bringing cases under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) and Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR) statutes. Although the cases are often more complex, lengthy and resource-intensive, RICO and VICAR allow prosecutors to address the complete picture of a criminal organization’s activities. They can provide federal jurisdiction over some crimes traditionally handled by state prosecutors and result in longer sentences for violent offenders associated with these criminal organizations.
Next month, the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs will be holding two seminars about the many financial resources that are available and how to apply. One seminar will be aimed at law enforcement, hosted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The other, hosted by St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones’ office, will be for community organizations and other non-law enforcement groups.
There are over 80 funding opportunities, including funding for efforts to stop school violence, target crime guns, aid small and/or rural law enforcement agencies, improve outcomes for individuals with mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders, buy body worn cameras, help those impacted by illicit opioids and other drugs, address rape kit backlogs, prosecute cold cases using DNA, provide forensics training, reduce law enforcement suicide, address hate crimes, stabilize adults and juveniles in crisis and reduce the injury or death of missing individuals with dementia and developmental disabilities.
The seminars are tentatively scheduled for July 9.
Justice Department Enters Agreement with the New York State Unified Court System to Resolve Title VI Language Access ReviewRead the Press Release
View the press release in Yiddish here.
The Justice Department announced today a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the New York State Court System, Office of Court Administration (OCA) to improve access to the Rockland County, New York, Drug Treatment Court for people with limited English proficiency (LEP). The department enforces Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin by recipients of federal financial assistance. Prohibited discrimination may include a failure to provide meaningful language access.
“Ensuring equal justice under law means doing so in a manner that is fair, accurate and understandable for all, but that does not happen unless people involved in the judicial process can communicate with each other,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “People should not be penalized for their limited English proficiency and should receive the language assistance services they need to fairly participate in court proceedings and court-mandated trainings or treatment programs. This agreement stands as a model for ensuring access to the courts, including their programs and services, for all people, regardless of English proficiency, and outlines the actions needed to eliminate barriers for court users with limited English proficiency.”
“Members of the community should not be denied meaningful access to court proceedings and programs offering alternatives to traditional sentencing because of their limited English proficiency,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “We thank the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office and OCA for working with us to ensure that the Rockland County Drug Treatment Court is available to all eligible participants, and we hope that this memorandum of understanding can serve as a model for all courts in this district to ensure meaningful access to persons with limited English proficiency, in compliance with Title VI.”
The Justice Department reviewed a complaint alleging that people with LEP could not participate fully in the Rockland County Drug Treatment Court because it did not provide meaningful language access. Shortly after this complaint, OCA became involved in the language access procedures for the Rockland County Drug Treatment Court and OCA ultimately assumed responsibility for the Court in March.
Together with the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, which ran the Drug Treatment Court prior to March, OCA took several affirmative steps to provide meaningful access for all Rockland County Drug Treatment Court users with LEP during the department’s review of this matter. Among other actions, OCA committed to provide interpreter services for all court proceedings at no cost and conducted outreach to Rockland County Drug Treatment Court stakeholders about meaningful access for people with LEP.
Under the MOU, OCA will take a number of additional steps to ensure meaningful access for LEP participants in Rockland County Drug Treatment Court. These steps include translating all documents into Spanish, Creole and Yiddish, and into other languages by request, and securing treatment providers that will offer court-mandated drug treatment programs in a manner that provides meaningful access to people with LEP, at no additional cost to participants.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt. Information about limited English proficiency and Title VI is available at www.lep.gov. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov/report/ or with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York at www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/civil-rights.
Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Securities Fraud Conspiracy in Multi-Million Dollar Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, Alan John Hanke, the sole member of IOLO Capital (IOLO), pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud for his role in misappropriating more than $8 million as part of a Ponzi scheme. As part of his plea, Hanke also stipulated that he filed a bankruptcy petition and documents in a bankruptcy proceeding to conceal the conspiracy. Hanke was indicted in February 2024. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr. When sentenced, Hanke faces up to five years in prison.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), New York Field Office, and David Walker, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Tampa Field Office, announced the guilty plea.
“Hanke admitted today that he conspired to defraud clients of millions of dollars of their investments, and then tried to cover up his crime by declaring bankruptcy which was an intentional abuse of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s guilty plea reaffirms my Office’s efforts to root out white-collar crime where we find it and ensure integrity in the financial markets and the court system.”
As alleged in the indictment, between November 2018 and August 2021, Hanke persuaded numerous investors, often in meetings in New York City, to invest in IOLO or related Hanke-run companies. Hanke promised investors high returns within short periods of time by investing in, among other things, “standby letters of credit,” “medium term notes,” and “high yield bonds.” He also assured investors that their investments would be insured against losses. As alleged, however, nearly all the money that the victims invested with Hanke was not recovered. The bulk of the victims’ money went to Hanke’s personal expenses, including cruises, airfare, hotels, gambling expenses, and a luxury car. Hanke also paid co-conspirators and other investors with money that he wrongfully obtained during the scheme. Hanke filed a bankruptcy petition in June 2021 in which he sought to discharge the debts that he owed to his victims. In the bankruptcy petition, Hanke disclosed that he received monthly Social Security disability payments but did not disclose the millions of dollars of income he received from his victims. Hanke also did not disclose the proceeds from the sale of an airplane, or that he used the proceeds for personal expenses, including gambling and repairs to a close relative’s home, as well as $180,000 that was withdrawn in cash.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas J. Moscow and Matthew Skurnik are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Madison Bates.
The Defendant:
ALAN JOHN HANKE
Age: 50
Crystal Lake, IllinoisE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-27 (RER)
Hip-hop Artist Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Today, hip-hop artist and music producer Rodney McClain, a/k/a “Money Rod,” a/k/a “$Rod,” 35, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud in relation to his COVID-19 relief fraud scheme.
As part of the plea, McClain, of Fulton County, Georgia, admitted in 2020, he caused a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application to be submitted for his company, Dreams Come True Records, LLC, a music production company with its principal place of business in North Miami Beach, Florida. The PPP application contained materially false information about Dreams Come True Records, LLC’s number of employees and payroll expenses in 2019 and 2020, including two falsified IRS tax forms submitted with the application. McClain received over $600,000 in PPP loan proceeds as a result of this fraudulent loan application, and he spent more than $100,000 of the fraudulently obtained loan proceeds on personal and other impermissible expenses.
McClain, as part of the plea, will have a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of over $113,000 entered against him, and he will forfeit his music rights, master recordings, and music compositions.
The sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 29, before U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams in Miami. McClain faces up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud conviction. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Division announced the plea.
IRS-CI, Miami Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily R. Stone is prosecuting this case and handling asset forfeiture.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. The Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors, as well as those who committed multiple instances of pandemic relief fraud. The Strike Force uses prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. Additional information regarding the Strike Force may be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-covid-19-fraud-strike-force-teams.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-20094.
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Guadalajara resident heads to prison for trying to smuggle dozens of firearms and ammunition back to MexicoRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 68-year-old resident of Guadalajara, Mexico, has been sentenced for attempting to smuggle multiple firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition on a vehicle roof rack, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jose De Jesus Pena Dieguez pleaded guilty March 27.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Dieguez to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Dieguez had previously exported firearms to Mexico on several prior occasions.
On Jan. 11, Dieguez attempted to enter Mexico through the Progreso Port of Entry in a Nissan Xterra. Upon inspection, authorities noticed tampering on the screws of a compartment connected to the vehicle's roof rack. An x-ray examination also showed anomalies within the compartment.
A subsequent search revealed 16 firearms, 31 firearm magazines, assorted firearm parts and 800 rounds of ammunition.
Dieguez admitted he purchased the firearms and intended to illegally export them to Mexico.
Dieguez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Customs and Border Protection conducted the joint investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan prosecuted the case as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, 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.