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Tuesday 30 April 2024
Three indicted for providing firearms to Cartel del NoresteRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Three Laredo residents are charged with purchasing firearms for the cartel and transporting them to Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
A federal grand jury has returned a four-count indictment against Angela Ruby Ponce, 18, Oscar Axel Flores, 22, and Mario Alberto Tovar, 28. They are expected to appear for their arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga May 2.
The indictment alleges from Jan. 1 through on or about April 2, Ponce, Flores and Tovar conspired with each other in trafficking firearms for the Cartel del Noreste (CDN).
Each are charged with conspiracy, smuggling goods from the United States, trafficking firearms and straw purchasing firearms for the CDN.
On April 2, the trio allegedly went to a federal firearms licensee in Laredo to purchase a semi-automatic rifle. After the purchase, U.S. authorities stopped them, recovering the just purchased rifle intended for the CDN, according to the charges.
The criminal complaint originally filed in the case alleges the group was working on behalf of the CDN. The three are believed to have purchased and transported at least 12 firearms to the CDN over the course of several months. The weapons included a variety of handguns and rifles, according to the charges.
The indictment alleges the CDN is a Mexican criminal organization that engages in transnational crime including kidnapping, extortion, vehicle theft, human trafficking, drug trafficking, and money laundering. It is headquartered in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, and allegedly has influence over other Mexican cities. The CDN uses firearms of various calibers and capabilities to carry out and protect its operations, according to the charges.
For the conspiracy, each faces up to five years in federal prison, while smuggling goods from the United States carries a possible 10-year prison sentence. If convicted of trafficking firearms, they all also face additional sentences of up to 15 years as well as another 25 years for straw purchasing. The latter two are new charges under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw purchasing of firearms. All charges also carry potential fines of up to $250,000.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Laredo Police Department conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan L. Oliver is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Three Gang Members Convicted for Their Roles in a MurderRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted three members of the Hoover Criminal Gang yesterday for their roles in the murder of a suspected rival gang member.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Markell Young, 32; Octavius Ferguson, 27; and Jordan Powell, 25, all of Gibson County, Tennessee, were members of a sub-set of the Hoover Criminal Gang known as the 83rd or Eight Tray. This violent criminal street gang operated throughout Tennessee, California, and elsewhere, and was engaged in racketeering activities including murder, robberies, and the trafficking of marijuana and cocaine.
On Jan. 31, 2017, the defendants murdered a suspected member of the rival Gangster Disciples gang in Humboldt, Tennessee, in retaliation for a shooting against a member of the Hoover Criminal Gang. Young ordered Ferguson, Powell, and co-defendants Bakari Lenon, and Monterio Ross to commit the murder, which they carried out by going to the victim’s home and shooting several firearms indiscriminately through the open front door, killing the victim.
The jury convicted Young of aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and Ferguson and Powell of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and causing death by use of a firearm during and relation to a crime of violence. The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 20. Young faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, and Ferguson and Powell each face a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The two additional defendants, Lenon and Ross, pleaded guilty in October 2023 for their roles in the homicide and were each sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee; and Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division made the announcement.
The FBI, ATF, West Tennessee Drug Task Force, Humboldt Police Department, and Tennessee Bureau of Investigations investigated the case.
Trial Attorney César S. Rivera-Giraud of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary Parham for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
Three Gang Members Convicted for Their Roles in a MurderRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted three members of the Hoover Criminal Gang yesterday for their roles in the murder of a suspected rival gang member.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Markell Young, 32; Octavius Ferguson, 27; and Jordan Powell, 25, all of Gibson County, Tennessee, were members of a sub-set of the Hoover Criminal Gang known as the 83rd or Eight Tray. This violent criminal street gang operated throughout Tennessee, California, and elsewhere, and was engaged in racketeering activities including murder, robberies, and the trafficking of marijuana and cocaine.
On Jan. 31, 2017, the defendants murdered a suspected member of the rival Gangster Disciples gang in Humboldt, Tennessee, in retaliation for a shooting against a member of the Hoover Criminal Gang. Young ordered Ferguson, Powell, and co-defendants Bakari Lenon and Monterio Ross to commit the murder, which they carried out by going to the victim’s home and shooting several firearms indiscriminately through the open front door, killing the victim.
The jury convicted Young of aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and Ferguson and Powell of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and causing death by use of a firearm during and relation to a crime of violence. The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 20. Young faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, and Ferguson and Powell each face a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The two additional defendants, Lenon and Ross, pleaded guilty in October 2023 for their roles in the homicide and were each sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee; and Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division made the announcement.
The FBI, ATF, West Tennessee Drug Task Force, Humboldt Police Department, and Tennessee Bureau of Investigations investigated the case.
Trial Attorney César S. Rivera-Giraud of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary Parham for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
Three Aryan Brotherhood Prison Gang Members Convicted of Murder in Aid of Racketeering, RICO Conspiracy, and Conspiracy to Commit Murder in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Following a nine-week trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller, three members of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang were found guilty of racketeering activity that included murder and drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
A federal jury found California State Prison Sacramento inmate Ronald Yandell, 61, guilty of one count of murder in aid of racketeering for the murder of Hugo Pinell, conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity; five counts of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of Kenneth Johnson, James Mickey, Paul Diaz, Michael Trippe, and Doug Maynard; two counts of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin; five counts of distribution of heroin; and one count of distribution of methamphetamine.
The jury found California State Prison Sacramento inmate Danny Troxell, 71, guilty of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering for the murder of James Mickey.
The jury found California State Prison inmate Billy Sylvester, 55, guilty of murder in aid of racketeering for the murder of Ronald Richardson, conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, and distribution of methamphetamine.
“Today’s convictions further our effort to dismantle a violent criminal enterprise run from inside California prisons,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “The Aryan Brotherhood controlled its members, associates, and others both inside and outside prison walls, ordering multiple murders and running a drug trafficking operation that spanned counties and states. We will continue to use every law enforcement tool to protect the communities plagued by the violence and criminal activities of the Aryan Brotherhood.”
“Prior convictions and lengthy prison sentences didn’t alter the defendants’ disrespect for the law and public safety. They continued to commit brutal murders and other heinous crimes from behind bars, all while coordinating the distribution of drugs into the community for financial gain,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark. “These convictions deal a significant blow to the Aryan Brotherhood leadership and underscores our commitment to tackle violent criminal enterprises from the top down.”
“The outcome today reflects the successful coordination among the law enforcement agencies involved in this effort to combat the dangerous influence of prison gangs,” said CDCR Secretary Jeff Macomber. “I appreciate the hard work and dedication of each of the agencies and am proud of the expertise CDCR staff provided throughout the investigation.”
On June 6, 2019, a criminal complaint was unsealed that charged 16 members and associates of the Aryan Brotherhood (AB), a prison-based gang, following a long-running investigation into drug trafficking and murders inside and outside of California’s prisons.
According to court documents and evidence produced at trial, between 2011 and 2016, AB members and associates engaged in racketeering activity, committing multiple acts involving murder, conspiracies to murder, and drug trafficking crimes. Yandell and Sylvester oversaw a significant heroin and methamphetamine trafficking operation from their shared cell. Using smuggled-in cellphones, Yandell and Sylvester directed murders, drug trafficking in Sacramento and other California cities, and other criminal acts, while controlling the membership of the AB. Troxell was a leader of the AB and had significant authority over the enterprise, including resolving disputes among members and approving the murder of current or former members.
At the outset of this investigation, the following defendants were prison inmates with Yandell, Troxell, and Sylvester, serving life sentences:
- Travis Burhop, 51, pleaded guilty on Oct. 31, 2022, and is awaiting sentencing.
- Brant Daniel, 49, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison on Dec. 20, 2023.
- Pat Brady, 53, pleaded guilty on Jan. 3, 2024, and is scheduled for sentencing on May 13, 2024.
- Jason Corbett, 52, pleaded guilty on Jan. 17, 2024, and is scheduled for sentencing on July 15, 2024.
Additional individuals charged in the case include the following:
- Donald Mazza, 53, pleaded guilty on June 15, 2022, and is scheduled for sentencing on May 6, 2024.
- Samuel Keeton, 45, of Menifee, pleaded guilty on Nov. 30, 2020, and is scheduled for sentencing on May 13, 2024.
- Jeanna Quesenberry, 57, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty on Dec. 11, 2023, and is scheduled for sentencing on May 13, 2024.
- Kristin Demar, 49, of Citrus Heights; pleaded guilty on Sept. 12, 2022, and is scheduled for sentencing on May 13, 2024.
- Justin Petty, 42, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty and on Oct. 16, 2023, was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in prison.
- Charges are pending against Kevin MacNamara, 44, of La Palma, and Kathleen Nolan, 69, of Calimesa. A status conference for these defendants is set for June 24, 2024. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
- Two previously charged defendants are deceased.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Vallejo Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, and the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt, Ross Pearson, and David Spencer are prosecuting the case.
Yandell, Troxell, and Sylvester are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Mueller at a date to be set in the future. Defendants Yandell and Sylvester face mandatory life sentences based upon their convictions for murder in aid of racketeering. Defendant Troxell faces a maximum sentence of life in prison based upon his RICO conspiracy conviction.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Tenderloin Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Five Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Miguel Ramos was sentenced today to five years in prison for crimes including possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine base, cocaine, and heroin, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), San Francisco Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Richard Seeborg, Chief United States District Judge.
Ramos, 25, a citizen of Honduras, pleaded guilty in January 2024 to one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)(vi), and four counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine base, cocaine, and heroin, all in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).
According to court filings, Ramos was arrested in October 2022 in possession of approximately 3,530 grams (around 7.7 pounds) of fentanyl in various colors located in several different baggies. He also possessed approximately 54 grams of methamphetamine, 18 grams of cocaine base, 12 grams of cocaine salt, 26 grams of heroin, a large amount of cash, and a digital scale at the time of his arrest. All weights are gross weights.
“Fentanyl is wreaking havoc in our communities, particularly in the Tenderloin,” said United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey. “Miguel Ramos cavalierly possessed more than seven pounds of this highly lethal substance for sale. This Office will ensure that dealers like Mr. Ramos face Justice and long prison sentences.”
“Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat our communities have ever faced. The staggering amount of this poison seized from Ramos equates to several thousand potential deadly doses,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark. “DEA will continue to respond to this unprecedented threat in San Francisco with unprecedented action. Our sustained efforts in the Tenderloin will continue as we work tirelessly to save lives.”
In addition to sentencing Ramos to prison, Judge Seeborg ordered the defendant to serve three years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed. Ramos was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 13, 2022, and was immediately remanded into custody following his sentencing today.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George Hageman is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Helen Yee. The prosecution is the result of a months-long investigation by the DEA and the San Francisco Police Department.
One Pill Can Kill: Beware of pills bought on the street. Fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, is a highly potent opiate that can be diluted with cutting agents to create counterfeit pills that purport to mimic the effects of Oxycodone, Percocet, and other drugs, but can be obtained at a lower cost. However, very small variations in the amount or quality of fentanyl create huge effects on the potency of the counterfeit pills and can easily cause death. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills are usually shaped and colored to resemble pills that are sold legitimately at pharmacies.
Tampa Man Sentenced to Five Years’ Imprisonment for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Robert Jones IV aka “Klout” (24, Tampa) to five years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine and possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. Jones entered a guilty plea on January 18, 2024.
According to court documents, in February and March 2023, Jones sold methamphetamine to an undercover police officer. During each of the transactions, Jones hid the methamphetamine inside the gas cap of his vehicle. He then drove to a pre-determined meeting location in St. Petersburg, where the drugs were retrieved as Jones remained inside his vehicle.
During a search of Jones’s residence, law enforcement officers recovered assorted drug paraphernalia, including a digital scale, plastic resealable bags, a heat seal, and distribution quantities of methamphetamine. Jones later admitted to selling drugs from his home and took ownership of the methamphetamine found in the residence.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Michael Kenneth.
Stoughton Man Who Mailed Packages Containing Fentanyl Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Stoughton man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to his role in a wide-ranging fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
Angel Morales, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for Sept. 5, 2024. In December 2022, Morales was indicted along with co-conspirators Quenty Ogando, Erika Prado and Rahelin Reynoso.
Between September 2022 and November 2022, Morales was involved in a scheme involving a large-scale pill press operation that manufactured, sold, and mailed counterfeit pills, including pills containing fentanyl, among other drugs. Morales’ role within the operation was to ship the packages from various post offices across Massachusetts. On multiple occasions, Morales used various post offices and FedEx facilities in Boston, Randolph, Holbrook, Quincy, Mattapan, Braintree, Milton and elsewhere to mail over 150 packages knowing that some of the packages contained controlled substances. On at least two occasions, FedEx employees opened packages pursuant to their internal procedures, and observed clear plastic sandwich bags filled with pills with markings consistent with prescription-only medication that later tested positive for fentanyl.
On multiple occasions in October and November Morales was observed leaving an apartment in Mattapan before travelling to multiple post offices and FedEx facilities. During a subsequent search of that apartment, over 20 kilograms of pills in various colors, a sample of which tested positive for fentanyl, over 20 kilograms of loose powder, a sample of which tested positive for fentanyl, numerous packages and mailing labels, electronic devices, cash and three industrial grade pill presses were recovered. In addition, fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine were also found at the apartment.
Morales is the fourth and final defendant to plead guilty in the case. On Jan. 31, 2024, Ogando was sentenced to 144 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Prado and Reynoso are scheduled to be sentenced on April 30, 2024, and June 3, 2024, respectively.
Both charges provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and fine of up to $10 million. 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; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department; Massachusetts State Police; United States Customs and Border Protection; Drug Enforcement Administration; and U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Mackenzie Duane and Jennifer Zacks of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
Southaven Man Sentenced for Possession of a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Southaven man was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for possession of a stolen firearm.
According to court documents, Jordan Dale Burgess, 33, was captured on surveillance video stealing a firearm from a Federal Firearms Licensed dealer in Yazoo City, Mississippi, in March of 2023.
Burgess was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 6, 2023. He pled guilty on December 12, 2023, to possession of a stolen firearm.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen 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 L.A. Gang Member Who Led Meth and Cocaine Trafficking Ring from His Storefront Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A member of the Hoover Criminals Gang was sentenced today to 144 months in federal prison for leading a drug trafficking enterprise that distributed narcotics, including crack cocaine and methamphetamine, which were sold from his storefront in South Los Angeles.
Andrew Tate, 56, a.k.a. “Batman,” of South Los Angeles, was sentenced by United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr. Tate pleaded guilty in August 2022 to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. He has been in federal custody since his arrest in November 2020.
Tate is the lead defendant in an indictment targeting the gang's members and associates as part of an investigation dubbed “Operation Hoover Dam.” He also is the final defendant to be sentenced in this case. In total, federal prosecutors secured 10 convictions in this matter.
Tate owned a business named TNN Market and he sold methamphetamine, crack cocaine and powder cocaine from it. Tate and co-defendant Bobby Lorenzo Reed, 59, a.k.a. “Zo” and “Z,” who owned the South Los Angeles-based store H&E Smoke and Snack Shop, referred customers to one another, supplied one another, and directed their employees to engage in drug sales and referrals in dozens of narcotics transactions from June 2017 to May 2018. Reed is serving a 10-year prison sentence after pleading guilty in June 2022 to federal narcotics charges in this case.
“Tate participated in an extensive and long-running drug conspiracy to sell drugs, including methamphetamine and crack cocaine, in South Los Angeles,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “Tate’s role in the drug conspiracy was significant; he was the head of the entire drug trafficking enterprise pumping drugs into a vulnerable area of Los Angeles.”
The FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jenna G. Williams of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force and Jason C. Pang of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
Sixteen People Charged with Conspiracy to Defraud Hundreds of Elderly Americans of Millions of DollarsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Sixteen individuals were charged in connection with a sprawling “grandparent scam” to defraud hundreds of elderly Americans out of millions of dollars, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Eleven men from the Dominican Republic are charged in a 19-count indictment with mail and wire fraud conspiracy; wire fraud; mail fraud; conspiracy to commit money laundering; and money laundering:
- *Juan Rafael Parra Arias, aka “Yofre,” 40
- Nefy Vladimir Parra Arias, aka “Keko,” 39
- Nelson Rafael Gonzalez Acevedo, aka “Nelson Tech,” 35
- *Rafael Ambiorix Rodriguez Guzman, aka “Max Morgan,” 59
- Miguel Angel Fortuna Solano, aka “Botija,” aka “Boti,” 41
- *Felix Samuel Reynoso Ventura, aka “Fili,” aka “Filly The Kid,” 36
- Carlos Javier Estevez, 45
- Louis Junior Serrano Rodriguez, aka “Junior,” 27
- Miguel Angel Vasquez, aka “Miguel Disla,” 24
- Jovanni Antonio Rosario Garcia, aka “Porky,” aka “Chop,” 45
- *Jose Ismael Dilone Rodriguez, 34
-
*denotes in custody
An additional five defendants were charged by complaint with wire fraud conspiracy as part of the same scheme: Endy Jose Torres Moran, 21, of Brooklyn, New York; Ivan Alexander Inoa Suero, 32, of the Bronx, New York; Jhonny Cepeda, 27, and Ramon Hurtado, 43, both of New York; and Yuleisy Roque, 21, of the Bronx.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“As alleged, these 16 defendants preyed upon grandparents’ familial love and devotion, cheating them out of millions of dollars. In this ‘grandparents’ scam,’ the defendants allegedly impersonated grandchildren in distress, claiming, for example, they had been arrested after a car accident involving a pregnant woman who later miscarried, and they needed immediate cash for bail or a lawyer. The panic-stricken grandparents quickly paid—sometimes tens of thousands of dollars. My office is committed to protecting the rights of all victims, and we will relentlessly prosecute those who allegedly target vulnerable seniors to steal their hard-earned savings.”
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and its law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue individuals who prey on vulnerable and elderly victims through fraudulent schemes,” Deputy Assistant Attorney General Arun Rao of the Justice Department's Civil Division, Consumer Protection Branch said. “We will continue to identify perpetrators of these schemes and prioritize the pursuit of those who deliberately target vulnerable consumers, whether located in the United States or abroad.”
“Today’s announcement stems from the defendants’ alleged heartless targeting of elderly victims who were collectively tricked into handing over millions of dollars,” Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New York, Acting Special Agent in Charge Darren B. McCormack, said. “For their own selfish gain, these accused individuals threatened innocent Americans’ livelihoods, and robbed them of their precious time and any nest eggs they had secured for themselves. I commend HSI New York’s El Dorado Task Force Cyber Intrusion Group, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the NYPD, the FBI, the Social Security Office of Inspector General, and HSI Santo Domingo for their outstanding collaboration and coordination. This can truly happen to anybody, and while we will always be there to assist victims, we hope that raising awareness will give these criminal opportunists fewer chances to target the public.”
“We allege these scammers created an elaborate scheme revolving around a grandchild reaching out to say they were in trouble, had been arrested, and needed help,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “Then to reinforce an immediate need for cash, these fraudsters allegedly posed as attorneys, law enforcement officers and court employees explaining how grandparents can get them money. Even the most jaded and savvy of us out there may pause a moment, thinking that this could actually be real. That’s the insidious nature of this particular fraud, criminals are preying on our instinct to protect our families. We ask anyone who believes they could also be a victim to report it at www.ic3.gov.”
“Fraud targeting the elderly has a uniquely harmful effect on a segment of the population that is often amongst society's most vulnerable,” Bradley Parker, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Boston - New York Field Division, said. “SSA OIG is proud to join HSI, the FBI, the Justice Department, and the NYPD in investigating these complex, international scams aimed at defrauding SSA beneficiaries.”
“These charges underscore law enforcement’s commitment to protecting our older population from fraudsters and financial exploitation,” New York Police Department Commissioner Edward A. Caban said. “The crimes outlined here are truly depraved in their nature: targeting our parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, and others in an elaborate venture to bilk them of their hard-earned savings. I applaud our NYPD investigators and all of our federal partners involved in this important case for their tireless dedication to our shared public safety mission.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Juan Rafael Parra Arias, Nefy Vladimir Parra Arrias, and Gonzalez Acevedo operated a sophisticated network of call centers in the Dominican Republic. Their alleged victims included elderly residents of several states, including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. The call centers victimized hundreds of Americans through fraud, stealing millions of dollars.
Members of the conspiracy referred to as “openers” called elderly victims in the United States and impersonated the victims’ children, grandchildren, or other close relatives. The call centers used technology to make it appear that the calls were coming from inside the United States. Typically, the victim was told that their grandchild had been in a car accident, was arrested as a result of the accident, and needed help.
Once openers duped victims into believing their loved ones were in dire trouble, others working at the call centers, known as “closers,” impersonated defense attorneys, police officers, or court personnel and convinced victims to provide thousands of dollars in cash to help their loved ones.
Closers, including defendants Rodriguez Guzman, Fortuna Solano, Reynoso Ventura, and Estevez, typically told victims to give the cash to couriers who they sent to victims’ homes to collect their money. Other times, closers instructed victims to send the cash by mail.
Once victims were convinced to give cash, call center “dispatchers,” including Serrano Rodriguez, Vasquez, Rosario Rodriguez, and Dilone Rodriguez recruited and managed a network of U.S.-based couriers to steal cash from the elderly victims across the Northeast.
Those U.S.-based couriers, including the five charged by complaint, typically went to the elderly victims’ home to retrieve the cash, often using false names and providing victims with fake receipts in exchange. The couriers then brought the cash to other members of the conspiracy, who sent the victims’ money back to the Dominican Republic.
Each of the charges in the indictment and complaint carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Each of the mail and wire fraud charges also carry a potential fine of up to $250,000; each of the money laundering charges also carry a potential fine of up to $500,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and investigators of the Department of Homeland Security, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge McCormack; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Dennehy in Newark; the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York / Boston Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Bradley Parker; and the New York Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Caban, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Silane of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark, and Jason Feldman, Joshua Ferrentino, and Emily Powers of the Department of Justice, Consumer Protection Branch in Washington, D.C.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment and complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Video press statement: Grandparents Scam press statement - YouTube
usattorney_remarks.pdf grandparents.indictment.pdfSixteen Defendants Charged in Connection with Transnational “Grandparent Scam” Operated from Dominican RepublicRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Sixteen individuals were charged in connection with a sprawling “grandparent scam” to defraud elderly Americans out of millions of dollars, the Justice Department announced today during a virtual announcement.
Eleven men from the Dominican Republic are charged in a 19-count indictment with mail and wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering:
- Juan Rafael Parra Arias, also known as Yofre, 41;
- Nefy Vladimir Parra Arias, also known as Keko, 39;
- Nelson Rafael Gonzalez Acevedo, also known as Nelson Tech, 35;
- Rafael Ambiorix Rodriguez Guzman, also known as Max Morgan, 59;
- Miguel Angel Fortuna Solano, also known as Botija, and Boti, 41;
- Felix Samuel Reynoso Ventura, also known as Fili, and Filly The Kid, 37;
- Carlos Javier Estevez, 45;
- Louis Junior Rodriguez Serrano, also known as Junior, 27;
- Miguel Angel Vasquez, also known as Miguel Disla, 24;
- Jovanni Antonio Rosario Garcia, also known as Porky, and Chop, 45; and
- Jose Ismael Dilone Rodriguez, 34
According to the indictment, unsealed yesterday, in Newark, New Jersey, the defendants engaged in a long-running “grandparent” or “family in need of bail” scam against seniors in the United States. The scam was operated from call centers in the Dominican Republic.
An additional five defendants were charged by complaint with wire fraud conspiracy as part of the same scheme: Endy Jose Torres Moran, 21, of Brooklyn, New York; Ivan Alexander Inoa Suero, 32, of New York City; Jhonny Cepeda, 27, of New York City; Ramon Hurtado, 43, of New York City, and Yuleisy Roque, 21, of the Bronx, New York. All five of the defendants charged by complaint are alleged to have acted as couriers who picked up cash from defrauded victims in New Jersey, New York and elsewhere.
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and its law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue individuals who prey on vulnerable and elderly victims through fraudulent schemes,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Arun G. Rao of the Civil Division. “We will continue to identify perpetrators of these schemes and prioritize the pursuit of those who deliberately target vulnerable consumers, whether located in the United States or abroad.”
“As alleged, these 16 defendants preyed upon grandparents’ familial love and devotion, cheating them out of millions of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “In this ‘grandparents’ scam,’ the defendants allegedly impersonated grandchildren in distress, claiming, for example, they had been arrested after a car accident involving a pregnant woman who later miscarried, and they needed immediate cash for bail or a lawyer. The panic-stricken grandparents quickly paid — sometimes tens of thousands of dollars. My office is committed to protecting the rights of all victims, and we will relentlessly prosecute those who allegedly target vulnerable seniors to steal their hard-earned savings.”
“Today’s announcement stems from the defendants’s alleged heartless targeting of elderly victims who were collectively tricked into handing over millions of dollars," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Darren B. McCormack of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York. “For their own selfish gain, these accused individuals threatened innocent Americans’ livelihoods and robbed them of their precious time and any nest eggs they had secured for themselves. I commend HSI New York’s El Dorado Task Force Cyber Intrusion Group, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the NYPD, the FBI, the Social Security Office of Inspector General and HSI Santo Domingo for their outstanding collaboration and coordination. This can truly happen to anybody, and while we will always be there to assist victims, we hope that raising awareness will give these criminal opportunists fewer chances to target the public.”
“Fraud targeting the elderly has a uniquely harmful effect on a segment of the population that is often amongst society's most vulnerable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley Parker of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Boston New York Field Division. “SSA OIG is proud to join HSI, the FBI, the Justice Department and the NYPD in investigating these complex, international scams aimed at defrauding SSA beneficiaries.”
“These charges underscore law enforcement’s commitment to protecting our older population from fraudsters and financial exploitation,” said Commissioner Edward A. Caban of the New York Police Department (NYPD). “The crimes outlined here are truly depraved in their nature: targeting our parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, and others in an elaborate venture to bilk them of their hard-earned savings. I applaud our NYPD investigators and all of our federal partners involved in this important case for their tireless dedication to our shared public safety mission.”
“The FBI and its partners are deeply committed to keeping our elderly population out of harm’s way,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response and Services Branch. “Even when components of these grandparent scams are being perpetuated from beyond our borders, those who engage in illicit activity seeking to defraud the American people can be assured that their actions have consequences. If you or someone you know is a victim of elder fraud, please come forward and report it.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Juan Rafael Parra Arias, Nefy Vladimir Parra Arrias and Gonzalez Acevedo operated a sophisticated network of call centers in the Dominican Republic. Their alleged victims included elderly residents of several states, including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. The call centers victimized hundreds of Americans through fraud, stealing millions of dollars.
Members of the conspiracy referred to as “openers” called elderly victims in the United States and impersonated the victims’ children, grandchildren, or other close relatives. The call centers used technology to make it appear that the calls were coming from inside the United States. Typically, the victim was told that their grandchild had been in a car accident, was arrested in connection with an accident, and needed help.
Once openers tricked victims into believing their loved ones were in dire trouble, others working at the call centers, known as “closers,” allegedly impersonated defense attorneys, police officers or court personnel and convinced victims to provide thousands of dollars in cash to help their loved ones.
According to charging documents, closers, including defendants Rodriguez Guzman, Fortuna Solano, Reynoso Ventura and Estevez typically told victims to give the cash to couriers who they sent to victims’ homes to collect their money. Other times, closers instructed victims to send the cash by mail.
Once victims were convinced to give cash, call center “dispatchers,” including Rodriguez Serrano, Vasquez, Rosario Garcia, and Dilone Rodriguez, recruited and managed a network of U.S.-based couriers to obtain cash from the elderly victims across the northeastern United States.
Those U.S.-based couriers, including the five charged by complaint, typically went to the elderly victims’ home to pick up the cash, often using false names and providing victims with fake receipts. The couriers then brought the cash to other members of the conspiracy, who sent the victims’ money to the Dominican Republic.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty 20 years in prison for each count, a maximum fine of $250,000 for each count of the mail and wire fraud charges and a maximum fine of $500,000 for each count of money laundering.
Deputy Assistant Attorney Rao joined U.S. Attorney Sellinger, Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy of the FBI’s Newark Division and Deputy Special Agent in Charge McCormack of Homeland Security Investigations New York made the announcement.
HIS, SSA-OIG, NYPD, and the FBI are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.
Trial Attorneys Jason Feldman, Joshua Ferrentino and Emily Powers of the Civil Division's Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Silane for the District of Jersey are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sex Offender Caught in Halfway House with Child Pornography Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a registered sex offender who was caught in a halfway house with child sexual abuse material to 15 years in prison.
In 2017, Eric Michael Swancutt was sentenced in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis to 97 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to two counts of receiving child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
On Aug. 17, 2022, after his release from prison, a staffer at the residential reentry center near Farmington, Missouri found a cell phone hidden in Swancutt’s sock during a pat down search. A court-approved search of the phone uncovered child pornography and evidence that Swancutt had searched for child pornography.
Swancutt, now 46, pleaded guilty in January in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of receiving child pornography.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Chapman 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 the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Sentences handed to “Cobra” human smuggling members responsible for fatality and sexual assaultRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – The leader of a smuggling organization and five others have been sentenced for conspiring to smuggle undocumented individuals, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Saul Torres-Martinez aka Cobra, 42, Houston; Ernesto Mata Pioquinto, 32, Mexico; Marcelino Navarro Sanchez, 31, Mexico; Robert Hernandez, 26, Fresno; Noemi Silva, 39, Wimauma, Florida; and Luis Esteban Martinez, 41, Alamo, pleaded guilty July 6, 2021.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane found Torres-Martinez to be a leader or organizer of the smuggling operation and imposed a 110-month sentence. Pioquinto and Sanchez received 52 months, while Hernandez, Silva and Martinez received 39, 87 and 87 months in federal prison, respectively. Hernandez, Silva, and Martinez will serve three years of supervised release following their terms of imprisonment. Not U.S. citizens, Torres-Martinez, Pioquinto and Sanchez are expected to face removal proceedings following the completion of their respective sentences. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane noted the seriousness of the offense and expressed concern regarding the harm Torres-Martinez caused to the community.
“Human smuggling organizations simply don’t care,” said Hamdani. “They do not see the migrants they transport as human beings but rather as currency. As a result, when you put yourselves in these criminals’ hands you risk exposing yourself to extreme danger or even death.”
As a part of an approximately two-year investigation into human smuggling in the Rio Grande Valley, law enforcement identified and apprehended six members of the “Cobra” human smuggling organization.
According to law enforcement, the smuggling network was responsible for more 100 undocumented individuals from the Mexican border to Houston from 2018 to 2019.
During the investigation, further evidence revealed that members of the human smuggling organization were responsible for a smuggling fatality as well as an alleged sexual assault of another smuggled individual.
Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Phelps prosecuted the case.
Saint Bernard Man Sentenced to Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ROBERT C. METZLER (“METZLER”), age 60, was sentenced on April 23, 2024, in connection with a two-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute carisoprodol and possession with intent to distribute forty (40) grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine, oxycodone and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846 respectively. Specifically, METZLER was sentenced on each count to 69 months imprisonment, four years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee. All sentences are to run concurrently with each other.
According to court documents, METZLER conspired to receive shipments of carisoprodol from outside of the United States with the intent to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, these controlled substances within the Eastern District of Louisiana. Following the execution of a search warrant for METZLER’s home, agents recovered multiple controlled substances and documents associated with drug transactions.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Hammond Police Department, and the Tangipahoa Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
Richland Brothers Sentenced to Decades in Federal Prison for Trafficking Hundreds of Thousands of Fentanyl Pills into the Tri-CitiesRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington - Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Kyle Ray Campbell, age 36, to 25 years in federal prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl. The Court also sentenced Campbell’s codefendant, and brother, Cameron Earl Campbell, age 32, to 20 years in federal prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl. Chief District Judge Bastian imposed 5 years of federal supervision on both defendants upon their release from custody. Kyle and Cameron Campbell are each from Richland, Washington.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, the Campbells were trafficking large amounts of fentanyl from Mexico into the Tri-Cities area. Beginning in early 2019, Kyle Campbell would travel to San Diego and meet a contact who would provide Campbell with fentanyl-laced pills that had been smuggled across the Mexican border. The contact would then take Campbell’s money for the pills back to Mexico and pay the source of supply. Cameron Campbell took over the trips to San Diego when he was off Washington State Department of Corrections supervision. Investigators learned the Campbells were provided with approximately 50,000 Fentanyl pills per month from early 2019 to February 2020.
On February 8, 2020, Cameron Campbell took a bus from Pasco, Washington to San Ysidro, California. From February 9 to February 12, 2020, Cameron Campbell made several trips between San Ysidro, and Mexico. On February 12, Cameron Campbell took a bus from San Ysidro to Toppenish, Washington. FBI agents conducting surveillance on the bus observed Cameron Campbell get off the bus carrying several bags. He went into a laundry mat and appeared to be waiting. Agents entered the laundry mat and contacted Cameron Campbell and seized his phone and luggage.
Following the execution of federal search warrant, agents recovered approximately 10,000 fentanyl-laced pills inside the seized bags. Agents also executed a search warrant on Cameron Campbell’s cell phone. The contents of the phone showed multiple text messages between Cameron Campbell and Kyle Campbell. The messages included details about the trip and an offer from Kyle to pick up Cameron when he got off the bus. The text messages also showed Cameron Campbell had left approximately 500 fentanyl-laced pills in a fast-food restaurant bathroom in Portland, Oregon for another person to pick up.
In July of 2020, a federal search warrant was executed at Kyle Campbell’s home. Agents located a safe with 400 fentanyl-laced pills, baggies with drug residue, a phone, cash, and multiple firearms. Agent also recovered another handgun from the bedroom of the home.
During sentencing, Chief Judge Bastian noted both defendants obstructed justice during the case – with Cameron Campbell attempting to have his now ex-wife erase cell phones seized by the FBI before they could be searched, and Kyle Campbell threatening a witness in the case with harm if the witness testified. Chief Judge Bastian also noted that while both defendants professed remorse and promised they would not engage in this type conduct again. Yet, at the same time as they promised they would not engage in further criminal activity, the Campbells were smuggling drugs into the Benton County Jail for distribution in the jail to other inmates.
“The defendants in this case distributed a shocking amount of deadly illicit fentanyl into the Tri-Cities area. This poison causes untold damage to families, neighborhoods, and our nation,” stated U.S Attorney Waldref. “My office is committed to battling the fentanyl epidemic by working together with our federal, state, local and tribal partners to prosecute the most significant traffickers to remove the source of supply of these dangerous narcotics and to protect our community.”
“Every Fentanyl pill introduced into our communities has the potential to destroy lives.” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “The Campbell brothers were trafficking thousands of these deadly pills into Washington state each month. The FBI and our partners will continue our efforts of keeping these poisons off the streets and out of our neighborhoods.”
This case was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force in Tri-Cities, Washington, in cooperation with the Kennewick Police Department, Richland Police Department, Pasco Police Department, and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Caitlin Baunsgard and Brandon Pang.
Rhode Island Beef Slaughterhouse Fined, Placed on Probation for Violating the Federal Meat Inspection ActRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Johnston, RI, beef slaughterhouse was fined $20,000 and placed on three years of federal probation today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy for fraudulently claiming that product they processed and suppled to customers had been federally inspected and passed as required under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) when, in fact, it had not, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Rhode Island Beef and Veal and one of its owners, Michael A. Quattrucci, previously pleaded guilty to charges of defrauding customers by claiming that beef had been inspected under the FMIA, as well as preparing beef without complying with inspection requirements of the FMIA. Additionally, Rhode Island Beef and Veal pleaded guilty to a charge of defrauding customers by use of an official inspection mark of the Secretary of Agriculture without authorization.
Micheal A. Quattrucci was sentenced on July 27, 2023, to one year of federal probation and ordered to pay a fine of $1,000.
According to court documents and information presented to the court, on August 20, 2019, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety Inspection Service served RI Beef and Veal with a notice of suspension and withdrew its inspector. Eight days after the suspension was imposed and the inspector was withdrawn, a USDA supervisor visited the plant and found employees packing various cuts of meat and fraudulently applying USDA marks of inspections to the meat. Additionally, packaged meat with USDA stickers attached was found stored in bins. No inspector was present, as is required by law for these marks to be applied.
A day later, a USDA investigator visited the slaughterhouse and took photos of the illegally marked packages of beef that had been retained from the day before; he also noted 224 pounds of unmarked ground beef and a 594-pound half carcass of beef that had been freshly cut into primal parts for delivery to a customer in Connecticut who supplies meat products to restaurants.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.
The matter was investigated by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.
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Recidivist Child Pornography Offender Who Sent Threatening Powder-Filled Letter to FBI Agent Sentenced to 130 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that OKAMI LANDA was sentenced to 130 months in prison for possession of child pornography and for sending a threatening, powder-filled letter to a federal agent who previously investigated and arrested him. LANDA previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Okami Landa has twice been convicted in this District of possessing child pornography. Today’s sentence holds Landa accountable not only for his participation in the exploitation and victimization of young children, but also for his intolerable decision to retaliate against the FBI by sending a terrifying, powder-filled letter to the agent who investigated him. This Office stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the dedicated FBI agents who investigate crimes against children. Their work should never make them targets of reprisal.”
According to court documents and statements made during court proceedings:[1]
In November 2021, LANDA, who had previously been convicted and sentenced to two years in prison for possession of child pornography in 2016, mailed a threatening letter filled with white powder to a Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) agent (the “FBI Agent”) who was assigned to a squad responsible for investigating crimes against children. The FBI Agent had interviewed and arrested LANDA in connection with his previous child pornography conviction. The threatening letter, which the FBI Agent opened inside a forensic laboratory at an FBI office in Manhattan, contained a white powdery substance and a message that said, among other things: “Hope you and your ugly cracker children and family get what you deserved, a slow, painful and terminal disease to end your sorry life.” The letter and powder prompted an emergency response from the FBI’s weapons and mass destruction team, which sealed the forensic laboratory before examining the powder and determining that it was safe. The FBI Agent and other FBI personnel in the area were quarantined and hospitalized for medical evaluation.
Through the FBI’s investigation, law enforcement examined the serial number of the stamp affixed to the threatening letter and learned that it was purchased using a credit card belonging to LANDA’s mother, who lived with LANDA at their residence in the Bronx. At the time, LANDA was on federal supervised release for his previous child pornography conviction and had previously made threatening statements about law enforcement, including about a desire to “blow up Federal Plaza because I hate the feds and they ruined my life.” Following an interview at his residence by FBI agents, the U.S. Probation Office conducted a search of LANDA’s residence, where they recovered multiple electronic devices, including a USB drive that contained 11 files with child pornography. The child pornography on LANDA’s USB drive included depictions of prepubescent minor females and adult males engaging in sex acts.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, LANDA, 41, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to 10 years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the New York City Police Department, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley and Matthew J.C. Hellman are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] Communications, conversations, and statements discussed and quoted herein are described in substance and in part.
Queens Investment Advisor Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Multi-Million Dollar Securities Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Today, in federal court in Central Islip, Surage Roshan Perera, the founder and Executive Director of Janues Capital, Inc. in Bellerose, Queens, was sentenced by United States District Judge Gary R. Brown to 78 months’ imprisonment for securities fraud in connection with running a Ponzi scheme in which the defendant used investor money to pay redemptions to prior investors and his personal expenses, and fund his highly speculative day trading. Perera pleaded guilty to the charge in October 2023. As part of his sentence, Perera was ordered to pay $6.3 million in restitution.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence.
“Perera’s sentence is just punishment for causing more than $6 million in losses to the victims who are now saddled with debts, some who lost their life savings and others who have been forced to delay retirement all because of the lies he peddled to them about their investments,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “I commend the members of my Office and the FBI Special Agents for disrupting the defendant’s Ponzi scheme so that he could not wreak even more financial harm and holding him accountable for his criminal conduct.”
Mr. Peace thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., Criminal Prosecution Assistance Group for their assistance with the case.
“Surage Perera pays the price for using his relationships with the victims to swindle them of over $6 million and casting several into a lifetime of debt. Today’s sentence reaffirms the FBI’s promise to uphold financial integrity and to pursue those who create fraudulent schemes for personal gain,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith.
As alleged in the indictment and set forth in court filings, between February 2022 and March 2023, Perera abused his position of trust as an investment advisor to convince unsuspecting investors to part with their hard-earned money for what they believed were safe, well-performing investments. For example, Perara falsely told one victim (“Jane Doe”) that he had relationships with large institutions and could purchase stock in companies that traded on the NASDAQ and NYSE at discounted prices. He also told Jane Doe that her investment was low-risk and he would use her investment capital to purchase shares in those public-traded companies. As a result, Jane Doe gave Perera more than $4.2 million. In reality, Perera was operating a Ponzi scheme. Instead of investing as promised, Perera misappropriated those funds by, among other things, paying redemptions to prior investors, paying personal expenses and funding his day trading. To conceal his fraudulent scheme, Perera sent fraudulent confirmation notices and account statements to investors. In the end, Perera caused 15 victims, some of whom were his close friends, to lose approximately $6.3 million.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Caffarone is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
SURAGE ROSHAN PERERA
Age: 51
Bellerose, QueensE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-129 (GRB)
Providence Man to Be Sentenced in Federal Court in Rhode Island for Trafficking Fentanyl While Awaiting Trial in Nebraska for Allegedly Trafficking 10 Kilos of CocaineRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man pleaded guilty in federal court today to a charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
According to charging documents and information provided to the court, on March 10, 2023, during a court-authorized search of a Providence apartment, DEA Rhode Island Drug Task Force agents discovered Stanli S. Arias De La Rosa, 30, hiding in a closet as they seized 454.9 grams of fentanyl; 43 grams of cocaine; 14.5 grams of crack cocaine; and assorted items used in the packaging and distribution of drugs.
At the time of his arrest, De La Rosa was the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant issued in York, Nebraska, related to his alleged failure to appear for court hearings in connection with a September 30, 2022, arrest for possession of cocaine. In that matter, it is alleged that Arias De La Rosa was driving a vehicle that was pulled over for a traffic stop and found to contain 10 kilograms of cocaine stored in the trunk.
In this most recent matter in Rhode Island, Arias De La Rosa is scheduled to be sentenced on September 24, 2024. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christine D. Lowell.
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President of A Campbell Home Health Care Company Pleads Guilty to Failure to Pay Employment TaxRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE - Shane Brightpath Mike pleaded guilty in federal court today to failing to pay over employment taxes withheld from the wages of his company’s employees, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley of the Oakland Field Office.
Mike, 52, of Whittier, California, was indicted by a federal Grand Jury on June 27, 2019. He was charged with five counts of Failure to Pay Over Employment Tax in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7202, and two counts of Making and Subscribing a False Return in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206(1). Today, Mike pleaded guilty to one count of Failure to Pay Over Employment Tax.
In pleading guilty, Mike admitted that he owned and was the President and Chief Operating Officer of Excel Behavioral Services, Inc. (Excel), a business located in Campbell, California, that provided home care to persons with disabilities. Mike was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from his employees’ wages and paying those funds to the IRS.
According to the plea agreement, from the fourth quarter of 2014 through the third quarter of 2015, Mike did not pay any of the withheld taxes to the IRS. For the third quarter of 2014, Mike only he paid part of the funds withheld. For these five quarters, Mike did not pay to the IRS more than $1 million in taxes. During that same time, Mike used Excel’s funds to pay his personal expenses.
Mike also admitted to filing false personal income tax returns for tax years 2014 and 2015. On those returns, Mike falsely claimed credit for federal tax withholdings from wages he received from Excel, knowing that such in fact had not been paid over to the IRS. In total, Mike caused a tax loss to the IRS of $1,177,947.
Mike is currently released on bond. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 24, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. before The Honorable Beth Labson Freeman, United States District Court Judge, in San Jose. The maximum statutory penalty is 5 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and restitution of at least $1,177,947. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Griswold and Assistant Chief Matthew J. Kluge of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lynette Dixon. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation.
Pharmacy Technician Pleads Guilty to Tampering with Hospital Pain MedicationRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Fernando P. McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, announced that TIFFANY MOSS, 34, of Montville, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to a charge related to her tampering with pain medication at the hospital where she worked.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Moss was employed as a pharmacy technician at Backus Hospital in Norwich. On January 11, 2024, she used her employee ID badge to access the secure storage area at the hospital. She then removed three bags that contained a solution of hydromorphone, took a portion of the hydromorphone solution from each bag for her own use, and replaced the portion she took with saline. She then returned the bags to the storage area in a location where they could be distributed for patient use.
Moss pleaded guilty to tampering with a consumer product, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Moss is released on a $50,000 bond, and is prohibited from working in any location with access to narcotics while awaiting sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigation; the DEA’s Hartford Diversion Control Division; the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division; and the Norwich Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
Owner of Vashon Island, Washington, landscaping company sentenced to 20 years in prison for human trafficking, labor trafficking and money launderingRead the Press Release
Seattle –A 45-year-old Vashon Island, Washington resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 20 years in prison for 21 federal felonies related to human trafficking and forced labor, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jesus Ruiz-Hernandez, aka Christo Jesus Escobar Solares, was found guilty in January 2024 following a 13-day jury trial. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said that after observing Ruiz-Hernandez through the trial he saw “a complete lack of respect for the truth.”
“For years, Jesus Ruiz-Hernandez lived a lie. He presented himself as the upstanding and hardworking owner of a successful landscaping business on Vashon Island. In reality, Ruiz-Hernandez was neither hardworking nor law-abiding,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “His business model was premised on enticing vulnerable persons from Mexico to come to the United States to work for his company – and then exploiting them by forcing them to work for him for little to no money while using their debts and immigration status to keep them tethered to him as his source of cheap labor.”
“The crimes committed here will leave a scar on the victims and the entire community that Ruiz-Hernandez conned into believing that he lawfully supported, that he was pursuing the American dream when he was in fact subjecting would be workers into a life of subjugation,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “I’m thankful for our task force partnerships that result in a resounding win in the fight against human trafficking and am especially grateful to both the Department of Justice and the Seattle Police Department, as it is through their key collaborations that these complex investigations are accomplished.”
Records filed in the case and testimony at trial revealed that Ruiz-Hernandez lured victims from his hometown of Vista Hermosa, Michoacan, with the promise of a better life for their families. In exchange, Ruiz-Hernandez required victims to put up collateral, including the temporary relinquishment of parental rights and interest in family properties. Ruiz-Hernandez, using smugglers he hired, brought the undocumented victims to the U.S. and then forced them to work for his company, Brothers Landscaping, on Vashon Island. He then charged the victims exorbitant fees for rent, food, and other expenses, housed them both in his home and worker properties and held ever increasing debts over their heads.
In the spring of 2017, Ruiz-Hernandez used smugglers to bring an adult victim to the United States and then used force, threats of force, and physical violence to force the victim to work for him without pay. The jury found Ruiz-Hernandez committed aggravated sexual abuse against the victim. From 2018 until August 2021, Ruiz-Hernandez forced a second victim he had brought to the U.S. to work for him by threatening him with harm. The victim was also transported and harbored for financial gain. In all, Ruiz-Hernandez was convicted of exploiting the labor of seven people not legally in the U.S.
In asking for a sentence of more than 24 years in prison, prosecutors noted that the criminal conduct in this case had gone on for more than seven years and likely involved more than the seven victims. “Ruiz-Hernandez treated his victims as nothing more than commodities to earn him money. He either refused to pay them at all, claiming that they owed him for outrageously inflated amounts for rent and other expenses, or paid them well below what they had earned. He treated them as indentured servants, forcing them to perform unpaid labor both at his house and at the rental properties.”
Ruiz-Hernandez was also convicted of six counts of money laundering. Testimony revealed that Ruiz-Hernandez and his brothers had deposited over $1.5 million in checks from customers to their bank account between 2017 and 2022. Much of those funds were payment for the work done by the victims and others the defendant illegally brought to the U.S., trafficked, harbored, and exploited. Ruiz-Hernandez took steps to keep his name off corporate documents, financial records, numerous transactions, and hundreds of thousands of dollars of international wires to Mexico. Ruiz-Hernandez and his co-conspirators used some of that laundered proceeds to purchase two pieces of property on the island.
Following the trial on the human and labor trafficking counts, the jury determined that the properties on Vashon were purchased with laundered proceeds of his illegal scheme and ordered that the properties should be forfeited to the government.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Task Force Officer Megan Bruneau Zentner. Detective Zentner is with the Seattle Police Department, assigned to the HSI Task Force. Detective Zentner’s position is federally funded by the Department of Justice’s Enhanced Collaborative Model with a focus on investigating labor trafficking of foreign-born victims.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kate Crisham, Jehiel Baer, and former Assistant United States Attorney Jocelyn Cooney. Ms. Crisham is the Western District of Washington coordinator of efforts to stop human trafficking.
Owasso Man Sentenced After Being Ranked #1 in Oklahoma for Child Pornography DownloadRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Michael Joseph Moreland, 33, for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Judge Hill ordered Moreland to serve 121 months imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Moreland will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, between Jun. 2022 and May 2023, Moreland knowingly received, distributed, and possessed at least 2,947 images and 50 videos of child pornography on his computer. These included images and videos depicting infant/toddler abuse, bestiality, and bondage of minor child victims. In the days leading up to Moreland’s arrest, he was frequently in the top five and often the number one downloader of child pornography in Oklahoma.
A federal statute for victims of child pornography allows defendants found guilty of child pornography trafficking offenses to pay restitution to known victims. The court in this case ordered $15,000 in victim restitution.
Moreland will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Homeland Security Investigations, Edmond Police Department, and Owasso Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
One Detroit Violence Reduction Partnership Observes Second Chance Month by Hosting Community RoundtableRead the Press Release
DETROIT - April is Second Chance month, a time to raise awareness of and find solutions to the barriers that exist for individuals who are returning from incarceration. The One Detroit Violence Reduction Partnership is committed to helping those with criminal convictions successfully rejoin the community, and our strategy is straightforward. First, to identify the justice-impacted residents who are at most risk of re-offending and second, engage with this population to meet their most pressing needs. The One Detroit Partnership has combined government and community resources to help encourage successful reentry for justice-impacted citizens.
“Second Chances are not limited to the month of April. There are opportunities available year- round for individuals returning to their communities who are ready to take full advantage of their second chance,” said Dawn N. Ison, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, “We understand that every person who successfully reintegrates into the community helps make our community safer."
United States Attorney Dawn N. IsonFor nearly a year, the One Detroit Partnership has been engaging with justice-impacted residents through community roundtables. The roundtables are made up of people who are currently on supervised release or probation who have been identified by the United States Probation Department and the Michigan Department of Corrections as being at moderate or severe risk of committing violent crimes. So far, we have served over 160 justice-impacted individuals along with family members in seven community roundtables. The first six roundtables all took place in Detroit’s 8th and 9th Police Precincts, which have also been the focus of One Detroit’s enforcement and prevention efforts. Last week, we expanded with our first community roundtable in the 2nd Precinct. Plans are currently underway for a community roundtable in Flint.
The roundtables consist of a cohort of roughly 20-30 parolees or probationers along with accompanying family members. The roundtable begins with the cohort hearing from a panel of justice-impacted individuals who provide motivation and insight about how to take advantage of a second chance after a criminal conviction. The panel is organized by returning citizens with messages crafted to reach the cohort and offer examples of successful reintegration into the community. At the conclusion of the panel, the justice-impacted citizens and their family members are invited to participate in breakout sessions facilitated by staff from Black Family Development and Goodwill Industries to discuss any barriers that might be preventing successful reintegration to society. Darryl Woods, CEO of Fighting the Good Fight is one of the organizers of the community roundtables. “The roundtables serve as a safe place for those who really want a second chance. They are filled with lifesaving information and resources,” stated Woods.
Darryl Woods, CEO of Fighting the Good Fight speaks with a
group of justice-impacted residents.Omaha Man Sentenced for Two Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Riek Kuany, age 25, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 26, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for two counts of bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Kuany to a total sentence of 140 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Kuany’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. In conjunction with his sentence, Kuany was ordered to pay restitution in the amount $17,547.00 to the banks for the amounts taken during the respective robberies.
On April 6, 2023, Kuany and another male entered the First Interstate Bank at 47th and L Streets in Omaha, wearing ski masks and gloves. Kuany also wore a reflective work vest. Both men held handguns and pointed them at the bank employees. Kuany slid a bag across the counter and demanded money. Bank employees took approximately $6,584 in U.S. currency from their cash drawers and put it in the bag. Kuany took the bag of cash and both men fled in a stolen SUV driven by a third individual.
On April 11, 2023, Kuany entered Bank of the West at 87th and West Center Road in Omaha, wearing a hair net and a medical face mask. Kuany was again carrying a handgun. Kuany pointed the firearm at bank employees, slid a bag across the counter, and demanded money. Bank employees took approximately $10,963 in U.S. currency from their cash drawers and put it in the bag. Kuany took the bag and cash and fled in a gold Jeep.
First Interstate Bank and Bank of the West are both insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Investigation into others involved is still ongoing.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Oklahoma Department of Corrections Inmate Sentenced to 22 Years for Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kenneth Leon Thomas, Jr., age 35, of Okemah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 270 months in prison for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On April 19, 2023, Thomas pleaded guilty to one count of an Information of Murder in Indian Country—Second Degree. According to investigators, on May 31, 2022, during a dispute over switching cells at the Davis Correctional Facility in Holdenville (since renamed the Allen Gamble Correctional Center), Thomas had an altercation with a fellow inmate and stabbed the inmate three times, killing him. The crime occurred in Hughes County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. At the time of the murder, Thomas was serving 8 years on a state court conviction out of Comanche County for Assault and Battery on a Police Officer.
The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Thomas will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Nearly Four Years for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Fremont, Ohio man was sentenced to 47 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Trayvion Joaquin Scott, 25, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court records, Scott previously pled guilty to his involvement in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that began operating in Picayune, MS, as far back as 2015. Scott’s primary involvement in the conspiracy was making drug payments on behalf of the drug trafficking organization to their source of supply in California via money transfers.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Ohio Man Sentenced for Tax Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
An Ohio man was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2016 through 2022, Christopher Karasarides conspired with his father, Christos Karasarides Jr., to defraud the United States by helping his father conceal assets from the IRS. Christos Karasarides, who was convicted by a jury in January for related tax crimes, owed the IRS millions of dollars that it was trying to collect. To thwart those efforts, Christopher helped his father hide assets from the IRS by storing $239,000 of his father’s cash in a safety deposit box in Christopher’s name. Christopher also served as a nominee owner for his father’s businesses, signed and delivered false promissory notes and filed false tax returns.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent for the Northern District of Ohio ordered Christopher Karasarides to serve three years of supervised release and pay $1.5 million in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Treasury’s Office of Inspector General, Stark County Prosecutor’s Office, Ohio Casino Control Commission and Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission-Major Crimes Task Force investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Sam Bean and Hayter Whitman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.
Ohio Man Sentenced for Tax Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
An Ohio man was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2016 through 2022, Christopher Karasarides conspired with his father, Christos Karasarides Jr., to defraud the United States by helping his father conceal assets from the IRS. Christos Karasarides, who was convicted by a jury in January for related tax crimes, owed the IRS millions of dollars that it was trying to collect. To thwart those efforts, Christopher helped his father hide assets from the IRS by storing $239,000 of his father’s cash in a safety deposit box in Christopher’s name. Christopher also served as a nominee owner for his father’s businesses, signed and delivered false promissory notes and filed false tax returns.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent for the Northern District of Ohio ordered Christopher Karasarides to serve three years of supervised release and pay $1.5 million in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Treasury’s Office of Inspector General, Stark County Prosecutor’s Office, Ohio Casino Control Commission and Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission-Major Crimes Task Force investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Sam Bean and Hayter Whitman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.
North Attleboro Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography and Distribution of Animal Abuse Video ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A North Attleboro, MA, resident today pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island to distributing, receiving, possessing, and accessing with intent to view child pornography, and to distributing and transporting an animal crush video, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Samuel Maigret, 28, pleaded guilty as charged in a six-count indictment with distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, possession of child pornography, access with intent to view child pornography, distribution of an animal crush video, and transfer of obscene material (animal crush video).
According to charging documents and information presented to the court, during a September 2021 court-authorized search of Maigret’s then Pawtucket residence and a cellphone located on his person, Homeland Security Investigations agents and members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force discovered a significant quantity of images and videos depicting images of child sexual abuse materials, including videos of adult males involved in sexual acts with infants. Additionally, a forensic review of Maigret’s digital storage devices revealed evidence that Maigret used online applications to distribute child sexual abuse materials and to distribute a video that depicts an individual causing serious injury to and what appears to be the death of a dog.
Maigret is scheduled to be sentenced on September 19, 2024. The defendant’s sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Nigerian Citizen Sentenced in Connection with International Ring of Online Romance ScamsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Nigerian citizen residing in Georgia has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy that perpetuated a series of romance and investment scams against victims across the United States, including in Western Tennessee. Efe Egbowawa, 40, was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering as part of a scheme that used false identities and email accounts on internet dating sites to trick people into wiring or mailing money to shell companies and fictitious agents. Kevin G. Ritz, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentencing today.
A federal grand jury in the Western District of Tennessee indicted Egbowawa and the following individuals on June 29, 2023 with conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering:
- Igocha Mac-Okor, 40, a Nigerian citizen residing in the Atlanta area, and
- Kay Ozegbe, 44, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Atlanta.
Evidence presented in court revealed that from 2017 to approximately November 2021, conspiracy members assumed false identities on email, social media, gaming applications, networking websites, dating websites, and other internet-based platforms in a scheme to trick victims into entering friendships and romantic relationships. The defendants then played various roles in exploiting those connections to convince their victims to send them money via wire, check, U.S. mail, and package delivery services.
As part of the conspiracy, romance scammers or “handlers” posed as potential friends or romantic partners and entered online relationships with unwitting victims. The relationships usually developed quickly through social media contact, text messages, email, and phone calls. Once the victim was clearly engaged in the scam, the scammer would begin to ask for emergency financial assistance. If the victim sent money, the scammer would ask for increasingly larger amounts of financial assistance.
Members of the conspiracy played different roles. Some functioned as the scammers, disguising their identities with online aliases, and luring unsuspecting victims into relationships. Others functioned as “money mules,” that is, individuals who moved the financial proceeds of the scams through several layers of bank accounts and shell companies to hide the sources of the money and make it difficult to trace.
On April 17, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Egbowawa to 60 months in federal prison. Ozegbe pled guilty on January 29 to conspiracy to commit money laundering and will be sentenced on May 24, 2024. Mac-Okor is scheduled for trial on August 5, 2024.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Memphis Field Office and the United States Postal Investigation Service.
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Smith, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners for their role in the investigation.
Newberry Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking Conspiracy, Firearm Possession and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Eric Rashun Jones, 31, of Newberry, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to human trafficking conspiracy, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and witness tampering.
Evidence presented in court showed that from August 2018 through November 2022, Jones violently exploited women in the commercial sex trade for his financial gain. He did so by means of physical violence and force, including beating victims with a pistol and other objects and hitting victims with closed fists causing victims multiple surgeries, hospitalizations, broken bones and teeth, permanent injuries, and scarring. He also directed and recorded on his phone the assault of many victims, preventing victims from trusting others involved in the Jones conspiracy. He also used sexual violence, including compelling women to engage in sex acts against their will.
He abducted two of his victims and restrained them for multiple days. He introduced drugs to some victims, promoted the drug addictions of others, including fentanyl, and exploited withdrawal symptoms to coerce commercial sex. He used fear and threats of violence and death of victims spoke with the police. He used fraud, including recruiting victims under false pretenses, and high levels of control, including controlling how many victims worked, ate, showered, travelled, spent money, who they spoke to, and access to phones. He isolated his victims from others, and tattooed many with his name, which victims described as Jones signifying ownership.
After initially splitting commercial sex proceeds, Jones commonly confiscated proceeds for his financial gain. Evidence presented indicated 19 women were connected to the conspiracy he led, many of whom were identified as victims in the case. Victims described fearing Jones would kill them, feeling trapped, and feeling like they had no option to leave. He also tampered and interfered with the investigation by directing victims to not speak with agents and threatening to harm their families if they did.
“Our office will continue to bring every resource to bear to vindicate victims’ rights and hold traffickers like Jones accountable,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “The cruelty, violence, and exploitation Jones showed his victims has no place in our society, and we are grateful for the accountably he’s received. I want to particularly acknowledge the courage and resilience of the victims and the hard work of law enforcement to see this case through.”
“Jones’ crimes revealed the depth of human depravity and outright evil he casually and continuously imposed upon his victims,” said Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “His heinous crimes yielded lifelong trauma that will be hard to reverse. This stiff sentence of justice removes him from the innocent victims’ lives and places him where he will no longer be able to inflict harm. The FBI is grateful for our local law enforcement partners for conducting this joint comprehensive investigation to hold this violent offender accountable. We also recognize the diligent work of the Victim Specialists who supported and continue to support the victims with valuable resources.”
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Jones to 40 years imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime term of court-ordered supervision, no contact with victims, and $65,000 in restitution payable to eight victims. There is no parole in the federal system. Jones’ co-defendant, Brittany Cromer, previously pleaded guilty to human trafficking conspiracy, and was sentenced to five years earlier this month.
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 FBI Columbia Field Office, with assistance from the Simpsonville Police Department, Greenville Police Department, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, Newberry County Sheriff’s Office, Newberry Police Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elle E. Klein prosecuted the case.
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New York Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Unlawfully Export Dual-Use Electronics Used in Russian Military DronesRead the Press Release
Nikolay Grigorev, 36, of Brooklyn, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the United States for his role in an illicit export control scheme to ship electronic components from the United States to companies affiliated with the Russian military. Co-defendants Nikita Arkhipov and Artem Oloviannikov remain at large.
“In pleading guilty today, the defendant admitted he conspired to smuggle over $250,000 worth of sensitive American drone technology to Russian companies fueling Putin’s unlawful war against Ukraine,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Swift action by agents and prosecutors unraveled a web of fake orders and wire transfers to prevent over 11,500 electronic components from making their way to the Russian war machine. The Justice Department will continue to hold accountable those who defy our sanctions and export controls to support Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified aggression in Ukraine – whether they’re based in New York City or overseas.”
“The FBI is relentless in its efforts to prevent sensitive, dual-use technology from being acquired by adversaries,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “The technologies in this case supported Russia’s war effort and poses a significant threat to the United States and its allies. The FBI continues to tirelessly pursue any illegal transfers that threaten national security and hold accountable those who violate the law.”
“When I visited Ukraine last November, I saw firsthand the death and destruction that such drones and other Russian weapons of war have caused, and heard from our counterparts about the importance of stopping the illicit flow of technology to support the Russian war machine,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s plea reinforces our commitment to hold accountable those who violate our laws and our determination to undermine the Russian government’s unjustified campaign of aggression against the Ukrainian people.”
“Grigorev admitted today that he conspired to supply Russia with U.S.-sourced, dual-use technologies, knowing full well that his actions violated export controls and sanctions designed to stop those items from being sent to Russia and used in the production of drones like those found on the battlefields in Ukraine,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “Today’s guilty plea reaffirms that my office will pursue anyone who violates our export controls and threatens our national security.”
“Today’s guilty plea is just the latest example of our unyielding efforts to reduce the flow of electronic components to the Russian military,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod. “Criminal convictions await those who willfully circumvent U.S. export controls and aid the manufacture of Russian drones used against Ukraine.”
As alleged in the indictment, Grigorev utilized a Brooklyn-based corporate entity, Quality Life Cue LLC (QLC), to facilitate the scheme. QLC was registered and controlled by Grigorev and Oloviannikov, with Arkhipov utilizing a QLC email account from Russia. Through QLC, the defendants procured dual-use electronic components for entities in Russia involved in the development and manufacture of drones for the Russian war effort in Ukraine. The most notable of these entities was SMT-iLogic, a Russia-based technology company that was sanctioned in May 2023 for its involvement in the supply chain for producing Russian military UAVs used in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Between Oct. 22, 2021, and Feb. 22, 2022, QLC accounts controlled by Grigorev received wire transactions from SMT-iLogic totaling approximately $272,830. These funds were used almost entirely to make payments to a Brooklyn-based electronics distributor (the “Brooklyn Company”) or to pay Grigorev’s credit cards, which he used to buy goods from the Brooklyn Company. In email and chat communications, the defendants explicitly discussed their efforts to circumvent U.S. export restrictions, including through the use of front companies in third countries, such as Kazakhstan, and they also forwarded invoices listing SMT-iLogic as the recipient of semiconductors and other electronic components purchased from the Brooklyn Company. In addition, in December 2022, in response to negative press coverage of SMT-iLogic, Grigorev forwarded a news article to his co-defendants and stated, “they are already writing about your (sic) guys in articles about how Russia is getting American components for drones.” In June 2023, a court-authorized search warrant of Grigorev’s residence in Brooklyn resulted in the successful seizure of over 11,500 electronic components that had been purchased from the Brooklyn Company and were awaiting unlawful export to Russia.
As a result of today’s guilty plea, Grigorev faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Artie McConnell and Kate Mathews for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case. Natalya Savransky, formerly of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, provided valuable assistance.
Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force and the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that CARLOS GUILLEN (“GUILLEN”), age 38, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on April 25, 2024, after previously pleading guilty to distribution of Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B) and 841(b)(1)(C).
According to court documents, on or about August 16, 2023, in New Orleans, GUILLEN sold Fentanyl to undercover special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.Chief United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown sentenced GUILLEN to serve 30 months in prison, to be followed by three (3) years of supervised release. Chief Judge Brown also imposed a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives on this investigation. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit.
New Castle Resident Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearm ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 97 months in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearm crimes, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States Senior District Judge David Stewart Cercone imposed the sentence on Maurice Collier, 33, also ordering Collier to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Collier previously pleaded guilty in this case to distributing cocaine base on September 17, 2020, and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and cocaine base, as well as a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, on November 4, 2020.
According to information presented to the Court, between September and November 2020, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force made four controlled purchases of cocaine and heroin directly from Collier. On November 4, 2020, the Drug Task Force served a search warrant at Collier’s New Castle residence and found a loaded and stolen pistol, $5,034 in drug trafficking proceeds, and quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Collier was on bond with a pending drug trafficking charge in Pennsylvania state court at the time he committed these crimes. Prior to 2020, Collier had been convicted in New Jersey state court of committing cocaine trafficking and gun crimes and was sentenced to over six years of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, New Castle Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Collier.
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 of Justice 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.
Muskegon Man Indicted for Possessing Arsenal of Weapons and DrugsRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Orlando Bernard Easter, 35, of Muskegon, has been arrested after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Easter with one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms.
“These allegations are serious and touch on two major threats to our communities: fentanyl and the spread of illegal firearms in the hands of prohibited persons,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “I’m grateful to the Drug Enforcement Administration and the West Michigan Enforcement Team for their work, including their effort to ensure crime doesn’t pay by recovering the fruits of these alleged crimes.”
The indictment alleges that Easter possessed cocaine, fentanyl, MDMA, and methamphetamine, with the intent to distribute those substances, in a residence and storage unit. Easter is also alleged to have possessed seven firearms, including two stolen handguns and a handgun with an obliterated serial number. Easter could not legally possess firearms following a prior felony conviction. Investigators seized over $100,000 in cash, as well as two cars and gold and diamond jewelry, which the government alleges were purchased using the proceeds of Easter’s illegal drug trafficking enterprise. A photo of the seized evidence is below:
“Fatal drug poisonings caused by fentanyl are a significant threat to communities throughout Michigan,” said Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene. “DEA, our state, local, and federal partners will employ every resource available to hold individuals, like Mr. Easter, who peddle these poisons-for-profit, accountable.”
This case was investigated by WEMET and DEA. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Mother Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of A Gun in Case Related to the Accidental Discharge Death of Her Two-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Emma Huver, 26, of Lansing, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. As part of her plea, Huver admitted that she had a purple 9-milimeter Smith & Wesson semiautomatic pistol in her car on October 24, 2023. She had previously been convicted of a felony drug offense in 2020. Sentencing is scheduled for September 16, 2024.
“Today’s guilty plea is one step forward in our effort to achieve a measure of justice for this tragic loss of life,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “This case magnifies one of the grimmest statistics we live with in America today: that gun violence is now the #1 cause of death for our youngest, ages 0-19. We cannot accept this ‘new normal,’ but must do everything we can to prevent these deaths.”
Two other Lansing residents are also charged in the indictment. Avis Coward, 44, and Gina Schieberl, 27, are charged with conspiracy to tamper with evidence and tampering with evidence. Coward is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
As alleged, on October 24, 2023, Coward got out of a car at a Lansing gas station and went inside, leaving a two-year-old child and the child’s mother, Huver, in the car. Surveillance video showed that a minute later a bullet hole appeared in the car window. Huver got out of the car holding her child, who had blood on his face from a gunshot wound. As she did so, Coward’s gun fell out of the car. Huver handed the child to Coward, who then passed the child to a third person who took the victim into the gas station and attempted to control the bleeding until medical personnel arrived. Coward returned to the car, picked up the gun off the ground, and put it back in the car. The surveillance video also showed Coward use his hand to break out the front passenger window, which had the bullet hole. Coward then drove away. The child later died from his injuries.
The tampering charges concern attempts by defendants Coward and Schieberl to hide or destroy evidence in this case, including the car, which was later found burned-out and abandoned in a field in Lansing, and a .45 caliber Springfield Armory semiautomatic pistol, the barrel of which was found disassembled and hidden in the wall of a house in Lansing.
“This is yet another great example of how partnerships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, and all who were involved, strive to bring justice and closure to those effected by senseless violence,” said Lansing Police Chief Ellery Sosebee.
“We are grateful to have U.S. Attorney Mark Totten and his office working with local police and our office to address gun offenses in our community,” said Ingham County Prosecutor John Dewane. “This death is a preventable tragedy as we all too often see children having access to weapons or living in an environment where weapons aren’t stored or kept safely. Through legislative changes and collaborations, our office is dedicated to continuing to work together to hold individuals accountable and increase safety in our community.”
Gun violence is an acute problem across the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. firearm homicide rate in 2021 was the highest documented since 1993. While the numbers have slightly declined since 2021, they remain high.
Resources and information on the safe storage of firearms can be found by reviewing the U.S. Department of Justice Safe Storage of Firearms guide, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fact sheet, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives pamphlet. Anyone who possesses a gun must follow all local, state, and federal laws.
This case was investigated by the Lansing Police Department, Michigan State Police, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Montgomery County Woman Charged for Defrauding FEMA of over $1.5 Million of Hurricane Ida Disaster BenefitsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Jasmine Williams, 33, of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, was arrested today after being charged by indictment with one count of fraud related to a major disaster declaration, 24 counts of wire fraud, and seven counts of mail fraud related to a scheme to defraud the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) in the wake of Hurricane Ida.
The indictment recounts that in September 2021, President Joseph R. Biden issued a major disaster declaration for much of the eastern part of Pennsylvania, after the remnants of Hurricane Ida struck the Commonwealth. This declaration authorized FEMA to provide financial assistance to residents whose homes and properties were damaged by the hurricane.
The indictment alleges that after the emergency declaration, Williams recruited others over social media, advertising that she could assist them in applying for FEMA benefits. Williams then submitted fraudulent documents to FEMA on behalf of dozens of others, including fraudulent leases, letters from landlords, utility bills, earning statements, and home repair estimates. In exchange, Williams collected half of the payout for herself. In total, FEMA paid over $1,500,000 in assistance based on false representations made by Williams.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 960 years of imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General with assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency – Fraud Prevention and Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ruth Mandelbaum and S. Chandler Harris.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Monmouth Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose of a TeenagerRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Monmouth, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for distributing fentanyl that caused the overdose death of a teenager in Salem, Oregon.
Javen James Pedro, 21, was sentenced to 75 months in federal prison and six years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, on February 24, 2022, officers from the Salem Police Department responded to an overdose of a 15-year-old teenager. Paramedics quickly transported the teen to a local hospital where he died. Further investigation revealed that on the previous day, the minor victim had purchased and consumed counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl in front of several other juveniles. Investigators also obtained video surveillance footage from a neighbor showing the minor victim completing what appeared to be a drug transaction with a person determined to be Pedro.
Later on February 24, investigators located and arrested Pedro in Monmouth and he admitted to selling ten counterfeit Oxycodone pills to the minor victim the day prior. Pedro further admitted to selling pills to the minor victim approximately five to ten times previously.
On February 24, 2022, Pedro was charged by criminal complaint with distributing fentanyl. Later, on March 17, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland indicted Pedro on the same charge.
On February 6, 2024, Pedro pleaded guilty to a one-count superseding criminal information charging him with distributing a controlled substance to a person under the age of 21.
This case was investigated by the Salem Police Department. It was prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Minneapolis Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on January 24, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the South Minneapolis residence of Andre Garner, 42, and recovered almost 800 grams of fentanyl in a van registered to Garner. During their search, law enforcement also recovered over 1,000 grams of cocaine, two firearms, and $9,400 in cash. Garner admitted that he told law enforcement that anything law enforcement found was his, including the money and the van, as part of his guilty plea.
On December 18, 2023, Garner pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced today by Judge Jerry W. Blackwell in U.S. District Court.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hillary A. Taylor and William C. Mattessich prosecuted the case.
Middlesex County Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Stealing COVID-19 Unemployment BenefitsRead the Press Release
NEWARK N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for conspiring to illegally obtain over $400,000 in COVID-19 unemployment benefits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Christopher Valerio, 33, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Kirsch imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
Valerio’s conspirator, Yanira Abreu of Keasby, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on Sept. 12, 2023, on charges stemming from the same scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 9, 2024. A third conspirator, Jose Tavares of New York, is charged by indictment and his case remains pending.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From July 2020 through February 2021, Valerio, Abreu and others submitted false and fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits to the New York Department of Labor (NYDOL) through fictitious online profiles that they created using personally identifiable information, including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, of other individuals without their consent. Once the NYDOL processed and approved the fraudulent applications, Valerio and his conspirators obtained debit cards with illegally obtained funds totaling $444,738, which they used for personal gain.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kirsch sentenced Valerio to two years of supervised release and ordered restitution and forfeiture, each in the amount of $444,728.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker; special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, and postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
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 Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations against Tavares are merely accusations, and Taveras is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Miccosukee tribal member charged with assault with intent to murderRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On April 29, a Miccosukee tribal member was charged in federal court with, among other related charges, assault with intent to commit murder.
According to the allegations in the complaint affidavit, on April 26, Sutanga Rex Cypress, 42, was arguing with the victim when Cypress brandished a firearm. Cypress then pointed the gun at the victim and shot the victim in the abdomen. The victim was airlifted to the hospital due to the severity of the injuries sustained by the gunshot.
On April 29, Cypress made his initial appearance in Fort Lauderdale. If convicted, Cypress faces up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other mitigating, aggravating and statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, and Chief Roland Pandolfi of the Miccosukee Police Department made the announcement.
FBI Safe Trails, Miami and the Miccosukee Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Latoya Brown is prosecuting the case.
A complaint contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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-mj-6204.
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McComb Man Sentenced to over Two Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A McComb man was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Norkeithus Malik Reed, 24, was found in possession of a firearm by the Brookhaven Police Department when responding to a complaint of a disturbance caused by Reed at an area restaurant. Reed had previously been convicted in state court of drug-related felony charges. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Reed to possess any firearm.
Reed was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 4, 2023. He pled guilty on January 30, 2024, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen 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.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Northeast Kingdom Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Juan Carlos “JC” Ortiz, 29, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 95 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Ortiz had previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base between November 2021 and August 2022 under a plea agreement he reached with the United States.
According to court records, Ortiz was charged in two separate but related indictments involving overlapping drug conspiracies. Between the two indictments, thirteen individuals—mostly residents of the Northeast Kingdom—were charged with distributing controlled substances and conspiring to do the same. All have since been adjudged guilty, though several are still awaiting sentencing. At today’s sentencing hearing, the Court recognized that Ortiz was an organizer or leader in those drug conspiracies. Ortiz stayed with multiple hosts, some of whom were his codefendants in the cases, in locations throughout Orleans, Essex, and Caledonia Counties when he was in Vermont, using their residences to prepare and distribute controlled substances. Ortiz also relied on coconspirators to complete drug distributions he had previously arranged and to provide him with transportation between residences and to Massachusetts to acquire and distribute controlled substances. Several of the conspirators possessed firearms during the drug-distribution activities and acquired firearms in exchange for drugs.
The sentencing hearing followed a long-term investigation conducted by multiple local, county, state and federal agencies that was led by the Northeastern Vermont Drug Task Force (NEVDTF) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). NEVDTF and ATF were assisted in this investigation by agents with Homeland Security Investigations, detectives and troopers from the Vermont State Police, members of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, the Newport Police Department, aviators with the Air & Marine Operations component of United States Customs & Border Protection, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest reiterated the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to addressing federal crime in the Northeast Kingdom and commended the excellent collaboration of federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies required to investigate and to prosecute this case.
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher. Richard Bothfeld, Esq. represented Juan Carlos Ortiz.
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.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Timothy Neal (46, Boston, MA) has pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl. Neal faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on April 26, 2022, Neal’s co-defendant, Haley Eaton, sold two bags of fentanyl to Neal. The next day, Neal purchased an additional three bags of fentanyl from Eaton. Neal consumed the fentanyl he had purchased from Eaton, along with A.C., at his residence. On April 28, 2022, at around 2:00 a.m., Neal awoke to find A.C. unresponsive. A.C.’s minor daughter called 911 and emergency responders arrived on scene and pronounced A.C. dead.
During a search of Neal and A.C.’s residence, law enforcement officers found an empty bag that had previously contained fentanyl. The bag was the same kind that Eaton had sold to Neal, and it was found on A.C.’s dresser in a plastic container. Neal confirmed it was the same bag he had purchased earlier from Eaton, which he had used with A.C. A laboratory analysis confirmed that the bag contained fentanyl residue.
Eaton previously pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 25, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.
Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron and HUD Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis host Safe Housing SummitRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis hosted a seminar today focused on promoting the health and safety of tenants living in HUD-assisted housing by focusing on eliminating environmental hazards and combatting sexual misconduct in HUD-assisted housing.
The seminar, which took place at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Baltimore, was part of the HUD Office of Inspector General’s new community outreach initiative. The topics included effective safe housing strategies, environmental justice concepts and issues, and how to recognize and report sexual misconduct in housing.
Participants included representatives from organizations who routinely work with vulnerable populations most likely to be impacted by environmental injustices, such as lead paint in their homes, or become victims of sexual harassment in housing by their landlords, property managers, maintenance staff, or other housing personnel in positions of authority. Organizations represented included local law enforcement agencies, legal aid offices, fair housing organizations, shelters, and transitional housing providers. Participants were encouraged to share their experiences, concerns, and expertise to build future partnerships and provide aid and assistance to beneficiaries when reporting matters related to health and safety in housing.
“Marylanders deserve to live and raise their families in areas that are safe and where those who are tasked with providing HUD housing treat them with dignity and respect,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “My office is committed to addressing systemic environmental and housing violations that exist in underserved communities who rely on HUD’s housing assistance programs. We hope our partnership with HUD-OIG, and with other federal agencies and community advocates, will afford us the necessary resources to support vulnerable communities in a more coordinated and impactful way. The Safe Housing Summit is the first step of our expanded effort.”
“Everyone deserves to live in a home that is free from exposure to lead and other environmental hazards, and without the threat of sexual harassment or sexual assault by housing providers,” said Inspector General Oliver Davis. “Outreach summits like the one we cohosted today with the U.S. Attorney are an important way to increase awareness of tenants’ rights within HUD-assisted housing and build stronger partnerships within the community. We will continue to work closely with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate these violations of law.”
If you or someone you know has information about environmental hazards and unsafe unit conditions in HUD-assisted housing or has been a victim of sexual harassment, sexual assault, or sexual exploitation—even if the events occurred years ago—report it to the HUD Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-347-3735 or visit the website at www.hudoig.gov/hotline. You may also file a complaint with HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at https://www.hud.gov/fairhousing/fileacomplaint.
You may also contact the U.S. Department of Justice at 1-844-380-6178 or visit www.civilrights.justice.gov. Individuals who believe they may have been victims of environmental injustices or housing discrimination may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (410) 209-4965, [email protected] or https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/civil-rights.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Maryland Resident Sentenced for Preparing and Submitting Fraudulent Applications for Cares Act Financial AssistanceRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SHANIQUA PAGE WILSON (“WILSON”), age 33, a resident of Laurel, Maryland, was sentenced on April 24, 2024, by United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to four years of probation after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 1343. The charges stem from WILSON’s role in preparing and filing false applications for loans related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Judge Milazzo also ordered WILSON to pay $104,160 in victim restitution to the Small Business Administration as well as a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, between about April 19, 2021, and May 20, 2021, WILSON and Co-Conspirator 1, recruited friends and family, primarily via word of mouth and text message to join their fraudulent scheme to obtain money from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. WILSON and Co-Conspirator 1 then created and electronically submitted loan applications. These loan applications falsely stated that the applicant had a sole proprietorship in the beauty industry that generated substantial income. Co-conspirator 1 charged some applicants up to approximately $5,000.00 once the PPP loan was funded. Co-conspirator 1 was indicted separately for his role in the offense in September 2023; his matter remains pending.
Between about May 4, 2021, and May 5, 2021, WILSON and Co-conspirator 1 prepared and submitted approximately five (5) fraudulent PPP loan applications, including for themselves and their relatives, that resulted in an approximate loss of $104,160 to the United States Small Business Administration and other designated financial institutions. Among the individuals for whom WILSON and Co-conspirator 1 prepared and filed false PPP applications was Co-Conspirator 5, a resident of Metairie, Louisiana who was then employed by a City of New Orleans agency.
For more information on the Department of Justice’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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, was in charge of the prosecution.
Manchester, Maine Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Bank Robbery in AugustaRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Manchester, Maine man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to armed bank robbery.
According to court records, in October 2022, Joshua Brougham, 38, entered an Augusta bank wearing a brimmed hat and a standard hospital mask over his face. After a brief conversation with the bank teller, Brougham placed a newspaper he had been holding on the counter, pulled out a silver handgun, and placed the handgun on the counter in the direction of the teller. Brougham told the teller to give him “all the money in the drawer.” After the teller placed money on the counter, Brougham folded up the newspaper with the money inside and fled to the area of a nearby parking lot, leaving in a gold-colored GMC Yukon.
Four days after the robbery, Augusta Police Department investigators located a vehicle matching the one from the robbery surveillance footage, arresting Brougham as he exited a convenience store. A search of Brougham’s vehicle revealed a handgun magazine loaded with seven .380 caliber bullets as well as an unloaded silver Walther PPK/S .380 caliber pistol wedged in the back seat of the vehicle that matched the description of the firearm used during the robbery. During the investigation, law enforcement also seized a brimmed hat that matched the hat worn during the robbery.
Brougham faces a maximum of 25 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine followed by up to five years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Augusta Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.
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Malvern Woman Sentenced to 6 Months in Federal Prison for Bank Embezzlement ChargeRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Malvern, IA woman was sentenced on April 25, 2024, to 6 months in federal prison for Embezzlement by a Bank Employee.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Mackenzie Ann Meggison, 37, was employed as a mortgage loan officer at Malvern Bank and was also the treasurer for the Malvern Area Betterment Association (MABA) who maintained their accounts at Malvern Bank. Using her position at the bank, from July – October, 2020, Meggison conducted 57 unauthorized transactions on four separate MABA accounts totaling at least $66,175.42.
After completing her term of imprisonment, Meggison will be required to serve 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Meggison was also ordered to pay $66,175.42 in restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Looking Back on Second Chance Month 2024 and a Year of Reentry InitiativesRead the Press Release
Every April, National Reentry Week and Second Chance Month highlight the importance of safe and successful reintegration into society for the approximately 650,000 people released from prisons in the United States each year.
As these annual observances draw to a close, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is looking back on the Office’s reentry initiatives during the month of April and throughout the past year.
Notably, reentry has been an integral part of the U.S. Attorney's Office’s mission and a key piece of its community engagement in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for almost two decades. Supporting people throughout their reentry process and raising awareness in the community about that process are part of our comprehensive strategy to help prevent recidivism, combat crime, and address the larger societal issues that contribute to crime.
Key components of our reentry program include:
The Reentry Simulation Initiative
In April 2023, the USAO-EDPA launched its Reentry Simulation Initiative. Inspired by the stories of returning citizens, the office started hosting Reentry Simulations to teach the public about the barriers that so many of our community members face as they return home from incarceration.
A Reentry Simulation is a two-hour activity that lets participants walk in the shoes of someone just released from prison, providing them with tasks to complete within a certain amount of time. The exercise is divided into four 15-minute segments, representing the first four weeks for someone returning home.
Over the past year, since the launch of our office’s Reentry Simulation Initiative, we have hosted 18 simulations. Participants in these simulations have included law enforcement, college students, high school students, service providers, and incarcerated individuals.
During Second Chance Month 2024 alone, we co-hosted five simulations across the state, reaching over 360 people, in partnership with Elizabethtown College; Springside Chestnut Hill Academy; PAR-Recycle Works and Eastern State Penitentiary; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Dickinson College, and the Cumberland County Reentry Coalition; the Third Circuit Court of Appeals Reentry Courts Summit; and the Philadelphia Bar Association.
Ultimately, EDPA’s goal with the Reentry Simulations is to encourage people to think deeply about the American criminal justice system, to change perceptions about returning citizens and the criminal justice system, and to deepen empathy.
Reentry Coalitions
We are also part of seven reentry coalitions across the state of Pennsylvania. Reentry coalitions, dedicated to ensuring the long-term success of those exiting prison, have the power to facilitate important systems change, positively affect the lives of returning citizens, and keep our communities safe.
Just last week, we participated in the Lehigh County Reentry Coalition’s first-ever Celebration of Second Chances, at which the coalition launched its strategic plan, and honored individuals who have returned home from prison and made exceptional contributions to their communities.
Additionally, this month, for the first time ever, our office hosted a webinar in partnership with DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs called "Bridging Federal Resources to the Community." This webinar was designed to help community-based organizations and state and local agencies navigate the federal funding landscape, empowering their organizations to access and secure the resources needed to support community initiatives. Numerous reentry coalitions and reentry organizations were invited and participated.
Federal Problem-Solving Courts
Most importantly, our office continues to play a key role in serving returning citizens in the Eastern District’s federal problem-solving courts, developing resources and assisting participants, so that they have the tools and support they need as they’re returning home.
After 17 years, our district’s federal reentry court, Supervision to Aid Reentry, continues to thrive. Since the program’s inception, only 14% of our 471 participants have been rearrested or had their supervision revoked. By reducing revocations and imprisonment, the reentry program saves taxpayers significantly, based on an estimated annual cost of imprisonment of $42,672 per person.
More important than the financial benefits, though, is the positive impact on communities. The problem-solving courts help set formerly incarcerated people on a more positive path, creating a ripple effect that can change not just their lives, but the lives of their families, friends, and entire communities.
Our program has been made even more effective through the relationships we’ve cultivated with individuals and organizations in our community, which help us provide more resources and services to program participants than we could do alone. In addition to community members, these partnerships extend to other government agencies, including a long-standing relationship with the Philadelphia Housing Authority to provide housing vouchers to program participants, as well as the Bureau of Prisons and halfway houses, with whom we work to facilitate as smooth a transition as possible after incarceration.
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“Today, over 70 million Americans have criminal records. 95% of incarcerated people will eventually be released from prison, and close to 70% will reoffend and end up back in prison,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. “People returning home from prison are our neighbors, they’re members of our families and communities, so reentry must be everyone’s concern. The successful reentry of returning citizens is crucial not only for their individual success and well-being, but also for the safety and stability of our communities.”
We observe National Reentry Week and Second Chance Month as a reminder of the importance of this work in creating safer communities across the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Reentry efforts don’t begin or end in April, though – they continue year-round. We thank those who do this difficult work and encourage them to continue engaging with reentry and improving the process for currently and formerly incarcerated people.