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3 June 2024
Madison County Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing and Selling FirearmsRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Richmond, Ky., man, Aaron Shanks, 49, was sentenced on Monday, by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove, to 60 months in prison, for two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession of an unregistered firearm.
According to his plea agreement, between December 20, 2022 and January 17, 2023, law enforcement used a confidential informant to make several controlled purchases of firearms from Shanks. During one transaction, on December 21, 2022, Shanks sold a 9mm pistol and a silencer, which did not have any manufacturer’s marks or identification. Shanks admitted that he knew it was a firearm silencer, that it was in operating condition, and that it was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
At the time of these transactions, Shanks was prohibited from possessing firearms due to several prior felony convictions, including one prior offense for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm..
Under federal law, Shanks must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF, with assistance from the Madison County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Latham Woman Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kristy Koldis, age 46, of Latham, New York, pled guilty today to sexual exploitation of a child. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
Koldis admitted that she created sexually explicit content depicting V-1 from the time V-1 was approximately 9 years old through the time V-1 was approximately 13 years old and distributed the files to Joshua White. The files depicted V-1’s genitals exposed to the camera in a lewd and lascivious manner.
If United States District Judge Mae D’Agostino accepts the parties’ agreed-upon disposition at sentencing on October 3, 2024, Koldis will receive a prison term of 180 months, at least 10 years of supervised release to follow that term of imprisonment, and pay restitution to the victim. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statutes the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Koldis would also have to register as a sex offender upon her release from prison.
White pled guilty on December 11, 2023, to distribution and possession of child pornography; his sentencing is scheduled for July 23, 2024.
Homeland Security Investigations and the New York State Police investigated this case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Gadarian as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Lake City Couple Indicted for Fraudulently Stealing Almost Three Million DollarsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a thirteen-count indictment charging Treashonna P. Graham (40, Lake City) and Joey L. Williams (39, Lake City) with multiple offenses, including one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, seven counts of wire fraud, and five counts of money laundering. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison for each conspiracy and wire fraud offense, and up to 10 years’ imprisonment, for each money laundering offense. Graham and Williams were arrested on May 31, 2024.
According to the indictment Graham and Williams created a company called “Grant Bae,” which was designed to assist minority business owners obtain government grants. These government grants ranged from $25,000 to $250,000. Graham and Williams would charge a fee for their services and would advise clients that they were in the process of obtaining grant money on their behalf. However, during their fraudulent scheme, Graham and Williams allegedly stole approximately $2,904,667 of their clients’ grant funds and used those funds to live an extravagant lifestyle. The two purchased vehicles, jewelry, clothing, and other personal property. They also gambled away some of the proceeds.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Isaiah Vaniah McDade, 47, of South Charleston, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of fentanyl and a quantity of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between August 10, 2022 and September 16, 2022, McDade sold approximately 5 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant over the course of five separate transactions. McDade admitted to those transactions and further admitted to selling the confidential informant a quantity of methamphetamine during the September 2, 2022 transaction and 3.46 grams of cocaine during the September 16, 2022 transaction.
From November 3, 2022 through December 2, 2022, McDade discussed the distribution of controlled substances during phone calls intercepted by law enforcement officers. McDade admitted that those intercepted discussions were of the distribution of 33.5 grams of heroin, 7 grams of methamphetamine and 30.8 grams of cocaine.
On August 17, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at McDade’s residence and seized $5,115.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the South Charleston Police Department. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-143.
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Justice Department to Monitor Compliance with Federal Voting Rights Laws in New JerseyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that they will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in Union County, New Jersey, for the June 4 primary election.
The Justice Department will assign federal observers to monitor the election in Union County to observe the county’s compliance with the Voting Rights Act. In 2023, a federal court approved a consent decree to resolve the department’s claims under Sections 203 and 208 of the Voting Rights Act regarding the availability of election assistance and materials in Spanish for Spanish-speaking voters with limited English proficiency in Union County. Section 203 requires that certain jurisdictions, including Union County, provide election materials and assistance in other languages, in addition to English. Section 208 provides a right for voters who need assistance with voting – due to inability to read or write, blindness or disability – to receive that assistance from the person of their choice, with certain limited exceptions. The consent decree authorizes federal observers to monitor election day activities in the county’s polling places.
The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities across the country. In addition, the department also deploys federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management, when authorized by federal court order.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section, working with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Civil Rights Acts and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.
More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section. Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.
Individuals may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey at www.justice.gov/usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement or by telephone at 1-855-281-3339.
Jaffrey Man Pleads Guilty to the Illegal Possession of Machine Guns and SilencersRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Jaffrey man pleaded guilty today in federal court to the possession of machine guns and silencers that were not registered to him under the National Firearms Act, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Luke Czekalski, 38, pleaded guilty to possession of firearms which were not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Landya McCafferty scheduled sentencing for September 23, 2024.
In November 2022, New Hampshire state parole officers made an unannounced visit to the defendant’s residence in Jaffrey. The defendant was on parole following his release from custody for a prior felony conviction. While the parole officers conducted their search, they located several bins in the basement containing firearms, ammunition, loaded magazines, body armor and other miscellaneous items. Jaffrey Police then provided additional assistance, leading to the seizure of eight homemade firearms and five homemade silencers in addition to assorted firearm ammunition. Three of the firearms displayed fully automatic firing capabilities during test fires, thus making them “machineguns” under federal law.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $10,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and the Jaffrey Police Department led the investigation. The New Hampshire Department of Corrections’ Division of Field Services and New Hampshire Forensic Laboratory provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case.
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Iowa Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Senior District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Des Moines, Iowa, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on May 16, 2024.
Douglas Hennigar, age 66, was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hennigar was indicted for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Abusive Sexual Contact by a federal grand jury in September of 2023. He pleaded guilty on March 15, 2024.
In 2010, Hennigar moved to the Pine Ridge Reservation after meeting the victims’ grandmother/mother through social media. The grandmother cared for multiple children, including her 10-year-old daughter at the time. Almost immediately after moving in with the grandmother, Hennigar sexually abused two female children, who were between the ages of 5-10. The abuse spanned multiple years and occurred on and off the Pine Ridge Reservation. At the time of the abuse, the youngest child was five years old, but did not disclose the abuse until she was 14 years of age.
This case was investigated by the FBI. U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Hennigar was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Hurricane Man Sentenced to Prison for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Paul Richard Spurlock, 67, of Hurricane, was sentenced today to eight months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $106,500 in restitution for bank fraud. Spurlock admitted that he embezzled approximately $106,500 from a fraternal organization’s historic charitable care home by using his position as its board’s treasurer.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows - West Virginia had operated the Odd Fellows and Rebekah Home in Elkins beginning in the early 1900s. Over its history, the institution provided housing and care for orphans, widows, seniors and people with disabilities.
Spurlock had been the treasurer of the home’s board of directors for several years when he lost his seat on the board in October 2018. Spurlock admitted that from on or about July 8, 2015, to on or about January 22, 2019, he embezzled approximately $106,500 from the Odd Fellows Home. Spurlock falsely told his wife, who was acting as the home’s bookkeeper, that the home’s board of directors had approved a loan for their family.
Spurlock admitted that as part of his scheme, he caused an unauthorized check for $4,000 from the Odd Fellows Home’s account to be issued to his wife on January 22, 2019, and deposited into their shared Huntington bank account. Spurlock further admitted that he signed at least 33 unauthorized Odd Fellows Home checks made payable to his wife and deposited into their joint account, and used an authorized signatory’s signature stamp on each check without his wife’s knowledge.
The Odd Fellows Home closed and was auctioned off in 2022 because of financial difficulties.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-172.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Javonte Dejuan Perry, also known as “Dre,” 33, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 30, 2023, Perry sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Huntington.
Perry is scheduled to be sentenced on September 16, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-114.
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Helena man suspected of threatening to attack Helena Public Schools sentenced to seven and one-half years in prison for illegally possessing homemade bombs, silencerRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Helena man who admitted to illegally possessing homemade bombs and a silencer after being suspected of planning to attack a Helena Public Schools building was sentenced today to seven and one-half years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Logan Sea Pallister, 25, pleaded guilty in January to possession of unregistered destructive devices and to possession of an unregistered silencer.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in May 2022, the Helena Police Department received information from a juvenile girl that Pallister possessed multiple bombs, had access to multiple firearms and had been making threats of committing an attack at a local high school. The person also indicated that Pallister discussed a desire to commit a Columbine-style attack at the high school. Further, Pallister had shown the individual numerous firearms and a large amount of ammunition that he kept in his car and had purchased a black trench coat and the same type of duffle bag used by the shooters in the attack at Columbine High School. Pallister showed the individual a homemade pipe bomb that he said he’d made and retrieved from his car. The individual later reported that Pallister threatened to kill her if she told anyone about what he had shown her. Although Pallister disputed making the threat, the individual reported the incident to law enforcement.
At about 4 a.m. on May 31, 2022, police officers arrested Pallister as he was walking toward his car from his residence. Pallister was wearing a black trench coat, carrying a bag and had eight loaded firearms concealed on his person, including semi-automatic pistols and AR-style rifles equipped with high-capacity magazines. Following Pallister’s arrest, law enforcement searched his car and recovered nine additional firearms, miscellaneous firearms accessories, body armor, trigger modification systems designed to increase the fire-rate of guns, an ammunition canister containing four homemade pipe bombs and an oil filter modified to function as a silencer. In a search of Pallister’s residence, law enforcement located a large quantity of ammunition, additional firearms parts and materials used to make explosives.
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Garrard County Man Sentenced for Armed Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Lancaster, Ky., man, Harley Jones, 30, was sentenced on Monday, by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier, to 115 months in prison, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to his plea agreement, between February 2022 and August 2022, Jones conspired with his co-conspirator, Angela Nichole Brown, to obtain methamphetamine from various sources of supply and sell the methamphetamine to other users and dealers. Jones and Brown worked together to obtain and distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.
In April 2022, law enforcement used a confidential informant to make a controlled purchase of 56 grams of methamphetamine from Jones and Brown. Following the controlled purchase, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on their vehicle and found 60 grams of methamphetamine and two pistols, one of which was loaded.
For her role, Brown was previously sentenced to 96 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release.
Under federal law, Jones and Brown must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon his release from prison, Jones will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for four years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Louisville Field Division; and Phillip J. Burnett, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police (KSP); jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Trimble prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Former U.S. Soldier Turned Foreign Fighter Extradited from Ukraine to the United States for 2018 Double Homicide, Armed Robbery, Immigration Document Offenses, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Other ChargesRead the Press Release
A U.S. citizen will make his initial appearance in Fort Myers, Florida, today at 2 p.m. EDT following his extradition from Ukraine to the United States to face numerous charges in three federal districts relating to double homicide, armed robbery, false statements in a passport application, aggravated identity theft, and misuse of a passport in violation of conditions and restrictions, among other charges.
Craig Austin Lang, 34, of Surprise, Arizona, faces criminal charges in the Middle District of Florida, the Eastern District of North Carolina, and the District of Arizona.
“As alleged in the indictments, Craig Austin Lang went on an international crime spree that included a double murder in Florida, attempts to travel internationally to engage in other acts of violence outside the United States, and a plot to evade law enforcement detection by trading guns, a grenade, and cash to use another person’s identifying information to apply for a U.S. passport under an assumed name,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Lang’s alleged conduct is shocking in its scope and its callous disregard for human life. His wrongdoing, however, was no match for the efforts of dedicated law enforcement personnel and prosecutors in the United States and abroad to investigate, locate, arrest, and extradite Lang so he would face justice before courts in the United States.”
“The alleged conduct of Craig Austin Lang, which includes homicide and armed robbery, will not be tolerated by the FBI,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “Individuals that engage in such activity must face the consequences of their actions. We would like to thank our partner law enforcement agencies for their efforts in ensuring that criminals face justice. If you cause harm to the American public, we will relentlessly pursue you even if you are located beyond our borders.”
Middle District of Florida
According to the superseding indictment returned in the Middle District of Florida in December 2019 and other court documents, Lang and a co-defendant, Alex Jared Zwiefelhofer, 27, of Bloomer, Wisconsin, allegedly murdered a couple from Brooksville, Florida, in 2018.
In 2017, Lang and Zwiefelhofer, both former soldiers in the U.S. Army, met in Ukraine, where Zwiefelhofer claimed they were both members of a volunteer battalion fighting Russian separatists. The pair allegedly also traveled to Kenya, where Zwiefelhofer claimed they intended to fight against terrorists, before attempting to enter South Sudan. They were allegedly detained by authorities in South Sudan and deported back to the United States, where they met up in Florida in April 2018.
The superseding indictment alleges that the Brooksville couple planned to purchase firearms that Lang and Zwiefelhofer had listed for sale on a website called “ARMSLIST.” Lang and Zwiefelhofer allegedly killed the couple in the course of an armed robbery to steal the $3,000 that the couple intended to use to buy the firearms. Lang and Zwiefelhofer allegedly robbed the victims to pay for travel to Venezuela, where the defendants planned to fight the Venezuelan regime.
Lang and Zwiefelhofer are charged with violating the Neutrality Act, conspiracy to kill, kidnap, or maim persons in a foreign country, conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, and conspiracy to discharge a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, as well as interference with commerce by robbery and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence causing death. If convicted on all counts, Lang and Zwiefelhofer face a maximum penalty of life in prison.
On March 8, a federal jury convicted Zwiefelhofer on all of the above charges. Zwiefelhofer is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 6.
The FBI and Lee County Sheriff’s Office are investigating this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jesus M. Casas and Michael V. Leeman for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting this case.
Eastern District of North Carolina
According to the indictment returned in the Eastern District of North Carolina in August 2019, Lang and his co-conspirators allegedly took various actions in September 2018 to evade law enforcement detection and minimize scrutiny when travelling internationally. They allegedly devised a plan to provide two co-conspirators’ identity documents to Lang and a fourth co-conspirator, Matthew Scott McCloud, for the purpose of applying for U.S. passports under assumed names. While in North Carolina, Lang allegedly submitted a U.S. passport application in the assumed name of one of his co-conspirators, Dameon Shae Adcock. Approximately two days later, Lang allegedly gave Adcock a suitcase containing multiple firearms, a military smoke grenade, and approximately $1,500 in cash as payment for use of Adcock’s personal information. Several days later, Lang and McCloud, who had applied for a U.S. passport using the identity of co-conspirator Jordan Dean Miller, allegedly acquired airline tickets to travel from Georgia to New York and then on to Ukraine.
“The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) is committed to working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement agencies around the world to investigate and prosecute all allegations of criminal activity related to identity theft,” said Assistant Director Andrew Wroblewski of DSS Domestic Operations. “The strong relationship we enjoy with our domestic and overseas law enforcement partners is vital towards ensuring the integrity of U.S. travel documents and protecting greater U.S. interests.”
Lang was charged with conspiracy to commit passport fraud and aggravated identify theft, passport fraud, aggravated identity theft, fraud, and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents, and aiding and abetting these offenses, as well as false representation of a social security account number. Adcock, Miller, and McCloud were also charged in connection with the criminal scheme. If convicted, Lang faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison on the fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents charge.
Adcock pleaded guilty in November 2019 and was sentenced in September 2020 to two years and eight months in prison. McCloud pleaded guilty in April 2020 and was sentenced in July 2020 to time served. Miller pleaded guilty and was sentenced in May 2020 to one year of probation.
The DSS is investigating this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabe Diaz for the Eastern District of North Carolina is prosecuting this case.
District of Arizona
The indictment returned in the District of Arizona in June 2019 charges Lang with misuse of a passport for allegedly presenting a U.S. passport to Mexican authorities to obtain a Mexican visa, which was in violation of the conditions and restrictions contained on the passport. If convicted, Lang faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, or more under certain aggravating circumstances.
The FBI is investigating this case.
Trial Attorney and Co-Director of Joint Task Force Alpha James Hepburn and Trial Attorney and Director of the War Crimes Accountability Team Christian Levesque of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bridget Minder for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.
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Lang’s extradition from Ukraine occurred after the European Court of Human Rights recently rejected his claim challenging extradition under the European Convention on Human Rights.
U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley for the Eastern District of North Carolina, and U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona joined in the announcement.
The FBI escorted Lang from Ukraine to the United States. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI Tampa Field Office Fort Myers Resident Agency provided significant assistance in securing the arrest, extradition, and removal of Lang to the United States. The United States also thanks Ukrainian authorities for their valuable assistance.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Soldier Turned Foreign Fighter Extradited to Face Charges in April 2018 Double Homicide and Armed Robbery of Brooksville CoupleRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the extradition of Craig Austin Lang (34, Surprise, Arizona) from Ukraine to the United States to stand trial for six federal offenses. Lang, along with his co-defendant Alex Jared Zwiefelhofer (27, Bloomer, Wisconsin), was charged in 2019 in a conspiracy to commit robbery and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, robbery interfering in commerce, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, which resulted in the death of a couple from Brooksville, Florida. Lang is also charged with conspiring to kill, kidnap, or maim persons in a foreign country and a violation of the Neutrality Act. If convicted on all counts, Lang faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Zwiefelhofer was convicted as charged at trial on March 8, 2024, and is scheduled for sentencing on August 6, 2024.
According to court documents, on April 10, 2018, two individuals, S.L., Jr. and D.L., were found dead in Estero, Florida from multiple gunshot wounds to the head and body. Further investigation revealed that the couple had traveled to Estero from Brooksville to complete the purchase of several firearms from an individual who had listed them for sale on a website known as Armslist. As a result of the investigation, Zwiefelhofer and Lang were identified as the individuals who were believed to have murdered the couple during an armed robbery of the $3,000 the couple had intended to use to purchase the firearms.
The superseding indictment further alleges that Zwiefelhofer and Lang formed and pursued a plan to fight the Venezuelan government and committed the robbery of S.L., Jr. and D.L. to obtain money to fund their travel to Venezuela for that purpose. Both Lang and Zwiefelhofer were formerly in the U.S. military before traveling overseas to Ukraine to engage in fighting, where they met. They then traveled to Kenya to fight in South Sudan before they were arrested and deported back to the United States. After being in the United States for a short time, both Lang and Zwiefelhofer planned to travel to Venezuela to fight alongside others. Lang and Zwiefelhofer met in Florida in April 2018, where they allegedly planned to take a boat to Venezuela, but their plan fell through.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jesus M. Casas and Michael V. Leeman.
Lang’s extradition from Ukraine occurred after the European Court of Human Rights recently rejected his claim challenging extradition from Ukraine under the European Convention on Human Rights.
The FBI escorted Lang from Ukraine to the United States. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI Tampa Field Office Fort Myers Resident Agency provided significant assistance in securing the arrest, extradition, and removal of Lang to the United States. The United States also thanks Ukrainian authorities for their valuable assistance.
Former FCI Danbury Inmate Pleads Guilty to Assault ChargeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JONATHAN CRUZ-CARMONA, 33, formerly incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Danbury, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to assault with a dangerous weapon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Cruz-Carmona is currently serving a federal sentence for murder with a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On December 18, 2023, while incarcerated at FCI Danbury, Cruz-Carmona used a weapon fashioned from a broken pencil and two razor blades to assault another inmate, causing wounds to the victim’s chin and neck. The injury was not life-threatening.
At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Cruz-Carmona faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia E. King.
Florida Man Facing Federal Charges for Covid-19 Unemployment Insurance Fraud in Maryland and CaliforniaRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging David Godin, a/k/a “James St Patrick,” a/k/a “David Wetty,” a/k/a “Vic Pro” for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, in connection with a scheme to defraud the Maryland Department of Labor (“MD-DOL”) and California Employment Development Department (CA-EDD”) of unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier today, Godin was arrested by law enforcement in Florida and had his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court in Miami, Florida.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer of the National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”), and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to the indictment, beginning in June 2020, Godin created disposable email addresses and used them to file fraudulent UI claims with the MD-DOL and CA-EDD. The UI claims contained false and fraudulent information and contained the personal identifiable information of identity theft victims from Maryland, California, Florida, Illinois, Mississippi and Washington, D.C.
If convicted, Godin faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count of wire fraud and a consecutive term of 2 years’ imprisonment for aggravated identity theft. Furthermore, if convicted, Godin must forfeit any property derived from the scheme to defraud to the United States.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
This case is part of the District of Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force, a Strike Force that 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, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 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.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DOL-OIG, and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Bijon A. Mostoufi, who is prosecuting the federal case.
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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Fleming Island Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing CocaineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that James Matthew Doyle (37, Fleming Island) has pleaded guilty to distributing cocaine. Doyle faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement, in January and February 2023, Doyle sold cocaine on two occasions to a confidential source working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as to an undercover agent.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta.
Final Defendant in Trio Responsible for Eight Armed Robberies of Indianapolis Area Businesses in One Month Found Guilty by Federal JuryRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- A federal jury has found Robdarius Williams, 21, of Indianapolis, guilty of interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, following a one-and-a-half-day trial.
In April of 2024, Quintez Tucker, 20, and D’Maurah Bryant, 21, each plead guilty to eight counts of robbery and eight counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, from November 8, 2021, through December 3, 2021, Tucker and Bryant worked together to rob eight cell phone retailers around Indianapolis. During each robbery, the men brandished firearms and pointed them at employees, demanding cash, cell phones, and accessories from the store and customers. Williams joined in the eighth and final armed robbery as the getaway driver, stole a license plate for the vehicle, and took Tucker to pick up an AR-style rifle used in the robbery.
In total, the trio robbed eight businesses:
Date
Location
Defendants
November 8, 2021
Verizon, Olio Rd., Fishers.
Tucker & Bryant
November 18, 2021
T-Mobile, Southport Rd.
Tucker & Bryant
November 23, 2021
Verizon, Kessler Blvd.
Tucker & Bryant
November 26, 2021
T-Mobile, E. 86th St.
Tucker & Bryant
November 29, 2021
T-Mobile, Fox Rd.
Tucker & Bryant
December 1, 2021
T-Mobile, E. Stop 11 Rd.
Tucker & Bryant
December 1, 2021
T-Mobile, W. 38th St.
Tucker & Bryant
December 3, 2021
AT&T, S. Emerson Ave.
Tucker & Williams
The FBI investigated this case. The Fishers Police Department, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, and the Marion County Prosecutors Office also provided valuable assistance. U.S District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson presided over the trial and will impose sentences for all three men at a later date.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy C. Fugate and Peter A. Blackett, who prosecuted this case.
This case was 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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Evadale Little League coach sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for child exploitation violationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Lumberton man has been sentenced to federal prison on child exploitation charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Adam Dale Isaacks, 40, pleaded guilty to four counts of transporting a minor for purposes of sexual activity and was sentenced to 480 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on June 3, 2024.
According to information presented in court, on Dec. 13, 2021, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office responded to an Evadale home in reference to a report of several sexual assaults. As the investigation progressed, Isaacks was identified as the assailant. Isaacks, a youth baseball coach and president of the Evadale Little League Baseball organization and a trusted member of the community, was reported to have sexually assaulted eight minor members of his baseball team. The boys were between 9 and 11 years old the time of the offenses. The investigation revealed instances where several minor victims were transported by Isaacks from the Eastern District of Texas outside the state. While outside the state of Texas, Isaacks engaged in illicit sexual conduct with the minor victims. The trips were verified with records from airlines, credit card information, photos, and witnesses.
“We expect our little league coaches to protect the children entrusted to their care; this defendant did not do that and will now serve a lengthy sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. “Coaches like the defendant, Mr. Isaacks, who have sex with minors should take note of today’s sentence, which reflects the consequences of abusing one’s position of trust by taking advantage of the vulnerabilities of minors and repeatedly engaging them in unlawful sexual activities. This case shows how local and federal agencies can work together to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation—a crime that our office will aggressively prosecute.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Sabine County Sheriff’s Office, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, and the San Augustine County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
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El Departamento de Justicia monitoreará el cumplimiento con las leyes federales de derechos electorales federales en New JerseyRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que el cumplimiento con las leyes federales de del derecho al voto será monitoreado en Union County, New Jersey, en las elecciones primarias del 4 de junio.
El Departamento de Justicia asignará observadores federales a monitorear las elecciones en Union County, New Jersey, para observar cómo el condado cumple con la Ley de Derechos Electorales. En el 2023 una corte federal aprobó un decreto por consentimiento para resolver las alegaciones del Departamento bajo las secciones 203 y 208 de la ley de Derechos Electorales sobre la disponibilidad de asistencia electoral y materiales en español para votantes hispanoparlantes con conocimientos limitados del idioma inglés en Union County. La sección 203 exige que ciertas jurisdicciones, incluyendo a Union County, provean materiales electorales y asistencia en otros idiomas, además del inglés. La sección 208 provee el derecho a los votantes que necesiten asistencia para votar – debido a inhabilidad de leer o escribir, ceguera o discapacidad – a conseguir ayuda de una persona que ellos mismos elijan, con ciertas limitadas excepciones. El decreto por consentimiento autoriza a observadores federales a monitorear las actividades el Día de Elecciones en los lugares de votación del condado.
El Departamento envía su personal periódicamente a monitorear el cumplimiento de las leyes federales electorales en comunidades a través de todo el país. Además, la División envía observadores federales de la Oficina de Administración de Personal de EE. UU. según autorizado por una orden judicial federal.
La Sección de Votación de la División de Derechos Civiles, en colaboración con las Oficinas de los Fiscales Federales, velan por el cumplimiento de las leyes federales que protegen el derecho al voto, incluyendo la Ley de Derechos Electorales, la Ley Nacional de Inscripción de Votantes, la Ley Ayudemos a Estados Unidos a Votar, las leyes de derechos civiles y la Ley de Votación para los Uniformados y los Ciudadanos en el Extranjero.
Información adicional sobre la votación y las elecciones está disponible en el portal del Departamento de Justicia en https://www.justice.gov/es/espanol. Aprenda más sobre la Ley de Derechos Electorales y otras leyes federales electorales en https://www.justice.gov/es/crt/seccion-de-votacion. Denuncias relacionadas a posibles vulneraciones de las leyes federales de derechos electorales pueden ser presentadas en el sitio web de la División de Derechos Civiles en https://civilrights.justice.gov/?lang=es o por teléfono al (800) 253-3931.
Las personas también pueden ponerse en contacto con la Oficina del Fiscal Federal para el Distrito de New Jersey en www.justice.gov/usao-nj/page/file/1507671/dl?inline o por teléfono al (855) 281-3339.
Dorchester Man Who Manufactured Kilos of Counterfeit Pills Sentenced to Six Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican Republic man residing in Dorchester was sentenced today for trafficking multiple kilograms of counterfeit pills, including pills that contained fentanyl, through the mail.
Rahelin Reynoso, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to six years in prison and two years of supervised release. In November 2023, Reynoso pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Between September 2022 and November 2022, Reynoso worked at a pill press location in Mattapan, Mass. manufacturing counterfeit pills, including pills containing fentanyl, that were then counted, packaged and shipped to locations throughout the United States.
In November 2022, a search of the apartment where Reynoso worked resulted in over 20 kilograms of pills in various colors, over 20 kilograms of loose powder, numerous packages and mailing labels and three industrial grade pill presses being recovered. In total, over 12 kilograms of fentanyl were found in the apartment as well as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine.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 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 criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
District Man Sentenced to Serve Five Years for CarjackingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Miliki Lee, 19, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today by the Honorable Michael Ryan of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for carjacking and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The court sentenced Lee to five years’ incarceration and ordered an additional two years to be suspended under the Youth Rehabilitation Act. Carjacking otherwise carries a mandatory minimum term of seven years’ incarceration. The court also ordered the sentence be followed by 18 months’ probation.
According to the government’s evidence, with which Lee agreed, at approximately 9:30 p.m. on October 27, 2023, the victim was driving in the 1000 block of Buchanan St NE, when another car blocked hers. Lee and his accomplices got out of that car and surrounded the victim’s vehicle, banged on the windows, brandished a handgun, and eventually forced her out of her car at gunpoint. Lee and his accomplices drove off in the victim’s car. MPD officers immediately used its helicopter to track the victim’s vehicle into Prince George’s County, Maryland, and then back into the District. Lee crashed the car at North Capitol and Ingraham Streets and ran. Police apprehended Lee, and recovered a Glock handgun that was loaded with 29 rounds of ammunition.
The government had requested a nine-year prison term.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, with valuable assistance from the Prince George’s County Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Bartz.
Del Rio Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Del Rio man was sentenced in federal court to 97 months in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Henry P. Arredondo, 23, received and sent files depicting CSAM using his social media account in August 2021. Homeland Security Investigations agents conducted a forensic analysis of Arredondo’s cell phone, recovering 46 images depicting CSAM, including images of prepubescent male children. Arredondo was arrested Aug. 26, 2022. He pleaded guilty Nov. 21, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rex Beasley prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Chief Financial Officer of Multinational Media Company Charged with Participating in Scheme to Launder at Least $67 Million in Fraud ProceedsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Jonathan Mellone, the Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Region of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”); and Andrew Wroblewski, the Assistant Director of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (“DSS”) Domestic Operations, announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging WEIDONG GUAN, a/k/a “Bill Guan,” the Chief Financial Officer of a multinational media company headquartered in New York City with participating in a transnational scheme to launder at least approximately $67 million of illegally obtained funds to benefit himself and the media company. GUAN was arrested yesterday morning and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Bill Guan, the Chief Financial Officer of a global newspaper and media company, conspired with others to benefit himself, the media company, and its affiliates by laundering tens of millions of dollars in fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefits and other crime proceeds. When banks raised questions about the funds, Guan allegedly lied repeatedly and falsely claimed that the funds came from legitimate donations to the media company. Today’s charges reflect this Office’s ongoing commitment to vigorously enforcing the laws against those who facilitate fraud through money laundering and to protecting the integrity of the U.S. financial system.”
DOL-OIG Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone said: “An important part of the mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud involving the U.S. Department of Labor’s unemployment insurance program. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to safeguard benefits intended for unemployed American workers.”
DSS Domestic Operations Assistant Director Andrew Wroblewski said: “This case highlights the expansive global reach of the Diplomatic Security Service, demonstrating our capacity to collaborate effectively with both U.S. and international law enforcement agencies on complex transnational cases. DSS, along with our law enforcement partners, are tirelessly working to conduct investigations of this nature daily around the world.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment:[1]
From at least in or about 2020, through in or about May 2024, GUAN, while working as the Chief Financial Officer of a multinational media company headquartered in New York, New York (the “Media Company”), conspired with others to participate in a sprawling, transnational scheme to launder at least approximately $67 million of illegally obtained funds to bank accounts in the names of the Media Company and related entities (together, with the Media Company, the “Media Entities”). In furtherance of the money laundering conspiracy, GUAN managed, among other teams, the Media Company’s “Make Money Online” team (the “MMO Team”), which was located in a particular foreign office of the Media Company. Under GUAN’s management, members of the MMO Team and others used cryptocurrency to knowingly purchase tens of millions of dollars in crime proceeds, including proceeds of fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefits, that had been loaded onto tens of thousands of prepaid debit cards. The crime proceeds were generally purchased by the scheme participants, including members of the MMO Team and others working with them, using a particular cryptocurrency platform, at discounted rates of approximately 70 to 80 cents per dollar, and in exchange for cryptocurrency.
Once the crime proceeds were purchased, the MMO Team and other participants in the scheme used stolen personal identification information to open accounts, including prepaid debit card accounts, cryptocurrency accounts, and bank accounts, that were used to transfer the crime proceeds into bank accounts associated with the Media Entities. After the crime proceeds reached those bank accounts, they were often further laundered through other bank accounts held by the Media Entities, GUAN’s personal bank accounts, and through GUAN’s personal cryptocurrency accounts.
In or around the same time the money laundering scheme began, the Media Company’s internal financial accounting reflected an increased annual revenue over the previous year of approximately 410%—from approximately $15 million to approximately $62 million. When banks asked GUAN about the increase in transactions entering the bank accounts of the Media Entities, GUAN lied, including to two U.S.-based banks, and claimed that the increase in funds came from donations. However, in 2022, GUAN wrote a letter addressed to a congressional office falsely stating “donations” constitute “an insignificant portion of the overall revenue” of the Media Company.
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GUAN, 61, of Secaucus, New Jersey, is charged with one count of conspiring to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and two counts of bank fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. The charges do not relate to the Media Company’s newsgathering activities.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of DOL-OIG, DSS, and the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Customs and Border Protection for its valuable assistance.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Deininger, Rebecca T. Dell, and Jane Kim are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Scheme that Defrauded Social Security AdministrationRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TROVOY DIXON, 31, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for laundering criminal proceeds of a scheme to defraud the Social Security Administration.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2021, unidentified fraudsters engaged in a scheme to defraud the Social Security Administration (SSA) using stolen identities. The fraudsters would contact the SSA posing as legitimate Social Security recipients, often presenting the SSA with confidential personal information, like Social Security numbers and dates of birth, to validate their purported identities. They would then instruct the SSA to change the legitimate SSA recipients’ existing bank account deposit information so that monthly SSA payments would be deposited into bank accounts controlled by scheme participants.
In approximately August 2021, Dixon was contacted by phone by a scheme participant using a Jamaican based telephone number and was asked if he wished to make money through moving money. Dixon agreed, and was instructed to open bank accounts that he would control. After monies generated from the scheme were deposited into Dixon’s online bank accounts, he would withdraw cash from the accounts and use commercial money transfer services to wire a portion of the cash to designated bank accounts in either Jamaica or Mexico. Dixon learned the monies were illegally obtained, but ultimately kept close to half of the monies for his personal use.
Between August 2021 and July 2023, more than $360,000 was deposited into bank accounts Dixon controlled. When accounts were closed due to suspicious fraudulent withdrawal activity, Dixon opened additional accounts to continue his illegal activity.
Judge Oliver ordered Dixon to pay $161,000 in restitution.
On March 8, 2024, Dixon pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering. Dixon who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on July 29.
This investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Brevard County Man Pleads Guilty to Multi-Kilogram Cocaine OffenseRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jackie Jamal Hines (46, Melbourne) has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. Hines faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on December 6, 2023, a traffic stop was attempted on a vehicle being driven by Hines after he left his storage unit in Melbourne, Florida. Hines exited his vehicle and fled on foot from law enforcement. Once he was detained, officers located a bag containing over 300 grams of cocaine and two digital scales on his person. Hines was also in possession of a key to his storage unit. A search warrant was then obtained for the storage unit, where agents located a safe with five pressed bricks containing about a kilogram of cocaine each.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Melbourne Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
Box Elder man sentenced to more than three years in prison for assaulting woman on Rocky Boy’s Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Box Elder man who admitted to assaulting a woman at his residence on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation in 2021 was sentenced today to three years and two months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Gabriel Evan Jordan, 26, pleaded guilty in January to a superseding information charging him with assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on Nov. 16, 2021, the victim, identified as Jane Doe, visited Jordan at his residence. Jordan assaulted the victim by intentionally holding her down and forcing sexual contact, causing serious bodily injury to the victim.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer S. Clark and Stephanie D. Robles prosecuted the case. The FBI, Rocky Boy’s Police Department, Hill County Sheriff’s Office and Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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Bloods Gang Member Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Violent and Extortionate Takeover of the New York City Fire Mitigation IndustryRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JATIEK SMITH, a/k/a “Tiek,” was sentenced to 12 years in prison for his role as the leader of a violent and extortionate racketeering enterprise that terrorized the fire restoration industry in New York City. SMITH was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff after being convicted following a bench trial in December 2023 of racketeering and extortion conspiracies.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Jatiek Smith led a group of gang members and associates that audaciously took over the New York City fire restoration industry through violence and threats. We will not stand for gangs or any criminal groups that try to corrupt our institutions and threaten our safety. Today’s sentence demonstrates that those who use violence and intimidation will face significant jail time.”
According to the Indictment, statements made in public court proceedings and filings, and the evidence at trial:
The fire restoration industry refers to the businesses that repair properties that have suffered damage from fires or exposures to fires. Within this industry, fire restoration companies (sometimes referred to as emergency mitigation services companies) provide emergency mitigation services, demolition, and construction services to properties that have suffered such damages. First Response Cleaning Corp. (“First Response”) was one such EMS company.
In 2019, JATIEK SMITH joined First Response and quickly assumed control over its operations. SMITH, a member of the Bloods, the violent street gang, recruited other gang members and associates to join him at First Response. As the leader of this crew, SMITH and his associates used violence, threats of violence, and extortion to terrorize and dominate the fire restoration industry in New York City.
SMITH asserted control over the industry by first ousting First Response’s main competitor through violence, threats, and extortion. Once SMITH and his crew had established control over the industry, they imposed rules that allocated a preferential share of fires to First Response. These rules were backed by threats — including threats to kill children — and violence. Industry participants, including senior citizens, who solicited fires in violation of SMITH’s rules were assaulted in broad daylight. Through threats of violence, actual violence, and economic fear, SMITH and his crew also extorted hundreds of thousands of dollars from other industry participants. SMITH maximized his profits from this scheme by concealing illegal conditions in properties and defrauding insurance companies.
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In addition to the prison term, SMITH, 39, of Staten Island, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $354,546.44. Restitution will be determined at a later date.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the New York City Police Department, and the New York City Department of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rushmi Bhaskaran, Marguerite B. Colson, Elizabeth A. Espinosa, and Adam S. Hobson are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Grayson Glogoff and Ananya Sankar.
Asheboro man arrested after high-speed chase through Randolph and Chatham CountiesRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A North Carolina man who led deputies on a 75-mile high-speed chase in September was sentenced today to 151 months in prison, after pleading guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
According to court records, a deputy with the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office was patrolling an area near Highway 220 in Randolph County on September 3, 2023, when he encountered an individual on a motorcycle approach, turn off his headlights, and accelerate quickly away. The deputy then pursued the individual, ADAM MICHAEL CLODFELTER, age 24, of Asheboro, for over 75 miles. CLODFELTER had no license plate and was recklessly switching lanes while reaching speeds of over 150 miles per hour. CLODFELTER was arrested after losing control of the vehicle and found to be in possession of a firearm, methamphetamine, a lock pick, and drug paraphernalia. At the time of the incident, CLODFELTER has previously been convicted of a crime with a term of imprisonment exceeding one year, rendering him ineligible to possess a firearm.
CLODFELTER was sentenced to a 151-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable William L. Osteen, Jr., United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. He pleaded guilty on January 3, 2024, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, and the Asheboro Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Mary Ann Courtney.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Appleton Woman Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on June 3, 2024, Charlotta A. Belgum (age: 38) of Appleton, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach.
According to court records, Belgum created child pornography using a minor child and distributed the child pornography via the internet to an individual in Texas whom she had met in an online fetish forum. The recipient of the child pornography has been arrested and has charges pending in the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Court records further indicate that Belgum also distributed other images of child pornography and engaged in lengthy online conversations centered around the intended sexual abuse of children.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Griesbach noted that Belgum’s crime was “of great magnitude and despicable” in nature. Judge Griesbach also emphasized the profound impact of the crime on Belgum’s victims. Upon the completion of her twenty-year federal prison sentence, Belgum will spend the remainder of her life on supervised release. She will also have to register as a sex offender under state and federal law.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Appleton Police Department, with the assistance of the Department of Homeland Security’s Milwaukee and San Antonio Field Offices. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
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Animal Breeder Pleads Guilty to Animal Welfare and Pollution Crimes and Will Pay More than $35M, Including Record Fine in an Animal Welfare CaseRead the Press Release
Envigo RMS LLC pleaded guilty today to conspiring to knowingly violate the Animal Welfare Act, and Envigo Global Services Inc. pleaded guilty to a felony of conspiring to knowingly violate the Clean Water Act. Both pleas are in relation to a dog breeding facility located in Cumberland County, Virginia, from which the Justice Department secured the surrender of over 4,000 beagles in 2022.
As part of the resolution, Inotiv — of which Envigo RMS and Envigo Global Services are subsidiaries — will guarantee more than $35 million in payments, be subject to increased animal care standards and be subject to a compliance monitor. This resolution marks the largest ever fine in an Animal Welfare Act case.
“Our nation’s animal welfare and clean water laws exist to prevent suffering and harm,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “That’s why we secured the transfer of thousands of beagles from Envigo’s Cumberland facility into adoption, and that’s why today’s plea agreement is so significant. The plea agreement includes the largest ever fine in an animal welfare case as well as heightened standards of care for facilities across the country.”
“Envigo promoted a business culture that prioritized profit and convenience over following the law. This callous approach led to dire consequences: the inhumane treatment of animals and the contamination of our waterway,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia. “The historic monetary penalties and significant compliance measures as part of these guilty pleas send a clear message: every company, in every industry, must have compliance and corporate responsibility as a critical part of their business model.”
“The provisions of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) were designed to protect animals from any type of inhumane treatment. Even in those instances of animals being bred for scientific and medical research purposes, they still must be provided with safe and sanitary living conditions,” said Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker of the Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General. “AWA violations remain an investigative priority for us, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and assist in the criminal prosecution of those who fail to adhere to the provisions of the AWA.”
“Envigo compounded the heartbreaking nature of its animal welfare crimes by committing egregious Clean Water Act violations that undermined public health and the wellbeing of the animals in their care,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Everyone victimized in this precedent-setting animal welfare case deserved better: the workers, the beagles, the environment and the community. Envigo deserves every dollar of its record fine.”
“Envigo’s violations of the Clean Water Act and the Animal Welfare Act directly resulted in the contamination of local waterway, negatively impacting the health and wellbeing of the community, and the horrible suffering of over 4,000 beagles. This precedent-setting case emphasizes the power of collaboration between local, state and federal authorities,” said Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares.
According to court documents, Envigo RMS conspired to knowingly violate the Animal Welfare Act by failing to provide, among other things, adequate veterinary care, adequate staffing and safe living conditions for dogs housed at the Cumberland County facility.
In addition, Envigo Global Services conspired to knowingly violate the Clean Water Act by failing to properly operate and maintain the wastewater treatment plant at the Cumberland County facility, which led to massive unlawful discharges of insufficiently treated wastewater into a local waterway and also impacted the health and well-being of the dogs at the facility.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, the entities will serve from three to five years of probation and pay a total criminal fine of $22 million — that is $11 million for each violation. In addition, the entities will pay approximately $1.1 million to the Virginia Animal Fighting Task Force and approximately $1.9 million to the Humane Society of the United States for direct assistance provided to the investigation.
An additional $3.5 million will be paid to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to benefit and restore the environment and ecosystems in Cumberland County, at least $500,000 of which will be spent on purchasing riparian wetland or riparian land located in or near Cumberland.
The entities will spend at least $7 million to improve their facilities and personnel beyond the standards imposed by the Animal Welfare Act.
Finally, the entities will pay all costs associated with a compliance monitor, which will oversee the entities’ compliance with these enhanced animal welfare standards, the Animal Welfare Act, the Clean Water Act, a nationwide compliance plan and additional terms of the agreements and probation.
Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 7.
The Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General and EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. The Virginia State Police provided security assistance during a multi-day federal search in May 2022 of the dog breeding facility.
Senior Trial Attorney Banu Rangarajan and Trial Attorney Sarah Brown of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy Ramseyer, Corey Hall and Carrie Macon for the Western District of Virginia and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Welch (an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office) are prosecuting the case.
Animal Breeder Pleads Guilty to Animal Welfare and Pollution Crimes and Will Pay More than $35M, Including Record Fine in an Animal Welfare CaseRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Envigo RMS LLC pleaded guilty today to conspiring to knowingly violate the Animal Welfare Act, and Envigo Global Services Inc. pleaded guilty to a felony of conspiring to knowingly violate the Clean Water Act. Both pleas are in relation to a dog breeding facility located in Cumberland County, Virginia, from which the Justice Department secured the surrender of over 4,000 beagles in 2022.
As part of the resolution, Inotiv — of which Envigo RMS and Envigo Global Services are subsidiaries — will guarantee more than $35 million in payments, be subject to increased animal care standards and be subject to a compliance monitor. This resolution marks the largest ever fine in an Animal Welfare Act case.
“Our nation’s animal welfare and clean water laws exist to prevent suffering and harm,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “That’s why we secured the transfer of thousands of beagles from Envigo’s Cumberland facility into adoption, and that’s why today’s plea agreement is so significant. The plea agreement includes the largest ever fine in an animal welfare case as well as heightened standards of care for facilities across the country.”
“Envigo promoted a business culture that prioritized profit and convenience over following the law. This callous approach led to dire consequences: the inhumane treatment of animals and the contamination of our waterway,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia. “The historic monetary penalties and significant compliance measures as part of these guilty pleas send a clear message: every company, in every industry, must have compliance and corporate responsibility as a critical part of their business model.”
“The provisions of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) were designed to protect animals from any type of inhumane treatment. Even in those instances of animals being bred for scientific and medical research purposes, they still must be provided with safe and sanitary living conditions,” said Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker of the Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General. “AWA violations remain an investigative priority for us, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and assist in the criminal prosecution of those who fail to adhere to the provisions of the AWA.”
“Envigo compounded the heartbreaking nature of its animal welfare crimes by committing egregious Clean Water Act violations that undermined public health and the wellbeing of the animals in their care,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Everyone victimized in this precedent-setting animal welfare case deserved better: the workers, the beagles, the environment and the community. Envigo deserves every dollar of its record fine.”
“Envigo’s violations of the Clean Water Act and the Animal Welfare Act directly resulted in the contamination of local waterway, negatively impacting the health and wellbeing of the community, and the horrible suffering of over 4,000 beagles. This precedent-setting case emphasizes the power of collaboration between local, state and federal authorities,” said Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares.
According to court documents, Envigo RMS conspired to knowingly violate the Animal Welfare Act by failing to provide, among other things, adequate veterinary care, adequate staffing and safe living conditions for dogs housed at the Cumberland County facility.
In addition, Envigo Global Services conspired to knowingly violate the Clean Water Act by failing to properly operate and maintain the wastewater treatment plant at the Cumberland County facility, which led to massive unlawful discharges of insufficiently treated wastewater into a local waterway and also impacted the health and well-being of the dogs at the facility.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, the entities will serve from three to five years of probation and pay a total criminal fine of $22 million — that is $11 million for each violation. In addition, the entities will pay approximately $1.1 million to the Virginia Animal Fighting Task Force and approximately $1.9 million to the Humane Society of the United States for direct assistance provided to the investigation.
An additional $3.5 million will be paid to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to benefit and restore the environment and ecosystems in Cumberland County, at least $500,000 of which will be spent on purchasing riparian wetland or riparian land located in or near Cumberland.
The entities will spend at least $7 million to improve their facilities and personnel beyond the standards imposed by the Animal Welfare Act.
Finally, the entities will pay all costs associated with a compliance monitor, which will oversee the entities’ compliance with these enhanced animal welfare standards, the Animal Welfare Act, the Clean Water Act, a nationwide compliance plan and additional terms of the agreements and probation.
Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 7.
The Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General and EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. The Virginia State Police provided security assistance during a multi-day federal search in May 2022 of the dog breeding facility.
Senior Trial Attorney Banu Rangarajan and Trial Attorney Sarah Brown of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy Ramseyer, Corey Hall and Carrie Macon for the Western District of Virginia and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Welch (an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office) are prosecuting the case.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Child Sexual Assault Material
William Dean Decker, 65, of Gillette, Wyoming, was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for production of child pornography and possession of child pornography. According to court documents, on and before Dec. 15, 2023, the Wyoming Division of Investigation (DCI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force received six Cybertips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Investigators learned that a minor child, known to Decker, was involved in the production and they moved quickly to stop the abuse. A search warrant uncovered hundreds of images and video files of Decker sexually abusing the child in his residence. Decker pleaded guilty on Mar. 8 and Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on May 31. This crime was investigated by DCI’s ICAC task force and the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold.
Firearm Offenses
Taylor Jay Whiting, 33, of Lusk, Wyoming, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Oct. 22, 2023, Lusk Police Department located Whiting, who had a warrant for his arrest, walking down the street and instructed him to put his hands up and turn around. As officers approached him, Whiting told them he had a gun in his hoodie pocket. Officers located a Ruger .380 handgun in Whiting’s sweatshirt. Whiting is a previously convicted felon and not allowed to possess a firearm. He pleaded guilty to the charge on Mar. 8, and Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on May 31. This crime was investigated by the Lusk Police Department and the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer.
Drug Trafficking
Amanda Lynn Piercy, 37, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 40 months and 21 days in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, on Sep. 8, 2023, Cheyenne Police Department officers were dispatched to a Cheyenne residence because of an unconscious person. Officers learned Piercy had overdosed on fentanyl in the basement of the residence. When she was revived, officers removed 7 fentanyl pills from her pants pocket. During a search of the property, officers found additional drugs and a handgun. Piercy pleaded guilty to the charges on Feb. 20 and Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on May 22. The crime was investigated by the Cheyenne Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney T.J. Forwood.
Sandra Munoz, 40, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. According to court documents, on Oct. 8, 2023, a Cheyenne Police Department officer attempted to stop Munoz for speeding and having a cracked windshield. She fled, but after a short pursuit, she crashed, and the officer detained her and three other passengers. During a search of the vehicle, the officer found approximately 2,000 fentanyl pills and 173 grams of methamphetamine. Piercy pleaded guilty to the charges on Feb. 20 and Senior U.S. District Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on May 22. The crime was investigated by the Cheyenne Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney T.J. Forwood.
Illegal Re-entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Carlos Marcelo Lopez-Hernandez, 34, of Guatemala, was sentenced to time served for illegal re-entry into the United States of a previously deported alien. According to court documents, a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper arrested Lopez-Hernandez on Jan. 31 for driving with no license and no identification. During the booking process, Lopez-Hernandez’s fingerprints were matched with a profile in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) database. ICE verified that Lopez-Hernandez had previously been deported and was in the United States illegally. This case was investigated by ICE and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on May 24.Gonzalo Parra-Munoz, 31, of Chihuahua, Mexico, was sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment for illegal re-entry into the United States of a previously deported alien. According to court documents, On Jan. 27, Parra-Munoz was arrested by the Converse County Sheriff’s Department (CCSD) for possession of stolen property/motor vehicle, unlawful acts, and driving under the influence. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) verified that Parra-Lopez had previously been deported and was in the United States illegally. This crime was investigated by CCSD and ICE. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on May 31.
2 June 2024
Woman Accused of Murder-for-Hire Admits to Using the Dark Web to Carry Out the CrimeRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A Salt Lake City woman pleaded guilty to using the dark web to attempt to carry out a murder for hire in 2023 in the District of Utah.
According to court documents, Krista Renae Stone, 23, of Salt Lake City, pleaded guilty May 30, 2024, by felony information to use of interstate commerce facilities in commission of murder-for-hire. Beginning in March 2023 and continuing through September 2023, Stone used the internet, specifically the dark web, with the intent to murder another person. In return for the murder, Stone agreed to pay money. Stone further admitted she engaged with a website offering “hitman for hire” type services and “ordered” the killing of the victim for $5,000 using Bitcoin to complete the order. Stone included a detailed description of the victim, including a photograph, where the victim was located, and how she wanted the job done.
Stone is scheduled to be sentenced July 15, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.3 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant United States Attorney Carol A. Dain of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce 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.
31 May 2024
Waterloo Marijuana Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who possessed over 1,000 grams of marijuana and two firearms was sentenced May 29, 2024, to more than three years in federal prison.
Daquavion Marquise Walker, age 21, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 10, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a drug user.
Information disclosed at sentencing showed that, in March 2022, Walker was charged in state court with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and failure to affix a drug tax stamp. In June 2022, while the state charge was pending, Walker had someone buy him a Glock pistol from a federal firearms licensee in Cedar Falls, Iowa. In January 2023, law enforcement officers searched an apartment and a vehicle associated with Walker and they seized two Glock pistols, including the Glock purchased for Walker in June 2022, which had a thirty‑one‑round magazine attached to it; a fifty‑round drum magazine; and over 1,000 grams of marijuana.
Walker was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Walker was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a three‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Walker is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23‑CR‑02053.
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USA Ross commemorates Pride Month/Week in Buffalo, Rochester, and Elmira communitiesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – June 1, 2024, marks the beginning of Pride Month in the U.S. and June 2, 2024, begins Pride Week in the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, and Elmira, in the Western District of New York, celebrating members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community.
As Pride Month/Week get underway, U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross is reminding the public that all members of our community are protected under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
“As U.S. Attorney, I take very seriously any violation of an individual’s civil rights, including members of the LGBTQ community,” said U.S. Attorney Ross” “Since becoming U.S. Attorney, I have increased resources in the Western District of New York, including appointing three Assistant U.S. Attorneys to work on civil rights cases in the district. These AUSAs, as well as support staff members, engage with the community to increase awareness of civil rights and investigate any violations.”
The Library of Congress states, “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan.” The Stonewall Uprising was a series of protests fighting for the rights of the LGBTQ community.
As the community celebrates, our FBI partners encourage vigilance: https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/detroit/news/fbi-brings-awareness-to-safety-resources-during-pride-month#:~:text=In%20a%20May%2010%2C%202024,LGBTQIA%2B%20events%20during%20Pride%20Month
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Two Previously Convicted Felons Sentenced for Possessing Firearms Inside a “No Rats Allowed” Stash HouseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Leroy Frye, 32, of Waldorf, Md., and Francis White, 28, of Washington, D.C., were sentenced today to 60 months in prison and 46 months in prison, respectively, on firearms possession charges. The sentences were announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to court documents, both guilty pleas stemmed from a residential search warrant that occurred on November 3, 2021, at 215 K Street, Southwest, a known trap house operated by members of the “No Rats Allowed” (NRA) crew which they used to stash their narcotics and firearms. Members of NRA would refer to 215 K through text messages as the “Dope Hole.” During a search of the trap house, 457 blue pills containing fentanyl (approximately 48.6 grams), 37 grams of crack-cocaine, and approximately 980 grams of suspected marijuana.
NRA is a known violent street crew that operated on the 200 block of K Street, Southwest, in the District’s Greenleaf Gardens neighborhood. The NRA crew is responsible for distributing thousands of counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl and possessing firearms as part of their distribution schemes. Counterfeit pills are fake medications that have different ingredients than the actual medication. They may contain no active ingredient, the wrong active ingredient, or have the right ingredient but in an incorrect quantity. Counterfeit pills may contain lethal amounts of fentanyl or methamphetamine and are extremely dangerous because they often appear identical to legitimate prescription pills, and the user is likely unaware of how lethal they can be. One example of these counterfeit pills that the NRA crew are known to traffic are blue pills stamped with “M” and “30.”
Legitimate M30 Pill Counterfeit M30 Pill
During the execution of the search warrant, law enforcement also seized four firearms, three of which were inside of the same kitchen drawer near where the drugs were found. One of the firearms was an FN FNS.40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, with a high-capacity magazine, with one round the chamber and 14 total rounds in the magazine. In his plea, Frye admitted the FN FNS was his.
From the same kitchen drawer, law enforcement also seized a Glock 17 9mm semi-automatic pistol, with a high-capacity magazine capable of holding 31 rounds, with one round in the chamber and 28 total rounds in the magazine. In his plea, White admitted the Glock 17 was his.
Judge Friedrich recently sentenced two co-defendants in this case. On May 29, 2024, the judge sentenced Bartwone Copeland, 28, to 144 months (12 years) in prison and five years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon, distribution of fentanyl, and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Copeland was also linked by DNA to one of the pistols found in the kitchen drawer that was modified with a “giggle switch,” a device that converted the firearm to function as a fully automatic machine gun. On January 10, 2024, Judge Friedrich sentenced Adrian Wade to 60 months in prison and five years of supervised release for carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
This case was investigated by the MPD and the FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin F. Song and Joshua Gold.
22cr378
Two Men Sentenced to over 13 Years Each for Gunpoint Robberies of Businesses in Kensington and the Lower Northeast PhiladelphiaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Angel Fayez, 19, and Kevin Antun, a.k.a. Acquah Evans, 20, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were each sentenced to 162 months in prison by the Honorable Juan R. Sanchez.
On February 6, 2024, both men plead guilty to one count of carjacking, eight counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of carrying and using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence.
Fayez and Antun were charged by indictment in March 2023 with these offenses, in connection with a series of gunpoint robberies of businesses in the Kensington and the Lower Northeast sections of Philadelphia.
According to the indictment, the defendants committed one carjacking and robbed a variety of small businesses, stealing approximately $3,613 total between November 22, 2022, and December 3, 2022. The incidents detailed are as follows:
- On November 22, 2022, Fayez and Antun carjacked a woman at the Liberty gas station located at 3949 Kensington Avenue;
- On November 22, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Dollar General located at 1240 E. Erie Avenue;
- On November 22, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Popeyes located at 501 Adams Avenue;
- On November 28, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Texas Chicken and Burger located at 3960 Kensington Avenue;
- On November 30, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Wingstop located at 3855 Aramingo Avenue;
- On November 30, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Wingstop located at 2118 Cottman Avenue;
- On November 30, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Domino’s Pizza located at 6391 Oxford Avenue; and
- On December 3, 2022, Fayez and Antun robbed the Popeyes located at 3541 Aramingo Avenue.
On May 29, 2024, Judge Sanchez sentenced Fayez to 162 months’ imprisonment, a five-year period of supervised release, and a $900 special assessment.
On May 30, 2024, Judge Sanchez sentenced Antun to 162 months’ imprisonment, a five-year period of supervised release, and a $900 special assessment.
"Today, two Philadelphia men were sentenced to over thirteen years in prison for terrorizing businesses in Kensington and Lower Northeast Philadelphia," said U.S. Attorney Romero. "Interfering with interstate commerce by robbing a business at gunpoint is a federal crime. The U.S. Attorney’s office, along with ATF and the Philadelphia Police Department, will continue to fight violent crime to ensure the safety and sanctity of our streets prevail."
“This crime spree was extremely violent, and the sentence sends a clear message that even young offenders with no criminal history will be held to account if they terrorize their community,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “The Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force has again shown their value to the people of Philadelphia, making our community a bit safer again.”
"I am grateful to see these dangerous individuals receive significant prison sentences for a crime spree that terrorized Philadelphians for almost two weeks," said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel. "The collaboration between the ATF, the PPD, and the U.S. Attorney's Office demonstrates the relentless dedication our agencies have in pursuing violent criminals; and the sentences handed down sends a strong message that gun violence will not be tolerated in Philadelphia.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Special Assistant United States Attorney David Osborne.
Trillium Capital Manager Charged with Securities Fraud Scheme Involving Getty ImagesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Mashpee man has been charged, and has agreed to plead guilty, in connection with a scheme to artificially inflate the trading price of Getty Images Holdings, Inc. and attempting to cover up the alleged scheme.
Robert Scott Murray, 60, has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to one count of securities fraud. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
Getty Images Holdings, Inc. (Getty) is a visual media company and supplier of images, videos and music, headquartered in Seattle. Getty’s stock is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GETY. Murray was a long-time investor who previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of multiple public companies, including Stream Global Services and 3Com. It is alleged that in April 2023 Murray owned approximately 300,000 GETY shares. Thereafter, Murray allegedly issued press releases and sent emails in the name of Trillium Capital LLC – a “venture investment company” located in Massachusetts of which Murray was the sole owner and manager – urging that Getty add Murray to its board of directors. Murray’s efforts to join Getty’s board of directors failed.
Murray allegedly proceeded to make false and misleading statements, including through press releases and in media interviews, with the purpose of artificially inflating the GETY trading price so that Murray could sell the GETY shares he owned at the artificially inflated price. On Friday, April 21, 2023, GETY shares closed at a trading price of $5.06 per share. On Monday, April 24, 2023, prior to the market opening, Murray allegedly caused the publication of a press release in which Trillium Capital made a proposal to acquire Getty for “$10 per share.” When the market opened, GETY shares traded at $7.88 per share, nearly 56 percent above the prior closing price. According to court documents, Murray then sold all the GETY shares he owned within less than one hour for approximately $1,486,467. It is further alleged that Murray’s friend, who Murray had previously instructed to buy GETY shares, also sold shares that same morning at Murray’s direction for approximately $558,328.
On or about Dec. 6, 2023, at the direction of law enforcement, Murray’s friend texted Murray, “I just got a subpoena from the SEC” and “they’re asking me for any communications with you” related to “Getty stock.” Murray allegedly responded, “just say there were none” and “you should delete all my texts.” Murray further stated that text messages are “like virginity, once you delete your virginity you ain’t getting it back.” On or about that same day, it is alleged that Murray emailed his friend a proposed response to the subpoena, which falsely stated that the friend bought Getty stock “solely based on my read of the various press releases from Trillium Capital and my knowledge that Scott Murray is a very experienced investor” and “not from any communications from Scott Murray or Trillium Capital.” It is further alleged that when approached by law enforcement in February 2024, Murray falsely denied telling his friend to buy Getty shares.
The charge of securities fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 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.
The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil complaint against Murray alleging violations of the securities laws.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division made the announcement. The Securities and Exchange Commission provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Thirteen defendants charged with firearms trafficking related offenses; over one hundred-forty firearms seizedRead the Press Release
MIAMI – U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, announced today that since January 2024 the Southern District of Florida has indicted 13 defendants for federal firearms trafficking related offenses, to include smuggling of firearms, dealing in firearms without a license, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and making a false statement in a firearms purchase, and seized over 140 firearms.
“Traffickers who illegally engage in the business of unlicensed firearms dealing contribute to the illicit flow of firearms into the black market,” stated U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “All too often these powerful firearms then make their way into the hands of felons, gang members, and other violent offenders. Some of these weapons make their way into countries in our hemisphere, with undesirable consequences in those places as well. Our Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify targets who unlawfully traffic in and possess firearms, prosecute the offenders, and reduce gun violence. We are grateful for the men and women in law enforcement who put their lives on the line to help keep our communities safe and firearms out of the hands of unauthorized persons.”
“Firearms trafficking is a crime that affects our communities in many ways and ATF and HSI Miami are in communication and collaboration with our unique jurisdictions to combat the flow of illegal weapons to those who perpetrate violent acts in a myriad of fashions to the detriment of public safety domestically and internationally,” said ATF Miami Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson.
“The illegal trafficking of weapons out of the United States is a top priority for HSI. These weapons are fueling the violence in our neighboring nations and continues to destabilize parts of the region,” said Anthony Salisbury, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Miami. “HSI will continue to collaborate with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to target individuals and criminal organizations that are involved in the illicit movement of firearms.”
The arrests and resulting cases are a result of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) strategy. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. This evidence-based program has proven to be effective at reducing violent crime by engaging a broad spectrum of stakeholders working together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in communities and developing comprehensive solutions that reduce crime. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses on prevention and intervention efforts through community engagement and problem-solving partnerships, strategic enforcement of the most violent offenders, and locally based re-entry programs to reduce recidivism.
The following firearms trafficking related cases were charged in the Southern District of Florida since January 2024:
U.S. v. Jamaal Calloway, Case No. 24-CR-20006
Jamaal Calloway, 41, of Florida City, Florida was charged in a seven-count indictment for dealing in firearms without a license, which included selling pistols, rifles, and at least seventy machine guns, unlawful transfer, and possession of machine guns, and being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Calloway sold approximately thirty-nine machine gun conversion devices that had the capability of enabling a semi-automatic firearm to discharge more than one shot without manual reloading and with a single function of the trigger. On March 22, 2024, the defendant pleaded guilty. Sentencing is set for June 7, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck. ATF Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefan Diaz Espinosa is prosecuting the matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Klco is handling asset forfeiture.
U.S. v. Ronald Zapete, Case No. 24-CR-20049
U.S. v. Amanda Roden, Case No. 24-CR-20165
Ronald Zapete, 39, and Amanda Roden, 31, of Miami, were indicted separately for smuggling firearms to the Dominican Republic. The indictments allege that Roden bought firearms in Dania Beach, Florida, and the pair, Zapete and Roden, arranged for a common or contract carrier to export three firearms – without permission - to the Dominican Republic in October 2023. HSI Miami investigated both cases with the assistance of ATF Miami. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosenfeld is prosecuting both cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika M. Miranda is handling asset forfeiture.
U.S. v. Trevin Roberts, Case No. 24-CR-20167
Trevin Roberts, 29, of Aventura, Florida, was charged by indictment on April 24, 2024, with smuggling firearms and ammunition from Miami to the Bahamas. On April 5, 2021, law enforcement seized eleven firearms loaded with magazines and ammunition from a freight shipping company in Opa-Locka, Florida that were to be shipped to the Bahamas at Robert’s direction. Roberts was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. ATF Miami and HSI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey Pence Tomanelli is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jorge Roberto Delgado is handling asset forfeiture.
U.S. v. Samuel Pierre, et al., Case No. 24-CR-20168
Samuel Pierre, 34, of Indianapolis, Indiana, and Reginald Louis Chosson, 28, of Homestead, Florida, were charged by indictment on April 24, 2024, for participating in a conspiracy to purchase firearms by means of false statement and to smuggle firearms and ammunition from Miami to Haiti. From May 2022 through July 2022, the defendants conspired to purchase firearms and ship those firearms to Haiti. On July 12, 2022, law enforcement seized eight rifles, one belt-fed machine gun, fourteen pistols, and approximately 4,000 rounds of ammunition from a cargo shipment destined for Miargoane, Haiti. HSI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey Pence Tomanelli is prosecuting it.
U.S. v. Nathaniel Christian Guillaume, Case No. 24-CR-20175
Nathaniel Guillaume, 24, of Miami, was charged by indictment with making a false statement during a firearms purchase. The indictment alleges that the defendant purchased a firearm on behalf of another person while knowingly making a false statement on ATF Form 4473 when he represented that he was the actual buyer of the firearm. ATF Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Maultasch is prosecuting it.
U.S. v. Dante Marquaze Donaldson and Jeleel Eion Gumbs, Case No. 24-CR-20177
Dante Marquaze Donaldson, 24, of Conyers, Georgia, and Jeleel Eion Gumbs, 24, of Atlanta, Georgia, were charged in a three-count indictment for conspiring to smuggle firearms and ammunition from the U.S. to Saint Martin, attempting to smuggle firearms and ammunition from the U.S. to Saint Martin, and for delivering firearms and ammunition to a common carrier without written notification. According to the allegations contained in the indictment, starting on or about Oct. 18, 2022, and continuing through on or about October 31, 2022, the defendants and their co-conspirators purchased firearms and ammunition in Georgia and thereafter concealed those items in an air tank. The defendants and their co-conspirators shipped the package with the concealed firearms and ammunition in an air tank intended for Saint Martin via Doral, Florida. Five firearms were recovered. HSI Miami, HSI Caribbean, and ATF Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Maultasch is prosecuting it.
U.S. v. Sondy Dales, Case No. 24-CR-20184
Sondy Dales, 35, of Orlando, Florida, was charged in a two-count indictment for delivering three firearms and ammunition to a common carrier to be transported to a foreign country. HSI Miami investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Farina is prosecuting it.
U.S. v. Hiledin Quintero Martinez, a/k/a “Mily Alvarez”, Case No. 24-CR-20197
Hiledin Quintero Martinez, a/k/a “Mily Alvarez,” 36, of Orlando, was charged in a four-count information for conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and delivery of firearms to a common or contract carrier without written notice. According to the allegations contained in the indictment, starting in or about June 2020, and continuing through on or about Jan. 13, 2021, the defendant, using the fictitious alias “Mily Alvarez,” and her co-conspirators delivered and caused to be delivered, without notifying common or contract carriers, multiple packages containing approximately ten firearms. The packages were destined for Venezuela and Colombia. HSI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefan Diaz Espinosa is prosecuting the matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling asset forfeiture.
U.S. v. Jacoby Karmaren Smith, Case No. 24-CR-60035
Jacoby Karmaren Smith, 22, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida was charged by indictment for aiding, abetting, and willfully causing another person to make a false statement during the purchase of four firearms. HSI Miami and ATF Miami investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Farina is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Raemy Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture.
U.S. v. Allen John Collier, Case No. 24-CR-60049
Allen John Collier, 30, of Fort Lauderdale, was charged in a six-count information for making false statements during six separate firearms purchases. Several of the firearms Collier purchased were transported to Jamaica. Pursuant to the investigation, at least thirteen firearms were seized. HSI Miami and ATF Miami investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Farina is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika M. Miranda is handling asset forfeiture.
If an individual is convicted of the respectively charged offenses, the maximum statutory penalties are: 10 years for smuggling goods from the United States; 10 years for attempted smuggling goods from the United States; 10 or 15 years for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (depending on the date of the offense); 10 years for unlawful transfer and/or possession of a machine gun; 10 years for purchase of firearm by means of a false statement; 5 years for dealing in firearms without a license; 5 years for conspiracy; and 5 years for delivery of a firearm to a common carrier without written notification.
An indictment, complaint, and information each contain mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
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 the corresponding case numbers.
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Tennessee Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that BART GREEN (“GREEN”), age 62, of Nashville, Tennessee, pled guilty on May 30, 2024 to Bank Robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a). GREEN faces a maximum of twenty years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release following his release from prison, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
GREEN admitted that on March 1, 2024, he entered the Regions Bank in New Orleans, and presented a note to a teller demanding $2,000. GREEN admitted that he received $2000 in $100 bills before leaving the bank.
Sentencing is scheduled in this matter for September 19, 2024, before United States District Judge Eldon Fallon.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crime Task Force and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.
Taos Pueblo Man Charged with Multiple Counts of Sexual Abuse of ChildrenRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Taos Pueblo man has been charged by indictment with multiple counts of sexual abuse against three minors.
Ben John Martinez, 75, an enrolled member of the Taos Pueblo, appeared before a federal judge today to be informed of the eleven count federal indictment he faces.
According to the indictment, between September 2001 and October 2010, Martinez engaged in sexual acts with three children whose ages ranged from five to thirteen years old at the time of the abuse. If convicted of the current charges, Martinez faces not less than 30 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Flores is prosecuting the case. The FBI continues to investigate Martinez’s involvement in crimes against other victims. If you have reason to believe you or someone you know may be a victim, please call the FBI at (505) 889-1300 or Chief Summer Mirabal of the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety at (575) 741-0764.
View the IndictmentAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Tampa Serial Robber ConvictedRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Johnny Flores (45, Tampa) guilty of three counts of Hobbs Act robbery. Flores faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 22, 2024.
According to evidence presented at trial, between February 13 and February 25, 2022, Flores entered three Tampa businesses wearing a hooded sweatshirt and facial covering. He brandished and threatened the victims with a weapon and removed cash from the registers. Flores verbally and physically assaulted the victims during the course of the three robberies.
Flores was initially identified through video surveillance recordings that showed him leaving two of the robberies in a vehicle that was traced back to an individual. That individual identified Flores but died prior to the trial. A second individual had dropped Flores off near the remaining robbery. Although he testified that he didn’t know that Flores had committed a robbery, the individual testified that he had driven Flores to a location near the robbery. Additional video surveillance recordings showed Flores at a clinic prior to the robberies with similar clothing. He was subsequently identified by law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.
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.
Systems Engineer Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling from Houma CompanyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SCOTT P. RICHARD (“RICHARD”), age 48, of Raceland, La. was sentenced on May 23, 2024 to a year and a day in prison by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon. RICHARD had previously pleaded guilty to access device fraud in relation to his theft from his former employer, a Houma-based company identified in court records as “Company A.”
According to those records, RICHARD was a systems engineer for Company A, entrusted with the specification, purchase, installation, and support of equipment and systems used by the company’s technology infrastructure. RICHARD admitted to fraudulently using the corporate credit card issued to him by Company A for his own personal benefit. RICHARD embezzled money from his employer by creating false invoices for a shell company he controlled and using his corporate card to make fraudulent purchases from the shell company. RICHARD also made unauthorized purchases of equipment, for his own personal use, with his corporate card. From January 1, 2012 through September 27, 2021, RICHARD fraudulently diverted $526,569.42 from Company A to himself.
In addition to his incarceration sentence, RICHARD was ordered to pay restitution of $526,569.42 to Company A. Judge Fallon also sentenced RICHARD to three years of supervised release as well as payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Orleans Field Office, in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Payne of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery on the Line of Duty Death of Connecticut State Police Trooper First Class Aaron PelletierRead the Press Release
“This is a sad day for law enforcement and a sad day for all of us in Connecticut, and I offer my heartfelt condolences to his wife, two young children, family, friends, and colleagues in the Connecticut State Police. Trooper Pelletier’s life and stellar career, which included service on a federal task force charged with fighting violent crime in the Hartford area, was cut way too short by this senseless event. His death provides a terrible, but necessary, reminder of the dangers that all members of law enforcement face every day. Their work to keep our communities safe, to keep our streets and roads safe, is never routine.”
Retired Navy Admiral and Business Executives Arrested in Connection with Alleged Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Robert Burke, 62, of Coconut Creek, Florida, a retired Navy Admiral, and two business executives – Yongchul “Charlie” Kim, 50, and Meghan Messenger, 47, both of New York, – were arrested this morning on charges related to their alleged roles in a bribery scheme that involved a U.S. government contract. The charges are contained in a five-count indictment, unsealed today, and relate to an alleged scheme in which the Admiral accepted future employment at the executives’ company in exchange for awarding them a government contract.
The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Deputy Director of Investigative Operations Grant A. Fleming of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Special Agent in Charge Stanley A. Newell of the DCIS Transnational Operations Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office, and Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
From 2020 to 2022, Robert Burke was a four-star Admiral who oversaw Naval operations in Europe, Russia, and most of Africa, and commanded thousands of civilian and military personnel. Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger were the co-CEOs of a company (“Company A”) that provided a workforce training pilot program to a small component of the Navy from August 2018 through July 2019. The Navy terminated a contract with Company A in late 2019 and directed Company A not to contact Burke.
Despite the Navy’s instructions, Kim and Messenger then allegedly met with Burke in Washington, D.C., in July 2021, in an effort to reestablish Company A’s business relationship with the Navy. At the meeting, the charged defendants allegedly agreed that Burke would use his position as a Navy Admiral to steer a sole-source contract to Company A in exchange for future employment at the company. They allegedly further agreed that Burke would use his official position to influence other Navy officers to award another contract to Company A to train a large portion of the Navy with a value Kim allegedly estimated to be “triple digit millions.”
In furtherance of the conspiracy, in December 2021, Burke allegedly ordered his staff to award a $355,000 contract to Company A to train personnel under Burke’s command in Italy and Spain. Company A performed the training in January 2022. Thereafter, Burke allegedly promoted Company A in a failed effort to convince a senior Navy Admiral to award another contract to Company A. To conceal the scheme, Burke allegedly made several false and misleading statements to the Navy, including by creating the false appearance that Burke played no role in issuing the contract and falsely implying that Company A’s employment discussions with Burke only began months after the contract was awarded.
In October 2022, Burke began working at Company A at a yearly starting salary of $500,000 and a grant of 100,000 stock options.
“As alleged in the indictment, Admiral Burke used his public office and his four-star status for his private gain,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “The law does not make exceptions for admirals or CEOs. Those who pay and receive bribes must be held accountable. The urgency is at its greatest when, as here, senior government officials and senior executives are allegedly involved in the corruption.”
“Today’s indictment exemplifies our unwavering commitment to eradicating fraud within the DoD,” said Deputy Director, Grant A. Fleming, Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General’s, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). “Together with our federal partners, DCIS will persist in dismantling attempts to defraud the U.S. Government.”
“NCIS takes every allegation of corruption within the Department of the Navy seriously, regardless of rank or position,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS and our partners remain committed to rooting out criminality that degrades public trust in the Department of the Navy.”
“Burke allegedly steered a lucrative contract to Kim and Messenger's company in exchange for the promise of future employment and then lied to try to conceal the scheme,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott. “As a four-star admiral, Burke not only cheated U.S. taxpayers but also did a disservice to military personnel under his command. As this indictment demonstrates, the FBI and our partners remain committed to investigating and prosecuting corrupt officials regardless of their rank or title.”
Burke, Kim, and Messenger are each charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery. Burke is also charged with performing acts affecting a personal financial interest and concealing material facts from the United States. If convicted, Burke faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and Kim and Messenger each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
This case is being investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Trevor Wilmot and Kathryn E. Fifield of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Retired Navy Admiral and Business Executives Arrested for Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
A retired Navy Admiral and two business executives were arrested today on criminal charges related to their roles in a bribery scheme that involved a U.S. government contract.
As alleged in an indictment unsealed today, from 2020 to 2022, Robert Burke, 62, of Coconut Creek, Florida, was a four-star Admiral who oversaw Naval operations in Europe, Russia, and most of Africa, and commanded thousands of civilian and military personnel. Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger, both of New York, are the co-CEOs of a company (Company A) that provided a workforce training pilot program to a small component of the Navy from August 2018 through July 2019. The Navy terminated a contract with Company A in late 2019 and directed Company A not to contact Burke.
Despite the Navy’s instructions, Kim and Messenger then allegedly met with Burke in Washington, D.C., in July 2021 in an effort to reestablish Company A’s business relationship with the Navy. At the meeting, the charged defendants allegedly agreed that Burke would use his position as a Navy Admiral to steer a sole-source contract to Company A in exchange for future employment at the company. They allegedly further agreed that Burke would use his official position to influence other Navy officers to award another contract to Company A to train a large portion of the Navy with a value Kim allegedly estimated to be “triple digit millions.”
In furtherance of the conspiracy, in December 2021, Burke allegedly ordered his staff to award a $355,000 contract to Company A to train personnel under Burke’s command in Italy and Spain. Company A performed the training in January 2022. Thereafter, Burke allegedly promoted Company A in a failed effort to convince a senior Navy Admiral to award another contract to Company A. To conceal the scheme, Burke allegedly made several false and misleading statements to the Navy, including by creating the false appearance that Burke played no role in issuing the contract and falsely implying that Company A’s employment discussions with Burke only began months after the contract was awarded.
In October 2022, Burke began working at Company A at a yearly starting salary of $500,000 and a grant of 100,000 stock options.
Burke, Kim, and Messenger are each charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery. Burke is also charged with performing acts affecting a personal financial interest and concealing material facts from the United States. If convicted, Burke faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and Kim and Messenger each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia; Deputy Director of Investigative Operations Grant A. Fleming of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS); Special Agent in Charge Stanley A. Newell of the DCIS Transnational Operations Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office; and Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
DCIS, NCIS, and the FBI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Trevor Wilmot and Kathryn E. Fifield of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Readout of Director Rachel Rossi’s Trip to ConnecticutRead the Press Release
Director Rachel Rossi of the Justice Department’s Office for Access to Justice (ATJ) traveled to Connecticut this week as part of the office’s mission to ensure access to justice across the civil justice system, to expand access to counsel and to support innovative efforts to improve the judiciary and court administration. As part of the visit, Director Rossi met with U.S. Attorney Vanessa Avery for the District of Connecticut to applaud her leadership on access to justice issues in the state and to discuss future collaboration.
Director Rossi and ATJ staff also convened members of the Connecticut Bar Foundation (CBF), Connecticut Bar Association, Connecticut Access to Justice Commission and Connecticut Judiciary. During the meeting, Director Rossi highlighted recent initiatives, including quarterly convenings of the over 40 access to justice commissions across the country; the Federal Pro Bono Program; updates on the work of the Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable; and recent efforts to support the reduced reliance on fines and fees. Attendees discussed civil justice barriers, resource needs and innovative access to justice projects.
In the afternoon, Director Rossi participated in a site visit to the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center (CVLC), where she toured the Newington Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center and observed the CVLC’s medical-legal partnership model. She also met with CVLC leadership and medical and legal staff, to learn about the legal services program and implementation of the model in other VA Medical Centers across the country. Director Rossi reiterated ATJ’s commitment and highlighted efforts to expand Access to Justice for Veterans, service members and their families and ATJ’s recent launch of the first-ever medical-legal partnership within a federal prison, in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Director Rossi also met with Reginald Dwayne Betts, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Freedom Reads, a non-profit organization that uses literature, design and architecture to create transformative experiences for incarcerated individuals and to address reentry and rehabilitative needs. Director Rossi discussed various ATJ initiatives aimed at addressing barriers to reentry faced by formerly incarcerated individuals and efforts to improve access to counsel for those in custody.
At the conclusion of the trip, Director Rossi delivered keynote remarks for CBF’s Annual Reception, which annually celebrates CBF’s work to fund and support programs that provide legal services for Connecticut residents who cannot afford an attorney. The reception honors CBF’s James W. Cooper Fellows and the innovative projects that forward the mission of advancing civil justice for all regardless of power or resources. In her remarks, Director Rossi emphasized the office’s mission of “engaging in the bold, transformative and systemic work necessary to ensure that all communities have access to the promises and protections of our criminal and civil legal systems.” She encouraged the fellows’ work of driving policy change and expanding program efforts for pro bono support as well as legal services. The CBF is a non-profit organization with a mission to facilitate systemic change that advances civil justice for all, regardless of power or resources, to achieve a more just and equitable society.
Director Rossi and members from Connecticut Bar Foundation, Connecticut Bar Association, Connecticut Access to Justice Commission and Connecticut Judiciary. Director Rossi and members from Connecticut Bar Foundation, Connecticut Bar Association, Connecticut Access to Justice Commission and Connecticut Judiciary. Director Rossi and staff from the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center. Director Rossi speaking at the Connecticut Bar Foundation's Annual Reception.Prime Capital Ventures Owner Arrested for FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kris Roglieri, age 44, of Queensbury, New York, was arrested today on a criminal complaint charging him with wire fraud.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Roglieri operated Prime Capital Ventures LLC (“Prime Capital”) and Prime Commercial Lending LLC (“Prime Commercial”), among other companies, that were based in Albany.
The criminal complaint alleges that Prime Capital held itself out as a commercial lending business. As part of contractual arrangements with its borrower clients situated across the country, Prime Capital obtained upfront interest payments from prospective borrowers while it sought to secure loans for those borrowers; these upfront interest payments were characterized by Prime Capital as the “Interest Credit Account Payment,” or “ICA” payment for short. ICA payments did not represent fees to Prime Capital. Instead, each borrower’s upfront ICA payment would be debited over time as the loan was funded and accrued more interest. An ICA payment would also be refundable if Prime Capital failed to secure a loan for the borrower client.
The complaint alleges that Roglieri defrauded a Minnesota company in December 2023, by committing to fund, through Prime Capital, a $100 million commercial project, even though, at the time, Prime Capital had failed to fund numerous loans promised to earlier clients; failed to return tens of millions of dollars in ICA payments to earlier clients once those loans did not materialize; and had been sued multiple times by clients alleging fraud and seeking the return of ICA payments.
On or about December 22, 2023, Roglieri, on behalf of Prime Commercial, signed a Deposit Agreement by which he agreed to keep the Minnesota company’s ICA payment in a “separate and distinct” bank account, and to hold it as a “trust fund.”
On December 22, the Minnesota company wire transferred a $5 million ICA payment to a Prime Capital account controlled by Roglieri. The complaint alleges that Roglieri then transferred and spent these funds, including by transferring $950,000 in order to meet a financial obligation to another Prime Capital client; paying $84,000 for his purchase of a Rolex day-date 36 mm yellow gold diamond bezel watch; and paying $101,000 to a private jet services company, for round-trip, private air travel between Albany International Airport and Anguilla, for a family vacation that Roglieri took from about December 29, 2023 to January 5, 2024.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted of the charge set forth in the complaint, Roglieri faces up to 20 years in prison, a maximum $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Roglieri appeared today in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Monday, June 3 at 3 p.m.
The FBI is conducting this ongoing investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal and Michael Barnett are prosecuting this case.
Pocola Resident Sentenced to 22 Years for Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Patrick Timothy Kelley, age 46, of Pocola, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 270 months in prison for one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country.
The charges arose from investigations by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the District 16 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force in Le Flore County.
On October 10, 2023, Kelley pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, during the summer of 2021, Kelley sexually abused a minor under the age of 12. As part of the plea, Kelley also admitted to creating and transporting sexually explicit depictions of two minors between 2015 and 2021. The crimes occurred in Le Flore County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“Homeland Security Investigations will never relent in our pursuit to hold those accountable who prey on innocent children,” said Robert Melton, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the HSI Dallas – Oklahoma Division. “We are proud of the collaboration with our partners of the Tornado Alley Child Exploitation and Trafficking Taskforce and U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure justice was served.”
“This sentence should serve as another clear warning to those who prey on children: we will leverage all available resources to identify, apprehend, and prosecute you,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “I am grateful to our law enforcement partners at Homeland Security Investigations and District 16 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force for their work in bringing this defendant to justice.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Kelley 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 Jessica Bove represented the United States at sentencing.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources”.
We encourage anyone who suspects or has information regarding child sexual exploitation, trafficking of minors, sextortion, child pornography, or any other means of child exploitation to immediately contact law enforcement. You can file a report on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) website at www.cybertipline.com. If you prefer to speak to someone directly, you can contact NCMEC’s Call Center at 1-800-843-5678, the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or HSI at 1-877-4-HSI TIP (1-877-447-4847).
Pocahontas County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jose Dominguez, 42, of Snowshoe, was sentenced today to seven years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 29, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Dominguez in Beckley. During the traffic stop, a police K-9 alerted to the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle. Officers observed an open bag containing methamphetamine on the driver’s side floorboard. Dominguez admitted that he possessed the approximately 659 grams of methamphetamine found in the bag, that he had just acquired the controlled substance and that he intended to distribute it within the Southern District of West Virginia.
Dominguez has a long criminal history that includes a dozen prior convictions including six convictions for drug-related offenses in California and Florida.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the Beckley Police Department, and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-15.
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