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Thursday 18 April 2024
Former Carroll County Coach and Substitute Teacher Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of A ChildRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – On Tuesday, April 16, 2024, U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Evan Thomas Harris Frock age 34, of Taneytown, Maryland, to 17 years in the Bureau of Prisons for sexual exploitation of a child. Frock, a substitute teacher and volleyball coach in Carroll County, Maryland, posing as a teenager, used social media accounts to meet and communicate with children and to encourage them to produce and send to Frock images and videos of themselves engaged in sexually explicit activity.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Baltimore Field Office; Carroll County Sheriff James DeWees; Chief Gregory Der of the Howard County Police Department, and Carroll County State’s Attorney Haven Shoemaker.
According to his plea agreement, from 2021 through May 2022, Frock, pretending to be a minor male and a minor female, used a variety of aliases on several social media platforms to communicate with other users, including eight minor victims, ranging in age from 9 to 17 years old. Specifically, Frock used the internet-based accounts and aliases to persuade, induce, and coerce the victims to produce sexually explicit images and videos of themselves and send those images and videos to Frock. On at least one occasion, Frock distributed a sexually explicit video of a minor male and sent images of his own genitalia to the minors to induce them to reciprocate. Further, Frock possessed several hundred commercially available images and videos of child sexual abuse material that depicted toddlers, violence, and bestiality.
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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, the Howard County Police Department, and the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn, who prosecuted 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/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Former Army Servicemember Sentenced to Prison in Money Laundering Romance ScamRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Sanda G. Frimpong, 33, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison and ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution to victims for laundering the illicit proceeds of an elaborate series of romance scams. Frimpong pled guilty to three counts of money laundering on September 14, 2023.
“Romance scammers exploit our most vulnerable citizens, even our seniors and military veterans, sometimes leaving them financially and emotionally devastated,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “The fact that an Army servicemember was involved in romance scams while serving as a soldier is appalling. We are partnering with the Department of Defense to drum out fraudsters and money launderers like Frimpong from our military ranks and put them in prison where they belong.”
“Integrity is a core tenet of the armed forces and when servicemembers choose to compromise their integrity for greed, it tarnishes the reputation of all others serving in uniform,” stated Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “DCIS and its law enforcement partners will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold those accountable who cheat government programs and use online scams to prey on the most vulnerable.”
Frimpong and other conspirators, engaged in elaborate scams, impersonating romantic love interests, diplomats, customs personnel, military personnel, and other fictitious personas for the purpose of ensnaring their victims by earning their confidence, including promises of romance, sharing of an inheritance or other riches, or other scenarios intended to fraudulently induce the victims to provide money or property to the conspirators. Frimpong then laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds of these frauds through his various bank accounts across state lines and through his contacts in Ghana. Frimpong was also an active-duty Army servicemember stationed at Fort Bragg during the commission of the offenses up until shortly after his arrest in 2023.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III announced the sentence. Defense Criminal Investigative Service led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-0035-D.
Foreign National Extradited from Chile to the United States for Kidnapping and Assaulting U.S. Army Soldiers in ColombiaRead the Press Release
A Colombian national was extradited from Chile to the United States yesterday to face charges related to kidnapping and assaulting two U.S. Army soldiers who were on temporary duty in Bogota, Colombia.
Pedro Jose Silva Ochoa, also known as Tata, 47, of Bogota, will make his initial court appearance today at 1:30 p.m. in Miami, Florida, before Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
According to court documents, Silva Ochoa and his co-conspirators targeted, incapacitated, and kidnapped two U.S. soldiers in Bogota in order to rob them of their valuables. On the evening of March 5, 2020, the two victims went to an entertainment district in Bogota to watch a soccer game. They visited a pub, where one of Silva Ochoa’s co-conspirators incapacitated the two victims by putting drugs, including benzodiazepines, in their drinks. Silva Ochoa’s co-conspirators then escorted the victims into a waiting car driven by Silva Ochoa, kidnapped them, and took their wallets, debit cards, credit cards, and cell phones. Silva Ochoa and his co-conspirators used one victim’s credit card and the other victim’s debit card to make purchases and withdraw money. The two victims lost consciousness until the following day, by which point they had been separated.
Silva Ochoa is charged with kidnapping an internationally protected person, conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person, assaulting an internationally protected person, and conspiracy to assault an internationally protected person. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
One of Silva Ochoa’s co-defendants, Jeffersson Arango Castellanos, was extradited from Colombia to the United States in April 2023 and pleaded guilty in January to the charges in the indictment.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole A. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case and escorted Silva Ochoa from Chile to the United States. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI Miami Field Office, the Office of the Legal Attaché Santiago, and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché’s Office in Bogota provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Silva Ochoa. The United States also thanks Colombian and Chilean law enforcement authorities for their valuable assistance.
Trial Attorneys Clayton O’Connor and Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila Fernandez for the Southern District of Florida 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.
Five Members of Marion Gardens Jersey City Gang Plead Guilty to Racketeering, Violent CrimesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Five members and associates of a Jersey City gang associated with the Marion Gardens Housing Complex pleaded guilty this week to racketeering, violent crimes in aid of racketeering, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Jervon Morris, aka “Sticky,” 35; Kevin Williams, aka “KK,” aka “Kay Kay,” 30; Jakeem Gibson-Madison, aka “Beanz,” 29; K’shawn Jackson, aka “Lil Kay,” 23; and Terick Rogers, aka “Moot,” 32, all of Jersey City, New Jersey, all pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court to racketeering conspiracy and related crimes.
Morris and Gibson-Madison will be sentenced on Aug. 20, 2024; Rogers and Williams will be sentenced on Aug. 21, 2024; and K’Shawn Jackson will be sentenced on Aug. 22, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“Criminal street gangs – whether they are structured organizations with international reach or, as here, neighborhood based and local – cause devastating damage to the community. Two of these defendants murdered a victim and all the defendants caused senseless violence and shootings and funneled dangerous drugs for personal profit. These defendants will now deservedly face significant sentences in prison as a result of the harm they’ve caused.”
“Neighborhood street gangs hold communities hostage with the constant threat of violence and dangerous proliferation of illicit drugs,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “These men admit they used all methods of criminal activity to defend their turf around the Marion Gardens House Complex, including targeting and murdering rival gang members. This investigation is just one of many cases we are working through the FBI Newark Violent Crimes Task Force with our law enforcement partners, focusing all of our resources, time and energy on taking out the leadership of these groups and ending the brutality they inflict on our city.”
“Each of these defendants threatened public safety and instilled fear in neighborhoods throughout Jersey City,” Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. “The outcome here reaffirms a commitment by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office to utilize all its resources and law enforcement partners to ensure justice is served on behalf of victims and the communities affected by these senseless crimes.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The defendants are all members and associates of the neighborhood street gang associated with the Marion Gardens Housing Complex, which routinely distributes cocaine and heroin, among other controlled substances, in and around the Marion Gardens Housing Complex. Members and associates of the gang also engaged in acts of violence, including numerous assaults, shootings, and murders, which targeted rival gang members and others, including the following:
- On July 28, 2011, Morris and Williams, along with another member of the Marion Gardens street gang, murdered a victim in the area of Gifford Avenue and Bergen Avenue in Jersey City;
- On Nov. 5, 2017, members and associates of the Marion Gardens street gang shot a victim in the area of Van Nostrand Avenue and Bergen Avenue in Jersey City;
- On Feb. 7, 2018, Williams and another member of the Marion Gardens street gang assaulted a victim R.B. in the area of Summit Avenue and Magnolia Avenue in Jersey City;
- On June 30, 2018, Rogers, Jackson, and another member of the enterprise shot five people while celebrating “Meech Day” in honor of a deceased fellow gang member;
- On Jan. 9, 2019, Gibson-Madison, with another member of the enterprise, traveled to the area of Grant Avenue and Ocean Avenue to target a rival gang member, at which time three victims were shot at, two of whom were hit, and
- On June 9, 2019, after being shot at by rival gang member, Kevin Williams brandished a firearm and attempted to shoot back at the rival gang member.
Lakief Grayson, aka “LaLa,” previously pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and related charges in July 2023. Charges remain pending against Jalil Holmes, aka “Broad Day,” aka “BD,” and Willie Williams, aka “Willz,” both of whom are scheduled to appear in court in the coming weeks. The charges and allegations against these defendants are merely accusations and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, investigators of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, and the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Director James Shea, for the investigation leading to the charges.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, Chief of the Criminal Division for the District of New Jersey in Newark.
mariongardens.sindictment.pdfFinal Defendant Arrested During 2023 Joint Enforcement Operation in Carlsbad Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – The last of the eight defendants indicted following a joint law enforcement operation in Carlsbad last year pleaded guilty to federal drug offenses in federal court yesterday.
Jesus Alonso Cerezo-Espidio, 51, of Carlsbad, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 5 grams and more of methamphetamine and conspiracy to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine.
According to court records, on April 2, 2023, Cerezo-Espidio took possession of an ice chest which he knew to contain drugs from a co-conspirator in Mexico. Cerezo-Espidio was supposed to transport the drugs to Carlsbad, New Mexico, but not want to make the drive. Instead, Cerezo-Espidio left the ice chest in a car parked in El Paso, Texas overnight.
The following day, Cerezo-Espidio’s co-defendants, Kassandra Lee Perales and Carlos Venegas, Jr., arrived to pick up the ice chest and transport it to Carlsbad. Unbeknownst to them, law enforcement had seized the drugs overnight.
Lab tests later showed that the drugs in the ice chest were 1,974 net grams of cocaine and 501.4 net grams of pure methamphetamine.
Cerezo-Espidio will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing Cerezo-Espidio faces between five and 40 years in prison followed by a term of supervised release.
Venegas, Perales, Amber Owen, Kinny Gonzalez, Jared Michael Moore, Brian Kain Purdy and Sabino Alfonso Maldonado each pled guilty to federal drug charges and remain in custody pending sentencings, which have not been scheduled.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division, made the announcement today.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Pecos Valley Drug Task Force, with enforcement assistance from the United States Marshal Service, Carlsbad Police Department, Eddy County Sheriff’ Department, Roswell Police Department, Chaves County Drug Task Force, DEA Airwing and Customs and Border Patrol. The New Mexico Air National Guard’s Air Unit, Artesia Police Department and Customs and Border Patrol’s Air Unit provided support during the operation on August 1, 2023.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Renee L. Camacho and Devon Aragon-Martinez are prosecuting the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The task force initiatives are also part of the New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program (HIDTA), a federal grant program that supports law enforcement efforts to combat the drug threat in the state.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Indiana Man for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned a three-count indictment on March 15, 2024, charging an Indiana man with sexually exploiting a child.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, and Sheriff Todd DeArmond of the Christian County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Jason Webster, 29, of Lafayette, Indiana, was charged with online enticement of a minor, attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, and receipt of child sexual abuse material. This conduct occurred between June 2023 through September 2023 in Todd County, Kentucky.
The defendant made an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky this week. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, Webster faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the HSI Bowling Green Field Office and the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana, the HSI Hammond, Indiana, Field Office, the HSI Indianapolis, Indiana, Field Office, and the Tippecanoe County, Indiana, Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
An 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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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Hopkinsville Felon for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A federal grand jury in Paducah, Kentucky, returned an indictment on February 13, 2024, charging a Hopkinsville man with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Tyrone Poindexter, 42, possessed a Taurus .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Poindexter was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On July 11, 2000, in Christian Circuit Court, Poindexter was convicted of complicity to first-degree manslaughter, complicity to first-degree robbery, and tampering with physical evidence.
On June 11, 2013, in Christian Circuit Court, Poindexter was convicted of theft by unlawful taking – automobile, first degree criminal mischief, convicted felon in possession of a handgun, and first degree fleeing or evading police.
On October 18, 2017, in Christian Circuit Court, Poindexter was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Poindexter made his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Kentucky on April 15, 2024. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, Poindexter faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Post of Duty and the Hopkinsville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting this 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.
An 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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Federal Agencies Launch Portal for Public Reporting of Anticompetitive Practices in Health Care SectorRead the Press Release
The Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today launched an easily accessible online portal for the public to report health care practices that may harm competition.
The online portal, HealthyCompetition.gov, allows the public to report potentially unfair and anticompetitive health care practices to the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and FTC. The launch of the new portal advances the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to lower health care and prescription drug costs and help create more competitive health care markets that are fairer to patients, providers, payers and workers.
“Competition in health care is crucial to ensuring fair and competitive wages across the healthcare sector and affordable and quality healthcare for all Americans,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Today’s launch of HealthyCompetition.gov – a one-stop shop to report potential violations of our competition laws to the Justice Department and FTC – will allow the agencies to collaborate early and often, helping to promote economic opportunity and fairness for all.”
“All too often, we hear how unfair methods of competition and monopolistic practices may be depriving Americans of access to affordable, high-quality healthcare,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “This joint initiative between FTC, DOJ and HHS will provide a crucial channel for the agencies to hear from the public, bolstering our work to check illegal business practices that harm consumers and workers alike.”
“Americans depend on competitive health care markets to provide quality choices and lower costs for coverage. That’s why we are working to tackle anticompetitive practices in the health care markets,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The Biden-Harris Administration and HHS know it is our responsibility to stop monopolistic, anti-competitive practices that undermine the delivery of health care to Americans. The information provided by the public will help to root out these behaviors.”
Complaints will undergo preliminary review by staff at the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and FTC. If a complaint raises sufficient concern under the antitrust laws or is related to HHS authorities, it will be selected for further investigation by the appropriate agency. This action may lead to the opening of a formal investigation.
The privacy and confidentiality policies that govern information submitted through the portal, including any personal information members of the public choose to provide, can be found at DOJ Privacy Policy, DOJ Antitrust Division Confidentiality Policy Regarding Complainants and FTC Privacy Policy
HealthyCompetition.gov is the latest effort by the Justice Department, FTC and HHS to promote competition in health care markets to ensure that every American has access to high-quality, affordable care. As announced in December 2023, the Justice Department, FTC and HHS have continued to partner on new initiatives, which included a joint request for information to seek input on how private-equity and other corporations’ control of health care is impacting Americans.
Fake Concert Promoter Charged with Million Dollar FraudRead the Press Release
A man who claimed to be a concert promoter for artists like Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, and others has been charged with fraud, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Carlos Desean Goodspeed, 43, who operated under the assumed business name, “Straight Like That Entertainment,” was indicted on April 16 on three counts of wire fraud. He was arrested without incident at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on Wednesday, and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renée H. Toliver on Thursday.
According to the indictment, Mr. Goodspeed allegedly told investors he was a concert promoter working in partnership with a multinational event marketing company. He allegedly solicited hefty investments and guaranteed returns as high as 50% in a short period of time.
For example, in July 2018, he allegedly solicited $400,000 from one victim, promising to pay him back $650,000 ($250,000 in profit) within four months. He claimed the money would be used to promote touring shows for artists Nicki Minaj and Future.
The same day the would-be investor wired Straight Like That Entertainment the money, Mr. Goodspeed allegedly withdrew $200,000 to pay a court-appointed receiver in connection with an SEC lawsuit; wired $20,000 to another duped investor; and withdrew $100,000 in cash and cashier's checks. He paid back only a fraction of the investor’s $400,000 investment.
In January 2022, Mr. Goodspeed allegedly solicited $50,000 from another investor, telling the investor the funds would be used to purchase concert tickets and suites for an upcoming Tyler, the Creator show.
Despite the show taking place as planned, Mr. Goodspeed did not return the principal or pay out the return as promised, allegedly making excuse after excuse. He eventually told the investor he would be paid in full after two additional concerts, including a second concert by Tyler, the Creator and another by Ludacris. The investor wired an additional $130,000 to Straight Like That Entertainment, which Mr. Goodspeed allegedly used for personal expenses, including rental payments at an upscale apartment complex, a purchase at a high-end retail store, and airline fees and hotels; and to make lulling payments to other duped investors.
In total, as a result of Mr. Goodspeed’s alleged fraud, investors collectively suffered a loss of over one million dollars.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Goodspeed is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to 60 years in prison (20 years per count).
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Hunter prosecuted the case.
Essex County Man Admits Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man today admitted possessing with intent to distribute over five kilograms of fentanyl and four kilograms of cocaine, and possessing six firearms as a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Carlos Santiago, 49, of East Orange, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz in Newark federal court to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Oct. 24, 2022, federal agents encountered Santiago as he was moving controlled substances from a storage unit to his vehicle in Newark. Santiago was arrested after law enforcement located several kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine, as well as one firearm, in Santiago’s storage unit. Law enforcement searched Santiago’s residence in East Orange and located several additional kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine, and five other firearms. Santiago had previously been convicted, in New Jersey Superior Court, Essex County, of a drug offense and resisting arrest.
The count of distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl carries a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life imprisonment, and a $10 million fine. The count of distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine carries a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine. The count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon carries a maximum term of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 5, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark, and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Barnes, Chief of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.
santiago_information_final.pdfElkhart Man Sentenced to 66 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Cornelius Nelson, 34 years old, of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Nelson was sentenced to 66 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, from June through mid-August 2021, Nelson conspired with others to distribute fentanyl in the Michigan City area. Nelson delivered controlled substances and was present and helped facilitate other transactions when co-defendants sold pills purporting to be oxycodone that were actually fentanyl. Nelson admitted to selling fentanyl to customers, handling money, and aiding in resupplying controlled substances. Nelson is the final member of this group to be sentenced in this case. Others previously sentenced were:
- Rico Marion - 444 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release;
- Brandon Harris - 151 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release;
- Meliki Marion - 130 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release; and
- Carissa McCoy - 63 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (including the Chicago Field Division, the Merrillville District Office, the Amarillo Texas Resident Office and the Albuquerque New Mexico District Office) with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, an Indiana HIDTA Initiative, and the Michigan City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly L. Schultz and Joel Gabrielse.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Edcouch man imprisoned for downloading over 100 sexually explicit and violent videos of minorsRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 41-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
A federal jury deliberated for less than 45 minutes before convicting Miguel Martinez Feb. 28, 2019, following a two-day trial.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Martinez to serve 168 months in federal prison. Martinez was further ordered to pay a total of $6,000 in restitution. Martinez will serve five years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Martinez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Martinez came to the attention of law enforcement following an investigation in the spring of 2012 into persons using the internet to traffic in child pornography. Authorities located and identified Martinez as a participant on a peer-to-peer network offering to distribute and receive videos of child pornography.
On Nov. 14, 2012, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Martinez's residence, at which time they seized a computer and various external storage media devices. A forensic examination of the devices revealed 123 videos and images of children under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct including bondage and acts of violence against them. Some of the images are of known victims as identified through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
In a subsequent interview, Martinez admitted to downloading the child pornography found on his computer and external storage media, which were stored in a folder labeled “Mike’s Stuff.”
At the time of the trial, Martinez denied any wrongdoing and testified that he could not remember any of the events that transpired at the time of the execution of the search warrant.
Martinez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Ann Leo and Laura Garcia prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Drunk Driver Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Involuntary Manslaughter and AssaultRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Broderrick Ramon Coggeshell, 38, of Chinle, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to nine years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Coggeshell pleaded guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury on January 30, 2024.
In December 2022, Coggeshell, while intoxicated, crossed the center line of traffic with his truck and collided with a vehicle occupied by three brothers, killing one and seriously injuring another. Coggeshell and the victims are all members of the Navajo Nation.
The Navajo Nation Criminal Investigations Division conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kiyoko Patterson, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-08074-PCT-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-053_Coggeshell# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Doctor Convicted of Improper Prescribing of AdderallRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A West Virginia doctor was found guilty today by a jury for the unlawful distribution of controlled substances and for destroying evidence of his crimes.
David Elwood Hess, 60, of Bridgeport, West Virginia, was convicted of four counts of improper prescribing and one count of destroying records in a federal investigation. The jury found that Hess wrote prescriptions for Adderall to his patients without a legitimate medical purpose and beyond the bounds of professional practice. The jury also found that Hess remotely wiped his iPhone after it had been seized by law enforcement.
“Dr. Hess was reckless in his prescribing and put himself and his sexual desire ahead of the wellbeing of his patients,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “His sexual misconduct corrupted his decision-making and put his patients at great risk. Thanks to the jury’s verdict and the excellent work of investigators and prosecutors, Dr. Hess will be held accountable for his crimes.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Cogar and Eleanor Hurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated.
Hess will be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Kleeh once a pre-sentence investigation report has been completed.
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District Man Indicted on Murder, Assault, and Other Related Charges in July 9, 2023 Slaying of Charles SullivanRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Antwain Ulmer, 19, of Washington, D.C., was indicted yesterday on one count of first degree murder while armed, one count of assault with intent to kill while armed, and other related charges stemming from a July 9, 2023 shooting inside of a convenience store that resulted in the death of 30-year-old Charles Sullivan, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Ulmer was indicted on April 17, 2024, by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on multiple charges including first-degree murder while armed (premeditated), assault with intent to kill while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license. In addition to indicting Ulmer on first degree murder while armed for firing the shots that killed Charles Sullivan, the grand jury also indicted him for firing a shot that came within inches of striking and injuring or killing an uninvolved shopper that was in the zone of harm created by Ulmer’s conduct.
Ulmer is to be arraigned on April 19, 2024, at a hearing before the Honorable Robert Okun. If convicted, he faces a maximum of ninety years in prison.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
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District Man Indicted on Murder and Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Benjamin Robertson, 33, of Washington, D.C., was indicted yesterday by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on second degree murder of a senior citizen, assault with a dangerous weapon committed against a minor, fleeing a law enforcement officer, tampering with physical evidence, and destroying property stemming from an event occurring on July 12, 2023, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Jessica M. E. Taylor, of the United States Park Police (USPP) announced.
Robertson is to be arraigned on April 29, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 12, 2023, Robertson fled a traffic stop striking and killing Bing Wong and injuring a minor victim. Robertson was located and arrested after investigation by the United States Park Police.
This case was investigated by the United States Park Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Carter.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
District Man Indicted on Carjacking and Kidnapping ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kevin Weaver, 31, of Washington, D.C., was indicted yesterday on carjacking and other charges stemming from the September 10, 2023, carjacking and kidnapping of a D.C. Neighborhood Connect driver, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Weaver was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on charges of carjacking a senior citizen, kidnapping a senior citizen, and threatening to injure and kidnap a senior citizen. Weaver was also charged with committing each of these offenses against a taxicab driver.
Weaver is to be arraigned on April 30, 2024, at a hearing before the Honorable Erik Christian. Weaver faces a mandatory minimum of seven years’ incarceration if convicted of the charge of carjacking and is subject to enhanced penalties for having allegedly committed these offenses against a senior citizen and a taxicab driver.
According to the government’s evidence, on September 13, 2023, at about 3:39 p.m., the victim, a driver for D.C. Neighborhood Connect, picked up Weaver and another individual at 1228 Perry Street NE and drove them to 501 Franklin Street NE, where both passengers exited the vehicle. As the driver began to drive away from the area, Weaver stepped into the middle of street, forcing the driver to bring his vehicle to a stop. Weaver then entered the Neighborhood Connect vehicle, demanded to be driven to 1228 Perry Street NE, and repeatedly threatened to kill the driver of the van.
As the driver approached the intersection of 7th Street NE and Monroe Street NE, the driver stopped and exited the vehicle, and ran to a nearby police vehicle to seek assistance. Weaver then entered the driver’s seat of the Neighborhood Connect vehicle and drove to 1228 Perry Street NE, where he was apprehended by members of the Metropolitan Police Department. Weaver has been in custody since his arrest.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
Department of Justice announces Carjacking Task Force targeting violent crime in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – The Justice Department established the formation of carjacking task forces in 11 targeted districts across the United States, including the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
“The Justice Department has no higher priority than keeping our communities safe. We do so by targeting the most significant drivers of violent crime and by acting as a force multiplier for our state and local law enforcement partners. We’re seeing results — with violent crime declining broadly nationwide,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Today, we are launching seven new carjacking task forces across the country to build on the success of task forces in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Tampa, where available data shows that carjacking rates are now falling. When prosecutors, officers, agents, and analysts come together to crunch data, share intelligence, and apply best practices, we can make real progress in the fight against all forms of violent crime, including carjacking.”
In keeping with the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime, the task forces represent a strategic enforcement priority for the Department, focusing federal resources on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime.
Building on the initial efforts of and best practices learned from carjacking task forces in the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Columbia, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the following seven districts are announcing the creation of carjacking task forces in their communities:
- District of Oregon
- Eastern District of Texas
- Northern District of Alabama
- Northern District of California
- Eastern District of Louisiana
- Southern District of Mississippi
- Western District of Washington
Carjacking and other violent crime task forces have proven to be an effective part of successful violent crime reduction strategies by focusing on significant crime drivers and taking violent offenders off the streets of our communities. For example, carjackings in Philadelphia declined by 31% from 2022 to 2023, and armed carjackings are down 28% in the District of Columbia this year compared to the same period in 2023. In Chicago, carjackings decreased 29% from a high in 2021 through the end of 2023.
U.S. Attorney Diggs announced the newly formed task force in the Eastern District of Texas, led by Deputy Chief of Violent Crime John B. Ross, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), alongside state and local law enforcement partners, including the Beaumont and Port Arthur police departments. These task force members will come together to institute expedited sharing and prompt action procedures related to car thefts, carjackings, and the recovery of stolen or suspect vehicles — as well as effective evidence gathering and technology exploitation strategies. The task forces will also collaborate on how to use federal sentencing enhancements for cases where adults use juveniles to commit carjackings, as well as work with state and local authorities to ensure the appropriate handling of juvenile suspects. The task forces will also assist state and local officials who wish to seek Justice Department grant funding for juvenile intervention and diversion resources.
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Dauphin County Man Indicted for Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jaquan Ardrey, age 30, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for methamphetamine trafficking.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Ardrey with two counts of possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine in Dauphin and Cumberland Counties.
The charges resulted from an investigation by the FBI Capital City Safe Streets Task Force, Pennsylvania State Police, Harrisburg City Police, and Cumberland County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera 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.
Under federal law, Ardrey faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, a maximum sentence of life in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Crow Agency man sentenced to more than five years in prison for sexually abusing two girls on the Crow Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Crow Agency man convicted by a federal jury of sexually abusing two girls on the Crow Indian Reservation was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
After a two-day trial, the jury on Dec. 12, 2023, found Edwin Ivan Don’tMix, 60, guilty of abusive sexual contact of a child and abusive sexual contact of a minor.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that in January 2015, Jane Doe 2 disclosed to the FBI that Don’tMix touched her vaginal area over her clothes while she was sledding. Jane Doe 2 was 13 years old at the time. Jane Doe 2 also disclosed in the same interview, that in 2012 or 2013, she was asleep and awoke to Don’tMix touching her vaginal area over her clothes. The touching occurred at a Crow Agency residence. In October 2021, another child, Jane Doe 1, disclosed to a school counselor that Don’tMix touched her vaginal area over her clothes when she was either 6, 7 or 8 years old and that the touching happened three or four times at a Crow Agency residence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek prosecuted the case. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation.
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Court Sentences Clarke County Man to 110 Months Imprisonment in Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – On March 14, 2024, United States District Court Judge, Terry F. Moorer sentenced Eriskey Lashon Crowell to 110 months imprisonment for his role in a multi-defendant drug trafficking conspiracy.
Documents filed with the Court established that on January 7, 2020, a co-defendant in the case, Justin Bonard Douglas, was observed on a camera and by officers conducting live surveillance, making a hand to hand sale of drugs to Crowell in Prichard, Alabama. After Crowell left the location a Creola Police Department officer attempted to stop Crowell for speeding. Crowell fled from the officer and was observed throwing five bags out the window of his vehicle. After a pursuit Crowell was eventually stopped and arrested. Officers recovered three of the five bags observed to be thrown by Crowell. The three bags recovered contained a total of approximately 68.41 grams of cocaine.
Further investigation revealed that Crowell had purchased cocaine from Douglas for four or more months, obtaining cocaine normally twice a week, and obtaining two to five ounces of cocaine at a time. Crowell’s two previous felony convictions triggered the career offender provisions under the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The investigation and prosecution of this case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mobile Police Department and the Creola Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.
Court Sentenced Dominican Drug Smuggler Caught with Approximately 443 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
On March 14, 2024, United States District Court Judge, Terry F. Moorer, sentenced Joel Vargas Mendez-Bienvivenido, a Dominican national, to 87 months imprisonment for smuggling 443 kilograms of cocaine in the Caribbean Sea. Mendez-Bienvivenido had previously plead guilty to the drug smuggling offense, which is charged under Title 46, United States Code, Section 70506 (b).
Documents filed with the Court established that on September 13, 2023, during a routine patrol in the Caribbean, a Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) located a Go-Fast Vessel (GFV) on a northerly path with a speed of 18 knots and two persons on board. The vessel was outfitted with one engine and visible suspected drug packages on the deck of the vessel.
United States Coast Guard Cutter Valiant (USCGC VALIANT) launched it’s Over the Horizon (OTH) boat with a boarding team (BT). The OTH and BT arrived on scene and gained positive control of the vessel approximately 161 nautical miles South of Isla Beta, Dominican Republic. This location is in international waters. The BT recovered 13 bales of cocaine weighing approximately 443 kilograms. The government of the Dominican Republic denied any claim to nationality of the GFV, and the vessel was thus subsequently treated as one without nationality, giving the United States jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute the case under Title 46. The vessel was deemed a danger to navigation due to no suitable tow points and its distance from land. Consequently, the vessel was sunk upon completion of law enforcement activities.
Title 46 United States Code, § 70501 states: Congress finds and declares that (1) trafficking in controlled substances aboard vessels is a serious international problem, is universally condemned, and presents a specific threat to the security and societal well-being of the United States and (2) operating or embarking in a submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality and on an international voyage is a serious international problem, facilitates transnational crime, including drug trafficking, and terrorism, and presents a specific threat to the safety of maritime navigation and the security of the United States. Title 46 further provides that such offenses may be prosecuted in any United States federal district court.
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello praised the outstanding work of the United States Coast Guard and federal investigators in interdicting and bringing these international drug smugglers to justice. Costello stated that the wholesale value of the cocaine seized in this case is conservatively valued at approximately 13.3 million dollars.The case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard, and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Federal Prison for Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced April 11, 2024, to 27 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon, following a guilty plea.
According to public court documents, Keshawn C. Houtz-Mayfield, 21, was found to be in possession of a firearm during the execution of a search warrant at his residence. Houtz-Mayfield was a convicted felon at the time of the search warrant and knew he could not possess firearms.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Houtz-Mayfield will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Convicted Felon Is Sentenced to 19+ Years in Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine and Illegal Firearms Possession in Burke CountyRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Jessie Alan Clark, 42, of Burke County, was sentenced today to 235 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on drug and gun charges, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Sheriff Banks Hinceman of the Burke County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, in February 2022, investigators with the Burke County Sheriff’s Office and agents with the DEA determined that Clark was engaged in the distribution of methamphetamine in the area. On February 15, 2022, law enforcement observed a truck attempting to evade detection by law enforcement and began to follow the vehicle. While they followed the vehicle, law enforcement observed a backpack being tossed out of the passenger side of the truck and proceeded to pull over the vehicle. Clark was the driver of the truck, and another individual was a passenger. Over the course of the traffic stop, law enforcement searched Clark, the passenger, the truck, and the backpack that had been tossed from the vehicle, and seized $1,915 in U.S. currency, two gallon-sized bags containing methamphetamine, and a loaded Taurus .38 caliber revolver with six rounds of ammunition. Clark is a convicted felon, and he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On August 21, 2023, Clark pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Clark will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility, to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney King thanked the DEA and the Burke County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
Companies pay $92,000 to settle allegations related to false statement in COVID-19 funding applicationsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Buffalo Transportation Inc., Ontario Bus Inc., and several other businesses owned by Igor Finkelshtein, have agreed to pay $91,838 to resolve allegations arising under the False Claims Act. The defendants obtained grants and loans under the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (EIDL), administered by the Small Business Administration, after submitting applications that falsely certified their eligibility to receive the grants and loans.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Coriell, who handled the case, stated that applicants for EIDL funding are required to disclose the criminal history of owners of entities applying for funds. The government alleges that these defendants failed to disclose that Igor Finkelshtein had a prior felony conviction, and therefore the companies were ineligible to receive grants and loans through the COVID-19 EIDL program.
“Emergency funding programs, including the COVID-19 EIDL program, were critical to helping businesses stay afloat during the pandemic,” stated U.S. Attorney Ross. “My office will continue to work towards holding accountable those who took advantage of the COVID-19 programs by obtaining funds that they were not eligible to receive.”
“Providing fraudulent information to acquire access to federal relief funds is a theft of hard-earned taxpayer money,” said Matthew Miraglia, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI’s Buffalo Field Office. “The FBI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and apprehend those who seek to personally profit and defraud government assistance programs.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Aidan Forsyth. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Forsyth v. Buffalo Transportation Inc., et al., 22-cv-846-JLS (W.D.N.Y.). Mr. Forsyth will receive a share of the settlement.
The case was investigated jointly by the United States Attorney’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Buffalo Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the United States Secret Service, Buffalo Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey P. Burr, as well as with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of Inspector General.
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Colorado Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Possession with the Intent to Deliver MarijuanaRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Commerce City, Colorado man was sentenced on April 11, 2024, to 18 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Hong Dinh Nguyen, 42, was arrested in in Council Bluffs on April 22, 2023, following a traffic stop on Interstate 80. Nguyen’s vehicle had a strong odor of marijuana coming from the inside. Located in the trunk of his vehicle, in heat sealed bags, were 34,424 grams of marijuana. Nguyen stated that he agreed to transport and deliver the marijuana to another person in Minnesota and in return would be paid $6,300.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Nguyen will be required to serve 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Division of Narcotics Enforcement of the Iowa Department of Public Safety and the Iowa State Patrol.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Chicago-Area Tax Preparer Indicted for False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
An Illinois man made his initial appearance today on an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Chicago charging him with 21 counts of preparing false tax returns for others.
According to the indictment, Byron Taylor, of Homewood, allegedly operated We Are Taxes Inc., a return preparation business. For tax years 2017 through 2020, Taylor allegedly prepared returns for clients that contained false information resulting in the clients claiming refunds to which they were not entitled. The false information allegedly included, among other things, fraudulent business losses and false deductions – including medical and dental expenses, gifts to charity and state and local real estate taxes – and unreimbursed employee expenses.
If convicted, Taylor faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Matthew J. Kluge and Trial Attorney Boris Bourget of the Tax Division 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.
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Lamar Tyrell Coles, 32, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 23, 2022, a law enforcement officer arrested Coles on an outstanding warrant. Coles advised the officer that he had a firearm in his pocket. The officer recovered a loaded SCCY CPX-2 9mm pistol from Coles’ right sweatpants pocket which was zipped closed, concealing the firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Coles knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for felonious assault on March 31, 2017, burglary on March 17, 2014, and illegal possession of firearm in open air arena on December 12, 2011, all in Columbiana County, Ohio.
Coles is scheduled to be sentenced on August 8, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, 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 Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Francesca C. Rollo is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-96.
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Career offender sentenced after found passed out in vehicleRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 36-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been sentenced for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Adolfo Tovar pleaded guilty Dec. 1, 2022.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Tovar to serve 200 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Tovar’s serious and significant criminal history, including his attempted robbery and second-degree robbery convictions.
On the late evening of April 10, 2021, a concerned citizen reported a vehicle parked crooked in a parking space with a male driver who appeared to be unconscious at a local gas station.
Authorities approached the driver, later identified as Tovar. They asked him to exit the vehicle and to provide identification. When he did so, Tovar pulled out two blue baggies typically used as packaging for illegal narcotics which fell to the ground.
Further investigation resulted in the discovery of other drug paraphernalia visible inside Tovar’s SUV. Law enforcement searched his vehicle and found meth, scales and baggies in the center console and a firearm under the driver’s seat.
Tovar has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with assistance from Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Dunn prosecuted the case.
Buxton Man Sentenced for Threats Against the Jewish CommunityRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Buxton man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for transmitting a threatening interstate communication.
U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Brian Dennison, 27, to 12 months and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Dennison was found guilty by a federal jury on December 7, 2023, following a three-day trial.
According to evidence presented during the trial, on September 8, 2021, Dennison posted on Twitter, “I’m going to kill jews with my ar15 tomorrow.” FBI investigators identified Dennison as the likely author of the threat and executed search warrants at his Buxton residence. Among the items seized were approximately 1,700 rounds of ammunition that could be fired from an AR-15-style rifle. Investigators also found evidence that Dennison had a long-standing animus toward Jewish people. In October 2021, investigators executed another search warrant at the property and found an AR-15-style rifle and ammunition in a case that had been hidden in the woods behind the residence.
In imposing sentence, Judge Levy noted that threats like the one Dennison communicated are corrosive and strain the fiber of our country. He also noted that the core liberties enshrined in the Constitution are undermined by threats based on someone’s faith.
“Brian Dennison communicated his violent anti-Semitic threat on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year celebration,” said Darcie McElwee, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine. “Such repugnant threats have no place in any society. I commend the FBI for its excellent investigative work in this case. Under the First Amendment, you have a right to believe hateful things, and to express those hateful beliefs in lawful ways. But when your speech constitutes a true threat to kill or injure others, you will be held accountable.”
“Our Maine Joint Terrorism Task Force is to be highly commended for its rapid response to Brian Dennison’s threat to commit mass murder with an assault rifle, born out of his long-standing hatred for Jewish people,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Hate has no place here in Maine, and the fact that Mr. Dennison had the actual means to carry out his articulated threat is chilling. Protecting human life is our absolute priority, and the FBI stands ready to intervene whenever threatening language crosses the line into illegal activity.”
The FBI and U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
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Braxton County Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Thomas Jason Drake, 48, of Gassaway, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Drake, a lawyer, admitted that he possessed and pawned a Taurus Model G3C 9mm handgun on December 20, 2021, a Winchester Model Grand European XTR .257-caliber rifle on November 22, 2021, and a Colt Model Single Action .45-caliber revolver on December 7, 2021, at Charleston businesses.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Drake knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for embezzlement in Kanawha County Circuit Court on September 13, 2012.
Drake is scheduled to be sentenced on August 8, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew J. Tessman, Gabriel Price and Nowles Heinrich are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-64.
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Beckley Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Mariah Diane Keffer, 26, of Beckley, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 12, 2022, Keffer sold approximately 60 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at her Robert C. Byrd Drive residence in Beckley. Keffer admitted to this transaction and further admitted to selling a total of approximately 75 grams of methamphetamine to the confidential informant for a total of $900 during separate transactions on December 22, 2022, and January 9, 2023.
On January 10, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of Keffer’s residence. Officers seized 71.5 grams of methamphetamine, 20.5 grams of fentanyl and various amounts of marijuana, oxycodone pills, alprazolam pills, suboxone, diazepam pills and psilocybin mushrooms. Officers also seized a Taurus model G2c 9mm pistol, a Ruger LCP .380-caliber pistol, and $2,011. Keffer admitted that she intended to distribute the seized drugs in and around the Southern District of West Virginia.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons 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-116.
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Bank Employee Admits Stealing Federal Benefits Intended for Deceased CustomerRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former bank employee admitted fraudulently withdrawing more than $105,000 in federal retirement benefits from the bank account of a deceased beneficiary at the same bank where the man was previously employed, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Jorge Nova, 35, of Passaic, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court on April 17, 2024, to an indictment charging him with one count of wire fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In 2014, Nova was an employee at a commercial bank in Nutley, New Jersey, where a customer received Social Security Administration (SSA) retirement benefits via direct deposit. The Social Security Administration was not notified of the beneficiary’s death and continued to deposit retirement benefits into the beneficiary’s bank account for more than four years, until October 2018. Nova fraudulently obtained funds from the beneficiary’s account by causing debit cards to be issued to himself in the beneficiary’s name, which he then used to drain the retirement benefits from the beneficiary’s bank account. Nova also registered new accounts with a money service provider in the name of the deceased beneficiary and withdrew money from a second bank account held in the beneficiary’s name. Nova fraudulently obtained more than $105,000 intended for the deceased beneficiary.
The count of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 8, 2024
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Sharon MacDermott, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Organized Crimes and Gang Unit in Newark.
nova.indictment.pdfAlleged Airline Stowaway Passenger Facing Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging a Texas man for national security crimes after he allegedly took photos of other airline passenger’s tickets and then attempted to take a flight to Texas while hiding in the aircraft’s lavatory.
According to court documents, on March 17, 2024, Wicliff Yves Fleurizard, 26 of Leander, Texas, boarded Delta Airlines flight #1683 from Salt Lake City International Airport to Austin, Texas. After boarding the aircraft, Fleurizard was assisted by a flight attendant to the front lavatory after witnessing him opening the emergency equipment storage door. While others boarded, Fleurizard remained in the lavatory. After boarding was completed, and before the aircraft doors were secured, Fleurizard exited the front lavatory and made his way to the back of the aircraft and entered the back lavatory. After Fleurizard exited the back lavatory, a flight attendant noticed no seats were available and approached Fleurizard. At this time the aircraft doors were secured, and the aircraft started to taxi to the runway. Fleurizard identified a seat as his to the flight attendant, but the flight attendant verified that the passenger in that seat actually purchased the seat.
Flight attendants searched for Fleurizard’s name on their Guest Service Tool but were unable to locate a valid ticket or booking reservation for him. The aircraft returned to the gate and Fleurizard was met by law enforcement upon exiting the aircraft.
As alleged in the complaint, during the investigation by law enforcement, surveillance footage showed Fleurizard in the boarding area taking photos of multiple passenger’s phones and/or boarding passes while they were not looking. Surveillance footage also showed that Fleurizard used his phone as a boarding pass when he boarded the plane.
Fleurizard is charged with being a stowaway on an aircraft, and access device fraud. His initial court appearance on the indictment will take place at a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge.
United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by an FBI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Bryan N. Reeves of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is 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.
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wicliffyvesfleurizard.indictment.pdf34 Individuals from Across the United States Indicted on Charges of Criminal Conspiracy Involving Illegal Drugs, Firearms, Money Laundering, Cockfighting and Attempts to Kill WitnessesRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref announced today that 28 people are in state or federal custody following the return of six separate indictments alleging more than two dozen charges against thirty-four separate defendants. Certain of the individuals indicted are not yet in federal custody.
The arrests follow a long-term joint federal and state investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives into La Nuestra Familia (NF), a violent prison gang responsible for trafficking dangerous drugs into our community for the enrichment of their members, which includes leaders of this organization who, in some cases, are serving life sentences in the United States Penitentiary, Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado (USP Florence ADMAX). USP Florence ADMAX is one of the Bureau of Prisons’ most secure facilities, providing an even higher level of custody than a regular maximum-security prison.
The arrests are the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation that began in approximately 2018 and spanned multiple jurisdictions from various locations in Washington State, to include Yakima County, the Yakama Reservation, Spokane County, and Walla Walla County. The operation also extended into Louisiana, Colorado, and Arkansas.
The conspiracy indictment alleges Robert Patrick Hanrahan, Rigoberto Escobedo Gonzalez, Travis Michael McGuire, and Jose Alfredo Chavez Arredondo, acted as supervisors to dozens of individuals engaged in a continuing criminal enterprise that included possession and distribution of illegal drugs, cockfighting, possession of illegal firearms, illegal use of the U.S. Mail, and attempts to kill those who assisted law enforcement in this investigation. Multiple individuals have also been charged with laundering the proceeds made from these illicit ventures.
Upon release of the conspiracy indictment, which was unsealed earlier today upon the arrest of several suspects, United States Attorney Waldref stated, “I am grateful for the coordinated efforts of so many law enforcement agencies, who simultaneously executed more than twenty search warrants in the Yakima area and across the United States earlier today. More than 350 federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement came together to coordinate the takedown of this alleged drug trafficking operation.” U.S. Attorney Waldref continued, “It is an honor to lead important prosecutions, such as this one, which has removed illegal drugs and firearms from our community and illegal narcotics from the Bureau of Prisons. Our community and our nation are safer and stronger as a result of the incredible work of our law enforcement and prosecution teams.”
During the operation, agents seized approximately 37 firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition, pound quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine, as well as more than 8,000 fentanyl-laced pills. Additionally, the law enforcement team seized more than $20,000 in U.S. currency. Agents also seized hundreds of roosters from locations in Zillah and Outlook, Washington. The roosters were allegedly used in cockfights. Many of the roosters are being turned over to the care of Heartwood Haven Animal Rescue located in Roy, Washington.
According to unsealed charging documents, the following individuals have been in connection with ATF’s joint investigation. The United States anticipates bringing additional charges against other individuals identified during the execution of search warrants early today. In addition, the names of others indicted in connection with this investigation will be unsealed upon the arrest of those individuals.
- Fabian Arredondo a/k/a “DV,” 34, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Conspiracy to Launder Money.
- Joanna Arredondo, 34, charged with Conspiracy to Launder Money
- Jose Alfredo Chavez Arredondo a/k/a “Cuyi,” 43, charged with Continuing Criminal Enterprise, Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, Distribution of Cocaine, Conspiracy to Launder Money, Unlawful Animal Fighting
- Jose Alfredo Ricardo Arredondo a/k/a “Papaz,” 25, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, Distribution of Cocaine, Unlawful Possession of a Machinegun
- Alexa Joann Carras-Blackburn, 35, charged with Conspiracy to Launder Money
- Pablo Angel Castellon a/k/a “Sapo,” 40, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Conspiracy to Launder Money
- Mayda Ivette Castellon, 36, charged with Conspiracy to Launder Money
- Jacenir Amezcua Dasilva a/k/a “Serio,” 30, charged with Conspiracy to Launder Money, Attempt to Retaliate Against a Federal Witness, Conspiracy to Retaliate Against a Federal Witness
- Marco Anthony Gomez, Jr. a/k/a “Silky,” 45, charged with Conspiracy to Launder Money
- Rigoberto Escobedo Gonzalez a/k/a “Crazy Thugg,” 35, charged with Continuing Criminal Enterprise, Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Distribution of Cocaine, Conspiracy to Launder Money
- Robert Patrick Hanrahan a/k/a “Bubba,” 52, charged with Continuing Criminal Enterprise, Conspiracy to Launder Money
- Jazmine Renea Hart, 32, charged with Conspiracy to Launder Money
- Maria Esperanza Hermoso, 28, Conspiracy to Launder Money
- Adrean Kendall Lafollette a/k/a “Hunger,” 33, charged with Conspiracy to Launder Money
- Travis Michael Mcguire a/k/a “Slim,” 49, charged with Continuing Criminal Enterprise, Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Conspiracy to Unlawfully Use a Communication Facility, Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl, Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Conspiracy to Launder Money
- Jesus Antonio Mirelez a/k/a “Dizzy,” 34, Conspiracy to Launder Money, Felon in Possession of a Firearm
- Felipe Feliciano Ramirez a/k/a “Casper,” 44, charged with Conspiracy to Unlawfully Use a Communications Facility, Conspiracy to Launder Money
- Logan Paul Scheck a/k/a “Sin,” 31, Conspiracy to Launder Money
- Brian Lee Sellers, 62, charged with Conspiracy to Unlawfully Use a Communications Facility, Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Conspiracy to Launder Money
- Misael Vazquez-Moreno, 26, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl
- Fernando Villegas, 25, charged with Unlawful Animal Fighting
- Thomas Lee Weatherwax a/k/a “Wax,” 25, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Conspiracy to Launder Money
- Yesika Escobedo Zaragoza, 40, charged with Conspiracy to Money Launder
- Arthur Frank Cardenas a/k/a “Porkchop,” 45, charged with Attempt to Retaliate Against a Federal Witness, Conspiracy to Retaliate Against a Federal Witness
- Joshua Isaac Stine a/k/a “Heat,” 39, charged with Attempt to Retaliate Against a Federal Witness, Conspiracy to Retaliate Against a Federal Witness
- Hugo Enrique Davadi a/k/a “Flako,” 36, charged with Distribution of 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl
Certain of the individuals will be arraigned at the Yakima and Spokane Federal Courthouses at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 19.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation along with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S Marshals Service, U.S. Border Patrol, Federal Bureau of Prisons, ICE Enforcement Removal Operations, Washington State Patrol, Washington State Department of Corrections, Washington State Gambling Commission, Yakima Police Department, Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, Grandview Police Department, Walla Walla Regional Drug Task Force, Selah Police Department, Spokane Police Department, and the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys from the Eastern District of Washington are prosecuting the case. Former AUSA Frances Walker was the initial prosecutor on 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.
Wednesday 17 April 2024
Wyoming man sentenced, fined $7,500 for role in Billings commercial sex investigation, lying to investigatorsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Wyoming man convicted for his role in arranging for commercial sex in Billings and then lying to federal investigators was sentenced today to one year of probation and fined $7,500, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
On Feb. 20, U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters found the defendant, Mark Jay Albrecht, 66, of Gillette, Wyoming, guilty of use of facility in interstate commerce in aid of racketeering and making a false statement following a one-day bench trial. Judge Watters presided at sentencing.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that on April 21, 2021, law enforcement responded to a report of possible commercial sex activity at a Billings motel. Billings police officers knocked on the door of the suspect room and announced themselves. A woman, identified as Ashley Stella, of Reno, Nevada, Jane Doe 1, who was a minor at the time, and Albrecht emerged. Albrecht was seen buttoning up his shirt as he exited the room. Albrecht initially denied to police and FBI officers that he was in the room for a sexual encounter and offered various stories about why he was there. Ultimately, Albrecht acknowledged going to the room to engage in commercial sex and using a social media website and his cell phone to arrange for commercial sex. Stella acknowledged in interviews that Albrecht was in the room for commercial sex, and that Jane Doe 1 traveled with her for the purpose of commercial sex. Following the events of April 21, 2021, law enforcement began a federal sex trafficking investigation.
As part of the federal investigation, Albrecht arrived for an interview with law enforcement in May 2021 and repeatedly stated that he did not go to the motel for the purpose of commercial sex. Rather, Albrecht offered another story about why he was communicating with Stella. Albrecht never admitted he was soliciting commercial sex during his May 2021 interview, contrary to facts known by law enforcement. Stella was sentenced to eight years in federal prison for conviction of transportation of a minor to engage in prostitution.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, IRS and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Wilton Man Sentenced to 14 Months in Federal Prison for Operating Art Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that NICHOLAS P. HATCH, 29, of Wilton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 14 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for selling counterfeit works of art.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Hatch was the owner of Hatch Estate Services LLC, an estate sales company based in Norwalk. Between approximately April 2020 and January 2022, Hatch used various websites, including Estatesales.org, a website specializing in estate sales and auctions, to offer for sale purported paintings by the artist Peter Max. Hatch, who knew that the paintings were not authentic Peter Max paintings, used multiple aliases when interacting with purchasers through email during the sale process, and he made various representations as to the paintings’ authenticity, including providing certificates of the works’ authenticity.
Through this scheme, Hatch sold 145 fraudulent Peter Max paintings and defrauded 43 purchasers out of a total of $248,600. Judge Nagala ordered Hatch to make full restitution.
Hatch was arrested on a criminal complaint on May 9, 2023. On August 7, 2023, he pleaded guilty to mail fraud.
Hatch, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on June 17.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Webster Groves Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a man who recorded his sexual abuse of one pre-teen girl and sexually abused two other children to 35 years in prison.
Aaron Pratt, 38, of Webster Groves, Missouri, pleaded guilty in January to one count of production of child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography. He admitted that he sexually abused a girl for approximately two years when she was between the ages of 10 and 12 and recorded the abuse on his cell phone. Pratt admitted sexually abusing two other juveniles, ages 7 and 11, at their home in another state.
Pratt also admitted possessing over 28,000 images and videos of other minors on various electronic devices.
The Webster Groves Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department, the FBI and the Hamilton Township (Ohio) Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Violent drug dealer off the streets for possessing 250 grams of meth and pistolRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 26-year-old Edinburg man has been sentenced for drug charges and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Lauro Gonzalez Jr. pleaded guilty April 24, 2023.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Gonzalez to serve a total of 12 years in federal prison to be immediately followed by four years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard how Gonzalez had been dealing various narcotics within the community for years and was proud that he had historically been able to avoid apprehension. Judge Crane heard additional evidence of the dangers of meth due to the low cost and its addictiveness. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Gonzalez’s lengthy criminal history which includes extensive drug use and distribution.
On Oct. 13, 2021, law enforcement arrived on the scene of a vehicle accident where witnesses reported the driver of a blue BMW had rear ended another vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. Authorities identified the driver as Gonzalez and arrested him for fleeing the accident.
In a subsequent search of Gonzalez’s vehicle, law enforcement located 250 grams of meth, psilocybin mushrooms, marijuana, cash, a digital scale and a 9mm pistol with an extended magazine. Gonzalez admitted to selling the drugs found in the vehicle and bragged about usually being able to evade law enforcement. Gonzalez also stated he would have shot at authorities if he was not able to get away and had his gun.
Gonzalez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Edinburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee Fry and Devin V. Walker prosecuted the case.
Vallejo Resident Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Jose Navarro Mendoza has been sentenced to 120 months in prison following his conviction for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was imposed on April 12, 2024, by the Hon. Charles R. Breyer, Senior United States District Judge.
Navarro Mendoza, 45, a resident of Vallejo, California, pleaded guilty in May 2023 to one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2). He was originally indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2022.
According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, the defendant possessed more than 1,500 images and videos of child pornography on his electronic devices, including nearly 100 files depicting sexual abuse of infants and toddlers. Additional evidence found on the defendant’s electronic devices suggested he used social media and/or messaging apps to participate in chat groups where users posted and exchanged child pornography, the government said in its sentencing submission.
The government further argued in its sentencing papers that the defendant groomed and sexually abused several members of his extended family when they were 6 to 11 years old. These victims included two minors who told investigators that the defendant had rubbed their bodies, including their genitalia.
In addition to sentencing Navarro Mendoza to prison, Judge Breyer ordered the defendant to serve five years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed.
Assistant United States Attorney Jared Buszin is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Christine Tian. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
U. S. Attorney Handberg Announces $418,000 in Justice Department Grants to Support Youth SuccessRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL ― U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg today announced a grant award of $418,000 to help support youth success in the Middle District of Florida. The grant was awarded to the City of Orlando Continuum of Care Project to Support Youth Success by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s (OJJDP) “Building Local Continuums of Care to Support Youth Success” initiative and is part of more than $17 million going to communities nationwide.
“Effective prevention and intervention strategies are critical in reducing violence and improving the quality of life in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. “Providing youth with opportunities to succeed and realize their potential is essential in developing our future leaders. This initiative is an investment in both.”
The Continuum of Care framework supports a network of services and opportunities to foster positive youth development and prioritizes community safety and effective program outcomes. This new OJJDP investment leverages decades of evidence-based learning to prevent youth from entering or deepening their involvement in the juvenile justice system and steer them on a path to success. At its core, the continuum of care approach is community-driven, leverages local insights, and addresses youth needs through mentoring, after-school programs, and other prosocial activities.
More information about these and other OJP awards can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.
The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime; advance equity and fairness in the administration of justice; assist victims; and uphold the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) provides national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent and respond to youth delinquency and victimization. The Office helps states, localities, and Tribes develop effective and equitable juvenile justice systems that create safer communities and empower youth to lead productive lives.
Two-Year Anniversary of Whole-of-Law Enforcement Approach to Combatting Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves joined Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Saul of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Executive Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), to update the public on the process they put in place two years ago to review every firearms arrest in the District of Columbia, looking at data about the person arrested and data about the firearm they possessed to determine whether they should be prosecuted in U.S. District Court or in D.C. Superior Court.
The office and our partners refer to this effort as, “Project Safe Neighborhood” (PSN). In the two years since this PSN process was put in place, the office has accepted 127 firearms cases for federal prosecution.
Among the cases accepted as part of PSN:
- the average age of the defendant was 30 years old;
- 38% had gang or crew affiliations;
- 21% had a previous homicide arrest;
- 54% had a previous robbery arrest;
- 52% were suspects in previous shootings;
- 22% were arrested with a machine gun conversion device;
- 13% were arrested with a privately made firearm;
These cases continue to make their way through the criminal justice system, with over 50 defendants having already been sentenced or found guilty after either a trial or a guilty plea.
“The work we have done between this Project Safe Neighborhood effort and our other efforts have collectively taken hundreds of drivers of violence out of our community over the last couple years,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “This group of law enforcement partners has spent a substantial amount of time identifying those driving violence within our community and developing investigations designed to hold them accountable so we can remove them from our community. Removing this many drivers of violence has an impact on community safety.”
“Project Safe Neighborhoods is one of our most valued partnerships to date. The program frequently offers an immediate solution to swiftly removing prohibited possessors of firearms from our communities.” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Kailimai, “If a prohibited person is encountered by ATF or one of our partnering agencies and happens to meet the agreed upon criteria, the violators will be recommended for federal prosecution.”
“Echoing the words of United States Attorney Graves and my colleagues, DEA works diligently to protect the American public by conducting daily investigations and operations to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and criminals that pose a threat to our communities and endanger our citizens,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Forget. “A key strategy to halt this violence is our collaboration with state, local, and federal partners. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an example of our collaborative approach to violence prevention, aimed at protecting the well-being of Washingtonians and beyond.”
“The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime in the District through targeted strategies like Project Safe Neighborhoods,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Saul. “Seizing firearms linked to previously convicted felons allows us to promptly remove drivers of gun violence from our communities and prosecute them for their crimes.”
“As our officers work hard day in and day out to remove guns from our communities, collaboration with our federal law enforcement partners is vital to making sure we can hold offenders accountable,” said MPD Chief Pamela A. Smith. “Project Safe Neighborhood is doing just that. Collectively the work of this program and many other initiatives we have with our federal partners and the US Attorney’s Office allow us to make our communities safer by removing the people that are driving gun violence and fear into our neighborhoods.”
Two sentenced for trafficking firearms destined for MexicoRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two people residing in Laredo have been ordered to federal prison for conspiring to sell pistols, rifles and ammunition via social media, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Joccelyn Jasmin Recio, 30, Laredo, and Mexican national Victor Martin Serrano Carrillo, 20, pleaded guilty Sept. 12, 2023, and May 11, 2023, respectively.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña has now ordered Recio and Carrillo to serve respective sentences of 78 and 63 months. Recio must also serve three years of supervised release, while Carillo, not a U.S. citizen, is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard about Recio’s prior conviction for alien smuggling in 2016. In imposing the sentence, Judge Saldaña noted the drug war in Mexico in which Recio and Carrillo made a choice to become involved and how their involvement in the conspiracy operated as a well-oiled machine that resulted in the sale of an immeasurable number of firearms.
“Recio and Carillo potentially put lives at risk for their own personal gain - intending to profit by selling firearms and ammunition to be illegally smuggled out of the United States,” said Hamdani. “We remain vigilant in our efforts to combat this international issue. Try to take guns to Mexico through our district and pay for it with your freedom.”
As part of the conspiracy, Carrillo contacted sellers on WhatsApp to purchase firearms for Recio via private sales. Carrillo would then transport Recio and the firearms to the meeting places. Recio would use WhatsApp and other social media messaging to communicate with the buyers and then pay Carrillo a fee for each firearm following the sale.
As part of their pleas, both admitted that in February 2023, Recio had delivered a total of six pistols, two rifles and 123 rounds of ammunition along six pistol magazines in exchange for cash. Recio contacted a buyer and sent photos of the various firearms along with the prices for each.
The firearms included one loaded AR-15 type rifle.
Recio and Carrillo have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service, Laredo Police Department, Webb County Sheriff’s Department and Precinct 2 Webb County Constable’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez prosecuted the case as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
Two Western Kentucky Men Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – Two western Kentucky men were sentenced to federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking yesterday.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Erek G. Davodowich of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Sheriff Ryan Norman of the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, and Sheriff Matt Hillbrecht of the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
Yesterday, Fabian Thomas, 34, of Mayfield, Kentucky and Puryear, Tennessee, was sentenced to 14 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. On April 4 and April 22, 2022, in McCracken County, Kentucky, Thomas distributed more than 5 grams of grams of methamphetamine. On April 21, 2022, on 2 separate occasions, in McCracken County, Kentucky, Thomas, possessed with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of grams of methamphetamine.
Previously, on March 26, 2024, Ronald McClure, 37, of Paducah, Kentucky and Peachtree City, Georgia, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. On April 21, 2022, in McCracken County, Kentucky, McClure possessed with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, and the DEA Paducah Post of Duty.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Two Members of Jersey City Gang Indicted for Racketeering Conspiracy for Roles in Murder, Shooting, and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two members of the Jersey City gang associated with the Wilkinson neighborhood were charged by indictment with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Kenneth Harrigan, aka “Kenny,” aka “Kenny OGM,” 27, and Darion Canary, aka “Goon,” 31, both of Jersey City, New Jersey, are charged with a racketeering conspiracy that included a murder, a shooting, and narcotics distribution. Harrigan and Canary are both in federal custody on previously filed federal charges. Both had their initial appearances and arraignments on April 16, 2024, before the U.S. District Judge Julien X. Neals in Newark federal court and were detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Harrigan and Canary are both members and associates of the neighborhood street gang associated with the Wilkinson neighborhood. Since 2019, they have committed multiple acts of violence. On July 20, 2019, Harrigan, Canary, and at least one other gang member traveled to the territory of a rival gang in Jersey City and shot three victims, killing one of them.
On Jan. 1, 2024, Canary, along with other gang members, attended a night club in Newark where a rival gang member was performing. At the night club, Canary brandished a firearm and shot a rival gang member before fleeing the nightclub with his fellow gang members and returning to the Wilkinson neighborhood in Jersey City. At this time, Canary was staying at a halfway house as part of his sentencing on a related federal narcotics conviction.
Investigators observed and documented dozens of narcotics transactions in and around the Wilkinson neighborhood during the months-long investigation.
The investigation revealed that Harrigan and Canary were two of the highest ranking members of the Wilkinson neighborhood street gang and that Harrigan was a primary supplier of narcotics to the area.
In December 2021, Harrigan, Canary, and four other members and associates of the Wilkinson neighborhood street gang were charged by criminal complaint on drug trafficking offenses.
Harrigan and Canary face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for the racketeering conspiracy, as well as a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited investigators of the Gang Intelligence Unit of the Major Case Division of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez; investigators of the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Director James Shea; and special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Department of Homeland Security (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendall Randolph of the District of New Jersey’s Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
harrigancanary.indictment.pdfThree Individuals Indicted in Multistate COVID-19 Relief Program Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – Three individuals were indicted for their roles in fraudulently obtaining approximately $5 million of federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and for laundering the loan proceeds, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Eric Rivera, 42, of Norcross, Georgia, is charged with one count of bank fraud conspiracy, three counts of bank fraud, one count of wire fraud conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and eight counts of money laundering. Adrienne Ponzo, 49, of Bear, Delaware, is charged with one count of wire fraud conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and two counts of money laundering. James Wessels, 54, of Middletown, Delaware, is charged with one count of bank fraud conspiracy, three counts of bank fraud, and one count of money laundering conspiracy. They were charged by complaint in July 2023.
According to the indictment:
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of hundreds of billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The CARES Act also authorized the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to eligible small businesses that were experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To obtain a PPP or EIDL loan, a qualifying small business was required to apply and provide information on its operations, including the number of employees and revenues or expenses. Businesses generally had to provide supporting documentation such as tax returns and bank statements.
Rivera conspired with Wessels and others to defraud a participating lender in the PPP program. Rivera submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications for two companies he controlled, which included fake bank statements and IRS tax forms. The lender approved the PPP loans and paid Rivera’s companies $285,000. Rivera also recruited individuals who owned businesses with little or no operations and introduced them to a conspirator who prepared fraudulent PPP loan applications for these companies. Most of these PPP loan applications also included fake bank statements and tax forms. After the lender approved the PPP loans, Rivera received payments of 15 percent to 50 percent of the loan proceeds, via wire transfer or check, for his role in orchestrating this scheme. Wessels created fraudulent IRS tax forms for the PPP loan applications for Rivera’s companies and for the other companies for which Rivera was paid. Wessels was paid a fee for each fraudulent tax form he created.
Wessels also conspired with two individuals who received fraudulent PPP loans from the lender to structure the spending of the PPP loan proceeds to conceal that the proceeds actually were being spent on non-payroll expenses. Wessels created fake payroll checks from the companies and the business owners distributed the fake payroll checks to friends and family members, who cashed the checks and returned the majority of the cash to the business owners. The lender subsequently forgave these PPP loans based on forgiveness applications that falsely stated that most of the loan proceeds were spent on payroll expenses.
Rivera also conspired with Ponzo and others to defraud the SBA. After the CARES Act was passed, Rivera recruited individuals who owned companies with little or no operations and introduced them to Ponzo, who prepared fraudulent EIDL applications for these businesses and caused them to be electronically submitted to the SBA. Ponzo prepared fraudulent bank statements and tax returns for companies that did not have them. After the SBA approved the EIDL loans, Rivera received payments of 15 to 50 percent of the loan proceeds, via wire transfer or check, for his role in orchestrating this scheme. Rivera, in turn, wired a portion of the loan proceeds to Ponzo for her role in the scheme.
The counts of bank fraud conspiracy and bank fraud are each punishable by a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The counts of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud are each punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. The counts of conspiracy to commit money laundering are each punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. The counts of money laundering are each punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Patricia Tarasca, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Regional Office; special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs in Philadelphia; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley Parker; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the Criminal Division in Camden and Jason M. Richardson, Attorney in Charge of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in the charging instrument are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
riveraponzowessels.indictment.pdfTexas Man Sentenced to Statutory Maximum After Jury TrialRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – An Edinburg, Texas man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for conspiring to possess with intent distribute cocaine.
Jose Humberto Gandara, 52, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to Court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2016, Jose Humberto Gandara was stopped in Gulfport while driving a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta. The Jetta contained almost $150,000 hidden in a concealed compartment located under the center console. Gandara initially denied any knowledge of the money. Officers then showed Gandara a pair of shoes, which they located in the hidden compartment. The officers previously cut the shoes to see if they contained a tracker. Gandara asked the officers why they cut his shoes, and when they confronted him with the fact that the shoes came from the hidden compartment, Gandara admitted to moving the money for a percentage. Gandara denied being involved with narcotics, but photographs from his phone appeared to depict bricks of cocaine.
In January of 2015, Gandara bought a different 2012 Volkswagen Jetta that was subsequently stopped at the border of Mexico/Texas. While Gandara was not driving that Jetta, the driver was an individual that Gandara had previously identified as his employee. Border Patrol agents found approximately 12 kilograms of cocaine in a hidden compartment, which matched the hidden compartment in the vehicle Gandara was driving in Gulfport.
Officers were also able to determine that in September of 2015, Gandara was stopped in Alabama with nearly $360,000. The money was divided into multiple bundles, each of which were wrapped in green plastic wrap and stuffed inside the front seats of the car Gandara was driving. Gandara again denied knowledge of the money, but the money found in the seats matched a bundle of money Gandara claimed from his duffle bag.
Subsequent investigation revealed that the $150,000 seized from Gandara in Gulfport was payment for cocaine that was interdicted in Louisiana, while bound for Moss Point, Mississippi. The evidence and testimony at trial showed that Gandara was acting on behalf of a source of supply, located in Texas, who was importing cocaine directly from Mexico and sending it on to Moss Point, Mississippi.
On January 11, 2024, after a trial, a federal jury convicted Jose Humberto Gandara of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Gandara faced a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The DEA, United States Border Patrol, Gulfport Police Department, Louisiana State Police, and Alabama’s 17th Judicial Task Force Team investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Buckner and Hunter McCreight prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Tennessee Felon Sentenced to over 3 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Lafayette, Tennessee man was sentenced yesterday to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm after previously been convicted of a felony.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to court documents, Christopher R. Blankenship, 42, of Lafayette, Tennessee, was sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a Ruger, model P94, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol, a Smith and Wesson, model SD40 VE, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol, and ammunition on June 12, 2022, in Allen County, Kentucky. Blankenship was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On July 31, 2013, in Macon Circuit Court, Macon County, Tennessee, Blankenship was convicted of vehicular homicide-intoxication.
On March 28, 2011, in Macon Circuit Court, Macon County, Tennessee, Blankenship was convicted of aggravated assault.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office with assistance from the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark J. Yurchisin II and R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Tax preparer admits to fraud resulting in over half a million in lossesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A local tax business owner has pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of false income tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Krystal Wright was the sole owner and only tax preparer at WW2F in Freeport for six years.
Most of Wright’s clients did not have a business nor did they discuss any business income or expenses with her. After Wright completed a tax return, she did not review the completed documents with clients and only provided them with the refund amount and first two pages of the return. This prevented her clients from identifying overstated or false items on their tax returns.
From 2017 through 2020, Wright prepared and filed approximately 83 federal income tax returns that contained false and fraudulent items. Some included qualified solar electric property costs, gifts by cash or check, business expenses, wages, salaries, tips and supplies.
The false and fraudulent filings resulted in a total sustained tax harm of $525,404.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown accepted the plea and set sentencing for June 26. At that time, Wright faces up to three years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
She has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rodolfo Ramirez and James Hu are prosecuting the case.
Syracuse Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Possessing and Intending to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Javier Bachiller, age 32, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to serve 10 years in federal prison for his conviction for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.
As part of his previous guilty plea, Bachiller admitted that on October 19, 2023, he possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in a Syracuse garage he was renting. At the time of his arrest, Bachiller also possessed quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin that he intended to distribute to others.
United States District Judge David N. Hurd also sentenced Bachiller to serve a 5-year term of post-release supervision and ordered him to pay a $100 special assessment.
This case was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), with assistance from the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, the Syracuse Police Department, the Onondaga County Sherriff’s Office, and the New York State Police and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown.