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28 May 2024
Former Water District General Manager Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Water Theft and Separate Tax ChargeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Dennis Falaschi, 78, of Aptos, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiring to take federally owned water and one count of filing a false tax return, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court records, from 1992 through approximately April 2015, Falaschi was the general manager for a public water district in Fresno and Merced Counties (PWD) that sold water to farmers with over 38,000 acres of farmland. PWD obtained water that it sold by purchasing water from the federal government and collecting drainage water from farms. The federal water that PWD purchased came from the Delta-Mendota Canal (DMC), which is a federally owned canal operated by the United States Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation. PWD purchased federal water from the DMC pursuant to a contract that it entered into with the Bureau of Reclamation.
The federal water that PWD purchased from the DMC was fresh water that could be used for farming immediately. The drainage water that PWD collected from farms was high in salt content and toxins, and it needed to be blended down with fresh water before it could be reused.
Falaschi learned that water from the DMC was leaking from an old standpipe into a parallel canal in PWD. The parallel canal was owned by the then-president of PWD’s board of directors. PWD employees subsequently modified the old standpipe so that it would not leak and could be opened and closed. This allowed for water to be taken from the DMC on demand.
The amount of federal water that was illegally taken for which Falaschi was responsible was valued at over $1.5 million but under $3.5 million. Nearly all of that water was taken to blend down and reuse drainage water.
Moreover, according to court records, from 2011 through 2016, Falaschi entered into private water sales where he received payments. The water sold was legitimately sourced from outside PWD and was not federally owned water. Thereafter, in March 2016, Falaschi signed and filed an individual income tax return with the Internal Revenue Service where he did not report the income that he received from the private water sales.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Inspector General, the IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Henry Carbajal III are prosecuting the case.
Falaschi is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 16, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Falaschi faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and $250,000 fine for the conspiracy to commit water theft and three years in prison and $100,000 fine for the tax charge. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
filed_falaschi_plea_agreement.pdfFormer Marfa Substitute Teacher Gets 30 Years in Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ALPINE, Texas – A Marfa woman was sentenced in a federal court in Alpine to 360 months in prison for production of child pornography.
According to court documents, investigators found that Sonya Conchita Murillo, 33, a former substitute teacher for the Marfa Independent School District, possessed child sexual abuse materials, including videos depicting Murillo sexually abusing a prepubescent child. Murillo was arrested June 7, 2023 and pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography in January.
Murillo’s former boyfriend, Patricio Javier Serrano, was sentenced in March to 97 months in prison for one count of possession of child pornography and one count of transportation of child pornography, aiding and abetting. Serrano had been charged in a separate indictment and pleaded guilty on Oct. 27, 2023.
“The fact that the judge delivered the maximum allowed 30-year imprisonment to this defendant for producing child pornography, is indicative of the utterly horrendous predatory acts Murillo committed,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “I am very grateful to our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for their work on this case. Rest assured, protecting the children in our communities is undoubtedly a top priority in this district, and child predators will be brought to justice.”
“Children trust their teachers and caretakers and Murillo betrayed that trust,” said Special Agent in Charge John Morales for FBI El Paso. “No child should ever have to question the motives of an adult they interact with at school or at home. A child should feel safe and not be subjected to sexual abuse. I want to thank the FBI Special Agents in our Alpine Resident Agency and our partners at Homeland Security Investigations, Marfa Police Department, and Texas Department of Public Safety who worked together to remove a child predator from our schools and neighborhoods.”
“Homeland Security Investigations aggressively pursues child predators, and cases involving people in positions of trust are particularly disturbing. In this case, the punishment is fitting of the crime," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric McLoughlin for HSI El Paso. “Today we are once again reminded of the need for constant vigilance—online and in our schools—to protect the most vulnerable among us."
The FBI, HSI, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Marfa Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Greenbaum and Kevin Cayton prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Former FTX Executive Ryan Salame Sentenced to 90 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that RYAN SALAME was sentenced today to 90 months in prison. SALAME previously pled guilty to conspiracy to make unlawful political contributions and defraud the Federal Election Commission and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business before U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Ryan Salame agreed to advance the interests of FTX, Alameda Research, and his co-conspirators through an unlawful political influence campaign and through an unlicensed money transmitting business, which helped FTX grow faster and larger by operating outside of the law. Salame’s involvement in two serious federal crimes undermined public trust in American elections and the integrity of the financial system. Today’s sentence underscores the substantial consequences for such offenses.”
According to the filings and statements made during court proceedings:
RYAN SALAME was a high-ranking official at Alameda Research, the quantitative cryptocurrency trading firm founded by Samuel Bankman-Fried, from 2019 to 2021. In or about October 2021, SALAME was named co-CEO of FTX’s Bahamian affiliate FTX Digital Markets Ltd.
While working at Alameda Research and FTX, SALAME conspired with Bankman-Fried and other employees of FTX and Alameda Research to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, unlawfully using FTX, Alameda Research, and an entity called “North Dimension” to transmit FTX customer funds without a license. The conspirators and others at Alameda Research and FTX also made false statements to U.S. banks in order to maintain their unlawful businesses.
Additionally, beginning in or around 2020, SALAME conspired with Bankman-Fried and FTX executive Nishad Singh to donate campaign contributions in a manner that obscured Bankman-Fried’s association with certain of the contributions. These donations were made to improve Bankman-Fried’s personal standing in Washington, D.C., increase FTX’s profile, and curry favor with candidates that could help pass legislation favorable to FTX, Alameda, or Bankman-Fried’s personal agenda. In total, SALAME and his co-conspirators made over 300 political contributions, totaling tens of millions of dollars, that were unlawful because they were made in the name of a straw donor or paid for with corporate funds and caused false information to be reported by campaigns and political action committees to the Federal Election Commission.
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In addition to the prison term, SALAME, 30, of Potomac, Maryland, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay more than $6 million in forfeiture and more than $5 million in restitution.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force, with assistance from the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering and Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Units. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danielle Kudla, Samuel Raymond, Thane Rehn, Nicolas Roos, and Danielle Sassoon are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Boston Teacher Charged with Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Quincy man has been arrested and charged for allegedly possessing and receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Carter Peaseley, 40, was charged with possession and receipt of child pornography. Peaseley was arrested on May 23, 2024 and released on conditions including a curfew, electronic location monitoring and an order not to have unsupervised contact with children.
According to the charging documents, for approximately one year, Peaseley was involved in an online relationship with a 15-year-old minor, during which he allegedly discussed wanting to teach the minor how to kiss – among other sexually explicit activities – and his plan to visit the minor. Peaseley allegedly instructed the minor not to save his texts and suggested they should use a different platform. It is further alleged that Peaseley and the minor exchanged photographs which included sexually explicit photos of the minor. According to court documents, during a search of Peaseley’s residence, approximately 243 images of CSAM were found on a computer and cellphone which were seized.Peaseley was formerly a teacher at the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science and the Match Charter School, both of which are in Boston.
The charge of possession and receipt of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Foreign national sentenced to prison for million-dollar business email schemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Nigerian national was sentenced today to four years in prison for stealing someone’s identity and fraudulently redirecting over a million dollars in business transaction payments.
According to court documents, in October 2020, after his co-conspirators gained access to email exchanges between Company 1 and Company 2, Abdulafeez Oluwatoyin Adebiyi, 34, learned that Company 1 had recently issued invoices to Company 2 for over a million dollars for work Company 1 had already performed for Company 2.
Operating outside the United States, Adebiyi created a phony email account for the president of Company 1 by using a domain name that differed from Company 1’s domain by a single letter. While impersonating the president, Adebiyi sent messages to Company 2 falsely claiming that Company 1 had recently changed bank accounts and provided account and routing numbers for a recently created account controlled by Adebiyi and his co-conspirators.
After Company 2 issued a wire transfer of over a million dollars to what they believed was an account for Company 1, the co-conspirators distributed the money through various transactions, including purchases of cryptocurrency and cashier’s checks and additional wire transfers.
The United Kingdom extradited Adebiyi in October 2023.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; and Jason J. Scalzo, Special Agent in Charge of the Electronic Crimes Unit for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Schlessinger prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with UK authorities to secure the extradition of Adebiyi.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-21.
This release was edited on May 29, 2024, to correct the announcing official for FDIC-OIG.
Final defendant sentenced to ten years in prison in fentanyl distribution schemeRead the Press Release
Tacoma – The final defendant of a two-man drug distribution crew was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to ten years in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Dustin Carl Wurges, 37, was arrested November 8, 2021, with a large load of drugs, three firearms, and three sets of body armor in the Chevy Tahoe he was riding in. The driver of the car, Jonathan Mayhall was sentenced to ten years in prison on March 4, 2024. At that sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said, “Fentanyl has become a plague in this community and across the country… we know it has fatal consequences. The quantities that you brought here could well have contained a dose that would have caused someone to die.”
According to records filed in the case, law enforcement became aware of Wurges and Mayhall’s drug activity as they investigated an Aryan prison gang involved in trafficking drugs in the Puget Sound region. In November 2021, the men set up a drug deal with contacts in southern California. Initially they were taking $50,000 to purchase controlled substances, but when the prices seemed low, they upped their budget by an additional $200,000. As the two men returned from California, law enforcement monitored their progress. At a rest area in Thurston County Washington law enforcement arrested the men. In the car, law enforcement seized more than four kilograms of fentanyl, nearly two kilograms of cocaine, more than a kilogram of heroin, two and a half kilograms of methamphetamine, two firearms, three ballistic vests, money counters, and more than $87,000 in cash. Law enforcement seized an additional pistol from the purse of a female co-conspirator who was riding in the vehicle.
Wurges entered a guilty plea in the case in October 2023. Both the prosecution and defense agreed to recommend a sentence of ten years in prison with five years of supervised release to follow prison.
At the sentencing hearing today, Judge Settle said, “This is a very serious crime because of the wake of damage it leaves behind.”
The investigation was led by the FBI with critical investigative teamwork from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Washington State Department of Corrections and significant local assistance from the Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force, led by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zach Dillon and Max Shiner.
Final Defendant Pleads Guilty to Nationwide Telemarketing Fraud Scheme Targeting EldersRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Texas man has pleaded guilty on the eve of trial to his role in a $4.8 million nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme that targeted elderly and vulnerable victims, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Jeremy Wade Wilson, 42, of Fort Worth, Texas, owned and operated Publishers Elite, a Texas-based company involved in fraudulent magazine sales. From 2013 through 2019, Wilson ran a telemarketing call center in Arlington, Texas, where Wilson provided his telemarketers with scripts containing fraudulent sales pitches for use in defrauding victim-consumers out of hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Wilson knew that many of the consumers on these lists were elderly or otherwise susceptible to fraudulent and deceptive sales tactics. Nevertheless, Wilson directed his telemarketers to call the people on these lists and trick them, through a series of lies and misrepresentations, into signing up for expensive magazine subscription packages.
During the course of the scheme, Wilson and his company defrauded more than 14,000 victims across the United States, including more than 200 victims in Minnesota. Between 2013 and 2019, Wilson’s company received more than $4.8 million from victims of his scheme.
Wilson, who is the last of 64 defendants charged in the nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme, was scheduled for trial on May 29, 2024. Wilson pleaded guilty earlier today before Judge John R. Tunheim to six counts of wire fraud and SCAMS Act. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 26, 2024.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Additional assistance was provided by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Matthew S. Ebert, Harry M. Jacobs, Garrett S. Fields, Matthew C. Murphy, and Melinda A. Williams are prosecuting the case.
Elmo man admits Social Security fraud, theft charges for collecting deceased mother’s benefits and not reporting proceeds from dog grooming businessRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — An Elmo man accused of illegally receiving federal benefits by collecting his deceased mother’s Social Security payments and by not disclosing his assets, including proceeds from a dog grooming business, admitted to fraud and theft charges today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Gerry Alen Albus, 64, pleaded guilty to theft of government money and Social Security fraud as indicted. Albus faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Sept. 24. Albus was released pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that in May 2015, Albus was approved to receive Supplemental Security Income benefits from the Social Security Administration and was advised of his legal obligation to accurately report his income, resources and household composition. In October 2016, Albus reported to SSA that he had moved to Elmo, lived alone and paid rent to his landlord, when in fact, he did not pay rent and his landlord was his romantic partner. In 2017, Albus and his partner converted his partner’s 20-acre property in Elmo into a dog grooming business.
The government further alleged that Albus did not disclose his ownership interest in property he co-owned in Florida with his mother or proceeds from the sale of the property in June 2017. Albus’ mother died in March 2017, but SSA continued to send her monthly payments of approximately $2,000 until it learned of her death through this investigation. From March 2017 until November 2021, Albus took his mother’s SSA payments and used them for his personal expenses.
In addition, the government alleged that Albus failed to report other assets, including three vehicles, several bank accounts and proceeds from the dog grooming business.
In a May 2022 interview with SSA special agents at the dog grooming business, Albus admitted he did not pay rent, that he lived with his partner, that he did not disclose vehicles or income and that he took his mother’s SSA benefits after her death because he felt he was “entitled” to them. Albus told agents that he knew if he reported all his income and assets, it would have reduced or eliminated his SSA payments. SSA determined Albus received approximately $60,627 in SSI benefits for which he was ineligible and stole an additional $59,535 in SSA funds intended for his mother.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter is prosecuting the case. The SSA Office of Inspector General and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
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Eight Members of Webster-Based Drug Trafficking Organization Arrested on Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging seven individuals with drug trafficking offenses. The indictment also notifies the individuals that the United States intends to forfeit a purple Springfield Armory Hellcat 9mm pistol and assorted ammunition. An eighth individual was charged by criminal complaint.
Indictment: United States v. Clarence Ford, et al.
Name (Age, Residence)
Charges
Maximum Penalties
Clarence Ford, Jr.
(46, Webster)
Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine
Distribution of 50 grams of methamphetamine (4 counts)
Minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison
Minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison
Willie Ford, III
(35, Webster)
Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine
Minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison
Justin Demon Lowery
(41, Webster)
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a detectable amount of fentanyl
Distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a detectable amount of fentanyl
Minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison
Minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison
Matthew Stanley Simmons, III
(25, New Port Richey)
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl
Distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl
Distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison
Minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison
Minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison
Antwan D. Williams
(44, Webster)
Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine
20 years in federal prison
William Cody Ferguson
(30, Tampa)
Conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl
Distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl (2 counts)
Felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition
Minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison
Minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison
Minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, up to 15 years, in federal prison
Johnny Leanda Harris
(56, Webster)
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison
Minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison
Criminal Complaint
Theron Mathews
(36, New Port Richey)
Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
Minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison
According to court filings and information presented during the detention hearings, Clarence Ford, Jr. served as a main source of supply for methamphetamine in the Webster area. His drug trafficking organization stretched into Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, Sumter, and Pinellas counties. Ford supplied drugs to Willie Ford, Matthew Simmons, Justin Lowery, Antwan Williams, and Johnny Harris. These individuals are allegedly responsible for distributing more than 2,970 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 129 grams of fentanyl and conspiring to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine during the conspiracy.
On May 14, 2024, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration arrested the seven individuals charged by indictment. During a search warrant executed at Simmons’s residence, agents located fentanyl, scales, blenders, and firearms. As a result, Simmons’s roommate, Theron Mathews, was arrested and charged via a criminal complaint.
In total, the agents seized 11 firearms, approximately 800 grams of fentanyl, approximately 1,400 grams of methamphetamine, 2 kilogram press machines, a pill press machine, and $40,000 in cash from members of the organization during arrest operations.
An indictment and a complaint are merely formal charges that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tampa Police Department, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Beckman. Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky is handling the forfeiture.
Detroit Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting a ChildRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit man was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a child and distributing child pornography, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, FBI Special Agent in Charge of Detroit.
Matthew Borodich, 37 of Detroit was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Linda V. Parker.
In late summer 2023, a Winnebago (Wisconsin) County Sheriff’s Department officer working covertly online discovered that a user, later identified as Borodich, had shared multiple pornographic images and videos of a 7-year-old victim to an online public chat group. Law enforcement traced Borodich to Detroit, and the FBI executed a search warrant at Borodich’s residence the very next day. Over the course of two interviews, Borodich admitted to sexually abusing his victim to create child sexually abusive material and other instances of abuse. The FBI also analyzed Borodich’s cell phone and found the material he had shared online of his victim, as well as hundreds of other images and videos of child pornography, including more than 11 hours of footage.
“Through swift inter-agency coordination and the commitment of our law enforcement partners, we ended a dangerous sexual predator’s abuse of this vulnerable victim. This sentence justly punishes the defendant for preying on a child of such a young age, and should serve as warning to others who also engage in this type of egregious conduct.” U.S. Attorney Ison said.
"Thanks to the unwavering efforts of our partners at the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and our office, Mr. Borodich can no longer prey on children through online methods," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "We have zero tolerance for the exploitation of the innocent and will persist in working together with our law enforcement partners to apprehend these criminals who believe they can prey on our youth and get away with it."
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Rawsthorne, Tara Hindelang, and Sean L. King.
Detroit Man Arrested and Charged After Attempting to Provide Money to ISISRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A Detroit man was arrested and charged in an indictment with attempting to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Charged was Jibreel Pratt, 25.
According to the indictment, Pratt is charged with two counts of attempting to provide currency and monetary instruments to ISIS in March and May 2023, respectively.
The FBI arrested Pratt at his home in Detroit this morning. He will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court today. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will be asking the Court to hold Pratt in pretrial detention because of his danger to the community and the risk that he will flee.
“The indictment alleges that the defendant attempted to support and join ISIS, which is one of the most brutal terrorist organizations in the world. These charges reflect our commitment to hold accountable anyone who tries to help terrorists,” said U.S. Attorney Ison.
“Mr. Pratt allegedly attempted to provide support to a foreign terrorist organization well known for committing violence and human rights violations,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The protection of the American people and our communities remains a top priority for the FBI. Through joint and coordinated efforts by our law enforcement and intelligence partners, and vigilant citizens, we will continue to disrupt plots by those who desire to harm others on behalf of a foreign terrorist organization. I would like to thank our Joint Terrorism Task Force for their work in this investigation and for their steadfast commitment to protecting our nation.”
Based on the charges in the Indictment, Pratt faces up to 20 years in prison for each count if convicted.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon and Douglas Salzenstein.
Des Moines Woman Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty May 28, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City.
At the plea hearing, Pamela Brownell, 63, from Des Moines, Iowa, admitted that from September 2022 through October 2023, she and others conspired to distribute more than 45 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge, Iowa area. In October 2023, law enforcement purchased ½ pound of methamphetamine from Brownell in a controlled drug transaction. Also in October 2023, a traffic stop of Brownell resulted in the seizure of ½ pound of methamphetamine which she intended to distribute to others. In 2006 Brownell was previously convicted in federal court of an attempt to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Brownell remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Brownell faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Iowa State Patrol, the Iowa DCI Laboratory, and the Polk, Hamilton, and Webster County Sheriffs’ Offices.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3007. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Danish Man Who Traveled from Denmark to Fresno to Exploit a Minor Is Sentenced for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Claus Svelmo Marcuslund, 59, of Odense, Denmark, was sentenced today to 14 years in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release for his conviction of one count of distribution of images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
“To vindicate victims of child exploitation and bring criminals to justice, our law enforcement and our communities must work together in partnership across county, state, and national borders,” U.S. Attorney Talbert said. “Our office is committed to protect our children and hold offenders accountable.”
“We will do everything in our investigative power to bring to justice those who seek to hurt children,” said San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. “This sentence holds Marcuslund accountable for his crimes and serves as a warning for those who travel to the United States specifically to abuse a child. HSI and its partners will work diligently to investigate and prosecute these heinous criminals, regardless of location around the world. HSI Fresno appreciates the work of HSI Attaché Frankfurt, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Central Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force for their joint effort in this investigation.”
According to court documents, in January 2023, Marcuslund contacted an undercover agent who had created the profile of a mother with a seven-year-old daughter, on a dark-web site dedicated to persons interested in pedophilia. Marcuslund told the agent “I’m Scandinavian, professional music producer/songwriter and lyricist and yeah, I’m also a pedophile.” He also stated that “I’m divorced and now searching [for] a nice woman/mom to get to know better, hopefully with the potential of getting together in real life one day. Obviously, she must be 100% supportive of pedophilia and incest.” During the next several months Marcuslund sent messages to the agent through the website’s messaging feature, as well as the fully encrypted Telegram application. Marcuslund explained in graphic detail the sexual acts in which he hoped to engage with the mother and child. During those communications, he sent between 300 and 600 images of adults sexually abusing young children. He also discussed having another child with the mother and molesting the newborn.
Marcuslund flew from Copenhagen to the Los Angeles International Airport and then to Fresno. On July 11, 2023, agents arrested him upon arrival at the Fresno International Airport. On Feb. 20, 2024, Marcuslund pleaded guilty.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Central Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Cranberry Township Resident Indicted for Domestic Violence and Assault of Partner During 2022 CruiseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on assault and interstate domestic violence charges, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The three-count Indictment named Quintin Owens, 27, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about October 11, 2022, on a cruise ship excursion departing from Orlando, Florida, Owens strangled, assaulted, and wounded his intimate and dating partner, also a resident of Western Pennsylvania.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Couple Sentenced in Connection to Child’s Death from FentanylRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington - Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Samantha Marie Tainewasher, age 39, to time served on one count of Involuntary Manslaughter, and one count of Use of a Communications Facility in the Commission of a Drug Felony. The Court also sentenced Tainewasher’s codefendant, Calvin James Hunt, age 52, to 24 months in federal prison on one count of Involuntary Manslaughter, one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, and one count of Use of a Communications Facility in the Commission of a Drug Felony. Tainewasher and Hunt were convicted on November 16, 2023, following a jury trial. Chief District Judge Bastian imposed 3 years of federal supervision on both defendants upon their release from custody. Tainewasher is from Wapato, Washington. Hunt is from Toppenish, Washington.
According to court documents and information disclosed at trial and sentencing, on March 29, 2020, Yakama Nation Police were dispatched to Tainewasher’s home in Wapato, Washington, to a report of an unresponsive fifteen-month-old child. When an officer arrived, Tainewasher ran toward the officer with her son in her arms. Unable to find a pulse and noting the blue tinge on the child’s lips, the officer began CPR. The child was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased. A toxicology report later found the child died from ingesting fentanyl.
During the investigation, the FBI seized Hunt’s phone. On the phone was a video recorded on March 27. The video pans over the Tainewasher’s bed and shows methamphetamine, a fentanyl-laced pill, and drug paraphernalia.
The FBI obtained Facebook records concerning Tainewasher and Hunt. The Facebook records showed that Hunt and Tainewasher engaged in buying and selling heroin, methamphetamine, and pills. Tainewasher also made Facebook posts acknowledging her addiction and use of drugs led to her son’s death.
“This case is incredibly tragic and heartbreaking. A 15-month-old child, whose parents are members of the Yakama Nation, ingested a deadly amount of fentanyl while in the care of his mother, who was just a few feet away. No sentence will be able to replace the loss of life of this young victim. The fentanyl epidemic continues to claim lives and inflict havoc on families from all walks of life,” stated Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. “I’m very proud of my team of prosecutors, who work tirelessly to vindicate victims’ rights and who devote their careers to seeking justice on behalf of the most vulnerable among us.”
This case was investigated by the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Ellis and Timothy J. Ohms.
Contractor Sentenced for Bankruptcy Fraud, Suborning Perjury, Money Laundering, and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A self-employed contractor who waged a multi-year campaign of fraud, harassment, and abuse in the United States Bankruptcy Court, and who executed multiple schemes; made false representations; intentionally obstructed proceedings; and suborned perjury, all to conceal substantial assets from the bankruptcy court, has been sentenced to three years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Additionally, Ernest P. Ricci, 62, of North Kingstown, previously admitted to a federal judge that he fraudulently applied for and received COVID-related Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from the Small Business Administration (SBA), money that he laundered in an effort to conceal it from the bankruptcy court.
Ricci was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 36 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. Ricci was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $129,306 to the SBA and $77,568 to the IRS, jointly and severally with his wife. He pleaded guilty in November 2023 to charges of bankruptcy fraud, obstruction, suborning perjury, wire fraud, and money laundering,
In October 2017, prior to filing a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy petition in an attempt to protect a $1.5 million dollar home in Florida that he and his wife used as both rental property and a vacation home, and on which he had failed to make any mortgage payments for approximately five years, Ricci transferred all of the assets of his business: Premier Home Restoration LLC (Premier), to his wife. He then falsely submitted documents to the Bankruptcy Court, under oath, indicating that he had been unemployed for many years, that he had no income, that he garnered no compensation of any kind from his wife’s company, that he controlled no bank accounts, and that he had no assets or properties other than the Florida home. In fact, it was determined, Ricci continued to control Premier after he transferred the company to his wife; that he ran its day-to-day operations; and that he made use of income from the company to maintain his lifestyle, none of which he disclosed to the Bankruptcy Court.
Additionally, Ricci failed to truthfully disclose rental income from his Florida property and from another property that he owned in New Hampshire; and that he was untruthful when he claimed that he held a $200,000 mortgage in the name of another person for the New Hampshire property when, in fact, he owned the property himself and was collecting rent, and that he convinced that person to commit perjury before the bankruptcy trustee.
In addition to the schemes employed by Ricci to hide assets and mislead the Bankruptcy Court, after the Bankruptcy Trustee was declared to be the equitable owner of Ricci’s former company, Premier, Ricci fraudulently applied for COVID-related PPP EIDL loans from the SBA, purportedly to pay Premier employees and company expenses. When filing loan applications, Ricci failed to disclose that the Trustee was the owner of Premier, and that he and the company were involved in bankruptcy proceedings. After obtaining the EIDL and PPP loans, Ricci laundered the proceeds by conducting a series of financial transactions to conceal the location, ownership, and control of the COVID support payments which he used to purchase rental property in Warwick, RI, in the name of another person.
Court documents detail a number of stalling tactics, frivolous pleadings, and fraudulent claims by Ernest Ricci, including claims that he was indigent, during the years’ long bankruptcy proceedings. Documents also detail numerous combative communications sent by Ernest Ricci to the bankruptcy Trustee, some laced with profanities.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by the FBI, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and the United States Bankruptcy Trustee.
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Cincinnati Man Sentenced in Washington D.C. to 13 Years for Distributing Child Pornography, Seeking an 8-Year-Old to AbuseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – John Albertson, 33, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was sentenced on Friday, May 24, 2024, in U.S. District Court to 13 years in prison for sending an undercover FBI agent videos of adults sexually abusing prepubescent girls with the aim of making his own sexually exploitive videos so that he could “have fun and make xxx money.” The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Albertson entered a guilty plea on November 7, 2023, to one count of Distribution of Child Pornography. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Albertson to serve 15 years of supervised release and to pay $18,000 in restitution to the victims depicted in the child pornography.
According to court documents, on August 9, 2023, Albertson joined an encrypted private messaging group on social media where members traded images of child sexual abuse. Albertson shared images of an adult man abusing a prepubescent girl, sending them to an undercover FBI agent working with Metropolitan Police Department-Federal Bureau of Investigation (MPD-FBI) Child Exploitation Task Force. On August 10, 2023, Albertson initiated a text conversation during which he invited the undercover agent to join another social media group focused on child pornography. Albertson and the undercover then exchanged messages in which Albertson sought a meeting with the undercover and his purported 8-year-old daughter for the purpose of sexually abusing the child and filming the abuse for the purpose of later selling it.
Following Albertson’s arrest in the Cincinnati suburb of Hebron, Kentucky, on August 23, 2023, he was transported to the Washington D.C. area where he was indicted by a Grand Jury.
In seeking a 13-year sentence, the prosecution argued that Albertson had engaged in progressively more violent, disturbing, and dangerous conduct over the past decade including a violent interaction with police in 2017 and masturbating in front of a child in 2021, prior to engaging in the conduct in this case.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department-Federal Bureau of Investigation (MPD-FBI) Child Exploitation Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Jocelyn Bond.
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Burmese citizen going to prison for 10 years on fentanyl and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Lay Wah, 24, a Burmese citizen living in Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison by U.S. District Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan E. Leydecker, who handled the case, stated that on March 13, 2023, the ATF and Buffalo Police executed a search warrant at Wah’s Newfield Street residence. As SWAT officers made entry into the apartment, they also formed a perimeter around the exterior of the residence. Simultaneous with Wah fleeing into the rear of the apartment, an officer outside observed an object being thrown out of a rear bedroom window. Investigators recovered a semi-automatic handgun from the rear yard next door. Attached to the handgun was an extended magazine loaded with 31 rounds of ammunition and a machinegun conversion device. Inside the apartment, investigators recovered approximately 888 blue pills, three cellular telephones, ammunition, narcotics packaging materials and $4,540 in cash.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commission Joseph Gramaglia.
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Broome County man who was convicted by a federal jury of traveling to Wyoming County to attempt to have sex with a 13-year-old going to prison for 20 yearsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that David Lettieri, 36, of Harpursville, NY, who was convicted by a federal jury of enticement of a minor, was sentenced to serve 240 months by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Bonanno and Maeve E. Huggins, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that in October 2020, Lettieri traveled from Broome County to meet a 13-year-old girl (victim) in a park in Wyoming County with the intent of having sexual intercourse, however sexual contact did not occur. Subsequent investigation recovered communications between Lettieri and the victim, including photos of the victim on Lettieri’s phone. Investigators also searched Lettieri’s Facebook account and recovered conversations between Lettieri, the Victim, and the Victim’s sister, which were sexual in nature. The Victim’s age was also revealed during the conversations.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Gregory J. Rudolph, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
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Brevard County Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that William Alfred Harris (62, Cape Canaveral) has pleaded guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Harris faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in January 2023, the FBI identified Harris as a target based on being a recipient or downloader of CSAM on a file-sharing platform. In May 2023, the FBI executed a search warrant at Harris’s residence and seized Harris’s laptop. A forensic examination of the computer revealed CSAM, three file wipers, and encryption software.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Box Elder woman admits assaulting woman during attempted kidnapping on Rocky Boy’s Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Box Elder woman accused of beating another woman during an attempted kidnapping from Great Falls to the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation admitted to an assault charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Taneal Raschae Sutherland, 30, pleaded guilty to assault with the intent to commit a felony, a kidnapping. Sutherland faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Sept. 25. Sutherland was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that between Aug. 13 and 15, 2023, Sutherland and a group of friends, including the victim, identified as Jane Doe, were in Great Falls when they got into a dispute over money. Sutherland grabbed Doe by the hair and pushed her into a vehicle, and the group drove Doe to a home on the Rocky Boy’s Reservation. Doe reported that the individuals punched and kneed her throughout the drive to Rocky Boy’s. Doe further told law enforcement that she was kept at the residence against her will for some time before a friend helped her leave. Doe sought medical attention for injuries, including a concussion. Sutherland admitted to law enforcement that she grabbed Doe by the hair and assaulted her throughout the drive to Rocky Boy’s.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kalah A. Paisley and Amanda L. Myers are prosecuting the case. The FBI and Rocky Boy’s Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Terrance August, age 48, a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 70 months in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The Court further sentenced August to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered him to pay $179,976.99 in restitution to financial institutions.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, August conspired and agreed with others to commit wire fraud. August and other co-conspirators defrauded financial institutions by using the personal identifying information (“PII”) of bank customers, including names, social security numbers, and dates of birth, to obtain access to account information. August and other co-conspirators then used the PII of bank customers to contact financial institutions and request changes to victim accounts. During these calls, members of the conspiracy impersonated victims and falsely represented to the financial institutions that they were the bank customer requesting the changes to the account. In some instances, members of the conspiracy changed the phone number, mailing address, and statement preferences on the customers’ accounts. In others, members of the conspiracy enrolled the victims in online banking, without the victims’ knowledge or consent.
Thereafter, August and his co-conspirators accessed victims’ accounts and initiated interstate wire transfers of funds from victim accounts to accounts held by August and other co-conspirators. Once the funds were received from financial institutions located outside of the State of Louisiana, members of the conspiracy withdrew the funds as cash at multiple ATMs and bank branches located in the Middle District of Louisiana. August and other co-conspirators retained a portion of the stolen funds for their own personal enrichment and financial gain.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen Lundin Craig.
Alleged Sinaloa Cartel Leader and Lead Assassin Extradited from Mexico to the United States on Drug Importation, Murder, Kidnapping, Firearms, and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
Alleged Sinaloa Cartel leader and lead sicario, or assassin, Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, also known as El Nini, 32, of Mexico, was extradited on May 25 from Mexico to the United States to face charges contained in two indictments.
“Today, El Nini joins the growing list of cartel leaders and associates extradited to the United States and held accountable in an American courtroom,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We allege El Nini was one of the Sinaloa Cartel’s lead sicarios, or assassins, and was responsible for the murder, torture, and kidnapping of rivals and witnesses who threatened the cartel’s criminal drug trafficking enterprise. This includes killing a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confidential source and killing others in retaliation for the confidential source’s cooperation. We also allege El Nini was a part of the Sinaloa Cartel’s production and sale of fentanyl, including in the United States. I am grateful to our Mexican government counterparts for their extraordinary efforts in apprehending and extraditing El Nini. The Justice Department will always be relentless in its pursuit of the cartels responsible for flooding our communities with fentanyl and other drugs.”
The first indictment, filed in the District of Columbia by the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS), charges Pérez Salas with cocaine and methamphetamine importation, firearms offenses, and conspiracy to obstruct justice through murder. The second indictment, filed in the Southern District of New York (SDNY), charges Pérez Salas with leadership of a continuing criminal enterprise resulting in the deaths of numerous victims, including a confidential source for the DEA, fentanyl importation and trafficking, obstruction of justice by murdering an informant, kidnapping resulting in the deaths of eight people, including a minor boy, firearms, and money laundering offenses.
Pérez Salas was arrested in Culiacan, Mexico, by Mexican authorities on Nov. 22, 2023. Pérez Salas was presented on the charges contained in the SDNY indictment today at 10:30 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang.
According to court documents, the Sinaloa Cartel is one of the most powerful drug cartels in Mexico and is responsible for a substantial portion of the fentanyl that is manufactured and imported for distribution in the United States. Fentanyl is a dangerous synthetic opioid that is more than 50 times more potent than heroin and is the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 49. In recent years, the cartel has been led, in part, by the sons of the cartel’s notorious former leader, Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Loera, also known as El Chapo, and Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, and Ovidio Guzman Lopez—known collectively as the “Chapitos.” Like their father, the Chapitos have used violence and rely on a sophisticated security apparatus to maintain control and to protect themselves and their operations as they traffic massive quantities of narcotics, including fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, to the United States.
Pérez Salas is allegedly one of the senior leaders of the Chapitos’ security apparatus. Under Pérez Salas’ direction, armed enforcers for the Chapitos, known as sicarios, have allegedly used rampant violence to protect the Chapitos’ operations and to demolish unsupportive businesses, capture contested territory, intimidate civilians, and attack and murder law enforcement members who resist their efforts. In part under the direction of Pérez Salas, the sicarios allegedly regularly used military-grade firearms and explosives, including machineguns and rocket launchers, to kidnap, torture, and kill anyone who opposed the Chapitos.
According to court documents, Pérez Salas is allegedly a leader and commander of the “Ninis,” a violent group charged with providing security for the Chapitos. From at least 2012 until February 2021, Pérez Salas allegedly conspired to distribute and manufacture cocaine and methamphetamine for unlawful importation into the United States, used a firearm in furtherance of the alleged drug-trafficking offense, and killed, attempted to kill, threatened, and caused bodily injury to another to intimidate a government witness and informant.
Pérez Salas has also allegedly committed brutal acts of violence to advance the Chapitos’ trafficking operations. For example, in or about 2017, Pérez Salas, with two of the Chapitos, allegedly captured, tortured, interrogated, and killed two Mexican federal law enforcement officers. In or about May 2017, Pérez Salas, with two of the Chapitos and others, allegedly captured three members of a rival drug cartel, Los Zetas, and tortured them before interrogating and killing them. Also, in or about 2017, Pérez Salas and others allegedly conspired to kill and retaliate against a witness and informant. And in or about 2022, Pérez Salas and another sicario allegedly tested the potency of their fentanyl on individuals.
In addition, Pérez Salas has allegedly participated in the negotiation and sale of fentanyl. More specifically, in or about the summer of 2022, Pérez Salas and other associates allegedly sold fentanyl (later seized by the DEA) in Los Angeles. Finally, in or about October 2023, Pérez Salas and other sicarios acting at his direction, allegedly kidnapped a confidential source and 10 other victims in Mexico—including a U.S. citizen—whom Pérez Salas believed worked for or were related to the confidential source. Pérez Salas and his sicarios allegedly killed eight of the kidnapped victims, including the confidential source, and a 13-year-old boy. Pérez Salas allegedly kidnapped and killed these victims in retaliation for the confidential source’s provision of information to law enforcement in connection with the investigation of Pérez Salas and his associates in the Southern District of New York.
Pérez Salas is charged in the District of Columbia indictment with (i) conspiring to import cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States, which carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison; (ii) using, carrying, and possessing machineguns and destructive devices in connection with the cocaine and methamphetamine conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison; and (iii) conspiracy to obstruct justice by retaliating against a witness and informant through murder, which carries a mandatory minimum of life in prison.
Pérez Salas is charged in the SDNY indictment with: (i) participating in a continuing criminal enterprise resulting in death, which carries a mandatory minimum of life in prison; (ii) conspiring to import fentanyl into the United States, which carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison; (iii) conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, which carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison; (iv) using, carrying, and possessing machineguns and destructive devices in connection with the continuing criminal enterprise and the fentanyl importation and trafficking conspiracies, which carries a mandatory minimum of 30 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison; (v) conspiring to use, carry, and possess machineguns and destructive devices in connection with the continuing criminal enterprise and the fentanyl importation and trafficking conspiracies, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison; (vi) conspiring to launder money, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; (vii) obstruction of justice by retaliating against an informant through murder, which carries a mandatory minimum of life in prison; (viii) conspiring to obstruct justice by retaliating against an informant through murder, which carries a mandatory minimum of life in prison; (ix) kidnapping resulting in death, including of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum of life in prison; and (x) conspiring to commit kidnapping resulting in death, including of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit and the FBI Washington Field Office are investigating the case, with assistance from multiple DEA offices throughout Mexico, as well as the assistance of the U.S. Department of State Rewards for Justice Program and U.S. Marshals Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition Pérez Salas. The Justice Department also thanks Mexican authorities for their role in securing the arrest and extradition of Pérez Salas.
NDDS Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich, Kate Naseef, Samantha Thompson, and Tara Arndt and SDNY Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley, Sarah L. Kushner, Alexander N. Li, David J. Robles, and Kyle A. Wirshba are prosecuting the case.
The case is supported by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF).
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Indictment
Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Drunk Driving Crash Causing Serious InjuriesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man has pleaded guilty in federal court to assault charges stemming from a drunk driving crash on Santa Ana Pueblo in 2021 that left the other driver seriously injured.
In his plea agreement, Lionel Medina, 29, an enrolled member of the Zia Pueblo, admitted that on December 1, 2021, he drove while under the influence of alcohol. Medina was driving recklessly and crashed into a vehicle driven by Jane Doe.
As a result, Jane Doe suffered fractures to her spine, sternum, arm, leg, and foot.
The Court ordered that Medina remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
At sentencing, Medina faces up to 10 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Medina will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Santa Ana Police Department and Sandoval County Sheriff’s department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.
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Adams Man Arrested and Charged for Allegedly Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Adams man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mass. for sexually exploiting a child to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Brian Warner, 38, was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child. Warner was arrested today and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Springfield, was detained pending a detention hearing tomorrow.
According to the indictment, between July 2016 and December 2016, Warner employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed and coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing CSAM
The charges of sexual exploitation a child and attempted sexual exploitation of a child provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine G. Curley of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
11 Charged with Trafficking Drugs in Southwestern Connecticut, Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Stamford Police Chief Timothy Shaw today announced that the following 11 individuals have been charged with federal offenses stemming from their alleged involvement in narcotics trafficking in southwestern Connecticut:
RODNEY CANADA, aka “Supreme,” 47, of Stamford
TERRELL WILLS, aka “Black Fred,” 50, of Darien
RAMION BAKER, a.k.a. “Ray Ray,” 43, of Stamford
WILLI BAZELAIS, 30, of Stamford
CHRISTOPHER ADAMS, 57, of Norwalk
GERALD COLEY, aka “G Rock,” 54, of Bridgeport
BENJAMIN DOZIER, aka “Ace” and “Blanco, 42, of Bridgeport
DANNY TURKVAN, aka “Smooth” 53, of Stamford
GAVIN HAMMETT, aka “G” and “Silk,” 59, of Bridgeport
JIMMY ARCE, aka “Boe,” “Slim,” and “Jimbo,” 40, of Bridgeport
OMAR PARRA, aka “D” and “Dee,” 37, of StamfordAs alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Stamford Police Department identified Canada as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine in Stamford and elsewhere in southwestern Connecticut. The investigation, which has included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Wills and Baker helped Canada coordinate the street level distribution of narcotics through Coley, Dozier, Turkvan and others. Canada also sold bulk quantities of cocaine to Bazelais and Adams for further distribution. Hammett is believed to have served as a source of supply for the Canada drug trafficking organization, and Arce was a criminal associate of Canada who supplied Parra with fentanyl, cocaine, and crack.
On May 14, 2024, the defendants, with the exception of Parra, were arrested on federal criminal complaints, and additional individuals were arrested on state charges. On that date, investigators conducted court-authorized searches at locations in Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Darien and seized approximately three kilograms of cocaine, nearly 400 grams of raw fentanyl, more than 500 bags of fentanyl, five firearms, a bulletproof vest, and seven vehicles. Parra has been detained in federal custody since March 19, 2024, when he was arrested on a complaint.
On May 22, 2024, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned three separate indictments charging the 11 defendants. In one indictment, Canada, Wills, Baker, Bazelais, Adams, Coley, Dozier, and Turkvan are charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, an offense that a carries a maximum term of 20 years of imprisonment. The indictment also charges Adams and Baker with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; Baker and Dozier with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; and Baker with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least five years. It is alleged that Baker’s criminal history includes a federal crack cocaine trafficking conviction.
The second indictment charges Hammett with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and a quantity of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years; unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. It is alleged that Hammett’s criminal history includes federal convictions in the District of South Carolina and the District of Connecticut for cocaine trafficking offenses, and he is currently on federal supervised release for the prior District of Connecticut conviction.
The third indictment charges Arce and Parra with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and a quantity of heroin, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. In addition, Arce is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and Parra is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
All of the defendants are currently detained.
“We are committed to using federal law enforcement resources to curb the flow of deadly narcotics in southwestern Connecticut and throughout our state,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “Because firearms are typically involved with illegal drug distribution, this creates a heightened concern. We enhance our efforts when individuals who have already been involved in the federal justice system choose to continue criminal activity when they reenter the community. I thank the DEA Task Force, Stamford Police Department, and all of the agencies that have assisted this investigation. Their work is making Connecticut safer.”
“Illegal drug distribution ravages the very foundations of our families and communities here in Connecticut,” said Acting DEA Special Agent in Charge Stephen P. Belleau. “Let these arrests and seizures serve as an example to those who distribute poisons like fentanyl, heroin, crack-cocaine, and cocaine, that DEA will aggressively pursue and hold you accountable. This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners here in Connecticut and our solid relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“This extensive case is an example of teamwork between many federal and municipal law enforcement partners that led to the arrest of numerous suspects that supplied large amounts of illegal narcotics to the Southwestern portion of Connecticut,” said Stamford Assistant Police Chief Richard Conklin. “Many of the suspects have extensive criminal narcotics background and history, and several illegal firearms were seized. Large scale investigations working together in the team format like this will certainly make Connecticut a safer place for all.”
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Stamford Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Danbury, and Darien Police Departments. The DEA HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
25 May 2024
Harrison County Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Having More than 500 Grams of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Joseph Herbert Hobbs, 42, of Reynoldsville, West Virginia, was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements in court, an investigation in Harrison County found Hobbs was a major source of methamphetamine in North Central West Virginia. Hobbs worked with a network of distributors to sell methamphetamine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
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Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on the Extradition of Néstor Isidro Pérez SalasRead the Press Release
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the extradition of Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, also known as “El Nini”:
“This morning, Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, also known as ‘El Nini,’ was extradited to the United States. We allege El Nini was one of the Sinaloa Cartel’s lead sicarios, or assassins, and was responsible for the murder, torture, and kidnapping of rivals and witnesses who threatened the cartel’s criminal drug trafficking enterprise. We also allege El Nini was a part of the Sinaloa Cartel’s production and sale of fentanyl, including in the United States. I am grateful to our Mexican government counterparts for their extraordinary efforts in apprehending and extraditing El Nini. With this enforcement action, El Nini joins the growing list of cartel leaders and associates indicted in, and extradited to, the United States. The Justice Department will continue to go after the cartels responsible for flooding our communities with fentanyl and other drugs.”
24 May 2024
Two arrested and charged federally in connection with cross border human smuggling schemeRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two men connected to a northern border people smuggling scheme made their initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Seattle today, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jesus Ortiz-Plata, 45, of Independence, Oregon, and Juan Pablo Cuellar Medina, 35, of Everett, Washington were arrested yesterday with three non-citizens who had been smuggled into the United States from Canada. The arrests are the result of a lengthy investigation by Homeland Security Investigation’s Border Security Enforcement Team (BEST).
“These defendants have allegedly been linked to an extremely dangerous smuggling scheme where people are loaded into freight cars on trains traveling from Canada into the U.S.,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Being locked in a freight train car is dangerous – there is no control over the heat, cold, or ventilation, and people can be injured or killed by shifting freight. In one dangerous instance last August, some 29 people were rescued from a boxcar filled with plastic pellets.”
Since late 2022, as Border Patrol and investigators encountered non-citizens who had illegally attempted to cross the border, a phone number later linked to Ortiz-Plata kept coming up as the number the non-citizens were supposed to contact. Ortiz-Plata was identified, and law enforcement got court permission to locate the signal from his cell phone. On Thursday, Ortiz-Plata traveled from his home in Oregon and was followed from Seattle to an apartment in Everett. He left the apartment with three men – all non-citizens. All four were taken into custody. Two had crossed the border in a freight train car and one claimed he had walked across the border and been picked up on the U.S. side. Medina was the resident of the apartment where the men had been staying. Medina was arrested and was identified by one non-citizens as the person who had picked him up after they crossed into the U.S.
Conspiracy to commit illegal transportation of a non-citizen for private financial gain is punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Border Security Enforcement Team, U.S. Border Patrol, and Border Patrol Air and Marine Group.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Celia Lee.
Two Sets of Brothers Among Ten Defendants Charged with Conspiring to Rob Armored Trucks and ATMs in Chicago SuburbsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted ten defendants, including two sets of brothers, for allegedly conspiring to violently rob armored trucks and automated teller machines in the Chicago suburbs.
Charged with robbery conspiracy and firearm offenses are DEVONTE DAVIS, 27, of Chicago; DARRELL SINGLETON, 19, of Calumet City, Ill., and his two brothers, CORRIE SINGLETON, 22, of South Holland, Ill., and ELIJAH SINGLETON, 21, of Calumet City; ANTHONY WILSON, 22, and his brother, AVEON WILSON, 23, both of Gary, Ind.; BRIAN SNYDER, 24, of Chicago; JUSTIN CAIN, 25, of Chicago; PERRY MAPLE, 21, of Chicago; and WILLIAM COCHRAN, 21, of Chicago.
According to a recently unsealed, second superseding indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago, the robbers brandished firearms in eleven robberies and attempted robberies in 2022 and 2023. The heists and attempted heists occurred in Lansing, Ill., Country Club Hills, Ill., Orland Park, Ill., Homewood, Ill., Blue Island, Ill., and Chicago Heights, Ill., and resulted in a total loss of at least $3.8 million, the indictment states.
One of the robberies occurred on Halloween morning in 2022 when a Brink’s security courier was refilling an ATM in Lansing. Corrie Singleton, Darrell Singleton, and others forcibly dragged the courier into the armored truck at gunpoint and ordered her to open compartments and hand over bags of money, according to a criminal complaint previously filed in the case. Another of the heists occurred on May 2, 2023, when two guards were picking up money from a bank inside of a grocery store in Homewood. One of the robbers struck a guard in the head with a firearm. The robbers took approximately $1.1 million, all of which was recovered by law enforcement upon the arrests of Davis and Darrell Singleton later that day in Calumet Park, Ill., according to a criminal complaint previously filed in the case. Another violent attempted robbery occurred on Oct. 2, 2023, in Country Club Hills, when robbers fired shots at an armored truck guard before carjacking a nearby vehicle to flee the scene, according to a previously filed criminal complaint.
Nine of the ten defendants pleaded not guilty to the superseding charges during arraignments this month in federal court in Chicago. They have been ordered detained in federal custody pending trial. Aveon Wilson is considered a fugitive and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. The FBI has issued a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to Aveon Wilson's arrest and conviction.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in Chicago, Illinois State Police, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Orland Park Police Department, Evergreen Park, Ill. Police Department, Joliet, Ill. Police Department, Calumet Park Police and Fire Departments, Homewood Police Department, Chicago Police Department, Country Club Hills Police Department, Calumet City Police Department, Dolton, Ill. Police Department, Alsip, Ill. Police Department, and Lansing Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elie Zenner, Kirsten Moran, and Simar Khera.
Holding firearm offenders accountable through federal prosecution is the centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative that brings together law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community leaders, and other stakeholders to develop comprehensive solutions to the most pressing violent crime problems in a community. In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Davis et al indictmentTwo Men Indicted Federally in Bowling Green for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment on May 15, 2024, charging two men with methamphetamine trafficking.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Erek Davodwich, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, and Sheriff Brandon Ford of the Allen County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on March 22, 2024, John E. Marks, 61, of Scottsville, Kentucky, and Samuel Corey Vanmeter, 34, of Brownsville, Kentucky, possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in Allen County, Kentucky.
Marks made his initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on May 20, 2024. Vanmeter made his initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on May 21, 2024.
Both defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The DEA Bowling Green Resident Agency and the Allen County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case with the assistance of the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
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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Tulsa Man Sentenced after Federal Conviction of Domestic Violence Strangulation and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – After being convicted by a federal jury, today, U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Dakota Wayne Campus. Judge Heil ordered Campus to 204 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
In November 2022, Campus was convicted of Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; and Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
Campus assaulted the victim who is a tribal citizen and was pregnant at the time. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Studies have found that domestic violence strangulation is a significant predictor of future attempted and completed murders, increasing the odds of death by more than seven times. While signs of strangulation are not always visible, strangulation can result in long-term psychological and physical injuries to victims, including depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, traumatic brain injury, strokes, and more. Timely intervention is critical to minimize the short and long-term negative effects of strangulation.
To find resources for domestic violence victims, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling
800-799-SAFE (7233) or text “START” to 88788. In an emergency, always call 911. Confidential resources can be found on their website at thehotline.org.The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey P. Todd and George Jiang prosecuted the case.
Three Men and One Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Narcotics ChargesRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced May 21, 2024, to 84 months in federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute 500 grams or more of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencings, Alejandro Almaraz, 24, and three co-defendants, conspired to distribute methamphetamine in the Council Bluffs, Iowa and Omaha, Nebraska metro areas. This case involved the seizure of approximately 12 kilograms of methamphetamine. The seized methamphetamine was transported from Juarez, Mexico to the United States through El Paso, Texas.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Almaraz will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Almaraz’s three co-defendants were sentenced earlier this year. Arnulfo Ibarra-Nunez, 57, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Stacey Hernandez, 19, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Manuel Gamez-Acosta, 25, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Council Bluffs Police Department.
Springfield Man Indicted for Timeshare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., business owner has been indicted by a federal grand jury for a timeshare fraud scheme as well as for failing to pay more than $333,000 in federal taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks.
Brian J. Scroggs, 52, was charged in a six-count indictment returned on May 14, 2024, by a federal grand jury in Springfield.
Scroggs was the owner of several businesses that focused on various aspects of the timeshare exit industry. These businesses claimed to provide a service that would get prospective clients out of their timeshare contracts.
Scroggs owned Vacation Consulting Services, LLC, and The Transfer Group, LLC, both located in Springfield, from 2014 through February 2019. Scroggs also began operating Real Travel, LLC, on June 5, 2018. Although Real Travel was registered in the state of Arkansas, it conducted business from the Vacation Consulting Services office and utilized the same employees, so by all intents and purposes, was actually Vacation Consulting Services operating under a different business name.
According to the indictment, Scroggs employed sales teams who traveled the country hosting seminars during which Vacation Consulting Services / Real Travel presented to timeshare owners they could get them out of their timeshare contracts for a fee. If they failed to get their clients out of their timeshare contracts within a year, they claimed, they would either buy their clients’ timeshare contracts or refund the fee paid by the clients.
By January 2019, the indictment alleges, Scroggs knew that the timeshare industry was no longer negotiating or working with timeshare exit companies such as Vacation Consulting Services / Real Travel or The Transfer Group to get their timeshare contract holders out of timeshare contracts. Despite knowing that timeshare companies would no longer work with his companies, Scroggs allegedly continued soliciting new clients throughout January 2019 by falsely claiming to be able to get people out of their timeshare contracts.
The federal indictment charges Scroggs with three counts of wire fraud related to three clients who allegedly were defrauded by this scheme. According to the indictment, these clients paid a total of over $32,000 to Scroggs’s companies but were not released from their timeshare agreements and never received a refund.
The indictment also charges Scroggs with three counts of failure to pay over federal employment taxes. Scroggs allegedly failed to pay over to the IRS a total of $333,483 in federal income taxes and FICA taxes that were withheld from his employees’ paychecks for the third and fourth quarters of 2018 and the first quarter of 2019.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI.
South Carolina Man Sentenced to 92 Months in Prison for Firearms Conspiracies and Illegal Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A South Carolina man was sentenced today to 92 months in prison for conspiring to traffic and unlawfully sell firearms and for possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Torell Brown, 49, of Orangeburg, South Carolina, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to Counts Three, Four, and Five of a superseding indictment that charged him with conspiracy to unlawfully sell firearms, possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, and conspiracy to traffic firearms. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From April 2021 through May 18, 2021, Brown, a convicted felon, conspired to unlawfully sell firearms to at least one New Jersey resident. He trafficked six firearms and a large quantity of ammunition from South Carolina to New Jersey. From March 2021 through May 18, 2021, Brown also conspired to traffic firearms and ammunition into New Jersey, for use in connection with at least one other felony offense.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Brown to three years of supervised release.
The investigation that led to these arrests is being conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and is part of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Newark. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. The VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety to combat violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute 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 DEA New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Board of Parole, Union County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, N.J. Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark and special agents and task force officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Ross A. Marchetti, with the investigations leading to the charges. He also thanked the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Director Fritz G. Fragé, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura, and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II, for their significant assistance with these cases.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Special Prosecutions Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Fasanello of the Cybercrime Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Olta Bejleri of the Economic Crimes Unit.
San Joaquin County Skydiver Found Guilty for Running Unauthorized Tandem Skydiving Instructor CoursesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a seven-day trial, a federal jury found Robert Allen Pooley, 49, of Acampo, guilty of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft related to tandem skydiving instructor courses, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2010 Pooley obtained ratings as a “tandem examiner” with the U.S. Parachute Association (USPA) and with Uninsured United Parachute Technologies LLC (UPT), a manufacturer of tandem parachute systems. He then began conducting training courses for candidates seeking to obtain their USPA Tandem Instructor ratings and/or their certifications to use UPT tandem parachute systems. The Tandem Instructor certifications Pooley provided enabled students to conduct tandem jumps with members of the public throughout the United States and abroad. Pooley charged money for these courses and conducted them at a skydiving business located in Acampo.
In August 2015, USPA and UPT suspended Pooley’s tandem examiner ratings, which meant that he could no longer conduct the tandem instructor courses on his own. Nevertheless, he continued running USPA and UPT tandem instructor rating courses without authorization, and he concealed his suspensions from tandem instructor candidates. Pooley falsely told students that he was a tandem examiner, led them to believe they could obtain USPA and UPT tandem ratings through his courses, hid the fact that he had been suspended, and helped students fill out USPA and UPT rating paperwork to further the impression that the students would legitimately get their tandem ratings through his courses.
As part of the scheme, Pooley used a digital image of the signature of another properly rated USPA and UPT tandem examiner to sign off on training that Pooley himself had conducted when the other tandem examiner was not even in the country. In 2016, Pooley accepted numerous students in this manner from around the world, including the Republic of Korea, Chile, and Mexico. Each student paid approximately $1,100 for these courses. The signed documents that Pooley provided some of the students led them to believe they were certified to conduct tandem skydives with members of the public. On Aug. 6, 2016, one such student fell to his death in a tandem skydiving accident with a customer who also perished. After those deaths, numerous victims of Pooley’s scheme asked for their money back, but he did not repay them, and several students had to pay for entirely new tandem instructor courses at other locations.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine T. Lydon and Dhruv M. Sharma are prosecuting the case.
Pooley is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 26, 2024, by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb. Pooley faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of wire fraud and a mandatory two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Readout of Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer’s Trip to the Navajo Nation and to the Pueblo of AcomaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, May 21, and Wednesday, May 22, Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer (AASG Mizer or Acting Associate) visited Window Rock, Arizona, and the Pueblo of Acoma in New Mexico to participate in government-to-government meetings with Tribal leaders and other officials from the Navajo Nation and the Pueblo of Acoma. He also toured the Tribes’ facilities to learn more about government services offered to the Tribes’ members and met with law enforcement officers, victims’ advocates, and other stakeholders.
While meeting with these Tribal Nations, the Acting Associate highlighted the Justice Department’s engagement on critical issues including Tribal justice administration, public safety, and victims’ services – all of which the Department supports through grant funding, strategic engagement, and collaboration with Tribal law enforcement. He was joined by Acting Director Daron T. Carreiro of the Office of Tribal Justice (OTJ) throughout the trip.
Acting Associate Attorney General Mizer’s trip to Arizona and New Mexico is the latest in a series of government-to-government meetings with Tribal Nations across Indian Country. Under this Administration, several senior Justice Department officials, including Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, former Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, former OTJ Director Tracy Toulou, Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Director Rosie Hidalgo, and Access to Justice (ATJ) Director Rachel Rossi have traveled to states such as Alaska, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Oklahoma to meet with American Indian and Alaska Native community leaders, members, and stakeholders.
These visits are part of the Justice Department’s continued efforts to strengthen ties to Indian Country, elevate the voices and concerns of American Indians and Alaska Natives, and reinforce the Department’s commitment to supporting Tribal sovereignty and investing additional resources to tackle Tribal issues.
Meeting with Navajo Nation Executive Leadership
In Window Rock, Arizona – the capital of the Navajo Nation – Acting Associate Attorney General Mizer began his visit by meeting with Navajo Nation President Dr. Buu Nygren, Attorney General Ethel Branch Esq., and Chief Legal Counsel Bidtah Becker Esq. Deputy Attorney General Heather Clah Esq., Deputy Chief of Staff Kris Beecher Esq., MBA, and others also attended the meeting. They recognized the work and collaboration between the Nation and the Department, identified challenges and areas of opportunity, and discussed various concerns, including prosecutorial declinations, public safety funding gaps, recruitment and retention of law enforcement officers, and the transport of uranium and potentially other radioactive materials across Tribal lands.
After meeting with the executive branch, the Acting Associate addressed members of the 25th Navajo Nation Council and delivered welcoming remarks highlighting the Justice Department’s efforts to enhance Tribes’ access to Department grants and resources. He described initiatives to streamline existing funding opportunities and identify new ones that can help enhance Tribal justice systems and law enforcement, combat domestic and sexual violence, and provide support for victims of crimes. In addition, he heard presentations from the Utah Navajo Health System and the Navajo Nation Office of the Prosecutor.
Navajo Nation AG Branch (left), Navajo Nation President Nygren (center), and AASG Mizer, seated. AASG Mizer listens to presentations and participates in a discussion with representatives from the 25th Navajo Nation Council, Navajo Nation Office of the Prosecutor, and Utah Navajo Health System. AASG Mizer (right) gives remarks during discussion with various Navajo Nation representatives with Navajo Nation Delegate Amber Kanazbah Crotty to his left. AASG Mizer (back row, third from left) following meetings with Navajo Nation government officials.Touring Navajo Nation Facilities and Meetings with Judicial Branch Leadership and Prosecutors
Following his meetings with President Nygren and members of the Navajo Nation Council, the Acting Associate Attorney General toured the Nation’s various criminal justice system facilities starting with the judicial buildings for the Navajo Nation Supreme Court and Window Rock District Court. During the stop, he spoke with Navajo Nation Chief Justice JoAnn Jayne and Associate Justice Eleanor Shirley about the Court’s funding needs; innovative, community-centered approaches to administering Tribal law, including the Navajo Nation Peacemaking Program; and efforts to create pipelines for more professional opportunities on the Nation.
The Acting Associate then toured the Window Rock District Police Department, where he was briefed by Tribal officials on law enforcement challenges in bolstering public safety, including the housing of offenders and resources for victims of crime.
Navajo Nation Supreme Court Associate Justice Shirley (left), Chief Justice Jayne (center), and AASG Mizer.After the tour, he met with Navajo Nation Chief Prosecutor Vernon L. Jackson Sr. and staff to learn more about the Nation’s efforts to hold bad actors accountable for crimes, as well as how the Justice Department, through its U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the FBI, can better partner with Tribal law enforcement and officials to address their critical needs.
Meetings with Pueblo of Acoma Leadership
On Wednesday, May 22, Acting Associate Attorney General Mizer continued his travels through Indian Country with engagements with members of the Pueblo of Acoma in New Mexico. At Acoma, he had the opportunity to meet with Governor Randall Vicente, First Lieutenant Governor Wendell Chino, and Second Lieutenant Governor Ted Ortiz, as well as other Tribal officials. The group discussed public safety challenges, Tribal courts, cultural resources and patrimony, and water rights, among other topics.
Other Engagements
During his time in New Mexico, Acting Associate Attorney General Mizer also met with members of the All Pueblo Council of Governors, including Tribal leaders from the Pueblos of Santa Clara, Tesuque, Zia, and Zuni. He also met with staff and Native American law students at the American Indian Law Center’s Pre-Law Summer Institute for American Indians and Alaska Natives, where he discussed the Department’s role in upholding the United States’ trust and treaty obligations for Tribes as well as clerkships and other careers in the law. Additionally, he met with the U.S. Attorney and staff for the District of New Mexico.
Justice Department Resources to Address the Unique Needs of Indian Country
The Navajo Nation and Pueblo of Acoma are currently administering over $8.5 million through 14 active awards from across the Justice Department. These funds help to provide the Navajo Nation and Pueblo of Acoma with the resources needed to address issues pertaining to violence against women, criminal reentry, and law enforcement funding. In addition, among other duties, OTJ serves as the dedicated point of contact and hub of experts for legal and political issues unique to Indian Country. In line with a whole-of-Department approach, the Department previously announced the hiring of additional Assistant U.S. Attorneys and support staff to serve Native communities nationwide bolstering other efforts by the Department, including supporting prosecutors in responding to sexual assault and domestic violence and addressing the crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons.
Puyallup, Washington, man sentenced to 15 years in prison for production and possession of images of child sexual abuseRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 23-year-old Puyallup, Washington, man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for production and possession of images of child sexual abuse, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Shawn Stone was arrested at Sea-Tac airport in August 2022, as he returned from a family trip to Germany. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones talked about the impact on victims of child sexual abuse saying, “The damage to young children doesn’t stop, it goes on a lifetime…. Their pain continues and their suffering continues.”
The FBI identified Stone as a person sharing images of child sexual abuse on an online platform in the summer of 2022. When stopped and arrested at the airport, Stone admitted to sexually molesting children in Germany on a 2019 trip. Stone filmed that abuse, producing some of the images that were later disseminated online. Stone also admitted acquiring and sharing images involving the rape and torture of very young children. Stone pleaded guilty in January 2024.
Following the prison term, he will be on 25 years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.
At a future date, Judge Jones will determine the amount of restitution Stone owes the various victims depicted in his collection of images of child sexual abuse. More than 20 victims have filed claims which still must be reviewed by attorneys involved in the case.
The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Washington State Patrol, Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, Washington Department of Corrections, and US Army.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matt Hampton.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Port Arthur man sentenced for firearms violationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Port Arthur man has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Christopher Bryan Jones, 44, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone on May 24, 2024. Bernard Colbert, 40, of Baldwin, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to the same offense and was sentenced earlier this year to 40 months in federal prison by Judge Crone.
According to information presented in court, on May 8, 2022, Port Arthur police encountered Jones and Colbert in a vehicle parked at a convenience store on Gulfway Drive. The officers were investigating a shooting and questioned Jones and Colbert. During the questioning, the officers observed a pistol-grip shotgun on the back seat behind the men. Further investigation revealed Jones had prior felony convictions from Jefferson County including robbery and burglary of a habitation, and Colbert had felony convictions from Louisiana, including possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of a motor vehicle. A federal grand jury indicted the men together on Nov. 2, 2022. Under federal law, felons are prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Port Arthur Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.
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Porcupine Man Acquitted of Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Porcupine, South Dakota, man was acquitted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person following a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota, on May 22, 2024.
Daelan High Wolf, age 37, was indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2024.
High Wolf was charged with possessing a handgun in a vehicle driven he was driving on February 17, 2021. High Wolf is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has a felony conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Philadelphia man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for transporting victims in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution, U.S. Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Mallie M. Evans, 37, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams to a count of the indictment against him charging him with transporting any individual in interstate commerce with the intent that such individual engage in prostitution. Judge Williams imposed sentence on May 23, 2024, in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2015 through 2017, Evans recruited and coerced multiple victims to engage in prostitution for Evans’s financial benefit and transported victims across state lines between Philadelphia and central and southern New Jersey to engage in prostitution. Evans used fraud, emotional manipulation, physical violence, and threats of death and bodily injury to coerce the victims into engaging in commercial sex acts for his benefit.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Williams sentenced Evans to 10 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Ramey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
Owner of Arkansas Tree Service Business Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
An Arkansas man pleaded guilty yesterday to filing a false individual income tax return.
According to court documents, Carlos Gonzalez, 59, of Rogers, filed false tax returns that underreported the gross receipts from his tree-trimming and removal business, Charley’s Tree Service. From 2014 through 2020, Gonzalez deliberately underreported more than $3 million in gross receipts from his business resulting in a tax loss of approximately $920,694.
Gonzalez pleaded guilty to filing a false 2019 income tax return. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. Gonzalez faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. 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 and U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes for the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Wilson Stamm and Curtis Weidler of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Marshall for the Western District of Arkansas are prosecuting the case.
New Bedford Man Charged with Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man was charged today in federal court in Boston with fraudulently receiving Social Security disability benefits.
Anthony Patterson, 62, was charged with one count of theft of government money. Patterson will make an appearance in federal court in Boston at a later date.
The charging document alleges that, from May 2013 to May 2023, Patterson stole approximately $92,582 in Social Security disability benefits.
The charge of theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Bradley Parker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Navy officer, psychologist sentenced for attempting to sexually coerce a minorRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Navy psychologist was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
According to court documents, on May 25, 2023, Michael Andrew Widroff, 34, was a U.S. Navy officer serving as a psychologist in Norfolk when he came to the attention of law enforcement. On the Whisper social media platform, Widroff posted a picture of a male dressed in a U.S. Navy Service Dress White uniform with accompanying text indicating that he wished to engage in fraternization or other violations of military law. In the military context, fraternization is improper relationships between officers and enlisted personnel, including, as stated by Widroff, “when 2 people who aren’t supposed to date-hook up do.” The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) responded to the post in an undercover capacity as a 14-year-old girl.
Believing he was communicating with a child, Widroff moved the conversation to Snapchat and escalated the communications from casual to sexual. Widroff described to the child, in graphic detail, numerous sexual acts in which he wanted them to engage. Widroff requested “sexy” and nude photos of the child as well as sexually explicit recordings. Widroff then attempted to arrange for them to meet, repeatedly asking her to share the location of her house. Expressing anxiety about being seen, Widroff planned to enter her home through the back door.
On June 7, 2023, when Widroff arrived in the neighborhood where he intended to meet a 14-year-old to engage in sex, law enforcement performed a traffic stop on Widroff. As was being pulled over, Widroff deleted Snapchat from his phone.
Widroff pled guilty on Oct. 12, 2023.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Mack Hickman, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Victoria Liu and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-78.
Multi-convicted felon sentenced to prison for committing multiple robberies while on supervised releaseRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On May 23, a Miami multi-convicted felon was sentenced to 240 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for two attempted credit union robberies, one credit union robbery and one bank robbery while on supervised release for a separate case. The sentence comes after the defendant was convicted in a three-day federal jury trial.
On Sept. 29, 2023, Keith Bernard Miller, 54, of Miami, entered two credit unions in Miramar and attempted to rob each one but to no avail. Then, Miller drove to a credit union in Boca Raton, presented a note demanding money, and stole over $1,600. Then, on Oct. 10, 2023, Miller drove to a bank in Davie and presented a demand note to the teller. In fear for her life, the teller relinquished over $1,300 to Miller. Later that day, law enforcement officers located Miller’s getaway vehicle and arrested him. Law enforcement officers then found draft demand notes and clothing worn during the robberies.
In 2020, Miller was sentenced to 65 months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to three counts of credit union robbery. Prior to his 2020 federal case, Miller had been previously convicted of multiple robberies, aggravated stalking with a firearm, burglary with assault and battery and felony eluding, among other offenses.
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, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman.
FBI Miami investigated the case with assistance from the Miramar Police Department, Boca Police Department and Miami-Dade Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ajay J. Alexander and M. Catherine Koontz prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-60199.
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Meth Trafficking Co-Conspirator Sentenced to 17+ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A federal district judge imposed a 210-month term of imprisonment to an individual who admitted to driving a car intended to distract law enforcement from another car trafficking 40 pounds of meth.
At a joint plea and sentencing hearing Wednesday, Jose V. Sanchez, 28, of Lindsay, California, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance: methamphetamine.
“As traffickers try to get creative in concealing drugs by creating diversions for traffic stops, law enforcement sees through the ploys and will continue to work to remove dangerous narcotics such as meth from our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe.
Co-defendant Christopher Palmer, 40, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to federal charges for driving the car containing 40 pounds of meth through southern Illinois and was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment in February.
According to court documents, two DEA highway interdiction officers signaled to pull Palmer’s car over on Illinois Route 143 exit ramp off Interstate 70 near Marine in May 2022. Sanchez was driving a different car and sped in front in an attempt to divert law enforcement, but officers stayed on Palmer’s vehicle and conducted a traffic stop.
“Southern Illinois is a transportation hub for couriers moving illicit drugs from the south to north and northeast,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Joseph Dixon, head of Drug Enforcement Administration investigations in southern Illinois. “Investigations like this one demonstrate that DEA, working in conjunction with our law enforcement partners, will continue to be laser-focused on the nation’s highways and byways for the illegal drugs that are transported to and poison our communities. Let this serve as a warning to the occupants of these vehicles: we will find you, we will arrest, and you will be prosecuted, and ultimately you will go to prison.”
Following a positive indication of narcotic odor from a canine, officers searched Palmer’s vehicle and located a semi-automatic pistol in the center console and a duffel bag in the trunk stuffed with 40 bags holding approximately one pound each of crystal meth, totaling more than 17 kilograms of actual meth.
After finding the meth, officers located Sanchez in his car in a store parking lot. A store employee told police Sanchez had thrown something away in the storm drain and a nearby trashcan, and officers located a disassembled handgun and a round of 9-millimeter ammunition.
DEA led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Trippi prosecuted the case.
Member of Violent Bridgeport Gang Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
JAUWAN EDWARDS, also known as “Yaya,” 26, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 78 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his involvement in a violent Bridgeport street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Connecticut State Police and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members were involved in narcotics trafficking, murder, and other acts of violence. Edwards was a member of the Original North End (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport that committed acts of violence against rival gangs, including the East End gang, the East Side gang, and the PT Barnum gang. O.N.E. members also robbed drug dealers, customers, and others, sold narcotics, and stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut, often using the cars to commit crimes. They frequently used social media to promote and coordinate their criminal activities.
Analysis of numerous social media posts and text messages revealed that Edwards possessed firearms, and that he sold a variety of drugs, including fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack, Percocet pills, and marijuana. Edwards also participated with other O.N.E. members in the theft and possession of stolen vehicles, including a Lexus Rx350 that was stolen from Rye, New York, and used in a homicide.
In early December 2019, O.N.E. members were involved in multiple shots-fired incidents in Bridgeport. In one incident, the mother of two East End gang members was shot outside of her Bridgeport home. In another incident, on December 8, 2019, O.N.E. members used the stolen Lexus in a shooting incident at the P.T. Barnum Housing Complex, and then drove it to Newfield Avenue in Bridgeport, considered the turf of the East End/East Side gang, where they shot and killed Ty’Quess Moore, also known as “Breezo,” 18.
Edwards was arrested on July 27, 2021. A search of his residence on that date revealed fentanyl, crack cocaine, and cocaine packaged for distribution, and a loaded Glock handgun with an extended magazine and a laser sight.
Edwards has been detained since his arrest. On June 30, 2023, he pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy.
Approximately 47 members and associates of the East End, O.N.E. and the GHB/Hotz gangs have been convicted of federal offenses stemming from this investigation, which has solved eight murders and approximately 20 attempted murders.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, Waterbury Police Department, and Naugatuck Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck, Tara E. Levens, Patrick J. Doherty, Rahul Kale, and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state, and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Mansfield Tax Preparer Convicted of 33 Counts of Tax Fraud After Bench TrialRead the Press Release
A would-be lawyer who falsely inflated dozens of client tax returns was convicted Friday of 33 counts of tax fraud, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
John Anthony Castro, 40, owner of the virtual tax preparation business Castro & Company, was indicted in January. Following a five-day bench trial before Senior U.S. District Judge Terry R Means, he was convicted on all 33 counts of assisting in the preparation of a fraudulent return and was immediately taken into custody.
“While most tax preparers are honest and provide honest tax services to their clients, some like Mr. Castro victimize their clients all in the name of greed,” stated Jenifer L. Piovesan, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office. “Mr. Castro is now a convicted felon facing a lengthy prison sentence.”
According to evidence presented in court, Mr. Castro – who had graduated law school but repeatedly failed the bar exam – held himself out as an “international tax expert” and “federal practitioner.” (He also falsely claimed to be a graduate of West Point.)
He was successful at marketing to clients around the world, claiming to be an expert on certain tax issues related to Australian ex-pats, among other things. Between 2017 and 2019, he filed more than 1,900 tax returns on behalf of individuals from all over the world.
As part of his pitch, Mr. Castro promised his clients a significantly higher refund than they would receive from other preparers, claiming he knew how to identify and claim deductions that others did not. He added there was no risk, as he would simply split the additional refund amount with them to account for his fee. He would not share the tax return with clients before filing, but would instead simply inform them of the amount of the anticipated refund.
On many occasions, he filed tax returns on behalf of clients without their permission or knowledge. In other instances, he claimed deductions that had no basis in fact. For example, for one client, who made approximately $103,000 in income, Mr. Castro claimed over $90,000 in deductions related to unreimbursed employee expenses.
Mr. Castro claimed deductions based on extreme and unsupported legal theories, including deductions such as (1) those for any expense related to preventing an illness qualified as an “impairment related work expense,” (2) those for expenses related to commuting to and from work, (3) the full value of one’s mortgage and utilities as long as the taxpayer had some type of Schedule C business to claim, (4) those related to dry-cleaning for work clothes, and (5) the full value of one’s cell phone bill even when their employer provided them with a work phone. For example, with respect to one client, Mr. Castro deducted over $26,000 in expenses that he claimed related to a nascent cupcake business that had generated only $250 in revenue.
According to trial testimony, in February 2018, an undercover IRS – CI agent contacted Mr. Castro for assistance. The agent asked to meet with Mr. Castro in person, but Mr. Castro’s office told him that in-person meetings required a $5,000 retainer. They spoke via email instead.
On February 13, 2018, the undercover agent submitted a W2 and a Form 1098-T showing wages of $142,217. About two weeks later, one of Mr. Castro’s employees called the agent to discuss deductions, noting that Mr. Castro would make any decisions regarding what items would be included on the tax filing. The agent denied having any unreimbursed employee expenses, charitable contributions, or other items that could lead to deductions.
On March 12, 2018, Mr. Castro sent the undercover agent his tax analysis. He said that if the agent used another preparer, he would receive a refund of $373, but that if he used Mr. Castro, he would receive a refund of $6,007. Mr. Castro would take half, netting him $3,008. The analysis said the return would include $29,339 in deductions but did not specify which deductions would be used.
Two days later, Mr. Castro filed the agent’s return, which claimed $29,339 in fraudulent deductions, including $2,400 in employee expenses, and 28,600 in other expenses that the undercover agent had never discussed with Mr. Castro or his employees.
According to evidence presented at trial, Mr. Castro engaged in a similar pattern with his other clients. When the victim-taxpayers learned what Mr. Castro had done, many of them demanded copies of their tax returns. Mr. Castro refused to engage in conversation and even delayed providing returns for months at a time. Mr. Castro often acted in a highly vindictive manner when questioned or challenged by clients or others, often berating individuals in emails, threatening legal actions, or by filing amended tax returns, without clients’ permission or knowledge, that removed all deductions, causing the taxpayer-victim to then owe the IRS tens of thousands of dollars.
During the trial, Mr. Castro took the stand in his own defense, and upon cross-examination, admitted that his positions were extreme, outlandish, and not supported by the law. He also admitted to a bevy of prior falsifications and vindictive actions.
Many of the victim-taxpayers have since been audited and/or filed amended returns, causing them significant financial hardship.
Mr. Castro now faces up to 99 years in federal prison, three years per count.
IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys P.J. Meitl and Nancy Larson are prosecuting the case.
Manager of Mexico-Based Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Prison for International Methamphetamine Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
A manager of a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization was sentenced today to 21 years and 10 months in prison and ordered to forfeit $1,339,500 for his role in an international drug trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, beginning around May 2013 and continuing to at least December 2016, Gabriel Cerda-Guillen, 49, of Mexico, was a manager for a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization that served as a source of methamphetamine and marijuana supply for an Omaha, Nebraska-based distribution network. Specifically, from 2013 and through 2014, Cerda-Guillen imported marijuana and methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States and subsequently distributed those controlled substances to cities across the United States, including Omaha and the surrounding areas. During and in furtherance of the conspiracy, Cerda-Guillen participated in the shipment of an estimated 22 to 44 kilograms of methamphetamine and nearly one ton of marijuana. Cerda-Guillen imported drugs to Nebraska from Mexico with the expectation that members of local distribution networks would further distribute the drugs and remit the drug proceeds back to him after receiving payment. Cerda-Guillen provided drugs on credit or before payment was rendered, received reporting on the status of sales, and received drug proceeds through bulk cash transports or through established money laundering networks.
Cerda-Guillen pleaded guilty in December 2023 to a two-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 100 kilograms or more of marijuana and conspiracy to conduct and attempt to conduct financial transactions, affecting interstate and foreign commerce, which involved proceeds of a specified unlawful activity.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Susan T. Lehr for the District of Nebraska; Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the FBI Omaha Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) St. Louis Field Office made the announcement.
This investigation is supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF).
The FBI Omaha Field Office and IRS-CI St. Louis Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Robert Sainvil and Douglas Meisel of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Molsen for the District of Nebraska prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Office of Enforcement Operations provided significant assistance.
Manager of Mexico-Based Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced for International Methamphetamine Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A manager of a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization was sentenced today to 21 years and 10 months in prison and ordered to forfeit $1,339,500 for his role in an international drug trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, beginning around May 2013 and continuing to at least December 2016, Gabriel Cerda-Guillen, 49, of Mexico, was a manager for a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization that served as a source of methamphetamine and marijuana supply for an Omaha, Nebraska-based distribution network. Specifically, from 2013 and through 2014, Cerda-Guillen imported marijuana and methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States and subsequently distributed those controlled substances to cities across the United States, including Omaha, Nebraska, and the surrounding areas. During and in furtherance of the conspiracy, Cerda-Guillen participated in the shipment of an estimated 22 to 44 kilograms of methamphetamine and nearly one ton of marijuana. Cerda-Guillen imported drugs to Nebraska from Mexico with the expectation that members of local distribution networks would further distribute the drugs and remit the drug proceeds back to him after receiving payment. Cerda-Guillen provided drugs on credit or before payment was rendered, received reporting on the status of sales, and received drug proceeds through bulk cash transports or through established money laundering networks.
Cerda-Guillen pleaded guilty in December 2023 to a two-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 100 kilograms or more of marijuana and conspiracy to conduct and attempt to conduct financial transactions, affecting interstate and foreign commerce, which involved proceeds of a specified unlawful activity.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Susan T. Lehr for the District of Nebraska; Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the FBI Omaha Division; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) St. Louis Field Office made the announcement.
This investigation is supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF).
The FBI Omaha Field Office and IRS-CI St. Louis Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Robert Sainvil and Douglas Meisel of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Molsen for District of Nebraska prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Office of Enforcement Operations provided significant assistance.