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Friday 12 April 2024
California Man Involved in Methamphetamine Trafficking Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on April 11, 2024, to more than 12 years in federal prison.
Carlos Sanchez, age 36, from San Bernardino, California, received the prison term after an October 23, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Sanchez was involved in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was responsible for mailing methamphetamine from California to Iowa through the United States Postal Service. Sanchez mailed multiple packages that contained many pounds of methamphetamine on behalf of the drug trafficking organization.
Sanchez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Sanchez was sentenced to 150 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Sanchez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force. The DEA Task Force consists of the DEA, the Linn County Sheriff's Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-91.
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Bissonnet trafficker heads to prison for forcing minors to engage in sex actsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 35-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for sex trafficking of a minor on the “track,” announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jerreck Michael Hilliard aka Jmoney pleaded guilty Oct. 12, 2022.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now sentenced Hilliard to 292 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard evidence that Hilliard had offered to teach another person the “pimp game” who then allegedly turned around and victimized numerous vulnerable young girls and women using violence and manipulation. In handing down the prison term, the court stated that the Hilliard was “every parent’s worst nightmare.” The court also noted that Hilliard destroyed the young victims’ lives for “nothing more than money” and that their lives would never again be the same. Hilliard was also ordered to serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Hilliard will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Restitution will be determined at a later date.
“No little girl dreams of growing up and selling her body for money,” said Hamdani. “Heinous things have happened to these victims that ultimately led them into the sights of the criminals who target and prey on them. What Hilliard did was reprehensible. It is no defense that a victim may have previously been involved in prostitution. Today, this victim blaming stops.”
From April 2019 to February 2020, Hilliard and others were involved in a sex trafficking conspiracy occurring on the Bissonnet “blade.” The “blade” or “track” is an area near I-59 Southwest Freeway and Bissonnet Street in Houston where pimps and traffickers commonly place their victims to engage in commercial sex.
Hilliard and co-conspirators recruited young teenage girls and forced them to engage in sex acts with clients for money in cars and hotels around the blade. Co-conspirators also passed around or reassigned victims amongst one another, coached each other on the “pimp game” and forced the young girls to walk the area while the traffickers kept the proceeds.
The victims were not allowed to switch between pimps unless they paid an exorbitant exit fee or were “beat out.” Some traffickers required daily quotas each night from their victims. If the girls did not meet those demands, the pimps and others severely punished victims through beatings and humiliation.
Hilliard will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Houston Police Department initiated the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office as a part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA). Established in 2004, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Bennett, Kate Suh and Anthony Franklyn are prosecuting this case.
Biotech CEO Sentenced for $28M COVID-19 Securities Fraud Scheme and Obstruction of Related InvestigationRead the Press Release
The CEO of a California biotechnology company was sentenced today to seven years in prison for a securities fraud scheme that resulted in approximately $28 million in investor losses and obstruction of a related U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation.
According to court documents, Keith Berman, 70, of Westlake Village, California, was the CEO and sole director of Decision Diagnostics Corp., a publicly traded medical device company. From February through December 2020, Berman engaged in a scheme to defraud investors by falsely claiming that Decision Diagnostics had developed a 15-second test to detect COVID-19 in a finger prick sample of blood when, in reality, no such test existed. Berman also falsely told investors that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was on the verge of approving Decision Diagnostics’ request for emergency use authorization of its purported COVID-19 test. In reality, Berman knew that his company was unwilling and unable to meet the clinical testing required by the FDA but concealed these material facts and misled investors.
“At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Keith Berman gave people false hope that his biotech company had developed a rapid blood test to detect COVID-19. But there was no such test. Berman defrauded investors to profit from the pandemic,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence sends a message that those who attempt to capitalize on fear and desperation to cheat unsuspecting Americans in times of national emergency will be held accountable.”
As part of the scheme, Berman used a fake persona to repeat false and misleading statements to investors on internet message boards, and to lull unsuspecting investors into inaction by refuting allegations of fraud and threatening potential whistleblowers with civil or criminal sanctions. Berman also obstructed an SEC investigation into his conduct, using another false online identity to surreptitiously direct an investor to write a series of false and threatening letters to the highest levels of SEC management, including the SEC Chairman.
“The defendant, Keith Berman, used the chaos of COVID-19 to not only orchestrate a fraudulent scheme that preyed on investors’ uncertainties, but he also ensnared them in a deceitful web of lies with promises of prosperity, then retaliated against his victims when confronted with his bogus claims, demonstrating his callous disregard for others facing financial ruin at his hands,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with our partners, will continue to bring these predatory criminals to justice.”
“Keith Berman not only misrepresented himself and lied about a phony COVID-19 diagnostic test to entice unsuspecting investors, but he also engaged in threats and obstructed a federal investigation,” said Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “This case demonstrates the FBI’s continued commitment to working with our partners to combat fraud and hold perpetrators accountable.”
Berman pleaded guilty on Dec. 7, 2023, to securities fraud, wire fraud, and obstruction of an official proceeding.
USPIS and the FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Christopher Fenton, Kate T. McCarthy, and Matthew Reilly of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Bear Lake County Woman Sentenced to 7.5 Years in Federal Prison for Soliciting MurderRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – DeAnn Parkin, 31, of Ovid, Idaho, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for soliciting murder, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, on May 23, 2023, special agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) received a tip from a reliable source regarding an individual, DeAnn Parkin, attempting to hire a hitman through a parody website. Parkin, motivated by personal grievances, sought the murder of the intended victim, providing detailed information about that victim and expressing urgency in email exchanges from May 14 to May 22, 2023. Undercover operations began on May 23, with an undercover agent introducing himself to Parkin as a hitman. The undercover agent communicated with Parkin through text messages and calls. Over several days, Parkin persistently and unequivocally conveyed her desire for the murder to be carried out. The undercover operation culminated with an in-person meeting in Ovid on June 6, 2023, where Parkin provided the undercover agent a $100 down payment, a diamond ring, and an agreement for future payments. Parkin was arrested after the payment occurred.
“While the defendant’s scheme to arrange a murder is shocking, it should not be surprising that law enforcement—in this case the ATF—was in a position to stop it,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Along with our partners, we will continue to hold violent offenders accountable, regardless of the nature of their criminal conduct.”
“The act of murder is in itself a heinous crime,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “But the act of attempting to hire someone to commit murder is that much more egregious. When ATF learns of a murder for hire plot, we will do all we can to thwart these nefarious plans.”
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Parkin to be placed on supervised release for three years following her prison sentence. Parkin pleaded guilty to use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire on January 9, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit applauded the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their work on the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett prosecuted the case.
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Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. This case was adopted from state prosecution in cooperation with the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
According to court documents, on December 4, 2022, deputies from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in the South Valley in reference to a domestic violence incident. The victim told dispatchers that her boyfriend, Leon Ruben Salazar, 42, pointed a firearm at her during an argument. The victim stated that she had been holding her two-year-old child at the time.
Following a 12-hour standoff with law enforcement, Salazar was taken into custody and transported to BCSO’s prisoner transport center. While there, Salazar admitted to smoking fentanyl the prior day and that a rifle was under his bed.
Based on that information, BCSO deputies obtained a search warrant for the residence. Inside, detectives found two handguns, a rifle and ammunition. In addition to the firearms, detectives located three bags of fentanyl pills weighing a total of approximately 20.6 grams, Xanax pills weighing approximately 12.5 grams, a baggie of methamphetamine, 14 Suboxone strips, two Fentanyl patches, and drug paraphernalia.
As a previously convicted felon and an unlawful user of and addict to a controlled substance, Salazar was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition. At sentencing, federal prosecutors successfully argued that Salazar’s conduct and criminal history warranted a sentence at the top end of his guideline sentence of 27 to 33 months.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Salazar will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman made the announcement today.
The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case with assistance from the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Haynes prosecuted the case as part of an agreement with the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Through the agreement, Assistant District Attorneys are designated Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) in the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA from the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office screens every felony criminal complaint filed in Bernalillo County for federal criminal offenses, prioritizing federal charges against those who drive violence in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Since 2020, the United States Attorney’s Office has reviewed almost 3,000 cases and has charged 343 criminal cases pursuant to this program.
The United States Attorney’s Office has similar agreements with the New Mexico Department of Justice and the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office and plans to expand the program throughout the state.
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15 Gang Members Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Federal, state, and local law enforcement officials announce the unsealing of a superseding indictment charging 15 members of the Fully Blooded Felons, a criminal street gang that was active in Northeast Ohio and in the Ohio prison system. The gang members were charged for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving their importing and distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and buprenorphine in Northeast Ohio, and their illegal possession of firearms. Three defendants have been in federal custody since December 2023. Authorities have arrested several newly charged defendants. They transported several of them to federal court in Cleveland, while the others are in custody elsewhere.
This announcement is made by United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko, FBI Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen, and Cleveland Division of Police Chief Dorothy Todd.
“The indictment alleges that Raven Mullins and other members of the Fully Blooded Felons operated an open-air drug market, distributing the deadliest types of drugs sold on Cleveland’s streets. This organization is charged not only with peddling such poisons in Cleveland’s Cedar Estates neighborhood, but also with actively plotting to recruit persons to infiltrate the Ohio prison system to distribute drugs there so gang members could reap the profits,” said United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko. “This indictment and these arrests are a product of the dedication, cooperation, and tireless efforts of Northern District of Ohio federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who, working together, identified and disrupted this criminal organization. Because of these efforts, the many law-abiding members of the Cedar Estates neighborhood have a real opportunity to come together and make positive changes.”
“This operation and subsequent arrests underscore the FBIs mission to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle gangs not only in the larger cities across America, but also right here in northern Ohio,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “Identifying criminal networks takes careful coordination and collaboration. We are proud to partner with the agencies that make up the FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes the Cleveland Division of Police, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, and the Ohio Investigative Unit. In addition, the United States Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Cleveland’s Third District played a major role in this operation. We thank them as well as our other federal, state, and local partners who work seamlessly together to protect our communities and keep offenders off the streets.”
The following defendants are charged in the 33-count superseding indictment:
Raven Mullins, aka Dunny, aka Dun, 34, Cleveland, Ohio
Henry Burchett, aka Noodles, aka Noo, 39, Cleveland, Ohio
Cortez Tyree, aka Seed, 34, Cleveland, Ohio
Rodney Linson, aka Scrap, 37, Willoughby Hills, Ohio
Elijah Johnson, aka Loon, 36, Unknown
Demarcus Elliott, aka Moo, 37, Westlake, Ohio
Dontez Hammond, aka Donny, 35, Cleveland, Ohio
Jeffrey Lee, aka Fatty, 23, Cleveland, Ohio
Jerrell Jones-Ferrell, aka Ruga, 25, Cleveland, Ohio
Jerry Mullins, aka B. Money, 32, Cleveland, Ohio
Devonte Johnson, aka D Nut, aka Nut, 31, Cleveland, Ohio
Jerome Williams, aka Jay, 29, Cleveland, Ohio
Christepher Horton, aka Cam, aka Killa, 40, Erie, Pennsylvania
Deeundra Perkins, aka Drizzy, 32, Unknown
Deon Blackwell, aka White Boy, 37, Cleveland, OhioThe defendants were all charged in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Additionally, six defendants were charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances offenses, five defendants were charged with illegal possession of firearms, and five defendants were charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. One defendant was charged with interstate travel in aid of racketeering, and 11 defendants were charged with using a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
The superseding indictment alleges that between as early as January 2022, and continuing through April 2, 2024, the defendants did knowingly and intentionally conspire with each other to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute mixtures and substances containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance, cocaine base (“crack”), a Schedule II controlled substance, and buprenorphine, a Schedule III controlled substance.
According to court documents, Raven Mullins and other defendants operated an organized gang hierarchy that committed violent acts, possessed and transferred firearms, and distributed controlled substances in Northeast Ohio. The Fully Blooded Felons used two apartments at the Cedar Estates in Cleveland, Ohio, to store controlled substances and firearms and to distribute different controlled substances to customers. Subordinate gang members used a grassy area immediately adjacent to the Cedar Estates, and the area surrounding the 28th Street Liquor Store, to distribute controlled substances to customers at the direction of Raven Mullins and other high-ranking members. The superseding indictment alleges that Elijah Johnson travelled to Texas and Arizona to obtain kilogram quantities of pills containing fentanyl, which he then supplied to Fully Blooded Felon members for distribution in Northeast Ohio. Additionally, the superseding indictment alleges that the Fully Blooded Felons operated a drug smuggling and distribution ring inside numerous Ohio state prisons and federal detention centers.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle major criminal organizations and subsidiary organizations, including criminal gangs, transnational drug cartels, racketeering organizations, and other groups engaged in illicit activities that present a threat to public safety and national security and are related to the illegal smuggling and trafficking of narcotics or other controlled substances, weapons, humans, or the illegal concealment or transfer of proceeds derived from such illicit activities in the Northern District of Ohio. The OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force consists of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Border Patrol, and the Cleveland Division of Police. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The investigation preceding the superseding indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Safe Streets Task Force, the Cleveland Division of Police’s Third District and Gang Impact Unit, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, and the Ohio Investigative Unit. The United States Marshals Service coordinated the arrests of those defendants apprehended.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Kolansky and Paul E. Hanna, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Brian W. Lynch and Alyssa Levey-Weinstein of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
Thursday 11 April 2024
Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Passport Fraud and Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty yesterday to using a stolen identity to apply for a United States passport after he had unlawfully reentered the United States following deportation.
Rohan Andrew Brown, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien and one count of passport fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for July 17, 2024.
Brown, a native of Jamaica, was previously deported in August 2002 after a conviction in Connecticut for unlawful restraint in the first degree. Sometime after his removal, Brown unlawfully reentered the United States. In 2012, Brown unlawfully obtained a passport by using the identity of a United States Citizen. Over the following years, Brown continued to use that stolen identity to obtain drivers licenses in California and Ohio. In March 2022 and May 2023, Brown attempted to renew the passport using the same fraudulent identity.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of passport fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Wisconsin Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking a Woman and a Minor OnlineRead the Press Release
A Wisconsin man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty in November 2023 to two counts of sex trafficking.
According to court documents, Austin Koeckeritz, 30, of River Falls, pleaded guilty to compelling a young woman to perform commercial sex acts online, and also sex trafficking a minor.
“Sex traffickers exploit vulnerable victims for profit and, increasingly, this practice includes commercial sex activity online,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This should send a clear message – sex traffickers who try to hide behind computer screen screens and exploit victims online will be exposed and held accountable. The Justice Department remains committed to prosecuting human trafficking offenses, no matter the form, and standing up for the children and adult survivors targeted by these abusers.”
“My office will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to hold human traffickers accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “Sex trafficking and forced prostitution are terrible crimes and our priority is to restore freedom and dignity to the victims.”
“The women and men of the FBI work tirelessly to combat sex trafficking in communities across Wisconsin to stop individuals like Koeckeritz from exploiting and harming innocent victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “Human trafficking has lifelong impacts on those affected. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, is dedicated to bringing these individuals to justice.”
According to court documents, Koeckeritz used violence, threats of violence, emotional manipulation, isolation and surveillance to recruit and then compel one adult victim into engaging in online commercial sex acts in the River Falls area between August 2020 and August 2022. Beginning in January 2021, the adult victim was forced to perform the commercial sex acts between eight and 12 hours a day, six days a week, for over 18 months. He also caused a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts between October 2021 and January 2022.
The FBI Milwaukee Field Office and River Falls Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Pierce County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorneys Slava Kuperstein and Julie Pluger of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Wayne County man arrested on multiple child exploitation chargesRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that John C. Aldrich, IV, 54, of Palmyra, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with the production, receipt, possession, and distribution of child pornography, and enticement of a minor. The charges carry a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine up to $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, law enforcement began investigating Aldrich in March 2024, after receiving information that he had engaged in the ongoing physical and sexual abuse of a minor victim in Palmyra, NY. Investigators recovered messages between the victim and Aldrich, which revealed that Aldrich had been involved in an ongoing pattern of abuse in which he sexually abused the victim and produced child pornography. According to the complaint, the abuse took place on a weekly basis over a period of more than one year, beginning when the victim was only 14 years old.
Aldrich made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson and was held pending a detention hearing on April 22, 2024, at 11:00 a.m.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, Lyons, under the direction of Major Miklos Szoczei II, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Watertown Man Sentenced to over Two Years in Prison for African Sports Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Watertown man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for defrauding investors who believed they were financing lucrative sports ventures in Africa.
Adrian Kawuba, 34 was sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 27 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Kawuba was also ordered to pay restitution of more than $625,000, forfeiture of more than $2.2 million and to pay a special assessment of $400. In December 2023, Kawuba pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud.
Kawuba told his victims that he would invest their money in short-term financing of youth sports ventures in Africa and elsewhere and that he would personally guarantee their investments. In fact, Kawuba did not invest any of the victims’ funds. Instead, Kawuba used the money to pay for luxury goods and to pay purported returns to his investors – in some instances re-paying a victim’s earlier investment with money victims had sent Kawuba for a new investment. The scheme involved at least 26 fraudulent deals, and involved more than $2.2 million in victim funds, of which Kawuba kept more than $625,000.
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. The Watertown Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of the Office’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
United States Attorney Cunha Advises Rhode Islanders to be Wary of Scammers Alleging Missed Jury Duty and Demand for Payment of FinesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island has been made aware of an ongoing scam in which individuals receive communications instructing them to call a number claiming to be the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. Callers are advised that they have missed jury duty and must pay a fine immediately to avoid arrest or other consequences. Individuals have been asked to withdraw money and transfer it in accordance with instructions given over the phone, in some cases by first converting it into cryptocurrency.
If you receive a request of this kind - DO NOT SEND MONEY. These communications are fraudulent. The United States District Court will never contact individuals seeking payments for missed jury service.
Anyone receiving communications of this nature should contact their local police department or contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov
If you have questions regarding jury service, you can contact the District Court Clerk’s Office at (401) 752-7200.
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U.S. Attorneys for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of North Carolina, Department of Housing & Urban Development Office of Inspector General Host Community Conversation on Combatting Sexual Harassment in HousingRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorneys Michael Easley for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Sandra Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina, and Dena King for the Western District of North Carolina joined the Civil Rights Division and the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General (HUD OIG) in hosting a community conversation today focused on the use of the Fair Housing Act to prevent and address complaints of sexual harassment in HUD-assisted housing.
“In our ongoing commitment to ensure justice and safety for all, we are proud to co-host a community conversation with a focus on combating sexual harassment in housing,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This event represents a crucial step in our collaborative efforts to create a safe living environment for all people.”
“Abusing power and control over housing by committing acts of sexual harassment violates a person’s right to equal housing opportunities,” said U.S. Attorney King. “My Office remains steadfast in our commitment to enforce federal civil rights laws to combat sexual harassment in housing, protect vulnerable tenants and housing applicants, and hold accountable landlords, property managers, and owners who violate these statutes.”
“Sexual harassment of citizens who are pursuing safe and affordable housing will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Hairston. “This reprehensible conduct is often inflicted on people who feel they do not have an avenue to seek help. We hope today’s seminar has provided our partner agencies and organizations with information that can be shared with citizens who may have fallen prey to this illegal activity.”
“Sexual harassment and sexual assault in HUD-assisted housing are discriminatory actions that violate a tenants’ rights to safe and fair housing,” said Inspector General Oliver Davis. “We are proud to work closely with our partners at the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice and will continue to enforce the Fair Housing Act by pursuing bad actors who take advantage of tenants and prospective tenants in violation of the law.”
The virtual engagement signified the partnership between the federal agencies to promote the health and safety of tenants residing in HUD-assisted housing by working together to bring justice to victims of predatory landlords and other housing providers who sexually harass or sexually assault tenants in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act. The topics included discussions about the Fair Housing Act and tenant rights under the law, how to recognize and report sexual misconduct in housing, and case studies.
Participants included representatives from legal aid offices, fair housing organizations, and other community organizations who assist underserved and underrepresented communities with housing. Participants were encouraged to share their experiences, concerns, and expertise to forge future partnerships and provide resource assistance to beneficiaries when reporting allegations of sexual misconduct in housing.
If you or someone you know has information about or has been a victim of sexual harassment, sexual assault, or sexual exploitation—even if the events occurred years ago—report it to the HUD Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-347-3735 or visit the website at www.hudoig.gov/hotline.
You may also file a complaint with HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at https://www.hud.gov/fairhousing/fileacomplaint.
You may also contact the U.S. Department of Justice at 1-844-380-6178 or visit www.civilrights.justice.gov.
Individuals who believe they may have been victims of sexual harassment or other housing discrimination may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at:
Eastern District of North Carolina: (919) 856-4530
Middle District of North Carolina: (336) 333-5351
Western District of North Carolina: Charlotte (704) 344-6222 or Asheville (828) 271-4661
For more information on the three North Carolina U.S. Attorney’s Offices, priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit:
Eastern District of North Carolina: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc
Middle District of North Carolina: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdnc
Western District of North Carolina: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc
Two Texans Sentenced to 15 Years for A Conspiracy to Distribute over 20 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Arnulfo Rodriguez-Munoz (43, Fort Worth, TX) and Enrique Velasquez (45, Dallas, TX) each to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Both Rodriguez-Munoz and Velasquez entered guilty pleas on June 22, 2023.
According to court documents, Velasquez coordinated a shipment of cocaine that was supposed to travel to Florida (but was intercepted by law enforcement). Velasquez then traveled to the Tampa Bay area to recover the proceeds. Rodriguez-Munoz traveled to Florida to coordinate two additional shipments of cocaine, one of which was concealed inside a speaker box. Both of those cocaine shipments were also recovered by law enforcement.
Two co-conspirators were previously sentenced. Heriberto Castillo was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison and David Ceballos was sentenced to 3 years and 1 month in federal prison.
This case was being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Hardee County Sheriff’s office, and the Lakeland Police Department. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Kenneth and Diego F. Novaes.
Two San Antonians Sentenced to 18 and 15 Years in Federal Prison for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A San Antonio man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 216 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine into the U.S. from Mexico.
According to court documents, Miguel Bazan, 39, was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol agents at the Eagle Pass Border Patrol Station on Oct. 14, 2019. Agents referred the vehicle to secondary inspection and discovered 64.671 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in after-market compartments built into the vehicle.
Bazan pleaded guilty on June 14, 2021, to conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Codefendant Melanie Mendoza Garza, who was in the vehicle with Bazan, pleaded guilty on March 22, 2021, to the same charge. She was sentenced on June 8, 2023, to 188 months in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and the USBP investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Garner prosecuted the case.
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Two Men Indicted for Laundering Millions of Dollars in Fraud Proceeds and Operating Unlicensed Money Transmitting BusinessRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A newly-unsealed criminal indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Charlotte charges Olumide Olorunfunmi, 41, of Arlington, Texas, and Samson Amos, 52, of Burlington, New Jersey, with money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business and concealment money laundering, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. A third defendant, Emmanuel Unuigbe, 41, of Dallas, Texas, previously pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme and is awaiting sentencing.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in North Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations in the indictment and filed court documents in Unuigbe’s case, from 2020 through 2023, Olorunfunmi and Amos conspired with Unuigbe and others to launder the illegal proceeds of business email compromise schemes (BECs) and online romance scams targeting elderly victims. Victims of these frauds were directed into wiring and otherwise transferring funds into bank accounts controlled by Olorunfunmi, Amos, Unuigbe and their coconspirators, including bank accounts in the name of Topaz Trading & Logistics Inc., Summit Trading & Financial Services Inc., and Stage 23 Konsult LLC. After receiving the fraud proceeds, Olorunfunmi and Amos depleted the bank accounts through multiple withdrawals and transfers into other accounts, including overseas accounts. As alleged in the indictment, the defendants and their coconspirators caused more than 125 third parties to deposit or transfer over $4.5 million of proceeds stemming from illegal activities.
According to allegations in the indictment, Olorunfunmi and Amos profited by, among other things, keeping a percentage of fraudulent proceeds obtained through the schemes. They also allegedly earned compensation by conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, through which Olorunfunmi and Amos agreed to, among other things, “pay” for the domestic deposits received by others by transferring Nigerian Naria from accounts the coconspirators controlled in Nigeria to other accounts in Nigeria, based upon a “black market” exchange rate for United States Dollars to Naira.
Amos was released on bond after making his initial appearance in court in Charlotte. Olorunfunmi is scheduled to have his initial appearance in Charlotte on April 25, 2024.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The charge of money laundering conspiracy carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The charge of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business has a statutory penalty of up to five years in prison. The concealment money laundering charges each carry a maximum sentence of no more than 20 years in prison.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI for the investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Ryan with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.
If you believe you were impacted by the charged crimes and/or were asked to send money to Topaz, Summit, or Stage 23, please contact the FBI at 704-672-6100.
Two Defendants Are Sentenced for Stealing Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, announced that two defendants convicted for theft of Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits in separate cases have been sentenced in federal court.
Henry Lionel Barber, 77, of Charlotte, was sentenced to three years of probation, with eight months of home confinement, for theft of government funds and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $140,541 to SSA. According to filed court documents and court proceedings, from 2009 to 2023, Barber stole SSA survivor’s benefits which were paid monthly in the name of a deceased beneficiary. Court records show that Barber converted United States Department of Treasury checks issued to the deceased beneficiary for his own use. Barber later used ATM cards associated with a bank account in the deceased beneficiary’s name where the survivor’s benefits were direct deposited to make cash withdrawals and other unauthorized financial transactions. Barber collected approximately $140,000 in funds administered by the SSA in the form of survivor’s benefits, which he was not entitled to receive. On October 18, 2023, Barber pleaded guilty to theft of government funds.
In a separate case, Ivan Buxton Gay Jr., 81, of Huntersville, N.C., was sentenced to five years of probation, with eight months of home confinement, for theft of government funds and making a false statement on a passport application. Gay was also ordered to pay $142,000 in restitution to SSA. According to court records in this case, as early as 1992, Gay stole the identity of Alvin Vincent Lee, an infant that died in the 1940’s. Gay used Alvin Vincent Lee’s information, including a birth certificate, to fraudulently obtain a North Carolina Driver’s License and a Social Security card under Alvin Vincent Lee’s name. Court records also show that, in 2006, Gay applied for and began to receive retirement benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) from the SSA under Alvin Vincent Lee’s name. In total, Gay collected approximately $142,000 in funds administered by the SSA in the form of retirement benefits and SSI. Then, in 2020, Gay applied for a United States passport using Alvin Vincent Lee’s identity, declaring under penalty of perjury that the statements and information on the application form were true and correct. In support of the passport application, Gay provided false documentation and a photograph of himself attesting that it was a correct and true photograph of Alvin Vincent Lee. On November 6, 2023, Gay pleaded guilty to theft of government funds and making a false statement on a passport application.
“Theft of social security benefits is theft of taxpayer dollars,” said U.S. Attorney King. “My Office’s prosecutions protect the integrity of the SSA programs and ensure that funds are administered to individuals qualified to receive them. I want to thank SSA-OIG for their partnership and for joining forces with my Office to accomplish our shared mission.”
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the SSA-OIG for its thorough investigation of both cases, and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service for its invaluable assistance with Gay’s investigation.
The charges are the result of an ongoing effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of North Carolina to deter theft of government funds and bring to justice individuals who steal government benefits that millions of Americans rely on.
The cases were prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Eric Frick. Mr. Frick is a prosecutor with the Social Security Administration and is assigned to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, in charge of prosecuting SSA fraud cases. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the SSA and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
If you suspect someone of committing fraud, waste, or abuse against Social Security, you can submit a report online at oig.ssa.gov or contact the SSA-OIG’s fraud hotline at 1-800-269-0271.
Texas man pleads guilty in $1 million kickback schemeRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A man pleaded guilty to taking part in a $1 million fraudulent customer refund scheme involving more than a dozen defendants.
According to court documents, Mercele Brooks, 28, of Harker Heights, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of accessory after the fact to laundering monetary instruments.
Kanesha Mercer, Darius Polite, Rudy Hunt, and Veronica Kilman were employees at Advanced Call Center Technologies ("ACCT") in Junction City, Kansas. Their duties included processing customer refunds for AT&T Digital Life home security systems. Between December 2016 and August 2018, they processed fraudulent refund claims totaling approximately $1 million. They deposited the funds into the bank accounts of co-conspirators who would return a portion of the money to the employees. Accounts owned or controlled by Brooks received $100,317 in wire fraud proceeds.
“This type of fraud, put simply is greed driven. These crimes are not victimless, as ultimately costs are passed on to the consumer. This investigation determined that multiple bad actors took part in this scheme, and this plea demonstrates that these individuals are being held accountable for their actions,” said Stephen A. Cyrus, FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge.
Kanesha Mercer, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and was sentenced to 14 months in prison.
Kory Epps Jr., 25, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and was sentenced to 10 months in prison.
Caylon McCormick pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and was sentenced to six months in prison.
Darius Polite, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and is awaiting sentencing.
Anthony Charite, 33, Kiondra Armstrong, 30, Fontelle Jolly, 26, Veronica Kilman, 33, Rudy Hunt, 32, and Sharika Pope, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
Erica Jackson, 41, and Shunqureau Gilbert, 30, pleaded guilty to laundering of monetary instruments.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Skip Jacobs is prosecuting the case.
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Telemedicine Nurse Practitioner Sentenced for $7.8 Million Durable Medical Equipment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Virginia-based nurse practitioner was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with a $7.8 million telemedicine fraud scheme involving medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME), including orthotics such as back and knee braces.
Daphne Jenkins, 64, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 18 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release, with the first year to be served in home confinement. Jenkins was also ordered to pay $3,952,761 in restitution. In November 2023, Jenkins pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Between December 2018 and April 2020, Jenkins worked with a purported telemedicine company to sign orders for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME). These DME orders were pre-populated by telemarketing companies that called Medicare beneficiaries to solicit their information. Through DocuSign, Jenkins signed these DME orders even though she did not have any contact with the beneficiaries and did not have a provider-patient relationship with them. Often Jenkins signed these DME orders without reading them. For instance, one packet was 16 pages long and contained multiple orders for orthotics. Jenkins electronically signed her name 12 times and completed the orders in approximately 32 seconds. A second packet was 37 pages long and contained multiple orders for orthotics. Jenkins electronically signed her name 24 times and completed the orders in approximately 45 seconds. Once Jenkins signed these orders, the telemarketing company sold them to DME suppliers, which then submitted claims to Medicare. As a result of Jenkins’ participation in this conspiracy, over $7.8 million in claims were submitted to Medicare for DME that was medically unnecessary, based on false documentation and tainted by kickbacks.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Carol S. Hamilton, Regional Director, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor; and Patrick Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigation Service, North East Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Graber and Howard Locker of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Alexandra Brazier and Lindsey Ross of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit prosecuted the case.
Tampa Drug Trafficker Convicted by A Federal JuryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Anthony Carroll (50, Tampa) guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Carroll faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Carroll and his co-defendant agreed with an individual located in Mexico and associated with the Sinaloa Cartel to purchase 30 kilograms of cocaine in Tampa. An undercover agent in communication with the Mexican cartel member was solicited by that individual to transport the 30 kilograms of cocaine from El Paso, Texas to Tampa. Once in Tampa, the undercover agent contacted the Mexican cartel member who told the agent that two people would be arriving to the meeting location in a white sedan. Carroll and his co-defendant arrived shortly afterwards in Carroll’s white car. The pair met with two undercover agents, paid them the transportation fee, and took possession of the cocaine. A short while later, troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol stopped the vehicle. After a narcotics dog was deployed on the vehicle, troopers discovered the cocaine in the trunk. The pair were then arrested.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration - Tampa District Office and El Paso Field Division and the Florida Highway Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale.
Stilwell Resident Sentenced to 30 Years for Aggravated Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bryan Udale Jones, age 63, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 360 months for one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country. Jones will also be required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office.
On May 2, 2023, Jones pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, beginning in 2003 and continuing into 2010, Jones sexually assaulted a minor under the age of 12. As part of the plea agreement, Jones admitted to additional assaults on three other minors over a span of 15 years. The crimes occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“Four innocent children suffered unimaginable horrors at the hands of Bryan Jones. He is both a danger and a disgrace, and now, thanks to the courage of the victims who came forward in this case, he will spend the rest of his natural life behind prison bars,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “This sentence sends a clear message that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate the abuse and exploitation of children.”
“Thanks to brave individuals with the courage to speak up and the diligent efforts of investigators and prosecutors, Bryan Udale Jones will effectively spend the rest of his life in prison,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “I want to thank our partners in the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this case and for their continued partnership in keeping our communities safe from child predators.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Jones will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
St. Louis County Man Admits Two CarjackingsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Jennings, Missouri on Thursday admitted committing two carjackings in October.
Ahmod Samez Moore, 28, of Jennings, pleaded guilty to two counts of carjacking and one count of possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He admitted robbing an acquaintance and stealing his 2015 Kia Optima at gunpoint on Oct. 5, 2023. Five days later, he robbed and carjacked a man in St. Louis, stealing his 2003 GMC Envoy.
The Kia owner was heading to a friend’s home to do laundry when he stopped at a liquor store and ran into Moore. Moore told the victim that he was having financial problems and asked for a ride. During the drive, when the victim came to a stop in Country Club Hills, Missouri, Moore pointed a handgun at him and demanded his belongings. The victim initially believed Moore was joking but later believed Moore was going to shoot him. Moore then ordered the victim to strip to his underwear and get out of the car.
On October 10, the GMC’s owner was standing next to his SUV when Moore approached with a firearm. Moore demanded that victim’s belongings and stole the GMC. On October 24, investigators conducted a court-approved search of Moore’s apartment. The GMC was parked in the parking lot and they found the GMC owner’s wallet, gold watch and driver’s license in Moore’s closet. They also found an AR-15-style pistol.
The carjacking charges are each punishable by up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. The brandishing charges carries a penalty of at least seven years in prison, consecutive to any other charges. Both sides have agreed to recommend a 10-year prison sentence.
The County Club Hills Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen is prosecuting the case.
Southwest Georgia Resident Faces Life in Prison for Armed Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia resident with a lengthy criminal history pleaded guilty to armed drug distribution charges today and faces life in prison for admitting to distributing large quantities of fentanyl.
Larry Roger Sparks, Jr., 46, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a heroin and fentanyl mixture; one count of distribution of methamphetamine; three counts of distribution of methamphetamine at a place where a person under age 18 resides; one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute at a premises at which a person under 18 resides; one count of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute; and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (a Sig Sauer Model P365 SAS 9mm pistol). The defendant is facing a maximum of life in prison. U.S. District Judge Leslie A. Gardner is presiding over the case. A sentencing date will be scheduled by the Court.
“Fentanyl is one of the deadliest drugs on the streets today, and our office will go to every length to halt its distribution and hold fentanyl traffickers accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “This case is an example of strong and effective partnerships between law enforcement, who are dedicated to ridding our communities of armed fentanyl dealers and working with our office to prosecute the most dangerous individuals.”
“Locking away criminal drug dealers who choose to push poison on our streets will literally save lives as fentanyl is the number one killer among Americans aged 18-45,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.
“Drug traffickers are poisoning our communities with drugs like fentanyl,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “This case serves as an example of our continued efforts to stop the drug traffickers who ruthlessly target Georgia communities. The GBI, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue working toward ridding our state of these deadly drugs.”
According to court documents, a 2023 undercover GBI investigation into armed fentanyl trafficking in Southwest Georgia led agents to Sparks, who was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine from his Albany residence, where three minor children resided. Agents, working with a confidential source under surveillance and electronic recording, purchased controlled substances from Sparks five times, beginning on March 9, 2023, and ending with a final undercover purchase on May 3, 2023, when Sparks sold 478.2 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine.
Agents executed a federal search warrant on May 16, 2023, at Sparks’ residence located at 1501 Pinecrest Drive in Albany. As agents made their approach, three suspected drug customers in the yard fled; one of the individuals discarded a small quantity of suspected heroin and fentanyl mixture. Inside the home, agents found 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl, approximately three kilograms of methamphetamine, needles, scales, Narcan, cash and other items associated with drug use and distribution. Agents found six firearms, including the Sig Sauer 9mm pistol. Lab results for the drugs seized at the residence are: 1,205.7 grams of fentanyl, 1,775.5 grams of 95% pure methamphetamine and 963.1 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine.
The defendant was taken into custody during a traffic stop on May 16, and was in possession of a loaded Glock 10 mm semiautomatic handgun, a loaded 50-round drum magazine, a 9mm semiautomatic handgun and more than $5,000 in cash. Sparks admitted to receiving a four-kilogram shipment of fentanyl before the search, and said that he had sold all of it, less the 1.2 kilos recovered by agents in his home.
Sparks has a lengthy criminal history and has been previously convicted for armed robbery and delivery of a controlled substance in Saginaw, Michigan, as well as for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in the Superior Court of Crisp County, Georgia.
The case was investigated by the Worth County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the GBI Southwestern Regional Drug Enforcement Office (SWRDEO) and the DEA.
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen is prosecuting the case for the Government.
South Carolina Man Indicted for Murder of NMSP OfficerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging Jaremy Smith with the murder of New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare. Smith, 33, of South Carolina, is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges April 18, 2024.
According to court documents, on March 15, 2024, Smith attempted to flag down passing motorists on Interstate 40 in Quay County, New Mexico, to assist with a flat tire. Smith had stolen the vehicle, a white BMW, from South Carolina on or about March 13, 2024, and drove it to New Mexico before it became disabled. NMSP Officer Justin Hare was dispatched to the scene to assist Smith. Upon Officer Hare’s arrival at approximately 5:04 a.m. that morning, Smith approached the passenger side of Officer Hare’s patrol vehicle where the two engaged in a short conversation. Smith then shot Officer Hare with a Taurus 9mm pistol that he had stolen from South Carolina.
Afterward, Smith walked to the driver’s side window and shot Officer Hare two additional times. Smith then entered Officer Hare’s patrol vehicle and drove it westbound Interstate 40 before taking the first exit. After driving some distance, Smith removed Officer Hare from the vehicle and then continued driving the patrol unit before eventually crashing it in Guadalupe County, New Mexico. Officer Hare succumbed to the injuries that Smith inflicted during the course of the carjacking and kidnapping.
The federal indictment charges Smith with carjacking resulting in death, causing death by the discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, kidnapping resulting in death, being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm and interstate transport of a stolen vehicle.
If convicted of the current charges, Smith faces a mandatory life sentence or death for the kidnapping resulting in death charge, and any number of years up to life or death for the carjacking and discharge of a firearm offenses.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and New Mexico State Police investigated this case with assistance from the Tenth Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. States Attorneys Paul Mysliwiec and Jack Burkhead are prosecuting the case.
View the IndictmentAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Sober home owner sentenced to four years in prison for defrauding over $4 million from Federal Employee Health Benefits Program to fund lavish lifestyleRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On April 10, a substance abuse facility owner was sentenced to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,444,417.65 in restitution, for defrauding the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) of over $4 million. The sentence comes after the defendant entered a guilty plea in February.
Joseph Toro, 39, of Jupiter, Florida, owned and operated Reawakenings Wellness Center (RWC), a substance abuse facility that treated patients, including FEHBP beneficiaries, from 2013 until January 2018, when RWC was evicted from their location in Miramar, Florida. After the RWC eviction, Toro continued to submit FEHBP insurance claims, using personal identifying information of former RWC patients, for substance abuse treatment that was never provided. To do so, he called the FEHBP hotline, impersonated former patients, and changed their mailing addresses to addresses that he controlled so he could obtain the fraudulent insurance reimbursement checks. For over a year, Toro submitted fraudulent claims on behalf of 29 former RWC patients for over $6.7 million in substance abuse treatment that he knew RWC never provided. As a result of Toro’s fraudulent claims, he obtained nearly $4.2 million in proceeds from the FEHBP. Toro also applied for and obtained a $150,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) during the COVID-19 pandemic. That application misrepresented that RWC had five employees and grossed over $1.4 million in 2019, when in truth RWC had shut down years prior.
With the fraudulently obtained proceeds, Toro purchased a waterfront mansion in Jupiter, a Lamborghini Aventador, a Mercedes G Wagon, two Cadillac Escalades, an Audemars Piguet watch, and various other properties and luxury goods.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Derek M. Holt of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General (OPM OIG), announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith.
OPM OIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Egozi prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster handled asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-60237.
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SoCal Man Arrested on Federal Charges Alleging He Schemed to Advertise and Sell ‘Hive’ Computer Intrusion MalwareRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal authorities have arrested a San Fernando Valley man on federal charges alleging a scheme to market and sell malware that gave the malware purchasers control over victim computers and enabled them to access victims’ private communications, their login credentials, and other personal information, the Justice Department announced today.
Edmond Chakhmakhchyan, 24, of Van Nuys, who used the screenname “Corruption,” was arrested without incident Wednesday by special agents with the FBI. A two-count indictment was unsealed yesterday at Chakhmakhchyan’s arraignment, where he pleaded not guilty and was ordered to stand trial on June 4. His bond was set at $70,000.
The indictment alleges an agreement between the malware’s creator and Chakhmakhchyan in which Chakhmakhchyan would post advertisements for the Hive remote access trojan (RAT) on the “Hack Forums” website, accept Bitcoin payments for licenses to use the Hive RAT, and provide customer service to those who purchased the licenses.
Customers purchasing the malware “would transmit Hive RAT to protected computers and gain unauthorized control over and access to these computers, which allowed the RAT purchaser to close or disable programs, browse files, record keystrokes, access incoming and outgoing communications, and steal victim passwords and other credentials for bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets, all without the victims’ knowledge or permission,” according to the indictment.
Chakhmakhchyan allegedly began working with the creator of the Hive RAT, previously known as “Firebird,” approximately four years ago, and advertised online the RAT’s many features, including features that allowed the owner to remotely access victim computers and intercept communications and data without the victim knowing.
After advertising the Hive RAT, according to the indictment, Chakhmakhchyan exchanged electronic messages with purchasers and explained to one buyer that the malware “allowed the Hive RAT user to access another person’s computer without that person knowing about the access.” After this purchaser told Chakhmakhchyan that “the point” of using the Hive RAT was because the victim had “20k in bitcoin on a blockchain wallet” and “project files worth over 5k,” Chakhmakhchyan agreed to sell the Hive RAT, the indictment alleges. Later, Chakhmakhchyan allegedly also sold a license for the Hive RAT to an undercover employee of a law enforcement agency.
The indictment specifically charges Chakhmakhchyan with one count of conspiracy – to advertise a device as an interception device, to transmit a code to intentionally cause damage to a protected computer, and to intentionally access a computer to obtain information – as well as one count of advertising a device as an interception device. Each count carries a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI is investigating this matter. The Australian Federal Police provided substantial assistance in the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Sue J. Bai of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
The Australian Federal Police also has charged an Australian national who is alleged to have been involved in the creation and sale of the malware, and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions will be prosecuting that matter.
Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Richard Nejame, age 29, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to five counts of receiving and attempting to receive child pornography.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Nejame admitted that between about October 2022 and May 1, 2023, he communicated with several girls over social media applications, including Snapchat, while pretending to be a teenage boy. During Nejame’s online communications with the minor females, he encouraged them to take nude pictures and videos of themselves, and to then send the pictures and videos to him. Once in receipt of the nude pictures and videos of the minor females, Nejame directed the girls to take more sexually explicit pictures and videos of themselves, and to send those sexually explicit pictures and videos to him. He also threatened that if the girls did not comply with his demands, Nejame would embarrass and expose the girls by publishing their pictures and videos on the Internet.
At sentencing on August 14, 2024, before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, Nejame faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison. The judge will also be required to impose a term of post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life. The court may also impose a fine, restitution, and forfeiture of the phones and computers Nejame used to commit his offenses. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Nejame will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Belliss and Benjamin S. Clark are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
San Antonio Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Lethal Doses of Meth and FentanylRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man pleaded guilty in a federal court in San Antonio to three fatal and one non-fatal overdoses.
According to court documents, Mark Elliot Stool, 67, supplied substances containing combinations of methamphetamine and fentanyl, and methamphetamine and heroin, to four individuals between August 2021 and March 2022. He was arrested following a traffic stop in June 2022 and found to be in possession of a substance that tested positive for both methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Stool pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death and one count of distribution of a controlled substance resulting in serious bodily injury. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 17 and faces 20 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, University of Texas at San Antonio Police Department, San Antonio Police Department, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, Castle Hills Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Hail and William Calve are prosecuting the case.
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San Antonio Man Indicted on Federal Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 9, 2024, a federal grand jury indicted Bobby E. Matjeka (age: 44) of San Antonio, Texas, on charges that he conspired with a Wisconsin resident to produce child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2251(a)&(e).
According to the indictment, between approximately December 10, 2021, and May 2022, Matjeka conspired to use a minor child “to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction.” That visual depiction was then transported across state lines. If convicted, Matjeka faces a mandatory 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 30 years’ imprisonment. He also could be fined up to $250,000 and would be required to register as a sex offender under state and federal law.
Matjeka was arrested by federal authorities in San Antonio on April 10, 2024, and will be arraigned before the federal district court in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security’s San Antonio and Milwaukee offices, the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, the Appleton Police Department, and the San Antonio Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Sacramento Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child Pornography on the Dark WebRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Louis Donald Mendonsa, 61, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to distributing child pornography over the dark web, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, beginning by 2021 and continuing until his arrest on Nov. 29, 2022, Mendonsa was a global moderator or administrator on at least four Tor (The Onion Router) websites dedicated to the sexual exploitation of children and the dissemination of child pornography. As a moderator or administrator, Mendonsa created new topics and forums within the websites, managed and commented on other users’ posts, shared and enforced the rules, and distributed child pornography by uploading images and videos within the websites. When law enforcement officers arrested Mendonsa in Sacramento he was found to be in possession of an external hard drive containing over 11,000 images and videos of child pornography.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Homeland Security Investigations, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sacramento Police Department. Department of Justice Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily G. Sauvageau are prosecuting the case.
Mendonsa is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on July 18, 2024. Mendonsa faces a minimum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison each for count of distributing child pornography, and between 10 and 20 years in prison for possession child pornography. 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.
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.
Rhode Island Man with Ties to Mexican Drug Suppliers Sentenced to Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man who worked as an east coast source for trafficking fentanyl on behalf of a Mexican drug supplier was sentenced on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island to five years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Watly Federico Valenzuela Ruiz, 39, pleaded guilty on November 1, 2023, to a charge of conspiracy to both distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl. He was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 60 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release.
According to documents filed with the court, in May 2021, months after he entered into discussions to become a supplier of large quantities of fentanyl to an individual in Providence for $38,000 per kilogram, Valenzuela Ruiz delivered approximately one kilogram of fentanyl to that individual. The drugs were seized by members of the DEA Rhode Island Drug Task Force.
In August 2021, Valenzuela Ruiz arranged for the sale of 1,000 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills to an individual for $6.00 per pill. Following that delivery Valenzuela Ruiz offered to sell the individual 10,000 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills for $5.00 per pill. As 9,000 pills were being delivered at the direction of Valenzuela Ruiz on September 7, 2021, Valenzuela Ruiz, his brother-in-law, and another individual were arrested by DEA Drug Task Force agents.
The investigation into Valenzuela Ruiz’s drug trafficking activities resulted in the seizure of 8,964 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills with a net weight of 1,012.9 grams of fentanyl; 4.475 grams of fentanyl powder; and 892.3 grams of fentanyl with 723.9 grams of tramadol cutting agent,
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey A. Erickson.
The Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force is comprised of personnel from the DEA; Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation; Rhode Island State Police; Cranston Police Department; Middletown Police Department; Newport Police Department; Pawtucket Police Department; Providence Police Department; Warwick Police Department; Woonsocket Police Department; and Amtrak Police.
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Post Falls Woman Admits to Evading over $150,000 in TaxesRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE – Ashlee Lyn Wilson, 37, of Post Falls, Idaho, pleaded guilty to tax evasion, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, Wilson failed to file federal income tax returns for six years, from 2018 to 2023. During that time, she earned total wages of $1,024,872 and evaded paying $153,131 in federal income tax.
Wilson pleaded guilty the charge and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2024 at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene. Wilson faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, which led to the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci Whelan is prosecuting the case.
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Pennsylvania Insurance Business Owner Convicted of Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Pennsylvania man today of tax evasion for his years-long scheme to evade the payment of his individual income taxes and his business’s employment taxes.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Brandon Aumiller, of Milroy, owned Brandon Aumiller & Associates, an insurance sales business. For tax years 2007, and 2009 through 2011, Aumiller filed personal income tax returns reporting that he owed a total of approximately $82,311 in income taxes. He also filed employment tax returns for his business reporting that it owed approximately $24,882 in taxes for the third quarter of 2013 and the first two quarters of 2014. Despite reporting that he and his business owed more than a total of $107,193 in taxes to the IRS, Aumiller did not pay these assessments.
When the IRS attempted to collect the taxes, Aumiller engaged in a multi-year scheme to thwart the IRS’ efforts by concealing his assets in bank accounts he failed to disclose to the IRS, structuring multiple real estate deals to conceal the transactions from the IRS and submitting false financial disclosure forms to the IRS that did not fully disclose his bank accounts and concealed critical information about his real estate transactions.
Aumiller is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 4. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each of the two counts of his conviction. 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 Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Matthew L. Cofer of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur for the Middle District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.
Pennsylvania Insurance Business Owner Convicted of Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG– A federal jury convicted a Milroy, Pennsylvania, man today of tax evasion for his years-long scheme to evade the payment of his individual income taxes and his business’s employment taxes.
According to court documents and evidence presented at the four-day trial before District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner, Brandon Aumiller owned Brandon Aumiller & Associates, an insurance sales business. For tax years 2007, and 2009 through 2011, Aumiller filed personal income tax returns reporting that he owed a total of approximately $82,311 in income taxes. He also filed employment tax returns for his business reporting that it owed approximately $24,882 in taxes for the third quarter of 2013 and the first two quarters of 2014. Despite reporting that he and his business owed more than a total of $107,193 in taxes to the IRS, Aumiller did not pay these assessments.
When the IRS attempted to collect the taxes, Aumiller engaged in a multi-year scheme to thwart the IRS’ efforts by concealing his assets in nominee bank accounts, structuring multiple real estate deals to conceal the transactions from the IRS and submitting false financial disclosure forms to the IRS that did not fully disclose his bank accounts and concealed critical information about his real estate transactions.
Judge Conner scheduled Aumiller to be sentenced on September 4. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each of the two counts of his conviction. Judge Conner 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 Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorney Matthew L. Cofer of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur for the Middle District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.
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Pearl River Man Pleads Guilty to IncestRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A man from the Pearl River Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians pleaded guilty in federal court to knowingly engaging in a sexual act with a member of his family.
According to court documents, in July 2021, Ronnie Reed, Sr., 52, had a sexual relationship with a family member in the Pearl River Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation. Reed was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2023.
Reed is scheduled to be sentenced on July 25, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.
Owners of Local Debt Consolidation Service Indicted in Federal Court, Additional Victims SoughtRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—The owners of ConsoliDebt Solutions, LLC, a debt consolidation service that operated in Oregon and other locations between April 2019 and April 2024, have been indicted in federal court for knowingly and intentionally defrauding their customers.
Javier Antonio Banuelas Urueta, 54, and Dalia Castilleja Saucedo, 38, both residents of Oregon and Washington State, have been charged in a seven-count indictment with conspiring to commit and committing mail and wire fraud.
According to the indictment, from approximately April 2019 and continuing until their arrests, Banuelas and Castilleja are alleged to have devised and carried out a scheme whereby they used ConsoliDebt Solutions to collect money and property from various clients in exchange for purported debt consolidation or reduction services. Banuelas and Castilleja directed their clients to deposit funds directly into ConsoliDebt bank accounts, transfer funds to the company, or mail in personal checks, cashier’s checks, or money orders.
Banuelas and Castilleja are further alleged to have used client funds to pay for various personal expenses such as car leases, loan repayments, residential rent, and various wire transfers.
Banuelas was arrested Tuesday in Portland, Oregon. He made his first appearance in federal court the same day and was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered detained pending further court proceedings. Castilleja is still at large.
Mail and wire fraud are punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release per count of conviction.
Anyone with information about Banuelas, Castilleja, or ConsoliDebt Solutions, LLC, are encouraged to contact Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) by submitting a tip online at https://www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form or by calling (866) 347-2423.
This case was investigated by HSI. It is being prosecuted by Rachel K. Sowray, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Georgia Man Sentenced to More than 11 Years in Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking Organization CaseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Perry Johnson Jr., 30, of Dunwoody, Georgia, was sentenced today to 11 years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Johnson admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Johnson participated in the DTO by directing large quantities of methamphetamine into the Southern District of West Virginia for distribution to local dealers and customers. On or about November 28, 2022, Johnson conducted phone calls with co-conspirator Alexandria Jasmine Estep during which he arranged to sell multiple pounds of methamphetamine to her. Johnson arranged for the methamphetamine to be delivered by third parties, including co-defendant Dashounieque Lashay Wright, in a vehicle to Estep’s Charleston residence the following day. After Estep received the methamphetamine from Wright, officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle that had delivered the methamphetamine. Upon conducting a search of that vehicle, officers discovered and seized approximately six pounds of methamphetamine.
Johnson has a criminal history that includes seven prior convictions for controlled substances offenses in Virginia and Kentucky.
Estep, 22, of Charleston, was sentenced on February 22, 2023, to four years and two months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Wright, 27, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty on January 8, 2024, to use of a communication facility to facilitate drug trafficking and awaits sentencing.
Johnson, Estep and Wright are among 32 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.
Johnson, Estep and Wright are also among 27 defendants who have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-31.
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Online Seller of “Unwashed” Poppy Seeds Is Sentenced for Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Daniel Allen Childers 34, of Asheville, was sentenced today to 27 months in prison followed by a year of supervised release, for a drug offense involving “unwashed” poppy seeds, said Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to court documents and court proceedings, between June 2021 and January 2023, Childers engaged in a conspiracy to distribute unwashed poppy seeds. Unwashed poppy seeds are different from commercially available poppy seeds. Consumers of unwashed poppy seeds generally steep the seeds in hot water, which produces a narcotic “tea” that contains opiates such as morphine, codeine, and thebaine.
Court records show that, in June 2021, Childers contacted a wholesale supplier of unwashed poppy seeds and became a vendor for the seeds. Childers began to sell the seeds online through a website he created for his business, “OrganaSeedSupply LLC” (OrganaSeed). OrganaSeed purported to sell baking goods supplies and services, including poppy seeds for commercial use. Contrary to the website’s claims, Childers exclusively sold unwashed poppy seeds and only listed the other products and services to appear legitimate. Court documents show that Childers obtained pallets of seeds from his supplier, each containing over 1,000 pounds of unwashed poppy seeds. In turn, Childers sold the unwashed poppy seeds online in various size bags, with one pound of seeds costing between $45 and $50. As Childers previously admitted in court documents, Childers knew that his customers would use the poppy seeds to make opiate tea and warned his customers that the seeds contained “opiate alkaloid residue.”
In July 2023, Childers pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a material used to make a controlled substance.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Asheville Police Department for their investigation of the case.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville.
Omaha Woman Convicted for Escape from CustodyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Kiana M. Stabler, 27, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 11, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for escape from custody. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Stabler to time served, as she was in custody since August 24, 2023. There is no parole in the federal system. Stabler was also sentenced to a 3-year term of supervised release, which will run concurrent to her previous case.
Stabler was previously convicted of conspiracy to commit robberies of federally insured banks and was sentenced to 84 months of imprisonment on July 6, 2018. During her term of imprisonment, Stabler was placed at Dismas Charities, Inc., a residential reentry facility located in Kearney, Nebraska. While assigned to that facility, Stabler secured a social pass on July 20, 2023, where she was ordered to return that same evening. Stabler failed to return to the facility and was later arrested on August 24, 2023.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Brian E. Nielsen, 47, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced on April 10, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Nielsen to 78 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Nielsen’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On December 14, 2022, and December 24, 2022, Nielsen sold meth to a Burt County Sheriff’s Office confidential source (CS) that was audio recorded by law enforcement. The drugs were laboratory tested and confirmed as to weight and substance. In November 2022, during a search of Nielsen’s home, officers recovered $60 of the $100 used for the controlled buy on December 24, 2022. The bills were matched by the serial numbers and a total of $1,115 was seized.
On February 24, 2023, law enforcement initiated a traffic stop and arrested Nielsen pursuant to a state arrest warrant as he was driving away from his residence. At the time of his arrest, Nielsen had two baggies of meth, one weighing one gram, the other two grams.
Incident to his arrest, officers searched his home via a state search warrant and recovered 21 grams of marijuana from two separate bags, a scale with meth residue, and numerous syringes. Upon receiving additional information, a second search warrant was executed on the home recovering 6 baggies of meth weighing 260 grams.
This case was investigated by the Burt County Sheriff’s Office.
Ohkay Owingeh Man Charged with AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Ohkay Owingeh man is facing federal charges for allegedly assaulting a victim with a firearm. Robert Abyeta, 50, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh, appeared in federal court for an initial appearance where the Court temporarily detained him pending a detention hearing, which is scheduled for April 15, 2024.
The indictment alleges that on June 28, 2023, Abeyta assaulted the victim with a firearm with the intent to cause bodily harm.
Abeyta is charged with assault with an assault resulting is serious bodily injury, assault with a dangerous weapon, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, discharging said firearm.
If convicted, Abeyta faces up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Ohkay Owingeh Police Department and Santa Clara Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.
View the IndictmentAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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North Providence Woman Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A North Providence woman described in a court document as being “a seasoned drug dealer with connections to other high-level dealers” and who, court records show, was previously convicted in both Rhode Island state and federal courts on drug trafficking charges, was sentenced today to eight-and-one-half years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Lisa Torres, 55, pleaded guilty on February 21, 2024, to charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. She was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 102 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release.
According to information provided to the court, in this most recent matter, Torres was arrested by Providence Police and members of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force on December 7, 2022, when she arrived at a prearranged location to deliver a kilogram of fentanyl to another individual. In the investigation, law enforcement confirmed she was trafficking large quantities of drugs and had international ties to the Dominican Republic and elsewhere. Law enforcement discovered photographs on her cellphone which appeared to show kilogram quantities of fentanyl, as well as communications about cutting and packaging fentanyl.
According to court documents, Torres was convicted in 1993 in Rhode Island state court and in 1994 in U.S. District Court on drug trafficking charges; in 2007 in U.S. District Court on charges of obstruction of justice, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and making false statements; and in2009 in U.S District Court on a charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
This most recent case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey A. Erickson and Julianne Klein.
The matter was investigated by the Providence Police Department and the FBI Rhode Island Safe Streets Task Force.
The FBI Rhode Island Safe Streets Task Force is comprised of members of the FBI, Central Falls Police Department, Woonsocket Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, West Warwick Police Department, Cranston Police Department, and the United States Marshals Service.
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New York Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Elliot J. Santiago, 25, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty on Monday, April 1, 2024 to failure to provide information related to interstate travel as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents and statements made in court, Santiago was required to comply with the provisions of SORNA because of his conviction for first-degree sexual abuse in Monongalia County Circuit Court on August 28, 2019. From on or about May 30, 2023 to on or about October 25, 2023, Santiago failed to provide notification that he had traveled from Charleston, West Virginia, to Toledo, Ohio and then to Brooklyn, New York.
Santiago is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-174.
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New Jersey Couple Indicted for Producing, Distributing, and Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a five-count indictment charging Michael Taylor, Jr. (27, New Jersey) and Alexandria Stevens (20, New Jersey) with producing, distributing, and receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). If convicted, Taylor and Stevens each face a minimum mandatory penalty of 15, up to 30 years, in federal prison for the production offense, and a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment, up to 20 years, for the distribution and receipt offenses.
According to court documents, while visiting Florida in November 2023, Taylor and Stevens produced CSAM with an 8-year-old child. Using the internet, Taylor and Stevens also exchanged images of CSAM. Taylor and Stevens were both arrested in New Jersey on March 27, 2024. They are currently in custody pending the resolution of the criminal case.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
New Castle Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Cocaine ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for committing fentanyl and cocaine trafficking crimes, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Rayjzon Sams, 31, also ordering Sams to serve six years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Sams previously pleaded guilty in this case to committing the following crimes in 2020 and 2021: (1) conspiring to distribute cocaine and crack, (2) distributing crack within 1,000 feet of a school, and (3) possessing fentanyl and crack with intent to distribute. According to information presented to the Court, Sams engaged in fentanyl and cocaine trafficking in Lawrence and Mercer counties despite several prior convictions and incarceration sentences from state prosecutions during the preceding 10 years, including for cocaine trafficking and aggravated assault. Sams was on bond and probation, subject to house arrest, at the time he was trafficking fentanyl and cocaine.
Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin C. Dobkin and Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Pennsylvania State Police, Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Mercer County Drug Task Force, New Castle Police Department, Sharon Police Department, Hermitage Police Department, and Farrell Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Sams.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
New Britain Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm Offense Stemming from Ghost Gun InvestigationRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRIAN McMANUS, 55, of New Britain, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, as part of an investigation into the proliferation of privately made firearms (“PMFs” or “ghost guns”) in Connecticut, ATF investigators determined that Andrew Francoeur, a resident of Manchester, was buying firearm parts from a Missouri company, having the parts shipped to him, and manufacturing guns inside a shipping container on a property in Suffield. Francoeur sold some of the firearms he manufactured.
While he was incarcerated in state custody for firearm and drug offenses, Francoeur arranged for McManus to take possession of his guns and ammunition. McManus sold some of the firearms, broke some into pieces when he learned of the ATF investigation, and ultimately stored Francoeur’s property in two storage bins. In November 2022, investigators retrieved the storage bins and found firearm parts, a .22 caliber rifle, more than 1,800 rounds of ammunition, 25 high-capacity magazines, M-80 explosives, firearm gear, and other items.
McManus’ criminal history includes felony convictions for drug, firearm, larceny, and failure to appear offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
McManus is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport on July 8, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.
On April 27, 2023, Francoeur pleaded guilty in federal court to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, and manufacturing and dealing in firearms without a license. On September 6, 2023, he was sentenced to 33 months of imprisonment.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Reed Durham.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.
New Brighton Resident Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of New Brighton, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a drug trafficking charge, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Anthony Besiso, 62, pleaded guilty before United States Senior District Judge Nora Barry Fischer to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Between June 2021 and January 2022, the Beaver County Anti-Drug Task Force conducted an investigation into a drug trafficking organization in New Brighton. In connection with Besiso’s guilty plea, the Court was advised that numerous controlled purchase and surveillance operations demonstrated that Besiso would obtain methamphetamine from a source of supply in Ohio and then sell it to distributors in the Western District of Pennsylvania. On January 28, 2022, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant upon Besiso’s New Brighton residence, which resulted in the seizure of three digital scales and about 103 net grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for July 19, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Beaver County Anti-Drug Task Force and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Besiso.
Nicaraguan Man Sentenced to 57 Months in 550 Kilograms Cocaine Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Michael Nelson-Gaet, 36, of Nicaragua was sentenced to 57 months incarceration by District Judge Wilma A. Lewis after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance While on Board a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States. Judge Lewis also sentenced Nelson-Gaet to two years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment.
According to court documents, on March 5, 2022, while patrolling in international waters, the United States Coast Guard Cutter Legare intercepted go-fast vessel “La Bendecida Leo” 140 nautical miles southwest of Isla de Malpelo, Columbia. The vessel was traveling at a high rate of speed with bales and fuel barrels observed on deck. Nelson-Gaet, Jorge Gutierrez-Picado and Roy McElroy-Carlos were observed onboard the vessel throwing bales of suspected narcotics overboard. The vessel had no registration and the occupants claimed Nicaraguan nationality for the vessel. Nicaragua could neither confirm nor deny nationality of the vessel to the Coast Guard thereby subjecting the vessel to the jurisdiction of the United States. A search of the La Bendecida Leo, including the bales recovered from the ocean, resulted in the seizure of approximately 550 kilograms of cocaine and 136 pounds of marijuana. For his role, Gutierrez-Picado was sentenced to 70 months incarceration and 2 years of supervised release, and McElroy-Carlos awaits trial in his case.
This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard, Homeland Security Investigations and Drug Enforcement Administration investigated and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
National Park Service Deputy Superintendent Sentenced in Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Gregory Camacho, 43, of St. Croix, was sentenced by District Judge Wilma A. Lewis to nine months of home detention with electronic monitoring and four years of probation after pleading guilty to Converting Property of Another. Judge Lewis also imposed a fine of $6,000.00, a special assessment of $75, and ordered Camacho to pay $29,502.20 restitution to the National Park Service.
According to court documents, Camacho was the Deputy Park Superintendent in St. Croix. In June 2019 through August 2020, Camacho also served as the Acting Park Superintendent. As an employee, Camacho rented two units from the National Park Service housing units but failed to pay rent between June 2019 and June 2020 on both units which resulted in a loss of $14,192.10 to the National Park Service. In July 2019, Camacho relocated from Titusville, FL, to St. Croix, and falsely claimed that his wife and four children relocated with him. As a result, Camacho received $13,387.50 in relocation expense reimbursement that he was not entitled to. Between October 2018 and September 2019, Camacho traveled from his primary duty station and was entitled to reimbursement for various travel-related expenses, including meal and incidental expenditures per diems. However, on four occasions, Camacho submitted overlapping travel vouchers for reimbursement. As a result, Camacho received an additional $1,922.50 in travel reimbursements that he was not entitled to.
This case was investigated by the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of the Interior and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston.
Montour County Man Charged with Threatening to Murder FBI AgentsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Thomas Green, age 33, of Danville, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on charges of influencing federal officials by threat and interstate communications with a threat.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Green called multiple FBI field offices across the country for several years to express frustration that the FBI was not investigating alleged criminal conduct reported by Green. The indictment also alleges that, beginning on or about August 18, 2022, Green began calling several FBI field offices across the country and threatening to assault and murder FBI agents if they did not investigate the alleged criminal conduct reported by Green. The indictment also alleges that Green called the FBI field office in Miami, Florida, and told FBI personnel that he knew about the murder of two Miami FBI agents and that “can happen again” if FBI personnel did not “act” how Green wanted them to. FBI Special Agents Laura Schwartzenberger and Daniel Alfin, who were members of FBI Miami, were killed while executing a search warrant in 2021.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Moreno is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is ten years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Mexican National Attempted to Flee U.S. Port of Entry, Sentenced to 27 Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 324 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
On March 2, 2021, Caleb Eduardo Gomez-Sanchez, 35, attempted to enter the U.S. from Mexico via the Eagle Pass port of entry. Initially, Gomez-Sanchez followed directions and exited the vehicle for a secondary inspection, but when he was asked to remove his jacket to check his pockets, Gomez-Sanchez jumped back into the car and drove into oncoming traffic, attempting to flee back to Mexico.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers reacted by positioning their vehicle to block Gomez-Sanchez from fleeing further. Gomez-Sanchez rammed his vehicle into the parked CBP unit while two officers were still seated inside the vehicle. Both officers sustained injuries during the collision. Gomez-Sanchez eventually crashed into a concrete barrier at the Mexican port of entry on the other side of the bridge. Mexican authorities immediately returned Gomez-Sanchez to U.S. authorities.
CBPOs discovered a sock in Gomez-Sanchez’s coat pocket containing a substance suspected to be methamphetamine. Analysis of the suspected methamphetamine identified the substance as methamphetamine hydrochloride, with a total weight of 64.48 grams and a purity level of approximately 99%.
On Sept. 13, 2021, Gomez-Sanchez pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
“The federal agents along our southern border risk their lives on a daily basis to limit the infiltration of drugs, weapons, and the illegal entry of undocumented noncitizens into the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “I appreciate the diligence of our CBP Officers at Eagle Pass for their efforts in this case, along with the Mexican law enforcement officers for their assistance in returning this defendant to U.S. custody for prosecution.”
"Actions that threaten the safety and well-being of law enforcement, and the general public are unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig S. Larrabee for Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio. “HSI in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will prioritize the investigation and prosecution of any individual who chooses to harm the public and officers at the Port of Entry.”
HSI and CBP investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Garner prosecuted the case.
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