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Thursday 11 April 2024
Mescalero Man Sentenced for Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man was sentenced to 41 months in prison after pleading guilty to assault of an intimate partner resulting in substantial bodily injury.
According to court documents, on October 4, 2022, Jaydyn Diamond Lester, 20, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, assaulted his intimate partner by shooting her repeatedly with a BB gun and then striking her in the head several times with the butt end of the BB gun when she tried to leave the residence.
As a result of the assault, the victim suffered bruising and a large eight-centimeter laceration to her head, requiring six staples to close.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Lester will be required to serve 2 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
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Member of Catalytic Converter Crew Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a regional organized theft crew that stole catalytic converters from over 490 vehicles. It is alleged that the crew also stole from ATMs and jewelry stores.
Zachary Marshall, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 47 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In November 2023, Marshall pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce and interstate transportation of stolen property.
In April 2023, Marshall was arrested and charged along with six others in connection with the theft, transportation and sale of stolen catalytic converters taken from at least 496 vehicles across Massachusetts and New Hampshire in 2022 through April 2023 alone. It is believed that a significant number of additional thefts have not been identified or were not ever reported to law enforcement.
Marshall participated in thefts of catalytic converters from 100 vehicles over the course of 10 separate instances between Jan. 19, 2023 and April 6, 2023 – most of which targeted vehicles in more than one municipality over the course of a single night.
According to court filings, there has been a precipitous decline in catalytic converter thefts reported in Massachusetts as a result of the April 2023 takedown – with only seven reported incidents of catalytic converter theft over the past 12 months following the arrests, in comparison to the hundreds of thefts reported during the nine-month period prior.
Catalytic converter theft has become a nationwide problem due to the high-valued precious metals they contain – some of which are more valuable than gold, with black-market prices being more than $1,000 each in recent years.
The thefts in this case resulted in losses of approximately $5,000 per vehicle with certain trucks costing over $10,000 to repair. This amounts to an approximate $2 million in losses suffered by more than 300 separate victims who were forced to deal with their vehicles being disabled for potentially weeks on end. The more than 300 victims included businesses and individuals across Massachusetts and parts of New Hampshire, including a food pantry, automotive businesses, tradesmen, a bakery, single parents, a home healthcare provider and the elderly. Some businesses were repeatedly targeted on multiple nights.
Once in possession of the stolen catalytic converters, the crew would then sell them to Jose Torres, who would accumulate stolen catalytic converters from multiple theft crews and then in turn sell them to scrap dealers in the Northeast – transacting approximately $30,000 to $80,000 in stolen catalytic converters per week. The stolen catalytic converters were then sold to scrap dealers who have since been charged federally for interstate transportation of stolen property and money laundering in the District of Connecticut, the Eastern District of California and Northern District of Oklahoma
Additionally, in February 2023 Marshall, and allegedly, co-defendant Rafael Davila broke into to a self-storage facility in Northborough. During this break-in, Marshall stole items from storage units and stole a truck containing approximately $13,000 worth of Milwaukee brand power tools. A high-speed chase from law enforcement took place that evening reaching speeds upwards of 120 mph. Some of the stolen tools would later be recovered during a search of a storage unit allegedly controlled by Rafael Davila on April 12, 2023.
Marshall is the sixth defendant to plead guilty in the case. On May 17, 2023, Torres pleaded guilty to his role in the catalytic converter theft conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Kevin Gallagher, Director of Operations for the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the District of Connecticut, the Northern District of Oklahoma and the Eastern District of California; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and the New England State Police Information Network (NESPIN). Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
Over 70 local police departments in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut contributed to this investigation through the submission of their investigations of catalytic converter thefts in their jurisdiction. The Massachusetts Police Departments contributing to the investigation were Abington, Acton, Andover, Auburn, Bedford, Bellingham, Beverly, Billerica, Burlington, Bridgewater, Canton, Carver, Chelmsford, Concord, Cranston, East Hampton, Easton, Fitchburg, Framingham, Franklin, Gardner, Hampton, Hanover, Haverhill, Hingham, Holliston, Holyoke, Hudson, Ipswich, Lawrence, Leominster, Lynn, Malden, Mansfield, Medford, Marlborough, Methuen, Middleton, Milford, Millbury, Needham, Newton, Northborough, Norwell, Norwood, Peabody, Pembroke, Plymouth, Randolph, Rockland, Sharon, Shrewsbury, Springfield, Sterling, Sturbridge, Sudbury, Tyngsborough, Walpole, Waltham, Watertown, West Bridgewater, Weymouth, Wilmington, Woburn and Worcester. The New Hampshire Police Departments contributing to the investigation were Bow, Concord, Derry, Hooksett, Hudson, Londonderry, Manchester, Salem and Windham. The South Windsor and Windsor Connecticut Police Departments also contributed to the investigation.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
McKees Rocks Convicted Felon Sentenced to More than Three Years in Prison for Possession of Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 37 months of imprisonment on his conviction for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Shawn Layne, 39.
According to information presented to the Court, on June 14, 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police executed a search warrant upon Layne’s residence, which resulted in the seizure of a loaded handgun from the bedroom. At the time Layne possessed the loaded firearm, he had been convicted of multiple felony drug offenses through the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Layne.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Kidnapping and Interstate Violation of a Protective OrderRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Brighton, Massachusetts man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for kidnapping and transporting a woman into Maine against her will.
U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Stephen Pilson, 56, to 156 months in prison for kidnapping and 50 months for interstate violation of a protective order, with the sentences to be served concurrently. Judge Levy also sentenced Pilson to four years of supervised release following his prison term. A federal jury found Pilson guilty on December 21, 2023, after a three-day trial.
According to evidence presented during the trial, on December 15, 2019, Pilson drove the victim, with whom he had a relationship, from Massachusetts to Maine against her will. Throughout the trip, he drank heavily and told the victim they were going to Canada where she would die. Pilson tied the victim to the vehicle’s gear shift with her scarf and struck her when she tried to escape. On I-95 near Arundel, the victim attempted to open the door while the car was traveling at high speed. After Pilson pulled over, she attempted to remove the vehicle’s keys, breaking the key off in the ignition before fleeing along the highway with Pilson in pursuit. Maine State Troopers were alerted to the incident by 911 calls from at least five concerned motorists. Troopers later found Pilson in the woods with the aid of a K-9.
On December 12, 2019, three days before the kidnapping, Pilson had pleaded guilty in Waltham (Massachusetts) District Court to five charges, including kidnapping the same victim, for which he had been sentenced to time served and probation. A no-contact order was also imposed, prohibiting him from contacting the victim. The federal jury found Pilson guilty of interstate violation of a protection order for violating the Massachusetts order.
While incarcerated on the federal kidnapping charge, Pilson sought to obstruct justice by convincing the victim to recant her statement to police and cease cooperating with the investigation. In a recorded phone call Pilon made to the victim from jail, Pilson instructed her to write to prosecutors to say that she wasn’t kidnapped, and that she wanted the charges dropped. During the call, Pilson told the victim that if she did not write the letter, Pilson would kill himself because he could not face years in prison.
At sentencing, Judge Levy observed that, “Mr. Pilson’s recorded call to the victim was chilling and reflects someone who is both calculating and will do whatever it takes to another person to get his way.”
The FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Maine State Police investigated the case.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available via the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or via the hotline’s website at https://www.thehotline.org/. Mainers experiencing domestic violence can also contact the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence (MCEDV) at 1-866-834-HELP (4357). The MCEDV website, https://www.mcedv.org/, also has information about member organizations across Maine.
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Massachusetts Construction Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax Crimes and Making a False StatementRead the Press Release
A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today to an employment tax scheme and making a false statement at an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) hearing.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Mauricio Baiense, formerly of Quincy, owned and operated Contract Framing Builders Inc. (CFB), a Medford, Massachusetts, construction business. Baiense was responsible for paying to the IRS the payroll taxes withheld from CFB employees’ wages and for filing the quarterly employment tax returns.
From approximately April 2013 through December 2017, Baiense operated an “off-the-books” cash payroll for CFB. To generate cash for the payroll, Baiense wrote checks drawn on CFB’s bank account to purported subcontractors, which were in fact nominee entities that Baiense controlled. Baiense then cashed or directed others to cash approximately $11 million in such checks at a check cashing business.
Baiense and another man then used a portion of the cash to pay some of CFB’s employees’ wages. Baiense did not report the cash wages to the IRS and did not pay the required employment taxes on them. Baiense also helped prepare at least one false employment tax return that underreported the actual wages paid to CFB’s employees.
In total, Baiense caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $2,824,577.45.
Finally, when questioned at an OSHA hearing regarding a workplace accident, Baiense made a false statement. OSHA was investigating the workplace death of an individual working for CFB. During the hearing and while testifying under oath, Baiense falsely claimed that the deceased employee did not work for CFB at the time of the accident.
Baiense is scheduled to be sentenced on July 25. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each of the seven counts of willful failure to collect or pay over employment taxes, five years in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States and three years in prison for aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. He also faces up to five years in prison for the false statement. 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, Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts, OSHA Region 1 Administrator Galen Blanton, Special Agent in Charge Harry Chavis Jr. of IRS-Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Boston Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone of the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General in Boston made the announcement.
IRS-CI, OSHA and the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General
Assistant Chief Thomas F. Koelbl of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Tobin for the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the case.
Marion County Man Indicted for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Kyle Burbank (32, Belleview) with two counts of receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). If convicted on both counts, Burbank faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison, including a 5-year minimum mandatory term of imprisonment on each count.
According to court documents, between January 5 and 17, 2024, Burbank received five video files over the internet depicting CSAM from a 12-year-old child in another state. A review of Burbank’s social media accounts by investigators revealed multiple online interactions with other minors. Burbank subsequently was arrested by federal agents on April 4, 2024. He is currently in custody pending the resolution of this 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 Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Clinton County (Indiana) Sheriff’s Office, and the Rossville (Indiana) Police Department. 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.
Man Convicted for Insider Trading SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Los Angeles convicted a California man this week for insider trading.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Shahriyar Bolandian, 35, of Brentwood, Los Angeles, participated in an insider trading scheme that netted more than $650,000 in illicit profits. Between 2012 and 2013, Bolandian received material non-public information about two upcoming corporate acquisitions from his childhood friend, who was an investment banking analyst at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC. Bolandian then used the inside information to trade in advance of the public announcements of Integrated Device Technology Inc.’s April 2012 planned acquisition of PLX Technology Inc., and Salesforce.com Inc.’s June 2013 acquisition of ExactTarget Inc. As a result of his illegal trades, Bolandian personally made over $340,000, which he used, among other things, to cover previous trading losses and repay loans to family and friends.
The jury convicted of Bolandian of six counts of insider trading. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California; and Acting Assistant Director in Charge Mehtab Syed of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Della Sentilles of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Moghaddas for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case.
Los Angeles Woman Pleads Guilty to $2.2 Million COVID Loan Scheme and to Falsely Seeking $1.3 Million in Pandemic Tax CreditsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A woman from the Mid-City area of Los Angeles pleaded guilty today to fraudulently obtaining more than $2 million in COVID-19 government loans and to submitting false claims in an unsuccessful effort to secure from the IRS nearly $1.3 million in pandemic-related tax credits.
Casie Hynes, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of false claims.
According to her plea agreement, from June 2020 to December 2021, Hynes submitted more than 80 fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from banks and the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) in the names of approximately 20 companies. Congress designed these programs to provide government relief to businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hynes submitted the bogus applications in the names of both existing and newly created companies, including Nasty Womxn Project and She Suite Collective and others purportedly owned by Hynes or her friends and family members. On those applications, Hynes often used the personal information and signatures of other people without their authorization and even though those people were not involved with the companies. Hynes also provided false information on the applications, including as to the number of purported employees at the companies, the companies’ average monthly payroll, and who purportedly owned and controlled these sham businesses. Hynes also submitted fabricated tax documents and bank statements in support of the fraudulent PPP and EIDL applications.
In reliance on Hynes’ fraudulent loan applications, banks and the SBA approved PPP and EIDL loans for the various companies she created and then disbursed the COVID-relief funds into bank accounts she controlled and used to pay her own personal expenses.
Hynes admitted in her plea agreement that she intended to cause approximately $3,174,323 in losses and she received approximately $2,255,244 in fraudulent proceeds from this scheme.
In a related scheme, Hynes used some of the same companies named in her PPP and EIDL fraud to submit bogus tax forms to the IRS, requesting refunds. Following COVID-19’s outbreak, Congress enacted laws authorizing the IRS to reduce the employment tax burdens of small businesses and reimburse those businesses for wages paid to employees who were on sick or family leave and could not work because of the pandemic. During the tax years 2020 and 2021, the IRS offered the Employee Retention Credit and paid sick and family leave credit to businesses that were significantly impacted by COVID-19.
From May 2021 to April 2022, Hynes caused to be submitted 12 tax forms that sought refunds based on false statements on behalf of Nasty Womxn Project LLC, She Suite Ventures, and Casie Hynes Consulting. Hynes knew these companies had little to no business operations, did not have the number of employees she claimed, and did not pay the quarterly wages she claimed in the tax forms.
Hynes fraudulently sought approximately $1,255,703 in COVID-19 tax credits and tax refunds through these false claims, none of which the IRS paid.
United States District Judge Hernán D. Vera scheduled a January 30, 2025, sentencing hearing, at which time Hynes will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud count and up to five years in federal prison for the false claims count.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Kristen A. Williams of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF web complaint form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Little Rock Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Prison After Fleeing Police, Illegal Possession of FentanylRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Andre Pride will spend the next 151 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by Chief United States District Judge Kristine G. Baker.
Chief Judge Baker sentenced Pride to 151 months imprisonment and three years’ supervised release to follow his prison sentence. Pride faced a maximum sentence of not more than 20 years imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
On July 19, 2022, Pride, 36, of Little Rock, was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. On May 5, 2023, Pride pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
On June 13, 2019, Pride was driving a Can-Am motorcycle and while law enforcement officers were attempting to make contact with him, Pride rammed their vehicle and fled. While fleeing, Pride observed two marked law enforcement vehicles and quickly turned around. After turning around, Pride rammed another law enforcement vehicle and fled on foot. While fleeing, Pride removed a baggie of fentanyl from his pocket tore open the bag and attempted to spread the fentanyl in the yard of an unknown residence. Following the arrest of Pride, law enforcement officers retrieved 30 grams of fentanyl from the yard.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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@USAO_EDAR
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Russell L. Rucks, Jr., 31, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on Thursday, April 11, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Rucks to 132 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Rucks will begin a 4-year term of supervised release. In addition, Rucks was ordered to forfeit to the United States any interest he had in $5,084 in cash seized from his person and residence on August 12, 2021.
On August 12, 2021, a search warrant was executed at the Lincoln residence which Rucks shared with his father, Russell L. Rucks, Sr. That search resulted in the finding of approximately six pounds of cocaine, a scale, cash, and paperwork in the names of both Rucks, Jr. and Rucks, Sr.
Russell R. Rucks, Sr. was sentenced to 312 months in July of 2023 for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and fentanyl which resulted in serious bodily injury and death.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force and the Nebraska State Patrol.
Lakeland Man Pleads Guilty to Bringing Loaded Firearm into Tampa International Airport TerminalRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Abraham Othman Yacoub (26, Lakeland) has pleaded guilty to one count of violating airport security requirements and one count of attempted possession of a dangerous weapon on an aircraft. Yacoub faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each count. He has also agreed to forfeit the Glock 19 and assorted ammunition, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on August 4, 2023, Yacoub arrived at Tampa International Airport to board a flight to Las Vegas, Nevada. He entered the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening line and placed his backpack, shoes, and other personal items into a TSA bin before proceeding through TSA screening.
TSA electronically screened Yacoub’s items with an x-ray machine and observed a firearm inside of Yacoub’s bag. While TSA officers were attempting to locate the bag containing the firearm, Yacoub took his bag from the conveyor belt and proceeded to the nearest men’s restroom. Once in the restroom, Yacoub removed the firearm from his backpack, wrapped it in toilet paper, and hid it in a trash can.
A short time later, Yacoub exited the restroom and returned to the TSA screening area, still holding his backpack, where he was met by a TSA officer. TSA officers rescreened Yacoub’s backpack and questioned Yacoub, who lied to TSA officers and told them that he had not brought a firearm into the airport. The airport terminal was evacuated of passengers, delaying numerous flights. Officers from the Tampa International Airport Police Department (TIA PD) responded to the screening area, questioned Yacoub, and searched the restroom that Yacoub had entered. Inside the trash can in the handicap stall, TSA and TIA PD officers located a black firearm partially wrapped in toilet paper with fourteen 9mm rounds of ammunition inside a magazine and loaded into the gun.
The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Rules and Regulations for Tampa International Airport state that “[n]o person except those persons authorized by law may carry a firearm or concealed weapon inside the passenger terminal and sterile areas of the airport….” Further, the airport has clearly posted no-firearms signs at the entry of every airport security line.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Transportation Security Administration, and the Tampa International Airport Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.
La Jara Man Charged with Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A La Jara man is facing federal charges following allegations that he engaged in sexual acts with two minors using force.
Ronald Mescal, a.k.a. “Ron Charlie,” 61, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared in federal court today for arraignment on an indictment charging him with three counts of aggravated sexual abuse. Mescal will remain on conditions of release in the third-party custody of a halfway house pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment alleges that between July 1992 and August 1996, Mescal engaged in sexual acts with a victim under the age of 18 years by using force. Then, between September 2009 and September 2016, Mescal engaged in sexual acts with a victim who was under the age of 12 years.
If convicted, Mescal faces up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Reginald Clay Jackson, 43, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 3, 2023, law enforcement officers arrested Jackson after conducting a traffic stop of a scooter he was operating in St. Albans. The scooter was reported stolen and Jackson could not produce a valid license, insurance, or registration. Jackson was taken to the South Charleston Detachment of the West Virginia State Police and processed. The following day, officers found a plastic bag under a bench in the booking area. The bag contained seven individually wrapped baggies that each contained approximately 1 ounce of fentanyl. Security video footage showed Jackson removing the bag from his clothing and throwing it under the bench during his processing.
Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced on August 13, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of West Virginia State Police and the assistance provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-33.
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Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission and the European Commission hold Fourth U.S.-EU Joint Technology Competition Policy DialogueRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, Chair Lina M. Khan of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager of the European Commission met today in Washington, D.C., for the fourth meeting of the U.S.-EU Joint Technology Competition Policy Dialogue (TCPD). The principals and senior staff met to continue to cooperate in ensuring and promoting fair competition in the digital economy.
“The growth of data monopolies and the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence expand the competitive threats we face from dominant digital gatekeepers,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter. “Exchanging best practices with our global counterparts helps us to more effectively serve the American people, and we deeply appreciate the European Commission's continued engagement through the TCPD.”
“As businesses move at breakneck speed to build and monetize AI and algorithmic decision-making tools, engaging with our international partners and sharing best practices will be especially critical,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “The Joint Technology Dialogue provides U.S. agencies and the European Commission a key opportunity to discuss emerging threats in a rapidly evolving digital economy.”
“With today’s meeting, we have further strengthened our cooperation in competition policy and enforcement in the technology area,” said European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager. “The fast-moving technology sector raises global challenges such as regarding artificial intelligence and cloud computing more broadly. It is essential to anticipate and address such challenges through close cooperation, leveraging our respective experiences for the benefit of consumers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.”
The discussion centered on critical issues the agencies are facing, including common challenges related to rapidly evolving technologies in the digital sector such as artificial intelligence and the importance of keeping merger control fit for purpose in a digitalized economy. The agencies also exchanged views on evolving market dynamics in the digital sector and reiterated the importance of continuing their discussions within the framework of the TCPD with a goal of ensuring and promoting fair competition in the technology sector.
On Dec. 7, 2021, the Justice Department, FTC and European Commission launched the TCPD to further boost transatlantic cooperation on competition policy and enforcement in the digital sector in light of the common challenges facing the three authorities. Upon its launch, the Commission and U.S. competition agencies issued a statement regarding the TCPD and reaffirming their longstanding tradition of close cooperation on competition matters.
On June 15, 2021, President Biden and the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen launched the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC). The TTC serves as a forum for the United States and European Union to coordinate approaches to key global trade, economic and technology issues and to deepen transatlantic trade and economic relations based on shared democratic values.
The Justice Department, FTC and European Commission have a longstanding tradition of close cooperation in antitrust enforcement and policy, beginning even before the formal 1991 cooperation agreement between the European Commission and United States regarding the application of their competition laws.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Staffing Agency to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination ClaimRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement with staffing company Infinity Employment Solutions Inc. (Infinity), formerly doing business as Express Employment Professionals of Mesquite, Texas. The settlement agreement resolves the department’s determination that Infinity violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when it discriminated against a worker based on his citizenship status by rejecting his valid documents and requesting that he provide a specific document to prove his permission to work.
“It is unlawful discrimination for employers to reject a worker’s valid documents showing their permission to work because of the worker’s citizenship status,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division is committed to protecting workers who experience discrimination during the hiring process; employers that violate our nation’s civil rights will be held accountable.”
After an investigation, the Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) determined that Infinity rejected a lawful permanent resident’s valid driver’s license and unrestricted Social Security card, even though they were enough to show his permission to work. The investigation also found that the company demanded that the worker provide a Permanent Resident Card before he could start working. As a result, the worker lost 20 days of wages.
Under the terms of the settlement, Infinity will pay a civil penalty, provide back pay plus interest to the worker and be subject to monitoring requirements.
Under federal law, employers cannot reject a worker’s valid work authorization document based on the worker’s immigration or citizenship status. Indeed, many non-U.S. citizens, including lawful permanent residents, are eligible for several of the same types of documents to prove their permission to work as U.S. citizens are (for example, a state ID or driver’s license and an unrestricted Social Security card). Employers must allow workers to present whatever acceptable documentation the workers choose and cannot reject valid documentation that reasonably appears to be genuine and to relate to the worker.
IER is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits citizenship status and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices and retaliation and intimidation.
Find more information on how employers can avoid discrimination when verifying someone’s permission to work on IER’s website. Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation; email [email protected] or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Sign up for email updates from IER.
Japanese-Language Translator Charged in Complaint with Illegally Transferring More Than $16 Million from Baseball Player’s AccountRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Japanese-language translator was charged today via federal criminal complaint with unlawfully transferring more than $16 million from a Major League Baseball (MLB) player’s bank account – without the player’s knowledge or permission – to pay off his own substantial gambling debts incurred with an illegal bookmaking operation.
Ippei Mizuhara, 39, of Newport Beach, is charged with bank fraud, a felony offense that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.
Mizuhara is expected to appear in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles for his initial appearance in the near future.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, from November 2021 to January 2024, Mizuhara wired more than $16 million in unauthorized transfers from a checking account belong to an MLB player identified in the affidavit as “Victim A,” who in fact is MLB star Shohei Ohtani. The transfers from this bank account allegedly were made from devices and IP addresses associated with Mizuhara, who served as Ohtani’s translator and de facto manager.
In 2018, Mizuhara accompanied Ohtani, who didn’t speak English, to a bank branch in Arizona to assist Ohtani in opening the account and translated for Ohtani when setting up the account details. Ohtani’s salary from playing professional baseball was deposited into this account and he never gave Mizuhara control of this or any of his other financial accounts, according to the affidavit. Mizuhara allegedly told Ohtani’s U.S.-based financial professionals, none of whom spoke Japanese, that Ohtani denied them access to the account.
In September 2021, Mizuhara began gambling with an illegal sports book and, several months later, started losing substantial sums of money, the affidavit states. During this time, the contact information on Ohtani’s bank account allegedly was changed to link the account to Mizuhara’s phone number and to an anonymous email address connected to Mizuhara.
Mizuhara allegedly also telephoned the bank and falsely identified himself as Ohtani to trick bank employees into authorizing wire transfers from Ohtani’s bank account to associates of the illegal gambling operation.
From January 2024 to March 2024, he also allegedly used this same account to purchase via eBay and Whatnot approximately 1,000 baseball cards – at a cost of approximately $325,000 – and had them mailed to Mizuhara under an alias, “Jay Min,” and mailed to the clubhouse for Ohtani’s current MLB team.
In an interview last week with law enforcement, Ohtani denied authorizing Mizuhara’s wire transfers. Ohtani provided his cellphone to law enforcement, who determined that there was no evidence to suggest that Ohtani was aware of, or involved in, Mizuhara’s illegal gambling activity or payment of those debts.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
IRS Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jeff Mitchell of the Major Frauds Section, Dan Boyle of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section, and Rachel N. Agress of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section are prosecuting this case.
Indictment Filed in Murder of Visiting Teacher Near UniversityRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jamie Macedo, 22, of Washington, D.C., was indicted on charges of first degree murder while armed, attempted armed robbery, and firearms offenses in relation to the July 2023 shooting death of Maxwell Emerson, a visiting teacher, during a robbery that ended on a university campus in Northeast D.C., announced United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves.
The indictment, filed on April 10, 2024, in the Superior Court, also charges possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The defendant will be arraigned on Friday, April 12, 2024.
According to documents filed with the court and the government’s evidence, on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, Mr. Emerson, who was in Washington, D.C. for a conference at the Library of Congress’s Teacher Institute, was approached by the defendant at 7:32 a.m. outside the Brookland-CUA Metro Station. Mr. Emerson was captured on video walking away from the Metro station a few minutes later with his hands raised and with the defendant following him. Macedo forced Emerson toward a small park area near 611 Alumni Lane. Just before 8 a.m., Mr. Emerson sent a snapchat message attempting to inform a family member he was being robbed at gunpoint. Surveillance video captured Macedo closing in on Mr. Emerson who was seated on a park bench. Macedo attempted to grab personal property from Mr. Emerson and a struggle ensued during which Macedo shot Mr. Emerson in the abdomen. Mr. Emerson died as a result of the gunshot wound.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Interrante.
Hannibal Man Sentenced to 137 Months in Prison for Gun, Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS –U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White on Thursday sentenced a convicted felon from Hannibal, Missouri who was caught with methamphetamine and a gun to 137 months in prison.
After a traffic stop of Justin Fuget on March 25, 2022, Hannibal Police Department officers spotted a large safe on the passenger seat of Fuget’s vehicle, according to witnesses and evidence at Fuget’s trial in January. Fuget appeared nervous and a drug-sniffing dog alerted to the vehicle. Police also found a firearm between the driver’s seat and the center console. Fuget is a felon and is barred from possession of a firearm.
During a subsequent court-approved search of the safe, officers found meth, drug paraphernalia and ammunition. They also found text messages on Fuget’s phone that indicated that he was distributing meth.
Fuget, 35, was found guilty by a jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in January of three felony counts: being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The Hannibal Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Catherine Hoag and Paul D’Agrosa are prosecuting the case.
Glenpool Man Sentenced for Assault with Intent to Commit Murder and StrangulationRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Friday, Paul Anthony Thompson, 36, was sentenced for Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country and Assault of an Intimate Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating, and Attempting to Strangle and Suffocate in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Thompson to 216 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in March of 2023, Thompson tried to kill his spouse by strangling her with three different belts, causing her to lose consciousness. During the assault, he beat the victim with a belt, then strangled her with the belt until it broke. He then got another belt, looped it around her neck and dragged her around “like a dog.” When that belt broke, Thompson got a third belt. When she attempted to escape, he blocked her from leaving and said, “Till death do us part.”
Records reflect in December of 2018, Thompson assaulted a previous girlfriend by placing her in a chokehold and strangling her. The chokehold prevented her from breathing. Thompson prevented the victim from leaving with a child who was also present during the attack.
Thompson is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Thompson will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI and Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey Todd, Leah Paisner, and Steven Briden prosecuted the case.
Gibsonia Resident Sentenced to Prison and Ordered to Pay $2.6 Million in Restitution for Long-Term Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 24 months of incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $2,613,933.92 on his conviction of tax evasion, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States Senior District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Eli M. Zatezalo, 52.
According to information presented to the Court, from October 2009 to January 2022, Zatezalo avoided the payment of outstanding tax liability to the IRS by transferring income into financial accounts of others to avoid IRS collection efforts.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Internal Revenue Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Zatezalo.
Fruitland Man Charged with AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Fruitland man is facing federal charges following allegations that he and his brother instigated a confrontation at a residence which culminated in a standoff with law enforcement officers. Justin Tso, 36, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared in federal court for an initial appearance where the Court detained him pending a detention hearing, which has been scheduled for April 12, 2024.
The criminal complaint alleges that on March 23, 2024, Tso and his brother, Walliford Tso, went to Jane Doe’s home in Fruitland, New Mexico. Tso went into Jane Doe's home and asked for a cigarette. When she told him that she had no cigarettes, Tso took a machete that was lying near the front door without permission, then left.
Jane Doe’s significant other, John Doe 1, yelled after the brothers and a verbal altercation followed. After the exchange, the brothers chased John Doe 1 into the house and assaulted him. John Doe 1 was able to get away by slipping out of his shirt and exited the house with Jane Doe and their small child. The brothers followed and continued to assault John Doe 1. Jane Doe and John Doe called 911 using their cellphone. A Navajo Police Department officer arrived shortly after the incident and detained Tso.
Tso is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and aiding and abetting. If convicted of the current charges, Tso faces up to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal ComplaintA criminal complaint 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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Four federally charged for gang murder near YorktownRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Three gang members have been charged, in addition to one previously charged defendant, with abduction and murder in York County, Virginia.
According to the indictment, in the early morning hours of May 6, 2023, Hezekiah Carney, 25, of Norfolk, Jamica Langley, 24, of Richmond, Donnisha Goodman, 26, of Portsmouth, and Acacia Jackson, 19, of New York, allegedly traveled to the victim’s residence on Bethel Street in Richmond, Virginia, to conduct a physical beating of the victim for a gang infraction. All were members of different regional sets of a national street gang, the Almighty Black P. Stone Nation. The group left the apartment after beating the victim.
Around an hour later, Goodman, Jackson, Carney, and Langley allegedly returned to the victim’s apartment, this time with an additional co-conspirator and fellow gang member, Jayquan Jones, 25, of Richmond. Some of them allegedly were armed and wearing masks. The group allegedly attacked the victim again before taking her from her residence. The group allegedly drove the victim in a Hyundai Sonata approximately an hour east of Richmond to a remote area off Old Williamsburg Road in York County, where they allegedly removed her from the car and executed her. The Medical Examiner found eight gunshot wounds to the head, abdomen, back, buttocks, and legs.
At approximately 6:30 a.m., deputies with the York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office allegedly found the victim’s body, along with numerous shell casings with an "S&B” headstamp. On May 7, 2023, the Norfolk Police Department allegedly located and stopped the Sonata. Jackson, Goodman, and Langley allegedly were in the vehicle at the time. Investigators allegedly recovered a 9mm cartridge from the vehicle with the same “S&B" headstamp from casings found at the scene of the murder.
On March 5, Jackson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 22 and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Carney, Goodman, Langley, and Jones are charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping resulting in death. If convicted of kidnapping resulting in death, they face a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Norfolk Field Office; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Ronald Montgomery, York County Sheriff, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa McKeel and Mack Coleman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Levey-Weinstein are prosecuting the case with substantial assistance provided by the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-1.
Former Teacher Sentenced for Sexual Abuse and Enticement of MinorsRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A former South Coffeyville middle school teacher was sentenced today for two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country and Coercion and Enticement of a Minor in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Harold Steven Moore, 41, of Kansas City, to 180 months imprisonment, followed by 12 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Moore will also be required to register as a sex offender.
“Children trust their teachers and Harold Moore betrayed that trust,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “No child should ever have to question the motives of an adult they interact with at school. I commend the courageous victims that came forward.”
According to court documents, Moore was a teacher and coach at a South Coffeyville middle school. He had sexual relationships with two separate minor children beginning in 2006 and continuing through 2007. Both minor children were under the age of 16 years old and students at the middle school. Moore further admitted to enticing a third minor to engage in sexual activities while he was her coach. Moore made inappropriate comments of a sexual nature and engaged in improper touching.
Moore is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and he will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI, Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and Montgomery County Sheriff's Office in Kansas investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Former East St. Louis, Illinois, Police Officers Plead Guilty to Civil Rights Offenses Related to Excessive Force IncidentRead the Press Release
Two former East St. Louis, Illinois, Police Department (ESLPD) officers, Vincent Anderson, 61, and Jason Boyd, 51, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to civil rights offenses related to Boyd’s use of unreasonable force against two juvenile detainees.
According to court documents, on Oct. 3, 2019, two juveniles, who had been detained by the ESLPD, were sleeping in separate, locked holding cells in the East St. Louis jail. At that time, ESLPD Officer Jason Boyd banged on the glass of the juveniles’ holding cells, but the juveniles did not wake up. Boyd took pepper spray out of his holster in view of the other officers — including an ESLPD supervisor, Captain Vincent Anderson, stepped into one of the locked holding cells and pepper sprayed one of the sleeping juveniles. The other officers — including Anderson — watched Boyd spray the juvenile and did nothing to stop him despite their duty to intervene in an unreasonable use of force.
Boyd and one of the other officers agreed that the second juvenile should also be sprayed. They walked to the holding cells, where Anderson and another officer had remained. Boyd then pepper sprayed the second sleeping juvenile. Again, none of the other officers acted to stop Boyd. Further, none of the officers acted to obtain care for the juveniles, despite the officers’ duty to obtain necessary medical care for detainees.
Boyd pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor civil rights violations for his use of unreasonable force against the juveniles and Anderson pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor civil rights violations for his failure to intervene in Boyd’s use of unreasonable force.
Sentencing hearings are scheduled for July 23. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe for the Southern District of Illinois and Special Agent in Charge David G. Nanz of the FBI Springfield Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Springfield Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Erin Monju of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section is prosecuting the case with support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois.
Former California Resident Involved in Interstate Cocaine Trafficking Organization Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Oxnard, California, pleaded guilty in federal court on April 10, 2024, to a drug trafficking charge, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Christopher Andrew Salgado, 24, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, between March 2022 and September 2022, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) conducted an investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating in the Western District of Pennsylvania. The investigation revealed that a cocaine source of supply in California would mail parcels containing kilogram quantities of cocaine to a residence in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. After investigators seized a parcel containing two kilograms of cocaine before it reached the Aliquippa residence, the source of supply began sending the parcels to Salgado in West Virginia. Thereafter, mobile and electronic surveillance confirmed that Salgado would drive the parcel from West Virginia to the Pittsburgh International Airport, pick up co-defendant Jose Sanchez, who would arrive on flights from California, and transport both the parcel and Sanchez to another co-defendant, Romaro Foster Sr., in Aliquippa.
Following one re-supply of cocaine to Foster Sr., law enforcement followed Salgado as he drove Sanchez back to the Pittsburgh airport, and observed Salgado dispose of a box in the trash of a fast food restaurant parking lot. Investigators recovered the box, observing a shipping label with Salgado’s West Virginia address as well as drug packaging material within the box. A field test of the packaging revealed the presence of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
In August 2022, investigators seized a parcel sent from California to Salgado in West Virginia. The parcel contained approximately two kilograms of cocaine. Investigators conducted a controlled delivery operation of the parcel at Salgado’s residence, executing a federal search warrant at the residence in conjunction with the operation. From Salgado’s bedroom, investigators recovered another parcel sent from California to Salgado containing approximately two kilograms of cocaine, along with a loaded 9mm handgun, an empty pistol magazine, a box of ammunition, and a digital scale.
Judge Hardy scheduled sentencing for August 14, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of $5 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.
Pending sentencing, the court remanded Salgado to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Salgado.
This prosecution is part of an OCDETF investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Former California Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Accepting BribesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Stephen Joseph Crittenden, 44, of Suisun City, pleaded guilty today to bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Crittenden was a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation correctional officer at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville. From 2021 through 2023, he accepted bribes, totaling more than $45,000, from inmates to smuggle cellphones into the California Medical Facility.
Crittenden is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 12, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley. Crittenden faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. 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 is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg is prosecuting the case.
Former Boston Woman Sentenced for Failing to Appear to Serve a Federal Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Boston woman, who was sentenced to federal prison in 2021 for misuse of a passport, was sentenced today to failing to surrender to serve her sentence.
Yris Sanchez, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to a sentence of six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Today’s sentence will run concurrent with Sanchez’s 15-month sentence for misuse of a passport. She will be subject to deportation upon completion of her sentence. In December 2023, Sanchez pleaded guilty to failing to appear to serve a federal sentence.
In May 2020, Sanchez was convicted of misusing a passport and was sentenced to 15 months in prison. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sanchez requested release on conditions and to self-report to serve her sentence. The Court granted this request and released Sanchez on an appearance bond. Following several extensions of her self-report date, Sanchez failed to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons in June 2021 to serve her sentence. For approximately 20 months after her failure to report, Sanchez resided in the Dominican Republic where she posted various daily undertakings on Facebook, including trips to the beach, pool and social functions. In July 2021, the Court forfeited Sanchez’s secured appearance bond and entered a further default judgment of $47,500 against Sanchez.
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 Brian Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely, Chief of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Florida woman convicted in cryptocurrency money laundering schemeRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Jacksonville, Florida woman has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Sharena Seay, 39, pleaded guilty to money laundering before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love on April 11, 2024.
According to information presented in court, Seay laundered the proceeds of her drug trafficking operations through cryptocurrency. The defendant supplied alpha-Pyrrolidinopentiophenone (alpha-PVP), which is often called “flakka,” and similar synthetic cathinones, such as Eutylone or alpha-PiHP. Seay distributed alpha-PVP and other controlled substances to various customers across the United States. Customers who purchased controlled substances from Seay paid for their purchases with cash. Seay laundered the cash proceeds through cryptocurrency in order to purchase more controlled substances on the dark web and to conceal her criminal activity.
Seay faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
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.
The cases were investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with the assistance of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld and D. Ryan Locker.
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Federal jury finds Anchorage man guilty of defrauding company of $3MRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage Police Department officer was convicted of 24 criminal counts today for his participation in a scheme to defraud a corporation of millions of dollars.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Nathan Michael Keays, 44, was friends with a ConocoPhillips employee, Forrest Wright, 44. The two conspired to use Keays’s foam insulation business, Eco Edge Armoring LLC, to defraud ConocoPhillips by approving contracts for goods and services that were never provided. Over the course of the scheme, Keays and Wright obtained more than $3 million from fraudulent bills. Wright pleaded guilty in March 2021 and is scheduled to be sentenced in May 2024.
The scheme started in 2019 when Wright was a Senior Drilling and Wells Planner with ConocoPhillips, where he was responsible for ordering materials and labor for drilling and wells projects. Wright had the authority to approve material and labor orders for up to $1 million and was trusted to recommend vendors for supplies.
Keays conspired with Wright to craft fraudulent emails and alter the Eco Edge Armoring LLC website to present the company as a major oil and gas services enterprise, when in fact, it had no employees and no ability to provide goods or services in the oil industry. Wright sent emails from his personal account to Keays’s personal account with instructions to send technical emails to Wright’s business account to establish Eco Edge Armoring LLC as an approved vendor. Wright would then forward these emails to other personnel within ConocoPhillips to ensure Keays’s company was approved as a frequently used vendor.
After achieving the approved vendor status, Keays submitted fraudulent invoices totaling over $3.2 million for materials that did not exist and labor that was never performed. Keays also submitted fraudulent timesheets in the name of nonexistent employees to make it appear that work had actually been performed. Wright used his position in the company to direct personnel to approve the payment of invoices by falsely representing that the nonexistent materials were delivered and accounted for and that the work outlined in the invoices was performed.
Keays received $3,087,720 in electronic payments from ConocoPhillips for the fraudulent material and labor through a bank account for Eco Edge Armoring LLC and split the proceeds with Wright by issuing checks to Spectrum Consulting, a shell entity created by Wright. In total, Keays personally received more than $1.4 million. Keays used his proceeds of the scheme for personal expenses, including paying off loans, purchasing real estate and buying cryptocurrency.
Keays was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 11 counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and 11 counts of money laundering.
“This successful conviction represents closure in a complex white-collar crime case and demonstrates that no one is above the law,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “To anyone thinking of committing a financial crime, know that my office, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners across the state, will work vigorously to find you and prosecute you to the furthest extent of the law.”
“This verdict demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to investigate and hold accountable those who engage in fraudulent schemes for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “With special agents, forensic accountants, and prosecutors who specialize in unraveling complex financial crimes, the FBI and our partners will continue to disrupt fraudsters and bring them to justice.”
The FBI Anchorage Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Heyman and James Klugman are prosecuting the case.
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Federal Way, Washington man pleads guilty to assault with sexual motivation on flight to SeattleRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 25-year-old Federal Way, Washington man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Desmond D. Bostick faces up to ten years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead on July 18, 2024.
According to records filed in the case, on June 20, 2023, Bostick was seated in the last row of the plane on an Alaska Airlines flight from San Diego to Seattle. Bostick was in the aisle seat and the victim, who was a stranger to Bostick, was seated in the middle seat. Bostick allegedly repeatedly touched the victim on the thigh and grabbed her buttocks when she stood to allow the passenger in the window seat to exit the row. Bostick touched her buttocks a second time when the victim stood for the window seat passenger to return to his seat. In the plea agreement Bostick admits he touched the victim to arouse his sexual desire.
After the plane landed, the victim reported the conduct to the flight crew and law enforcement began its investigation. Bostick had left the airport and his location was unknown. The federal grand jury returned an indictment in the case on September 27,2023. Bostick was located and arrested by the FBI on February 9, 2024.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, both prosecution and defense will recommend a nine-month prison term. The recommendation is not binding on the court and Judge Whitehead can impose any sentence allowed by law.
This case was investigated by the FBI with the assistance of the Port of Seattle Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sean H. Waite and Kristine Foerster.
Federal Jury Finds Wisconsin Woman Guilty of Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
DULUTH, Minn. – A federal jury found a Wisconsin woman guilty of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Following a three-day trial before Judge John R. Tunheim, Shue Moua, 35, was convicted yesterday on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
According to the evidence presented at trial, a deputy with the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office executed a traffic stop after witnessing Moua’s erratic behavior behind the wheel of a Ford Taurus in the early hours of March 2, 2023. During their interaction, Moua presented an expired Wisconsin driver’s license and admitted she did not have a valid license or insurance coverage. Officers also observed signs of impairment, namely bloodshot eyes and slurred speech, and conducted a series of field sobriety tests, which she failed. After initially consenting to a search of her vehicle, Moua revoked consent and was subsequently arrested for suspected impaired driving. A search of her person prior to her arrest revealed $634 in cash, and while conducting an inventory of her vehicle prior to impoundment, officers discovered approximately two pounds of methamphetamine and unused plastic baggies.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew D. Evans and Michael P. McBride tried the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Putnam County Man for FHA Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – After two days of trial, a federal jury convicted Jason Trador, 46, of Scott Depot, on April 10, 2024, of making a false statement to federal agents, willfully overvaluing property on a loan application, and three counts of making a false statement to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Evidence at trial proved that Trador fraudulently obtained a $223,870 home mortgage insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) from his then-employer, Victorian Finance LLC, a mortgage lending business. At the time he applied for the FHA loan in August 2018, Trador was delinquent on paying his federal taxes for a prior tax year. Because of the tax debt, Trador was not eligible for an FHA loan under existing FHA program rules. Trador deceived Victorian Finance into approving the application and the FHA into insuring the mortgage by providing a series of falsified documents including a falsified Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax transcript purporting to show a payoff of the delinquent $8,151 tax debt.
Trador also submitted three heavily edited bank statements to Victorian Finance. Each falsified bank statement substantially inflated the balances in Trador’s bank accounts. Two of the falsified statements reported balances of approximately $27,000 and $15,000 for Trador’s personal bank account when in fact the account had negative balances. Line items, such as for insufficient funds fees, were removed from the falsified bank statements and a line item was added to deceive Victorian Finance into believing that he had paid off the delinquent $8,151 tax debt. Evidence at trial proved the purported payoff never occurred and that Trador was still delinquent on the federal tax debt as of March 2024.
On September 4, 2018, Trador willfully overvalued his assets on a loan application when he signed a Uniform Residential Loan Application that included the false balances from the falsified bank statements.
On May 6, 2022, Trador lied to investigators with HUD’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) when they interviewed Trador at his Scott Depot residence about his application for the FHA-insured mortgage. Trador denied submitting false bank statements with his loan application, and blamed his fellow employees of the mortgage lending business for the inclusion of the false bank statements in the FHA loan file.
Trador is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 41 years in prison.
“Loan officers are supposed to be gatekeepers who protect the integrity of the FHA program. Mr. Trador abused his position of trust as a loan officer and used his knowledge of FHA requirements to obtain a mortgage he knew he did not qualify for, and then lied in an attempt to conceal his scheme,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend HUD OIG and the FBI for their investigative work in this case, and Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew J. Tessman, Jonathan T. Storage and Erik S. Goes and our trial team for prosecuting the case and securing guilty verdicts on all five counts.”
“The integrity of the FHA loan program is essential to helping hard working citizens realize the American dream of homeownership,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Rice with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General. “This case demonstrates HUD OIG’s enduring commitment to working with U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia and the FBI to investigate and hold accountable those who seek to jeopardize this program and the health and stability of the nation’s housing market. I’d like to sincerely thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the entire investigative team, led by U.S. Attorney Thompson, for its tireless efforts to bring this matter to a just conclusion.”
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the jury trial.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-117.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Bowling Green Man for Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned an indictment yesterday charging a Bowling Green, Kentucky, man with wire fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office, and U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, from October 2009 and continuing until May 2020, Kennith Ray Moore, 55, committed wire fraud by engaging in a scheme to embezzle $1,145,800 from his employer. Specifically, the indictment alleges Moore caused his employer to issue checks to him and to “KBM Solutions,” a company Moore created whose primary purpose was to receive the embezzled funds. The indictment further charges that Moore laundered money by transferring the embezzled funds to his personal checking, personal savings, and credit card accounts. The indictment also charges Moore with tax evasion for tax years 2017 to 2020.
If convicted, Moore faces a maximum sentence of 140 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case is being investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation Bowling Green Post of Duty Office and the USPIS Bowling Green Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Madison Sewell, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Father and Daughter Charged in Fraud Scheme that Allegedly Exploited a Vulnerable AdultRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Linda Laird, 59, and her father, James Blizzard, 80, both of Cordova, Maryland, are charged in a five-count indictment, unsealed today, with conspiracy to commit Social Security fraud and theft of public money, conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, mail fraud, financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult or elderly person, and fraud in the first degree against a senior citizen. The charges were announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia. The defendants appeared in District Court today and were released pending trial.
The indictment was returned on April 9, 2024, by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. According to court documents, beginning in November 2017, Laird and Blizzard conspired and engaged in a scheme to deceive the Superior Court of the District of Columbia into appointing them as co-guardians and co-conservators of a vulnerable adult. At the time, the vulnerable adult was 81 years of age and suffered from severe cognitive impairments that rendered her incapacitated and required her to reside in a nursing home located in Washington, D.C.
While the vulnerable adult resided in the nursing home, Laird and Blizzard were required, in part, to act as fiduciaries and apply the vulnerable adult’s money towards her support, care, habilitation, and treatment. Instead, the indictment alleges, Laird and Blizzard used their authority as co-guardians and co-conservators to redirect U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits intended for, and checking account funds belonging to, the vulnerable adult to their personal bank accounts for their own benefit. In total, Laird and Blizzard diverted more than $21,000 in Social Security benefits and obtained over $85,000 from the vulnerable adult’s bank account for their personal use. Laird and Blizzard did not use these funds to pay for the vulnerable adult’s care.
This case is being investigated by the D.C. Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the U.S. Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, and the Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Facci, on detail from the D.C. Office of the Inspector General.
An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
Farrell Resident Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Farrell, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 24 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Kenneth Miller, 62.
Miller previously pleaded guilty in this case to conspiring to distribute a quantity of cocaine between June 2020 and June 2021. Prior to sentencing, the Court was informed that Miller assisted his co-defendants with cocaine trafficking by repeatedly allowing his Farrell apartment to be used as a location where powder cocaine was converted into crack cocaine, with Miller repeatedly receiving some of the cocaine in return.
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 Miller.
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.
Extradited Colombian National Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Import Cocaine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that LIBIA AMANDA PALACIO MENA was sentenced to 14 years in prison for conspiring to import cocaine into the U.S. PALACIO MENA pled guilty on December 21, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Libia Amanda Palacio Mena's sentence marks a significant blow to drug trafficking networks, demonstrating our steadfast commitment to dismantling criminal enterprises. Through the collaborative efforts of law enforcement, this Office and our partners uncovered the complex network Palacio Mena and others orchestrated alongside FARC operatives and other violent drug trafficking organizations. This outcome underscores that those who conspire to flood our streets with narcotics will face stiff consequences for their actions.”
According to court documents and statements made during court proceedings:[1]
PALACIO MENA conspired with her co-defendants and other individuals associated with the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (“FARC”) — a violent organization based in Colombia that was dedicated to the overthrow of the Colombian government and responsible for the production and distribution of the majority of the cocaine that eventually reached the U.S. — to source and distribute tons of cocaine destined for the U.S. PALACIO MENA negotiated with individuals she believed to be narcotics traffickers from a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization (the “Mexican DTO”) seeking to establish a cocaine supply line from Venezuela to the U.S. These individuals, however, were actually confidential sources working at the direction of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (the “DEA”).
In dozens of communications recorded during the investigation, PALACIO MENA presented herself to the Mexican DTO as a broker for large cocaine and weapons transactions. PALACIO MENA touted her connections to, among others, Colombian political leaders, the FARC, and the Cartel of the Suns — a group of high-ranking Venezuelan officials who abused the Venezuelan people and corrupted the legitimate institutions of Venezuela to facilitate the importation of tons of cocaine into the U.S. in partnership with the FARC. After exploring working with various drug traffickers and introducing the confidential sources to several possible partners for sourcing and transporting cocaine, PALACIO MENA ultimately introduced the confidential sources to one of her co-defendants, who agreed to use his political and logistics connections in Colombia to assist the venture.
In December 2021, to prove their bona fides and establish the quality of their supply, PALACIO MENA sold the confidential sources a five-kilogram sample of extremely pure cocaine from a FARC-associated farm outside of Medellín. PALACIO MENA was arrested in Colombia in February 2022, in the midst of negotiating a much larger partnership with the Mexican DTO, which they envisioned entailing the shipment of approximately 500 kilograms of cocaine per week.
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In addition to the prison term, PALACIO MENA, 50, of Medellín, Colombia, was sentenced to four years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit and Bogota Country Office, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché’s Office in Bogota.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley, Kaylan E. Lasky, and Kevin T. Sullivan are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] Communications, conversations, and statements discussed and quoted herein are described in substance and in part, and many of these conversations occurred in Spanish.
Exeter Man Pleads Guilty to Lying to Obtain More than $100,000 in Social Security Disability BenefitsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – An Exeter man pleaded guilty today in federal court in connection with obtaining disability benefits for which he was not entitled, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
James Siano, 59, pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante scheduled sentencing for July 19, 2024.
The defendant first applied for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) in December 2019, when he claimed he was disabled, unable to work, and had stopped working. He repeated those claims to the SSA multiple times through April 2021. The defendant also agreed to inform the SSA if he returned to work. However, the defendant worked as a hotel engineer regularly between 2019 and 2023, which made him ineligible for disability benefits. Overall, the defendant obtained over $105,000 in disability payments for which he was not entitled.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 5 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
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El departamento de justicia llega a un acuerdo con una agencia de dotación de personal que resuelve acusaciones de discriminación relacionada con la inmigraciónRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado un acuerdo conciliatorio con la empresa de dotación de personal Infinity Employment Solutions Inc. (Infinity), que anteriormente operó bajo el nombre de Express Employment Professionals of Mesquite, Texas. El acuerdo conciliatorio resuelve la determinación del Departamento que Infinity infringió la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés) cuando discriminó a un trabajador en función de su estatus de ciudadanía, al rechazar sus documentos válidos y solicitar que proporcionara un documento específico para demostrar su permiso para trabajar.
«Se considera discriminación ilegal cuando los empleadores rechazan documentos válidos de un trabajador que demuestran su permiso para trabajar, debido al estatus de ciudadanía del trabajador», comentó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «La División de Derechos Civiles se compromete a proteger a los trabajadores que sufren discriminación durante el proceso de contratación; se les hará rendir cuentas a aquellos empleadores que infrinjan los derechos civiles de nuestra nación».
Después de una investigación, la Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados (IER, por sus siglas en inglés) de la División de Derechos Civiles determinó que Infinity rechazó la licencia de conducir válida de un residente permanente legal y la tarjeta de Seguro Social sin restricciones, aunque eran suficientes para demostrar su permiso para trabajar. La investigación también descubrió que la empresa exigía que el trabajador proporcionara una Tarjeta de Residente Permanente antes de poder empezar a trabajar. Como resultado, el trabajador perdió 20 días de salario.
En virtud de los términos del acuerdo, Infinity pagará una sanción civil, emitirá pagos retroactivos más intereses al trabajador y se someterá a requisitos de supervisión.
Conforme a las leyes federales, los empleadores no pueden rechazar un documento válido de autorización para trabajar de un trabajador en función del estatus migratorio o de ciudadanía del trabajador. De hecho, muchos no ciudadanos de los EE. UU., incluidos los residentes permanentes legales, son elegibles para varios de los mismos tipos de documentos para demostrar su permiso para trabajar como lo son ciudadanos de los EE. UU. (por ejemplo, una identificación estatal o licencia de conducir y una tarjeta de Seguro Social sin restricciones). Los empleadores deben permitir que los trabajadores presenten cualquier documentación aceptable que los trabajadores mismos elijan y no pueden rechazar documentación válida que parezca razonablemente genuina y relacionada con el trabajador.
La IER es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. La ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación.
Puede obtener más información sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminar al verificar el permiso para trabajar de alguien en el sitio web de la IER. Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda mediante este vídeo corto. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia. El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1‑800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); inscribirse a un seminario en línea en vivo o visualizar una presentación a la carta; enviar un correo electrónico a [email protected] ; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés y español. Inscríbase para recibir actualizaciones por correo electrónico desde la IER.
El Paso Man Indicted for Alleged Multi-Million Dollar Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A federal grand jury in El Paso returned an indictment charging an El Paso man with 10 counts related to the alleged operation of a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme.
According to court documents, Timothy France Johnson, 61, through his businesses, BOLO Entertainment LLC, BOLO Sports LLC and Shoot N’2 Sports LLC, allegedly defrauded more than thirty investors by fraudulently representing that their investments would be used to promote pre-season NBA games. The indictment alleges that Johnson held himself out as a third-party promoter of NBA pre-season games and convinced unwary investors to invest money with him to sponsor said pre-season games.
The indictment alleges Johnson collected more than $3 million in investor funds, using approximately $1 million of the deposited investment funds to pay fake investment profits to other clients and using the remainder of the investment funds for personal use. He’s alleged to have never disclosed the misappropriation or the extent of the losses of the investors’ funds.
Johnson is charged with seven counts of wire fraud and three counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. The defendant made his initial court appearance on April 9 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Castaneda of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison for each of the seven wire fraud charges and up to 10 years in prison for each of the three money laundering charges. 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 for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shane Romero and Micaela Glass are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Eden Prairie Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $1 Million from EmployerRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Eden Prairie woman has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $1 million from her employer, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Monica Svobodny, 51, worked as the Supply Chain and Engineering Manager at a furniture manufacturing company located in Edina, Minnesota. Svobodny used her managerial position to embezzle funds and convert them to her own use and benefit. Svobodny regularly used company credit cards for unauthorized personal expenses such as designer clothing, spa services, and luxury hotel stays. To cover her fraud, she left unapproved credit card expenses as “pending” for accounting purposes. On more than 300 occasions, she used company cards to transfer funds to herself via PayPal to cover personal expenses. Svobodny also edited PayPal transaction receipts and fraudulently listed some of the expenses as payments to a defunct company.
In total, Svobodny knowingly and willfully embezzled more than $1,137,000 over a period of seven years.
Svobodny pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to one count of wire fraud before Judge Ann D. Montgomery.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Edina Police Department with assistance from the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea A. Walcker is prosecuting the case.
Dulce Man Sentenced for Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Dulce man was sentenced to 54 months in prison after pleading guilty to assault of an intimate partner by strangling.
According to court documents, on or about July 8, 2022, Patrick Maestas, Jr., 34, an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, had consumed a large amount of alcohol when he and his intimate partner, Jane Doe, began to argue. The argument escalated and Maestas assaulted and strangled Jane Doe in front of their child. The strangulation was so forceful that Doe could not breathe and began to black out.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Maestas will be required to serve 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Bell is prosecuting the case.
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Dominican Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States and Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for reentering the United States and distributing fentanyl after previously being deported.
Juan Carlos Santos-Ocasio, a/k/a “Cristhian Aybar-Done,” 44, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to six years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He will be subject to deportation upon the completion of his sentence. In October 2023, Santos-Ocasio pleaded guilty to one count each of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and unlawful reentry of deported alien.
In October 2007, Santos-Ocasio was arrested in the Bronx, N.Y. for heroin distribution conspiracy. In November 2008, Santos-Ocasio pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of New York and was subsequently sentenced to 37 months in prison. He was removed from the United States upon completion of his sentence in the summer of 2010.
Sometime after his removal, Santos-Ocasio reentered the United States unlawfully. In November 2022, he was arrested in Lawrence, Mass. for reentering the United States without authorization. In addition to being in the U.S. without authorization, Santos-Ocasio also distributed 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Brown of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Dominic Coluccio, Former President of United Probation Officers Association, Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Union and Its MembersRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Jocelyn E. Strauber, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced that DOMINIC COLUCCIO, the former President of the United Probation Officers Association (the “UPOA”), the union that represents all current and former New York City probation officers, pled guilty today to one count of wire fraud in connection with a scheme to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from the UPOA and the UPOA’s active welfare fund and retirement welfare fund. COLUCCIO pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Dominic Coluccio promised to look out for all the hard-working active and retired probation officers who are members of the UPOA. Instead, as admitted today in federal court, he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from them to fund his lavish lifestyle. Thanks to the hard work of the DOI and the Special Agents and career prosecutors of the Southern District of New York, Coluccio’s betrayal has been exposed, and he now faces jail time and significant financial penalties.”
DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said: “This defendant, former President of the United Probation Officers Association and Administrator of the Association’s Welfare Funds, used his leadership role to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Association and its taxpayer-funded Welfare Funds, intended to benefit current and retired Department of Probation employees and family members. Today he takes responsibility for that conduct and agrees to pay $684,929 in restitution to the Association. DOI thanks the individuals who reported suspicions about misuse of funds to DOI, prompting this investigation, and the Office of the New York City Comptroller and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their commitment to hold accountable anyone who misappropriates public funds.”
According to the Information filed in the case and statements made in court:
The UPOA is a non-profit 501(c)(5) labor organization with the intended purpose of advancing the professional, health, and safety interests of its members – officers and supervisors in the New York City Department of Probation (“DOP” or “Probation”). The UPOA’s membership consists of all active and retired Probation Officers and Supervisors within DOP. COLUCCIO was President of the UPOA from in or about 1989 until in or about 2016.
From in or about 2010 until in or about 2019, COLUCCIO also served as Administrator of UPOA’s Active Welfare Fund and UPOA’s Retirement Welfare Fund (together, the “Welfare Funds”). The Welfare Funds, established through an agreement between the City of New York (the “City”) and the UPOA, are benefit plans that provide supplemental health and welfare benefits (principally dental and vision benefits) to eligible retired and current Probation employees, their spouses, and dependents. Both Welfare Funds are almost entirely funded by the City.
From in or about 2012 up to and including in or about 2019, COLUCCIO was engaged in a multi-faceted scheme to embezzle money from the UPOA and the Welfare Funds and to pay his personal expenses through money from the UPOA and Welfare Funds. COLUCCIO did this in several ways.
From in or about 2012 until in or about 2018, COLUCCIO funded his personal expenses charged to his personal American Express credit card, in part, through money obtained from the UPOA and the Welfare Funds. Specifically, COLUCCIO charged his personal credit card for, among other things, high-end meals and retail items, jewelry, luxury vacations and hotels, and a relative’s college tuition. COLUCCIO then caused the UPOA, typically through electronic transfers, to pay down his personal credit card balance.
From in or about 2012 up to and including in or about 2018, COLUCCIO misappropriated funds from the UPOA and Welfare Funds to fund an unauthorized individual retirement account in COLUCIO’s name. In or about 2012, COLUCCIO, without approval or authorization from the UPOA, created an IRA in the name of the UPOA and a sub-account in COLUCCIO’s name. These unauthorized transfers of funds from the UPOA to the IRA account were in addition to the pension payments COLUCCIO received from Probation and the UPOA.
In or about 2016, at or around the time of his retirement as President of the UPOA, COLUCCIO and the Welfare Funds entered into an agreement pursuant to which the Welfare Funds agreed to pay COLUCCIO, as Administrator of the Funds, “an annual salary equal to the Probation Department Commissioner’s salary. . . .” The annual salary was in addition to COLUCCIO’s Probation pension, UPOA pension, and UPOA severance. Notwithstanding this agreement, COLUCCIO, who effectively controlled the Welfare Funds’ bank accounts and payroll, caused the Welfare Funds to pay COLUCCIO a salary higher than the Probation Commissioner’s salary.
From in or about 2000, up to and including 2020, COLUCCIO submitted and sought reimbursement for medical, dental, and vision expenses that he and his dependents incurred. During that time period, COLUCCIO routinely authorized and concealed overpayments to him, his spouse, and his family members, i.e., payments that exceeded policy limits.
Through the scheme, COLUCCIO stole approximately $750,000 from the UPOA and the Funds.
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COLUCCIO, 75, of Bellmore, New York, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, COLUCCIO agreed to forfeit $750,000 to the United States and to make restitution in the amount of $684,929.00 to the UPOA and the Funds.
The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of DOI and the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Mr. Williams also thanked the New York City Comptroller’s Office Unit of Research and Investigation.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Chiuchiolo is in charge of the prosecution.
Detroit Business Owner Charged with Possessing over 40 kilograms of Fentanyl in Basement Stash HouseRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit gas station owner has been charged with several federal crimes stemming from his involvement with a Detroit-based stash house that held over 40 kilograms of fentanyl, a pill press, and a variety of other materials used to manufacture fentanyl pills, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Orville Greene, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Chief Thomas Goralski, Livonia Police Department.
On March 28, 2024, law enforcement executed search warrants at three locations connected to Barry Willis, 55, a resident of Clinton Township and owner of a Detroit gas station. Officers searched Willis’s primary residence in Clinton Township, his gas station in Detroit, as well as his suspected stash house in Detroit. In the basement of the stash house, officers recovered over 40 kilograms of fentanyl in both pill and powder form, as well as a hoard of materials for manufacturing fentanyl pills such as a pill press, narcotics scales, and drug recipes. Officers further located two handguns at the stash house, one at Willis’s residence, and another at his gas station, as well as over $100,000 in cash from Willis’s Clinton Township residence.
“This case represents the largest law enforcement seizure of fentanyl in the state of Michigan to date. We are incredibly proud of our law enforcement partners who conducted this investigation and recovered these deadly substances before they could harm members of our community,” U.S. Attorney Ison said.
“This amount of fentanyl has the potential to provide nearly two deadly doses to every man, woman and child living in the state of Michigan. We will continue to work with our partners to pursue anyone pushing poisons into our communities and bring them to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Greene.
"This major seizure of fentanyl has saved lives. The great partnerships we have with law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels in southeast Michigan, enable us to make these types of investigations successful,” said Chief Goralski.
Willis has now been indicted for possession of over 400 grams of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted of the charges in the indictment.
An indictment is only a formal charging document 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.
This case was investigated by the Livonia Police Department, including officers assigned to the Livonia Police Intelligence Bureau, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Michigan State Police and the Clinton Township Police Department also assisted with the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Ramamurthy.DHS employee indicted for money launderingRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A deportation officer has been taken into custody on allegations he transported nearly $700,000 in what he believed to be drug proceeds, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Christopher Washington Toral, 48, Spring, is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Edison at 2 p.m.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment April 9, which was unsealed upon Toral’s arrest.
Toral is an employee of Department of Homeland Security (DHS), working as a deportation officer for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
On three occasions in 2023, Toral allegedly transported a total of approximately $700,000 in exchange for cash payments. In each instance, he believed the monies were proceeds from drug transactions, according to the indictment.
Toral transported $200,000 between Feb. 9 and 28, 2023, from Dallas to Houston, according to the charges. In early March 2023, he allegedly travelled from Newark, New Jersey, to Houston with $300,000 in U.S. currency.
If convicted, Toral faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $1 million maximum fine.
FBI and DHS – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Ferko is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Contractor Charged with Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a residential carpentry company was charged yesterday in connection with filing false tax returns for the company.
Marcelo De Oliveira, 39, formerly of Everett, was charged with four counts of filing false tax returns.
According to the charging documents, De Oliveira was the owner of DeOliveira Carpentry, Inc. It is alleged that from 2017 through 2020, De Oliveira cashed customer checks instead of depositing them into his business bank account and then did not report more than $3.1 million in business revenue to the Internal Revenue Service on his corporate tax returns.
The charge of filing false tax returns provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Colorado Man Indicted for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Louisville, Colorado man was indicted in connection with a firearm offense, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Shelby Theriault, 30, was indicted on one count of possession of an unregistered firearm. Theriault was arrested on January 20, 2024, and he is currently in state custody. Theriault will appear in federal court in Concord on April 17, 2024 at 2:00 p.m.
According to the charging documents and statements made in court, the defendant knowingly received and possessed a weapon made from a shotgun, with an overall length of less than 26 inches and a barrel length of under 18 inches and did not register this weapon with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Weapon.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $10,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Conway Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Scanlon is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Clifton Park Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael Kirkland, age 30, of Clifton Park, New York, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for attempting to entice and coerce a 12-year-old child into sexual activity.
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.
As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Kirkland admitted that on August 11, 2022, he exchanged sexually explicit text messages with someone he believed was an adult offering the sexual services of a 12-year old girl, in an attempt to entice the child into engaging in sexual acts with him. Kirkland also admitted that on August 11, 2022, he traveled to a hotel in Saratoga County, New York, with the intent to engage in sexual acts with the 12-year-old girl. Kirkland was arrested by law enforcement shortly after arriving at the location.
United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also imposed a 10-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release. Kirkland will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The FBI’s Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force and Capital Region Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case. Each task force is comprised of FBI Special Agents, as well as state and local police investigators, including from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen J. Vickey prosecuted this 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.
Cheektowaga man pleads guilty to using stolen credit card numbers to purchase tens of thousands of dollars worth of gasRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Cross Malik Williams, 25, of Cheektowaga, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that between August 2022, and July 2023, Williams, along with co-defendant Kingsley Brown, purchased approximately 570 stolen bank cards from various online marketplaces. Williams and Brown then used a card-making device to load the stolen banking card information onto blank plastic bank cards with magnetic strips, which allowed purchases to be made using the victims’ funds from the victims’ bank accounts. Williams and Brown used, or allowed others to use, the stolen bank card information to purchase gas for other individuals. The gas customers would then pay Williams and/or Brown an amount of money less than the cost of the gas. As part of his plea agreement, Williams agreed that he was responsible for between $250,000 and $550,000 of total loss.
Charges remain pending against Kingsley Brown.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 25, 2024, before Judge Sinatra.
Carjacking and Robbery Charges Filed Against Three Men in D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 14-count indictment, filed in U.S. District Court, charges three District men in a spree of armed carjackings and commercial gunpoint robberies within Washington D.C. and suburban Maryland in March of 2024. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.
Kanard Bishop, 26, Edward LeRoy Brown, 24, and Khalil Boyd, 18, are charged with conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (aka “Hobbs Act” robbery); carjacking; using, carrying, possessing, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence; and aiding and abetting.
According to court documents, the defendants targeted fast-food restaurants, convenience stores, and package delivery vehicles, and would work together to arrange for a car to be used to commit the robberies, either by carjacking or arranging the use of an associate’s vehicle. The indictment, filed April 10, 2024, alleges that on March 17, 2024, law enforcement responded to a report of an armed carjacking of a Mercedes Benz on the 4300 block of Southern Ave., SE, in which the perpetrators took the victims’ car, phones, wallet, and cash.
It is further alleged that, between 3 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. on March 20, 2024, law enforcement received numerous reports of attempted armed robberies and carjackings including: around 3 a.m., at a McDonald’s restaurant in Capitol Heights, Maryland, where two masked, armed suspects climbed through a drive-thru window and attempted to open the register by pressing random buttons but were unsuccessful; less than an hour later, a carjacking on the unit block of 35th Street, NE, in which the owner of the car reported that three armed gunmen had just taken his 2018 Dodge Durango; at 4:11 a.m., an armed robbery at a Denny’s Restaurant on the 4400 block of Benning Road in which the employee couldn’t open the cash register so the gunmen ripped the register off the counter and fled; at 4:59 a.m., an attempted armed robbery at McDonald’s on the 7700 block of Landover Road, Landover, Maryland, in which one of the gunmen attempted to climb through the drive thru window but was pushed back out by the cashier; at 5:03 a.m., at a 7-Eleven on the 7500 block of Landover Road, where two armed gunmen entered and demanded cash; and at 5:26 a.m., a robbery at a 24hr market on the 5200 block of Marlboro Pike, District Heights in which the gunmen stole money and retail products.
On March 27, 2024, at 8:47, Prince George’s County police were called to Brooks Drive in District Heights, Maryland, for a reported carjacking of a 2022 Dodge Challenger. At 12:09 p.m., two men robbed a FedEx delivery truck at Burns and G Streets, SE. The armed men took several packages from the interior of the truck, robbed the FedEx employees of their personal belongings, and fled. The robbery was captured on surveillance cameras mounted inside and on the exterior of the truck.
On March 28, 2024, detectives working with the Prince George’s County Police Department’s Carjacking Interdiction Unit were conducting surveillance on a carjacked 2022 Dodge Challenger in District Heights. The Challenger stopped directly in front of a Game Stop store on the 5700 block of Silver Hill Road. Two men, later identified as Bishop and Brown, aka “Shiesty,” exited the vehicle. A man later identified as Boyd, aka “Lil Bill,” was behind the wheel. As detectives prepared to conduct a tactical block of the Challenger, they realized that two men were committing a robbery of the Game Stop. Detectives moved in shouting loud verbal commands. Bishop and Brown fled through the emergency exit at the rear with their firearms displayed. Detectives caught Bishop after a short foot pursuit. They recovered a loaded .40 caliber Glock 22 at the scene. Brown ran with a gun in his hand. A detective fired at Brown, striking him in the lower torso. Detectives recovered a .40 caliber “ghost gun” loaded with nine rounds. Boyd led police on a chase which ended after he crashed and tried to flee on foot.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington’s Violent Crime Task Force and the MPD Carjacking Task Force with significant assistance from the Prince George’s County Police Department.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa Jackson and Omeed Assefi, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Toth.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.