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17 May 2024
Former Luxury Homebuilder Pleads Guilty to Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former owner of a now-defunct luxury home building business in West Springfield pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiring to defraud the United States and creating false documents to help one of his clients obtain a mortgage.
Kent Pecoy, 66, of San Marco, Fla., previously of Wilbraham, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of making a false statement to a federally insured financial institution. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Aug. 20, 2024.
Kent Pecoy was previously indicted in December 2019 along with his son, Jason Pecoy, and Kevin M. Kennedy, the former owner of a golf management company, for allegedly conspiring to defraud the United States by concealing cash payments for the construction of Kennedy’s two homes in East Longmeadow and West Dennis. The defendants were later charged in a superseding indictment in January 2020. On April 24, 2024, Kennedy was sentenced to 13 months in prison after being convicted by a federal jury for conspiracy to defraud the United States and making a false statement to a federally insured financial institution. Jason Pecoy had pleaded not guilty and is pending trial.
Kent Pecoy owned and operated Kent Pecoy & Sons, Construction Inc. (KPSC) – a West Springfield-based commercial and luxury home construction company – as well as Sturbridge Development, LLC (Sturbridge) and Legacy General Contractors, LLC (Legacy). KPSCI constructed two homes for Kennedy in East Longmeadow and West Dennis – for which Kennedy paid Kent Pecoy in cash.
From 2009 through 2016, Pecoy conspired with others to conceal income from the IRS by dealing in cash. Specifically, Pecoy received $1,116,900 in cash payments from Kennedy for the purchase and construction of custom-built homes in East Longmeadow and on Cape Cod. Kent Pecoy failed to deposit most of the cash into business bank accounts, and instead distributed the cash directly to vendors and subcontractors. For the payments Kent Pecoy did deposit, he deposited the cash in amounts less than $10,000 to avoid the filing of currency transaction reports.
Kent Pecoy also created and maintained separate ledgers documenting Kennedy’s cash payments, created and maintained false contracts and cover sheets and created false entries in KPSC’s accounting system to conceal the cash payments.
Additionally, in January 2010, Kent Pecoy and Kennedy made false statements to Charles Schwab Bank on a loan to Kennedy and his wife for the construction of a residence in East Longmeadow in an attempt to conceal $160,000 cash down payment. These false statements included understating the sale price of the residence lot, the price of the construction and the deposit and earnest money paid by Kennedy.
The charge of making a false statement to a federally insured financial institution provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The conspiracy charges provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years 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 Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven H. Breslow and Neil L. Desroches of the Springfield Branch Office are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Eric B. Powers of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
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.
Former IRS Revenue Officer and His Brother Among Six Defendants Sentenced to Prison in Multi-Million-Dollar Covid-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Six defendants, including a former IRS revenue officer and his brother, have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 12 to 30 months following their convictions on charges that they fraudulently obtained millions of dollars in COVID-19 pandemic relief funds through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey; IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley of the Oakland Field Office; Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) Special Agent in Charge Weston King of the Western Region; and Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Special Agent in Charge Jon Ellwanger of the Western Region. The sentences were handed down by the Hon. Araceli Martínez-Olguín, United States District Judge.
Five defendants—Frank Mosley, 58, of Oakland; his brother Reginald Mosley, 60, of Sacramento; Marcus Wilborn, 50, of Elk Grove, California; Aaron Boren, 56, of Roseville, California; and Scott Conway, 52, of Rocklin, California—pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349. The Mosley brothers, both of whom were sentenced to 30 months in prison, also pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and advising in the filing of false tax returns, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7201(2). Wilborn was sentenced to 18 months in prison and Boren and Conway were each sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for their roles in the scheme. The sixth defendant—Kenya Ellis, 55, of Los Angeles—pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344, and was sentenced to 12 months in prison. All six defendants were originally charged in May 2023.
According to the defendants’ plea agreements and the parties’ sentencing memoranda, Frank Mosley was a tax enforcement officer for the City of Oakland and a former IRS revenue officer who conspired with others between July 2020 and September 2021 to submit fraudulent PPP loan applications and to spend his portion of the more than $3 million in loan funds he and his co-conspirators fraudulently obtained on personal investments and expenses.
“At the height of a global pandemic wreaking havoc on American businesses and families, these defendants fraudulently obtained millions of dollars in aid money intended to help those who desperately needed it and used that money to enrich themselves,” said United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey. “That one of these defendants was a former IRS revenue officer makes their crime that much more concerning. These sentences should help rebuild some of the public trust eroded by the defendants’ greed.”
“Frank and Reginald Mosley, along with their co-conspirators, ran an abhorrent scheme that fraudulently obtained over $3 million of funds designed to help struggling businesses in the wake of a global pandemic. Even worse, Frank Mosley, a former IRS revenue agent, exploited his expertise to help cover up the scheme,” said IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley. “No one is above the law. Fostering confidence in our financial system and public institutions is at the core of IRS Criminal Investigation’s mission.”
“The Mosley brothers orchestrated a scheme that defrauded the federal government of over $3 million in pandemic relief funds intended to help distressed businesses for their own personal gain,” said Jon Ellwanger, Special Agent in Charge, Western Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “They and their co-conspirators have now been brought to justice for their actions. We are proud to have worked with our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to achieve this result.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message that those who defraud SBA’s programs will be held accountable,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King. “Our office will remain steadfast in pursuing those who exploit such vital resources for personal gain, ensuring accountability, and justice for the American taxpayer. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their unwavering commitment to pursuing justice in this case.”
According to their plea agreements, the Mosley brothers, Wilborn, Boren, and Conway each admitted their involvement in a scheme to obtain millions of dollars in PPP loans by submitting fraudulent documents on behalf of companies the defendants falsely certified had dozens of employees and hundreds of thousands of dollars in monthly payroll expenses. In fact, these were shell companies with no legitimate employees and no payroll expenses. The defendants also admitted they did not use the PPP loan funds they fraudulently obtained on legitimate business expenses; rather, they admitted using those funds for personal expenses and investments, to pay their personal credit card bills, and to transfer money to family members.
According to their plea agreements, Frank and Reginald Mosley submitted a fraudulent loan application on behalf of Forward Thinking Investors, Inc., an entity they controlled, in August 2020. They received more than $1 million in PPP funds, and Reginald Mosley thereafter recruited acquaintances (including Wilborn, Boren, and Conway) who owned companies that existed before February 2020 to submit additional fraudulent loan applications. Frank and Reginald Mosley helped prepare fraudulent loan applications for Wilborn, Boren, and Conway, who kicked back some of the PPP funds they received to the Mosley brothers. In fact, Frank and Reginald Mosley admitted they drafted a contract under which they would receive at least 15 percent of any fraudulently obtained PPP funds in exchange for their assistance in preparing and submitting fraudulent applications for Wilborn, Boren, and Conway. Finally, Frank and Reginald Mosley admitted filing fraudulent payroll tax returns with the IRS to cover up their scheme.
In her plea agreement, Ellis admitted she aided and advised the Mosley brothers and others in connection with their fraudulent PPP loan applications. She also admitted that, in 2020 and 2021, she fraudulently obtained almost $300,000 in PPP loans and other pandemic-relief aid in connection with an entity she falsely claimed to own and about which she made other material false statements, including regarding its number of employees and monthly payroll expenses. In fact, Ellis was unaffiliated with the entity, whose true owner had no awareness of, or involvement in, the preparation and submission of Ellis’ loan applications.
The PPP was administered by the SBA as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide billions of dollars in emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The PPP provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other qualified business expenses.
In addition to sentencing all six defendants to prison, Judge Martínez-Olguín ordered each of them to serve three years of supervised release to begin after their prison terms are completed. Judge Martínez-Olguín also ordered each defendant to pay restitution in an amount to be set at a later date.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Abraham Fine is prosecuting these cases with assistance from Kay Konopaske. The prosecutions are the result of an investigation by IRS-CI, SBA OIG, and the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Former Construction Contractor Sentenced for Crimes Involving Fort Drum ContractsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Sean O’Sullivan, age 61, of Sackets Harbor, New York, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Utica to 2 years of Probation and ordered to pay $345,271.34 in restitution to the United States after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in relation to government contracts and conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States by offering and giving gratuities to a former Fort Drum contracting officer.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Brian J. Solecki, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Joel Kirch, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, Northeast Field Office; Joseph Dattoria, Special Agent in Charge of the General Services Administration, Office of the Inspector General (GSA-OIG), Northeast Region Investigations Office; Christopher A. Scharf, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeastern Region (DOT-OIG); and Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent-in-Charge, Eastern Regional Office, Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General.
The wire fraud conspiracy related to government contracts O’Sullivan fraudulently obtained with his former business partner, David Rose, of Newport News, Virginia, which had been “set aside” solely for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (“SDVOSBs”). To be designated as an SDVOSB, a construction company must meet certain criteria, including that a military veteran with a disability rating incurred as a result of military service must own the majority of the business and personally manage and control its daily business operations. In pleading guilty previously, O’Sullivan admitted that he conspired with David Rose to defraud the United States by bidding for and obtaining contracts set aside for SDVOSBs, to which they knew they were not entitled. Specifically, O’Sullivan and Rose incorporated and became co-owners of a construction company named Sierra Delta Contracting, LLC. O’Sullivan controlled and managed Sierra Delta and bid on and obtained contracts primarily at Fort Drum in Watertown, New York. Although Rose is a service-disabled military veteran, O’Sullivan is not. However, O’Sullivan certified to federal agencies that Sierra Delta was an SDVOSB by representing, falsely, that Rose personally managed and controlled Sierra Delta’s day-to-day business operations. In reality, O’Sullivan, not Rose, controlled and managed Sierra Delta in Jefferson Country, New York, where it sought and received construction contracts, while Rose continued to live and work at a separate full-time job in Virginia. Rose, who had no construction experience, offered little to no input on the management of Sierra Delta.
Between May 2014 and July 2017, Sierra Delta bid on and received multiple construction contracts from the Army at Fort Drum, New York, and one construction contract from the U.S. Department of Transportation. All of the contracts were 100% set aside for SDVOSBs. Each time Sierra Delta received one of these set aside contracts to which it was not entitled, O’Sullivan hired SOS Inc. – his own construction company – as the primary subcontractor on the fraudulently obtained contracts, enabling O’Sullivan to retain the majority of the resulting profits. Sierra Delta received more than $3.3 million in gross revenue from these fraudulently obtained contracts, and O’Sullivan has admitted that he personally received $345,271.34 in profits from the scheme.
Even as O’Sullivan and Rose were continuing their conspiracy to obtain government contracts by fraud, two different government agencies challenged Sierra Delta’s SDVOSB status and questioned whether Rose actually managed the construction company on a day-to-day basis. In response, Rose falsely claimed that he “control[led] the long term and day to day operations of Sierra Delta Contracting LLC,” that he maintained Sierra Delta’s “main office” in Virginia, that he worked on Sierra Delta business 25 hours a week and that O’Sullivan dedicated substantially less time to Sierra Delta. Rose also falsely claimed that he was “responsible for all decisions regarding which projects will be bid on by [Sierra Delta]” and that he (Rose) was solely “responsible for all proposals, including pricing.” Rose and O’Sullivan both knew these statements were false.
Rose, O’Sullivan, and their businesses previously agreed to pay a total of $758,526.68 to the United States to resolve their civil liability for the submission of false claims to the federal government seeking payment on the fraudulently obtained contracts. O’Sullivan, Sierra Delta Contracting LLC, and SOS Inc. agreed to pay $690,542.68; and Rose agreed to pay $67,984. Rose also previously pled guilty for his role in the conspiracy and admitted that he received $33,992 in profits. Following his felony conviction for this offense, Rose was fined $2,000. As part of O’Sullivan’s sentence, United States District Judge David N. Hurd ordered O’Sullivan to pay $345,271.34 in restitution to the United States, which O’Sullivan has already paid through the related civil settlement.
O’Sullivan’s sentence yesterday also related to his prior guilty plea for conspiring to commit an offense against the United States by offering and giving gratuities to Cindy McAleese (nee Garnsey), a former civilian contracting officer at Fort Drum, from November 2009 through February 2018. With respect to that offense, O’Sullivan admitted that he promised and provided things of value to McAleese, including sports tickets, meals, sexual encounters, and time and attention, for and because of official action taken by McAleese on O’Sullivan’s behalf, such as providing O’Sullivan’s company with government contracts, approving payment on those contracts, and reviewing the work performed by Sierra Delta. O’Sullivan also admitted that he and McAleese took steps to keep their relationship a secret from other officials at Fort Drum and from O’Sullivan’s colleagues. McAleese has pled guilty for her role in the gratuities conspiracy but has not been sentenced, and she is no longer employed by the U.S. Army.
The investigation and resolution of these cases were the result of a coordinated effort among the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division; General Services Administration, Office of the Inspector General; U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General; and Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region. The criminal cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Perry. The civil case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher R. Moran.
Former CEO and Office Manager Sentenced and Ordered to Repay More than One Million in RestitutionRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – This week, the court sentenced Dawna Rochelle Sanders and Tracy Glenn Whyburn. Sanders and Whyburn are former employees of Premier Community Services (PCS).
“For several years, Sanders and Whyburn took advantage of their employer whose mission is to help people with special needs,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This sentencing sends a clear message that those who defraud others for their own personal gain will be brought to justice.”
“Together Mr. Whyburn and Ms. Sanders embezzled more than $1.1 million from their employer and attempted to hide the money through various transactions,” said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., special agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Dallas Field Office. “The financial expertise of CI Special Agents identified their illicit activity and, working with other agencies, brought them to justice.”
According to court documents, PCS provides community-based residential support services to people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. From 2009 through 2016, Sanders conspired with her colleague, Whyburn to defraud PCS and the Bank of Oklahoma.
As the CEO, Sanders was entrusted with managing the daily business affairs for PCS. As the office manager, Whyburn reported directly to Sanders. Part of the duo’s elaborate scheme included “ghost employees.” Sanders would direct funds to Whyburn through the ghost employees. Whyburn would cash the check and split the proceeds with Sanders.
The duo’s scheme cost PCS more than $1.1 million.
- U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Sanders, 55, for Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud. Judge Hill ordered Sanders to 33 months imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and to pay more than $999k in restitution.
- U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Whyburn, 64, for Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud; and Willfully Making and Subscribing a False Income Tax Return. Judge Russell ordered Whyburn to 24 months imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and to pay more than $603k in restitution.
Sanders and Whyburn were permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The IRS Criminal Investigations assisted in the investigation of both cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi prosecuted the case.
Former Arizona Licensed Insurance Agent Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Elderly ClientsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Victoria Totten, 72, of Green Valley, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 21 months in prison. Totten pleaded guilty to Mail Fraud on November 8, 2023.
For years, Totten defrauded many of her elderly clients while working as a licensed insurance agent. Totten fraudulently over-collected insurance premium payments by falsely representing the terms of the insurance policies to her clients. Totten falsely claimed that payments should be made in advance to lock in a lower rate. After receiving the funds, instead of transmitting the victims’ premium payments directly to the insurance companies, Totten misused large portions of the victims’ money for her own personal gain and to pay insurance premiums for other clients. To disguise her scheme, Totten used her P.O. box on insurance paperwork so correspondence from insurance companies went to Totten instead of the victims. As part of Totten’s sentence, the court ordered her to pay $114,781 in restitution.
The United States Secret Service conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00282-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-066_Totten# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Former Accounting Manager of Pasadena Storage Business Sentenced to Prison for Insider TradingRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former employee at a publicly traded Pasadena-based company was sentenced today to nine months in federal prison for buying more than 66,000 company shares based on non-public information that the company was about to be acquired at a higher per-share price, and then selling the shares after news of the acquisition became public, resulting in nearly $500,000 in ill-gotten gains, the Justice Department announced today.
Marco Antonio Perez, 60, a.k.a. “Marc Perez,” of Glendora, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha, who also ordered Perez to serve six months’ home detention following his release from prison. In reaching the sentence he imposed, Judge Aenlle-Rocha highlighted Perez’s role as an accounting manager for the company and his exploitation of that position of trust for personal gain.
As accounting manager at General Finance Corp., a Pasadena-based storage and modular space company, Perez reported to the company’s chief financial officer. He also performed assignments for the company’s chairman, including printing out the chairman’s emails. As a result, Perez had access to material information belonging to General Finance, including offers to buy the company, before the information was released to the investing public.
According to court documents, Perez knowingly violated insider trading law and company policy, and abused his position as a trusted corporate insider. After learning that his employer’s company was about to be acquired by a larger company at a premium, and before such information was made known to the trading public, Perez purchased stock for his own personal gain and also tipped off others close to him so they could similarly profit.
In violation of his fiduciary duties to General Finance and its shareholders, and in violation of the company’s policy against insider trading, in March and April of 2021, Perez purchased a total of 66,585 shares of General Finance stock which he was later able to sell for a total of $1,262,815. Perez purchased the General Finance stock after reading confidential emails sent to the company’s chairman in February and March 2021, that concerned the pending sale of General Finance for a price in the range of $19-$20 per share. Perez paid prices between $10 and $12 for the 66,585 shares he bought.
General Finance was ultimately sold to United Rentals Inc., a Stamford, Connecticut-based company that was the largest equipment rental business in the world. On April 15, 2021, United Rentals issued a press release announcing that it was acquiring General Finance for $19 per share. Prior to this announcement, General Finance’s share price closed that day at $12.17. The day after United Rentals’ announcement, the price of General Finance shares surged from $12.17 – the closing price before the announcement -- to $19 per share.
Within two weeks after the announcement, Perez sold all 66,585 shares he had purchased on inside information, netting a profit of approximately $488,533.
Perez also admitted to tipping off two other people about the impending sale of General Finance, which also violated General Finance’s policy against insider trading. Both individuals acted on Perez’s inside information and made profits of $127,140 and $34,867, respectively.
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission has a pending civil case against Perez stemming from his illegal activity in this case in which judgment was entered against Perez on October 11, 2023, requiring him to disgorge ill-gotten gains, pay prejudgment interest, and pay a civil penalty, to be determined by the judge in that civil case. SEC v. Marco A. Perez, CV 23-8079-JLS.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ranee A. Katzenstein of the Criminal Appeals Section and Steven M. Arkow of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.
Federal Jury Finds Nigerian Man Guilty of Money Laundering and Aiding and Abetting Wire Fraud and Mail FraudRead the Press Release
BISMARCK – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that on May 16, 2024, after a four-day trial, a federal jury found Nigerian citizen Christopher Agbaje guilty on charges of 1) Money Laundering; 2) Aiding and Abetting Wire Fraud; and 3) Aiding and Abetting Mail Fraud. The jury found Agbaje not guilty on charges of 1) Wire Fraud; and 2) Mail Fraud. United States District Court Judge Daniel M. Traynor presided over Agbaje’s jury trial in Bismarck, North Dakota, after Agbaje was extradited to North Dakota from the United Kingdom.
As demonstrated at trial, between November and December 2020, the defendant participated with others in a sophisticated scheme to defraud a North Dakota law firm out of $198,336.68. As part of this scheme, individuals falsely purported to be a business owner in a legal dispute with a Bismarck, North Dakota, company and entered into a fictious attorney-client relationship with this law firm. Through email communications, these individuals made false statements and promises, upon which the law firm relied to their detriment. Thereafter, the law firm received a parcel containing a fraudulent Citibank check payable to the law firm in the amount of $198,850.00 and deposited this check in the law firm’s bank account. Subsequently, at the purported business owner’s request, the law firm sent a $198,336.68 wire transfer to Agbaje’s business partner. A short time later, Agbaje directed his business partner to fraudulently initiate a $180,000.00 international wire transfer with the intent to conceal the location, ownership, and control of the law firm’s money.
“Our determined career prosecutors and their law enforcement partners will cross oceans to bring international fraudsters to justice when they target North Dakota,” Schneider said. “I commend our trial team for the hard work and skill that went into this result. Combatting fraud — whether it’s homegrown or from overseas — will continue to be a high priority for the United States Attorney’s Office.”
"The FBI will aggressively investigate individuals, like Christopher Agbaje, who engage in fraudulent schemes at the expense of the American public," said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. "The guilty verdict today underscores the FBI, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and the North Dakota U.S. Attorney's Office's dedication to collaborating with global partners in tackling fraud on an international scale to protect the American people."
The District Court will schedule Agbaje’s sentencing hearing for a date and time to be determined.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan J. O’Konek and Nick Baker. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance with securing the arrest and extradition of Agbaje.
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FBI Arrest District of Columbia Man Following Indictment on Charges of Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gustav Donald Seestedt, 37, of Northwest Washington D.C., was taken into custody on Thursday, May 16, 2024, following an indictment charging him with distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The government alleges that on May 7, 2024, Seestedt exchanged messages with an undercover law enforcement officer (UC) assigned to the FBI’s Washington Field Office (WFO) through an encrypted messaging application. During the chat, Seestedt expressed a sexual interest in children and sent the UC four videos depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including one video depicting the anal rape of a toddler who was crying and resisting her assailant.
Distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a statutory maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment. The statutory sentences for federal offenses are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes. Any sentence will be determined by the Court based on the advisory Sentencing Guideline and other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and MPD’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Shinskie of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Evansville Snapchat Fentanyl Dealer Responsible for at least Three Overdoses and Teen’s Death Sentenced to Twenty Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Jeremial Lee Leach, 20, of Evansville, Indiana has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to one count of Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death, one count of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury.
According to court documents, Leach is responsible for dealing fentanyl resulting in at least three overdoses, one of which resulted in the death of a 19-year-old. Leach advertised fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills over Snapchat to hundreds of recipients using the alias “Mel.”
On June 25, 2022, at approximately 12:11 a.m., officers with the Evansville Police Department (EPD) responded to a residence on Wedeking Avenue in reference to the overdose of a woman. The woman was revived with naloxone. Later the same day, at approximately 10:55 a.m., EPD officers responded to the same residence for the overdose of another woman, just nineteen years old, who subsequently died. The coroner located a counterfeit oxycodone pill containing fentanyl on the deceased woman’s person. The cause of both overdoses was determined to be fentanyl intoxication.
Investigators searched the deceased victim’s phone and found conversations between her and Jeremial “Mel” Leach in which they discussed a transaction for the purchase of pills they identified as “blues.” Leach gave her his address on Shanklin Avenue and confirmed the price for the sale of the pills.
On August 20, 2022, at approximately 4:15 p.m., EPD officers were dispatched to a restaurant located on Hirschland Road concerning an overdose. Upon arrival, the officers located a woman sitting on the ground in the parking lot of the restaurant, not alert and beginning to lose consciousness. An officer administered naloxone and, a short time later, the woman began to regain consciousness. The woman advised first responders and medical personnel that she had taken a 30 mg tablet of oxycodone. The women’s companion identified Leach as the supplier of the pill and the location of the purchase as a residence on Shanklin Avenue.
On October 11, 2022, investigators with the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force observed Leach conduct two apparent drug deals at his residence. The buyers left separately in a Kia Optima and a gold Hyundai Tucson. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement stopped both vehicles after observing traffic violations.
During the stop of the vehicles, investigators located three blue pills marked “M30” inside the Kia and six blue pills marked “M30” inside the Tucson. One of the boys in the buyer’s car later stated that his dealer’s name was “Mel.”
Later that day, officers executed a search warrant at Leach’s residence on Shanklin Avenue. Leach exited the front door of the home and was taken into custody by detectives. Some of the items located and seized during the search included 33 blue pills marked “30,” a digital scale, two 9mm pistols, and approximately $1,843 in cash.
The pills seized during the two traffic stops and from Leach’s residence were submitted for laboratory analysis and tested positive for the presence of fentanyl.
“This young woman should be alive today. Mr. Leach pushed deadly poison over social media, ending a teenager’s life far too early, and risking many more,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Fentanyl traffickers commit their crimes with utter disregard for the lives of our friends and neighbors or the harm they cause to families in our community. I commend the outstanding work of the DEA, the Evansville Police Department, the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force, and our federal prosecutors to secure some measure of justice for the victims of this fentanyl dealer. The sentence imposed here should serve as a warning: these poisons kill—and selling them will earn you decades in federal prison.”
“The sentence imposed on Mr. Leach is righteous and justified. Mr. Leach utilized social media platforms to advertise the sale of fentanyl and continued distributing the poisonous fentanyl even though it had already caused fatal and near fatal overdoses. The DEA would like to extend their deepest condolences to the Duncan family and all families who have lost a loved one to a fentanyl poising,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Mike Gannon. “DEA remains committed to working hand in hand with our state, local and federal partners in order to keep our communities safe. DEA commends the outstanding work by the Evansville Police Department, The Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force and the United States Attorney’s Office.”
DEA, Evansville Police Department, and the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Kristian Mukoski and Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage. One kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. Laboratory testing indicates 7 out of every 10 pills seized by DEA contain a lethal dose of fentanyl.
One Pill Can Kill: Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fentanyl is used because it’s cheap. Small variations in the quantity or quality of fentanyl in a fake prescription pill can accidentally create a lethal dosage. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of drug poisoning deaths in the United States. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies, like Percocet and Xanax. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These particular pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late.
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East Aurora man arrested, charged with attempted enticement of a minorRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Brian O’Brien, 41, of East Aurora, NY, was arrested in San Diego, CA, and charged by criminal complaint with attempted enticement of a minor and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin M. Higgins, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, the FBI began investigating O’Brien in June 2023 after he was connected to the uploading of child pornography on Snapchat. A search warrant was executed at his residence in July 2023, during which investigators seized numerous electronic items. A cursory search of an external hard drive confirmed the presence of child pornography on the hard drive, with some images/videos appearing to have been saved roughly 10 years prior. A search of O’Brien’s phone recovered conversations between the defendant and other men, during which they discussed exchanging child pornography and the sexual abuse of children. In addition, during another conversation, O’Brien reaches out to an individual identified as “JJ,” asking to be connected to minor boys.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Drug Trafficker Who Used College-Age Drivers to Import Methamphetamine Sentenced to 12 YearsRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 17, 2024
SAN DIEGO – Fernando Castro Bazan, a Los Angeles-based drug trafficker, was sentenced in federal court today to 12 years in prison for his leadership role in a drug trafficking organization that employed drivers as young as 18 years old to import large quantities of methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico in the gas tanks of rental cars.
Castro Bazan, also known as “Benji” or “Benji Banks,” started using drivers to transport drugs for a Tijuana-based drug trafficking organization in the spring of 2021. Using his status as a club promoter and amateur musician, Castro Bazan hired numerous college-aged drivers, luring them with the prospect of easy money and “all-expenses-paid trips to Mexico.”
A number of the young drivers Castro Bazan employed were arrested at the border and convicted of drug trafficking or related offenses. They now have federal felony convictions on their records.
At today’s hearing, U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta noted that Castro Bazan had a “catastrophic and terrible impact on the lives of young people—teenagers—who had the misfortune to come across his path.”
“Not only did this defendant import staggering amounts of a deadly drug into our community, he took advantage of vulnerable young people who failed to appreciate the tremendous risk involved,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “He turned college-age kids into traffickers and will serve a significant sentence for it.”
Castro Bazan is also facing drug charges in the Eastern District of California for his role in a distribution conspiracy that used couriers to deliver narcotics direct to buyers in Northern California.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Miller and Shivanjali A. Sewak.
DEFENDANT Case Number 22cr971-001-JO
Fernando Castro Bazan Age: 32 Los Angeles, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Import Methamphetamine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 952, 960 and 963
Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
Minimum penalty: Ten years in prison
Importation of Methamphetamine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 952 and 960
Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
Minimum penalty: Ten years in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Homeland Security Investigations
Driving School Owner Charged with Conspiracy to Defraud RMVRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was arrested today on charges that he bribed a road test examiner to issue driver’s licenses to individuals who did not pass or even take road tests at the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) in Brockton.
Carlos Cardoso, 70, was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Boston on five counts of honest services mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud. He will appear in federal court in Boston at 2 p.m. this afternoon.
According to the indictment, Cardoso, the owner of a driving school, paid cash bribes totaling $20,000 - $30,000 to a road test examiner at the Brockton RMV service center to misrepresent to the RMV that certain driver’s license applicants had passed their road test when, in fact, they had not. It is alleged that some of the applicants did not even show up to take the test. As a result of the fraud, the RMV mailed driver’s licenses to unqualified applicants.
The charge of honest services mail fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years 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; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Christopher A. Scharf, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Wichers and Adam Deitch of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Deven Moffitt of Bennington Convicted of Federal Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that yesterday, Deven Moffitt, 33, of Bennington, Vermont was convicted in U.S. District Court in Burlington of three drug and gun charges after a four-day jury trial. U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss ordered that Moffitt remain in jail pending sentencing, which has been scheduled for November 15, 2024. Moffitt has been held without bail since his arrest in June 2022.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Moffitt was arrested by the Vermont State Police in Bennington on June 1, 2022. From a search of the bags Moffitt was carrying that day, law enforcement recovered over 3,500 individual bags containing fentanyl, additional bags of cocaine and cocaine base, as well as two firearms: a .22 High Standard Manufacturing Corporation revolver and a 9mm Hi-Point semi-automatic pistol. Both guns were loaded, and the 9mm pistol had a bullet in its chamber, with its safety off. Moffitt also possessed over $16,000 in cash upon his arrest.
The jury found that Moffitt possessed fentanyl and cocaine with the intent to distribute. The jury also convicted Moffitt of knowingly possessing the firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking, and of possessing those firearms while being a convicted felon.
Based on the jury’s verdict, Moffitt faces a mandatory prison sentence of at least five years, with a potential maximum sentence of life. The actual sentence will be determined with reference to Federal Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigative work of Vermont State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vermont Drug Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. “This case is another example of the connection between drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms. Because of the dangers of guns and drugs, in the interest of public safety, this office, along with our investigative partners, will continue to prioritize prosecution of these federal crimes.”
U.S. Attorney Kerest also thanked the U.S. Marshals Service for assistance during trial.
At trial, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew C. Gilman and Julia “Jules” Torti represented the government. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher worked on this matter for the government during the pre-trial phase. Moffitt was represented by Kevin Henry, Esq. of Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer PC.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Defendant Charged with Distributing Fentanyl and Methamphetamine that Resulted in Overdose Death of San Diego ResidentRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 17, 2024
SAN DIEGO – James Jason Hendershaw of San Diego was charged in an indictment unsealed this week with distributing the fentanyl and methamphetamine that resulted in the death of a 20-year-old San Diego resident.
The Oceanside Police Department and Oceanside Fire Department responded to a 911 call a few minutes after 6 a.m. on January 10, 2019. When they arrived, they found the victim, identified in court records as R.J., unresponsive and lying on a sidewalk at the corner of Farel Street and Via Sonora in Oceanside. He was pronounced dead a few hours later.
Hendershaw allegedly distributed the fatal mix of fentanyl and methamphetamine the night before.
“Prosecuting drug dealers who supply deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine is not just about accountability; it’s about preventing death by interrupting the supply chain,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “By identifying and charging the distributors, we send a clear message to the dealers of these toxins: You will be held accountable for the lives your product destroys.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Sausedo and Adam Gordon.
DEFENDANT Case Number 23-CR-2645-RBM
James Jason Hendershaw Age: 36 Vista, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Distribution of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Resulting in Death – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C)
Maximum penalty: Life in prison
Mandatory minimum: Twenty years in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Oceanside Police Department
State of California Department of Health Care Services
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
David DePape Sentenced after Conviction on Assault and Attempted Kidnapping ChargesRead the Press Release
David DePape, 44, of Richmond, California, was sentenced today to 360 months in prison and five years of supervised release, following his conviction on assault and attempted kidnapping charges in connection with his Oct. 28, 2022, intrusion into the home of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and her husband, Paul Pelosi.
“This sentence is a warning: violence against those who serve the public and their families will not be tolerated,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will aggressively prosecute those who target public servants and their families with violence. In a democracy, people vote, argue, and debate to achieve the policy outcome they desire. But the promise of democracy is that people will not employ violence to affect that outcome.”
“David DePape, when he planned his attempted kidnapping, claimed he intended to punish the Speaker Emerita and teach Congress as a whole a lesson,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California. “He then violently assaulted Mr. Pelosi. Today’s sentence is a stern reminder to those who pursue violence against public officials and institutions that significant punishment will follow. I want to thank the FBI, the San Francisco Police Department, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the members of my prosecution team — including Helen Gilbert, Laura Vartain, and Maddie Wachs — for bringing this matter to a swift and decisive conclusion. We hope that the conclusion of the federal case brings a measure of healing to Mr. Pelosi and his family.”
“Today’s sentencing of David DePape to a significant prison term sends a clear message that violence and intimidation have no place in our community or our political discourse,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp of the FBI San Francisco Field Office. “DePape's attack, fueled by misguided ideology, underscores the dangers posed by extremist beliefs. The FBI is committed to protecting all citizens and ensuring that our democracy remains strong and resilient against those who seek to harm it.”
The evidence at trial established that, weeks before the attack, DePape targeted Nancy Pelosi, who was then Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and collected personal information about her, including her home address. DePape kept the information in a computer file he labeled “favorite politicians.” DePape intended to kidnap the then-Speaker, hold her hostage, and break her kneecaps.
The evidence at trial demonstrated that on the night of the assault, DePape used public transportation to travel from the East Bay to San Francisco while carrying two backpacks that contained a hammer, sledgehammer, duct tape, rope, zip ties, and electronic items, among other items. After arriving at the Pelosi residence, DePape used the hammer to break the window of a glass door and enter the home. Then-Speaker Pelosi was not home and her husband, Paul Pelosi, was sleeping on the third floor of the home. DePape roamed the home until he found Paul Pelosi in the third-floor bedroom.
The trial evidence demonstrated that DePape woke Paul Pelosi and, while standing three to four feet from him holding the hammer and restraints, made various threats including, “I will take you out.” Paul Pelosi managed to walk to his bathroom and call 9-1-1, during which he carefully used language to alert the emergency operator to the situation without agitating DePape.
Paul Pelosi convinced the defendant to go downstairs to the first floor and continued talking to DePape. When the police arrived, Paul Pelosi opened the door and the police ordered DePape to drop the hammer he was holding. Instead, DePape struck Paul Pelosi three times with full force, fracturing his skull. The responding officers immediately tackled DePape and took him into custody.
On Nov. 9, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted DePape, charging him with one count of assault upon an immediate family member of a U.S. official with the intent to impede, intimidate, or interfere with the official while engaged in the performance of official duties or with intent retaliate against the official on account of the performance of official duties, and one count of attempted kidnapping of a U.S. official on account of the performance of official duties. A jury convicted DePape of both charges.
DePape will receive credit for the little over 18 months that he has been in custody since his crime.
The FBI San Francisco Field Office, U.S. Capitol Police, and San Francisco Police Department are investigating the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California’s National Security and Cyber Section is prosecuting the case.
David DePape Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison After Conviction on Assault and Attempted Kidnapping ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO –David DePape was sentenced today to 360 months in prison following his conviction on assault and attempted kidnapping charges in connection with his Oct. 28, 2022, intrusion into the home of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul Pelosi, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Jacqueline Scott Corley, U.S. District Judge. U.S. Attorney Ramsey recorded a video statement commenting on today’s sentence that is available here: https://youtu.be/3o9EH157Ffk
“This sentence is a warning: violence against those who serve the public and their families will not be tolerated,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will aggressively prosecute those who target public servants and their families with violence. In a democracy, people vote, argue, and debate to achieve the policy outcome they desire. But the promise of democracy is that people will not employ violence to affect that outcome.”
In an additional statement, U.S. Attorney Ramsey said, “David DePape, when he planned his attempted kidnapping, claimed he intended to punish the Speaker Emerita and teach Congress as a whole a lesson. He then violently assaulted Mr. Pelosi. Today’s sentence is a stern reminder to those who pursue violence against public officials and institutions that significant punishment will follow. I want to thank the FBI, the San Francisco Police Department, the U.S. Capitol Police and the members of my prosecution team—including Helen Gilbert, Laura Vartain and Maddie Wachs —for bringing this matter to a swift and decisive conclusion. We hope that the conclusion of the federal case brings a measure of healing to Mr. Pelosi and his family.”
“Today’s sentencing of David DePape to a significant prison term sends a clear message that violence and intimidation have no place in our community nor our political discourse. DePape's attack, fueled by misguided ideology, underscores the dangers posed by extremist beliefs,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp. “The FBI is committed to protecting all citizens and ensuring that our democracy remains strong and resilient against those who seek to harm it.”
The evidence at trial established that weeks before the attack, DePape, 44, of Richmond, California, targeted Nancy Pelosi, who was then Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and collected personal information about her, including her home address. DePape kept the information in a computer file he labeled “favorite politicians.” DePape intended to kidnap the then-Speaker, hold her hostage, and break her kneecaps.
The evidence at trial demonstrated that on the night of the assault, DePape used public transportation to travel from the East Bay to San Francisco while carrying two backpacks that contained a hammer, sledgehammer, duct tape, rope, zip ties, and electronic items, among other items. After arriving at the Pelosi residence, DePape used the hammer to break the window of a glass door and enter the home. Then-Speaker Pelosi was not home and her husband, Paul Pelosi, was sleeping on the third floor of the home. DePape roamed the home until he found Mr. Pelosi in the third-floor bedroom.
The trial evidence demonstrated that DePape woke Mr. Pelosi and, while standing three to four feet from him holding the hammer and restraints, made various threats including, “I will take you out.” Mr. Pelosi managed to walk to his bathroom and call 9-1-1, during which he carefully used language to alert the emergency operator to the situation without agitating DePape.
Mr. Pelosi convinced defendant to go downstairs to the first floor and continued talking to DePape. When the police arrived, Mr. Pelosi opened the door and the police ordered DePape to drop the hammer he was holding. Instead, DePape struck Mr. Pelosi three times with full force, fracturing his skull. The responding officers immediately tackled Depape and took him into custody.
On November 9, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted DePape, charging him with one count of assault upon an immediate family member of a United States official with the intent to impede, intimidate, or interfere with the official while engaged in the performance of official duties or with intent retaliate against the official on account of the performance of official duties, and one count of attempted kidnapping of a United States official on account of the performance of official duties. A jury convicted DePape of both charges.
The Honorable Jacqueline Corley sentenced DePape to the statutory maximums on each count, which were 30 years in prison for the assault charge and 20 years in prison for the attempted kidnapping charge, the two sentences to run concurrently.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Corley ordered the defendant to serve five years of supervised release, to begin after the prison term and ordered that DePape will receive credit for the little over 18 months that he has been in custody since his crime.
In sentencing DePape, Judge Corley stated that DePape may still be dangerous, that his use of violence was “gratuitous,” and that because he entered the home of a politician, future would-be leaders now must consider whether entering public service through politics is worth the risk. “Because of your actions,” said Judge Corley, “we will never know what we lost.”
The National Security and Cyber Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California is prosecuting the case. FBI San Francisco, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the San Francisco Police Department are investigating the case.
Convicted Ponzi schemer sentenced to over 14 years in prison for $11 million fraud and absconding before sentencingRead the Press Release
Seattle – A federally convicted Ponzi schemer who fled before sentencing, will do 156 months in prison for his fraud convictions, with an additional 16 months in prison for absconding before his original sentencing hearing, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Volodimyr Pigida, 49, a Miami area resident who previously resided in Bellevue, Washington, was ultimately arrested October 24, 2023, after a three-hour standoff with agents in South Florida. At his sentencing hearing today, U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez told Pigida that he had abused the court’s “trust” by fleeing from justice. The judge also described Pigida’s fraud as an “extensive, elaborate, complex scheme” that caused “immense harm” for his victims.
“Accountability has been a long-time coming for Mr. Pigida,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “His refusal to accept responsibility for defrauding thousands of victims continues to this day and is reflected in the significant sentence imposed in this case.”
In December 2022, Pigida was found guilty by a jury in the Western District of Washington of 26 felony counts, including conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, and bankruptcy fraud, among other crimes.
In his $11 million Ponzi scheme Pigida defrauded thousands of victims. Pigida and his wife, Marina Bondarenko, operated a ‘work-at-home’ email scheme named Trend Sound Promoter. The couple sold ad-promoting packages whereby those who bought a package were to be paid for email marketing. The couple made claims to those purchasing the packages that they could make big money for sending emails on Trend Sound’s behalf. In reality, the only significant money being generated was from those purchasing the packages, and it was used to pay earlier purchasers as in a typical Ponzi scheme. The scheme ultimately crashed – but not before the two raided the company’s accounts to purchase homes, expensive cars, and a yacht.
On August 4, 2023, Pigida failed to appear at his sentencing hearing before the district court in Seattle. A warrant was issued for his arrest. Pigida is a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in Ukraine. Initially, there were indications that Pigida might have fled to war torn Ukraine. Ultimately, law enforcement discovered him hiding in a secret room of a relative’s home in Parkland, Florida. He was pulled from hiding after a standoff with police.
Assistant United States Attorney Philip Kopczynski described Pigida’s conduct in his sentencing brief, writing: “Defendant Volodimyr Pigida has shown nothing but contempt for this Court, the government, and the jury that heard the case against him. Last July, with his sentencing hearing looming on 26 felony convictions, Pigida fled. He sent a letter insisting he’s done nothing wrong, and insulting Your Honor, the prosecutors, and everyone else involved in his case. Through the diligent efforts of federal law enforcement, he was eventually found. He was arrested hiding behind a false wall in a relative’s house in Florida. Agents had to literally drag him out.”
Pigida and his wife were indicted for conspiracy and mail, wire, and bankruptcy fraud in November 2018. In September 2019, Bondarenko pleaded guilty to bankruptcy fraud and was sentenced to 38 months in prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Philip Kopczynski.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possessing a 9mm Pistol He Attempted to Hide from Police in a Liquor Store RefrigeratorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kenneth Hart, 25, a previously convicted felon from Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for possessing a loaded 9 mm Springfield Armory XDS-9 pistol that he tried to hide from police inside a liquor store refrigerator, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Hart pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon on January 30, 2024. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden ordered Hart to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court papers, on November 1, 2023, members of the MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Division Robbery Suppression Unit were conducting firearm interdiction activities on the 2900 block of Martin Luther King Junior Ave., SE. About 5:30 p.m., officers observed Hart along with several other individuals leave a nearby restaurant. An investigator who wearing a tactical vest with clearly visible, “POLICE” insignia began to walk behind the Hart, who spotted the investigator, turned away, and started heading towards Malcolm X Avenue, SE. Hart entered a liquor store and stood beside a beverage refrigerator at the back. The investigator, now inside the store, noticed that both of Hart’s hands were inside the refrigerator.
The investigator saw Hart place a black firearm inside the refrigerator. The investigator arrested Hart. Additional MPD investigators arrived and assisted in the arrest. In the refrigerator, police recovered a 9 mm Springfield Armory XDS-9, with one round in the chamber and six in the magazine. The pistol, which had been reported stolen out of Pittsylvania, Virginia, subsequently was swabbed and determined to have a DNA match with the defendant.
Hart has a significant criminal history including two prior convictions that include attempted robbery with an unregistered firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Violent Crime Suppression Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty on Last Day of TrialRead the Press Release
BIRMIHGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon pleaded guilty on Tuesday to drug and gun charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger.
Eric Damone Wilson, 34, of Hoover, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco on the last day of trial testimony before the jury began deliberations. Wilson pled guilty to two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to evidence presented at trial and included in Wilson’s plea agreement, on two separate occasions in April 2022, Wilson distributed methamphetamine at a gas station in Birmingham and at his apartment in Hoover. Upon his arrest for those trafficking offenses, Wilson was found in possession of methamphetamine and fentanyl, digital scales, and a gun.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case, along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys Allison Garnett and Brittany Byrd are prosecuting the case.
Cleveland Clinic to Pay over $7 Million to Settle Allegations of Undisclosed Foreign Sources of Funding on NIH Grant Applications and ReportsRead the Press Release
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF) has agreed to pay $7,600,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by submitting to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) federal grant applications and progress reports in which CCF failed to disclose that a key employee involved in administering the grants had pending and/or active financial research support from other sources.
The settlement resolves allegations that CCF made false statements to NIH, a component of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in connection with three federal grant awards. Despite NIH requirements to do so, CCF repeatedly failed to disclose that the employee who it designated as the Principal Investigator on each grant had pending and/or active grants from foreign institutions that provided financial assistance to support the employee’s research and already obligated that employee’s research time. CCF falsely certified that the grants submissions were true and accurate.
NIH requires full transparency in applications and throughout the life of the grants it awards. This includes a requirement that grant applicants disclose all sources of research support, from any source, on grant applications and on follow-up documents relating to grant awards. NIH uses this information to determine if the applicant has the time necessary to allocate to the proposed research project, and if the research proposal has other sources of funding that are duplicative. It also assists NIH in determining if an applicant’s financial interests may affect its objectivity in conducting research.
The settlement also resolves allegations that CCF violated NIH password policies by permitting CCF employees to share passwords. Some of the false submissions wherein CCF failed to disclose the Principal Investigator’s foreign grant support were made by CCF employees who were inappropriately given access to NIH’s online grant reporting platform.
“Each year, NIH awards federal grants to support research to improve public health, but those funds are limited and the grant process is competitive. Every entity or person who seeks such grant money must strictly play by the rules. As stewards of taxpayer dollars, our Office takes seriously its responsibility of ensuring that grant recipients fully and accurately report all required information to NIH so that it may properly award its limited funds to deserving institutions,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Today’s settlement illustrates the importance of being truthful at every stage of the grants process.”
In addition to the $7.6 million settlement, NIH has imposed Specific Award Conditions on all CCF’s grants for a one-year period. Federal regulations allow NIH to impose Specific Award Conditions on grant recipients, including on recipients that do not comply with the terms of a federal award. In this case, NIH is requiring a high-level CCF employee to personally attest to the truth, completeness, and accuracy of all “other grant support” information CCF provides to NIH. CCF must also develop a corrective action plan that includes an assessment of internal controls related to other grant support and foreign-component reporting; create a mandatory training program addressing requirements for disclosing other grant support, research security, and cyber security; and develop an improvement plan for its internal controls, ensuring that CCF has oversight at the institutional level to confirm that the information its Principal Investigators disclose is true, complete, and accurate, among other requirements. The Specific Award Conditions will begin Oct. 1, 2024, and remain in effect through Sept. 30, 2025, or until NIH is satisfied that CCF has successfully completed the Corrective Action Plan.
“The accuracy of information reported in applications and other documentation related to federal grants is critical to ensuring that these limited funds are utilized in the most efficient and effective manner and that the integrity of the application process is upheld,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto, of the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our agency is committed to ensuring that those who submit false statements in grant applications are identified and investigated, in cooperation with our federal law enforcement partners.”
A cooperative effort between HHS-OIG, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio resulted in the resolution obtained in this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Heyer and Elizabeth Berry investigated the matter on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
This settlement illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating fraud. If you have information regarding potential fraud, waste, abuse, or mismanagement in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ programs, please file a report with OIG's Hotline. You can submit your tip or complaint online at https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/ or contact the OIG Hotline at 1-800-447-8477. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Cleveland Clinic Settlement Agreement Fully Executed.pdfChinese Citizen Sentenced for Interstate Transportation of Stolen PropertyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Wu Feng Zhang, age 54, a Chinese citizen residing in the Town of Colonie, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 25 months in prison for transporting stolen property across state lines. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Zheng admitted that between June and December 2022, he stole merchandise from home improvement stores in various states, including in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and New York, and transported those stolen items to his residence in Colonie. On January 11, 2023, HSI searched his residence and found about $100,000 in merchandise stolen from home improvement stores.
Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also imposed a 3-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release, ordered Zhang to pay $296,881.92 in restitution to the two home improvement store chains from which he stole, and ordered forfeiture of $3,257.76 seized from two bank accounts.
HSI, with assistance from Colonie Police Department, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, and the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping prosecuted the case.
Cherokee County Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced Heath Tyler Bryan, age 33, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The Indictment alleged that on January 1, 2024, Bryan was found to be in possession of a firearm and ammunition in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, after having been previously convicted of a felony offense punishable by more than one year and knowing of the conviction.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Bryan was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.
Charlotte Licensed Clinical Social Worker Convicted of Medicaid Fraud, COVID-19 Relief Fraud, and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte behavioral health services provider was convicted today by a federal jury following a nine-day trial, for defrauding the South Carolina Medicaid Program (SC Medicaid), falsely obtaining COVID-19 relief funds, and money laundering, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Stephanie G. Opet, Director of the South Carolina Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
Ashley Nicole Cross, 41, of Charlotte, was found guilty of healthcare fraud, making false statements and writings relating to a healthcare matter, promotional money laundering, wire fraud, and conspiracy.
According to trial evidence—including 25 witnesses and over 600 documents—Cross owned and operated Odyssey Health Group (OHG), a Charlotte-based company, which was enrolled with SC Medicaid to provide outpatient behavioral health services to eligible Medicaid beneficiaries. Under SC Medicaid rules, beneficiaries are allowed to use providers within 25-miles of the South Carolina border, including Charlotte. From 2016 to 2021, Cross’s company submitted fraudulent reimbursement claims to SC Medicaid and its contracted managed care organizations for rehabilitative behavioral health services that were never provided. To carry out the scheme, Cross used the personal identifying information (PII) of qualified SC Medicaid beneficiaries to file reimbursement claims totaling $1.3 million dollars. For some claims, Cross bought the PII of Medicaid beneficiaries she used to submit claims. To further the scheme and to give the appearance that OHG’s fraudulent claims were legitimate, Cross instructed OHG employees to create fake clinical service notes after she filed fraudulent claims in the names of Medicaid beneficiaries.
Trial evidence established that in September 2019, Cross was informed of audits of OHG’s Medicaid claims. To cover up the fraud, Cross submitted fictitious patient medical records and made false statements to auditors. Trial evidence further established that Cross engaged in money laundering and used some of the fraudulent proceeds to promote the scheme by paying for Medicaid beneficiary names and PII.
In addition to the Medicaid fraud scheme, evidence showed that from April 3, 2020, to May 14, 2022, Cross executed a scheme to obtain fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans on behalf of OHG and Gucci International Inc. (Gucci), a purported event planning business owned by Cross’s boyfriend and co-conspirator. To obtain the PPP loans, Cross submitted loan applications and supporting documents that contained false statements regarding OHG’s and Gucci’s payroll expenses, number of employees, and other misrepresentations. Cross obtained more than $287,000 in COVID-19 relief funds for her companies and Gucci. At the time of Gucci’s loan application, Cross’s boyfriend was under indictment for a federal offense.
Cross was remanded into custody after the jury returned its verdict. A federal district court judge will determine Cross’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date has not been set.
The FBI investigated the case with substantial assistance from the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael E. Savage and Cassye Cole, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina Fleisch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
California Man Charged with Selling Illegal Depressant Etizolam over the InternetRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California man has been charged for allegedly conspiring to sell the illegal depressant Etizolam over the internet.
Paul Z. Lamberty, 52, of Folsom, Calif., was charged in a two-count information with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of the introduction of misbranded drugs with the intent to defraud and mislead. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, Lamberty operated websites encern.com and ohmod.com to sell the drug Etizolam to customers throughout the United States, including customers in Massachusetts. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved Etizolam for use as a drug, and thus it cannot be sold or prescribed in the United States. Despite this, Lamberty allegedly purchased drugs from suppliers in China, imported those drugs into the United States and sold the drugs with false labelling stating that the products were sold “For Research Purposes Only,” and “Not for Human Consumption.”
According to the charging documents, Etizolam is a drug known as a thienodiazepine – a class of drugs chemically related to benzodiazepines, which produce central nervous system depression. Physicians may prescribe FDA-approved benzodiazepines to treat insomnia and anxiety, but benzodiazepines and thienodiazepines also carry risks of dependency, toxicity and even fatal overdose, particularly when combined with other central nervous system depressants.
The charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of introduction of misbranded drugs with the intent to defraud and mislead provides for a sentence up to three years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Fernando P. McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Lauren A. Graber of the Criminal Division are 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.
Brooklyn Man and Cryptocurrency Personality "T.J. Stone" Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Yesterday, in federal court in Brooklyn, Thomas John Sfraga, also known as “T.J. Stone,” pleaded guilty to an information charging him with wire fraud. The proceeding was held before Chief United States Magistrate Judge Lois Bloom. When sentenced, Sfraga faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, as well as restitution of over $1.33 million.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the guilty plea.
“For years, Sfraga brazenly lied to friends, neighbors and investors to swindle over $1.3 million of their hard-earned life savings,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office will continue to hold fraudsters accountable and achieve justice for victims throughout the Eastern District of New York and across the United States.”
As set forth in the information and court filings, from at least 2019 to 2022, Sfraga held himself out as the owner and principal of multiple businesses, including Vandelay Contracting Corp. and Build Strong Homes LLC. In the television show “Seinfeld,” the character George Constanza falsely claimed to have interviewed for a job with the fictional company Vandelay Industries. The defendant held himself out as ‘T.J. Stone,’ a serial entrepreneur with experience in real estate development, media relations, podcasting and cryptocurrencies, including acting as the host or emcee of cryptocurrency events in New York.
Sfraga defrauded over a dozen victims, including victims in Brooklyn, Staten Island and Long Island. Sfraga convinced victims to loan him monies for, or to invest in, multiple fraudulent investments including purchasing, renovating and “flipping” homes. On one occasion, Sfraga convinced a victim to lend him $100,000 in cash as start-up costs for a non-existent major construction project. On yet another occasion, Sfraga convinced a victim to invest in a fictitious cryptocurrency “virtual wallet.” He promised the victims returns on their investments as high as 60% in three months. In reality, however, Sfraga converted the monies to his own benefit, to pay expenses, and to pay earlier victims and business associates.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney John Vagelatos is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Madison Bates.
The Defendant:
THOMAS JOHN SFRAGA (also known as “T.J. Stone”)
Age: 55
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-194 (FB) (LB)
Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty yesterday to his role in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy in and around the Quincy and Weymouth areas.
Neylton Fontes, 36, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, including cocaine, fentanyl and fentanyl analogue; and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl and fentanyl analogue. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Sept. 16, 2024. Fontes was indicted along with three others in October 2023.
Around January 2021, Fontes possessed with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl and fentanyl analogue and participated in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, fentanyl and fentanyl analogue in Quincy and Weymouth.
The charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogue and conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department; Massachusetts State Police; and the Brockton, Quincy, Weymouth, Braintree, Boston, Bridgewater, East Bridgewater and Barnstable Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell and Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.
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 details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Brentwood Resident Charged with Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Unregistered Short-Barreled RifleRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – A federal grand jury has indicted Michael Patterson for receipt of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2) and (b), and possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d), announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, United States Secret Service (USSS) Special Agent in Charge Shawn M. Bradstreet, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani. The indictment, filed April 18, 2024, was unsealed on May 6, 2024, at Patterson’s initial federal court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu. On May 16, 2024, Magistrate Judge Ryu ordered Patterson detained pending trial.
According to the government’s detention memorandum, in late May 2023, the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (SV-ICAC) conducted an operation to identify and arrest adults engaging in sexual conversations with undercover chatters posing online as minors. During this operation, Patterson engaged in an online conversation with an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old girl, and eventually planned to meet and engage in sexual conduct. Officers arrested Patterson when he arrived at the agreed upon location. In Patterson’s car, officers located the phone Patterson had used to communicate with the undercover officer, and next to the phone, officers located a loaded .38 caliber revolver. The government further argued that after his arrest, Patterson was found to have been in possession of over 600 videos and over 1,200 individual images depicting child sexual abuse material on various electronic devices, as well as dozens of firearms, firearm components, boxes of ammunition, and firearm manufacturing machines and components, including a computerized gun milling machine. Three of the firearms were unregistered short-barreled rifles and one was an unregistered fully automatic machine gun.
Patterson is scheduled to appear before the Honorable U.S. District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr. on June 26, 2024, in Oakland.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution if appropriate, for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2) and (b), and 10 years imprisonment and a fine of $10,000 for a violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d). However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonah Ross is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kay Konopaske and Claudia Hyslop. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the USSS, ATF, SV-ICAC, the Brentwood and Walnut Creek Police Departments, and the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office.
Altus Man Convicted for Lying about Pending Criminal Charges during Purchase of a RifleRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – ANGEL LUIS GARCIA-NAVEDO, 27, of Altus, has been found guilty after a bench trial of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On August 16, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment against Garcia-Navedo, charging him with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm and with illegal receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment. On May 14, 2024, the case proceeded to a bench trial on the false statement count, after which the Court found Garcia-Navedo guilty.
According to evidence presented at trial, in April 2023, Garcia-Navedo visited an Altus federal firearm licensee (FFL) to initiate the purchase of a rifle. To do so, Garcia-Navedo was required to complete Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Form 4473. This Form requires buyers to answer several questions, including those about the buyer’s competency, criminal history, drug use, immigration status, and history with domestic violence. Federal law prohibits knowingly making any false statement in connection with purchasing, or attempting to purchase, a firearm.
On the ATF Form 4473, evidence at trial showed that Garcia-Navedo indicated that he was not under indictment or information for a felony or a crime for which he could be imprisoned for more than one year. Public record reflects, however, that at the time that he completed the ATF Form 4473, Garcia-Navedo was charged by information with two felony offenses in Jackson County District Court.
At sentencing, Garcia-Navedo faces up to 10 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
This case is the result of an investigation by the ATF and the Altus Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danielle M. Connolly, Mary E. Walters, and Steven W. Creager are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice program to reduce violent crime. In October 2017, the Department announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop crime-reduction strategies that incorporate lessons federal law enforcement has learned since the program’s launch in 2001. This case is also part of "Operation 922," the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of PSN, which prioritizes prosecution of federal crimes connected to domestic violence. For more information about PSN, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Allport Man Pleads Guilty to Narcotics, Firearms, and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Allport, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics, firearms, and money laundering laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Alexis Brolin, Jr., 55, pleaded guilty before United States Senior District Judge Kim R. Gibson to Counts Two through Five of the Superseding Indictment.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around July 2019 to in and around April 2020 in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Brolin conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Brolin, who directed the drug trafficking organization’s activity in Clearfield and surrounding areas, was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining kilogram quantities of methamphetamine that he distributed to others, and was arrested in possession of more than 650 grams of methamphetamine destined for Clearfield during an April 2020 interdiction stop.
Through the execution of a search warrant at Brolin’s residence on the day of his arrest, law enforcement agents seized additional quantities of methamphetamine as well as 11 firearms and ammunition, including five shotguns, two rifles, an AK-style rifle, and three pistols, with numerous of the firearms not having serial numbers. Under federal law, Brolin was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition based on an earlier felony conviction for robbery, with Brolin also pleading guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime.
Additionally, from in and around July 2019 to June 2020, Brolin conspired to commit money laundering by having various distributors pre-pay him for the drugs he was to provide them through money wires to and from various locations within Western Pennsylvania.
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for September 20, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Brolin. Additional agencies participating in this investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
16 May 2024
Zapata resident sent to prison for uploading child sexual assault material to FacebookRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 28-year-old man has been sentenced for possessing child pornography and exploiting children, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Kevin Montemayor pleaded guilty March 28, 2022.
U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison has now sentenced Montemayor to 15 years for the possession of child pornography and sexual exploitation of children convictions, respectively. They will run concurrently for a total 180-month-term of imprisonment. Montemayor was further ordered to pay $42,000 in restitution to the victims and will serve five years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Montemayor will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Montemayor came to the attention of law enforcement after they learned an IP address associated with him had posted child sexual abuse material over Facebook Messenger.
On Aug. 9, 2020, authorities executed a search warrant at Montemayor’s residence and found several electronic devices containing child pornography. Law enforcement then seized the devices and took Montemayor into custody.
Authorities later identified a victim who claimed she met Montemayor over the instant messaging application Kik when she was only 15. She claimed Montemayor sexually extorted her for child sexual abuse material by threatening to leak her images if she did not continue to supply Montemayor with more explicit material.
Montemayor will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Ann Cortez prosecuted the case.
Yakama Man Found Guilty of Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that a jury returned a verdict on May 15, 2024, following the trial of 43-year-old Joey Anthony Andy. Andy was found guilty of one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.
Evidence introduced at trial established that on April 4, 2023, a victim, an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation, was leaving Noah’s Ark Homeless shelter in Wapato, Washington. As the victim was walking away from the shelter, he was confronted by Andy. Andy was upset with the victim because Andy believed the victim had stolen his Bluetooth speaker. Andy shoved then shoved the victim. After the victim stepped back, Andy pulled out a knife, lifted the sleeve on this hooded sweatshirt (presumably to ensure he did not get blood on his clothing), and lifted the knife, and then swung the knife at the victim’s head. As the victim attempted to dodge the blow, the knife hit the victim, leaving a four-inch laceration to the side of the victim’s head. The laceration cut down to the victim’s skull and required fourteen staples to close.
The victim ran back to Noah’s Ark for help. There, employees rendered first aid and called police. Wapato Police later located Andy in the neighborhood near Noah’s Ark. Although Andy attempted to flee, officers took Andy into custody without incident after a short chase.
United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke presided over the trial, which began on May 13, 2024. Sentencing in this matter is set for September 17, 2024.
“Prosecuting violent crime occurring on Tribal land in the Eastern District of Washington is a major priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Mr. Andy carried out a violent attack in broad daylight that left his victim with a serious injury,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Violent assaults on Native American land are key drivers of the crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People. My office remains committed to prosecuting these and other serious crimes, such as domestic violence, drug trafficking, child exploitation, and sexual violence, which frequently contribute to this ongoing crisis. I commend our federal, tribal and local partners for their investigative work, and the prosecutors from my office who secured a conviction in this case.”
“The sudden violence of this assault is alarming and demonstrates that prison is where Mr. Andy belongs.” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “Fortunately, the victim of this attack will recover. The FBI and our partners will continue investigating these cases to make our state’s reservations safer for the people who call them home.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Todd Swensen and Bree R. Black Horse.
Wilkes-Barre Man Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Andrew Pope, age 45, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on May 15, 2024, to 120 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, marijuana, fentanyl, and over 50 grams of methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, between May 2021 and April 2022, Pope was involved in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of multiple different types of drugs throughout Luzerne County.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotic Investigations, and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Hardik prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Uzbekistan National Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison for International Transportation of Child Sex Abuse ImagesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Sulton Nuriev (39, Uzbekistan) to 19 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for transportation of child sex abuse materials (CSAM). Nuriev pled guilty on September 26, 2023.
According to court documents, on January 13, 2022, Nuriev left the United States from Orlando, Florida to Tashkent, Uzbekistan. On February 20, 2022, he flew from Tashkent, Uzbekistan to Orlando, Florida. Upon Nuriev's reentry to the United States, an agent with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) conducted a border search of Nuriev's cellphone and located child sex abuse images on the phone. Further forensic investigation revealed that while Nuriev was abroad, he was posing online as a 12-year-old boy and enticing minor females to produce sexually explicit images of themselves.
This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Shannon Laurie and Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Richardson-Jones.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
United States Attorney’s Office Honors Law Enforcement Personnel for Exceptional ServiceRead the Press Release
CONCORD – United States Attorney Jane E. Young announces the recipients of the 2024 Law Enforcement Awards in honor of National Police Week. More than 30 federal, state, and local law enforcement personnel are being recognized for their contributions to the success of federal matters over the past year.
These awards recognize the exceptional service of federal agents along with state and local officers in eight federal criminal and civil matters. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of New Hampshire will host a formal ceremony to honor these individuals in September 2024.
“I’m honored to announce the USAO 2024 Law Enforcement Award recipients during National Police Week. Commemorating National Police Week and presenting these awards provide opportunities to recognize the contributions of law enforcement officers and to annually celebrate their hard work and dedication to keeping our communities safe,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “These officers, agents, and their families have all gone above and beyond the call of duty to ensure others’ safety and maintain our faith in justice.”
The category of the Civil Litigation Achievement Award is a new award in 2024, which recognizes those whose actions significantly support the USAO’s ability to resolve civil matters. This year’s award recognizes a settlement in which the awardees enabled the return of financial loss to the government. The following federal matters are being recognized, and the following agencies are being honored:
U.S. v. Robert Michael Waters, Jr.
Agency of Recipient(s):
- The United States Marshal Service
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security's Office of Export Enforcement
- U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Criminal Investigations
The Excellence in Public Safety Award is a new award in 2024, which aims to recognize those whose activities have significantly and substantially reduced the risk of further harm to the public. The following federal matters are being recognized, and the following agencies are being honored:
U.S. v. Michael Chick
Agency of Recipient(s):
- Eliot Police Department (Maine)
- Greenland Police Department
- New England State Police Information Network (NESPIN)
- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
The Exceptional Contribution to a Federal Investigation/Prosecution Award is reserved for recipients whose actions impact law enforcement’s ability to achieve certain capabilities. This year’s award recognizes a case in which the awardees enabled law enforcement to identify critical intelligence. The following federal matters are being recognized, and the following agencies are being honored:
Cumulative Contributions to Child Exploitation Investigations
Agency of Recipient(s):
- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
The Investigative Achievement Award is limited to those whose activities have substantially and significantly contributed to a particular USAO prosecution. The following federal matters are being recognized, and the following agencies are being honored:
U.S. v. Abraham Hernandez
Agency of Recipient(s):
- United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
U.S. v. NuDay Syria
Agency of Recipient(s):
- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Criminal Investigations
- U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security's Office of Export Enforcement
U.S. v. Sewell, et al/U.S. v. Stottlar
Agency of Recipient(s):
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- Manchester Police Department
The Investigative Excellence Award is awarded to one individual whose specific acts led directly to the arrest of a dangerous subject or to the exposure of a significant criminal conspiracy. The following federal matters are being recognized, and the following agencies are being honored:
U.S. v. Chad Lawlor
Agency of Recipient(s):
- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
The category of the Outstanding Collaboration Award recognizes individuals who demonstrated outstanding efforts or overcame significant challenges in collaborating with multiple agencies. The following federal matters are being recognized, and the following agencies are being honored:
Federal Firearms Licensee Dealer Burglaries
Agency of Recipient(s):
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
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United States Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Alabama Commemorates National Police Week 2024Read the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama— In honor of National Police Week, United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. The week is being observed from Saturday, May 11 through Friday, May 17, 2024.
“National Police Week is an opportunity to recognize and thank the brave members of law enforcement who, at great risk to themselves, answer the call of duty every day to protect communities in our district,” stated United States Attorney Ross. “Already this year, too many officers have been killed in the line of duty, including one deputy here in the Middle District. The memory and legacy of Deputy Sheriff Jermyius Young from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office will never be forgotten. We take time this week to honor and recognize those we have lost and thank those who continue to serve.”
“As our country recognizes National Police Week, the Justice Department joins families and communities in remembering the members of the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the public,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “Policing is difficult and dangerous, yet time and time again, law enforcement officers answer the call, showing up for their communities when they are needed the most. Their devotion to duty is matched only by that of their loved ones who make daily sacrifices to support them. The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to help provide our law enforcement partners with the resources they need to carry out their noble work on behalf of the public.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe.
According to 2023 statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, from 2021 to 2023, more officers were feloniously killed in the U.S. (194) than in any other consecutive three-year period in the past 20 years — 73 officers in 2021, 61 officers in 2022, and 60 officers in 2023. So far this year, 58 law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty from various causes, including auto accidents. One of those 58 deaths occurred here in the Middle District of Alabama.
On Monday, May 13, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 who have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial were read during a Candlelight Vigil. To view a recording of the livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/.
To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org.
U.S. Department of Justice Honors Two Federal Agents from Arizona During Police WeekRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney’s Office honors fallen heroes Internal Revenue Service Special Agent Patrick Bauer and United States Border Patrol Agent Freddy Ortiz
PHOENIX, Ariz.— In honor of National Police Week, the Department of Justice will recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. The week will be observed Saturday, May 11 through Friday, May 17, 2024.
“As our country recognizes National Police Week, the Justice Department joins families and communities in remembering the members of the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the public,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “Policing is difficult and dangerous, yet time and time again, law enforcement officers answer the call, showing up for their communities when they are needed the most. Their devotion to duty is matched only by that of their loved ones who make daily sacrifices to support them. The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to help provide our law enforcement partners with the resources they need to carry out their noble work on behalf of the public.”
“We need to carry forward the memories and legacies of our fallen colleagues,” said Gary Restaino, the United States Attorney for the District of Arizona. “Border Patrol Agent Ortiz, a Navy veteran, was vigilant in protecting our border at the Douglas Station. Special Agent Bauer, a veteran of the Arizona Air National Guard, worked to dismantle command and control of criminal organizations throughout his career with Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations. Their names will shine eternally, etched in stone on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, and also here in Phoenix at the State Capitol.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which falls on May 15 every year, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe.
On Monday, May 13, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 who have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial were read during a candlelight vigil. To view a recording of the livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/.
To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-065_Police Week
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes Police WeekRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - In honor of National Police Week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota pauses to recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement. The week will be observed Saturday, May 11 through Friday, May 17, 2024.
“As our country recognizes National Police Week, the Justice Department joins families and communities in remembering the members of the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the public,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “Policing is difficult and dangerous, yet time and time again, law enforcement officers answer the call, showing up for their communities when they are needed the most. Their devotion to duty is matched only by that of their loved ones who make daily sacrifices to support them. The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to help provide our law enforcement partners with the resources they need to carry out their noble work on behalf of the public.”
“In South Dakota, federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement officers collaborate daily to protect communities throughout the state,” said U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell. “They do this work despite the tremendous risk to personal safety and a persistent shortage of resources. As we confronted earlier this year with the tragic death of Moody County Chief Deputy Ken Prorok, law enforcement’s selfless commitment to public safety sometimes leads to the ultimate sacrifice. We at the U.S. Attorney’s Office are grateful, every day, for the tireless work and dedication of our partners in blue.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe.
On Monday, May 13, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 who have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial were read during a Candlelight Vigil. To view a recording of the livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/.
To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Awards Ceremony Honors Law Enforcement PartnersRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- On May 14, 2024, The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana recognized more than 75 members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies at its Law Enforcement Awards ceremony at the Indiana War Memorial & Museum in downtown Indianapolis. The ceremony, held during National Police Week, honored law enforcement professionals who have gone above and beyond their duties to safeguard Indiana communities in cases that concluded in 2023.
“This event is a small token of our appreciation for the time, dedication, and teamwork it takes to investigate a federal case and bring the worst of the worst offenders to justice. The pace, complexity, and scope of the prosecutions brought in the Southern District of Indiana are a true testament to the quality of our partners in federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “It is especially meaningful to spend time during National Police Week to recognize the talents and sacrifice of those who have dedicated themselves to serving the public—often at risk to themselves. Every day these outstanding law enforcement officers, analysts, victim specialists, prosecutors, and other professionals work to make our communities safer, uphold the law, and protect civil rights, and I am happy to recognize many of them with these awards.”
The honorees are members of the following agencies:
- Bureau of Prisons
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- National Security Division, DOJ
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service
- U.S. Secret Service
- IRS-Criminal Investigation
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Federal Bureau of Investigation- Indianapolis
- Federal Bureau of Investigation- Chicago
- Canadian National Organized Crime Squad
- U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western Dist. of Ky.
- U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern Dist. of Ind.
- Indiana State Police
- Marion County Sheriff’s Office
- Marion County Prosecutor’s Office
- U.S. Trustee’s Office
- Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department
- Evansville Police Department
- Lawrence Police Department
- Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office
- Owensboro, KY Police Department
The teams who led the following cases received awards at the ceremony:
Outstanding Collaborative Criminal Investigation: Cases receiving this recognition are limited to those that have demonstrated outstanding efforts or overcome significant challenges in collaboration with multiple agencies.
Awarded to: U.S. v. Renard, et al and U.S. v. Edwin Agbi.
Project Safe Childhood Shield of Innocence: This award honors those who have provided extraordinary assistance to victims of a federal child exploitation crime.
Awarded to: U.S. v. Arnold Castillo.
L.E.A.T.H Heroism Award: This award is presented to a L.E.A.T.H. case that demonstrates extraordinary commitment and fortitude in the pursuit of justice. The Law Enforcement Action to Halt Domestic Violence (LEATH) Initiative is named in honor of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance call. The LEATH Initiative began in October of 2020 and recognizes the inherent danger posed by firearms in the hands of domestic abusers.
Awarded to: U.S. v. Michael Ryan Mack.
Investigative Excellence Award: Cases receiving this award are limited to those that have substantially and significantly contributed to the mission of the United States Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice by conducting complex, thorough and proactive analysis of evidence.
Awarded to: U.S. v. Fenner, et al and U.S. v. Betts, et al.
Community Impact: Presented to a case that had widespread, positive impact on constituents, law enforcement relations, and the legacy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Indiana.
Awarded to: U.S. v. Tony Cushingberry.
Excellence in the Pursuit of Justice; Presented to a case in which local, state, and federal officials achieved extraordinary results in their work to prevent crime, enhance community safety, and seek justice.
Awarded to: U.S. v. Holman IV, et al. and U.S. v Dannon, et al.
Outstanding Agency Service: Presented to a case that substantially and significantly contributed to the mission of the United States Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice.
Awarded to: McDaniels v. Smith and United States, in which Bureau of Prisons personnel worked with staff of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to successfully defend and vindicate the BOP and a BOP nurse who had been falsely accused of negligence in a civil suit brought by a former inmate.
In addition, the ceremony honored the late IMPD Officer, Anthony J. Farrell, who passed away in 2023, with a posthumous award presented to his family.
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U.S. Attorney Waldref Recognizes Police Week in Eastern WashingtonRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Waldref recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement.
“As our country recognizes National Police Week, the Justice Department joins families and communities in remembering the members of the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the public,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “Policing is difficult and dangerous, yet time and time again, law enforcement officers answer the call, showing up for their communities when they are needed the most. Their devotion to duty is matched only by that of their loved ones who make daily sacrifices to support them. The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to help provide our law enforcement partners with the resources they need to carry out their noble work on behalf of the public.”
U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref joined the Attorney General in thanking law enforcement. “This week we take time to pause and express our gratitude and thanks for the dedication, loyalty, and commitment of federal, state, local and Tribal law enforcement officers in protecting and serving our communities. Every day, officers put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe and strong. We honor their courage, valor, service, and sacrifice.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe.
On Monday, May 13, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 who have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial were read during a Candlelight Vigil. To view a recording of the livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/
U.S. Attorney Sellinger Speaks at New Jersey State Bar Association’s Annual Meeting and ConventionRead the Press Release
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger spoke on the False Claims Act Panel at the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Annual Meeting and Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger described the District of New Jersey’s leading role in rooting out fraud, kickbacks, and false claims in health care and other government enforcement across the country. He highlighted his office’s aggressive approach toward these cases and the substantial resources it devotes to them.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“The False Claims Act was originally enacted in 1863 in response to defense contractor fraud during the American Civil War, and it remains the federal government’s primary civil tool to address fraud that impacts federal spending. For example, in 2016, Olympus, a medical device company, entered into $646 million global resolution that included a $310 million False Claims Act settlement to resolve allegations of pervasive and systemic kickbacks related to the sale of their endoscopic devices and other equipment. The matter was initiated based upon a qui tam filed in our district, and the relator received a share of the FCA recovery amounting to more than $50 million.”
The District of New Jersey employs a unique structure to help it combat healthcare and government fraud. It has two units tasked with enforcement in those areas, and those units have both criminal and civil Assistant U.S. Attorneys and support staff. These units often work in parallel on matters when appropriate, including False Claims Act cases.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger said that the District of New Jersey has increased its prosecutions of fraud matters, particularly in the wake of the government’s COVID relief programs. He noted that the office has created a criminal COVID Fraud Strike Force, which includes three additional Assistant U.S. Attorneys dedicated to COVID fraud enforcement. U.S. Attorney Sellinger said protecting taxpayers and punishing and deterring fraud on the government has been and will remain an important priority for the office.
The False Claims Act allows private citizens to file suit under seal on behalf of the United States to seek restitution and penalties for fraud involving federal funds. Once such a suit is filed, the government will investigate the claims and pursue a recovery in appropriate instances.
The Act provides that these “whistleblowers,” or relators, as they are called, may receive a share of any recovery up to 30 percent in some cases. Settlements and judgments under the False Claims Act nationwide exceeded $2.68 billion in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2023. Recoveries since 1986, when Congress substantially strengthened the civil False Claims Act, now total more than $75 billion.
In Fiscal Year 2023, the District of New Jersey collected $120.7 million in affirmative civil enforcement actions.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger Presents on Cybercrime Trends at New Jersey State Bar Association ConferenceRead the Press Release
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger delivered remarks on domestic and international cybercrime trends at the 2024 New Jersey State Bar Association conference.
He participated on a panel which included members of U.S. Attorney Sellinger’s staff and the FBI. On May 15, 2024, the panel discussed several aspects of the investigation and prosecution of cybercrime, including the recent 11 nation disruption of LockBit, at times the most active and destructive ransomware variant in the world, led by the FBI and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, and the District of New Jersey’s indictment of LockBit’s developer and leader, Russian national Dimitry Khoroshev.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“The indictment alleges that Khoroshev acted as LockBit’s leader from its inception and that Lockbit allegedly attacked more than 2,500 victims in at least 120 countries, including 1,800 victims in the United States. LockBit victims included individuals, small businesses, multinational corporations, hospitals, schools, nonprofit organizations, critical infrastructure, and government and law enforcement agencies. Khoroshev and his conspirators allegedly extracted at least $500 million in ransom payments from their victims and caused billions of dollars in broader losses, such as lost revenue, incident response, and recovery.”
To date, six individuals, including Khoroshev, have been charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of New Jersey for their participation in the LockBit conspiracy.
Other topics discussed by the panel included the recent spike in cryptocurrency confidence scams, tech support schemes, and how Artificial Intelligence is affecting cybercrime investigations.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains devoted to combatting all forms of cybercrime and obtaining justice for its victims.
The charges and allegations against the defendants in the LockBit case are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two-Day Takedown Results in Arrest of Defendants Who Allegedly Packaged and Shipped Fentanyl and Cocaine Bought on DarknetRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Four defendants in California and Nevada have been arrested on a four-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they shipped hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of fentanyl-laced pills and cocaine to buyers nationwide who purchased the narcotics on darknet marketplaces, the Justice Department announced today.
Today, law enforcement arrested the following defendants:
- Craig Rushton, 23, of Las Vegas; and
- Christian McKibben, 20, of Las Vegas.
On Wednesday, the following defendants were arrested:
- Alejandro Soto, 21, of Burbank; and
- Austin Blacano, 21, of Burbank.
All the defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, two counts of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of distribution of cocaine. Soto and Blacano are expected to make their initial appearances today in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Rushton and McKibben are expected to make their initial appearances tomorrow in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas.
From at least April 2021 to May 2023, the defendants conspired with Brian McDonald, 23, of Van Nuys, and Ciara Clutario, 23, of Burbank, to traffic fentanyl and cocaine. Specifically, McDonald and Clutario allegedly created vendor profiles on darknet marketplaces to sell fentanyl, cocaine, and other illegal narcotics in exchange for cryptocurrency.
McDonald and Clutario were charged last year in a separate indictment connected to the alleged darknet drug trafficking conspiracy. An August 6 trial date is scheduled in their case.
McDonald and Clutario allegedly monitored and maintained their darknet vendor profiles, including by updating drug listings and shipment options, tracking drug orders received through the profiles, and offloading cryptocurrency received on the darknet marketplaces into cryptocurrency wallets that the co-conspirators controlled.
Soto, Blacano, McKibben, and Rushton allegedly were directed by McDonald and others to package and ship the drugs sold on darknet marketplaces. The defendants allegedly packaged the narcotics at the Burbank residence of McKibben and Rushton.
Through this conspiracy, the defendants sold and shipped hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of narcotics, including fentanyl and cocaine, to drug purchasers across the United States.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant committed a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted of all charges, the defendants would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Declan T. Conroy of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section is prosecuting this case.
Two Stockton Residents Indicted for Heroin and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment, which was unsealed Wednesday, charging Stockton residents Rosalva Angulo Castillo, 53, and Adan Garcia Castillo, 45, with conspiracy to traffic heroin and methamphetamine and with distributing heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, from January 2018 through May 2023, Angulo Castillo and Garcia Castillo conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. On Oct. 25, 2019, Garcia Castillo distributed at least one kilogram of heroin, and on Dec. 8, 2020, and July 13, 2021, Angulo Castillo distributed at least 100 grams of heroin.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the IRS Criminal Investigation, the California Highway Patrol, and the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David W. Spencer and Emily G. Sauvageau are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, each defendant faces a minimum of 10 years of prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Two Men Indicted for Scheme to Tamper with Pollution Control Systems in Violation of the Clean Air ActRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - A federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Washington returned an indictment charging Pavel Ivanovich Turlak; his companies PT Express LLC, Spokane Truck Service LLC, and Paul’s Trans LLC; Ryan Hugh Milliken; and his company, Hardway Solutions; with six counts of violating the Clean Air Act for a scheme to interfere with pollution control software in diesel trucks. Turlak was also charged with six counts of fraud in connection with COVID-19 relief funding.
Turlak’s companies are based in Spokane, Washington. Milliken’s company is based in Mary Esther, Florida.
The indictment alleges that between August of 2017 and November of 2023, Turlak and Milliken tampered with emission control monitoring devices and methods on diesel pickup trucks, including both software and hardware modifications. The illegal software modifications involved “tuning” or “deleting” the trucks by tampering with the “on board diagnostic” (OBD) systems and disabling emission controls, which allowed the trucks to emit substantially more pollutants into the atmosphere.
The indictment alleges Milliken created and sold custom software “delete tunes” to Turlak for specific vehicles based on specifications provided by Turlak. Turlak then charged as much as $3,500 to diesel truck owners to “delete” and “tune” their vehicles by tampering with and rendering inaccurate required monitoring devices.
Despite the harm to the environment, diesel vehicle owners sometimes seek such illegal modifications to avoid the costs of maintaining and repairing emission control components and to increase speed and fuel efficiency.
The indictment also alleges Turlak falsely and fraudulently sought and received more than $300,000 in federal funding that was designated to go to eligible small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The indictment alleges Turlak and his businesses were not eligible to receive this funding, but falsely certified that they were in order to obtain it.
“Exposure to diesel exhaust can lead to serious health conditions like asthma and respiratory illnesses and can worsen existing heart and lung disease, especially in children and the elderly. Pollution control systems are in place to protect us,” stated Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. “My office is fully committed to enforcing laws to achieve environmental justice and making Eastern Washington a clean, safe place to live and work.”
This case was investigated by the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, and the Spokane Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Jacob Brooks are prosecuting the case. U.S. Attorney Waldref further wishes to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida for its coordination and support.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Foreign Nationals Arrested for Allegedly Laundering at Least $73 Million Through Shell Companies Tied to Cryptocurrency Investment ScamsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A grand jury indictment was unsealed today in U.S. District Court charging two Chinese nationals, one of them a San Gabriel Valley resident, alleging they played leading roles in a scheme to launder proceeds from cryptocurrency investment scams.
Daren Li, 41, a dual citizen of China and St. Kitts and Nevis, and a resident of China, Cambodia, and the United Arab Emirates, was arrested on April 12 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and subsequently transported to the Central District of California. Yicheng Zhang, 38, a Chinese national and resident of Temple City, was arrested and arraigned today in Los Angeles.
Li and Zhang are both charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and six substantive counts of international money laundering. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.
Zhang pleaded not guilty today to the charges and a July 9 trial date was scheduled. Zhang, who remains in federal custody, has a detention hearing scheduled for May 21. Li, whom a federal magistrate judge has ordered jailed without bond, is scheduled for arraignment on May 20.
“Sophisticated financial scams such as these are a dangerous threat to the financial wellbeing of all Americans,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “While my office will continue to root out and punish these deceitful schemes, I encourage everyone to educate themselves on pig butchering and other kinds of financial fraud to protect their families against such predatory activity. Vigilance is key."
“Cryptocurrency investment scams exploit the borderless nature of virtual currency and online communications to defraud victims,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “While fraud in the crypto markets takes on many forms and hides in many far-off places, its perpetrators aren’t beyond the law’s reach. Today, we announce the arrests of two foreign nationals charged with laundering funds to the tune of at least $73 million tied to an international crypto investment scam. These arrests—made possible through the assistance of our international and U.S. partners—reflect the Justice Department’s ongoing commitment to disrupting the entire cybercrime ecosystem and stopping fraud across all financial markets.”
According to court documents, Li, Zhang, and other conspirators allegedly managed an international syndicate that laundered proceeds of cryptocurrency investment scams, which are also known as “pig butchering.” Victims of the schemes under investigation were fraudulently induced into transferring millions of dollars to U.S. bank accounts opened in the names of dozens of shell companies whose sole apparent purpose was to facilitate the laundering of fraud proceeds.
A network of money launderers then facilitated the transfer of those funds to other domestic and international bank accounts and cryptocurrency platforms in a manner designed to conceal the source, nature, ownership, and control of the funds. The fraud scheme involved more than $73 million laundered through U.S. financial institutions to bank accounts in The Bahamas, and converted to the virtual asset USDT, or Tether. A cryptocurrency wallet involved in the scheme received more than $341 million in virtual assets.
Li and Zhang allegedly instructed co-conspirators in the laundering network to open bank accounts in the names of various shell companies. Once the victims sent funds to the shell companies, Li and Zhang monitored the lower-level co-conspirators who transferred the proceeds overseas to bank accounts at Deltec Bank in The Bahamas. One of the Deltec Bank accounts was operated with the financial assistance of Li. The funds were then allegedly converted into cryptocurrency and sent to virtual-asset wallets, including at least one controlled by Li. Zhang allegedly also directly received victim funds. Communications revealed extensive coordination to facilitate the international money laundering, including chats discussing the commission structure for the network, the various shell companies used, victim information, and at least one video from a conspirator calling a U.S. financial institution.
“As alleged in the indictment, Li and Zhang helped launder millions of dollars obtained from victims of cryptocurrency investment scams,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Money laundering is critical to the success of these scams, allowing fraudsters to quickly move illicit proceeds and try to make them appear legitimate. The arrests announced today demonstrate the Criminal Division’s commitment to disrupting the sophisticated financial networks on which these scams depend and holding those involved accountable, no matter where they may be found.”
“Complex financial fraud schemes such as pig butchering present a clear and present threat to the financial infrastructure of the United States as countless numbers of Americans continue to be victimized by this predatory activity,” said Assistant Director of Investigations Brian Lambert of the U.S. Secret Service. “In 2023, the Secret Service with our partners recovered more than $1.1 billion in financial fraud and we are on pace to exceed that number this year. A special thank you to the special agents, support teams, and our prosecutorial partners for their exceptional work in bringing this case to justice.”
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The U.S. Secret Service’s Global Investigative Operations Center is investigating the case. The Homeland Security Investigations’ El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center, Dominican Republic National Drug Directorate Sensitive Investigative Unit and Fugitive Task Force, U.S. Marshals Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Maxwell Coll of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section and Nisha Chandran of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section and Trial Attorney Stefanie Schwartz of the Justice Department’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET) of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) are prosecuting the case.
The NCET was established to combat the growing illicit use of cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Within the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the NCET conducts and supports investigations into individuals and entities that enable the use of digital assets to commit and facilitate a variety of crimes, with a particular focus on virtual currency exchanges, mixing and tumbling services, and infrastructure providers. The NCET also sets strategic priorities regarding digital asset technologies, identifies areas for increased investigative and prosecutorial focus, and leads the department’s efforts to collaborate with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as the private sector to aggressively investigate and prosecute crimes involving cryptocurrency and digital assets.
If you or someone you know is a victim of a cryptocurrency investment fraud, report it to www.IC3.gov. In your complaint, please reference “Pig Butchering PSA.” Include as much information as possible in your report, including names of investment platforms, cryptocurrency addresses and transaction hashes, bank account information, and names and contact information of suspected scammers. Maintain copies of all communications with scammers and records of financial transactions.
Trio convicted of a series of Suffolk armed robberies and attempting to cover their trailRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted three Virginians yesterday for a series of armed robberies in Suffolk and attempting to dispose of evidence.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from November 2020 through February 2022, Harvey Lee Lewis IV, aka Hurricane, 36, of Suffolk, and Dennis Lee Adamson Jr., 29, of Portsmouth, planned and carried out a series of armed robberies of convenience stores. In several of the robberies, Lewis discharged his semiautomatic firearm into the ceiling of the store as he entered, terrifying the employees and customers.
Lewis and Dennis Adamson robbed four convenience stores between Nov. 10, 2020, and Nov. 20, 2020, including two stores on the same date. Over a year later, on Feb. 3, 2022, the two men robbed the EZ Food Mart & Deli in Suffolk, during which Dennis Adamson brandished a pistol at customers and Lewis fired several rounds, narrowly missing a store employee, before Lewis grabbed a cash register and the two men fled the store.
In addition to these robberies, Lewis and Dennis Adamson committed robberies separately. Lewis robbed a 7-Eleven convenience store on Feb. 1, 2022. On Oct. 14, 2022, several months after Lewis had been identified and arrested, Dennis Adamson robbed a Dollar General store in Portsmouth.
On Feb. 15, 2022, while he was in pre-trial detention, Lewis had a video call with Ieisha Marie Adamson, 32, of Portsmouth. During the call, Lewis directed Ieisha Adamson to remove items from his vehicle, including a box of ammunition from a secret compartment in the vehicle, which law enforcement had not discovered during a search of the vehicle the week prior. Lewis then directed Ieisha Adamson to leave the scene. When police encountered Ieisha Adamson approximately two hours later, she no longer had the box of ammunition.
Lewis was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, six counts of interference with commerce by means of robbery, three counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Lewis faces a mandatory minimum of 24 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on Sept. 19.
Dennis Adamson was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, six counts of interference with commerce by means of robbery, and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Dennis Adamson faces a mandatory minimum of 17 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on Sept. 19.
Ieisha Adamson was convicted of accessory after the fact and misprision of a felony, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on Sept. 19.
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.
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; and James Buie, Interim Chief of Suffolk Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker accepted the verdict.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks the Portsmouth Police Department and Western Tidewater Regional Jail for their assistance in this investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan M. Montoya and Anthony Mozzi are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-62.
Three men sentenced to years in prison in relation to robbery, kidnapping, and interstate transportation of stolen drug proceed schemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Dillon Renee Polanco, Anthony William Lamar, a/k/a “Mojo,” and Rahsaan Rolando Robinson, a/k/a “Loso,” were recently sentenced to 130, 346, and 220 months in federal prison, respectively, by U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas. The sentences imposed follow a long-term investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) into the robbery and kidnapping of a Belle Glade drug dealer in December 2020.
On Dec. 14, 2020, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) responded to a 911 call regarding two victims who had been kidnapped in West Palm Beach, Florida. The victims’ hands and feet were bound with zip ties and duct tape. Detectives learned that the victims were kidnapped and robbed by three individuals known to Victim #1 – a drug dealer from Belle Glade. The robbers were identified as Darwin Avila Salgado, a/k/a “Debo,” “Lamar and Robinson. Victim #1 also reported that they stole $70,000 from a safe located at Victim#1’s grandmother’s house in Belle Glade.
The investigation revealed that the robbery was planned by Polanco and Salgado following a drug dispute between them and Victim #1. Prior to that, Polanco and Salgado supplied Victim #1 with marijuana from California. Polanco and Salgado, both originally from Oakland, California, directed the shipments of marijuana while residing in Oregon. In the summer of 2020, a dispute over the quality of the marijuana, as well as a kilogram of cocaine, caused dissension with Victim #1. Rather than cut ties, Polanco and Salgado planned to rob Victim #1 in Florida. Polanco financed the robbery and at one point even planned to accompany Salgado and Lamar as an active participant. However, Polanco decided not to travel to Florida and Robinson took his place.
Salgado and Lamar flew from Cleveland, Ohio to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Dec. 9, 2020. The next day, Robinson travelled from Oakland to Miami, Florida. Once in West Palm Beach, the Salgado, Lamar and Robinson stayed at a rental home where they ultimately lured Victim #1. In the days leading to the robbery, Salgado, Lamar, and Robinson planned the attack. They obscured surveillance cameras which were at the rental home, covered door handles with plastic, and added window tint to a rental car. Salgado, using the money supplied by Polanco, also obtained firearms, including an AR-15 style pistol, ammunition, a large capacity drum magazine, and a taser used during the robbery and kidnapping.
The investigation further revealed that Salgado, Lamar, Robinson, and Polanco had several profiles and accounts on Instagram. Additionally, their accounts followed, or were followed by Victim #1. On or about Dec. 10, 2020, Victim # 1 posted an image on Instagram. The image depicted Victim #1 holding stacks of United States currency with red and blue money bands. Salgado, Lamar, Robinson and Polanco, using the account of "Deemigo_ 6," commented on the photograph.
In the early morning hours of Dec. 14, 2020, Victim #1 and his friend Victim #2 arrived at the rental to meet Salgado and Lamar. Unbeknownst to them, Robinson was lying in wait with the pistol loaded with a drum magazine. Salgado contacted Polanco and was told to “do what he was going to do.”
Salgado, Lamar and Robinson attacked the victims with firearms and a taser. The victims were bound and then forced into Victim #1’s vehicle. Victim #2’s personal belongings and jewelry were stolen, including a gold rope chain and gold Jesus pendant. The victims were then transported to Belle Glade where Victim #1’ kept his safe at his grandmother’s house. Salgado and Robinson forced their way inside the residence, with Victim #1 as a hostage. and took $70,000 in drug proceeds from the safe. Victims #1 and #2 were left on the side of the roadway after the robbery.
Salgado and Lamar fled to Georgia but were arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service. In their possession was Victim #2’s identification, tape consistent with what was used to bind the victims, and a taser. The $70,000 in stolen money and firearms used during the robbery were found hidden in the rental car they used to flee. Polanco and Salgado recruited two others to travel from Oregon to Georgia to recover the items. Robinson fled to California and was arrested. Victim #2’s, gold necklace and Jesus pendant were recovered from Robinson’s apartment.
Salgado pled guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping robbery, and possession and use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He was sentenced, on Feb. 3, 2023, to 228 months in federal prison.
Lamar and Robinson each pled guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping, and brandishing and use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Lamar was sentenced on April 29 and Robinson on May 2.
Polanco pled guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, possession and use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and interstate transportation of stolen money. He was sentenced on May 6.
In addition to their respective terms of imprisonment, each defendant was sentenced to a term of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the ATF, Miami Field Division, U.S. Marshal Gadyaces S. Serralta of the U.S. Marshals Service, and PBSO Sheriff Ric Bradshaw announced the sentences imposed.
The Office of State Attorney Dave Aronberg for the 15th Judicial Circuit – Palm Beach County provided invaluable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam McMichael and Shannon O’Shea Darsch prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is a part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through the PSN program a broad spectrum of law enforcement and community stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs to reduce violence crime and gun violence, and to make our local neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-80053.
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Three New Bedford, Massachusetts Men Charged for February 9 Shooting in Saco, Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine Darcie N. McElwee announced today at a press briefing held outside the Edward T. Gignoux U.S. Courthouse in Portland that three New Bedford, Massachusetts men have been indicted following a February 9 drive-by shooting in Saco.
The U.S. Attorney was joined at today’s announcement by Saco Police Chief Jack Clements, Assistant United States Attorneys Johnathan Nathans and Noah Falk, and representatives of the FBI’s Southern Maine Gang Task Force including FBI Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Christopher Peavey, ATF Special Agent in Charge James Ferguson and Resident Agent in Charge Nicholas Dilello, and Acting U.S. Marshal Kevin Neal.
In a two-count indictment returned on May 15, a federal grand jury charged Joshua Estrada (aka “Mac”), 19, Yancarlos Abrante (aka “Glizzy”), 20, and Jason Johnson-Rivera (aka “Ouda”), 18, with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and perpetrating a drive-by shooting.
According to the indictment, on February 9, 2024, the three men fired at least five rounds from a 9mm handgun into another vehicle in a drug trade dispute. The indictment alleges that Estrada, Abrante and Johnson-Rivera had been trafficking cocaine in and around Saco and Biddeford since at least January 2024.
Estrada was arrested in New Bedford, Massachusetts on May 6, 2024 when charged by criminal complaint for these same charges. Just prior to the press briefing today, Estrada appeared in federal court for his initial appearance in Maine and an arraignment on the indictment returned yesterday. Abrante and Johnson-Rivera, charged in the same indictment, are currently being held by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on unrelated charges. They will be in Maine next week for their initial appearances and arraignments. If convicted, the three men each face up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $1 million on the drug charge followed by at least three years of supervised release. They each face up to 25 years imprisonment and a maximum fine on $250,000 followed by a up to five years of supervised release on the drive-by shooting charge. An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
“I commend the Saco Police Department and those from the neighboring communities who responded to this incident,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee. “This joint federal and local investigation reflects that if you come to Maine and engage in violence, particularly firearm violence, there will be a swift and coordinated response from every level of law enforcement.”
“Immediately following this brazen, drive-by shooting and the ensuing chaos that followed, the FBI’s Southern Maine Gang Task Force hit the streets collecting information, intelligence, and evidence to help our partners identify those responsible and bring them to justice. We believe the three Massachusetts men we have in custody conspired with each other to traffic cocaine and were the instigators of this drive-by shooting,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division which includes all of Maine. “Violent drug traffickers have a corrosive effect on our communities, and we want everyone to know that the FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to help make Maine safer for the folks who live, work, and visit here.”
“Brazen violent crime of this magnitude is not something the City of Saco is accustomed to, but when it happens, Maine law enforcement responds,” said Chief Jack Clements of the Saco Police Department. “I want to thank not only our direct neighboring agencies but also the Maine State Police, federal law enforcement, and the municipal and county law enforcement agencies from across York and Cumberland counties that responded. Finally, I would like to thank my detectives, the FBI’s Southern Maine Gang Task Force, and the United States Attorney’s Office for their tireless efforts in bringing this case to where it is today.”
The Saco Police Department and FBI’s Southern Maine Gang Task Force investigated the case with assistance from the New Bedford (Mass.) Police Department.
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Texas man sentenced prison after traveling to Virginia for sex with a minorRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Texas man was sentenced today to 17 years and six months in prison after he was caught traveling to Virginia to have sex with a minor.
According to court documents, on Aug. 25, 2023, Elisha Jason Albert, 25, of Garland, Texas, began communicating with a 15-year-old victim through Snapchat. The communications began with Albert soliciting pornographic material from the victim, and Albert paid the victim to send him pornographic images. Albert also sent the victim spending money for incidental expenses.
On Sept. 8, 2023, after Albert falsely claimed to be 22 years old, the victim specifically told Albert that she was only 15. After knowing the victim’s age, Albert continued to solicit pornographic images of the victim and proposed meeting the victim in Virginia for sex.
After the victim’s guardian submitted an online tip to the FBI, on Sept. 22, 2023, the FBI took custody of the victim’s phone and continued to communicate with Albert over Snapchat and by text messages. Albert proposed meeting the victim on Sept. 25, 2023, and arranged to meet at a grocery store in Haymarket. Albert drove five and a half hours from Long Island, New York, to Prince William County, Virginia. He was arrested upon his arrival in the grocery store parking lot.
At the time of his arrest, Albert had with him his phone, which contained a folder titled “good videos” that stored sixty-four videos of children as young as four to six years old engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Albert’s phone had iMessage communications with other minors between fifteen and sixteen years old, which included additional production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and incidents of coercion and enticement.
For example, beginning in August 2021, Albert engaged with a victim in Texas knowing that she was only 15 years old. Albert drove to the victim’s home and had sex with her on multiple occasions. Albert made a video recording of one of his sexual encounters with the victim, which was still on his phone at the time of his arrest.
On Feb. 1, Albert pled guilty to production of child pornography, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and transportation of child pornography.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura D. Withers and Zoe Bedell prosecuted the case. The Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-172.
Teen Indicted on Armed Carjacking and Other Violent Crimes Arising from a Crime Spree in August 2023Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Montello Washington, 17, of Washington, D.C., was indicted today and charged as an adult with armed carjacking, armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon and related charges stemming from a spree of offenses occurring between August 15, 2023 and August 16, 2023, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Washington was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of armed carjacking, two counts of armed robbery, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, unauthorized use of a vehicle in order to commit crimes of violence, and possession of a firearm during crimes of violence. Washington is scheduled to be arraigned on May 20, 2024, before the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz.
According to the government’s evidence, late in the evening of August 15, 2023, Washington and several accomplices robbed a man at gunpoint while the victim was on his way to work. During the next several hours, into the early morning on August 16, 2023, Washington and his accomplices committed a series of armed robberies, armed assaults, in which they fired gunshots at two victims, and an armed carjacking. Later in the evening on August 16, 2023, after MPD officers saw the stolen car used to commit these offenses in Southeast DC, they attempted to stop it. The driver led MPD on a pursuit through the District, into Maryland, and back into the District before three people eventually bailed out of the car. Police apprehended Washington and another person after they fled from the vehicle.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
This case is being prosecuted by AUSAs Stephanie Dinan and Sabena Auyeung of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.