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Wednesday 3 April 2024
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime Against Asian American ManRead the Press Release
A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today to one federal hate crime count.
According to court documents, John Sullivan pleaded guilty to willfully causing bodily injury to victim G.N. through the use of a dangerous weapon (a vehicle) because of G.N.’s actual and perceived race and national origin.
“This defendant’s hate-filled attack not only seriously injured the victim, but also traumatized three children in his family, solely because they were Asian American,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No person in this country should have to fear for their own or their family’s safety because of who they are or where they are from. The Justice Department is determined to stem the rising tide of hate crimes and will vigorously prosecute those who commit them.”
“The actions of John Sullivan are appalling and a sad reflection of intolerance and hate that is far too prevalent in our society,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts. “Sullivan violently assaulted an individual in front of children because of his race and national origin. This behavior will never be tolerated and we will continue to aggressively prosecute hate crimes.”
“John Sullivan’s hateful and violent conduct, motivated by racial intolerance, was intended to physically harm the victim in this case and instill fear within the Asian community in Quincy,” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Boston Field Office. “The FBI and our partners simply won’t tolerate crimes spurred by hate. While we all have the right to believe whatever we want, when those views lead to violence, that’s a different and dangerous story. We urge anyone who is a victim or witness to a hate crime, to report it to us at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov.”
According to the plea agreement, Sullivan encountered G.N., who is Vietnamese, and his family, who are also Asian American, outside a post office. Sullivan had never met the victim or the victim’s family before. In front of the family’s three children under the age of 12, Sullivan yelled that the family should “go back to China,” threatened to kill them and drove his car into G.N., causing G.N. to land on the hood of the moving car and remain there while the car moved approximately 200 feet. Eventually Sullivan stopped the car, causing G.N. to fall into a construction ditch and suffer bodily injury and pain.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 26. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Boston Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey Cummings for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
Maryland Man Sentenced to Life for Repeatedly Raping a Girl Under His CareRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Charles Clark, 67, of Waldorf, Maryland, was sentenced today to life in prison for sexually abusing a young girl entrusted to his care.
The sentence, in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by 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).
Clark pleaded guilty on October 11, 2022, to a federal count of coercion and enticement of a minor. In addition to the life prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols ordered Clark to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.
In a related case, on March 30, 2023, Clark pled guilty Charles County, Maryland, to one count of sexual abuse a minor/continuing conduct, and one count of sexual abuse of a minor. On December 7, 2023, the defendant was sentenced in Charles County, Maryland, to a term of 45 years in prison.
According to court documents, in June of 2017, Clark targeted a child under the age of 17 beginning in June 2017, subjecting the girl to repeated rape and sexual abuse for five years. Despite being a “father-figure” to this girl, and despite having helped raise the victim from early childhood, Clark sexually abused the girl between 170 and 200 times. The sexual abuse occurred both at the victim’s residence as well as Clark’s residence in Maryland.
While the abuse was ongoing, the Clark and the girl would communicate via Instagram direct messaging and the internet. Starting in 2020, the defendant ordered the girl to send sexually explicit images of herself to him, which she did on at least two occasions. Eventually, the girl disclosed the ongoing abuse to her mother, who immediately reported to law enforcement. Law enforcement, with the girl’s permission, then took over her Instagram account and began messaging with Clark. Clark openly acknowledged that he and the girl had been together for five years and that she “gave [him] the most precious thing a woman can give a man.” When asked what that was, Clark responded that the girl gave him her “virginity.” When asked if he was happy he was her “first” at the age of 13, Clark said, “Hell yeah….” Clark was arrested on April 2, 2021. He has been in custody since.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Division with assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.
It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Janani Iyengar, Jocelyn Bond and Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Buckner.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to A Bank Fraud Conspiracy Using Checks Stolen from the U.S. MailRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Kavon Dupree Jackson, age 26, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, pleaded guilty to a bank fraud conspiracy.
The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Ajay Lall of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division (“USPIS”); and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department (“PGPD”).
According to his guilty plea, Jackson and a co-conspirator illegally possessed a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) “arrow key,” which they used to open USPS postal boxes and steal mail. They then took the mail matter back to their residence and culled out any checks from the stolen mail. Jackson and the co-conspirator then changed the names of the payees on the checks to their names or to the names other conspirators recruited to assist with the scheme. Jackson and his co-conspirators would then cash the checks and immediately dissipate the funds for their own gain.
Jackson’s co-conspirator used various social media accounts to advertise for persons with bank accounts at various financial institutions and offered to pay them to use their accounts to wash the stolen, counterfeited checks. In return, these “money mules” would receive a small cut of the proceeds and Jackson and his co-conspirators would retain the rest. Jackson also sometimes deposited stolen checks into his own account. For example, on November 9, 2021, Jackson deposited check number 1354, drawn from Victim 1’s account, into Jackson’s own bank account at another bank. Jackson altered the payee name on the check to that of his own. Additionally, Jackson increased the amount of the check from $90 to $8,800.
On March 16, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Jackson’s residence. Law enforcement recovered a USPS arrow key, more than 350 stolen checks, an assault rifle, and numerous rounds of ammunition. Law enforcement conducted another search warrant at Jackson’s residence on November 4, 2022, and recovered more stolen checks, mail matter, and a pistol. Jackson agrees that both firearms were purchased with proceeds from the scheme and are subject to forfeiture.
The scheme resulted in more than $250,000 in losses, representing the amounts of stolen checks that were deposited into the financial institutions associated with Jackson or his co-conspirators. More than 50 victims had checks stolen from them which were later deposited into co-conspirators’ accounts. As a result, some of the victims experienced substantial financial hardship.
Jackson faces a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for the bank fraud conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby has scheduled sentencing for June 18, 2024 at 2:00 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jason D. Medinger, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
Mangilao Man Sentenced to 70 Months Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Jacob Vance Manibusan, age 34, from Mangilao, Guam was sentenced to 70 months imprisonment. He was charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Five Grams or More of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 and two counts of Distribution of Five Grams or More of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The Court also ordered four years of supervised release and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
From November 2020 to January 31, 2021, Manibusan conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Guam. Law enforcement made an undercover purchase of methamphetamine on two occasions. As the organizer of the conspiracy, Manibusan had his then girlfriend and co-defendant, Annalyn Tenorio, assist him with the transactions. The drugs weighed 33.21 grams with a purity of 77%.
This is the defendant’s second federal conviction.
“Repeat offenders are subject to substantial penalties in federal court,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Hopefully this sentence will act as a deterrent to future criminal conduct. I applaud the work of DEA in bringing this defendant to justice.”
“With the rising crime rates on Guam, DEA understands the impact of the Methamphetamine epidemic. This drug has destroyed families and most importantly children’s lives ,” said Resident Agent in Charge Kenneth L. Bowman, Guam Regional Office. “We will continue our mission to pursue anyone involved in drug trafficking.”
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Stephen F. Leon Guerrero, Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Guam.
Man Pleads Guilty to Concealing Stolen USPS Arrow KeyRead the Press Release
A Fort Worth man pleaded guilty Wednesday to concealing a stolen U.S. Postal Service “Arrow Key,” announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Willis Bender, 18, was charged via criminal complaint in October 2023 and pleaded guilty Wednesday to receipt or concealment of stolen property of the United States.
In plea papers, Mr. Bender admitted he received and concealed a stolen “Arrow Key,” a master key used by the U.S. Postal Service to gather mail deposited in blue collection boxes.
The key – prized by mail thieves – had been stolen from a letter carrier in Everman, Texas on Sept. 20, 2023. The carrier reported that she was robbed at gunpoint by a black man who demanded she hand over her “mailbox key.”
In interviews with law enforcement, Mr. Bender gave various accounts of his involvement in the robbery. At first, he claimed he knew nothing about the incident; then he claimed that a man named showed up at his front door, threatened his family, and forced Mr. Bender to accompany him to the robbery. In a subsequent interview, Mr. Bender claimed a man threatened him with a gun and forced him to sit in the back seat of his car during the robbery. In yet another interview, he said a man committed the robbery while he and another individual waited outside in the vehicle.
In his final interview with law enforcement, Mr. Bender claimed that when police arrived in the area, he looked outside and saw the stolen arrow key sitting outside his door. Not wanting to get in trouble for robbery, he took the key and hid it behind the air duct grill in his bedroom alongside his gun, he claimed.
Mr. Bender now faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Everman Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Levi Thomas is prosecuting the case.
MS-13 Gang Member Pleads Guilty to 2017 Quadruple Murder in Central IslipRead the Press Release
Today, in federal court in Central Islip, Edwin Rodriguez, also known as “Manicomio” (Rodriguez), a member of the violent transnational criminal organization La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the “MS-13,” pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in connection with his participation in the April 11, 2017 murders of Justin Llivicura, Michael Lopez, Jorge Tigre, and Jefferson Villalobos. After committing the murders, Rodriguez was a fugitive from justice before he was arrested in El Salvador and extradited to the United States in 2022. The guilty plea proceeding was held before United States Circuit Judge Joseph F. Bianco, sitting by designation. When sentenced, Rodriguez faces up to life in prison.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Robert E. Waring, Acting Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the guilty plea.
Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to all the members of the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force and the FBI’s Legal Attaché in San Salvador for their outstanding collaboration in investigating, locating and apprehending this fugitive. Mr. Peace also thanked the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) for their assistance in this case.
According to court filings and statements made during today’s guilty plea proceeding, Rodriguez was a member of the Normandie Locos Salvatruchas (Normandie) clique of the MS-13. In order to maintain and increase his membership and status in the gang, in early 2017, he conspired with other MS-13 members and associates to orchestrate and execute the murders of perceived rival gang members who had disrespected the MS-13 in their social media postings. On the evening of April 11, 2017, five young men, including the four murder victims, were lured to a wooded park in Central Islip by MS-13 associates, under the guise of smoking marijuana. There, Rodriguez and nearly a dozen other MS-13 members and associates, armed with machetes, knives, an axe, and wooden clubs, surrounded the victims under the cover of darkness, and attacked them. One of the intended victims was able to escape. However, Llivicura, Lopez, Tigre and Villalobos were captured and then brutally hacked, stabbed and bludgeoned to death. The victims’ bodies were discovered the following evening. More than a dozen MS-13 members and associates have been charged in connection with the April 11, 2017 murders.
Rodriguez, who was three months’ shy of his eighteenth birthday at the time of these murders, was originally charged in a sealed Juvenile Information filed on March 16, 2018. He remained a fugitive from justice until August 28, 2019, when he was arrested in El Salvador, pursuant to an INTERPOL Red Notice. The United States formally requested his extradition on September 3, 2019. Rodriguez was detained pending his extradition to the United States, which was formally authorized by the Supreme Court of Justice of El Salvador on July 7, 2022. He was extradited to the United States, and made his first appearance in-district on August 10, 2022. In connection with his guilty plea today, Rodriguez also agreed to be transferred to adult status for purposes of prosecution.
Today’s guilty plea is the latest achievement in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13, a violent, transnational criminal organization. The MS-13’s leadership is based in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States. With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the most violent criminal organization on Long Island. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 70 murders in the Eastern District of New York, resulting in the convictions of dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers of the FBI, SCPD, Nassau County Police Department, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Probation Office, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Hempstead Police Department, the Rockville Centre Police Department and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
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.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul G. Scotti, Justina L. Geraci, and Megan E. Farrell are in charge of the prosecution. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Rodriguez.
The Defendant:
EDWIN RODRIGUEZ (also known as “Manicomio”)
Age: 24
El Salvador; and formerly of Central Islip, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-135 (JFB)
Local man arrested for distributing fentanyl resulting in two fatalitiesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 24-year-old Crosby resident has been taken into custody for trafficking fentanyl on multiple occasions that resulted in death and serious bodily injury, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Joshua Ray Stebelton is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo at 2 p.m.
The indictment, returned March 27 and unsealed upon Stebelton’s arrest, alleges he was a member of an ongoing four-year conspiracy to distribute more than 440 grams of fentanyl. According to the indictment, the conspiracy allegedly resulted in the deaths of two and serious bodily injury to a third victim.
In November 2020, Stebelton allegedly distributed less than 40 grams of fentanyl that resulted in the death of an individual. Less than two months later in January 2021, he is alleged to have distributed fentanyl again which resulted in the death of another victim.
In addition to the conspiracy, Stebelton is charged with seven counts of distributing fentanyl from November 2020 through June 2023.
If convicted, Stebelton faces up to life imprisonment and a possible $10 million maximum fine.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department and Harris County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anibal J. Alaniz, Casey N. MacDonald and Jimmy Leo are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Lebanon County Man Charged with Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Charles Witherson, III, age 38, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was charged by a federal grand jury with distributing child pornography.
According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on February 5, 2024, in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, Witherson distributed child pornography. The indictment also alleges that on March 29, 2024, Witherson possessed images of child pornography, including images involving a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The FBI investigated the case, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Haugsby.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is up to 40 years’ imprisonment, a lifetime term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Leader of Nationwide Methamphetamine Ring Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking, Firearm and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The leader of a nationwide drug trafficking ring pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston yesterday. Throughout the investigation over 160 pounds of pure methamphetamine, as well as an AK-47, a Glock with no serial number, two loaded Smith & Wesson handguns and over 4,200 rounds of ammunition were seized. An illegal marijuana grow operation with hundreds of marijuana plants was also dismantled.
Reshat Alkayisi, 62, a Turkish national residing in Covington, R.I., pleaded guilty to three counts of a second superseding indictment, charging him with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; money laundering conspiracy; and two counts of money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for July 11, 2024.
Alkayisi was arrested in July 2021 and indicted, along with eight others, on drug trafficking and gun charges. Alkayisi was subsequently charged in a superseding indictment that added two defendants, as well as money laundering charges against Alkayisi and others.
In approximately October 2020, investigators received information about drug trafficking activities of a large-scale methamphetamine supplier in the Boston area. In late 2020, Alkayisi was identified as a large-scale methamphetamine trafficker, who distributed multi-pound quantities to customers throughout the New England area. Between October 2020 and April 2021, 12 controlled purchases of methamphetamine were made from the drug trafficking organization—two of which were directly from Alkayisi and one that was negotiated with Alkayisi and allegedly delivered by Brian Keleman.
On June 1, 2021, four packages were seized containing a total of approximately 100 pounds of 100% pure methamphetamine from Keleman that he allegedly picked up on behalf of Alkayisi from a UPS store in Rhode Island. On June 25, 2021, another package was seized, destined for Alkayisi that contained approximately 30 pounds of 100% pure methamphetamine. In total, approximately 160 pounds of methamphetamine was seized throughout the investigation from controlled purchases, motor vehicle stops and package seizures.
During a search of Alkayisi’s residence in Rhode Island, an AK-47 assault rifle, a Glock handgun with no serial number, over 4,200 rounds ammunition, and over $23,000 cash was also seized. Additionally, numerous electronics, including a computer that contained a ledger documenting Alkayisi’s methamphetamine sales for January through June of 2021 was seized. Based on the ledger, as well as the seizures, Alkayisi was responsible for over 660 pounds of methamphetamine over the course of six months.
Alkayisi is the seventh defendant to plead guilty. All remaining defendants are scheduled to plead guilty.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking provides for a mandatory sentence of five years in prison from and after any sentence imposed for the underlying drug trafficking offense, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of money laundering conspiracy and money laundering provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the amount of laundered funds, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sherriff’s Office; and Concord, Hudson, Peabody, Reading, Watertown and Waltham Police Departments. Assistance was also provided by the Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea Porter, Katherine Ferguson and James Arnold of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This case 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 document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Lake Placid man sentenced to 20 years for production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On April 2, a Lake Placid man was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to production of visual depictions involving sexual exploitation of minors.
Frederick Anderson Bowen, 77, of Lake Placid, Florida, recorded himself performing oral sex on a child. Highlands County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) deputies located the video saved on Bowen’s cellphone.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, and Sheriff Paul Blackman of HCSO announced the sentenced imposed by U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman.
FBI Miami, Fort Pierce Resident Agency and HCSO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hudock prosecuted it.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt, or production of child pornography, you can file a report on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)’s website at www.cybertipline.com, call 1-800-843-5678, or contact the FBI directly at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-14028.
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La Crosse Gun Store Burglar Sentenced to 6 ½ Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing GunsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Mackey Drake, 23, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 6 ½ years in prison for possessing firearms as a felon. Drake pleaded guilty to this charge on January 17, 2024. The prison term is to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
On April 25, 2023, at approximately 3:00 a.m., Drake and two others broke into a gun store in Rockland, Wisconsin, and stole 41 firearms and cash. Law enforcement quickly identified Drake and arrested him later in the day when he arrived at a meeting with his state Department of Corrections agent. Drake was on extended supervision at the time, after serving prison sentences for felony robbery convictions in 2017 and 2020. Drake admitted to participating in the gun store burglary, and that he sold some of the firearms to Briante Banks, a felon who could not legally possess them. Banks was charged and pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing a firearm as a felon. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 26, 2024.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that some of the guns stolen were still on the street, likely in hands of prohibited persons, and may be used to commit crimes. Judge Conley found that a substantial sentence was necessary to protect the community from Drake, who has shown a propensity for violence in an unbroken chain of criminal conduct. Judge Conley also ordered Drake to pay restitution.
“Community safety—where every child can play outside without fear of gun violence and where neighbors feel safe—is paramount for the United States Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy O’Shea. “I am grateful to the ATF, La Crosse Police Department, and La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office for moving quickly to solve this crime which put dangerous weapons in the hands of criminals.”
“Firearms trafficking is a tactic that prohibited persons use to acquire firearms and perpetrate violent crime within our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle, of the St. Paul Field Division. “We are sincerely grateful for our partnership with La Crosse Police Department and La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office and for their diligence that directly led to the swift arrest of the perpetrators and led to the recovery of a majority of the stolen firearms, preventing them from reaching the hands of violent criminals. I am also grateful for the U.S. Attorney’s prosecutorial work on this case, obtaining justice for the federal firearms licensee as well as ensuring these defendants are held accountable for their actions.”
Nehemiah Sample and Robert Benson were also charged in connection with the Rockland gun store burglary. Sample pleaded guilty to theft of firearms and was sentenced to 24 months in prison. Robert Benson’s case is still pending, and he is presumed innocent of these charges.
The charges against Drake, Sample, Benson, and Banks were the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department, La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted these cases.
These cases have been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Kentwood Residents Plead Guilty to Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that MICHAEL WHITE, age 44, and JOHN WHITE, age 44, both of Kentwood, La., pled guilty on March 27, 2024 to a three-count indictment, charging them with one (1) count of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute forty (40) grams or more of Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), and two (2) counts of Distribution of Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).
According to the indictment, MICHAEL WHITE and JOHN WHITE conspired with each other, and with others, to distribute fentanyl in Tangipahoa Parish. They face the same maximum sentence for all three counts to which they have pled guilty. Specifically, they face a minimum of five years up to a maximum of forty years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and up to four years of supervised release. All three counts also carry a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
United States Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Agency, Fentanyl Overdose Response Team (FORT), Homeland Security (HSI), and the Hammond Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
Kansas Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Lynchburg TeenRead the Press Release
LYNCHBURG, Va. – A Kansas man, who told a 14-year-old girl he wanted to “take a kid’s virginity” after meeting her on Twitter, pled guilty this week to federal child exploitation charges.
Andrew Kent, 22, a.k.a. “Leo” and “JeffThePumpkin,” from Manhattan, Kansas, pled guilty this week to one count of sexual exploitation of children. At sentencing, Kent faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years.
“This case demonstrates the importance of knowing not only what your children are doing online, but also with whom they are communicating,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “There are dangerous people on the Internet who specifically target children. We will use every tool we have to find those people and bring them to justice, but parents also perform a critical part in educating and monitoring their children’s online activity.”
“Pursuing justice for victims of child exploitation is one of our highest priorities.” Special Agent in Charges Stanley M. Meador of the FBI’s Richmond Division said today. “We will continue to work with our partners to investigate these horrific acts and bring those responsible to justice.”
According to court documents, in January 2023, Kent met a 14-year-old girl from Lynchburg, Virginia, on Twitter. Initially, Kent pretended to be a 20-year-old woman named “Tris.” He used this “Tris” persona to introduce his victim to a young man named “Leo.” In reality, both the “Tris” and “Leo” profiles were controlled by Kent.
Kent told his victim that he was from Roanoke, Virginia, and sent generic pictures of Roanoke in order to further convince her of their geographic proximity to each other.
When they began chatting, the victim informed Kent that she was only 14 years old. Kent told the her that he was 21 years old and that he was interested in meeting her someday in order to “take a kid’s virginity.”
As the conversations progressed, Kent told the 14-year-old that she needed to call him “Daddy,” “Sir,” or “Master,” and then warned her that he might punish her if she failed to do so. Kent also directed violent language at the victim, telling her he wanted to cut her and make her bleed.
After several weeks of chatting, Kent instructed the victim to send him nude photographs and videos of herself, to which she obliged.
On June 16, 2023, Kent was arrested by law enforcement and interviewed by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. At that time, he admitted to using Twitter, Snapchat, and Discord to contact minor girls for the purpose of getting them to send him naked pictures. He often used the “Tris” persona because he found it was easier to get minor girls to talk to him if he pretended to be a young woman.
Kent estimated he solicited and received images of child sexual abuse material from approximately 200 minor girls.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, and the Lynchburg Police Department provided vital assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Scheff is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Justice Department Secures $4.14 Million Settlement for Student-Athletes to Remedy Title IX Violations at University of Maryland, Baltimore CountyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today a settlement agreement with the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) to resolve the department’s findings that UMBC allowed a former head coach of the swimming and diving team to sexually harass male student-athletes and discriminate against female student-athletes for years. The department conducted its investigation under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX).
“A school’s responsibility is to protect its students, not abusers who seek to exploit their positions of power,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The young student-athletes at UMBC experienced a double betrayal: their coach’s prolonged abuse compounded by their university’s utter failure to acknowledge, respond to or remedy this egregious conduct. UMBC has now taken full responsibility for its failures and has expressed its commitment to addressing them and rebuilding the trust of its community. The Justice Department recognizes the brave and resilient student-athletes who came forward and continue to come forward to share their stories with us. This settlement should send a resounding message to our nation’s colleges and universities: sexual assaults and harassment of students will not be tolerated.”
The department found that in 2015, students reported that the head coach may have used a camera to film them while they showered in a UMBC locker room. Rather than investigate this report or take action to protect students, UMBC administrators warned the coach that campus police planned to search his locker, thwarting the criminal investigation. In 2019, a student reported unwanted sexual touching and harassment by the coach of male swimmers and again, UMBC failed to investigate or otherwise respond. The department also found that during this time, UMBC did not respond to female students’ reports of sex discrimination, including dating violence, while on the team. As a result of these glaring failures by the university, student-athletes were subjected to ongoing sexual abuse, harassment and other sex discrimination by their coach for years.
UMBC has agreed to pay up to $4.14 million in financial relief to student-athletes who were subjected to sex discrimination by the former head coach. Under this settlement agreement, UMBC will also:
- Significantly improve UMBC’s process for responding to complaints of sex discrimination;
- Provide additional resources and staffing for its Title IX compliance program, including a permanent Title IX Coordinator;
- Provide a full-time support person for those who have experienced sexual assault;
- Deliver training to student-athletes and athletics department employees on healthy relationships, intimate partner violence, power dynamics within the coach-athlete relationship and retaliation;
- Create and enforce a policy outlining expectations for coaching staff behavior and
- Administer surveys to student-athletes about their experiences with sex discrimination and take all necessary and appropriate corrective action.
The department will monitor UMBC’s implementation of the agreement, which will remain in place through the 2028-2029 academic year. View a summary of the agreement here.
Attorneys from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division’s Educational Opportunities Section and an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland conducted the investigation, with UMBC’s full cooperation.
Individuals with information related to the department’s findings are encouraged to contact the Justice Department at [email protected].
The month of April is observed as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The enforcement of Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination, including sexual harassment and assault, in education programs and activities operated by recipients of federal financial assistance, is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. This settlement is part of the division’s work to combat sexual harassment and follows the division’s resolution of investigations involving allegations of sexual assault of students at San José State University and at Case Western Reserve University. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt and additional information about the work of the Educational Opportunities Section is available at www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
Justice Department Secures $1.37 Million Settlement for Pollution Cleanup Costs at Former A.A. Oil Site in IndianapolisRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Todd Kim, Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) at the U.S. Department of Justice, announced today that the Justice Department has entered a consent decree granting the United States money for environmental clean-up costs, along with declaratory relief for costs associated with possible future remediation, relating to the A.A. Oil Site, located at 2340 S Tibbs Avenue, on the Southwest side of Indianapolis.
From the 1950s to the late 1980s, A.A. Oil Co., Inc., a division of Cam-Or, Inc., operated the Site as a waste oil collection, storage, and transfer facility. The waste oil was collected from garages, gas stations, oil change facilities, automobile dealers, and trucking companies, and was stored at the Site and then shipped to the Cam-Or facility in Westville, Indiana.
In 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted a site cleanup to remove the hazardous substances and contaminated surface soil and analyze any imminent or substantial endangerment to the public health or the environment.
On February 13, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and ENRD sued the defendant companies pursuant to Section 107 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), a federal environmental remediation program that authorizes the United States to recover costs incurred in response to the release and threatened release of hazardous substances.
The complaint alleged that the site was contaminated by oil and other hazardous materials over past decades and, as a result, is contaminated with trichloroethylene, polychlorinated biphenyls, and other volatile organic compounds (benzene, toluene, and xylenes, among others) in soil, groundwater, and storage tanks.
As part of the resolution, the defendants, Arconic Corporation, Navistar Inc., and Ford Motor Company, agreed to pay the federal government a total of $1.37 million dollars without admission of liability. The complaint alleged that the defendant companies (in the case of Arconic and Navistar, through their predecessor corporations) transported hazardous materials to the Site, thus rendering them liable for these clean-up costs.
“All residents of the Southern District of Indiana deserve a safe, healthy, and pollution-free community,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “The Department of Justice is committed to aggressively pursuing environmental enforcement and to holding polluters accountable.”
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Taylor Kirklin, the Office’s Environmental Justice Coordinator, Samantha M. Ricci, Trial Attorney with ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section, for their work on this case.
Members of the public who have concerns about environmental matters, including matters involving environmental justice issues, in the Southern District of Indiana can report them to the U.S. Attorney’s office via email to [email protected].
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Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Strangulation and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - A Superior Court jury issued the District of Columbia’s first strangulation trial conviction finding Jeffrey Strange, 29, of Washington, D.C., guilty of the offense and other charges related to a domestic dispute. The incident took place inside an apartment building in Southeast Washington on Labor Day weekend of 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
On March 29, 2024, a jury found Strange guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a prohibited weapon (a “ghost gun”), and destruction of property. Superior Court Judge Jason Park will schedule a sentencing hearing at a later date. Strange faces a mandatory minimum of three years for unlawfully possessing the firearm with a maximum sentence of 15, and up to five years in prison for strangulation. The sentence will be determined by the court after considering all factors.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 11 p.m. on Sep. 3, 2023, Strange began incessantly calling the victim, his former girlfriend, to determine her whereabouts. On Sep. 4, 2023, at approximately 1:30 a.m., Strange met the victim outside of their shared residence and began arguing with her until both entered the elevator of their apartment building, where an altercation ensued. The victim was able to get out of the elevator and into the lobby of the building. Strange followed her, continued to strike her, breaking her glasses, and strangling her by putting his hand on her throat and squeezing. The attack left visible injuries to the victim’s lip and face.
The defendant fled the scene after a bystander security guard intervened and the victim called 911. Less than an hour later, he returned to the victim’s residence, assaulted her again, and attempted to discard a firearm in her bedroom closet. Police officers from the Metropolitan Police Department returned to the scene and recovered the firearm. Strange was placed under arrest and has been held in custody since.
The security guard provided surveillance video, that captured a portion of the assault including Strange strangling the victim. The government’s evidence also included DNA evidence linking Strange to the recovered firearm.
This trial marks the first jury trial for felony strangulation since the D.C. Council passed the “Prioritizing Public Safety Emergency Amendment Act of 2023,” designating strangulation as a felony offense.*
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monisha Rao and Richard Kelley, of the Domestic Violence Unit.
*Strangulation is widely recognized as one of the most lethal forms of domestic violence. A major strangulation study in San Diego, which is frequently cited, found: “Many victims suffer internal injuries, including permanent brain damage. Signs and symptoms do exist and can be documented even without visible injury… Most abusers do not strangle to kill. They strangle to show they can kill. Victims often suffer major long-term emotional and physical impacts. Surviving victims are much more likely to die later if their abuser has strangled them.” The study also noted that “…..the odds of becoming a victim of attempted homicide increased by 700%, and the odds of becoming a homicide victim increased by 800%, among women who had been strangled by their partner.”
* Strangulation is widely recognized as one of the most lethal forms of domestic violence. A major strangulation study in San Diego, which is frequently cited, found: “Many victims suffer internal injuries, including permanent brain damage. Signs and symptoms do exist and can be documented even without visible injury… Most abusers do not strangle to kill. They strangle to show they can kill. Victims often suffer major long-term emotional and physical impacts. Surviving victims are much more likely to die later if their abuser has strangled them.” The study also noted that “…..the odds of becoming a victim of attempted homicide increased by 700%, and the odds of becoming a homicide victim increased by 800%, among women who had been strangled by their partner.”
Jackson Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Mississippi – A Jackson man was sentenced today to 151 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Teson Kuran Daniel, 39, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
According to court documents, on January 24, 2023, agents executed a search warrant at the residence of Teson Kuran Daniel. Inside the residence, agents found methamphetamine, cocaine, and two scales. Prior to the execution of the search warrant, Daniel sold methamphetamine and cocaine to a confidential informant on two occasions.
Daniel pled guilty on December 14, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jackson Police Department, Hinds County Sheriff’s Office, and the Byram Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.
Investment Adviser Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Defrauding Investors of over $1.2 MillionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An investment adviser from Massachusetts was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for defrauding investors out of more than half a million dollars.
Jose Rocha, 38, of Bridgewater, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. The Court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $774,737. In September 2023, Rocha pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud.
Between 2020 and 2022, Rocha solicited investments from individuals in Massachusetts. Rocha portrayed himself as a successful investor in publicly traded securities – including stocks and stock options – and promised to manage investor funds in exchange for a share of the returns. In total, Rocha obtained over $1.2 million in investment funds from his victims. Thereafter, Rocha used a portion of those funds to pay purported investment returns to other investors and misappropriated funds for himself, including to pay for vacations and gambling at casinos.
The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil complaint against Rocha in August 2023 alleging violations of the securities laws. In conjunction with the guilty plea in this case, Rocha entered into a Consent Judgment with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division made the announcement. The Securities and Exchange Commission provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Indianapolis Man Sentenced to 70 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Herman Lamont Banks, 49 years old was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge Jon E. DeGuilio after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Banks was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on September 29, 2019, law enforcement was dispatched to a welfare check outside a bar located in Gary, Indiana. Law enforcement discovered Banks asleep or unconscious behind the wheel of a running car with its headlights on. As Banks eventually woke up and got out of the car, officers saw and recovered a firearm with a loaded drum magazine attached to it from under the driver’s seat. Bank’s criminal history revealed he had two prior federal felony narcotic convictions, and as such was prohibited from possessing the firearm or ammunition in this case.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force and the Gary Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joel L. Mathur and Kevin F. Wolff.
This case was 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.
Huntington Woman Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Today, Kyla Smith, also known as “Flaca,” 29, of Huntington, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Smith admitted to her role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Southern District of West Virginia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 29, 2023, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Smith on Eighth Avenue in Huntington. Smith admitted that the officer saw her conceal a bag of methamphetamine in the front of her pants during the traffic stop. Smith surrendered the methamphetamine to the officer, and admitted that she intended to distribute the controlled substance. Smith further admitted that she participated in the DTO from at least August 2023 through November 2023. Smith distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl to various customers, including some who redistributed the controlled substances that she provided to them.
Smith and other DTO participants used multiple residences to store and distribute quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, including a Davis Street residence in Huntington maintained by Smith. On November 15, 2023, officers executed a search warrant at Smith’s Davis Street residence and seized approximately 477 grams of fentanyl.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
Smith is among 27 individuals indicted in a 53-count indictment that charges the defendants with distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl transported from Detroit, Michigan, in Huntington and other locations within the Southern District of West Virginia.
Smith is also among 14 defendants who have pleaded guilty in the main case. One other of the 27 indicted individuals pleaded guilty to a related offense in a separate case. The indictment against the remaining defendants is pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor are prosecuting the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-180.
Helena felon admits illegal possession of loaded AR-15 rifle in vehicle on state capitol groundsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A felon who was on listed as an absconder on a state of Montana webpage admitted today to illegally possessing a firearm after law enforcement found a loaded AR-15 style rifle in his vehicle on state capitol grounds, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Joshua Nzeyimana, 23, of Helena, pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Nzeyimana faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for Aug. 1 and continued Nzeyimana’s detention pending further proceedings.
The government alleged that on Dec. 3, 2023, Nzeyimana, a convicted felon on state supervision, possessed a loaded AR-15 style rifle in his vehicle on the state capitol grounds in Helena. The rifle was found during a probation search of his vehicle. Nzeyimana was listed as an absconder in Montana Conweb. Nzeyimana admitted during an interview to possessing the rifle and had previously shot one round in open field near a park. Nzeyimana knew he could not legally possess the rifle, so he used another person to purchase it. Nzeyimana was convicted in state district court of felony criminal endangerment and felony assault with a weapon and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Montana Highway Patrol and Montana Probation and Parole conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Grand Jury Returns Two Indictments Involving FirearmsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned two firearms-related indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Middleton Woman Charged with Straw Purchasing a Firearm for Felon
Shawna Tantillo, 34, Middleton, Wisconsin, is charged with straw purchasing a firearm for a felon, conspiring to violate the law prohibiting felons from possessing firearms, and lying on a firearms purchase form.
The indictment alleges that on November 28, 2023, a person identified as Person 1 asked Tantillo to purchase a firearm. Despite knowing that Person 1 was a felon, Tantillo agreed to purchase the firearm for Person 1. Tantillo purchased a .380 handgun from a Cross Plains, Wisconsin, gun store on December 7, 2023. The indictment further alleges that at the time of the purchase, Tantillo falsely declared on the purchase form that she was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm. Tantillo picked up the firearm from the gun store on December 8, 2023, and then gave it to Person 1, who in return gave Tantillo the purchase price plus $150.
If convicted, the conspiracy and false statement charges each carry maximum penalties of 5 years in prison. The straw purchase charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
“Stopping straw buyers and preventing illegal firearms trafficking is our first line of defense against gun violence,” U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea said in announcing the charges. “It is illegal to purchase a firearm posing as the real buyer for someone else. If a friend or relative asks you to lie to a firearms retailer to try to buy a gun for them, don’t do it.” O’Shea said.
The charges against Tantillo were the result of an investigation conducted by the Middleton and Fitchburg Police Departments and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the case.
Beloit Man Charged with Drug and Gun Crimes
Denzen J. Jones, 41, Beloit, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing cocaine and fentanyl, possessing cocaine for distribution, and maintaining a drug trafficking place. He is also charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon and possessing a loaded firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The indictment alleges that Jones committed all these acts between May 27, 2022 and August 23, 2022.
If convicted Jones faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison on each of the drug-related charges. If convicted of the felon in possession charge, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The charge of possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense carries a mandatory minimum penalty five years in prison to be served consecutively to any other prison term, and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The charges against Jones are the result of an investigation by the Beloit Police Department, Rock County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the prosecution.
Both cases have been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Georgia Man Sentenced to 180 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE –Xavier M. Scott, 57 years old, of Douglasville, Georgia, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Scott was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 8 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on August 3, 2021, Scott was pulled over for speeding on Interstate 469. Scott, a drug courier who transported and delivered controlled substances across the United States, was found in possession of cocaine and cocaine base along with 12.4 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine, an amount consistent with distribution, along with multiple cell phones, zip lock baggies and a digital scale. Scott was also in possession of a loaded firearm used for protection in furtherance of his drug trafficking offense.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Indiana State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin C. Sheridan.
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.
Four Defendants Found Guilty on Federal Charges After Obstructing Patients and Providers of a Nashville Area Reproductive Health Services FacilityRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – United States Attorney Henry Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced that a federal judge returned a guilty verdict yesterday for defendants Eva Edl, Eva Zastrow, James Zastrow, and Paul Place on criminal charges arising out of their blockade of a reproductive health care clinic in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, on March 5, 2021. The judge found each defendant guilty of a violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act), 18 U.S.C. § 248.
Evidence presented at trial proved that the defendants violated the FACE Act by using physical obstruction over the course of several hours to interfere with the clinic’s employees and a patient, because the clinic was providing, and the patient sought, reproductive health services. The clinic was located on the second floor of a medical building. The defendants and others filled the interior hallway to the clinic. These defendants positioned themselves directly in front of the main clinic door for over two hours, physically blocking access to the clinic, resulting in no patients accessing the clinic. Police requested that the defendants leave or move multiple times, but after more than two hours, these defendants were arrested.
The defendants face up to a maximum of six months in prison, five years of supervised release, and fines of up to $10,000.
The case was investigated by the Memphis Division – Nashville Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
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Former Social Security Employee Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Pandemic Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Takiyah Gordon Austin, age 47, formerly of Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, for a scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits related to COVID-19 emergency relief funds. Judge Mannion also ordered Austin to pay restitution in the amount of $288,590.
The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program was created by the March 27, 2020 CARES Act, as part of the United States government’s efforts to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public’s health and economic well-being. The PUA program was designed to provide unemployment benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended unemployment benefits.
According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Austin pleaded guilty to one count wire fraud and one count of aggravated identify theft. From in or about May 2020 to in or about May 2021, Austin, a claims specialist with the Social Security Administration, filed PUA claims for ineligible recipients in exchange for payment from the individuals. Additionally, Austin filed claims after accessing SSA databases to obtain the personal identifying information from unsuspecting individuals and then diverted the unemployment funds to addresses she controlled in order to use the funds for her own personal expenses. Through the scheme, Austin defrauded the government of over $288,000.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Special Assistant United States Attorney Megan Curran and Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Former Pharma Executive and Cousin Plead Guilty to Insider Trading of Kodak StockRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the guilty pleas of JAMES ANDREW STILES and EDWARD GRAY STILES in connection with a scheme to commit insider trading based on misappropriated information about potential government loans to be made to the Eastman Kodak Company to finance the production of COVID-19-related pharmaceutical components. ANDREW STILES and GRAY STILES were arrested in 2023 and pled guilty today to securities fraud based on insider trading before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Andrew Stiles betrayed the trust and confidence of his employer by stealing confidential business information and using it alongside his cousin, Gray Stiles, to make unlawful trades in Kodak’s stock based on inside information. Even secret codes and lies to regulators could not stop them from getting caught. No one is above the law, and this Office’s commitment to protecting the integrity of the financial markets remains a priority.”
As alleged in the Indictment, other public court documents, and statements made during court proceedings:
Between June and July 2020, ANDREW STILES conducted an insider trading scheme in which he misappropriated material, non-public information (“MNPI”) and used it to trade in the stock of the Eastman Kodak Company (“Kodak”). He further provided that MNPI to his cousin, GRAY STILES, so that he would likewise trade on the MNPI.
During that time, ANDREW STILES was an executive at a company (“Company-1”) that was working with Kodak to collaborate on the production of chemicals for pharmaceutical manufacturing in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. Company-1 was also assisting Kodak in its application for a significant government loan, which ultimately resulted in the news, on July 27, 2020, of a government “letter of interest” to provide Kodak with a loan of $765 million (the “LOI”). In the following days, Kodak’s stock rose substantially, at one point increasing to more than 2,500% above the closing price prior to the news of the LOI.
During June and July 2020, ANDREW STILES was kept apprised of Kodak’s efforts to obtain the government loan, and he both traded using that non-public information and passed that information to GRAY STILES. For example, on July 9, 2020, when Kodak had applied for a loan in the amount of $655 million, ANDREW STILES and GRAY STILES exchanged the following coded text messages:
GRAY: Any update on the film we sent off a few weeks ago to get developed
ANDREW: 600+. Maybe 2 weeks out
GRAY: I can live with that hahaha
Between June 2020, after ANDREW STILES learned about the potential loan to Kodak, and July 27, 2020, the date the LOI was first publicized, ANDREW STILES purchased more than 90,000 shares of Kodak stock, including multiple purchases the day before the LOI was scheduled to be announced. GRAY STILES purchased more than 30,000 shares, more than half of which were purchased the day prior to the scheduled announcement of the LOI. In fact, on July 27, 2020, ANDREW STILES texted GRAY STILES, “Tmw,” indicating the expected date of the announcement. Less than one minute later, GRAY STILES responded, “Hot damn.” Following that exchange, and before the news was announced, ANDREW STILES and GRAY STILES each purchased more than 10,000 additional shares.
ANDREW STILES and GRAY STILES each sold the entirety of their shares in the days and weeks after the announcement. ANDREW STILES realized profits of more than $500,000, and GRAY STILES realized profits of more than $700,000.
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ANDREW STILES, 38, of Charleston, South Carolina, and GRAY STILES, 39, of Richmond, Virginia, each pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Rossmiller, Nicolas Roos, and Allison Nichols are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Paralegal for Chicago Law Firm Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former paralegal for a Chicago law firm has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for embezzling more than $600,000 from bankruptcy estate accounts.
BECKY LOUISE SUTTON fraudulently embezzled the funds from 2009 to 2018 while working on bankruptcy matters for the law firm. Sutton embezzled money from more than 40 bankruptcy estate accounts and several liquidating trust accounts in Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 matters on which she worked. Sutton orchestrated fraudulent transfers of bankruptcy funds from fiduciary bank accounts intended for creditors to accounts she controlled, including her personal bank account, credit card account, student loan account, and mortgage account. In one instance, Sutton listed a company with a name similar to a true creditor to disguise her fraudulent diversion of the funds. Sutton’s conduct victimized not only the creditors, but also her law firm, a partner at the firm for whom she worked, and the U.S. Trustee Program, among others.
Sutton, 68, of Manteno, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to a wire fraud charge. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland on Tuesday ordered Sutton to pay $611,263 in restitution.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Trustee Program. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman.
Former Lafayette Firearms Store Owner and Wife Sentenced on Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Jeremiah Micah Deare, 40, Sarah Elaine Fogle, 33, were each sentenced yesterday afternoon on federal firearms charges. Deare and Fogle were convicted by a federal jury in November 2023 after a nearly week-long trial of conspiring to deal firearms without a license, making false statements in records required to be kept by a licensed firearms dealer, and failing to run required background checks in connection with their unlicensed firearm business located in Lafayette. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced the couple as follows:
Jeremiah Micah Deare was sentenced to 97 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Sarah Elaine Fogle was sentenced to 60 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
At the trial in November 2023, evidence was introduced that Deare was the owner of Dave’s Gunshop, LLC (Dave’s) and the responsible party for Dave’s Federal Firearms License, which was located in Lafayette, Louisiana. Deare and Fogle did not hold a Federal Firearms License in their individual capacities. Testimony at trial from numerous witnesses revealed that Deare and Fogle engaged in the illegal sale and attempted illegal sale of hundreds of firearms out of their residence and at gun shows as an unlicensed business. The couple was found to have engaged in the business of dealing firearms without following applicable laws, including the required background checks on their customers. There were 246 firearms seized from the couple’s home, many with price tags, and the indictment also seeks forfeiture of a total of 619 firearms which were involved in the commission of these offenses.
On or about August 13, 2019, a compliance inspection was conducted at Dave’s by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). At a warning conference on September 19, 2019, in Baton Rouge, Deare and Fogle were warned for numerous violations, including failing to complete a background check form ATF-4473 (one time), failing to accurately keep acquisition and disposition records for dispositions (67 times), failing to accurately keep acquisition and disposition records for acquisitions (62 times), transferring firearms without having a final response from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (two times), inaccurate completion of ATF-4473 forms (111 times), and for missing firearms. On that same day in 2019, the ATF investigator provided an Acknowledgement of Federal Firearms Regulations to inform Deare of his responsibilities as a Federal Firearms License holder, and about laws relating to engaging in the business of selling firearms at gun shows. The form was signed by Deare acknowledging that he understood he was responsible for familiarizing himself with the laws and regulations.
Deare and Fogle, after being warned, willfully engaged in the business of dealing in firearms without a license by buying and selling firearms without complying with the recordkeeping and background check requirements required by federal law. Both defendants acquired large quantities of firearms and ammunition from estate sales and other means but would not document the firearms in Dave’s Acquisition & Disposition Book as required by federal law. In addition, firearms brought to Dave’s to be sold on consignment were not logged into Dave’s Acquisition & Disposition Book and were not placed for sale at Dave’s, but rather were taken to various gun shows and sold without background checks in an unlicensed business. Their failure to conduct background checks resulted in the sales of firearms to persons prohibited by law from possessing or purchasing firearms. Additionally, the sales of firearms at gun shows outside the State of Louisiana were not done through a dealer licensed in the state where the gun show was conducted as required by law.
“The regulation of firearm production and sales is a necessary function of the ATF,” stated U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “The ATF took the opportunity to counsel the defendants as to their wrongdoing, but the defendants nevertheless ignored ATF, deciding to proceed with their criminal conduct and the court has now held them accountable. We hope these sentences serve as a deterrent to anyone who considers engaging in such illicit activity going forward.”
“These two defendants are part of fueling the violent crime problem across the country by selling to prohibited persons,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “They have shown a reckless disregard for the federal laws and responsibilities associated with the privilege of possessing a federal firearms license. The sentence imposed sends a message to the community that dishonorable individuals like this will be held accountable as we work to keep our neighborhoods safe as a top priority for ATF.”
The ATF conducted the investigation and Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren L. Gardner and Myers P. Namie prosecuted the case.
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Former Hospital Manager Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding Employer, Money Laundering, and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Timothy S. Gilbert, 54, of Milton, Florida, was sentenced to three years in federal prison after having previously pled guilty to twenty-two counts of wire fraud, ten counts of money laundering, and four counts of tax evasion. Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the sentence.
“Abuse of trust, embezzlement, and tax evasion warrant significant criminal consequences” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “This defendant’s years-long theft from his employer and his efforts to launder and conceal his fraud proceeds are both illegal and offensive to the hardworking Americans who pay their taxes to defend our country and maintain its operations. It is fitting and proper that he pay restitution, unpaid taxes, and investigative costs for his criminal conduct.”
Court documents reveal while employed as a rehab manager for a local hospital and medical group, Gilbert used a corporate credit card to make unauthorized purchases of prepaid credit cards and gift cards. He would then convert funds from the fraudulently obtained cards using his personal PayPal, Stripe, and bank accounts to conceal his scheme, make personal purchases, and withdraw large amounts of cash to gamble at casinos. Gilbert concealed the credit card payments from his employer by circumventing company policies. Between 2019 and 2022, Gilbert stole and laundered over $607,000.
“Devising a scheme to conceal income from the IRS is blatant criminal activity, especially when you abuse your position of trust and embezzle funds from a hospital that serves the community,” said IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Lani I. Rosado-Espinal. “Taxpayers who pay their fair share need to be reassured that IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to devote the resources needed to uncover these types of schemes which defraud the honest taxpayers.”
In addition to serving three years in custody, Gilbert was ordered to pay over $607,000 in restitution to the victim hospital, over $160,000 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service for unpaid taxes, over $38,000 to the Internal Revenue Service and the Pensacola Police Department for costs of prosecution, and $3,700 in special monetary assessments.
This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Pensacola Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia Forbes and Jessica Etherton prosecuted this case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Former Health Insurance Coverage Supervisor Sentenced to Federal Prison for Embezzling Nearly One Million Dollars from EmployerRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Yolanda Brooks, 52, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud.
According to court documents, Yolanda Brooks was employed by Company A as a Medicaid Supervisor from December 16, 2005, until July 2, 2020. Company A processed medical insurance claims on behalf of Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurance companies.
Brooks’ responsibilities included processing medical care claims to be paid by Medicaid and other medical insurance carriers. In performance of her duties, Brooks had access to checks in the possession of Company A, which were to be processed as refunds or reimbursements to their clients.
In March and July of 2018, Brooks opened two personal bank accounts at Key Bank in her maiden name, Yolanda Mohid. The address listed for both accounts was Brook’s personal residence in Indianapolis. Other than the introductory title of ‘Yolanda Mohid’ on each account, the account names were similar to the names of clients of Company A.
Between March 22, 2018, and July 23, 2021, Brooks took approximately 486 checks mailed to Company A in the total amount of $920,148.51 and deposited them into her two personal bank accounts referenced above. Brooks falsely represented to the bank that she was authorized to negotiate said checks and deposit them into her personal accounts.
Brooks used the stolen money for her own personal purposes, including shopping at Victoria’s Secret, casino gambling, and luxury vacations.
“Nearly five hundred times, this defendant abused her position of trust to steal nearly a million dollars intended to pay people’s healthcare costs,” said U.S. Attorney, Zachary A. Myers. “Our office is committed to working with our partners at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to hold fraudsters accountable. The serious federal prison sentence imposed here should serve as a warning to any who might consider engaging in this sort of scheme: you will be caught, you will be prosecuted, and you will potentially go to federal prision.”
“Solving complex financial crimes such as this is one of the many things we do as postal inspectors. I commend the investigative efforts of our postal inspectors in this case, as well as our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office, in unraveling this elaborate scheme and holding Ms. Brooks responsible for her crime,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge for the Detroit Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. Judge Stinson also ordered that Brooks be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following her release from federal prison and pay a total of $920,148.51 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Warden and who prosecuted this case.
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Florissant Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Wednesday sentenced a man who possessed more than 1,700 images containing child sexual abuse material to eight years in prison.
Sheldon S. Dokes, now 31, uploaded files containing child pornography in March and April of 2022 from his mother’s home in Florissant, Missouri, using the screen name “Sin Frost.” Dokes told investigators that he first viewed child sexual abuse material in a group chat on the Kik app.
Dokes possessed over 1,700 unique images and two unique videos containing child pornography on his phone. Dokes had three images containing child pornography on his Instagram account and another three on his Facebook Messenger account as attachments to messages. Dokes received four images containing child sexual abuse material and distributed two images to others via Kik Messenger.
Dokes pleaded guilty in December to one count of possession of child pornography.
Judge Pitlyk ordered the sentence to run consecutive to the four years Dokes is serving after he was convicted in two gun cases in St. Louis County Circuit Court.
The FBI and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Florida Man Sentenced to 71 Months in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography and Voyeurism OffensesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kyle Blanco, 21, of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced today to 71 months in prison for possessing over 1,000 child pornography files and using his iPhone to surreptitiously record women as they used bathroom stalls at American University, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Blanco pleaded guilty on August 17, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to a two-count Information, charging him with possession of child pornography and voyeurism. He was sentenced by the Honorable Reggie B. Walton. Following his prison term, Blanco will serve 10 years of supervised release. In addition, Judge Walton ordered Blanco to pay $5,000 in restitution to an identified victim in one of the child pornography files.
According to court documents, on March 30, 2022, an American University student caught Blanco surreptitiously recording her from an adjacent stall in a gender-neutral bathroom. The victim reported the offense to the American University Police Department, which obtained and executed a search warrant for Blanco’s dorm room. The police seized Blanco’s iPhone and laptop computer pursuant to that warrant. Before law enforcement could search Blanco’s iPhone, however, he remotely wiped it in an effort to obstruct the government’s investigation. Law enforcement was able to search Blanco’s laptop, which contained evidence of additional voyeurism offenses at American University. It also contained over 1,000 media files constituting child pornography, some of which depict adult men raping prepubescent girls.
One week after his initial appearance in this case, Blanco violated his release conditions by downloading an application frequently used to access child pornography anonymously and by clearing the web history on his phone. Judge Walton revoked Blanco’s release conditions, and Blanco self-surrendered to U.S. Marshals in Orlando, Florida, on June 9, 2023. He has remained in custody ever since.
The case was investigated by the FBI–MPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force with valuable assistance from the American University Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Larson.
Fleeing felon sent to prison for firearm and methRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 41-year-old Corpus Christi man has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions of possessing narcotics with the intent to distribute, being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
A federal jury sitting in Corpus Christi convicted Jason Ramirez May 10, 2022, following a two-day trial.
U.S. District Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Ramirez to serve 120 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and drug trafficking. He received an additional six-month sentence for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The prison terms will run consecutively for a total 126-month sentence of imprisonment. The sentence will be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
At trial, the jury heard that on Feb. 29, 2020, law enforcement pursued Ramirez after he failed to yield at a stop sign. He soon crashed into a concrete fountain at a local park and fled on foot. Shortly after, they discovered Ramirez in a nearby neighborhood and arrested him.
At the time of arrest, authorities discovered a pistol and meth in Ramirez’s vehicle. Upon searching his phone, law enforcement discovered messages related to the selling of drugs and pictures of Ramirez posing with the firearm.
The defense attempted to convince the jury that the gun and meth found in the car did not belong to Ramirez. However, the jury saw video evidence of Ramirez fleeing from the vehicle and footage showing the discovery of the weapon and narcotics. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.
Ramirez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John R. Lamont prosecuted the case.
Firearm smugglers sent to prison for illegally purchasing and transporting 21 pistols into MexicoRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two Mexican nationals have been sentenced following their convictions of firearm smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Sadir Arvizu Velazquez, 40, and his son, Sadir Arvizu Barcenas, 19, both Mexican citizens residing in Querétaro, Mexico, pleaded guilty Oct. 11, 2023.
U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now imposed a 52-month-term of imprisonment for Velazquez, while Barcenas received 37 months. Not U.S. citizens, they are expected to face removal proceedings following their sentences. In imposing the prison terms, Judge Kazen stated that some degree of planning was evident since the men traveled from Mexico to the United States for the specific purpose of violating federal laws.
On Nov. 5, 2022, the father and son duo flew to Dallas from Mexico City, Mexico, to enlist the assistance of James Mwangangi Kiilu, 22, Denton, to buy 21 semi-automatic pistols between Nov. 6, 2022, and Nov. 9, 2022. Kiilu agreed to purchase pistols in his name and falsely certify on federal forms that the pistols were only for him.
After purchasing the weapons, Kiilu delivered them to Velazquez and Barcenas.
On Nov. 9, 2022, authorities observed Kiilu, Velazquez and Barcenas loading the pistols into a secret compartment of a small compact car, a Chevrolet Spark, modified with a secret compartment to conceal the pistols. The men then disposed of the pistol boxes, bags and receipts. Law enforcement subsequently conducted traffic stops on Kiilu, who drove a rented SUV, and Velazquez who drove the Chevrolet Spark. Authorities found the pistols in the hidden compartment within the compact car.
Law enforcement seized the firearms which have since been forfeited to the United States.
On Feb. 1, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez ordered Kiilu to serve 52 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Velazquez and Barcenas will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future while Kiilu will remain on bond until ordered to self-surrender.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with assistance from the Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez prosecuted the case.
This case as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
Essex County Man Convicted of Murder and Other Crimes for His Role as Leader of Sprawling Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man was convicted today for ordering and committing three murders and for his role in a large-scale narcotics enterprise, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Michael Healy, 43, of Montclair, New Jersey, was convicted by a federal jury of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute narcotics, conspiring to murder a federal witness, three counts of murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms offenses following a four-week trial before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in Newark federal court.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“Michael Healy ruthlessly ordered murders so that he could protect his narcotics operation and continue to sell large quantities of dangerous narcotics. He recruited men to kill someone he thought was an informant, and even when they killed the wrong person – a bystander – he ordered them to kill his target. He personally pulled the trigger on another victim. Healy’s brazen violence resulted in the senseless killing of three men and caused incredible danger to the community. He now faces multiple mandatory life sentences for his crimes, and the District of New Jersey is safer as a result. As this case demonstrates, my office will use every tool available to prosecute violent crime and ensure that those who endanger the community will face lengthy jail sentences.”
“Three families were forced to bury their loved ones because one man decided his warped kingdom of illicit drugs and dirty money meant more than their lives,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “Healy mercilessly ordered and hunted down those he believed could harm his criminal enterprise and lucrative relationship with the gangs and cartels, going so far as to pull the trigger himself on one of the victims. Justice has been served with this verdict, and Healy now faces a grim life in federal prison without any chance of parole.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial:
In February 2018, Healy found out that one of his conspirators in the drug trafficking enterprise (DTE) was cooperating with law enforcement by providing information about the drug enterprise. Healy ordered members of the Bloods in East Orange to kill the informant, referenced in the Indictment as “A.S.” On Feb. 3, 2018, outside the informant’s residence in Bloomfield, New Jersey, Healy’s conspirators shot and killed a bystander, referenced in the indictment as “Victim-1,” believing the bystander was the informant. Realizing they killed the wrong person, Healy ordered the Bloods to finish the job, and on March 12, 2018, in Bloomfield, the conspirators killed the informant while walking his dog in the area of his residence. On April 6, 2018, believing that another member of the enterprise – identified in the indictment as “J.C.” – might also pose a risk to the enterprise, Healy himself shot and killed “J.C.” in Newark.
Healy’s DTE operated in and around Newark beginning in approximately 2012. Between 2003 and 2012, Healy became a member of the Tree Top PIRU set of the Bloods street gang in Maryland. In and around 2012, Healy formed and led the Healy DTE, a large and sophisticated drug distribution organization that obtained, transported and distributed large amounts of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and marijuana. Healy used his leadership status in the Tree Top PIRU Bloods to assist him with obtaining suppliers, recruiting and controlling enterprise members, and otherwise conducting the Healy DTE’s operations.
The Healy DTE transported multi-kilogram quantities of controlled substances from California to New Jersey by various means, including private aircraft, vehicles with hidden secret compartments, and the U.S. Postal Service. The Healy DTE then processed and repackaged the controlled substances at various “stash houses” in New Jersey. The Healy DTE distributed some of the controlled substances in New Jersey, including through Bloods gang members in East Orange.
Thomas Zimmerman, Tyquan Daniels, and Ali Hill – all members of the Brick City Brims subset of the Bloods street gang in East Orange – previously pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy for their respective roles in the murders of Victim-1 and A.S. Zimmerman was sentenced to a 37-year term of imprisonment; Daniels was sentenced to a 35-year term of imprisonment; and Hill was sentenced to a 25-year term of imprisonment. In addition, on Feb. 22, 2024, Leevander Wade pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy for his roles in all three murders. His sentencing is scheduled for June 25, 2024.
The counts of racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, discharge of a firearm resulting in death, and conspiracy to murder a federal witness are all punishable by a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The counts of use of a firearm in furtherance of violent crime are punishable by a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances is punishable by a mandatory 10 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 1, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of special agent in charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz G. Fragé; the Essex County Prosecutors Office; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, the East Orange Police Department; the Montclair Police Department, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, Intelligence and Investigative Division, under the direction of Secretary Robert Green; the Ohio State Highway Patrol, under the direction of Colonel Charles A. Jones.
The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Robert L. Frazer and Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha C. Fasanello.
El Salvadoran National Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Illegally Reentering the U.S.Read the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SALVADOR HERRERA MORALES, 30, a citizen of El Salvador last residing in East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 24 months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2014, Herrera Morales stabbed a victim in East Hartford. In August 2015, he was convicted in state court of assault in the first degree and sentenced to seven years of incarceration. After serving his sentence, Herrera Morales was removed to El Salvador in April 2021. In 2022, he illegally reentered the U.S.
In April 2022, Herrera Morales was arrested by East Hartford Police following an incident at a bar where he was intoxicated, punched a security guard, and kicked and shattered a glass door. In June 2022 he was sentenced in state court of criminal mischief and received a sentence of 364 days of imprisonment, execution suspended, and one year of probation.
In April 2023, East Hartford Police arrested Herrera Morales for disorderly conduct, assault in the third degree, risk of injury to a child, and threatening in the second degree. These state charges are pending.
Herrera Morales has been detained since his federal arrest on April 26, 2023. On January 9, 2024, he pleaded guilty to illegal reentry.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Dearington.
Eighteen Members and Associates of Clarksville Mongols Motorcycle Gang SentencedRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – James Hines, 47, one of eighteen members and associates of the Clarksville chapter of the Mongols Motorcycle Club who were federally prosecuted for RICO conspiracy, murder, kidnapping, large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and other crimes, was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison today, announced Henry C. Leventis, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. All of the defendants’ crimes stemmed from their involvement with the Clarksville Mongols. Hines was the last remaining defendant to be sentenced.
“Today’s sentence concludes a multi-year, coordinated effort by federal, state, and local law enforcement, our office, and the Justice Department’s Criminal Division to address some of the worst organized criminal activity we have seen in Middle Tennessee,” said Henry C. Leventis, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. “As a result of that outstanding work, our communities are safer and multiple violent criminals are being held to account for their actions. I am grateful for the efforts of everyone involved in this remarkable investigation and prosecution.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the Clarksville Mongols were a violent motorcycle gang affiliated with the Mongols Motorcycle Club, an international organization that identifies as an "outlaw" motorcycle gang, meaning its members define themselves as within the "1%" of motorcycle clubs who do not adhere to the law or the rights of others. Sayings like, "Respect Few, Fear None" and "Live Mongol Die Mongol" represent their cut-throat attitude and they identify themselves with vests, patches, tattoos, and insignia identifying their connection to the Mongols.
In early 2015, some of the defendants sought to transition from another motorcycle club and establish the Clarksville Mongols because, at the time, the Mongols did not occupy or claim any territory in Tennessee. As a show of loyalty and to gain favor with the Mongols, those individuals committed a drive-by shooting and burned down the Sin City Motorcycle Club's clubhouses in Clarksville and Nashville, Tennessee. These initial violent acts were designed to curry favor with the Mongols and paved the way for the Clarksville Mongols to obtain a firm foothold in Tennessee.
One of the earliest and most violent acts committed by the Clarksville Mongols occurred on May 22, 2015, with the kidnapping and murder of Victim 1, a young mother. The Clarksville Mongols believed Victim 1 had stolen narcotics, money, and firearms, had knowledge about the theft of such items, and had been speaking negatively to others about the Clarksville Mongols. On the day of her murder, the Clarksville Mongols kidnapped Victim 1 at gunpoint then drove her to an area behind a secluded cemetery where they shot her numerous times and killed her. Victim 1’s body was recovered almost 15 months after she was murdered.
These acts marked the beginning of the Clarksville Mongols -- an enterprise that engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity from 2015 through 2018. During that time, in order to enrich the Mongols and to maintain control of the Mongols' new territory in Tennessee, the Clarksville Mongols engaged in a pattern of violent criminal activity, including murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, assaults, narcotics trafficking, robbery, extortion, money laundering, witness tampering, and various firearms offenses. In an effort to establish themselves as the area’s dominant motorcycle club, members and associates of the Clarksville Mongols also participated in large-scale drug-trafficking and money-laundering activities with the help of Mongols members from California who supplied the Clarksville Mongols with more than 50 pounds of almost 100% pure methamphetamine worth approximately $1 million for distribution in and around Tennessee and Kentucky.
The Clarksville Mongols' violent conduct culminated in the kidnapping and murder of Victim 2, a former Clarksville Mongol. During the early morning hours of November 19, 2017, they kidnapped Victim 2 and took him to another member's house where they held Victim 2 hostage, used zip ties to restrain him, and viciously beat, tortured, and interrogated him for hours, causing him to suffer 3 fractured vertebrae in his neck, five fractured ribs, blunt force trauma to his head, and a broken eye socket. One member told another that they beat Victim 2 so bad that his flesh was falling off his face. They ultimately murdered Victim 2 by driving a 10-inch tent stake through his head. They buried Victim 2's body in a secluded field behind an abandoned residence. Victim 2's body was recovered almost a year later.
The sentences are as follows:
James Wesley Frazier, age 36, was sentenced to Life plus 30 years in federal prison;
Aelix Santiago, age 35, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison;
Kyle Heade, age 37, was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison;
Joel Aldridge, age 43, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison;
James Hines, age 47, was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison;
Michael Forrester, Jr., age 35, was sentenced to 17 ½ years in federal prison;
Jamie Hern, age 44, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison;
Robert Humiston, age 31, was sentenced to 8 years and 4 months in federal prison;
Michael Myers, age 40, was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison;
Michael Levi West, age 41, was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison;
Adrianna Miles, age 28, was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison;
Derek Leighton Stanley, age 49, was sentenced to 18 ½ years in federal prison;
William Boylston, age 33, was sentenced to Life plus 7 years in federal prison;
Jason Meyerholz, age 49, was sentenced to Life plus 7 years in federal prison;
Christopher Michael Wilson, age 41, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison;
Jessie Marie Decker, age 38, was sentenced to time served;
Janie Lee, age 28, was sentenced to 6 years and 8 months in federal prison; and
Christian Dykes, age 35, was sentenced to time served.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Clarksville Police Department, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Kentucky State Police investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Risinger and Chris Suedekum for the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Matthew Mattis with the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section prosecuted the case.
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Eight Bronx Men Charged for Participation in Beer Theft EnterpriseRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; James E. Dennehy, Special Agent in Charge of the Newark Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); Edward T. Cetnar, Superintendent of Police and Director of Public Safety of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (“PANYNJ”); and Sean Douris, the Chief of Police, Public Safety, and Infrastructure Protection at CSX, announced today the unsealing of a seven-count Indictment charging JOSE CESARI, a/k/a “Cry,” MIGUEL CINTRON, LUIS IZQUIERDO, a/k/a “Luis Zapata,” WAKIEM JOHNSON, a/k/a “Waka,” KEMAR BONITTO, DEYLIN MARTINEZ-GUERRERO, ANTONIO GONZALEZ, and JUSTIN BRUNO with crimes arising from their participation in a multi-year scheme to steal beer — primarily Corona and Modelo shipped from Mexico — from railroad cars and beverage distribution facilities located throughout the Northeast, including in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York (the “Beer Theft Enterprise”). Six defendants were arrested today and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky. CESARI remains at large, and BONITTO is in state custody in Connecticut. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For years, the Beer Theft Enterprise has operated brazenly, allegedly breaking into railyards and beverage distribution facilities throughout the Northeast and filling U-Haul box trucks to the brim with cases of beer. That dangerous and disruptive conduct — sometimes allegedly accompanied by the threat of violence — has left several beverage distribution and railroad companies ailing. Today’s arrests reinforce that the Beer Theft Enterprise’s staggering thefts will not be tolerated in the Southern District of New York.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “Train heists harken back to the days of the Wild West and gunslingers riding horses, stealing loot from rail cars. The romanticized image has nothing to do with the modern-day criminals we allege took part in a theft ring in New Jersey, New York, and beyond that targeted railyards and beverage distribution centers. They used the cover of night to cut through fencing, off-load pallets of beer, and sold off the stolen goods, costing the victims’ companies hundreds of thousands of dollars. The alleged ringleader Cesari often used a weapon during the robberies. Our team of agents and investigators working on this case has done an outstanding job bringing these alleged thieves' crime spree to the end of the line.”
PANYNJ Superintendent of Police and Director of Public Safety Edward T. Cetnar said: “These brazen thefts result in millions of dollars of lost revenue every year, directly affecting the regional economy and everyone’s safety. The cooperative efforts of law enforcement in this case show our focus on securing our facilities and bringing perpetrators to justice.”
CSX Chief of Police, Public Safety, and Infrastructure Protection Sean Douris said: “CSX is committed to protecting the safety of its property and that of its customers. We take criminal activity very seriously. Railyards are privately owned property and unauthorized activity is considered criminal trespassing and violators will be prosecuted. CSX appreciates the valuable partnerships we have with federal and local law enforcement agencies in New York, and across our network, who are crucial when it comes to investigating incidents and prosecuting individuals responsible for theft.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment:[1]
Between in or about July 2022 and in or about March 2024, the Beer Theft Enterprise carried out dozens of beer thefts throughout the Northeast, which cumulatively resulted in losses to certain beverage distribution companies of at least hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In a typical theft, the Beer Theft Enterprise operated under cover of night. At least some of the members of the Enterprise working that night assembled in the Bronx before travelling to that night’s target railyard or beverage distribution facility. Typically, one or more members working that night drove a vehicle — often a U-Haul box truck — to the target location to be filled with cases of stolen beer. After arriving at the railyard or beverage distribution facility, members of the Enterprise commonly gained unauthorized access by cutting a hole in the fencing surrounding the location. When stealing from a railyard, members frequently cut the lock to railroad cars containing sealed pallets of cases of beer — usually Corona or Modelo — then unsealed the pallets and transported the cases of beer to their waiting vehicles. Generally, they transported the stolen beer to the Bronx, where it was inspected and made available for sale. The participating members of the Beer Theft Enterprise were usually paid hundreds of dollars for the night’s work after assisting in a beer theft.
As a leader of the Beer Theft Enterprise, CESARI was often present during these robberies. Sometimes, during a particular beer theft, CESARI used a police scanner to monitor potential police activity. In addition to participating in many of the Enterprise’s raids over the course of the conspiracy, CESARI sometimes sought to recruit new members to the conspiracy with promises of monetary gain.
CINTRON, IZQUIERDO, JOHNSON, BONITTO, MARTINEZ-GUERRERO, GONZALEZ, and BRUNO were members of the Beer Theft Enterprise. These defendants participated in certain thefts perpetrated by the organization by, for example, renting or driving vehicles that were used in particular thefts, helping plan or execute particular thefts by communicating with CESARI, and otherwise assisting in particular thefts.
* * *
A chart containing the names, ages, charges, and minimum and maximum penalties for the defendants is set forth below.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, the PANYNJ, and the CSX Police Department.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Rosenberg is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Count
Charge
Defendants
Min. and Max. Penalties
1
Conspiracy to steal from interstate or foreign shipments by carrier, and to break and enter carrier facilities with intent to commit larceny therein
CESARI, 27; CINTRON, 32;
IZQUIERDO, 40; JOHNSON, 31;
BONITTO, 38; MARTINEZ-GUERRERO, 28;
GONZALEZ, 33; and
BRUNO, 23
Maximum sentence of five years in prison
2
Theft from interstate or foreign shipments
CESARI, CINTRON,
IZQUIERDO, and
JOHNSON
Maximum sentence of 10 years in prison
3
Theft from interstate or foreign shipments
CESARI, BONITTO,
and GONZALEZ
Maximum sentence of 10 years in prison
4
Theft from interstate or foreign shipments
CESARI and
BRUNO
Maximum sentence of 10 years in prison
5
Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery
CESARI
Maximum sentence of 20 years in prison
6
Hobbs Act robbery
CESARI
Maximum sentence of 20 years in prison
7
Using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence
CESARI
Mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of seven years in prison
Maximum sentence
of
life in prison
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Durant Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearms CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bobby William Wells, Jr., age 33, of Durant, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Durant Police Department, the Southeastern Oklahoma State University Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On June 8, 2023, Wells pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition. According to court documents, Wells admitted to having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and to possessing ammunition despite knowing he was prohibited from doing so.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma presided over the hearing. Wells will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
District Man Arrested in Armed Carjacking from January 2024Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Marquis Derby, 19, of Washington, D.C., was arrested yesterday and charged by complaint with armed carjacking and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). On April 2, 2024, Magistrate Judge Eric Glover found probable cause for these offenses and ordered that Derby remain held pending a preliminary hearing on April 5, 2024.
According to the arrest warrant, on January 12, 2024, Derby and an unidentified individual carjacked a construction worker at gunpoint when the victim, who was working on a job site in Northeast Washington, D.C., went to retrieve equipment from his truck. As the victim reached into his truck, Derby pressed a firearm into the victim’s back and took the victim’s phone out of his pocket. Derby then demanded that the victim unlock his phone. As he was doing so, a second, unidentified accomplice punched the victim several times in the face and took the victim’s keys. Derby took the victim’s phone and got into an SUV as the unidentified accomplice got into the victim’s truck. When the accomplice was unable to start the victim’s truck, he got into the SUV with Derby, and the two men drove off together.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Taskforce. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Lawrence.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District Man Arraigned on Armed Carjacking IndictmentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Elijah Montgomery, 19, of Washington, D.C., was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with armed carjacking and other charges arising out of an October 12, 2023 incident near the corner of Galloway Street and Sargent Road NE, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
A Superior Court grand jury returned the eight-count indictment charging Montgomery with armed carjacking, armed robbery, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle during a crime of violence, fleeing, destruction of property, and first-degree theft. The Honorable Judge Di Toro denied the government’s request that Montgomery be held pending trial, and ordered him released to home confinement pending trial.
According to court documents, on October 12, 2023, Montgomery was driving a stolen Kia Rio with a punched ignition when he pulled up next to and blocked in the victim, who was seated in the driver’s seat of his parked vehicle. Two passengers exited the Kia Rio, one of whom pointed a handgun at the victim, and demanded the victim’s cell phone and car keys. The unarmed assailant returned to the Kia Rio and the gunman entered the victim’s car, before fleeing together in the same direction. The vehicles were quickly identified 15 minutes later by the MPD’s Violent Crime Robbery Suppression Unit’s police cruisers and overhead helicopter. Montgomery, who was driving the stolen Kia Rio, fled from police, crashing it in the 2500 block of Benning Road NE. He was apprehended after a brief foot chase. The carjacked vehicle was stopped in Maryland shortly thereafter. At the time the vehicle was stopped, it was being operated by a 13-year-old juvenile.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Gimenez.
Denver Man Sentenced to more than 19 Years’ Imprisonment for Narcotics ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced on April 3, 2024, Jesus Villanueva, 26, of Denver, Colorado, was sentenced in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, after having pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Villanueva to 235 months’ imprisonment. After completing his term of imprisonment, Villanueva will be required to serve a 5-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On March 4, 2023, a Seward County Deputy Sheriff conducted a traffic stop on a white 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe traveling eastbound, near mile marker 382 on Interstate-80. The driver of the Tahoe was identified as codefendant Fausto Antonio Castro-Mendoza. Jesus Villanueva was identified as the front seat passenger. During the course of the traffic stop, the Deputy observed a marijuana product and subsequently searched the Tahoe discovering 43 packages of meth weighing approximately 44 pounds, and 1 package of fentanyl pills weighing approximately 2 pounds.
During a post arrest interviews both Castro-Mendoza and Villanueva admitted transporting the meth and fentanyl pills from Denver, Colorado, to Omaha, Nebraska, and that each was being paid to do so.
Castro-Mendoza has pled guilty to the same narcotics charge and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Seward County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Dauphin County Man Charged with Stealing 13 Firearms from Licensed Firearms DealerRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Edwin Rojas Cordova, age 20, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of stealing firearms from a licensed dealer.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on December 27, 2022, Cordova stole 13 firearms from a licensed firearm dealer located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.
The case was investigated by the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph J. Terz is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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D.C. Woman Arrested on Carjacking ChargeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Auzsa Beatty, 28, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged with a carjacking that occurred on the evening of March 11, 2024, in Northeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.
Beatty made her initial appearance before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond, on March 21, 2024, where Judge Raymond found probable cause that Beatty committed the offense of carjacking and ordered that Beatty be held without bond pending trial. The United States is still investigating Beatty’s armed accomplice.
According to court documents, Beatty was a passenger in a car driven by her male accomplice. After her accomplice ran a stop sign and struck the victim’s vehicle, Beatty got out of the car. When the victim got out of his car, Beatty’s accomplice displayed a firearm, causing the victim to retreat from his door. Beatty then got in the driver’s seat of the victim’s vehicle and drove off. Police later recovered the car parked near Beatty’s home.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Charges are merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Convicted elderly sex offender heads to prison for next decadeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 74-year-old Kingwood resident has been sentenced for possessing and watching sexually explicit material involving minors over a web video meeting, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Stephen Philip Keller pleaded guilty Nov. 27, 2023, to one count of accessing with intent to view child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. At the time of the plea, the court heard that Keller is a repeat offender against minors. He was convicted in 2001 for criminal solicitation of a minor.
U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now ordered Keller to serve two 120- month prison terms concurrently for the accessing with intent to view and possession of child pornography convictions. Keller was further ordered to serve 15 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. Keller is also a registered sex offender and will continue to be so following his sentence.
In March 2021, Keller logged into in a web video meeting which included more than 20 minutes of child pornography videos. The investigation identified Keller as one of several participants in the meeting.
In February 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Keller’s residence. At that time, he admitted to participating in more than five web video meetings which involved the streaming of child pornography. Keller also admitted to receiving child pornography through encrypted messaging apps on his cellphone.
Authorities also conducted a forensic investigation and discovered several illicit images of minors on Keller’s phone.
Keller will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Bauman prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Five Years for Ammunition OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A previously convicted felon was sentenced on March 29, 2024, for illegally possessing ammunition in connection with a January shooting in a residential neighborhood of Everett.
Luis Rivera, 26, of Medford, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to five years in prison and three years of supervised release. In January 2024, Rivera pleaded guilty one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
On the afternoon of Jan. 2, 2022, three individuals fired over 20 shots in an Everett neighborhood, during which multiple houses were struck by stray bullets. Rivera was identified as one of the shooters. Rivera is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to prior convictions.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie; and Chelsea Police Chief Keith Houghton made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Hoefle of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A convicted felon with two prior federal drug distribution convictions pleaded guilty to fentanyl trafficking and faces up to 40 years in prison for his crime.
Antonio Whitehead, 36, of Macon, Georgia, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl before Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on April 3. Whitehead faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine. The sentencing and revocation hearing is June 5. The defendant is not eligible for parole.
“Fentanyl kills, pure and simple. Those who choose to traffic this deadly drug into our communities will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office will do everything we can to support our law enforcement partners’ efforts to rid our communities of fentanyl and make them safer for everyone.”
“Despite previous convictions, Whitehead continued to plague our communities with fentanyl, fueling the deadliest drug epidemic our country has ever seen,” said Robert Gibbs, Senior Supervisor Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “This conviction demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to work diligently along with our local and federal partners to investigate and remove the leaders of these drug trafficking operations from our streets.”
According to court documents, Whitehead was under supervised release for two prior federal drug distribution convictions in the Southern District of West Virginia when the car he was traveling in was stopped for multiple violations on Georgia Highway 401 by a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy conducting traffic enforcement on Feb. 20, 2023. The officer smelled drugs and the driver had a suspended license. In addition, both the driver and Whitehead, who was a passenger, made inconsistent statements. As backup arrived, and a probable search was being conducted on the vehicle, Whitehead ran to the driver’s seat and attempted to drive away. An officer shot out the rear tires of the vehicle to prevent a high-speed chase and the defendant was arrested. Inside the vehicle, officers located a suitcase which contained plastic bags filled with 207 grams of fentanyl, 554 grams of methamphetamine and 101 grams of cocaine. Whitehead also had several bags of marijuana and a bag of fentanyl on him. Whitehead told officers the driver had nothing to do with the found drugs.
The case was investigated by the Monroe County Sherriff’s Office and the FBI.
Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes is prosecuting the case for the Government with support from Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels.
Concord Resident Charged with Assaulting A DEA Officer with A Deadly Weapon and Other CrimesRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – A federal grand jury has charged two defendants with various crimes, including one defendant with extortion and assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), San Francisco Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp; IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley of the Oakland Field Office; and San Francisco Division Postal Inspector in Charge Rafael Nuñez.
The superseding indictment—which was returned by a federal grand jury on March 26, 2024, but unsealed today—charges Joel Dowen, 44, of Concord, California, with one count each of mailing threatening communications with intent to extort, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 876(b), and assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(b). The indictment also charges Micah-Luc Almeida, 45, of San Francisco, California, with one count of possession with intent to distribute 3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine, commonly known as MDA, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). And it charges Dowen and Almeida together with one count of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, or possess with intent to distribute MDA, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(C). Dowen had originally been indicted on one count of mailing threatening communications with intent to extort, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 876(b), on January 9, 2024.
“We will protect our federal law enforcement partners when someone harms or threatens them merely for doing their jobs,” said United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey. “The defendants here are charged with serious crimes, and I am proud of the work being done by this Office to bring them to justice and safeguard everyone in the Northern District of California, including those sworn to protect us all.”
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Dowen faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison on each of the three charges against him. Almeida faces the same statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each of the two charges on which he has been indicted. 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.
Dowen’s next court appearance is scheduled for May 3, 2024, before the Honorable Jon S. Tigar, United States District Judge for the Northern District of California. Dowen has been in federal custody since his arrest on January 17, 2024, and has been ordered detained pending trial. Almeida’s initial court appearance is scheduled for April 4, 2024, before the Honorable Kandis A. Westmore, United States Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of California.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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.
Assistant United States Attorney Dan Karmel is prosecuting these cases with the assistance of Sara Slattery and Andy Ding. These prosecutions are the result of an investigation by the DEA, FBI, CI, and United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; San Francisco Homeland Security Investigations; and United States Customs and Border Protection.
Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Lontre Jason Wise, 51, of Columbia, has pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute both crack cocaine and marijuana.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that the Columbia Police Department Organized Crime and Narcotics Unit received an anonymous complaint in reference to the sale of illegal narcotics at a residence located on House Street. The complainant stated there was constant foot and vehicle traffic at the residence, which people were only observed being at the residence for minutes at a time. Based on the information provided from the complainant, a confidential informant was sent to the residence on two different occasions to purchase marijuana. During both occasions, the confidential informant purchased the marijuana from Wise. Based on the complaint and controlled purchases, a search warrant was obtained for the residence.
Columbia Police Department officers executed the search warrant for the residence. During the search, the police located Wise and four others within the residence. Wise was immediately taken into custody on arrest warrants for the distribution of marijuana. Wise was searched and the police found a clear container containing crack cocaine on him.
During the search of the residence, a black book bag was located on the couch. The book bag was searched and contained a large clear plastic bag of marijuana. The police also found a 9mm handgun and a .38 caliber revolver in the book bag.
The police also located a safe underneath the couch with a black pouch inside of it. The pouch contained pieces of crack cocaine, Wise’s South Carolina driver’s license, social security card, debit card, and $3,430 in cash. Wise told the officers that the safe was his. There were multiple hand-rolled cigars containing marijuana found throughout the living room of the residence and a plate on the couch in the living room that also contained marijuana.
Wise faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $1,000,000 and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Wise after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia Police Department’s Organized Crime and Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.
###
Clay County Man Charged with ‘Stolen Valor’ and Benefits FraudRead the Press Release
BEMIDJI, Minn. – A Dilworth, Minnesota man has been charged in a scheme to defraud the United States Department of Veterans Affairs by falsely claiming to have been a decorated veteran, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, from 2015 through 2020, Mikhail Robin Wicker, 37, carried out a scheme to obtain benefits provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”) by fraudulently claiming himself to be a decorated veteran of the United States Marine Corps, and falsely claiming that he suffered from combat-related injuries that qualified him for disability and other financial benefits.
According to court documents, as part of the scheme, Wicker falsely claimed that he had served in the United States Marine Corps and that he had been a prisoner of war during deployment in Iraq in 2005. Wicker also claimed that he suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other injuries from an improvised explosive device attack while he served in Iraq. Wicker submitted forged and falsified documents in support of his benefits application to the VA including a fraudulent DD214 Certificate of Discharge, and a false document purporting to be a Purple Heart certificate. As a result, Wicker received more than $100,000 in veterans’ benefits which he was not entitled to because he had never served in the military.
Wicker is charged with one count of wire fraud, one count of false military discharge certificate, one count of fraudulent use of military medals, and one count of theft of government funds. Wicker made his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Jon T. Huseby.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Dilworth Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey E. Middlecamp and Hillary A. Taylor are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
wicker_indictment.pdf