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Monday 1 April 2024
Marion County Man Admits to Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jermel Matthew Williams, age 32, of Fairmont, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge.
Williams pled guilty to one count of making a false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, investigators uncovered that Williams, a known drug user, falsified forms to purchase firearms from a licensed dealer in Fairmont. Several of those guns later were discovered in crime investigations in California and Puerto Rico.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
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Man Sentenced to Prison for Distributing Fentanyl and Acetyl Fentanyl Causing DeathRead the Press Release
A man who faced his second sentencing in federal court in a case involving an overdose death was sentenced March 28, 2024, to 27 years in federal prison.
Kevin Lorenzo Perry, age 35, from Austell, Georgia, received the prison term after a September 12, 2023, guilty plea to distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death.
In a plea agreement, Perry admitted he supplied fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl to another person causing the death of that person on February 6, 2020. This death occurred in Independence, Iowa.
Perry was previously sentenced to 240 months in the Southern District of Iowa for another overdose death in case number 20-cr-58 that also occurred in 2020 in Iowa City, Iowa.
Perry was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Perry was sentenced to 324 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Judge Strand ordered that part of sentence in this case be run consecutive to the sentence in Southern District resulting in a total term of 32 years in federal prison.
Perry is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Independence Police Department, the Iowa City Police Department, and the Johnson County Drug Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-cr-2016.
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Man Sentenced to over 19 Years in Prison for Illicit Sexual Activity Involving a MinorRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On March 28, Stuart Leibov, 22, was sentenced to federal prison for his actions relating to the sexual abuse of a minor and child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Leibov was sentenced to 235 months imprisonment, to be followed by supervised release for life by U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith. Leibov previously pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
The FBI Miami, West Palm Beach Resident Agency investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Catherine Koontz prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-80185.
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Maine Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Straw Purchase FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Maine man pleaded guilty to conspiring to straw purchase firearms in Maine and traffic the firearms to Massachusetts.
Traveyon Richardson, 26, of Bangor, Maine pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to straw purchase firearms and one count of trafficking of firearms. Chief United States District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for July 10, 2024. Richardson along with his co-conspirator Breon Stroup were indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2023.
In September 2022, Stroup allegedly used Snapchat to ask Richardson to purchase two specific firearms for him in Maine, where Richardson resides. It is alleged that the following day, Stroup sent Richardson a Cash App money transfer and Richardson purchased the firearms online. Then, Richardson allegedly picked up the firearms from the federal firearm license dealer and drove the firearms to Massachusetts in October 2022.
It is further alleged that approximately two weeks later, in October 2022, Richardson and Stroup had a phone conversation where Stroup assured Richardson that he had deleted his Snapchat account. When Richardson allegedly inquired about Stroup’s iCloud account, Stroup responded that he had deleted his iCloud account also.
The charge of conspiracy to straw purchase firearms provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of trafficking of firearms provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Fall River Police Department and the Maine State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Sun and Timothy E. Moran of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lynn Man Pleads Guilty to Counterfeit Pill Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to participating in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that allegedly distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Lawrence M. Nagle Sr., 56, pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing Aug. 2, 2024. Nagle Sr. was among 23 individuals charged in October 2022.
According to court documents, the DTO distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, among other things, to various individuals in the Lynn area.
As part of the conspiracy, Nagle Sr. stored various controlled substances including counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit methamphetamine pills containing methamphetamine at his apartment on behalf of the DTO. A search of his apartment in October 2022 resulted in seizure of various quantities fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, as well as three loaded firearms and more than $26,000 in drug proceeds
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James E. Arnold and Evan D. Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lynn Man Charged with Sex Trafficking Three WomenRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man has been charged with allegedly trafficking three women to engage in commercial sex acts and transporting one of them to another state for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.
Anthony Coleman, 34, was indicted on three counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and one count of transporting a person for purposes of prostitution. He was arrested on March 29, 2024, and will appear in federal court in Boston at 11:30 a.m. before Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley.
“The indictment alleges that Mr. Coleman chose to prey on women who were struggling with employment and housing when the Covid-19 pandemic hit in March 2020. He allegedly forced these women to sell their bodies, took their money and violently assaulted them to make sure they obeyed his commands,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Human trafficking is abhorrent whenever it occurs and it is typically the product of exploiting a victim’s vulnerability, in this case the onset of a pandemic. Mr. Coleman now faces real consequences for his alleged conduct and his victims will finally be free of his torment.”
“Anthony Coleman is accused of staggering violence and cruelty against women he trafficked and forced into commercial sex. In a pattern we see over and over with human traffickers, Coleman allegedly targeted women in need and offered them security only to use violence and threats to control their money and their bodies. These cases are complex and can only be worked in close collaboration with our partners in law enforcement and victims support services who share our commitment to holding these human traffickers to account and working towards a life of dignity for survivors,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England.
According to the indictment, Coleman targeted victims who had lost their jobs or homes during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns in March through August of 2020. It is alleged that Coleman had his victims move with him into a house in Lawrence, posted or controlled online commercial sex advertisements for them, provided them scripts to negotiate payment and terms with commercial sex buyers and transported his victims to hotels and other places to engage in commercial sex – requiring them to give him all the money they made. It is further alleged that Coleman also regularly coerced and forced his victims to have sex with him.
Specifically, in March 2020, Coleman allegedly recruited one victim who had lost her job due to the pandemic. It is alleged that the victim would sometimes serve up to 10-16 clients per day, with Coleman taking all the profits. Coleman allegedly took the victim to Florida on multiple occasions and had her engage in commercial sex in Florida. It is further alleged that Coleman physically abused the victim – one time holding the victim underwater and threatening to drown her and another time requiring the victim to walk outside naked on broken glass when she disobeyed him. On one occasion, Coleman allegedly threw the victim against a wall, causing her to become concussed. On another occasion, Coleman allegedly threw a phone at the victim’s face, causing a visible injury to her eye.
According to the indictment, around March and April 2020, Coleman recruited a second victim, convincing her to come live with him after she was kicked out of her home by a relative following their disagreements around COVID-19 safety practices. This victim was unable to get a job because many businesses were closed due to COVID-19. It is alleged that the victim began engaging in commercial sex for Coleman and, when she wanted to leave Coleman threatened her – telling her that if she left, he would hurt her mother and her sibling.
It is further alleged that Coleman recruited a third victim who was homeless in the summer of 2020. The victim allegedly engaged in commercial sex and after a few days, was required to give Coleman all the money she earned. It is alleged that when the victim did something Coleman did not like or refused to engage in commercial sex, Coleman would physically and verbally assault her. On one occasion, Coleman allegedly hit the victim in the face with an open hand. Another time, Coleman allegedly struck the victim in the face, pulled her hair, strangled her and threw her to the ground.
Members of the public who believe they may be a victim of this alleged crime should contact [email protected]. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please visit https://polarisproject.org/ for information and resources.
The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of transportation of an individual for purposes of prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and HSI SAC Krol made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Revere and Cambridge Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings of the Civil Rights and Human Trafficking Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Louisiana Department of Education to Pay $1.26 Million to Resolve Civil Liability in Connection with Hurricane Disaster Assistance PaymentsRead the Press Release
The Louisiana Department of Education (LDE) has agreed to pay the United States $1,262,614.01 to resolve allegations that it received excess payments from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the replacement of an educational facility in Louisiana that was damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
The settlement resolves allegations that, from August 2005 to December 2016, LDE received certain payments from FEMA for the replacement of a school facility damaged by Hurricane Katrina based on erroneous information. Under FEMA’s Public Assistance Program, eligible applicants are entitled either to receive repair costs or, if repair costs exceed 50% of replacement costs, receive replacement costs for a facility damaged by a disaster. According to the allegations in the government’s complaint, LDE received FEMA Public Assistance Program funds to replace the Florence J. Chester Elementary School Cafeteria Building (Chester Cafeteria Building) based on erroneous information prepared, reviewed and submitted to FEMA by a government contractor. Relying on the erroneous application for funds, FEMA obligated funding to replace the Chester Cafeteria Building even though LDE was entitled only to repair funds under the applicable FEMA rules.
“FEMA provides critical financial support to help communities recover from disasters,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates the department’s commitment to protecting the integrity of such funds and ensuring that they are disbursed in accordance with program requirements.”
“DHS-OIG along with our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate and help recover overpayments from FEMA’s disaster relief fund,” said Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). “Today’s agreement reflects our collective commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars.”
The United States has now recovered more than $26 million in connection with the disaster assistance applications for educational facilities submitted to FEMA following Hurricane Katrina. The United States previously settled with AECOM Inc., Xavier University of Louisiana and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans with respect to their alleged role in the submission of false certifications for FEMA funding prepared by AECOM. The settlement with LDE resolves allegations made by the government in a lawsuit that was originally filed against AECOM and other parties, captioned United States ex rel. Robert Romero v. AECOM Inc., et al., No. 16-cv-15092 (EDLA.), to which the United States added LDE as a defendant in 2020.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, with assistance from FEMA’s Office of Chief Counsel. Investigative support was provided by DHS-OIG, through its Major Fraud and Corruption Unit and New Orleans Resident Office.
Trial Attorneys Laura Hill, Richard Hagner, Gavin Thole and Robin Overby of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Mimi Nguyen for the Eastern District of Louisiana and Charles Schexnaildre of FEMA’s Office of Chief Counsel handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
SettlementLocal man heads to prison for stealing checks from the mailRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 44-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Rhett Dean Stringer pleaded guilty Feb. 15, 2022.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks has now ordered Stringer to serve 105 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,475 to Amegy Bank and $6,515.27 to Wells Fargo. At the hearing, the court heard evidence detailing Springer’s nine previous felony convictions. In handing down the sentence, Judge Hanks noted Stringer’s sentence is based on the actions of the person he has been, not the person he can be.
“Stringer, a serial mail thief and habitual criminal, possessed over 1,000 stolen checks,” said Hamdani. “One hundred and five months in a federal prison is wholly appropriate for the thousand times he decided to steal from the mail, violating an important and sacred trust, one as old as America - a trust in the U.S. mails.”
Law enforcement arrested Stringer on three different occasions. Each time, he was found in possession of checks that were stolen from the mail. Authorities also found counterfeit ID cards with the names and personal information of others, with Stringer’s photo, as well as credit cards in the names of others and various items of stolen mail.
At the time of his last arrest, Springer was found in possession of over 1,000 checks totaling more than $2.6 million that had been stolen from the U.S. mail. The checks he cashed totaled nearly $8,000.
U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman prosecuted the case.
Lexington Man Sentenced to 47 Years for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Chase Russell Downey, 36, was sentenced on Friday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, to 47 years in prison, for drug trafficking and firearms offenses.
Following a jury trial in October 2023, Downey was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, possession of firearms by a convicted felon, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to testimony at trial, Downey was selling kilogram quantities of cocaine in Lexington. Downey had a residence in Mexico, that he used as a base of operation in Mexico; he had a residence in Houston, Texas; and he had a residence where he stayed in Lexington. The evidence established that law enforcement conducted surveillance and encountered Downey, on several occasions. Then, on December 12, 2022, law enforcement observed Downey leaving a residence in Lexington, while carrying two large plastic bags, and going to potential meet locations, where he would then distribute cocaine. Ultimately, Downey was arrested, and a search warrant was executed on the Lexington residence. There a large amount of cocaine, other drugs, numerous loaded firearms, and $70,000 in drug trafficking proceeds were seized.
Additional investigation determined that Downey made at least fourteen trips to Mexico during the relevant period. Downey also had prior felony convictions and was on supervised release for at least one federal felony conviction at the time of the commission of these offenses.
Under federal law, Downey must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office; Erek Davodowich, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA Louisville Field Division; Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police (KSP); and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, DEA, KSP, and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger West is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Jury Finds Serial Bank Robber Guilty of 2023 Bank Robbery Following Two-Day Federal TrialRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. —John Henry Stack, 76, of Myrtle Beach, was convicted of bank robbery following a two-day jury trial in federal court. Stack was on supervised release from previous federal bank robbery convictions.
Evidence presented by the Government at trial established that just before 1 p.m. on March 10, 2023, Stack entered the Anderson Brothers Bank in Aynor, placed a pillowcase on the teller’s counter, and pulled from his pocket a long-handled lighter. Stack concealed the lighter under his hand to look like a gun, pointed it at the teller, and demanded money. When the teller complied, placing $2,130 in cash in the pillowcase, Stack took the pillowcase of money and left the bank. Just before entering the bank, Stack changed clothes, placing a blue medical scrub shirt over his black jacket. He also wore a winter hat, sunglasses, and a medical-style mask during the robbery.
In the hours following the robbery, local, state, and federal law enforcement worked together to identify and apprehend the robber. Law enforcement identified the vehicle the robber drove to and from the robbery as a Ford Focus with significant passenger side damage. About 10 p.m. on March 10, an officer with Myrtle Beach Police Department stopped the Focus. Stack was driving the car, and officers found a parking hang tag for a nearby hotel hanging from the car’s rearview mirror. Records at the hotel showed Stack had rented a room that afternoon and paid in cash.
Law enforcement searched the Focus and the hotel room and found clothing consistent with that worn by Stack during the robbery, including a blue medical scrub shirt, pillowcases like the one Stack placed on the teller’s counter, a bag that contained Stack’s medications and $765 in cash, and a red long-handled lighter.
Following the stop on the Ford, Stack confessed to law enforcement that he robbed the bank. He detailed for them how he robbed the bank, what he wore while robbing the bank, and explained that he concealed the lighter under his hand to make it look like a gun and “fake out” the teller, so that she would hand over the money.
Stack previously served time in federal prison for multiple bank robberies in South Carolina and North Carolina. He was released in 2022.
More than 90 exhibits were entered into evidence during the trial, and 10 witnesses testified. The jury convicted Stack of bank robbery.
“When given the opportunity to return to society, this defendant went back to the dangerous crimes that put him in prison in the first place.” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “We will continue to pursue those that pose a threat to our community.”
“Violent crime erodes the safety of our citizens and security of our society,” said Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “This guilty verdict is truly the culmination of the diligent investigative efforts by local, state, and federal law enforcement, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office. We remain committed to working tirelessly to prevent and address crime and upholding the rule of law.”
“This was truly a team effort,” said SLED Chief Mark Keel. “Law enforcement coordination and cooperation on all levels is vital to solving crimes and holding offenders accountable.”
Senior United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie presided over the trial and will sentence Stack after receiving and reviewing a pre-sentence report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. Judge Currie will also sentence Stack for violating his supervised release. Stack faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, and a fine of $250,000 on the 2023 bank robbery. Stack faces additional time in prison for violating his supervised release.
The case was investigated by Aynor Police Department, Myrtle Beach Police Department, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Flynn and Lauren Hummel prosecuted the case.
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Iowa Nurse Sentenced to Federal Prison after Stealing Pain Medication from at Least 50 New Mothers at Waterloo HospitalRead the Press Release
An Iowa nurse who stole pain medication from at least 50 new mothers at a Waterloo hospital was sentenced on March 27, 2024, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Christina Eileen Olson, formerly known as Christina Eileen Hovey, age 43, of Waterloo, received the prison term after pleading guilty on October 12, 2023, to one count of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge, one count of adulteration and misbranding with intent to defraud and mislead, and one count of false statements relating to health care matters.
At the plea hearing, and in a plea agreement, Olson admitted that the State of Iowa granted her a nursing license in 2004. In 2017, a Waterloo hospital hired Olson to work as a nurse in its labor and delivery unit. Olson was responsible for caring for late-term pregnant women, women in active labor, and post-partum women, including women recovering from recent Caesarean section (“c-section”) surgery. Obstetricians prescribed these women Schedule II narcotics, including hydromorphone, oxycodone, and fentanyl, in order to control physical pain associated with the birthing process.
From no later than January 2022, to at least March 25, 2022, Olson used her nursing license to gain access to controlled substances in the hospital’s labor and delivery unit. Instead of administering the controlled substances to the women in pain, Olson diverted the controlled substances to herself for her own illicit drug use. Olson admitted she stole narcotics from no less than 50 victims. In order to cover up her crimes, Olson used a variety of fraudulent means, including falsely documenting that she had administered pain medication to new mothers when she had not done so. Olson also admitted to tampering with pain medication—replacing fentanyl inside a vial with saline and diverting the narcotic for her own use.
For example, on March 25, 2022, Olson was supposed to care for three new mothers and their babies during her shift from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m. One of Olson’s victims, known in court documents as “Mother-1,” had given birth via c-section on March 23, 2022, in a high-risk pregnancy. In addition to caring for Mother-1, it was Olson’s responsibility to come into Mother-1’s room and document how much the baby was eating every hour, as this is important to ensure the health of a newborn. Instead of caring for Mother-1 and her baby, however, Olson never came into the room or checked on Mother-1 or her baby or administered pain medication to Mother-1 on March 25, 2023, even though Olson documented in the hospital’s records that she was administering pain medication to Mother-1. Rather, Olson diverted the pain medication to her own use.
As a result of Olson’s crimes, Mother-1 suffered “horrible and excruciating pain” on March 25, 2023. Further, because Olson had created false health care records documenting that she had administered the pain medication to Mother-1, the next nurse on shift declined to give pain medication to Mother-1 for at least 30 additional minutes in order to ensure Mother-1 was not feigning her need for narcotics. And despite repeated requests by Mother-1’s husband for formula, Mother-1’s newborn did not receive any formula until the end of Olson’s shift.
Another c-section patient, Mother-2, did not speak fluent English. Olson stole needed pain medications from Mother-2, as well. Mother-2’s husband made multiple complaints to the hospital about Mother-2’s pain to no avail.
The next day, March 26, 2023, Olson was again working first shift at the hospital. During this shift, the hospital drug tested Olson. The drug test was positive for opiates (oxycodone and hydromorphone) and marijuana. Another nurse then found an open fentanyl vial, an open ephedrine vial, and an epidural bag in another new mother’s room. The hospital’s records revealed that Olson had removed these three items under the new mother’s name despite the fact there were no such orders for her. The fentanyl vial had puncture marks on the top and bottom stopper surfaces, and laboratory results later revealed that nearly all the fentanyl in the vial had been replaced with saline.
Olson admitted that she routinely drank alcohol and used marijuana while working at the Waterloo hospital. In order to pass a drug test at the hospital, Olson injected another person’s urine into her bladder. In September 2021, after receiving reports that Olson was disappearing from her shift for extended periods of time, the hospital’s director referred Olson to an employee assistance program. On September 9, 2021, however, Olson took a leave of absence from the hospital for about three months after she was arrested for drunk driving. Olson’s blood alcohol level at the time of her arrest was no less than .274.
In July 2022, Olson entered into a settlement agreement with the Iowa Board of Nursing under which she agreed to voluntarily surrender her nursing license for one year. As a part of her plea agreement, Olson has now forfeited her nursing license to the United States.
“Ms. Hovey callously stole pain medications from over 50 new mothers, subjecting them to additional suffering during their procedures,” said United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax. “Our office is committed to protecting new mothers, and all medical patients, from such violations of trust by prosecuting health care employees who prey on their patients.”
“Patients rely on the knowledge that they will receive FDA-approved medications to manage their pain,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Grinstead, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice healthcare professionals who jeopardize patients’ health by interfering with their pain medications.”
Olson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Olson was sentenced to one year and one day of imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Inspector General, and the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-2055.
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Indy Man Sentenced to over 28 Years in Federal Prison for Molesting and Exploiting 12-Year-Old Boy While BabysittingRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Ronald May, 54, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 340 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child.
According to court documents, the victim was a twelve-year old boy living with his mother in Indianapolis. In the spring of 2023, Ronald May and the mother worked at the same company. The mother was a store manager, and her duties occasionally required her to work overnight shifts. May volunteered to babysit her son while she was at work overnight.
Beginning on March 5, 2023, and continuing until April 28, 2023, May purchased items for the child, “wrestled” with him, required him to sleep in May’s bed together nude, showed the boy adult pornography, and discussed sexual activity with the child. Individuals with a sexual interest in children engage in these behaviors, often referred to as “grooming,” to build trusting relationships with potential victims and lower their defenses to sexual exploitation by adults.
May sexually assaulted the boy during the forced “wrestling” sessions. May also used his cellphone to take at least 39 sexually explicit images of the child.
On April 23, 2023, the mother discovered the abuse and reported May to police. After the police searched his home, May began to harass the mother by constantly calling and sending her text messages. May also drove by the mother’s home after the search and sent threatening messages including, “u can’t hide I know where u live.”
“This criminal’s actions are every parent’s nightmare. Every day, children are horrifically abused by predators like this defendant, who work insidiously to build trust—while hiding the worst of intentions,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The exploitation of our children is utterly unacceptable in a civilized society, and pedophiles like this one will be held accountable for their crimes. Thanks to the hard work of investigators and prosecutors, this man will never harm another child.”
The U.S. Secret Service and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Chief Judge Pratt ordered that May be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 20 years following his release from federal prison and pay $10,000 in restitution to the child victim.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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.
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Indiana Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Traffic Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Columbus, Ind. man, Raymond Anderson, 40, was sentenced last week, by U.S. District Court Judge David Bunning, to 132 months in prison, for his part in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving over 5,000 fentanyl pills that were pressed to appear as oxycodone pills.
According to his plea agreement, between June 5 and June 8, 2023, Raymond Anderson conspired with Dominic Anderson, his cousin and co-defendant, and others to possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of a mixture of substance containing fentanyl. On June 7, 2023, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) intercepted a package that contained over 5,000 fentanyl pills before it could be delivered to a residence in Erlanger. The next day law enforcement conducted a controlled delivery of the package to that residence. David Bradford, another co-defendant, and Dominic Anderson were arrested after each attempted to take possession of the package. Evidence revealed that Raymond Anderson had also been conspiring with Dominic Anderson, and others, to receive the package for subsequent distribution of the drugs inside.
Dominic Anderson was previously sentenced to 170 months in prison. Bradford was previously sentenced to 60 months.
Under federal law, Bradford and each of the Andersons must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon their release from prison, the Andersons will each be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Bradford will be supervised for six years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Lesley Allison, Special Agent in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pittsburgh Field Division; and Erek Davodowich, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The Investigation was conducted by the USPIS, NKDSF, and DEA. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Spievack is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Indiana Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Illegal Firearm Possession Following Inver Grove Heights Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Indiana man has been sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegal possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on December 22, 2022, two men wearing masks entered a bank in Inver Grove Heights, zip-tied two bank employees, and stole nearly $80,000 in cash. The investigation into the bank robbery led law enforcement to execute search warrants on January 11, 2023, during which law enforcement searched Deundrick Damon McIntosh, 45, and a residence at which he had stored some of his belongings. On McIntosh’s person, law enforcement found money with serial numbers matching cash from the bank robbery. Inside the residence was McIntosh’s gun with an extended magazine, along with additional bait bills stolen from the bank.
Because McIntosh has prior felony convictions, including bank robbery and domestic assault, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
On November 13, 2023, McIntosh pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a felon. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John R. Tunheim.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Inver Grove Heights Police Department, and the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Middlecamp prosecuted the case.
Huntington Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Laura Leigh Jones, 32, of Huntington, was sentenced today to two years and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 5 2023, Jones sold approximately 1 ounce of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at her Richmond Street residence. Jones admitted to arranging the transaction beforehand. Jones further admitted to selling quantities of methamphetamine to the informant on two other occasions in May 2023.
On May 11, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Jones’ residence and seized quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, a Tauris PT22 .22-caliber pistol, and .22-caliber ammunition. Jones admitted to the officers that she had been involved in the distribution of drugs within the Southern District of West Virginia and possessed the seized firearm for protection following the theft of fentanyl from her.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-82.
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tykeith Diemell Martin, 22, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 14, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Huntington residence where Martin was staying. Officers found approximately 37 grams of heroin, an SCCY 9mm pistol and 9mm ammunition. Martin admitted that he possessed the heroin and firearm and that he intended to distribute the heroin.
Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-150.
Honduran National Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry of Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CARLOS ROBERTO LINARES-MENDEZ (LINARES-MENDEZ), age 44, a native of Honduras, was indicted on March 22, 2024, for illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8 United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the indictment, LINARES-MENDEZ reentered the United States illegally after being previously deported on July 25, 2018. If convicted, LINARES-MENDEZ faces up to 2 years imprisonment, up to 1 year of supervised release, up to a $250,00 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Grant Administrator to Pay $500,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Investigation Involving Misuse of Federal Funds Intended for Combating Youth Substance AbuseRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Victoria Shaw, of Mahwah, New Jersey, the owner of Suffern, New York-based Wellcore, Inc., has agreed to pay $500,000 for her role in a scheme whereby she and a former Wellcore official forged signatures of community leaders on federal grant applications and then diverted for personal use federal funds intended to combat youth substance use, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman.
“Protecting taxpayer dollars from fraud and abuse is one of my top priorities,” said United States Attorney Freedman. “Under the False Claims Act, Victoria Shaw paid far more in damages and penalties than she misappropriated, showing the important deterrent effect that this law can have in combatting fraud on federal programs.”
Wellcore is a not-for-profit corporation that secures and administers Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program grants. DFC is a grant program that provides resources to community coalitions to prevent youth substance use. A “community coalition” consists of community leaders representing twelve sectors that organize to meet the local prevention needs of the youth and families in their communities. As part of the DFC grant-application process, applicants must submit to the federal government copies of signed agreements with representatives from each sector reflecting that the individual has agreed to represent their sector for purposes of the grant.
As part of the settlement agreement, Shaw admitted to the following:
In 2009, Wellcore applied to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for a DFC grant on behalf of the South Orangetown Community Awareness of Substance Abuse (SOCASA) coalition. Wellcore forged signatures of sector representatives and addended them to SOCASA’s application, including signatures of a local business owner (using the wrong first name), a physician (using the wrong spelling of the last name), and a school principal. Wellcore then submitted or caused the application to be submitted to the government, with the forgeries, to provide the false impression that each purported signatory had agreed to serve as a sector representative for SOCASA. SOCASA received the DFC grant in 2009, which Wellcore administered for SOCASA. Wellcore renewed the DFC grant on SOCASA’s behalf in 2011, 2013, and 2015.
In 2015, Wellcore applied to SAMHSA for a DFC grant on behalf of Suffern United Coalition Against Substance Abuse (SUCASA). Wellcore forged signatures of sector representatives and addended them to SUCASA’s application, including signatures of a law-enforcement official, a physician, and a school guidance counselor. Wellcore then submitted or caused the application to be submitted to the government, with the forgeries, to provide the false impression that each purported signatory had agreed to serve as a sector representative for SUCASA. SUCASA received the DFC grant in 2015, which Wellcore administered for SUCASA.
Wellcore officials also misappropriated funds from the SUCASA and SOCASA grants for unallowable costs. For example, Shaw admitted that she used SOCASA grant funds to pay $15,000 to a criminal-defense attorney to represent a family member in a personal matter and that she spent thousands of dollars of DFC grant funds to pay for gym memberships for herself and for her immediate family members. Shaw also provided evidence that an individual who was previously affiliated with Wellcore misappropriated DFC grant funds while so affiliated. Shaw provided examples of how this individual misappropriated DFC grant funds, including by spending such funds to purchase home furnishings, to pay for their child’s day camp expenses, to pay for their child’s birthday party, to pay a contractor to do home-improvement work, to pay for personal travel, and to pay for their swim club membership.
Wellcore officials had access to SOCASA and SUCASA grant funds and spent some such funds in the Northern District of New York, including for meals at several restaurants in Albany.
“This is an egregious example of misappropriating federal grant funds for personal use,” said Special Agent in Charge Naomi D. Gruchacz of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to preserve the integrity of HHS programs.”
The investigation and settlement were the result of a coordinated effort between the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York and HHS-OIG. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Katz.
Forty-One Individuals Charged in Massive Poly-Drug Indictment Linked to CartelRead the Press Release
A total of 23 people were taken into custody following the return of a 50-count indictment alleging cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and meth trafficking and related crimes in the Houston and Galveston areas.
The indictment alleges they all operated under the overall control of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
From Dec. 28, 2018, to April 22, 2020, the conspirators allegedly operated and distributed drugs smuggled into the United States from Mexico. The leader of one of these groups, Roque Zamudio-Mendoza, 52, of Mexico, was the main source of drugs smuggled into the United States, according to the charges. Other co-conspirators allegedly distributed the narcotics in the Houston and Galveston, Texas, areas to other locations throughout the United States, including New Orleans; Pensacola, Florida; Atlanta; Nashville, Tennessee; and Chicago.
“Countless American lives have been lost because of the Jalisco and Sinaloa Cartels,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Over the past three years, the Justice Department has zeroed in on these cartels, and with these arrests of dozens of Jalisco Cartel associates, we are taking yet another step in our fight to dismantle these deadly organizations.”
“The fentanyl threat to America constitutes a public health, public safety, and national security threat, and it’s primarily fueled by Mexican drug trafficking organizations, including the prominent and deadly Jalisco cartel,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “The charges and arrests announced today target every element of the Jalisco cartel’s trafficking network, reflecting the Justice Department’s urgent and relentless battle, along with our Mexican partners, to dismantle all aspects of the illicit fentanyl supply chain.”
“DEA’s number one operational priority is to save lives by defeating the Mexican drug cartels responsible for the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced. The Jalisco Cartel’s drugs and violence threaten the health and safety of Americans everywhere,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “The DEA will continue to target and defeat the cartels’ U.S. distributors, like the Zamudio-Mendoza organization, which fuel drug poisonings and violent crimes across our communities. This DEA-led investigation has saved lives in Texas, and across the country, by disrupting their operations and seizing their deadly drugs, cash and assets.”
“I want to commend our U.S. Marshal Service personnel and partners for their roles in this vital operation to dismantle a network that supplied dangerous drugs to communities in south Texas on behalf of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel,” said U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Director Ronald L. Davis. “This is just one example of the significant work we can accomplish together to confront one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in Mexico.”
“CJNG is known as one of the most powerful and dangerous criminal organizations in Mexico, characterized by a business model that involves extreme violence and trafficking in the most deadly of substances — cocaine, heroin, meth, and fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas. “This massive indictment demonstrates our tireless efforts to protect our communities against this cartel’s ruthless pursuit of profit which has come at the cost of countless young lives.”
During the law enforcement operation that spanned multiple jurisdictions to include the Houston, Arlington, Corpus Christi, Brownsville and McAllen areas in Texas as well as Louisiana, Colorado, Washington, and California, authorities arrested a total of 20 people. They join three individuals who were previously in custody. Two are now deceased. Zamudio-Mendoza, who is believed to be in Mexico, and 15 others are still at large, and warrants remain outstanding for their arrests.
The indictment, returned Dec. 14, 2023, also seeks forfeiture of any illegal proceeds of the alleged crimes, estimated at $10 million. To date, records indicate authorities have seized approximately 550 kilograms of meth, 249 kilograms of cocaine, 34 kilograms of heroin, five kilograms of pentobarbital, and 22,600 fentanyl-laced pills. As part of the arrests, they also allegedly found nine firearms and several luxury Rolex watches and large amounts of U.S. currency to include $190,000 seized during a traffic stop in Porter.
All are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and meth and face up to life in prison. Each is also charged in varying counts to include conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, laundering of monetary instruments, possession with intent to distribute meth, heroin, fentanyl, and/or cocaine.
Some of the defendants have already made their appearances in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Edison. Others are set for April 2 at 10 a.m. in Galveston or April 3 at either 11 a.m. or 2 p.m in Houston.
DEA and USMS investigated the case, with assistance from the Houston Police Department, Galveston Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Cusick and Rick Hanes for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The arrests are the culmination of a 63-month Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation (OCDETF) dubbed Operation Rainmaker that began in 2019. 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 on the Justice Department’s OCDETF webpage.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Purchase of FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who illegally purchased a firearm pled guilty April 1, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City.
Hunter Collier, 22, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was convicted of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
At the plea hearing, Collier admitted to purchasing a.380 ACP pistol in July of 2022, from The Iowa Outdoor Store, in Fort Dodge. At the time of purchase, Collier represented he was purchasing the firearm for himself, when in fact he was purchasing the firearm for another. Collier purchased an additional firearm for this same individual from JT Guns & Supply in Des Moines, Iowa.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Collier remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing. Collier faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Webster County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-3035. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Former Hospital Administrator Pleads Guilty in Identity Theft Scheme That Spanned Three DecadesRead the Press Release
A former Iowa hospital administrator who lived under a false identity for more than 30 years and caused the false imprisonment of his victim pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Matthew David Keirans, age 58, from Hartland, Wisconsin, was convicted of one count of false statement to a national credit union administration insured institution and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Evidence presented at hearings in the case established that Keirans and his identity theft victim worked together at a hotdog cart in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the late 1980s. Keirans assumed the victim’s identity and, for the next three decades, used that identity in every aspect of his life. Keirans obtained several false documents in the victim’s name, including a Kentucky birth certificate.
In 2013, Keirans obtained employment as a high-level administrator in an Iowa City hospital. Keirans provided the hospital with false identification documents during the hiring process, including a fictitious I-9 form, social security number, date of birth, and other identification documents in his victim’s name. After getting hired, Keirans worked for the hospital remotely from his residence in Wisconsin. Keirans’ access to, and roles in, the system architecture of the hospital’s computer infrastructure were “the highest it could be,” and Keirans “was the key administrator of critical systems.”
Between August 2016 and May 2022, Keirans repeatedly obtained vehicle and personal loans from two credit unions in the Northern District of Iowa using the victim’s name, social security number, and date of birth. Keirans obtained eight loans with a total value of over $200,000 from the credit unions.
Keirans also maintained deposits at a national bank. In 2019, the victim, who was homeless at the time, entered the branch of the national bank in Los Angeles, California, and told a branch manager that he had recently discovered that someone was using his credit and had accumulated large amounts of debt. The victim stated that he did not want to pay the debt and wished to close his accounts at the bank. The victim presented the bank with his true social security card, as well as an authentic State of California identification card. Due to the large amount of currency in the accounts, the branch manager asked the victim a series of security questions, which the victim was unable to answer. The national bank then called the Los Angeles Police Department (“LAPD”).
LAPD officers spoke with Keirans on the telephone, who stated he lived in Wisconsin and did not give anyone in California permission to access his bank accounts. After faxing the LAPD a series of phony identification documents, the LAPD arrested Keirans’ victim on two felony charges. The victim was charged in Keirans’ name and held without bail at the Los Angeles County Jail.
In the ensuing months, Keirans contacted the LAPD and Los Angeles District Attorney (LADA) numerous times requesting updates on the victim’s prosecution. Meanwhile, Keirans’ victim continued to assert throughout the California criminal proceedings that he was not Keirans. A California state court judge ultimately found Keirans’ victim was not mentally competent to stand trial and ordered Keirans’ victim to a California mental hospital. The California state court also ordered Keirans’ victim to receive psychotropic medication.
In March 2021, Keirans’ victim pled “no contest” to the two felony charges in exchange for a “time-served” sentence and immediate release from custody. In total, Keirans’ victim spent 428 days in county jail and 147 days in the mental hospital as a result of Keirans’ false reports to the LAPD and LADA. The state court also ordered Keirans’ victim to “use only their true name, Matthew Keirans” in the future.
After his release from jail and hospital, Keirans’ victim made numerous attempts to regain his identity. For his part, Keirans continued to make false reports and statements to law enforcement officials in Wisconsin and California.
In January 2023, after learning where Keirans was employed, the victim contacted the Iowa City hospital’s security department about Keirans. The hospital referred Keirans’ complaint to a local law enforcement agency, which assigned an experienced detective to investigate the victim’s complaint. The detective conducted an investigation and, over the course of the ensuing months, unraveled Keirans’ identity theft scheme. Among other things, the detective obtained DNA evidence that conclusively proved that Keirans was not the son of an elderly man in Kentucky, as Keirans had claimed, but that Keirans’ victim was the man’s son.
During an interview with the detective in July 2023, Keirans initially insisted that the victim was “crazy” and “needed help and should be locked up.” When the detective presented Keirans with the results of the DNA testing, however, Keirans confessed to the three-decade identity theft scheme. Keirans also admitted to providing fraudulent documents to authorities in Los Angeles from his residence in Wisconsin to aid in the arrest, prosecution, and incarceration of the victim.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Keirans remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Keirans faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 2 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 32 years’ imprisonment, a $1.25 million fine, and five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the University of Iowa Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-1020.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Drug Dealer Accused of Attempting to Sell over 124,000 Blue Pills Containing Fentanyl is IndictedRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A foreign national living in Utah will appear before a U.S. Magistrate Judge today after he was indicted March 27, 2024, by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City for federal crimes, including possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
According to court documents, Gustavo Flores-Hernandez, 31, of Salt Lake City, was under investigation for allegedly distributing a controlled substance throughout Salt Lake County, Utah. On March 21, 2024, detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC) executed a search warrant at an apartment in Salt Lake City. During the search, detectives found approximately 12,404 grams (124,044 pills) of blue pills that field-tested positive for the presence of fentanyl. Upon completion of the search, a man later identified as Flores-Hernandez, entered the apartment and was arrested. Flores-Hernandez possessed approximately $9,000 cash and 50 grams (500 pills) of blue pills that field-tested positive for the presence of fentanyl.
Flores-Hernandez is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and reentry of a previously removed alien. His initial court appearance on the indictment is April 1, 2024, at 2:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by a task force officer with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force, the American Fork Police Department and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Special Assistant United States Peter Reichman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
California Man and Utah Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking in IdahoRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Hank David Langley, 42, of Visalia, California, and Thomas Joel Schooley, 39, of Hyrum, Utah, were sentenced to 11-and-a-half years and eight years in federal prison, respectively, for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl in eastern Idaho, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
Langley and Schooley were indicted by a federal grand jury on methamphetamine trafficking charges in March 2023. According to court records, detectives with the HIDTA BADGES Task Force learned that Langley was bringing large amounts of illegal controlled substances into eastern Idaho from California. In January 2023, investigators intercepted a package sent through the U.S. Postal Service that contained 1,000 grams of methamphetamine. The package was addressed to Langley. Later the same month, Langley was arrested after a traffic stop in Pocatello. A pound and a half of methamphetamine, over 1,000 fentanyl pills, and a firearm were found in the car. Another firearm was later found in Langley’s hotel room as part of the investigation.
Based on information obtained during the investigation, detectives identified Schooley as Langley’s drug trafficking partner. On January 31, 2023, officers arrested Schooley after a traffic stop in Pocatello. Eighty grams of methamphetamine were seized during his arrest.
Langley entered a guilty plea to the charges on September 14, 2023. He was sentenced on January 16, 2024, by Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye to 140 months (11.5 years) in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
Schooley entered a guilty plea to the charges on October 16, 2023. He was sentenced on March 27, 2024, by Judge Nye to 97 months (8 years) in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
“Drug traffickers looking for a safe-harbor in Idaho should think again or be prepared to face the same consequences as the defendants in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Idaho enjoys stellar partnerships between federal and local law enforcement and, together, we will continue to target and remove dangerous drug dealers from our communities.”
“Drug traffickers such as Mr. Langley and Mr. Schooley prey on our communities peddling poison like methamphetamine and fentanyl,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The lengthy sentences in this case show the seriousness with which the Drug Enforcement Administration, our law enforcement partners, and the judicial system take this threat. If you deal drugs in Idaho, you will pay the price.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigations by the Bannock County Sheriff's Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Idaho State Police, and the Pocatello Police Department, which participated as part of the HIDTA BADGES Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blythe H. McLane prosecuted the case.
The BADGES Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that focuses primarily on drug trafficking crimes in Bannock County and throughout the region.
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Bismarck Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
BISMARCK – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that on April 1, 2024, Stacey Tyrone Fasthorse, age 33, from Bismarck, North Dakota, appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Daniel M. Traynor and pleded guilty to one count of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon. He was sentenced to serve 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised.
During the early morning hours of November 2, 2022, Fasthorse was a passenger in a motor vehicle that was stopped for a traffic violation in Bismarck, North Dakota. When the traffic stop was initiated, Fasthorse brandished a firearm and told the driver to not stop. After the vehicle was stopped, one of the other passengers informed the officer that she had a firearm that Fasthorse asked her to secrete. In addition to the loaded handgun, Fasthorse possessed methamphetamine and fentanyl. Fasthorse is prohibited from legally possessing a firearm and ammunition due to multiple North Dakota felony convictions, including aggravated assault, burglary, and delivery of a controlled substance.
“The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota is committed to turning felons in possession of firearms into federal defendants,” Schneider said. “Violent felons with guns are a threat to law enforcement and public safety in North Dakota communities. I give credit to our career prosecutors and our federal and local partners for the strong and fair sentence in this case.”
This case was investigated by the Bismarck Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, with Assistant United States Attorney David Hagler assigned to the case.
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Alex Murdaugh Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Federal Financial CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Richard Alexander “Alex” Murdaugh, 55, of Hampton, was sentenced to 40 years in prison for 22 federal financial crimes, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud; bank fraud; wire fraud; and money laundering.
Murdaugh was a personal injury attorney at a law firm in Hampton, South Carolina. He pleaded guilty to 22 federal crimes in September 2023, admitting to engaging in three different schemes to obtain money and property from his personal injury clients.
In one scheme, Murdaugh admitted that from in or around July 2011 until at least October 2021, Murdaugh conspired with his banker, Russell Laffitte, to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. Murdaugh asked Laffitte to serve as personal representative or conservator for numerous personal injury clients. Laffitte collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees as personal representative or conservator for Murdaugh’s personal injury clients.
As part of the scheme, Murdaugh directed law firm employees to make settlement checks payable to “Palmetto State Bank.” The checks were drawn on Murdaugh’s law firm’s trust account and identified the personal injury clients on the memo lines. Murdaugh then had the checks delivered to Laffitte, who distributed the checks for Murdaugh’s benefit, including to pay off personal loans and for personal expenses and cash withdrawals. Murdaugh pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, one count of bank fraud, and two counts of wire fraud associated with this scheme.
In November 2022, Laffitte was convicted on six federal charges for conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, and misapplication of bank funds for his role in this scheme. In August 2023, Laffitte was sentenced to seven years in federal prison.
In a second scheme, from at least September 2005 until at least September 2021, Murdaugh obtained money from his clients and his law firm by means of false pretenses. As part of the scheme, he routed and redirected clients’ settlement funds to personally enrich himself, including by:
- Drafting, or directing law firm employees to draft, disbursement sheets to send settlement funds to Murdaugh’s bank accounts without proper disclosure or client or law firm approval;
- Claiming funds held in the law firm’s trust account as attorney’s fees and directing the disbursement of those funds for his benefit;
- Claiming and collecting attorney’s fees on fake or nonexistent annuities;
- Creating fraudulent “expenses” that were never incurred on client matters and directing the disbursement of settlement funds to pay the cited costs, including claimed medical expenses, construction expenses, and airline expenses;
- Directing other attorneys with whom he was associated on client matters to disburse attorney’s fees directly to him, rather than appropriately routing the fees through the law firm; and
- Intercepting insurance proceeds intended for beneficiaries and depositing them directly into his personal account.
Murdaugh admitted that in September 2015, he created a bank account in the name of “Forge,” presenting as a legitimate corporation for structuring insurance settlements. Murdaugh was the owner of and the only authorized signer on this “fake Forge” account. From in or around May 2017 through at least July 2021, Murdaugh funneled stolen personal injury settlements through the “fake Forge” account. Murdaugh pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and 14 counts of money laundering relating to the theft of client money using the “fake Forge” account.
Finally, Murdaugh admitted that, from in or around February 2018 until at least October 2020, Murdaugh conspired with Beaufort personal injury attorney Cory Fleming to defraud the estate of Murdaugh’s former housekeeper and Murdaugh’s homeowner’s insurance carriers. In February 2018, Murdaugh’s housekeeper passed away after a fall at Murdaugh’s home. Murdaugh recommended that the housekeeper’s estate hire Fleming to represent them and file a claim against Murdaugh to collect from his homeowner’s insurance policies.
Murdaugh’s insurance companies settled the estate’s claim for $505,000 and $3,800,000. Murdaugh admitted that he directed Fleming to retain hundreds of thousands of dollars in settlement funds for their own personal benefit, representing those funds as “prosecution expenses” to the state court. Murdaugh and Fleming knew the funds did not belong to them and that there were no legitimate prosecution expenses. Murdaugh and Fleming reduced Fleming’s attorney’s fees, and Murdaugh knew he would steal the additional funds.
Murdaugh directed Fleming to draft three checks totaling $3,483,431.95 made payable to “Forge.” Murdaugh then deposited the checks into his “fake Forge” account and used the funds for his own personal enrichment. The estate did not receive any of the settlement funds. Murdaugh pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in this scheme.
Fleming pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge for his role in this scheme. In August 2023, he was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison.
“Murdaugh’s victims turned to him when they were particularly vulnerable, after suffering serious injuries and losing loved ones,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “They put their trust in him as their lawyer, and he betrayed them. His crimes were cold, calculated, and brazen, and he earned every day of his 40-year sentence. We hope that it provides at least some closure to his victims.”
"Justice was served today and a sentence of this magnitude should caution anyone who engages in financial crimes," said Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. "The defendant's actions undermine the integrity of our financial systems and cause distrust. Our message is clear: We will hold those who commit financial fraud accountable, and they will be met with severe consequences."
“Law enforcement working together at every level is vital to solving crimes and holding offenders accountable,” said Chief Mark Keel of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. “I’ve always said from day one of this case, and every case SLED investigates, is about following the facts no matter where they may lead. Today is another step forward for justice in South Carolina.”
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel imposed the sentence:
- 360 months for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud; bank fraud; and two counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution, all to run concurrently.
- 240 months for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud, to run concurrently to each other and to the 360-month sentences.
- 120 months for 14 counts of money laundering, to run concurrently to each other and consecutive to the 360- and 240-month sentences.
Murdaugh’s 480-month federal sentence will be served concurrently with his active state sentences for the murders of his wife and son and the state financial offenses to which Murdaugh previously pleaded guilty.
The court also ordered Murdaugh to pay $8,762,731.88 in restitution to his victims and imposed a $10,034,377.95 forfeiture order for Murdaugh’s ill-gotten gains.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Limehouse, Kathleen Stoughton, and Winston Holliday are prosecuting the case.
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Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man has pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing child pornography. In his plea agreement, William Dane Day, 59, admitted that he downloaded images and videos depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including prepubescent minors.
The Court ordered that Day remain on condition of release pending sentencing, which has been scheduled for July 26, 2024. At sentencing, Day faces up to 60 months in prison for possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age. Upon his release from prison, Day will be subject to not less than five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Elena Stiteler and Jesse Pecoraro are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
41 charged in massive poly-drug indictment linked to cartelRead the Press Release
GALVESTON, Texas – A total of 23 people were taken into custody following the return of a 50-count indictment alleging cocaine, fentanyl, heroin and meth trafficking and related crimes in the Houston and Galveston areas, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
The indictment alleges they all operated under the overall control of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
From Dec. 28, 2018, to April 22, 2020, the conspirators allegedly operated in and out of the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) and distributed drugs smuggled into the United States from Mexico.
The leader of one of these groups – Roque Zamudio-Mendoza, 52, Mexico, was the main source of drugs smuggled into the United States, according to the charges. Other co-conspirators allegedly distributed the narcotics in the Houston and Galveston areas to other locations throughout the United States, including New Orleans, Louisiana; Pensacola, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Nashville, Tennessee; and Chicago, Illinois.
During the law enforcement operation that spanned multiple jurisdictions to include the Houston, Arlington, Corpus Christi, Brownsville and McAllen areas in Texas as well as Louisiana, Colorado, Washington and California, authorities arrested a total of 20 people. They join three individuals who were previously in custody. Two are now deceased. Zamudio-Mendoza, who is believed to be in Mexico, and 15 others are still at large and warrants remain outstanding for their arrests.
Some have already made their appearances in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Edison. Others are set for April 2 at 10 a.m. in Galveston or in Houston April 3 at either 11 a.m. or 2 p.m.
The indictment, returned Dec. 14, 2023, also seeks forfeiture of any illegal proceeds of the alleged crimes, estimated at $10 million. To date, records indicate authorities have seized approximately 550 kilograms of meth, 249 kilograms of cocaine, 34 kilograms of heroin, five kilograms of pentobarbital and 22,600 fentanyl-laced pills. As part of the arrests, they also allegedly found nine firearms and several luxury Rolex watches and large amounts of U.S. currency to include $190,000 seized during a traffic stop in Porter.
All are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, heroin and meth and face up to life in prison. Each is also charged in varying counts to include conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, laundering of monetary instruments, possession with intent to distribute meth, heroin, fentanyl and/or cocaine.
The arrests are the culmination of a 63-month Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation (OCDETF) dubbed Operation Rainmaker that began in 2019.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Marshals Service conducted the OCDETF investigation along with Houston Police Department, Galveston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Cusick and Rick Hanes 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.
$6 Million Worth of Oregon Properties Forfeited in Connection to Interstate Marijuana Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today that it has forfeited on behalf of the United States 14 real properties located in Oregon—together worth more than $5.7 million—that were used by an interstate drug trafficking organization to illegally grow marijuana for redistribution and sale in other states. The owner of a 15th property agreed to pay the government $400,000 in lieu of having their property forfeited.
Beginning at an unknown time, and continuing until September 2021, the properties, located in Clatsop, Columbia, Linn, Marion, Polk, and Yamhill counties, were used as illegal marijuana grow houses by an interstate drug trafficking organization led by Fayao “Paul” Rong, 53, of Houston, Texas. On July 19, 2023, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, Rong was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
“This prosecution and yearslong effort to forfeit properties used by the Rong organization to grow and process thousands of pounds of marijuana demonstrate the long reach of our commitment to holding drug traffickers accountable and mitigating the damage these criminal organizations inflict on neighborhoods and communities,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
“The goal of drug traffickers is to generate profits through their crimes,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Seattle Field Division. “The DEA and our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon and the Oregon State Police worked hard in this case to investigate and forfeit the ill-gotten gains of this organization, benefiting our entire community.”
“The Oregon State Police is committed to disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations operating within our state. Our priorities include safeguarding Oregon’s natural resources and mitigating the impact illicit marijuana has on them,” said Tyler Bechtel, Oregon State Police (OSP) Lieutenant. “This case is a great example of the results that can be achieved when all levels of law enforcement work together toward our common goals.”
According to court documents, Rong purchased numerous residential houses in Oregon using several different identities and, with others in his organization, used them to grow and process marijuana and prepare it for transport to states where its use remains illegal. In a 12-month period beginning August 2020, Rong’s organization trafficked more than $13.2 million dollars in black market marijuana.
In early September 2021, a coordinated law enforcement operation led by DEA and OSP targeted Rong’s organization. Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners executed search warrants on 25 Oregon residences and Rong’s home in Houston. During the precipitating investigation and ensuing search warrants, investigators seized nearly 33,000 marijuana plants, 1,800 pounds of packaged marijuana, 23 firearms, nine vehicles, $20,000 in money orders, and more than $591,000 in cash.
The Rong organization takedown followed a 14-month investigation initiated by OSP after the agency learned of excessive electricity use at the various properties, which, in several instances, resulted in transformer explosions. Multiple citizen complaints corroborated law enforcement’s belief that Rong was leading a large black market marijuana operation. With the assistance of the Columbia and Polk County Sheriff’s Offices, OSP found associated marijuana grows in Clatsop, Columbia, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, and Polk Counties. On February 18, 2022, Rong was arrested by DEA agents in Houston.
This case was investigated by DEA, OSP, and the U.S. Marshals Service with assistance from the FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; Oregon Department of Justice; Portland Police Bureau; the Yamhill, Clatsop, Marion, Multnomah, Columbia, and Polk County Sheriff’s Offices; Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team; and Linn Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. Forfeiture proceedings were handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Division.
The proceeds of forfeited assets are deposited in the Justice Department’s Assets Forfeiture Fund (AFF) and used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of other law enforcement purposes. To learn more about the AFF, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/afp/assets-forfeiture-fund-aff.
This prosecution is the result 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 U.S. 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.
Friday 29 March 2024
Youth Wrestling Coach and Referee from Ocean County Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 87 months in prison for distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Alec Donovan, 26, of Brick, New Jersey, a youth wrestling coach and referee, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi to an information charging him with one count of distribution of child pornography. Judge Quraishi imposed the sentence on March 28, 2024, in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From January 2021 through March 2021, Donovan used an internet-based application to exchange multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse, including depictions involving pre-pubescent children. Donovan also used the web-based messaging application to solicit and engage in conversations with minors, including requesting nude photographs from the minors and sending nude photographs to them.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Quraishi sentenced Donovan to 30 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task force, under the direction of FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Goldman of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
Wilburton Couple Sentenced for Role in Murder-For-Hire SchemeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Courtney Nicole Deatherage, age 28, and Dustin Keith Deatherage, 27, both of Wilburton, Oklahoma, were sentenced for their roles in a murder-for-hire plot.
On March 27, 2024, Courtney Deatherage was sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of Use of Interstate Facility in Murder-for-Hire, and Dustin Deatherage was sentenced to 97 months in prison for one count of Use of Interstate Facility in Murder-for-Hire.
The charges arose from investigations by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Latimer County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wilburton Police Department.
In July of 2023, the Deatherages each pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on January 21, 2021, Courtney Deatherage contacted an individual to request a murder-for-hire and to negotiate terms. Over text messages, Courtney Deatherage specified the target, gave instructions, and agreed to an upfront fee, with the same amount to be paid out after the murder. On January 22, 2021, Courtney and Dustin met in person with the individual they believed they were hiring to perform the murder, paid a down payment on the contract, and produced a loaded 12-guage shotgun to be used in the murder. Courtney and Dustin Deatherage were arrested by law enforcement shortly after completing their transaction, and the target of the murder-for-hire plot was unharmed.
United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson commended the OSBI and local law enforcement for their work in uncovering the defendants’ scheme.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. The Deatherages will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve non-paroleable sentences of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Patrick M. Flanigan represented the United States.
Weston Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud Offense Stemming from $890K Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that CHARLES M. AMEER, 64, of Weston, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to a fraud offense stemming from an $890,000 embezzlement scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2017 through 2022, Ameer was the Chief Financial Officer at Indeco North America, a wholly owned subsidiary of Indeco Ind. S.P.A, headquartered in Milford. From 2014 until February 2018, Ameer served as the treasurer of the Weston Soccer Club (“WSC”), located in Weston. Beginning in 2016, Ameer misappropriated at least $38,500 from the WSC and used the funds for personal expenses. In October 2017, Ameer created a $40,000 check, which was drafted on Indeco’s bank account and made payable to the order of “WSC,” and used the check to reimburse the WSC for the funds he had taken. Ameer subsequently opened a line of credit at a bank in WSC’s name, without WSC’s authorization or knowledge, and transferred funds into the WSC account that he had stolen from to further conceal his theft.
Between October 2018 and July 2022, Ameer created 14 additional checks, in the total amount of $850,000, which were drafted on Indeco’s bank account and made payable to him. He deposited the checks into his personal bank account and used the funds for his own benefit.
Ameer pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for June 20.
Ameer was arrested on a criminal complaint on August 31, 2023. He is released on a $500,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Cherry.
Waite Park Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
ST PAUL, Minn. – A Waite Park man has pleaded guilty to a St. Cloud bank robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on May 6, 2021, Ray Reco McNeary, 38, entered a Wells Fargo Bank in St. Cloud and alleged that there was fraud on his bank account. After the bank manager was unable to locate any accounts belonging to McNeary, McNeary became enraged and demanded that $60,000 in cash be taken from the vault and placed in a bank bag. The bank manager activated the silent panic alarm, notifying law enforcement of a problem at the bank.
According to court documents, upon arrival, St. Cloud police officers learned that five employees of the bank were being held hostage by McNeary. Multiple times throughout the incident, McNeary held a pair of scissors against the bank manager’s neck and back. FBI hostage negotiators spoke with McNeary repeatedly during what turned out to be an eight-hour standoff. During the course of negotiations, four of the employees were allowed to leave the bank. The standoff ended at approximately 10:24 p.m. when the bank manager fled the bank and law enforcement moved into the bank and arrested McNeary.
McNeary pleaded guilty today to one count of armed bank robbery in U.S. District Court before Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the St. Cloud Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp is prosecuting the case.
Two Plead Guilty in Spree of Approximately Three Dozen Gunpoint ‘Hobbs Act’ Robberies and Attempted Robberies in the District and MarylandRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Stephon Harrigan, 30, and Tavarus Thompson, 30, pleaded guilty this week to their roles in a 2022 spree of approximately three dozen armed robberies and attempted robberies of various commercial establishments, including gas stations, convenience stores, fast-food restaurants, checking cashing businesses, and liquor stores in the District and suburban Maryland.
The pleas were announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Harrigan pleaded guilty on Monday, March 25, 2024, and Thompson pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (also known as Hobbs Act robbery) and possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of a crime of violence before U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton in Washington D.C. Judge Walton scheduled Harrigan’s sentencing for August 1, 2024, and Thompson’s for June 19, 2024.
Harrigan’s brother, Aaron Harrigan, 28, pleaded guilty on October 3, 2023, to a charge of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery for his participation in four of the robberies. Aaron Harrigan was sentenced to 87 months in prison on September 25, 2023.
According to court documents, the spree began on January 12, 2022, with the gunpoint robbery of a gas station on 18th Street, NE, Washington, D.C. It ended on March 6, 2022, when law enforcement stopped a stolen car at the intersection of 1st Street and Gallatin Street, NW, and its occupants fled on foot. Stephon Harrigan forced his way into a woman’s vehicle and ordered her to drive him away, but the car collided with an unmarked MPD vehicle. Law enforcement then arrested him.
In the interim, Stephon Harrigan and/or Tavarus Thompson, along with, at times, other individuals, entered an additional 34 establishments while armed with at least one firearm. In general, they brandished at least one firearm and demanded money. They generally obtained money or other property of the establishments, as well as, at times, property belonging to individuals in the establishments.
On March 6, 2022, police captured Stephon Harrigan. Tavarus Thompson was arrested in South Carolina on March 18, 2022, and Aaron Harrigan was arrested on March 29, 2022.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Violent Crime Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Columbia, South Carolina Field Office, and the Mount Rainier, Maryland; Prince George’s County, Maryland; and Montgomery County, Maryland Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon Eppel of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Kinskey and Andrea Duvall, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Fletcher.
Two Men Sentenced for Role in $9M Hospice Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
The owner of two California-based hospice companies, along with his biller and consultant, were sentenced yesterday for their respective roles in a scheme that resulted in stealing over $9 million from Medicare in false and fraudulent claims for hospice services.
Gayk Akhsharumov, 40, of Glendale, California, the manager and beneficial owner of San Gabriel Hospice and Palliative Care Inc. (San Gabriel) and Broadway Hospice Inc., was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and ordered to pay $9,185,211 in restitution. Akhsharumov’s biller and consultant, Karen Sarkisyan, also known as Kevin Sarkisyan, 45, also of Glendale, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and ordered to pay $3,688,050 in restitution.
According to court documents, from around January 2018 through May 2021, Akhsharumov used his two hospice companies to defraud Medicare of approximately $9 million. During the scheme, Akhsharumov concealed his ownership and control over the hospice entities from Medicare, inserted nominee owners, paid kickbacks to patient recruiters, and profited from the scheme. In April 2020, after San Gabriel had ceased operations, Akhsharumov used the company to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief funds. Akhsharumov submitted or caused the submission of fraudulent loan applications to the Small Business Administration for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan and to a financial institution for a Paycheck Protection Program loan, for which San Gabriel received $50,000. He also stole approximately $91,483 in funds deposited into San Gabriel’s bank account through the Provider Relief Fund program, a Department of Health and Human Services program that was intended to rapidly distribute pandemic-related funding to health care providers that met certain criteria.
During the scheme, Sarkisyan submitted false and fraudulent Medicare enrollment forms for San Gabriel, falsely identifying a straw owner as the sole owner and manager and concealing the actual owners and managers. As a result, San Gabriel submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, which resulted in Medicare paying approximately $3,668,050 to San Gabriel, of which $3,180,677 was paid after Sarkisyan submitted the false enrollment applications.
Akhsharumov pleaded guilty on March 13, 2023, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Sarkisyan pleaded guilty on April 3, 2023, to conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California; Special Agent in Charge Timothy B. DeFrancesca of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Acting Assistant Director in Charge Amir Ehsaei of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office made the announcement.
HHS-OIG and the FBI Los Angeles Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant Chief Niall M. O’Donnell and Trial Attorney Patrick J. Queenan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, the program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Two Honduran Nationals Sentenced to Years in Prison for Selling Drugs in San FranciscoRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Two defendants in separate cases have been sentenced to multi-year prison terms for selling or intending to sell drugs in the Bay Area, including in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey.
Marcos Carcamo, 25, a Honduran national who was living in Oakland, was sentenced to 48 months in prison following his conviction in December 2023 on charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). Carcamo’s sentence was imposed by the Hon. Jacqueline Scott Corley, United States District Judge.
Raul Alexander Guisa-Ortega, 25, also a Honduran national who was living in Oakland, was sentenced to 36 months in prison following his conviction in December 2023 on a charge of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). Guisa-Ortega’s sentence was imposed by the Hon. Susan Illston, Senior United States District Judge.
At sentencing, Carcamo admitted he possessed approximately 1.77 kilograms—that is, almost four pounds—of fentanyl, along with a lesser quantity of cocaine, all of which he intended to sell, when he was arrested in San Francisco on August 9, 2023. According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, Carcamo admitted he mixed fentanyl with cutting agents at his residence in Oakland and that he traveled from Oakland to San Francisco four or five times per week to sell drugs. In a search of Carcamo’s residence, which he shared with his brother, officers seized, among other things, additional suspected drugs, including methamphetamine and heroin; a firearm and ammunition; a pill press and materials for mixing drugs; and almost $59,000 in cash.
According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, Guisa-Ortega—who has three prior convictions, including one federal conviction, for selling drugs in the Tenderloin—sold drugs including fentanyl and methamphetamine to an undercover officer three times in August 2023. When officers arrested Guisa-Ortega on August 31, 2023, he admitted that he sold fentanyl, which he said he knew was often deadly. Officers found more drugs hidden in Guisa-Ortega’s car and in his house, both of which they searched following his arrest.
In addition to sentencing Carcamo and Guisa-Ortega to prison, Judges Corley and Illston ordered both defendants to serve three years of supervised release to begin after their prison terms are completed. Carcamo was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 25, 2023, and has been in federal custody since October 6, 2023. Guisa-Ortega was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 26, 2023, and was remanded into custody following his sentencing last week.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Yeh is prosecuting these cases with the assistance of Laurie Worthen and Jessie Chelsea. These prosecutions are the result of investigations by the San Francisco Police Department, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and California Highway Patrol.
Twice Convicted Bank Robber Sentenced to 13+ Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A bank robber who attempted to kidnap a Comerica employee was sentenced Thursday to more than 13 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Staci West League, 52, was charged via criminal complaint in May 2022 and indicted later that month. In September 2023, she pleaded guilty to bank robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced Thursday to 165 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr.
In plea papers, Ms. League admitted to robbing a Comerica Bank in Irving, Texas, on April 29, 2022 while brandishing a 9mm handgun.
According to court documents, Ms. League entered the bank at 4:02 p.m., approached a teller, and asked to speak to a manager. When the manager approached her window, Ms. League announced she was committing a robbery and demanded cash. Both the manager and the teller went to the vault to retrieve the money, which they placed into a blue courier bag. When the manager presented the bag to the defendant, she drew a handgun out of her hoodie and attempted to verify an amount. The manager returned to the vault, put more money into the bag, and gave it to Ms. League.
Ms. League then pointed her handgun at another bank employee and ordered him to walk out the front door and to her pickup truck. Remarking that she needed a hostage, she ordered him into the truck. As the defendant got into the driver’s side door, the employee was able to flee to a nearby fast food restaurant. Ms. League fled the scene. Ms. League immediately fled the scene and drove to the Irving Fire Department, where she told firefighters that she “did something very bad” as they waited for Irving police to arrive.
Law enforcement recovered the cash and the gun used in the robbery shortly after they arrested Ms. League.
The 2022 robbery was Ms. League’s second bank robbery; she was convicted of robbing the same Comerica Bank in 2019. (That conviction was the underlying offense for the felon-in-possession charge. )
According to court documents, Ms. League entered the bank around 4:54 p.m. on June 14, 2019 with something concealed under a blanket, then announced, “I want large bills.” A teller spotted a rifle peeking out from under the blanket, she went to the vault to retrieve cash, which she placed in a plastic bag and gave to Ms. League. The defendant said, “thank you” and walked out the front door.
She then drove directly to the police department to turn herself in. She pleaded guilty to bank robbery and was sentenced to 40 months in prison for that crime.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Irving Police Department conducted both investigations. U.S. Attorneys Robert Withers, Jordan Ganz (fmr), and Shane Read (fmr) prosecuted the cases.
Three Montanans each sentenced to more than five years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl in Missoula, Helena communitiesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — Three Montanans who admitted trafficking fentanyl in the Missoula and Helena communities were sentenced to more than five years in federal prison this week, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Defendant Nikolas Loren Pellant, 34, of Missoula, was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. On March 28, co-defendants Lynsi Noel Barnes, 33, of Missoula, and Beau James Breneman, 44, of Helena, were each sentenced to five years and three months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Each defendant pleaded guilty in November 2023 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in October 2022, federal agents intercepted a package that contained more than 300 fentanyl pills and was addressed to Pellant. Officers arrested Pellant when he accepted the package in a controlled delivery. The investigation determined that Pellant and his girlfriend, Barnes, had been selling fentanyl in the Missoula are for several months and that they acquired the drug through the mail and by making weekly trips to Spokane, Washington. The government further alleged that in January, the Montana Highway Patrol stopped Barnes as she was returning from one such trip and seized more than 450 fentanyl pills and other evidence of drug distribution from her vehicle.
In addition, the government alleged that in January 2022, law enforcement received reports of a rash of fentanyl overdoses in Lewis and Clark County. An investigation determined that Breneman was distributing heroin laced with fentanyl and that he had warned at least one customer to use small and diluted quantities of the drug because it was dangerous. Breneman admitted to distributing heroin laced with fentanyl. On May 31, 2023, Breneman and Barnes were passengers in a vehicle that was stopped in Shoshone County, Idaho. Law enforcement searched the car and found more than 300 fentanyl pills. Officers also found a plastic bag containing more fentanyl pills concealed on Breneman’s person.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter prosecuted the case. The Missouri River Drug Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Service, Montana Highway Patrol, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Missoula County Sheriff’s Office and Shoshone County (Idaho) Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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Substitute teacher admits to exploiting minor he met onlineRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 42-year-old Mission resident has pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Juan Carlos Munoz met a 14-year-old girl from South Carolina on a social media/video chat site. He utilized a fake name and claimed to be a 19-year-old teenager and requested nude photos and videos of the girl.
Local law enforcement in South Carolina were able to determine his true identity and report the allegations to Texas authorities.
On Dec. 16, 2022, they located him at a local high school where he was employed as a substitute teacher. At that time, Munoz admitted to communicating with the minor victim and requesting sexually-explicit photos.
U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa will impose sentencing July 19. At that time, Munoz faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Munoz has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Homeland Security Investigations-Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Task Force conducted the investigation with the assistance of York County Sheriff Office in South Carolina.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia is prosecuting 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.
Stilwell Resident Pleads Guilty to ArsonRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Aaron Welch Earley, age 41, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Arson in Indian Country.
On March 14, 2023, Earley intentionally and maliciously set fire to and burned down a family home in Westville, Oklahoma. The total reported loss exceeded $100,000.
The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Jason. A Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Earley was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.
Statement from Acting U.S. Attorney Levy on First Federal Dogfighting Case Charged in the District of MassachusettsRead the Press Release
“This morning, John Murphy, of Hanson, Mass., was arrested after being indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with nine counts of possessing animals for use in an animal fighting venture – in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act.
Court filings allege that on June 7, 2023, federal agents executed a search of Mr. Murphy’s residence in Hanson and seized nine pit bull-type dogs possessed for the purpose of animal fighting.
Federal agents also recovered from Mr. Murphy’s home many items commonly used with dogfighting operations, including:
- Veterinary supplies and disposable skin staplers, used to close dogfight wounds;
- Injectable anabolic steroids;
- Dog fighting literature and other dogfighting training equipment; and
- Break sticks, which are used by dogfighters to pry open a dog’s bite on another dog.
We have also filed a civil forfeiture action to forfeit the dogs seized to date during the investigation.
This is the first-time federal criminal charges have brought in the District of Massachusetts under the federal Animal Welfare Act. Dogfighting for entertainment and profit is cruel, it’s inhumane, and it is a felony under federal law.
Today’s arrest puts an end to the calculated brutality we allege Mr. Murphy perpetuated and should serve as a warning to others who engage in the barbaric practice of dog fighting.
The investigation remains ongoing.”
St. John the Baptist Parish Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LARRY TRICHE, age 52, a resident of Norco, La., was sentenced on March 27, 2024 by United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to five (5) years probation, one hundred (100) hours of community service, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute, a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C) and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, between May 25, 2020, and July 2, 2020, TRICHE accompanied Ryan Fremin on three trips from Louisiana to the Houston, Texas area to purchase kilogram quantities of methamphetamine from Leonel Gonzalez, a Houston-based narcotics trafficker. On each occasion, TRICHE obtained a Houston area hotel room while Fremin drove to Houston to purchase the methamphetamine from Gonzalez. TRICHE and Fremin then returned to Louisiana, sometimes in separate vehicles, with TRICHE carrying the methamphetamine in his vehicle. Upon their return to Louisiana, Fremin took the methamphetamine from TRICHE and distributed it to local customers.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.
Sex Abuser Sentenced to 122 Months for Decades-Old CrimeRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Charles Michael Moreno, 61, of Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 122 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Moreno pleaded guilty on May 15, 2023, to Sexual Abuse of a Minor, Abuse of a Minor, and two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact.
In 2018, the high-school-aged victim reported to a school counselor that Moreno, a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, had committed sexual abuse on numerous occasions, beginning when the victim was in grade school. The events took place in both the city of Tucson and on the Tohono O’odham Nation. In 2020, Moreno was indicted by a federal grand jury on 14 counts of sexual abuse.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tohono O’odham Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Micah Schmit, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-00687-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-041_Moreno# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Search Warrants Executed in Federal Drug InvestigationRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Five federal search warrants were executed this morning and one person was arrested as part of an ongoing federal drug trafficking investigation.
United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced that search warrants were served early today upon three residences in Wheeling, West Virginia, and two residences in Bellaire, Ohio, without incident. Quavonte Pugh, age 28, of Wheeling, was arrested for possession with intent to deliver fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine. Pugh, who has a prior federal drug distribution conviction, was taken into custody at his Carmel Road home and transported to the Northern Regional Jail where he will remain pending a detention hearing.
During the searches, officers recovered controlled substances, firearms, and United States currency.
The case is being investigated by the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, which is comprised of officers and agents from the Wheeling Police Department, the Ohio County Sheriff’s Department, the West Virginia State Police, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Support for today’s enforcement operation was provided by the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms (ATF), and the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carly Nogay and Clayton Reid and U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld.
Schenectady Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Thomas Ullman, age 47, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a child. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
In previously pleading guilty, Ullman admitted that from at least March 2020 through June 16, 2021, he used the Internet to access a teen dating website, pretend to be a teenage boy, and persuade girls to communicate with him through video chat and messaging. Ullman admitted that he instructed the girls to engage in sexually explicit conduct during those chats, including a then-15-year-old girl. Ullman further admitted that he engaged in the same conduct with girls as young as 13.
United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also sentenced Ullman to serve 15 years of post-imprisonment supervised release and ordered him to pay $5,000 in restitution to a victim. Ullman will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Rotterdam Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Kopita prosecuted the case as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Santa Monica, California man sentenced to 5 years in prison for organized retail theft scheme spanning 23 statesRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 27-year-old Santa Monica, California man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to five years in prison for his organized retail theft scheme that caused more than $664,000 in damage, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jaylan Amir Thomas was arrested in May 2023. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud on December 5, 2023. At his sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez said Thomas “persisted in this crime spree after being arrested and charged in multiple jurisdictions.”
“Mr. Thomas recruited others to his criminal scheme, and thus altered the trajectory of their lives with criminal charges in various states,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Despite advantages such as a stable home and college studies, Mr. Thomas chose fraud as his path and in the process created higher prices for consumers everywhere.”
According to records in the case, from March 2022, Thomas led a group that traveled the U.S., stopping at home improvement stores and renting two types of expensive construction equipment: jumping jack tampers and vibratory plate compactors valued between $1,500 and $2,000 each. Thomas used more than 150 fake IDs and dozens of fake telephone numbers to trick the stores into renting him the equipment. For each rental, he signed an agreement promising to return the machine on a specific date or pay a mounting fine. He acknowledged with each rental that failure to return the machine could lead to prosecution. Thomas paid small rental deposits with one of nine common debit cards, but he and a co-conspirator locked the accounts to prevent the stores from charging the card for the equipment. Thomas and others transported stolen goods in rental vans. He then sold the equipment on online marketplaces for about $700 per machine.
In all, Thomas and his crew stole more than 480 pieces of equipment from 190 home improvement stores in 23 states.
Thomas was ordered to pay $664,161.50 in restitution to the victim home improvement store.
Thomas was arrested four times in three different jurisdictions in relation to the scheme, but it did not deter him. He would bail out of jail and continue the fraud.
The group stole multiple items of equipment from stores in Federal Way, Tacoma, Vancouver, Covington, Longview, Bothell, Everett, Redmond, and Seattle.
Asking for a 51-month prison sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Watts Staniar wrote to the court, “Organized retail crime like Thomas’ thefts has a significant impact on our communities: An analysis from the Retail Industry Leaders Association estimates Washington retailers lost $2.7 billion to organized retail crime in 2021. Forbes Advisor ranked Washington as the number one state impacted by organized retail theft based on six metrics. Organized retail crime raises costs for consumers and threatens the safety of stores and employees.”
Judge Martinez noted that organized retail theft has been on the rise since the pandemic and costs U.S. residents some $30 billion a year.
“Mr. Thomas's multi-state retail theft scheme not only resulted in substantial financial losses for retailers but also highlighted the complex and widespread nature of organized retail crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “This orchestrated fraud operation, underscores the critical need for collaborative efforts, including robust public-private partnerships, to combat such threats effectively. Homeland Security Investigations played a pivotal role in unraveling this intricate network, emphasizing the importance of coordinated efforts between government agencies and private businesses in safeguarding communities from the pervasive impact of organized crime.”
The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Watts Staniar.
Peruvian National Extradited for Overseeing Call Center That Threatened and Defrauded Spanish-Speaking U.S. ConsumersRead the Press Release
A resident of Lima, Peru, was extradited to the United States and made his initial appearance today in Miami federal court, where he stands accused of operating a large fraud and extortion scheme.
Jose Alejandro Zuñiga Cano, 40, was arrested on Feb. 26, 2023, by Peruvian authorities pursuant to a U.S. extradition request. He has remained incarcerated in Peru since that time.
According to the indictment, the defendant managed and operated Peruvian call centers from January 2014 through February 2019. The defendant and his co-conspirators in Peru allegedly used Internet-based telephone calls to contact Spanish-speaking individuals in the United States. The call centers falsely told victims they had won raffles for free products, including computer tablets with English language courses. Many consumers expressed interest in receiving the free products. In later calls, victims were told they were required to make large payments to receive the products. When victims objected, the callers misrepresented that the victims had unlawfully failed to pay for or receive delivery of products.
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will pursue and prosecute transnational criminals responsible for defrauding vulnerable U.S. consumers, wherever they are located. I thank the Republic of Peru, including the Peruvian National Police, for its assistance extraditing this individual to face charges here in the United States,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department and U.S. law enforcement will continue to work closely with law enforcement partners across the globe to bring to justice criminals who attempt to defraud U.S. victims from outside the United States.”
“Collaboration between countries enhances efforts to strengthen rule of law,” said Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Miami Division. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service thanks the Republic of Peru and our law enforcement partners who were determined to dismantle this transnational scheme to defraud U.S. consumers via the U.S. mail and telephonically. Together, we sent a strong message, globally, that justice has no borders.”
According to the indictment, the defendant and his co-conspirators falsely claimed to be lawyers, court officials, police officers, and representatives of a supposed “minor crimes court.” The defendant and his co-conspirators falsely told the victims that they had a contractual obligation to pay for and receive products and had caused legal problems for themselves and others by allegedly failing to do so. The indictment alleges that the callers also falsely threatened victims with court proceedings, arrest, negative marks on their credit reports, or immigration consequences if they did not immediately pay for the purportedly delivered products and settlement fees. According to the indictment, many victims paid because of these baseless threats.
At times, the defendant and his co-conspirators re-victimized the same victims with a related “restitution” fraud scheme. According to the indictment, the defendant and his co-conspirators placed additional calls to those victims who had already paid and, while posing as lawyers from a U.S. court, falsely represented that victims were entitled to restitution payments that would compensate them for their losses to the defendant and his co-conspirators in the first part of their scheme. The defendant and his co-conspirators fraudulently told these victims that they needed to pay a percentage of their restitution to a lawyer who supposedly brought a case and recovered restitution on their behalf. In reality, there was no lawyer, no restitution order, and no funds were returned to the victims who made these additional payments.
A seven-count federal indictment was filed against the defendant in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in November 2021 and was unsealed upon the defendant’s extradition to the United States. The defendant has been charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, and extortion. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. If convicted, Zuñiga faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
USPIS investigated the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Florida, State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Peruvian National Police and the Peruvian Attorney General’s Office provided critical assistance.
Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Carolyn Rice of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department continues to investigate and bring charges in other similar matters involving threats against Spanish-speaking residents of the United States. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Consumer complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at https://www.ovc.gov.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its fraud enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Pascua Yaqui Tribal Member Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Assault with a VehicleRead the Press Release
TUCSON Ariz. – Gerardo Vasquez Valenzuela, 62, an enrolled member of the Pascua Yaqui Indian Tribe and a resident of the Pascua Yaqui Indian Nation near Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 10 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Valenzuela pleaded guilty to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury on September 13, 2023.
On August 14, 2022, a Pascua Yaqui Police Department officer was flagged down by a man who was yelling out in pain and bleeding heavily from his head. The man, who sustained multiple fractures and internal injuries, told the officer that he had been intentionally struck by a truck driven by Valenzuela.
Evidence collected connected Valenzuela’s truck to damage to a chain link fence at the scene. The victim’s belongings were found scattered along the tire tracks for approximately 50 feet, indicating he was dragged by the vehicle. Video evidence from a home surveillance system captured a vehicle matching the description of Valenzuela’s truck leaving the area. Valenzuela told officers that he had driven the truck earlier that day but denied being in a vehicle accident and denied hitting anyone with the truck.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pascua Yaqui Tribal Police, and Pima County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra M. Hansen and Frances Kreamer Hope, District of Arizona, Tucson, and Pascua Yaqui Tribal Prosecutor Russell E. Boatwright, Prosecutors Office Pascua Yaqui Tribe, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01908-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-040_Valenzuela# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Okmulgee Resident Sentenced to Life for Two Counts of Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Amy Leann Hall, age 43, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to Life in prison for each of two counts of Murder in Indian Country, and 240 months in prison for one count of Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Department.
On November 28, 2022, Hall pleaded guilty. According to investigators, during the early morning hours of November 1, 2018, Hall entered the room of her 18-year-old son and shot him in the head while he slept, killing him instantly. Hall proceeded to the bedroom of her 16- and 14-year-old daughters and shot both in the head as they slept. Hall’s 14-year-old daughter survived. Hall’s 16-year-old daughter never regained consciousness and died from her injuries four days later at the hospital. An Okmulgee County deputy dispatched to the scene spotted Hall’s vehicle and gave pursuit. After a chase exceeding 110 miles per hour, law enforcement apprehended and arrested Hall. The crimes occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“This crime was gut-wrenching and there is no question the sentencing is just. It is absolutely heart breaking to think a mother could be capable of shooting her own children while they slept,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “The FBI is responsible for investigating the most serious crimes in Indian Country and along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively pursue these cases. We are committed to protecting all of the tribal communities we serve, helping victims, and ensuring that justice is met for violent offenders.”
“The horrific violence visited upon this family was unimaginable, and nothing will ever make things right,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Nevertheless, justice requires a careful consideration of all facts, including the interests of the surviving victim. Based on these considerations, the United States recommended a life sentence be imposed in this case.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Hall 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 Sarah McAmis represented the United States.
Oakland Resident Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Attempting to Illegally Export Firearms and Night Vision Rifle Scopes to the Sultanate of OmanRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO –Fares Abdo Al Eyani was sentenced to twelve months and a day in prison for conspiring to export defense articles and attempting to export defense articles. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Charles R. Breyer, Senior United States District Judge.
“Enforcing the nation’s export laws is an important objective for my Office,” said United States Attorney Ismail Ramsey, “because controlling our ports prevents the proliferation of weapons, protects our national security, furthers our foreign policy, and maintains our business competitiveness.”
“The illicit export of weapons overseas will not be tolerated by the FBI, and anyone attempting to do so will be held accountable,” said Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “Our office, along with our federal law enforcement partners, are committed to protecting our U.S. technology and citizens from anyone who tries to evade our laws and threaten our national security.”
“The sentencing of El Anayi for attempting to illegally export firearms and night vision rifle scopes to The Sultanate of Oman underscores the serious ramifications for international arms trafficking. Such actions not only pose significant risks to national security but also contribute to destabilizing regions and potentially fueling conflicts. It's crucial for law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant and prosecute individuals involved in such activities to prevent the illicit proliferation of weapons and technology. This case highlights the importance of international cooperation in combating arms trafficking and enforcing export control regulations. Justice has been served with the hard work and dedication of HSI, and partner organizations FBI, CBP Office of Field Operations San Francisco, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office San Francisco, and the Department of Justice National Security Division,” said San Francisco Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Tatum King.
“Export controls exist to protect the security of the United States and its people,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp of the San Francisco Division. “Fares Abdo Al Eyani tried to move deadly weapons of war into a foreign country, and his actions had the potential to undermine U.S. foreign policy in a dangerously reckless manner. The FBI and our partners are committed to aggressive investigations that will keep U.S. citizens and interests safe both here and abroad.”
According to court documents, Al Eyani, 41, of Oakland, acquired no less than four firearms, with magazines and ammunition, and at least 44 rifle scopes, monoculars, and goggles with night vision capabilities in 2019. In November 2019, Al Eyani attempted to send the firearms to the Sultanate of Oman in shipping containers departing from the Port of Oakland. He concealed the firearms by disassembling them, wrapping them in aluminum foil, and then secreting them within automobiles inside the shipping container. Then, in December 2019, Al Eyani attempted to export the 44 rifle scopes, monoculars, and goggles to the Sultanate of Oman in two shipping containers departing from the Port of Oakland. Law enforcement searched the containers and seized the firearms, the magazines, and the ammunition, as well as the 44 rifle scopes, monoculars, and goggles with night vision capabilities. These actions thwarted Al Eyani’s unlawful scheme.
The commercial export of arms, ammunitions, implements of war and defense articles and services from the United States is governed by the Arms Export Control Act (“AECA”), 22 U.S.C. § 2778, and its attendant regulations, the International Trafficking in Arms Regulations (“ITAR”), 22 C.F.R. §§ 120-130. The AECA authorizes the President, among other things, to control the export of “defense articles” deemed critical to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States. The AECA also authorizes the President to designate goods as “defense articles,” require licenses for the export of such articles, and promulgate regulations for the export of such articles. By executive order, the President has delegated this authority to the United States Department of State, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (“DDTC”). Accordingly, the DDTC has promulgated regulations under the AECA, known as the ITAR. The ITAR defines a “defense article” as any item on the United States Munitions List (“USML”). Persons desiring to export items on the USML from the United States to a place overseas must first register with the DDTC and obtain individual export licenses prior to any shipment abroad.
Court documents establish that the four firearms, the magazines, and the ammunition, as well as at least seven of the night-vision rifle scopes, were defense articles prohibited from export without a license by the AECA and the ITAR. Al Eyani did not have a license to export the defense articles.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer ordered Al Eyani to serve three years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed.
In a separate sentencing, Al Eyani’s wife, Saba Mohsen Dhaifallah, 42 and also a resident of Oakland, was sentenced to three years of probation for making false statements to Federal Bureau of Investigation special agents during the investigation of this matter, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001. Her sentence was also imposed by Judge Breyer.
The National Security and Cybercrime Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California is prosecuting the case in consultation with the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division of the Department of Justice. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Customs and Border Protection.
Niles Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing A Firearm as A FelonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten announced that on Wednesday Lawrence Edward Slaughter II, 19, of Niles, pled guilty to possessing a loaded firearm, which had been modified to a fully automatic weapon using a conversion device, as a convicted felon.
“Gun violence is an epidemic across America and here in Michigan that inflicts senseless suffering on community members,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “As we did here, we will continue to hold accountable felons who possess guns illegally as well as anyone who traffics or possesses illegal machinegun conversion devices that threaten the safety of our communities. Our commitment to public safety holds true for every corner of our District – both big cities and small towns alike.”
On September 23, 2022, Slaughter’s state probation officers conducted a home compliance check at his apartment in Niles, Michigan. During the check, the officers found a loaded 9mm Glock pistol in one of the bedrooms. The pistol also had a machinegun conversion device attached.
Slaughter is scheduled for sentencing on July 16 before Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou. He faces a maximum possible penalty of 15 years in prison.
“The access to illegal guns has plagued our communities for far too long and these machinegun conversion devices in particular are especially dangerous in the wrong hands,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Michigan. “By removing just one offender and the illegal weapons they acquire, we make our streets a little bit safer to live and work.”
“The Niles Police Department remains committed to ensuring our community’s safety by investigating illegal gun violence and possession,” Niles Public Safety Director James Millin. “We will continue to work with federal law enforcement authorities in that endeavor.”
The previous press release, press conference footage, and indictment can be viewed here.
The case was investigated by the Niles Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney LaToyia Carpenter.
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