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Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
2 May 2024
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest Supporting Individuals’ Right to Sue Under Voting Rights Act of 1965Read the Press Release
SCRANTON – The Justice Department announced that it has filed a statement of interest in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania supporting the right of private plaintiffs to bring a lawsuit to enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. This filing is one of many recent briefs by the Justice Department supporting the longstanding principle that private plaintiffs are authorized to bring lawsuits to vindicate important rights protected by the Voting Rights Act.
“The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy, and it is the right on which all other rights depend,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Since the enactment of the landmark Voting Rights Act in 1965 to protect this precious right, private parties have enforced the law in courts across this county, enabling countless Americans to vote free from unlawful discrimination. The Justice Department will continue vigorously enforcing the Voting Rights Act and defending the right of private citizens and organizations to do the same.”
“The Voting Rights Act gives private citizens a voice to stand up to unlawful voting discrimination by their government,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “My office will continue to enforce the civil rights statutes like the Voting Rights Act, and proudly partners with the Civil Rights Division in protecting a private citizens’ right to enforce that Act.”
The department filed its statement of interest in Aquino and Lopez v. Hazleton Area School District, a case in which plaintiffs allege the at-large method of electing the nine-member school board of directors unlawfully dilutes the ability of Hispanic voters to elect candidates of their choice. The school district seeks to dismiss the case, arguing that private parties like the plaintiffs are not able to file lawsuits under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The department’s statement of interest argues that private parties may enforce the Voting Rights Act directly, as well as through another civil rights law ton which plaintiffs often rely.
The Justice Department has filed 18 statements of interest and amicus briefs in federal district courts and courts of appeals since January 2021 supporting the right of private parties to file suits under the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act to protect the right to vote. In all, since January 2021, the Justice Department has filed 32 statements of interest in courts across the country to protect the right to vote.
More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section. Individuals may report possible violations of the federal voting rights laws through the Civil Rights Division’s website at ciilrights.justice.gov or by telephone toll-free at 800-253-3931.
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Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Firearm Offenses, Fleeing Law Enforcement, Reckless DrivingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Frederick Powell, 29, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury of unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction) and other charges after attempting to hide his pistol inside the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission building following a Friday-night vehicular flight from police through the H-Street corridor on September 15, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Powell also was found guilty of carrying a pistol without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, as well as felony fleeing from law enforcement and reckless driving. The verdict was returned on April 30, 2024, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld scheduled sentencing for July 12, 2024. Powell faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
According to the government’s evidence, on September 15, 2023, at approximately 9:40 p.m., Powell was driving an unregistered vehicle in the 800 block of K Street. When MPD officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, Powell fled at high speed, running red lights and stop signs, even though traffic was heavy and many pedestrians, enjoying the district’s night life, were around.
An MPD officer later spotted Powell’s vehicle parked outside the entrance to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission building. As officers approached, Powell entered the building, and once out of view of officers, took a .45 caliber pistol from his waistband and discreetly placed it on the floor. The firearm was loaded with one round in the chamber and nine rounds in the magazine. The serial number on the firearm had been obliterated, making it difficult to trace. Luckily, Powell’s actions were captured on the building’s surveillance system.
Powell had previously been convicted of two counts of robbery and one count of conspiracy in 2017 and was on supervision for a 2021 conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction).
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Jury Convicts Pinellas Trafficker of Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Bobby Peterson (41, St. Petersburg) guilty of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death, distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, and distribution of fentanyl. Peterson faces a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 19, 2024.
Peterson was arrested on February 18, 2022, and detained.
According to testimony, evidence presented at trial, and court records Peterson was a supplier of fentanyl and other controlled substances in Pinellas County. On May 12, 2020, Peterson distributed fentanyl to Jacqueline Schnieder who in turn distributed some of the fentanyl to a friend, M.G. A few hours later, M.G. died of fentanyl toxicity. On the same day, Peterson communicated with another individual, L.O., about the sale of fentanyl. Hours later, L.O. also died of fentanyl toxicity.
When Peterson was told about M.G.’s death, he expressed no remorse and instead responded, “they know what they’re doing.” After Peterson became aware that M.G. had died from the fentanyl he distributed, Peterson continued to sell fentanyl. On February 5, 2021, Peterson sold fentanyl to an undercover detective.
Jacqueline Schnieder previously pleaded guilty for her role in this case and is pending sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pinellas Park Police Department, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Stoia.
Jimcy McGirt Sentenced to 30 Years for Aggravated Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Jimcy McGirt, age 75, of Holdenville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 360 months imprisonment for one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country.
On December 5, 2023, McGirt pleaded guilty to one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country. As part of the plea agreement, McGirt confessed to sexually abusing a child in August of 1996.
“Today’s sentence closes a chapter on a perpetrator who has attempted to evade the legal consequences of his actions at every turn,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “For the victim, we hope it is but a beginning. To go into a courtroom—to fight to be heard and to be believed—that takes courage. To do so over three decades requires unimaginable fortitude of spirit. It is our hope the guilty plea and the sentence imposed bring some solace and comfort to those most effected by the defendant’s crimes.”
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah McAmis and Kyra Jenner represented the United States.
Jackson Man Sentenced to 61 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Jackson man was sentenced today to 61 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Ronald Gardner, 51, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Gardner and his co-conspirator, Anthony Craig Myrick, opened an account at a Jackson bank in another person’s name in September 2022. Gardner and Myrick deposited several counterfeit U.S. Treasury checks in the account at various bank branches in the Jackson metro area and withdrew the cash before the checks were determined to be counterfeit. Gardner admitted to manufacturing the counterfeit Treasury checks and creating a false identification card using another person’s name and identity. The Court found that, as part of the scheme, 10 or more victims had their personal identifying information used unlawfully or without authority.
Gardner and Myrick were indicted by a federal grand jury on August 22, 2023. Myrick pleaded guilty on October 17, 2023, and Gardner pleaded guilty on February 2, 2024. Myrick was sentenced on March 11, 2024, to 26 months in prison. Both defendants were ordered to pay restitution to the bank as part of their sentences.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis made the announcement.
The U.S. Secret Service and Rankin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie prosecuted the case.
Jackson Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 360 months in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for production of child pornography.
According to court documents, Delvan Jerrod Howard, 43, produced a video of an adult man engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a child. Howard was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 5, 2022. He pled guilty on January 11, 2024, to production of child pornography.
Howard was ordered to pay 3,000 under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mississippi Attorney General Office’s Cyber Crime Unit investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Illegal possession of firearm sends Missoula felon to prisonRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Missoula felon was sentenced on May 1 to 33 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a loaded and stolen firearm, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
The defendant, Caleb Gerard Diamond, 24, pleaded guilty in December 2023 to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that in May 2023, Diamond, while on felony probation for two separate crimes, was arrested for exposing himself in public while watching two females leave a movie theater. Diamond possessed a loaded .45-caliber handgun and methamphetamine. The gun had been stolen the previous October from a vehicle a few blocks from where Diamond was arrested. Twelve days earlier, Diamond stole ammunition from a local business. When questioned about firearms in his residence, Diamond initially stated he was not aware of any but then advised he recently had purchased a shotgun and gave it to his roommate.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter prosecuted the case. The Missoula Police Department, Montana Probation and Parole and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Re-Entry of Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ALLAN ENRIQUE GOMEZ VILLEDA, age 41, a citizen of Honduras, pleaded guilty on April 30, 2024, to illegal reentry of a deported alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a).
According to the court documents, GOMEZ VILLEDA admitted to reentering the United States illegally after being previously deported on May 9, 2019.
GOMEZ VILLEDA faces a sentence of up to 2 years imprisonment, up to 1 years of supervised release, up to a $100,00 fine, and a $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. District Court Judge Jay C. Zainey has set the sentencing for June 18, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – JONATHAN JOSE CASTILLO-JANEZ, age 24, pleaded guilty on April 30, 2024, to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. His sentencing is set for June 25, 2024.
According to the indictment, JONATHAN JOSE CASTILLO-JANEZ, (“CASTILLO-JANEZ”) reentered the United States after being previously deported on June 14, 2017. CASTILLO-JANEZ, a Honduran national with no legal right to be in the United States, was arrested in Orleans Parish in January of 2024 for Battery and Possession of Stolen Property. Department of Homeland Security research revealed that he was deported on June 14, 2017 after being convicted in Salt Lake City, Utah, of Attempted Distribution of Cocaine. He served 120 days in jail in Utah.
CASTILLO-JANEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of up to $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of up to one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. He faces a sentencing enhancement of up to 10 years imprisonment because of a prior felony conviction.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Hernando Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Destruction of Evidence and Accessing with Intent to View Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Basilio Jim Diaz (Hernando, 64) to 14 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for destruction of evidence and accessing with intent to view child sexual abuse material. The court also ordered Diaz to forfeit electronic devices, which were used in the commission of the offense, register as a sex offender, and pay $38,000 in restitution. A federal jury found Diaz guilty on January 10, 2024.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on March 9, 2023, the FBI executed a search warrant at Diaz’s home seeking evidence of child exploitation. When the FBI announced their presence, Diaz refused to exit his home. FBI SWAT members used an armored vehicle to break through the front door and obtain a visual inside the home. The SWAT agents also deployed two drones to better assess the situation inside the home. After nearly an hour, Diaz had disabled one of the drones and was in the process of disabling the second drone when SWAT agents entered the home and detained Diaz. A search of the home revealed that Diaz had spent those 45 - 50 minutes destroying evidence. Despite Diaz’s efforts, the FBI used forensic tools to recover thousands of images and videos depicting the child sexual abuse and exploitation of children from Diaz’s laptop. Agents also recovered two child-like sex dolls.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, and task force officers from the Tampa Police Department and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ilyssa M. Spergel and Ross D. Roberts.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Hays man convicted of sexually abusing minor girl on Fort Belknap Indian Reservation sentenced to more than three years in prisonRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Hays man convicted by a federal jury of sexually abusing a minor girl on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation was sentenced on May 1 to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Following a three-day trial, the jury on Oct. 5, 2023 found Daniel Jacob Werk, 38, guilty of sexual abuse of a minor, as charged in an indictment.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that from July 2021 to October 2021, Werk repeatedly sexually abused a 15-year-old girl on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. Werk, who was the program coordinator for the Fort Belknap Grassland Restoration Project, a program designed to provide opportunities for at-risk Native youth, recruited the girl, identified as Jane Doe, into the program and then repeatedly engaged in sexual acts with her.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
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Hahn Air Lines Agrees to Pay $26.8M to Resolve False Claims Act Liability for Its Alleged Failure to Pay Travel Fees Collected from PassengersRead the Press Release
Hahn Air Lines GmbH, a privately owned company based in Germany, and its Minneapolis-based subsidiary Hahn Air USA Inc. (collectively Hahn Air) have agreed to pay $26.8 million to resolve allegations that Hahn Air violated the False Claims Act by knowingly failing to remit to the United States certain travel fees that Hahn Air collected from commercial airline passengers flying into or within the United States.
Hahn Air Lines GmbH operates as a commercial travel company whose primary business includes offering an electronic ticketing database that allows travel agencies worldwide to issue airline passenger tickets for travel on airlines based on agreements that Hahn Air Lines GmbH has with numerous commercial airlines located around the world. Pursuant to its business model, Hahn Air Lines GmbH collects certain mandatory travel fees, including certain passenger fees that are owed to the United States.
The settlement resolves allegations that, from 2012 to 2018, Hahn Air allegedly knowingly and improperly avoided paying to the United States certain travel fees that Hahn Air had collected from airline passengers purchasing Hahn Air tickets. These included Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection User Fees owed to the Department of Agriculture (USDA); Customs User Fees and Immigration User Fees owed to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Passenger Civil Aviation Security Service Fees owed to the Transportation Security Administration.
“Companies that benefit from air travel in the United States must pay their fair share of the costs associated with that such travel,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates that we will protect the taxpayers by ensuring that those who are obligated to pay money to the United States, whether in the form of travel fees or other types of payments, are held accountable for what they owe.”
“Companies cannot pocket, for their own benefit, government taxes and fees that they collect from their customers,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “This settlement shows that companies that intentionally do so will face stiff penalties.”
“I appreciate the continued partnership with the Justice Department’s Civil Division and our other law enforcement partners,” said Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). “Today’s multimillion dollar settlement is a result of our collective efforts and demonstrates that the United States holds corporations accountable when they fail to comply with the law.”
“Participation in Government travel business programs is a privilege and should not involve actors who seek to circumvent paying travel costs to the U.S. Government,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker of the USDA Office of the Inspector General (OIG). “Thanks to the hard work and tireless efforts of the investigative team, the interests and integrity of the United States and the business process throughout Government continue to be protected. The USDA Office of Inspector General appreciates the commitment of the Department of Justice and the cooperative efforts of our law enforcement partners. Our resources are well utilized when we work together to investigate those who intend to defraud the U.S. Government. This resolution demonstrates that we are committed to holding businesses accountable when they choose to abuse the integrity of vital government programs.”
The settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. MGSNOVA Advisory, LLC v. Hahn Air, Inc. et al, No. 1:15‐cv‐02184 (D.D.C.). As part of today’s resolution, the whistleblower will receive a total of approximately $4.8 million.
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 District of Columbia, with assistance from the Offices of Inspector General for the DHS and USDA.
Trial Attorney Richard W. Hagner of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Darrell Valdez for the District of Columbia handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
SettlementHahn Air Lines Agrees to Pay $26.8 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Liability for Its Alleged Failure to Pay Travel Fees Collected from PassengersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Hahn Air Lines GmbH, a privately owned company based in Germany, and its Minneapolis-based subsidiary Hahn Air USA, Inc. (collectively, “Hahn Air”) have agreed to pay $26.8 million to resolve allegations that Hahn Air violated the False Claims Act by knowingly failing to remit to the United States certain travel fees that Hahn Air collected from commercial airline passengers flying into or within the United States.
The settlement was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari for the Department of Homeland Security, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker for USDA Office of the Inspector General (OIG).
Hahn Air Lines GmbH operates as a commercial travel company whose primary business includes offering an electronic ticketing database that allows travel agencies worldwide to issue airline passenger tickets for travel on airlines based on agreements that Hahn Air Lines GmbH has with numerous commercial airlines located around the world. Pursuant to its business model, Hahn Air Lines GmbH collects certain mandatory travel fees, including certain passenger fees that are owed to the United States.
The settlement resolves allegations that, from 2012 to 2018, Hahn Air allegedly knowingly and improperly avoided paying to the United States certain travel fees that Hahn Air had collected from airline passengers purchasing Hahn Air tickets. These included Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection User Fees owed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA); Customs User Fees and Immigration User Fees owed to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); and Passenger Civil Aviation Security Service Fees owed to the Transportation Security Administration.
“Companies cannot pocket, for their own benefit, government taxes and fees that they collect from their customers,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew M. Graves. “This settlement shows that companies that intentionally do so will face stiff penalties.”
“Companies that benefit from air travel in the United States must pay their fair share of the costs associated with that such travel,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates that we will protect the taxpayers by ensuring that those who are obligated to pay money to the United States, whether in the form of travel fees or other types of payments, are held accountable for what they owe."
“I appreciate the continued partnership with the Justice Department’s Civil Division and our other law enforcement partners,” said Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari for the Department of Homeland Security. “Today’s multimillion dollar settlement is a result of our collective efforts and demonstrates that the United States holds corporations accountable when they fail to comply with the law.”
“Participation in Government travel business programs is a privilege and should not involve actors who seek to circumvent paying travel costs to the U.S. Government,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker for USDA Office of the Inspector General (OIG). “Thanks to the hard work and tireless efforts of the investigative team, the interests and integrity of the United States and the business process throughout Government continue to be protected. The USDA Office of Inspector General appreciates the commitment of the Department of Justice and the cooperative efforts of our law enforcement partners. Our resources are well utilized when we work together to investigate those who intend to defraud the U.S. Government. This resolution demonstrates that we are committed to holding businesses accountable when they choose to abuse the integrity of vital government programs.”
The settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. MGSNOVA Advisory, LLC v. Hahn Air, Inc. et al, No. 1:15‐cv‐02184 (D.D.C.). As part of today’s resolution, the whistleblower will receive a total of approximately $4.8 million.
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 United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from the Offices of Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Agriculture.
The matter was handled by Trial Attorney Richard W. Hagner of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Darrell Valdez for the District of Columbia.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Guatemalan Man Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping Minor Girl He Helped Smuggle into the United StatesRead the Press Release
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Bernardino de Jesus Ramirez-Ramirez, a/k/a Carlos Mendoza, 35, of Guatemala, pleaded guilty to kidnapping and illegal transportation of an alien following two days of trial in federal court.
Evidence introduced during the trial revealed that in October 2022, Ramirez paid for a 16-year-old girl to be smuggled into the United States from Guatemala. Ramirez directed the minor’s journey into the United States. He instructed her to turn herself in to immigration officials after she crossed the border and provide them his name and contact information as the person who was supposed to receive her. The minor was taken into the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement and placed in a shelter for unaccompanied alien children.
Officials at the shelter learned that the minor was not related to Ramirez and had never met him before, that he had paid her smuggling debt, and that he had work lined up for her in the United States. They determined Ramirez posed a risk of labor trafficking and was not a suitable sponsor for the minor. In March 2023, they released the minor to an uncle in South Carolina.
A forensic examination of Ramirez’s phone revealed that he was fixated on gaining control over the minor. For months, he exchanged messages with members of the minor’s family regarding her smuggling debt and indicating he would do whatever it took to get her into his custody. He told the minor that because of the “favor” he extended her in helping her get to the United States, she had to live with him. He also told her that if she stayed with her uncle in South Carolina, her smuggling debt, and the interest on it, would increase.
On April 5, 2023, Ramirez drove from Missouri to the victim’s home in South Carolina and told her that if she did not come with him, she would be deported back to Guatemala. The victim, believing her debt would be increased and she would be deported if she did not go along, agreed to leave with Ramirez. He drove her to his home in Kansas City, Missouri, where she was recovered by law enforcement officials the following day.
“Every child deserves to grow up in a safe environment, free from the threat of harm,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “Crimes that exploit and endanger our young people will be met with swift accountability.”
“Finding and stopping predators like Ramirez, who seek to exploit minors, is one of the highest priorities of our office,” said Kyle D. Burns, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Charlotte that covers North and South Carolina. “Rescuing this victim saved her from unspeakable horrors and I am thankful for the great work done on this case and the amazing support of our law enforcement partners.”
Ramirez faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $500,000 and at least three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins presided over the trial, accepted the guilty plea, and will sentence Ramirez after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Newberry Police Department, with assistance from the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carrie Fisher Sherard and Kathleen Stoughton are prosecuting the case.
Georgia Methamphetamine Trafficker Is Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Larry Edward Wood, 62, of Mount Airy, Georgia, was sentenced to 188 months in prison today for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Wood was also ordered to serve five years under court supervision after he is released from prison.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, Sheriff Doug Farmer of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Curtis Cochran of the Swain County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Devin Holland of the Franklin Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, law enforcement initiated an investigation into Wood, a Georgia resident, for suspected methamphetamine trafficking in and around Macon County. In May 2021, a confidential source working with law enforcement purchased methamphetamine from Wood. In July 2021, Wood traveled to Macon County and delivered five kilograms of methamphetamine that was seized by law enforcement.
On July 28, 2023, Wood pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Wood remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending placement by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the DEA, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Swain County Sheriff’s Office, and the Franklin Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
Fruitland Man Sentenced for Brutal Assault on NeighborRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A federal judge handed down a 12-month plus one day prison sentence to a Fruitland man for assaulting his neighbor after a long-simmering tension boiled over.
According to publicly available court records, June 27, 2021, Elijah Cudei Etsitty, 27, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, and his family got into a fistfight with their neighbor, Jane Doe’s husband. During the fight, the group pinned Jane Doe’s husband to the ground, where they continued to beat and choke him.
Seeing this, Jane Doe intervened to protect her husband. Etsitty slammed Jane Doe to the ground and struck her until she lost consciousness, causing head and facial injuries, including a skull fracture and resulting seizure activity.
There is no parole in the federal system. Upon his release from prison, Etsitty will be subject to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Shiprock Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Bell is prosecuting the case.
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Former Village of Brewster Police Officer Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for his Role in Commercial Sex Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, former Village of Brewster Police Officer Wayne Peiffer was sentenced by United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall to 36 months’ imprisonment for his participation in a conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion and conspiracy to commit bribery. Additionally, Peiffer must pay $5,000 in forfeiture as well as perform community service during his supervised release for no less than four hours per week for a total of 208 hours. The community service should benefit Brewster, New York or a nearby community.
The charges arose from Peiffer’s protection of two Queens-based prostitution businesses from law enforcement when the businesses brought women to his jurisdiction in Brewster, New York, to engage in prostitution. Peiffer pleaded guilty to the charges in April 2022.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Ivan J. Arvelo, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the charges.
“The defendant is rightly punished with a prison sentence for disgracing his badge, violating the public trust in the community he was sworn to serve, and facilitating the victimization of vulnerable women all for his own self-satisfaction,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Rooting out public corruption in all its pernicious forms is a priority of this Office as such conduct undermines trust in law enforcement.”
Mr. Peace also expressed his appreciation to the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office for their continued support and assistance throughout this investigation.
“Wayne Peiffer violated his sworn oath to serve the community by using his authority as law enforcement to protect known sex traffickers and perpetuate the further victimization of the trafficked women,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith. “Today, justice has been restored. Peiffer’s sentence emphasizes the FBI’s intolerance of corrupt individuals who abuse their position and disrupt the public’s confidence in our law enforcement departments.”
“Wayne Peiffer, a police officer and trusted public servant, used his official position to shield prostitution route drivers and sex traffickers from other local and state law enforcement in exchange for sexual favors,” stated HSI New York Special Agent-in-Charge Arvelo. “This case is particularly alarming because Peiffer not only betrayed his sworn duty to uphold the law, but his actions also facilitated the trafficking of young women. HSI will not tolerate those who abuse their positions of trust to commit these despicable acts exploiting the most vulnerable members of our society.”
“Today, a former police officer who once swore an oath and then betrayed it in reprehensible fashion is facing the consequences of his actions,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “Law enforcement is a noble profession that provides no harbor for those who would tarnish the shield we proudly wear. I commend everyone from the NYPD, HSI, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District for their work on this important case.”
From approximately 2010 through October 2018, Peiffer provided protection to members of a prostitution business and a sex trafficking organization that each transported women from Queens to Brewster for the purposes of engaging in prostitution. Peiffer’s protection included advance notice of increased law enforcement activities and assistance with avoiding detection and apprehension. For example, on one occasion Peiffer warned members of the Cid-Hernandez Sex Trafficking Organization not to travel to Brewster because law enforcement officers in a narcotics investigation were conducting car stops in the area. Peiffer met one of the criminal organization’s employees in a service station and told him to leave the area. On another occasion Peiffer called one of the organization’s drivers and advised him not to travel to Brewster because of law enforcement activities. When a driver for the organization was pulled over by another Brewster police officer, Peiffer vouched for the driver, describing him as a “friend.” In exchange for his assistance, Peiffer received sexual services from the women at no cost.
Four of Peiffer’s co-defendants, Luz Elvira Cardona, Roberto Cesar Cid Dominguez, Blanca Hernandez Morales and Jose Facundo Zarate Morales were convicted after trial of sex trafficking in October 2023, and they are awaiting sentencing. Co-defendant Cristian Godinez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to facilitate prostitution and conspiracy to facilitate bribery. He was sentenced in December 2023 to 14 months in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas J. Moscow and Rachel A. Bennek are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Ryan Costley.
The Defendant:
WAYNE PEIFFER
Age: 51
Highland, New YorkCo-Defendants:
LUZ ELVIRA CARDONA
Age: 35
Queens, New YorkROBERTO CESAR CID DOMINGUEZ
Age: 61
Queens, New YorkCRISTIAN NOE GODINEZ
Age: 44
Queens, New YorkBLANCA HERNANDEZ MORALES
Age: 53
Queens, New YorkJOSE FACUNDO ZARATE MORALS
Age: 35
Queens, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-622 (LDH)
Former Ericson State Bank President Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced today that Jack Poulsen, age 71, of Ericson, Nebraska, entered a plea of guilty to an Information alleging bank fraud in front of United States Magistrate Judge Jacqueline M. DeLuca. Judge DeLuca scheduled Poulsen’s sentencing hearing for August 1st, 2024, at 11:00 AM before United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis. Poulsen faces a maximum possible penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $1 million, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.
Ericson State Bank was a small rural bank founded in 1959 and had its sole location in Ericson, Nebraska. It was an insured member of the FDIC since June of 1960, until its closing in February of 2020. Poulsen was the President of Ericson State Bank from June of 2010 until September of 2019. He additionally sat on the Board of Directors.
As President of Ericson State Bank, Poulsen was responsible for overseeing all Ericson State Bank’s affairs and managing day-to-day operations. Poulsen was additionally responsible for keeping other Board of Directors informed of the bank’s financial condition. As President, Poulsen had lending authority but was required to seek approval from the bank’s loan committee for any loans exceeding $250,000. Poulsen was not allowed to be the loan officer on loans for which he would have a personal conflict of interest, including loans Ericson State Bank made to parties or entities related to Poulsen.
Beginning in 2012, Ericson State Bank began a lending relationship with an individual related to Poulsen. This individual and his business entities received numerous loans and opened several accounts with the bank. Pursuant to rules and regulations, Poulsen was not allowed to be the loan officer for these insider-related loans. Nevertheless, beginning at least in June of 2015, Poulsen began interfering with these insider-related loans and accounts for the purpose of hiding their unsoundness from the Board of Directors. These actions included advancing bank funds on insider-related loans more than the approved loan amounts; manipulating data contained in the bank’s computer system by advancing Payment Due Dates and Loan Maturity Dates to conceal the past-due status of the insider-related loans from the Board of Directors; advancing loans over the approved note amounts and applying the funds to conceal overdrafts on the insider-related checking accounts from the Board of Directors. Poulsen’s actions continued until September of 2019 when Poulsen was removed from his positions of authority with Ericson State Bank.
In one instance, in March 2019, Poulsen manipulated the maturity date and entered a new due date for one of the insider-related loans without proper authorization. Due to this manipulation, the loan was not presented as past-due to the Board of Directors despite the loan being mature for 181 days and drawn to a balance of approximately $1.6 million over the approved loan amount.
Ultimately, Ericson State Bank failed and was placed into a receivership with the FDIC. At the time of Ericson State Bank’s failure, Ericson State Bank was a state chartered financial institution regulated and examined by the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance and it was determined that a loss of more than $800,000 was attributable to the insider-related loans which were subject to the above-described scheme.
This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General, Federal Reserve Board – Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Former Boy Scout Volunteer Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Hiding Cameras in Camp BathroomsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday sentenced a former Boy Scout volunteer to 22 years in prison for hiding cameras in bathrooms at a St. Francois County, Missouri scout camp.
Judge Sippel also ordered David Lee Nelson to pay $55,000 in special assessments that will go to a fund for victims and prevention programs and $6,810 to pay for counseling for the victims in this case. After he gets out of prison, Nelson will be on supervised release for life, with special conditions that include a prohibition against any contact with minors without permission.
Nelson hid two cameras in bathrooms at the S Bar F Scout Ranch in St. Francois County in July of 2021 while working there as a volunteer. Nelson hid the cameras in paper towel dispensers, positioning them so they would capture a shower stall and other portions of the bathroom.
One camera was discovered when a scout leader and scouts were cleaning out one of the restroom stalls. A search uncovered another camera, and leaders then called the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department. When questioned later by a sheriff’s deputy after being spotted near the bathrooms, Nelson lied and said he was looking for a cell phone charger that he’d left in the stall.
During Thursday’s hearing, victims and their parents said Nelson was supposed to be protecting the scouts and was supposed to be someone children could trust. Nelson’s crimes, they said, have now left them unable to trust others. The victims also said they now experience fear and discomfort every time they try to use a public bathroom.
Nelson, 41, of Redmond, Washington, pleaded guilty in January to two counts of production of child pornography and two counts of attempted production of child pornography.
The St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Drake is 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 the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Florida man heads to prison for using fake debit cards to scam Houston banksRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 35-year-old resident of Miami, Florida, has been sentenced for conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Claude Casimir pleaded guilty Sept. 7, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge has now ordered Casimir to serve 30 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by 3 years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional arguments about the scheme and the defendant’s criminal history.
From April to May 2019, Casimir and others conspired in a scheme targeting the Houston area. The investigation began in early 2019 after a local bank discovered numerous fraudulent transactions. They found that individuals had used the personal identification numbers of actual bank customers and withdrew money via counterfeit cards.
At the time of the plea, Casimir admitted he rented a vehicle to access several ATMs in the Houston area and withdrew cash using counterfeit debit cards. He also drove another individual around the Houston area using the rented vehicle to do the same.
Additionally, Casimir admitted that on May 8, 2019, he used a debit card of another individual without that person’s knowledge or consent. In this single transaction, Casmir attempted to take $2,000.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rodolfo Ramirez prosecuted the case.
Florida Man Sentenced to One Year and One Day in Federal Prison for Providing Illegal Access to Digital Streaming ServicesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Franklin Valverde Jr., 40, of Melbourne, Florida was sentenced to one year and one day after pleading guilty to providing illegal access to digital streaming services. The conviction is believed to be the first in the nation under the “Protecting Lawful Streaming Act” (PLSA) that went into effect in 2021.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Valverde made hundreds of thousands of dollars illegally selling access codes to individuals that allowed them to view the entire video libraries of Dish Network and Sling TV. Valverde is now retired from the Air Force but was stationed at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter when he began his involvement in the scheme to illegally sell the access codes. According to evidence presented before the court, Valverde sold access codes to individuals, typically for $10 per month. The codes allowed the customers to illegally access all the copyrighted content of Dish Network and Sling TV, including pay-per-view sporting events, movies, and television programs. Valverde also provided websites and apps to his customers so that they could view the copyrighted materials.
The PLSA was introduced in Congress in 2020 as a provision of the Covid-19 Stimulus Bill. The purpose of PLSA is to punish commercial, for-profit streaming piracy services that make money from illegally streaming copyrighted material. The PLSA specifically does not criminalize users of the illegal apps.
United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis sentenced Valverde to 12 months and one day imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. Valverde was also ordered to pay $22,639.27 in restitution, plus a fine of $250,000. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson is prosecuting the case.
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Five Plead Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Conspiracy to Launder Computer Fraud Proceeds Offshore to Chinese CompaniesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that five individuals have pleaded guilty to a total of 35 counts of conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering, concealment money laundering, and structuring in an international scheme to hide proceeds of computer fraud committed on victims throughout the nation. Each faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each count of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for each count of structuring.
Defendant
Date of Guilty Plea
Count(s) in Indictment to Which Defendant Pleaded Guilty
Scheduled Sentencing Date
Cristian Rodriguez Labour
2/21/24
1 (conspiracy)
5/22/24
Jihad William Morales
5/2/24
1 (conspiracy)
2-8 (money laundering)
9-11 (structuring)
TBD
Michael Gabriel Robles Vazquez
4/9/24
1 (conspiracy)
12-14 (money laundering)
7/10/24
Aramys Gonzalez Rodriguez
3/25/24
1 (conspiracy)
15-23 (money laundering)
24-29 (structuring)
7/10/24
Jorge Ivan Ortiz Buil
4/9/24
1 (conspiracy)
30-34 (money laundering)
35 (structuring)
7/10/24
According to the plea agreements and other court documents, Labour recruited Morales, Robles Vazquez, Gonzalez Rodriguez, and Ortiz Buil to incorporate fake businesses in Florida and open business bank accounts in Deltona and Orlando. Unnamed conspirators hacking into the computer systems of small businesses throughout the country would then direct wire transfers to the fake businesses in Florida. Once the transfers were received, Labour, Morales, Robles Vazquez, Gonzalez Rodriguez, and Ortiz Buil would immediately transfer the bulk of the funds to businesses in the Zhejiang, Weifang, Shouguang, Huzhou, and Hangzhou regions of China while withdrawing a portion as payment for their participation in the conspiracy. The transfers were designed to conceal the source of the fraud proceeds and the defendants further obscured their withdrawals by structuring them to avoid bank reporting requirements.
Over a two-week period, in early March 2021, Labor and Morales laundered over $560,000 and attempted to launder another $200,000 using a single account in Deltona by sending the fraud proceeds to accounts in Zhejiang and Weifang and taking $80,000 in structured withdrawals as payment. Morales was captured on camera during one of the withdrawals (pictured below):
From June through November 2021, Labor and Vazquez used three different bank accounts in Orlando to launder $116,000 and attempted to launder $50,000 more. From August through December 2021, Labour and Gonzalez-Rodriguez used at least three different bank accounts in Orlando to launder over $1 million. Labour and Ortiz Buil attempted to launder $1 million in one bank account in December 2021 before successfully laundering around $250,000 at four different banks from December 2021 through February 2022, which laundering included using other individuals that Ortiz-Buil recruited into the scheme.
Overall, members of the conspiracy successfully laundered $3,323,941 to offshore accounts in China and unsuccessfully attempted to launder another $6,145,877, all of which were the proceeds or attempted proceeds of computer fraud and cyber intrusions on small businesses throughout the United States.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
Five Charged in 2006 Cold-Case Kidnapping and Murder of Philadelphia ManRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that five Philadelphia men — Kevin Holloway, 45; Mark Scott, 48; Linton Mathis, 50; Atiba Wicker, 47; and Kenneth Tuck, 51 — were arrested and charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death, kidnapping resulting in death, and aiding and abetting.
The indictment alleges that on the evening of August 26, 2006, Shamari Taylor, a 38-year-old Philadelphia native, and his then-21-year-old girlfriend, were kidnapped from West Philadelphia by several men who were impersonating police officers. Taylor’s girlfriend was released by her captors several hours later, but Taylor remained missing until August 21, 2018, when law enforcement recovered his remains in a shallow grave in North Philadelphia. The ensuing investigation revealed that in the summer of 2006, at least nine men conspired to rob Taylor of cocaine and drug proceeds, and, in doing so, some of them disguised themselves as police officers while using fake badges, police lights, and firearms.
Law enforcement established that, as part of the conspiracy, Taylor and his girlfriend were abducted and transported to a warehouse in North Philadelphia where Taylor was interrogated and tortured, in an effort to ascertain where he stored additional cocaine and money. Taylor was then suffocated to death and his body was discarded in Fairmount Park. Several days later, four of the kidnappers moved Taylor’s body, burying him in a vacant lot in North Philadelphia that has since become the parking lot of a charter high school. On the day after the abduction, Taylor’s family home in West Philadelphia was ransacked by two armed men who shot Taylor’s mother and sister in their heads; both women survived.
In September 2006, Kenneth Tuck was arrested and charged locally in Philadelphia County in connection with the kidnapping. In 2008, after two trials, Tuck was acquitted of all charges in Philadelphia County. During that period, no one else was charged in connection with the kidnapping or death of Taylor.
The investigation revealed that Tuck was recruited to join the conspiracy plot to kidnap and rob Taylor while posing as a police officer, and that Kevin Holloway and his drug-dealing associates, Mark Scott and Linton Mathis, participated in the kidnapping and murdered Taylor in the warehouse after torturing him. The investigation further revealed that Taylor’s friend, Atiba Wicker, and another acquaintance helped plan the crime, in part, by luring Taylor to the abduction site on August 26, 2006. Finally, the investigation revealed that Tuck’s family member bribed a witness who testified at Tuck’s state trial in 2007, and that witness along with other witnesses provided false testimony supporting Tuck’s alibi for the evening Taylor was abducted.
“Anyone who commits a heinous crime and is still walking free years later might just assume they’ve gotten away with it,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Well, they should think again. We and our law enforcement partners will doggedly pursue justice for victims of violence and accountability for the perpetrators — no matter how long it may take.”
"Although the criminal acts alleged here today occurred nearly 18 years ago, the work of our office has not ceased," said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. "The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue justice for victims of violent crime in our community."
“Today's charges are the culmination of years of relentless pursuit of justice for Shamari Taylor and his loved ones,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel. “The nature of this crime, with its elaborate planning, impersonation of law enforcement, and brutal execution, underscores the commitment of law enforcement to bring closure to cold cases and hold those responsible fully accountable. Our communities deserve nothing less. I commend the collaborative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, as well as the unwavering dedication of the Philadelphia Police Department, in bringing these alleged perpetrators to justice. This case exemplifies the power of cooperation among law enforcement agencies at all levels to solve complex crimes and deliver justice for the victims and their families. We will not rest until justice is served.”
“These arrests result in the charges brought against the defendants for the death and kidnapping of Shamari Taylor,” stated Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz of the DEA New Jersey Field Division. “The DEA and our law enforcement partners remain committed to making sure those responsible for these types of violent crimes face the consequences for their actions and are brought to justice.”
"We will continue to work closely and build on our strong relationships with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to maintain public safety and focus our efforts on identifying, investigating, and disrupting individuals who are engaging in criminal activity," said Dr. Laurel R. Harry, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. "I want to thank our state parole agents who worked on this case for so long; their determination and long hours hasn’t gone unnoticed."
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum possible sentence of mandatory life imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Ashenfelter and Jason Grenell.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Final Defendant in Southeastern Massachusetts Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Cranston, R.I. man pleaded guilty on April 30, 2024 in federal court in Boston to his involvement in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed fentanyl throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Mario Rafael Dominguez-Ortiz, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Aug. 6, 2024. Dominguez-Ortiz was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2022 along with nine other individuals.
In March 2021, an investigation began into a DTO operating in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island led by Estarlin Ortiz-Alcantara. The investigation identified Dominguez-Ortiz as a member of the DTO, who was employed by Ortiz-Alcantara to deliver fentanyl. On four occasions between July and November 2021, Dominguez-Ortiz delivered fentanyl to a cooperating source. Each of the fentanyl deliveries were in amounts consistent with quantities intended for further distribution.
Dominguez-Ortiz faces a up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Estarlin Ortiz-Alcantara pleaded guilty in December 2023 and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9, 2024.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira; and Fairhaven Police Chief Michael J. Myers made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Homeland Security Investigations; Bristol County Sherriff’s Office; and Fall River, Taunton, Attleboro, Scituate, Yarmouth, Providence (R.I.) and West Warwick (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is 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.
Fifteen Individuals Facing Federal Indictment for Gun Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Fifteen individuals have been charged in a federal indictment alleging a conspiracy to straw purchase dozens of firearms from at least six federally licensed firearms dealers in the Central Indiana area.
Each of the following defendants have been charged with conspiring to make false statements during the purchase of a firearm, and one or more counts of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm:
- Daylen Bell, 24, Indianapolis
- Jaylyn Lamont Crenshaw, 25, Indianapolis
- Michaela Evan Day, 27, Indianapolis
- Michael Glen Day, 23, Indianapolis
- Davone Trae Eans, 24, Indianapolis
- Kendall Rayshaun Ezell, 21, Indianapolis
- Anthony Keith Jones, 24, Indianapolis
- Isiah Thomas Keller, 21, Greenfield
- Anthony James Morst, 24, Indianapolis
- Caleb Morris Redman, 23, Indianapolis
- Jordan Devon Ross, 24, Gary
- Derrion Wisdom Scruggs, 23, Unknown
- Michael Coreal Stubbs, 22, Indianapolis
- Demetrius Andre Young, 24, Indianapolis
- Jalen Charles Zimmerman, 23, Indianapolis
According to court documents, from at least November 2020, continuing up to April 8, 2022, Keller, Stubbs, Ezell, Michael Day, and Jones conspired to pay straw purchasers to buy illegally guns from at least six Central Indiana federally licensed firearms dealers on their behalf. This form of gun trafficking is frequently referred to as “straw purchasing.” Straw purchasing occurs when a person who is allowed to legally purchase a gun from a federally licensed dealer falsely states that they are purchasing a firearm for themselves, when they know that the gun is actually intended for someone else.
Keller, Stubbs, Ezell, Michael Day, and Jones paid Redman, Scruggs, Bell, Morst, Ross, Zimmerman, Michaela Day, Eans, Crenshaw, and Young to make straw purchases from federally licensed gun dealers. Keller, Stubbs, Ezell, Michael Day, and Jones then transported the illegally purchased guns to resell them elsewhere.
If convicted, each defendant charged faces up to ten years in federal prison.
The following investigative agencies collaborated to make this investigation and the recent warrant execution possible:
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- Greenfield Police Department
- Hancock County Sheriff’s Office
- Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department
- Lawrence Police Department
- United States Marshals Service
Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, thanked Assistant United States Attorney Pamela Domash, who is prosecuting this case.
This case was brought as part of the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force (ICGTF). ICGTF is a partnership of law enforcement officers and analysts from several central Indiana law enforcement agencies in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, Johnson, and Shelby counties. In cooperation with state, local, and federal partners, ICGTF collaborates to address violent crime through a comprehensive strategy including innovative approaches to locating suspects and evidence related to violent crimes and illegal possession of firearms.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment or criminal complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Fentanyl trafficking sends Washington man to prison for 11 years after Columbus traffic stopRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Washington man who admitted to trafficking fentanyl and illegally possessing a firearm after a traffic stop in Columbus was sentenced on May 1 to 11 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
The defendant, Anthony Omarel Kenner, 31, of Tacoma, Washington, pleaded guilty in December 2023 to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that in March 2022, law enforcement pulled over Kenner and a passenger in a traffic stop. Officers became suspicious of drugs in the vehicle based on Kenner’s and his passenger’s conflicting stories and the presence of drug paraphernalia. A search warrant was executed on the vehicle, and law enforcement found in the trunk a backpack containing cocaine, fentanyl and a loaded, stolen .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol. Kenner was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a previous felony conviction in Washington.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey M. Hendricks and Thomas K. Godfrey prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Columbus Police Department conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Felon Who Unlawfully Possessed a Gun Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced May 2, 2024, to more than 2 years in federal prison.
Andrea Crystal Lee, age 36, from Emmetsburg, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 19, 2023, guilty plea to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that on January 24, 2023, Lee was on state probation for possession of a controlled substance offense. During a probation check, a state probation officer located methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in Lee’s home. Law enforcement secured a search warrant, and a search of Lee’s home was conducted. During the search, law enforcement found a loaded 9mm handgun concealed in a floor vent, ammunition, and magazines. As a drug user and felon, Lee was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Lee was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Lee was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Lee is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick T. Greenwood and Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-3011. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Federal Judge Finds CBP Officer Guilty of Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A federal judge convicted a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer for two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of the falsification of a document in a federal investigation.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Miguel Angel Delgado Jr., 40, of El Paso, used excessive force in two incidents while he was on duty at the Bridge of Americas Port of Entry between October 2019 and June 2020. As a result of Delgado’s unlawful use of force, the victims suffered bodily injury. Following one of the incidents, Delgado submitted a CBP Incident Log Report, in which he falsely reported the occurrence.
Delgado faces up to 10 years in prison for each use of force incident and up to 20 years in prison for the falsification of a document charge.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and the CBP Office of Professional Responsibility investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Aguayo is prosecuting the case.
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Federal Charges Filed Against Couple in Theft from Isleta Pueblo BusinessRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A husband and wife face federal charges for allegedly working together to steal over $10,000 from a local business on the Isleta Pueblo in February 2023.
The indictment alleges that on February 4, 2023, Frank Joe Hernandez, 43, and his wife, Eva Ann Hernandez, 45, both of Los Lunas, traveled together to Chical Haystack and entered the business together. Eva walked to the cash register and remained near there to act as a lookout while Frank walked to the business office and stole approximately $10,410.30 in currency and a check from the business’ safe. Eva and Frank then left the business together.
Eva and Frank are both charged with one count each of conspiracy to commit larceny over $1,000 and larceny over $1,000. A federal judge detained Frank until trial. Eva was released with conditions, including that she does not enter the Isleta Pueblo.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today.
The Isleta Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the Belen Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Jones is prosecuting the case.
View the IndictmentAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Fairfield Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Steven Daniel Miller, 48, of Fairfield, pleaded guilty today to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in October 2018, Miller used another person’s social security number to complete a credit application with a bank in order to purchase a 2018 Dodge Challenger Hellcat at a car dealership in Yuba City. Based on the false information on the credit application, the bank approved the loan and paid approximately $75,754 to the car dealership. Miller left the dealership with the vehicle, and it was subsequently seized by law enforcement.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service with assistance from the California Highway Patrol, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Rocklin Police Department, the Gilroy Police Department, and the Fairfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case.
Miller is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on Aug. 8, 2024. Miller faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine on the bank fraud count. He faces a two-year mandatory prison sentence on the aggravated identity theft count, which must run consecutive to any sentence received on the bank fraud count. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Fairfield County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for ThreatsRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Casey William Degolyer, 48, of Blair, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to threatening interstate communications.
Evidence presented in court showed that the FBI received numerous complaints regarding Degolyer’s posts on social media. Degolyer posted almost daily calling for the execution of public officials, including the need to hang certain public office holders from a rope, killing law enforcement and their families, dragging judges and their family “out of their households” to be “brutalized in the streets,” opposing the government by violence and force, and killing members of certain racial and ethnic groups. Degolyer targeted both specific public office holders and groups of people based on their jobs or ethnicity. He wrote that he was “about to go dark and take action.” Degolyer’s threats continued even after being contacted by law enforcement.
Degolyer has prior convictions for criminal domestic violence, violating an order of protection, violating a restraining order, and unlawful use of a telephone. When he was arrested, he was found with four firearms and ammunition, which he was not allowed to possess under federal law.
Senior United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Degolyer to 18 months imprisonment, a sentence that was above the advisory sentencing guidelines, to be followed by three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office with support from the U.S. Secret Service, the York County Sheriff’s Office, the Rock Hill Police Department, and the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels prosecuted the case.
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Evergreen Man Sentenced for Making Threats to Commit Mass ViolenceRead the Press Release
DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Kyle William Staebell, age 34, of Evergreen, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for making threats to commit mass violence.
According to the defendant’s plea, in the early morning hours of January 16, 2023, the defendant threatened to commit mass violence at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) office in Denver, an office of the Department of Homeland Security, and a Colorado-based performing arts group’s location. Thanks to the swift investigative work of the FBI, the Denver Police Department, the Lakewood Police Department, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the defendant was arrested that same day. Subsequent investigation revealed that, in the month before issuing the threats, the defendant went to each of the three locations in person, conducted online research regarding acts of mass violence, and possessed a Molotov cocktail.
“The Office of the United States Attorney of Colorado is committed to prosecuting individuals who threaten the safety and security of Coloradans,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado Cole Finegan. “We remain grateful to our law enforcement partners who were able to swiftly investigate this case and keep our communities safe.”
"Free speech is protected by the First Amendment, but when speech crosses the line into threats of violence, it becomes a crime," said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. "Violence and threats of violence have no place in our society, and this sentence demonstrates our resolve to disrupt plots to commit mass violence and keep our communities safe."
The FBI urges the public to report suspicious or threatening behavior to their local law enforcement or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitting a tip online at https://tips.fbi.gov.
United States District Court Judge Daniel D. Domenico sentenced the defendant on May 1, 2024.
The FBI Denver Field Division conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cramer-Babycz handled the prosecution of the case.
Eleven South Bay Residents Charged in Racketeering Conspiracy for Alleged Involvement in Numerous Street Gang CrimesRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – A federal grand jury has handed down an indictment charging 11 South Bay residents with taking part in a racketeering conspiracy to promote the aims of the Salinas Acosta Plaza Norteños (SAP Norteños) street gang. The indictment, filed April 18, 2024, and unsealed earlier today, describes a halting list of crimes including eight murders during the last five years, multiple additional shootings, drug and gun distribution, and other related crimes allegedly perpetrated by the defendants on behalf of the street gang. The announcement was made at a press conference held at the Salinas Police Department this afternoon.
“The allegations in the indictment, if proven, describe a group that has a wanton disregard for life and an extreme penchant for violence,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey. “The dozens of crimes outlined in the complaint describe a vicious gang that, for example, uses beatings as a hazing for membership and death as a penalty for trying to leave the group. I want to thank Homeland Security Investigations and the Salinas Police Department, including Acting Chief John Murray, for their excellent work. We will continue to round up and prosecute all such offenders to the fullest extent of the law.”
"The charges against the eleven South Bay residents signify a concerted effort to dismantle criminal enterprises and hold individuals accountable for their alleged involvement in egregious organized crime,” said San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. “Thank you to the men and women of HSI, Salinas Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California, and partner law enforcement agencies for making today’s court authorized actions safe for all involved. We appreciate their selfless work in protecting those who may not have a voice. In recognition of Police Week, I also acknowledge law enforcement personnel who have given the ultimate sacrifice in service to our Nation.”
The 12-page indictment charges all 11 defendants under a single count of racketeering conspiracy. According to the indictment, the SAP Norteños are a street gang that originated in a Salinas apartment complex by the same name. The group is now recognized as a clique within the larger collection of Norteño criminal street gangs.
The 11 defendants are as follows: Gil Vasquez, aka “Rhino;” 35, Rigoberto Ramirez Jr., aka “Scooby,” 36; Sergio Hernandez Jr., aka “Mono,” 35; Juan Alvarez, aka “Yogi,” 38; Bertin Medrano, aka “Dre,” 30; Jose Mexicano, aka “Armani,” 25, Salvador Mexicano, aka “Jumpshot,” 20; Raul Coronel Suarez, aka “Ray,” 20; Gustavo Garcia, aka “Tatis,” 25; Lorenzo Garcia Jr., aka “Chito,” 30; and Jose Saldana aka “Chepe,” 19.
As described by the indictment, members of the street gang “meet and work together” to carry out crimes for the benefit of the street gang, its members, the larger Norteño organization, and the Nuestra Familia prison gang. Crimes are perpetrated by gang members to protect and uphold its power, territory, and profits and gang members are expected to engage in shootings, robberies, drug sales, and other criminal conduct to gain entry into, and improve a member’s status in, the gang. In addition, once in the gang, attempting to leave is not permitted; the punishment for attempting to leave is death.
Indictment lists more than three dozen criminal acts that the defendants are alleged to have committed. The list of crimes includes eight murders, one that occurred in July 2014, and another seven that occurred between December 2019 and December 2023. The murder victims include people who defendants perceived were associate with rival gangs, transient men, and men perceived to have dropped out of the SAP Norteños. In addition to the murder allegations, additional crimes described in the indictment that allegedly were committed by the defendants include robberies of individuals at gunpoint; the firebombing of a Salinas apartment; the distribution of drugs including fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana; firearms trafficking, and numerous shootings.
In sum, each defendant is charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d). The maximum statutory penalty for a racketeering conspiracy violation is 20 years in prison, and $250,000 fine. In addition, the indictment alleges that special sentencing factors apply to four defendants as follows:
(a) Gustavo Garcia and Lorenzo Garcia for their respective roles in the July 19, 2014, murder of a person identified in the indictment as “Victim 1;” and
(b) Raul Coronel Suarez and Jose Saldana for their respective roles in the December 2, 2023, murder of a person identified as “Victim 2.”
The maximum statutory penalty applying to these violations is life in prison. In addition, as part of any sentence, the court may order additional fines; restitution, if appropriate; and an additional term of supervised release to begin after any prison. Nevertheless, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
All the defendants except Lorenzo Garcia and Salvador Mexicano were arrested this morning in coordinated law enforcement operations. Lorenzo Garcia and Salvador Mexicano already were in custody.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Leif Dautch, Amani Floyd, and George Hageman. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Salinas Police Department, with assistance from the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.
acosta_plaza_indictment.pdfDurant Resident Sentenced to 15 Years for Sexual Exploitation of A ChildRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Micheal Shane Burch, age 33, of Durant, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 180 months in prison for one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child/Use of a Child to Produce a Visual Depiction.
The charges arose from investigations by the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On September 19, 2023, Burch pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, law enforcement discovered nude photos of a minor on Burch’s phone after the child’s parents filed a complaint about Burch behaving suspiciously. Law enforcement questioned Burch, who consented to a search of his phone and admitted to taking the images found on it. The crime occurred in Bryan County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Burch 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 Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Jessica Bove represented the United States.
Drug dealer sentenced to 300 months in prison for possession of a controlled substance, among other chargesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On April 30, a drug dealer who was convicted by a Fort Lauderdale federal jury in January was sentenced to 300 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, distribution of a controlled substance, possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Chad Michael Marlow, 46, of Pompano Beach, Florida, was recorded on two occasions selling a quarter pound and a pound, respectively, of methamphetamine to an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent in the parking lot of a Broward County shopping plaza. In the recordings, Marlow could be heard discussing at length the great quality of the product and the fact that he used it for his back and hip pain.
Marlow and his partner agreed to sell the undercover agent one pound of methamphetamine at a third planned deal, but when Marlow and his partner arrived at the shopping plaza, law enforcement conducted an arrest. Law enforcement searched the vehicle Marlow was driving and found an unzipped backpack immediately behind the driver’s seat of the vehicle –sitting at the top of the backpack was a loaded handgun and an extra loaded magazine and in the bottom of that backpack they found a pound, or nearly 1,000 pills, of fentanyl segregated into dealing sized baggies, methamphetamine, and cocaine, as well as a bank card bearing Marlow’s name. Law enforcement also found a pound of methamphetamine in a lunch cooler sitting on the front passenger seat of the vehicle.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of DEA Miami Field Division announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas.
DEA Miami Field Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily R. Stone and Brooke E. Latta prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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-60202.
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Dobbs Ferry Man Charged with Illegal Possession of Numerous Firearms and Ammunition, Including “Ghost Guns,” and Discovered Possessing Suspected Explosive Materials and Readily Assembled Explosive DevicesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the arrest of JAMES NEFF. The defendant is charged with the possession of a firearm and ammunition after a felony conviction in connection with the discovery by law enforcement of the defendant’s trove of firearms, including multiple personally manufactured firearms, or “ghost guns,” and ammunition. In addition, members of law enforcement discovered, and continue to investigate, suspected explosives, paraphernalia related to improvised explosive devices, and suspected readily assembled explosive devices. NEFF was arrested yesterday and presented earlier today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, James Neff, some 23 years after having been convicted on similar state charges for criminal possession of a weapon, has again illegally stockpiled numerous firearms, including what appear to be assault rifles and personally manufactured firearms, or ‘ghost guns,’ a significant amount of ammunition, and suspected materials and paraphernalia consistent with suspected homemade and improvised explosive devices. Our investigation remains ongoing, and I thank the dedication and expertise of our law enforcement partners and the career prosecutors of this Office who are diligently investigating this case and working tirelessly to keep ‘ghost guns’ and homemade explosives out of our communities.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “James Neff allegedly amassed and stored an alarming collection of suspected explosives, materials for improvised explosive devices, and more than 30 firearms – some of which were assault rifles and unregistered ‘ghost guns.’ There is no reasonable explanation to justify the arsenal law enforcement discovered, and convicted felons with access to such armaments pose an incredible threat to public safety. The FBI will continue to confiscate weapons from criminals and ensure these devices are not used to inflict harm against our citizens.”
As alleged in the Complaint filed today in White Plains federal court and statements made in court proceedings:[1]
On May 1, 2024, following an investigation, members of law enforcement executed search warrants on the residence of JAMES NEFF and two storage units known to be possessed and rented by him. After executing these searches, members of law enforcement discovered over 30 firearms, including firearms that appear to be personally manufactured and assault rifle-style firearms; a significant amount of ammunition; and suspected explosives-related materials, including multiple books on how to make homemade or improvised explosives, such as “The Anarchist Arsenal, Improvised Incendiary and Explosives Techniques,” “How to Bury Your Goods,” and multiple volumes of the “Improvised Munitions Black Book.” In addition, members of law enforcement also found suspected precursors to explosives, suspected low explosives or smokeless powders, and other items consistent with the preparation of homemade explosive devices, including what appears to be fuse that can be used to initiate a low explosive, cardboard containers with endcaps, a pipe with two endcaps, and grenade bodies, items which could be used to create readily assembled explosive devices. Photographs taken from the storage unit containing these items are below:
After these searches, NEFF admitted to owning these firearms and suspected explosives chemicals and related materials and to storing them at his house in Dobbs Ferry, New York, before moving them to storage units.
If you have any information about this case, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov.
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NEFF, 61, of Dobbs Ferry, New York, is charged with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition after a felony conviction, having previously been convicted on New York state charges of a crime punishable for a term longer than one year, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force and the Westchester County Police Department. Mr. Williams also thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; the Greenburgh Drug and Alcohol Task Force; the Dobbs Ferry Police Department; the FBI’s Philadelphia Division; the New York State Police; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin L. Brooke and Margaret N. Vasu are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft for Theft from CVS Retail Store in SoutheastRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, Kenneth Collins, 37, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on January 17, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Collins is to be arraigned on May 22 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on January 17, 2024, Collins took merchandise without paying from the CVS store in Southeast, Washington, D.C. He was located and arrested after investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Collins has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted.
Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 42 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Cotter.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
District Man Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder While Armed for July 2021 ShootingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Eric Davis, 60, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today by a jury of first-degree murder while armed for the July 2021 shooting of Theodore “Bino” Riley, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The Honorable Michael O’Keefe scheduled sentencing for August 2, 2024.
Davis was found guilty following a jury trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of first-degree murder while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence or dangerous offense.
According to evidence presented during the trial, on July 19, 2021, around 7:33 p.m., Davis was captured on surveillance walking with the victim, Theodore Riley, to an alley adjacent to 1608 Gales Street Northeast. Once in the alley, Davis shot Mr. Riley once in the head. The defendant then quickly walked out of the south end of the alley and fled while attempting to change his outward appearance by putting on a long-sleeved shirt over the short-sleeved shirt he had been wearing. Mr. Riley was found in the alley face-down with a single .45 caliber casing at his feet.
Davis was arrested on September 22, 2021. Judge O’Keefe ordered that the defendant remain held pending sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen Gibbons and Saman Danai of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Defendant Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Orchestrating 11 Armed Robberies Across New York CityRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JOSEPH SANDERS was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla to nine years in prison in connection with committing 11 armed robberies of bodegas, smoke shops, and other retail businesses across the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Joseph Sanders terrorized hardworking New Yorkers across the City, committing 11 armed robberies. On multiple occasions, he brutally pistol whipped his victims. This Office’s career prosecutors continue their exhaustive commitment to keeping those who commit violent robberies off of our streets.”
According to the Indictment, public filings, and statements made in court:
In the spring and fall of 2022, SANDERS committed 11 armed robberies throughout New York City. Between March and April 2022, he committed four armed robberies of bodegas and smoke shops located in Queens, the Bronx, and Brooklyn. Wearing a mask, SANDERS would enter the businesses, brandishing a silver gun and demanding money. At times, he would point the gun directly at the terrified cashier. For three of the robberies, SANDERS was accompanied by co-conspirators, but in all cases, it was SANDERS carrying the firearm.
In November 2022, SANDERS continued his robbery spree. Between November and December 2022, he committed seven armed robberies of a tax preparation business, bodegas, and smoke shops located in the Bronx and Brooklyn. SANDERS would enter the businesses brandishing a firearm and demanding money. During one of those robberies, he kicked open a door, holding a firearm in his hand, then grabbed the sole employee by the arm and led her to a back room. After the victim told SANDERS that the business had no cash on hand, he took her phone and $200 from her wallet.
On two occasions, SANDERS violently pistol-whipped cashiers of the stores that he was robbing, before taking thousands of dollars from the cash registers. Even when not assaulting the victims with a firearm, SANDERS threatened violence, pointing his firearm directly at the victims. One such example is below, from the November 26, 2022, robbery of a deli:
In total, SANDERS stole $22,374. At the time of his arrest, a .40 caliber Iberia pistol, which was loaded with ammunition, was found in his apartment.
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In addition to his prison term, SANDERS, 46, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $22,374 and to forfeit the same amount.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (“ATF”) and the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), in particular, the Strategic Patterned Armed Robbery Technical Apprehension Task Force, which is composed of agents and officers of the ATF and the NYPD.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Sowlati is in charge of the prosecution.
Coffee County Man and His Brother Ordered to Pay over $1 Million in Restitution Following Murder-for-Hire ConvictionRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA – On April 29, 2024, a federal judge in Montgomery, Alabama, ordered Jason and Darin Starr to pay $1,069,242.03 in restitution after the two planned and carried out a plot to kill Jason Starr’s ex-wife, announced United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross.
Last year, a jury found that Jason Starr, from Coffee Springs, Alabama, was upset about the amount of money his ex-wife had been awarded after their divorce and that Jason Starr hired his brother, Darin Starr, a resident of Lakehills, Texas, to kill her. On the Monday following Thanksgiving in 2017, Darin Starr shot and killed his brother’s ex-wife in her driveway as she was leaving for work. On September 20, 2023, a federal jury convicted Jason Starr and Darin Starr for committing their murder-for-hire scheme. Both Jason and Darin Starr received a life sentence following their convictions. There is no parole in the federal system. In addition to the prison sentence, the judge ordered Jason Starr to pay a fine of $25,000.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated the case, with Assistant United States Attorneys B. Chelsea Phillips and Joshua J. Wendell prosecuting. Assistant United States Attorney Audrey L. Willis handled the restitution portion of the case.
Charlotte Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Creating and Using Fake U.S. Passport CardsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – On Monday, Calvin Williams, 31, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. for creating counterfeit U.S. passport cards and using them to obtain multiple lines of credit, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Jason Byrnes, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, Robert Little, Resident Agent in Charge, Greensboro Resident Office, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and court proceedings, in from late 2019 until May 2022, Williams forged U.S. passport cards using the personal identifying information (PII) of victims of identity theft. A U.S. passport card is a wallet sized passport that is issued by the U.S. Department of State, serves as proof of U.S. citizenship and identity, and allows for travel to and from certain countries. Court documents show that Williams created the fraudulent passport cards in the names of identity theft victims, substituting the photographs of the victims with his own photograph. Then Williams used the fake passport cards to open multiple lines of credit with various retail and online stores in order to purchase new iPhones and other electronic items. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized over 30 forged passport cards from Williams. Williams continued the fake passport card scheme after he was placed on state probation for convictions involving identity theft and obtaining property by false pretenses.
On April 19, 2023, Williams pleaded guilty to passport forgery. He is currently in custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the U.S. Secret Service, the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.
If you are aware of, or have been a victim of, fraud associated with a U.S. passport or U.S. visa application, please contact [email protected]
Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Alexis Nicole Davis, 26, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 21, 2023, Davis possessed 10 grams of fentanyl that was arranged to be sold at a Charleston gas station. When Davis arrived at the gas station, she recognized the would-be buyer was a confidential informant and the sale was not conducted. After Davis left the gas station, law enforcement officers stopped her and found the fentanyl in her purse. Davis admitted that she possessed the fentanyl and intended to distribute it to others.
Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on July 25, 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 Charleston Police Department-Special Enforcement Unit.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-72.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Weapon ViolationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Elisha Shaleel Patterson, 21, of Charleston, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Patterson gathered with a large group of individuals to gamble on Allway Street in downtown Charleston on April 24, 2022. Investigators were paying close attention to the area after a shooting occurred there the previous day. Investigators observed Patterson remove a firearm from his pants and place it in a vehicle. Once investigators arrived, they located the firearm, which was reported stolen, a digital scale, and marijuana. Patterson is federally prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition because of his previous felony conviction.
United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Patterson to 57 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of court-ordered supervision.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Charleston Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Lietzow is prosecuting the case.
Charleston Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Weapons and Drug ViolationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Warren Lamar Forrest, 32, of North Charleston, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm after a felony conviction, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Evidence presented to the court showed that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted a search warrant at Forrest’s residence. While searching his specific room, law enforcement located a black bag that contained a stolen loaded 9mm pistol, three 9mm caliber magazines, an assault rifle, two assault rifle magazines, two digital scales, plastic baggies and a pound and a half of marijuana. Forrest is federally prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition because of multiple prior felony convictions.
United States District Judge Bruce Hendricks sentenced Forrest to 12 years imprisonment, to be followed by a four-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This prosecution is part of Operation Yellow Jacket which is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the ATF, FBI Columbia Field Office, North Charleston Police Department, and Charleston County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Lietzow is prosecuting the case.
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Captain of Santa Barbara-Based Dive Boat that Burned and Sank, Resulting in 34 Deaths, Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The captain of the P/V Conception – a Santa Barbara-based dive boat that caught fire and sank near Santa Cruz Island on Labor Day in 2019, resulting in the deaths of 33 passengers and one crew member – was sentenced today to 48 months in federal prison.
Jerry Nehl Boylan, 70, of Santa Barbara, was sentenced by United States District Judge George H. Wu. A restitution hearing was scheduled for July 11.
At the conclusion of a 10-day trial, a jury found Boylan guilty in November 2023 of one count of misconduct or neglect of ship officer – an offense commonly called “seaman’s manslaughter.”
The Conception was a 75-foot, wood-and-fiberglass passenger vessel that docked in Santa Barbara Harbor. During a Labor Day weekend dive trip in 2019, the boat carried 33 passengers and six crew members, including Boylan.
During the early morning hours of September 2, 2019, a fire broke out while the boat was anchored in Platt’s Harbor near Santa Cruz Island. The fire, which engulfed the boat and led to its sinking, resulted in the deaths of 34 people who had been sleeping below deck. Five crew members, including Boylan, were able to escape and survived.
“The defendant’s cowardice and repeated failures caused the horrific deaths of 34 people,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “The victims’ families will be forever devastated by this needless tragedy. While today’s sentence cannot fully heal their wounds, we hope that our efforts to hold this defendant criminally accountable brings some measure of healing to the families.”
“The fate of the victims on the Conception might have been different were it not for the negligence of the defendant,” said Mehtab Syed, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “I want to commend the collaborative effort by investigators and prosecutors that led to today’s sentence and hope that it delivers a measure of justice to the victims’ families as they continue to heal from this tragedy.”
Boylan, as captain of the Conception, committed a series of failures – including abandoning his ship instead of rescuing passengers – that resulted in the disaster. Such conduct constituted misconduct, gross negligence, and inattention to his duties and led to the deaths of 34 victims, prosecutors argued.
As the ship’s captain, Boylan was responsible for the safety and security of the vessel, its passengers, and its crew. Federal prosecutors argued he failed in his responsibilities in several ways, including by:
- failing to have a night watch or roving patrol;
- failing to conduct sufficient fire drills and crew training;
- failing to provide firefighting instructions or directions to crew members after the fire started;
- failing to use firefighting equipment, including a fire ax and fire extinguisher that were next to him in the wheelhouse, to fight the fire or attempt to rescue trapped passengers;
- failing to perform any lifesaving or firefighting activities whatsoever at the time of the fire, even though he was uninjured;
- failing to use the boat’s public address system to warn passengers and crew members about the fire; and
- becoming the first crew member to abandon ship even though 33 passengers and one crew member were still alive and trapped below deck in the vessel’s bunkroom and in need of assistance to escape.
“There are no winners when lives are lost at sea, but there is justice in bringing those accountable to answer for their crimes. Today is an example of that.” said Coast Guard Investigative Service Director, Jeremy Gauthier. “This was in its truest form, a joint effort by our hard-charging CGIS Special Agents, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.”
“The horrific tragedy on the Conception has forever changed many lives,” said Christopher Bombardiere, special agent in charge of ATF’s Los Angeles Field Division. “I want to express my deepest condolences to everyone who lost a loved one. No sentencing will ever be sufficient for the suffering you have endured, nor will it bring back your loved ones. I hope this prosecution and sentencing sends a message to other captains and this recklessness is never repeated. I want to thank our National Response Team, which investigated the cause and origin of the fire. Their dedication and skilled expertise provided much needed answers.”
The FBI, the Coast Guard Investigative Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark A. Williams, Matthew W. O’Brien and Juan M. Rodríguez of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section, Brian R. Faerstein of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, and Alexander P. Robbins of the Criminal Appeals Section prosecuted this case.
California Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Trafficking Fentanyl into VirginiaRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Buena Park, California man, who supplied as many as 30,000 pressed fentanyl pills a week to individuals who then shipped the pills into Southwest Virginia, was sentenced today to 18 years in federal prison.
Robert Contreras, 24, a.k.a. “Quill,” previously pled guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In addition to his prison term, Contreras was ordered today to forfeit five firearms and $31,294 in cash.
“Fentanyl, especially in the form of pressed pills, is taking its toll on America, and Virginia is no exception. This case, involving the collaboration of law enforcement agencies across the country, is a prime example of the proactive measures undertaken by this Department of Justice to combat the burgeoning pressed pill epidemic currently plaguing our nation,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “We will investigate, prosecute and hold accountable those who profit by poisoning our communities, and – as exhibited here – we will work up the chain of drug traffickers as far and wide as possible to bring them to account.”
According to court documents, between 2020 and 2023, Contreras sold between 10,000 and 30,000 pressed fentanyl pills at a time to co-conspirator Marco Orozco at least once a week. At the height of the conspiracy in late 2021 and early 2022, Contreras sold Orozco 10,000 pressed fentanyl pills multiple times per week. The pills were then shipped from California to Southwest Virginia and other locations across the country for further distribution. Specifically, Orozco’s sub-distributors used various social media platforms to facilitate their drug trade.
On March 6, 2023, a search warrant was executed at Contreras’ residence in California. At that time, officers recovered 1,639 pressed fentanyl pills, $31,294 in cash, and five firearms without serial numbers, in addition to approximately 7,000 alprazolam pills, 3,000 Adderall pills, 242 grams of cocaine, and other hallucinogenic narcotics.
The Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the Norton Police Department, the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force (consisting of the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Norton Police Department, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, and the Virginia State Police), the Orange County (CA) Sheriff’s Department, the Santa Ana (CA) Police Department, the Anaheim (CA) Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case.
CEO of Dozens of Companies Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Massive Scheme to Traffic in Fraudulent and Counterfeit Cisco Networking EquipmentRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Florida resident and dual citizen of the United States and Turkey was sentenced to 78 months in prison for running an extensive operation over many years to traffic in fraudulent and counterfeit Cisco networking equipment, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna, District of New Jersey, and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri announced today.
Onur Aksoy, aka “Ron Aksoy” and “Dave Durden,” 40, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan on June 5, 2023, to two counts of an indictment charging him with conspiring with others to traffic in counterfeit goods, to commit mail fraud, and to commit wire fraud (Count 1); and mail fraud (Count 4). Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence on May 1, 2024, in Trenton federal court.
“Through an elaborate, years-long scheme, Aksoy created and ran one of the largest counterfeit-trafficking operations ever,” Attorney for the United States Khanna said. “His operation introduced tens of thousands of counterfeit and low-quality devices trafficked from China into the U.S. supply chain, jeopardizing both private-sector and public-sector users, including highly sensitive U.S. military applications like the support platforms of U.S. fighter jets and other military aircraft. Yesterday’s sentence, made possible by the investigation and prosecution of this Office and our Department and agency partners, now brings Aksoy to justice and holds him accountable for the breathtaking scale of his operation.”
“Aksoy sold hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of counterfeit computer networking equipment that ended up in U.S. hospitals, schools, and highly sensitive military and other governmental systems, including platforms supporting sophisticated U.S. fighter jets and military aircraft,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Criminals who flood the supply chain with low-quality networking equipment from China and Hong Kong harm U.S. businesses, pose serious health and safety risks, and compromise national security. This case—one of the largest counterfeit trademark cases ever prosecuted in the United States—demonstrates the Criminal Division’s commitment and capacity to prosecute the most complex counterfeiting schemes and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
“Protecting the integrity of the supply chain for everyday consumers, government agencies, and our warfighters remains a top priority for Homeland Security Investigations,” HSI Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang said. “My office and our partners will continue to work diligently to remove counterfeit products that adversely affect public health and safety from the stream of commerce and hold the offenders accountable.”
“Mr. Aksoy’s sentencing brings closure to his yearslong greed-driven scheme that wasted U.S. taxpayer dollars and degraded our nation’s military readiness when he and his companies knowingly defrauded the Department of Defense by introducing counterfeit products into its supply chain that routinely failed or did not work at all,” Bryan D. Denny, Special Agent in Charge of the DoD Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Western Field Office, said. “In doing so, he sold counterfeit Cisco products to the DoD that were found on numerous military bases and in various systems, including but not limited to U.S. Air Force F-15 and U.S. Navy P-8 aircraft flight simulators.”
“This case should serve as a warning to those who attempt to sell counterfeit goods to the U.S. government,” Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Economic Crimes Field Office said. “NCIS is committed to safeguarding the Department of Navy acquisition programs that enhance fleet readiness.”
“Companies should be honest in their dealings with the government,” GSA Deputy Inspector General Robert C. Erickson said. “GSA OIG special agents are committed to working with investigative partners to hold accountable fraudsters who sell counterfeit equipment to the United States.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Onur Aksoy, 40, of Miami, ran at least 19 companies formed in New Jersey and Florida, as well as approximately 15 Amazon storefronts and at least 10 eBay storefronts (collectively, the “Pro Network Entities”), that imported from suppliers in China and Hong Kong tens of thousands of low-quality, modified computer networking devices with counterfeit Cisco labels, stickers, boxes, documentation, and packaging, all bearing counterfeit trademarks registered and owned by Cisco, that made the goods falsely appear to be new, genuine, and high-quality devices manufactured and authorized by Cisco. The devices had an estimated total retail value of hundreds of millions of dollars. The Pro Network Entities generated over $100 million in revenue, and Aksoy received millions of dollars for his personal gain.
The devices the Pro Network Entities imported from China and Hong Kong were typically older, lower-model products – some of which had been sold or discarded – which Chinese counterfeiters then modified to appear to be genuine versions of new, enhanced, and more expensive Cisco devices. The Chinese counterfeiters often added pirated Cisco software and unauthorized, low-quality, or unreliable components – including components to circumvent technological measures added by Cisco to the software to check for software license compliance and to authenticate the hardware. To make the devices appear new, genuine, high-quality, and factory-sealed by Cisco, the Chinese counterfeiters added counterfeited Cisco labels, stickers, boxes, documentation, packaging, and other materials.
Fraudulent and counterfeit products sold by the Pro Network Entities suffered from numerous performance, functionality, and safety problems. Often, they would simply fail or otherwise malfunction, causing significant damage to their users’ networks and operations – in some cases, costing users tens of thousands of dollars. Customers of Aksoy’s fraudulent and counterfeit devices included hospitals, schools, and government agencies. Furthermore, a review by the government and its private-sector partners discovered numerous counterfeit devices originating from the Pro Network Entities being used in highly sensitive military and governmental applications – including classified information systems – some involving combat and non-combat operations of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Army, including platforms supporting the F-15, F-18, and F-22 fighter jets, AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, and B-52 Stratofortress bomber aircraft.
Between 2014 and 2022, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized approximately 180 shipments of counterfeit Cisco devices being shipped to the Pro Network Entities from China and Hong Kong. In response to some of these seizures, Aksoy falsely submitted official paperwork to CBP under the alias “Dave Durden,” an identity that he used to communicate with Chinese conspirators. To avoid CBP scrutiny, Chinese conspirators broke the shipments up into smaller parcels and shipped them on different days, and Aksoy used fake delivery addresses in Ohio. After CBP seized a shipment of counterfeit Cisco products to Aksoy and the Pro Network Entities and sent a seizure notice, Aksoy often continued to order counterfeit Cisco products from the same supplier.
Between 2014 and 2019, Cisco sent seven letters to Aksoy asking him to cease and desist his trafficking of counterfeit goods. Aksoy responded to at least two of these letters by causing his attorney to provide Cisco with forged documents. In July 2021, agents executed a search warrant at Aksoy’s warehouse and seized 1,156 counterfeit Cisco devices with a retail value of over $7 million.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Aksoy to three years of supervised release and fined him $40,000. Under terms of the plea agreement, the defendant has agreed to pay restitution of $100 million to Cisco and amounts to other victims that will be determined by the court at a later date..
Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna and Acting Assistant Attorney General Argentieri credited special agents of HSI – Los Angeles, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wang; special agents of the U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Western Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Denny; the General Services Administration Office of Inspector General (GSA-OIG), under the direction of Deputy Inspector General Erickson; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), Economic Crimes Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gross; special agents of Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of the HSI Miami Field Office; and special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. The CBP Electronics Center of Excellence; the CBP Los Angeles National Targeting and Analysis Center; and the CBP Office of Trade, Regulatory Audit and Agency Advisory Services, Miami Field Office provided valuable assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Trombly and Senior Trial Counsel Barbara Ward for the District of New Jersey and Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Trombly of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark, Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Department of Justice Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section in Washington, D.C., and Senior Trial Counsel Barbara Ward of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit in Newark.
Bronx Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for ShootingRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOSEPH ORENGO JR. was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for a shooting on September 7, 2021, on a residential street in the Bronx and conspiracy to distribute narcotics, including fentanyl. ORENGO previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “This Office has been steadfast in its commitment to ending the scourge of gun violence on the streets of New York City. The defendant chose to fire multiple rounds on a residential street in the Bronx in broad daylight. He put the safety of New Yorkers at risk and terrorized a public space. Today’s sentence sends a clear message: this must stop. If you fire a gun on the streets of New York City as part of drug dealing, you will go to prison.”
According to statements made in public court proceedings and filings and a video of the attempted shooting:
On September 7, 2021, ORENGO confronted a man on a residential street in the Bronx over a disputed drug debt. As that man drove away, ORENGO fired two shots at him:
The shooting occurred at approximately 11:35 a.m., as bystanders were walking down the block.
* * *
In addition to his prison term, ORENGO, 29, of Bronx, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations and the New York City Police Department
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven J. Kochevar is in charge of the prosecution.
Bree Black Horse Sworn in as Assistant United States Attorney Dedicated to Prosecuting MMIP Cases in the Northwest United StatesRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington - Today, United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref administered the oath of office to Assistant United States Attorney Bree R. Black Horse. A swearing-in ceremony was held at the Yakama Nation Justice Center in Toppenish, Washington.
AUSA Black Horse will prosecute cases involving Missing or Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP), in connection with the Justice Department’s MMIP regional program. AUSA Black Horse will work out of our Yakima Office, but she also will serve throughout the Northwest Region – including in Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, and California.
“I am honored and grateful that our District was selected to have an Assistant United States Attorney dedicated to prosecuting cases related to Missing or Murdered Indigenous People,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “We are so excited for Ms. Black Horse to join our team. Our commitment to justice is not new, but it is renewed. We will continue to prioritize cases arising in Indian Country and, with renewed resources, focus on addressing the root causes that have led to increased violence in our Tribal Nations – such as fentanyl, domestic violence, child abuse, illegal possession and use of firearms, illegal narcotics, and human trafficking. Our communities are safer and stronger as we join together to seek justice on behalf of victims and their families.”
“Ms. Black Horse has the background and experience to excel as an AUSA focused on Missing and Murdered Indigenous People cases, but more importantly she has the cultural knowledge and the heart to handle MMIP prosecutions with compassion for the victims and their families, and tenacity to hold accountable those perpetrating crimes against our People,” stated Gerald Lewis, Chairman, Yakama National Tribal Council.
“I joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Washington because I believe in this new role. I can meaningfully serve our Tribal communities while effectively combating MMIP in Indian country,” stated AUSA Black Horse. “I also stepped into this position to serve our MMIP victims and MMIP families. This new program is victim-centered at its core. The program aims to prevent harm to Indigenous people and help bring healing and justice to our MMIP victims and their families, and ultimately to our Tribal communities.”
The MMIP regional program prioritizes MMIP cases consistent with the Deputy Attorney General’s July 2022 directive to United States Attorneys’ Offices promoting public safety in Indian country. The program is part of the Justice Department’s promise to dedicate new personnel to MMIP consistent with Executive Order 14053, Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People, and the Department’s Federal Law Enforcement Strategy to Prevent and respond to Violence Against American Indians and Alaska Natives, Including to Address Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons issued in July 2022.
The program dedicates five MMIP Assistant U.S. Attorneys and five MMIP coordinators to provide specialized support to United States Attorneys’ offices to address and combat the issues of MMIP. This support includes assisting in the investigation of unresolved MMIP cases and related crimes, and promoting communication, coordination, and collaboration among federal, Tribal, local, and state law enforcement and non-governmental partners on MMIP issues. The five regions include the Northwest, Southwest, Great Plains, Great Lakes, and Southeast Regions, and MMIP personnel will be located within host United States Attorneys’ offices in the Districts of Alaska, Arizona, Eastern Washington, Minnesota, New Mexico, Northern Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, and Western Michigan. Program support will be provided by the MMIP Regional Outreach Program Coordinator at the Executive Office for United States Attorneys.
More broadly, this MMIP Program will complement the work of the Justice Department’s National Native American Outreach Services Liaison, who is helping amplify the voice of crime victims in Indian country and their families as they navigate the federal criminal justice system. Further, the MMIP Program will liaise with and enhance the work of the Department’s Tribal Liaisons and Indian Country Assistant United States Attorneys throughout Indian Country, the Native American Issues Coordinator, and the National Indian Country Training Initiative Coordinator to ensure a comprehensive response to MMIP.
Biloxi City Councilman Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy Involving Vape ShopsRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Mississippi – A Biloxi City Councilman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a Schedule I controlled substance.
Robert Leon Deming, III, 47, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents and information presented to the court, in 2019, Deming founded the Candy Shop, LLC to operate Candy Shop stores in Mississippi and North Carolina. The Candy Shop stores sold CBD and vape products.
In 2020, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating the Candy Shop. The investigation revealed that some of the vape products sold by the Candy Shops in Mississippi contained Schedule I controlled substances and controlled substance analogues. In 2022, the DEA also received complaints that some of the products at the Candy Shops were making customers ill.
Agents obtained search warrants for the Candy Shops located in Mississippi and North Carolina. They also obtained a warrant for Deming’s residence. The warrants were contemporaneously executed on January 26, 2023. During the execution of the search warrants, law enforcement officers seized over $1.8 million in cash from Deming’s residence and additional cash and controlled substances from his stores.
As the investigation continued, agents learned that Deming was aware that his vape additives did not contain CBD; rather, they contained synthetic cannabinoids. This was evidenced by group chats in which Deming’s employees complained about how the additives were too strong and could hurt their customers. Despite this fact, Deming misbranded the additives as containing CBD.
In addition, through the course of the investigation, agents were able to determine that in May of 2022, Deming sent an uncharged coconspirator $2,200.00 to purchase 1 kilogram of 5F-AB-PINACA, a Schedule I controlled substance, for use in the Candy Shop’s vape additives and that, at the time Deming sent the money, he knew that 5F-AB-PINACA was a controlled substance.
The Government’s investigation also revealed that Deming’s gross sales of vape additive products containing either Schedule I controlled substances or their analogues totaled over $2 million.
Deming was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 19, 2023.
“A public official’s side job should not be running a business that distributes millions of dollars in illegal controlled substances and endangers the health and safety of its customers,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee. “We appreciate the hard work of investigators with the DEA, FDA, and MBN to put a stop to the distribution of these dangerous vape additives.”
"The DEA is committed to holding all individuals accountable for drug trafficking, regardless of position,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw. “Mr. Deming's guilty plea is a reminder that no one is above the law. We will continue to work with our state and local partners to investigate and prosecute those who violate the Controlled Substances Act."
“U.S. consumers are put at risk when labeling is false and misleading,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin Fielder, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Miami Field Office. “Labeling is designed to provide information that can help consumers make informed choices about what they purchase and consume. The FDA is committed to pursuing and bringing to justice those who unlawfully mask controlled substances as known consumer products to be sold to the American public.”
As part of the plea agreement in this case, Deming agreed to forfeit a yellow Monster Truck with oversized tires and a lift kit and over $1.9 million dollars. His sentencing is scheduled for August 13, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Special Agent in Charge Justin Fielder of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Buckner and Lee Smith.