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Friday 22 March 2024
$1.5M shopping spree: local man imprisoned for illegal use of stolen credit card informationRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 34-year-old Missouri City man has been ordered to federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Emmanuel Babajide Awolaja pleaded guilty Nov. 3, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. has now ordered Awolaja to serve 138 months for the conspiracy as well as another 24 months for the aggravated identity theft which must be served consecutively. The total 162-month prison term will be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $263,955.73 in restitution to the victims which included local merchants.
At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that determined Awolaja was responsible for more than $1.5 million in losses. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Awolaja’s criminal history dated back almost 20 years with this being his 13th felony offense. Judge Werlein noted how the previous sentences have not deterred him from criminal activity, and the court was imposing this sentence to protect the public from his continued criminal recidivism.
Awolaja and Tia Nicole Chavis came into possession of credit card information for numerous Chase Bank customers along with personal identifying information of various individuals.
From February 2021 until October 2023, Chavis agreed to help Awolaja use the unlawfully obtained credit card information to purchase expensive jewelry, hotel rooms, rental cars, meals and various other goods or services.
When they would first attempt to use the cards, the charges would be denied. However, Awolaja and Chavis persuaded merchants to manually enter the card numbers which typically resulted in approval, ultimately causing substantial loss for the merchants.
The investigation revealed Awolaja used the stolen account information to make purchases in Iowa, Virginia and several other states.
The scheme unraveled May 19, 2021, when they attempted to fraudulently purchase a $14,000 watch at Tomball Pawn and Jewelry. Law enforcement then worked with merchants throughout the country to identify Chavis and Awolaja from store video in other transactions.
Chavis, 32, Houston, also pleaded guilty and it set for sentencing April 12.
Both have been and will remain in custody.
The Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman prosecuted the case.
Thursday 21 March 2024
West Decatur Resident Pleads Guilty to Producing and Possessing Materials Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of West Decatur, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on March 20, 2024, to charges of production and possession of materials depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Jon Osewalt, 30, pleaded guilty to Counts Two and Four of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, in and around April 2020, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Osewalt produced images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In addition, in and around December 2020, Osewalt possessed images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for July 31, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security Investigations and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Osewalt.
This case was brought as a 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.
Washington State Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl, Aiding and Abetting Armed Robbery of a MinorRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Washington State man was sentenced to federal prison today for distributing fentanyl and aiding and abetting the armed robbery of a 14-year-old.
Levi Joseph Blomdahl, 28, of Vancouver, Washington, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, in 2021, as a part of an ongoing investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) into Portland area fentanyl trafficking, Blomdahl was identified as a Pacific Northwest fentanyl dealer. In September 2021, Blomdahl was the victim of a drug-related robbery and shooting on Hayden Island in Portland during which he exchanged gunfire with the robber and sustained gunshot wounds. The robber, Anthony Pastorino, 44, also of Vancouver, fled the scene before police arrived and Blomdahl was taken to a local hospital to receive medical treatment.
Further investigation revealed that beginning in January 2021, Blomdahl made multiple trips from Portland to Phoenix, Arizona, to purchase fentanyl he would return to the Pacific Northwest for redistribution and sale. On November 18, 2021, HSI special agents executed a federal search warrant at Blomdahl’s Vancouver residence where they located and seized approximately 600 grams of fentanyl, two firearms, ammunition, and smaller amounts of other controlled substances.
While investigating Blomdahl’s drug trafficking, HSI learned that he had also aided and abetted the armed robbery of a 14-year-old boy in September 2021, in Vancouver, five days before Blomdahl himself was the victim of an armed robbery. It was revealed that Blomdahl was in close contact with another individual who, while pretending to be a police officer, stole a motorcycle offered for sale online by the 14-year-old. During the robbery, Blomdahl sent messages to the robber, including one encouraging him to place the boy under “arrest.” Blomdahl further contacted the victim’s mother, posing as the victim, to try and gain access to the boy’s online sales account.
On March 10, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Blomdahl with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On September 14, 2023, Blomdahl pleaded guilty to a two-count superseding criminal information charging him with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and aiding and abetting motor vehicle theft.
On May 3, 2023, Pastorino was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release for his role in the armed robbery of Blomdahl.
This case was investigated by HSI, the Portland Police Bureau, and Vancouver Police Department. It was prosecuted by Cassady A. Adams, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Vernon Man Sentenced for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Glen Buehler, 68, of Vernon, Vermont, was sentenced yesterday to a 30-month term of imprisonment, following his guilty plea to possessing child pornography, also referred to as child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Chief United States District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford also ordered Buehler to serve a 15-year term of supervised release following his release from prison, and pay $33,000 in restitution to victims of his offense.
According to court records, on February 2, 2023, a Portsmouth, New Hampshire police detective was conducting an online investigation of the BitTorrent network, looking for individuals sharing CSAM. A BitTorrent user was identified as sharing likely CSAM files, and a download of some of those files occurred on the evening of February 2, 2023. After the source of the files was determined to likely be in Vermont, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force coordinated with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Derby, Vermont. HSI’s investigation revealed the source of the files downloaded from BitTorrent to likely be Buhler’s residence in Vernon, Vermont. A federal search warrant was executed on April 3, 2023, resulting in the seizure of a number of Buehler’s electronic devices. A forensic examination of the devices revealed over 4,000 video and image files of CSAM. During an interview, Buehler admitted to agents that he had downloaded the materials, and also admitted he knew that others could obtain the materials from his devices using peer-to-peer software.
After Buehler appeared in federal court on charges of possessing CSAM, he was ordered released on pretrial conditions that included monitoring of his electronic devices. That monitoring revealed that Buehler continued to access CSAM while on pretrial release. A second federal search warrant was executed at Buehler’s residence on June 6, 2023, resulting in the seizure of additional electronic devices that were determined to contain CSAM. Buehler was thereafter remanded to custody for violating his conditions of release.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of agents of Homeland Security Investigations, the Portsmouth, New Hampshire Police Department, the New Hampshire ICAC, the Vermont ICAC, and the detectives of the Office of the Vermont Attorney General’s Criminal Division. He also thanked the Vermont State Police and the Brattleboro Police Department for their assistance.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt. Buehler is represented by the Assistant Federal Public Defender Mary Nerino.
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’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 Justice.gov/PSC.
U.S. Postal Service Employee Indicted for Theft of Postal Money OrdersRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee has been indicted for allegedly embezzling over $19,000.
Christine Hedges, 46, of Brockton, was indicted yesterday on one count of theft of government money. She will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the indictment, Hedges began working for USPS around 2020, most recently as a Lead Sales & Service Associate in Brockton. In this role, Hedges had the ability to generate postal money orders, including replacement money orders. Customers could obtain replacement money orders without paying any additional fees if the original money orders were lost, damaged or erroneous. During the relevant period, it is alleged that Hedges issued over $19,000 worth of replacement money orders to herself or other individuals where the original money orders were not erroneous and had not been lost or stolen, which caused the USPS to incur losses of $19,000.
The charge of theft of government money provides a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris, Deputy Chief of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe Appointed to Serve on the AG Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland appointed U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC).
“I’m deeply honored to be selected by Attorney General Garland to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “I appreciate the opportunity to learn from and serve alongside my fellow AGAC members as we work to advise the Attorney General and the Department of Justice’s leadership.”
The AGAC was created in 1973 and advises the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys in Justice Department policies. With U.S. Attorney Crowe’s appointment, the Southern District of Illinois is represented on the AGAC for the first time since the committee’s conception.
Crowe was sworn in as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois on June 21, 2022. As U.S. Attorney, Crowe is the chief federal law enforcement officer in the Southern District of Illinois.
Two Indicted in Scheme to Use Stolen Identities to Obtain Nearly $1 Million in Fraudulent COVID-19 ReliefRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment charging two men with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to commit money laundering concerning obtaining fraudulent proceeds of Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) COVID-19 loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration.
“The pandemic is long over, but we won’t quit in our mission to run down stolen taxpayer money and ensure the integrity of federal relief programs,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Those who committed COVID-19 fraud should know - we’re well-resourced and we’re still coming.”
“Schemes to fraudulently obtain federal funds meant to provide assistance to small businesses is unacceptable,” said Donald “Trey” Eakins, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge. “Our field office continues to follow the evidence of crimes committed to obtain Economic Injury Disaster Loans and other COVID-19 funds intended for struggling businesses needing assistance during the pandemic and bring them to justice.”
According to the indictment, Tyreek Rasheed Exum, age 25, of Snow Hill, North Carolina, and Anthony Wandland, Jr., age 30, of Chicago, Illinois allegedly conspired to use over 20 stolen identities and the identities of co-conspirators to apply for EIDL and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits. The indictment alleges that Wandland provided Exum with the stolen identities, and, in exchange, Exum gave Wandland a percentage of the proceeds. Each loan application submitted by Exum allegedly contain false statements, misrepresentations, and omissions related to income, employment, and claimed business entities. Exum is alleged to have signed various financial documents, including loan and security agreements, in the names of those stolen identities and then had the loan proceeds deposited into his personal bank account, nominee bank accounts, bank accounts of family and friends, and into accounts in the names of stolen identities. Exum is alleged to have exercised control over these accounts by obtaining bank debit cards and by causing nominees to transfer the fraud proceeds to other accounts controlled by him via various digital mediums such as PayPal and CashApp. Exum allegedly withdrew the cash at multiple ATMs. In total, the indictment alleges Exum received nearly $1 million in fraudulent loan proceeds. If found guilty, Wandland and Exum face a maximum of 30 years in federal prison.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, and Explosives, and the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office are leading the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa K. Labresh is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the United States Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. The Eastern District of North Carolina’s COVID Task Force is a part of this effort to coordinate fraud-related investigations and prosecutions in Eastern North Carolina. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-00104-UA-RJ.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Tompkins County Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Coerce a Child to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Conduct and Possessing a Loaded Handgun as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Joel Cook, 49, of Ithaca, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 151 months in prison for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, and a concurrent 151 months for possessing a loaded handgun as a prohibited person by virtue of a prior felony conviction. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
In his previous plea of guilty, Cook admitted that in March of 2023 he sent sexually explicit text messages to a 14-year-old child in an attempt to entice and coerce her into engaging in sexual conduct with him. The child did not respond to Cook’s messages. Instead, her family reported Cook to police, after which the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation assumed the child’s identity. Thereafter, for nearly a month Cook engaged in sexually explicit messaging with someone whom he thought was the child, explaining what type of sexual conduct they could engage in with one another, and asking her to send sexually explicit images to him. Cook was arrested on April 8, 2023, after arriving at a location where he had arranged to meet her.
Additional investigation led to the discovery of a loaded Hi Point, .380 caliber pistol hidden inside a hat in a dresser drawer in Cook’s bedroom. Cook was prohibited from possessing the firearm as a result of a 2022 Chemung County Court conviction for Grand Larceny in the Third Degree.
In addition to serving 151 months in prison, Hon. Anne M. Nardacci sentenced Cook to 15 years of supervised release upon his release from imprisonment, and he will be required to register as a sex offender.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force and the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa M. Fletcher as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Three Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Cocaine Using the United States MailRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Omar Josue Morales-Rodriguez, 44, of Freeport, Florida, Marcos Aguilar Gonzalez, 39, of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and Edmar Agustin Gonzalez, 33, of Crestview, Florida, each entered guilty pleas to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Morales-Rodriguez and Aguilar Gonzalez also pled guilty to an additional count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Morales-Rodriguez also pled guilty to an additional count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The pleas were announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Evidence introduced at the plea hearings established that between October 2019, and June 13, 2023, the three conspired together and with others to ship cocaine via the United States Mail from Puerto Rico to the Northern District of Florida. During the investigation, law enforcement seized four (4) packages that were shipped via the United States Mail, of which, three contained one (1) kilogram of cocaine each and one contained 125 grams of cocaine. The investigation further revealed that twenty (20) United States Mail packages, believed to contain cocaine, were shipped as part of the conspiracy from Puerto Rico to various addresses in Okaloosa and Walton County. Those packages were similar in weight and size to the packages seized that contained one (1) kilogram of cocaine each. Evidence introduced at the plea hearings further established that a search of a storage unit in Walton County led to the seizure of four (4) firearms and various rounds of ammunition that were unlawfully possessed by Morales-Rodriguez. Evidence introduced at the time of the plea hearings established that Morales-Rodriguez is a convicted felon had been previously convicted in federal court in Puerto Rico for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Evidence introduced at the plea hearings established that Morales-Rodriguez conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, and Aguilar Gonzalez and Agustin Gonzalez each conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Sentencing hearings have been scheduled for May 23, 2024, and June 6, 2024. Morales-Rodriguez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment with a maximum term of life, and up to a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment. Aguilar Gonzalez and Agustin Gonzalez each could face a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment with a maximum term of 40 years’ imprisonment, and up to a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case resulted from a joint investigation by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan Love.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Three Area Men Arrested in Postal Robbery CaseRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Rebecca C. Lutzko, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Cleveland returned a five count indictment charging Devin Sims, Michael Williams, and Teontaey Thomas with aiding and abetting each other in Robbery of Mail or Property of the United States and Stealing Keys Adopted by the Post Office. Two of the men, Sims and Williams, are also charged with Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence and Theft of Mail. Sims alone is charged with Possession of Stolen Mail.
A joint investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service, FBI and South Euclid Police Department led to the arrest of Devin Sims, 19, of Cleveland Heights, on December 8, 2023, Michael Williams, 19, of University Heights, and Teontaey Thomas, 20, of Cleveland, on March 20, 2023.
The three individuals were charged for their roles in a robbery that involved the use of a firearm of a postal carrier on November 7, 2023. It is alleged that during the robbery the carrier’s key, which opens blue mailboxes belonging to the United States Postal Service, was stolen. On or about November 11, 2023, Sims and Williams accessed a blue mailbox in South Euclid, Ohio using the key and stole checks that were previously deposited in the mail.
The United States Postal Inspection Service is aggressively investigating cases involving theft from postal carriers and the U.S. Mails.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation was conducted by United States Postal Inspection Service, FBI and the South Euclid Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Zarzycki.
The Postal Inspection Service is the federal agency with jurisdiction for investigating crimes against postal carriers and crimes involving the U.S. Mail. Anyone having information about blue collection box thefts or thefts or attempted thefts of mail carriers or mail should contact USPIS at 1-877-876-2455. All information will be kept confidential.
Thefts on Menominee Indian Reservation Result in Prison Sentence for Keshena ManRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that Merwin J. “Pete” Wynos (age: 36), a former resident of Keshena and an enrolled member of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, received a sentence of 30 months in federal prison following a conviction for theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 661 and 1153(a).
The sentence, imposed on March 20, 2024, by Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach, was the result of a guilty plea entered by the defendant on January 16, 2024. Wynos will also face three years of supervised release once he completes his sentence.
According to court records, on September 25, 2023, several companies reported thefts of equipment from the site of the new Menominee Indian High School in Keshena. Investigators for the Menominee Tribal Police Department and Menominee County Sheriff’s Office discovered that Wynos had entered the closed, fenced, and locked construction site during nighttime hours. Wynos used a utility vehicle on the site to transport construction tools and electronics that he took from construction trailers to his residence. Wynos attempted to sell some of the items at local pawn shops, which reported their suspicions to the police. Wynos was arrested after being caught with others in a car full of stolen construction tools and, after being released from tribal custody, entered the construction site again on November 25, 2023. Wynos was caught on the site taking additional items and was re-arrested. Wynos admitted in court to being responsible for three separate theft incidents on the construction site and will pay over $29,000 in restitution to the victims.
At sentencing, Judge Griesbach noted the need to punish Wynos for the persistent nature of his crimes. Judge Griesbach said, “Stealing from hard working people, especially those building a new school that will help your community, shows a persistent willingness to violate the law.” Judge Griesbach also described the need to show the community that there is a punishment for this sort of behavior.
The Menominee Tribal Police Department, Menominee County Sheriff’s Office, and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier prosecuted the case in U.S. District Court in Green Bay.
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Summer Camps Reminded of Requirement to Accommodate Children with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis announced today that his office has contacted summer camps throughout Middle Tennessee to remind them of their obligation under federal law to make reasonable accommodations to accept children with disabilities.
With summer approaching, parents are beginning to think about summer camps. To help ensure that children with disabilities receive the opportunity to attend summer camp, the U.S. Attorney’s Office recently sent a letter and a flyer to scores of summer camps located within the Middle District of Tennessee reminding them of their obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”).
Under the ADA, both private summer camps and those run by municipalities must make reasonable modifications to enable campers with disabilities to participate fully in all camp programs and activities. This generally means that children with disabilities are entitled to attend any camp or activity that non-disabled children attend, that camps must evaluate each child on an individual basis, and that camps must train their staff in the requirements of the ADA. Camps are obligated to pay for the cost of any reasonable modifications necessary for disabled children to participate in camp activities, and parents should not be charged any additional fee beyond standard camp enrollment costs.
“Summer camps present tremendous growth opportunities for children to learn independence, try new things and gain self-confidence,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “Middle Tennessee summer camps should afford those same opportunities to disabled children whose needs can be reasonably accommodated. It is the right thing to do, and it is required by federal law.”
Additional information about the ADA is available at www.ada.gov.
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Spokane Bank Manager Pleads Guilty to Stealing more than $345,000Read the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Jessica Ann Marshall, age 27, of Spokane, Washington, pleaded guilty to one count of Theft and Embezzlement by Bank Employee. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice accepted Marshall’s guilty plea, and set sentencing for June 27, 2024, in Spokane.
According to court documents, between June 2023 and September 2023, Marshall was working as a Bank Manager at the Bank of Idaho’s downtown Spokane, Washington branch. Using her position as a manager, Marshall stole and embezzled at least $345,664 in cash from the bank vault, ATM, and her cash drawer.
Marshall falsified documents to reconcile the cash and directed bank employees to sign falsified count sheets in order to hide her theft and embezzlement. Marshall also used her position as Bank Manger to make fraudulent deposit transactions into her spouse’s account. These fraudulent transactions reflected that money was being deposited into the account; however, no funds were deposited.
When Bank of Idaho inquired about the deposits into her spouse’s account, Marshall attempted to conceal her conduct by using a co-worker’s email account to send an e-mail with false information. Marshall then accessed the computer of another co-worker to delete an email from Bank of Idaho inquiring about the deposits.
“Bankers and financial professionals are given an extraordinary amount of trust. When they abuse that trust to commit theft and line their own pockets, they devastate our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to hold those accountable who use their position to enrich themselves.”
“In only several months of employment, Ms. Marshall betrayed her company’s and clients’ trust by misusing her access to accounts, stealing a large sum of money, and attempting to cover up the crime,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “The FBI, together with our partners, will continue to investigate financial crimes and bring unethical behavior to light.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Spokane Resident Agency. Assistant United States Attorney Dan Fruchter is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Case No. 2:24-CR-00040-TOR
Six Former Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Sentenced for Torturing and Abusing Two Black MenRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Six former Mississippi law enforcement officers were sentenced this week for torturing and abusing two Black men in Rankin County, Mississippi.
Senior District Judge Tom Lee sentenced the defendants to terms in prison ranging from 10 to 40 years.
- Christian Dedmon, 29, former Narcotics Investigator of the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO), was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
- Brett McAlpin, 53, former RCSO Chief Investigator, was sentenced to 27.25 years in prison.
- Hunter Elward, 31, former RCSO Deputy, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
- Jeffrey Middleton, 46, former RCSO Lieutenant, was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison.
- Daniel Opdyke, 28, former RCSO Deputy, was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison.
- Joshua Hartfield, 32, former Narcotics Investigator for the Richland Police Department, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
“The depravity of the crimes committed by these defendants cannot be overstated, and they will now spend between 10 and 40 years in prison for their heinous attack on citizens they had sworn to protect,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These defendants kicked in the door of a home where two Black men were residing, handcuffed and arrested them without probable cause, called them racial slurs, and punched, kicked, tased, and assaulted them. After one of the defendants fired his gun in the mouth of one of the victims, breaking his jaw, the defendants gathered outside to come up with a cover story as the victim lay bleeding on the floor. Officers who violate constitutional rights will be held accountable by the Justice Department for their crimes that harm individual victims and betray the trust of entire communities. I am grateful to the Department’s Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, the FBI Jackson Field Office, and our state partners for their outstanding work bringing these defendants to justice.”
“It is hard to imagine a more atrocious set of civil rights violations than those carried out by the defendants in this case,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “But it is also hard to imagine more important work than investigating those crimes and seeking justice for the victims. As the result of the bureau’s color-of-law investigation, which we worked in collaboration with our federal and state partners, all six pleaded guilty last August and will serve lengthy sentences for their crimes.”
“By holding these officers accountable, we are sending a clear message that law enforcement abuse of Black people, or any American, will not be tolerated in our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These six white law enforcement officers sought to dehumanize two innocent Black men through cruel, violent, and lawless abuse. The defendants didn’t count on the victims’ courage to come forward and tell the truth or the justice system to hold them accountable. The court imposed severe sentences reflecting the defendants’ savagery, including the longest federal sentence in recent years for a civil rights police misconduct case. Justice demands accountability, especially when the defendants’ actions not only scarred the victims physically and emotionally, but also harmed the entire community, stripping away their sense of security, corroding trust and respect for the police.”
“We expect our law enforcement officers to take seriously their oath to be our protectors, but these defendants instead chose to be predators on a hate-fueled power trip,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “Rather than serving Mississippi, the defendants treated it as a place where they could assault, intimidate, torture, and frame their victims at will. These violations of civil rights should serve as a reminder that we still have a lot of work to do in Mississippi and this nation to ensure that law enforcement officers are properly hired, trained, equipped, supervised, and held accountable for their actions.”
“We hold positions of trust and serve as stewards of authority for the community. Color of law violations are harmful to the victims, to the American people, and to the law enforcement community across the globe,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Maher Dimachkie of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “These six individuals violated their oaths and disgraced other law enforcement officers that carry their duties with pride and honor. We will continue to execute our duties to the highest level of ethical and moral values. We will continue to work with our community partners to rebuild and strengthen the partnership and trust in law enforcement. The FBI remains steadfast in aggressively investigating and bringing those who misuse their authority to justice.”
“The six officers who committed these heinous acts caused more than physical harm to these two individual victims; they severed the vital trust between law enforcement and the people they pledge to protect,” said Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “This abuse of power will not be tolerated. I am proud of this joint effort and shared commitment across agencies to pursue truth and justice for these victims. It is my hope and prayer that we can help these victims on their healing journey, and we can restore confidence in our criminal justice system.”
“The sentencing of the six former officers who violated their oath of office proves the effectiveness of collaboration between state and federal law enforcement agencies and prosecutors,” said Commissioner Sean Tindell of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. “As we move forward, we should all work together creating new policies and oversights to help prevent these types of incidents in the future. Thank you to all parties involved for their diligent work in ensuring that justice was served for the victims.”
Last year, the six defendants pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging them with a total of 13 felony offenses, including civil rights conspiracy, deprivation of rights under color of law, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and obstruction of justice.
According to court documents and the plea hearings, the defendants admitted that on Jan. 24, 2023, Dedmon sent a group message to Middleton, Elward, and Opdyke, three members of the “Goon Squad,” orchestrating a “mission” to forcibly enter a home in Braxton, Rankin County, Mississippi, where two Black men, M.J. and E.P., were residing. “The Goon Squad” is a group of RCSO officers who were known for using excessive force and not reporting it. Dedmon warned the officers that there might be surveillance cameras at the house, and told them “no bad mugshots”, meaning that the officers should use excessive force, but they should make sure not to leave any marks that would be captured in a mugshot.
Upon arrival at the home, the defendants kicked in the door and entered the home without a warrant or any exigent circumstances. The defendants handcuffed and arrested the men without probable cause to believe they had committed any crime, called them racial slurs, and warned them to stay out of Rankin County. Dedmon fired his gun twice to intimidate the men. Further, the defendants punched and kicked the men; tased them 17 times; held them down and poured liquids on their faces, forcing them to involuntarily ingest these liquids; threw eggs at them and assaulted them with a dildo. McAlpin, the senior officer on the scene, failed to intervene to stop the torture or abuse and stole property while the incident occurred.
At the conclusion of the incident, Elward surreptitiously removed a bullet from the chamber of his gun, forced the gun into M.J.’s mouth, and pulled the trigger. The unloaded gun clicked but did not fire. Elward racked the slide, intending to dry-fire a second time. When Elward pulled the trigger, the gun discharged. The bullet lacerated M.J.’s tongue, broke his jaw, and exited out of his neck.
As M.J. was bleeding on the floor, the defendants did not provide medical aid, but instead gathered outside the home to devise a false cover story and took steps to corroborate it by planting a BB gun on M.J.; destroying surveillance video, a spent shell casing, and taser cartridges; submitting fraudulent drug evidence to the crime lab; filing false reports; charging M.J. with crimes he did not commit; making false statements to investigators; and pressuring witnesses to stick to the cover story.
For several of the defendants, the incident with M.J. and E.P. was not their first-time abusing Rankin County residents. During a separate incident on Dec. 4, 2022, Dedmon beat and tased a white man and fired a gun near his head to coerce a confession, while Elward and Opdyke failed to intervene. Dedmon then sexually assaulted the man. In connection with that incident, Dedmon, Elward, and Opdyke each also pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging them with three additional federal felony offenses, including deprivation of rights under color of law and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
The FBI Jackson Field Office investigated the federal case. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation investigated the state case.
Special Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Perras and Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; Criminal Chief Erin O. Chalk and Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes for the Southern District of Mississippi; and Mississippi Deputy Attorney General Mary Helen Wall, who was deputized as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi for the federal matter, prosecuted the case.
Six Former Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Sentenced for Torturing and Abusing Two Black MenRead the Press Release
Six former Mississippi law enforcement officers were sentenced this week for torturing and abusing two Black men in Rankin County, Mississippi.
Senior District Judge Tom Lee sentenced the defendants to terms in prison ranging from 10 to 40 years.
- Christian Dedmon, 29, former Narcotics Investigator of the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO), was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
- Brett McAlpin, 53, former RCSO Chief Investigator, was sentenced to 27.25 years in prison.
- Hunter Elward, 31, former RCSO Deputy, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
- Jeffrey Middleton, 46, former RCSO Lieutenant, was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison.
- Daniel Opdyke, 28, former RCSO Deputy, was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison.
- Joshua Hartfield, 32, former Narcotics Investigator for the Richland Police Department, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
“The depravity of the crimes committed by these defendants cannot be overstated, and they will now spend between 10 and 40 years in prison for their heinous attack on citizens they had sworn to protect,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These defendants kicked in the door of a home where two Black men were residing, handcuffed and arrested them without probable cause, called them racial slurs, and punched, kicked, tased, and assaulted them. After one of the defendants fired his gun in the mouth of one of the victims, breaking his jaw, the defendants gathered outside to come up with a cover story as the victim lay bleeding on the floor. Officers who violate constitutional rights will be held accountable by the Justice Department for their crimes that harm individual victims and betray the trust of entire communities. I am grateful to the Department’s Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, the FBI Jackson Field Office, and our state partners for their outstanding work bringing these defendants to justice.”
“It is hard to imagine a more atrocious set of civil rights violations than those carried out by the defendants in this case,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “But it is also hard to imagine more important work than investigating those crimes and seeking justice for the victims. As the result of the bureau’s color-of-law investigation, which we worked in collaboration with our federal and state partners, all six pleaded guilty last August and will serve lengthy sentences for their crimes.”
“By holding these officers accountable, we are sending a clear message that law enforcement abuse of Black people, or any American, will not be tolerated in our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These six white law enforcement officers sought to dehumanize two innocent Black men through cruel, violent, and lawless abuse. The defendants didn’t count on the victims’ courage to come forward and tell the truth or the justice system to hold them accountable. The court imposed severe sentences reflecting the defendants’ savagery, including the longest federal sentence in recent years for a civil rights police misconduct case. Justice demands accountability, especially when the defendants’ actions not only scarred the victims physically and emotionally, but also harmed the entire community, stripping away their sense of security, corroding trust and respect for the police.”
“We expect our law enforcement officers to take seriously their oath to be our protectors, but these defendants instead chose to be predators on a hate-fueled power trip,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “Rather than serving Mississippi, the defendants treated it as a place where they could assault, intimidate, torture, and frame their victims at will. These violations of civil rights should serve as a reminder that we still have a lot of work to do in Mississippi and this nation to ensure that law enforcement officers are properly hired, trained, equipped, supervised, and held accountable for their actions.”
“We hold positions of trust and serve as stewards of authority for the community. Color of law violations are harmful to the victims, to the American people, and to the law enforcement community across the globe,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Maher Dimachkie of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “These six individuals violated their oaths and disgraced other law enforcement officers that carry their duties with pride and honor. We will continue to execute our duties to the highest level of ethical and moral values. We will continue to work with our community partners to rebuild and strengthen the partnership and trust in law enforcement. The FBI remains steadfast in aggressively investigating and bringing those who misuse their authority to justice.”
“The six officers who committed these heinous acts caused more than physical harm to these two individual victims; they severed the vital trust between law enforcement and the people they pledge to protect,” said Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “This abuse of power will not be tolerated. I am proud of this joint effort and shared commitment across agencies to pursue truth and justice for these victims. It is my hope and prayer that we can help these victims on their healing journey, and we can restore confidence in our criminal justice system.”
“The sentencing of the six former officers who violated their oath of office proves the effectiveness of collaboration between state and federal law enforcement agencies and prosecutors,” said Commissioner Sean Tindell of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. “As we move forward, we should all work together creating new policies and oversights to help prevent these types of incidents in the future. Thank you to all parties involved for their diligent work in ensuring that justice was served for the victims.”
Last year, the six defendants pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging them with a total of 13 felony offenses, including civil rights conspiracy, deprivation of rights under color of law, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and obstruction of justice.
According to court documents and the plea hearings, the defendants admitted that on Jan. 24, 2023, Dedmon sent a group message to Middleton, Elward, and Opdyke, three members of the “Goon Squad,” orchestrating a “mission” to forcibly enter a home in Braxton, Rankin County, Mississippi, where two Black men, M.J. and E.P., were residing. “The Goon Squad” is a group of RCSO officers who were known for using excessive force and not reporting it. Dedmon warned the officers that there might be surveillance cameras at the house, and told them “no bad mugshots”, meaning that the officers should use excessive force, but they should make sure not to leave any marks that would be captured in a mugshot.
Upon arrival at the home, the defendants kicked in the door and entered the home without a warrant or any exigent circumstances. The defendants handcuffed and arrested the men without probable cause to believe they had committed any crime, called them racial slurs, and warned them to stay out of Rankin County. Dedmon fired his gun twice to intimidate the men. Further, the defendants punched and kicked the men; tased them 17 times; held them down and poured liquids on their faces, forcing them to involuntarily ingest these liquids; threw eggs at them and assaulted them with a dildo. McAlpin, the senior officer on the scene, failed to intervene to stop the torture or abuse and stole property while the incident occurred.
At the conclusion of the incident, Elward surreptitiously removed a bullet from the chamber of his gun, forced the gun into M.J.’s mouth, and pulled the trigger. The unloaded gun clicked but did not fire. Elward racked the slide, intending to dry-fire a second time. When Elward pulled the trigger, the gun discharged. The bullet lacerated M.J.’s tongue, broke his jaw, and exited out of his neck.
As M.J. was bleeding on the floor, the defendants did not provide medical aid, but instead gathered outside the home to devise a false cover story and took steps to corroborate it by planting a BB gun on M.J.; destroying surveillance video, a spent shell casing, and taser cartridges; submitting fraudulent drug evidence to the crime lab; filing false reports; charging M.J. with crimes he did not commit; making false statements to investigators; and pressuring witnesses to stick to the cover story.
For several of the defendants, the incident with M.J. and E.P. was not their first-time abusing Rankin County residents. During a separate incident on Dec. 4, 2022, Dedmon beat and tased a white man and fired a gun near his head to coerce a confession, while Elward and Opdyke failed to intervene. Dedmon then sexually assaulted the man. In connection with that incident, Dedmon, Elward, and Opdyke each also pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging them with three additional federal felony offenses, including deprivation of rights under color of law and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
The FBI Jackson Field Office investigated the federal case. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation investigated the state case.
Special Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Perras and Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; Criminal Chief Erin O. Chalk and Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes for the Southern District of Mississippi; and Mississippi Deputy Attorney General Mary Helen Wall, who was deputized as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi for the federal matter, prosecuted the case.
Sex Offender Convicted at Trial on Child Pornography and Failure to Register ChargesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Christopher Daniels, 33, of Philadelphia, PA, was convicted at trial of receiving child pornography as a second time offender, possession of child pornography as a second time offender, access with intent to view child pornography as a second time offender, and failure to register as a sex offender, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
Daniels was first charged with child pornography offenses on March 12, 2015, and in July of that year, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. United States District Judge Wendy Beetlestone sentenced Daniels to 70 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release.
The defendant’s term of supervised release commenced on January 15, 2021. Under SORNA, he was required to keep his sex offender registration information, including his registered residential address, current. In July of 2022, Daniels failed to verify his sex offender registration with Pennsylvania State Police as required and went into non-compliant status. Daniels was also found to be non-compliant with the terms of his federal supervised release and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
On November 3, 2022, the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Daniels and the FBI conducted a court-authorized search of his residence, seizing several electronic devices belonging to the defendant. Subsequent forensic examination of those devices found thousands of videos and images depicting child pornography and browser searches for such material.
Daniels was charged by indictment on January 19, 2023, and by superseding indictment on August 29, 2023, with child pornography offenses and failure to register.
“After leaving prison in 2021, Mr. Daniels understood his legal responsibilities: comply with the requirements of his supervised release, keep his sex offender registration up to date, and stay away from material depicting the horrific sexual exploitation of children,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Well, he did none of those things, and this verdict ensures he’ll answer for it. The safety of our community and its children is the top priority of my office and our law enforcement partners.”
“Protecting children against exploitation remains a priority for the FBI,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “FBI Philadelphia and our law enforcement partners remain committed to identifying, investigating, and prosecuting those who seek to victimize our most vulnerable.”
“The propensity for underlying crimes of a most heinous nature cannot be discounted when investigating SORNA violations,” said U.S. Marshal Eric Gartner. “As such, the U.S. Marshals Service, together with the USAO and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, will aggressively pursue any and all such matters.”
Daniels faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a statutory maximum of 130 years in prison, and from five years up to a lifetime of supervised release. He also faces a consecutive sentence of two years in prison on his violation of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.
Serial Violent Robber Found Guilty of Robbing Multiple Spas at Gunpoint; Duct-Taped VictimsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Burlington, Mass. man was convicted today by a federal jury in Boston for his role in the armed robberies of multiple businesses in which he and two others beat, dragged and duct-taped victims.
Alfeu Barbosa, 26, was convicted of two counts of robbery affecting commerce. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for July 17. Barbosa was arrested and charged in June 2022. His co-defendants, Li Wen Tang and Jonas Nunez, were later arrested and charged in August and September 2022. All three defendants were each subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury. Nunez pleaded guilty in January 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18, 2024. Tang is pending trial and is presumed innocent.
“Barbosa did not simply rob businesses, he terrorized employees by duct taping them, dragging them by their hair, assaulting them and holding them at gunpoint. Barbosa cruelly inflicted lifelong trauma on multiple victims, all for a few hundred dollars,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “We hope that this verdict holding Mr. Barbosa accountable will bring some solace to the victims.”
“Alfeu Barbosa was a crime wave unto himself, storming into these spas, robbing everyone at gun point, and physically assaulting and duct taping them. What he did to the victims in this case was horrific,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Removing dangerous armed robbers like this from the street is a priority for FBI Boston’s Violent Crimes Task Force, and we thank the jury for making sure this prolific criminal won’t be able to terrorize anyone else for quite some time.”
On June 12, 2022 at approximately 8:51 p.m., Tang allegedly entered the Balance Reflexology Spa in Brookline pretending to be a customer seeking a massage. Because the victim was the only employee in the spa that night, she locked the door before taking Tang into the back room to begin the massage. It is alleged that Tang asked the victim if there was anyone else in the spa and that if there was, he would like to see them. Almost immediately after the massage had begun, Tang claimed that he no longer wanted a massage because his stomach was upset and demanded a refund. The victim employee stated she had to call her boss to approve the refund. While the victim employee was on the phone in the lobby, it is alleged that Tang unlocked the front door and two masked men – later identified as Barbosa and Nunez – entered the business carrying firearms. One of the men hit the victim employee in the face, knocking her to the floor and put a gun to her head. Barbosa and Nunez then pulled the victim by her hair into the back hallway where they instructed her to be quiet. There, the men proceeded to bind the victim’s wrists and ankles with duct tape and gag her. As they were doing this, Barbosa and Nunez repeatedly yelled at the victim asking, “Where is the money?” The men ransacked the spa for roughly three minutes before locating and stealing approximately $500 along with the victim employee’s cell phone and then exiting. Surveillance footage revealed that all three men had arrived in the same vehicle parked nearby, which they drove away in together following the robbery.
Later that evening, at approximately 10:19 p.m. on June 12, 2022, Barbosa, Nunez and an associate of Barbosa committed a similar robbery of May’s Spa Massage in Stoneham. Specifically, they entered the business wearing masks and firearms and duct-taped several victims who were in the spa at the time. In addition to stealing approximately $600 in cash from the business and victims, Barbosa, Nunez and Barbosa's associate took three cell phones belonging to three of the female victims present during the robbery, as well as a victim’s license, gift cards and credit and debit cards before leaving in the same vehicle.
At the time of the robberies, Barbosa was wearing a court-ordered ankle bracelet with GPS monitoring due to a suspended sentence for multiple prior convictions out of Middlesex Superior Court of armed robbery and assault and battery for robbing the De Onzen Spa in Waltham in July 2021. During that robbery, Barbosa threatened employees and patrons at knifepoint, stole their phones and punched one victim in the face causing an orbital fracture. Barbosa was subsequently charged in the state for assault and battery and sentenced in April 2022 to two and a half years in prison. That sentence was later suspended for three years.
Also at the time of the offenses, Barbosa was on pretrial release out of Suffolk Superior Court for charges of breaking and entering in the daytime with the intent to commit a felony and larceny from a building. Barbosa has multiple prior state convictions including resisting arrest; breaking and entering in the daytime with the intent to commit a felony; larceny over $250; and breaking and entering in the nighttime with the intent to commit a felony.
The charges of robbery each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New York; the Massachusetts State Police; as well as the Brookline, Stoneham, Boston, Wakefield and New York City Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke A. Goldworm and Robert E. Richardson of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Seattle Man Found Guilty at Trial of Indecent Exposure on an AircraftRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal judge found Evan Thomas Carter, 46, of Seattle, Washington, guilty of indecent exposure on an aircraft following a bench trial yesterday, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan C. Rodriguez presided over the trial.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, on August 27, 2020, Carter was traveling on American Airlines Flight 560 from Seattle to Charlotte. Trial evidence established that, over the course of the flight, Carter exposed his genitalia to the passengers seated in his row and was rubbing himself. Trial evidence showed that Carter would hide his genitalia when people walked down the aisle and was exposed for at least 20 minutes until the passengers in his row were moved.
Carter was convicted of one count of indecent exposure on an aircraft, a misdemeanor offense punishable by no more than 90 days in prison and a $500 fine. A sentencing date has not been set.
The FBI investigated the case with the assistance of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Warren of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
Repeat felon sentenced after being caught again with a firearmRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to seven years and eight months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on Sept. 23, 2021, Richmond Police officers recognized Lamar Javon Williams, 31, who was in the passenger seat of a vehicle with a black bag across his chest. Williams got out of the car without the bag and entered the store. As Williams was returning to the car, an officer approached Williams and briefly spoke with him before Williams walked away from the scene. The officers then spoke to the driver, who had a handgun in his pants pocket.
Officers recovered Williams’ bag from the passenger side floorboard. Inside the bag were a loaded handgun, a debit card with Williams’ name, and a “corner baggie” with 3.8 grams of heroin and fentanyl.
In 2012, Williams was convicted of malicious wounding in Richmond Circuit Court after he shot a man in the chest with a shotgun in December 2010. In 2014, while on a suspended sentence for the malicious wounding conviction, Williams was convicted of possessing a firearm as a violent felon. As a previously convicted felon, Williams could not legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
After obtaining a warrant for his arrest, officers located Williams at a gas station on March 25, 2022, and approached his car to arrest him. Williams sped off, almost hitting the police car. Williams was arrested after a brief chase, and was found in possession of a corner baggie of fentanyl and 10 Xanax pills.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Wright and Peter Duffey prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-158.
Repeat Felon Pleads to Illegal Possession of Firearms and Distribution of Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Donnie Wise, 27, a repeat felon from Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possessing two illegal firearms and distribution quantities of cocaine base and cocaine at his Southeast apartment, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; ATF Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives - Washington Division; and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Wise pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and unlawful possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. Judge Moss scheduled sentencing for July 10, 2024.
According to court documents, on January 18, 2023, at about 6 a.m., members of the MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Division executed a search warrant at Wise’s apartment on the 1900 block of 18th Street, SE. Law enforcement found Wise sitting inside his bedroom. Once handcuffed, Wise told police he was the only one who resided in the apartment. The kitchen was filled with drug making equipment that included digital scales, baking soda, empty zip lock bags.
Officers searched Wise’s bedroom and, next to his bed, recovered a Zastava Arms ZPAP92 7.62 x 39mm firearms with 30 rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber. Officers also located a Glock 17, 9 mm pistol in the same room with 26 rounds in the magazine and one round in the chamber.
Police additionally recovered a 50-round magazine containing 15 rounds, a Zigana gun box containing two magazines, 39 rounds of .40 caliber ammo, a baggie containing empty yellow pill capsules, 21 grams of cocaine base, and 85 grams of cocaine on a shelf over a television. DNA linked Wise to the Glock 17.
Wise faces a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment on the felon in possession charge and up to 20 years for distributing cocaine base. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was conducted under the auspices of Project Safe Neighborhoods and investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Violent Crime Suppression Division in concert with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar.
Recidivist Sacramento Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Distributing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Michael Joseph Taylor, 39, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to two counts of distributing child sexual abuse material and one count of possessing child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in 2022 and 2023, Taylor used Reddit and Facebook Messenger to distribute multiple images depicting the sexual exploitation of children. During this same period, Taylor also possessed images and videos depicting child sexual abuse in two Google Drive accounts that he controlled. At the time he engaged in this criminal conduct, Taylor was on federal supervised release in Sacramento following a 2021 conviction for failing to register as a sex offender. Taylor was previously convicted in Oregon state court for attempted sexual abuse of a minor.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force, which includes the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki is prosecuting the case.
Taylor is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on June 27, 2024. Taylor faces a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison with a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison on each distribution count, as well as a maximum of 20 years in prison with a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison on the possession 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.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Recidivist Drug Trafficker and Illegal Firearms Possessor Indicted for Semiautomatic Firearm ViolationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa.- A resident of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal firearms law, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Ernest Lee Terry, 45, as the sole defendant in this case. The charge initially was brought in the form of a federal criminal complaint filed after Terry’s March 14, 2024, arrest. Additional information regarding that complaint can be found here.
According to the Indictment, on or about March 14, 2024, Terry possessed a .45 caliber Ruger semiautomatic pistol after having been convicted of seven prior felonies—including drug trafficking and firearms charges. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm or ammunition. The Indictment further alleges that Terry is subject to enhanced penalties as an Armed Career Criminal due to his numerous prior convictions.
The law provides for a maximum possible sentence of not less than 15 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas C. Maloney and Vincent Joseph Sonson are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Allegheny County Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this 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.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Readout of Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke’s Trip to AtlantaRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division traveled to Atlanta on March 20 to continue the Civil Rights Division’s tour to engage with stakeholders in underserved communities and reaffirm the department’s commitment to protecting the civil rights of all Americans.
In the morning, Assistant Attorney General Clarke participated in a fireside chat with Dr. Adrienne Jones, Ph.D. at Morehouse College, part of the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Consortium, a collaboration between four historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the heart of metropolitan Atlanta – Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine and Spelman College. Assistant Attorney General Clarke spoke with AUC students about her journey to becoming the first woman and first Black woman confirmed by the Senate to be the Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division. She also discussed the Justice Department’s efforts to address some of the most pressing civil rights issues, including threats to voting rights, a rise in hate crimes, the racial wealth gaps, and encouraged students to reconsider careers in public service.
After her visit to Morehouse College, Assistant Attorney General Clarke joined a community stakeholder meeting convened with U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. During the meeting, they listened to and addressed concerns raised by local advocates from Black, Latino, Asian, Muslim, Jewish and LGBTQI+ communities.
She also met with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. She thanked U.S. Attorney Buchanan and his staff for their service and commitment to protecting civil rights.
To conclude the trip, Assistant Attorney General Clarke delivered keynote remarks at a special meeting hosted by the Lawyers Club of Atlanta, a 102-year-old institution. She underscored the department’s commitment to protecting civil rights and discussed current and past efforts to combat hate crimes. She said, “We are working diligently to prosecute and prevent hate crimes, which have soared to some of their highest levels in decades. Since January 2021, the Civil Rights Division has charged more than 115 defendants in over 100 cases – a statistic that both illustrates the rising threat of hate-fueled violence and illustrates the work of our attorneys to pursue these notoriously complex cases.”
She also highlighted the recent work of the Civil Rights Division, including holding law enforcement officials accountable for misconduct, investigating unconstitutional prison conditions, protecting the right to vote, and ending modern-day redlining by banks and financial institutions.
As a part of this tour, Assistant Attorney General Clarke has traveled to underserved communities in Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Arkansas and South Carolina to discuss the department’s efforts to protect the civil rights of all Americans.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke speaks at fireside chat at Morehouse College. Assistant Attorney General Clarke and U.S. Attorney Buchanan host a listening session with community stakeholders.Raleigh County Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Ashley Nicole Luster, 28, of Sophia, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 13, 2022, Luster sold approximately 25 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a Beckley apartment complex while aided and abetted by co-defendant Angelo Johnson. Luster admitted that she handed the controlled substances over after Johnson took the money.
Luster is scheduled to be sentenced on July 5, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Johnson, 28, of Beckley, was sentenced on December 8, 2023 to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell 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. 5:23-cr-13.
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Pittsburgh Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Cocaine and Heroin OffensesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa.- A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 120 months of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on James Patrick Lewis Jr., 31.
According to information presented to the Court, from September 21, 2020, to February 4, 2021, Lewis conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 500 grams or more of cocaine. During the course of the investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, a confidential source made six controlled purchases of heroin/fentanyl from Lewis, each of which occurred in the area of the defendant’s residence/stash house. Search warrants were then executed, and agents recovered over 900 grams of cocaine, 36 grams of heroin, oxycodone pills, bulk marijuana, a money counter, over $12,000, three firearms (including a polymer frame firearm, commonly referred to as a “ghost gun”), and loaded magazines. A loaded firearm also was recovered from the center console of Lewis’s vehicle.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Hardy stated that the defendant had a significant criminal history for his relative youth and needed to reverse the course of his life and refrain from committing further crimes.
Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Lewis.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Philadelphia Drug Trafficker Who Sought to Have Witness Killed Sentenced to More Than 51 Years in Prison for Narcotics and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Luis Algarin-Torres, 34, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced by United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond to 622 months in prison, to be followed by six years of supervised release, for distribution of narcotics and firearms possession offenses.
On March 10, 2018, Drug Enforcement Administration agents executed a search at the defendant’s home on the 4000 block of North Reese Street in Philadelphia. In a hidden compartment above a kitchen ceiling light fixture, agents found more than $28,000 in cash, 34 grams of cocaine, and a loaded firearm that had been modified to fire automatically. Prior to trial, the defendant pleaded guilty to a number of narcotics offenses, including possession of the 34 grams of cocaine with intent to distribute, and pleaded not guilty to two gun charges.
On March 31, 2023, after a three-day trial on those charges, the jury found the defendant guilty of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The jury further found that the firearm had been modified to fire automatically. The evidence also showed that while awaiting trial, the defendant recruited another inmate to try to kill a witness who was scheduled to testify against the defendant.
“Luis Algarin-Torres received a very long prison sentence because he’s a career offender and very dangerous man,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “For years, this large-scale drug trafficker helped flood Philadelphia with poison, and after he was arrested for it, tried to have a witness killed to better his chances at trial. Putting violent criminals like this out of business and behind bars makes our community a safer place.”
“Algarin-Torres was convicted at trial on federal drug and firearms charges, to include a firearm that was modified to fire automatically,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “Of particular concern was that in addition to his drug and firearms charges, the evidence showed that Algarin-Torres attempted to orchestrate the murder of a federal witness that was scheduled to testify against him at trial. Let this 51-year prison sentence be a message that anyone who seeks to intimidate or harm a witness will face severe consequences in federal court.”
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Ignall and Meghan E. Claiborne.
Pawn shop owner charged with money laundering and operating a money transmitting business without a licenseRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On March 20, a Miami pawn shop owner was charged by criminal complaint with money laundering and operating a money transmitting business without a license.
As alleged in the criminal complaint and underlying criminal complaint affidavit, Andrey Perov, 38, of Miami, Florida, owned Bee Pawn LLC, a pawn shop in Miami and Hard Rock Giffies, a pawn shop in Hollywood, Florida. Allegedly, from Jan. 27, 2021, through June 3, 2021, Perov or an associate of Perov, at the direction of Perov, laundered $110,000 that Perov believed were drug proceeds. The charging documents further allege that, from Dec. 17, 2021, through Nov. 22, 2022, an associate of Perov, under his direction, redeemed approximately $540,000 worth of purportedly stolen or fraudulent gift cards.
Furthermore, from 2017 through March 20, 2024, Perov allegedly redeemed approximately $53,000,000 in gift cards and money orders and failed to obtain the required federal or state license in order act as a money transmitting business, as stated in the charging documents.
Perov made his initial appearance on March 20 in U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale. Perov faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of $500,000 or up to twice the value of the property involved in the transactions with respect to the conspiracy to commit money laundering charge. Perov also faces up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the operating a money transmitting business without a license charge.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agentt in Charge Matthew D. Line of the IRS Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
IRS-CI, Miami Field Office and FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Schwartz and Jeffrey N. Kaplan are prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling asset forfeiture.
A criminal complaint contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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 24-mj-6121.
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Owner of New Jersey Company Admits to Evading U.S. Customs Duties and His Company Agrees to $3.1 Million Settlement AgreementRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The owner of a New Jersey company today admitted mislabeling hazardous chemicals entering the United States and evading customs duties, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
George Volpe, 60, of Roseland, New Jersey, owner of Penta International Inc. (Penta), pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to an information charging him with wire fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 13, 2024. The company also agreed to a civil settlement to resolve allegations that Penta evaded customs duties and caused the mislabeling of chemicals imported into the United States from China.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Penta is a New Jersey-based company run by Volpe and his family. Volpe admitted that, from January 2016 through August 2021, as the manager and owner of Penta, he participated, in a scheme to defraud, through which he caused mislabeled chemicals, including hazardous chemicals, to enter the United States from China. The fraudulent scheme resulted in an underpayment of U.S. Customs duties in the amount of $1.4 million.
As part of the civil settlement with the United States to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act, Penta has agreed to pay $3.1 million plus interest. The civil claims alleged that Penta representatives conspired with a Chinese vendor to mislabel chemicals entering the United States and to use falsified documents submitted to Penta’s customs brokers. As part of the settlement, Penta admitted that it mislabeled substances in connection with their importation to the United States.
The civil settlement with Penta resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties, called relators, to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The relator, Angel Figueroa, will receive $600,000 of the $3.1 million civil settlement amount recovered by the United States pursuant to the False Claims Act.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso; U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations officers under the direction of port director TenaVel Thomas; auditors with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Trade Regulatory Audit under the direction of Field Director Roderick “Rick” Lawlor; and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz of the New Jersey Field Office, with the investigation.
The government is represented in the criminal case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark, and in the civil case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Orlowski of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
volpe.information.pdfOmaha Man Sentenced for Possession of Stolen Mail and Identification DocumentsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Maximino Vallecillo, 40, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 21, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for possession of stolen mail and possession with intent to use or transfer five or more identification documents. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Vallecillo to 15 months’ imprisonment for each offense, to run concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Vallecillo’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Vallecillo must also pay $32,972.71 in restitution.
Starting in about November 2022, residents west of Omaha reported a rash of thefts from their mailboxes, followed by fraudulent accounts being set up or attempted to be set up in their names. During traffic stops and residence searches in January to March 2023, stolen mail, credit and debit cards, identification documents, altered checks and other ID-theft related items were found in the possession of Vallecillo and his co-defendant, whose case remains pending. Video from area merchants showed the co-defendant, sometimes accompanied by Vallecillo, conducting transactions with debit or credit cards stolen from mailbox theft victims. Investigators identified approximately $68,428 worth of altered checks and attempted transactions that resulted in actual loss of approximately $32,972.71.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office and United States Postal Inspection Service.
Ohio Man Arrested for Decades-Long Scheme to Conceal His Involvement in the Rwandan GenocideRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Ohio man has been charged in Boston, Mass. for a nearly three-decade scheme to conceal his alleged involvement in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, which left more than 800,000 people dead. The defendant is also charged with obstruction of justice and with perjury for allegedly offering false testimony in the 2019 Boston trial of his former classmate and now-convicted Rwandan genocide perpetrator Jean Leonard Teganya. The defendant allegedly participated in the killing of Tutsi men, women and children by striking them on the head with a nail-studded club and then hacking them to death with a machete.
Eric Tabaro Nshimiye, a/k/a Eric Tabaro Nshimiyimana, 52, of Uniontown, Ohio, has been charged in a criminal complaint with falsifying, concealing and covering up a material fact by trick, scheme or device; obstruction of justice; and perjury. Nshimiye was arrested this morning in Ohio and was detained following an initial appearance in federal court in Northern District of Ohio. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
“For nearly 30 years, Mr. Nshimiye allegedly hid the truth about crimes he committed during the Rwandan genocide in order to seek refuge in the United States, and reap the benefits of U.S. citizenship. Our refuge and asylum laws exist to protect true victims of persecution -- not the perpetrators. The United States will not be a safe haven for suspected human rights violators and war criminals,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Our office and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to locating and prosecuting those who commit human rights violations abroad and then evade our immigration laws. We will not cease in our pursuit of identifying and bringing to justice those individuals who have participated in unthinkable war crimes and human rights abuses.”
“Nshimiye is accused of lying to conceal his participation in one of the greatest human tragedies of all time. The charging documents make specific allegations about the murder and rape of ethnic Tutsis committed during his time as a medical student in Rwanda. The government alleges his testimony in the defense of a convicted genocidaire was a calculated attempt to conceal the horrific crimes committed during the genocide, further distancing himself from his participation in these horrific events, and avoiding consequences of his actions,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “Homeland Security Investigations and the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center agents spend years investigating cases of alleged human rights violators and war criminals, interviewing survivors, and working alongside historians, in an effort to uncover the true history of perpetrators and hold them accountable for their actions. We are tireless in our pursuit of those who seek to use the United States as a haven from justice.”
According to the charging documents, Nshimiye was a medical student at the University of Rwanda campus in Butare, Rwanda in the early 1990s. At that time, the country had significant ethnic division: about 85% of its population were Hutus, and about 14% were Tutsis. Both Nshimiye and Teganya were well-known student members of the MRND political party, the ruling Hutu-dominated party that incited the genocide, and the Interahamwe, the notoriously violent youth wing of that movement. According to court documents, in the spring of 1994, after the Hutu president’s plane was shot down over Kigali, the country spiraled into one of the worst ethnic genocides in modern history. Members of the Hutu majority murdered approximately 800,000 Tutsis, including women and children, in a 100-day frenzy.
It is alleged that Nshimiye participated in the killing of Tutsi men, women and children by striking them on the head with a nail-studded club and then hacking them to death with a machete. The charging documents allege specific instances of Nshimiye’s criminal conduct, including his murders of a 14-year-old boy and of a man who sewed doctor’s coats at the university hospital. Witnesses in Rwanda recently identified the locations of the killings and drew pictures of Nshimiye’s weapons. It is further alleged that Nshimiye both participated in and aided and abetted the rape of numerous Tutsi women during the genocide.
According to the charging documents, Nshimiye fled Rwanda in the summer of 1994, after an attacking Tutsi rebel group drove genocidaires into the Democratic Republic of Congo. Nshimiye made his way to Kenya where, in 1995, he allegedly lied to U.S. immigration officials to gain admission to the United States as a refugee. Nshimiye emigrated to Ohio and, in subsequent years, allegedly continued to provide false information about his involvement in the Rwandan genocide to obtain lawful permanent residence and ultimately U.S. citizenship. By allegedly concealing his crimes, Nshimiye has lived and worked in Ohio since 1995.
In 2017, the United States charged Teganya with fraudulently seeking asylum in the United States by similarly concealing his membership in the MRND and his involvement in the genocide. When called to testify at trial on Teganya’s behalf in 2019, Nshimiye said that neither he nor Teganya participated in the genocide. Teganya was ultimately convicted of two counts of immigration fraud and three counts of perjury in April 2019. The complaint alleges that Nshimiye assisted Teganya in obstructing justice at Teganya’s trial and falsely testifying about Teganya’s involvement in the MRND. It is also alleged that Nshimiye perjured himself when he denied his own membership in the MRND and Interahamwe.
The charging document also alleges that Nshimiye made false statements to federal agents when he was recently interviewed about his activities before coming to the United States and about the documents he signed to obtain citizenship. In response to questions, Nshimiye allegedly continued to make false statements to conceal his involvement in the genocide.
The charge of falsifying, concealing, and covering up a material fact by trick, scheme or device provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of obstruction of justice provides for a sentence up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of perjury provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; HSI SAC Krol; Shawn S. Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Detroit; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Denis C. Riordan, District Director of the Fraud Detection and National Security Division of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. This matter was investigated with the assistance of the United States Interagency Human Rights Violators & War Crimes Center, the Copley, Ohio Police Department and the Summit County, Ohio Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. McNeil and Amanda Beck of the National Security Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Norton Man Sentenced for Possessing Multiple Explosive DevicesRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Norton, Virginia man who possessed multiple explosive devices at his home was sentenced last week to 69 months in federal prison.
Jordan Patrick Adams, 38, pled guilty in November 2023 to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of knowingly possessing an unregistered destructive device.
According to court documents, in August 2022, police received information that Adams may be in possession of explosive devices and booby traps at his home. As a result, officers with the Wise County Sheriff’s Office and Virginia State Police Bomb Squad executed a search warrant at Adams’ home and discovered, among other items, four suspected explosive devices, three of which were determined to be destructive devices.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia and Craig B. Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Virginia State Police, and the Wise County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Hall prosecuted the case.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Possessing Cars Stolen from Norfolk Southern RailyardRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MATHEW MAYE, age 25, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on March 19, 2024 to five years of probation, including six months of home detention, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee, by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey after previously pleading guilty to two counts of possessing goods stolen from an interstate shipment.
According to court documents, on March 29, 2023, MAYE and others, stole a 2023 Ford F-150 and 2023 Ford Bronco Sport Outer Banks from the Norfolk Southern Automotive Distribution Facility. Over the next week, MAYE was captured on surveillance video driving the stolen F-150 and riding as a passenger in the stolen Bronco Sport.
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 Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Being Convicted Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on March 20, 2024, DARRON BLUE, age 27, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).
According to court documents, on October 1, 2023, following a shooting in downtown New Orleans, police officers developed BLUE as a suspect and secured an arrest warrant for him and a search warrant for his residence. During the execution of the search warrant, New Orleans police officers seized a firearm, specifically, a Smith & Wesson Model SW40VE, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol, as well as .40 and .45 caliber ammunition.
At sentencing, BLUE, faces up to 15 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the Violent Crimes Unit.
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Mexican National Sentenced to 9 Years’ Imprisonment for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Luis Salazar-Cabrera, 40, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced March 20, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Salazar-Cabrera to 108 months’ imprisonment. After Salazar-Cabrera’s release from prison, he will be deported to Mexico as he is not a United States citizen.
In April of 2022, codefendant Martin Caballero-Bringas asked a third party to front him cash to pay for a delivery of meth to Omaha. Homeland Security Investigations Omaha provided the third party with $3,000 who gave the money to Salazar-Cabrera who then wired the money to three separate individuals as directed by Caballero-Bringas.
In early May of 2022, Caballero-Bringas coordinated the shipment of meth and fentanyl from southern California through Wichita, Kansas, to Omaha. Caballero-Bringas asked the third party to coordinate with a transportation company to coordinate the pick-up of the meth and fentanyl in Los Angeles, California, and transport it to Wichita, Kansas, where Caballero-Bringas had arranged for Salazar-Cabrera to receive the drugs and bring them to Omaha. However, the vehicle transporting the drug load was seized by Homeland Security Investigations in California and found containing 35 kilograms of meth and 6 kilograms of fentanyl.
In October of 2022, Salazar-Cabrera was traffic stopped in Lancaster County, Nebraska, while transporting 6 kilograms of fentanyl from Omaha to Grand Island. Recorded calls show that Salazar-Cabrera was transporting the fentanyl at the request of codefendant Caballero-Bringas.
Caballero-Bringas has plead guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced May 1, 2024.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Mexican National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Mario Ruiz-Ruiz, age 35, of Mexico, was indicted on March 20, 2024, by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Ruiz-Ruiz was previously removed from the United States on March 24, 2021, through El Paso, Texas, and it is alleged that he was subsequently found in the United States without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the country. The indictment also alleges that on March 13, 2024, Ruiz-Ruiz was encountered in Adams County, Pennsylvania.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Dukes is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is ten years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Member of MS-13 Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Murder in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A member of an MS-13 clique operating in Hudson County, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his role in a gang-related murder plot, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Jose Gimenez-Lobos, aka “Infernal,” aka “Terrible,” 33, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court to his role in a failed May 2015 plot to kill a member of a rival gang. Judge Cecchi ordered that the sentence imposed today run concurrently to the 40-year sentence Gimenez-Lobos received in the Eastern District of Virginia for his role in a November 2014 murder that he committed on behalf of MS-13.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“This defendant has already amassed a history of death and mayhem on behalf of MS-13, a gang well-known for its appetite for violence. There is no place in our communities for this wanton disregard of life. Gimenez-Lobos will remain behind bars for most of the remainder of his life, which is the punishment he has brought down on his own head.”
“Many violent street gangs focus on crimes to make money and use violence as a way to defend their so-called turf,” FBI-Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “For MS-13, they use their criminal behavior as a means to perpetuate violence simply for the sake of violence. Gimenez-Lobos sent his minions after a rival gang member, but having failed to carry out his plan, he then had them savagely beaten. The brutality and total disregard for human life is the point. I would like to commend the agents and investigators on this case. Pursuing and bringing to justice members of MS-13 can be a harrowing job, but they do it to protect our communities.”
“This is another clear example of the strong partnership that exists amongst federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in New Jersey,” Newark ICE Enforcement and Removal Field Office Director John Tsoukaris said. “This cooperation was critical in the arrest, prosecution and sentencing of an MS-13 gang member, a group notorious for its violent crimes. ICE ERO remains committed to our public safety mission as we enforce our immigration laws.”
“Jose Gimenez-Lobos is a convicted felon and MS-13 gang member, whose violent behavior has earned him a second prison sentence,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso. “Thanks to the collaboration with our law enforcement partners in New Jersey and neighboring states, this MS-13 criminal will be put away for decades. HSI Newark remains determined to keep our communities safe from dangerous gang members who show no regard for human life.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Gimenez-Lobos and others previously pleaded guilty to their involvement in a failed May 2015 plot to kill a member of a rival gang. Gimenez-Lobos admitted his membership in the violent transnational street gang, MS-13, and admitted his involvement in acts of violence and drug distribution on behalf of the gang. Gimenez-Lobos and fellow MS-13 gang members conspired to kill a member of the rival 18th Street gang from the Maryland/Virginia area. The plot involved a female associate of MS-13 who befriended the victim and then lured him to New Jersey so that MS-13 members could execute him.
The victim arrived in Hudson County on May 25, 2015. A high-ranking MS-13 member ordered three other MS-13 members, including Gimenez-Lobos, to carry out the murder. When their initial attempts to contact the victim did not go as planned, the MS-13 members decided to secure a room for the victim at a local motel and offered to transport him back to the Maryland/Virginia area the following day. At their clique leader’s direction, the MS-13 members agreed to stab the victim to death at some point during the trip, and then dispose of the body.
The murder was foiled the following day when the victim – sensing that the MS-13 members planned to harm him – jumped from the vehicle outside a tollbooth on the way to the Maryland/Virginia area. The MS-13 members later received beatings for failing to kill the rival 18th Street gang member.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; officers of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark Field Office, under the direction of Field Office Director Tsoukaris; special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso; special agents of HIS Washington, D.C., under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon; investigators of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez; and investigators of the West New York Police Department under the direction of Director of Public Safety Alejandro DeRojas.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, Deputy Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Newark, and Trial Attorney Matthew K. Hoff of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.
Medical Sales Rep and Former Pain Clinic Owner Sentenced in Related Multi-Million-Dollar Health Care Fraud CasesRead the Press Release
ANNISTON, Ala. – A Gadsden medical sales representative and a Rainbow City pain clinic owner were sentenced today for their roles in health care fraud conspiracies that cost insurers millions of dollars. U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples, and Special Agent in Charge Tamela Miles of the Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Atlanta Region made the announcement.
U.S. District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler sentenced James Ewing Ray, 53, of Gadsden, to 40 months for conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Ray was ordered to forfeit more than $850,000 and to pay restitution to victims of more than $5.3 million. According to Ray’s plea agreement, Ray was a sales representative who marketed to doctors’ offices various health care products and services, including topical prescription creams from specialty pharmacies, durable medical equipment (DME), and electro-diagnostic testing. Ray was paid fees for the prescriptions, DME, and tests he generated from doctors.
From at least 2012 through 2018, Ray conspired to pay and receive kickbacks to induce medical providers to issue medically unnecessary prescriptions and order medically unnecessary goods and services, which were then billed to Medicare and other health insurers. Among those services was nerve conduction testing provided by a Huntsville-based electro-diagnostic testing company called QBR or Diagnostic Referral Community. Ray received per-patient kickbacks from QBR for inducing medical providers to order tests from QBR. Medical providers received kickbacks from QBR too, disguised as hourly payments for the ordering physician’s time and staff’s time but in reality payments for every patient who got a test.
Judge Coogler sentenced David Lyle Shehi, 43, of Rainbow City, to 28 months for conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Shehi was also ordered to pay forfeiture and restitution to his victims. According to Shehi’s plea agreement, Shehi owned Etowah Pain, a pain clinic in Rainbow City, and was paid kickbacks in exchange for his practice’s ordering nerve conduction tests from QBR that would be billed to Medicare and other health insurance programs. Shehi also caused his practice to routinely bill health insurance programs for patient office visits using the code that would generate the highest reimbursement—even though that code was not appropriate and Shehi was warned that billing in this way was not allowed.
The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys J.B. Ward and Don Long are prosecuting it.
See related press here:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndal/pr/pain-clinic-owners-sentenced-unlawfully-distributing-opioids-and-multimillion-dollar
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndal/pr/etowah-pain-clinic-owner-pleads-guilty-multi-million-dollar-kickback-and-health-care
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndal/pr/multiple-defendants-sentenced-major-compounding-pharmacy-fraud-conspiracy
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndal/pr/new-hope-man-sentenced-his-role-multi-million-dollar-kickback-and-health-care-fraud.
Maryland man pleads guilty to federal gun and drug crimes in Virginia and West VirginiaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Bowie, Maryland, man pleaded guilty yesterday to using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents, on Aug. 18, 2022, William Phillip McDowell, Jr, aka “Mike,” 44, was driving a rental car through Harrison County, West Virginia, with two passengers when an officer from the Clarksburg Police Department stopped the vehicle for speeding. At the time, McDowell’s driver license was suspended, and McDowell was on probation for a felony murder conviction. During a search of the vehicle, police found a pack containing a brick-size package of 997.7 grams of fentanyl, 43 baggies containing a total of 16.46 grams of fentanyl, a bag containing 8.89 grams of cocaine, and a stolen, loaded .40 caliber semiautomatic handgun. McDowell pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl for this case.
On July 7, 2023, detectives with the Prince William County Police Department observed McDowell conducting what appeared to be a drug transaction in a parking lot in Woodbridge, Virginia. When McDowell returned to the passenger seat of his vehicle, the detectives detained and searched the vehicle. In the passenger seat where McDowell had been sitting, the detectives found a backpack containing a .380 caliber handgun, .380 caliber ammunition, 388 fentanyl pills, 22 grams of cocaine, a digital scale with cocaine residue, $617.85 in cash, and a wallet with McDowell’s photo identification card. McDowell pleaded guilty to using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
McDowell is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison for the drug trafficking charge from the Northern District of West Virginia and a mandatory minimum of five years to be served consecutively with any other prison term and up to life in prison for the firearms charge from the Eastern District of Virginia. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; William J. Ihlenfeld, II, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police; and Mark Kiddy, Clarksburg Chief of Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith Edwards and Raizza K. Ty are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower prosecuted the Northern District of West Virginia case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) and the District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia (NDWV) or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:23-cr-196 and 1:24-cr-59 for EDVA and Case No. 1:23-cr-42 for NDWV.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun and Drug Crimes in Virginia and West VirginiaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Bowie, Maryland, man pleaded guilty yesterday to using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents, on Aug. 18, 2022, William Phillip McDowell, Jr, aka “Mike,” 44, was driving a rental car through Harrison County, West Virginia, with two passengers when an officer from the Clarksburg Police Department stopped the vehicle for speeding. At the time, McDowell’s driver's license was suspended, and McDowell was on probation for a felony murder conviction. During a search of the vehicle, police found a pack containing a brick-sized package of 997.7 grams of fentanyl, 43 baggies containing a total of 16.46 grams of fentanyl, a bag containing 8.89 grams of cocaine, and a stolen, loaded .40 caliber semiautomatic handgun. McDowell pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl in this case.
On July 7, 2023, detectives with the Prince William County Police Department observed McDowell conducting what appeared to be a drug transaction in a parking lot in Woodbridge, Virginia. When McDowell returned to the passenger seat of his vehicle, the detectives detained and searched the vehicle. In the passenger seat where McDowell had been sitting, the detectives found a backpack containing a .380 caliber handgun, .380 caliber ammunition, 388 fentanyl pills, 22 grams of cocaine, a digital scale with cocaine residue, $617.85 in cash, and a wallet with McDowell’s photo identification card. McDowell pleaded guilty to using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
McDowell is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison for the drug trafficking charge from the Northern District of West Virginia and a mandatory minimum of five years to be served consecutively with any other prison term and up to life in prison for the firearms charge from the Eastern District of Virginia. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; William Ihlenfeld, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police; and Mark Kiddy, Clarksburg Chief of Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith Edwards and Raizza K. Ty are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower prosecuted the Northern District of West Virginia case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) and the District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia (NDWV) or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:23-cr-196 and 1:24-cr-59 for EDVA and Case No. 1:23-cr-42 for NDWV.
March Federal Grand Jury 2023-B Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the March Federal Grand Jury 2023-B Indictments.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Darrius Malik Brown. Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number; Receipt of a Firearm While Under Indictment for a Felony. Brown, 25, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a handgun with the serial number removed. Brown allegedly possessed a firearm while he was under indictment. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, FBI, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elmore is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-083
Lee Scott Holt; Jennifer Charisa Harrington. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (Counts 1 and 2); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 3); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 4); Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crimes; Prior Conviction Allegation for a Serious Drug Felony (Count 5) (superseding). Holt, 59, and Harrington, 48, of Collinsville, are charged with possessing a firearm knowing they’d been convicted of felonies in various states. They both allegedly possessed methamphetamine while maintaining a residence for distribution of drugs. They are further charged with possessing a firearm while drug trafficking. Holt is a Cherokee Nation member. Homeland Security Investigations, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and the Cherokee Nation Marshals are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Flesher and Justin Bish are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-050
Jonathan Eliezer Miranda Juarez. Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity; Coercion and Enticement of a Minor (superseding). Juarez, 29, of Commerce, is charged with transporting a minor victim with intent to engage in sexual activity Aug. 2023. He is further charged with knowingly persuading and coercing a minor victim from Aug. 2020 through Aug. 2023. The Homeland Security Investigations, Indiana Delphi Police Department, Commerce Police Department, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-347
Adam Joseph King. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 in Indian Country (Counts 1 & 3); Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor Under 12 in Indian Country (Counts 2 & 4) King, 35, of Pryor and a member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians, is charged with knowingly engaging in a sexual act with a minor victim under 12 years old. He is further charged with allegedly causing and engaging in abusive sexual contact with the same victim. The FBI and Catoosa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chantelle Dial and Valeria Luster are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-081
Bryon Alan Lee. Production of Child Pornography; Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country; Commission of Felony Sex Offense Involving a Minor by a Registered Sex Offender. Lee, 31, of Sapulpa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with using a victim under 12 years old to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. He is further charged with receiving, distributing, and possessing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Lee allegedly committed a felony offense involving a minor child while being required to register as a sex offender. The Homeland Security Investigations Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse, and Sapulpa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-084
Cameron Lynn. First Degree Murder in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. Lynn, 33, of Tulsa and a member of the Choctaw Nation, is charged with willfully and deliberately killing Alcides Monroig in Feb. 2024. Lynn allegedly used a dangerous weapon to do bodily harm to a separate victim. He is further charged with using a firearm in a crime of violence which resulted in serious bodily injury. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Elmore and Stephen Flynn are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-076
Hong Thoa Thi Nguyen; Tait Hunter Jaco; Tam Duc Nguyen; Trinh Nguyen. Drug Conspiracy; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute (superseding). Hong Nguyen, 44, Jaco, 32, Tam Nguyen, 56, and Trinh Nguyen, 36, of Tulsa are charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine in Nov. 2023. Hong Nguyen and Jaco were also charged for maintaining a residence for drug distribution. Jaco was further charged for possessing cocaine with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-407
Dustin Colby Phillips. Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. Phillips, 37, of Vinita and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with assaulting a victim that resulted in serious bodily injury. The FBI and Vinita Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Flynn is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-077
Eron Torres-Gaytan; Donald Edward Beckett; John Harden Tucker. Drug Conspiracy (Count 1); Manufacturing of Methamphetamine (Count 2); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Counts 3 and 4); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 5); Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien (Count 6). Torres-Gaytan, 27, a Mexican national; Beckett, 30, of Mounds; Tucker, 54, of Tulsa, is charged with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in Feb. 2024. Torres-Gaytan allegedly manufactured and possessed more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Beckett is further charged with possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Torres-Gaytan and Tucker are charged with allegedly maintaining a residence to distribute methamphetamine. Additionally, Torres-Gaytan is charged with being an alien residing in the United States after being removed in Sep. 2021. The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-079
Hank Sallee Williams. Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death; Distribution of Fentanyl to a Minor; Use of a Communication Facility in Committing, Causing, and Facilitating the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony. Williams, 23, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly distributing fentanyl, which resulted in the death of Xander Tewis. Williams allegedly distributed fentanyl to someone under 21 years old and used a telephone for communication while drug trafficking. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-080
Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assaulting Girlfriend on the Warm Springs Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Warm Springs, Oregon man with seven prior domestic violence convictions was sentenced to federal prison today for assaulting his then-girlfriend on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in December 2020.
Alfred Dee Kaulaity, 47, was sentenced to 66 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Kaulaity’s federal sentence will run consecutive to a 78-month state prison sentence previously imposed following a domestic violence conviction in Jefferson County, Oregon.
“The victim in this case courageously turned in her abuser to stop his dangerous pattern of violence” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Our Special Victims Unit is intently focused on holding domestic abusers accountable and stopping this violence in our communities.”
“Everyone has the human right to live in safety, free from violence and abuse. The FBI has a duty to recognize and defend this right,” said Aubree M. Schwartz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Portland Field Office. “Domestic violence is rarely an isolated incident; the cycle of abuse frequently spans years, oftentimes with several victims as in the case with Alfred Kaulaity. The FBI fully investigates domestic violence with intense commitment to the safety and confidentiality of victims and encourages reporting of these heinous crimes to bring offenders to justice and protect others from harm.”
According to court documents, on December 3, 2020, Kaulaity was dining with his girlfriend at the Indian Head Casino on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. Kaulaity became angry with his girlfriend for speaking to a male friend and, while driving away from the casino, struck her with the back of his hand, injuring her and leaving a scar on the bridge of her nose. Kaulaity then threatened to kill his girlfriend while driving her from Oregon to northern California.
After several days, Kaulaity’s girlfriend purchased flights to different destinations for Kaulaity and herself. When deboarding her flight to Portland, airline employees observed the women’s injuries and reported them to Port of Portland police. The woman told officers she had been assaulted by her boyfriend but did not identify him out of fear. Six months later, in June 2021, Jefferson County Sheriff deputies responded to a reported assault of the same woman. The woman identified Kaulaity as her assailant and reported his prior December 2020 assault.
On May 3, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a four-count indictment charging Kaulaity with kidnapping, domestic assault by a habitual offender, assault resulting in substantial bodily injury, and interstate domestic assault. On December 1, 2023, he pleaded guilty to domestic assault by a habitual offender.
In June 2022, Kaulaity was convicted at trial of coercion and assault constituting domestic violence in Jefferson County Circuit Court for an assault involving the same victim as in his federal case and, following trial, was sentenced to a total of 78 months in Oregon state prison. Kaulaity’s federal sentence imposed today will run consecutive to his state prison sentence. Prior to his two Oregon domestic violence convictions, Kaulaity had six prior domestic violence convictions in Oklahoma spanning seventeen years and involving three different victims.
Kaulaity was ordered today to pay $1,432 in restitution to his victim and $3,494 to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Account.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by Pamela Paaso, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Domestic violence is a serious crime that can include both physical and emotional abuse, and it is frequently hidden from public view. Many survivors suffer in silence, afraid to seek help or not knowing where to turn. The traumatic effects of domestic violence also extend beyond the abused person, impacting family members, friends, and communities.
If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you need assistance or know someone who needs help, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Many communities throughout the country have also created support networks to assist survivors in the process of recovery.
The StrongHearts Native Helpline offers culturally specific support and advocacy for American Indian and Alaska Native survivors of domestic violence. Please call 1-844-762-8483 or visit www.strongheartshelpline.org for more information.
Man Admits Smuggling Seven Unauthorized Immigrants Through Sewer Pipes between Mexico and the U.S.Read the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – March 21, 2024
SAN DIEGO –Kevin Noe Campos Villa of Tijuana pleaded guilty in federal court today to human smuggling charges, admitting he guided seven unauthorized immigrants through sewer pipes during heavy rains. Several had to be rescued from the Tijuana River by San Diego lifeguards.
Campos is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Linda Lopez.
Campos was arrested on January 22, 2024, after U.S. Border Patrol agents observed Campos directing the individuals from Mexico into the United States through the pipes about two miles west of the San Ysidro Port of Entry during heavy rains.
When confronted by Border Patrol agents, Campos and three of the immigrants he was guiding ran to avoid apprehension. While attempting to escape, they fell into the Tijuana River and had to be rescued by San Diego lifeguards.
According to court records, two of the unauthorized immigrants who were rescued stated that they feared for their lives when crossing the river because they did not know how to swim. One stated that he was swept away by the river’s current and was able to grab and hold onto a tree branch until his rescue.
Sewer tubes between the United States and Mexico have grates to prevent individuals from illegally entering the United States. During heavy rain, the grates are opened to let water flow through the sewer tubes without damaging the grates. Due to heavy rain that was occurring in the area at the time, the grates were open and Campos used the opportunity to smuggle the unauthorized immigrants into the United States.
Court documents established Campos agreed to guide the group in the January event, and in exchange he would have his own smuggling fee reduced to $6,000. Campos also admitted that he has been working for smugglers by building ladders to smuggle people across the U.S.-Mexico border fence.
“This case is yet another example of transnational smuggling organizations placing profits over safety,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Thankfully, due to law enforcement intervention and the assistance of local lifeguards, all lives were spared.”
“This is an important reminder that safety is of little concern to transnational criminal organizations,” said Chief Patrol Agent Patricia McGurk-Daniel. “U.S. Border Patrol agents will continue to target human smugglers and deliver consequences to those who violate the laws of our nation.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Adeline Schulberg.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24CR0290-LL
Kevin Noe Campos Villa Age: 20 Tijuana, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 8, United States Code, §1324(a)(1)(A)(i) – Bringing in Illegal Aliens at a Place other than a Designated Port of Entry
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison; $250,000 fine
AGENCY
United States Border Patrol
San Diego Lifeguards
Maine Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Maine man was sentenced today for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy that operated in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Northern California.
Jacob Parlin, 44, of Lebanon, Maine, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 12 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In November 2023, Parlin was convicted by a federal jury of one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Parlin was indicted along with nine others in December 2021 for their roles in a drug trafficking organization led by co-defendant Harry Tam, a/k/a “Legendary H.” The investigation identified Parlin as one of Tam’s trusted business partners with whom he worked together to distribute methamphetamine in Maine. In their business arrangement, Tam would procure methamphetamine from California or elsewhere via mailed shipments to his business in Brookline. The methamphetamine would then be transferred to Parlin for distribution in his community in Maine.
Parlin was arrested early in the morning of March 31, 2021 in New Hampshire, as he drove home to Maine from the Boston-area after meeting with Tam. A plastic bag containing approximately 880 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine was found beneath the driver’s seat of Parlin’s car. More than three kilograms of methamphetamine, about a dozen firearms and approximately $95,000 in cash was seized over the course of the investigation.
Parlin is the ninth defendant to be convicted in the case. Tam pleaded guilty in July 2023 and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 4, 2024.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nadine Pellegrini and Amanda Beck of the Criminal Division prosecuted 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.
Madison Man Sentenced to 54 Months for Illegally Possessing Firearm While on Federal SupervisionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ramogi Carr, 22, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 54 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon and while under federal supervision. Carr pleaded guilty to the firearm charge on January 10, 2024.
On March 16, 2021, Carr received a sentence of 15 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon. Carr started his term of supervised release on September 13, 2021, and on September 6, 2022, a warrant was issued for the Carr’s arrest, alleging that he violated the conditions of his supervised release after he was charged in Dane County Circuit Court with misdemeanor resisting or obstructing an officer.
On May 2, 2023, law enforcement officers located Carr in McFarland, Wisconsin, as he and another individual were getting into a vehicle. Officers attempted to arrest Carr when the vehicle pulled into a parking lot in Madison, but Carr fled on foot. Officers caught up to Carr and took him into custody. While searching Carr incident to arrest, officers found a loaded handgun with a 30-round extended magazine and a “switch” inside of Carr’s pants. The “switch,” also known as an auto sear, converted the handgun from semi-automatic to fully automatic, making the firearm illegal to possess regardless of Carr’s felony status.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that Carr’s criminal behavior appeared to be escalating. Judge Conley also stressed the danger that Carr posed to the community when he chose to carry a firearm that was converted to a fully automatic machinegun.
The charge against Carr was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department, Fitchburg Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Lexington Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking and Possession of Firearm by Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man Marcus Perry Green, 35, was sentenced on Thursday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, to 12 years in prison, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to his plea agreement, on July 19, 2021, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by Green. During the stop, a K9 unit alerted to the odor of controlled substances; and upon searching the vehicle, officers found approximately 252 grams of fentanyl and $17,100 in cash. When arrested, Green had a pistol, with a full magazine. Green admitted he had previously been convicted of a serious drug felony and he was not permitted to possess a firearm.
Under federal law, Green must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Erek Davodowich, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, ATF, FBI, and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger West is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Leader of Dark Web Drug Trafficking Ring Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Illicit and Counterfeit Drugs from A Clandestine Drug Lab in A Detroit ResidenceRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Victor Hernandez pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute millions of illicit and counterfeit pills, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by acting Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit field office and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene.
Victor Hernandez, 30, of Detroit, admitted his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute illicit substances, a conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, his distribution of counterfeit pills, and the use of firearms in furtherance of the crime.
During the course of the months-long investigation, agents were able to identify that a dark web vendor site was being operated out of the Detroit, Michigan, area. The dark web marketplace vendor went by the moniker of “opiateconnect.” Agents worked to determine the location being used as the distribution hub for illicit scheduled drugs to include cocaine, and various counterfeit drugs. The counterfeit drugs, made to looks like alprazolam, commonly referred to as Xanax, were in fact uncontrolled research chemicals not scheduled for human consumption.
Agents also learned that “opiateconnect” was being operated from a residence in Detroit, Michigan. A subsequent search warrant revealed a clandestine drug lab. The search resulted in the seizure of approximately 1,000,000 dollars in cryptocurrency, in excess of 300,000 U.S. Dollars, multiple firearms, an industrial size pill press, industrial mixer, controlled substances including cocaine, and counterfeit drugs.
Hernandez pleaded guilty pursuant to a plea agreement to four counts: (1) conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, which carries a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years; (2) conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years; (3) dispensing a counterfeit drug, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years; and (4) possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of five years. In total, Hernandez is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years.
United States Attorney Dawn Ison said, “This guilty plea is the culmination of months of collaboration between state and federal law enforcement agencies. Counterfeit pills pose a unique danger to this community, especially ones that have the appearance of a drug that is so regularly prescribed. We will continue to investigate and prosecute instances where those counterfeit pills are being manufactured illegally in our district to keep our community safe.”
“This plea is not just a win for law enforcement, but a win for our Detroit community,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson. “Whether on the dark web or on a street corner, drug traffickers seek to poison our communities. We will remain steadfast in our law enforcement partnerships to dismantle these networks wherever we find them.”
“The DEA, in collaboration with HSI, continues our commitment to safeguard communities from individuals who sell fake pills and other illicit substances,” said DEA Detroit Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene. “This case proves that there is no place to hide in the dark web when it comes to law enforcement’s efforts to protect the people we serve.”
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The investigation was conducted by the Detroit Dark Web Task Force, which consists of HSI, Postal Inspection Service Office of the Inspector General (USPIS-OIG), Secret Service (USSS), IRS-CID, Michigan State Police (MSP), and CBP. The purpose of the task force is to investigate criminal organizations, to include drug vendors, that operate within dark web marketplaces. The task force has disrupted and dismantled numerous drug trafficking organizations through criminal arrests, and the seizure of the proceeds from criminal activity. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Jerome White.
Laplace Resident Sentenced to Twelve Months for Preparing and Submitting Fraudulent Applications for Cares Act Financial Assistance and Post-Hurricane Ida Disaster AssistanceRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that LYNN SCHOFIELD, age 60, a resident of LaPlace, La., was sentenced on March 19, 2024 by United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to twelve (12) months in prison, with six (6) months to be spent in home detention, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 1343. Judge Vitter also sentenced SCHOFIELD to three (3) years of supervised release and ordered her to repay $282,650 in restitution to the Small Business Administration (“SBA”). SCHOFIELD conspired to prepare and file fraudulent applications for loans related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). SCHOFIELD’s son, Bashir Schofield (“Bashir”), and daughter, Munira Schofield (“Munira”), have also been charged for their roles in the offense.
According to court documents, LYNN SCHOFIELD, Bashir, and Munira submitted applications to fraudulently obtain money from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster (EIDL) loans. Each defendant submitted at least one fraudulent loan application. All applications falsely represented that the applicant had a sole proprietorship and generated substantial income from the business by overinflating gross receipts. The entities either did not exist or earned far less money than reported. They also mis-represented that the loan proceeds were for business purposes, when, in fact, the defendants intended to use the money for personal purposes. LYNN SCHOFIELD submitted fraudulent applications for two entities she claimed to own, AfroTouch, Inc., and Afromerica Touch 360, LLC. She also submitted a modification request that contained false information about Afromerica Touch 360, LLC, that resulted in her fraudulent receipt of an additional $145,000 from the SBA. Further, LYNN SCHOFIELD defrauded the SBA in connection with Hurricane IDA disaster assistance. As a result, she received over $50,000 to which she was not entitled. In total, LYNN SCHOFIELD admitted that this conspiracy caused an approximate $282,650 loss to the SBA.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, was in charge of the prosecution.
Lake Mary Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing Almost $150,000 of Veterans Affairs FundsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Priscilla Sumner (70, Lake Mary) has pleaded guilty to theft of government money. Sumner faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. As part of her plea, she has agreed to forfeit $149,084.45, the proceeds of her criminal conduct. Sumner is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2024.
According to the plea agreement, Sumner was the fiduciary for a disabled family member’s Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits. In February 2015, Sumner failed to notify the VA of a change in the beneficiary’s living situation that would have reduced the benefits amount. She used the excess funds, which were no longer needed to care for the disabled veteran, to pay her own personal expenses and falsified VA accounting forms to cover up her misuse of the funds.
This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Suzanne Huyler and Matthew Del Mastro.
Lake County Businessman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Harbor Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Rodrigo Hernandez-Valerio (58, Leesburg) has pleaded guilty to an information charging him with conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens. Hernandez faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court records, Hernandez owns and operates a concrete company in Lake County. Between at least August 2002 and April 2021, approximately 87% of Hernandez’s employees were hired with false or fictitious identification information and documents. At least 57 of the 65 people employed by Hernandez during this time—including members of his own family—were not lawfully present in the United States and were ineligible to work. Despite being ineligible to work, Hernandez paid his three brothers a combined $2.5 million in their positions at his company. Hernandez admitted that he knew his family members were in the United States unlawfully when he hired them and knew the documents his brothers had provided for employment were “bad.” Hernandez’s actions in employing his brothers shielded them from detection by law enforcement within the United States.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development Jointly Issue Resource on Protections for Rental Housing Applicants and TenantsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) jointly published today a resource for rental housing applicants and tenants about their rights under federal laws related to tenant background checks, also referred to as tenant screening reports. The Justice Department and HUD enforce the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and other civil rights statutes, and the FTC and CFPB enforce the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
“Rental housing applicants and tenants across our country should not be denied housing opportunities because of unjust background checks and discriminatory screening policies,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Landlords and background check companies cannot use or ask for unnecessary information to deny someone housing. Today we are shining a light on the bad practices that can emerge when landlords maintain unjust screening policies, ensuring that applicants and tenants know their rights, and that housing providers and background check companies are on notice regarding their obligations under federal law.”
“Mistakes in your background check shouldn’t cost you a home or create one more hurdle to overcome as you search for affordable housing,” said Director Samuel Levine of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “This collaboration among FTC, CFPB, HUD and the Justice Department helps consumers know their rights, and what to do if landlords or background check companies break the law.”
“Tenants have rights when landlords deny housing based on tenant screening reports,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “These reports often rely on hidden data and complex algorithms and can cause serious harm to families seeking housing. Anyone who thinks they were wrongly denied housing because of a tenant screening report can file a complaint with the CFPB.”
“People seeking housing have a right to be free from discrimination, including during the tenant screening process,” said HUD Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Demetria McCain. “HUD is excited to be a part of the release of this joint agency resource that contains important information about the Fair Housing Act's protections against discriminatory background checks. We encourage anyone who suspects they are being discriminated against to file a complaint with HUD.”
The new resource provides information about how tenant background checks work, what kinds of background information a landlord might receive from tenant background check companies, how applicants and tenants can respond if they think that information is wrong and their rights under federal laws.
It also explains that, in some instances, tenant background checks can lead to illegal discrimination, even if there is no factual error in the report. The FHA makes it illegal for tenant background check companies and housing providers to discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, national origin, color, sex, religion, disability or familial status. A landlord cannot reject an application or treat an applicant or tenant differently than other applicants or tenants because of any of these characteristics. Actions of a tenant background check company or a landlord can also be illegal if they use or encourage the use of irrelevant or unnecessary information to deny individuals housing, and this negatively affects some groups more than others – this may be discrimination even if the tenant background check company or landlord does not intend to discriminate.
The resource also explains an individual’s rights under the FCRA, including the right to request a free copy of a report from the tenant background check company if a landlord makes a negative housing decision because of something included in the report and the right to dispute errors on a report. Tenant background check companies are required to take reasonable steps to ensure the information in tenant background check reports is accurate and to investigate within 30 days when someone disputes errors in their report.
Read the joint resource here.
Individuals who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination can submit a report to the Justice Department online at www.civilrights.justice.gov. Such individuals also may contact HUD at 1-800-669-9977 or file a complaint with HUD online.
Individuals can submit a report to the FTC in English at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or in Spanish at ReporteFraude.ftc.gov. To submit a report to the FTC in other languages, call (877) 382-4357 and press 3 to speak to an interpreter in your language. Lines are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.
Individuals can submit a complaint to the CFPB online or call the CFPB at (855) 411-2372 | TTY/TDD: (855) 729-2372 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday (except federal holidays). Help by phone is available in more than 180 languages.