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30 April 2024
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Unlawfully Export Dual-Use Electronics Used in Russian Military DronesRead the Press Release
Nikolay Grigorev, 36, of Brooklyn, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the United States for his role in an illicit export control scheme to ship electronic components from the United States to companies affiliated with the Russian military. Co-defendants Nikita Arkhipov and Artem Oloviannikov remain at large.
“In pleading guilty today, the defendant admitted he conspired to smuggle over $250,000 worth of sensitive American drone technology to Russian companies fueling Putin’s unlawful war against Ukraine,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Swift action by agents and prosecutors unraveled a web of fake orders and wire transfers to prevent over 11,500 electronic components from making their way to the Russian war machine. The Justice Department will continue to hold accountable those who defy our sanctions and export controls to support Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified aggression in Ukraine – whether they’re based in New York City or overseas.”
“The FBI is relentless in its efforts to prevent sensitive, dual-use technology from being acquired by adversaries,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “The technologies in this case supported Russia’s war effort and poses a significant threat to the United States and its allies. The FBI continues to tirelessly pursue any illegal transfers that threaten national security and hold accountable those who violate the law.”
“When I visited Ukraine last November, I saw firsthand the death and destruction that such drones and other Russian weapons of war have caused, and heard from our counterparts about the importance of stopping the illicit flow of technology to support the Russian war machine,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s plea reinforces our commitment to hold accountable those who violate our laws and our determination to undermine the Russian government’s unjustified campaign of aggression against the Ukrainian people.”
“Grigorev admitted today that he conspired to supply Russia with U.S.-sourced, dual-use technologies, knowing full well that his actions violated export controls and sanctions designed to stop those items from being sent to Russia and used in the production of drones like those found on the battlefields in Ukraine,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “Today’s guilty plea reaffirms that my office will pursue anyone who violates our export controls and threatens our national security.”
“Today’s guilty plea is just the latest example of our unyielding efforts to reduce the flow of electronic components to the Russian military,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod. “Criminal convictions await those who willfully circumvent U.S. export controls and aid the manufacture of Russian drones used against Ukraine.”
As alleged in the indictment, Grigorev utilized a Brooklyn-based corporate entity, Quality Life Cue LLC (QLC), to facilitate the scheme. QLC was registered and controlled by Grigorev and Oloviannikov, with Arkhipov utilizing a QLC email account from Russia. Through QLC, the defendants procured dual-use electronic components for entities in Russia involved in the development and manufacture of drones for the Russian war effort in Ukraine. The most notable of these entities was SMT-iLogic, a Russia-based technology company that was sanctioned in May 2023 for its involvement in the supply chain for producing Russian military UAVs used in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Between Oct. 22, 2021, and Feb. 22, 2022, QLC accounts controlled by Grigorev received wire transactions from SMT-iLogic totaling approximately $272,830. These funds were used almost entirely to make payments to a Brooklyn-based electronics distributor (the “Brooklyn Company”) or to pay Grigorev’s credit cards, which he used to buy goods from the Brooklyn Company. In email and chat communications, the defendants explicitly discussed their efforts to circumvent U.S. export restrictions, including through the use of front companies in third countries, such as Kazakhstan, and they also forwarded invoices listing SMT-iLogic as the recipient of semiconductors and other electronic components purchased from the Brooklyn Company. In addition, in December 2022, in response to negative press coverage of SMT-iLogic, Grigorev forwarded a news article to his co-defendants and stated, “they are already writing about your (sic) guys in articles about how Russia is getting American components for drones.” In June 2023, a court-authorized search warrant of Grigorev’s residence in Brooklyn resulted in the successful seizure of over 11,500 electronic components that had been purchased from the Brooklyn Company and were awaiting unlawful export to Russia.
As a result of today’s guilty plea, Grigorev faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Artie McConnell and Kate Mathews for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case. Natalya Savransky, formerly of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, provided valuable assistance.
Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force and the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that CARLOS GUILLEN (“GUILLEN”), age 38, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on April 25, 2024, after previously pleading guilty to distribution of Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B) and 841(b)(1)(C).
According to court documents, on or about August 16, 2023, in New Orleans, GUILLEN sold Fentanyl to undercover special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.Chief United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown sentenced GUILLEN to serve 30 months in prison, to be followed by three (3) years of supervised release. Chief Judge Brown also imposed a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives on this investigation. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit.
New Castle Resident Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearm ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 97 months in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearm crimes, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States Senior District Judge David Stewart Cercone imposed the sentence on Maurice Collier, 33, also ordering Collier to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Collier previously pleaded guilty in this case to distributing cocaine base on September 17, 2020, and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and cocaine base, as well as a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, on November 4, 2020.
According to information presented to the Court, between September and November 2020, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force made four controlled purchases of cocaine and heroin directly from Collier. On November 4, 2020, the Drug Task Force served a search warrant at Collier’s New Castle residence and found a loaded and stolen pistol, $5,034 in drug trafficking proceeds, and quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Collier was on bond with a pending drug trafficking charge in Pennsylvania state court at the time he committed these crimes. Prior to 2020, Collier had been convicted in New Jersey state court of committing cocaine trafficking and gun crimes and was sentenced to over six years of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, New Castle Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Collier.
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 of Justice 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.
Muskegon Man Indicted for Possessing Arsenal of Weapons and DrugsRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Orlando Bernard Easter, 35, of Muskegon, has been arrested after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Easter with one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms.
“These allegations are serious and touch on two major threats to our communities: fentanyl and the spread of illegal firearms in the hands of prohibited persons,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “I’m grateful to the Drug Enforcement Administration and the West Michigan Enforcement Team for their work, including their effort to ensure crime doesn’t pay by recovering the fruits of these alleged crimes.”
The indictment alleges that Easter possessed cocaine, fentanyl, MDMA, and methamphetamine, with the intent to distribute those substances, in a residence and storage unit. Easter is also alleged to have possessed seven firearms, including two stolen handguns and a handgun with an obliterated serial number. Easter could not legally possess firearms following a prior felony conviction. Investigators seized over $100,000 in cash, as well as two cars and gold and diamond jewelry, which the government alleges were purchased using the proceeds of Easter’s illegal drug trafficking enterprise. A photo of the seized evidence is below:
“Fatal drug poisonings caused by fentanyl are a significant threat to communities throughout Michigan,” said Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene. “DEA, our state, local, and federal partners will employ every resource available to hold individuals, like Mr. Easter, who peddle these poisons-for-profit, accountable.”
This case was investigated by WEMET and DEA. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Mother Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of A Gun in Case Related to the Accidental Discharge Death of Her Two-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Emma Huver, 26, of Lansing, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. As part of her plea, Huver admitted that she had a purple 9-milimeter Smith & Wesson semiautomatic pistol in her car on October 24, 2023. She had previously been convicted of a felony drug offense in 2020. Sentencing is scheduled for September 16, 2024.
“Today’s guilty plea is one step forward in our effort to achieve a measure of justice for this tragic loss of life,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “This case magnifies one of the grimmest statistics we live with in America today: that gun violence is now the #1 cause of death for our youngest, ages 0-19. We cannot accept this ‘new normal,’ but must do everything we can to prevent these deaths.”
Two other Lansing residents are also charged in the indictment. Avis Coward, 44, and Gina Schieberl, 27, are charged with conspiracy to tamper with evidence and tampering with evidence. Coward is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
As alleged, on October 24, 2023, Coward got out of a car at a Lansing gas station and went inside, leaving a two-year-old child and the child’s mother, Huver, in the car. Surveillance video showed that a minute later a bullet hole appeared in the car window. Huver got out of the car holding her child, who had blood on his face from a gunshot wound. As she did so, Coward’s gun fell out of the car. Huver handed the child to Coward, who then passed the child to a third person who took the victim into the gas station and attempted to control the bleeding until medical personnel arrived. Coward returned to the car, picked up the gun off the ground, and put it back in the car. The surveillance video also showed Coward use his hand to break out the front passenger window, which had the bullet hole. Coward then drove away. The child later died from his injuries.
The tampering charges concern attempts by defendants Coward and Schieberl to hide or destroy evidence in this case, including the car, which was later found burned-out and abandoned in a field in Lansing, and a .45 caliber Springfield Armory semiautomatic pistol, the barrel of which was found disassembled and hidden in the wall of a house in Lansing.
“This is yet another great example of how partnerships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, and all who were involved, strive to bring justice and closure to those effected by senseless violence,” said Lansing Police Chief Ellery Sosebee.
“We are grateful to have U.S. Attorney Mark Totten and his office working with local police and our office to address gun offenses in our community,” said Ingham County Prosecutor John Dewane. “This death is a preventable tragedy as we all too often see children having access to weapons or living in an environment where weapons aren’t stored or kept safely. Through legislative changes and collaborations, our office is dedicated to continuing to work together to hold individuals accountable and increase safety in our community.”
Gun violence is an acute problem across the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. firearm homicide rate in 2021 was the highest documented since 1993. While the numbers have slightly declined since 2021, they remain high.
Resources and information on the safe storage of firearms can be found by reviewing the U.S. Department of Justice Safe Storage of Firearms guide, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fact sheet, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives pamphlet. Anyone who possesses a gun must follow all local, state, and federal laws.
This case was investigated by the Lansing Police Department, Michigan State Police, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Montgomery County Woman Charged for Defrauding FEMA of over $1.5 Million of Hurricane Ida Disaster BenefitsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Jasmine Williams, 33, of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, was arrested today after being charged by indictment with one count of fraud related to a major disaster declaration, 24 counts of wire fraud, and seven counts of mail fraud related to a scheme to defraud the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) in the wake of Hurricane Ida.
The indictment recounts that in September 2021, President Joseph R. Biden issued a major disaster declaration for much of the eastern part of Pennsylvania, after the remnants of Hurricane Ida struck the Commonwealth. This declaration authorized FEMA to provide financial assistance to residents whose homes and properties were damaged by the hurricane.
The indictment alleges that after the emergency declaration, Williams recruited others over social media, advertising that she could assist them in applying for FEMA benefits. Williams then submitted fraudulent documents to FEMA on behalf of dozens of others, including fraudulent leases, letters from landlords, utility bills, earning statements, and home repair estimates. In exchange, Williams collected half of the payout for herself. In total, FEMA paid over $1,500,000 in assistance based on false representations made by Williams.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 960 years of imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General with assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency – Fraud Prevention and Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ruth Mandelbaum and S. Chandler Harris.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Monmouth Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose of a TeenagerRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Monmouth, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for distributing fentanyl that caused the overdose death of a teenager in Salem, Oregon.
Javen James Pedro, 21, was sentenced to 75 months in federal prison and six years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, on February 24, 2022, officers from the Salem Police Department responded to an overdose of a 15-year-old teenager. Paramedics quickly transported the teen to a local hospital where he died. Further investigation revealed that on the previous day, the minor victim had purchased and consumed counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl in front of several other juveniles. Investigators also obtained video surveillance footage from a neighbor showing the minor victim completing what appeared to be a drug transaction with a person determined to be Pedro.
Later on February 24, investigators located and arrested Pedro in Monmouth and he admitted to selling ten counterfeit Oxycodone pills to the minor victim the day prior. Pedro further admitted to selling pills to the minor victim approximately five to ten times previously.
On February 24, 2022, Pedro was charged by criminal complaint with distributing fentanyl. Later, on March 17, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland indicted Pedro on the same charge.
On February 6, 2024, Pedro pleaded guilty to a one-count superseding criminal information charging him with distributing a controlled substance to a person under the age of 21.
This case was investigated by the Salem Police Department. It was prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Minneapolis Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on January 24, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the South Minneapolis residence of Andre Garner, 42, and recovered almost 800 grams of fentanyl in a van registered to Garner. During their search, law enforcement also recovered over 1,000 grams of cocaine, two firearms, and $9,400 in cash. Garner admitted that he told law enforcement that anything law enforcement found was his, including the money and the van, as part of his guilty plea.
On December 18, 2023, Garner pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced today by Judge Jerry W. Blackwell in U.S. District Court.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hillary A. Taylor and William C. Mattessich prosecuted the case.
Middlesex County Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Stealing COVID-19 Unemployment BenefitsRead the Press Release
NEWARK N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for conspiring to illegally obtain over $400,000 in COVID-19 unemployment benefits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Christopher Valerio, 33, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Kirsch imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
Valerio’s conspirator, Yanira Abreu of Keasby, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on Sept. 12, 2023, on charges stemming from the same scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 9, 2024. A third conspirator, Jose Tavares of New York, is charged by indictment and his case remains pending.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From July 2020 through February 2021, Valerio, Abreu and others submitted false and fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits to the New York Department of Labor (NYDOL) through fictitious online profiles that they created using personally identifiable information, including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, of other individuals without their consent. Once the NYDOL processed and approved the fraudulent applications, Valerio and his conspirators obtained debit cards with illegally obtained funds totaling $444,738, which they used for personal gain.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kirsch sentenced Valerio to two years of supervised release and ordered restitution and forfeiture, each in the amount of $444,728.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker; special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, and postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations against Tavares are merely accusations, and Taveras is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Miccosukee tribal member charged with assault with intent to murderRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On April 29, a Miccosukee tribal member was charged in federal court with, among other related charges, assault with intent to commit murder.
According to the allegations in the complaint affidavit, on April 26, Sutanga Rex Cypress, 42, was arguing with the victim when Cypress brandished a firearm. Cypress then pointed the gun at the victim and shot the victim in the abdomen. The victim was airlifted to the hospital due to the severity of the injuries sustained by the gunshot.
On April 29, Cypress made his initial appearance in Fort Lauderdale. If convicted, Cypress faces up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other mitigating, aggravating and statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, and Chief Roland Pandolfi of the Miccosukee Police Department made the announcement.
FBI Safe Trails, Miami and the Miccosukee Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Latoya Brown is prosecuting the case.
A 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-6204.
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McComb Man Sentenced to over Two Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A McComb man was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Norkeithus Malik Reed, 24, was found in possession of a firearm by the Brookhaven Police Department when responding to a complaint of a disturbance caused by Reed at an area restaurant. Reed had previously been convicted in state court of drug-related felony charges. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Reed to possess any firearm.
Reed was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 4, 2023. He pled guilty on January 30, 2024, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Northeast Kingdom Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Juan Carlos “JC” Ortiz, 29, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 95 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Ortiz had previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base between November 2021 and August 2022 under a plea agreement he reached with the United States.
According to court records, Ortiz was charged in two separate but related indictments involving overlapping drug conspiracies. Between the two indictments, thirteen individuals—mostly residents of the Northeast Kingdom—were charged with distributing controlled substances and conspiring to do the same. All have since been adjudged guilty, though several are still awaiting sentencing. At today’s sentencing hearing, the Court recognized that Ortiz was an organizer or leader in those drug conspiracies. Ortiz stayed with multiple hosts, some of whom were his codefendants in the cases, in locations throughout Orleans, Essex, and Caledonia Counties when he was in Vermont, using their residences to prepare and distribute controlled substances. Ortiz also relied on coconspirators to complete drug distributions he had previously arranged and to provide him with transportation between residences and to Massachusetts to acquire and distribute controlled substances. Several of the conspirators possessed firearms during the drug-distribution activities and acquired firearms in exchange for drugs.
The sentencing hearing followed a long-term investigation conducted by multiple local, county, state and federal agencies that was led by the Northeastern Vermont Drug Task Force (NEVDTF) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). NEVDTF and ATF were assisted in this investigation by agents with Homeland Security Investigations, detectives and troopers from the Vermont State Police, members of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, the Newport Police Department, aviators with the Air & Marine Operations component of United States Customs & Border Protection, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest reiterated the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to addressing federal crime in the Northeast Kingdom and commended the excellent collaboration of federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies required to investigate and to prosecute this case.
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher. Richard Bothfeld, Esq. represented Juan Carlos Ortiz.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Timothy Neal (46, Boston, MA) has pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl. Neal faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on April 26, 2022, Neal’s co-defendant, Haley Eaton, sold two bags of fentanyl to Neal. The next day, Neal purchased an additional three bags of fentanyl from Eaton. Neal consumed the fentanyl he had purchased from Eaton, along with A.C., at his residence. On April 28, 2022, at around 2:00 a.m., Neal awoke to find A.C. unresponsive. A.C.’s minor daughter called 911 and emergency responders arrived on scene and pronounced A.C. dead.
During a search of Neal and A.C.’s residence, law enforcement officers found an empty bag that had previously contained fentanyl. The bag was the same kind that Eaton had sold to Neal, and it was found on A.C.’s dresser in a plastic container. Neal confirmed it was the same bag he had purchased earlier from Eaton, which he had used with A.C. A laboratory analysis confirmed that the bag contained fentanyl residue.
Eaton previously pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 25, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.
Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron and HUD Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis host Safe Housing SummitRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis hosted a seminar today focused on promoting the health and safety of tenants living in HUD-assisted housing by focusing on eliminating environmental hazards and combatting sexual misconduct in HUD-assisted housing.
The seminar, which took place at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Baltimore, was part of the HUD Office of Inspector General’s new community outreach initiative. The topics included effective safe housing strategies, environmental justice concepts and issues, and how to recognize and report sexual misconduct in housing.
Participants included representatives from organizations who routinely work with vulnerable populations most likely to be impacted by environmental injustices, such as lead paint in their homes, or become victims of sexual harassment in housing by their landlords, property managers, maintenance staff, or other housing personnel in positions of authority. Organizations represented included local law enforcement agencies, legal aid offices, fair housing organizations, shelters, and transitional housing providers. Participants were encouraged to share their experiences, concerns, and expertise to build future partnerships and provide aid and assistance to beneficiaries when reporting matters related to health and safety in housing.
“Marylanders deserve to live and raise their families in areas that are safe and where those who are tasked with providing HUD housing treat them with dignity and respect,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “My office is committed to addressing systemic environmental and housing violations that exist in underserved communities who rely on HUD’s housing assistance programs. We hope our partnership with HUD-OIG, and with other federal agencies and community advocates, will afford us the necessary resources to support vulnerable communities in a more coordinated and impactful way. The Safe Housing Summit is the first step of our expanded effort.”
“Everyone deserves to live in a home that is free from exposure to lead and other environmental hazards, and without the threat of sexual harassment or sexual assault by housing providers,” said Inspector General Oliver Davis. “Outreach summits like the one we cohosted today with the U.S. Attorney are an important way to increase awareness of tenants’ rights within HUD-assisted housing and build stronger partnerships within the community. We will continue to work closely with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate these violations of law.”
If you or someone you know has information about environmental hazards and unsafe unit conditions in HUD-assisted housing or has been a victim of sexual harassment, sexual assault, or sexual exploitation—even if the events occurred years ago—report it to the HUD Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-347-3735 or visit the website at www.hudoig.gov/hotline. You may also file a complaint with HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at https://www.hud.gov/fairhousing/fileacomplaint.
You may also contact the U.S. Department of Justice at 1-844-380-6178 or visit www.civilrights.justice.gov. Individuals who believe they may have been victims of environmental injustices or housing discrimination may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (410) 209-4965, [email protected] or https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/civil-rights.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Maryland Resident Sentenced for Preparing and Submitting Fraudulent Applications for Cares Act Financial AssistanceRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SHANIQUA PAGE WILSON (“WILSON”), age 33, a resident of Laurel, Maryland, was sentenced on April 24, 2024, by United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to four years of probation after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 1343. The charges stem from WILSON’s role in preparing and filing false applications for loans related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Judge Milazzo also ordered WILSON to pay $104,160 in victim restitution to the Small Business Administration as well as a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, between about April 19, 2021, and May 20, 2021, WILSON and Co-Conspirator 1, recruited friends and family, primarily via word of mouth and text message to join their fraudulent scheme to obtain money from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. WILSON and Co-Conspirator 1 then created and electronically submitted loan applications. These loan applications falsely stated that the applicant had a sole proprietorship in the beauty industry that generated substantial income. Co-conspirator 1 charged some applicants up to approximately $5,000.00 once the PPP loan was funded. Co-conspirator 1 was indicted separately for his role in the offense in September 2023; his matter remains pending.
Between about May 4, 2021, and May 5, 2021, WILSON and Co-conspirator 1 prepared and submitted approximately five (5) fraudulent PPP loan applications, including for themselves and their relatives, that resulted in an approximate loss of $104,160 to the United States Small Business Administration and other designated financial institutions. Among the individuals for whom WILSON and Co-conspirator 1 prepared and filed false PPP applications was Co-Conspirator 5, a resident of Metairie, Louisiana who was then employed by a City of New Orleans agency.
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 United States Secret Service in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, was in charge of the prosecution.
Manchester, Maine Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Bank Robbery in AugustaRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Manchester, Maine man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to armed bank robbery.
According to court records, in October 2022, Joshua Brougham, 38, entered an Augusta bank wearing a brimmed hat and a standard hospital mask over his face. After a brief conversation with the bank teller, Brougham placed a newspaper he had been holding on the counter, pulled out a silver handgun, and placed the handgun on the counter in the direction of the teller. Brougham told the teller to give him “all the money in the drawer.” After the teller placed money on the counter, Brougham folded up the newspaper with the money inside and fled to the area of a nearby parking lot, leaving in a gold-colored GMC Yukon.
Four days after the robbery, Augusta Police Department investigators located a vehicle matching the one from the robbery surveillance footage, arresting Brougham as he exited a convenience store. A search of Brougham’s vehicle revealed a handgun magazine loaded with seven .380 caliber bullets as well as an unloaded silver Walther PPK/S .380 caliber pistol wedged in the back seat of the vehicle that matched the description of the firearm used during the robbery. During the investigation, law enforcement also seized a brimmed hat that matched the hat worn during the robbery.
Brougham faces a maximum of 25 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine followed by up to five years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Augusta Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.
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Malvern Woman Sentenced to 6 Months in Federal Prison for Bank Embezzlement ChargeRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Malvern, IA woman was sentenced on April 25, 2024, to 6 months in federal prison for Embezzlement by a Bank Employee.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Mackenzie Ann Meggison, 37, was employed as a mortgage loan officer at Malvern Bank and was also the treasurer for the Malvern Area Betterment Association (MABA) who maintained their accounts at Malvern Bank. Using her position at the bank, from July – October, 2020, Meggison conducted 57 unauthorized transactions on four separate MABA accounts totaling at least $66,175.42.
After completing her term of imprisonment, Meggison will be required to serve 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Meggison was also ordered to pay $66,175.42 in restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Looking Back on Second Chance Month 2024 and a Year of Reentry InitiativesRead the Press Release
Every April, National Reentry Week and Second Chance Month highlight the importance of safe and successful reintegration into society for the approximately 650,000 people released from prisons in the United States each year.
As these annual observances draw to a close, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is looking back on the Office’s reentry initiatives during the month of April and throughout the past year.
Notably, reentry has been an integral part of the U.S. Attorney's Office’s mission and a key piece of its community engagement in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for almost two decades. Supporting people throughout their reentry process and raising awareness in the community about that process are part of our comprehensive strategy to help prevent recidivism, combat crime, and address the larger societal issues that contribute to crime.
Key components of our reentry program include:
The Reentry Simulation Initiative
In April 2023, the USAO-EDPA launched its Reentry Simulation Initiative. Inspired by the stories of returning citizens, the office started hosting Reentry Simulations to teach the public about the barriers that so many of our community members face as they return home from incarceration.
A Reentry Simulation is a two-hour activity that lets participants walk in the shoes of someone just released from prison, providing them with tasks to complete within a certain amount of time. The exercise is divided into four 15-minute segments, representing the first four weeks for someone returning home.
Over the past year, since the launch of our office’s Reentry Simulation Initiative, we have hosted 18 simulations. Participants in these simulations have included law enforcement, college students, high school students, service providers, and incarcerated individuals.
During Second Chance Month 2024 alone, we co-hosted five simulations across the state, reaching over 360 people, in partnership with Elizabethtown College; Springside Chestnut Hill Academy; PAR-Recycle Works and Eastern State Penitentiary; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Dickinson College, and the Cumberland County Reentry Coalition; the Third Circuit Court of Appeals Reentry Courts Summit; and the Philadelphia Bar Association.
Ultimately, EDPA’s goal with the Reentry Simulations is to encourage people to think deeply about the American criminal justice system, to change perceptions about returning citizens and the criminal justice system, and to deepen empathy.
Reentry Coalitions
We are also part of seven reentry coalitions across the state of Pennsylvania. Reentry coalitions, dedicated to ensuring the long-term success of those exiting prison, have the power to facilitate important systems change, positively affect the lives of returning citizens, and keep our communities safe.
Just last week, we participated in the Lehigh County Reentry Coalition’s first-ever Celebration of Second Chances, at which the coalition launched its strategic plan, and honored individuals who have returned home from prison and made exceptional contributions to their communities.
Additionally, this month, for the first time ever, our office hosted a webinar in partnership with DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs called "Bridging Federal Resources to the Community." This webinar was designed to help community-based organizations and state and local agencies navigate the federal funding landscape, empowering their organizations to access and secure the resources needed to support community initiatives. Numerous reentry coalitions and reentry organizations were invited and participated.
Federal Problem-Solving Courts
Most importantly, our office continues to play a key role in serving returning citizens in the Eastern District’s federal problem-solving courts, developing resources and assisting participants, so that they have the tools and support they need as they’re returning home.
After 17 years, our district’s federal reentry court, Supervision to Aid Reentry, continues to thrive. Since the program’s inception, only 14% of our 471 participants have been rearrested or had their supervision revoked. By reducing revocations and imprisonment, the reentry program saves taxpayers significantly, based on an estimated annual cost of imprisonment of $42,672 per person.
More important than the financial benefits, though, is the positive impact on communities. The problem-solving courts help set formerly incarcerated people on a more positive path, creating a ripple effect that can change not just their lives, but the lives of their families, friends, and entire communities.
Our program has been made even more effective through the relationships we’ve cultivated with individuals and organizations in our community, which help us provide more resources and services to program participants than we could do alone. In addition to community members, these partnerships extend to other government agencies, including a long-standing relationship with the Philadelphia Housing Authority to provide housing vouchers to program participants, as well as the Bureau of Prisons and halfway houses, with whom we work to facilitate as smooth a transition as possible after incarceration.
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“Today, over 70 million Americans have criminal records. 95% of incarcerated people will eventually be released from prison, and close to 70% will reoffend and end up back in prison,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. “People returning home from prison are our neighbors, they’re members of our families and communities, so reentry must be everyone’s concern. The successful reentry of returning citizens is crucial not only for their individual success and well-being, but also for the safety and stability of our communities.”
We observe National Reentry Week and Second Chance Month as a reminder of the importance of this work in creating safer communities across the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Reentry efforts don’t begin or end in April, though – they continue year-round. We thank those who do this difficult work and encourage them to continue engaging with reentry and improving the process for currently and formerly incarcerated people.
Lexington Man Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl and Illegal Possession of a MachinegunRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, James W. Jointer, Jr., 31, was sentenced on Monday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, to188 months in prison, for two counts of possession of firearm by a convicted felon, two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of possession of a machinegun.
According to his plea agreement, in November 2022, agents with the ATF identified Jointer as a trafficker of firearms and narcotics. During the investigation, ATF purchased two firearms and 15.9 grams of pressed fentanyl pills. ATF also purchased a machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock” switch. The purchased device was tested by agents and was confirmed to convert a semi-automatic firearm into an automatic firearm. Under federal law, such conversion devices qualify as machineguns.
Jointer knew he had a prior felony conviction for trafficking in a controlled substance first degree, in Fayette Circuit Court from 2015, and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Under federal law, Jointer 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 six years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Lebanon County Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Online ExtortionRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Anthony Zayas, age 35, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo following his conviction for extortion by interstate communication.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Zayas previously pleaded guilty to this offense, which involved Zayas’s efforts in the fall of 2022 to coerce a victim to pay $150,000 under the threat that Zayas would publicize intimate photos and images of the victim if they did not comply. In a sentencing memorandum, Zayas asked Judge Rambo to sentence him to house arrest in lieu of prison, but Judge Rambo rejected that request and ordered that Zayas report to prison in June 2024 to begin serving his sentence.
Judge Rambo also ordered Zayas to pay $850 in fines and assessments and to serve one year of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence.
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian T. Haugsby.
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KC Man Sentenced for Armed Robbery, Carjacking During Illegal Drug SaleRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for an armed robbery and carjacking that occurred during an illegal drug sale.
Mykus Butler, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Monday, April 29, to 14 years and two months in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 30, 2023, Butler pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a robbery, aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during a crime of violence, and aiding and abetting a carjacking.
Butler admitted that he contacted the victim of the robbery on March 10, 2020, and arranged to buy marijuana from him. The victim met Butler at a Kansas City, Mo., residence later the same day. However, instead of buying marijuana, Butler got into the back seat of the victim’s vehicle and pointed a firearm at him while taking the victim’s marijuana and firearm. Two armed associates of Butler joined the effort by pulling the victim, who was in the driver’s seat, and a front seat passenger out of the car. The victim was pistol whipped as he was pulled from the vehicle. After a brief confrontation, the victim ran away as one of Butler’s associates pointed and shot a firearm at him and the passenger. After the victim and the passenger ran away, Butler and his associates got into the victim’s car and drove it from the scene.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Maryland Assisted Living Facility to Resolve Claims of Employment DiscriminationRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement with Sunrise Senior Living Management Inc. (Sunrise Senior Living), which operates the Sunrise at Fox Hill location in Bethesda, Maryland. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that Sunrise Senior Living violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by discriminating against a worker granted asylum when checking whether she had ongoing permission to work.
“The Justice Department will continue to hold employers accountable for unlawfully discriminating against workers because of citizenship, immigration status or national origin,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Employers that discriminate against workers by rejecting their valid documents or requiring that they show unnecessary documents to prove they can continue to work violate federal law.”
After opening an investigation based on a worker’s complaint, the Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) concluded that Sunrise Senior Living discriminated against a worker granted asylum by rejecting the valid document she provided and unnecessarily demanding a different immigration document to prove she could continue to work in the United States. When she failed to provide that, Sunrise Senior Living placed her on indefinite unpaid administrative leave, according to IER. Federal law allows workers to choose which legally acceptable documentation to provide that verifies their identity and permission to work, regardless of citizenship, immigration status or national origin. Employers cannotdemand more documents than are necessary or specify documentation they prefer to see as part of this process.
Under the agreement, Sunrise Senior Living will pay a civil penalty to the United States, train its human resources staff on the INA’s requirements and be subject to department monitoring. Sunrise Senior Living previously removed the worker from indefinite unpaid leave and paid her lost wages, after the worker called IER’s worker hotline and requested assistance in addressing the situation. Each year, IER assists hundreds of workers whose employers are preventing them from working due to unnecessary document demands or rejections of valid work documentation.
IER is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation; and intimidation.
Find more information on how employers can avoid discrimination when verifying someone’s permission to work on IER’s website. Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify) or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email [email protected]; sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe for email updates from IER.
Jefferson Parish Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHARLES WHITE (“WHITE”), age 32, a resident of Jefferson Parish, pleaded guilty on April 25, 2024, before Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and quantities of cocaine base, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
Correction: CHARLES WHITE, age 32, a resident of Jefferson Parish, pleaded guilty on April 25, 2024, before Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, in June 2022, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents initiated a joint investigation into CHARLES WHITE (“WHITE”) as a member of a co-conspirator’s cocaine distribution organization. As part of the investigation, agents utilized a DEA Confidential Source to make multiple controlled purchases of cocaine. Agents also conducted a government authorized wiretap investigation on the phones of 2 additional co-conspirators. The investigation revealed that a co-conspirator was a primary cocaine source of supply for another co-conspirator. WHITE and a co-conspirator worked for another co-conspirator and executed drug transactions on their behalf.
WHITE faces up to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case was investigated by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Jackson Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Jackson man was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Randy Rodriquez Jones, 49, sold a firearm to an individual on January 8, 2020. Jones had multiple prior drug-related felony convictions and a previous state court conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Jones to possess any firearm.
Jones was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 11, 2023. He pled guilty on January 30, 2024, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Inmate at FCI Schuylkill Pleads Guilty to Assaulting A Correctional OfficerRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Carlos Rodriguez-Cruz, age 33, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution, Schuylkill, in Minersville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on April 29, 2024, before U.S. District Court Judge Julia K. Munley, to the charge of assaulting a federal correctional officer.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Rodriguez-Cruz, formerly of Puerto Rico, admitted to punching a correctional officer on October 6, 2023, at FCI Schuylkill, after an incident in which the officer conducted a search of the cell of Rodriguez-Cruz and removed items of contraband from the cell.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law is up to 8 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.
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Illinois Woman Sentenced for Transporting DrugsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jennilee Janae Velez, 22, of Addison, Illinois, was sentenced on April 29, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and a quantity of oxycodone. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Velez to 42 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Velez’s release from prison, she will begin a 2-year term of supervised release.
On October 1, 2022, a Nebraska State Patrol trooper saw two nearly identical black Mercedes SUVs with Illinois plates traveling eastbound on I-80 in Seward County. A traffic stop was made on one SUV which was driven by Velez. Velez’s passenger was Mia Williams. The other SUV sped away and was later stopped by a Saline County deputy who was working with the Seward County Task Force. That SUV was driven by Samantha Francisco, and her sister, Julany Rivera, was her passenger.
Both SUVs were searched after Williams and Francisco admitted having marijuana. In the SUV driven by Velez, more than 16 pounds of cocaine were found along with 393 oxycodone pills. In the other SUV, more than 24 pounds of cocaine and 66 oxycodone pills were found. Searches of Velez’s and Francisco’s phones showed the four women had traveled from Chicago to Los Angeles, where other persons loaded the drugs into the two SUVs. The four were headed back to Chicago at the time they were stopped.
Williams, Francisco, and Rivera were all charged in the same indictment with Velez. Their case remains pending.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol, the Seward County Sheriff’s Department, the Saline County Sheriff’s Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Illinois Man Sentenced to 92 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Martin Devalois, 40 years old, of Romeoville, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after being found guilty of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm following a 2-day jury trial in December of 2023, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Devalois was sentenced to 92 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in March 2021, Devalois led police on a 30-minute car chase throughout LaPorte County, at one time reaching 90 miles per hour while driving through the city of LaPorte. The chase ended when Devalois crashed into a snowbank, and police recovered a loaded handgun from the center console. Devalois has multiple prior felony convictions, any one of which prohibit him from possessing the firearm in this case.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jerome W. McKeever and Joel L. Mathur.
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.
Georgia Man Sentenced for Stealing Identities, Cash from Credit Union CustomersRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Brandon Rayshawn Watkins, 30, of Douglasville, Georgia, was sentenced today to 13 months in federal prison for bank fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Watkins made unauthorized transactions from accounts at Bayer Heritage Federal Credit Union in New Martinsville. Watkins obtained the personal identifying information and account numbers for numerous credit union customers, withdrawing cash from those accounts. Watkins also engaged in similar acts in South Carolina and the loss related to his criminal acts was over $70,000.
Watkins was ordered to pay $70,750 in restitution to Bayer Heritage Federal Credit Union and a personal money judgment of $10,050. He will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Conklin prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
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Georgetown Woman Found Guilty of Paycheck Protection Program FraudRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A federal jury convicted a Georgetown woman for one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Tiffany Fullerton, 47, along with her husband and two other co-conspirators, used dormant and expired business names to submit five fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications for a total exceeding $3 million. Four of those applications were funded, allowing the defendants to receive approximately $2.4 million in PPP funds. The funds were used in an attempt to start a business in Oklahoma consisting of a marijuana grow and dispensary, a bar and grill, and an auto/boat repair shop. Additionally, the funds were used to purchase a motor home, luxury watches, a boat, and other personal expenditures.
The three other defendants in the case, Michael Fullerton, David Scott Starkes and Joseph Robles, have all pleaded guilty and await their sentencing hearings.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The IRS Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Keith Henneke and G. Karthik Srinivasan prosecuted the case.
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Four Individuals Convicted in Wide-Ranging, Multi-Million Dollar Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – Four Florida residents have been convicted in federal court in Providence, Rhode Island, for their individual roles in a wide-ranging conspiracy to use stolen personal identifying information (PII) of unsuspecting individuals to fraudulently obtain more than $4.8 million by defrauding banks and fraudulently obtaining benefits and payments from federal and state agencies in multiple jurisdictions, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha.
In pleading guilty, the four men admitted to a federal judge that they participated in a conspiracy that used stolen PII to obtain debit and credit cards, and to open bank accounts that were used to receive, deposit, and transfer fraudulently obtained government benefits and payments; to submit fraudulent applications to multiple state unemployment agencies, including the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, for pandemic-related benefits made available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act; and to submit fraudulent applications in the names of other persons to federal and state agencies to obtain tax refunds, stimulus payments, and disaster relief funds.
Appearing today in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island, James Legerme, 33, of Sunrise, Fl, and Allen Bien-Aime, 33, of Lehigh Acres, Fl, each pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft; Junior Mertile, 35, of Miramar, Fl, and Tony Mertile, 33, of Miramar, FL, each pleaded guilty on April 12, 2024, to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft;.
Junior Mertile and Tony Mertile are scheduled to be sentenced on August 26, 2024; James Legerme and Allen Bien-Aime are scheduled to be sentenced on August 27, 2024. The defendants’ sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to plea agreements filed with the court, the defendants have each agreed, and the government will move, to forfeit $1,214,294.75 in funds that constitute proceeds of the conspiracy. The defendants have also agreed to forfeit hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of Rolex watches and assorted jewelry, and over $1.1 million dollar in cash seized from the residences of Tony Mertile, Junior Mertile, and James Legerme at the time of their arrests, all of which is attributable to the fruits of the defendants’ criminal conduct. Each defendant also agrees that, separate from the money and items to be forfeited, each is jointly and several liable for $4,857,191 in restitution to be paid to agencies and financial intuitions that were defrauded.
The case is being prosecuted in U.S. District Court by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise M. Barton and Stacey A. Erickson and Rhode Island Assistant Attorney General John M. Moreira, chief of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Public Integrity Unit.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office, Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Rhode Island State Police, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, and the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, with substantial assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Secret Service, and United States Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General/Office of Investigations.
United States Attorney Cunha, Rhode Island Attorney General Neronha, and FBI Boston Division Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen thank the Miami Division of the FBI, the Fort Myers Resident Agency of the FBI Tampa Division, the FBI’s Complex Financial Crimes Unit, and the U.S. Marshal Service in Florida for their assistance at the time the defendants were arrested and detained in Florida.
United States Attorney Cunha also extends his gratitude to the United States Attorneys and to prosecutors in the Middle District of Florida and the Southern District of Florida for their assistance.
Rhode Islanders who believe their personal identification has been stolen and used to fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits from the RIDLT are urged to contact the Rhode Island State Police at [email protected] or the FBI Providence office at (401) 272-8310.
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Four East Bay Residents Charged in Street Gang Conspiracy to Commit Violent Robberies of Bay Area BusinessesRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – A federal grand jury has handed down a superseding indictment alleging Jakari Jenkins, Demarco Barnett, Garland Rabon, and Keanna Smith-Stewart conspired with each other, and other members of an Oakland-based street gang, to rob several San Francisco Bay Area businesses, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Special Agent in Charge Robert K Tripp. The superseding indictment, filed April 18, 2024, was unsealed last Friday at an initial appearance by defendant Rabon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore. The final defendant to appear in court, Ms. Smith-Stewart, made her initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Westmore earlier today.
The superseding indictment alleges that by March of 2022, the four defendants were all members of, or had association with, an Oakland-based street gang called the Ghost Town gang. The indictment describes a series of armed robberies and burglaries that were committed by groups of co-conspirators.
The first robbery described in the superseding indictment involved Barnett and Jenkins, who along with other members of the gang carried out the armed robbery of a coin and stamp store located on the 10th floor of a building in the South of Market neighborhood of San Francisco. As part of the plan, members of the conspiracy allegedly rented a car to be used as a getaway car. In addition, members of the conspiracy stole a license plate to be used on the getaway car and met additional members of the conspiracy at the Oakland residence of another gang member. On March 18, 2022, the day of the robbery, Barnett, Jenkins, and at least two additional unnamed co-conspirators entered the store, brandished firearms, and demanded money from the business and the two individuals who happened to be present at the time— the owner and his son. The robbers struck the head and zip-tied the hands of the owner’s son, and absconded with cash, jewelry, and coins having an aggregate value of more than $300,000.
The second armed robbery described in the superseding indictment occurred approximately eight months later. As a prelude to the second robbery, members of the conspiracy pretended to be customers of a jewelry store in San Pablo. The pretend customers left jewelry with the operators of the store. According to the indictment, Jenkins, Barnett, and Rabon arrived at the jewelry store on November 12, 2022, with at least four other co-conspirators and robbed the store of jewelry, including the jewelry that members of the gang previously had left with the store. The robbers arrived in two getaway cars—both Dodge Chargers bearing stolen license plates. Five co-conspirators, at least three of whom were brandishing firearms, entered the store while two of the co-conspirators waited outside in the getaway cars. The co-conspirators stole bags of jewelry valued at approximately $300,000 to $500,000. The indictment describes how all four defendants in the superseding indictment later wore the stolen jewelry, shared the stolen jewelry with other members of Ghost Town gang members, or otherwise made use of the stolen jewelry for their personal purposes.
The superseding indictment also describes the November 24, 2022, burglary of an Audi dealership in Oakland. Specifically, the indictment describes how days before the robbery, Smith-Stewart allegedly purchased a black Audi S5 from the dealership using a fake driver’s license and another person’s social security number. After providing a down payment of approximately $9,500 toward the purchase of the car, Jenkins, Barnett, and another unindicted co-conspirator burglarized the dealership and stole the safe containing the down payment that Smith-Stewart previously had submitted.
Finally, the superseding indictment describes the Christmas Eve, 2022, armed robbery of a marijuana business in Oakland and one of its employees. The superseding indictment describes how the worker was leaving the business when Jenkins, Barnett, Rabon, and Smith-Stewart, along with at least four other co-conspirators, arrived at the marijuana business in two getaway cars. The robbers brandished weapons, directed the worker back into the building, and demanded “budded weed” and “money.” One of the robbers struck the worker in the head with a firearm. The robbers searched through the worker’s pockets and stole his bank debit card. The robbers absconded with the victim’s debit card and a bag of marijuana plant trimmings. The superseding indictment describes how on December 26, 2022, Smith-Stewart allegedly used the victim’s debit card at Westfield Mall in San Francisco to purchase more than $1,000 worth of items at Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom.
In sum, the defendants are charged with the following crimes:
Defendant
Charge
Maximum Statutory Sentence, If Convicted
ALL DEFENDANTS
(one count each)
18 U.S.C. § 1951(a)
Conspiracy to Engage in Robbery Affecting Interstate Commerce(Hobbs Act Robbery)
- Imprisonment: 20 years
- Fine: $250,000
- Supervised Release: 3 years
- Special Assessment: $100 per count
- Forfeiture
- Restitution
JAKARI JENKINS
(three counts)
DEMARCO BARNETT
(three counts)
GARLAND RABON
(two counts)
KEANNA SMITH-STEWART
(one count)
18 U.S.C. § 1951
Robbery and Aiding and Abetting Robbery Affecting Interstate Commerce
- Imprisonment: 20 years
- Fine: $250,000
- Supervised Release: 3 years
- Special Assessment: $100 per count
- Forfeiture
- Restitution
KEANNA SMITH-STEWART
(one count)
18 U.S.C. §§ 1029(a) and 2
Counterfeit Access Device Fraud
-Imprisonment: 10 years
- Fine: $250,000
- Supervised Release: 3 years
- Special Assessment: $100
- Forfeiture
- Restitution
KEANNA SMITH-STEWART
(one count)
18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(5)
Access Device Fraud
Imprisonment: 15 years
- Fine: $250,000
- Supervised Release: 3 years
- Special Assessment: $100
- Forfeiture
- Restitution
In addition, as part of any sentence, the court may order additional fines; restitution, if appropriate; and an additional term of supervised release to begin after any prison. Nevertheless, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Defendants Jenkins and Barnett are in custody and are scheduled to make the next appearance before the Honorable U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin on July 15, 2024, in Oakland. Defendants Rabon and Smith-Stewart are in custody and scheduled to appear before Chief Magistrate Judge Ryu on May 1, 2024.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Harding and Jonathan Lee, with the assistance of Yenni Weinberg and Erick Machado. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from the police departments of Oakland, San Francisco, and San Pablo.
Former Oregon State Employee Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting a Woman with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
A former Oregon Department of Human Services caregiver, Zakary Glover, 30, was sentenced today to 25 years in prison and five years of supervised release for violating the civil rights of a woman with developmental disabilities who was in his care by sexually assaulting her.
“This defendant engaged in deplorable acts of sexual misconduct and targeted a victim with severe developmental disabilities who was entrusted to his care and could not defend herself,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant breached the public's trust and violated the most basic standards of decency. The significant sentence imposed should send a strong message that the Justice Department will do all it can to hold accountable those who abuse their authority by sexual assaulting people in their custody and under their care.”
“Glover’s crimes profoundly betrayed the trust placed in him as a state health care support specialist,” said U.S. Attorney Natalie Wight for the District of Oregon. “We thank our partners at the FBI, Oregon State Police, and Civil Rights Division for their commitment to this victim and the safety of all Oregonians.”
“The defendant sexually assaulted a woman with disabilities — an egregious abuse of his authority as her caregiver,” said Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Protecting the civil rights of people in the United States is one of the FBI’s most solemn responsibilities, and as such, we will continue to investigate those who violate an individual’s constitutional right to bodily integrity.”
According to court documents, Glover worked as a direct support crisis specialist for the Office of Developmental Disabilities Stabilization and Crisis Unit and was responsible for the care of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. On Nov. 2, 2021, Glover transported an adult female with severe autism, epilepsy, cognitive delays and very limited verbal ability on an outing in Salem, Oregon.
Rather than return the victim to her home after the outing, Glover took her down a dead-end road in Aumsville, Oregon. Glover parked the van and then, using force, attempted to and did cause the victim to engage in a sexual act without her consent. After doing so, Glover forcefully grabbed her by the ankles and attempted to force her into another, non-consensual sexual act. The victim did not consent to any of the sexual conduct, and Glover’s conduct included attempted aggravated sexual abuse.
The FBI Portland Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gavin W. Bruce for the District of Oregon and Trial Attorney Daniel E. Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Former Oregon Department of Human Services Employee Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Violating the Civil Rights of a Developmentally Disabled Woman in his CareRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A former Oregon Department of Human Services employee was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison today for violating the civil rights of a woman with developmental disabilities in his care by engaging in sexual misconduct with her.
Zakary Edward Glover, 30, of Lebanon, Oregon, was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
“Mr. Glover’s crimes profoundly betrayed the trust placed in him as a state health care support specialist,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “We thank our partners at the FBI, Oregon State Police, and Civil Rights Division for their commitment to this victim and the safety of all Oregonians.”
“This defendant engaged in deplorable acts of sexual misconduct and targeted a victim with severe developmental disabilities who was entrusted to his care and could not defend herself,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant breached the public trust and violated the most basic standards of decency. The significant sentence imposed should send a strong message that the Justice Department will do all it can to hold accountable those who abuse their authority by sexual assaulting people in their custody and under their care.”
“Zakary Glover's actions are inexcusable and appalling,” said Douglas A. Olson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Portland Field Office. “The FBI will not stand by when people in positions of trust violate and victimize vulnerable community members. Mr. Glover abused his power and today’s sentence sends the message that the FBI and our partners will hold accountable anyone in a position of power who fails the citizens of their community.”
According to the court documents, Glover served as a Direct Support Crisis Specialist for the Oregon Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Disabilities Stabilization and Crisis Unit (SACU). SACU operates several 24-hour crisis residential programs in Oregon that serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. As a SACU employee, Glover was tasked with ensuring the health, safety and security of the individuals who lived at the residential facility where he worked.
The victim, who has severe autism and cognitive deficits, was one of the individuals under Glover’s care. As part of his duties, Glover took the victim on outings in a state-owned van. The van used for such outings was purposely secured with child locks and a heavy plastic partition between the front and rear seats so that individuals like Glover’s victim cannot get out.
On November 2, 2021, while on an outing with the victim, Glover drove down a dead-end road near a cemetery in Aumsville, Oregon. Upon reaching the dead-end, he parked the van near the cemetery’s gate and proceeded to engage in sexual acts with the victim without her consent.
On February 18, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Glover with depriving the victim of her constitutional right to bodily integrity under color of law involving attempted aggravated sexual abuse and kidnapping.
On January 9, 2024, Glover pleaded guilty to depriving the victim of her constitutional right to bodily integrity under color of law involving attempted aggravated sexual abuse.
This case was investigated by the FBI Portland Field Office with assistance from Oregon State Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gavin Bruce of the District of Oregon and Trial Attorney Daniel Gruner of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Former Office Manager Pleads Guilty to Embezzling over $223,000 from the Dartmouth College Student NewspaperRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Florida woman and former resident of Springfield, Vermont, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Concord to embezzling over $223,000 from The Dartmouth (“The D”), which is the daily student newspaper at Dartmouth College, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Nicole Chambers, 40, pleaded guilty to wire fraud. U.S. District Court Landya B. McCafferty scheduled sentencing for August 12, 2024.
Chambers was the office manager for The D between 2012 and 2021. In her role, Chambers had full access to The D’s finances, including its bank account, PayPal and Venmo accounts, and debit card. From April 2017 - September 2021, Chambers stole money from The D. She primarily used her access to The D’s PayPal accounts to make unauthorized transfers to accounts she controlled. She also made unauthorized transfers from The D’s Venmo account and made unauthorized purchases on the newspaper’s debit card.
In total, Chambers stole $223,372.51 from The D. She misused the funds on personal expenses, including over $20,000 on personal trips. Chambers also misspent approximately $2,000 of The D’s money to pay fees associated with her husband’s court case in Newport (Rhode Island) County Superior Court.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. The Hanover Police Department and Grafton County Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
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Former Godfather of 59 Brims Gang Sentenced to 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that WILLIE EVANS was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels to 20 years in prison for racketeering offenses related to his leadership role as the former godfather of the 59 Brims gang, a set of the violent Bloods street gang that operates throughout the U.S., including New York City. During his eight-year run as godfather of the 59 Brims, EVANS oversaw the gang’s day-to-day operations and supervised its most violent and dangerous crimes. EVANS was the last of 22 defendants in the 59 Brims case before Judge Daniels to have been convicted and sentenced.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Willie Evans’s sentencing marks a pivotal moment in our ongoing battle against organized crime. While the 59 Brims and other gangs may still linger, they do so on borrowed time. With each conviction, their power weakens, and we will continue to dismantle these networks piece by piece until our streets are safe for all.”
According to the Indictments, public court filings, and statements made in court:
The 59 Brims operated in and around Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn, New York. Members of the 59 Brims engaged in a series of violent disputes with rivals, including those within the 59 Brims who they deemed disloyal. During these disputes, members and associates of the gang committed multiple murders, shootings, robberies, and assaults against their rivals and fellow members. Members of the 59 Brims sold heroin, fentanyl, crack cocaine, and marijuana and committed, or attempted to commit, acts of violence to protect and expand their narcotics business.
Among other crimes committed by the gang, the 59 Brims was responsible for the following:
On November 29, 2018, after a victim was lured to JERLAINE LITTLE’s apartment building, JAMARR SIMMONS and other 59 Brims gang members, including MARKQUEL SIMMONS, MARKELL BOBIAN, TYRONE ERVIN, and SEAN GAMBRELL, robbed the victim at gunpoint and pistol-whipped the victim.
On March 30, 2019, JAMARR SIMMONS and TIMOTHY COLEMAN committed a stabbing of a rival gang member outside of a bar at 145 East 149th Street in the Bronx. Surveillance video captured COLEMAN and JAMARR SIMMONS committing the stabbing.
In July 2019, LITTLE was kicked out of the 59 Brims over a dispute with a fellow gang member. Shortly thereafter, LITTLE joined the Mac Baller Brims, a rival gang. EVANS ordered members of the 59 Brims to slash LITTLE. JAMARR SIMMONS and SYLVESTER WINT discussed having LITTLE slashed. Thereafter, members of the gang successfully slashed LITTLE on or about August 8, 2019.
On August 24, 2019, EVANS conspired with WINT and SHAMARE REID to commit a shooting of rival gang members. Shortly after midnight on August 24, 2019, two victims were shot multiple times outside of a bodega in front of 755 East 216th Street in the Bronx (both victims survived). Surveillance video captured WINT and REID committing the shooting of the rival gang members. EVANS, as the godfather of the 59 Brims, subsequently criticized WINT for letting himself be caught on camera: “Why y’all was walking Back & forth like that Bammy [camera] kaught ya Face Good.”
In the early morning hours of September 28, 2019, JAMARR SIMMONS and MARKQUEL SIMMONS told Bradford Mensah to come to Crotona Park in the Bronx to receive gang discipline from others, including EVANS, because Mensah had been seen hugging LITTLE after he had been kicked out of the gang. Sometime after Mensah arrived at Crotona Park, he was shot at point blank range in the back of the head and died.
On January 11, 2020, JAMARR SIMMONS, DARON GOODMAN, JOSE RODRIGUEZ, DARNELL COOPER, and Jason Parris were together on the sidewalk near 1437 Webster Avenue in the Bronx. A rival gang member punched Jason Parris and a fight broke out that continued into the middle of the street on Webster Avenue. While the fight was ongoing in the middle of the street, GOODMAN fired a shot that errantly struck Parris in the throat, killing him.
All 22 defendants in the 59 Brims case before Judge Daniels have been convicted and sentenced. In addition to EVANS’s sentence, Judge Daniels has imposed the following sentences, among others:
- JAMARR SIMMONS was sentenced to 20 years in prison;
- GOODMAN was sentenced to 12 years in prison;
- COLEMAN was sentenced to eight years in prison;
- and WINT, ERVIN, JAVARIS JENKINS, REID, and MARCUS AYALA were each sentenced to seven years in prison.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, EVANS, 32, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rushmi Bhaskaran and Peter J. Davis are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Federal Attorney Sentenced for Sexually Exploiting Numerous ChildrenRead the Press Release
A former Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) attorney was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for conspiring to sexually exploit numerous children.
According to court documents, from January 2018 to October 2021, Mark Black, 50, of Arlington, Virginia, was a member of two online groups dedicated to locating prepubescent girls online and convincing the girls to livestream themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Black and his co-conspirators covertly recorded these livestreams and shared the videos with each other.
In July 2019, Black induced a prepubescent minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct on a live-streaming application while screen-recording that activity. That same month, Black and a co-conspirator also groomed another prepubescent minor to engage in sexually explicit acts on a photo- and video-sharing application. The co-conspirator surreptitiously hacked into that girl’s live-video feed and recorded the sexual acts before sending them to Black.
Between July 2019 and March 2022, Black and the same co-conspirator were members of two additional groups dedicated to the sexual exploitation of children and the sharing of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). In January 2021, Black sent CSAM of a minor to one of the groups.
Black’s electronic devices were found to contain approximately 172,707 images of suspected CSAM. Of those files, over 1,300 depicted identified victims of his conduct.
Black was formerly the Arlington Aquatic Club (AAC) board president.
Black pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to produce child pornography and coercion and enticement of a minor.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Shimon Richmond of the FDIC Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI Washington Field Office and FDIC-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys McKenzie Hightower, Kaylynn Foulon, and James E. Burke IV of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former FDIC attorney sentenced after sexually exploiting children for yearsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) attorney was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for conspiring to sexually exploit numerous children.
According to court documents, from January 2018 to October 2021, Mark Black, 50, of Arlington, Virginia, was a member of two online groups dedicated to locating prepubescent girls online and convincing the girls to livestream themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Black and his co-conspirators covertly recorded these livestreams and share the videos with each other.
In July 2019, Black induced a prepubescent minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct on a live-streaming application while screen-recording that activity. That same month, Black and a co-conspirator also groomed another prepubescent minor to engage in sexually explicit acts on a photo and video-sharing application. The co-conspirator surreptitiously shared access to girl’s live-video feed and recorded the sexual acts before sending them to Black.
Between July 2019 and March 2022, Black and the same co-conspirator were members of two additional groups dedicated to the sexual exploitation of children and the sharing of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). In January 2021, Black sent CSAM of a minor to one of the groups.
Black’s electronic devices were found to contain approximately 172,707 images of suspected CSAM. Of those files, over 1,300 depicted identified victims of his conduct.
Black was formerly the Arlington Aquatic Club (AAC) board president.
Black pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to produce child pornography and coercion and enticement of a minor.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Shimon Richmond of the FDIC Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI Washington Field Office and FDIC-OIG investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys McKenzie Hightower, Kaylynn Foulon, and James E. Burke IV of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-146.
Any individuals who believe they or someone they know may have been victimized by Black are encouraged to contact the FBI at 202-278-2000 and ask to speak to the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Former Defense Contractor Pleads Guilty to Attempted EspionageRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that John Murray Rowe, Jr., 65, of Lead, South Dakota, pleaded guilty in federal court today before U.S. District Judge John Gallagher to one count of attempted delivery of national defense information to a foreign government, and three counts of willful communication of national defense information.
According to court documents, Rowe, who is originally from Massachusetts, was employed for nearly 40 years as a test engineer for multiple Cleared Defense Contractors. In connection with his employment, Rowe held various national security clearances from SECRET to TOP SECRET//SCI (Sensitive Compartmented Information) and worked on matters relating to U.S. Air Force electronic warfare technology, among other things. After committing a number of security violations and revealing a devout interest in Russian affairs, Rowe was identified as a potential insider threat and terminated from employment.
In March of 2020, he met with an undercover FBI agent who was posing as an agent of the Russian government. During this meeting, Rowe disclosed national defense information classified as SECRET that concerned specific operating details of the electronic countermeasure systems used by U.S. military fighter jets, among other things. Over the course of the next eight months, Rowe exchanged over 300 emails with the purported Russian agent, confirming his willingness to work for the Russian government and discussing his knowledge of classified information relating to U.S. national security. In one email, Rowe explained, “If I can’t get a job here then I’ll go work for the other team.” In another email, Rowe disclosed classified national defense information concerning the U.S. Air Force. In September 2020, Rowe had a second in-person meeting with the undercover FBI agent. During this meeting, Rowe again disclosed classified national defense information.
Rowe was arrested on December 15, 2021, and was ordered detained pending trial. During his pretrial detention at the Philadelphia Federal Detention Center, Rowe made at least three unauthorized disclosures of the same classified national defense information concerning the U.S. Air Force to individuals not authorized to receive it – namely, his brother, son and realtor, which were captured on recorded prison calls.
“It’s abhorrent that Rowe would try to betray his own country for the benefit of a foreign adversary,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Safeguarding the U.S. government’s sensitive defense information is critical to ensuring our national security, and anyone seeking to compromise that should expect to be brought to justice by my office and our law enforcement partners.”
“After nearly 40 years working in the defense industry and being entrusted with our country's military secrets, today, John Murray Rowe Jr. admitted to unlawfully disclosing classified national defense information,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Furthermore, his intent to provide this information to a foreign adversary potentially endangered our national security. The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to bringing to justice those who choose to threaten our nation’s security by disseminating classified information.”
Sentencing is set for August 22, 2024. The defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Wolfe and DOJ Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Section.
Additional assistance was provided by the Lead (SD) Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota, the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, and the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office and Rapid City (SD) Resident Agency.
Former Defense Contractor Pleads Guilty to Attempted EspionageRead the Press Release
John Murray Rowe Jr., 65, of Lead, South Dakota, pleaded guilty today to one count of attempted delivery of national defense information to a foreign government and three counts of willful communication of national defense information.
According to court documents, Rowe, who is originally from Massachusetts, was employed for nearly 40 years as a test engineer for multiple cleared defense contractors. In connection with his employment, Rowe held various national security clearances from SECRET to TOP SECRET//SCI (Sensitive Compartmented Information) and worked on matters relating to U.S. Air Force electronic warfare technology, among other things. After committing a number of security violations and revealing a devout interest in Russian affairs, Rowe was identified as a potential insider threat and terminated from employment.
In March 2020, he met with an undercover FBI agent who was posing as an agent of the Russian government. During this meeting, Rowe disclosed national defense information classified as SECRET that concerned specific operating details of the electronic countermeasure systems used by U.S. military fighter jets, among other things. Over the course of the next eight months, Rowe exchanged over 300 emails with the purported Russian agent, confirming his willingness to work for the Russian government and discussing his knowledge of classified information relating to U.S. national security. In one email, Rowe explained, “If I can’t get a job here then I’ll go work for the other team.” In another email, Rowe disclosed classified national defense information concerning the U.S. Air Force. In September 2020, Rowe had a second in-person meeting with the undercover FBI agent. During this meeting, Rowe again disclosed classified national defense information.
Rowe was arrested on Dec. 15, 2021, and was ordered detained pending trial. During his pretrial detention at the Philadelphia Federal Detention Center, Rowe made at least three unauthorized disclosures of the same classified national defense information concerning the U.S. Air Force to individuals not authorized to receive it – namely, his brother, son and realtor, which were captured on recorded prison calls.
Sentencing is set for Aug. 22, and Rowe faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI's Philadelphia Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wolfe for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Section are prosecuting the case.
Additional assistance was provided by the Lead (SD) Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota, the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, and the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office and Rapid City (SD) Resident Agency.
Former Connecticut Resident Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that KEVIN BIEBEL, 71, of Hardeeville, South Carolina, formerly of New Milford, Connecticut, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to a tax offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Biebel operated Art Metal Industries, LLC (“AMI”), a metal fabrication business. In 2017, AMI had total gross receipts of more $1.5 million and a net profit of more than $550,000. That year, Biebel transferred more than $350,000 from AMI to his personal bank account for various personal expenditures. In 2018, the IRS sought to collect delinquent payroll taxes from Biebel for AMI and instructed Biebel to file delinquent Individual Income Tax Returns (Forms 1040) for the 2016 and 2017 tax years. In September 2018, Biebel filed the returns, which fraudulently reported that he had zero total income and zero total tax due for both years.
In 2018, AMI received more than $2.7 million in gross receipts and had a profit of more than $1.2 million. That year, Biebel transferred funds from an AMI bank account to his personal bank account and another bank account held in the name of Diego Trust LLC, a limited liability company for which Biebel was the sole listed member. Biebel used in excess of $750,000 in funds from those accounts to purchase a home in South Carolina and other assets.
Biebel also failed to file individual income tax returns for 2018, 2019, and 2020 tax years.
Between 2016 and 2020, Biebel failed to report more than $2.8 million in business income from AMI, resulting in a tax loss of approximately $900,000. In addition, he failed to withhold and pay over approximately $300,000 in employment taxes.
Biebel pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of three years. He has agreed to pay restitution of $1,208,801.
Biebel is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Former Bank Employee Charged with Stealing and Selling Customer Account and Identity InformationRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Kalien Frazier, 29, of Oakland, California, was charged today by indictment with six counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft for a bank insider scheme, in which he used his position as a bank employee to access, misappropriate, and sell bank customer account and identity information.
As alleged in the indictment, from on or about March 30, 2022, until on or about August 30, 2023, Frazier used his position as a customer service representative at a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)-insured bank to obtain the account details, debit card details, card verification value (CVV), and personal identifying information of customers. Frazier would ask for this information from customers, even if not required to complete the customer service request, while on recorded customer service calls. After Frazier had obtained this information, he advertised in group chats that he had bank account information for sale due to his position at a financial institution. When advertising the information for sale, Frazier warned potential customers that they would have to stay under certain monetary thresholds to avoid detection.
As alleged in the indictment, Frazier sold or transferred information on hundreds of bank accounts to third parties. As a result of Frazier’s scheme, unauthorized electronic payments and transfers were made from hundreds of bank accounts.
If convicted on all counts, Frazier faces a possible maximum sentence of 120 years in prison for the wire fraud, plus a mandatory minimum sentence of two years for aggravated identity theft.
This case was investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) – Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Lanni.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former Atlantic City Housing Authority Coordinator Charged with Fraud in Connection with COVID-19 Relief FundsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man was arrested today for fraudulent acts he committed in connection with COVID-19 relief funds, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Luquay Zahir, 49, of Atlantic City, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of making false statements to influence the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and one count of wire fraud. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth A. Pascal in Camden federal court and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In 2020 and 2021, Zahir, then the Coordinator for the Resident Opportunity and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) grant program for the Atlantic City Housing Authority and Urban Redevelopment Agency, fraudulently obtained more than $30,000 through a Paycheck Protection Program loan and Economic Injury Disaster Loan advance issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
The count of making false statements to influence the SBA carries a maximum potential penalty of two years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The count of wire fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI Newark Atlantic City Resident Agency under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy; and special agents of SBA Office of Inspector General’s Eastern Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Braithwaite, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Boden, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Branch Office.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
zahir.complaint.pdfFlowood Man Sentenced to over 8 Years in Prison for Possession of Thousands of Images of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Flowood man was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for possession of abusive child pornography materials depicting minors, including some toddlers, engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
According to court documents, Timothy Daniel Steele a/k/a Timothy Daniel Gantenbein, 26, possessed thousands of images and videos of child pornography depicting adult men engaging in sex with minor children. Steele was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 13, 2021, and pled guilty on July 7, 2023, to possession of child pornography.
Steele was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $324,876.39 to his victims and pay $5000 under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Flowood Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Felon Caught with Guns and Pounds of Marijuana in St. Louis County Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a convicted felon who was caught with six kilograms of marijuana and two guns to 10 years in prison.
On March 1, 2022, St. Louis County Police Department officers pulled over a 2008 Bentley that Jamie Jeffrey was driving. The officers saw a box in the in the backseat that contained bags of marijuana totaling about six kilograms. There were also two pistols in the car and $1,030 cash in Jeffrey’s pants pocket.
Jeffrey later told police that the marijuana was what was left of 100 pounds that he obtained in trade in California for a 1969 Firebird in November of 2021. He said he then traded some of that marijuana for the guns. Jeffrey is a convicted felon and is barred from possessing firearms.
Jeffrey, 47, of Eureka, California, pleaded guilty in July to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Goeke prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Federal Jury Finds Red Lake Woman Guilty of Child Neglect Following the Death of a Child on the Red Lake ReservationRead the Press Release
DULUTH, Minn. – A federal jury found a Red Lake woman guilty of child neglect following the death of a child in her care, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to evidence presented at trial, Sharon Rosebear, 63, intentionally deprived a child, Minor A, of necessary food and health care over the course of 2022. The evidence at trial established that Minor A died in 2022 from the combined effects of starvation and infection. Rosebear and her co-defendant, Julius Fineday Sr., were both federally charged in 2023 following Minor A’s death: Rosebear was charged with felony child neglect resulting in substantial harm, and her co-defendant Julius Fineday Sr. was charged with second degree manslaughter.
The evidence at trial established that Rosebear acted as one of Minor A’s caretakers in 2022. In accordance with Minnesota law, the jury was instructed that Rosebear’s lack of formal legal custody of Minor A did not alter her responsibility to the child. The evidence at trial established that Rosebear was reasonably able to provide for Minor A’s nutrition and healthcare—including evidence establishing that healthcare and transportation to healthcare is free within the Red Lake Nation, and that all of the adults and children involved in the case received nutritional and cash assistance adequate to meet their basic needs—and that Rosebear nonetheless intentionally deprived Minor A of those basic needs by withholding food, and by looking the other way while Minor A’s health deteriorated. The evidence at trial included evidence that Minor A died at the same weight she had been nearly three years earlier, and that while Rosebear was aware of Minor A’s severe lice infestation, Rosebear responded by keeping Minor A isolated rather than seeking medical attention for Minor A.
Medical testimony at trial established that the type of infection Minor A had when she died could have entered Minor A’s body through scratches in her scalp related to her unaddressed lice. The medical testimony also established that Minor A’s prolonged starvation may have been an independently sufficient cause of death, or may have severely compromised Minor A’s immune system’s ability to fight infection.
Following a six-day trial in U.S. District Court before Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz, Rosebear was found guilty of felony child neglect. Rosebear’s co-defendant, Julius Fineday Sr., entered a guilty plea to his charge prior to trial on March 25, 2022. Their sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Red Lake Tribal Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey E. Middlecamp and Rachel L. Kraker tried the case.
Elkhart Man Sentenced to 140 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Kenneth Thomas, 43 years old, of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to distribution of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Thomas was sentenced to 140 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in February and March 2023, Thomas sold methamphetamine multiple times in the South Bend area. During the approximate two week period, Thomas distributed a total of two pounds of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration including the North Central Laboratory with assistance from the Elkhart County Interdiction and Covert Enforcement Unit and the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katelan McKenzie Doyle.
El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con un centro de vivienda asistida con sede en Maryland para resolver reclamos de discriminación en el empleoRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con Sunrise Senior Living Management Inc. (Sunrise Senior Living), la cual opera el centro Sunrise at Fox Hill ubicado en Bethesda, Maryland. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del departamento que Sunrise Senior Living vulneró la Ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés) al discriminar a una trabajadora a quien se había otorgado asilo en el momento de comprobar si tenía permiso para trabajar vigente.
«El Departamento de Justicia seguirá responsabilizando a los empleadores por discriminar ilegalmente a trabajadores debido a ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen», comentó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «Los empleadores que discriminan a trabajadores al rechazar sus documentos válidos o al exigir que presenten documentos innecesarios para comprobar que pueden seguir trabajando vulneran la ley federal».
Después de iniciar una investigación con base en una queja de una trabajadora, la Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados (IER, por sus siglas en inglés) de la División de Derechos Civiles determinó que Sunrise Senior Living discriminó a una trabajadora a la que se había otorgado asilo al rechazar el documento válido que había presentado y exigirle innecesariamente otro documento migratorio para comprobar que podía seguir trabajando en los Estados Unidos. Cuando no pudo proporcionarlo, Sunrise Senior Living la puso en situación de baja administrativa indefinida no remunerada, según IER. La ley federal le permite a los trabajadores elegir la documentación legalmente aceptable que desean presentar para comprobar su identidad y permiso para trabajar, independientemente de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen. Los empleadores no pueden exigir más documentos de los necesarios ni especificar la documentación que prefieren ver como parte de este proceso.
En virtud de los términos del acuerdo, Sunrise Senior Living pagará una sanción civil a los Estados Unidos, capacitará a su personal de recursos humanos en cuanto a los requisitos de la INA y se someterá a supervisión por parte del departamento. Sunrise Senior Living libró previamente a la trabajadora de la baja indefinida no remunerada y le abonó los salarios que había dejado de percibir, después de que la trabajadora llamara a la línea directa para trabajadores de la IER y solicitara ayuda para abordar la situación. Cada año, la IER ayuda a cientos de trabajadores cuyos empleadores les impiden trabajar por exigirles documentos innecesarios o rechazar documentación de trabajo válida.
La IER es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, la ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación.
Puede obtener más información sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación al verificar el permiso para trabajar de alguien en el sitio web de la IER. Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda mediante este vídeo corto. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen que se ha discriminado en su contra por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o que han sido sujetos a represalias, pueden presentar una denuncia. El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a [email protected]; inscribirse en un seminario en línea en vivo o ver una presentación cuando deseen; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés y español. Inscríbase para recibir actualizaciones por correo electrónico desde la IER.
Eight Individuals Charged with Attempted Child Enticement Resulting from Operation Red Rover InvestigationRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Eight Georgia residents are charged by federal indictment with allegedly attempting to coerce and entice a child for sex resulting from Operation Red Rover, an investigation targeting online child predators. The final defendant was arraigned in federal court today.
Naimilkumar Dadawala, 35, of McDonough, Georgia, is charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor;
Rashon Griggs, 28, of Hawkinsville, Georgia, is charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor;
Darryl Lockett, 29, of Macon, is charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor;
Jose Santiago Longoria Alvarez, 45, of Fort Valley, Georgia, is charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor;
Dewan Mitchell, 35, of Kathleen, Georgia, is charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography;
Jon Wiltberger, 33, of Manchester, Georgia, and formerly of Phenix City, Alabama, is charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor;
Marquaze Williams, 31, of Eatonton, Georgia, is charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of committing a sexual offense as a registered sex offender; and
Steven Williams, 44, of Bonaire, Georgia, is charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum of life imprisonment for their crimes.
The indictments allege that the individuals attempted to entice children they met online to engage in sexually explicit acts in Feb. 2024. The indictments were returned by a federal grand jury in March and April 2024.
Defendant Dadawala was arraigned in federal court this afternoon; all defendants have had their arraignment hearings.
The case is being investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations Child Exploitation & Cyber Investigations Group (HSI-CECIG) and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Detachment 105, located at Robins Air Force Base.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach.
An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
East Stroudsburg Man Sentenced to 30 Months’ Imprisonment for Conspiracy to Make Straw Purchases of FirearmsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Windall Mitchell, age 34, of East Stroudsburg, Monroe County, was sentenced on April 30, 2024, by U.S. District Court Judge Julia K. Munley, to 30 months’ imprisonment on the charge of conspiracy to make false statements in connection with the purchases of multiple firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Mitchell previously pleaded guilty and admitted to conspiring with his co-defendant, Yesenia Ramos, age 43, of Stroudsburg, to provide false information to federally licensed firearms dealers regarding the purchases of ten firearms between May 15, 2021, and June 14, 2022, in Monroe County. The firearms were purchased from various federally licensed firearms dealers in Monroe County. The investigation began after one of the purchased firearms was recovered from another individual by police in New York City.
The charges against Ramos are still pending.
The charge against the defendants resulted from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Early Bitcoin Investor Known as ‘Bitcoin Jesus’ Indicted for Allegedly Committing Tax Fraud and Causing $48 Million Loss to IRSRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury has indicted an early bitcoin investor and promoter, who obtained the moniker “Bitcoin Jesus,” on fraud and criminal tax charges, the Justice Department announced today.
Roger Keith Ver, 45, a former California resident whose most recent residence was in Tokyo, Japan, was arrested this weekend in Spain based on the U.S. criminal charges. The United States will seek Ver’s extradition to stand trial in the United States.
Ver is charged with three counts of mail fraud, two counts of tax evasion, and three counts of subscription to a false tax return.
According to the eight-count indictment returned on February 15 and unsealed Monday, Ver, formerly of Santa Clara, California, owned MemoryDealers.com Inc. and Agilestar.com Inc., two companies that sold computer and networking equipment. Starting in 2011, Ver allegedly began acquiring bitcoins for himself and his companies. He also allegedly avidly promoted bitcoins, even obtaining the moniker “Bitcoin Jesus.”
On February 4, 2014, Ver allegedly obtained citizenship in St. Kitts and Nevis and shortly thereafter renounced his U.S. citizenship in a process known as expatriation. As a result of his expatriation, Ver allegedly was required under U.S. law to file tax returns that reported capital gains from the constructive sale of his world-wide assets, including the bitcoins, and to report the fair market value of his assets. He was also allegedly required to pay a tax – referred to as an “exit tax” – on those capital gains. By February 4, 2014, Ver and his companies allegedly owned approximately 131,000 bitcoins that traded on several large exchanges for around $871 each. MemoryDealers and Agilestar allegedly held approximately 73,000 of those bitcoins.
Ver allegedly hired a law firm to assist him with his expatriation and to prepare his expatriation-related tax returns. Ver also allegedly hired an appraiser to value his two companies. Ver allegedly provided or caused to be provided false or misleading information to the law firm and appraiser that concealed the true number of bitcoins he and his companies owned. As a result, the law firm allegedly prepared and filed false tax returns that substantially undervalued the two companies and their 73,000 bitcoins and did not report that Ver owned any bitcoins personally.
The indictment further alleges that by June 2017, Ver’s two companies continued to own approximately 70,000 bitcoins. Around that time, Ver allegedly took possession of those bitcoins and in November 2017 sold tens of thousands of them on cryptocurrency exchanges for approximately $240 million in cash. Even though Ver was not then a U.S. citizen, he was still legally required to report to the IRS and pay tax on certain distributions such as dividends from MemoryDealers and Agilestar, which were U.S. corporations. Ver allegedly concealed from his accountant that he had received and sold MemoryDealers’ and Agilestar’s bitcoins that year. As a result, Ver’s 2017 individual income tax return did not report any gain or pay any tax related to the distribution of MemoryDealers’ and Agilestar’s bitcoins to him.
In total, Ver is alleged to have caused a loss to the IRS of at least $48 million.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted of all charges, Ver would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each mail fraud count, up to five years in federal prison for each tax evasion count, and up to three years in federal prison for each count of subscribing to a false tax return.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney James C. Hughes of the Major Frauds Section and Assistant Chief Matthew J. Kluge and Trial Attorney Peter J. Anthony of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting this case.