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Monday 11 March 2024
Justice Department Fiscal Year 2025 Funding Request Budget Proposal to Uphold the Rule of Law, Keep America Safe, and Protect Civil RightsRead the Press Release
Note: Read the Department of Justice FY2025 Budget Fact Sheets here.
The President today submitted to Congress his Budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, which requests a total of $37.8 billion in discretionary resources, an increase of $467 million over an FY 2024 Annualized Continuing Resolution, and a total of $10.5 billion in mandatory funding for the Justice Department.
“The dedicated men and women of the Justice Department work every day to uphold the rule of law, keep our country safe, and protect civil rights,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Securing these resources is critical to advancing that mission in service of the American people.”
Key investments to keep our country safe include:
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Over $20.6 billion to expand the capacity of the Department’s law enforcement and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to combat a wide range of complex and evolving threats. This includes $11.3 billion for the FBI and $2.8 billion for U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to carry out their complex missions, including keeping our country safe from violent crime, cybercrime, hate crimes, terrorism, espionage, and the proliferation and potential use of weapons of mass destruction. The budget also includes:
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$2.7 billion for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to continue the fight against dangerous drug trafficking gangs and cartels and to prevent the flow of deadly drugs into our communities.
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$1.9 billion for the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) to assist local law enforcement in apprehending violent fugitives from our neighborhoods and to protect our nation’s judges and courts.
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$2 billion for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to reduce gun violence and violent crime.
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Investments of $1.6 billion in discretionary funding and $3.5 billion in mandatory funding to combat violent crime and reduce gun violence in the United States. This includes the new Violent Crime Reduction and Prevention Fund (VCRPF) and mandatory funding for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program. The VCRPF, over five years, will hire new federal law enforcement agents, prosecutors, and forensic specialist to combat fentanyl, as well as apprehend dangerous fugitives and aims to drive down the high rate of unsolved violent crimes and the lengthy delays that undermine public trust and public safety.
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$2.2 billion in mandatory funding, and $370 million in discretionary funding, for a total of almost $2.6 billion for the COPS Hiring Program to provide resources to meet the administration’s goal of 100,000 new police officers in America’s neighborhoods, through the President’s Safer America Plan.
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$884 million for a new mandatory Gun Crime Prevention Strategic Fund totaling $4.4 billion over five years in funding to provide states and localities with comprehensive resources to invest in law enforcement and crime prevention.
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$247.1 million in funding annually for five years for the new mandatory-funded VCRPF dedicated to providing resources to states, localities, and Tribal communities to help prevent and respond to violent crime. This funding supports 4,700 detectives at the state and local level over five years through COPS funding, as well as the USMS’ Operation North Star, DEA’s Operation Overdrive, additional prosecutors for U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and expansion of ATF’s and FBI’s staffing efforts to bolster violent crime reduction.
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$7.7 billion for programs to protect national security, enhance cybersecurity, and combat cybercrime to counter terrorism and keep pace with rising national security threats, while protecting civil rights and civil liberties.
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$4.7 billion to support state and local law enforcement and community violence prevention and intervention programs to make neighborhoods safer.
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$483 million for COPS, which includes funding for law enforcement to boost community policing, the STOP School Violence Program to provides resources to prevent school violence, and active shooter training to prepare officials to respond to shooting incidents.
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$856.5 million for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), which includes funding to support state, local, and Tribal public safety and community justice activities to reduce violent crime.
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$1.1 billion to protect the most vulnerable by combating child exploitation, combating gender-based discrimination and harassment, and protecting victims of violence and abuse. Funding is provided for several new programs within the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), including $20 million the Access to Sexual Assault Nurse Exams, $10 million for the Special Initiative to Address the Intersection of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons and Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, and Human Trafficking, and $3 million for the National Service Line for Incarcerated Survivors of Sexual Abuse.
Key investments to support the Department’s mission of protecting civil rights includes include $737.6 million in funding that supports:
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$641 million for the OJP to provide resources, leadership, and solutions to advance community safety, build community trust, and provide grants, including a $5 million increase for the Khalid Jabara and Heather Heyer NO HATE Act grant program. Funding includes $300 million for the Accelerating Justice System Reform initiative to enhance public safety while reducing disparities in the criminal and juvenile justice systems and $5 million for the Deaths in Custody Reporting Act (DCRA) to enhance the collection and reporting of DCRA data.
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$94 million to support the Department’s Body Worn Camera Initiative.
Key investments to support the Department’s mission to uphold the Rule of Law include $119.1 million in funding that supports:
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$38.1 million to protect democratic institutions, including:
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$28.1 million for the USMS’ Supreme Court of the U.S. Protective Services, which includes personnel and equipment for protective services and details.
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$10 million for grants under the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act to help prevent the disclosure of personal information of Federal judges and their family members.
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$12.5 million for Justice Information Sharing Technology. This includes $10 million to support for the new National Law Enforcement Accountability Database that helps law enforcement agencies make more informed hiring decisions, thereby enhancing both accountability and public safety. In addition, $2.5 million is requested to support the Department’s effort to capitalize on the extraordinary capabilities of artificial intelligence in a responsible and secure manner.
The Department’s overall request for FY 2025 reflects the limits imposed by the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) of 2023.
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Jackson Man Sentenced to 26 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Jackson man was sentenced to 26 months in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Anthony Craig Myrick, 45, of Jackson opened an account at BankPlus in September 2022 using someone else’s identity. He received several $500 checks he knew to be counterfeit United States Treasury checks from his co-defendant, Ronald Gardner. Gardner and Myrick deposited several counterfeit United States Treasury checks in the account at various BankPlus branches in the Jackson metro area and withdrew the cash before the checks were determined to be counterfeit. Myrick was ordered to pay restitution to BankPlus as part of his sentence.
Ronald Gardner and Anthony Myrick were indicted by a federal grand jury on August 22, 2023. Myrick pleaded guilty on October 17, 2023, and Gardner pleaded guilty on February 2, 2024. Gardner is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 32 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis made the announcement.
The U.S. Secret Service and Rankin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.
Hong Kong Man Charged with Smuggling Protected TurtlesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury charged a Chinese man on Friday in a four-count indictment alleging he smuggled eastern box turtles, a protected wildlife species, from the United States to China for the global pet trade black market.
Photo of box turtles, from the complaint in case U.S. v. Sai Keung Tin. Credit: USFWS.Sai Keung Tin, 53, aka “SK Tin,” “Ricky Tin” and “Ji Yearlong,” of Hong Kong, is charged with four counts of exporting merchandise contrary to law.
Tin was arrested Feb. 25 at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York City and made his initial appearance the following day in federal court in Brooklyn. His arraignment is expected in the coming weeks in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
According to the indictment returned Friday, Tin in June 2023 knowingly and illegally aided in the exportation of 40 eastern box turtles to be sent from the United States to Hong Kong. Wildlife inspectors at an international mail facility in Torrance, California, intercepted four packages addressed to “Ji Yearlong,” a name believed to be one of Tin’s aliases, and which were to be shipped to Tin’s home in Hong Kong, according to court documents. Tin allegedly falsely labeled the packages containing the protected turtles as containing almonds and chocolate cookies.
Three of the packages contained between eight and 12 live eastern box turtles each – all bound in socks, according to court papers. The fourth package contained seven live eastern box turtles and one deceased eastern box turtle. A special agent also searched property records and learned that the name listed as the sender on each of the packages was fake.
Photo of two eastern box turtles seized from a shipping container, from the complaint in case U.S. v. Sai Keung Tin. Credit: USFWS.The eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is a subspecies of the common box turtle and is native to forested regions of the eastern United States with some isolated populations in the Midwest. Turtles with colorful markings are especially prized in the domestic and foreign pet trade market, particularly in China and Hong Kong. These animals are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international agreement to protect fish, wildlife and plants that are or may become threatened with extinction. The United States and China are parties to this agreement.
An affidavit that was filed with a criminal complaint filed with this case on Feb. 26 says that Tin was associated with Kang Juntao, of Hangzhou City, China, a convicted felon and international turtle smuggler. Kang recruited turtle poachers and suppliers in the United States to ship turtles domestically to middlemen, who would then bundle the turtles into other packages and export them to Hong Kong. The turtles were bound in socks to protect their shells and so they could not move and alert authorities.
Court papers allege that from June 2017 to December 2018, Kang caused at least 1,500 turtles – with a market value exceeding $2.25 million – to be shipped from the United States to Hong Kong. Middlemen shipped approximately 46 packages containing turtles from New York and New Jersey, which were routed through an international mail facility at JFK, to addresses in Hong Kong, including Tin’s.
Kang pleaded guilty to a money laundering charge after his extradition from Malaysia in 2019, and later was sentenced to 38 months in federal prison. Since Kang’s sentencing, law enforcement has continued to intercept packages addressed to Tin and others, court papers state.
If convicted, Tin faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each smuggling count.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Attorney E. Martin Estrada for the Central District of California and Assistant Director Edward Grace of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Office of Law Enforcement made the announcement.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating this case, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations.
Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors and Trial Attorney Lauren Steele of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominique Caamano for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Hong Kong Man Charged with Smuggling Protected TurtlesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Chinese man has been charged in a four-count indictment alleging he trafficked eastern box turtles, a protected wildlife species, from the United States to China for the global pet trade black market, the Justice Department announced today.
Sai Keung Tin, 53, a.k.a. “SK Tin,” Ricky Tin,” and “Ji Yearlong,” of Hong Kong, was charged on Friday with four counts of exporting merchandise contrary to law.
Tin was arrested February 25 at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York City and made his initial appearance the following day in federal court in Brooklyn. His arraignment is expected in the coming weeks in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
According to the indictment returned Friday, Tin in June 2023 knowingly and illegally aided in the exportation of 40 eastern box turtles to be sent from the United States to Hong Kong. Wildlife inspectors at an international mail facility in Torrance intercepted four packages addressed to “Ji Yearlong,” a name believed to be one of Tin’s aliases, and which were to be shipped to Tin’s home in Hong Kong, according to court documents. Tin allegedly falsely labeled the packages containing the protected turtles as containing almonds and chocolate cookies.
Three of the packages contained between eight and 12 live eastern box turtles each – all bound in socks, according to court papers. The fourth package contained seven live eastern box turtles and one deceased eastern box turtle. A special agent also searched property records and learned that the name listed as the sender on each of the packages was fake.
The eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is a subspecies of the common box turtle and is native to forested regions of the eastern United States with some isolated populations in the Midwest. Turtles with colorful markings are especially prized in the domestic and foreign pet trade market, particularly in China and Hong Kong. These animals are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international agreement to protect fish, wildlife and plants that are or may become threatened with extinction. The United States and China are parties to this agreement.
An affidavit that was filed with a criminal complaint filed with this case on February 26 says that Tin was associated with Kang Juntao, 27, of Hangzhou City, China, a convicted felon and international turtle smuggler. Kang recruited turtle poachers and suppliers in the United States to ship turtles domestically to middlemen, who would then bundle the turtles into other packages and export them to Hong Kong. The turtles were bound in socks to protect their shells and so they could not move and alert authorities.
Court papers allege that from June 2017 to December 2018, Kang caused at least 1,500 turtles – with a market value exceeding $2.25 million – to be shipped from the United States to Hong Kong. Middlemen shipped approximately 46 packages containing turtles from New York and New Jersey, which were routed through an international mail facility at JFK, to addresses in Hong Kong, including Tin’s.
Kang pleaded guilty to a money laundering charge after his extradition from Malaysia in 2019, and later was sentenced to 38 months in federal prison. Since Kang’s arrest, prosecution, and conviction, law enforcement has continued to intercept packages addressed to Tin and others, court papers state.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Tin would face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating this matter. Homeland Security Investigations and United States Customs and Border Protection are assisting in this investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Dominique Caamano of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section and Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors and Trial Attorney Lauren Steele, both of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section, are prosecuting this case.
Harvey Man Indicted for Being Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – MIGUEL KEELEN, age 35, of Harvey, La., was indicted on March 8, 2024 for being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the indictment, KEELEN possessed a firearm on the night of December 11, 2023. While at the Valero Gas Station on 2013 South Claiborne Avenue in New Orleans, KEELEN displayed and drew a pistol from his waistband before concealing the pistol and fleeing from police. KEELEN was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his previous felony convictions. If convicted, KEELEN faces up to fifteen (15) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Rayburn of the Violent Crimes Unit.
Georgia Woman Sentenced in Rhode Island for Role in Multi-Million Dollar Romance Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Georgia woman who played a key role in a romance scam conspiracy that defrauded seniors in several states, including Rhode Island, out of at least $5.8 million has been sentenced in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island to nearly four years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Syretta Scherer, 42, of Snellville, GA, pleaded guilty on April 28, 2023, to a charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering. She was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., on March 7, 2024, to 46 months of incarceration to be followed by two years of federal supervised release.
The Court found that that Scherer laundered nearly $1.1 million of the nearly $3 million in stolen proceeds laundered by members of the conspiracy during the time she was part of the conspiracy, money that was stolen primarily from widows through internet-based romance scams. To carry out the schemes, members of the conspiracy contacted victims using app-based communication platforms, then cultivated relationships of trust and convincing their victims that money was needed for various purposes, among them supposed serious medical issues. The scammers directed their victims to send money via mail or wire transfer to various persons and addresses. The money would be deposited into various accounts controlled by Scherer and others before being redirected elsewhere.
According to information presented to the court, in late 2017, in support of her fraudulent activity, Scherer created a sham company, Precise Carriers, that she used to open numerous bank accounts, at different banks, into which victim funds were deposited. Beginning in February 2018 and continuing into November 2019, Scherer used bank accounts in her name and in the name of the sham company to deposit and withdraw victim funds, often in a structured manner to avoid bank currency transaction requirements. On multiple dates, Scherer deposited victim funds at multiple bank branches on a single day so as to avoid questions about the amounts of the deposits and withdrawals. When some of the banks questioned her banking activity, and shut down an account into which victim funds had been deposited, Scherer opened another account. As part of the scheme, Scherer also recruited others, including her friends, to open bank accounts that she used to launder victim funds.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Denise M. Barton and John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration in Atlanta.
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Fort Myers Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Christopher Jorge Ponce (37, Naples) to 6 years and 10 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The court also ordered Ponce to forfeit the firearm and ammunition possessed during the offense. Ponce pleaded guilty on November 22, 2023.
According to court records, on December 30, 2022, a Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a gas station in Lehigh Acres and observed what appeared to be a sleeping man sitting in the driver’s seat of vehicle parked at a gas pump with a six-inch long clear glass pipe and lighter sitting in his lap. The male was later identified as Christopher Ponce, and when his vehicle was searched, deputies found quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, as well as a loaded Smith and Wesson firearm which was linked to Ponce. As a convicted felon who previously served time in federal prison for a firearms offense, Ponce is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Myers Police Department, and Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.
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.
Former federal officer admits to smuggling aliens and receiving bribes to allow cocaine across the borderRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A former Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer has been convicted in two separate federal cases and now faces decades in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Emanuel Isac Celedon, 36, Laredo, pleaded guilty to four counts of bringing an undocumented alien to the United States through the Lincoln Juarez Port of Entry (POE) in Laredo. In a separate case, he also admitted to bribery and attempted importation of cocaine for taking money to allow what he thought was cocaine to cross into the United States from Mexico.
As part of the smuggling conspiracy, Celedon provided his daily lane assignment to conspirators to allow entry without inspection or documentation of passengers. This occurred on at least nine occasions between September and November 2023. Authorities also discovered that during at least two of these smuggling events, Celedon falsely input information into a CBP database in order to avoid sending the driver to mandatory secondary inspection.
The investigation revealed he asked others to relay information about his role to Mexican smugglers in attempts to reassure them he was doing his part to facilitate the organization’s human smuggling efforts.
Law enforcement seized $1,980 in cash from Celedon at the time of his arrest, which he admitted were proceeds from human smuggling.
In a separate case, Celedon agreed to smuggle what he believed were kilograms of cocaine from Mexico through his duty lane at the Laredo POE on two occasions in October 2023.
Celedon sought contacts within the cartels who would pay him to smuggle cocaine through the POE. The undercover investigation revealed Celedon expressed his interest in smuggling cocaine for payment, provided his duty schedule and instructed others to direct vehicles to his lane so he could allow them to safely cross into the United States.
Celedon was paid a total of $6,000 after the vehicles with sham cocaine safely crossed the POE.
U.S. District Judges Diana Saldana and Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing at later dates on the smuggling and bribery cases, respectively. At those times, Celedon faces up to 10 years on two counts and 15 years on the other two counts in the smuggling case as well as another 15 years for the bribery and 40 years for the drug charges. He also faces hundreds of thousands in possible fines.
Celedon will remain in custody pending those hearings.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) - Office of Inspector General, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations and CBP- Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the investigation with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Border Patrol, Webb County Constable Precinct 2 and CBP Laredo Joint Forensic Center. Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) Jennifer Day and Richard Bennett are prosecuting both cases. AUSA Brian Bajew handled the plea today.
This investigation is related to an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) case. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
This case is also supported by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). Attorney General Merrick B. Garland created JTFA in June 2021 in partnership with the DHS to strengthen the Justice Department’s overall efforts to combat the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA is comprised of detailees from southwest border U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, including the Southern and Western Districts of Texas, District of New Mexico, District of Arizona and Southern District of California. Numerous components of the Criminal Division are part of JTFA and provide dedicated support for the program which the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section leads. The Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training; Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; Office of Enforcement Operations; Office of International Affairs and Violent Crime and Racketeering Section also provide support. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 271 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of human smuggling; more than 211 U.S. convictions; significant jail sentences imposed; and substantial asset forfeiture.
Former Postal Employee Indicted for Delaying and Stealing U.S. MailRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RANDY BROWN, JR., age 31, a resident of Gretna, La., was indicted on March 8, 2024 on four-counts including, unlawful delay of U.S. Mail matter by a postal employee, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1703(a) and theft of U.S. Mail matter by a postal employee, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709.
According to Count One, between on or about July of 2022, through October 4, 2022, BROWN unlawfully secreted, detained, and delayed U.S. mail entrusted to him as a postal employee. If convicted, BROWN faces up to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to Counts Two through Four, on September 26, 2022, September 27, 2022, and October 3, 2022, BROWN did knowingly embezzle, steal, abstract, and remove checks from U.S. mail entrusted to him as a postal employee. If convicted, BROWN faces up to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Former Luzerne County Police Officer Sentenced to 96 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute DrugsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kevin Davis, age 28, of Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 7, 2024, to 96 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, marijuana, fentanyl, and methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, between May 2021 and April 2022, Davis rented an apartment to a drug trafficking operation in Wilkes-Barre knowing the apartment was solely being used to store illegal drugs and drug proceeds. Davis installed security cameras inside the apartment and acted as security for the drug trafficking organization. He instructed members of the organization what to do and say if they were stopped by the police and warned them about potential law enforcement surveillance. On one occasion he used a law enforcement data base to determine whether a member of the organization had been stopped by law enforcement. During the time of the conspiracy, Davis was employed as a patrolman for a Luzerne County Municipal Police Department. Judge Mannion determined at sentencing that Davis abused is position of trust as a law enforcement officer when committing these acts.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotic Investigations, and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Hardik prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Former Laguna Niguel Resident Indicted for Allegedly Threatening to Kill Orange County Family Law JudgeRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Orange County resident has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly threatening to kill a superior court judge who presided over his family law case, the Justice Department announced today.
Byrom Zuniga Sanchez, 32, formerly of Laguna Niguel, but whose most recent residence was in Morella, Mexico, is charged in an indictment returned Friday with two counts of threats by interstate and foreign communication.
Zuniga was arrested February 27 in San Diego and remains in federal custody there. His arraignment is expected to occur in the coming weeks in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
“There has been a troubling increase in threats against public servants, including judicial officers,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “These threats undermine the rule of law, are anathema in our democracy, and will not be tolerated. As such, my office will continue to aggressively prosecute all such violent criminal conduct.”
“The chilling threats allegedly made by Zuniga Sanchez via e-mail and online caused profound fear for many people in the legal and law enforcement community, and forced some to take extra security precautions,” said Amir Ehsaei, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI and our partners take such threats extremely seriously so that judges and others who make difficult decisions every day don’t suffer needlessly for simply carrying out their duties.”
According to court documents previously filed in this case, from May 2023 to July 2023, Zuniga sent multiple death threats via email to the victim judge. Zuniga allegedly also threatened to kill or harm others, including other judges, lawyers, and law enforcement officials.
For example, in July 2023, Zuniga allegedly emailed the victim judge’s former courtroom, “I am more committed to murdering you than I am to being present as a father.”
In the same email, Zuniga allegedly also wrote, “You’re already dead. The remainder of my life will be dedicated to assassinating judges, attorneys, and a police station’s entire shift staff.”
In September 2023, Zuniga allegedly posted on his Instagram account, “With access to a weapon, it is easier for me to walk into a courthouse and indiscriminately assasinate [sic] because I notified lawyers and judges.” This statement was directed at the courthouse in Orange where he had been involved in family law proceedings from 2019 to 2021. Zuniga also allegedly in October 2023 threatened to conduct an active shooting at the same courthouse.
These communications were sent via interstate commerce, and law enforcement believes Zuniga was in Mexico when he sent the threatening messages. Zuniga was arrested last week after attempting to enter the United States.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Zuniga would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count.
The FBI is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney J’me K. Forrest of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Former Fresno Sleep Clinic Owner Sentenced to 19 Months in Prison for Submitting Nearly $1 Million in Fraudulent Claims for Sleep Studies to MedicareRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Travis Gober, 45, of Hanford, was sentenced to 19 months in prison today for committing health care fraud and aggravated identity theft by submitting more than $1 million in fraudulent claims for sleep studies to Medicare, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court records, Gober owned the VIP Sleep Center, which operated sleep clinics in Fresno and Tulare Counties. Sleep clinics perform diagnostic sleep studies on patients to identify disorders like sleep apnea and narcolepsy.
From October 2019 through September 2021, Gober caused the VIP Sleep Center to submit thousands of claims totaling nearly $1 million to Medicare for sleep studies that were not actually performed on patients. The claims also falsely stated that the patients had been referred for the sleep studies by physicians with whom Gober had previously worked. This was done because Medicare will not pay for a sleep study unless the patient was referred by a physician.
Gober committed this fraud, at least in part, to try to payoff financial debts and address other financial difficulties that his brother, Jeremy Gober, had caused the VIP Sleep Center and him to incur without his knowledge or consent.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the California Department of Health Care Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
Travis Gober’s brother, Jeremy Gober, was previously charged with, and has pleaded guilty to, health care fraud and aggravated identity theft related to other sleep clinics in the Central Valley. Jeremy Gober is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20, 2024.
Former Chairman of the Village of Hempstead Housing Authority Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Fraud and CorruptionRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Cornell Bozier, the former Chairman of the Board of Commissioners (Board) at the Village of Hempstead Housing Authority (VHHA) was sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and three counts of federal program bribery. Bozier was convicted by a federal jury in April 2019.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and William Woolard, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General (HUD-OIG), Northeast Region, announced the sentence.
“The defendant exploited his official position as Chairman of the Village of Hempstead Housing Authority to enrich himself at the expense of the elderly, disabled and low-income residents whom he was meant to serve,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Corruption at any level of government erodes public confidence in the institution and will not be tolerated in this district as the defendant learned the hard way.”
“Cornell Bozier and his co-conspirators engaged in an egregious false billing and kickback scheme resulting in the theft of critical taxpayer dollars,” stated HUD-OIG Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Woolard. “Moreover, they risk damaging the integrity of HUD programs and violate the trust of the communities who rely on them. HUD OIG will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue those who seek to profit by abusing HUD-funded programs.”
The VHHA was established to provide low-income families, disabled residents, and senior citizens in Hempstead with safe, sanitary, and affordable housing, and received nearly $1 million in federal funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) during the defendant’s tenure as Board Chairman from 2011 to 2013. The funding from HUD included money needed for capital improvements, major repairs, and other large-scale construction projects. Before HUD would release funds for the more expensive construction projects, the VHHA was required to follow a Procurement Policy designed to ensure open and transparent competition in the bidding process and contract awards to the lowest responsible bidder.
As proven at Bozier’s trial and set forth in court filings, rather than providing his residents with the honest services they needed, the defendant used his official position to orchestrate a bid-rigging and kickback scheme by filling numerous positions in the Housing Authority with either co-conspirators who were actively participating in the scheme, or people he believed could be manipulated and would not interfere. Bozier relied on bribes, threats and intimidation to pressure other Board members into supporting his fraudulent schemes. Bozier also fraudulently induced the Board to declare numerous projects as emergencies to sidestep the normal procedure process by which the VHHA obtained HUD funding. During the conspiracy, the defendant and his co-conspirators submitted grossly inflated bids to the Board for repair projects at properties throughout the VHHA and Bozier used his de facto control over the Board to secure the acceptance of those bids. The work related to those projects was then subcontracted out at a fraction of the amount paid by the VHHA for nominal and, in many cases, substandard repairs and work. Bozier demanded and received numerous cash payments from his co-conspirators, who prepared and submitted the fraudulent bids as kickbacks for his role in the scheme, which totaled more than $100,000.
For example, the VHHA paid a co-conspirator company, Devlin Mac Construction, $273,900 to replace the roof at one of its apartment buildings. Rather than replacing the roof, a subcontractor was paid $23,000 to patch and repair certain sections. The rest of the VHHA’s money was split between the defendant and his co-conspirators, with the defendant receiving $55,000 in kickbacks for his role. This scheme was repeated and fraudulent bids were submitted for more than a half dozen construction projects during Bozier’s tenure, as he tried to steal as much of the VHHA’s money as he could. In total, the defendant steered more than $800,000 of VHHA funds to co-conspirator companies as part of his fraudulent scheme and received more than $100,000 in kickback payments.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul G. Scotti and Artie McConnell are in charge of the prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney Madeline O’Connor of the Office’s Civil Division handled forfeiture matters.
The Defendant:
CORNELL BOZIER
Age: 63
North Baldwin, Long IslandE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 15-CR-303 (S-1) (JMA)
Former Attorney at Law Office Representing Foster Children Charged with Distributing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former supervising attorney at a nonprofit that provides legal representation to foster children in juvenile dependency court was arraigned today on federal criminal charges alleging he possessed and distributed child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Charles Aghoian, 61, of Camarillo, is charged with three counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He voluntarily surrendered this morning to federal law enforcement.
He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. A federal magistrate judge set his bond at $1 million and a May 6 trial date has been scheduled in this matter.
According to an indictment that a federal grand jury returned on March 1, Aghoian in December 2020 and January 2021 knowingly distributed sexually explicit videos featuring children. In April 2021, Aghoian also allegedly possessed on his smartphone images of child sexual abuse material including children under the age of 12 years.
At the time of the alleged conduct, Aghoian was a supervising attorney at the Children’s Law Center of California, which maintains offices in Monterey Park, Sacramento, and Lancaster. The organization provides legal representation for abused, neglected, or abandoned children who fall under the jurisdiction of the state’s juvenile dependency court system. Its attorneys serve Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Placer counties.
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, Aghoian would face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison on each child pornography distribution charge and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each child pornography possession and distribution charges.
The FBI is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Nisha Chandran of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section and Alexandra Kelley of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Ford Motor Company Agrees to Pay $365M to Settle Customs Civil Penalty Claims Relating to Misclassified and Under-Valued VehiclesRead the Press Release
Ford Motor Company has agreed to pay the United States $365 million to resolve allegations that it violated the Tariff Act of 1930 by misclassifying and understating the value of hundreds of thousands of its Transit Connect vehicles, the Justice Department announced today.
The settlement resolves allegations that Ford devised a scheme to avoid higher duties by misclassifying cargo vans. Specifically, the government alleged that from April 2009 to March 2013, Ford imported Transit Connect cargo vans from Turkey into the United States and presented them to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with sham rear seats and other temporary features to make the vans appear to be passenger vehicles. These temporary rear seats were never intended to be, and never were, used to carry passengers. Rather, the government alleged, Ford included these seats and features to avoid paying the 25% duty rate applicable to cargo vehicles. By classifying the vans as vehicles for the transport of passengers, Ford instead paid a duty rate of just 2.5%. Ford submitted entry papers to CBP declaring these vehicles as classifiable under tariff heading 8703 as “Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons.” After customs clearance, each of these Transit Connect vehicles was immediately stripped of its rear seats and returned to its original identity as a two-seat cargo van.
The settlement also resolves allegations that, from April 2009 through August 2013, Ford avoided paying import duties by under-declaring to CBP the value of certain Transit Connect vehicles.
“When companies misclassify imports to avoid paying what they owe, they will be held accountable,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “Today’s settlement is a victory for American taxpayers and for our efforts to combat trade fraud and ensure compliance with United States trade laws. Companies that attempt to evade customs duties with sham representations and workarounds will not be rewarded.”
“Importers have an obligation to truthfully declare the nature of their products and pay the duties that are owed,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The government will not permit companies to evade duties by adding sham features to their products and then misclassifying them.”
“This settlement, which is one of the largest customs penalty settlements in recent history, demonstrates that U.S. Customs and Border Protection will pursue even the largest companies to ensure that all importers follow the rules; our intent is to enforce the customs laws fairly, which means that non-compliance is not an option for anyone,” said Senior Official Performing Duties of the Commissioner Troy A. Miller of CBP. “The partnership between CBP and the Justice Department provides a critical safeguard to protect the revenue of the United States.”
To combat trade fraud, including avoidance of import duties, the Justice Department created a Trade Fraud Task Force. The Task Force partners with CBP and other law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with United States trade laws.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between CBP and the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch’s International Field Office and National Courts Section.
Attorneys Beverly Farrell and Justin Miller of the Civil Division’s International Trade Field Office and Claudia Burke, Joshua Kurland, Patricia McCarthy and Frank White of the Civil Division’s National Courts Section handled this matter.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Florida Man Arrested for Alleged Decades-Long Scheme to Hide Assets from the IRSRead the Press Release
A federal criminal complaint was unsealed today in the Southern District of Florida charging a Florida man with conspiring to defraud the United States by hiding income and assets offshore and with making a false statement to the IRS.
According to the allegations contained in the complaint,[1] between 1985 and 2020, Dan Rotta hid more than $20 million in assets in at least two dozen secret bank accounts at five different Swiss banks, including UBS and Credit Suisse. Over the years, Rotta allegedly earned substantial income from these assets that he did not report on his tax returns.
Starting in 2008, after it was reported publicly that UBS and its bankers were under criminal investigation for helping U.S. taxpayers evade their taxes, Rotta allegedly took steps to continue concealing his offshore assets, including by closing his UBS account and moving the funds to Credit Suisse and another Swiss bank, and then later transferring the funds into Swiss bank accounts in the name of nominees.
In 2011, the IRS allegedly began auditing Rotta after it obtained evidence that he had unreported foreign financial accounts. Allegedly, Rotta falsely denied that he had any such accounts. During the audit, the IRS allegedly obtained evidence showing Rotta received transfers of hundreds of thousands of dollars from these foreign accounts that he did not report on his tax returns. Rotta allegedly claimed that these transfers were non-taxable loans from third parties and caused his representative to present the IRS with sham loan documents to corroborate his claims. As part of the scheme, Rotta allegedly enlisted his friend and cousin, Co-Conspirator 1, a native and resident of Brazil, to claim to the IRS that he either made or facilitated the fake loans.
The IRS allegedly did not believe Rotta and assessed additional taxes as well as penalties and interest against him. Rotta allegedly then caused a petition in U.S. Tax Court to be filed that sought a redetermination of the IRS’s assessments. In that petition, Rotta, through his attorney, allegedly falsely denied having any foreign accounts and attached the fictitious loan documents. Furthermore, Rotta allegedly caused Co-Conspirator 1 to travel to the United States and retell the false loan story to IRS attorneys. In 2017, after Rotta allegedly presented evidence showing that the purported loans had been repaid, the IRS reversed the deficiencies and agreed that Rotta owed no additional tax. Unbeknownst to the IRS, however, the funds that Rotta purportedly repaid to the third parties allegedly went into accounts that he controlled.
In 2019, after he allegedly became aware that the IRS would receive copies of his Swiss bank records, Rotta attempted to participate in the IRS’s voluntary disclosure practice. Under that practice, taxpayers who willfully do not comply with their tax and reporting obligations can make timely, accurate and complete disclosures of their conduct, which may be a way to resolve their non-compliance and limit their criminal exposure. In his submission, which was signed under penalties of perjury, Rotta allegedly made several false statements.
Rotta was arrested on March 9 and made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jared M Strauss of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, Rotta faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge and five years in prison for the false statement charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.
The International Tax and Financial Crimes group of IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Senior Litigation Counsels Sean Beaty and Mark Daly and Trial Attorneys Patrick Elwell and William Montague of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Homer for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Rotta Complaint.pdf
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the complaint and the description of the complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations. Every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Florida Man Arrested for Alleged Decades-Long Scheme to Hide Assets from the IRSRead the Press Release
Defendant Allegedly Hid Millions in Unreported Assets in Series of Swiss Bank Accounts
MIAMI – A federal criminal complaint was unsealed today in the Southern District of Florida charging a Florida man with conspiring to defraud the United States by hiding income and assets offshore and with making a false statement to the IRS.
According to the allegations contained in the complaint,[1] between 1985 and 2020, Dan Rotta hid more than $20 million in assets in at least two dozen secret bank accounts at five different Swiss banks, including UBS and Credit Suisse. Over the years, Rotta allegedly earned substantial income from these assets that he did not report on his tax returns.
Starting in 2008, after it was reported publicly that UBS and its bankers were under criminal investigation for helping U.S. taxpayers evade their taxes, Rotta allegedly took steps to continue concealing his offshore assets, including by closing his UBS account and moving the funds to Credit Suisse and another Swiss bank, and then later transferring the funds into Swiss bank accounts in the name of nominees.
In 2011, the IRS allegedly began auditing Rotta after it obtained evidence that he had unreported foreign financial accounts. Allegedly, Rotta falsely denied that he had any such accounts. During the audit, the IRS allegedly obtained evidence showing Rotta received transfers of hundreds of thousands of dollars from these foreign accounts that he did not report on his tax returns. Rotta allegedly claimed that these transfers were non-taxable loans from third parties and caused his representative to present the IRS with sham loan documents to corroborate his claims. As part of the scheme, Rotta allegedly enlisted his friend and cousin, Co-Conspirator 1, a native and resident of Brazil, to claim to the IRS that he either made or facilitated the fake loans.
The IRS allegedly did not believe Rotta and assessed additional taxes as well as penalties and interest against him. Rotta allegedly then caused a petition in U.S. Tax Court to be filed that sought a redetermination of the IRS’s assessments. In that petition, Rotta, through his attorney, allegedly falsely denied having any foreign accounts and attached the fictitious loan documents. Furthermore, Rotta allegedly caused Co-Conspirator 1 to travel to the United States and retell the false loan story to IRS attorneys. In 2017, after Rotta allegedly presented evidence showing that the purported loans had been repaid, the IRS reversed the deficiencies and agreed that Rotta owed no additional tax. Unbeknownst to the IRS, however, the funds that Rotta purportedly repaid to the third parties allegedly went into accounts that he controlled.
In 2019, after he allegedly became aware that the IRS would receive copies of his Swiss bank records, Rotta attempted to participate in the IRS’s voluntary disclosure practice. Under that practice, taxpayers who willfully do not comply with their tax and reporting obligations can make timely, accurate and complete disclosures of their conduct, which may be a way to resolve their non-compliance and limit their criminal exposure. In his submission, which was signed under penalties of perjury, Rotta allegedly made several false statements.
Rotta was arrested on March 9 and made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jared M. Strauss of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, Rotta faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge and five years in prison for the false statement charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
The International Tax and Financial Crimes group of IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Homer for the Southern District of Florida, and Senior Litigation Counsels Sean Beaty and Mark Daly and Trial Attorneys Patrick Elwell and William Montague of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the complaint and the description of the complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations. Every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
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Federal Jury Convicts Four Unforgiven Members for Violent Racketeering OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Maverick Maher (42, Pensacola), Brandon Welch (36, Milton), Joshua Williamson (39, Live Oak), and Scott Marshall (48, Port Richey), guilty of violent crimes in aid of racketeering charges. Maher, Welch, Williamson, and Marshall were indicted on July 1, 2021.
Defendant
Conviction Offense(s)
Maximum sentence
Maverick Maher
a/k/a Saxon
Assault in aid of racketeering (3 counts)
Conspiracy to commit assault in aid of racketeering
(3 counts)
Threats in aid of racketeering
Conspiracy to commit assault in aid of racketeering
Conspiracy to commit assault in aid of racketeering
Threats in aid of racketeering
20 years in prison
(per count)
3 years in prison
(per count)
5 years in prison
3 years in prison
3 years in prison
5 years in prison
20 years in prison
20 years in prison
Brandon Welch
a/k/a Scumbag
Assault in aid of racketeering
20 years in prison
Joshua Williamson
a/k/a Chaingang
Assault in aid of racketeering
20 years in prison
Scott Marshall
a/k/a Solo
Kidnapping in aid of racketeering
Assault in aid of Racketeering
Life in prison
20 years in prison
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, the defendants were members of the “Unforgiven,” a white supremacy prison gang started in the Florida Department of Corrections. Since its founding, the enterprise has grown to include members inside and outside the department of corrections. The Unforgiven has a written “constitution” which described the means of gaining membership—by committing an extreme act of violence—and calls for violence against members who commit “violations.”
Members organized for meetings to discuss Unforgiven business. During these meetings, members in bad standing were discussed and their membership voted upon. In addition to in-person meetings, the Unforgiven Council used the Marco Polo messaging application to discuss and vote on violations, which included “patch takings” or the involuntary removal of the gang’s tattoo. The evidence at trial established assaults on five members of the Unforgiven who were attacked and mutilated.
On January 2, 2019, Welch and Williamson stabbed fellow Unforgiven member J.T. in the Columbia Correctional Institution. Welch and Williamson attacked J.T. to gain or maintain membership in the Unforgiven. Testimony and evidence established Welch and Williamson stabbed J.T. twelve times and caused significant injuries requiring J.T. be transported via helicopter for medical care.
On January 19, 2019, Maher confined and defaced C.L., a member of the Unforgiven, to maintain membership in the Unforgiven. Testimony of witnesses established Maher sat on C.L. while he forcibly tattooed over numerous existing tattoos on C.L.’s body.
Maher also aided or abetted two additional attacks. In July 2020, members of the Unforgiven attacked C.S. in his home in Lake City, Florida, and struck C.S. with a shotgun before slicing open his back to deface his “patch.” Testimony established Maher sent the group from a church meeting in Satsuma, Florida to enforce a vote taken by members.
Testimony and evidence also established that Maher targeted W.H., a member of the Unforgiven. Unforgiven members attacked W.H. in his living room within Pasco County in June 2020 and forcibly tattooed over W.H.’s Unforgiven tattoos.
In November 2019, Scott Marshall and two other Unforgiven members lured R.S. to a home in Pasco County. The men held R.S. against his will and forcibly covered R.S.’s Unforgiven tattoos. Parts of the attack were videotaped by one of the assailants and shared with Unforgiven members over Marco Polo.
Maher conspired with others over the Marco Polo application to assault a number of Unforgiven members, as well as “grey boys” and “race traitors” in response to perceived disrespect to the enterprise.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Department of Corrections Inspector General’s Office, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake City Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha Beckman and David Sullivan
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Father and Son Duo Sentenced to Prison in $21 Million Dollar Medicare SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – March 11, 2024
SAN DIEGO – Anthony Duane Bell Sr. and his son, Anthony Duane Bell Jr., were sentenced in federal court today to 65 months and 12 months and one day, respectively, for their roles in fraudulently receiving more than $21 million in Medicare payments and lying to cover it up.
The pair, along with others, conspired to commit Medicare fraud by billing for medically-unnecessary durable medical equipment such as knee, ankle, shoulder, wrist and back braces. Bell Sr. pleaded guilty to Medicare fraud while Bell Jr. pleaded guilty to making false statements to a federal officer.
U.S. District Court Judge William Q. Hayes also ordered Bell Sr. to pay $21,725,604.56 in restitution to Medicare and forfeit $806,375.12 and a luxury house in El Cajon. The forfeited property was purchased using money obtained from the fraud. In arriving at the sentence, Judge Hayes found that Bell Sr. intended to defraud Medicare of over $46 million dollars and received over $21 million dollars.
“This brazen scheme exploited elderly and disabled Medicare beneficiaries so these defendants could line their own pockets,” said U.S. Attorney Tara K. McGrath. “Together with our law enforcement partners, this office will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute fraud that diverts Medicare funds from some of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens.”
“Those who game the system to take advantage of federal health care programs for personal financial gain do so at the expense of those who rely on these programs and American taxpayers,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy B. DeFrancesca of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Together with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG will continue working diligently to hold these individuals accountable.”
“The Bells using their business as a front to defraud the U.S. government and Medicare program is unacceptable,” said FBI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge Tom Ryan. “The FBI and its law enforcement partners will continue to dedicate their resources to make sure individuals who try to illegally profit from the U.S. government will be prosecuted.”
According to court records, the Bells created companies known as Universal Medical Solutions 1 and Universal Medical Solutions 2, which supplied durable medical equipment. In order to find customers for their businesses, the Bells entered into sham agreements with “marketing” companies that, instead of marketing, provided packets of information about Medicare beneficiaries for $125 to $350 each. These packets of information included a Medicare beneficiary’s personal information, medical history, Medicare number, and an audio recording between a call center and the patient, in which the patient supposedly agreed to accept a brace. The packet also included a signed prescription from a doctor, obtained via telemedicine, claiming that the brace was medically necessary for the patient – although in almost all cases the prescription was signed by a physician who had no previous doctor-patient relationship with the patient, was often in another state, and at most had conducted an audio call with the patient. In all cases the doctor had not conducted any kind of physical examination of the patient.
The Bells bought thousands of these patient packets, each time indirectly paying the telemedicine doctors through the “marketing” companies. The packets were referred to in the industry as “Doctor’s Orders” or “D.O.s.” The Bells purchased the “D.O.s” for a variety of braces, paying the most (up to $350) for a back brace prescription, the type of medical equipment for which Medicare offered the highest reimbursement. The Bells could then, after shipping the brace to the patient, bill Medicare around $1,359.89 for each back brace, through their companies. The Bells also bought other braces, including wrist, knee, and shoulder braces, and billed Medicare at much higher prices than they paid for them.
When Bell Jr. was interviewed by the FBI, he lied about his knowledge of the scheme.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valerie H. Chu and Christopher M. Alexander of the Southern District of California.
DEFENDANTS Criminal Case No. 20CR2887-WQ
Anthony Duane Bell Sr. Age: 55 El Cajon, California
Anthony Duane Bell Jr. Age: 33 El Cajon, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGE
Health Care Fraud, a felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1347.
Maximum Penalty: Ten years in custody; a fine of $250,000; a mandatory special assessment of $100; an order of restitution; and a three-year term of supervised release.
False Statement, a felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001.
Maximum Penalty: Five years in custody; a fine of $250,000; a mandatory special assessment of $100; an order of restitution; and a three-year term of supervised release.
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General
United States Marshal’s Service
Fairbanks man sentenced to 25 years for enticing, trafficking two minorsRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Fairbanks man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for coercing two minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct.
According to court documents, in September 2022, Leveron Moore, 40, enticed two minors, aged 15 and 16 at the time, for the purpose of coercive sexual exploitation.
Moore also used his cell phone to produce, attempt to produce and possess photos of sexually explicit conduct involving both minor victims and used an application on his phone to hide the images from law enforcement.
One of the minor victims reported the abuse to a local health official, and Moore was arrested by the FBI in March 2023. Moore had previously been separated from the U.S. Army while stationed at Fort Wainwright in lieu of a court martial after having been charged with the attempted sexual assault of an 18-year-old subordinate in 2016.
The defendant is required to serve 20 years’ supervised release as part of his sentence.
“Mr. Moore deliberately targeted two of Alaska’s most vulnerable community members and will now pay the price for his destructive actions,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska. “We commend the tremendous bravery of both victims for disclosing Mr. Moore’s heinous conduct to officials. My office stands by our firm commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute any instance of child exploitation.”
“Mr. Moore deliberately exploited and abused minors, the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Vorndran of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work collaboratively with law enforcement partners and service providers to seek justice for these horrific crimes against children.”
The FBI Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers and the Fairbanks Police Department, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander 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 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Essex County Man Charged with Possession of Firearm and FentanylRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man has been arrested on drug and weapons charges, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
William Elliot, 42, of Newark, is charged by complaint with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court on March 7, 2024, and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On March 6, 2024, law enforcement officers responded to Elliot’s residence and executed lawful searches of his residence and two vehicles, recovering over 40 grams of fentanyl labeled “GMA” and “SRT,” over 300 grams of cocaine, ammunition, and a Ruger Model P94 .40 caliber firearm.
The count of being a felon in possession of a weapon is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest; the count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine is punishable by a statutory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison and a fine of $5 million, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greatest. The count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime in punishable by a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of live in prison, and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
The charges carry a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; and the Jersey City Police Department Intelligence Unit, under the direction of Public Safety Director James Shea, with the investigation leading to the charges.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Linares of the Organized Crime/Gang Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
elliot.complaint.pdfEight-Time Violent Felon Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Possessing a Machinegun in Furtherance of Drug-Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced today to 45 years in prison for drug conspiracy, possessing bulk marijuana with intent to distribute it, possessing an illegally modified machinegun in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes, illegally possessing firearms as an eight-time convicted violent felon, and illegally possessing an unregistered machinegun.
According to court documents and evidence presented at a December 2023 trial, Hassan D. Jones, 25, conspired with several individuals to distribute bulk marijuana in the Mobile area and elsewhere from at least March 2021 through February 2023. In May 2021, deputy sheriffs in Louisiana arrested Jones and two of his coconspirators following a traffic stop of a car they were using to return to Mobile from a drug pickup in Houston, Texas. In the car, police found a loaded Glock pistol equipped with an extended magazine, marijuana, promethazine syrup, and more than $5,000 in cash.
In February 2023, narcotics detectives with the Mobile Police Department executed a search warrant at Jones’s apartment in Eight Mile. During the search, detectives seized, among other things, four pounds of vacuum-sealed bulk marijuana, two loaded Glock pistols equipped with extended magazines, and two of Jones’s cell phones. One of the pistols was equipped with a machinegun-conversion device, commonly known as a “Glock switch,” which illegally converted the semiautomatic pistol into a fully automatic machinegun. A DNA expert located Jones’s DNA on the Glock pistols seized from his apartment. Jones’s phones and social media accounts contained dozens of videos, photos, and messages regarding Jones’s drug dealing and his illegal possession of firearms, including illegally-modified machineguns.
In addition to the 45-year prison sentence, Chief United States District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock ordered Jones to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment and will receive mental health evaluation and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Chief Judge Beaverstock ordered Jones to pay $500 in special assessments.
“Illegal machineguns and machinegun-conversion devices continue to wreak havoc in our community and across the nation. In the hands of armed drug dealers and violent felons, such weapons present an even greater risk,” said U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message: our office, working alongside our tireless federal, state, and local partners, will not tolerate it.”
“This sentence is a direct message to career criminals that law enforcement is observant and will not allow egregious violations of our laws to go unpunished,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson. “ATF and our law enforcement partners will remain on the frontline in our continuing effort to combat violent crime, maintain public safety, and remove criminals who continuously show total disregard for the law.”
Mobile Police Department Chief Paul O. Prine said, “I am pleased with the federal conviction of Hassan D. Jones. The collaboration with our federal partners and their willingness to prosecute those violent and repeat offenders shows their resolve and commitment to working with the Mobile Police Department in making our community safe. Mr. Jones’s incarceration no doubt will have an impact on our community by not trafficking drugs or possessing weapons that can cause mass casualties.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mobile Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and Jessica Terrill prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Drug Distribution and Child Neglect on Menominee Indian Reservation Lead to Prison Sentence for Keshena ManRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that Louis J. Chevalier (age: 32), a former resident of Keshena and enrolled member of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, received a total sentence of 36 months following convictions for maintaining a drug-involved residence and felony child neglect.
The sentence, imposed on March 8, 2024, by Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach, was the result of guilty pleas entered by the defendant on December 7, 2023. Judge Griesbach sentenced Chevalier to concurrent 36-month sentences on each count. Chevalier will also face three years of supervised release once he completes his sentence.
According to court records, on March 31, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Chevalier’s residence on Onanekwat Resort West, which is just east of Keshena. When police executed the search warrant, they discovered evidence of drug distribution and use. Police also contacted child protective services, who removed a three-year old child from the residence. The child tested positive for multiple controlled substances and had extensive dental decay from neglect and drug exposure that required surgery to repair.
At sentencing, Judge Griesbach noted the seriousness of the defendant’s crimes, specifically mentioning the injuries suffered by the child and the potential for long-term developmental issues. Judge Griesbach described the need for the defendant’s sentence to deter those who might consider similar actions and to protect the community from the destructive effects of abuse of controlled substances. Another person residing in the home was also prosecuted for felony child neglect and was placed on probation for a period of three years.
The case was investigated by multiple agencies as part of the Safe Trails Task Force (STTF) and Native American Drug and Gang Initiative (NADGI). NADGI and STTF partner federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement to combat drug trafficking and violent crime on the Menominee Indian Reservation. STTF members are deputized federal officers who identify and target for prosecution individuals who are involved in distribution of dangerous drugs on the Menominee Indian Reservation. Coordination of state resources through NADGI permits efficient communication and evidence processing, which are essential to swift but fair prosecution of offenders.
The Menominee Tribal Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Menominee County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier prosecuted the case in U.S. District Court in Green Bay.
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D.C. Felon Sentenced to 115 Months for Firearms Offenses and Distribution of PCP and ‘Boot’Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – James Fitzgerald Honesty, 35, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 115 months in prison for a May 2022 incident that involved a police foot chase resulting in the recovery of a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine, and large quantities of drugs that included PCP and two varieties of “boot,” a designer synthetic stimulant, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Honesty pleaded guilty on September 2, 2023, in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. He also pleaded to unlawful possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of Phencyclidine (PCP). In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Trevor N. McFadden ordered Honesty to serve five years of supervised release following his incarceration.
This conviction, Honesty’s fifth involving a gun and his third for possession of drugs with the intent to distribute, involved a flight from officers and abandonment of a loaded gun and dangerous controlled substances on a public sidewalk in a residential neighborhood in Southeast -- less than 1,000 feet from an elementary school. Two separate 911 callers alerted police to his possession of a gun, one of which said that he used it in a fight.
According to court documents, on May 23, 2022, MPD received a call at 6:25 p.m. reporting an altercation on the 2500 block of Ainger Place SE, and that “one of the guys pulled out a gun.” Another caller reported a man with a weapon, saying, “[h]e right here. He pulled out a gun on my boyfriend, threatened to kill him.” Several MPD squad cars responded. Officers in separate patrol cars spotted Honesty. After making eye contact with one of the officers, Honesty took off running.
With three officers in pursuit, Honesty reached for his waistband, produced a firearm and dropped it to the ground. The foot chase continued as he rounded a corner. Honesty dropped a black satchel to the ground shortly before police caught him. An officer recovered the gun -- a Springfield Armory 9mm semi-automatic loaded with 21 rounds in an extended magazine and one round in the chamber -- in the path of the Honesty’s flight. Another officer found the satchel bag which contained nearly 24 grams of liquid Phencyclidine aka PCP, 32 grams of a white powder, determined to be N, N-Dimethylpentylone, and brown rock-like substance later determined to be N-Propylbutylone. Both substances are considered to be varieties of “boot,” which is a designer synthetic stimulant that is typically sold as a cheaper alternative to Ecstasy or MDMA (sometimes referred to as “Molly”).
Honesty has been detained since his arrest on March 23, 2022.
This case was investigated by the MPD. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin F. Song, Meredith Mayer-Dempsey, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Cloherty and former Special Assistant United States Attorney Kristina Cervi.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to over 6 Years for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Leonard Stanley White, 41, of Phoenix, was sentenced on February 21, 2024, by United States District Judge David G. Campbell to 82 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. White pleaded guilty on November 21, 2023, to Felon in Possession of a Firearm and in doing so, he admitted to violating his supervised release conditions.
On May 9, 2023, White was arrested on a supervised release violation warrant and was found to be in possession of a firearm at that time. White had previously been convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter. After the Voluntary Manslaughter conviction, White was sentenced to 70 months for possessing the firearm and an additional 12 months for violating his supervised release in another case.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Chandler Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Raynette Logan, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00819-PHX-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024- 028_White# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Company that improperly took COVID 19 PPP loan agrees to pay nearly $1 million to settle False Claims Act caseRead the Press Release
Seattle –Brands LLC, has agreed to pay $989,438 to the United States to resolve allegations the company improperly obtained a Paycheck Protection Loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Docklight Brands develops and sells hemp derived products, and licenses certain marks for use in connection with state-licensed cannabis products. A False Claims Act qui tam lawsuit originally brought by relator Sidesolve LLC, alleged that the company was ineligible for the federal loan program because of its involvement with cannabis businesses that remain illegal under federal law.
According to the settlement, Sidesolve filed the qui tam case in September 2022, alleging that Docklight had falsely certified that it was eligible for a $494,719 Paycheck Protection Program loan. The Small Business Administration program allows the loan amount to be forgiven.
“Those seeking vital assistance from SBA’s pandemic response programs must comply with the requirements,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King. “Today’s settlement sends a strong message of accountability. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to pursuing justice in this case.”
Under the terms of the settlement, Docklight has agreed to pay back double the amount of the loan, with the additional $494,719 as penalties. Under the qui tam statute, the relator receives a percentage of the settlement for bringing the false claims matter to the government’s attention. In this case Sidesolve LLC will receive $148,416.70 of the settlement funds.
The matter was handled for the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Matt Waldrop with investigative assistance from SBA-OIG.
Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchasing FirearmRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kayla Brooke McCallister, 29, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 17, 2023, McCallister purchased a Alex Pro Firearm (APF) model Guardian 5.56mm rifle at a South Charleston business. McCallister admitted that she falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that she was the buyer of the firearm when she knew she was purchasing it for someone else.
McCallister further admitted that she bought nine additional firearms at the South Charleston business and another business in Dunbar between April 24, 2023, and May 30, 2023, and falsely certified on the ATF Form 4473 during each purchase that she was the buyer when she was purchasing the firearms for someone else.
McCallister is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-38.
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Canandaigua man who pleaded guilty to child pornography charge, caught again before reporting to prisonRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Preston Herbst, 27, of Canandaigua, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography, following a prior conviction for a federal child pornography offense. The charges carry a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 40 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in January 2022, Herbst was serving a state probation sentence in Ontario County for Driving While Intoxicated and Assault. During a routine search of Herbst’s phone, Ontario County Probation Officers located images of child pornography and social media conversations, during which Herbst discussed trading child pornography with other individuals. A subsequent search by the FBI of his home and devices recovered approximately 81 images and 59 videos of child pornography, some of which depicted violence against children as young as 5-years-old. Herbst pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 36 months in prison. After his federal conviction and sentencing, but prior to self-surrendering to the Bureau of Prisons, investigators learned that Herbst uploaded child pornography to the Snapchat platform. The FBI executed new search warrants at Herbst’s Canandaigua home and on his Snapchat account, revealing that he had traded child pornography, using a prohibited device in violation of his release conditions.
Herbst made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and is being held without bail.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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California Man Charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A California man was charged today with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Timothy Alan Blank, 54, of California is charged by complaint with one count of knowingly and intentionally possessing with the intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl in Bergen County, New Jersey, and elsewhere. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On March 3, 2024, Blank traveled in an SUV from Los Angeles, California, to the District of New Jersey with approximately 5 kilograms of fentanyl inside of the vehicle. On March 8, 2024, New Jersey state law enforcement observed Blank commit a motor vehicle violation, and upon stopping the vehicle and conducting an inspection, located the narcotics within the trunk of the SUV.
The fentanyl count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, with the investigation leading to the charge. He also thanked the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Lee Police Department and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Vincent D. Romano of the U.S. Attorney’s Narcotics/Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
blank.complaint.pdfBradenton Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Dovontate James Wright (26, Bradenton) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Wright faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on September 2, 2022, Wright was the front seat passenger of a silver Nissan Altima driving in the wrong direction on a one-way road in Sarasota, Florida. Sarasota Police Department officers stopped the vehicle and Wright fled on foot into a discount auto parts store. Inside the store, Wright ran behind the service counter, into the back of the store, where he tripped and fell into a product bin when he attempted to pull an object from his waistband. The object was a fully loaded Smith and Wesson model 40C .40 caliber pistol with one round in the chamber.
In an interview with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Wright admitted to possessing the firearm and being a convicted felon. Wright had previously served three years in a Florida state prison for committing aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and grand theft of a motor vehicle. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
An analysis of the DNA recovered from the firearm matched Wright’s DNA.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and the Sarasota Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Michael Kenneth.
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.
Bradenton Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Dovontate James Wright (26, Bradenton) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Wright faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on September 2, 2022, Wright was the front seat passenger of a silver Nissan Altima driving in the wrong direction on a one-way road in Sarasota, Florida. Sarasota Police Department officers stopped the vehicle and Wright fled on foot into a discount auto parts store. Inside the store, Wright ran behind the service counter, into the back of the store, where he tripped and fell into a product bin when he attempted to pull an object from his waistband. The object was a fully loaded Smith and Wesson model 40C .40 caliber pistol with one round in the chamber.
In an interview with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Wright admitted to possessing the firearm and being a convicted felon. Wright had previously served three years in a Florida state prison for committing aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and grand theft of a motor vehicle. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
An analysis of the DNA recovered from the firearm matched Wright’s DNA.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and the Sarasota Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Michael Kenneth.
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.
Bozeman man admits assaulting woman passenger on aircraftRead the Press Release
Note: This press release has been updated to correctly identify the flight as SkyWest Flight 3789 operating as Delta Connections.
MISSOULA — A Bozeman man accused of assaulting a woman passenger while on a flight from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Bozeman admitted charges today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Hunter Andrew Dietrich, 32, pleaded guilty to assault onboard an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, a misdemeanor, as charged in a superseding information. Dietrich faces a maximum of six months in prison, a $5,000 fine and one year of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. The court set sentencing for July 10. Dietrich was released pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that on Feb. 11, 2023, SkyWest Flight 3789 operating as Delta Connections traveled from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Bozeman. During the flight, Dietrich, a passenger, disobeyed repeated instructions from the flight crew to behave himself. In addition, Dietrich approached a woman passenger during the flight and touched her body in various places despite the woman passenger telling him to stop.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno B. Baucus is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Bozeman Airport Police conducted the investigation.
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Saturday 9 March 2024
Tea Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Tea, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on March 4, 2024.
Nicholas Ganske, 44, was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Ganske was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 29, 2023.
Ganske, along with his co-conspirators, was responsible for distributing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in the District of South Dakota. Ganske would meet a co-conspirator to purchase drugs, which both knew Ganske would then sell to others in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota area.
The investigation is being led by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from other law enforcement agencies such as: FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Brookings Police Department, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Rock County (MN) Sheriff’s Office, Worthington (MN) Police Department, and the Mitchell Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen.
Ganske was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Readout of Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Marshall Miller’s Trip to San Francisco and San DiegoRead the Press Release
This week, Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General (PADAG) Marshall Miller traveled to San Francisco and San Diego to highlight the Justice Department’s efforts to uphold the rule of law through its corporate criminal enforcement program and through its commitment to ensuring robust access to counsel for federal criminal defendants.
On Wednesday, March 6, in San Francisco, PADAG Miller participated in a panel of Enforcers and Regulators at the American Bar Association’s 39th Annual National Institute on White Collar Crime — a panel which also included Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey for the Northern District of California, and the enforcement directors of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). In his remarks, PADAG Miller outlined the Justice Department’s approach to corporate criminal enforcement: holding individuals accountable; targeting resources to combat the most serious white-collar criminal conduct; and pursuing tough penalties for repeat corporate offenders. PADAG Miller also previewed Deputy Attorney General (AG) Monaco’s announcement of a new Justice Department whistleblower rewards program.
On Friday, March 8, PADAG Miller led an access to counsel stakeholder convening at Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) San Diego, providing opening remarks and facilitating a wide-ranging stakeholder conversation. PADAG Miller was joined at this event by representatives from the leadership teams at the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) and the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ), as well as U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath for the Southern District of California and leadership representatives from the Federal Defenders of San Diego, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. District Court, and U.S. Probation Office, among others. This meeting was the last in an annual series of 10 convenings on access to counsel at pretrial detention facilities across the FBOP.
PADAG Miller’s visit to MCC San Diego follows a comprehensive, 100-day review of practices and policies related to access to counsel in FBOP’s 10 pretrial facilities, launched by Deputy AG Monaco last year. Coming out of that review, on July 21, 2023, Deputy AG Monaco issued a groundbreaking Report and Recommendations Concerning Access to Counsel at the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) Pretrial Facilities (the “Report”). The Report provided over 30 recommendations for BOP to further safeguard the right to counsel in its pretrial facilities, including the recommendation to convene annual meetings of local stakeholders to “assess legal correspondence, discovery, visiting, and other pertinent legal access challenges at pretrial facilities and to identify solutions.”
During the San Diego convening, PADAG Miller stressed the importance of local, cross-agency participation in the Department’s ongoing efforts to protect the right of access to counsel in federal facilities. He also highlighted several access to counsel reforms that the Department has implemented since the Report’s publication. Those reforms included, among other recommendations, policy authorizing defense practitioners to bring laptops for legal visitations at all pretrial facilities and guidance standardizing the rules for legal visits by non-attorney legal staff.
Following the convening, PADAG Miller toured MCC San Diego, accompanied by U.S. Attorney McGrath, as well as representatives from FBOP and ATJ. The tour inspected the facility’s newly constructed legal visitation pods and counsel consultation phone booths, which provide additional confidential spaces for legal visits and calls with counsel. After departing the BOP facility, PADAG Miller visited both the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California and the Federal Defenders of San Diego, where he met with office leadership and staff for further conversation on access to counsel and other topics. At the U.S. Attorney’s Office, PADAG Miller thanked U.S. Attorney McGrath, her leadership team, and office personnel for their hard work in fulfilling the Department’s mission to uphold the rule of law, keep our country safe, and protect civil rights.
Readout of Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco’s Trip to San Francisco and SeattleRead the Press Release
Deputy Attorney General (AG) Lisa Monaco traveled to San Francisco and Seattle this week to highlight the Justice Department’s efforts to uphold the rule of law through its corporate criminal enforcement program and the development of guardrails to prevent misuse of artificial intelligence (AI).
In her keynote remarks at the American Bar Association's 39th Annual National Institute on White Collar Crime, the Deputy AG outlined the Justice Department’s approach to corporate criminal enforcement: holding individuals accountable; targeting resources to combat the most serious white-collar criminal conduct; and pursuing tough penalties for repeat corporate offenders. She highlighted the Justice Department’s “carrots and sticks” approach of encouraging companies and individuals to self-report corporate crimes and other financial misconduct and imposing the most significant penalties on those most culpable.
To reinforce these efforts, the Deputy AG announced a new Justice Department whistleblower rewards program, which will offer rewards to individuals who discover and report financial and corporate misconduct not otherwise known to the government – akin to the successful whistleblower programs operated by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The Department’s program’s launch will follow a 90-day pilot development period and will complement the Department’s existing voluntary self-disclosure programs that operate with the same principle: individuals and companies who want to qualify for reporting benefits have to be the first in the door. In her announcement, the Deputy AG said, “Our message to whistleblowers is clear: the Department of Justice wants to hear from you. And to those considering a voluntary self-disclosure, our message is equally clear: knock on our door before we knock on yours.”
The Deputy AG also warned of AI’s potential to supercharge corporate crime, stressing that federal prosecutors will seek stronger sentences when AI is abused to render a corporate crime significantly more serious. She also announced that going forward, in all corporate cases, federal prosecutors will assess companies’ ability to manage AI-related risks as part of their overall compliance efforts.
In keeping with the Department’s focus on AI, the Deputy AG convened the first roundtable discussion of the “Justice AI Initiative,” which she launched last month at the University of Oxford. Justice AI brings together stakeholders across industry, academia, law enforcement, and civil society to share expertise on both the promise of AI and the perils of its misuse. Together with industry leaders, the Deputy AG discussed how AI will impact the Department’s mission to uphold the rule of law, keep the nation safe, and protect civil rights.
The Deputy AG concluded her trip in Seattle, where she visited the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. In meetings with U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman for the Western District of Washington, her leadership team, and the prosecutors and professional staff of the office, she thanked them for their hard work to combat increasingly complex and dangerous threats, such as swatting incidents, cybercrime, and nation state actors seeking to steal our best technology. She also sat down with federal law enforcement partners and leadership of the Swinomish Tribe to discuss their collaboration around violent crime and public safety challenges, including deadly synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.
Kyle Man Found Guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Evan Brown Bull, age 38, of Kyle, South Dakota, of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance - Methamphetamine following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on March 8, 2024.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years, up to life, in custody and/or a $10,000,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brown Bull was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2023.
Evidence at trial established that between 2016 and 2023, Brown Bull conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine on the Pine Ridge Reservation and Rapid City, South Dakota. Brown Bull was seen on video selling drugs and chat records obtained also detailed multiple methamphetamine deals and demonstrated the conspiracy in which Brown Bull was involved.
This case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of agents from the FBI, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the Martin Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has yet to be set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Friday 8 March 2024
Westerville man sentenced to more than 8 years in prison for $1.8M fraud schemesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Prince Oduro, 34, of Westerville, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 102 months in prison for wire fraud and conspiring to commit money laundering.
As part of his sentence, Oduro will pay approximately $1.8 million in restitution.
After being arrested in this case, Oduro was initially released from custody. He continued to defraud a victim of romance fraud while on release, causing an additional $709,500 in loss.
According to court documents, Oduro was involved in multiple fraud and money laundering schemes for several years, including through his employment at a bank and via online romance scams.
In 2015, while Oduro worked for JPMorgan Chase Bank in Columbus, he stole a customer’s bank information before calling to gain access to the account and fraudulently opening a PayPal account. Oduro transferred a total of $12,500 of the customer’s money to the PayPal account before withdrawing it in cash for himself. He attempted an additional $8,000 transfer but it was denied.
In 2016 and 2017, Oduro stole the personal information of at least four other victims. He would then open PayPal accounts linked to the stolen information and use the accounts to launder the proceeds of online romance scams. In total, through March 2020, Oduro received and laundered at least $1 million in fraud proceeds.
Victims sent money to individuals who they believed needed a medical operation, had been an American soldier in Afghanistan, were building roads in Dubai, had access to gold or silver, or other schemes. Oduro then laundered the fraudulent proceeds.
For example, one victim was told her late husband had allegedly stored valuable artwork and other items in Atlanta. The story seemed plausible to the victim because her husband had traveled extensively. The victim sent a total of $390,300 to bank accounts controlled by Oduro to receive her husband’s purported assets.
When law enforcement executed a search warrant on Oduro’s phone, they found messages in his WhatsApp messenger stating:
“This is the only business in America I can do and make 20k in a month and not get arrested…I’m locating money, I’m not fraud anyone…It’s called money laundering.”
Oduro was arrested in February 2022 and pleaded guilty in January 2023.
After being arrested and even after pleading guilty, Oduro continued his romance fraud. Before his arrest, he had caused approximately $1.1 million in loss. He caused an additional $709,500 in loss after his arrest. After investigators discovered the fraud, Oduro was arrested in November 2023.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Karen Wingerd, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division; announced the sentence imposed on March 7 by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case.
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Utica Man Sentenced for Possession of Cocaine for Distribution and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK –Edgar Tejada, age 36, of Utica, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 12 months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, and 60 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Those sentences were ordered to run consecutively, for a total of 72 months (6 years) imprisonment.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office.
As part of his guilty plea, Tejada admitted to possessing over 500 grams of cocaine for distribution at his residence in Utica, as well as possessing a loaded silver Ruger handgun to protect himself and the drugs he kept at that location.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the New York State Police, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, the Utica Police Department, the Syracuse Police Department, the Rome Police Department, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, New York Army National Guard Counter Drug Program, the Yorkville Village Police Department, and the Whitesboro Village Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Thomson.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Seizes $1.4 Million in Cryptocurrency Linked to Alleged Tech Support ScamRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Through a court-authorized seizure warrant, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago has seized approximately $1.4 million of Tether (USDT), a cryptocurrency pegged to the U.S. dollar. The funds, which are suspected fraud proceeds, will be returned to victims of the fraud scheme. The seizure marks one of the first times the United States has recovered USDT from an unhosted virtual currency wallet.
The seizure was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven J. Dollear. The U.S. Attorney’s Office acknowledged Tether for its assistance in effectuating the transfer of these assets.
The alleged fraud scheme, which remains under investigation, was initiated by a computer popup that indicated a victim’s computer had been compromised. The popup directed the victim to contact Microsoft or Apple, depending on the victim’s operating system, at a certain telephone number. Once on the phone, the perpetrators, posing as tech support employees, informed the victim that the victim’s bank account had also been compromised. The perpetrator then transferred the call to others posing as employees of the fraud department of the victim’s bank. The perpetrators convinced the victims to convert money from traditional bank accounts into cryptocurrency to keep it “safe” from hackers. The funds were then transferred into unhosted virtual currency wallets controlled by the perpetrators. The scheme has impacted victims, mostly elderly, throughout the United States.
In its most recent Internet Crime Report, the FBI estimated that tech support scams caused losses in excess of $924 million in 2023.
Application and Affidavit for Seizure Warrant Funds on Deposit with TetherUnited States Attorney Prim Escalona Holds United Against Hate Event at Alabama A&M UniversityRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – United States Attorney Prim Escalona announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office held an event at Alabama A&M University to promote the Department of Justice’s United Against Hate initiative. The event, which included federal prosecutors and state and local law enforcement partners, focused on educating students on how to identify, report, and prevent hate crimes.
With approximately 195 students attending, Alabama A&M hosted subject matter experts from the United States Attorney’s Office; Montrez Payton, Chief of Police, Alabama A&M University; and Tafeni English-Relf, State of Alabama Director, Southern Poverty Law Center. Presenters highlighted differences between hate crimes and hate incidents and provided options for responding to hate incidents when situations do not constitute a federal or state crime. Presenters also distinguished unlawful conduct from protected First Amendment activity, including distinguishing between protected speech and speech that advocates violence or encourages people to commit hate crimes.
U.S. Attorney Escalona previously hosted meetings in November 2023 in the Birmingham area at Ramsay High School for students and faculty and in the community with the FBI Birmingham Division and the Multi-Cultural Advisory Committee, which consists of community leaders from across the Northern District of Alabama.
“Through the United Against Hate initiative, we are working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners and community stakeholders to prevent hate crimes and incidents through education and awareness,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “It is so important to build community trust so that people feel comfortable reporting hate crimes. We want people to feel safe in their communities and that means they should be free of fear based on what they look like, where they are from, what faith they practice, and who they love.”
Those who believe they are subject to hate crimes or incidents should contact local law enforcement and the FBI. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/. Anyone in the Northern District of Alabama may also report civil rights violations to the Civil Rights coordinator of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama by calling 205-244-2001.
U.S. Attorney’s Eastern Washington COVID-19 Strike Force Announces Indictment of Trio for COVID Relief Fraud, including Two Tri-Cities ResidentsRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that a federal grand jury has indicted three individuals for fraud in connection with COVID-19 relief funding. The Indictment is the most recent announced by the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Strike Force, which has brought criminal charges against numerous individuals and recovered millions of dollars in fraudulently obtained COVID relief funding.
On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act provided a number of programs through which eligible small businesses could request and obtain relief funding intended to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic for small and local businesses. One such program, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), provided government-backed funding to small businesses which could be forgiven so long as the proceeds were used for payroll and other eligible expenses. Another program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, provided low interest loans that could be deferred until the conclusion of the pandemic to provide “bridge” funding for small businesses to maintain their operations during shutdowns and other economic circumstances caused by the pandemic. The PPP and EIDL programs have provided billions of dollars in aid, the vast majority of which have not been paid back, including hundreds of millions of dollars disbursed within Eastern Washington.
The Indictment announced today charges Kelly Jo Driver, of South Carolina, David Kurt Schneider, of Kennewick, Washington, and Leif Gerald Larsen, of Pasco, Washington, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, and false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims. Additionally, David Kurt Schneider is charged with money laundering. The Indictment alleges that the trio fraudulently obtained at least $250,000 in CARES Act funding through the PPP and EIDL programs, and submitted fraudulent applications seeking at least an additional $1,000,000 in CARES Act funding that were ultimately not approved. The indictment alleges that as part of the conspiracy, all three defendants submitted false information to the SBA and participating PPP lenders regarding gross revenues, number of employees, and amount spent on payroll in an attempt to obtain CARES Act funds to which they were not otherwise entitled. The indictment alleges that defendants submitted funding applications in the name of Larsen Firearms, owned by Leif Gerald Larsen, and Solar Mobility LLC, RealNZ Water LLC, and Tempest Tactical Solutions, LLC, all owned by David Kurt Schneider. The Indictment alleges that Kelly Jo Driver created fraudulent payroll and tax forms that were submitted in support of the applications, and that, for her part in the scheme, Kelly Jo Driver received 10% of the funds disbursed by the SBA and participating lenders.
“Many struggling, deserving small businesses requested money from COVID-19 relief programs. Because of the overwhelming need, the programs quickly ran out of money and some businesses were not able to obtain the critical funding they needed,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “We created the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force to combat pandemic-related fraud and protect local and small business that provide critical services for our community and support our economy.”
In February 2022, U.S. Attorney Waldref and the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) began working with federal law enforcement agencies to create and launch a COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force that would leverage partnerships between different agencies to aggressively investigate and prosecute fraud against COVID-19 relief programs in Eastern Washington. The Strike Force consists of agency representatives from the USAO, Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs OIG, General Services Administration OIG, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) OIG, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Energy OIG, and others.
The fraud charges carry sentences of up to 30 years in federal prison as well as restitution for fraudulently-obtained funds. This case was investigated by the Eastern District of Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force and by FBI and SBA OIG. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy J. Kelley and Frieda K. Zimmerman.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Men Accused of Kidnapping St. Louis County ToddlerRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two men were indicted by a grand jury Wednesday and accused of kidnapping a toddler in St. Louis County, Missouri last year.
Kendal “KD” White, 19, of St. Charles, and Cam’Ron Henderson, 19, of St. Louis, were each indicted on one felony count of kidnapping. The indictment accuses them of kidnapping the child on Aug. 10, 2023.
White and Henderson are in custody. A motion seeking to have them held in jail until trial says the incident occurred in north St. Louis County. White and Henderson were searching for someone they believed had stolen firearms from White, and the pair kicked in the door of the child’s mother’s home, the motion says. The target of their search was the child’s father, but he was not there. Rather than leave, White tried to take the child, and pistol-whipped the mother when she resisted, the motion says. They dropped off the child with strangers in St. Louis after seeing an Amber Alert about the incident, the motion says.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The kidnapping charge carries a potential penalty of at least 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine.
The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.
Two Defendants Sentenced for Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Gerardo Soto-Sigala, 42, of Mexico and Daisy Franco, 35, of California were sentenced March 8, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for their participation in drug trafficking offenses. Soto-Sigala possessed with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced him to 75 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Soto-Sigala’s release from prison, he will begin a 2-year term of supervised release. Daisy Franco distributed 500 grams or more of meth and Chief United States District Judge Rossiter, Jr. sentenced her to 68 months’ imprisonment. After Franco’s release from prison, she will begin a 4-year term of supervised release.
On May 9, 2023, Lincoln Police officers conducted a probable cause traffic stop for a vehicle infraction on a grey‐colored 2010 Honda Odyssey that was traveling eastbound, near the area of Mile Marker 396 on Interstate‐80 in Nebraska. During the course of the traffic stop, officers identified the driver as Gerardo Soto‐Sigala and the front passenger as the Daisy Franco.
Soto-Sigala gave consent for law enforcement officials to search the vehicle. During the search, officers discovered a concealed compartment underneath the center console of the Odyssey that contained approximately 50 individual packages of suspected methamphetamine. A forensic laboratory analysis later confirmed it was 98% pure methamphetamine weighting 25.7 kilograms in total.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration.
Two Convicted of Drug and Firearm Charges After Mailing Fentanyl from Arizona to IowaRead the Press Release
A man who drove to Arizona several times to mail fentanyl pills to his co-conspirator in Sioux City, was convicted by a jury on March 1, 2024, after a 5-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.
Aki Awou, age 33, from Omaha, Nebraska, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute and aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The verdict was returned following about 4 hours of jury deliberations.
On February 21, 2024, just prior to heading to trial, Awou’s co-conspirator, co-defendant, and brother, Karom Bol, age 20, of Sioux City, entered a guilty plea to five counts: conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, two counts of possession with intent to distribute and aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of firearms by a drug user, and possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Evidence in the case revealed that between January 2022 and May 2022, Awou traveled to the Phoenix, Arizona area, where he would mail packages containing thousands of fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone to Bol’s address’ in Sioux City, Iowa. The Omaha Police Department’s Gang Intelligence Unit utilized a GPS tracker on Awou’s vehicle to pinpoint Awou’s travels and possible package locations, including at addresses in Sioux City and Post Offices in Arizona. Postal Inspectors were able to intercept a package, and conduct a controlled delivery at one of the Sioux City addresses. Afterwards, Postal Inspectors executed a search warrant. During the search warrant, Bol was observed throwing firearms out a second story bedroom window. During the search, agents identified a second location tied to Bol and Awou, and obtained a second search warrant for that residence. Smaller quantities of additional illegal pills were found, as well as documents identifying Bol and Awou as the occupants of both Sioux City residences.
The day after the search warrants were executed, Postal Inspectors received notice of another package being sent from Arizona to the address in Sioux City. The Postal Inspector was able to intercept that package as well before delivery, revealing that package also contained thousands of fentanyl pills. Laboratory results subsequently revealed that Awou’s fingerprints were on three packages used as evidence in the case and Bol’s palm print was located on the package used during the controlled delivery. Evidence also established Bol and Awou are known Trip Set gang members aka South Sudanese Soldier gang members.
United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa Timothy T. Duax stated: “This was a great example of local law enforcement from Iowa and Nebraska working with federal law enforcement to stop fentanyl dealers in their tracks, and prevent thousands of fentanyl pills from hitting the streets.”
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Awou and Bol both remain in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.
Awou and Bol face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and 5 years to life of supervised release following any imprisonment. Bol must also serve a mandatory minimum and consecutive 5 years’ imprisonment for his possession of firearms during and in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.
This case was investigated by the Omaha, Nebraska Police Department, Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, United States Postal Inspector, DEA Tri-State Drug Task Force, Lancaster County, Nebraska Sheriff’s Department, and the ATF. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons, Shawn Wehde, and Patrick Greenwood.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-4051.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Trailer full of meth lands trafficker in prisonRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 51-year-old Edinburg man has been sentenced following his conviction of conspiracy to possession with intent to distribute 200 kilograms of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Daren Lynn Lopez pleaded guilty Nov. 16, 2022.
U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Lopez to serve 192 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard of Lopez’s long criminal history including three prior felonies. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the additive, potent and dangerous effects meth has on the community.
In March 2022, Lopez arranged for the transportation of a tractor-trailer concealing 200 kilograms of meth to be imported from Mexico. The trailer successfully entered the United States and was driven to Lopez’s truck yard in Edinburg.
Lopez then coordinated and hired a driver to transport the trailer to Dallas. Law enforcement intervened, stopped and seized the trailer on its way north. At that time, they discovered a false compartment spanning the entire roof of the trailer which concealed hundreds of bricks of meth.
The drugs have an estimated street value of $1 million.
Lopez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.
St. Cloud Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Cloud man has been sentenced to 120 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing multiple firearms as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Roberto Antwan Williams, 39, attempted to rob a man at gunpoint outside an apartment in St. Cloud on July 31, 2020. Williams was apprehended by law enforcement in a vehicle that the victim identified. Law enforcement found a firearm in the vehicle’s glovebox with Williams’ DNA on it. In a separate incident on November 13, 2020, law enforcement was notified that a five-year-old child had been shot in the head and declared dead at a St. Cloud hospital. Williams and his fiancé, the child’s mother, were at the hospital and stated they were shopping when they got a phone call that the child had been injured. Williams claimed that they immediately returned home and took the child to the hospital together. However, law enforcement obtained surveillance video from a neighboring residence that showed the fiancé taking the child to the hospital alone while Williams placed two backpacks in a garbage bin outside of the house. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for his residence and garbage bins. Inside the bins, they discovered the two backpacks which contained a semiautomatic rifle and a purple Taurus model G2C 9mm semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine. The Taurus had the deceased child’s blood on it. Law enforcement also searched Williams’ cell phone and found a picture of the purple Taurus 9mm semiautomatic pistol with the text “my new toy.”
On August 29, 2023, Williams was convicted by a federal jury on two counts of possession of firearms as a felon. Because he has multiple prior felony convictions, Williams is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. He was yesterday sentenced in U.S. District Court by U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the St. Cloud Police Department, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Calhoun-Lopez and Mary S. Riverso prosecuted the case.
South Florida Man Sentenced to Prison for Covid-19 Relief Fraud, After Buying Jewelry and Luxury Cars with Loan MoneyRead the Press Release
MIAMI — On March 7, Andre Lorquet, 39, of Miami, Florida was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief loans and grants under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Relief Program (EIDL), and the Shuttered Venue Operator Grant (SVOG).
According to a court records, Lorquet submitted fraudulent applications, seeking more than $4.7 million in COVID-relief funds. In the COVID-relief applications, Lorquet falsified his revenue and payroll and submitted fraudulent IRS tax forms.
Lorquet received approximately $4.4 million in COVID-relief funds from the fraudulent scheme. Lorquet used the fraudulently obtained proceeds to purchase, among other things, two Tesla S models, a Lamborghini Urus, a Porsche Panamera GTS, a diamond Audemars Piguet watch, a rose gold and diamond pendant with his company’s logo, a half-kilogram gold chain with 70 carats of diamonds, and a 1-kilogram gold chain.
Lorquet pled guilty to money laundering. He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael K. Moore.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, made the announcement.
HSI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Bailyn prosecuted it, and Assistant United States Attorney G. Raemy Charest-Turken handled asset forfeiture.
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 no. 22-cr-20326.
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South Florida Couple Arrested in Relation to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Distribution Resulting in Death of BabyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On March 7, Samantha Yi, 32, and Darnell Mendez, 31, of Lake Worth, had their initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in West Palm Beach on a criminal complaint charging Yi and Mendez with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and Yi with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Their arrests followed a long-term joint investigation by the Boynton Beach Police Department (BBPD), the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) after the death of a 10-month-old infant in Boynton Beach who ingested fentanyl.
According to allegations in the criminal complaint, on March 31, 2022, PBSO responded to a 911 call of an infant in distress. The infant was transported to Bethesda Hospital East in Boynton Beach, Florida with her mother. On April 1, 2022, the baby was transferred to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Florida. On April 5, 2022, the baby died. An autopsy conducted by the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner determined that the baby’s death was caused by fentanyl intoxication and that her manner of death was homicide.
The BBPD conducted a homicide investigation during which law enforcement recovered fentanyl at the baby’s home. Investigation determined that the baby’s mother and father were addicts and had been abusing fentanyl regularly in the kitchen of their apartment. The investigation also determined that the baby was teething and ingested fentanyl on March 31, 2022, while in the care of her mother, and while her father was at work. The mother was arrested by the BBPD and charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child by culpable negligence.
DEA joined the investigation to identify the drug dealers that were responsible for the distribution of the fentanyl that killed the baby. Through data and information retrieved from the mother’s cellphone, law enforcement was able to identify YI as the drug dealer. The investigation uncovered months of electronic communications exchanged between YI and the mother involving drug transactions in which the mother was the customer. The investigation further determined that Yi’s boyfriend, Mendez was also involved in the distribution of fentanyl. As contained in the criminal complaint, Mendez has a history of controlled substance and violent crime offenses and may qualify as a career criminal. Investigators were able to determine that on March 30, 2022, the mother met with Yi in Boynton Beach, Florida to purchase fentanyl, and that fentanyl was ingested by the baby resulting in her death.
As part of the joint investigation, DEA, the BBPD, and PBSO conducted an operation involving two undercover officers who purchased fentanyl from Yi and Mendez. The undercover operation culminated in the arrests of Yi and Mendez on March 6, 2024, at their residence in Lake Worth, Florida.
In court, on March 7, 2024, the United States sought the pretrial detention of both YI and Mendez. The United States informed the Court that the couple is believed to be a risk of flight and danger to the community based upon the offenses described in the criminal complaint. Furthermore, the United States informed the Court that the couple was found in possession of 14 firearms in their home when they were arrested. Both Yi and Mendez are convicted felons.
Detention hearings are scheduled for Yi on March 12 and Mendez on March 14, respectively. The arraignment and preliminary hearings are scheduled for March 21.
If convicted of the offenses charged in the criminal complaint, Yi faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 20 years to a maximum sentence of life. Mendez faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of DEA, Chief Joe DeGiulio of BBPD, and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of PBSO, announced the arrest and charges.
The Office of State Attorney Dave Aronberg for the 15th Judicial Circuit – Palm Beach County provided invaluable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam McMichael and Shannon O’Shea Darsch are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint contains 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-cr-80041.
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South Bay Man Charged in Federal Grand Jury Indictment with Sex Trafficking and Allegedly Raping Victim in Angeles National ForestRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A South Bay man is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon on a five-count federal grand jury indictment that alleges he kidnapped a woman, forced her to work for him as a prostitute in Orange County, and then raped her in the Angeles National Forest.
Leslie Anthony Bailey, 32, who lives on a boat docked in Wilmington, was arrested Thursday by special agents with Homeland Security Investigations and members of the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force. Bailey is expected to be arraigned today in United States District Court in Santa Ana.
The indictment returned Wednesday and unsealed Thursday afternoon charges Bailey with sex trafficking, kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse and two counts of using a cellphone to facilitate his business involving prostitution, pimping and pandering.
The victim identified as “J.H.” was kidnapped on February 5, 2022, held for several days, and was subjected to force, threats of force and coercion that caused her to engage in at least one commercial sex act, according to the indictment. That kidnapping continued until February 8, 2022, when Bailey drove the victim into the Angeles National Forest, where he raped her “by using force against victim J.H. and by threatening victim J.H. and placing victim J.H. in fear that victim J.H. would be subject to death, serious bodily injury, and kidnapping,” the indictment states.
“Sex traffickers prey upon vulnerable people, turning their misery into profits,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “This defendant is charged with using threats, coercion and physical violence to control his victim. We are committed to fighting human trafficking and bringing perpetrators to justice.”
“HSI Los Angeles and our partners at the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are committed to ensuring that violent sexual criminals and their heinous conduct have no place in our community,” said HSI Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang. “My office will hold these predators accountable and will provide victims with a pathway towards restorative justice.”
Bailey allegedly used a “facility of interstate commerce” – a cellphone – as part of a business enterprise in which he “caused victim J.H. to engage in prostitution and supervised, directed, and collected the proceeds of victim J.H.’s prostitution.”
The fifth count in the indictment alleges that between March 7 and April 25, 2023, Bailey used the internet and a cellphone to further the prostitution, pimping and pandering of a second victim.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The sex trafficking offense in the indictment carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a potential sentence of life imprisonment. Both the kidnapping and the aggravated sexual abuse charges carry a maximum statutory penalty of life. The two counts alleging the use of a facility in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activity each carry up to five years in federal prison.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter. The Task Force includes HSI, the Anaheim Police Department, the Irvine Police Department, the Santa Ana Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol.
Assistant United States Attorney Kristin N. Spencer of the Santa Ana Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Prohibited Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on March 4, 2024, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Marcus Jerell Anderson, age 35, was sentenced to four years and two months federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Anderson was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. He pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person on December 1, 2023.
On February 11, 2023, Anderson was the driver of a vehicle pulled over for a traffic violation. While car-side, officers smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle and the vehicle was searched. Law enforcement located over 100 grams of marijuana, over 20 grams of cocaine, a working digital scale, $2,575 in cash, and a Springfield Armory Hellcat 9mm handgun under the driver’s seat. The investigation confirmed that Anderson had been in possession of that firearm; however, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he is a convicted felon. In 2009, Anderson was convicted of Aggravated Assault in Davison County, South Dakota.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert 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.
Anderson was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.