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22 April 2024
Iowa City Man Sentenced to 144 Months in Federal Prison for Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City man was sentenced April 17, 2024, to 144 months in federal prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, on July 3, 2022, Chris Lee Gordon, 34, a two-time convicted felon, possessed a stolen and loaded pistol at an apartment in Iowa City, Iowa. While Gordon slept, a three-year-old child staying at the apartment, got out of bed, found Gordon’s pistol, and fatally shot himself. Gordon, heard the gun shot, got up and saw the injured child, picked up his pistol and ran out of the apartment. Several weeks later, the pistol used in this fatal shooting was found on a roof of a building, with the serial number scratched off.
On July 24, 2022, Gordon was arrested with another firearm, a loaded Polymer 80 nine-millimeter handgun with an extended magazine that was capable of holding up to 32 rounds of ammunition.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Gordon will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Coralville Police Department and the Division of Criminal Investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Frank W. Basenback, 37, of Huntington, was sentenced today to eight years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 8, 2023, Basenback sold approximately 56 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant on the 3300 block of Harvey Road in Huntington in exchange for $1,000. Basenback admitted to the transaction and further admitted that he had agreed beforehand to sell heroin to the confidential informant.
Basenback also admitted to selling a total of approximately 243 grams of fentanyl to confidential informants at the same location for a total of $4,000 during separate occasions on August 23, 2023, and September 4, 2023.
On September 14, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant a Basenback’s Haynie Road residence. Officers found approximately $42,892 in the residence and approximately 2 kilograms of fentanyl in a truck parked outside. Officers also found $711 on Basenback’s person. Basenback admitted that he possessed and intended to distribute the seized fentanyl, and further admitted that the seized cash and $14,608.69 in his bank account were drug proceeds from selling fentanyl.
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 Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney L. Finney and Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-155.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – David Dwayne Moore, also known as “B,” 47, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 4, 2024, law enforcement officers searched Moore’s Huntington apartment and seized approximately 32 grams of crack, 132 grams of fentanyl, and a Taurus model G3 9mm pistol. Moore admitted that he intended to sell the seized controlled substances. Moore further admitted that he possessed the seized firearm.
Moore is scheduled to be sentenced on August 26, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-19.
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Felon Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Trafficking FirearmsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jeremy Michael Benner, 40, of San Diego, was sentenced today to five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for unlawfully dealing in firearms, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between September 2022 and August 2023, Benner sold firearms to a confidential informant on four separate occasions in Vallejo. One of the firearms had previously been reported stolen, and three of them came with extended magazines. Benner did not have a license as a firearms dealer, and as a previously convicted felon would not be qualified to obtain a license.
This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella 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 U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
The Sacramento Region/San Francisco Bay Area Cross-Jurisdictional Firearms Trafficking Strike Force is one of five cross-jurisdictional strike forces launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in July 2021 to disrupt illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country. Each strike force is led by designated U.S. Attorneys, who collaborate with the ATF and with state and local law enforcement partners within their own jurisdiction as well as law enforcement partners in areas where illegally trafficked guns originate. The strike forces use the latest data, evidence, and intelligence from crime scenes to identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes, and are an important part of the Department’s Comprehensive Violent Crime Reduction Strategy.
Federal jury finds California drug supplier guilty of distribution in relation to fatal fentanyl overdose of Fairbanks manRead the Press Release
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A federal jury convicted a California drug dealer late Friday for his connection to the fatal fentanyl overdose of a Fairbanks man.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Junior Gafatasi Tulali, 48, was the original source of fentanyl pills that were sold to a Fairbanks man who died of a fentanyl overdose in October 2020.
Around Oct. 13, 2020, Tulali agreed to sell 500 Oxycodone M30 pills to a dealer in Fairbanks, when in fact, they were counterfeit pills laced with deadly fentanyl. The pills were shipped from California and arrived in Fairbanks on Oct. 17, 2020. The individual who retrieved the shipment distributed the counterfeit pills to several other dealers in the area. On Oct. 26, 2020, the victim purchased two pills from the shipment and was found dead in his home on Oct. 28, 2020. Medical examiners determined cause of death was acute toxic effects of fentanyl.
Evidence presented at trial connected two additional non-fatal fentanyl overdoses to Tulali’s shipment of counterfeit pills. Both of the dealers in Fairbanks who were involved in selling the fentanyl pills to the victim were convicted for their role in this offense in 2022.
“Fentanyl is poison and has killed too many Alaskans,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker. “The successful conviction of Mr. Tulali highlights my office’s vow to prioritize working with law enforcement to keep fentanyl out of our communities and prosecute those who cause irreparable damage by trafficking it to our state from Outside.”
“Mr. Tulali’s actions clearly demonstrated the grievous threat that fentanyl traffickers pose to our communities,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Fentanyl traffickers have caused the deaths of far too many Alaskans and hopefully the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and our partners in achieving this conviction will slow the deadly fentanyl trade in our community.”
“I am very proud of the role that Fairbanks Police officers played in helping the victims in this case find justice. The impressive collaboration between law enforcement agencies to hold this criminal accountable proves that we will do whatever is necessary to prevent criminal enterprises from gaining a foothold in our community,” said Chief Ron Dupee of the Fairbanks Police Department.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Fairbanks Police Department, with assistance from the FBI Anchorage Field Office and Alaska State Troopers, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carly Vosacek and Alana Weber are prosecuting the case.
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Federal Inmate Sentenced in Death of InmateRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Stephen C. Crawford, age 45, an inmate formerly housed at United States Penitentiary Hazelton, was sentenced today to 188 months in prison for the death of a fellow inmate.
Crawford was found guilty by a jury of assault of voluntary manslaughter, assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault resulting in serious bodily harm in December 2023. According to court documents and statements made in court, Crawford used a handmade weapon to stab another inmate multiple times. The inmate later died of his injuries.
Crawford will also serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Flower and Andrew Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Owensboro Felon for Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky returned an indictment on April 10, 2024, charging an Owensboro man with possessing 40 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture with the intent to distribute it, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Sheriff Brad Youngman of the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on March 19, 2023, in Daviess County, Kentucky, Shai Chance Sheriff, 24, possessed with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture, possessed a Smith & Wesson.40-calliber pistol and a Glock .45-calliber semiautomatic pistol in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessed a firearm as a convicted felon. Sheriff was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense.
On June 28, 2019, in Daviess Circuit Court, Sheriff was convicted of robbery in the second degree.
The defendant was arraigned last week before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, Sheriff faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case is being investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Resident Office and the FBI Owensboro Resident Office with assistance from the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Owensboro Felon for Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned an indictment on February 14, 2024, charging an Owensboro man with possessing a fentanyl mixture with the intent to distribute it, possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Sheila G. Lyons of the DEA Chicago Field Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on September 6, 2023, in Daviess County, Kentucky, Donte Monzel Washington, 31, possessed with the intent to distribute a fentanyl mixture, possessed a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessed a firearm as a convicted felon. Washington was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On April 5, 2012, in Daviess Circuit Court, Washington, was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree, first offense (< 4 grams cocaine).
On October 31, 2013, in Daviess Circuit Court, Washington, was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree, first offense (>= 4 grams cocaine).
On January 17, 2018, in Daviess Circuit Court, Washington, was convicted of being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun.
The defendant made an initial court appearance last week before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, Washington faces a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case is being investigated by the DEA Evansville Resident Office with assistance from the ATF, KSP, and Owensboro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Eight people charged with distribution of methamphetamine and cocaineRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On April 18, eight defendants were arrested on a 12-count indictment charging them with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, as well as distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine.
The indictment alleges that Alain Romero, 33, of Hialeah Gardens, Florida, Mauricio Herrera, 40, of Hialeah, Florida, Anthony Lee Davis, 27, of Naples, Florida, David Martinez Ortega, 35, of Naples, Patricia Correa Ramirez, 28, of Miami, Andy Cabrera, 28, of Miami, and Yanker Perez-Diaz, 34, of Westland, Michigan, a member of the Latin Kings gang in Miami, were part of a drug trafficking organization that trafficked methamphetamine and cocaine in Florida. According to the allegations in the indictment, Martinez and Davis distributed the drugs from Naples to Miami, at the direction of Oscar David Cardona, 29, of Miami, another member of the Latin Kings gang.
Davis and Martinez were arrested in Naples, Perez-Diaz was arrested in Westland and Herrera, Ortega, Cabrera and Ramirez were arrested in Miami. The arrests were coordinated between the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Southern District of Florida, Middle District of Florida and Eastern District of Michigan.
Cardona was arrested on Aug. 31, 2023, in Miami-Dade County for a state probation violation. He is currently in state custody.
On April 19, Davis and Martinez made their initial appearances in the Middle District of Florida, Perez-Diaz made his initial appearance in the Eastern District of Michigan, and Herrera, Ortega, Ramirez, and Cabrera made their initial appearances in the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, the defendants face up to life in prison, criminal fines of up to $10,000,000 and a period of supervised release of up to life.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami; U.S. Marshal Gadyaces S. Serralta of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS); Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division; Director Stephanie V. Daniels of the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD); Sheriff Gregory Tony of the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO); Chief Alexander E. Rolle Jr. of the Homestead Police Department; Chief of Police Jeffrey Devlin of the Hollywood Police Department; Chief of Police Manuel A. Morales of the Miami Police Department; Sheriff Kevin Rambosk of the Collier County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), and Director Dave Kerner of the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) made the announcement.
The DEA Miami Field Division, HSI Miami, USMS Miami, USPIS Miami, MDPD, BSO, Homestead PD, Hollywood PD, Miami Police Department, CCSO, and FHP investigated the case with assistance from the DEA Miami Field Division, Homestead and Fort Myers Resident Offices as well as the DEA Detroit Field Division (and their local police departments). The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Middle District of Florida and Eastern District of Michigan provided invaluable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Yara Dodin is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
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-20128.
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Domincan Republic and Venezuelan Dual Citizen Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Possessing Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Dominican Republic and Venezuelan dual citizen was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Jordge Luis Rodriguez Tejada, 38, previously pleaded guilty before former U.S. District Judge John Michael Vasquez to an information charging one count of possession with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. U.S. Circuit Judge Stephanos Bibas imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On July 5, 2022, law enforcement conducted a motor vehicle stop of a vehicle driven by an individual with Rodriguez Tejada in the front passenger seat. After a drug detection canine alerted to the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle, law enforcement searched the vehicle. Law enforcement recovered a box containing approximately 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl and approximately 900 grams of methamphetamine.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Bibas sentenced Rodriguez Tejada to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) operating in New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the OCDETF/ Narcotics Unit in Newark.
District Man Pleads Guilty to 2023 Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Stephon Lee, 22, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty April 19, 2024, to committing a string of six robberies that targeted local businesses, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Lee pleaded guilty before the Honorable Judge Robert Salerno in Superior Court to two counts of armed robbery, two counts of robbery, one count of attempted armed robbery, and one count of second-degree theft. Lee remains held without bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for June 28, 2024.
According to the government’s evidence, beginning in April 2023 and ending with his arrest in July 2023, Lee robbed a a dry cleaner, fast-food restaurants, a pharmacy, and two local convenience stores. Lee targeted stores throughout the city, striking when there were few or no customers. In each instance, Lee attempted to steal money from the cash register. But when he could not easily take the money, Lee fought his victims. On two occasions, Lee was armed with a knife, and one occasion he grabbed a nearby pair of scissors.
On April 5, 2023, Lee went to a dry cleaner on Alabama Avenue SE under the auspices of drycleaning his jacket. As Lee asked the victim how much the drycleaning would cost, he suddenly walked behind the counter, grabbed the victim by the back of the neck, and demanded that she open the register. When the victim did not comply quickly enough, the two struggled. Lee grabbed a pair of scissors from under the counter, put them to the victim’s neck, and threatened to stab her if she refused to open the register. She opened the register and Lee took cash before fleeing.
On June 18, 2023, Lee ordered a sandwich at a fast-food franchise on Riggs Road NE, and then left abruptly, saying that he would come back to pay. About 30 minutes later, Lee returned and stood behind a customer who was checking out. Once the employee opened the register to give the customer change, Lee lunged across the counter, grabbed the money tray, and fled the store.
On June 23, 2023, Lee was armed with a knife when he entered a pharmacy on Ingraham Street NE. When the victim, a store employee, was alone, Lee went behind the counter, pulled out a knife, and demanded money from the register. When the victim could not open the register quickly enough, Lee pressed his knife against the victim’s side. The victim opened the register, and Lee took the cash and ran out of the store.
On June 26, 2023, Lee went to a convenience store on First Street NW. As the cashier stood at the register, Lee walked behind the counter, opened the register, took the cash, and fled.
On July 10, 2023, Lee entered a food market on Fourth Street NW. He took an item and attempted to leave the store when a store employee pepper sprayed him. Lee threw the item at the victim, pulled out a knife, and waived it at her. He then grabbed the cash register from the counter and, while still holding the knife, repeatedly slammed the register on the ground until it opened. He took cash from the register and fled.
On July 10, 2023, Lee went to a fast-food restaurant on Marion Barry Avenue SE and milled around as other customers ordered. One customer, with her infant in a stroller next to her, ordered a meal and started to pay with cash. When the restaurant cashier opened the register to give the customer change, Lee lunged across the counter and grabbed cash from the register before fleeing.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Miller and Will Lawrence.
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Couple Charged with Child Neglect and Involuntary Manslaughter of a Three-Year Old ChildRead the Press Release
FARGO – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced Austin Ray Lester, 28, and Krissy Louise Hinsley, 25, both from Tokio, ND, made initial appearances on April 19, 2024, in the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota, on charges of Involuntary Manslaughter and two counts of Child Neglect in Indian country. Lester is also charged with Assault of a Child with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian country.
At Lester and Hinsley’s initial appearance, before United States Magistrate Judge Clare R. Hochhalter, both were ordered detained pending further hearings. Trial is currently scheduled for June 25, 2024.
The charges against Lester and Hinsley are related to the August 2022 neglect and death of three-year-old child within the boundaries of the Spirit Lake Reservation. Lester and Hinsley pled not guilty to the charges.
An Indictment in this case is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori H. Conroy and AUSA Samantha Schmidt.
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Clinic owner sent to prison for orchestrating $15M Medicare fraud and kickback schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The owner of a Houston-area mental health clinic has been sentenced for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Gwendolyn Gibbs, 72, pleaded guilty Dec. 3, 2021.
U.S. District Judge Charles R. Eskridge has now ordered Gibbs to serve 84 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence Gibbs fraudulently billed Medicare for services provided to vulnerable adults with intellectual disabilities who did not require mental health services. In addition, Gibbs was ordered to pay $8,680,380.42 in restitution to Medicare. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Gibbs’ role as leader, the length of the fraud scheme and her long history in the medical field as evidence she knew what she was doing was wrong.
“Gwendolyn Gibbs exploited vulnerable adults with intellectual disabilities and residents of group homes in order to defraud Medicare of millions of dollars,” said Hamdani. “Public resources for mental health services should go to the patients that actually need them, not to enrich criminal actors like Gibbs.”
Gibbs was the owner of Daybreak Rehabilitation Center. From 2007 until 2016, she submitted fraudulent claims for partial hospitalization program (PHP) services to Medicare that were not provided or not medically necessary. A PHP is a form of intensive outpatient treatment for severe mental illness. Daybreak patients, including individuals with intellectual disabilities, did not need PHP services. Gibbs admitted to falsifying medical records to make it appear that patients were sicker than they actually were.
Gibbs also paid kickbacks to owners of group homes and patient recruiters in exchange for referring Medicare beneficiaries to Daybreak. The owners of the group homes required their residents to attend Daybreak and, in exchange, Gibbs and her co-conspirators provided transportation, supervision and meals to the group home residents.
Charles Guidry Jr., 70, Houston, a manager at Daybreak and Gibbs’ ex-husband, was previously sentenced to 70 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.
Gibbs will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI, Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General, Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Railroad Retirement Board-OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Olson and Michael Day prosecuted the case.
City Employee Pleads Guilty to Check Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Jocelyn E. Strauber, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced today that BRANDON SANTANOO, an employee of the New York City Law Department (the “Law Department”), pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud in connection with his participation in a scheme to steal checks mailed to the Law Department and then to deposit or attempt to deposit forged, altered, and fraudulently endorsed versions of those checks into bank accounts not associated with the Law Department. SANTANOO pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Brandon Santanoo abused his position of trust as a city employee. As he admitted today in federal court, he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of checks made payable to the Law Department and passed them along to others to fraudulently deposit. We will not tolerate any breach of trust or corruption within city agencies.”
DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said: “Brandon Santanoo used his position at the City Law Department to steal approximately 40 checks payable to the City – and valued at approximately $600,000 – and then handed them out to acquaintances to forge, alter, or fraudulently endorse the checks and then deposit into private bank accounts. I thank the Law Department for the referral to DOI that prompted this investigation and our law enforcement partners in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their commitment to hold accountable City employees who exploit their access to engage in criminal conduct, and to protect valuable City resources from theft.”
According to the allegations in the Information and the Complaint, the plea agreement, and statements made in court:
Beginning in 2017, SANTANOO worked as a clerk in the mail room at the Law Department’s office in Brooklyn. By virtue of his position, SANTANOO had access to mail that was sent to the Law Department.
From at least in or about June 2021 through at least in or about May 2023, SANTANOO stole checks that had been mailed to the Law Department, including checks made payable to the Law Department’s Worker’s Compensation Division, which is responsible for administering claims of city employees who are injured on the job. SANTANOO then passed those checks onto other people, who deposited or attempted to deposit forged, altered, and fraudulently endorsed versions of those checks into third parties’ bank accounts. Approximately 40 checks, totaling approximately $600,000, were stolen and deposited or attempted to be deposited as part of the scheme.
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SANTANOO, 27, of Queens Village, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 30 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Sentencing is scheduled for September 4, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the DOI. Mr. Williams also thanked the Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their assistance on this matter.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Simon is in charge of the prosecution.
Armed Special Police Officer Sentenced for Shooting Woman in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Chanel Clinton, 27, of Alexandria, Virginia, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison, plus an additional 24 months of suspended jail time, for the January 2024 shooting of a woman at a convenience store in Northeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Clinton pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon on February 7, 2024. In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Erik Christian ordered Clinton to serve five years of probation.
According to court documents, on January 18, 2024, Clinton was working as an armed Special Police Officer assigned to the 7-Eleven at 4854 Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue NE. She and the victim, a former acquaintance of Clinton’s, got into an argument when the victim videoed Clinton in a taunting manner. The two continued their verbal altercation in the parking lot. An off-duty MPD Sergeant happened to be paying for his purchases inside the 7-Eleven when he heard the argument in the parking lot. The sergeant, who was in full uniform, walked outside as Clinton grabbed the victim in the face, and Clinton and the victim began to fight. The sergeant briefly separated the two women. Suddenly, Clinton pulled out her service weapon and fired once, hitting the victim in the shoulder just above the collarbone. The sergeant, who had ordered Clinton to drop her weapon before she fired, immediately placed Clinton under arrest. The victim was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital. Investigators recovered a 9 mm Glock 17 pistol at the scene.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Lawrence, who prosecuted the case.
Albuquerque Woman Sentenced for Federal Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque woman was sentenced to 63 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on October 17, 2017, law enforcement intercepted two vehicles transporting methamphetamine to Farmington, New Mexico. Melissa Redfearn-Martinez was driving one of them. Law enforcement officers conducted a K9 sniff and search both vehicles. Inside Redfearn’s vehicle, officers found 776.2 grams of methamphetamine.
After completing her term of imprisonment, Martinez will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Spindle is prosecuting the case.
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Albuquerque Woman Sentenced for Defrauding Jemez PuebloRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque woman was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison and ordered to pay restitution to the Pueblo of Jemez for stealing almost $400,000.00 to fund her gambling habit.
According to court documents, Beverly Scott, 48 worked as an Accounts Payable Clerk for the Pueblo of Jemez between 2014 and 2020. Part of Scott’s job was to generate checks to pay vendors for legitimate services rendered. Scott realized that she could go into the accounting system and change the name and address of any vendor with an outstanding invoice to her own name and address. She would then go back into the accounting system and change back the name and address of the vendor after a check had been issued.
In August 2020, a vendor called to inquire about an unpaid invoice while Scott was on leave. The invoice was investigated, and financial personnel discovered that a payment for that invoice had been issued, but that it had been made payable to Scott. Jemez Pueblo hired a forensic audit firm which identified 116 checks issued to Scott between June 2016 and July 2020 totaling $389,977.84. The firm also determined that a significant portion of the fraudulent payments came from the Indian Health Service funds.
Jemez Pueblo provided the audit reports to the FBI. During the subsequent federal investigation, agents interviewed Scott, who admitted to issuing the checks to herself and claimed that she had lost all the money at the Santa Ana Pueblo Casino and other area casinos.
Scott pled guilty to one count of federal program fraud on January 26, 2023.
After completing her term of imprisonment, Scott will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Sean J. Sullivan prosecuted the case.
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21 April 2024
Department of Justice Commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana joins the nation in commemorating National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, observed this year from April 21-27, 2024. This annual observance, led by the Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), honors victims of crime, recognizes victim advocates, and promotes the rights and services available to victims. President Ronald Reagan established National Crime Victims’ Rights Week in 1981 to raise awareness of these crucial issues.
United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson said, “My Office prioritizes collaboration with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. We emphasize the importance of providing support to victims at the earliest stages of investigations and litigation. This year, we have increased our efforts by implementing more efficient policies and procedures to align with Attorney General Garland’s revised Victim Rights Guidelines issued on March 31, 2023. Timely and sustained interactions with victims prevents re-victimization and promotes healing as cases move through the criminal justice system.”
In 2022, there were nearly 20 million crime victimizations in the United States. More than 6.6 million were the result of violent crimes, including rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault. Of that 6.6 million, only about 42% were reported to police. This year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week theme is “How would you help? Options, services, and hope for crime survivors.” We must create an environment in which victims and survivors feel safe talking about what happened to them. The theme aims to ensure that everyone in a community knows where and how crime victims and survivors can find help — including friends, family members, colleagues, neighbors, service providers, or other trusted members of the community. We must all be prepared to offer support.
During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, victim advocacy organizations, community groups and state, local, and tribal agencies host rallies, candlelight vigils, and other events to raise awareness of victims’ rights and services. On the evening of Wednesday, April 24th, a candlelight vigil will be held on the National Mall near the U.S. Capitol from 7:00pm-8:00pm EST. In recognition of this year’s theme, the vigil is an opportunity to engage and empower community members to offer support to all types of victims and survivors. For additional information on the candlelight vigil as well as other events, please visit: https://ovc.ojp.gov/events. Locally, please check city/county websites for any events planned in your area. For additional information about this year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and how to assist victims in your community, please visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.gov.
20 April 2024
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on the Senate’s Vote on the Reauthorization and Reform of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Section 702Read the Press Release
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the Senate's vote on the reauthorization and reform of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Section 702:
“Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is indispensable to the Justice Department’s work to protect the American people from terrorist, nation-state, cyber, and other threats.
“This reauthorization of Section 702 gives the United States the authority to continue to collect foreign intelligence information about non-U.S. persons located outside the United States, while at the same time codifying important reforms the Justice Department has adopted to ensure the protection of Americans’ privacy and civil liberties.
“In today’s heightened global threat environment, the Justice Department will continue to use Section 702 to ensure that our efforts to keep our country safe are informed by the most valuable and timely intelligence, as we continue to uphold our commitment to protect the rights of all Americans.”
19 April 2024
Winner Man Sentenced for Third Degree BurglaryRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Winner, South Dakota, man convicted of Third Degree Burglary. The sentencing took place on April 15, 2024.
Anthony Arellano, age 21, was sentenced to time served from his arrest on June 15, 2023, through June 14, 2024, equal to approximately one year in custody, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Arellano was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,665.00.
Arellano was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on January 8, 2024.
In the early morning hours of June 1, 2023, Arellano broke into a store in Rosebud, South Dakota, and stole several hundred dollars’ worth of merchandise. Arellano was identified on surveillance video from the scene and was arrested at a residence in St. Francis, South Dakota, on June 15, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
Arellano was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
White Supremacist Leader Sentenced to 44 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Make Death Threats Against Brooklyn JournalistRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Nicholas Welker, also known as “King ov Wrath,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen to 44 months’ imprisonment for conspiring to make death threats. Welker, the leader of Feuerkrieg Division (“FKD”), an international racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist (“RMVE”) group, which translates to “War Fire,” posted death threats against a Brooklyn-based journalist (the “Journalist”) so that the Journalist would stop reporting on the Neo-Nazi group. Welker pleaded guilty in September 2023.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentence.
“Welker tried to silence a journalist from reporting on his white supremacist group so that his fellow extremists could continue to commit violence against racial, ethnic, and religious minorities, and the LGBTQ+ community,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “There were real victims of this crime—the journalist and his news media organization. Today’s sentence demonstrates that we will stand up for them and other journalists who bravely report on these violent hate groups.”
Mr. Peace expressed his thanks to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the NYPD, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies. Mr. Peace also thanked the Estonian Internal Security Service and Prosecutor’s Office for their valuable support.
According to court filings, Welker’s threat included a photograph of the Journalist with a gun aimed at his head and the words “Race Traitor” over the Journalist’s eyes. The threat stated, “JOURNALIST F[***] OFF! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.” The threat listed the Journalist and his employer by name. Welker posted the threat to a public online forum. Two under-aged FKD members tweeted the death threat directly at the Journalist’s social media handle so that he would see it. Welker intended to frighten the Journalist into dropping his reporting on Welker’s hate group.
FKD members share a common goal of challenging laws, social order, and the government via terrorism and other violent acts. The organization encourages attacks on racial minorities, the Jewish community, the LGBTQ+ community, the U.S. Government, journalists, and critical infrastructure. FKD has members in the United States and abroad.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Ellen H. Sise and Andrew D. Reich are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The Defendant:
NiCHOLAS WELKER (also known as “King ov Wrath”)
Age: 33
San Jose, CaliforniaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-141 (PKC)
United States Attorney’s Office Hosts Roundtable on Sexual Harassment in HousingRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Inspector General (OIG) hosted a roundtable today, April 19th, 2024, for community organizations to discuss the problem of sexual harassment in housing.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division launched the Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative, an effort to combat sexual harassment in housing, in October 2017. The Initiative seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance works, loan officers, and other people who have control over housing, as well as build strong partnerships in the community to combat this problem together. In March 2023, HUD OIG launched an initiative to address the egregious civil and criminal sexual misconduct allegations involving federally subsidized housing. This initiative, which furthers HUD OIG’s mission of preventing and detecting fraud, waste, and abuse within HUD, protects HUD’s programs and the vulnerable beneficiaries of these programs from abuse involving sexual misconduct.
Event attendees included organizations that work with vulnerable populations who are most likely to become victims of sexual harassment in housing including legal aid offices, fair housing organizations, shelters and transitional housing providers, as well as federal and local government agencies from across the state of Indiana.
While most people are familiar with the problem of sexual harassment in the workplace, harassment also occurs in housing. The Department of Justice, through the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Civil Rights Division, enforces the federal Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by the Act.
The Justice Department brings cases each year involving egregious conduct, including allegations that defendants have exposed themselves sexually to current or prospective tenants, requested sexual acts in exchange for reduced rents or making necessary repairs, made unrelenting and unwanted sexual advances to tenants, and evicted tenants who resisted their sexual overtures.
“Sexual harassment in housing might not be as visible as harassment in the workplace but can be just as egregious, and is often underreported,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Landlords or superintendents using the power they have over tenants to extort sexual acts, or even commit assaults, is intolerable. Our office is dedicated to uncovering such violations where they exist and vigorously enforcing the law.”
“HUD tenants deserve to feel safe in their homes without the threat of their landlord or anyone in a position of power over their housing, making sexual demands or overtures,” said Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis. “HUD OIG is committed to working with the U.S Attorney and the DOJ to hold accountable landlords who prey on vulnerable tenants and housing applicants.”
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey Preston, Joi Kamper, and Adriana Figueroa for their work in affirmative civil enforcement of our civil rights laws.
Local police departments or legal aid offices may be able to help victims if the behavior is a crime or if there is an imminent eviction.
If you or someone you know has information about or has been a victim of sexual harassment, sexual assault, or sexual exploitation—even if the events occurred years ago—report it to the HUD Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-347-3735 or visit the website at www.hudoig.gov/hotline. You may also file a complaint with HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at https://www.hud.gov/fairhousing/fileacomplaint.
Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination may also file a complaint with the U.S. Attorney’s Office at www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/civil-rights or by email to [email protected]. More information about the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
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Two Men Charged with Murder in the Course of Sex-Trafficking at Open-Air “Penn Track” in Brooklyn and Related CrimesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, a seven-count indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Omari Scott, also known as “Prince” and “Sir Prince,” and Michael Simmons, also known as “Victory,” with murder in the course of sex trafficking, sex trafficking by force and related crimes. The charges stem from the defendants’ trafficking of women and promoting prostitution with customers in cars, hotels and along a stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue in Brooklyn known as the “Penn Track” which has operated for years as an open-air commercial sex market. In the spring of 2023, Scott violently punished a trafficking victim who attempted to leave his control to work instead for Cleveland Clay, another individual who had women working for him in prostitution on the Penn Track. Scott and Simmons decided to murder Clay, which Simmons carried out by shooting him multiple times at close range on May 1, 2023. Scott was arrested earlier today and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Marutollo. Simmons is currently serving a sentence on unrelated charges and will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrest and charges.
“As alleged, the defendants conspired to brazenly murder a rival for control of a victim they perceived to be their property in the course of sex trafficking,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office is working alongside our federal and state law enforcement partners to prosecute the perpetrators who exploit vulnerable women for profit and we will provide support for these victims who have been harmed.”
Mr. Peace also expressed his appreciation to the New York City Department of Corrections, the New York City Human Resources Administration, the Kings County District Attorney’s Office and the New York County District Attorney’s Office for their valuable assistance with the case.
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith said, “Human lives are not pawns for criminals to manipulate for their own cruel wishes. Omari Scott and Michael Simmons’s desire to establish control over their sex trafficking operation extended beyond violence against their victims, leading to the alleged murder of their rival. Their alleged actions – sexually exploiting women and conspiring to take a life of another individual – show a blatant disregard for humanity. The FBI will continue its efforts to pursue and bring to justice those who prey upon vulnerable populations with violence.”
“It is unequivocally detestable to compound the loathsome act of sex trafficking by allegedly murdering a business rival,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “I commend everyone at the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District and the FBI’s New York Field Office for their continued partnership in this case. The NYPD and our colleagues remain steadfast in holding accountable anyone who seeks to profit from the abuse and exploitation of others.”
As alleged in court documents, Scott and Simmons both recruited women to work in prostitution on their behalf along the Penn Track. Scott used threats and violence to force at least two victims to engage in commercial sex work and provide him with the proceeds. For example, in a conversation obtained by law enforcement, Scott warned a victim that he would “knock [her] out for disrespecting me,” and, on another occasion, told an associate on a recorded call that he was “beating this b---- up tonight” for failing to work quickly enough to locate customers.
On April 30, 2023, when Scott learned that a victim planned to leave him and work with Clay, he was captured on video violently dragging the victim by her hair into his car, and later told an associate on a recorded call, “I’m bout to violate that b----. . . I’m about to do her something crazy. . . I’m not respecting this shit. . . . I’m about to kill this b----!” Early the next morning, Scott and Simmons were captured on video engaged in a heated argument with Clay. Less than three hours later, Scott and Simmons were captured on video outside of a laundromat near the Penn Track before Simmons walked off to kill Clay in a parking lot, shooting him at least five times at close range. When Simmons returned, the laundromat video captured Simmons telling Scott, “He’s down. . . he’s down!” Clay succumbed to his injuries and died later that day.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the sex trafficking charges, the defendants face a minimum term of 15 years in prison, and up to life imprisonment. If convicted of the murder charge, the defendants face up to life imprisonment, and are eligible for the death penalty.
If you are a victim of trafficking—whether by Scott, Simmons or someone else—and have information to provide, please contact the FBI, which is prepared to help you regardless of your immigration status, at tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorney Erin Reid, Anna Karamigios and Joshua Dugan are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Anna November and Ryan Costley.
The Defendant:
OMARI SCOTT (also known as “Prince” and “Sir Prince”)
Age: 43
Brooklyn, New York
Michael Simmons (also known as “Victory”)
Age: 40
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-158 (KAM)Two Former Arkansas Sheriff’s Deputies Plead Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Violations for Violently Assaulting a Man They ArrestedRead the Press Release
Two former Crawford County, Arkansas, sheriff’s deputies, Levi White, 34, and Zackary King, 28, pleaded guilty to federal civil rights offenses for using unlawful force on a man they arrested.
“The defendants swore an oath to uphold the law, then violated that oath and abused their power by assaulting a person who was pinned to the ground and not resisting,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These defendants will now face the serious consequences that result from their unlawful actions. The Justice Department will continue to protect the right of every person in this country to be free of excessive force by law enforcement officers.”
“The videos from this incident are a shocking display of the violent deprivation of civil rights committed by these officers,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes for the Western District of Arkansas. “No person in police custody should ever feel threatened or should ever experience violence at the hands of those who are sworn to protect the public. We will continue to vigorously pursue justice in cases involving the violation of civil rights in the Western District of Arkansas.”
“The violent and abusive actions of these two men, who were sworn to serve and protect our community, are unacceptable,” said Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Law enforcement officers hold positions with significant authority and influence, and their credibility in the eyes of the American people depends on their ability to maintain integrity. These guilty pleas serve as a reminder that the FBI will continue to hold accountable those who take advantage of their positions and will always fight to protect the civil rights of all Americans.”
“Disgraceful actions, like those of the two Crawford County sheriff’s deputies, negatively impact all members of Arkansas law enforcement,” said Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Corder of the FBI Little Rock Field Office. “A gun and a badge do not give someone the right to ignore the Constitution. The FBI’s ArkTrust Task Force will continue to work to restore the public’s trust in law enforcement by investigating officers who violate the civil rights of citizens in our community.”
According to court documents, White, King and a third officer approached a man identified as R.W. in a gas station parking lot on Aug. 21, 2022, during their investigation into a person threatening a store attendant. R.W. lunged at White and tackled him, then all three officers quickly subdued R.W. and pinned him to the ground. After R.W. was pinned to the ground and no longer fighting the officers, King kicked R.W. in the back and struck R.W. once in the midsection with his fist. At approximately the same time, White punched R.W. at least nine times in the head, then lifted R.W.’s head and slammed it into the pavement. The third officer did not strike R.W. R.W. suffered head injuries from the assault.
Sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later date. White faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. King faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $100,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Little Rock Field Office and ARKTrust Task Force investigated the case.
Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer and Trial Attorneys Lia Rettammel and Anna Gotfryd of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Roberts and Devon Still for the Western District of Arkansas are prosecuting the case.
Two Former Arkansas Sheriff’s Deputies Plead Guilty to Federal Civil RightsRead the Press Release
FORT SMITH - Two former Crawford County, Arkansas, sheriff’s deputies, Levi White, 34, and Zackary King, 28, pleaded guilty to federal civil rights offenses for using unlawful force on a man they arrested.
“The videos from this incident are a shocking display of the violent deprivation of civil rights committed by these officers,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes for the Western District of Arkansas. “No person in police custody should ever feel threatened or should ever experience violence at the hands of those who are sworn to protect the public. We will continue to vigorously pursue justice in cases involving the violation of civil rights in the Western District of Arkansas.”
“The defendants swore an oath to uphold the law, then violated that oath and abused their power by assaulting a person who was pinned to the ground and not resisting,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These defendants will now face the serious consequences that result from their unlawful actions. The Justice Department will continue to protect the right of every person in this country to be free of excessive force by law enforcement officers.”
“Disgraceful actions, like those of the two Crawford County sheriff’s deputies, negatively impact all members of Arkansas law enforcement,” said FBI Little Rock Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Corder. “A gun and a badge does not give someone the right to ignore the Constitution. The FBI's ArkTrust Task Force will continue to work to restore the public’s trust in law enforcement by investigating officers who violate the civil rights of citizens in our community.”
According to court documents, White, King and a third officer approached a man identified as R.W. in a gas station parking lot on Aug. 21, 2022, during their investigation into a person threatening a store attendant. R.W. lunged at White and tackled him, then all three officers quickly subdued R.W. and pinned him to the ground. After R.W. was pinned to the ground and no longer fighting the officers, King kicked R.W. in the back and struck R.W. once in the midsection with his fist. At approximately the same time, White punched R.W. at least nine times in the head, then lifted R.W.’s head and slammed it into the pavement. The third officer did not strike R.W. R.W. suffered head injuries from the assault.
Sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later date. White faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. King faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $100,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Little Rock Field Office and ARKTrust Task Force investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Roberts and Devon Still for the Western District of Arkansas and Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer and Trial Attorney Lia Rettammel of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.
Two Florida Steel Traders Sentenced for Money Laundering and Russia-Ukraine Sanctions ViolationsRead the Press Release
John Can Unsalan, aka Hurrem Can Unsalan, the president of Orlando, Florida-based steel trading firm Metalhouse LLC, was sentenced to six years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering to promote violations of U.S. sanctions against Sergey Kurchenko, a pro-Russian Ukrainian oligarch. Unsalan’s former business associate, Sergey Karpushkin, a Belarusian national residing in Miami, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for his role in the scheme. Unsalan pleaded guilty and was ordered to forfeit $160 million in proceeds from the offense. Karpushkin pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and to commit international promotional money laundering and was ordered to forfeit $4.7 million in criminal proceeds.
Kurchenko was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in 2015 for his role in misappropriating state assets of Ukraine or of an economically significant entity in Ukraine. Two sanctioned companies – Kompaniya Gaz-Alyans OOO, based in the Russian Federation and controlled by Kurchenko, and ZAO Vneshtorgservis, based in the Russian occupied Georgian region of South Ossetia – were designated by OFAC in 2018 for acting on behalf of and providing material support to the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic in the separatist-controlled regions of eastern Ukraine.
As set forth in court filings, Unsalan and Karpushkin engaged in trade with these sanctioned individuals and entities to procure steelmaking equipment and raw material despite knowing that Kurchenko, Gaz-Alyans and Vneshtorgservis were subject to U.S. sanctions that prohibited U.S. persons and entities from doing business with them. No licenses from OFAC were applied for or issued for these payments or transfers.
As stated in court documents, between July 2018 and October 2021, Unsalan conspired with others to transfer over $150 million to Kurchenko and companies controlled by Kurchenko. Unsalan, acting through his company, Metalhouse, engaged in trade with sanctioned individuals and entities and received tens of thousands of tons of metal products from the companies. Between July 2017 and August 2020, Karpushkin conspired with Unsalan and other business associates, acting through Metalhouse, to enter into contracts and purchase orders for pig iron, steel billets, and wire rods from these sanctioned companies and agreed to share profits from these unlawful transactions. The co-conspirators intentionally concealed from U.S. banks and government officials the ultimate source and origin of the goods that they sought to acquire, knowing that they did not have the necessary authorization or license from OFAC to transact with Kurchenko and companies owned and controlled by Kurchenko.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
The FBI Tampa and Washington Field Offices investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt for the Middle District of Florida, Trial Attorney Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Trial Attorneys Sean O’Dowd and Sean Fern of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section prosecuted the case.
The investigation was coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022, and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.
Two Florida Steel Traders Sentenced for Money Laundering and Russia-Ukraine Sanctions ViolationsRead the Press Release
Co-Conspirator Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison and $4.7 Million Forfeiture
John Can Unsalan, aka Hurrem Can Unsalan, the president of Orlando, Florida-based steel trading firm Metalhouse LLC, was sentenced to six years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering to promote violations of U.S. sanctions against Sergey Kurchenko, a pro-Russian Ukrainian oligarch. Unsalan’s former business associate, Sergey Karpushkin, a Belarusian national residing in Miami, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for his role in the scheme. Unsalan pleaded guilty and was ordered to forfeit $160 million in proceeds from the offense. Karpushkin pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and to commit international promotional money laundering and was ordered to forfeit $4.7 million in criminal proceeds.
Kurchenko was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in 2015 for his role in misappropriating state assets of Ukraine or of an economically significant entity in Ukraine. Two sanctioned companies – Kompaniya Gaz-Alyans OOO, based in the Russian Federation and controlled by Kurchenko, and ZAO Vneshtorgservis, based in the Russian occupied Georgian region of South Ossetia – were designated by OFAC in 2018 for acting on behalf of and providing material support to the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic in the separatist-controlled regions of eastern Ukraine.
As set forth in court filings, Unsalan and Karpushkin engaged in trade with these sanctioned individuals and entities to procure steelmaking equipment and raw material despite knowing that Kurchenko, Gaz-Alyans and Vneshtorgservis were subject to U.S. sanctions that prohibited U.S. persons and entities from doing business with them. No licenses from OFAC were applied for or issued for these payments or transfers.
As stated in court documents, between July 2018 and October 2021, Unsalan conspired with others to transfer over $150 million to Kurchenko and companies controlled by Kurchenko. Unsalan, acting through his company, Metalhouse, engaged in trade with sanctioned individuals and entities and received tens of thousands of tons of metal products from the companies. Between July 2017 and August 2020, Karpushkin conspired with Unsalan and other business associates, acting through Metalhouse, to enter into contracts and purchase orders for pig iron, steel billets, and wire rods from these sanctioned companies and agreed to share profits from these unlawful transactions. The co-conspirators intentionally concealed from U.S. banks and government officials the ultimate source and origin of the goods that they sought to acquire, knowing that they did not have the necessary authorization or license from OFAC to transact with Kurchenko and companies owned and controlled by Kurchenko.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
The FBI Tampa and Washington Field Offices investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt for the Middle District of Florida, Trial Attorney Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Trial Attorneys Sean O’Dowd and Sean Fern of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section prosecuted the case.
The investigation was coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022, and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.
Todd County Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Todd County, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on April 15, 2024.
Derek Sharpfish, age 33, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Sharpfish was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of 2023. He pleaded guilty on January 2, 2024.
The convictions stem from conduct involving two different victims that occurred between October of 2020 and January of 2023 within the Rosebud Indian Reservation. On multiple instances during that period, Sharpfish engaged in sexual intercourse with a minor female who was between the ages of 13 and 15-years-old. On one occasion during that period, Sharpfish groped an adult female while she was sleeping.
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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Sharpfish was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Three Sentenced in International Controlled Substances and Prescription Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that on April 19, 2024, Paul Bateman, 47, a citizen of the United Kingdom who previously resided in Laos, was sentenced in the United States District Court following his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including the opiates Tapentadol and Tramadol, as well as other drugs that required a prescription. Bateman had been extradited from the United Kingdom to face charges. Chief Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford sentenced Bateman, who has spent approximately 20 months in custody, to a sentence of time-served, with no supervision to follow, as the defendant is expected to be deported to the United Kingdom upon the completion of his sentence.
Previously sentenced in connection with this case were Bateman’s co-conspirators, Samir Doshi and Rebecca Buckley. In February 2019, following his guilty pleas to conspiracy to distribute Schedule IV controlled substances and violating the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, United States District Judge Christina Reiss sentenced Doshi to time served after Doshi had served about six months in jail. He also was ordered to forfeit $20,000. In September 2020, following her guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, Judge Reiss sentenced Buckley to five years of probation and forfeiture of $349,712.10.
According to court records, between in or about 2015 and in or about August 2019, Paul Bateman worked with others, including Buckley and Doshi, to distribute controlled substances and other prescription drugs over the internet. Bateman was a search engine optimizer (“SEO”) responsible for creating and maintaining websites that offered controlled substances and other drugs for sale. Bateman also took steps to improve the ranking of his websites in response to customer searches. The websites created by Bateman did not ask for or require a prescription prior to the distribution of controlled substances and other drugs.
In or about 2015, Bateman began working with Buckley, who provided customer service and credit card processing for customer orders made through Bateman’s websites. After customers paid Buckley, Buckley sent some of the proceeds to Bateman, typically via wire transfer. Bateman used some of this money to pay suppliers and others while keeping some for himself. The websites that Bateman and Buckley operated sold drugs such as Modafinil, a wakefulness-promoting drug that is a Schedule IV controlled substance, and prescription medications for erectile dysfunction.
Bateman also worked with Samir Doshi. In or about 2016 or 2017, Bateman and Doshi met in Thailand and discussed a business relationship in which Bateman would build websites for Doshi for the sale of Schedule IV controlled substances Tramadol (an opiate pain reliever) and Soma (also known as, Carisoprodol, a muscle relaxant). Doshi provided Bateman with $2,000 to build those websites. After that meeting, Bateman created websites for the sale of Tramadol and Soma. Bateman also received commission payments from Doshi. In or about May 2018, Bateman and Doshi began marketing Tapentadol to customers, including by drafting and sending an email introducing Tapentadol as a product for sale. Tapentadol is an opiate classified as a Schedule II controlled substance.
This investigation was led by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the United States Marshals Service substantially assisted with Bateman’s extradition from the United Kingdom to the United States. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the efforts of law enforcement and stated, “From behind their computer screens, Bateman and his co-conspirators were responsible for distributing dangerous opiates and unregulated, prescription drugs to consumers throughout the United States and across the globe for profit. Some consumers were located in Vermont, and none of the defendants were licensed to prescribe in Vermont. This case demonstrates law enforcement’s commitment to halting this conduct and bringing those responsible to justice, even when they are located abroad.”
“Prescription drugs that are smuggled from overseas and are outside the secure supply chain can present a serious health risk to those who use them. The drugs may contain unknown or dangerous ingredients and are manufactured under unknown or unregulated conditions,” said Special Agent in Charge Fernando P. McMillan, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations New York Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who traffic in illegal prescription drugs.”
Bateman was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven L. Barth. Doshi was represented by Mark A. Kaplan, Esq. Buckley was represented by Matthew Hart, Esq. Assistant U. S. Attorneys Andrew C. Gilman and John J. Boscia represented the United States.
Tampa Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding Veterans Health Administration ProgramRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge James S. Moody has sentenced Rupert G. McLendon, III (51, Tampa) to 90 days in federal prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $37,402, the proceeds of the wire fraud conspiracy. McLendon entered a guilty plea on January 25, 2024.
According to court documents, McLendon was a paid caretaker for a family member through the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veteran Directed Home and Community Based Services (VDHCBS) Program. The veteran for whom McLendon was a paid caregiver was admitted to the hospital in August 2018 and remained hospitalized until his death on or about December 31, 2018. McLendon failed to notify the VDHCBS program of the veteran’s hospitalization and death. Instead, McLendon continued to input, or cause to be input, caregiver hours into the VDHCBS payroll system, and he made false and misleading statements regarding the veteran’s whereabouts and health when contacted by VDHCBS staff. As a result of these fraudulent payroll entries and representations, the VDHCBS Program, and a government contractor associated with that program, suffered a total loss of at least $37,402.39.
“The Veteran-Directed Care program provides a vital bridge between VA’s treatment team and the daily care needs of our nation’s veterans. This sentencing sends a clear message that those who would exploit veterans to commit fraud will be investigated and held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to safeguard this important VA program.”
This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler.
Suburban Chicago Woman Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking of a ChildRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago woman has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for recruiting and enticing a child to engage in commercial sex acts.
In November 2021, JAMARI HODGE recruited and enticed a 13-year-old girl to engage in commercial sex acts. Hodge took sexually explicit photographs of the victim and posted them in online advertisements offering the commercial sex. Hodge then rented hotel rooms in Illinois and Indiana to use for encounters with individuals who responded to the advertisements. Hodge set the prices and collected the payments from customers after the encounters.
Hodge, 29, of Calumet City, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to a federal charge of enticing a minor to engage in commercial sex. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold on Wednesday ordered Hodge to pay $180,000 in restitution to the victim.
The sentence 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 Lansing, Ill., Police Department, Calumet City, Ill. Police Department, and Richton Park, Ill., Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Kelly.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Stanislaus County Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation Offenses Against a MinorRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment Thursday against Christian Ceja, 27, of Turlock, charging him with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between Aug. 27, 2023, and Jan. 3, 2024, Ceja transported a minor victim from the Eastern District of California to Idaho with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. In addition, Ceja received images of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Ceja faces a mandatory statutory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison for the most serious charged count, and a $250,000 fine per count, plus up to a lifetime of supervised release. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 77 months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
Springfield, Ill. – A Springfield man, Navell J. White, age 44, of the 1300 block of North 4th Street, was sentenced on April 18, 2024, to 77 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person - a felon.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Colleen R. Lawless, the government established that, during a traffic stop in September 2022, White, a felon, was found in possession of a Taurus G2 9mm pistol. During the hearing, Judge Lawless noted that White had a significant criminal history which included a pattern of domestic violence over several years.
White remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service, where he has been since his federal arrest on February 3, 2023. He pleaded guilty to the one-count indictment on December 14, 2023, before Judge Lawless.
The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person are up to 15 years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
The Springfield Police Department investigated the firearms case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case against White is part of a committed effort to combat gun violence in Sangamon County, Illinois, by law enforcement including the Springfield Police Department, Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.
The 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.
Springfield Man Arrested for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man has been arrested on drug related charges involving fentanyl.
Emilio Garcia-Cappas, 27, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute 40 or more grams of fentanyl and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Garcia-Cappas was arrested yesterday and, following an appearance in federal court in Springfield, was detained pending a hearing scheduled for a later date.
According to the indictment, between Feb. 5, 2024 and Feb. 22, 2024, Garcia-Cappas allegedly conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 or more grams of fentanyl. The indictment further alleges that on Feb. 12, 2024, Garcia-Cappas distributed and possessed with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $2 million. The charge of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers; and Brian A. Kyes, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Spokane Man Found with Methamphetamine and 1,700 Fentanyl Pills Sentenced to Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Henry Patrick Bevans, III, age 40, of Spokane, Washington, was sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of Possession with the Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 168 months imprisonment to be followed by 10 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in January of 2023, the Liberty Lake Police Department (LLPD) was investigating suspected drug trafficking at a local hotel. Officers observed a vehicle, suspected to be involved in drug related activity, parked at the hotel for several days.
On January 31, 2023, officers observed a man and a woman use the vehicle to drive from the hotel to a gas station a short distance away. An LLPD officer contacted the man driving and confirmed the man was Bevans. LLPD arrested Bevans on a felony warrant from the Department of Corrections. When he was arrested, Bevans was on supervised release following a 10-year prison sentence for a conviction in 2014 on drug distribution charges.
LLPD obtained and executed a state search warrant for the vehicle. Officers located 131 grams of methamphetamine, 1,750 fentanyl-laced pills, as well as a smaller amounts of other controlled substances inside the car. Officers also located a taser, an air pistol, a digital scale with drug residue, zip lock baggies and zip ties, a drug ledger, and more than $1,000 in cash inside the vehicle.
“Despite periods of incarceration and rehabilitation, Mr. Bevans continued to distribute dangerous and illicit controlled substances. My office is committed to stopping the flow of deadly drugs into our neighborhoods,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “I’m grateful for the tireless dedication of all those that join us in this critical mission. By working together, we can effectively combat the opioid epidemic and make our communities safer and stronger.”
“People like Mr. Bevans, who persistently distribute drugs after completing their incarceration, present a clear danger to our communities,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The Drug Enforcement Administration and our partners are committed to ensuring the safety of our communities by holding people like Mr. Bevans accountable as many times as it takes to protect the public from this grave threat.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Liberty Lake Police Department.
South African national charged with unlawfully obtaining U.S. citizenshipRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a South African national with unlawfully procuring naturalization in the U.S.
According to court documents, between June and September 2019, Brian Smith, 52, applied for and obtained naturalization in the U.S. by making false statements in connection to his naturalization application.
Smith allegedly falsely responded to questions asking whether he had been involved in killing, badly hurting or sexually assaulting someone and if he had ever committed, assisted in committing or attempted to commit a crime he was not arrested for. Smith answered “No” to all these questions, when at the time of the application, he had committed related crimes, including two murders that involved torture and sexual assaults. Smith was convicted of these crimes in February 2024 in the Superior Court for the State of Alaska.
Smith is charged with one count of unlawful procurement of naturalization in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1425(a) and one count of unlawful procurement of naturalization by an ineligible person in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1425(b). The defendant will make his initial court appearance on a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces the revocation of his certificate of naturalization.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in the Pacific Northwest Region, made the announcement.
HSI Pacific Northwest Region is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody Tirpak is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Somerset County Man Convicted of Defrauding New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury Fund of Millions of Dollars and Committing Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey, man was convicted of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, five acts of healthcare fraud, and four counts of tax evasion, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
C.R. Kraus, 58, of Manville, New Jersey was convicted of all 10 counts of an indictment following a trial before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court. In January 2023, Kraus’s conspirators, Harry Pizutelli and Maritza Flores, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and tax evasion relating to defrauding the New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury Fund (TBI Fund) of millions of dollars for their own personal benefit.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“This defendant was convicted of multiple crimes for his role in a conspiracy that resulted in the theft of millions of dollars earmarked for victims of traumatic brain injuries. Stealing resources intended to help New Jersey residents who are already coping with serious challenges is especially egregious. My office, and our law enforcement partners, are always working to root out this kind of criminal activity and ensure the guilty face appropriate punishment.”
“People battling to regain their lives after surviving a traumatic brain injury, and then digging out from the astronomical costs of healthcare related to the injury are the victims in this case,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “Those people should have been the recipients of money from a fund created specifically to help them, not Kraus and his co-conspirators. I want to commend the outstanding work of the investigators and prosecutors in this investigation who successfully fight each day to seek justice against criminals who believe their crimes may not harm or impact anyone. It does, and they will be held accountable.”
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
The TBI Fund is a publicly funded program run by the New Jersey Division of Disability Services, a component of the New Jersey Department of Human Services. The TBI Fund’s purpose is to provide New Jersey residents who have suffered a traumatic brain injury with services and support in order to maximize their quality of life when funding from insurance, personal resources, or other programs is unavailable to meet their needs. Services funded by the TBI Fund include physical, occupational, and speech therapy; service coordination; assistive technology; cognitive therapy; neuropsychological services; pharmaceuticals; wheelchair ramp installation and other home modifications; and general home management and maintenance.
After a prospective patient applies for services, TBI Fund personnel review the application and, if approved, the patient is authorized to secure designated services from a third-party vendor. Once a patient receives services approved by the TBI Fund, the vendor or service provider submits an invoice to the TBI Fund for payment. When an invoice is received, TBI Fund personnel review the invoice to ensure that the patient had been approved to receive the services. If the invoice is approved, an internal payment voucher is generated, authorized by TBI Fund personnel, and then submitted to the New Jersey Department of the Treasury for payment, which issues a check directly to the vendor.
Pizutelli was the manager of the TBI Fund and was responsible for its day-to-day operation. He supervised, managed, and oversaw the process by which third-party vendors were paid for services rendered to eligible TBI Fund beneficiaries. From 2009 through June 2019, Pizutelli, Kraus, and Flores conspired to defraud the TBI Fund by misappropriating more than $4 million in fraudulent vendor payments for purported services that were never actually provided. Pizutelli orchestrated the distribution of fraudulent vendor payments to Flores and Kraus by generating and processing false invoices and internal payment vouchers. Pizutelli generated these invoices and vouchers to give the appearance that Flores and Kraus had provided approved services to eligible patients when, in fact, they had not provided any services. Pizutelli then approved and transmitted the internal payment vouchers so that his conspirators received vendor payments.
Pizutelli orchestrated these fraudulent payments to maintain and further romantic and/or sexual relationships with Flores, including more than $940,000 in fraudulent distributions to Flores and more than $3.245 million in fraudulent distributions to Kraus. To obscure their fraudulent conduct, Flores and Kraus also evaded the payment of substantial amount of income taxes by making material misstatements and omissions on their federal income tax returns and significantly underreporting the income they had derived from the fraudulent scheme.
The healthcare fraud conspiracy charge and substantive healthcare fraud charges to which Kraus was convicted each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The tax evasion charges to which Kraus was convicted each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 8, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Red Bank Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, and special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, with the investigation leading to the guilty verdict. He also thanked the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, Division of Law, and the New Jersey Department of Human Services, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Eric A. Boden, Attorney-in-Charge in Trenton, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Suggs of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Trenton Branch Office.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under IndictmentRead 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 Illegal Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment. The sentencing took place on April 16, 2024, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Lucas Ewald Ahrendt, age 32, was sentenced to two years and three 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.
Ahrendt was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Illegal Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty to Illegal Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment on January 26, 2024.
In the evening December 26, 2022, in the West 57th area of Sioux Falls, a passerby observed Ahrendt in the front passenger seat of a truck, smoking a marijuana joint while waving a handgun around. That passerby made a report of the concerning behavior to law enforcement who made contact with Ahrendt and located a Glock handgun, loaded with a full magazine and a bullet in the chamber. Marijuana and fentanyl were also located in the vehicle. Ahrendt was prohibited from possessing firearms because he was under indictment for a felony, Possession of a Controlled Substance in Moody County, South Dakota, when he received the firearm.
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.
Ahrendt was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for False Statement to a Financial InstitutionRead 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 False Statement to a Financial Institution. The sentencing took place on April 15, 2024.
James Bunker, d/b/a Genuine Builders, Inc., age 53, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Bunker has also agreed to repay loans to First State Bank that he received under the Main Street Lending program and to the U.S. Small Business Administration for loans he received under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. Bunker has also agreed to forfeit $20,000 in U.S. currency and properties located in Sioux Falls.
Bunker was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of 2021. He pleaded guilty on November 8, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on January 8, 2021, when Bunker knowingly made a false statement and report for the purpose of influencing the action of American Bank and Trust in connection with an application and loan under the Paycheck Protection Program. Bunker knew that to be eligible for a second draw loan under the Paycheck Protection Program, a 25% revenue reduction must exist in at least one quarter of 2020 as compared to that same quarter of 2019. In order to meet that reduction for Genuine Builders, Inc., Bunker worked with an employee to move certain invoices that had previously been classified as accruing in quarter four of 2020 into quarter three of 2020 in a profit and loss statement. By doing so, Bunker intended to falsely reduce Genuine Builders, Inc.’s reported revenue for quarter four of 2020, which then allowed Genuine Builders, Inc. to illustrate a more than 25% reduction in quarter four of 2020 as compared to quarter four of 2019. Bunker then utilized this information to submit an application to American Bank and Trust on or about January 8, 2021, seeking to obtain a second draw loan under the Paycheck Protection Program for Genuine Builders, Inc. in the amount of $1,318,023.00.
“This sentence sends a strong message that if you lie and cheat to gain access to government funds you will be held accountable, and as in Mr. Bunker’s case, you can go to jail,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock, St. Louis Field Office. “Along with our law enforcement partners, CI is committed to investigating as many pandemic fraud cases as possible to bring those who misused the programs to justice.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, the IRS, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.
Bunker was allowed to self-report at a future date.
Silicon Valley Start-Up Founder Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Wire Fraud and Securities FraudRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Manish Lachwani, a tech entrepreneur who founded a Silicon Valley-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that he duped potential investors into supporting, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, following his conviction on wire and securities fraud charges, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Charles R. Breyer, Senior United States District Judge.
Lachwani, 47, of Los Altos, California, pleaded guilty on April 23, 2023, to two counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and one count of securities fraud, in violation of 15 U.S.C. §§ 78j(b) and 78ff and 17 C.F.R. § 240.10b-5. He had been charged in a superseding indictment in August 2022 with wire fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering.
According to his plea agreement, Lachwani founded HeadSpin, Inc. in 2015 and served as its Chief Executive Officer until May 2020. Among other things, HeadSpin provided clients with software tools and access to remote devices to test mobile applications. Between April 2017 and April 2020, HeadSpin raised more than $100 million from investors. But Lachwani admitted that, to obtain that financing, he provided potential investors with information about the company’s business, customers, revenue, and finances that he knew was inaccurate.
For example, Lachwani admitted he sent potential investors financial information that he knew overstated HeadSpin’s revenue and annual recurring revenue (ARR), which is a measure of a company’s subscription revenue rate at a particular point in time, annualized to show revenue the company would expect to make, at that rate, over the course of a full year. Specifically, he admitted he knew the revenue and ARR figures he provided to investors were overstated because they included amounts from potential customers that had not agreed to pay subscription fees to HeadSpin, amounts that were more than real customers had agreed to pay, and amounts from customers that had stopped using and paying for HeadSpin’s services.
Lachwani also admitted that he knowingly sent HeadSpin’s accountant false information about customer contracts that was incorporated into HeadSpin’s financial statements, as well as invoices that he knew had been altered to show amounts that had not actually been invoiced to clients.
“This defendant admitted he lied about his company’s revenue and customers to attract funding from investors, including many in Silicon Valley,” said United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey. “Today’s sentencing should send a message to other entrepreneurs who may be tempted to cross the line into fraud and to ‘fake it until they make it.’ This Office is committed to protecting investors—including those whose capital powers the engines of innovation in Silicon Valley—from start-ups that misrepresent their finances and try to cut corners.”
“This case sends a clear message to start-up founders that inflating company revenue and lying to investors is not only unethical but illegal,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. “The FBI and our partners will continue to pursue those who attempt to defraud and disrupt the fair capital market system.”
In addition to sentencing Lachwani to prison, Judge Breyer ordered the defendant to serve three years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed. Judge Breyer also ordered Lachwani to pay a $1 million fine and scheduled a hearing for July 31, 2024, to address the issue of restitution.
The case is being prosecuted by the Corporate and Securities Fraud Section of the United States Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lloyd Farnham and Noah Stern are prosecuting the case with assistance from Aarian Beiti. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI thank the San Francisco Regional Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). An SEC civil enforcement action is currently pending against Lachwani in the Northern District of California.
Salt Lake County Residents Allegedly Behind the Shooting of a Woman During an Attempted Carjacking Face Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging two Salt Lake County residents with multiple violent crimes after a woman was allegedly shot by one of the defendants during an attempted carjacking.
According to court documents, on April 3, 2024, Lt Col Siamelie Nick Mila, 20, and Maddyn Dean Christiansen, 21, of Salt Lake County, Utah, attempted to steal a vehicle in the parking lot of a fitness facility in Murray, Utah, that left a woman shot. Surveillance footage from the area showed the victim walking towards her vehicle when Mila exited a black Audi, driven by Christiansen, and approached the victim. A few minutes later, the victim limped back towards the gym while the Audi left the scene. Through witness statements, interviews, and surveillance video, Mila and the victim exchanged gunfire. The victim, who possessed a concealed carry permit, fired her weapon at Mila after he demanded, at gunpoint, that she give him her car keys. Mila did not legally possess a firearm. The victim was taken to the hospital by emergency personnel. At 10:53 p.m. a male, later identified as Mila, arrived at a local hospital emergency room with a gunshot wound. Following medical care, Mila was arrested.
Mila and Christiansen are charged with attempted carjacking, and using, carrying, brandishing and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Their initial court appearance on the indictment was April 18, 2024. Mila is scheduled for a detention hearing on April 23, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. and Christiansen is scheduled for a detention hearing April 29, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and the Murray City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Reseda Man Who Expressed Anti-Semitic Hate Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Ammunition and Machine GunsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man associated with a racially motivated violent extremist group was sentenced today to 57 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition and possessing eight machine gun conversion devices that allow semi-automatic firearms to function as machine guns.
Ryan Scott Bradford, 35, of Reseda, was sentenced by United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton.
Bradford pleaded guilty on January 11 to one count of felon in possession of ammunition and one count of possession of machine guns.
During a search of Bradford’s residence on July 27, 2023, law enforcement officers with the FBI, the DEA and the LAPD recovered 116 rounds of various ammunition – which Bradford is prohibited from possessing due to a 2012 burglary conviction – as well as two machinegun conversion devices for a semiautomatic AR-15-type firearm, four “chip” style machinegun conversion devices for a Glock-type firearm, and two “switch” style machinegun conversion devices for a Glock-type firearm.
When authorities searched the residence, they also recovered two 3D printers, one of which was emblazoned with swastikas; body armor with SS bolts; and glass containers containing explosive components.
In sentencing papers filed in court, prosecutors argued that Bradford “has been involved in manufacturing guns for years,” and that the number of guns he “was manufacturing was not insubstantial and he was working to arm himself as well as others.”
“This violent extremist not only made numerous threats to kill Jews, but also was amassing weapons capable of carrying out acts of violence,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Hateful behavior of this sort has no place in our society, and we will continue to use all the tools available to protect the community from violence driven by racially motivated ideology.”
“Mr. Bradford, a felon, was calling for the genocide of Jews and offering to manufacture 3D weapons while illegally possessing firearms and ammunition,” said Mehtab Syed, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The Joint Terrorism Task Force will investigate violent threats and hold accountable individuals who engage in criminal activity.”
According to an affidavit in support of a criminal complaint filed last year, Bradford was affiliated with the San Fernando Valley Peckerwoods, a racially motivated violent extremist group. According to the affidavit, Bradford – using online usernames referencing the Peckerwoods – used messaging applications to post racist remarks against Jewish people, including calling for mass murder and genocide of Jews. Bradford also posted links and instruction manuals on Telegram concerning hand grenades, biological warfare, and the “Aryan Revolution,” at times offering to make firearms and firearm parts for others using 3-D printers.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Los Angeles Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Reema El-Amamy of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting this case. Assistant United States Attorney Alex Su of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling the forfeiture or abandonment of the firearms, conversion devices, 3D printers, explosives components and tactical gear seized from Bradford.
Registered sex offender pleads guilty to exchanging child pornography on dark web, transporting obscene videos & images of child torture, murderRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A registered sex offender admitted in federal court today that he transported images and videos depicting child torture, child mutilation and child murder. The defendant obtained the material on the dark web and traded it for images and videos of sexual abuse of young children.
Jeremiah Morrison, 38, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography, possessing child pornography and transporting obscene matter. He faces a sentence of at least 15 years and up to life in prison.
Morrison was twice previously convicted of crimes against children, including a 2012 conviction for filming an 11-year-old boy under a bathroom stall at the Columbus Metropolitan Library.
The Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received information in April 2023 related to Morrison uploading child pornography.
While executing a search warrant in June 2023, investigators discovered Morrison’s cell phone contained 3,000 images and 900 videos of child sexual abuse material. The images and videos depicted the sexual assault of infants and children ages 0 to 6 years old. For example, one video shows an adult man sexually assaulting a three-month-old baby.
In addition to the child sexual abuse material recovered on the device, investigators also discovered numerous images and videos depicting torture, mutilation and deceased children. For example, one image depicted an approximately 6-year-old girl who was nude and dismembered.
Morrison was arrested in September 2023 and has remained in custody since.
Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Shawn Gibson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola announced the charges.; and other members of the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the guilty plea entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
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Readout of Justice Department and EU Network Meeting on Battlefield EvidenceRead the Press Release
This week, senior representatives and prosecutors from the United States, the European Union, international organizations, and civil society convened to exchange expertise on battlefield evidence in shared efforts to counter terrorism and transnational crime. On April 18 and 19, Chief of Counterterrorism Matthew F. Blue of the Justice Department’s National Security Division represented the Department at the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) meeting in The Hague.
Co-organized by the Eurojust Counter-Terrorism Working Group, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the EU Network for the investigation and prosecution of genocide, crimes against impunity and war crimes (Genocide Network), the meeting provided critical information to terrorism and international crime prosecutors, including on high-level investigations such as war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Participants exchanged expertise on how evidence from past armed conflicts could be used in proceedings related to ongoing and future conflicts.
Counterterrorism Chief Blue delivered opening remarks to the delegation.
“Terrorists and war criminals should have no illusions that they are safe from prosecution when they plot and commit crimes in conflict zones,” said Chief Matthew F. Blue of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. “The United States is committed to ensuring that battlefield evidence is available for use in its domestic cases and those pursued by its European allies. Today’s meeting reaffirms the strong transatlantic commitment to ensuring that this vital tool is effectively harnessed.”
Participants further discussed how battlefield evidence can expose the operational workings and command structures of terrorist organizations, including the role of specific suspects and their associates, and how the information can be used to build cases that go beyond terrorism membership and financing to include other core international crimes.
In joining forces, Eurojust, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Genocide Network have laid the foundation for enhancing the global response to crimes committed in conflict areas, both today and in the future.
The expert meeting at Eurojust represents another milestone in the longstanding cooperation between Eurojust and U.S. authorities to share challenges and best practice amongst practitioners – a key component of overcoming legal and practical hurdles in ongoing and future criminal cases.
For more information about the Department’s Counterterrorism Efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/nsd/counterterrorism-section. Additional information about Eurojust is available at www.eurojust.europa.eu.
Philadelphia Man Who Orchestrated the Straw Purchase and Resale of over 60 Guns Is Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Mister Tyrell Taylor, 29, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Gerald J. Pappert to 120 months’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $2,800 special assessment, for directing people to straw purchase guns and then reselling those weapons on the streets of Philadelphia.
Taylor and his co-conspirators illegally purchased well over 60 firearms in less than six months from gun stores in the Philadelphia area. More than 20 of those firearms were recovered after being used in crimes, including at least nine guns that were used in shootings. Some of the guns were converted to fully automatic firing, some had large-capacity magazines, and some had obliterated serial numbers.
On June 20, 2023, Taylor was charged in a 28-count indictment with conspiracy and aiding and abetting false statements to a federal firearms licensee. On November 2, 2023, the defendant pleaded guilty to all charges against him.
“Philadelphia is already awash in illegal guns and Taylor flooded the streets with over 60 more,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “We know that many of these weapons were sold to convicted felons who weren’t allowed to have them, and a number were used in violent crimes. The straw-purchasing and trafficking of firearms like this directly contributes to our city’s gun violence crisis and its ever-growing list of victims. I hope that Taylor’s lengthy sentence sends a message that these are very serious crimes, and their perpetrators will be held fully accountable.”
“As this case vividly demonstrates, trafficking firearms puts guns in the hands of dangerous criminals,” said Eric J. DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Too often we find that the guns used in shootings and recovered in crime scenes were illegally obtained through straw purchases. Buying a gun for someone who isn’t allowed to have one puts your neighbors, friends, and families at risk. It is also a federal offense that can land you in prison for years.”
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.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Alexander B. Bowerman and Assistant United States Attorney Justin Oshana.
Peoria Woman Sentenced to 144 Months in Prison for Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois woman, Crystal Bennett, also known by the aliases, “Nancy Carpenter” and “Crystal Waynette Silsby”, 41, of the 1000 block of West Gift Avenue, was sentenced on April 18, 2024, to 144 months in the Bureau of Prisons for attempted possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government established that, on May 18, 2021, Bennett attempted to retrieve a package from a commercial shipping company store in East Peoria, Illinois. Bennett provided a store clerk with parcel tracking information and stated that the package was for her boyfriend. Based on suspicious behavior, law enforcement was called and determined that the package contained over 50 grams of methamphetamine with a substance purity of 98%. Bennett was arrested and officers located several drug ledgers during a search of her vehicle. In September 2021, Bennet was arrested again, when she was found in possession of over 250 grams of methamphetamine, a loaded gun that had previously been reported stolen, several grams of heroin, and over $2,400 cash.
An indictment was filed against Bennett in October 2022, and she was arrested and arraigned on the indictment in January 2023. Bennett was released on bond conditions in May 2023, but bond was revoked one week later. A guilty plea was entered in September 2023. Bennett has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since May 2023.
The statutory penalties for attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine are 5 to 40 years imprisonment, followed by not less than 4 years of supervised release. A maximum fine of up to $5,000,000 is also possible.
The United States Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, East Peoria Police Department, Macomb Police Department, and Illinois State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald L. Hanna and Keith Hollingshead-Cook represented the government in the prosecution.
Oxford Man Sentenced to 20 Months for Armed Confrontation with PoliceRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: An Oxford man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Brandon Dearborn, 31, to 20 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty on January 31, 2024.
According to court records, in August 2022, a 911 caller reported a man, later identified as Dearborn, was observed brandishing a firearm outside an apartment building in the town of Mexico. Officers confronted Dearborn and instructed him to drop the weapon, a Ruger .22 pistol. Dearborn instead urged the officers to shoot him and raised the pistol towards them, prompting the officers to fire, striking Dearborn multiple times. At the time of his arrest, Dearborn was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony drug conviction in the Oxford County Superior Court.
The FBI and Maine State Police investigated the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods: This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn.
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Owner of tax preparation business indicted for tax fraud chargesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On April 11, a south Florida grand jury returned an indictment charging the owner of a tax preparations business with 15 counts of aiding and assisting the preparation of false tax returns and one count of contempt of court.
The indictment alleges that from tax years 2016 through 2021, Beatriz Toledo, 60, of Hialeah, Florida, through her company, Immigration and Tax Service Group LLC, willfully prepared false and fraudulent tax returns for clients, which included false claims for the Residential Energy Credit, which allowed taxpayers to claim a credit for qualified energy-saving expenses, and false itemized deductions for state and local sales taxes, business expenses, and other itemized deductions. The indictment further alleges that as a result of these false claims, Toledo’s clients’ taxable income decreased thereby increasing their tax refund.
The indictment also alleges that Toledo’s preparation of false tax returns on behalf of her clients were in violation of a permanent injunction previously entered against her by a federal district judge in 2010 (Case No. 09-cv-21987). In 2009, the United States filed a suit against Toledo seeking to bar her from preparing false tax returns. Toledo then signed a joint motion for entry of a permanent injunction, which the district court entered on July 26, 2020. That injunction prohibited Toledo from, among other things, preparing false tax returns through inflated claims for the deduction of business or employee expenses, assisting or aiding others to evade the payment of taxes or to prepare false or fraudulent federal income tax returns, and preparing or assisting others in preparing documents that materially understated an individual’s income tax liability. Despite these prohibitions, Toledo continued to prepare false tax returns by overstating claims for the Residential Energy Credit and itemized deductions to reduce her clients’ tax liability for tax years 2016 through 2021, as per the allegations in the indictment.
On April 18, Toledo made her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman. If convicted, Toledo faces up to three years in prison per count and a fine of up to $250,000 on the tax charges, and up to life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the contempt of court charge.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office made the announcement.
IRS-CI, Miami Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Will J. Rosenzweig is prosecuting it.
An indictment contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20147.
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Oswego Vehicle Dealership Sentenced for Conspiracy to Violate Clean Air ActRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Matthew R. Talamo, age 38, of New Haven, New York, was sentenced today in federal court in Syracuse to 4 years of probation and a $50,000.00 fine, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act related to his operation of Southern Diesel Truck Co. and Southern Diesel and Off-Road LLC (collectively “Southern Diesel”), in Oswego, New York. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Tyler Amon, Special Agent in Charge of the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID) in New York, made the announcement.
In pleading guilty previously, Talamo admitted that he is the owner and operator of Southern Diesel, which specializes in buying and reselling diesel vehicles and performing after-market modifications to diesel vehicles, particularly pickup trucks. In pleading guilty, Talamo admitted that he conspired and agreed with others to violate the Clean Air Act at Southern Diesel by tampering with emission control monitoring devices and methods on diesel pickup trucks, including both software and hardware modifications. The illegal software modifications involved “tuning” or “deleting” the trucks by tampering with the “on board diagnostic” (OBD) systems and disabling emission controls, which allowed the trucks to emit substantially more pollutants into the atmosphere. Talamo and his employees also made hardware modifications to diesel vehicles, including by removing tailpipes, mufflers, and other exhaust components and replacing them with so-called straight pipes that lacked diesel particulate filters and other systems designed to reduce harmful emissions.
Between January 2018 and November 2022, Southern Diesel tampered with the emission control monitoring devices and systems of approximately 244 diesel vehicles, often charging thousands of dollars per vehicle for the modifications. Despite the harm to the environment, diesel vehicle owners sometimes seek such illegal modifications to avoid the costs of maintaining and repairing emission control components and to increase speed and fuel efficiency.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brenda K. Sannes, who presided over the case, ordered Talamo to complete 150 hours of community service during his term of probation and ordered him to abide by terms of a compliance program agreed to as part of his plea agreement, including that Southern Diesel is subject to inspection at any time for potential Clean Air Act violations.
EPA-CID investigated the case with assistance from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Perry prosecuted the case.
Oregon Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for South Dakota 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 Mount Angel, Oregon, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on April 15, 2024.
Anthony Romeo Osuna, a/k/a “Romeo”, 25, was sentenced to 10 years 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.
Osuna was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in December of 2022. He pleaded guilty on January 26, 2024.
Osuna loaded multiple pounds of methamphetamine into hidden compartments in a Nissan Armada in Oregon and had his co-conspirators drive that Armada to Minnesota with the intention of distributing that methamphetamine in Minnesota and South Dakota. During this trip, Osuna remained in Oregon to further sell narcotics. On November 7, 2019, a co-conspirator was arrested after a Worthington, MN, police officer stopped the Nissan Armada and conducted a search of the vehicle, which resulted in the seizure of approximately eleven pounds of methamphetamine in a hidden compartment and two firearms.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Worthington Police Department, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Osuna was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.