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Friday 8 March 2024
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead 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 Production of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on March 4, 2024.
Jayden Kusiek Wolf, age 24, was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Wolf will also need to register as a sex offender upon his release.
Wolf was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2022. He pleaded guilty on November 30, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between May 25, 2021, and July 7, 2021, when Wolf persuaded a minor female in Sioux Falls to send him sexually explicit images of herself. Wolf used the social media app Snapchat to induce the minor to send explicit photographs to him.
“This case underscores the dangers of social media in the hands of vulnerable youth,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Here, Jayden Wolf used Snapchat to entice very young victims into sharing sexually explicit images of themselves. Their lives have been forever changed by his predatory behavior. We are grateful to our law enforcement partners at Homeland Security Investigations for uncovering Wolf’s criminal activity, and we hope this case will serve as a reminder to parents throughout South Dakota that they must be vigilant in monitoring their children’s use of social media.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) St. Paul special agents work tirelessly to combat child predators like Wolf,” said Jamie Holt, HSI St. Paul Special Agent in Charge. “We will continue to fight against the exploitation of children and support victims by providing critical resources and services. Well done to the HSI special agents in South Dakota and our law enforcement community partners for bringing Wolf to justice for his reprehensible crimes.”
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.
Wolf was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rosebud Man Sentenced to 20 Years for 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 Rosebud, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child. The sentencing took place on March 4, 2024.
Christopher Wright, age 32, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Wright was indicted for Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. He pleaded guilty on December 11, 2023.
Wright’s mother regularly provided childcare for her friends’ children, including the victim. Wright would be present in the Rosebud home while the children were there. When the victim was approximately 8 or 9 years old, and the defendant was in his mid-twenties, the defendant engaged in sexual contact with the victim. During an interview, the defendant admitted that he knew it was wrong and further stated that he put the victim through “traumatizing stuff.”
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 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 case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
Wright was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Romanian citizen pleads guilty to people smuggling scheme across northern borderRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 27– year-old citizen of Romania pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to conspiracy to transport those not legally in the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Daniel Andronache was arrested near Blaine, Washington on November 9, 2023, after he and a coconspirator picked up 12 people who had illegally crossed into the U.S. From Canada. Andronache is scheduled for sentencing by U.S. District Judge Lauren King on June 12, 2024.
“We are seeing a huge increase in human smuggling attempts across our northern border,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “As in this case, the conduct is unsafe, putting the lives of many at risk. The Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigation is working diligently to stop these smuggling schemes and interdict those being transported in a way that keeps everybody safe from harm.”
According to the plea agreement, Andronache flew from Omaha, Nebraska to Seattle on November 7, 2023, and obtained a white Ford Expedition in Tacoma. Andronache and a coconspirator used the car to drive to Blaine, Washington. The men parked on a road near the international border. Twelve Romanian citizens emerged from brush near the border and got into the car. The car only had seats for eight people, and there were 14 in the vehicle. When Border patrol stopped the car, they found two children unrestrained in the trunk of the car, and another was unrestrained on the center console of the vehicle. The youngest child in the car was under the age of three.
In his plea agreement Andronache admits he knowingly entered the conspiracy to transport the non-citizens so they could stay illegally in the U.S.
Those who entered the U.S. illegally were referred to immigration authorities for processing.
Conspiracy to transport non-citizens is punishable by up to ten years in prison.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda McDowell.
Romanian Woman Sentenced for Possession of Device Making Equipment and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Mona Maria Tataru, 32, a Romanian citizen whose most recent address was in Los Angeles, California, was sentenced on March 8, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possession of device making equipment with intent to defraud and aggravated identity theft. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Tataru to 10 months in prison for possession of device making equipment with intent to defraud and a consecutive 24 months in prison for aggravated identity theft, to be followed by 2 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
In April 2023, surveillance video showed Tataru and a confederate placing a skimming device and pinhole camera on an ATM in Omaha. Omaha police officers located the vehicle shown in the video and contacted Tataru and the confederate at a local motel. In Tataru’s and the confederate’s possession, officers located more skimming devices and cameras, equipment to generate phony debit and ATM cards, and several cards that had been encoded with stolen bank account information that enabled them to be used as ATM cards. In total, officers located approximately 220 sets of bank account information corresponding to accounts at more than a dozen different banks.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Omaha Police Department.
Richland Drug Trafficker Who Transported Drugs in Sophisticated “Trap Car” Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Angela Madrigal Chavez, was sentenced on February 22, 2024, after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed a sentence of 120 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at sentencing, The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating a substantial drug trafficking organization with ties around the United States. As part of the investigation, and in February of 2022, The DEA used a confidential informant to contact a member of the organization, Ruben Galvan-Trujillo, and arrange for the purchase and delivery of 20 pounds of methamphetamine to Pasco, Washington. Per Galvan Trujillo, this was a test run for establishing a drug distribution line to this Eastern Washington, wherein Galvan-Trujillo’s Drug Trafficking Organization would begin to send regular drug shipments in excess of 50 pounds of methamphetamine, cocaine and other product. Chavez worked as a transporter and drug distributor supplied by this Drug Trafficking Organization. Chavez and another member of this organization transported the 20 pounds from California to Pasco, WA.
The drugs were hidden in a sophisticated trap car. Chavez even had to use tools to open the trap, which contained 20 individual packages, each containing approximately one-pound quantities of crystal methamphetamine. After the arrest of Galvan Trujillo, Chavez was again located in Eastern Washington with that same trap car, which again contained large quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and deadly fentanyl laced pills.
“Ms. Chavez was engaged in transporting a large quantity of drugs, hidden in a vehicle designed to avoid detection from law enforcement. Even after his co-conspirator was apprehended, Mr. Chavez was undeterred and again used the same method to transport illegal drugs. I grateful for the superb investigative work by our law enforcement partners to stop Ms. Chavez from transporting and distributing illegal narcotics,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “As this case demonstrates, The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to removing illegal drugs from Eastern Washington communities. Even those who use sophisticated methods to transport large quantities of illegal drugs will be caught and prosecuted.”
“The DEA and our partners work hard every day to stop drug traffickers like Ms. Chavez from preying on our communities,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The sentence Ms. Chavez received in this case should serve as a warning to anyone trying to profit from the misery caused by methamphetamine trafficking.”This case was investigated DEA Tri-Cities which includes DEA, USCBP, and Kennewick PD. The Metro Drug Task Force assisted. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter.
Repeat Felon Sentenced to over Eight Years in Prison for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A previously convicted felon was sentenced yesterday in connection with the armed robberies of two Boston and Brockton businesses. At the time of the offenses, defendant had pending state charges for armed and unarmed robbery and three outstanding warrants.
Fernando Bost, 32, of Boston, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to eight and half years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In December 2023, Bost pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
“This defendant has wreaked havoc in our community for over a decade, committing a string of armed robberies against innocent victims. Keeping our communities safe from this type of violence is at the core of DOJ’s mission,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.
“Fernando Bost is a hardened and chronic offender who targeted two businesses in Boston and Brockton in one day, threatening his victims at gunpoint to force them into compliance,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Getting violent criminals like this off the street is a priority for FBI Boston’s Violent Crimes Task Force and our local law enforcement partners, as we all work our hardest to keep the public safe."
Bost is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to two previous armed robbery convictions from 2012 and 2017. Additionally, at the time of the federal offense, Bost had several pending state charges for armed and unarmed robbery as well as three outstanding warrants issued in three different courts for armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, breaking and entering during the daytime with intent to commit a felony, receiving stolen property and shoplifting.
On March 29, 2023 at approximately 11:05 p.m., a man entered RJ Smoke and Convenience Store in Dorchester, held the victim cashier at gunpoint and took cash before fleeing the store. While investigating the robbery, it was determined that a 7-Eleven in Brockton was robbed approximately 40 minutes earlier that same day. Surveillance footage depicts the robber wearing the same unique clothing worn in the RJ Smoke and Convenience store robbery in Dorchester.
A subsequent investigation identified a Kia Sorento captured in the vicinity of both businesses prior to the robberies and leaving after each robbery took place. Records determined that the vehicle had been rented to Bost’s girlfriend. It was also determined that Bost’s EBT card had been used at a gas station and a Target the same day of the robberies. Surveillance footage obtained from those locations show Bost wearing clothing identical to that worn by the robber.
Bost was arrested during a traffic stop near Springfield where a loaded Glock 43x with a high-capacity magazine was recovered in his sweatshirt.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Hamden County District Attorney’s Office; and the Boston and Brockton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Previously Convicted Murderer Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Willie Burroughs, 53, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, in June of 2023, IMPD officers began investigating a shooting that occurred on June 13, 2022. The target of this investigation was Willie Burroughs. On June 22, 2023, IMPD officers located Burroughs at Stratford Apartments in Indianapolis and saw him drive off in the passenger side of Chevrolet Equinox.
Officers followed the vehicle and conducted a felony stop of the Equinox in the area of West 38th Street and Moller Road. Burroughs was ordered from the front passenger seat and detained. An officer received consent from the driver to search the Equinox and located one Glock 19 Gen4 9mm semi-automatic pistol under the front passenger side seat. The Glock was fully loaded, with one round in the chamber and 16 rounds in the magazine. Burroughs admitted that the Glock was his.
In 1994, Burroughs was convicted of Murder and Armed Robbery in Marion County, prohibiting him from ever again legally possessing a firearm.
“Illegally armed, repeat violent criminals are responsible for a disproportionate share of the gun violence suffered in Indianapolis and all of our communities These offenses will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “Like this defendant, every offender returning to our community has a choice. If you want to turn your life around, and be there for your family, seek out the services and supporters committed to keeping you safe, alive, and successful. If instead, you choose to carry a firearm, you will return to prison to serve a serious sentence behind federal bars.”
“Armed repeat offenders such as Mr. Burroughs who choose to knowingly possess firearms when they are expressly prohibited from doing so demonstrate a clear disregard for the lives of others,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI and our partners will continue our commitment to the community to investigate and hold accountable criminals who illegally have these deadly weapons.”
The FBI and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker. Judge Barker also ordered that Burroughs be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jayson W. McGrath, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of the LEATH Initiative (Law Enforcement Action to Halt Domestic Violence), named in honor of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance call. A partnership among the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the IMPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the LEATH Initiative focuses federal, state, and local law enforcement resources on domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Owner of Telemedicine Companies Pleads Guilty to Role in $136M Medicare Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
The owner of two purported telemedicine companies pleaded guilty today to her role in a conspiracy to defraud Medicare of $136 million.
According to court documents, Jean Wilson, 52, of Richmond Hill, Georgia, was a licensed nurse practitioner in New Jersey. Wilson owned two purported telemedicine companies, Advantage Choice Care LLC (ACC) and Tele Medcare LLC (Tele Medcare), and two orthotic brace suppliers, Southeastern DME and Choice Care Medical. Wilson, through these companies, recruited medical professionals who were bribed to sign prescriptions for Medicare beneficiaries for orthotic braces and prescription drugs that were medically unnecessary, ineligible for Medicare reimbursement, or not provided as represented. In certain instances, Wilson only paid providers when they signed orthotic brace orders. The medical professionals Wilson recruited would often sign the orthotic brace orders based solely on a brief telephonic interaction with the beneficiary, or no interaction at all. Wilson and the medical providers she retained frequently signed false and misleading documentation to support claims to Medicare.
During the conspiracy, Wilson and others submitted, or caused the submission of, false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicare sponsors, and Medicare Part D plans in excess of approximately $136 million for orthotic braces and prescription drugs that were medically unnecessary, ineligible for Medicare reimbursement, or not provided as represented. Medicare, Medicare sponsors, and Medicare Part D plans paid at least $66 million for these claims.
Wilson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on July 18 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. As part of her plea, she has agreed to pay over $66 million in restitution to Medicare and the IRS. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Special Agent in Charge James Dennehy of the FBI Newark Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Newark Field Office made the announcement.
The HHS-OIG, FBI, and IRS-CI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Darren C. Halverson and Nicholas K. Peone of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Newport News man sentenced for prolific card-swiping operationRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to nine years and 11 months in prison for leading a credit card fraud and identity theft scheme that victimized thousands of people and caused at least $1.5 million in loss.
According to court documents, Damier Dorsey, 29, and his co-conspirators purchased account information for identity theft victims from the darknet, including the “BriansClub” website, and re-encoded that information onto cards in their possession. They used the altered cards without authorization from the legitimate account holders, beginning in 2017 when Dorsey purchased cartons of cigarettes that he would resell to a local business.
In 2018, the scheme evolved to purchasing items for resale and purchasing lottery tickets to launder proceeds through the Virginia Lottery. For example, on April 14, 2018, Dorsey and his co-conspirators purchased $2,716.06 of merchandise from Toys “R” Us and attempted to resell the merchandise on Facebook Marketplace. The same day, Dorsey used the same re-encoded card to withdraw $300 from a bank ATM. On June 27, 2018, Dorsey and his coconspirators purchased $200 of lottery tickets with a re-encoded card.
Dorsey and his co-conspirators were aspiring musicians who released music under the moniker, “$wipaG@ng.” Dorsey participated in a music video in which he and his co-conspirators boasted about committing fraud and other criminal activities.
On Aug. 2, 2018, Dorsey and a co-conspirator were stopped while driving by the Virginia State Police. Dorsey was in possession of a credit card embossing machine, numerous credit cards in various states of imprinting, and over $23,000. During a search of Dorsey’s home, law enforcement recovered multiple re-encoded credit cards, magnetic strip cards without labels, a magnetic strip card reader/writer, lists of numbers, lottery tickets, and W-2G tax forms for lottery winnings. The operation was so prolific that a co-conspirator approximated that she and Dorsey spent $10,000 per week on re-encoded and re-embossed credit and debit cards.
On Sept. 11, 2023, Dorsey pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ajay Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
U.S. Attorney Aber thanks the Virginia State Police for their assistance in this investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Mack Coleman prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-38.
Mount Vernon Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for His Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that LELAND ROBINSON was sentenced to 50 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas for his enticement of a 14-year-old minor to engage in sexual activity. ROBINSON was convicted of enticement of a minor following a week-long jury trial in July 2023.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Leland Robinson’s crime is the nightmare of every parent of a child who uses a smartphone. Robinson met his victim on a social media application and then traveled to Connecticut, where he sexually assaulted the child outside the child’s home. I encourage parents and caregivers to have conversations with their children about the dangers of communicating online with strangers. We will continue to use every tool available to law enforcement to prosecute and punish those who seek to exploit our children.”
According to court documents and the evidence presented in the trial of ROBINSON:
In or about February 2019, ROBINSON, who was 31 years old but posing as a high school student, met a 14-year-old boy (“Victim-1”) on a social media application. ROBINSON sent Victim-1 sexually explicit images and videos of himself and requested the same from Victim-1. In the fall of 2019, ROBINSON agreed to provide Victim-1 with a JUUL if Victim-1 would engage in sex with ROBINSON. On multiple occasions in September and October 2019, ROBINSON traveled to Victim-1’s home in Connecticut. On October 24, 2019, ROBINSON returned to Victim-1’s house and sexually assaulted him in the yard outside his house.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Karas said: “People should understand that when they prey on kids, they will pay the price.”
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In addition to the prison term, ROBINSON, 35, of Mount Vernon, New York, was sentenced to 15 years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Canaan Police Department, and the Greensboro Police Department in Greensboro, North Carolina, in connection with this investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marcia S. Cohen and Jennifer Ong are in charge of the prosecution.
Michigan Man Sentenced to 96 Months for Drug and Gun Crimes in BurlingtonRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on March 7, 2024, Quenton Dodson, 36, originally from Ypsilanti, Michigan, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Geoffrey Crawford to a term of 96 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a four-year term of supervised release. Dodson previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as being a felon in possession of firearms.
According to court records, after serving almost eight years in a Michigan prison and another year on parole in connection with previously shooting three individuals in a dispute over drugs, Dodson came to Vermont in 2021 to sell methamphetamine and fentanyl. In late 2021 and early 2022, the Burlington Police Department conducted a series of controlled purchases of drugs from Dodson and, in January 2022, obtained warrants to search not only Dodson’s Farrell Street apartment, but also the Ledgewood Circle apartment of a woman suspected of working with Dodson. In Dodson’s Farrell Street apartment police found more than $10,000 in cash (including some of the bills used in one of the controlled buys), about 20 grams of fentanyl, about 65 grams of methamphetamine, about 20 grams of cocaine, and a loaded handgun. In the Ledgewood Circle apartment, police found almost three pounds of methamphetamine (some of which was contained in a plastic bag bearing Dodson’s fingerprint), as well as another loaded handgun.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest observed: “This case demonstrates that Vermont should not be perceived as a friendly destination for those preying on the addictions of others. We are grateful that the Burlington Police Department, in collaboration with the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, as well as the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, were able to intervene in Dodson’s criminal activity before either of the loaded firearms he possessed in connection with his drug dealing were fired.”
Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad added: “The Burlington Police Department believes in using a multi-faceted approach to address the scourge of drugs in our community, from treatment and succor for those with substance-use disorder to prosecution and prison for those who peddle poison. I’m proud of our detective team’s work and I’m immensely grateful for our federal partners. This case shows our collective resolve to ensure accountability for traffickers who prey on the suffering of others and harm our community in the process.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher. Dodson was represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Meridian Man Pleads Guilty to Destruction of an Energy Facility for Shooting at Two Idaho Power Hydroelectric Power PlantsRead the Press Release
BOISE – Randy Scott Vail, 59, of Meridian, pleaded guilty to destruction of an energy facility in Idaho, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, on June 8, 2023, and continuing into June 9, 2023, Vail shot at the Hells Canyon Dam hydroelectric power station and the Brownlee Dam hydroelectric power station causing power loss and substantial damage to both. The Hells Canyon Dam and the Brownlee Dam are located on the Snake River along the Idaho-Oregon border and were built and are operated by Idaho Power Company. The dams are essential to electricity production, transmission, and storage in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon.
Specifically, in the late-night hours of June 8, 2023, Vail arrived on the top of Hells Canyon Dam via motorcycle, loaded a rifle with ammunition and discharged the rifle, shooting at the power substations. As a result, power loss occurred at Hells Canyon Dam. Approximately one hour later, on June 9, 2023, Vail arrived via motorcycle to the Brownlee Dam. Vail again loaded a rifle with ammunition and shot at the dam’s power substations. As a result, large plumes of sparks were visible in the switch yard of the power plant.
Approximately 45 minutes after Vail shot the Brownlee Dam power substations, a sheriff deputy encountered Vail on a motorcycle on Highway 71 traveling south towards Cambridge, Idaho. Law enforcement initiated emergency lights and sirens, but Vail failed to yield and increased speed. After approximately three miles, Vail yielded to lights and sirens, and he was taken into custody. During a search and inventory of Vail and the motorcycle, law enforcement located bolt cutters, a guitar case housing two rifles, and live and spent ammunition. Vail also was carrying two yellow compressed air tanks with gasoline with the pressure gauge missing.
Damage and loss to the hydroelectric power stations was at least $546,982.46. In addition, the loss in power production at both facilities reduced capacity for Idaho Power, reducing power capacity in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington and thus caused a significant interruption and impairment of the function of the energy facilities.
Vail is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5, 2024 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended a host of federal, state, and local partners in both Idaho and Oregon, for their collaborative work on the case. They include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, the Adams County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Meridian Police Department, the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Boise Police Department, and the Baker County Sheriff’s Office and Wallowa County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather S. Patricco and Erin C. Blackadar are prosecuting the case, in collaboration with the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
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Man sentenced for illegal firearm possession and making online threatsRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition and sending threatening messages to a former girlfriend through Facebook.
According to court documents, on May 28, 2019, Robert Edgar English, aka “H.B.,” “Hot Boy,” and “Head Buster,” 40, accompanied another person to a firearms retailer in Chesapeake, Virginia, and provided money for the straw purchase of a semi-automatic firearm. On June 16, 2019, during a traffic stop in Portsmouth, Virginia, law enforcement seized the firearm from the vehicle’s trunk, as well as an attached drum magazine with 26 rounds of ammunition and a 60-round capacity.
In 2005, English was convicted in Kings County, New York, of attempted criminal possession of a weapon. As a previously convicted felon, English cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
On Sept. 7 and Sept. 8, 2021, English threatened his ex-girlfriend through messages from a Facebook account under the name “Howard Barnes.” Among other messages, English threatened that the victim “better be looking for the reaper” and that he would “black out your whole family.”
On Nov. 13, 2023, English pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and interstate threatening communication.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Stephen Jenkins, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Mozzi prosecuted the case. Former Assistant United States Attorney William B. Jackson also provided assistance on this case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-19.
Man Sentenced for Escaping from CustodyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Anthony Aranda, 32, was sentenced on March 8, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for escape from custody. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Aranda to 8 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Aranda’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
Aranda was convicted on February 12, 2015, in the United States Court for the District of Nebraska of carjacking and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced to 130-months imprisonment. After his custodial sentence, in September 2023 Aranda was designated by the Bureau of Prisons to serve the remainder of his sentence at DISMAS Charities in Omaha, Nebraska, through January 2024. On October 17, 2023, Aranda left DISMAS Charities and did not return. Aranda was eventually found and arrested on October 26, 2023, at a residence in Sioux City, Iowa.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
Mail thief who stole postal vehicles and mailbox keys sentenced to 3+ years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A man who committed a series of mail vehicle and mail key thefts was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 41 months in prison for theft of government property, mail theft, illegal transactions on access devices, and illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Johny Mixayboua, 27, committed a string of mail theft incidents involving stolen postal vehicles, stolen postal keys, mail theft and associated crimes. The postal service had to halt deliveries in the zip code 98118 for about a week while investigators worked to track down and arrest Mixayboua. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court by Judge Richard A. Jones said, “You had opportunities to look at your past and look at your future. You have failed to take advantage of the opportunities provided along the way to change your future…As you grow and mature, you will see all the years wasted engaged in criminal activity.”
“Mr. Mixayboua’s thefts caused widespread hardship – especially for the elderly and disabled who were suddenly forced to line up at the post office to get their mail,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “The theft of checks and credit cards caused harm to those hit with fraudulent charges. But even those who did not suffer theft were impacted. Individuals who relied on the mail for medication, medical supplies, food, and financial documents, were asked to physically come into the post office to pick up their mail because they had to shut down service due to the defendant’s actions.”
“Mail theft and identity theft remains a plague in our communities. Mixayboua’s thefts victimized numerous U.S. Postal Service customers throughout the Seattle area, but through our partnerships with local law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we were able to shut down this prolific mail thief,” said Inspector in Charge Anthony Galetti, “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service remains steadfast in our commitment to ensure the U.S. mail remains safe and secure for all members of our community.”
According to records in the case, on December 28, 2022, a U.S. Postal Service vehicle was stolen from the 6300 block of South Bangor Street in Seattle. In the vehicle was a postal key that is used to access the cluster mailbox units in the 98178 zip code. The key allows the postal worker to open the back of the cluster box to deliver mail to multiple households. Since the theft of the vehicle and postal key, there had been numerous reports of cluster boxes in zip code 98178 being opened and mail stolen.
Working with neighbors, the Postal Inspection Service was able to get door camera footage showing the person accessing the postal boxes. Neighbors reported credit cards being stolen and attempts being made to use them. Inspectors were able to review images from when the credit card attempts occurred and ultimately identified Mixayboua as the person stealing the mail and attempting to use the stolen credit cards.
Additionally, local law enforcement determined that vehicles used in a number of the mail theft incidents were reported stolen.
On January 17, 2023, two more Postal Service vehicles were stolen. One in the 3000 block of Beach Drive SW and a second one in the 3600 block of 57th SW. Both are in zip code 98116. Using doorbell camera footage from the block where one of the vehicles was recovered, investigators saw Mixayboua removing mail and parcels from the stolen postal vehicle and putting them in another vehicle. Again, law enforcement traced credit cards stolen from the mail and obtained surveillance footage that appears to show Mixayboua attempting to make purchases with the credit cards.
On January 30, 2023, a fourth postal vehicle was stolen – this time from the 2000 block of S. Columbian Way in Seattle. On March 28, 2023, a fifth postal vehicle was stolen from the 5700 block of S. 129th Ave. One of the people associated with the theft matched the description of Mixayboua. In late January and February, the mail theft incidents continued -- this time in the Snoqualmie, Washington area. The cluster boxes were opened with either a counterfeit or authentic postal key. Again, credit cards were stolen, and one was linked to images of Mixayboua making purchases at Target.
Throughout April, mail thefts continued from as far north as Lake Forest Park and as far south as southeast Seattle.
The postal service halted deliveries in zip code 98118 for about a week while investigators worked to track down and arrest Mixayboua.
Mixaboua apparently was living in a vehicle near a relative’s home. He was arrested after running from officers. Law enforcement found a Polymer unregistered firearm – known as a ‘ghost gun’ - that Mixayboua threw into the bushes while attempting to run away. Mixayboua is prohibited from possessing firearms due to multiple felony convictions in King County for auto theft, possession of stolen property, and bail jumping.
In asking for a 41-month prison sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Elyne Vaught wrote to the court, “Beginning in December of 2022 up to his arrest in May of 2023, the defendant, Johny Mixayboua’s full-time job was to use stolen postal keys to steal mail from the residents of King County, leaving a trail of financial and sentimental loss along the way. As the thefts increased, the United States Postal Service made the difficult decision to shut down mail service to an entire zip code, requiring residents, including the elderly and disabled, to physically come into the office to pick up their mail.”
This case was investigated by U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elyne Vaught.
Louisiana Man Sentenced to over Nine Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – An Amite, Louisiana man was sentenced to 114 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Kendrick Kenyon Davis, 45, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
According to court documents, in August 2019, Davis conspired with others, including Juan Angel Gonzalez, Jr., 50, of Houston, Texas, and Jimario Juvonca Holmes, 35, of Louisville, Mississippi, to distribute cocaine. During the investigation, agents learned that Davis and Gonzalez negotiated the delivery of kilogram quantities of cocaine, and that Davis had elicited the assistance of Holmes to pick up narcotics from Gonzalez in Houston, Texas, and bring them back to Mississippi for distribution.
“This individual and several others conspired to traffic large quantities of cocaine from Texas into Mississippi without concern for the addiction, death and destruction they would leave in their wake,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune. “Thanks to outstanding teamwork between our HSI office in Jackson, Mississippi, and our OCDETF partners, we were able to dismantle this multi-state drug trafficking ring and prevent them from flooding our local communities with these deadly narcotics.”
Juan Angel Gonzalez, Jr. previously pled guilty for his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced to 9 years in prison. Jimario Juvonca Holmes also pled guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Eric Delaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in Jackson and Houston, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Kemper County Sheriff’s Office, Neshoba County Sheriff’s Office, Philadelphia Police Department, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, Mississippi National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, and the Beaumont, Texas Police Department.
This case is the result of an extensive investigation targeting illegal drug trafficking in Philadelphia, Neshoba County, Mississippi, and surrounding areas. The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.
Local drug trafficker gets life in prison for his role in murder-for-hire plotRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 50-year-old man has been sentenced for perpetrating multiple violent crimes related to a drug trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
A federal jury deliberated for six hours before returning the guilty verdicts Oct. 31, 2023, on all counts against Ronald Brown aka Nuk, Nook or Nookie following a six-day trial. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder for hire, intentional killing related to drug trafficking, two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a murder, kidnapping and using a firearm in relation to the kidnapping as well as conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Brown to serve life in federal prison. At the trial, the court heard argument regarding Brown’s repeated attempts to intimidate, influence and kill witnesses in his trial. In handing down the life sentence, the court recommended that Brown be confined in a communications management unit to ensure heightened monitoring of Brown’s external and internal communications.
In December 2013, law enforcement seized 21 kilograms of cocaine from one of Brown’s associates who had placed the bag in a vehicle at a Valero gas station. Brown was upset by the loss and sidelined him from the drug operation at that time.
During trial, the jury heard from several witnesses who testified about working directly for Brown. He was responsible for moving as much as 100 to 200 kilograms of cocaine each week from Houston to Atlanta, Georgia, on 18-wheeler trucks and car haulers. Once in Atlanta, his associates would divide the shipments before delivering it to Brown’s customers.
The jury also heard testimony from one of Brown’s drivers who was robbed of approximately 56 kilograms of cocaine April 18, 2014. Brown suspected the same individual who lost the drugs at the Valero and another drug associate conspired to steal the cocaine from him.
On April 23, 2014, Brown and others kidnapped the associate, zip-tied his arms and legs and put him in the trunk of Brown’s girlfriend’s vehicle. A good Samaritan picked up the victim and attempted to drive him to safety after the victim managed to free himself from the trunk. However, Brown pursued and shot at them repeatedly, ultimately striking the good Samaritan in the upper body and the associate in the head. Both survived.
One of the kidnappers told the jury he met Brown following the kidnapping who directed him to dump the vehicle and gun used during the shooting. Brown also directed his girlfriend to report the vehicle as stolen.
Following the failed attempt to kill this person, Brown began searching for the other man from the Valero incident whom he also thought was part of the alleged theft on April 18, 2023, in order reclaim his drugs. He ultimately decided he wanted to kill him. Testimony revealed Brown was able to obtain the date of the man’s next parole visit. Through a middleman, Brown then hired a shooter and provided him with a handgun.
Following that parole visit on July 1, 2014, the victim returned to his vehicle in the parking lot. The shooter then fired multiple shots at close range at the victim as he sat in the driver’s seat. He died at the scene.
Afterwards, Brown met the shooter and middleman in the parking lot of a grocery store and paid them $20,000.
At the trial, the defense attempted to convince the jury that other members of Brown’s drug trafficking organization orchestrated the kidnapping and murder. They did not believe those claims and found Brown guilty as charged.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from the Houston Police Department’s Homicide Division, Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Parole Division, U.S. Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Prisons and Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sebastian A. Edwards and Britni Cooper prosecuted the case.
Leader of the Rodriguez Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 10 Years for Drug Conspiracy and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK –Ivan Rodriguez, Senior, age 48, of Utica, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 121 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, distribution of more than 400 grams of fentanyl, and money laundering, announced United States Attorney Carla Freedman, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division and Thomas Fattorusso, Executive Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office.
After a lengthy investigation, Rodriguez, Sr. was identified as the head of a drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl in and around Oneida County from May 2020 to October 2021. On September 20, 2021, the defendant and his son, Ivan Rodriguez, Jr. arranged for co-conspirator Eric Ares to drive to a source of supply in New York City to pick up fentanyl for redistribution in the Utica area. Law enforcement officers interdicted the vehicle en route back to Utica and recovered three kilograms of fentanyl from a speaker inside of Ares’ rental car. During the conspiracy, Rodriguez, Sr. also provided cash obtained from drug trafficking to a straw purchaser to buy cars, including a BMW.
Ivan Rodriguez, Jr. will be sentenced on May 2, 2024. Eric Ares will be sentenced April 11, 2024.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the New York State Police, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, the Utica Police Department, the Syracuse Police Department, the Rome Police Department, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, New York Army National Guard Counter Drug Program, the Yorkville Village Police Department, and the Whitesboro Village Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Thomson.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Leader of Tri-cities Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Etzael Bejar-Cardenas, was sentenced on February 22, 2024, after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute 400 Grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed a sentence of 180 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to information presented during court proceedings, multiple members Bejar-Cardenas’ family have been involved in drug trafficking in the Tri-Cities and Seattle area for an extended period of time. This group was responsible for trafficking hundreds of thousands of deadly fentanyl pills into those communities.
In March 2022, search warrants were executed in the Tri-Cities area at several locations related to the investigation. A substantial amount (over 1 kilogram) of fentanyl pills, as well as multiple firearms were located in a “stash house” run by this family in Pasco, Washington.
When police knocked and announced their presence at the home where Bejar-Cardenas was staying at the time, a 15-year-old flushed an unknown quantity of fentanyl pills down the toilet. During a search of that the mother’s bedroom, multiple firearms were located in a safe with $30,000 in U.S. Currency, and an AR-15 style rifle was located under the teenager’s bunk bed. There also were a small amount of loose fentanyl pills located on the floor of the residence, where an infant resided along with other members of Bejar-Cardenas’s family.
Of note, Bejar-Cardenas was not located during the execution of the March 2022 search warrants. Instead, agents later learned Bejar-Cardenas had seen the search warrants being executed on a security camera and fled to Mexico. While in Mexico, Bejar-Cardenas continued his drug trafficking activities. He continued to take orders from customers in Eastern Washington and directed others in the United States to deliver the drugs.
Unbeknownst to Bejar-Cardenas, he began communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer, and solicited that individual to help him set up a new ‘stash house’ to store 50,000 fentanyl pills after law enforcement raided the previous one.
When Bejar-Cardenas later returned to the United States, he was arrested. While detained in custody awaiting the disposition of his case, he offered others housed with him the number for his “uncle,” who was the head of the drug trafficking organization, so those individuals would have a source of supply of drugs to sell when they got out of jail.
In fashioning the appropriate sentence, Judge Dimke noted the nature and circumstances of this offense were extremely serious, as Bejar-Cardenas and his family trafficked a substantial amount of fentanyl and were in possession of a substantial number of firearms. Judge Dimke ruled that Bejar-Cardenas’ pattern of behavior showed he was not deterred, despite law enforcement interventions, which gave him an opportunity to change course. Judge Dimke addressed the nature of the offense – noting that it was clear Bejar-Cardenas family was involved in this organization. Based on the totality of the circumstances, Judge Dimke advised she was “thoroughly convinced” a substantial sentence was needed to convince him to stop and hopefully to serve as an example to younger family members to not follow in Bejar-Cardenas’ footsteps.
“Mr. Bejar-Cardenas was a key member of a large drug trafficking organization and directed distribution of a large number of deadly drugs across Eastern Washington,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Mr. Bejar-Cardenas exposed minor children and even an infant to deadly fentanyl and to his drug trafficking activities. After he was taken into custody, Mr. Bejar Cardenas brazenly attempted to distribute illegal narcotics. Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat facing this country. The Eastern District of Washington is safer and stronger today as a result of the tireless work of our law enforcement partners and federal prosecutors.”
“The fentanyl crisis is the most dangerous drug threat I have seen in my 26 years of Federal drug enforcement,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Fentanyl traffickers like Mr. Bejar-Cardenas act with total disregard for the lives lost or ruined for their profit, but this sentence shows the resolve of the DEA and our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to confront this threat and safeguard our community.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard.
Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization Based in Lewis County, Tennessee, Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Michael Sowell, 39, of Hohenwald, Tennessee, was sentenced yesterday to 22 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis.
In May 2023, Sowell pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute various drugs, including heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine; distribution of methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine; and possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
The convictions stem from Sowell’s involvement in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was responsible for distributing substantial quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine throughout middle Tennessee between 2017 and 2020. Sowell imported heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine from California and distributed those drugs to other individuals, many of whom were also charged as part of this case. Sowell admitted that he was aware that the charged conspiracy involved at least two kilograms of heroin, at least six kilograms of cocaine, and over 33 pounds of methamphetamine.
As part of the resolution of this case, Sowell forfeited firearms and ammunition recovered from his house during the execution of a search warrant in 2019, as well as a money judgment in the amount of $200,000, which represents proceeds he obtained from his illegal drug trafficking activity.
The other individuals charged in the Superseding Indictment with Michael Sowell have all pled guilty. Frank Sparkman, 42, of Hohenwald, Tennessee, was sentenced in October 2023 to 15 years in prison; Antonio Sowell, 39, of Hohenwald, Tennessee, was sentenced in January 2024 to 15 years in prison. Charles Lowe-Kelley, 32, of Columbia, Tennessee, was sentenced in February 2024 to 15 years in prison. Antonio Laster, 33, of Nashville, Tennessee, was sentenced in August 2023 to 10 years in prison. Tanasha Vaughn, 24, of Hohenwald, Tennessee, and Darron Weakley, 37, of Nashville, Tennessee, are awaiting sentencing.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Columbia Police Department; the Hohenwald Police Department; the Spring Hill Police Department; and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Levine and Nani M. Gilkerson prosecuted the case.
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Lake Worth resident on bond in federal case charged with bank fraud conspiracy involving over $2.1 million dollarsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – While on bond in an aggravated identity theft matter, Manley Vanel Neptune, 33, of Lake Worth, was charged in a second federal case with participating in a conspiracy to obtain over $2.1 million dollars by depositing a stolen U.S. Treasury check into a fraudulent bank account.
According to allegations in the initial complaint, on Feb. 2, Neptune attempted to open a fraudulent account at a First Horizon Bank in Lighthouse Point, Florida, by presenting a counterfeit U.S. passport card in the name of “W.H.” (Case No. 24-mj-6052). Neptune was arrested by law enforcement. On Feb. 15, Neptune was indicted for using a counterfeit passport and aggravated identify theft (Case No. 24-cr-60028). Neptune was released on bond.
Neptune was then charged in a second complaint when further investigation revealed that on Feb. 1, Neptune successfully opened a fraudulent account at a Truist Bank in Pompano Beach, Florida by using the same counterfeit U.S. passport card, in the name of “W.H.,” that Neptune used at First Horizon Bank the following day. On Feb. 20, while on bond, Neptune caused two female co-conspirators to deposit, into the fraudulent account at Truist Bank, a stolen U.S. Treasury check in the amount of $2,172,687.18 that was issued to “W.G.H.” The second criminal complaint (Case No. 24-mj-6093) charges Neptune with participating in the bank fraud conspiracy.
On March 7, Neptune had his initial appearance in federal court in Case No. 24-mj-6093. The parties stipulated to pretrial detention with the right to revisit. An arraignment hearing is scheduled for March 21.
If convicted of the bank fraud conspiracy, Neptune faces up to 30 years in federal prison. If convicted of using a fraudulent U.S. passport, Neptune faces up to 10 years in federal prison. If convicted of aggravated identity theft, Neptune faces a mandatory minimum term of 2 years in federal prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other mitigating, aggravating, and statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, made the announcement.
HSI Ft. Lauderdale investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph A. Cooley is prosecuting it.
An indictment and complaint contain 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 numbers 24-mj-6039 and 24-cr-60028.
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Kashaun Lockett, 38, of Omaha, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for his involvement in a methamphetamine conspiracy.Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Kashaun Lockett, 38, of Omaha, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for his involvement in a methamphetamine conspiracy. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter Jr. sentenced Lockett to 204 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.
Beginning in October 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating Lockett for distributing meth. Over the course of eight months, the FBI utilized a Confidential Source (CS) to make 13 controlled buys of meth from Lockett. In total, 419 grams of meth were purchased from Lockett. On one occasion, Lockett was unable to make the delivery, so he utilized his brother, Gary, to make the delivery.
On June 14, 2021, a controlled buy was arranged with Lockett. Lockett’s residence was under surveillance at the time, and Lockett was followed when he left to meet with the CS. The Omaha Police Department attempted a traffic stop on Lockett, however, Lockett fled from the traffic stop. Lockett was observed throwing an item down a storm drain, which later turned out to be 319 grams of meth.
During Lockett’s flight, surveillance officers still at Lockett’s residence saw Gary Lockett and Robert Culberson exit the residence and toss meth and a firearm into the tree line at the back of Lockett’s residence.
Lockett’s sentence was enhanced due to possessing the firearm and for having a previous federal drug conviction. Culberson was sentenced on August 15, 2023, to 120 months for his involvement. Gary Lockett is set for sentencing on March 15, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Omaha Police Department
Justice and Interior Departments Outline Commitment, Next Steps in Effort to Address Missing or Murdered Indigenous Peoples and Human Trafficking CrisisRead the Press Release
The Departments of Justice and the Interior today released their joint response to the Not Invisible Act Commission’s recommendations on how to combat the missing or murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP) and human trafficking crisis. The response recognizes that more must be done across the federal government to resolve this longstanding crisis and support healing from the generational traumas that Indigenous peoples have endured throughout the history of the United States.
“These recommendations are an important and necessary step toward healing the trauma, pain, and loss that Tribal communities have endured for generations,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department is committed to working with our partners at the Department of the Interior to put an end to the missing or murdered Indigenous persons and human trafficking crisis. We are deeply grateful to the Not Invisible Act commissioners and the survivors and family members of victims who testified before the Commission about their heartbreaking experiences. Those testimonies and the Commission’s recommendations will continue to guide our work.”
“Addressing violent crimes against Indigenous peoples has long been underfunded and ignored, as a cause of intergenerational trauma that has affected our communities since colonization,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. “Through historic efforts like the Not Invisible Act Commission, we’re identifying recommendations created by Indian Country, for Indian Country. This will ensure that epidemics like the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Crisis and Human Trafficking are addressed with the resources they demand.”
The Justice and Interior Departments’ response addresses the Commission’s areas of concern including:
- Law enforcement and investigative resources;
- Recruitment and retention of law enforcement;
- Data collection and reporting;
- Cross-jurisdictional coordination;
- Family and survivor resources;
- Improving public safety resources; and
- Alaska-specific issues.
The Not Invisible Act Commission was created by the Not Invisible Act, the enactment of which was led by Secretary Haaland during her time in Congress. The Commission included law enforcement, Tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, family members of missing or murdered individuals, and survivors. As mandated by the Act, the Commission developed recommendations for federal government actions to take on focused topics to combat violent crime against Indigenous people and within Indian lands, and to address the epidemic of missing people, and the murder or trafficking of American Indian and Alaska Native peoples, as specified under the law.
Background on Efforts to Address the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP)
At the 2021 White House Tribal Nations Summit, President Biden signed Executive Order 14053 on Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People directing the Departments of the Interior, Justice, and Health and Human Services to work with Tribal Nations and partners to build safe and healthy Tribal communities and to support comprehensive law enforcement, prevention, intervention and support services. In March 2022, the President signed the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 into law, which built on advancements from previous reauthorizations and reinforced Tribal sovereignty by recognizing Tribes’ inherent authority to address the epidemic of violence within their lands and communities.
At the 2022 White House Tribal Nations Summit, the Interior Department’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the FBI announced an agreement to provide for the effective and efficient administration of criminal investigations in Indian Country. The agreement specified that the BIA Office of Justice Services (BIA-OJS) and the FBI would cooperate on investigations and share information and investigative reports as well as establish written guidelines outlining jurisdiction and investigative roles and responsibilities. The agreement also requires that all BIA, FBI, and Tribal law enforcement officers receive training regarding trauma-informed, culturally responsive investigative approaches. In addition, at the Tribal Nations Summit, the Attorney General announced the selection of the Justice Department’s first Native American Outreach Services Liaison, who works to ensure that victims of crimes have a voice in every step of the criminal justice process where the federal government has jurisdiction.
Attorney General Garland traveled to Alaska last August, meeting with Tribal leaders and representatives of Native Tribal organizations to discuss public safety challenges and partnerships with Tribal communities to combat the MMIP crisis.
Since the establishment of the NIAC in 2020, the Justice Department has made strides in implementing systems aimed at preventing new instances of MMIP, locating individuals who are reported missing, and, where a crime has occurred, investigating and prosecuting those responsible.
In June 2023, the Justice Department launched the MMIP Regional Outreach Program. This program places regional attorneys and coordinators at U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people, and it will work closely with the Native American Outreach Services Liaison to improve the Justice Department’s response to the MMIP crisis.
The Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime expanded the scope of allowable activities under its Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside grant program to permit Tribal communities to pay for costs related to generating awareness of individual missing persons cases involving American Indians and Alaska Native persons, supporting search efforts and coordination of Tribal, state, and federal responses to MMIP cases.
Justice Department and USDA Enter into Memorandum of Understanding on Civil Enforcement of the Animal Welfare ActRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and USDA Office of the General Counsel (OGC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Civil Judicial Enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of ENRD, USDA Principal Deputy General Counsel Mary Beth Schultz and USDA-APHIS Administrator Michael Watson made the announcement.
The agencies have been closely collaborating on civil judicial enforcement of the AWA for almost four years. This collaboration has resulted in a number of important enforcement actions, including securing the surrender of close to 150 animals from a Michigan animal dealer, some of which are protected under the Endangered Species Act, and an injunction protecting dogs and cats against pervasive mistreatment at a breeder facility.
The MOU represents another significant step forward in AWA enforcement, as it outlines new actions the agencies will take to enhance their collaboration. In general, the MOU establishes a framework for notification, consultation and coordination among APHIS, USDA’s General Counsel and ENRD. Building on the agencies’ ongoing relationship, this framework formalizes procedures for regular meetings, coordination on enforcement referrals, information sharing and additional training for employees, among other activities. These procedures will better enable the agencies to prepare for and coordinate on potential civil enforcement actions.
USDA and the Justice Department take seriously their common goal of ensuring that animals protected by the AWA are cared for and treated humanely. This MOU demonstrates the agencies’ joint commitment to fulfilling this mission.
Final_AWA_MOU_ signed (002).pdfJustice Department Sues to Shut Down Chicago-Area Return PreparerRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a complaint today seeking to bar a Chicago-area tax return preparer from owning or operating a tax return preparation business and preparing tax returns for others.
The civil complaint against Sir-Michael Davenport and his Illinois-based business, My Unity Financial & Tax Preparation LLC, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
The complaint alleges that Davenport knowingly took unreasonable or incorrect positions on returns he prepared that resulted in understatements of the tax his customers owed and overstatements of the refunds to which they were entitled to receive. In particular, the complaint alleges that Davenport prepared returns that claimed deductions for purported business losses on Form 1040 Schedule C that he knew were false. The complaint also alleges that Davenport conceals his identity from the IRS by operating as a “ghost preparer,” meaning he does not sign his clients’ tax returns, nor does he identify himself as the paid preparer by reporting his Preparer Tax Identification Number – or PTIN – on the returns he prepares for paying clients despite being legally required to do so. Not signing a return, or “ghost preparation,” is often a red flag that a preparer is attempting to avoid detection by the IRS.
The government further alleges that Davenport began preparing tax returns as early as 2018 and filed hundreds of tax returns in 2021 and 2022, with anywhere from 69% to 81% of the returns he prepared in those years reporting average business losses of between $26,507 to $31,879. By repeatedly understating his customers’ tax liabilities, the complaint alleges that the United States has been harmed by Davenport’s conduct resulting in the significant loss in tax revenue of an estimated $715,407 for tax year 2021 alone.
Deputy Assistant General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS warns taxpayers to avoid "ghost preparers" and lists other improper acts that tax preparers engage in to take advantage of their unsuspecting customers. The IRS also offers guidance on the credentials and qualifications that taxpayers should seek from their return preparer.
In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Davenport Complaint Filed Version 3.8.2024.pdfJustice Department Information on Efforts to Protect the Right to Vote, Prosecute Election Crimes, and Secure ElectionsRead the Press Release
Justice Department Press Release issued January 9, 2024:
In advance of this year’s federal election cycle, and consistent with longstanding Justice Department practices and procedures, the department today is providing information about its efforts, through the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Division, National Security Division (NSD), and U.S. Attorneys’ offices throughout the country, to ensure that all qualified voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots and have their votes counted free of discrimination, intimidation, or criminal activity in the election process, and to ensure that our elections are secure and free from foreign malign influence and interference.
Civil Rights Division
The department’s Civil Rights Division is responsible for ensuring compliance with the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, and with the criminal provisions of federal statutes prohibiting discriminatory interference with that right. This work is often performed in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ offices.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of a wide range of federal statutes that protect the right to vote including: the Voting Rights Act; the National Voter Registration Act; the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act; the Help America Vote Act; and the Civil Rights Acts. Among other things, collectively, these laws:
- prohibit election practices that have either a discriminatory purpose or a discriminatory result on account of race, color, or language minority status;
- prohibit intimidation of voters;
- allow voters who need assistance in voting because of disability or inability to read or write to receive assistance from a person of their choice (other than agents of their employer or union);
- require minority language election materials and assistance in certain jurisdictions;
- require accessible voting systems for voters with disabilities;
- require that provisional ballots be offered to voters who assert they are registered and eligible to vote in the jurisdiction, but whose names do not appear on poll books;
- require states to provide for absentee voting for uniformed service members serving away from home, their family members also away from home due to that service, and U.S. citizens living abroad; and
- require covered states to offer the opportunity to register to vote through offices that provide driver licenses, public assistance, and disability services, as well as through the mail, and to take steps regarding maintaining voter registration lists.
The Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination in voting based on disability. The ADA applies to all aspects of voting, including voter registration, selection and accessibility of voting facilities, and the casting of ballots on Election Day or during early voting, whether in-person or absentee.
The Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter interference based on race, color, national origin, or religion.
- Throughout the election cycle, Civil Rights Division attorneys in the Voting, Disability Rights, and Criminal Sections in Washington, D.C., will be ready to receive complaints of potential violations of any of the statutes the Civil Rights Division enforces. The Civil Rights Division will work closely with counterparts at U.S. Attorneys’ offices and other department components to review and take appropriate action concerning these complaints.
- Individuals with complaints related to possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can call the Justice Department’s toll-free telephone line at 800-253-3931, and can also submit complaints through a link on the department’s website at www.civilrights.justice.gov/.
- Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY), or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at ada.gov.
Complaints related to violence, threats of violence, or intimidation at a polling place should always be reported immediately to local authorities by calling 911. They should also be reported to the department after local authorities are contacted.
Criminal Division and the Department’s 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices
The department’s Criminal Division oversees the enforcement of federal laws that criminalize certain forms of election fraud and vindicate the integrity of the federal election process.
The Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and U.S. Attorneys’ offices are responsible for enforcing the federal criminal laws that prohibit various forms of election crimes, such as destruction of ballots, vote-buying, multiple voting, submission of fraudulent ballots or registrations, alteration of votes, and malfeasance by postal or election officials and employees. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorneys’ offices are also responsible for enforcing federal criminal law prohibiting unlawful threats of violence against election workers, and prohibiting voter intimidation and voter suppression for reasons other than race, color, national origin, or religion (as noted above, voter intimidation and voter suppression that has a basis in race, color, national origin, or religion is addressed by the Civil Rights Division often in partnership with the U.S. Attorneys’ offices).
U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country designate Assistant U.S. Attorneys who serve as District Election Officers (DEOs) in their respective districts. DEOs are responsible for overseeing potential election-crime matters in their districts, and for coordinating with the department’s election-crime experts in Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Attorneys’ offices work with specially trained FBI personnel in each district to ensure that complaints from the public involving possible election crimes are handled appropriately. Specifically:
- In consultation with federal prosecutors at the Public Integrity Section in Washington, D.C., the DEOs in U.S. Attorneys’ offices, FBI officials at headquarters in Washington, D.C., and FBI special agents serving as Election Crime Coordinators in the FBI’s 56 field offices will be on duty while polls are open to receive complaints from the public.
- Election-crime complaints should be directed to the local U.S. Attorneys’ office or the local FBI field office. A list of U.S. Attorneys’ offices and their telephone numbers can be found at www.justice.gov/usao/districts/. A list of FBI field offices and accompanying telephone numbers can be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us.
- Public Integrity Section prosecutors are available to consult and coordinate with the U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the FBI regarding the handling of election-crime allegations.
All complaints related to violence, threats of violence, or intimidation at a polling place should be reported first to local police authorities by calling 911. After alerting local law enforcement to such emergencies by calling 911, the public should contact the Justice Department.
National Security Division
The department’s NSD supervises the investigation and prosecution of cases affecting or relating to national security, including any cases involving foreign malign influence and interference in elections or violent extremist threats to elections. In this context:
- NSD oversees matters involving a range of malign influence activities that foreign governments may attempt.
- NSD’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section oversees matters involving covert information operations (e.g., to promulgate disinformation through social media); covert efforts to support or denigrate political candidates or organizations; and other covert influence operations that might violate various criminal statutes.
- NSD’s National Security Cyber Section oversees such matters when they are cyber-enabled (i.e., when online platforms, such as social media and other online services, are central to the commission of the offense), as well as those involving computer hacking of election or campaign infrastructure.
- NSD’s Counterterrorism Section oversees matters involving international and domestic terrorism and supports law enforcement in preventing any acts of terrorism that impact Americans, including any violent extremism that might threaten election security.
As in past elections, the National Security Division will work closely with counterparts at the FBI and our U.S. Attorneys’ offices to protect our nation’s elections from any national security threats. Attorneys from National Security Division sections will be partnered with FBI Headquarters components to provide support to U.S. Attorneys’ offices and FBI field offices to counter any such threats. The Department of Homeland Security also plays its own important role in safeguarding critical election infrastructure from cyber and other threats.
Complaints related to violence, threats of violence, or intimidation at a polling place should always be reported immediately to local authorities by calling 911 and, after local authorities are contacted, then should be reported also to the department.
Protecting the right to vote, prosecuting election crimes, and securing our elections are all essential to maintaining the confidence of all Americans in our democratic system of government. The department encourages anyone with information regarding concerns in these subject areas to contact the appropriate authorities.
For more information about the department’s work to ensure compliance with federal civil and criminal laws related to voting, please visit Voting | Department of Justice and Election Crimes Branch | Department of Justice.
Juan Orlando Hernández, Former President of Honduras, Convicted in Manhattan Federal Court of Conspiring to Import Cocaine into the United States and Related Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted Juan Orlando Hernández, also known as JOH, 55, of Honduras, on all three counts in the indictment, which included cocaine-importation and weapons offenses. Hernández is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26.
“Juan Orlando Hernández abused his position as President of Honduras to operate the country as a narco-state where violent drug traffickers were allowed to operate with virtual impunity, and the people of Honduras and the United States were forced to suffer the consequences,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As today’s conviction demonstrates, the Justice Department is disrupting the entire ecosystem of drug trafficking networks that harm the American people, no matter how far or how high we must go.”
“When the leader of Honduras and the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel work hand-in-hand to send deadly drugs into American communities, both deserve to be held accountable in the United States,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “This case should send a clear message that no one is above the law or beyond our reach.”
“Juan Orlando Hernández had every opportunity to be a force for good in his native Honduras. Instead, he chose to abuse his office and country for his own personal gain and partnered with some of the largest and most violent drug trafficking organizations in the world to transport tons of cocaine to the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “It is my sincere hope that this conviction sends a message to all corrupt politicians who would consider a similar path: choose differently. My office will stop at nothing to investigate and prosecute those responsible for sending poison to this community, no matter their status or political power.”
According to court documents, from at least in or about 2004, up to and including in or about 2022, Hernández, the former two-term president of Honduras and former president of the Honduran National Congress, was at the center of one of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking conspiracies in the world. Hernández abused his position and authority in Honduras to facilitate the importation of tons of cocaine into the United States. In exchange, Hernández received millions of dollars in drug money from some of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking organizations in Honduras, Mexico, and elsewhere, and used those bribes to fuel his rise in Honduran politics.
Throughout his time in office, Hernández publicly promoted legislation and the efforts he purported to undertake in support of anti-narcotics measures in Honduras. At the same time, he protected and enriched the drug traffickers in his inner circle and those who provided him with cocaine-fueled bribes that allowed him to obtain and stay in power in Honduras. For example, Hernández selectively upheld extraditions by using his executive power to support extraditions to the United States of certain drug traffickers who threatened his grip on power, and promising drug traffickers who paid him and followed his instructions that they would remain in Honduras. In addition, Hernández and his co-conspirators abused Honduran institutions, including the Honduran National Police and Honduran Army, to protect and grow their conspiracy. Among other things, members of the conspiracy used heavily armed Honduran National Police officers to protect their cocaine loads as they transited through Honduras. Members of the conspiracy also turned to violence and murder to protect and grow their drug trafficking enterprise, attacking and murdering rival traffickers and those who threatened their grip on the Honduran cocaine trade.
Several of Hernández’s co-conspirators have already been convicted and sentenced in connection with this investigation. Among others, Hernández’s brother, Juan Antonio Hernández Alvarado, also known as Tony Hernández, was convicted after trial in October 2019 and sentenced to life in prison, and Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez, a violent cocaine trafficker who met with Hernández on multiple occasions to discuss their drug trafficking partnership, was convicted after trial in March 2021, and sentenced to life in prison. More recently, Juan Carlos Bonilla Valladares, also known as El Tigre, the former chief of the Honduran National Police, pleaded guilty to his participation in the cocaine importation conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, and Mauricio Hernández Pineda, a former member of the Honduran National Police and Hernández’s cousin, pleaded guilty to his participation in the cocaine importation conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2.
In total, Hernández and his co-conspirators trafficked over more than 400 tons of U.S.-bound cocaine through Honduras during Hernández’s tenure in the Honduran government.
Hernández was convicted of three counts: (i) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; (ii) using and carrying machineguns and destructive devices during, and possessing machineguns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a mandatory consecutive prison term of 30 years; and (iii) conspiring to use and carry machineguns and destructive devices during, and possessing machineguns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) New York Strike Force, and Tegucigalpa Country Office are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in securing his arrest and extradition. The Justice Department thanked the Government of Honduras for extraditing Hernández to the United States.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig, David J. Robles, Elinor L. Tarlow, and Kyle A. Wirshba for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Kayla A. Collins and Trial Attorneys Andrea Broach and Jessica Fender of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Juan Orlando Hernandez, Former President of Honduras, Convicted in Manhattan Federal Court of Conspiring to Import Cocaine into the United States and Related Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Merrick B. Garland, the Attorney General of the United States; and Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced today that a jury returned a guilty verdict against JUAN ORLANDO HERNANDEZ, a/k/a “JOH,” on all three counts in the Indictment, which included cocaine-importation and weapons offenses. U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel presided over the trial. HERNANDEZ is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Juan Orlando Hernandez had every opportunity to be a force for good in his native Honduras. Instead, he chose to abuse his office and country for his own personal gain and partnered with some of the largest and most violent drug trafficking organizations in the world to transport tons of cocaine to the United States. It is my sincere hope that this conviction sends a message to all corrupt politicians who would consider a similar path: choose differently. My Office will stop at nothing to investigate and prosecute those responsible for sending poison to this community, no matter their status or political power.”
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: “Juan Orlando Hernandez abused his position as President of Honduras to operate the country as a narco-state where violent drug traffickers were allowed to operate with virtual impunity, and the people of Honduras and the United States were forced to suffer the consequences. As today’s conviction demonstrates, the Justice Department is disrupting the entire ecosystem of drug trafficking networks that harm the American people, no matter how far or how high we must go.”
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “When the leader of Honduras and the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel work hand-in-hand to send deadly drugs into American communities, both deserve to be held accountable in the United States. This case should send a clear message that no one is above the law or beyond our reach.”
As reflected in the Indictment and the evidence presented at trial:
From at least in or about 2004, up to and including in or about 2022, HERNANDEZ, the former two-term president of Honduras and former president of the Honduran National Congress, was at the center of one of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking conspiracies in the world. HERNANDEZ abused his position and authority in Honduras to facilitate the importation of tons of cocaine into the United States. In exchange, HERNANDEZ received millions of dollars in drug money from some of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking organizations in Honduras, Mexico, and elsewhere, and used those bribes to fuel his rise in Honduran politics.
Throughout his time in office, HERNANDEZ publicly promoted legislation and the efforts he purported to undertake in support of anti-narcotics measures in Honduras. At the same time, he protected and enriched the drug traffickers in his inner circle and those who provided him with cocaine-fueled bribes that allowed him to obtain and stay in power in Honduras. For example, HERNANDEZ selectively upheld extraditions by using his executive power to support extraditions to the United States of certain drug traffickers who threatened his grip on power and promising drug traffickers who paid him and followed his instructions that they would remain in Honduras. In addition, HERNANDEZ and his co-conspirators abused Honduran institutions, including the Honduran National Police and Honduran Army, to protect and grow their conspiracy. Among other things, members of the conspiracy used heavily armed Honduran National Police officers to protect their cocaine loads as they transited through Honduras. Members of the conspiracy also turned to violence and murder to protect and grow their drug trafficking enterprise, attacking and murdering rival traffickers and those who threatened their grip on the Honduran cocaine trade.
Several of HERNANDEZ’s co-conspirators have already been convicted and sentenced in connection with this investigation. Among others, HERNANDEZ’s brother, Juan Antonio Hernandez Alvarado, a/k/a “Tony Hernandez,” was convicted after trial in October 2019 and sentenced to life in prison, and Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez, a violent cocaine trafficker who met with HERNANDEZ on multiple occasions to discuss their drug trafficking partnership, was convicted after trial in March 2021, and sentenced to life in prison. More recently, Juan Carlos Bonilla Valladares, a/k/a “El Tigre,” the former chief of the Honduran National Police, pled guilty to his participation in the cocaine importation conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, 2024, and Mauricio Hernandez Pineda, a former member of the Honduran National Police and HERNANDEZ’s cousin, pled guilty to his participation in the cocaine importation conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2, 2024.
In total, HERNANDEZ and his co-conspirators trafficked more than 400 tons of U.S.-bound cocaine through Honduras during HERNANDEZ’s tenure in the Honduran government.
* * *
HERNANDEZ, 55, of Honduras, was convicted of three counts: (i) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; (ii) using and carrying machineguns and destructive devices during, and possessing machineguns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a mandatory consecutive prison term of 30 years; and (iii) conspiring to use and carry machineguns and destructive devices during, and possessing machineguns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) New York Strike Force, and Tegucigalpa Country Office, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Mr. Williams additionally thanked the Government of Honduras for its assistance extraditing HERNANDEZ to the United States.
The OCDETF New York Strike Force provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the New York Strike Force is to target, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, reduce the illegal drug supply in the United States, and bring criminals to justice.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig, David J. Robles, Elinor L. Tarlow, and Kyle A. Wirshba are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Kayla A. Collins and Trial Attorneys Andrea Broach and Jessica Fender of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Investment Firm Owner Charged with Defrauding at Least 30 Victim Investors over Three DecadesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, NJ. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man who owned and operated a purported investment firm was arrested today and charged with engaging in a decades-long scheme to defraud at least 30 victims of more than $5 million, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Vincent Dispoto Jr., 66, of Belmar, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of wire fraud. He is scheduled to have his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Dispoto owned and operated Giddeon Financial Services, a purported investment services firm, and Liberty Mortgage Services, an alleged mortgage company. Beginning in 1988, Dispoto raised money through these and other entities by falsely claiming to victims, many of whom were elderly, that he would invest their money in low-risk investment products with guaranteed rates of return, including municipal bonds and certificates of deposits. Dispoto also told some victims that he was using their investments to fund loans and mortgages for medical professionals, which would generate long-term returns through interest payments. To perpetuate his fraud, Dispoto mailed victims false and fraudulent financial statements that purported to show significant increases in the value of their investments.
In reality, Dispoto did not invest the victims’ money as promised. Instead, he used it to make Ponzi-like payments to other victims, which he falsely claimed to be “returns” on investments. He also misappropriated victim money to fund his gambling and other personal expenses. Dispoto’s scheme collectively resulted in more than $5 million in losses to victims.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Kozar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
dispoto.complaint.pdfInvestigation Leads to Conviction of Human Smuggling Organization Leader Involved in Alien Smuggling and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
17 Co-Conspirators Already Convicted and SentencedTUCSON, Ariz. – Tony Cardenas, 36, of Phoenix, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 48 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Cardenas, the leader of a Phoenix-based human smuggling organization, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Profit and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering on November 17, 2023. Cardenas and 18 co-conspirators were indicted in November 2021 following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Sells and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
In June 2018, HSI – Sells began investigating Cardenas and his human smuggling organization. Throughout the course of this investigation, agents discovered that undocumented noncitizens were being moved from Central America and Mexico to the Tohono O’odham Nation where they were directed to nearby stash houses or picked up and taken to stash houses in the Tucson and Phoenix areas. Using Phoenix as a distribution hub, the human smuggling organization held undocumented noncitizens in Phoenix until final payment was received. Once payments were made, the undocumented noncitizens were driven to their final destinations throughout the United States. A financial investigation conducted by IRS-CI identified numerous co-conspirators who were using their bank accounts and money service businesses to channel over $1 million back to the alien smuggling organization in Arizona. Seventeen co-conspirators with ties to the Cardenas human smuggling organization have been convicted of alien smuggling and/or money laundering. The final co-conspirator is scheduled to be sentenced on March 28, 2024.
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.
Homeland Security Investigations – Sells and IRS Criminal Investigation – Tucson conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig Russell and Fred Cocio, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-02978-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-026_Cardenas, et al.# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest newsInformational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on March 7 was:
Dai Shawn Whitford, 33, of Box Elder, on charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Whitford faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release. Whitford was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Tri-Agency Task Force conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-01.
Appearing on March 6 was:
Joseph Abe Racine, Jr., 53, of Browning, on assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to an intimate partner and assault with a dangerous weapon. If convicted of the most serious crime, Racine faces a maximum of 10 years prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Racine was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-09.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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In separate cases, two defendants plead guilty to assaults on aircraftRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two defendants entered guilty pleas this week, to abusive sexual contact and to simple assault of a person under 16, connected to their conduct on aircraft flying into Seattle, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Both defendants are scheduled for sentencing in June 2024.
Today, Jack Roberson, 69, entered a plea of guilty to simple assault for his contact with a 15-year-old seated next to him on a July 2023 flight from Atlanta to Seattle. According to records in the case, Roberson placed his hand on the 15-year-old victim’s thigh and slowly moved it up her thigh and under her skirt to her inner thigh. The victim reported to her guardian immediately and the defendant was taken into custody when the flight landed. Roberson faces up to a year in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lauren King on June 5, 2024.
On Tuesday March 5, 2024, Duane Brick, 53, entered a guilty plea to abusive sexual contact. Brick admitted that on March 20, 2023, on a flight from Phoenix to Seattle, he took the hand of the woman seated next to him and placed it on his crotch. The woman appeared to be asleep, and Brick reached under the woman’s shirt and touched her breast. He admits he did it for his sexual gratification. Sentencing is scheduled in front of U.S. District Judge John H. Chun on June 10, 2024. Brick faces up to two years in prison.
Finally, this week a 38-yar-old Indian citizen was arraigned on a charge of abusive sexual contact for an assault on a teen sitting near him on an Emirates flight to Seattle. Abhinav Kumar was arrested when the flight arrived on Sunday February 18, 2024. Today he pleaded “not guilty,” and trial before U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead is scheduled for May 6, 2024.
“The Western District of Washington continues to see an alarming increase in sexual abuse cases aboard aircraft,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “Last August we emphasized that we have zero tolerance for such assaults. Sadly, we continue to learn of new allegations and are investigating and charging those cases.”
The Assistant United States Attorneys prosecuting these cases are Sanaa Nagi, Jocelyn Cooney, Amanda McDowell, and Jin Kim.
These cases were investigated by the FBI, Port of Seattle Police, and U.S. Air Marshals.
Interpol Washington Awards Mexican Authorities for Assistance in Capturing Two ‘most Wanted’ FugitivesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Last week, INTERPOL Washington and members of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) presented awards to the Fiscalía General de la República in Mexico City for their exceptional assistance in the capture of two individuals on the USMS 15 Most Wanted Fugitives list.
The fugitives, Edgar Salvador Casian-Garcia and Araceli Medina, were elevated to the list in February 2023, wanted by the Pasco Police Department in Franklin County, Washington, in reference to aggravated murder of a child, rape in the first degree of another child, and three counts of aggravated assault of a child in the first degree.
Acting on U.S. requests for provisional arrest for the purpose of extradition, and thanks to the diligent efforts of the Agencia de Investigación Criminal and INTERPOL Mexico, the pair was successfully arrested in Mexico on March 22, 2023, and subsequently extradited to the U.S. This operation also led to the recovery of five missing and endangered children. INTERPOL Washington issued two INTERPOL Red Notices and five urgent Yellow Notices regarding Casian-Garcia and Medina that were instrumental in their location and apprehension.
“It is a great privilege to honor the incredible work done by our partners in Mexico to bring these dangerous fugitives back to the U.S. to face justice for such heinous accusations,” said INTERPOL Washington Director Michael A. Hughes. “Criminals don’t stop at borders and neither do we. Through this remarkable example of international law enforcement collaboration, we have once again demonstrated that by working together, we can build a safer world.”
The charges came after Casian-Garcia’s biological daughters, 8 and 3 at the time, were found abandoned in Tijuana, Mexico, in mid-2020. Both girls showed signs of severe physical abuse. Subsequent forensic interviews done with one of the girls determined that Casian-Garcia and Medina had likely been physically abusing the children, as well as the girls’ seven-year-old brother, who is believed to have been tortured to death in Washington state and his body later dumped. His remains were found in a rural part of neighboring Benton County in February 2022.
After presenting the awards, INTERPOL Washington also visited INTERPOL Mexico to recognize its support and assistance in the case, as well as provide an operational update and discuss increased partnership opportunities.
A component of the U.S. Department of Justice co-managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, INTERPOL Washington—the U.S. National Central Bureau (USNCB)—is the designated U.S. representative to INTERPOL. It serves as the national point of contact and coordination for all INTERPOL matters, coordinating international investigative efforts among member countries and the more than 18,000 local, state, federal, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies.Hagerstown Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for a Series of CarjackingsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Carlos Guardado-Eagle, age 22, of Hagerstown, Maryland, on March 5 to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a series of armed carjackings and an attempted carjacking.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Baltimore Field Office; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal E. Awad; Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Kevin Davis of the Fairfax County, Virginia Police Department; Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
According to his guilty plea, between May 15, 2022 and June 1, 2022, Guardado-Eagle and a co-conspirator carjacked four victims at gunpoint. On June 6, Guardado-Eagle and his co-conspirator attempted a fifth carjacking, but the victim would not surrender the keys to the vehicle and Guardado-Eagle and the co-conspirator fled without obtaining the vehicle. On each occasion, Guardado-Eagle and the co-conspirator wore masks to conceal their identities and took BMWs. In three of the carjackings, after obtaining the keys to the BMW, Guardado-Eagle and the co-conspirator split up, with one driving the BMW and the other driving another vehicle.
Specifically, on May 15, 2022, Guardado-Eagle and his co-conspirator rear-ended a 2014 BMW in District Height’s Maryland. When the driver got out of the car to inspect the damage, Guardado-Eagle and the co-conspirator got out of their car, pointed guns at the victim, demanded the victim’s keys and directed the victim to run across the street. Guardado-Eagle and the co-conspirator then fled with one driving the BMW and the other driving the vehicle they used in the collision.
In addition, on May 19, 2022, Gardado-Eagle and his co-conspirator conducted an armed carjacking from a victim in Severn, Maryland; on May 26, 2022, Guardado-Eagle and his co-conspirator committed an armed carjacking in Silver Spring, Maryland, as that victim was stopped at a traffic light; and on June 1, 2022, Guardado-Eagle and his co-conspirator committed an armed carjacking in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Finally, on June 6, 2022, Guardado-Eagle and his co-conspirator attempted an armed carjacking in a parking garage in Baltimore. In the June attempted carjacking, Guardado-Eagle and his co-conspirator confronted their potential victim and when the victim refused to provide their car keys and attempted to flee, Guardado-Eagle and his co-conspirator assaulted this victim. The victim refused to surrender their keys and Guardado-Eagle and his co-conspirator fled in another vehicle.
The law enforcement investigation led to Guardado-Eagle’s arrest later in June, 2022.
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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Fairfax, Virginia Police Department, the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas F. Potter, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Gun Supplier to Warring Gangs in Columbus Pleads Guilty to Theft of FirearmsRead the Press Release
A gun supplier who was stealing firearms from area pawn shops to sell to warring criminal street gangs in the Columbus community entered a guilty plea for his crimes in federal court last week, along with two co-defendants.
Joshua Holland aka “Lou,” 24, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee and faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count; co-defendants James David Lowery, 28, of Columbus, and Jerry Starks aka “John Hill,” 31, of Columbus, both pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee and face a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The pleas were entered on Tuesday, Feb. 27. U.S. District Judge Clay Land is presiding over the cases. Sentencing dates will be determined by the Court. The defendants are not eligible for parole.
“Our office has zero tolerance for individuals caught supplying violent criminal organizations with firearms and will pursue federal charges for gun traffickers,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “As exhibited in this Project Safe Neighborhoods’ case, making our streets safer and holding individuals accountable for their crimes requires the partnership of law enforcement and community stakeholders at every level.”
“The unlawful acquisition and selling of firearms are serious crimes that feed and intensify the violence that plagues so many communities," said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. "This investigation illustrates the collective resolve of ATF and our law enforcement partners working together to make a safer community.”
According to court documents, Holland admitted to stealing firearms from area businesses in 2022 to sell to warring criminal street gangs in Columbus, including the Zohannon and the Marlo organizations. On Aug. 9, 2022, at approximately 1:35 a.m., Holland and his co-conspirators burglarized the Northside Money Mizer Pawn Shop on Manchester Expressway in Columbus. One of the burglars crashed a stolen car through the front door of the store. Holland entered the business and stole five firearms, while other co-conspirators assisted by carrying the stolen guns or acting as lookouts. Holland and the others ran away; some of the burglars were picked up by another car and driven away. On Sept. 7, 2022, around 1:46 a.m., Holland and his co-conspirators forced entry into A Better Pawn on 2nd Ave in Columbus and stole 19 firearms. On Sept. 16, 2022, the Money Mizer Pawn shop in Phenix City, Alabama, was burglarized by Holland and five others, who forced entry into the store and stole eight firearms. Holland and two others were captured and taken into custody by Phenix City Police Department officers.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by Columbus Police Department, Phenix City Police Department and ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Gang Member Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison on Racketeering Charge and Related CrimesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips gang was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for his role a racketeering conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Amir Edmonds, aka “G Baby,” 22, of Newark, pleaded guilty on Sept. 13, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to a superseding indictment that charged him with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2015 through Sept. 22, 2022, Edmonds was a member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips, a criminal enterprise responsible for acts of violence and the distribution of controlled substances in the District of New Jersey and elsewhere. Edmonds previously admitted to working with at least one other member of the enterprise to distribute controlled substances. On Jan. 7, 2020, Edmonds possessed with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, and possessed a firearm in furtherance of that drug offense.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Edmonds to four years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz; special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; investigators of the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos; the Irvington Police Department, under the direction of Police Division Director Tracy Bowers; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II; the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé; the Bloomfield Police Department, under the direction of Director of Public Safety Samuel A. DeMaio; the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura; the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis L. Bindi; the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Earl J. Graves; the Edison Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Tom Bryan; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel; the Spotswood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Philip Corbisiero; and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Fugitive and Missing Person Task Force, which includes members of the FBI, with the investigations leading to the charges in the Rollin 60’s Neighborhood Crips investigation.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Special Prosecutions Division.
Fort Myers Drug Trafficking Organization Leader Sentenced to Life in Prison for Killing an FBI Informant and Conspiracy to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Robert Lee Ward (55, Fort Myers) to life in federal prison for killing an FBI informant and conspiracy to distribute cocaine. A jury found Ward guilty of conspiracy to distribute cocaine on February 18, 2022. Another jury found Ward guilty of killing an FBI informant on September 29, 2023.
According to the evidence and testimony presented during the trials, Ward was the leader of a drug trafficking organization in Fort Myers that distributed cocaine in Fort Myers and other locations for over a decade until his arrest in 2018. Ward and his co-conspirators routinely purchased kilograms of cocaine from Ward’s supplier in Miami and distributed the cocaine in Fort Myers and Panama City.
Federal investigators used confidential informants to make multiple purchases of cocaine from Ward’s co-conspirators. A confidential informant that purchased cocaine from Ward was relocated by investigators after they learned of a threat against the informant’s life.
In 2012, the FBI obtained the assistance of Kristopher Smith, a member of Ward’s organization, who agreed to cooperate in the investigation against Ward. After learning about Smith’s cooperation with investigators, Ward solicited James Broomfield to kill Smith. Broomfield agreed to kill Smith for $30,000. Ward provided Broomfield with a loaded firearm and told him where to locate Smith.
On January 7, 2013, Broomfield and another individual followed Smith and his girlfriend as they drove to their son’s school. Smith remained in the car while his girlfriend entered the school. Broomfield and his accomplice parked their vehicle behind the informant’s car. Broomfield ran up to the car and shot Smith several times, killing him.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Myers Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Panama City Police Department, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Sinacore and Candace Rich.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identities, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Former Treasurer of Illinois State Police Heritage Foundation Pleads Guilty to Defrauding FoundationRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield woman, LeAnn Shirley, 57, of the 40 block of Pinto Drive, pleaded guilty on March 7, 2024, to wire fraud relating to funds belonging to the Illinois State Police Heritage Fund. Sentencing for Shirley has been scheduled for July 17, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Springfield, Illinois.
In court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen McNaught, Shirley admitted that, in 2019 when she was the Foundation’s treasurer, she devised a scheme to defraud the Foundation by causing approximately $79,000 to be wired from a Foundation bank account in Illinois to an account in Vermont. After the money was transferred to the bank in Vermont, all but approximately $5,000 of it was then transferred into a cryptocurrency account by a third-party. To facilitate the initial transfer, Shirley falsely claimed to bank employees that the payment was being used to ship items for the Foundation and that the Foundation would be reimbursed in the next couple of weeks.
The Illinois State Police Heritage Foundation is a charity under Internal Revenue Service Section 501(c)(3) committed to preserving the history of the Illinois State Police.
The statutory penalties for wire fraud are up to 20 years’ imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment.
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Jacobs is representing the government in the prosecution.
Federal Jury Convicts Two Methamphetamine TraffickersRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A federal jury in Asheville has convicted Keith Ryan Noles, 42, and Tina Jane Hill, 46, both of Marble, N.C., of trafficking methamphetamine and firearms offenses, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Sheriff Dustin D. Smith of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, in February 2021, more than eight pounds of methamphetamine was intercepted by law enforcement in Texas. Trial evidence established that law enforcement learned the methamphetamine was intended for Hill and Noles in North Carolina from their source of supply. The jury heard testimony that, between 2020 and 2021, their source of supply or his representative made multiple trips to North Carolina to deliver packages of methamphetamine to Hill and Noles, and to pick up cash payments.
According to trial evidence, after the methamphetamine was intercepted in Texas, law enforcement planned a delivery of the methamphetamine to Hill and Noles as originally planned. Law enforcement arrested Noles soon after he arrived to assist with the delivery of the methamphetamine to his and Hill’s residence in Marble, North Carolina. Law enforcement subsequently arrested Hill at the residence.
The jury found Noles and Hill guilty of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Noles was also convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Sentencing hearings for Noles and Hill have not been set.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended HSI and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case and thanked the Andrews Police Department and the Graham County Sheriff’s Office for their invaluable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Annabelle Chambers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville are prosecuting the case. Ms. Chambers is a state prosecutor with the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Ms. Chambers is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA position helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of federal court cases that impact the counties within the 43rd Prosecutorial District.
Federal Jury Convicts Fresno Man of Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. – A federal jury has found Todd Eric Mumma, 60, of Fresno, guilty of actual and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor , U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mumma used hidden digital video recording devices in a residence to create sexually explicit images of a minor. He edited recordings on a computer and then transferred the most sexually explicit images onto a cellphone where the images were stored in a password‑protected application and viewed numerous times.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Central Valley Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, specifically Homeland Security Investigations and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa and Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case.
Mumma was detained following the verdict. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Mumma faces a minimum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison for the count of sexual exploitation and a fine of up to $250,000 as well as possible forfeiture of property and mandatory restitution to a victim. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Federal Indictment Charges Stockton Man with Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment Thursday against Alexander Rey Diaz, 51, of Stockton, charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms, possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Feb. 21, 2024, enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Diaz’s residence. In his bedroom, officers found more than 300 grams of methamphetamine, 150 grams of fentanyl, 170 grams of cocaine, and four loaded firearms. Diaz is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior criminal convictions.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Stockton Police Department, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Diaz faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $5 million fine. 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.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Felon for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Felon for Illegally Possessing a Firearm
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment on February 6, 2024, charging a Louisville man with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Eric Nyandwi, 24, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On January 10, 2024, Nyandwi possessed a Sig Sauer, Model P239, .40 caliber pistol, and ammunition. Nyandwi was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On June 7, 2018, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Nyandwi was convicted of robbery in the second degree, complicity to receiving stolen property (firearm), and complicity to tampering with physical evidence.
The defendant made his initial court appearance this week before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 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.
This case is being investigated by the ATF with assistance from the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erwin Roberts 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. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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District Man Sentenced to 32 Months in Prison for Felony Second-Degree Theft for Stealing Multiple Packages after Multiple Prior Theft ConvictionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Daniel Greene, 42, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 32 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for two counts of felony second degree theft. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
On January 5, 2024, Greene pleaded guilty to both counts. At today’s sentencing, Superior Court Judge Erik Christian sentenced Greene to 16 months in prison for each count, to run consecutively.
According to the government’s evidence, on September 16, 2023, the defendant went up to residences in Northeast Washington, D.C. and stole packages that been delivered to residents’ front doors. Greene was indicted on October 12, 2023, on two counts of felony second degree theft. Greene had nine prior theft convictions, in the District of Columbia, and was therefore subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Skopicki, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft for Multiples Thefts from CVSRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, March 6, 2024, Quinton Thomas, 40, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on nine counts of felony second-degree theft and two counts of unlawful entry stemming from events occurring between October 2023 and November 2023, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Thomas is to be arraigned on April 22, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, between October 2023 and January 2024, Thomas repeatedly stole from two CVS stores located in Northwest Washington D.C., returning on multiple occasions to steal thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise. Thomas was later located and arrested after investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Thomas has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted.
Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 31 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin S. Kurland.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft for Theft from Lidl in NorthwestRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, March 6, 2024, Dwayne Bingham, 63, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on December 30, 2023, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Bingham is to be arraigned on March 21, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on December 30, 2023, Bingham took a range of merchandise without paying from the Lidl store at 3100 14th St NW, Washington, D.C. Bingham was quickly located and arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Bingham has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted.
Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 31 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Jones.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
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District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft for Stealing Multiple PackagesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, March 6, 2024, Demetrius Hamm, 55, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on three counts of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on January 30, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Hamm has been arraigned and has another hearing before a Superior Court judge on March 19, 2024.
According to the government’s evidence, on January 30, 2024, Hamm took packages off of a porch in Northwest Washington, DC. Hamm was quickly located and arrested by members of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Hamm has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted.
Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 31 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Yee Yee Myint.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
Crownpoint Woman Sentenced to 30 months in Prison for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Ryntana Yazzie was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Yazzie, 34, of Crownpoint, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter on Nov. 2, 2023.
According to publicly available court documents, on August 4, 2020, Yazzie had been drinking alcohol and was driving south on Highway 371 outside Farmington when her vehicle veered into oncoming traffic and struck a semi-truck driven by John Doe, who was driving northbound. Yazzie crossed the center line into John Doe’s truck and did not brake prior to the crash. John Doe attempted to veer to the right to avoid Yazzie. The impact occurred head on, slightly off center.
John Doe died at the scene of the crash. OMI determined John Doe suffered from blunt force trauma to the head and neck. He suffered hemorrhage in the neck and head which would have been nearly immediately fatal.
Yazzie suffered a broken left arm and a broken leg from the crash and was transported to San Juan Regional Medical Center before she was flown to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque.
Upon her release from prison, Yazzie will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
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Court Sentences Texas Man to 87 Months Imprisonment in Multi-Defendant Interstate Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – On March 6, 2024, United States District Court Judge, Callie V. S. Grande sentenced Daniel Castillo-Garcia to 87 months imprisonment for his role in a multi-defendant interstate drug trafficking conspiracy.
Documents filed with the Court established that Castillo-Garcia was involved with five other persons to transport and distribute methamphetamine from Texas to Mobile County, Alabama. Castillo-Garcia served as a drug courier in the organization who on numerous occasions transported methamphetamine from Texas to Lafayette, Louisiana and Mobile County for the organization.
On December 7, 2020, the Mobile Police Department Narcotics Unit conducted a traffic stop on a 2007 Black Suburban bearing a Texas license plate and being driven by Castillo-Garcia. Following the stop, investigative team members conducted a search of the vehicle and seized approximately 491 grams of crystal methamphetamine. The seizure occurred after a recorded phone call was made from a confidential informant to another member of the conspiracy ordering a pound of methamphetamine and the dealer stating he would send his courier to Mobile to deliver the methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mobile Police Department, Narcotics Unit, the Harrison and Hancock County, Mississippi, Sherriff’s Offices and the Galveston County Texas Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.
Corporate Insider Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Conspiring with Long Island Boiler Room to Pump and Dump Stock on Elderly InvestorsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Michael Watts, a former registered broker who participated in a criminal conspiracy to promote and manipulate the price of shares in Hydrocarb Energy Corp. and other companies, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert to 60 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy and money laundering. At an earlier proceeding, the Court ordered Watts to pay more than $560,000 in forfeiture and $4,430,354.03 in restitution. Watts was convicted by a federal jury in October 2019 following a three-week trial.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentence.
“Michael Watts and his co-conspirators lined their pockets with the lifetime savings of hard-working folks across the country with ruinous results,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s sentence holds Watts accountable for the economic harm he intentionally inflicted on the victims, many of them senior citizens living on a fixed income, and should serve as a warning to others like him that there will be consequences for crimes of greed.”
Mr. Peace thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, for its hard work and dedication in leading the investigation and expressed his appreciation to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., Criminal Prosecution Assistance Group (FINRA CPAG), for their cooperation and assistance.
From 2014 to 2016, Watts and others working with a Melville, New York-based boiler room artificially inflated the price and trading volume of Hydrocarb stock. They did so through an illegal cold call campaign that used lies and high-pressure sales tactics to lure victims, including the elderly and the vulnerable, into purchasing stock. Watts, who was one of the largest shareholders in Hydrocarb and therefore knew that the business was in a downward spiral, also used the boiler room to dump more than $2 million of Hydrocarb shares that he owned or controlled on unsuspecting investors in the months leading to the company’s April 2016 bankruptcy. The conspiracy’s market manipulation fraudulently inflated the stock price of Hydrocarb and four other companies by more than $147 million.
All 16 defendants charged in this case have been convicted. Among those who have been sentenced, Jeffrey Chartier, Ronald Hardy and Brian Heepke each received 10 years’ imprisonment; Dennis Verderosa received six years; Lawrence Isen received five years; McArthur Jean received four years; Paul Ewer received three years; and Emin Cohen received two years.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Whitman G.S. Knapp and Kaitlin T. Farrell with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Peyton Jefferson. Assistant United States Attorney Tanisha Payne of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters in the case.
The Defendant:
MICHAEL WATTS
Age: 68
Sugarland, TexasDocket No. 17-CR-372 (JS)
Columbia Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Dominic Sinclair Ervin, 38, of Columbia, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on July 16, 2019, Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) narcotics investigators conducted a controlled purchase of heroin from Ervin. Ervin was stopped a short time later by an RCSD deputy. Ervin’s car was searched, and deputies found approximately 24 grams of heroin and 15 grams of methamphetamine along with a digital scale hidden in Ervin’s car. A loaded .45 cal. pistol was found under the driver’s seat.
On May 10, 2022, City of Columbia Police Department (CPD) officers responded to a call of a man threatening people with a gun at an apartment complex near Bailey St., in Columbia. Ervin matched the description of the suspect given to police. When CPD officers encountered Ervin, he fled into an apartment at the complex. Ervin was eventually taken into custody and found in possession of two firearms, one of which had an extended ammunition magazine attached. Ervin was out on bond from a previous arrest at this time.
Ervin was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition based on previous state and federal convictions. In 2008, Ervin was convicted of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature. In 2009, he was convicted federally of knowingly using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Ervin to 132 months in prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the City of Columbia Police Department (CPD) and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD). Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Taylor is prosecuting the case.
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