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Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
18 April 2024
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Possessing Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Shane Tucker, 30, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 5 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Tucker pleaded guilty to this charge on January 22, 2024.
On July 20, 2023, La Crosse police officers responded to a reported domestic incident involving Tucker. The reporting party said that Tucker was carrying a handgun in his backpack, and another witness to the incident said that Tucker threatened to “shoot this whole place up.” When officers contacted Tucker, they found a loaded .22 caliber silver handgun in a backpack that he had been carrying but tried to hide. Tucker has two prior felony convictions for drug trafficking and is legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson was concerned that the firearm could cause great harm and noted that Tucker had an established pattern of domestic violence. Judge Peterson remarked that because Tucker’s conviction in this case was related to his long history of domestic offenses, a substantial period of incarceration was necessary to protect the public and send a message to Tucker. Tucker was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
The charge against Tucker was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Kidnappers Who Abducted 6-Year-Old to Peru IndictedRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The grand jury today indicted Edwin Alonso Cuadros Bravo, 54, and Yulisa Alexsandra Guevara Wintong, 49, both formerly residing in Sacramento, charging them with interstate and international kidnapping and kidnapping conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in November 2021, Cuadros Bravo and Guevara Wintong abducted their six-year-old grandchild from Sacramento and took the victim to Peru. Despite pleading from the mother, Cuadros Bravo and Guevara Wintong did not return the victim to the United States. Cuadros Bravo and Guevara Wintong were initially charged by criminal complaint in February 2022. In December 2022, the victim was returned to Sacramento as a result of government intervention. On April 10, 2024, Cuadros Bravo appeared for the first time in federal court in Sacramento.
Cuadros Bravo was detained following his first appearance and he remains in custody. Guevara Wintong has not yet appeared to answer the charges against her.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Cuadros Bravo and Guevara Wintong face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Kansas City, Kansas Men Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Kansas City man was sentenced on April 11, 2024, to 260 months in federal prison after being found guilty by jury trial on Counts One and Two of the Indictment. His co-defendant was sentenced on December 12, 2023, to 120 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Counts One and Two of the Indictment.
According to public court documents, George Madison Kitchen, IV, 46, and Cardel Jordan Harris, 26, were transporting methamphetamine from Kansas City, Missouri with a destination of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In July 2022 law enforcement stopped Kitchen for a traffic violation with Harris as a passenger. Kitchen and Harris were asked to step out of the vehicle due to the odor of marijuana, instead of stepping out, they fled the scene. Kitchen led officers, from different agencies, on a high-speed pursuit northbound on Interstate 29. The vehicle was stopped north of Council Bluffs. Kitchen and Harris threw bags out the passenger side window while speeding along the interstate. Officers found the bags along the interstate which resulted in the discovery of distribution quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine.
Kitchen must serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Harris must serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, and the Missouri Valley Police Department were involved in the apprehension and the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department, and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force were involved in the apprehension and investigation of the case.
Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Miami Return PreparerRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Tax Division filed a civil injunction suit today to permanently bar Nia Daniel and her tax return preparation business, Nia Help Service LLC, from preparing federal income tax returns for others.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, alleges that Daniel prepared over 2,000 federal income tax returns from 2020 through 2024 and that she employed a variety of schemes to understate her customers’ tax liabilities and overstate the refunds to which they were entitled. The complaint alleges that Daniel made up false businesses on customers’ returns, knowingly reported fake or inflated business expenses and fraudulently claimed various credits like the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, American Opportunity Credit and Residential Energy Credit – usually without customers’ knowledge. The complaint goes on to explain that Daniels falsified customers’ income and filing statuses to increase the amount of the Earned Income Tax Credit.
According to the complaint, the United States has been harmed by Daniel’s conduct, resulting in the significant loss in tax revenue of more than $500,000 in 2023 alone. In addition to seeking an injunction, the government requests an order of disgorgement to prevent Daniel and her business from profiting from their violation of the internal revenue laws.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’s Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against dishonest 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 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’s 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.
Daniel Complaint - ecf stamped.pdfJustice Department Seizes Four Web Domains Used to Create over 40,000 Spoofed Websites and Store the Personal Information of More Than a Million VictimsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today the seizure of four domains used by the administrators and customers of a domain spoofing service. The domain seizures were authorized pursuant to seizure warrants issued in the Western District of Pennsylvania and were executed in coordination with the arrest of dozens of administrators and customers of the illicit service by foreign law enforcement agencies.
“Together with our international partners, the Justice Department has disrupted another cybercrime scheme originating from Russia that enabled criminals to steal from over a million victims in the United States and around the world,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, the FBI, and our partners at the Secret Service for their work on this case, and to our foreign law enforcement partners whose efforts have led to the arrests of dozens of LabHost administrators and users.”
According to court records, the United States obtained authorization to seize the domains as part of an investigation of the spoofing service operated through the Lab-host.ru domain (LabHost), which resolves to a Russian internet infrastructure company. LabHost provided online infrastructure and interactive functionality for its subscription-based services. According to court records, customers of LabHost used its services to create and manage spoofed websites designed to look like the legitimate websites of businesses such as Amazon, Netflix, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and Chase Bank. LabHost customers used the spoofed websites to lure unwitting victims into disclosing their personally identifiable information (PII) — e.g., date of birth, email address, password, address, and credit card information — on the websites the victims believed were legitimate. In turn, according to court documents, LabHost’s customers used the stolen PII to engage in unauthorized financial transactions at the expense of the victims. As outlined in court records, LabHost has been used to create over 40,000 spoofed websites, and its infrastructure has stored over one million user credentials and nearly 500,000 compromised credit cards.
The warrants authorized the seizure of the following four domains associated with application programming interface (API) services used to install spoofed websites and manage LabHost’s phishing and credential-theft operations: Instapi-1xoa93z90o348fz.co, Api2-4hdfix74ks.co, Api1-9kcpqcf7olw1w300w3m6.cc, and Api-d789342789342uy432hjf87df87dfk.cc. The four LabHost API domains were registered to NameSilo, LLC, a third-party webhosting service based in the United States. According to court records, the seized domains represented property used to commit violations of federal criminal law, including access device fraud, computer fraud, wire fraud, identity theft, and money laundering.
The effect of the domain seizures was to shut down the LabHost platform.
“The theft of personal information — and the financial ruin that often follows — should never be just another cost of using the internet for ordinary citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “Today’s domain seizures show that cybercriminals’ greed will not go unchecked — no matter their sophistication and geographic reach. We will continue to work with our domestic and foreign law enforcement partners, using all available tools, to protect the global public.”
“Seizing LabHost and arresting those involved will have a systemic impact on transnational cybercrime,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy P. Burke of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Pittsburgh Field Office. “We are proud to work with our foreign and domestic law enforcement partners as we continue to counter those engaged in cybercrime.”
“Behind every cybercrime-as-a-service operation lurks one thing: financial devastation,” said Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office. “The FBI and our global partners will continue to aggressively pursue anyone who thinks they can get rich by stealing from hard-working Americans. Selling cybercrime tools has ripple effects that go far beyond the businesses and borders of America. With every theft and intrusion, the public loses more and more trust in our critical digital infrastructure.”
The domain seizures in the United States occurred in conjunction with the international arrests of dozens of LabHost administrators and customers facing criminal charges in more than a dozen foreign countries. Law enforcement authorities from the following countries participated in the investigation: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark V. Gurzo for the Western District of Pennsylvania is prosecuting the case.
The FBI and USSS investigated the case in the United States, and the United Kingdom’s London Metropolitan Police investigated the international case, with the support of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre and Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce.
Justice Department Seizes Four Web Domains Used to Create over 40,000 Spoofed Websites and Store the Personal Information of More Than a Million VictimsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today the seizure of four domains used by the administrators and customers of a domain spoofing service. The domain seizures were authorized pursuant to seizure warrants issued in the Western District of Pennsylvania and were executed in coordination with the arrest of dozens of administrators and customers of the illicit service by foreign law enforcement agencies.
According to court records, the United States obtained authorization to seize the domains as part of an investigation of the spoofing service operated through the Lab-host.ru domain (LabHost), which resolves to a Russian internet infrastructure company. LabHost provided online infrastructure and interactive functionality for its subscription-based services. According to court records, customers of LabHost used its services to create and manage spoofed websites designed to look like the legitimate websites of businesses such as Amazon, Netflix, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and Chase Bank. LabHost customers used the spoofed websites to lure unwitting victims into disclosing their personally identifiable information (PII)—e.g., date of birth, email address, password, address, and credit card information—on the websites the victims believed were legitimate. In turn, according to court documents, LabHost’s customers used the stolen PII to engage in unauthorized financial transactions at the expense of the victims. As outlined in court records, LabHost has been used to create over 40,000 spoofed websites, and its infrastructure has stored over one million user credentials and nearly 500,000 compromised credit cards.
The warrants authorized the seizure of the following four domains associated with application programming interface (API) services used to install spoofed websites and manage LabHost’s phishing and credential-theft operations: Instapi-1xoa93z90o348fz.co, Api2-4hdfix74ks.co, Api1-9kcpqcf7olw1w300w3m6.cc, and Api-d789342789342uy432hjf87df87dfk.cc. The four LabHost API domains were registered to NameSilo, LLC, a third-party webhosting service based in the United States. According to court records, the seized domains represented property used to commit violations of federal criminal law, including access device fraud, computer fraud, wire fraud, identity theft, and money laundering.
The effect of the domain seizures was to shut down the LabHost platform.
“Together with our international partners, the Justice Department has disrupted another cybercrime scheme originating from Russia that enabled criminals to steal from over a million victims in the United States and around the world,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, the FBI, and our partners at the Secret Service for their work on this case, and to our foreign law enforcement partners whose efforts have led to the arrests of dozens of LabHost administrators and users.”
“The theft of personal information—and the financial ruin that often follows—should never be just another cost of using the internet for ordinary citizens,” U.S. Attorney Olshan said. “Today’s domain seizures show that cybercriminals’ greed will not go unchecked—no matter their sophistication and geographic reach. We will continue to work with our domestic and foreign law enforcement partners, using all available tools, to protect the global public.”
“Seizing LabHost and arresting those involved will have a systemic impact on transnational cybercrime,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy P. Burke, U.S. Secret Service Pittsburgh Field Office. “We are proud to work with our foreign and domestic law enforcement partners as we continue to counter those engaged in cybercrime.”
“Behind every cybercrime-as-a-service operation lurks one thing: financial devastation,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “The FBI and our global partners will continue to aggressively pursue anyone who thinks they can get rich by stealing from hard-working Americans. Selling cybercrime tools has ripple effects that go far beyond the businesses and borders of America. With every theft and intrusion, the public loses more and more trust in our critical digital infrastructure.”
The domain seizures in the United States occurred in conjunction with the international arrests of dozens of LabHost administrators and customers facing criminal charges in more than a dozen foreign countries. Law enforcement authorities from the following countries participated in the investigation: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is representing the government in this matter.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Secret Service conducted the investigation in the United States, and the international investigation was led by the United Kingdom’s London Metropolitan Police, with the support of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre and Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce.
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Link to seizure warrant (unsealed by the Court on 4/18/2024)
Link to Europol press release on seizuresJustice Department Secures Agreement with City of Virginia Beach to Improve Access for Individuals with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today a settlement agreement with the City of Virginia Beach, Virginia, to ensure that individuals with disabilities, including Veterans, have equal access to city buildings and other civic programs. The agreement is part of the department’s commitment to ensure that civic institutions comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Virginia Beach has a large population of Veterans, active-duty military service members, retirees and their families.
“The ADA mandates equal access to civic life for people with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division is committed to ensuring that cities and other public entities eliminate physical, communication and other barriers that prevent people with disabilities from participating fully in community life. We commend Virginia Beach for its commitment to work with the Civil Rights Division to ensure equal access for individuals with disabilities, including Veterans.”
“Ensuring that individuals who have disabilities are afforded equal access to local government programs and services is required by the ADA and a high priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We are pleased that the City of Virginia Beach has agreed to take numerous steps to ensure that individuals with disabilities, including Veterans, have equal access to vital public services, including emergency services and the City’s website.”
Under the agreement announced today, Virginia Beach will remove accessibility barriers to buildings such as police stations, libraries, technology centers, community centers and places of recreation. The agreement requires Virginia Beach to ensure that parking, routes into buildings, entrances, restrooms, signage, service counters and drinking fountains are accessible to people with disabilities, and that assembly areas, such as the Giant Screen Theater at the Aquarium, provide the required wheelchair and companion seating. The agreement also requires Virginia Beach to ensure effective communication for individuals with hearing and vision disabilities through methods such as sign language interpreters, real-time transcription services, Braille or large print documents and accessible electronic formats. The city will also provide access to emergency shelters, provide accessible websites, train employees on the requirements of the ADA, make sidewalks and curb cuts accessible and appoint an ADA coordinator.
The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the nation’s goal of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against, you may file a complaint online at www.civilrights.justice.gov/.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with City of Virginia Beach to Improve Access for Individuals with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today a settlement agreement with the City of Virginia Beach, Virginia, to ensure that individuals with disabilities, including Veterans, have equal access to city buildings and other civic programs. The agreement is part of the department’s commitment to ensure that civic institutions comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Virginia Beach has a large population of Veterans, active-duty military service members, retirees and their families.
“The ADA mandates equal access to civic life for people with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division is committed to ensuring that cities and other public entities eliminate physical, communication and other barriers that prevent people with disabilities from participating fully in community life. We commend Virginia Beach for its commitment to work with the Civil Rights Division to ensure equal access for individuals with disabilities, including Veterans.”
“Ensuring that individuals who have disabilities are afforded equal access to local government programs and services is required by the ADA and a high priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We are pleased that the City of Virginia Beach has agreed to take numerous steps to ensure that individuals with disabilities, including Veterans, have equal access to vital public services, including emergency services and the City’s website.”
Under the agreement announced today, Virginia Beach will remove accessibility barriers to buildings such as police stations, libraries, technology centers, community centers and places of recreation. The agreement requires Virginia Beach to ensure that parking, routes into buildings, entrances, restrooms, signage, service counters and drinking fountains are accessible to people with disabilities, and that assembly areas, such as the Giant Screen Theater at the Aquarium, provide the required wheelchair and companion seating. The agreement also requires Virginia Beach to ensure effective communication for individuals with hearing and vision disabilities through methods such as sign language interpreters, real-time transcription services, Braille or large print documents and accessible electronic formats. The city will also provide access to emergency shelters, provide accessible websites, train employees on the requirements of the ADA, make sidewalks and curb cuts accessible and appoint an ADA coordinator.
The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the nation’s goal of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against, you may file a complaint online at www.civilrights.justice.gov/.
Justice Department Launches Updated Voting Rights and Elections WebsiteRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has updated www.justice.gov/voting, a one-stop resource providing voting and elections information for voters as well as state and local elections officials. As part of the update, the Civil Rights Division published two new informational guides on voting rights and updated five other guides. The Department’s longstanding practice is to update resources and provide information in election years on the efforts of the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Division, National Security Division, 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. Over the coming months additional resources will be published.
“The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy, the right from which all others flow,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “The Justice Department is using every available authority to defend that right, both from efforts to undermine voting rights and from efforts to threaten and intimidate those who administer our elections. These updated resources will help voters understand their rights and assist public officials in fulfilling their duties.”
“Protecting the right to vote is one of the Justice Department’s highest priorities,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “Today, the Department is issuing new guidance documents, updating others, and updating our main voting website to make available in one place the resources the Department offers on voting rights — from a guide on the laws governing voting-related language assistance to a video explaining the protections against voter intimidation. We hope that these resources will make it easier for voters to exercise their rights and to enlist our help whenever and wherever those rights are under attack.”
“The Justice Department works every day to defend the right of every eligible American to exercise their voice in our democracy,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The new guides and updates we issue today, alongside our litigation, friend-of-the-court-briefs, and monitoring efforts demonstrate our commitment to using every tool available to protect the right to vote. These materials apprise voters about the protections provided by the Voting Rights Act and other civil rights laws and encourage voters to report violations. These resources also help state and local authorities comply with their obligations under the law.”
The new guides issued today include one on Voter Intimidation Under Federal Law, discussing the prohibition on threats, obstruction, or deliberately false information about the time, manner, or place of voting to prevent people from casting their ballots or participating in the electoral process. The Department has prepared a short video explaining how to report such misconduct.
The second new guide addresses Voting Protections for Language Minority Citizens under Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act. Section 203 mandates language assistance to enable certain people with limited English proficiency to participate effectively in all phases of the electoral process.
Along with the two new guides, the Department updated five existing guides on the Justice Department website. The Department updated its guide on The Americans with Disabilities Act and Other Federal Laws Protecting the Rights of Voters with Disabilities. This guide describes the legal protections designed to allow equal access to every aspect of elections, including registration and voting, for people with disabilities. The Department also revised its Guidance Under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act for redistricting and methods of electing government bodies. Another update addressed Federal Law Constraints on Post-Election “Audits.” In addition, the Department updated its Guidance Concerning Federal Statutes Affecting Methods of Voting. Along with these revisions, the Department updated information on how to request Federal Election Monitors in a jurisdiction.
These guides on voting laws are just a few of the many resources the Department has made available on its website to help people exercise this foundational right and to assist public officials in fulfilling their duties. Other such resources include a brochure entitled Know Your Voting Rights, a 50-state Guide to State Voting Rules that Apply After a Criminal Conviction, explanations of the rights of voters with disabilities, including guides on Ballot Drop Box Accessibility, Solutions for Five Common ADA Access Problems at Polling Places, and How to File an ADA Complaint, and web pages addressing the voting rights of members of the armed services and U.S. citizens living overseas, the National Voter Registration Act, and the Help America Vote Act.
The www.justice.gov/voting website also provides information on the Department’s Election Threats Task Force, which leads the Department’s efforts to address violence against election workers and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation.
You can report suspected criminal activity regarding voting to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or by filing an online complaint at tips.fbi.gov. You can also contact local law enforcement. You can report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov/report/ or 1-800-253-3931.
If at any time you are in imminent danger, call 911.
Jury Convicts Self-Described Civil Rights Activist from Toledo of Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
TOLEDO – Sir Maejor Page, 35, of Toledo, was found guilty of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering by a jury after a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Helmick.
According to court documents and testimony, in 2016, Page created a Facebook page for “Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta” (“BLMGA”) and registered this organization as a domestic non-profit with the Georgia Secretary of State Corporation’s Division. In 2017, the IRS approved Page’s request granting BLMGA tax-exempt status under Section 503(c)(3) of the tax code, but dissolved this status in 2019. Page nonetheless accepted donations after falsely portraying BLMGA to the public as a legitimate charity engaged in social justice work, when in fact, it was not. Instead, Page used the money that individual donors gave to BLMGA not for social justice causes, but rather to buy items for his own personal use, such as a house and furniture. Page also committed money-laundering crimes when he bought these items with the donations that he fraudulently obtained.
“The United States Attorney’s Office prioritizes the prosecution of white-collar criminal conduct, particularly conduct involving deceptive schemes that selfishly exploit a charitable donor’s goodwill for personal gain,” said United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko, for the Northern District of Ohio. “The donors to BLMGA thought they were giving their hard-earned money to a cause they believed in. But instead of using it to support that cause, Page used it for himself. The jury’s verdict is a warning to every fraudster that when you misrepresent how donations or other money given to you in trust will be used, you will be prosecuted and punished.”
"Preying on the generosity of the public for personal gain is cold and calculated," said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. "The FBI and it's white-collar crime division along with our federal, state, and local partners will continue to aggressively find and investigate criminals who believe they can deceive others through shady business practices."
No sentencing date has been set.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gene Crawford and Rob Melching.
Jury Convicts FCI-Greenville Inmate of Possessing a Weapon in PrisonRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A man who was serving a prison sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Greenville was found guilty by a jury of possessing a weapon.
Tavian C. Steward, 22, was convicted Tuesday on one count of possession of contraband in prison.
“Inmates in possession of weapons pose a significant threat to correctional officers, prison staff and other inmates, and thanks to quick and efficient efforts by FCI-Greenville personnel, a dangerous situation was avoided,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe.
According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, a correctional officer at FCI-Greenville received a tip Steward was in possession of a homemade weapon on Oct. 27, 2022. Following a pat-down search, correctional officers located a handmade weapon in the pocket of Steward’s jacket.
"Thanks to the watchful eyes and proactive efforts of FCI-Greenville correctional officers, a potentially dangerous situation was averted,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Joe Rodriguez. “FBI Springfield is committed to working closely with FCI-Greenville to help maintain the safety of their staff and inmates.”
The weapon was a piece of metal sharpened to a point with brown fabric wrapped around the base as a handle. The weapon was approximately 5.25 inches in length.
Possession of contraband in prison is punishable by up to 5 additional years’ imprisonment, which must be served consecutively to an inmate’s initial sentence. Steward’s sentencing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on July 25 at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.
The FBI Springfield Field Office led the investigation with support from FCI-Greenville officials. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Dean and Tom Leggans are prosecuting the case.
Joshua Shonubi Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Visa and Marriage FraudRead the Press Release
Baltimore Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman today sentenced Joshua Shonubi, age 59, of Bowie, Maryland, for federal charges of Conspiracy to Commit Visa and Marriage Fraud and a charge of Aggravated Identity Theft.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Ron Rosenberg, District Director, Washington District Office of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
According to the guilty plea, the Defendant, who was a pastor at New Life City Church, used his position of trust to recruit church members who were U.S. Citizens to marry foreign nationals for financial compensation. The Defendant accepted payment from the foreign nationals for facilitating these marriages. The Defendant used his role as a pastor to recruit and groom economically disadvantaged United States citizens to marry these foreign nationals and then sponsored them for permanent residence in the United States.
In furtherance of the fraud, the Defendant created false documentation and submitted it to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services so that the fraudulent marriage would be accepted and the foreign national could apply for lawful permanent residency, and later United States Citizenship. Among other things, the Defendant submitted letters written on his church letterhead asserting under oath that he had performed and officiated the weddings himself. The Defendant also procured and submitted fraudulent leases and paystubs to support the façade that the marriage between the U.S. Citizen and the foreign national was legitimate. Between June 2008 and June 2021, the Defendant facilitated over 60 fraudulent marriages and submitted well over 100 fraudulent documents in support of his scheme.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the HSI and USCIS for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn, who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.# # #
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Selling Firearms and Machinegun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Scott Randall Chance, Jr. (22, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to dealing firearms without a license and knowingly possessing a machinegun. Chance faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in October 2022, federal and local law enforcement agencies identified Chance as a source of supply for illegal firearms and machinegun conversion devices (MCDs) in Duval and St. Johns counties. On four separate occasions, between February and July 2023, Chance illegally sold firearms and MCDs to an undercover law enforcement officer. In total, Chance sold six firearms and three MCDs to the undercover officer.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Aakash Singh.
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.
Jackson County Man on Federal Supervised Release Is Sentenced to 10+ Years in Prison on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger sentenced John Allen Wise, 45, of Cashiers, N.C., to 121 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine and illegal possession of firearms, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Sheriff Doug Farmer of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents, Wise was on court-ordered supervised release after serving a term of imprisonment on a federal drug conviction. On August 5, 2022, law enforcement with the U.S. Probation Office and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office arrived at Wise’s residence to arrest him on a supervised release violation warrant and to conduct a planned search. Law enforcement encountered Wise sitting on his front porch with a small bag containing methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Law enforcement proceeded to search the residence, seizing fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, digital scales and items consistent with drug distribution, a loaded semiautomatic pistol, and multiple rounds of ammunition. Wise’s criminal conviction prohibits him from possessing firearms and ammunition.
On April 24, 2023, Wise pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Wise is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney King thanked the DEA and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
Indictment Returned for Arson at Burlington Office of Senator SandersRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that a federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging Shant Soghomonian (also known as Michael Soghomonian), 35, previously of Northridge, California with using fire to damage the building at One Church Street – a building used in interstate commerce. He will be arraigned on the indictment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle next week, likely on Tuesday April 23, 2024. Soghomonian also appeared before Judge Doyle today for a continuation of a detention hearing, and Judge Doyle ordered that Soghomonian be detained pending further proceedings.
According to court records, Soghomonian entered the building at One Church Street in Burlington on the morning of April 5, 2024, and proceeded to the third floor where the Vermont office of Senator Sanders is located. Soghomonian was recorded on a security video spraying a liquid near the outer door of the office and then lighting the area with a handheld lighter. A blaze quickly began while Soghomonian departed via a staircase. The video recordings showed Soghomonian wearing and carrying distinctive items, and those distinctive items were later recovered during his arrest and subsequent searches of his hotel room and vehicle.
The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charge in the indictment contains only allegations and that Soghomonian is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty. If convicted, Soghomonian faces a maximum possible penalty of not less than 5 years and not more than 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and sentencing factors in the United States Code.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Lasher. Soghomonian is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Mary Nerino.
Ida Grove Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Scott Allen Tomlinson, 49, from Ida Grove, Iowa, was sentenced April 18, 2024, to 10 years in federal prison for Possession of Child Pornography.
Evidence in the case established that between September 1, 2021, and February 23, 2022, Tomlinson possessed child pornography and used a cellular phone to access the images on the cloud. Law Enforcement recovered dozens of images from Tomlinson’s cloud-based storage system. These images included material that portrayed sadistic and masochistic conduct. Evidence at the sentencing hearing established that Tomlinson engaged in a pattern of activity involving the sexual abuse or exploitation of a minor.
Tomlinson was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Tomlinson was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $2,600 in fines and assessments. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Tomlinson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by State of Iowa Department of Public Safety and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 22-CR-04904.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Humboldt, Iowa, Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who was found in possession of a stolen gun was sentenced on April 16, 2024, to 21 months in federal prison.
Joseph Isiah Hardy, Sr., age 38, from Humboldt, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 28, 2023, guilty plea to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Evidence at the hearing showed that on October 27, 2022, the Humboldt Police Department responded to a call of a possible stolen gun. During a search of the property Hardy was detained and found with the stolen firearm. Hardy admitted he had previously been convicted of the felony assault of an at-risk person in Colorado in 2012. Hardy further admitted he knowingly possessed a stolen firearm.
Hardy was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Hardy was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hardy is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Humbolt Police Department, Humbolt County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa State Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is CR23-3010. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Framingham Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Framingham man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston to unlawfully possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Edwin Alago, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to seven years in prison and three years of supervised release. In December 2023, Alago pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
In May 2021, Alago was found by police inside a car that was parked outside of a Framingham business. The lights were on and the car was running, but Alago was unresponsive and did not appear to be breathing. Officers roused Alago, removed him from the car and found that he was in possession of Xanax, gabapentin and cocaine. Alago’s fingerprints were also found on a SCCY .9mm CPX-2 semi-automatic pistol that was in the car. The gun had a defaced serial number and was loaded with seven rounds of .9mm ammunition. Alago was combative and spit on police officers.
Alago was charged in Framingham District Court with possession of a Class E substance (Xanax and gabapentin), possession of a Class B substance (cocaine) and assault and battery on a police officer. He pleaded guilty to these charges in October 2023 and was sentenced to 30 days in prison to run concurrent with the federal sentence imposed today.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office and the Framingham Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan C. Cleary and Brian Sullivan of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Former Carroll County Coach and Substitute Teacher Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of A ChildRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – On Tuesday, April 16, 2024, U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Evan Thomas Harris Frock age 34, of Taneytown, Maryland, to 17 years in the Bureau of Prisons for sexual exploitation of a child. Frock, a substitute teacher and volleyball coach in Carroll County, Maryland, posing as a teenager, used social media accounts to meet and communicate with children and to encourage them to produce and send to Frock images and videos of themselves engaged in sexually explicit activity.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Baltimore Field Office; Carroll County Sheriff James DeWees; Chief Gregory Der of the Howard County Police Department, and Carroll County State’s Attorney Haven Shoemaker.
According to his plea agreement, from 2021 through May 2022, Frock, pretending to be a minor male and a minor female, used a variety of aliases on several social media platforms to communicate with other users, including eight minor victims, ranging in age from 9 to 17 years old. Specifically, Frock used the internet-based accounts and aliases to persuade, induce, and coerce the victims to produce sexually explicit images and videos of themselves and send those images and videos to Frock. On at least one occasion, Frock distributed a sexually explicit video of a minor male and sent images of his own genitalia to the minors to induce them to reciprocate. Further, Frock possessed several hundred commercially available images and videos of child sexual abuse material that depicted toddlers, violence, and bestiality.
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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, the Howard County Police Department, and the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn, who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Former Army Servicemember Sentenced to Prison in Money Laundering Romance ScamRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Sanda G. Frimpong, 33, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison and ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution to victims for laundering the illicit proceeds of an elaborate series of romance scams. Frimpong pled guilty to three counts of money laundering on September 14, 2023.
“Romance scammers exploit our most vulnerable citizens, even our seniors and military veterans, sometimes leaving them financially and emotionally devastated,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “The fact that an Army servicemember was involved in romance scams while serving as a soldier is appalling. We are partnering with the Department of Defense to drum out fraudsters and money launderers like Frimpong from our military ranks and put them in prison where they belong.”
“Integrity is a core tenet of the armed forces and when servicemembers choose to compromise their integrity for greed, it tarnishes the reputation of all others serving in uniform,” stated Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “DCIS and its law enforcement partners will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold those accountable who cheat government programs and use online scams to prey on the most vulnerable.”
Frimpong and other conspirators, engaged in elaborate scams, impersonating romantic love interests, diplomats, customs personnel, military personnel, and other fictitious personas for the purpose of ensnaring their victims by earning their confidence, including promises of romance, sharing of an inheritance or other riches, or other scenarios intended to fraudulently induce the victims to provide money or property to the conspirators. Frimpong then laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds of these frauds through his various bank accounts across state lines and through his contacts in Ghana. Frimpong was also an active-duty Army servicemember stationed at Fort Bragg during the commission of the offenses up until shortly after his arrest in 2023.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III announced the sentence. Defense Criminal Investigative Service led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-0035-D.
Foreign National Extradited from Chile to the United States for Kidnapping and Assaulting U.S. Army Soldiers in ColombiaRead the Press Release
A Colombian national was extradited from Chile to the United States yesterday to face charges related to kidnapping and assaulting two U.S. Army soldiers who were on temporary duty in Bogota, Colombia.
Pedro Jose Silva Ochoa, also known as Tata, 47, of Bogota, will make his initial court appearance today at 1:30 p.m. in Miami, Florida, before Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
According to court documents, Silva Ochoa and his co-conspirators targeted, incapacitated, and kidnapped two U.S. soldiers in Bogota in order to rob them of their valuables. On the evening of March 5, 2020, the two victims went to an entertainment district in Bogota to watch a soccer game. They visited a pub, where one of Silva Ochoa’s co-conspirators incapacitated the two victims by putting drugs, including benzodiazepines, in their drinks. Silva Ochoa’s co-conspirators then escorted the victims into a waiting car driven by Silva Ochoa, kidnapped them, and took their wallets, debit cards, credit cards, and cell phones. Silva Ochoa and his co-conspirators used one victim’s credit card and the other victim’s debit card to make purchases and withdraw money. The two victims lost consciousness until the following day, by which point they had been separated.
Silva Ochoa is charged with kidnapping an internationally protected person, conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person, assaulting an internationally protected person, and conspiracy to assault an internationally protected person. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
One of Silva Ochoa’s co-defendants, Jeffersson Arango Castellanos, was extradited from Colombia to the United States in April 2023 and pleaded guilty in January to the charges in the indictment.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole A. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case and escorted Silva Ochoa from Chile to the United States. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI Miami Field Office, the Office of the Legal Attaché Santiago, and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché’s Office in Bogota provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Silva Ochoa. The United States also thanks Colombian and Chilean law enforcement authorities for their valuable assistance.
Trial Attorneys Clayton O’Connor and Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila Fernandez for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Five Members of Marion Gardens Jersey City Gang Plead Guilty to Racketeering, Violent CrimesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Five members and associates of a Jersey City gang associated with the Marion Gardens Housing Complex pleaded guilty this week to racketeering, violent crimes in aid of racketeering, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Jervon Morris, aka “Sticky,” 35; Kevin Williams, aka “KK,” aka “Kay Kay,” 30; Jakeem Gibson-Madison, aka “Beanz,” 29; K’shawn Jackson, aka “Lil Kay,” 23; and Terick Rogers, aka “Moot,” 32, all of Jersey City, New Jersey, all pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court to racketeering conspiracy and related crimes.
Morris and Gibson-Madison will be sentenced on Aug. 20, 2024; Rogers and Williams will be sentenced on Aug. 21, 2024; and K’Shawn Jackson will be sentenced on Aug. 22, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“Criminal street gangs – whether they are structured organizations with international reach or, as here, neighborhood based and local – cause devastating damage to the community. Two of these defendants murdered a victim and all the defendants caused senseless violence and shootings and funneled dangerous drugs for personal profit. These defendants will now deservedly face significant sentences in prison as a result of the harm they’ve caused.”
“Neighborhood street gangs hold communities hostage with the constant threat of violence and dangerous proliferation of illicit drugs,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “These men admit they used all methods of criminal activity to defend their turf around the Marion Gardens House Complex, including targeting and murdering rival gang members. This investigation is just one of many cases we are working through the FBI Newark Violent Crimes Task Force with our law enforcement partners, focusing all of our resources, time and energy on taking out the leadership of these groups and ending the brutality they inflict on our city.”
“Each of these defendants threatened public safety and instilled fear in neighborhoods throughout Jersey City,” Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. “The outcome here reaffirms a commitment by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office to utilize all its resources and law enforcement partners to ensure justice is served on behalf of victims and the communities affected by these senseless crimes.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The defendants are all members and associates of the neighborhood street gang associated with the Marion Gardens Housing Complex, which routinely distributes cocaine and heroin, among other controlled substances, in and around the Marion Gardens Housing Complex. Members and associates of the gang also engaged in acts of violence, including numerous assaults, shootings, and murders, which targeted rival gang members and others, including the following:
- On July 28, 2011, Morris and Williams, along with another member of the Marion Gardens street gang, murdered a victim in the area of Gifford Avenue and Bergen Avenue in Jersey City;
- On Nov. 5, 2017, members and associates of the Marion Gardens street gang shot a victim in the area of Van Nostrand Avenue and Bergen Avenue in Jersey City;
- On Feb. 7, 2018, Williams and another member of the Marion Gardens street gang assaulted a victim R.B. in the area of Summit Avenue and Magnolia Avenue in Jersey City;
- On June 30, 2018, Rogers, Jackson, and another member of the enterprise shot five people while celebrating “Meech Day” in honor of a deceased fellow gang member;
- On Jan. 9, 2019, Gibson-Madison, with another member of the enterprise, traveled to the area of Grant Avenue and Ocean Avenue to target a rival gang member, at which time three victims were shot at, two of whom were hit, and
- On June 9, 2019, after being shot at by rival gang member, Kevin Williams brandished a firearm and attempted to shoot back at the rival gang member.
Lakief Grayson, aka “LaLa,” previously pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and related charges in July 2023. Charges remain pending against Jalil Holmes, aka “Broad Day,” aka “BD,” and Willie Williams, aka “Willz,” both of whom are scheduled to appear in court in the coming weeks. The charges and allegations against these defendants are merely accusations and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, investigators of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, and the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Director James Shea, for the investigation leading to the charges.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, Chief of the Criminal Division for the District of New Jersey in Newark.
mariongardens.sindictment.pdfFinal Defendant Arrested During 2023 Joint Enforcement Operation in Carlsbad Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – The last of the eight defendants indicted following a joint law enforcement operation in Carlsbad last year pleaded guilty to federal drug offenses in federal court yesterday.
Jesus Alonso Cerezo-Espidio, 51, of Carlsbad, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 5 grams and more of methamphetamine and conspiracy to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine.
According to court records, on April 2, 2023, Cerezo-Espidio took possession of an ice chest which he knew to contain drugs from a co-conspirator in Mexico. Cerezo-Espidio was supposed to transport the drugs to Carlsbad, New Mexico, but not want to make the drive. Instead, Cerezo-Espidio left the ice chest in a car parked in El Paso, Texas overnight.
The following day, Cerezo-Espidio’s co-defendants, Kassandra Lee Perales and Carlos Venegas, Jr., arrived to pick up the ice chest and transport it to Carlsbad. Unbeknownst to them, law enforcement had seized the drugs overnight.
Lab tests later showed that the drugs in the ice chest were 1,974 net grams of cocaine and 501.4 net grams of pure methamphetamine.
Cerezo-Espidio will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing Cerezo-Espidio faces between five and 40 years in prison followed by a term of supervised release.
Venegas, Perales, Amber Owen, Kinny Gonzalez, Jared Michael Moore, Brian Kain Purdy and Sabino Alfonso Maldonado each pled guilty to federal drug charges and remain in custody pending sentencings, which have not been scheduled.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division, made the announcement today.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Pecos Valley Drug Task Force, with enforcement assistance from the United States Marshal Service, Carlsbad Police Department, Eddy County Sheriff’ Department, Roswell Police Department, Chaves County Drug Task Force, DEA Airwing and Customs and Border Patrol. The New Mexico Air National Guard’s Air Unit, Artesia Police Department and Customs and Border Patrol’s Air Unit provided support during the operation on August 1, 2023.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Renee L. Camacho and Devon Aragon-Martinez are prosecuting the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which 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 task force initiatives are also part of the New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program (HIDTA), a federal grant program that supports law enforcement efforts to combat the drug threat in the state.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Indiana Man for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned a three-count indictment on March 15, 2024, charging an Indiana man with sexually exploiting a child.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, and Sheriff Todd DeArmond of the Christian County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Jason Webster, 29, of Lafayette, Indiana, was charged with online enticement of a minor, attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, and receipt of child sexual abuse material. This conduct occurred between June 2023 through September 2023 in Todd County, Kentucky.
The defendant made an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky this week. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, Webster faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the HSI Bowling Green Field Office and the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana, the HSI Hammond, Indiana, Field Office, the HSI Indianapolis, Indiana, Field Office, and the Tippecanoe County, Indiana, Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting the case.
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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Hopkinsville Felon for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A federal grand jury in Paducah, Kentucky, returned an indictment on February 13, 2024, charging a Hopkinsville 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 Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Tyrone Poindexter, 42, possessed a Taurus .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Poindexter was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On July 11, 2000, in Christian Circuit Court, Poindexter was convicted of complicity to first-degree manslaughter, complicity to first-degree robbery, and tampering with physical evidence.
On June 11, 2013, in Christian Circuit Court, Poindexter was convicted of theft by unlawful taking – automobile, first degree criminal mischief, convicted felon in possession of a handgun, and first degree fleeing or evading police.
On October 18, 2017, in Christian Circuit Court, Poindexter was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Poindexter made his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Kentucky on April 15, 2024. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, Poindexter 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 Bowling Green Post of Duty and the Hopkinsville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Agencies Launch Portal for Public Reporting of Anticompetitive Practices in Health Care SectorRead the Press Release
The Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today launched an easily accessible online portal for the public to report health care practices that may harm competition.
The online portal, HealthyCompetition.gov, allows the public to report potentially unfair and anticompetitive health care practices to the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and FTC. The launch of the new portal advances the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to lower health care and prescription drug costs and help create more competitive health care markets that are fairer to patients, providers, payers and workers.
“Competition in health care is crucial to ensuring fair and competitive wages across the healthcare sector and affordable and quality healthcare for all Americans,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Today’s launch of HealthyCompetition.gov – a one-stop shop to report potential violations of our competition laws to the Justice Department and FTC – will allow the agencies to collaborate early and often, helping to promote economic opportunity and fairness for all.”
“All too often, we hear how unfair methods of competition and monopolistic practices may be depriving Americans of access to affordable, high-quality healthcare,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “This joint initiative between FTC, DOJ and HHS will provide a crucial channel for the agencies to hear from the public, bolstering our work to check illegal business practices that harm consumers and workers alike.”
“Americans depend on competitive health care markets to provide quality choices and lower costs for coverage. That’s why we are working to tackle anticompetitive practices in the health care markets,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The Biden-Harris Administration and HHS know it is our responsibility to stop monopolistic, anti-competitive practices that undermine the delivery of health care to Americans. The information provided by the public will help to root out these behaviors.”
Complaints will undergo preliminary review by staff at the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and FTC. If a complaint raises sufficient concern under the antitrust laws or is related to HHS authorities, it will be selected for further investigation by the appropriate agency. This action may lead to the opening of a formal investigation.
The privacy and confidentiality policies that govern information submitted through the portal, including any personal information members of the public choose to provide, can be found at DOJ Privacy Policy, DOJ Antitrust Division Confidentiality Policy Regarding Complainants and FTC Privacy Policy
HealthyCompetition.gov is the latest effort by the Justice Department, FTC and HHS to promote competition in health care markets to ensure that every American has access to high-quality, affordable care. As announced in December 2023, the Justice Department, FTC and HHS have continued to partner on new initiatives, which included a joint request for information to seek input on how private-equity and other corporations’ control of health care is impacting Americans.
Fake Concert Promoter Charged with Million Dollar FraudRead the Press Release
A man who claimed to be a concert promoter for artists like Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, and others has been charged with fraud, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Carlos Desean Goodspeed, 43, who operated under the assumed business name, “Straight Like That Entertainment,” was indicted on April 16 on three counts of wire fraud. He was arrested without incident at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on Wednesday, and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renée H. Toliver on Thursday.
According to the indictment, Mr. Goodspeed allegedly told investors he was a concert promoter working in partnership with a multinational event marketing company. He allegedly solicited hefty investments and guaranteed returns as high as 50% in a short period of time.
For example, in July 2018, he allegedly solicited $400,000 from one victim, promising to pay him back $650,000 ($250,000 in profit) within four months. He claimed the money would be used to promote touring shows for artists Nicki Minaj and Future.
The same day the would-be investor wired Straight Like That Entertainment the money, Mr. Goodspeed allegedly withdrew $200,000 to pay a court-appointed receiver in connection with an SEC lawsuit; wired $20,000 to another duped investor; and withdrew $100,000 in cash and cashier's checks. He paid back only a fraction of the investor’s $400,000 investment.
In January 2022, Mr. Goodspeed allegedly solicited $50,000 from another investor, telling the investor the funds would be used to purchase concert tickets and suites for an upcoming Tyler, the Creator show.
Despite the show taking place as planned, Mr. Goodspeed did not return the principal or pay out the return as promised, allegedly making excuse after excuse. He eventually told the investor he would be paid in full after two additional concerts, including a second concert by Tyler, the Creator and another by Ludacris. The investor wired an additional $130,000 to Straight Like That Entertainment, which Mr. Goodspeed allegedly used for personal expenses, including rental payments at an upscale apartment complex, a purchase at a high-end retail store, and airline fees and hotels; and to make lulling payments to other duped investors.
In total, as a result of Mr. Goodspeed’s alleged fraud, investors collectively suffered a loss of over one million dollars.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Goodspeed is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to 60 years in prison (20 years per count).
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Hunter prosecuted the case.
Essex County Man Admits Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man today admitted possessing with intent to distribute over five kilograms of fentanyl and four kilograms of cocaine, and possessing six firearms as a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Carlos Santiago, 49, of East Orange, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz in Newark federal court to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Oct. 24, 2022, federal agents encountered Santiago as he was moving controlled substances from a storage unit to his vehicle in Newark. Santiago was arrested after law enforcement located several kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine, as well as one firearm, in Santiago’s storage unit. Law enforcement searched Santiago’s residence in East Orange and located several additional kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine, and five other firearms. Santiago had previously been convicted, in New Jersey Superior Court, Essex County, of a drug offense and resisting arrest.
The count of distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl carries a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life imprisonment, and a $10 million fine. The count of distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine carries a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine. The count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon carries a maximum term of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 5, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark, and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Barnes, Chief of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.
santiago_information_final.pdfElkhart Man Sentenced to 66 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Cornelius Nelson, 34 years old, of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Nelson was sentenced to 66 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, from June through mid-August 2021, Nelson conspired with others to distribute fentanyl in the Michigan City area. Nelson delivered controlled substances and was present and helped facilitate other transactions when co-defendants sold pills purporting to be oxycodone that were actually fentanyl. Nelson admitted to selling fentanyl to customers, handling money, and aiding in resupplying controlled substances. Nelson is the final member of this group to be sentenced in this case. Others previously sentenced were:
- Rico Marion - 444 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release;
- Brandon Harris - 151 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release;
- Meliki Marion - 130 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release; and
- Carissa McCoy - 63 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (including the Chicago Field Division, the Merrillville District Office, the Amarillo Texas Resident Office and the Albuquerque New Mexico District Office) with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, an Indiana HIDTA Initiative, and the Michigan City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly L. Schultz and Joel Gabrielse.
This case was 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.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Edcouch man imprisoned for downloading over 100 sexually explicit and violent videos of minorsRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 41-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
A federal jury deliberated for less than 45 minutes before convicting Miguel Martinez Feb. 28, 2019, following a two-day trial.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Martinez to serve 168 months in federal prison. Martinez was further ordered to pay a total of $6,000 in restitution. Martinez will serve five years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Martinez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Martinez came to the attention of law enforcement following an investigation in the spring of 2012 into persons using the internet to traffic in child pornography. Authorities located and identified Martinez as a participant on a peer-to-peer network offering to distribute and receive videos of child pornography.
On Nov. 14, 2012, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Martinez's residence, at which time they seized a computer and various external storage media devices. A forensic examination of the devices revealed 123 videos and images of children under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct including bondage and acts of violence against them. Some of the images are of known victims as identified through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
In a subsequent interview, Martinez admitted to downloading the child pornography found on his computer and external storage media, which were stored in a folder labeled “Mike’s Stuff.”
At the time of the trial, Martinez denied any wrongdoing and testified that he could not remember any of the events that transpired at the time of the execution of the search warrant.
Martinez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Ann Leo and Laura Garcia prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Drunk Driver Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Involuntary Manslaughter and AssaultRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Broderrick Ramon Coggeshell, 38, of Chinle, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to nine years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Coggeshell pleaded guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury on January 30, 2024.
In December 2022, Coggeshell, while intoxicated, crossed the center line of traffic with his truck and collided with a vehicle occupied by three brothers, killing one and seriously injuring another. Coggeshell and the victims are all members of the Navajo Nation.
The Navajo Nation Criminal Investigations Division conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kiyoko Patterson, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-08074-PCT-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-053_Coggeshell# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Doctor Convicted of Improper Prescribing of AdderallRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A West Virginia doctor was found guilty today by a jury for the unlawful distribution of controlled substances and for destroying evidence of his crimes.
David Elwood Hess, 60, of Bridgeport, West Virginia, was convicted of four counts of improper prescribing and one count of destroying records in a federal investigation. The jury found that Hess wrote prescriptions for Adderall to his patients without a legitimate medical purpose and beyond the bounds of professional practice. The jury also found that Hess remotely wiped his iPhone after it had been seized by law enforcement.
“Dr. Hess was reckless in his prescribing and put himself and his sexual desire ahead of the wellbeing of his patients,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “His sexual misconduct corrupted his decision-making and put his patients at great risk. Thanks to the jury’s verdict and the excellent work of investigators and prosecutors, Dr. Hess will be held accountable for his crimes.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Cogar and Eleanor Hurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated.
Hess will be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Kleeh once a pre-sentence investigation report has been completed.
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District Man Indicted on Murder, Assault, and Other Related Charges in July 9, 2023 Slaying of Charles SullivanRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Antwain Ulmer, 19, of Washington, D.C., was indicted yesterday on one count of first degree murder while armed, one count of assault with intent to kill while armed, and other related charges stemming from a July 9, 2023 shooting inside of a convenience store that resulted in the death of 30-year-old Charles Sullivan, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Ulmer was indicted on April 17, 2024, by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on multiple charges including first-degree murder while armed (premeditated), assault with intent to kill while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license. In addition to indicting Ulmer on first degree murder while armed for firing the shots that killed Charles Sullivan, the grand jury also indicted him for firing a shot that came within inches of striking and injuring or killing an uninvolved shopper that was in the zone of harm created by Ulmer’s conduct.
Ulmer is to be arraigned on April 19, 2024, at a hearing before the Honorable Robert Okun. If convicted, he faces a maximum of ninety years in prison.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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 Murder and Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Benjamin Robertson, 33, of Washington, D.C., was indicted yesterday by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on second degree murder of a senior citizen, assault with a dangerous weapon committed against a minor, fleeing a law enforcement officer, tampering with physical evidence, and destroying property stemming from an event occurring on July 12, 2023, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Jessica M. E. Taylor, of the United States Park Police (USPP) announced.
Robertson is to be arraigned on April 29, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 12, 2023, Robertson fled a traffic stop striking and killing Bing Wong and injuring a minor victim. Robertson was located and arrested after investigation by the United States Park Police.
This case was investigated by the United States Park Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Carter.
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 Carjacking and Kidnapping ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kevin Weaver, 31, of Washington, D.C., was indicted yesterday on carjacking and other charges stemming from the September 10, 2023, carjacking and kidnapping of a D.C. Neighborhood Connect driver, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Weaver was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on charges of carjacking a senior citizen, kidnapping a senior citizen, and threatening to injure and kidnap a senior citizen. Weaver was also charged with committing each of these offenses against a taxicab driver.
Weaver is to be arraigned on April 30, 2024, at a hearing before the Honorable Erik Christian. Weaver faces a mandatory minimum of seven years’ incarceration if convicted of the charge of carjacking and is subject to enhanced penalties for having allegedly committed these offenses against a senior citizen and a taxicab driver.
According to the government’s evidence, on September 13, 2023, at about 3:39 p.m., the victim, a driver for D.C. Neighborhood Connect, picked up Weaver and another individual at 1228 Perry Street NE and drove them to 501 Franklin Street NE, where both passengers exited the vehicle. As the driver began to drive away from the area, Weaver stepped into the middle of street, forcing the driver to bring his vehicle to a stop. Weaver then entered the Neighborhood Connect vehicle, demanded to be driven to 1228 Perry Street NE, and repeatedly threatened to kill the driver of the van.
As the driver approached the intersection of 7th Street NE and Monroe Street NE, the driver stopped and exited the vehicle, and ran to a nearby police vehicle to seek assistance. Weaver then entered the driver’s seat of the Neighborhood Connect vehicle and drove to 1228 Perry Street NE, where he was apprehended by members of the Metropolitan Police Department. Weaver has been in custody since his arrest.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand.
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.
Department of Justice announces Carjacking Task Force targeting violent crime in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – The Justice Department established the formation of carjacking task forces in 11 targeted districts across the United States, including the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
“The Justice Department has no higher priority than keeping our communities safe. We do so by targeting the most significant drivers of violent crime and by acting as a force multiplier for our state and local law enforcement partners. We’re seeing results — with violent crime declining broadly nationwide,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Today, we are launching seven new carjacking task forces across the country to build on the success of task forces in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Tampa, where available data shows that carjacking rates are now falling. When prosecutors, officers, agents, and analysts come together to crunch data, share intelligence, and apply best practices, we can make real progress in the fight against all forms of violent crime, including carjacking.”
In keeping with the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime, the task forces represent a strategic enforcement priority for the Department, focusing federal resources on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime.
Building on the initial efforts of and best practices learned from carjacking task forces in the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Columbia, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the following seven districts are announcing the creation of carjacking task forces in their communities:
- District of Oregon
- Eastern District of Texas
- Northern District of Alabama
- Northern District of California
- Eastern District of Louisiana
- Southern District of Mississippi
- Western District of Washington
Carjacking and other violent crime task forces have proven to be an effective part of successful violent crime reduction strategies by focusing on significant crime drivers and taking violent offenders off the streets of our communities. For example, carjackings in Philadelphia declined by 31% from 2022 to 2023, and armed carjackings are down 28% in the District of Columbia this year compared to the same period in 2023. In Chicago, carjackings decreased 29% from a high in 2021 through the end of 2023.
U.S. Attorney Diggs announced the newly formed task force in the Eastern District of Texas, led by Deputy Chief of Violent Crime John B. Ross, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), alongside state and local law enforcement partners, including the Beaumont and Port Arthur police departments. These task force members will come together to institute expedited sharing and prompt action procedures related to car thefts, carjackings, and the recovery of stolen or suspect vehicles — as well as effective evidence gathering and technology exploitation strategies. The task forces will also collaborate on how to use federal sentencing enhancements for cases where adults use juveniles to commit carjackings, as well as work with state and local authorities to ensure the appropriate handling of juvenile suspects. The task forces will also assist state and local officials who wish to seek Justice Department grant funding for juvenile intervention and diversion resources.
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Dauphin County Man Indicted for Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jaquan Ardrey, age 30, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for methamphetamine trafficking.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Ardrey with two counts of possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine in Dauphin and Cumberland Counties.
The charges resulted from an investigation by the FBI Capital City Safe Streets Task Force, Pennsylvania State Police, Harrisburg City Police, and Cumberland County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera 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.
Under federal law, Ardrey faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, a maximum sentence of life in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Crow Agency man sentenced to more than five years in prison for sexually abusing two girls on the Crow Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Crow Agency man convicted by a federal jury of sexually abusing two girls on the Crow Indian Reservation was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
After a two-day trial, the jury on Dec. 12, 2023, found Edwin Ivan Don’tMix, 60, guilty of abusive sexual contact of a child and abusive sexual contact of a minor.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that in January 2015, Jane Doe 2 disclosed to the FBI that Don’tMix touched her vaginal area over her clothes while she was sledding. Jane Doe 2 was 13 years old at the time. Jane Doe 2 also disclosed in the same interview, that in 2012 or 2013, she was asleep and awoke to Don’tMix touching her vaginal area over her clothes. The touching occurred at a Crow Agency residence. In October 2021, another child, Jane Doe 1, disclosed to a school counselor that Don’tMix touched her vaginal area over her clothes when she was either 6, 7 or 8 years old and that the touching happened three or four times at a Crow Agency residence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek prosecuted the case. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation.
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Court Sentences Clarke County Man to 110 Months Imprisonment in Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – On March 14, 2024, United States District Court Judge, Terry F. Moorer sentenced Eriskey Lashon Crowell to 110 months imprisonment for his role in a multi-defendant drug trafficking conspiracy.
Documents filed with the Court established that on January 7, 2020, a co-defendant in the case, Justin Bonard Douglas, was observed on a camera and by officers conducting live surveillance, making a hand to hand sale of drugs to Crowell in Prichard, Alabama. After Crowell left the location a Creola Police Department officer attempted to stop Crowell for speeding. Crowell fled from the officer and was observed throwing five bags out the window of his vehicle. After a pursuit Crowell was eventually stopped and arrested. Officers recovered three of the five bags observed to be thrown by Crowell. The three bags recovered contained a total of approximately 68.41 grams of cocaine.
Further investigation revealed that Crowell had purchased cocaine from Douglas for four or more months, obtaining cocaine normally twice a week, and obtaining two to five ounces of cocaine at a time. Crowell’s two previous felony convictions triggered the career offender provisions under the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The investigation and prosecution of this case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mobile Police Department and the Creola Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.
Court Sentenced Dominican Drug Smuggler Caught with Approximately 443 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
On March 14, 2024, United States District Court Judge, Terry F. Moorer, sentenced Joel Vargas Mendez-Bienvivenido, a Dominican national, to 87 months imprisonment for smuggling 443 kilograms of cocaine in the Caribbean Sea. Mendez-Bienvivenido had previously plead guilty to the drug smuggling offense, which is charged under Title 46, United States Code, Section 70506 (b).
Documents filed with the Court established that on September 13, 2023, during a routine patrol in the Caribbean, a Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) located a Go-Fast Vessel (GFV) on a northerly path with a speed of 18 knots and two persons on board. The vessel was outfitted with one engine and visible suspected drug packages on the deck of the vessel.
United States Coast Guard Cutter Valiant (USCGC VALIANT) launched it’s Over the Horizon (OTH) boat with a boarding team (BT). The OTH and BT arrived on scene and gained positive control of the vessel approximately 161 nautical miles South of Isla Beta, Dominican Republic. This location is in international waters. The BT recovered 13 bales of cocaine weighing approximately 443 kilograms. The government of the Dominican Republic denied any claim to nationality of the GFV, and the vessel was thus subsequently treated as one without nationality, giving the United States jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute the case under Title 46. The vessel was deemed a danger to navigation due to no suitable tow points and its distance from land. Consequently, the vessel was sunk upon completion of law enforcement activities.
Title 46 United States Code, § 70501 states: Congress finds and declares that (1) trafficking in controlled substances aboard vessels is a serious international problem, is universally condemned, and presents a specific threat to the security and societal well-being of the United States and (2) operating or embarking in a submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality and on an international voyage is a serious international problem, facilitates transnational crime, including drug trafficking, and terrorism, and presents a specific threat to the safety of maritime navigation and the security of the United States. Title 46 further provides that such offenses may be prosecuted in any United States federal district court.
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello praised the outstanding work of the United States Coast Guard and federal investigators in interdicting and bringing these international drug smugglers to justice. Costello stated that the wholesale value of the cocaine seized in this case is conservatively valued at approximately 13.3 million dollars.The case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard, and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Federal Prison for Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced April 11, 2024, to 27 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon, following a guilty plea.
According to public court documents, Keshawn C. Houtz-Mayfield, 21, was found to be in possession of a firearm during the execution of a search warrant at his residence. Houtz-Mayfield was a convicted felon at the time of the search warrant and knew he could not possess firearms.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Houtz-Mayfield will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
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.
Convicted Felon Is Sentenced to 19+ Years in Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine and Illegal Firearms Possession in Burke CountyRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Jessie Alan Clark, 42, of Burke County, was sentenced today to 235 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on drug and gun charges, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Sheriff Banks Hinceman of the Burke County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, in February 2022, investigators with the Burke County Sheriff’s Office and agents with the DEA determined that Clark was engaged in the distribution of methamphetamine in the area. On February 15, 2022, law enforcement observed a truck attempting to evade detection by law enforcement and began to follow the vehicle. While they followed the vehicle, law enforcement observed a backpack being tossed out of the passenger side of the truck and proceeded to pull over the vehicle. Clark was the driver of the truck, and another individual was a passenger. Over the course of the traffic stop, law enforcement searched Clark, the passenger, the truck, and the backpack that had been tossed from the vehicle, and seized $1,915 in U.S. currency, two gallon-sized bags containing methamphetamine, and a loaded Taurus .38 caliber revolver with six rounds of ammunition. Clark is a convicted felon, and he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On August 21, 2023, Clark pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Clark will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility, to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney King thanked the DEA and the Burke County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
Companies pay $92,000 to settle allegations related to false statement in COVID-19 funding applicationsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Buffalo Transportation Inc., Ontario Bus Inc., and several other businesses owned by Igor Finkelshtein, have agreed to pay $91,838 to resolve allegations arising under the False Claims Act. The defendants obtained grants and loans under the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (EIDL), administered by the Small Business Administration, after submitting applications that falsely certified their eligibility to receive the grants and loans.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Coriell, who handled the case, stated that applicants for EIDL funding are required to disclose the criminal history of owners of entities applying for funds. The government alleges that these defendants failed to disclose that Igor Finkelshtein had a prior felony conviction, and therefore the companies were ineligible to receive grants and loans through the COVID-19 EIDL program.
“Emergency funding programs, including the COVID-19 EIDL program, were critical to helping businesses stay afloat during the pandemic,” stated U.S. Attorney Ross. “My office will continue to work towards holding accountable those who took advantage of the COVID-19 programs by obtaining funds that they were not eligible to receive.”
“Providing fraudulent information to acquire access to federal relief funds is a theft of hard-earned taxpayer money,” said Matthew Miraglia, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI’s Buffalo Field Office. “The FBI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and apprehend those who seek to personally profit and defraud government assistance programs.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Aidan Forsyth. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Forsyth v. Buffalo Transportation Inc., et al., 22-cv-846-JLS (W.D.N.Y.). Mr. Forsyth will receive a share of the settlement.
The case was investigated jointly by the United States Attorney’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Buffalo Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the United States Secret Service, Buffalo Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey P. Burr, as well as with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of Inspector General.
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Colorado Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Possession with the Intent to Deliver MarijuanaRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Commerce City, Colorado man was sentenced on April 11, 2024, to 18 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Hong Dinh Nguyen, 42, was arrested in in Council Bluffs on April 22, 2023, following a traffic stop on Interstate 80. Nguyen’s vehicle had a strong odor of marijuana coming from the inside. Located in the trunk of his vehicle, in heat sealed bags, were 34,424 grams of marijuana. Nguyen stated that he agreed to transport and deliver the marijuana to another person in Minnesota and in return would be paid $6,300.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Nguyen will be required to serve 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Division of Narcotics Enforcement of the Iowa Department of Public Safety and the Iowa State Patrol.
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.
Chicago-Area Tax Preparer Indicted for False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
An Illinois man made his initial appearance today on an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Chicago charging him with 21 counts of preparing false tax returns for others.
According to the indictment, Byron Taylor, of Homewood, allegedly operated We Are Taxes Inc., a return preparation business. For tax years 2017 through 2020, Taylor allegedly prepared returns for clients that contained false information resulting in the clients claiming refunds to which they were not entitled. The false information allegedly included, among other things, fraudulent business losses and false deductions – including medical and dental expenses, gifts to charity and state and local real estate taxes – and unreimbursed employee expenses.
If convicted, Taylor faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Matthew J. Kluge and Trial Attorney Boris Bourget of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Lamar Tyrell Coles, 32, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 23, 2022, a law enforcement officer arrested Coles on an outstanding warrant. Coles advised the officer that he had a firearm in his pocket. The officer recovered a loaded SCCY CPX-2 9mm pistol from Coles’ right sweatpants pocket which was zipped closed, concealing the firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Coles knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for felonious assault on March 31, 2017, burglary on March 17, 2014, and illegal possession of firearm in open air arena on December 12, 2011, all in Columbiana County, Ohio.
Coles is scheduled to be sentenced on August 8, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Francesca C. Rollo is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-96.
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Career offender sentenced after found passed out in vehicleRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 36-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been sentenced for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Adolfo Tovar pleaded guilty Dec. 1, 2022.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Tovar to serve 200 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Tovar’s serious and significant criminal history, including his attempted robbery and second-degree robbery convictions.
On the late evening of April 10, 2021, a concerned citizen reported a vehicle parked crooked in a parking space with a male driver who appeared to be unconscious at a local gas station.
Authorities approached the driver, later identified as Tovar. They asked him to exit the vehicle and to provide identification. When he did so, Tovar pulled out two blue baggies typically used as packaging for illegal narcotics which fell to the ground.
Further investigation resulted in the discovery of other drug paraphernalia visible inside Tovar’s SUV. Law enforcement searched his vehicle and found meth, scales and baggies in the center console and a firearm under the driver’s seat.
Tovar has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with assistance from Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Dunn prosecuted the case.
Buxton Man Sentenced for Threats Against the Jewish CommunityRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Buxton man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for transmitting a threatening interstate communication.
U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Brian Dennison, 27, to 12 months and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Dennison was found guilty by a federal jury on December 7, 2023, following a three-day trial.
According to evidence presented during the trial, on September 8, 2021, Dennison posted on Twitter, “I’m going to kill jews with my ar15 tomorrow.” FBI investigators identified Dennison as the likely author of the threat and executed search warrants at his Buxton residence. Among the items seized were approximately 1,700 rounds of ammunition that could be fired from an AR-15-style rifle. Investigators also found evidence that Dennison had a long-standing animus toward Jewish people. In October 2021, investigators executed another search warrant at the property and found an AR-15-style rifle and ammunition in a case that had been hidden in the woods behind the residence.
In imposing sentence, Judge Levy noted that threats like the one Dennison communicated are corrosive and strain the fiber of our country. He also noted that the core liberties enshrined in the Constitution are undermined by threats based on someone’s faith.
“Brian Dennison communicated his violent anti-Semitic threat on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year celebration,” said Darcie McElwee, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine. “Such repugnant threats have no place in any society. I commend the FBI for its excellent investigative work in this case. Under the First Amendment, you have a right to believe hateful things, and to express those hateful beliefs in lawful ways. But when your speech constitutes a true threat to kill or injure others, you will be held accountable.”
“Our Maine Joint Terrorism Task Force is to be highly commended for its rapid response to Brian Dennison’s threat to commit mass murder with an assault rifle, born out of his long-standing hatred for Jewish people,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Hate has no place here in Maine, and the fact that Mr. Dennison had the actual means to carry out his articulated threat is chilling. Protecting human life is our absolute priority, and the FBI stands ready to intervene whenever threatening language crosses the line into illegal activity.”
The FBI and U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
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Braxton County Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Thomas Jason Drake, 48, of Gassaway, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Drake, a lawyer, admitted that he possessed and pawned a Taurus Model G3C 9mm handgun on December 20, 2021, a Winchester Model Grand European XTR .257-caliber rifle on November 22, 2021, and a Colt Model Single Action .45-caliber revolver on December 7, 2021, at Charleston businesses.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Drake knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for embezzlement in Kanawha County Circuit Court on September 13, 2012.
Drake is scheduled to be sentenced on August 8, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew J. Tessman, Gabriel Price and Nowles Heinrich are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-64.
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Beckley Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Mariah Diane Keffer, 26, of Beckley, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 12, 2022, Keffer sold approximately 60 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at her Robert C. Byrd Drive residence in Beckley. Keffer admitted to this transaction and further admitted to selling a total of approximately 75 grams of methamphetamine to the confidential informant for a total of $900 during separate transactions on December 22, 2022, and January 9, 2023.
On January 10, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of Keffer’s residence. Officers seized 71.5 grams of methamphetamine, 20.5 grams of fentanyl and various amounts of marijuana, oxycodone pills, alprazolam pills, suboxone, diazepam pills and psilocybin mushrooms. Officers also seized a Taurus model G2c 9mm pistol, a Ruger LCP .380-caliber pistol, and $2,011. Keffer admitted that she intended to distribute the seized drugs in and around the Southern District of West Virginia.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-116.
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