Southern District of Alabama

United States Attorney Kenyen Brown announces that Simon Ndongo of Mobile, Alabama was sentenced to eighteen (18) months in Federal prison and three years supervised release on his conviction of charges of falsification of documents in relation to a bankruptcy case and tax perjury. Ndongo, a former City of Mobile accountant, was also ordered to pay restitution of $278,055.47 to Bank of America; $50,131.33 to Citibank; $5,205.29 to JPMorgan Chase; $1,509.93 to Discover Card; $38,088.79 to the Bankruptcy Court; and 36,872 to the Internal Revenue Service.

The guilty plea concerns Ndongo’s 2008 Federal tax return, which falsely claimed the First Time Home Buyer Credit for purchasing a home in 2008, when he had not in fact purchased a home that year. Ndongo filed that false tax return with the Internal Revenue Service.

Ndongo also pled guilty to charges that he falsely answered questions about his investments in his bankruptcy Schedules, which obstructed the proper administration of the bankruptcy case, Case No. 08-11173, by concealing the investments from the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Alabama, the Trustee and creditors. The plea agreement also required Ndongo to make restitution to the victims of crimes charges in other counts of the indictment to which he did not plead guilty.

The case was investigated by agents of the Mobile Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mobile Office of Criminal Investigation, Internal Revenue Service. United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown stated that the prosecution shows that the Department of Justice understands its duty to work to ensure that honest taxpayers are not taken advantage of and to endeavor to keep the bankruptcy system clean. Special Agent In Charge Veronica Hyman-Pilot, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, stated “Fraud and dishonesty in bankruptcy proceedings undermines the integrity of those important proceedings. Concealing assets from the bankruptcy court and not paying taxes is a gross violation of civic duty and deserves punishment such as that handed down today.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vicki Davis, Michele O’Brien and Charles Baer on behalf of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.

United States Attorney Kenyen Brown announces that Teresa Weinacker of Daphne, Alabama today was sentenced to five months in Federal prison followed by five months home confinement and three years supervised release after she pled guilty to felony falsification of a Statement of Financial Affairs she caused to be filed in the bankruptcy case of her corporation, Xena Express, Inc. doing business as Pet Friendly, Inc. Weinacker was also ordered to pay restitution of $54,961.57 and to pay a $100 special assessment.

The charges concerned a “bust out scheme” of Pet Friendly, Inc., the business Weinacker controlled. This is a type of fraud where, just before filing bankruptcy, a person who controls a corporation transfers or conceals a corporation’s property and hides that transfer from the bankruptcy court. Property that should go to pay debts is instead taken by the controlling person. Weinacker was the president and controlling shareholder of Xena Express, Inc., which filed bankruptcy in October, 2009. Shortly before the bankruptcy filing, Weinacker opened a new bank account under her own name, doing business as Pet Friendly, Inc. She then, as president of Xena Express, Inc., faxed instructions to her major customer, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. in Arkansas to wire transfer funds due Xena Express, Inc. to the bank account she had opened in her own name Weinacker caused Wal-Mart to send almost Fifty-five thousand dollars that should have gone to the bankrupt corporation for businesses debts to instead be sent to her own account without the knowledge or approval of the Bankruptcy Court.. Weinacker answered a question on the bankruptcy Statement of Financial Affairs that asked about transfers of corporate property by stating “NONE”, when she knew she had caused the obligation due from Wal-Mart to be paid to her own account, instead of the corporate account.

The case was investigated by agents of the Mobile Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation The case was be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Baer on behalf of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.

MOBILE, AL-- United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown announces that Daniel Louis McReynolds, Jr., was sentenced to twenty years confinement today for his involvement in an extensive drug trafficking conspiracy. McReynolds was previously indicted with co-defendants Labarry Soloman, Allen Nettles, Marlon Smith, Glenn Edward Williams, Jr. and Keatrick Lewis. All the other co-defendants were sentenced in 2012. The Court also ordered the forfeiture of five vehicles that were used in the drug trafficking conspiracy. The vehicles will be sold and eighty percent of the proceeds from the sale will be given to the Selma Police Department. Congress has made it mandatory for federal drug defendants who are convicted of drug offenses to forfeit drug proceeds they obtained from selling illegal drugs as well as assets they used to facilitate drug transactions. The United States Attorney, Kenyen R. Brown, praised the efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Selma Police Department, who worked together for approximately two years to bring the case to fruition. The United States Marshal’s Service, Fugitive Investigation Team, also assisted in finding and arresting McReynolds after he was declared a fugitive.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.

Kenyen Brown, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama, announces that defendant Robin Godwin, who previously pled guilty to being involved in the February 17, 2012 robbery of the Bank of Brewton, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison and required to pay $124,026.00 in restitution.

On October 17, 2012, Robin Godwin pled guilty to one count of stealing from a bank. As part of the plea agreement, Godwin admitted to the following facts:

Prior to February 17, 2012, Godwin and co-defendant Pamela Steele formulated a plan to rob the Bank of Brewton, which is where Steele worked as a teller. On February 17, 2012, Godwin entered the Bank of Brewton and walked up to Steele’s teller window. Godwin disguised her true appearance by wearing a blue poncho, grey fedora, black gloves, khaki pants, large sunglasses, a black Afro wig, black face paint, and body padding. Godwin asked Steele about renting a safety deposit box, so Steele took Godwin into the bank vault to look at the various box sizes available. While in the vault, Godwin pulled a large bag out from under her poncho and demanded that Steele fill it with cash. At this point, Steele filled th bag with approximately $255,000 in cash. Thereafter, Godwin fled the bank with the bag full of money.

Two months after the robbery, Steele confessed and led the FBI and local law enforcement to Godwin. Approximately half of the stolen money was recovered.

Co-defendant Pamela Steele has already been sentenced to 12 months and a day for her role in this offense.

This matter was investigated by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI offices Monroeville, Mobile, and Pensacola. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.

United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Richard Stephen Stringer, Sr., 67, of Deer Park, Alabama, has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of conspiracy and theft of government money.

The indictment alleges that Stringer, the Sheriff of Washington County, conspired with others to fraudulently obtain Social Security benefits for one of his employees. According to the charges, Stringer arranged to have the wages of one of his employees be paid to the employee’s wife instead of to the employee, thereby reducing the income reported to the Social Security Administration in his name, allowing the employee to obtain and retain benefits to which he was not entitled.

Stringer was charged with conspiracy and aiding and abetting the theft of government money. Conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Theft of government money carries up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Sean P. Costello is handling the prosecution on behalf of the United States.

An indictment is a determination by a grand jury that there is probable cause to believe that offenses have been committed by a defendant. A defendant, of course, is presumed innocent until and unless he or she is proven guilty at trial.

MOBILE, AL-- United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown announced that Kevin Demps, a Detroit, Michigan resident, and Andrew Valentino Wilson, an Atlanta, Georgia area resident, were sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge William Steele for a conspiracy to commit a RICO violation.  Demps received a sentence of 50 months and Wilson received a sentence of 21 months.  Both were ordered to pay restitution.

Demps and Wilson previously entered guilty pleas to the conspiracy charge and admitted their involvement in stealing electronics from retail stores.  Both admitted some of the stolen electronics were subsequently sold on eBay.

The cases arose from an investigation by the United States Secret Service and were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Deborah Griffin.

Kenyen Brown, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama, announces that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama is collaborating with the GoDaddy.com Bowl, the athletic departments of Arkansas State University and Kent State University, Mt. Hebron Church Ministries as well as other local churches, Team Focus, Volunteers of America, the Mobile Chapter of 100 Black Men, and Mobile Community Action in order to use athletics as a means to reach at-risk youth between the ages of 10-15.

An “Enlarge Your Vision” meeting will be hosted by Mt. Hebron Church Ministries (the event will take place in the Bright Spot behind the main sanctuary) this evening from 6-8pm, where nearly 1000 area children will hear remarks from U.S. Attorney Kenyen Brown, Mobile County Juvenile Judge Edmond Naman, Mike Gottfried of Team Focus, formerly incarcerated football player Henry Tooten, and several of the current football players for Arkansas State University and Kent State University. U. S. Attorney Brown stated, “The purpose of the meeting is to stress the importance of character to the young people in attendance, to encourage them to stay on the right path and to inspire to them to set high goals of achievement.”

Following remarks, the young people will have the opportunity to meet with the players and other speakers. The meeting will culminate with the 1000 young people being broken down into smaller groups to discuss what they might have learned from the meeting with possible mentors.

After tonight’s meeting, the entire group of young people will reconvene again to attend this year’s GoDaddy.com Bowl on Sunday night and will be seated in the south end zone area. The GoDaddy.com Bowl has generously donated nearly 1000 tickets for young people and 150 tickets for chaperones to attend Sunday’s contest between Arkansas State University and Kent State University. In addition to attendance at the game, the GoDaddy.com Bowl has invited the “Enlarge Your Vision” group of young people to participate in tailgate festivities prior to the game in the Kidzone. Within the Kidzone the young people will have the opportunity to climb a rock wall, as well as other activities. The group will also be provided with hot dogs, hamburgers, soft drinks and a GoDaddy.com Bowl tee shirt at no cost.

Over fifteen churches will be participating in the events, with some coming as far away as Washington and Clarke Counties. A similar event will be held prior the Senior Bowl in late January. Additional Note: U.S. Attorney Brown, Judge Edmond Naman, Mike Gottfried, Henry Tooten, and Pastor Joe Johnson of Mt. Hebron Church Ministries will be available for interviews at 5:30pm at the Bright Spot of Mt. Hebron Church Ministries.