District of Arizona

PHOENIX – Yesterday, Stephanie Amanda Aviles, 31, and Juan Verduzco-Caro, 37, of Maricopa, Ariz., were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan R. Bolton to 96 months’ and 72 months’ imprisonment, respectively.  Aviles and Verduzco-Caro had previously pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. 

     Between August 4, 2014 and April 28, 2015, Aviles and Verduzco-Caro sold methamphetamine to undercover officers on and near the Ak-Chin Indian Community.    Neither defendant is a member of the Ak-Chin Tribe.   

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Ak-Chin Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  The prosecution was handled by Christina J. Reid-Moore, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-15-0604-PHX-SRB 

RELEASE NUMBER:   2016-029 Aviles_Verduzco-Caro

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, Royce Allen Young, 38, of Laveen, Ariz., a member of the Gila River Indian Community, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow to 15 years in federal prison.  Young had previously pleaded guilty to second degree murder. 

      On Aug. 10, 2012, Daniel Ballesteros, 24, who was also a member of the Gila River Indian Community was found lying dead in an intersection on the Gila River Indian Community. Ballesteros had died after sustaining three gunshot wounds.  A spent shotgun shell and a kitchen knife were found at the scene, though the victim had not been stabbed. Young was located in Phoenix about an hour after the victim was found. He had a shotgun in his car.  At sentencing, Judge Snow ordered that the 15 years run consecutive to a state sentence of imprisonment that Young is currently serving for another matter. 

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Gila River Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The prosecution was handled by Gayle L. Helart and Bill C. Solomon, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           2:14-cr-1539-GMS-1      

RELEASE NUMBER:   2016-030_Young

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, Jose Jesus Gonzalez, 48, of Tucson, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to 21 months of imprisonment.  Gonzalez previously had pleaded guilty to willfully filing a false individual income tax return.  He was ordered to pay over $255,000 in restitution and separately was ordered to pay a $17,488 fine.

      Gonzalez doing business as Gonzalez Insurance and Tax Services, operated offices in Tucson from 2004 through 2009 and in Phoenix from 2009 through 2010. During the 2008 tax year, Gonzalez e-filed 90 income tax returns seeking a total of $651,500 in false claims for the First Time Home Buyer Credit. The Internal Revenue Service disallowed a portion of the claims but paid $620,000 in false claims to taxpayers which the IRS is attempting to recover. 

      The investigation in this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Sandra M. Hansen, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-13-00575                  

RELEASE NUMBER:   2016-028_Gonzalez

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PHOENIX – Two men were sentenced yesterday in the District of Arizona for the sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl in Landstuhl, Germany, in October 2013.

     Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo of the District of Arizona, Special Agent James Boerner of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Command (CID), Acting Special Agent in Charge Justin Tolomeo of the FBI’s Phoenix Division and Assistant Director in Charge Paul M. Abbate of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.

     U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell of the District of Arizona sentenced Joseph S. Martin, 20, of Peoria, Ariz., to 96 months in prison, and Christopher J. Heikkila, 21, a U.S. citizen previously residing in Weilerbach, Germany, to 84 months in prison.  In September 2015, a jury convicted the men of one count of sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual contact each.

     According to the evidence presented at trial, on or about Oct. 19, 2013, Martin and Heikkila sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl in Landstuhl while she was incapacitated after they had used social media to specifically target the victim and plan the assault.  At the time, Martin and Heikkila were employees of the Army & Air Force Exchange Service on Ramstein Air Force Base in Ramstein, Germany, as well as dependents of civilian employees of the military, according to trial evidence.  The Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act gives U.S. federal courts jurisdiction over felonies committed abroad by certain persons employed by or accompanying the U.S. military.

      The Army CID and the FBI’s Phoenix Division and Washington Field Office investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph E. Koehler of the District of Arizona and Senior Trial Attorneys Christine Duey and Michael Sheckels of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) prosecuted the case.  HRSP Special Counsel Stacey Luck provided substantial assistance. 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-14-00678-PHX_DGC

RELEASE NUMBER:   2016-027_ Martin_ Heikkila

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Two men were sentenced today in the District of Arizona for the sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl in Landstuhl, Germany, in October 2013.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo of the District of Arizona, Special Agent James Boerner of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Command (CID), Acting Special Agent in Charge Justin Tolomeo of the FBI’s Phoenix Division and Assistant Director in Charge Paul M. Abbate of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.

U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell of the District of Arizona sentenced Joseph S. Martin, 20, of Peoria, Arizona, to 96 months in prison, and Christopher J. Heikkila, 21, a U.S. citizen previously residing in Weilerbach, Germany, to 84 months in prison.  In September 2015, a jury convicted the men of one count of sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual contact each.

According to the evidence presented at trial, on or about Oct. 19, 2013, Martin and Heikkila sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl in Landstuhl while she was incapacitated after they had used social media to specifically target the victim and plan the assault.  At the time, Martin and Heikkila were employees of the Army & Air Force Exchange Service on Ramstein Air Force Base in Ramstein, Germany, as well as dependents of civilian employees of the military, according to trial evidence.  The Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act gives U.S. federal courts jurisdiction over felonies committed abroad by certain persons employed by or accompanying the U.S. military.

The Army CID and the FBI’s Phoenix Division and Washington Field Office investigated the case.  Senior Trial Attorneys Christine Duey and Michael Sheckels of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph E. Koehler of the District of Arizona prosecuted the case.  HRSP Special Counsel Stacey Luck provided substantial assistance.  

TUCSON, Ariz. – On March 21, 2016, Cameron Carl Saraficio, 34, of Santa Cruz, Ariz., a member of the Tohono O’odham Indian Nation, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins to 139 months of imprisonment. Saraficio had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a deadly/dangerous weapon.   

     On Dec. 25, 2014, Tohono O’odham police officers responded to a report of a domestic incident in progress.  Saraficio had struck his girlfriend on the head with a large rock multiple times causing severe facial and head lacerations.  As a result of a prior felony conviction for assaulting the same victim, Saraficio had been released from prison just seven months earlier.  Citing the need to protect the public and the victims from further acts of violence Sarafico, the court sentenced Saraficio to 115 months in prison for his new crimes and revoked Saraficio’s supervised release on his previous conviction adding two years to be served consecutively for a total of 139 months of imprisonment.  The victim is also a member of the Tohono O’odham Indian Nation.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Tohono O’odham Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Serra M. Tsethlikai and Rui Wang, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-15-0773-TUC-RCC and CR 12-1205-TUC-JGZ      

RELEASE NUMBER:   2016-027_Saraficio

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PHOENIX – Gregory S. Ott, 65, of Prescott, Ariz., was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Fredrick J. Martone to 12 months in prison for evading the payment of federal employment taxes he collected from numerous small business owner clients. Ott had previously pleaded guilty to evasion of payment of tax.

     “The collection and payment of Federal payroll taxes is an important duty of all law-abiding business owners.  In this case, the defendant willfully diverted client funds for his personal use.  IRS-Criminal Investigation will continue its efforts to detect and investigate this type of tax fraud,” stated IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Ismael Nevarez Jr. 

     Ott owned and operated Xpress Pay, Inc., a professional employment organization in Scottsdale that contracted with small business owners to provide payroll services including the preparation of federal employment tax returns and the payment of employment taxes owed by these small businesses to the IRS.  Ott and Xpress Pay collected the taxes directly from their clients by accessing the clients’ bank accounts.  Instead of making the required federal tax payments to the IRS in full, Ott transferred substantial amounts of money to his personal bank accounts and used the money to pay his own expenses.  In 2010, Ott’s conduct resulted in a $568,279.00 tax loss.

     In addition to the prison sentence, Ott was ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release upon his release from prison, pay a $10,000 fine, perform 150 hours of community service, and to fully cooperate with the IRS in the determination and collection of taxes, penalties, and interest due and owing.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Edelstein and Bridget Minder. 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-14-08133-PHX-PGR

RELEASE NUMBER:   2016-25_Ott

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     PHOENIX, – On March 16, 2016, Michael Edelen, 64, of Phoenix, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Humetewa to 24 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $459,308 in restitution to 45 victims. In October of 2015, Edelen had previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to make false statements in audit documents required by ERISA pension plans and conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud.     

     Michael Edelen, operating as Retirement Plan Auditors, Ltd., and several other entities, performed audits of retirement plans covered by ERISA as a CPA licensed in several states.  After he lost his licenses, he continued to perform the audits and to sign audit reports required by ERISA to be signed by a CPA.  During 2011 and 2012, Edelen conducted audits for 45 companies and submitted reports to the U.S. Secretary of Labor falsely claiming the retirement plans were audited by a CPA.  He collected $459,308 from the victim companies, all of which believed Edelen was a licensed CPA.    

     “Our office will continue to prosecute those who conspire to falsely represent clients in any type of financial transactions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange.  “I want to thank our partner agencies for their commitment to investigating these types of public trust crimes.”

     “CPAs represent the first line of defense for plan participants. We are grateful to the USAO Arizona in joining with us in our resolve to keep that line strong and remove unqualified practitioners who threaten the integrity of our system,” said Ian Dingwall, Chief Accountant for the Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration.

     “The US Postal Inspection Service will continue to partner with fellow law enforcement agencies to bring those to justice who use our nation’s mail system to commit fraud,” said Postal Inspector in Charge Keith Fixel.  “The US Postal Inspection Service remains dedicated to our mission to protect the US Postal Service, secure the nation’s mail system, and ensure public trust in the mail.”

     Charlotte Anne Viterbo, also formerly a CPA, separately had pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge for her role in the offenses, and she was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Snow on Jan. 11, 2016, to 3 years of probation, and was ordered to pay $24,000 in restitution.  Both Edelen and Viterbo agreed as part of their plea agreements to refrain from future professional involvement with ERISA plans and to refrain from seeking reinstatement of their CPA licenses.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The prosecution was handled by Peter Sexton and Monica Klapper, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-15-1318-PHX-DJH; CR-15-1320-PHX-GMS           

RELEASE NUMBER:   2016-022_ Edelen et al

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     TUCSON, Ariz. –Wilmer Noe Velasquez-Mejia, 35, from El Salvador, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to serve 13 months in prison for assault of a federal officer.  Velasquez-Mejia had previously pleaded guilty to this offense.

     On Aug. 26, 2015, while illegally in the United States after having been deported on previous occasions, Velasquez-Mejia was attempting to break into occupied vehicles stopped at an intersection near Three Points, Ariz.  The victim, a United States Border Patrol agent, responded to the intersection to assist.  Upon seeing the Border Patrol agent, Velasquez-Mejia ran away and ignored his instructions to stop.  The victim pursued Velasquez-Mejia, who repeatedly resisted and struggled with the victim and continued to run from him.  At one point during the struggle Velasquez-Mejia charged at the victim and gestured as if he had a firearm concealed under his clothing, repeatedly challenging the victim to kill him.  Velasquez-Mejia then jumped into a nearby car through an open window.  The driver was able to force Velasquez-Mejia out of the car, at which point the victim was finally able to arrest Velasquez-Mejia.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the United States Border Patrol.  The prosecution was handled by Angela W. Woolridge, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-15-1712-TUC-JAS   

RELEASE NUMBER:   2016-021_Velasquez-Mejia

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PHOENIX – Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem, 44, of Phoenix, was found guilty today by a federal jury of one count each of the following five crimes: conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (“ISIL”), a designated foreign terrorist organization; conspiracy to transport firearms and ammunition in interstate commerce with the intent to commit murder and aggravated assault; transporting firearms and ammunition in interstate commerce with the intent to commit murder and aggravated assault; making false statements to the FBI; and being a felon in possession of a firearm. 

     The verdict was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Strange of the District of Arizona, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Justin Tolomeo of the FBI’s Phoenix Division.

     “Today’s guilty verdict, in one of the country’s first trials involving terrorist acts committed in the United States by ISIL supporters, demonstrates our office’s deep commitment to combatting terrorism,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Strange.  “I want to thank the FBI for the tremendous effort that went into the underlying investigation, as well as the brave law enforcement officials in Garland whose quick action during the attack prevented a much larger tragedy.”

     “In the first jury trial in the country involving a homeland attack committed in the name of ISIL, Abdul Kareem was convicted of conspiring to provide material support to the foreign terrorist organization and other federal offenses,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin.  “The defendant conspired with Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi to provide material support to ISIL and to transport firearms in interstate commerce with the intent to commit murder and aggravated assault.  Thanks to the response of brave law enforcement officers at the scene, no innocent lives were lost when Simpson and Soofi attacked the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas.  The National Security Division will continue to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law those who conspire with others to support foreign terrorist organizations and to commit acts of violence.”

     “This verdict sends a strong message to those who support terrorists,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Tolomeo.  “People who are plotting to harm America and Americans are no longer a world away.  Our agents and analysts will continue to confront this threat with a strong and coordinated effort as we work to protect all Americans.  The FBI would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office as well as our federal, state and local law enforcement partners of the Joint Terrorism Task Force for their assistance in this case.”

     The evidence at trial showed that, beginning around June 2014, Kareem and his two roommates, Simpson and Soofi, began conspiring to support ISIL.  Their conspiracy focused on supporting ISIL by attacking targets in the United States.  Over the course of the conspiracy, Kareem, Simpson and Soofi considered perpetrating an attack against military bases, individual military service members, shopping malls, the Glendale, Arizona, Super Bowl, and the so-called “Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest,” which was to take place in Garland.  On May 3, 2015, the morning of the contest, Simpson and Soofi drove from Arizona to Texas.  Simpson and Soofi stopped their car near the contest’s location, got out of their car, and began firing assault rifles at security personnel and law enforcement officers.  A security guard was injured by one of their bullets, and Simpson and Soofi were shot and killed by police officers in the firefight.  Kareem did not travel to Texas and was not injured during the attack. During an interview with FBI agents soon after the attack, Kareem lied about having prior knowledge of the attack and the contest.

     The case was tried over the span of several weeks before U.S. District Judge Susan R. Bolton of the District of Arizona.  Kareem is being detained pending sentencing, which is currently scheduled for June 27, 2016, before Judge Bolton.  Kareem’s counts of conviction carry a potential sentence of at least 45 years in prison.

The case was investigated by the FBI, and the prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Koehler and Kristen Brook of the District of Arizona, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Rebecca Magnone of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

CASE NUMBER:                  CR-15-707-PHX-SRB

RELEASE NUMBER:           2015-020_Kareem

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Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem, 44, of Phoenix, was found guilty today by a federal jury of one count each of the following five crimes: conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization; conspiracy to transport firearms and ammunition in interstate commerce with the intent to commit murder and aggravated assault; transporting firearms and ammunition in interstate commerce with the intent to commit murder and aggravated assault; making false statements to the FBI; and being a felon in possession of a firearm. 

The verdict was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, Acting U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Strange of the District of Arizona and Acting Special Agent in Charge Justin Tolomeo of the FBI’s Phoenix Division.

“In the first jury trial in the country involving a homeland attack committed in the name of ISIL, Abdul Kareem was convicted of conspiring to provide material support to the foreign terrorist organization and other federal offenses,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin.  “The defendant conspired with Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi to provide material support to ISIL and to transport firearms in interstate commerce with the intent to commit murder and aggravated assault.  Thanks to the response of brave law enforcement officers at the scene, no innocent lives were lost when Simpson and Soofi attacked the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas.  The National Security Division will continue to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law those who conspire with others to support foreign terrorist organizations and to commit acts of violence.”

“Today’s guilty verdict, in one of the country’s first trials involving terrorist acts committed in the United States by ISIL supporters, demonstrates our office’s deep commitment to combatting terrorism,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Strange.  “I want to thank the FBI for the massive effort that went into the underlying investigation, as well as the brave law enforcement officials in Garland whose quick action during the attack prevented a much larger tragedy.”

“This verdict sends a strong message to those who support terrorists,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Tolomeo.  “People who are plotting to harm America and Americans are no longer a world away.  Our agents and analysts will continue to confront this threat with a strong and coordinated effort as we work to protect all Americans.  The FBI would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office as well as our federal, state and local law enforcement partners of the Joint Terrorism Task Force for their assistance in this case.”

The evidence at trial showed that, beginning around June 2014, Kareem and his two roommates, Simpson and Soofi, began conspiring to support ISIL.  Their conspiracy focused on supporting ISIL by attacking targets in the United States.  Over the course of the conspiracy, Kareem, Simpson and Soofi considered perpetrating an attack against military bases; individual military service members; shopping malls; the Glendale, Arizona, Super Bowl; and the so-called “Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest,” which was to take place in Garland.  On May 3, 2015, the morning of the contest, Simpson and Soofi drove from Arizona to Texas.  Simpson and Soofi stopped their car near the contest’s location, got out of their car and began firing assault rifles at security personnel and law enforcement officers.  A security guard was injured by one of their bullets, and Simpson and Soofi were shot and killed by police officers in the firefight.  Kareem did not travel to Texas and was not injured during the attack.  During an interview with FBI agents soon after the attack, Kareem lied about having prior knowledge of the attack and the contest.   

The case was tried over the span of several weeks before U.S. District Judge Susan R. Bolton of the District of Arizona.  Kareem is being detained pending sentencing, which is currently scheduled for June 27, 2016, before Judge Bolton.  Kareem’s counts of conviction carry a potential sentence of at least 45 years in prison.

The case was investigated by the FBI, and the prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Koehler and Kristen Brook of the District of Arizona, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Rebecca Magnone of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

PHOENIX – On March 7, 2016, Arturo Reyes Trujillo, 43, of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced to 262 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Neil V. Wake. Trujillo was elected municipal president (mayor) in Fronteras, Sonora, Mexico in 2012. He was arrested on Sept. 6, 2012, and previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In total, Trujillo was involved in sending approximately 1,000 kilograms of cocaine throughout the United States and laundered approximately $20 million. 

      According to the plea agreement, from about Jan. 1, 2003, to July 28, 2007, the defendant (who was then living in Tucson) was the head of the drug trafficking organization that hired a network of individuals to deliver multi-hundred kilogram shipments of cocaine, using passenger cars and tractor-trailer trucks, throughout the United States. The organization also brought back to Arizona millions of dollars in proceeds from cocaine sales. Law enforcement authorities seized over 77 kilograms of cocaine and over $490,000 in drug proceeds.

     “The lengthy sentence in this case reflects our office’s commitment to aggressively prosecute cross-border drug trafficking,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Strange.  “The underlying investigation also exemplifies the fine work that is routinely done by our law enforcement partners on the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.” 

     “Arturo Reyes Trujillo preyed upon the addiction of American citizens to enrich himself and his friends by selling cocaine and laundering the illegal proceeds gained from these crimes,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Doug Coleman. “His lengthy sentence shows that DEA and our partners will never relent in our mission to protect the American people from the scourge of drug trafficking and abuse, and bring those responsible to face justice in United States court rooms.”

     “The defendant operated a transnational organized criminal group that was responsible for the laundering of millions of dollars in drug proceeds. IRS-CI is proud to work with the DEA and our other law enforcement partners to dismantle these drug organizations by tracing, disrupting, and seizing the flow of their money,” stated IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Ismael Nevarez Jr.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by agencies participating in the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.  The lead agencies were the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.  Additionally, we would like to recognize the Government of Mexico for their assistance with the extradition and the Office of International Affairs for their assistance in this case.  The prosecution was handled by Keith Vercauteren and Krissa Lanham, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

NUMBER:            CR-18-0001-PHX-NVW

RELEASE NUMBER: 2016-019_Trujillo

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PHOENIX – On March 1, 2016, Sharon M. Helman, 45, of Surprise, Ariz., the former director of the Phoenix VA Medical Center, pleaded guilty to making a false financial disclosure to the federal government.

       “I commend the FBI and the VA Office of Inspector General for their thorough investigation concerning the VA Medical Center in Phoenix, which revealed that the Center’s director had received, but failed to report, tens of thousands of dollars of gifts from a lobbyist,” stated U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo.  “Based on their thorough investigation, we do not intend to pursue any additional criminal charges at this time.”

         “The FBI recognizes and appreciates the tremendous sacrifice and service our veterans have made for our country.  With this in mind, we conducted a thorough and extensive investigation of the allegations surrounding the Phoenix VA.  Our investigation revealed that the former director of the Phoenix VA Medical Center failed to report gifts as required under federal law,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Cwynar. “Although this plea agreement calls for a term of probation, making a false financial disclosure to the federal government is a felony and will permanently attach to Ms. Helman’s legacy.”

       Michael E. Seitler, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Northwest Field Office, stated:  “VA executives have an obligation to clearly disclose any potential conflicts of interest.  By providing false information to VA, Ms. Helman concealed her financial relationship with a senior employee of a consulting firm.  That firm advised large corporations seeking to expand their VA business.  This prosecution holds Ms. Helman accountable.  We hope it will deter any other government executives who may be tempted to conceal this type of information.”

        Helman was director of the Phoenix VA hospital from February 2012 to December 2014.  Federal law required Helman to annually complete and file a financial disclosure report and to disclose, among many other things, gifts received during the applicable calendar year.  In her plea agreement, Helman admitted that, in March 2014, she submitted a financial disclosure in which she falsely reported that she received no gifts during 2013.  That report was false because during 2013 Helman had, in fact, received gifts totaling more than $19,300.  The gifts included an automobile, a check for $5,000, concert tickets, and two round-trip airline tickets.

         Helman also acknowledged that she filed a false report for 2012, failing to report four gifts of a total value of more than $2,000.  Furthermore, although she did not file a financial disclosure report for 2014, Helman agreed that between January 2 and July 1 of that year, she received six gifts valued at more than $27,700.

         All of the gifts were from a single source, a person identified in court as a former high-level VA employee who from 2005-2009 served as Helman’s supervisor.  During the 2012-2014 time period, that person was an executive consultant, and later vice president, of a consulting and lobbying firm that assisted companies in expanding their business with the VA.  Helman acknowledged that, had she properly reported the gifts and their source, the VA would have done a conflict-of-interest analysis to determine whether her acceptance of the gifts was permitted under applicable laws and regulations.

         Although a conviction for making a false statement to a government agency carries a maximum penalty of five years, Helman’s plea agreement provides for a term of probation.

        Sentencing is set before United States District Judge Steven P. Logan on Monday, April 25, 2016.   

        The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the VA Office of Inspector General.  The prosecution is being handled by Frank T. Galati, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           WI-1600074-PHX-SP

RELEASE NUMBER:   2016-018_ Helman

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, John Samuel Rahe, 50, of Marana, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie A. Bowman to one year of probation and ordered to pay $10,000 to the Bureau of Land Management for damaging vegetation and soil at Ironwood Forest National Monument. Rahe previously pleaded guilty to resource damage and littering.

      In March 2015, Rahe drove his utility vehicle illegally off road within National Monument boundaries, running over and destroying two small Saguaros, a Palo Verde tree, and over thirty more cactuses and shrubs. When his vehicle became stuck, he attempted to free it by attaching its winch to an eight-foot Saguaro, resulting in the toppling of that cactus.

       The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Land Management. The prosecution was handled by Brian R. Decker and Sarah B. Houston, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-15-961-TUC-LAB   

RELEASE NUMBER:   2016-017_ Rahe

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PHOENIX– Today, Rex Damon Begay, Sr., 76, of Ganado, Ariz., a member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Paul G. Rosenblatt to 10 years in prison followed by a lifetime term of supervised release.  Begay had previously pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact with a minor less than 12-years-old. Begay will also have to register as a sex offender.

      This case was brought to the attention of law enforcement after Arizona Child Protective Services alerted their counterparts on the Navajo Nation that a teenage Navajo girl had reported being sexually abused, several times, by Begay.  Through a collaborative effort across multiple jurisdictions, investigation revealed that Begay had sexually mistreated several other female Navajo young members spanning many decades.

      This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

      The investigation in this case was conducted by the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Rachel Reames Stoddard, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-15-8137-PCT-PGR (BSB)     

RELEASE NUMBER:   2016-015_Begay

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, Howard James Sawyer, 41, of Iowa City, Iowa, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson to 139 months in prison. Sawyer had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting a federal officer.

     On February 2, 2015, Sawyer was incarcerated in the federal penitentiary in Tucson, Ariz., because of a conviction for failure to register as a sex offender. When informed that his request for a housing reassignment was denied he became angry and punched a Corrections Officer in the eye. The attack caused the officer to suffer permanent vision impairment.  

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Jesse Figueroa, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-15-00897-CKJ-EJM 

RELEASE NUMBER:   2016-013_Sawyer

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TUCSON, Ariz. – On February 10, 2016, Steven Gabriel North, 33, of Tucson, Ariz., and a member of the Pascua Yaqui Indian Nation, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to serve 63 months in prison for aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon.  On February 18, 2016, Antonio Ruben North, 30, also of Tucson, Ariz., and a member of the Pascua Yaqui Indian Nation, and brother and co-defendant of Steven Gabriel North, was sentenced by Judge Soto to serve 28 months in prison for aiding and abetting his brother in committing aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon.  Both defendants had previously pleaded guilty to these offenses.

      On July 25, 2014, Steven Gabriel North stabbed four victims with a knife during an altercation.  Antonio Ruben North aided his brother in committing the stabbings by physically fighting with the victims. When fleeing from the scene after the altercation, the defendants ran over one of the victims with their vehicle.  All four victims suffered injuries from the assault, which occurred on the Pascua Yaqui Indian Nation.  One of the victims is also a member of the Pascua Yaqui Indian Nation.  

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pascua Yaqui Police Department.  The prosecution was handled by Angela W. Woolridge, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-15-0266-TUC-JAS   

RELEASE NUMBER:   2016-012_North

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TUCSON– Yesterday, Johnny G. Acosta, 38, of Douglas, Ariz., was sentenced to eight years in prison by U.S. District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson.  Acosta was previously employed as a United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer at the Douglas, Ariz. Port of Entry, where he began working in 2008.  Acosta previously pleaded guilty to felony charges of conspiracy to import more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and accepting bribes as a public official.

     U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo stated, “As a port of entry inspector, Acosta served at the front line of America’s effort to keep illicit drugs from flowing into our country.  He broke the public trust by succumbing to greed.  Corrupt officials like Acosta degrade the public’s faith that their government employees will faithfully execute the laws of the United States.  It is a top priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to vigilantly protect the integrity of our government.  The successful prosecution of Acosta was due to the hard work, perseverance, and ingenuity over the last three years of the Cochise Border Corruption Task Force, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Professional Responsibility, CBP Internal Affairs, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Douglas Police Department.”

     “Those in law enforcement capacities are supposed to uphold our nation’s laws, not willingly break them,” said acting special agent in charge for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Professional Responsibility - Western Region, Martin Suarez. “It’s always difficult when the actions of a single officer stain the honor and integrity of law enforcement officers who choose to put their lives on the line in order to uphold the law. Guarding against illegal or unethical behavior is not an option; it’s an obligation we have to the people we serve.”

     “This sentencing demonstrates the continued commitment of the FBI and its law enforcement partners to identify and root out corrupt public officials.  The FBI takes all allegations of corruption seriously as we hold our public officials to the highest levels of integrity,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas G. Price.

     Acosta, a lifelong resident of Douglas, spent his entire career with CBP at the Douglas Port of Entry.  The investigation led to the indictment of Acosta and five other individuals on an array of drug-related charges. On October 20, 2015, Acosta was arrested by the FBI at the International Border in Nogales, Ariz., as he attempted to flee into Mexico to avoid prosecution.

     Two of the co-defendants in the case have pleaded guilty to charges in connection with the conspiracy to import marijuana into the United States.  One of those defendants, Ricardo Peralta-Cuevas, was previously sentenced to 37 months in prison.  The other defendant is pending sentencing.  A third defendant is scheduled to enter a guilty plea on February 22, 2016.  The remaining two defendants in the Indictment remain fugitives.

     The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wallace H. Kleindienst in the Tucson Office.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-15-00775-TUC-CKJ

RELEASE NUMBER:  2016-011_Acosta

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TUCSON – Yesterday, Juan Joe Valenzuela, 22, of the Village of Cowlic, Tohono O’odham Indian Nation, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 71 months’ imprisonment on three counts of assault with the use of a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury to which he previously pleaded guilty.  The defendant is a member of the Tohono O’odham Indian Nation.

     Valenzuela stabbed a female in the leg with a pocket knife in an altercation and later stabbed and assaulted a man on the Tohono O’odham Indian Nation.  Both victims are members of the Tohono O’odham Indian Nation. 

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department.  The prosecution was handled by Raquel Arellano and Brian Decker, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBERS:         CR-14-01517-TUC-JGZ

                                       CR-15-00904-TUC-JGZ

RELEASE NUMBER:   2016-010_ Valenzuela

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PHOENIX – Earlier this week, Mark Benally, Jr., 29, of Indian Wells, Ariz., a member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to 51 months in prison.  Benally previously pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon.

     The investigation revealed that on May 17, 2015, Benally entered the home of his elderly female victim, also a member of the Navajo Nation, near Dilkon, Ariz. There, he struck her on the face, neck, and throat, causing visible injuries. The assault occurred on the Navajo Nation Reservation.  Benally’s sentence was increased because his elderly victim was particularly vulnerable.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Alexander W. Samuels and Sharon K. Sexton, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-15-8168-PCT-DGC 

RELEASE NUMBER:   2016-009_Benally

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PHOENIX – Yesterday, Ray Manygoats, 26, of Tuba City, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow to 70 months’ imprisonment after Manygoats previously pleaded guilty to two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.  Judge Snow previously sentenced co-defendant, Lee Bighorse Reed, 23, also of Tuba City, Ariz., to 84 months’ imprisonment on the same charges. Both defendants and victims are members of the Navajo Nation.

     The defendants admitted searching for and then beating the two unarmed and unsuspecting victims with a wooden dowel and a metal bar on the Navajo Nation Reservation.  The assault resulted in permanent injury to the victims. 

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The prosecution was handled by Christine Ducat Keller, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-15-08126-PCT-GMS  

RELEASE NUMBER:   2016-008_Reed_Manygoats

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PHOENIX - Today, Abram Kyle O’Bannon, 31, of Phoenix, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 14 years’ incarceration, to be followed by a 20 year term of supervised release.  O’Bannon previously pleaded guilty to attempted sex trafficking of children. 

     “My office places a high priority on investigating and prosecuting human traffickers, who prey on the weak and vulnerable for financial advantage,” said U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo.  “I am hopeful that today’s fourteen-year sentence will send a strong message that such conduct will be punished severely.”

     O’Bannon was responsible for the sex trafficking of a juvenile in Phoenix, Ariz., during a four-day period in October 2014.  On October 15, 2015, the Phoenix Police Department Vice Enforcement Unit recovered the juvenile victim during an undercover operation. 

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Phoenix Police Department, and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.  The prosecution was handled by Robert Brooks and Christine Keller, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-CR14-1530-PHX-JJT

RELEASE NUMBER:   2016-007_O’Bannon

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PHOENIX – Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch will travel to Phoenix in the coming months as part of her national Community Policing Tour.  In this phase, the Attorney General will visit six jurisdictions around the country that have excelled in each of the six pillars discussed in the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing final report: (1) Building Trust and Legitimacy; (2) Policy and Oversight; (3) Technology and Social Media; (4) Community Policing and Crime Reduction; (5) Officer Training and Education; and (6) Officer Safety and Wellness.  The Attorney General is kicking off her tour Thursday, February 11, and Friday, February 12, in Miami-Dade County, Florida, to highlight Pillar 1-Building Trust and Legitimacy.  In addition to Miami-Dade County, Florida, and Phoenix, Attorney General Lynch will also visit Portland, Oregon; Indianapolis, Indiana; Fayetteville, North Carolina; and Los Angeles, California.  The stop in Phoenix will highlight Pillar 5-Officer Training and Education.    

     “One of my top priorities as Attorney General is strengthening relationships between law enforcement officers and the communities we serve and protect,” said Attorney General Loretta Lynch.  “During the second phase of my community policing tour, I will be highlighting some of the innovative efforts underway around the country to build trust, foster cooperation, and enhance public safety.  I look forward to meeting with law enforcement officers, local leaders, and residents in the weeks and months ahead to discuss how we can ensure that every American benefits from neighborhoods that are supportive, safe, and strong.”

     “Arizona’s law enforcement agencies have made great strides in implementing the principles of community policing, and we are honored that the Attorney General has chosen to highlight Arizona during her national tour,” said U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo of the District of Arizona.  “We take pride in being a leader in officer training and education.” 

     The Attorney General’s national Community Policing Tour builds on President Obama’s commitment to engage with law enforcement and other members of the community to implement key recommendations from the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing final report.  The first phase of the tour launched on May 19, 2015, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and also included visits to Birmingham, Alabama; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; East Haven, Connecticut; Seattle, Washington; and Richmond, California. 

RELEASE NUMBER: 2016-006_Natl Policing Tour

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PHOENIX – Yesterday, John Keith Hoover, age 64, of Mohave Valley, Ariz., was sentenced to 10 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Susan R. Bolton.  His wife, Deborah B. Hoover, also 64, of Mohave Valley, Ariz, was convicted of conspiracy to commit bankruptcy fraud and was sentenced to one year of home confinement followed by five years of supervised release.

     U.S. Attorney John Leonardo stated, “This investment fraud was particularly  reprehensible because it targeted a number of widows and other friends of the defendants who trusted the defendant’s investment and legal advice. Defendants also violated the integrity of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court by shielding assets from victim creditors who were entitled to them by law. This prison sentence imposes accountability on the defendants for their crimes and sends a message to others who would engage in such fraudulent misconduct at the expense of others.”

     "This investigation highlights the need for consumers and investors to do their homework before entering into business arrangements and not simply take the word of someone who may be out to steal their hard-earned money.  If something seems too good to be true, it almost always is.  I want to thank the IRS and the United States Attorney’s Office for their important role and partnership in this investigation.  At its most basic level, this is a case about greed and the abuse of trust.  The subjects took advantage of trusted relationships to persuade the victims to invest in staged real estate ventures which were supported by lies and false documents,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas G. Price.

     "Mr. Hoover financed his lavish lifestyle by swindling investors.  IRS Special Agents will continue to investigate investment fraud schemes in order to deliver justice to victims and protect the integrity of the U.S. financial system,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Ismael Nevarez Jr.

     According to the Superseding Indictment, Defendant’s plea, and other filings, John Hoover was a homebuilder in Fort Mohave and surrounding areas. Hoover created nearly two dozen companies that he used to solicit money from Arizona and California investors for bogus real-estate developments beginning in 1997. Several investors were widows who gave Hoover control of the bulk of their estates based on his friendship with their families and because of the trust he developed as an attorney.  Hoover told investors their money would go to specific real-estate developments and then diverted the money for his own personal use. In some cases, Hoover told investors that their money had been placed in secure loans while he actually used it to invest in his own high-risk, speculative real-estate ventures in Arizona.

     Hoover encouraged investors to liquidate retirement accounts, life-insurance policies, mutual funds and securities, and Social Security death benefits to fund their investments with him. Hoover then used investor money to pay his living expenses. Among those expenses were a multimillion-dollar Newport Beach, Calif.  home and a condominium; an  apartment in Paris; a $200,000 Bentley Flying Spur and other high-end automobiles; jewelry; artwork; furnishings; high end hotels and restaurants; and lavish expenditures for family members living in Paris, France. Hoover also took vacations disguised as business trips to Hawaii, China, South America, and Europe.

     When Hoover ran out of money, he refinanced properties with false representations about salary, assets, liabilities, employment, and sources of down payments. Then, he and his wife filed bankruptcy while hiding assets. When the Hoovers were arrested, agents located numerous assets that had been concealed from the Bankruptcy Court.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Rapp and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer A. Giaimo.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-14-CR-00554-SRB  

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-005_Hoovers

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PHOENIX – Today, Carlos Ramon Castro-Rocha, 42, of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge Roslyn O. Silver to over 11 years in prison.  Castro-Rocha previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess heroin with intent to distribute.

     “The sentencing of Carlos Ramon Castro-Rocha sends a powerful message to drug traffickers that they cannot escape justice.  They will pay for the destruction they cause in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Doug Coleman.  “DEA will never relent in our efforts to protect the American people from predators like Castro-Rocha.” 

     Castro-Rocha was the leader of a drug trafficking organization responsible for growing, processing, importing, and distributing massive quantities of heroin.  Between October 2008 and April 2009, law enforcement seized approximately 48 pounds of heroin, over $150,000 in currency, numerous vehicles, and a firearm from Castro-Rocha’s organization.  Castro-Rocha was indicted in November 2009, arrested in Mexico in May 2010, and extradited to the United States in October 2012 with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service.     

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, Phoenix Police Department, Mesa Police Department, Wickenburg Police Department, Navajo County Sheriff’s Department, Arizona Department of Public Safety, and Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs.  The prosecution was handled by Jonell L. Lucca, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:                  CR 09-1464-PHX-ROS

RELEASE NUMBER:          2016-004_Castro-Rocha

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PHOENIX – On Dec. 10, 2015, Delphine Corrine Morgan, 37, of Blackwater, Ariz. and a member of the Gila River Indian Community, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 92 months in prison, followed by a term of three years of supervised release.   Morgan previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute less than 50 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.                

     According to court documents, on March 13, 2015, Morgan sold less than 50 grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine to an undercover officer at her residence located on the Gila River Indian Community.  Morgan had sold methamphetamine to this same undercover officer on one prior occasion. 

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Gila River Police Department and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  The prosecution was handled by Christina J. Reid-Moore, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-2015-0330-PHX-SPL 

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-121_Morgan

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, Joseph Edward Camargo, 30, of Tucson, Ariz., a non-tribal member, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Raner C. Collins to 65 years’ imprisonment.  Camargo was found guilty of second degree murder, aggravated assault, and weapons offenses, by a federal jury on March 17, 2015.

     “This sentencing demonstrates that this type of violent, malicious crime will not be tolerated in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo. “Our office, along with our law enforcement partner agencies, will continue to prosecute these cases to the full extent of the law.”

      The evidence at trial showed that on Sept. 30, 2011, Camargo went to a residence on the Pascua Yaqui Indian Reservation, armed with a handgun.  Camargo provoked a fight with a male victim in the front yard of the residence. After the victim fled into the home, Camargo pursued him, firing four shots into the house.  Three bullets struck the victim, killing him.  The final bullet struck another male at the house, who was treated at a local hospital.  Both victims were members of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe.

      The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pascua Yaqui Police Department, with assistance provided by the Arizona Department of Public Safety and Office of the Medical Examiner. The prosecution was handled by Jesse J. Figueroa and Matthew C. Cassell, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER:                  CR-11-4021-TUC-RCC-DTF

RELEASE NUMBER:           2015-120_Camargo

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PHOENIX – Yesterday, Joseph Troy Williams, 38, of Coolidge, Ariz., a member of the Gila River Indian Community, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John Tuchi to 168 months in prison to be followed by lifetime supervised release. Williams had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual abuse of a minor.  All victims were members of varied Indian Communities and the abuse occurred on the Gila River Reservation. 

     This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gila River Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Raynette Logan, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-14-1584-PHX-JJT    

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-119_Williams

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PHOENIX - U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona collected $9,334,911 in fiscal year 2015.  These recoveries were split nearly equally between criminal actions ($4,603,192) and civil actions ($4,731,718).  Additionally, the District of Arizona worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $2,200,808 in jointly-pursued cases and collected an additional $7,856,523 in asset forfeiture actions. 

     “We are very pleased to have collected millions of dollars on behalf of crime victims and taxpayers in the past year.  We and our law enforcement partners take seriously our responsibility to enforce such obligations,” stated U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo.

     "The Department of Justice is committed to upholding the rule of law, safeguarding taxpayer resources, and protecting the American people from exploitation and abuse,” said Attorney General Loretta Lynch.  “The collections we are announcing today demonstrate not only the strength of that commitment, but also the significant return on public investment that our actions deliver.  I want to thank the prosecutors and trial attorneys who made this achievement possible, and to reiterate our dedication to this ongoing work.”

     In addition, Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch announced today that the Justice Department collected $23.1 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2015.  The more than $23.1 billion in collections in FY 2015 represents more than seven and a half times the approximately $2.93 billion of the Justice Department’s combined appropriations for the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the main litigating divisions in that same period.            

     The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department of Justice’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims.  The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. Restitution is paid to the victim while criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.           

     The largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals and corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights, and environmental laws.  In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Internal Revenue Service, the Small Business Administration, and the Department of Education.

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-118_FY15Collections

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PHOENIX – On Nov. 23, 2015, Deanna Kay Frader, 66, of Mesa, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Neil V. Wake to 30 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for evading income tax on nearly $1.7 million she embezzled from Ardent Sound, Inc., where she had been employed as an office manager and bookkeeper.  Frader previously pleaded guilty to tax evasion.

      “The United States Attorney Office will vigorously prosecute those who commit this type of serious and repeated abuse of financial trust,” said U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo.  “Frader’s actions were harmful to her employer and to taxpayers, and it is hoped that this well-deserved sentence will deter others from similar fraudulent activity.

       Frader was the sole office manager and bookkeeper for Mesa-based Ardent Sound for more than 20 years, until April of 2012.  Her embezzlement was discovered during an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audit of Frader Endeavors, LLC, a company that Frader owned with her son and that was the beneficiary of a large portion of the stolen funds.  In an effort to hide the embezzlement and evasion during the audit, Frader created a fictitious loan agreement with Ardent Sound and forged the signature of its prior president.  In the plea agreement, Frader admitted that she stole funds from Ardent Sound on nearly 400 occasions and then altered the company’s records to conceal the theft.  She also admitted that she knew of her obligation to pay taxes on the funds and purposefully did not do so.  As part of her sentence, Frader was ordered to pay restitution to Ardent Sound and to the IRS for the full amount of the respective losses.

       The investigation in this case was conducted by the IRS-Criminal Investigation.  The prosecution was handled by Monica Klapper, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-15-219-PHX-NVW

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-117_Frader

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PHOENIX – Yesterday, Jeremy Lee Thompson, 33, of Sacaton, Ariz., a member of the Gila River Indian Community, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan R Bolton to 144 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

     On Feb. 28, 2015, Thompson confronted another member of the Gila River Indian Community and slashed him across the face with a knife.  Thompson obstructed the investigation by encouraging his friends to threaten witnesses in the case, and the Court took that into account in imposing the sentence.  Thompson was on federal supervised release at the time of the stabbing       

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Gila River Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Raynette Logan and Christina Covault, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-15-00297-PHX-SRB  

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-116_Thompson

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PHOENIX – On Nov. 2, 2015, Leland Sam Buckinghorse, 31, a member of the Navajo Nation, of Pinon, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan R. Bolton to 210 months’ imprisonment.  Buckinghorse previously pleaded guilty to second degree murder.

     On Dec. 11, 2014, Buckinghorse engaged in an argument with the victim outside of Buckinghorse’s house on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.  Buckinghorse went inside his house and located a .22 caliber rifle, loaded the rifle, went back outside, and shot the unarmed victim once in the chest area.  The victim, also a member of the Navajo Nation, died as a result of his injuries. 

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Kiyoko Patterson, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-15-8001-PCT-SRB  

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-115_ Buckinghorse

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, former Tucson resident April Escobedo, 43, of Las Vegas, Nev., was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins to 27 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $255,189 in restitution to the United States Treasury.  Escobedo previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud.                

     Between January, 2010, and June, 2013, Escobedo filed approximately 265 false federal income tax returns claiming false refunds in the amount of approximately $472,351.   As a result, the United States Treasury issued false income tax refunds in the total amount of approximately $255,189.

     Between January 2010 and June 2013, Escobedo filed approximately 265 false federal income tax returns claiming refunds in the amount of approximately $472,351.   As a result, the United States Treasury issued false income tax refunds in the total amount of approximately $255,189.  In order to obtain the false tax refunds, Escobedo used the names and social security numbers of other individuals along with false wages and withholding on the false income tax returns she filed with the Internal Revenue Service.  Escobedo obtained the names and social security numbers by various means, including 1) offering to pay some people a portion of the false income tax refund obtained with their personal information; 2) using the names and social security numbers from employment applications of individuals who applied to work for Escobedo’s boyfriend; and 3) obtaining names and social security numbers of others from her daughters.  Escobedo deposited portions of the fraudulent proceeds in her bank account and she directed her daughters to open bank accounts to distribute other false tax refunds.  

     Escobedo deposited portions of the fraudulent proceeds in her bank account and she directed her daughters to open bank accounts to distribute other false tax refunds.

     The daughters, Cassandra Grijalva and Rachel Grijalva, both of Tucson, previously plead guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States.  They were sentenced to five and three years’ probation respectively. 

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.   The prosecution was handled by Jane L. Westby, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-14-01644-RCC-1     

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-114_Escobedo

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PHOENIX – On Oct. 19, 2015, Corbert Goldtooth, 43, of Window Rock, Ariz. and a member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to 360 months’ imprisonment.  Goldtooth was previously found guilty by a federal jury of second degree murder.               

     The evidence at trial showed that, in the early morning hours of July 31, 2011, Goldtooth and two other men went to the home of the victim, who was also Navajo, in Fort Defiance, on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.  All three men were armed.  Goldtooth stabbed the victim sixteen times, resulting in the victim’s death.  Goldtooth had previously been convicted in 2003 for a robbery in Fort Defiance.  Goldtooth was a member of the Cobras street gang.  

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Tracy Van Buskirk and Abbie Broughton Marsh, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-14-8073-PCT-DGC

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-101_Goldtooth

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TUCSON, Ariz. – On Oct. 19, 2015, Jesus Eder Moreno-Ornelas, 31, of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson to 520 months in prison.   Moreno-Ornelas was previously found guilty by a federal jury, of aggravated assault of a federal officer, use of a firearm in connection with a crime of violence, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, two counts of attempted robbery of government property, and illegal re-entry after deportation.             

     The evidence at trial showed that on Aug. 23, 2014, when Moreno-Ornelas and another individual were approached by a U.S. Forest Service officer who was working in the Coronado National Forest area near Douglas, Ariz., Moreno-Ornelas attacked the officer and took his gun, physically assaulting the officer and firing several shots before the officer regained control of the weapon.  Moreno-Ornelas also unsuccessfully attempted to steal the officer’s patrol vehicle.  At sentencing, Judge Jorgenson found that the evidence at trial had established premeditated intent to kill the victim and that Moreno-Ornelas had attempted to obstruct justice by threatening a witness prior to trial.  Moreno-Ornelas was a convicted felon who was illegally present in the United States after having been previously deported.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Sierra Vista, with the help of the United States Forest Service, United States Border Patrol, Cochise County Sheriff’s Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  The prosecution was handled by Carin C. Duryee and Angela W. Woolridge, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-14-1568-TUC-CKJ 

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-100_Moreno-Ornelas

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PHOENIX – Yesterday, Marycela Rivas, 36, of Avondale, Ariz., was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver to 33 months’ imprisonment.  Her sister, Leticia Montano, a.k.a. Leticia Rivas, 42, of Phoenix, was previously sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment.  Both women had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens.

      Between 2008 and 2013, Montano, a licensed realtor, managed 279 residences through several companies she owned and operated:  Sol Realty, Metro North Realty, and AZ Home Property Management.  The evidence presented at sentencing revealed that Montano and her employees, including her co-defendant and sister Rivas, would-in return for extremely high fees-assist certain renters in concealing their true identities from the property owners and law enforcement.  These renters would, in turn, use the properties to facilitate criminal activity such as drug smuggling and alien smuggling.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Glendale and Phoenix Police Departments. The prosecution was handled by Lisa E. Jennis, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-13-00388-PHX-ROS 

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-099_Montano et al

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PHOENIX – Serenity Hospice and Palliative Care, a hospice operating in Phoenix, Ariz., has agreed to pay $2.2 million to resolve civil allegations that it violated the federal False Claims Act by submitting false bills to Medicare for hospice services.

     “The Medicare hospice benefit is intended for terminally ill patients who need end-of-life care,” said United States Attorney John S. Leonardo.  “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to use all legal means at its disposal to ensure that this benefit is not misused for anything other than providing hospice care for qualified patients at the appropriate level of care.”

     “Being a hospice provider in the Medicare program is a privilege, not a right.  Hospice providers and executives that seek to boost profits by providing hospice services to Medicare beneficiaries whose medical condition does not warrant hospice care compromise both the health of its patients as well as the integrity of Medicare,” said Christian J. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.  “Our agency will continue to hold such hospice providers accountable for their actions.”

     The Medicare hospice benefit is available for patients who elect palliative care (medical care focused on providing patients with relief from pain, symptoms, or stress) for a terminal illness and who have a life expectancy of six months or less if their illness runs its normal course.  When a Medicare patient is admitted to hospice, that individual is no longer entitled to Medicare coverage for care designed to cure his or her illness.  The settlement agreement resolves allegations that Serenity knowingly submitted false claims for payment to Medicare for hospice patients.  In addition to agreeing to pay $2.2 million, Serenity agreed to enter a five-year corporate integrity agreement with the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General.  Finally, Ruth Siegel, a former nurse and the founder and former president of Serenity, also agreed to be excluded from Medicare, Medicaid, and all other federal health care programs for five years, effective immediately.

     The settlement is neither an admission of liability by Serenity nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well founded.

     The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed in February 2014 by Cheryl Sifford under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private citizens to bring civil actions on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery obtained.  The case was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona and is captioned United States ex rel. Sifford v. Serenity Hospice and Palliative Care (CV-14-00225-PHX-GMS).  Ms. Sifford will receive a share of the settlement payment that resolves the qui tam suit she filed.

     The case was handled by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona and the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.

     Individuals with information regarding fraud, waste, or abuse related to Medicare or other federal programs are encouraged to file a complaint with the United States Attorney’s Office through the office’s website, http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/, or by calling (602) 514-7500.

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-097_Serenity

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PHOENIX – Today, U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo announced that $1,000,000 in grant funds have been awarded to Arizona Women’s Education and Employment to promote effective and successful reentry into the community by those who are being released from custody.  These efforts include support with housing, employment, substance abuse counseling, and mental health assistance to high risk female offenders to assist them in becoming contributing members of the community and avoiding reincarceration.   The grant funds were awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (“BJA”), which is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (“OJP”).

Additional information about BJA and its programs is available at:  https://www.bja.gov/Default.aspx

Information about OJP and its programs can be found at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov.

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-098_AZ_ED_EMPLY_ GRANT (2015-CY-BX-0018)

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PHOENIX – Today, U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo announced that nearly $1.5 million in federal grant funds have been awarded to two Southern Arizona recipients to support efforts to combat human trafficking.  The two recipients are CODAC Behavioral Health Services of Pima County (grant 2015-VT-BX-K006) and the City of Tucson (grant 2015-DE-BX-K048).  The grant funds were awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (“BJA”), which is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (“OJP”).

     “These are very significant grants and they will go a long way in supporting efforts to combat human trafficking in Southern Arizona,” said U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo.

Information on BJA can be found at: https://www.bja.gov/programs.aspx

Information about OJP can be found at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov.

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-095_Human Trafficking Grants

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PHOENIX – On Sept. 28, 2015, Alma Escalante, the last of thirteen members of a Willcox drug trafficking conspiracy, was sentenced to a term of imprisonment by U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow.  Luis Cruz, 41, Escalante’s husband and the leader of the organization, was previously sentenced to 121 months’ imprisonment.  All 13 defendants pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges based on their involvement in an organization responsible for the importation and distribution of marijuana from Mexico through the Willcox area.

     The evidence showed that Cruz coordinated with marijuana scouts and backpackers to illegally traffic marijuana across the border from Mexico and then arranged for its transportation to large-scale distributors in Phoenix.  Those distributors, including Carlos Antonio Garcia-Hurtado, 33, then arranged for the further shipment of marijuana to East Coast and Midwestern locations.  Federal law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Border Patrol, seized more than 4,000 pounds of marijuana as part of the investigation.  Law enforcement also seized and forfeited two pieces of real estate, firearms, and numerous bank accounts linked to Cruz and Garcia-Hurtado, who both pleaded guilty to money laundering charges in addition to drug trafficking crimes.

     Judge Snow sentenced Garcia-Hurtado to 168 months’ imprisonment and Cruz’s stepchildren, Felipe Escalante-Reyes, 24, and Carime Itsel Reyes-Escalante, 20, received sentences of 42 and 40 months’ imprisonment, respectively.  Other members of the drug trafficking organization were also sentenced as follows:

Robert Torres Luong, 27, received a sentence of 97 months’ imprisonment.

Carlos Ramirez Jr., 43, received a sentence of 57 months’ imprisonment.

Sergio Adan Garcia-Morales, 34, received a sentence of 46 months’ imprisonment.

Jeremiah Woolsey, 26, received a sentence of 30 months’ imprisonment.

Frank Ramon Hernandez, 64, received a sentence of 24 months’ imprisonment.

Sergio Robert Ramos-Moreno, 20, received a sentence of 18 months’ imprisonment.

Maxine Carter, 27, received a sentence of 13 months’ and 1 day imprisonment.

Trevon Bondae, 20, received a sentence of 8 months’ imprisonment, adjusted to account for additional time in Arizona Department of Corrections custody.

     This Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol and its Tactical Unit (BORTAC), U.S. Marshal’s Service, Graham County Attorney’s Office, National Drug Intelligence Center Document and Media Exploitation (DOMEX) , and SWAT Teams from the Mesa Police Department, Apache Junction Police Department, Tempe Police Department, and the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office.  The prosecution was handled by Krissa Lanham, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-13-1709-PHX-GMS

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-096_Cruz et al

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PHOENIX – Today, U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo announced that $202,098 in federal grant funds have been awarded to the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe in support of its tribal justice system.  The grant funds were awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (“BJA”), which is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (“OJP”).

Additional information about BJA and its programs is available at:  https://www.bja.gov/Default.aspx

Information about OJP and its programs can be found at:http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov.

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-089_YAVAPAI_PRESCOTT_INDIAN_GRANT (2015-AC-BX-1007)

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PHOENIX – Today, U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo announced that $1,999,957 in grant funds have been awarded to the Unified Solutions Tribal Community Development Group, Inc. to provide resources and coordination to increase American Indian/Alaskan Native tribal communities’ ability to provide comprehensive and culturally appropriate services to victims, their families, and the community.   The grant funds were awarded by the Office for Victims of Crimes (“OVC”), which is a component of the Department of Justice (“DOJ”).

Information about OVC and its programs can be found at: http://www.ovc.gov/

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-093_UNIFIED_SOLUTIONS_TRIBAL_GRANT (2015-MU-GX-K074)

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PHOENIX – Today, U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo announced that $574,808 in federal grant funds have been awarded to the Hualapai Tribe to assist efforts to prevent and reduce alcohol- and substance abuse-related crimes within tribal jurisdiction.   The grant funds were awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (“BJA”), which is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (“OJP”).

Additional information about BJA and its programs is available at:  https://www.bja.gov/Default.aspx

Information about OJP and its programs can be found at:http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov.

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-090_HUALAPAI_TRIBE_GRANT (2015-AC-BX-0003)

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PHOENIX – Today, U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo announced that $314,975 in federal grant funds have been awarded to the Gila River Indian Community’s juvenile drug court – an alternative program for juvenile offenders and at-risk youth.  The grant funds were awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (“OJJDP”), which is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (“OJP”).

Information about OJP and its programs can be found at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov.

Information on OJJDP can be found at: http://www.ojjdp.gov/about/about.html

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-091_GILA_RIVER_GRANT (2015-DC-BX-0114)

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PHOENIX – Today, U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo announced that $487,578 in federal grant funds have been awarded to the Colorado River Indian Tribes to reduce juvenile offender recidivism on the Colorado River Indian Reservation.  The grant funds were awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (“OJJDP”), which is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (“OJP”).

Information about OJP and its programs can be found at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov.

Information on OJJDP can be found at: http://www.ojjdp.gov/about/about.html

RELEASE NUMBER: 2015-092_COLORADO_RIVER_INDIAN_GRANT (2015-TY-FX-0004)

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PHOENIX – Today, U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo announced that $483,334 in federal grant funds have been awarded to the Pima Prevention Partnership to support Latino youth who are re-entering their communities.  The grant funds were awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (“OJJDP”), which is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (“OJP”).

     “I am very pleased with this significant grant funding to the Pima Prevention Partnership to provide reentry services to Latino youth to help them transition back into the community from secure confinement, including out-of-home placements. These services are designed to reduce the risk of re-traumatizing young people who have often been the victims of abuse and neglect,” said Leonardo.

Information about OJP and its programs can be found at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov.

Information on OJJDP specific: http://www.ojjdp.gov/about/about.html

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-086_PIMA_PREV_GRANT (2015-CZ-BX-0020)

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PHOENIX – Today, Sonnett Alexander Williams, 47, a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver to 293 months in prison, followed by a term of lifetime supervised release. Williams pleaded guilty on April 7, 2015 to abusive sexual contact with a minor.

     Between Aug. 1, 2010 and Aug. 7, 2011, within the Colorado River Indian Tribes Indian Reservation, Williams sexually abused the victim who was under the age of 12 and also a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Colorado River Indian Tribes Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Christina J. Reid-Moore, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-14-0931-PHX-ROS

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-088_Williams

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PHOENIX – Today, U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo announced that $1,333,998 in federal grant funds have been awarded to four Arizona law enforcement agencies to support the use of body-worn cameras by patrol officers.  Such cameras are intended to enhance public and officer safety and improve police-community relations.  The four recipient agencies are the Phoenix Police Department (grant 2015-WY-BX-0004), the City of Peoria (grant 2015-DE-BX-K020), the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (grant 2015-DE-BX-K052), and the City of Glendale (grant 2015-DE-BX-K060).  Additionally, the Phoenix Police Department received a separate federal grant of $392,842 (grant 2015-MC-FX-K027) to support its work on the Arizona Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (“AZ ICAC”).

            These grant funds were awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (“BJA”) and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (“OJJDP”), which are components of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (“OJP”).

Information on BJA specific: https://www.bja.gov/Programs/VRN.html

Information on OJJDP specific: http://www.ojjdp.gov/about/about.html

Information about OJP and its programs can be found at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov.

For additional information about the BWC Pilot Implementation Program, visit

 http://www.bja.gov/bwc/pdfs/BWCPIP-Award-Fact-Sheet.pdf

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-087_BODY_WORN_CAMERAS

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     WASHINGTON, DC — Today, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced that the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (“COPS”) will be awarding a total of $3.375 million in federal funds to two Arizona police departments: Phoenix and South Tucson.  These funds are intended to create and protect 27 law enforcement positions in Arizona and are part of a $107 million nationwide funding effort.

     “The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues,” said Ronald L. Davis, Director of the COPS Office. “These grants are not simply about putting more officers on the street, they are about expanding the capacity of law enforcement agencies to engage in community policing.”

     “This is great news for the district.  The addition of #27 officers in these communities helps build trust in law enforcement, reduce violence and protect our schools, which significantly increases overall public safety in our District.” said U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo. “I am very pleased that this Department of Justice - Law Enforcement Grant was awarded to these two communities allowing them to maintain their community policing efforts at peak efficiency.”

     The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has invested over $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 127,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training, and technical assistance.

For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2015 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.

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RELEASE NUMBER: 2015-085_ COPS_AWARDS       

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PHOENIX – Earlier this week, Elijah Loren Arthur, Sr., 34, of Scottsdale, Ariz., was found guilty by a federal jury of first-degree murder and using a firearm in a crime of violence resulting in death.  The case was tried before U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan from Sept. 1-16, 2015.  The defendant is being held after trial.  Sentencing is set before Judge Logan on Nov. 30, 2015.

     “The verdict in this case represents the culmination of an intensive investigation following the tragedy that took Officer Cabrera away from his family and his Salt River Police Department colleagues,” said U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo.  “Our office is determined to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law those who threaten, menace, or harm tribal law enforcement officers.”

     “While the outcome of these proceedings does not change the fact a police officer was killed while performing his official duties, it will hopefully bring closure to the family and friends of Officer Jair Cabrera.  The FBI remains committed to bringing justice to those responsible for senseless crimes such as these,” stated FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael V. Caputo.

     “Now that the verdict is in and the case has run its course through the criminal justice system, my department can begin to start the healing process.  The verdict will never bring back our beloved fallen comrade but at least we know that the suspect in this case will not be able to do any harm to anyone else.  On behalf of the men and women of the Salt River Police Department, and the supportive members of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Police Department, we thank the Community for their continual support throughout this process and we especially thank the men and women of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and all of the surrounding agencies that assisted the SRPD with the prosecution of this case.  Please keep the parents and significant others of Officer Jair Cabrera in your prayers.” stated Chief Patrick R. Melvin.

     The evidence at trial showed that on May 24, 2014, Arthur used an AR-15 to shoot and kill Salt River Police Officer Jair Cabrera following a traffic stop on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Reservation.  The evidence at trial also showed that Arthur’s affiliation with the East Side Bloods gang may have been a motivating factor for the killing.  The driver of the vehicle that was stopped, Joey Michael Thomas, 22, of Scottsdale, Ariz., previously pled guilty to second degree murder and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 6, 2015.

     A conviction for first degree murder carries a mandatory penalty of life imprisonment, and a conviction for using a firearm in a crime of violence resulting in death carries a consecutive punishment of 10 years to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both.

    The investigation in this case was conducted by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Tracy Van Buskirk and Thomas Simon, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:                  CR-14-848-PHX-SPL

RELEASE NUMBER:           2015-082_ Arthur

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