District of Connecticut

NYZAIRE BARNES, also known as “Melo,” 19, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to a racketeering offense stemming from his role in a violent New Haven street gang.

Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; John P. Doyle, Jr., State’s Attorney for the New Haven Judicial District; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address violence in New Haven, the ATF, FBI, DEA and New Haven Police Department, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, have been investigating an ongoing gang war between members and associates of the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in the Hill section and other areas of the city.  The Exit 8 gang is named after the geographic area accessed by exiting Interstate 91 at Exit 8 in New Haven.  Recently, younger members of Exit 8 are identifying themselves with the word “Honcho,” which is derived from the street name of an Exit 8 member who was murdered on Quinnipiac Avenue in February 2020.

The investigation revealed that Barnes and other members of the Exit 8 gang engaged in drug trafficking, used and shared firearms, and, since June 2018, have committed at least three murders and 16 attempted murders.  Exit 8 members and associates also stole vehicles, at times from outside of the state, and used those stolen vehicles when committing acts of violence.  Gang members also promoted, coordinated, facilitated, and celebrated their narcotics distribution and acts of violence through text messaging and the use of social media applications and websites including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube.

Barnes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, and specifically admitted that he took part in two gang-related shootings.  On April 12, 2022, Barnes and other Exit 8 members shot and attempted to kill rival gang members.  On January 20, 2023, Exit 8 members, including Devin Suggs, stole an SUV in Scarsdale, New York.  Later that day, Barnes and Suggs committed a drive-by shooting of a rival gang member in New Haven.  The victim was shot in the head, but survived the attack.

At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Barnes faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  Barnes has been detained since August 3, 2023.

Suggs pleaded guilty to the same charge on February 20, 2024, and awaits sentencing.

This investigation is being conducted by ATF, the FBI, the DEA, the New Haven Police Department, the Hamden Police Department, and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens, Rahul Kale and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis.

This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.

PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities.  Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EDWARD JOHNSON, 32, of Stratford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Harford to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing methamphetamine and oxycodone.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2022, the Stratford Police Department’s Narcotics, Vice and Intelligence Unit and the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating Johnson and others for distributing controlled substances in the Stratford and Bridgeport area.  Johnson was arrested on August 2, 2022. On that date, investigators conducted a court authorized search of his residence on Thompson Street in Stratford and seized approximately 967 grams of methamphetamine in both pill form and powder form, approximately 13 grams of oxycodone pills; other prescription pills, more than six pounds of marijuana, and $32,151 in cash.

At the time of his arrest, Johnson was on state probation from a prior drug offense, and on pre-trial release for state narcotics and firearm charges.

Johnson has been detained since his arrest.  On December 14, 2023, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and oxycodone.

This matter was investigated by the Stratford Police Department’s Narcotics, Vice and Intelligence Unit and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force.  The HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie T. Levick.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging ANTRUM COSTON, 41, of New Haven, with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and with committing the offense while released on bond in another case.

On September 18, 2023, Coston was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 37 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for pandemic relief fraud, money laundering, and drug offenses.  Judge Underhill ordered Coston, who was released on bond, to surrender for service of his sentence on November 29, 2023.

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on October 25, 2023, New Haven Police arrested Coston after they found him in possession of a loaded Taurus G3 9mm handgun with an extended magazine, and various controlled substances.

It is alleged that Coston’s criminal history includes multiple felony convictions, including two federal convictions for firearm offenses.

The indictment was returned on March 6, 2023.  Coston, who has been detained since his state arrest, appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge.

If convicted, Coston faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and a consecutive sentence of up to 10 years for possessing the firearm while on federal release.

U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a criminal complaint is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the New Haven Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Sharon MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, Boston – New York Field Division, announced that TROVOY DIXON, 31, of Bridgeport, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today to an offense stemming from his role in a scheme to defraud the Social Security Administration.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2021, unidentified fraudsters engaged in a scheme to defraud the Social Security Administration (SSA) using stolen identities.  The fraudsters would contact the SSA posing as legitimate Social Security recipients, often presenting the SSA with confidential personal information, like Social Security numbers and dates of birth, to validate their purported identities.  They would then instruct the SSA to change the legitimate SSA recipients’ existing bank account deposit information so that monthly SSA payments would be deposited into bank accounts controlled by scheme participants.

In approximately August 2021, Dixon was contacted by phone by a scheme participant using a Jamaican based telephone number and was asked if he wished to make money through moving money.  Dixon agreed, and was instructed to open bank accounts that he would control.  After monies generated from the scheme were deposited into Dixon’s online bank accounts, he would withdraw cash from the accounts and use commercial money transfer services to wire a portion of the cash to designated bank accounts in either Jamaica or Mexico.  Dixon admitted that he consciously avoided learning the monies were illegally obtained, although in time he knew them to be, and ultimately kept close to half of the monies for his personal use.

Between August 2021 and July 2023, more than $300,000 was deposited into bank accounts Dixon controlled.  When accounts were closed due to suspicious fraudulent withdrawal activity, Dixon opened additional accounts to continue his illegal activity.

Dixon pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  He has agreed to make restitution of $161,000.

Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for June 30.  Dixon is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.

This investigation is being conducted by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.

LADERRICK JONES, also known as “Lexus,” 31, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to a racketeering offense stemming from his participation in the 960 gang, a violent Waterbury street gang.

Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang.  On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging Jones and 15 other alleged 960 gang members with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, firearm possession, murder, attempted murder and assault, and obstruction of justice offenses.

In pleading guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, Jones admitted that he trafficked narcotics in furtherance of the 960 enterprise, and that he was aware that 960 members were engaged in violent activity and committed murders and attempted murders.

Jones has been detained since his arrest on June 27, 2019.  He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley on June 11, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, ATF and Waterbury Police Department, with the assistance of the Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department and Connecticut Department of Correction.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office, who have been cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter.

This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.

PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that DARYL TODD, 43, of Vernon, was arrested today and charged by criminal complaint with child exploitation offenses.

Following his arrest, Todd appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing that is scheduled for March 11.

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, an investigation by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force revealed that Todd used Snapchat to communicate with minor girls and entice them to send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves, often in return for money that Todd sent the victims using the mobile payment service Cash App.  Todd also sent sexually explicit images of himself to the minor victims.

Todd was arrested this morning after investigators executed a court-authorized search warrant at his residence and a preliminary review of his cellphone revealed sexually explicit images of minor females.

The complaint charges Todd with transfer of obscene material to minors, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years; receipt of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BOULOS HANNA, also known as “Paul Hanna,” 66, of East Lyme, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 10 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for tax evasion.  Judge Williams also ordered Hanna to pay a $25,000 fine in addition to his restitution obligation.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Hanna is the sole owner of Paul Hanna DMD PC, a dental practice in New London.  Hanna takes fees from dental patients in the form personal checks, cash, and credit card payments.  Hanna owns the building where his dental practice is located and the practice pays rent to Hanna individually.

For each of the 2000 through 2009 tax years, Hanna filed a Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return for himself and his wife, and paid the tax due and owing for those years, typically by having withholdings during the year sufficient to cover his tax liability.  For the 2010 through 2012 tax years, Hanna filed a Form 1040 for himself and his wife, but did not pay the tax due and owing.  As a result, from approximately April 2012 through 2017, Hanna was subject to IRS collections enforcement for the 2010 through 2012 tax years, including forced collection activity, such as liens placed on property and seized payments taken by way of levy.

From 2013 through 2020, Hanna earned approximately $1.6 million in taxable income from his work as a dentist and from rental income.  However, he failed to file tax returns for any of those years, resulting in a loss to the IRS of $244,541.  In addition to failing to file personal federal income tax returns, Hanna attempted to evade the assessment of tax by paying himself “management fees” instead of a reasonable wage, operating in cash by self-endorsing business checks to himself and cashing these checks to keep money out of his personal bank accounts, and paying personal expenses directly from his business accounts without reflecting those payments as income.

Hanna is required to pay $244,541 in restitution.

Hanna pleaded guilty on July 17, 2023.  He is required to report to prison on May 6.

This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Wines.

D’ANDRE BURRUS, also known as “Dopeman,” 30, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty yesterday in Bridgeport federal court to a racketeering offense stemming from his participation in the 960 gang, a violent Waterbury street gang.

Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang.  On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging Burrus and 15 other alleged 960 gang members with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, firearm possession, murder, attempted murder and assault, and obstruction of justice offenses.

In pleading guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, Burrus admitted that he trafficked heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine in furtherance of the 960 enterprise.  He also admitted that he conspired to murder members of a rival gang on October 11, 2018, which resulted in the death of an innocent bystander, 30-year-old Fransua Guzman, and the paralysis of a second victim.  Burrus was in one of two cars 960 members used when the victims were shot.

Burrus is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley on June 7, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

Burrus has been detained since his arrest on February 19, 2019.

This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, ATF, and Waterbury Police Department, with the assistance of the Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department and Connecticut Department of Correction.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office, who have been cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter.

This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.

PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CURTIS SOLSVIG, 69, of Stamford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 18 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for stealing more than $800,000 from a family trust he administered.

According to court documents and statements made in court, a married couple (the “victims”) created a trust for the primary benefit of their two children.  In 1996, Solsvig, a relative of the victims, began serving as trustee of the trust.  Beginning in 2011 and continuing for approximately eight years, Solsvig stole approximately $816,000 from the trust and used the funds for a variety of personal expenses.  By the time his scheme concluded, less than $20 remained in the trust account.

Judge Nagala ordered Solsvig to pay restitution of $816,205.09.

On December 6, 2023, Solsvig pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.

Solsvig, who is released on a $250,000 bond, is required to report to prison on April 19.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Conor M. Reardon.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SERVIO BARROS-TERREROS, 57, of Stamford, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to a child exploitation offense.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in December 2022, a minor female victim reported that, when she was nine and 10 years old, Barros-Terreros had sexually assaulted her multiple times.  The victim reported that Barros-Terreros took sexually explicit pictures of her, and threatened to publish the pictures and show them to the victim’s mother if the victim told anyone.  Barros-Terreros also instructed the victim to undress during video calls he initiated with the victim, during which he also engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

On January 12, 2023, Stamford Police arrested Barros-Terreros on state sexual assault and risk of injury offenses, and seized Barros-Terreros’ iPhone.  Analysis of the iPhone revealed sexually explicit images of the minor victim, and images of Barros-Terreros engaging in sexually explicit conduct with the minor victim.

Barros-Terreros pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years.  He is scheduled to be sentenced U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford on June 13.

Barros-Terreros has been detained since his arrest.

This matter has been investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Stamford Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings with the assistance of the Office of the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Stamford-Norwalk.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that OMARI LEWIS, 25, of East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 15 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl pills.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Lewis was identified as a street-level dealer of fentanyl pills after Windsor Police intercepted a UPS package with approximately 3,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl inside.  The investigation revealed that Lewis also used his SnapChat account to advertise the sale counterfeit oxycodone pills.  In December 2021 and January 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad made two controlled purchases of a total of more than 400 fentanyl pills from Lewis.

Lewis was arrested on June 13, 2023.  On November 13, 2023, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl.

Lewis, who is released on a $75,000 bond, is required to report to prison on April 30.

This matter was investigated by the DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the Windsor Police Department.  The Tactical Diversion Squad is composed of personnel from the DEA and the Bristol, East Windsor, Hamden, New Britain, West Haven, Newington, Manchester, Glastonbury, and Watertown Police Departments.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and Stephanie T. Levick.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EPHREM D. NGUYEN, 51, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for operating a bribery, kickback, and embezzlement scheme while serving as the Postmaster of the Danbury Post Office.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Nguyen was employed by the U.S. Postal Service (“USPS”) as the Postmaster of the Danbury Post Office in Danbury, with responsibilities that included supervising the maintenance and repair of all equipment, facilities, and vehicles assigned to the post office.  In November 2020, Nguyen required that all Danbury Post Office vehicle maintenance and repair work be performed by a certain vendor, identified in court documents as “Vendor-1,” even though Nguyen knew that another vendor already had a contract for with the Danbury Post Office for those services.  Nguyen demanded that Vendor-1 provide free vehicle maintenance and repairs for himself, one of his children, a USPS employee, and employee of Nguyen’s personal business.  In 2022, Nguyen solicited and received $90,000 in cash bribes from Michael D. Lutz, the general manager of Vendor-1.  In exchange for these bribes, Nguyen caused the USPS to overpay Vendor-1 for vehicle maintenance and repair, which Nguyen characterized as a  “raise.”  Between approximately January 2022 and February 2023, Nguyen used USPS credit cards to pay Vendor-1 more than $1 million, or approximately $760,000 more than necessary to pay for legitimate maintenance and repair work.

In addition, Nguyen embezzled more than $80,000 from the USPS by using his USPS credit cards to rent vehicles for the personal use of himself and others, and he approved more than $8,000 in fraudulent travel expense reimbursement claims for a co-worker.

Through these schemes, Nguyen defrauded the USPS of approximately $933,553.42.

Judge Underhill ordered Nguyen to make full restitution.

On October 13, 2023, Nguyen pleaded guilty to honest services wire fraud.

Nguyen, formerly of Brookfield, has been residing in Quincy, Massachusetts, while released on a $100,000 bond.  He is required to report to prison on May 30.

On February 21, 2024, Lutz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.  He is awaiting sentencing.

This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan N. Francis.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, and Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging LAMAR DWIGHT BLAKE, 46, of Bridgeport, with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

The indictment was returned on January 31, 2023, and Blake was arrested on February 26, 2023.  He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge.

As alleged in the indictment, on August 6, 2023, Blake possessed a loaded Glock .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine.

It is further alleged that Blake’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut for possession of narcotics with intent to sell, attempted assault in the second degree, possession of narcotics, and criminal possession of a firearm.

It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

If convicted of the charge, Blake faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.

U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Blake is released on a $100,000 bond pending trial.

This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Bridgeport Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Mahard.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a superseding indictment charging LUIS DeJESUS, 29, of Hartford, with narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, DeJesus’s criminal history includes felony convictions in state court for criminal possession of a firearm and burglary in the third degree.  In 2022, members of the Connecticut State Police’s Statewide Narcotics Task Force – North Central Office conducted a series of controlled purchases of narcotics from DeJesus.  DeJesus was arrested on state charges on December 16, 2022.  On that date, a court-authorized search of his Hartford residence revealed approximately 500 grams of fentanyl, 97 grams of crack cocaine, approximately one kilogram of marijuana, drug processing and packaging materials, a loaded Glock 45 9mm handgun, and approximately $52,000 cash.  The case was adopted for federal prosecution and, on March 7, 2023, a grand jury returned an indictment charging DeJesus with one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

It is further alleged that, after his federal arrest, DeJesus was released on a $100,000 bond and into home confinement at residence of a family member on Warren Street in Hartford.  DeJesus was arrested on November 20, 2023, after law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence.  As investigators entered the residence, DeJesus threw fentanyl out of a window.  A search of the residence revealed an additional quantity of fentanyl, a small quantity of cocaine, and drug processing and packaging materials.  In total, DeJesus is alleged to have possessed more than 400 grams of fentanyl on that date.

On February 20, 2024, the grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging DeJesus with an additional count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

If convicted, DeJesus faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life for each of the narcotics offenses, and maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years for the firearm offense.

DeJesus, who has been detained since November 20, 2023, appeared today in Hartford federal court and pleaded not guilty to the charges in the superseding indictment.

U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Resident Office and the Connecticut State Police’s Statewide Narcotics Task Force – North Central Office.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reed Durham.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DENROY FABLE, 40, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 102 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing a firearm, and for violating his conditions of supervised release that followed a prior federal conviction.

According to the evidence presented during Fable’s trial in October 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and Hartford Police Department conducted an investigation of a business located at 136 Barbour Street in Hartford that was suspected of trafficking narcotics.  The business, a purported clothing store, had an awning that read “The HOLE Ex-Con 360 the movement.”  In October 2022, investigators made two controlled drug purchases of marijuana from the store.

On October 5, 2022, Fable and others were in the store when investigators conducted a court-authorized search of the store and seized quantities of suspected crack cocaine, psychedelic mushrooms, cocaine, marijuana, heroin, synthetic opioid pills, fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone, MDMA, drug packaging and processing materials, U.S. currency, and five handguns.  One of the handguns seized, a loaded .380 semiautomatic pistol, was found in a pocket of Fable’s jacket that was hanging on a shelf.  Subsequent forensic testing of the firearm revealed the presence of Fable’s DNA.

Fable’s criminal history includes state convictions for criminal possession of a firearm, and carrying a pistol without a permit, and federal convictions for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and crack.

On October 26, 2023, Fable was found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

In March 2019, Fable was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 37 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release.  He was released from prison in August 2020, and was on supervised release when he possessed the firearm in October 2022.

Judge Williams sentenced Fable to 78 months of imprisonment for unlawfully possessing the firearm, and a consecutive 24 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release.

Fable has been detained since October 5, 2022.

This investigation was conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force and the Hartford Police Department, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory.  The DEA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys A. Reed Durham and Brendan J. Keefe.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ERIC MUNOZ, Jr., also known as “Bebo,” 28, of Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 88 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl and other narcotics.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in July and August 2021, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force made eight controlled purchases of fentanyl from Munoz Jr. and his father, Eric Munoz, Sr.

Munoz Jr. and Munoz Sr. were arrested on August 25, 2021.  On that date, a search of Munoz Jr.’s residence on Harbison Avenue in Hartford revealed more than 900 grams of loose fentanyl, approximately 3,800 wax folds of fentanyl, approximately 300 grams of cocaine, approximately 50 grams of crack cocaine, five handguns, and $29,921 in cash.  A search of Munoz Sr.’s residence, also on Harbison Avenue, revealed approximately 900 grams of loose fentanyl, 280 wax folds of fentanyl, 41 rounds of assorted ammunition, and $15,888 in cash.  A search of an apartment located on Capitol Avenue in Hartford, which Munoz Jr. and Munoz Sr. used to store, process, and package narcotics, revealed approximately 200 grams of loose fentanyl, 5,100 wax folds of fentanyl, 130 grams of cocaine, 88 grams of crack cocaine, and eight rounds of ammunition.

Munoz Jr. has been detained since his arrest.  On April 11, 2023, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

Munoz Jr. has a prior federal narcotics trafficking conviction.  In August 2017, he was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 31 months of imprisonment for that offense.

Munoz Sr. also pleaded guilty and, on July 25, 2023, was sentenced to 115 months of imprisonment.

The FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Manchester Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, and Hartford Police Chief Jason Thody today announced that a federal jury in Bridgeport has found CHRISTOPHER GASKIN, 47, of Hartford, guilty of a firearm possession offense.

According to the evidence presented during the trial, in the afternoon of January 1, 2022, Hartford Police officers stopped a car Gaskin was operating on Irving Street in Hartford.  Gaskin was arrested after a search of his person revealed a loaded .380 caliber handgun, a bag containing approximately five grams of crack cocaine, and 35 vials of crack.

Gaskin’s criminal history includes several felony convictions, including convictions for assault, robbery and witness tampering offenses.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

The trial began on February 26, and the jury today found Gaskin guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and not guilty of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”).

Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for May 22, at which time Gaskin faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.  Gaskin is detained pending sentencing.

This matter has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Hartford Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angel M. Krull and Patricia Stolfi Collins through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that KENNETH MICHAEL STROTHERS, 27, of Meriden, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to federal robbery charges.

According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation by the FBI and several local police departments into a series of armed robberies that occurred across Connecticut in early 2021.  The investigation revealed that Strothers committed at least 10 robberies over an approximately two-week period.

Strothers pleaded guilty to two counts of interference with commerce by robbery (“Hobbs Act robbery”) and specifically admitted that he robbed businesses in Wethersfield and New Britain.

On February 9, 2021, Strothers entered the Valero gas station store at 930 Silas Deane Highway in Wethersfield, used a firearm to pistol-whip the store clerk in the head, stole approximately $260 from two cash registers, and fled the scene in a stolen car.  The store clerk was hospitalized with a serious head wound.

On February 10, 2021, Strothers entered Broad Street Pawn at 210 Broad Street in New Britain, used a firearm to pistol-whip a store employee in the head, stole approximately $2,000, and fled the scene with two associates in a stolen truck.  Three children of the store owner hid in a bathroom during the robbery.

Strothers was arrested on February 12, 2021, and investigators seized from him the handgun he used during the robberies.  He has been detained in state custody since his arrest.

At sentencing, Strothers faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.  Under the terms of a binding plea agreement, if accepted by the court, the parties have agreed that an effective sentence of 14 years of imprisonment is appropriate in this case.

This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Britain Police Department, the Wethersfield Police Department, the Newington Police Department, the Cromwell Police Department, the West Hartford Police Department, the Meriden Police Department, and the Connecticut Department of Correction.   The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Peck.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RYAN TESTA, 47, of Bristol, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to charges stemming from a series of vehicle thefts from dealerships using personal information from identity theft victims.

According to court documents and statement made in court, beginning in approximately September 2020, Testa’s alleged co-conspirator utilized personal information stolen from residents of Connecticut and other states to apply for vehicle loans at dealerships in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Rhode Island for motorcycles, an all-terrain vehicle, and other performance vehicles.  Once the loan was approved by the dealership using the identity theft victim’s information, Testa’s co-conspirator would send a series of runners, including Testa, to pick up the vehicle utilizing a fictitious driver’s license that included the identity theft victim’s information and a photograph of the runner.  The vehicle was then transported back to Connecticut for resale on Facebook Marketplace.

Testa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of two years.  Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for May 21.

Testa has been detained since May 16, 2023.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, the Bridgeport Police Department, the Hopkinton (R.I.) Police Department, the Westtown – East Goshen Regional (Pa.) Police Department, and the Washington Township (N.J.) Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and Heather M. Cherry.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTIAN JAVIER AMAYA-AGUILAR, 27, a citizen of Honduras last residing in Danbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 14 months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the United States after being deported.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Amaya-Aguilar illegally entered the U.S. in 2013.  He settled in Connecticut and, in 2016, was arrested by Danbury Police for first-degree sexual assault.  He pleaded guilty to the offense, received a sentence of five years of incarceration and 10 years of special parole, and was deported to Honduras in July 2021.

Amaya-Aguilar illegally reentered the U.S. and, on July 2, 2023, was arrested by Danbury Police for breach of peace and assault offenses.  He has been detained since his state arrest.

On November 27, 2023, Amaya-Aguilar pleaded guilty in federal court to illegal reentry.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Mahard.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAHQUAN BLACKWIN, also known as “Mula,” 27, of Hartford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a fentanyl trafficking offense.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force began investigating Blackwin and others for distributing fentanyl and cocaine in the Hartford area.  In July and August 2022, investigators made four controlled purchases of fentanyl from Blackwin.

Blackwin was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on August 17, 2022.  On that date, a search of Blackwin’s Judson Street apartment revealed approximately 750 grams of fentanyl, 500 grams of cocaine, 32 grams of crack cocaine, 700 grams of psilocybin, and five kilograms of marijuana.  Investigators also found and seized two loaded Polymer 80 handguns (“ghost guns”), one of which was fitted with a high-capacity magazine, and a loaded Glock 43X handgun.

Blackwin pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.  Judge Dooley schedule sentencing for June 6.

Blackwin has been detained since his arrest.

The DEA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Keefe.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALEXIS A. VALLEJO, also known as “Boobie” and “Boobie Porter,” 33, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 29, 2021, Vallejo attempted to flee from Bridgeport Police officers.  Officers apprehended Vallejo and found him in possession of a loaded SCCY 9mm semiautomatic handgun.

Vallejo’s criminal history includes felony convictions in state court for firearm possession, robbery, larceny, and failure to appear offenses.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for June 4, at which time Vallejo faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.

Vallejo has been detained since his federal arrest on June 30, 2022.

This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten and Karen L. Peck through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ERIN SULLIVAN, 53, of Cheshire, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for fraud and tax offenses stemming from an embezzlement scheme.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Sullivan was employed as the office manager for a family-owned construction business, identified in court documents in “Company A,” based in Orange.  Beginning at least as early as 2016, Sullivan made false entries into Company A’s payroll and accounting system that caused the system to generate hundreds of fraudulent checks payable to her or to “Petty Cash.”  Almost immediately after she generated a fraudulent check, Sullivan changed the reference in the payroll and accounting system to show that it had been issued to a different payee.  Sullivan sometimes generated checks in the name of Company A’s owner, forged the signature of Company A’s owner on the checks, and either cashed the checks or deposited them into her bank account.  She also altered the payroll and accounting system in other ways, which resulted in her receiving additional pay to which she was not entitled.  Through this scheme, Sullivan embezzled $955,960.71 from Company A.

In addition, Sullivan failed to pay $233,738 in federal income taxes on her embezzled income for the 2016 through 2021 tax years.

Judge Dooley ordered Sullivan to pay restitution of more than $1.17 million.  Sullivan has paid approximately $640,000 in restitution to date.

On October 30, 2023, Sullivan pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of tax evasion.

Sullivan, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on April 8.

This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, with the assistance of the Orange Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KENNETH JOYNER, 33, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for firearm and drug offenses.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 25, 2022, Bridgeport Police stopped Joyner’s car for motor vehicle violations.  Joyner was arrested after he was found in possession of a loaded Polymer P80 9mm semi-automatic pistol (“ghost gun”) and several bags of marijuana that he intended to sell.  A subsequent search of Joyner’s residence revealed a loaded Ruger P95 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an obliterated serial number, marijuana that Joyner intended to sell, and drug paraphernalia.

On November 28, 2023, Joyner pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with obliterated serial number, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.

Joyner has been detained since his federal arrest on April 13, 2023.

This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten and Karen L. Peck through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Kenneth Cleevely, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that MICHAEL D. LUTZ, 26, of Seymour, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to a conspiracy offense stemming from a bribery and kickback scheme involving the Postmaster of the Danbury Post Office.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Ephrem D. Nguyen was employed by the U.S. Postal Service (“USPS”) as the Postmaster of the Danbury Post Office in Danbury, with responsibilities that included supervising the maintenance and repair of all equipment, facilities, and vehicles assigned to the post office.  Lutz was the general manager for a company, identified in court documents as “Vendor-1,” which provided vehicle maintenance and repair services for the Danbury Post Office.

In November 2020, Nguyen required that all Danbury Post Office vehicle maintenance and repair work be performed by Vendor-1, even though Nguyen knew that another vendor already had a contract with the Danbury Post Office for those services.  Nguyen demanded that Vendor-1 provide free vehicle maintenance and repairs for himself, one of his children, a USPS employee, and employee of Nguyen’s personal business.  In 2022, Nguyen solicited and received from Lutz $90,000 in cash bribes, which Lutz paid from Vendor-1’s proceeds.  In exchange for these bribes, Nguyen caused the USPS to overpay the Vendor-1 for vehicle maintenance and repair, which Nguyen characterized as a  “raise.”  Between approximately January 2022 and February 2023, Nguyen used USPS credit cards to pay Vendor-1 approximately $1.1 million, approximately $260,000 of which was for legitimate maintenance and repair work.

The USPS lost approximately $843,271.32 though this scheme.

Lutz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services wire, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for May 16.

Lutz is released on bond pending sentencing.

On October 13, 2023, Nguyen pleaded guilty to one count of honest services wire fraud related to this scheme and also admitted that he embezzled more than $80,000 from the USPS by using his USPS credit cards to rent vehicles for the personal use of himself and others, and that he approved more than $8,000 in fraudulent travel expense reimbursement claims for a co-worker.

Nguyen is released on a $100,000 bond and residing in Massachusetts while awaiting sentencing.

This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan N. Francis.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that NICHOLAS SKIRKANICH, 44, of Ridgefield, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to a charge related to possessing and accessing images and videos depicting child sex abuse material.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2022, an online service provider submitted a CyberTip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) indicating that a TikTok video containing child sex abuse imagery was sent from Skirkanich’s email account to another email account.  Subsequent investigation revealed that Skirkanich possessed and accessed additional material containing child sex abuse imagery between approximately August 2021 and December 2022.

Skirkanich was arrested on December 15, 2022.

Skirkanich pleaded guilty to accessing with intent to view and possessing child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.  Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for May 15.  Skirkanich is released on a $150,000 bond pending sentencing.

This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Ridgefield Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shan Patel, with the assistance of the Danbury State’s Attorney’s Office.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

DEVIN SUGGS, also known as “JB,” 19, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to a racketeering offense stemming from his role in a violent New Haven street gang.

Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; John P. Doyle, Jr., State’s Attorney for the New Haven Judicial District; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address violence in New Haven, the ATF, FBI, DEA and New Haven Police Department, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, have been investigating an ongoing gang war between members and associates of the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in the Hill section and other areas of the city.  The Exit 8 gang is named after the geographic area accessed by exiting Interstate 91 at Exit 8 in New Haven.  Recently, younger members of Exit 8 are identifying themselves with the word “Honcho,” which is derived from the street name of an Exit 8 member who was murdered on Quinnipiac Avenue in February 2020.

The investigation revealed that Suggs and other members of the Exit 8 gang engaged in drug trafficking, used and shared firearms, and, since June 2018, have committed at least three murders and 16 attempted murders.  Exit 8 members and associates also stole vehicles, at times from outside of the state, and used those stolen vehicles when committing acts of violence.  Gang members also promoted, coordinated, facilitated, and celebrated their narcotics distribution and acts of violence through text messaging and the use of social media applications and websites including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube.

Suggs pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, and specifically admitted that he took part in five shootings of rival gang members between April 2021 and January 2023.  As a result of these shootings, on April 27, 2021, a rival gang member was shot in the leg; on May 14, 2021, a rival gang member was shot in the leg and torso; and on May 20, 2021, one victim was shot in the back and another victim was shot in the leg.  On January 20, 2023, Suggs and other Exit 8 members stole an SUV in Scarsdale, New York, and, later that day, committed a drive-by shooting of a rival gang member in New Haven.  The victim was shot in the head, but survived the attack.

At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Suggs faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  Suggs has been detained since August 3, 2023.

This investigation is being conducted by ATF, the FBI, the DEA, the New Haven Police Department, the Hamden Police Department, and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens, Rahul Kale and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis.

This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity, and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.

PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities.  Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment today charging MICHAEL SZWARC, 36, of Derby, with child exploitation offenses.

As alleged in the indictment and in court filings, Szwarc was convicted in 2013 in state court of possession of child pornography in the second degree, and in 2022 in federal court of receipt of child pornography.  In January 2024, while Szwarc was on federal supervised release, his federal probation officer conducted an unannounced visit to his home and discovered him in possession of an unauthorized laptop.  The probation officer seized the laptop.  A subsequent examination of the device by the FBI revealed multiple images of child pornography.

The indictment charges Szwarc with receipt of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and with possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  The penalties in this matter are enhanced because of Szwarc’s prior federal and state convictions for possessing child pornography.

Szwarc has been detained since his arrest on February 9, 2024.

U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco and Estonian Secretary General Tõnis Saar announced today at the Munich Security Conference the transfer of nearly $500,000 in forfeited Russian funds for the purpose of providing aid to Ukraine. The funds were forfeited by the United States following the breakup of an illegal procurement network attempting to import into Russia a high-precision, U.S.-origin machine tool with uses in the defense and nuclear proliferation sectors. Additionally, on Wednesday, Feb. 14, a citizen of Latvia charged criminally in connection with the procurement scheme pleaded guilty to violating U.S. export laws and regulations.

This transfer is the first of its kind from the United States to a foreign ally for the express purpose of assisting Ukraine, and the second time the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture has made confiscated Russian assets available for Ukraine—having provided $5.4 million in forfeited funds last year to the State Department for the support of Ukrainian war veterans. The confiscated funds are being transferred to Estonia since under current authorities, the facts of this case do not allow for a direct transfer to Ukraine. Estonia will use the funds for a project to expedite damage assessments and critical repairs to the Ukrainian electrical distribution and transmission system, which have been purposefully targeted by Russian forces.

“Today’s announcement demonstrates the unwavering resolve of the United States and our Estonian partners to cut off President Putin's access to the western technologies he relies on to wage an illegal war against Ukraine,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, who signed the transfer agreement on behalf of the United States. “This step for justice and restoration blazes a new trail toward combating Russia’s ongoing brutality. The Department of Justice will continue pursuing creative solutions to ensure the Ukrainian people can respond and rebuild.”

“Preventing cross-border crime has been and will be an even greater priority in the future,” said Secretary General Tõnis Saar of the Estonian Ministry of Justice.“Effective prosecution of sanctioned crimes is a very important part of this. In my opinion, this agreement provides additional motivation to deal with sanctions violations even more. The reason is very simple, the goal here is not only to detect, prosecute and ensure justice, but to direct illegal income to the victim, i.e. Ukraine. I hope that this will become the new normality for sanctioned crimes in other countries in the future.”

“Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Department of Justice, together with its U.S. and overseas partners, has leveraged every tool available to cut off the Kremlin from the resources it needs to prosecute its war of aggression. These efforts are yielding results,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today, we demonstrate once again our commitment to holding Russia to account and to aiding the people of Ukraine as they bravely resist and rebuild.”

“I commend the investigators who prevented this sensitive piece of Connecticut-manufactured equipment from crossing the Russian border, and our team of prosecutors who are not only bringing the individuals and entities involved to justice but have worked to seize and forfeit the funds involved in its purchase,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery for the District of Connecticut. “We thank our law enforcement partners and the Government of the Republic of Estonia for helping us achieve our mission to chase down the assets of those who violate our laws and to ensure proper compensation to their victims.”

“This agreement between the United States and Estonia not only reinforces our strong partnership, it fortifies the commitments of both countries to stand up to Russian aggression,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “This transfer stems from a joint investigation into the attempted illegal shipment of military materials to aid the Russian war against Ukraine. HSI will continue to ensure the safety of the homeland of this great nation, and when necessary, that of our allies.”

“The Putin regime has purposefully targeted critical and civil infrastructure in Ukraine to weaken morale, cripple the Ukrainian economy, and use winter as a weapon of war. The funds we are providing to Estonia today will be used to dramatically reduce the time needed to evaluate and prioritize urgent repairs to Ukraine’s electrical infrastructure, all in effort to literally keep the lights on,” said Task Force KleptoCapture Co-Director Michael Khoo.

This action demonstrates that the Department and its international partners will seek and develop novel solutions to ensure that the profits of Russian criminal networks are redirected for the support of the Ukrainian people.

The agreement with Estonia showcases the joint commitments of the United States and Estonia to both enforce the export control regimes that deprive the Russian war machine of critical technologies and supplies and use the confiscated criminal proceeds to sustain Ukraine as it resists illegal Russian aggression.

In March 2023, an investigation into the attempted smuggling of a dual-use export-controlled item to Russia resulted in the forfeiture of $484,696, representing funds wired into the United States to purchase the item. The item, known as a jig grinder, is a high-precision grinding machine system that requires a license for export or reexport to Russia because of its applications in nuclear proliferation and defense programs. The jig grinder was intercepted before it could reach Russia.

In addition to the forfeiture, U.S. authorities, with the active support of the Estonian Prosecutor General’s Office and the Estonian Tax and Customs Board, charged multiple individuals and companies who were part of the smuggling network. The transfer of the forfeited funds to Estonia is in recognition of the crucial assistance received from the Estonian authorities.

Among those criminally charged in the smuggling case, Latvian national Vadims Ananics, 47, was arrested in Latvia on Oct. 18, 2022, and pleaded guilty earlier this week in federal court in Connecticut. Ananics admitted to his role in the scheme to violate U.S. export laws and regulations by attempting to smuggle a dual-use export-controlled item to Russia.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Ananics was the general manager of CNC Weld, a Latvia-based corporation. Beginning in 2018, Ananics conspired with others, including individuals in Russia and a Russia-based company, to violate U.S. export laws and regulations to smuggle a 500 Series CPWZ Precision jig grinder that was manufactured in Connecticut to Russia.

In August 2019, to finalize the purchase of the jig grinder, Ananics and others traveled to Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he informed the sellers that the jig grinder was being purchased for the benefit of CNC Weld. Only after the jig grinder was exported from the United States did Ananics inform the sellers that CNC Weld was not the end user.

Ananics pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act, an offense that carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

U.S. authorities, working with Latvian authorities, intercepted the jig grinder in Riga, Latvia, before it was to be shipped to Russia. In March 2023, $484,696 in funds involved in the purchase of the jig grinder were subsequently forfeited.

In turn, Estonia has, in consultation with the United States, agreed to use the transferred funds to finance a drone-based program to assess the damage Russian aggression has done to Ukraine’s electrical distribution and transmission infrastructure.

In April 2023, an additional €312,192.44 (approximately $342,000) was ordered forfeited as part of a criminal sentence imposed on one of the shell companies involved in the jig-grinder smuggling network. The funds are currently held in Latvia pending final enforcement of the U.S. forfeiture order.

HSI Field Offices in New Haven, Connecticut; Portland Oregon; and the Hague, Netherlands; the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement in Boston; and the FBI handled the investigation. In addition to the assistance by Estonian authorities, the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Latvia, the Latvian Tax and Customs Police, and the Latvian State Police provided valuable assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale, Konstantin Lantsman, Stephanie Levick, and David Nelson for the District of Connecticut and Trial Attorneys Brendan Geary and Matthew Anzaldi of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are handling the investigation and the Ananics prosecution. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance. The international sharing agreement was prepared with the support of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Treasury Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture, and the State Department.

The investigation was coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls, and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022, and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SHAWN R. FULLER, 37, of Hamden, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to a mail theft offense.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Fuller, while employed by the U.S. Postal Service as a mail carrier in Meriden, was under investigation for stealing mail packages.  On April 17, 2023, an investigator observed Fuller at the Meriden post office opening two mail packages, removing two items from the packages, and placing them in the trunk of his car.  He then notified his supervisors that he had to leave work for the day.  Hamden Police subsequently stopped Fuller’s car.  After a police K9 alerted officers to the possible presence of narcotics, a search of the trunk of the car revealed approximately four kilograms of a substance containing cocaine.  Fuller was arrested at that time.

Fuller pleaded guilty to theft of mail by a postal employee, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.  Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for May 10.

Fuller is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.

This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Hamden and West Haven Police Departments.  The Task Force includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden, and Town of Groton Police Departments.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Dearington and Brendan J. Keefe.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JERMAINE BETHEL, 27, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty yesterday in Bridgeport federal court to a federal robbery offense.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 28, 2023, Bethel and three associates drove to a Bridgeport apartment building where they intended to carry out a robbery at an apartment where they believed they would find drugs and drug proceeds.  Bethel, wearing gloves and a surgical mask, and two associates, one of whom carried a crowbar, entered the apartment building.  Bethel’s third associate stayed in the vehicle to serve as a getaway driver.  After failing to enter the apartment, Bethel and his associates returned to the vehicle, where they were encountered by a law enforcement.  Officers searched the vehicle and its occupants and seized two handguns and the crowbar.  A search of Bethel’s person revealed 45 small bags containing crack cocaine.

Bethel pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7 by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven.

Bethel has been detained since his arrest on April 28, 2023.

This investigation is being conducted by FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten and Karen Peck.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, and Enfield Police Chief Alaric Fox today announced that KATRELL JOHNSON, 34, of Enfield, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to producing and possessing child sex abuse images and videos.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in April and May 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) received CyberTipline reports from Google and WhatsApp that accounts, subsequently connected to Johnson, had been used to upload images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.  A court-authorized search of two of Johnson’s Google accounts revealed hundreds of child sex abuse images and videos, including images and videos of prepubescent children, and images that Johnson created of two minor victims.

Johnson pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years on each count, and one count of possession of child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for May 8.

Johnson has been detained since his arrest on July 13, 2023.

This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Enfield Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Casey and Amanda Oakes.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHN HORVATH, 73, of Bristol, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 34 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for fraud and tax offenses.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Horvath was licensed by the State of Connecticut as a resident insurance producer, which authorized him to sell various forms of insurance.  In that capacity, he sold annuity contracts issued by Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (“Allianz”) to clients.  Beginning no later than July 2015 and continuing until April 2021, Horvath defrauded several clients by advising them that they could achieve better rates of return through alternative investments, rather than their existing annuity contracts, and that he could broker and manage those investments for them.  Victim-investors gave Horvath investment funds with the expectation he would manage the funds for them. Instead, Horvath commingled the victim-investors’ funds with his own and used the pooled money to pay personal expenses and repay earlier victim-investors.

Through this scheme, Horvath defrauded at least eight victims out of a total of approximately $1,189,200.  One victim, a widow who family members described as suffering from increasing memory impairment, lost nearly $900,000 through this scheme.

In addition, Horvath failed to pay income taxes on his substantial income from the scheme, resulting in a loss to the government of $267,739 for the 2015 through 2020 tax years.

Judge Shea ordered Horvath to pay full restitution.

On July 26, 2023, Horvath pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of tax evasion.

Horvath, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on April 12.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Conor M. Reardon.

The Justice Department has established a National Elder Fraud Hotline to provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud.  The Hotline is staffed by experienced case managers who can provide personalized support to callers.  Case managers assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and by providing resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed.  When applicable, case managers will complete a complaint form with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for Internet-facilitated crimes and submit a consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on behalf of the caller.  The Hotline’s toll free number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).  For more information, please visit https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/stop-elder-fraud/providing-help-restoring-hope.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that MAVANI COLEMAN, 44, of Brooklyn, New York, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to one count of bank fraud.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2018, Gregory Ivy, of New Haven, began working for a retired woman (“the victim”), doing odd jobs for her.  In October 2018, Ivy began to steal checks from the victim’s checkbook while in her home.  He then wrote checks payable to himself, forged the victim’s signature on the checks, and deposited the checks into his personal credit union account.  Ivy subsequently gave stolen blank checks on which he had forged the victim’s signature to Coleman, and Coleman filled in the name of the payee and the amount to be paid.  Ivy and Coleman initially agreed that they would arrange to deposit the checks into other persons’ bank accounts, and Ivy would receive half of the proceeds.  Coleman, who worked with others to cash or deposit the stolen checks, would kick back to Ivy amounts typically ranging from $500 to $800.  At times, Ivy did not receive his agreed-upon share of the proceeds.

Coleman also used the routing number and account number of the victim’s bank account to arrange electronic funds transfers (EFTs) from the victim’s account to make payments for himself, his business, his family members, and other friends and acquaintances.

Coleman worked with other individuals, including Lamont Bethea, to cash or deposit stolen checks on which Ivy had forged the victim’s signature, and Bethea also used the routing and account number to arrange EFTs from the victim’s account to make payments for himself and others.  Bethea also provided the routing and bank account numbers to other individuals so they could arrange similar EFTs for themselves and others from the victim’s account.

Coleman, Ivy, Bethea and other participants attempted to obtain a total of $624,818.28 from the victim’s bank account.  Because the victim’s bank account became overdrawn, some attempted check deposits or EFTs were reversed, resulting in a loss to the victim of $479,569.08.  Coleman personally stole $33,869 from the victim during his involvement in the scheme, and family members and associates of Coleman were responsible for the theft of $248,423.09 from the account.

Coleman was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on April 6, 2023.  At sentencing, which is not scheduled, he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years.  He is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.

Ivy and Bethea previously pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of Bank of America.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Sheldon.

The Justice Department has established a National Elder Fraud Hotline to provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud.  The Hotline is staffed by experienced case managers who can provide personalized support to callers.  Case managers assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and by providing resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed.  When applicable, case managers will complete a complaint form with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for Internet-facilitated crimes and submit a consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on behalf of the caller.  The Hotline’s toll free number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).  For more information, please visit https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/stop-elder-fraud/providing-help-restoring-hope.

A federal jury in Bridgeport today found TAHJAY LOVE, also known as “Goon,” 25; ZAEKWON McDANIEL, also known as “Gap” and “Yung Gap,” 25; MALIK BAYON, also known as “Pop” and “Dirt,” 27; and JAMES GRAHAM, also known as “Little Cuz,” 24, guilty of offenses related their participation in the 960 gang, a violent Waterbury street gang.

Today's announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo.

In an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang.  On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging 960 members Love, McDaniel, Bayon, and Graham, and 12 other alleged gang members, with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, firearm possession, murder, attempted murder and assault, and obstruction of justice offenses.

According to the evidence presented during the trial:

• On October 31, 2017, 960 members were involved in a drive-by shooting in the area of Porter Street and Bank Street in Waterbury in an attempt to murder members of a rival gang.  An individual was shot and wounded in the shooting.  Investigators recovered 17 shell casings from four different firearms at the scene, and also identified the car used by the assailants.  McDaniel’s DNA was found on the steering wheel of the car.
• On November 22, 2017, McDaniel, Bayon, and Love shot at Clarence Lewis and Antonio Santos who were in a car at a restaurant in Waterbury.  Lewis sped from the scene at a high-rate of speed and crashed into a house at the intersection of Wolcott Street and Dallas Avenue in Waterbury.  Lewis, 22, and Santos, 20, were pronounced dead at the scene.  Shell casings connected two of firearms used during the shooting to the shooting that occurred on October 31, 2017, and McDaniel’s DNA was found on a gun magazine that was dropped at the restaurant.
• On December 29, 2017, shortly before 9:00 p.m., McDaniel shot and injured the father of a rival gang member who was taking out the trash in front of his residence.  960 members videoed themselves wearing masks at the scene minutes before the shooting.
• On October 19, 2019, Love and Graham, who were incarcerated in state custody, assaulted another inmate who they believed had reported to law enforcement Love’s admitted role in the November 22, 2017, shooting that resulted in the deaths of Clarence Lewis and Antonio Santos.

The jury found Love, McDaniel, and Bayon guilty of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity with special circumstances that they killed Clarence Lewis and Antonio Santos in the course of a single event, murder in violation of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (“VCAR”) statute, and two counts of causing death through the use of a firearm and in relation to a crime of violence.  The jury also found McDaniel guilty of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; Love and Graham guilty of obstruction of justice; and Bayon guilty of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute narcotics, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Love, McDaniel, and Bayon face a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, and Graham faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

“We thank the jury for its thoughtful analysis of the evidence presented during this lengthy trial,” said U.S. Attorney Avery.  “960 gang members murdered and attempted to murder both rival gang members and innocent victims alike.  The U.S. Attorney’s office is committed to using federal law enforcement resources to dismantle violent groups in Waterbury and other cities in Connecticut, and prosecute those responsible for the drug trafficking and persistent acts of gun violence that torment the communities in which they operate.  I thank the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office for its close cooperation in prosecuting this matter, and the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police Department for their excellent work and partnership during this long investigation.”

“This case serves as an important illustration of the importance of cooperation and the sharing of information between various federal and state agencies,” said Waterbury State’s Attorney Platt.  “We are extremely thankful for the tremendous effort and resources that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has put forward to aid in the prosecution of these serious and violent offenders.  I am also very proud and grateful of the hard work, dedication ,and professionalism exhibited by members of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office including Supervisor Assistant State’s Attorney Don Therkildsen, Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alex Arroyo, and Inspector Michael Slavin, and the Waterbury Police Department led by Chief Fernando Spagnolo, which led to today’s verdicts.” 

This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, ATF and Waterbury Police Department, with the assistance of the Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department and Connecticut Department of Correction.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office, who have been cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter.

This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.

PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that WINIFER ACOSTA JIMINEZ, 29, and OVIDALIS JIMINEZ PUJOLS, 38, both of New York, have been charged by indictment with a fentanyl trafficking offense.

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in February 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating a wholesale supplier of fentanyl and other narcotics with multiple distribution points in the northeastern United States.  Investigators arranged a controlled purchase of two kilograms of fentanyl, which Acosta Jiminez and Jiminez Pujols transported from New York to Milford, Connecticut, on February 22, 2023.

On January 23, 2024, a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Acosta Jiminez and Jiminez Pujols with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.

Jiminez Pujols, who has been detained since his related state arrest on February 22, 2023, appeared yesterday in Hartford federal court and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge.  Acosta Jiminez pleaded not guilty on January 31, 2024, and is released on a $100,000 bond pending trial.

U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the West Haven Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie T. Levick and Jocelyn Kaoutzanis through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Hartford Police Chief Jason Thody today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging STANDFORD SMITH, also known as “Pops,” 34, of Hartford, with narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in March 2021, Smith was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 55 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for his role in a gun trafficking ring and for distributing crack cocaine.  He was released from prison in February 2022.  On June 2, 2023, Smith was arrested by Hartford Police after he was found in possession of distribution quantities of cocaine and fentanyl, and a loaded Ruger LCP Max .380 caliber firearm.

It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

The indictment, which was returned on January 23, 2024, charges Smith with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.

Smith has been detained since his arrest.  He appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  A charge is only an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation is being conducted by the Hartford Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins, through Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut announced that CHRISTOPHER BATES JR., 37, of Greenwich, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to a child exploitation offense.

According to court documents and statements made in court, an international law investigation revealed that an IP address at Bates’ residence was being used to access the dark web to view images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.  On November 30, 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents interviewed Bates, who consented to a search of his electronic devices.  A forensic review of one of his laptops revealed approximately 1,222 images and two videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants.

Bates, who is an attorney admitted to practice in New York and Connecticut, pleaded guilty to possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  A sentencing date has not been scheduled.

Bates was arrested on December 13, 2022.  He is released on a $300,000 bond under electronic monitoring pending sentencing.

This matter has been investigated by HSI with the assistance of Greenwich Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neeraj N. Patel and Daniel Gordon.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that LUIS FELICIANO, also known as “Louminaty,” 39, of East Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 132 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl and other narcotics.

According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation into gang-related drug trafficking and firearm possession by members of Los Solidos.  The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, revealed that Feliciano distributed fentanyl and heroin, often with a xylazine additive, as well as cocaine and crack, to his Los Solidos associates, other customers and distributors in the Hartford area, and also to individuals in Schenectady, New York and Bangor, Maine.

Feliciano was arrested on April 13, 2022, after searches of his East Hartford residence and a Hartford apartment he used to store and process drugs revealed more than two kilograms of fentanyl, more than a kilogram of heroin, quantities of crack and powder cocaine, vials of xylazine, drug processing and packaging items, and 40 rounds of ammunition.

On June 8, 2022, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Feliciano and 15 others with various narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.

Feliciano has been detained since his arrest.  On February 17, 2023, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of heroin.

Feliciano’s criminal history includes felony convictions for drug distribution, firearm possession, and assault offenses, and he was on state probation at the time of his federal arrest in April 2022.

This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department.  The Task Force includes members of the FBI, Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ruff through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LUIS A. ROSADO, 30, of New Britain, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to possession of child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in May and June 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) received two CyberTipline reports from Kik Messenger that two separate Kik Messenger accounts had been used to upload video files depicting the sexual abuse of children.  The investigation connected both Kik Messenger usernames to Rosado and determined that, between April and June 2022, he used them to upload and distribute 104 video files depicting the sexual abuse of children, including prepubescent children.

Rosado, who resided in Manchester at the time of the offense, was arrested on October 6, 2022.

At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Rosado faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  He is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.

This matter has been investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Connecticut State Police, the Manchester Police Department, and the Connecticut Center for Digital Investigations.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JASHON SPEARMAN, also known as “J ” and “Deuce,” 35, of New Haven, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 144 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a New Haven area drug trafficking ring operating in the West Hills neighborhood of New Haven.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in the fall of 2021, the New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force and New Haven Police Department began investigating Spearman and others for the distribution of fentanyl, heroin crack and cocaine in and around the West Hills neighborhood, including the McConaughy Terrace housing complex located on South Genesee Street in New Haven.  The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, fixed video surveillance and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Spearman was receiving fentanyl and heroin from James Hillard, of New York, and shipments of kilogram quantities of cocaine through the U.S. Mail from Puerto Rico, which were arranged by Jean Mangual-Castro, also known as “Mangui,” of West Haven.  Spearman then distributed the drugs to others, several of whom processed, packaged, and sold fentanyl and crack at the McConaughy Terrace housing complex.

On February 4, 2022, investigators arrested Spearman and Hillard after they met in the Bronx and a search of Hillard’s car revealed more than 7,000 folds of heroin/fentanyl and approximately $30,000 in cash.

On February 8, 2022, investigators executed court-authorized search warrants at several locations, including a residence on Ward Street in New Haven where Spearman distributed narcotics, and vehicles in which Spearman was suspected of storing narcotics.  A search of a minivan revealed approximately 19 kilograms of cocaine; a search of a vehicle registered to Spearman revealed $750,400 in cash, assorted jewelry valued at over $112,000, and fentanyl, crack, and heroin; and a search of the Ward Street residence revealed additional cash, several money counters, and numerous cellphones.  Investigators also seized five firearms during the searches.

On February 15, 2022, a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Spearman, Hilliard and six co-defendants with narcotics trafficking offenses.  On April 19, 2022, Spearman, Mangual-Castro, and two others were charged in a separate indictment with offenses related to the trafficking of cocaine through the mail from Puerto Rico.  

Spearman has been detained since his arrest.  On June 30, 2023, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and a quantity of cocaine base (“crack”) and heroin.

Judge Nagala ordered Spearman to forfeit the seized cash, jewelry, firearms, and three vehicles.

All 11 defendants charged during this investigation pleaded guilty.  On May 11, 2023, Mangual-Castro was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment.  On December 12, 2023, Hillard was sentenced to 12 months and one day of imprisonment.

This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force, and the New Haven Police Department.  The FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force includes participants from the New Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department, East Haven Police Department, West Haven Police Department, Connecticut State Police, and the Connecticut Department of Correction.  The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden, and Town of Groton Police Departments.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony E. Kaplan and Kenneth L. Gresham through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

New Haven – U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery today announced that the District of Connecticut collected $233,519,760 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023.  Of this amount, approximately $185,939,535 was collected in criminal actions and approximately $47,580,225 was collected in civil actions.

The Connecticut U.S. Attorney’s Office also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $493,544 in cases pursued jointly by these offices.

“This past fiscal year, our Office’s dedicated attorneys and staff helped to recover more than $233 million, which ranked third in the nation among all U.S. Attorney’s Offices,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “These funds are not only returned directly to victims of crime, but they also are used to fund ongoing federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts, and to provide needed services for victims.  Through both our criminal prosecutions and civil enforcement work we are committed to seeking justice for victims, removing ill-gotten gains from wrongdoers, and protecting the integrity of important government programs.”

The majority of monies recovered in criminal actions were from Glencore, Ltd., to resolve the government’s investigation into a commodity price manipulation scheme, and from Nomura Securities International, stemming from its fraudulent trading of Residential Mortgage Backed Securities.  Large civil recoveries were from a medical doctor and his practice to resolve allegations that it defrauded the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and from Yale University and a professor to settle a case involving the failure to share patent royalties with the government.

The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’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.  While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

Additionally, the Connecticut U.S. Attorney’s Office, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $47,825,883 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2023.  Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is charged with enforcing federal criminal laws in Connecticut and representing the federal government in civil litigation.  The Office is composed of approximately 68 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 57 staff members at offices in New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that MICHAEL B. PINES, 75, of Avon, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to health care fraud.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Pines is a psychologist who owned and operated Michael B. Pines, Ph.D., P.C., located in Glastonbury.  Pines provided psychotherapy to young children, adolescents, adults, and he was enrolled individually as a Behavioral Health Clinician provider in the Connecticut Medicaid Program (“Medicaid”).

Between January 2017 and October 2023, Pines submitted and caused to be submitted fraudulent claims to Medicaid for psychotherapy services that were purportedly provided to his Medicaid clients.  Specifically, Pines submitted claims for dates of service when no services of any kind had been provided to the Medicaid clients identified in the claims, including when he was traveling, on vacation, recovering from surgery, or otherwise not working.  He also submitted claims when an appointment had been canceled, when the claimed client was in the hospital, when he had stopped treating the claimed client, and when the claimed client had never been his client.  In addition, when Pines treated multiple Medicaid clients in the same family at the same time, he billed Medicaid for the group visit as multiple individual claims, a practice that he knew was not permitted by Medicaid.

Through this scheme, Pines defrauded Medicaid of $1,617,679.  As part of his plea, Pines has agreed to pay full restitution.  He also has agreed to forfeit several jewelry items that were seized during the investigation.

Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for May 6, at which time Pines faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

Pines is released on a $250,000 bond pending sentencing.

This investigation has been conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.

People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JERRARD SANTIAGO, 43, of New Haven, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to narcotics distribution offenses.

According to court documents and statements made in court, this investigation began after an individual who had purchased narcotics in a restroom of the Mohegan Sun Casino on May 18, 2021, overdosed on the casino floor and died approximately 11 days later.  On February 3, 2023, investigators made a controlled purchase of fentanyl and heroin from Santiago.  On February 14, 2023, investigators made a controlled purchase of fentanyl and cocaine from Santiago.

Santiago pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, a controlled substance, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count.  Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for April 22.

Santiago has been detained since his arrest on March 30, 2023.

This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mohegan Tribal Police.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten and Christopher W. Schmeisser.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TEEJAY JOHNSON, 38, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 46 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing a firearm.  Johnson must also serve the first six months of his supervised release in home detention.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 9, 2022, members of the New Haven Police Department Shooting Task Force and other law enforcement officers executed a state search warrant at Johnson’s residence.  Johnson was found coming out of the bathroom after narcotics had been flushed down the toilet.  Investigators collected samples of narcotics from the bathroom, and found in other areas of the residence fentanyl and other narcotics, marijuana, more than $8,600 in cash, and a loaded .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine and 16 rounds of ammunition.

Johnson’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for firearm and assault related offenses.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

Johnson has been detained since his federal arrest on April 21, 2022.  On August 28, 2023, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the New Haven Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia King through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

United States Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery, Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge David Meisenheimer of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington D.C. Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Gust of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), today announced that RICHARD FASANELLA, 54, a U.S. citizen last residing in Venezuela, has been charged with conspiracy, fraud, and monetary offenses related to his alleged role in receiving, moving, and converting money stolen from victims of online scams.

As alleged in the indictment, Fasanella’s associates used various online scams, including romance scams, to defraud dozens of primarily elderly victims of millions of dollars.  Fasanella is a registered agent for multiple business entities that were registered in Connecticut and elsewhere in the U.S.  Fasanella applied for an Employer Identification Number (“EIN”), also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number, for these various businesses, and he and his associates used the EINs to open business bank accounts in the names of those businesses.  Fasanella and his associates then used these bank accounts to deposit cash, money orders, and checks that fraud victims mailed to specified addresses and recipients.  Victims also wired money directly from their bank accounts to the bank accounts controlled by Fasanella and his associates.  Fasanella and others retained a portion of the fraudulently obtained money and passed the rest of the money to others, primarily through cryptocurrency.

On July 25, 2023, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned a 19-count indictment charging Fasanella.  The indictment was unsealed after Fasanella was deported from Bogota, Colombia, on January 22, 2024.  On January 26, he appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti Bridgeport and pleaded not guilty to the charges.  He is currently detained.

The indictment charges Fasanella with one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; four count of mail fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count; five counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and illegal monetary transactions, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; five counts of money laundering, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment 20 years on each count; and three counts of illegal monetary transactions, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count.

U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

“The Justice Department and our law enforcement partners are committed to rooting out and prosecuting online scammers and their criminal associates who prey upon vulnerable victims,” said U.S. Attorney Avery.  “I thank the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS-CI and TIGTA for unraveling this complex scheme and identifying this defendant, and the U.S. Marshals and Migración Colombia for their invaluable assistance in tracking him down and bringing him to justice in the U.S.”

“This investigation, which uncovered a large-scale, complex web of money laundering through the U.S. Mail, reflects the U.S. Postal Inspections Services’ commitment to dismantle schemes by criminals who seek to profit by exploiting victims through fraud,” said Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, Boston Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “This alleged scheme included the victimization of many elderly Americans as well as many international victims.  I commend our fellow law enforcement partners, domestic and international, for their assistance with this case.  The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to be relentless in fighting crime that impacts the people we serve wherever, and however it occurs.”

“It is alleged that Mr. Fasanella orchestrated brazen schemes of staggering proportions,” said IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Meisenheimer.  “His arrest is another example of IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners commitment to investigate and prosecute those who take advantage of taxpayers for their personal financial gain.”

“The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) aggressively investigates individuals who use the IRS’s programs and tax collecting authority to scam others, especially seniors and other vulnerable populations,” said Christopher Gust, acting Special Agent in Charge.  “The defendant in this case is alleged to have done just that by targeting and victimizing the most vulnerable in our society.  Our mission at TIGTA is to protect the integrity of our nation’s system of tax administration.  We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure those who endeavor to corrupt federal tax administration are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

This investigation is being conducted the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS-CI, and TIGTA, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and Migración Colombia.  The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché’s office at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota provided assistance.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Cherry.

The Justice Department has established a National Elder Fraud Hotline to provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud.  The Hotline is staffed by experienced case managers who can provide personalized support to callers.  Case managers assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and by providing resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed.  When applicable, case managers will complete a complaint form with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for Internet-facilitated crimes and submit a consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on behalf of the caller.  The Hotline’s toll-free number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).

To read more about the Justice Department’s efforts to combat elder fraud and abuse click here.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ORTEXIS RAMOS, 34, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 16, 2022, Bridgeport Police encountered Ramos, who was a passenger in an unregistered car that was stopped at the intersection of Ridge Avenue and Walnut Street in Bridgeport.  When officers ordered Ramos to exit the vehicle, he attempted to flee.  Ramos was apprehended a short distance away, and a search of his person revealed a Taurus G2C 9mm semiautomatic handgun with a high-capacity magazine that was loaded with 9mm ammunition.

In 2005, Ramos was convicted of murder and sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment, and he was on state parole at the time of his arrest in September 2022.

It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

Ramos has been detained since his arrest.  On November 1, 2023, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten and Karen L. Peck through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRANDON BLANKS, 38, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing a firearm, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Blanks was arrested on November 2, 2021, after he broke into an Enfield apartment carrying a loaded firearm and threatened an individual.  Responding officers located a polymer80 9mm firearm (“ghost gun”) with an extended magazine containing 24 rounds of ammunition.  In Blanks’ car, officers found and seized a loaded Ruger 9mm firearm and a bag containing approximately 72 grams of crack cocaine and approximately 400 bags of para-Flourofentanyl, a fentanyl analogue.

Blanks’ criminal history includes felony convictions for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, armed robbery, carrying a firearm without a license, and multiple drug offenses, including a federal drug conviction in 2018 in the District of Vermont.  Blanks was on federal supervised release at the time of his criminal conduct in November 2021.

It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

Blanks has been detained since his arrest.  On November 29, 2022, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.

This matter was investigated by the Enfield Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reed Durham.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. 

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a 10-count indictment charging JAMES KEATING, 51, of Paoli, Pennsylvania, with offenses stemming from an alleged fraud scheme against his former employer.

The indictment was returned on January 16, 2024, and Keating surrendered to authorities in Philadelphia on January 18.  He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford, pleaded not guilty, and was released on a $100,000 bond.

As alleged in the indictment, Keating was an Assistant Vice President and surety bond claims handler at Allied World Insurance Company (“Allied World”).  He later served in the same capacity at Crum and Forster subsidiary U.S. Fire Insurance Company, where he also handled claims on Allied World surety bonds.  All surety bond claims were handled through Allied World’s offices in Farmington, Connecticut.  Between 2017 and 2021, Keating defrauded Allied World in two ways.  First, he used a shell company, American Construction & Industrial LLC, to bill Allied World for unnecessary claims work that was not performed and took the proceeds for himself.  Second, he solicited and received kickbacks from Allied World vendors through another Keating-owned company, Surety Risk Solutions (also known as “SRS” or “SR5”), without the knowledge of his employer.  Keating also caused these vendors to use another company in which he had an undisclosed ownership interest, Kodiak Asset Recovery, for asset searches at vastly inflated prices.  Keating profited nearly $1 million through American Construction & Industrial LLC, more than $350,000 in kickbacks through Surety Risk Solutions, and nearly $125,000 through Kodiak Asset Recovery.

The indictment charges Keating with 10 counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count.

U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

 This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAKE SCOTT FLEWELLYN, 26, of Norwalk, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for accessing and possessing images and videos depicting child sex abuse.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in December 2021, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) received a report from the smartphone messenger application Kik about a Kik user who was distributing videos of child pornography through its service.  Kik deactivated the user’s account.  In early April 2022, while federal law enforcement was investigating this matter to determine the Kik user’s identity, Kik submitted to NCMEC another report of a user account that was being used to distribute videos of child pornography.  The investigation revealed that Flewellyn created both Kik accounts and, between November 2021 and April 2022, used them to distribute approximately 107 images and videos depicting child sex abuse.

On July 31, 2023, Flewellyn pleaded guilty to accessing with intent to view child pornography.

Flewellyn, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on March 15.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Norwalk Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Dearington and Neeraj N. Patel.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.