Western District of Kentucky

Louisville, KY – A federal criminal complaint and arrest warrant were issued yesterday charging a Louisville medical doctor with use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of Murder-for-Hire.  

According to court records, on May 15, 2022, Stephanie Russell, 52, contacted someone she believed she was hiring to murder her ex-husband.   The individual she contacted to murder her ex-husband was an FBI Undercover Employee (UCE).  Russell ultimately agreed to pay $7,000 to the UCE in exchange for murdering her ex-husband.  On May 18, 2022, Russell placed $3,500 outside of her medical office in a drop box as half of the payment.  She agreed to pay the other half once the murder took place.   The FBI arrested Russell on May 19, 2022. 

Russell made her initial appearance before a U.S   Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on Friday, May 20, 2022, at 11:45 a.m.  Russell is scheduled for preliminary and detention hearings in the U.S. Gene Snyder Courthouse on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at 11:00 a.m.

If convicted at trial, she faces a maximum term of up to 10 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department are investigating the case.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Marisa Ford.

A federal complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offense charged and must be made under oath before a United States Magistrate Judge.  The charge set forth in a complaint is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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Paducah, KY – A Lyon County Kentucky man was sentenced this week to 10 years in federal prison, followed by a life term of supervised release, for possession of child pornography and being a felon in possession of a firearm.  There is no parole in the federal system.  

According to court documents, law enforcement officials opened an investigation into Kenneth Swartz, 64, after receiving a complaint alleging that Swartz, a convicted felon and registered sex offender, attempted to photograph a minor while shopping at a local store on May 28, 2020.  The Eddyville Police Department confirmed the events after reviewing store security footage and, on May 29, 2020, a search warrant was executed on Swartz’s residence where a Savage Arms, Stevens model 94 shotgun and several cell phones were recovered.  On June 24, 2020, law enforcement became aware that Swartz possessed an additional cell phone which he kept hidden under a sink at the residence.   A second search warrant was executed, and the cell phone was recovered.   Forensic analysis of the cell phones revealed that they contained over 200 images of child pornography.

“The sentence imposed in this case – ten years in prison followed by a lifetime of federal supervision – is the direct result of outstanding work and partnership between our local and federal law enforcement agencies,” said Michael A. Bennett, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.  “I commend the Eddyville Police Department, Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, Paducah Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations for keeping our communities safe.”  

The Eddyville Police Department, with the assistance of the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, the Paducah Police Department, and the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee prosecuted the case.

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

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Paducah, KY – Dayton Jones, 27, was sentenced this week to 96 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for production of child pornography.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Jones was also ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution to the victim and he will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from custody.

According to court documents, on October 11, 2014, a group of high school and college students got together at a friend’s apartment.  The students, almost all of whom were under the age of 21, consumed significant amounts of alcohol.  A fifteen-year-old boy (John Doe), passed out from alcohol intoxication.  When John Doe passed out, several other males took turns sexually assaulting him with a sex toy. Jones made an audio and video recording of the assault which he then distributed to others via the social media application “Snapchat.” 

“I commend the Louisville FBI, the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, and the Assistant U.S. Attorneys who prosecuted this case for their outstanding effort,” said Michael A. Bennett, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. “We will continue to prioritize the prosecution of child sexual exploitation and abuse in order to make our communities throughout the 53 counties of the Western District safer for all citizens.”

“This case highlights how those that choose to exploit our most vulnerable will be found and held accountable to the fullest degree under the rule of law. Removing child predators from our streets will remain one of the highest priorities for the FBI,” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI's Louisville Field Office. “If you are engaging in these heinous acts, know that the possibility of decades in federal prison with no parole is in your future.”

Assistant United States Attorneys Jo E. Lawless and Seth Hancock prosecuted the case.  The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Louisville Field Office and the Christian County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

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

 

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Paducah, KY – A federal grand jury returned an indictment last week charging a Madisonville, KY man with distributing methamphetamine and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court records, Travarius Baxter, 34, distributed methamphetamine on February 17, 2022, and possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it on March 9, 2022.

On May 16, 2022, the defendant was arraigned before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted at trial, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky made the announcement.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Madisonville-Hopkins County VICE/Narcotics Unit are investigating the case.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Bowling Green, KY – A Greene County Kentucky woman was sentenced yesterday to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison for submitting nine fraudulent Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act applications. 

According to court documents, between April 2020 and July 2020, Mandy Ellen Bauer, 41, of Greensburg, Kentucky filed nine fraudulent applications for various CARES Act financial assistance programs, including Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), and advance payment of tax credits, resulting in an attempted theft of over $230,000.  In those false applications Bauer exaggerated the gross revenues, number of employees, and payroll of her company, Family Personal Sales.  All of Bauer’s fraudulent applications were rejected and she did not receive any funds. 

PPP loans were designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll.  Under this program, the Small Business Administration (SBA) would forgive all or part of loans if all employees were kept on the payroll for eight weeks and borrowers submitted documentation confirming that the loan proceeds were used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities.

EIDLs provided loan assistance (including $10,000 advances) for small businesses and other eligible entities for loans up to $2 million. The EIDL proceeds could be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.

“I commend the investigative work of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration,” said Michael A. Bennett, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.  “Together with our federal law enforcement partners we will continue to identify, apprehend, and prosecute fraudsters involved in plots to steal federal relief funds.”

“The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration aggressively pursues those who endeavor to defraud programs afforded to the American people under the CARES Act,” said J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). “We appreciate the efforts of the Department of Justice in this effort.”

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Weiser.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

 

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Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, returned a superseding indictment today charging a local man with additional carjacking and firearms charges. 

According to court documents, on October 26, 2021, Eder Mayorga-Sanchez, 19, carjacked a vehicle in Louisville, and during the carjacking, shot and caused serious bodily injury to a minor, C.A.  On October 30, 2021, and November 4, 2021, he committed three additional carjackings while brandishing a firearm.  Thereafter, on November 8, 2021, he robbed The Home Depot on Preston Highway and a Valero convenience store on Terry Road, while brandishing a firearm.  He is also charged with Assault 1st in Warren County, Kentucky, Circuit Court for a shooting that occurred there during the same time period.

Mayorga-Sanchez will be arraigned in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on May 19, 2022.  Mayorga-Sanchez was previously indicted on one count of carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, one count of discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.  As a result of the superseding indictment, he now faces three additional carjacking counts and three additional counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

If convicted of carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, Mayorga-Sanchez faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.  If convicted of carjacking, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.  If convicted of interference with commerce by robbery, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.  If convicted of discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, to run consecutively with all other penalties.  If convicted of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 7 years in prison for each count of conviction, to run consecutively with all other penalties.  There is no parole in the federal system. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The superseding indictment was announced by Michael A. Bennett, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. 

The charges were the result of a joint federal and local initiative to investigate and prosecute carjackings in Louisville.  The initiative includes the United States Attorney’s Office, the Jefferson County Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations.  The Bowling Green Police Department also assisted in this matter.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Marie Blaylock is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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PADUCAH, KY – In the U. S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Paducah Division, Gerald Kent Kingston, 61, of Elkton, KY and Bobby Joe Merrick, 72, of Princeton, KY pled guilty yesterday to stealing over $350,000 from a Lyon County, KY grain elevator company.

According to court documents, Kingston was formerly employed as manager at Gavilon Grain which operates a grain elevator in Eddyville, KY.   Merrick is a local farmer who contracted with Gavilon Grain to sell his corn, wheat, and soybeans at the grain elevator.   Between September 19, 2016, and May 5, 2021, Kingston and Merrick devised a scheme to defraud Gavilon Grain by creating multiple scale tickets for each truck load of crop that Merrick delivered.  Kingston electronically submitted the scale tickets to Gavilon Grain’s headquarters in Nebraska for payment.  The scheme caused Merrick to be paid twice for each truck load of crop he delivered.  

During court proceedings, Kingston and Merrick admitted that Merrick was paid $354,870.11 for phantom loads of product.   After receiving payment from Gavilon Grain, Merrick would make a cash payment to Kingston.

Kingston and Merrick both pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349, and five counts of wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.  As part of the plea agreement, they will be required to pay $354,870.11 in restitution to Gavilon Grain.  Both men are scheduled to be sentenced on August 24, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell, who will determine any sentence each receives after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee.

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Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned an indictment today charging an Owensboro, KY man with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and with illegal possession of firearms.

According to court records, on February 18, 2022, Skylar Chase Riney, 36, a multi-time convicted felon, possessed with the intent to distribute, fentanyl and three firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.

Riney is charged with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The defendant will  be scheduled for his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum term of 5 years and a maximum term of 20 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, the Owensboro Police Department, and the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) Task Force are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned an indictment today charging an Allen County, KY man with possessing with the intent to distribute more than 5 grams of methamphetamine on three separate occasions and possessing a firearm on two of those occasions as a convicted felon and in furtherance of his drug trafficking.

According to court documents, Timothy Harrison, 40, of Scottsville, KY, possessed with the intent to distribute, 5 grams or more of methamphetamine on March 25, 2021, in Allen County, on May 12, 2021, in Warren County, and on November 17, 2021, in Allen County. On March 25, 2021, Harrison, a convicted felon for possession of a controlled substance, also possessed a Ruger, model Wrangler, .22 caliber revolver, and ammunition, in furtherance of his drug trafficking. On May 12, 2021, Harrison possessed a Taurus, model PT 24/7 G2, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol, and ammunition, in furtherance of his drug trafficking.

Harrison is charged with three counts of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The defendant is scheduled for his initial court appearance on May 25, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Brent Brennenstuhl of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Harrison faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Louisville Division, made the announcement.

The DEA, the Allen County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kentucky State Police are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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LOUISVILLE, KY – On April 29, 2022, SHC Home Health Services of Florida, LLC and its related entities (collectively “Signature HomeNow”) paid $2.1 million to the United States government to settle claims of improperly billing the Medicare Program for home health services provided to beneficiaries living in Florida.  

Signature HomeNow operated home healthcare services in Florida and its corporate headquarters are located in Louisville, Kentucky.

According to a complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida against Signature HomeNow and the subsequent settlement agreement, it was alleged that between 2013 and 2017 Signature HomeNow knowingly submitted false or fraudulent claims seeking payment from the Medicare Program for home health services to Medicare beneficiaries who: (i) were not homebound; (ii) did not require certain skilled care; (iii) did not have a valid or otherwise appropriate plans of care in place; and/or (iv) did not have appropriate face-to-face encounters needed in order to be appropriately certified to receive home health services.

This matter arose from a complaint to the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) complaint hotline (https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/) and from a complaint for monetary damages under the qui tam provisions of the federal False Claims Act. See United States ex rel. Barbara Mellott-Yezman and Patricia Rench v. SHC Home Health Services-Ocala, LLC et al., Case No. 15-cv-24713 (S.D. Fla.). 

“Overbilling Medicare by submitting false claims increases the cost of medical care for all and undermines the integrity of the Medicare program,” said Michael A. Bennett, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. “This office will continue to vigorously pursue unscrupulous health care providers who attempt to defraud the Medicare program.”

“The fraudulent billing of Medicare will not be tolerated,” said Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. “We will continue to aggressively pursue cases against those who erode the fabric of our federal health care programs by submitting false claims to Medicare.”

"When health care companies try to boost their profits by fraudulently billing federal health care programs, our agency will work closely with our law enforcement partners to hold them accountable for their schemes,” said HHS-OIG Atlanta Regional Office Special Agent in Charge Miles.

HHS-OIG Atlanta Regional Office investigated the case, with assistance from HHS-OIG Miami. Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin S. Schecter, Jessica R.C. Malloy, and Matt Weyand (of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky) and James A. Weinkle and John Spaccarotella (of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida) handled the litigation.

 

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LOUISVILLE, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, KY returned an indictment yesterday charging a Louisville man, Patrick Wesley, age 37, with the illegal possession of a firearm in a school zone.

According to court documents, Wesley was indicted for possessing a handgun at Greenwood Elementary School on March 18, 2021. 

The defendant will soon be scheduled for an initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Wesley faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.

The ATF and LMPD are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Porter is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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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. 

LOUISVILLE, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment yesterday charging a local man, Joshua Snodgrass, 27, with conspiring with others to traffic in fentanyl.

According to court documents, beginning in March of 2021 and continuing through February of 2022, Snodgrass conspired with others to attempt to possess, with the intent to distribute, more than four hundred grams of fentanyl.

Snodgrass will soon be scheduled for his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U. S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, and U. S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison made the announcement.

The U. S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Louisville, KY – Century Pharmacy, Inc., doing business as Century Medicines of Elizabethtown, has agreed to pay $100,000 to resolve allegations that it failed to satisfy recordkeeping requirements of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

Century Medicines of Elizabethtown, KY, which is no longer in operation, was registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a retail pharmacy. It was authorized to dispense controlled substances pursuant to provisions of the CSA. The CSA requires that each registered pharmacy maintain complete and accurate records of each controlled substance it receives and dispenses or otherwise discards. These requirements help ensure that controlled substances are properly managed, accounted for, and available for legitimate needs, and not diverted for illegal purposes. Failure to keep proper records subjects DEA registrants to civil monetary penalties.

According to the settlement agreement, between 2016 and 2020, Century Medicines could not account for dispensing or disposing of approximately 85,000 tablets of hydrocodone and oxycodone that it purchased and received. Century Medicines self-reported to DEA a suspected discrepancy between tablets received and dispensed or disposed of, and it cooperated with the investigation. It did not concede liability, but it agreed to pay $100,000 to settle all claims related to the alleged conduct.

“This investigation and settlement agreement confirms our commitment to enforcing the CSA,” said Michael A. Bennett, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.  “In partnership with the DEA we will continue to aggressively investigate and pursue violations of the Act throughout the Western District.”  

“Improper record keeping can contribute to the diversion of pharmaceuticals and the DEA takes these matters very seriously,” said Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott, of the DEA’s Louisville Division.  “DEA registrants have an obligation to comply with the Controlled Substances Act or face severe penalties, as evidenced by this case.”

The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

This case was investigated by the DEA Louisville Division Diversion Program under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott, the Kentucky State Police, and the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of Inspector General.

Western District of Kentucky Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Thompson assisted in the oversight of the investigation and represented the United States in the settlement agreement.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

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Owensboro, KY– On April 20, 2022, a Hancock County Kentucky woman was sentenced to 20 years in prison for multiple child pornography offenses.  There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, Shasta Maria Coiles, 40, of Lewisport, Kentucky, was sentenced for committing three counts of production of child pornography, two counts of distribution of child pornography, and one count of transfer of obscene material to a minor.  Coiles committed these offenses in March of 2020 and was arrested that month by Special Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  In addition to the prison sentence, Coiles was placed on supervised release for her lifetime.

“I commend the work of the FBI agents who investigated the case and AUSA Hancock for his handling of the prosecution,” stated United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett.  “The production, distribution, and transfer of child pornography merit the 20-year sentenced imposed.  Upon release from prison, the defendant will be under the close supervision of federal probation officers for the remainder of her life.  This office, in partnership with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, will continue to work diligently to identify and prosecute those who sexually exploit children.”

"Coiles' significant sentence will not undo the harm and pain her actions have caused innocent children and their families, but we hope it will serve as a wake-up call to those who think they can hide behind the anonymity of the internet," said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI's Louisville Field Office. "Uncovering those who exploit this most vulnerable population will always be a major focus of the FBI and our law enforcement partners."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Louisville Field Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Seth Hancock, Branch Chief of the Paducah U.S. Attorney’s Office, prosecuted the case.

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

Owensboro, KY – Ryan Compton, the remaining defendant in a federal drug conspiracy, was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in federal prison for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and for distributing methamphetamine.  There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, beginning on or about November 19, 2020, and continuing to on or about December 14, 2020, Ryan Compton, 32, of Owensboro, KY, conspired with Christopher Berry, 41, of Harned, KY, to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture. Compton also distributed 83 grams of methamphetamine to another person on December 2, 2020.

Berry was previously sentenced on August 13, 2021, to 15 ½ years in federal prison for engaging in the same conspiracy with Compton. Berry was also sentenced for possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture and possessing a handgun as a convicted felon. Berry’s prior felony convictions were for two counts of trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree and possession of a controlled substance in the first degree.

“Excellent investigative work by the ATF Bowling Green Office, the Kentucky State Police, and the Henderson Police Department, stated Michael A. Bennett, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.  This office, in conjunction with our law enforcement partners, will continue to root out and aggressively prosecute those who poison our communities with illicit drugs.”

“Many families in Kentucky have endured pain and suffering due to the drug crisis plaguing our nation,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Division. “ATF is committed to making our communities safer. This investigation demonstrates that federal, state, and local law enforcement work closely to pursue drug dealers who use guns. I commend the Kentucky State Police, the Henderson Police Department, the ATF Bowling Green Office and the prosecution team for their hard work in bringing these offenders to justice.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Kentucky State Police, and the Henderson Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office prosecuted the case.

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LOUISVILLE, KY – Joseph Samir Zakhari, 34, was sentenced this week to 15 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for multiple child exploitation offenses. There is no parole in the federal system. 

Zakhari was convicted on September 24, 2021, of attempted online enticement of a minor, attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, and attempted production of child pornography following a five-day jury trial. 

The charges against Zakhari stemmed from the October 2019 joint federal, state, and local online undercover investigation – “Operation Gabbi Doolin.” During the course of the investigation, and while authorized by the Kentucky Attorney General to conduct undercover investigations on the internet, a detective posed as a 15-year-old girl on a social media app with the username “boredcrbgirl.” On October 6, 2019, a person with the username “jzakhari,” later identified as Joseph Samir Zakhari, contacted boredcrbgirl. Zakhari told boredcrbgirl that he was 32 and asked her age. Boredcrbgirl responded that she was 15. A conversation then developed that was made sexual by Zakhari, and, from October 6 until October 8. Zakhari requested details about boredcrbgirl’s sexual history, repeatedly talked about sex acts he wanted to engage in with boredcrbgirl, and asked for sexual images of boredcrbgirl.  Zakhari also sent sexually explicit images of himself to boredcrbgirl and requested to meet in person so that the two could engage in sex acts.

On October 8, 2019, Zakhari sent an Uber to pick up boredcrbgirl to bring her to his condominium, with the stated purpose of the trip being for the two to engage in sex acts. Undercover law enforcement officers followed a decoy law enforcement officer in the Uber to the destination specified by Zakhari. Upon arrival, the decoy sent a message at 5:16 p.m., “I’m outside,” to which Zakhari responded “coming down.” The decoy got out of the Uber and stood in front of the provided address. Shortly thereafter, Joseph Samir Zakhari, opened the door and invited her in. Law enforcement officials subsequently arrested Zakhari.

“Online communication apps provide countless opportunities for predators to engage in child exploitation, and stopping these attempts creates a safe online environment for our youngest Kentuckians,” said Attorney General Cameron. “Our Cyber Crimes Unit was glad to partner with U.S. Attorney Bennett’s team, the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Kentucky State Police, and LMPD on this operation, which honors the memory of Gabbi Doolin.”

“Outstanding teamwork by AUSA Lawless, AG Cameron’s office, the USSS, the USMS, KSP, and LMPD,” said U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky.  “Working together with our law enforcement partners we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who sexually exploit and abuse our children.  The citizens of the Western District deserve nothing less.”   

Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Jo E. Lawless prosecuted the case.

The joint investigation was conducted by the United States Secret Service (USSS) and Kentucky Attorney General’s Office with assistance from the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD), United States Marshals Service (USMS), and Kentucky State Police (KSP).

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

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Paducah, KY –A federal grand jury returned indictments earlier this week against seven people for their roles in methamphetamine distribution and firearms offenses.  According to the indictments filed this week:

• Edward M. Ibold, 37, and Nickole J. Console, 27, both of Grand Rivers, Kentucky, were charged with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.  The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office.

• Donald K. Duncan, 51, of Salem, Kentucky, was charged with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.  The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kentucky State Police, and the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office. 

• Billy J. Burns, 30, of Paducah, Kentucky, was charged with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.  The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, and the Graves County Sheriff’s Office. 

• Joseph R. Smith, 31, of Las Vegas, Nevada and Detroit, Michigan, was charged with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. The case is investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office. 

• Richard Middleton, 41, and Bobby Copeland, 52, both of Tiline, Kentucky, were charged with conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and with distributing methamphetamine. Middleton was also charged with two additional counts of distributing methamphetamine and with two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.  The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Western Kentucky Violent Crimes Task Force, the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kentucky State Police.

If convicted at trial, the defendants each face not less than 10 years and not more than life in prison for possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine.  Middleton faces a 10-year term of imprisonment for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.  There is no parole in the federal system. 

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky made the announcement.

All cases, except U.S. v Joseph R. Smith, are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus. The Smith case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth Hancock.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

Owensboro, Kentucky – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky returned a superseding indictment on April 5, 2022, charging 13 Kentucky residents with running large scale drug trafficking operations in the Owensboro area of Kentucky.

According to court documents unsealed in federal court this week, the following defendants are charged with engaging in two conspiracies to distribute methamphetamine in Daviess County, Kentucky and elsewhere:

• Prince Northington (37, of Owensboro)
• Barri B. Brown (35, of Hopkinsville)
• Andrew Derington (33, of Owensboro)
• Trenton Brown (27, of Owensboro)
• Ryan Bean (36, of Owensboro)
• Christopher Vasquez (39, of Owensboro)
• Brittany Swihart (34, of Owensboro)
• Christopher Williams (40, of Owensboro)
• Avery Green (25, of Owensboro)
• Cedric Swanagan (35, of Owensboro)
• Nicole Toliver (27, of Owensboro)
• Courtland Reed (30, of Louisville)
• Birdie Lawless (28, of Owensboro)

Each of the defendants is charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Barri B. Brown is also charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.  Green and Toliver are also each charged with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. The indictment was unsealed today during initial proceedings before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Brent Brennenstuhl of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.  If convicted, the defendants face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and maximum penalty of life in prison.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky made the announcement.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Owensboro-Daviess County Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) Task Force, the Department of Homeland Security, the Owensboro Police Department, the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office, the Kentucky State Police, the McLean County Sheriff’s Office, and the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl is prosecuting the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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PADUCAH, KY – Daniel Allen, 44, of Brookport, IL, was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in federal prison followed by two years of post-release supervision for violating the Lacey Act.

In pleading guilty, Allen admitted that between November 6, 2018, and April 20, 2019, he illegally caught shovelnose sturgeon along the Kentucky/Illinois boarder and sold the fish roe to a caviar distributor in Tennessee. Allen caught sturgeon out of season and using illegally sized mesh nets along the Ohio River. He also caught sturgeon near the Smithland Lock and Dam in an area closed to commercial fishing.

Among other things, the Lacey Act makes it unlawful for any person to transport and sell fish that were taken in violation of any law or regulation of any state. Kentucky and Illinois both regulate fishing for sturgeon and its eggs, which are marketed as caviar. A violation of the Lacey Act constitutes a felony if the fish had a market value in excess of $350.

At sentencing, Allen agreed to pay $10,000 in restitution for the illegally taken sturgeon and eggs. 

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky made the announcement.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated the case with the assistance of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee prosecuted the case.

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WASHINGTON – A federal court in Louisville, Kentucky, unsealed an indictment today charging a Louisville man for interfering with a federally protected right, and using and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence by shooting at and attempting to kill a candidate for elective office.

According to court documents, Quintez O. Brown, 21, of Louisville, discharged a firearm in an attempt to interfere with victim C.G.’s mayoral campaign in Louisville and to intimidate C.G. from campaigning as a candidate for mayor in the Louisville primary election.

The defendant made an initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colin H. Lindsay of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The initial appearance will continue tomorrow. If convicted of all charges, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office made the announcement.

The investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Louisville Field Office and the Louisville Metro Police Department as part of FBI Louisville’s Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force.

Trial Attorney Jolee Porter of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

WASHINGTON – A federal court in Louisville, Kentucky, unsealed an indictment today charging a Louisville man for interfering with a federally protected right, and using and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence by shooting at and attempting to kill a candidate for elective office.

According to court documents, Quintez O. Brown, 21, of Louisville, discharged a firearm in an attempt to interfere with victim C.G.’s mayoral campaign in Louisville and to intimidate C.G. from campaigning as a candidate for mayor in the Louisville primary election.

The defendant made an initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colin H. Lindsay of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The initial appearance will continue tomorrow. If convicted of all charges, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office made the announcement.

The investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Louisville Field Office and the Louisville Metro Police Department as part of FBI Louisville’s Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force.

Trial Attorney Jolee Porter of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

LOUISVILLE, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned indictments in two separate cases on April 5, 2022, charging two Louisville men with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

According to court documents, Rajae Tinker, 19, of Louisville was indicted for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on September 11, 2021, and on January 20, 2022.

Isaiah Stoner, 23, of Louisville was indicted for possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute on March 21, 2022.

Tinker will be scheduled for an initial court appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Stoner is currently scheduled for an initial court appearance on April 14, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Regina S. Edwards of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted of the firearm and ammunition offenses, both face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.  If Stoner is convicted of the additional fentanyl related charge, he faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.

The ATF and the Louisville Metro Police Department are investigating the cases.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Porter is prosecuting the Tinker case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Gomez is prosecuting the Stoner case.

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. 

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

 

 

LOUISVILLE, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky returned a superseding indictment charging three people with carjacking and other firearms related charges.

According to court documents, Jesse Johnson, 28, Megan Mandlehr, 31, and Laken Dye, 29 of Louisville were indicted for a carjacking that occurred on August 18, 2021, in Jefferson County.  Additionally, Johnson was charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

The defendants will be scheduled for their initial court appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colin H. Lindsay of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted of carjacking, they face a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.  If Johnson is convicted of the additional firearms charges, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.

The ATF and the Louisville Metro Police Department are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Porter is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

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. 

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky returned an indictment on March 16, 2022, charging a Louisville man with illegal possession of a firearm in a school zone.

According to court documents, Jaylin Ready 18, of Louisville was indicted for possessing a handgun at Shawnee High School on January 31, 2022. 

The defendant made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colin H. Lindsay of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, he will face a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.

The ATF and the Louisville Metro Police Department are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Porter is prosecuting the case.

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. 

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

 

LOUISVILLE, KY – A Louisville woman was sentenced on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, to 262 months in prison followed by a life term of supervised release for production and possession of child pornography.  There is no parole in the federal system. 

According to court documents, Monica Bradley, 62, produced and possessed child pornography images of five minor victims over the course of multiple years.  Monica Bradley further transported one of the minor victims, beginning when she was only 11 years old, to the residence of her husband, Curtis Bradley, for the purpose of him engaging in sexual contact with the victim.  In return, Curtis Bradley provided Monica Bradley with drugs and cash.  Curtis Bradley was previously sentenced on March 4, 2022, to 50 years in prison followed by a life term of supervised release, for his commission of multiple offenses, including the production and possession of child pornography.

“We will continue to combat the sexual exploitation of children through aggressive federal prosecution,” stated United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett.  “The lengthy sentence imposed, as well as the 50-year sentence previously ordered in the Curtis Bradley case, resulted from our strong working relationship with the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and the excellent investigative work of HSI Nashville and LMPD.”   

"The lengthy sentence is a gratifying outcome for our special agents and a testament to the severity and horrific nature of the crimes," said Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet, Jr., Homeland Security Investigations Nashville. "We can only hope that this sentence serves as a part of the lengthy healing process for the victims, and we thank our law enforcement partners for a successful outcome."

The United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Zimdahl and Christopher Tieke prosecuted the case.

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

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LOUISVILLE, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned two separate indictments on March 16, 2022, charging two Louisville men with carjackings and business robberies, including one carjacking resulting in a serious bodily injury. 

According to court documents, on October 26, 2021, Eder Mayorga-Sanchez, 19, carjacked a vehicle in Louisville, and during the carjacking, shot and caused serious bodily injury to a minor, C.A.  Thereafter, on November 8, 2021, he robbed The Home Depot on Preston Highway and a Valero convenience store on Terry Road, in Louisville, Kentucky, while brandishing a firearm.

Aries Taylor, 18, in a separate indictment, is also charged with carjacking a vehicle in Louisville on September 19, 2021. 

Mayorga-Sanchez is currently detained on state charges and will be arraigned once he is transferred to federal custody.  Mayorga-Sanchez was indicted on one count of carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, one count of discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. 

If convicted of carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, Mayorga-Sanchez faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.  If convicted of interference with commerce by robbery, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.  If convicted of discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison to run consecutively with all other penalties.  If convicted of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 7 years in prison for each count of conviction, to run consecutively with all other penalties.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Taylor was indicted on one count of carjacking. He made his initial appearance in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on March 23, 2022.

If convicted of carjacking, Taylor faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The charges were announced by Michael A. Bennett, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. 

The charges were the result of a joint federal and local initiative to investigate and prosecute carjackings in Louisville.  The initiative includes the United States Attorney’s Office, the Jefferson County Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Marie Blaylock is prosecuting the Mayorga-Sanchez case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Gomez is prosecuting the Taylor case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

LOUISVILLE, KY – A Shelbyville, Kentucky woman pleaded guilty last week to embezzling funds from her employer and including false information on her tax returns. 

According to court documents, Kimberly F. Jones, 52, was employed as an office manager at Guardian Retention Systems, LLC in Bullitt County, Kentucky.  As office manager, she handled accounts payable and receivable, petty cash, payroll, and taxes.  She also had electronic access to the bank accounts to pay bills.  During her time as officer manger, Jones took several actions to embezzle from her employer.  She used company credit cards in her name and the names of other employees to make unauthorized personal purchases.  She directed unauthorized transfers from the company bank account and diverted customer revenue received by the company’s electronic payment account.  Jones also set up a business called KAB Enterprises, LLC to issue false invoices to Guardian Retention Systems.  Jones would use the company credit cards and bank account to pay the fraudulent invoices from KAB Enterprises, LLC.

Jones also failed to report her embezzled funds as income on her tax returns for tax years 2016 through 2018.   As part of the plea agreement, Jones acknowledged that she owes $63,580 to the Internal Revenue Service.

Jones pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, and three counts of filing a false tax return, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(1).  She is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 35 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, Cincinnati Field Office, made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory is prosecuting the case.

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OWENSBORO, Kentucky – An Ohio County, Kentucky man was sentenced yesterday to 235 months in prison followed by a 10-year term of supervised release for distribution and possession of child pornography. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, Freddie Fulton, 41, of Beaver Dam, Kentucky used a messaging application to upload an image of child pornography.  After identifying Fulton as the likely sender, law enforcement searched Fulton’s phone, finding 286 images and 25 videos of child pornography. Fulton’s laptop contained additional images of child pornography, and the investigation found that Fulton had created certain images by misrepresenting his identity and then engaging in sexual acts with a victim.

Officers sent materials found on Fulton’s electronic devices to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) for victim identification, resulting in the identification of numerous image and video files involving known child sexual abuse material.  Altogether, Fulton’s collection included victims from 21 identified child pornography series that are circulated on the internet from around the world, including Germany, Lithuania, Moldova, the Netherlands, Russia, Slovenia, Ukraine, and the United States.

“Outstanding investigative work by HSI Nashville and the Kentucky State Police,” stated United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett.  “We will continue to aggressively prosecute individuals who sexually exploit and abuse our children.  The victims of such offensive criminal conduct deserve nothing less.”   

“Our agents are committed to protecting vulnerable children from exploitation by predators involved with the production, distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material,” said HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet, Jr. “We will continue to use every investigative tool available, working in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, to ensure these perpetrators are apprehended and punished for their appalling crimes.”

United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case with assistance from the Kentucky State Police.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Madison Sewell prosecuted the case.

###

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

WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment today charging an Indiana woman with violating an individual’s rights while acting as an officer of the Louisville Metro Police Department.

According to court documents, Katie R. Crews, 29, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, has been charged with using a pepperball gun to fire a pepperball at an individual, while the individual was standing on private property and not posing a threat to the defendant or others. The incident took place on June 1, 2020.

Crews is charged with using unreasonable force. If convicted, she faces a maximum of ten years in prison. A federal district court judge would determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI and the Louisville Metro Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit jointly investigated the case through the Louisville Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory and Civil Rights Trial Attorney Anita Channapati are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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LOUISVILLE, KY – Last week, a federal jury convicted Robert J. Bondonno of Henderson, NV, a suburb of Las Vegas, for defrauding victims of investments money that was to be used for drug rehabilitation centers. 

On March 9, 2020, a jury returned a verdict of guilty after a seven-day trial.  Bondonno was convicted of five counts of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to launder money, and 27 counts of promoting money laundering.  The jury found Bondonno not guilty on four counts of money laundering concealment.

According to records admitted into evidence and other court documents, Robert J. Bondonno, age 66, created and distributed investment materials to potential investors containing materially false statements and omissions regarding investment opportunities in the Wichita Project LLC and BHD International, Inc., also referred to as the Phoenix Project.  He and co-defendants contacted would-be investors and made false representations about returns on investment and how the investment funds would be used.  The materials purported to fund the rehabilitation for drug and alcohol in Wichita, Kansas and Phoenix, Arizona.  Between 2017 to 2019, Bondonno, John Ainsworth, Gregory Dawkins, and Courtland Van Oden, contacted investors to solicit investment funds, and they split the proceeds between themselves and Bondonno, with no money going toward the stated purpose of the investment.  Oden, Dawkins, and Ainsworth all previously pleaded guilty to felony offenses associated with the fraud. 

Court records showed that Bondonno controlled the incoming investment funds through bank accounts he created and controlled. Bondonno and co-conspirators used false names, fraudulent and misleading investment materials, and made false oral representations to investors in Kentucky, Maryland, and California.  Bondonno brought in more than $519,000 in connection with the investment and spent seventy percent of the funds on himself, with the remaining funds being used to pay co-conspirators through nominee entities and false names.  Bondonno used information associated with actual rehab centers operating in Kansas and Arizona to defraud investors.  No money was ever provided to those facilities or paid back to investors.

One of the investor victims was over 95 years old and resided in Kentucky.  Bondonno and co-conspirators convinced the investor and another investor to transfer their individual retirement accounts to his control to invest in the Wichita Project LLC.  Court records show that Bondonno and co-defendants split proceeds and used the remaining funds for personal use with, no money going to an investment.

Bondonno is scheduled to be sentenced on June 1, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. EDT before United States District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings.  Each count of conviction carries up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.  In total, Bondonno faces up to 680 years in prison, a fine of $8,500,000, and up to three years supervised release. Judge Jennings will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky made the announcement.

The Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Louisville Metro Police Department—Crimes Against Seniors Unit investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Judd and Nicole Elver prosecuted the case and were assisted by Criminal Division Paralegal Adela Alec.

This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the National Elder Justice Task Force and the Kentucky Elder Justice Task Force. The Department of Justice’s mission of its Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults.  In response the growing need and targeting areas of greatest concern, the Department of Justice stood up 10 task forces made up of 11 federal districts to combat a variety of elder abuse, including elder financial exploitation.  Kentucky’s federal districts make up two of the 11 districts under the Initiative.  Kentucky’s task force is comprised of investigators, prosecutors, and others at the local, state, and federal level with a common objective.   According to the National Council for Aging, older adults lose as much as $36.5 billion each year to financial abuse and scams.  Many of these scams go unreported due to embarrassment or fear of retaliation. 

 

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Paducah, Kentucky – A Paducah man was sentenced today to 77 months in prison for possessing a rifle after having been previously convicted of a felony.

According to court documents, Denzel Powell, 29, of Paducah, Kentucky possessed a Ruger, Model AR-556 rifle in March of 2021.  When Powell was arrested on this charge in June of 2021 in Mayfield, Kentucky, he was in possession of three additional firearms, to include an AR-15 style short-barreled rifle described as a “ghost gun” with no markings, and a Glock pistol stolen from Paducah.  Powell was convicted in 2017 for Second-Degree Manslaughter, in relation to a 2016 shooting at the “Brick House” in Paducah.  

“This case serves as an example of the collaboration which takes place on an ongoing basis between Louisville Division ATF agents and local law enforcement agencies throughout the Western District,” stated Michael A. Bennett U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.  “We will continue to aggressively prosecute violations of federal firearms laws in order to make our communities safer for all citizens.”

“Reducing violent crime and protecting our communities is our priority,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Division. “ATF will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to make sure those individuals who commit firearms crimes are arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Paducah Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Mayfield Police Department and the Graves County Sheriff’s Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock prosecuted the case.

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.

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Bowling Green, Kentucky – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky returned an indictment today charging the former Columbia, Kentucky Chief of Police with stealing over $25,000 from the city of Columbia, Kentucky.   

According to court documents, between February 2020 and February 2021, Jason D. Cross, 44, of Columbia, stole over $25,000 from the police department evidence locker and the city’s drug purchase fund. 

Cross is charged with one count of violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 666(a)(1)(A), which makes it a federal offense for a city employee to steal more than $5,000 from a city that received over $10,000 in federal assistance in a calendar year.  The defendant made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Brent Brennenstuhl of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.  If convicted, he faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky made the announcement. 

The Kentucky State Police are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Weiser is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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LOUISVILLE, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced last week to 50 years in prison followed by a life term of supervised release for production and possession of child pornography.  There is no parole in the federal system. 

According to court documents, Curtis Bradley, 63, sexually assaulted a minor female victim on more than 100 occasions over the course of several years beginning when the victim was only 11 years old.  Bradley recorded the abuse with cameras positioned in his bedroom and via his cell phone.  Bradley’s wife would transport the minor victim to his residence for the purpose of his engaging in sexual contact with the victim in return for Bradley providing his wife with cash and drugs. 

“We will continue to aggressively prosecute predators who sexually exploit the most vulnerable individuals in our communities – the children,” stated United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett.  I commend the outstanding work of AUSAs Zimdahl and Tieke, HSI Nashville, LMPD, and our partnership with the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.  As a result of a combined effort, the defendant faces a very significant prison sentence without the chance of parole.”       

“Because of the outstanding efforts of our HSI agents, working with their law enforcement partners, an individual guilty of exploiting vulnerable children will serve a lengthy federal prison sentence for his unspeakable actions,” said HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet, Jr. “HSI will continue to prioritize these types of investigations to protect children and remove these offenders from our communities where they can no longer victimize others.”

 

The United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Zimdahl and Christopher Tieke prosecuted the case.

###

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

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Last week, in United States District Court in Louisville, Kentucky, Steve DeMoss and Ron Ivy, two former mine managers, were sentenced for repeatedly violating the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA) regulations requiring accurate respirable coal-dust-sampling in underground coal mines. Respirable coal dust causes coal workers’ pneumoconiosis or black lung disease. Black lung is a progressive and irreversible disease leading to lung failure and death. Yet it is preventable by reducing the levels of respirable coal dust to which miners are exposed.

Starting in 2013 and continuing through 2015, DeMoss and Ivy were Safety Directors at Parkway and Kronos mines operated by the Armstrong Coal Company. As Safety Directors, they oversaw the required regular dust-sampling that would ensure that the mines’ ventilation and engineering controls were adequate to keep respirable coal dust at safe levels. Mine operators can lower respirable dust by adjusting air flow in the mine and by using water sprays and other engineering controls. Mine operators must also comply with MSHA’s dust regulations, which require regular testing of the air where miners are actually working to ensure respirable coal dust is at safe levels. Both DeMoss and Ivy, rather than conducting the dust-sampling as required for full shifts, repeatedly took the dust-sampling monitors off miners wearing them. DeMoss and Ivy would then move the monitors out of the dusty working areas and into areas with clean air in an attempt to ensure the monitors would not register elevated dust levels.

DeMoss, 52, of Hopkins County, was sentenced to six months of probation for removing dust-sampling devices from miners before the end of the designated sampling period.

Ivy, 53, of Hopkins County, was sentenced to six months of probation for removing dust-sampling devices from miners before the end of the designated sampling period.

“We will continue to aggressively prosecute those whose actions violate safety regulations put in place to protect the health of our coal miners,” stated United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett.  “I commend the work of the prosecutors assigned to this case and the investigators from the MSHA’s Madisonville District Office who worked tirelessly to investigate the violations.” 

“The Department of Labor is committed to protecting the health and safety of Kentucky’s miners,” said Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda. “Working with our partners at the MSHA and the Department of Justice, we will continue to investigate and prosecute those who put coal miners at risk by ignoring critical health and safety requirements.”

The investigation of the case was conducted by MSHA’s Madisonville District Office.

Western District of Kentucky Assistant United States Attorney Corinne Keel and Special Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Grover and Dana Ferguson from the Department of Labor prosecuted the case for the United States.

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Louisville, Kentucky – Two Louisville men were sentenced on Friday, February 18, 2022, for conspiring to distribute over three-quarters of a kilogram of heroin in Jefferson County, Kentucky.  Marcus Bennett, 44, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for conspiring to distribute over 700 grams of heroin.  Eric Bennett, 43, was sentenced to 11 ½ years in prison for his role in the heroin trafficking conspiracy, as well as an additional 5 years to be served consecutively, for a total sentence of 200 months, for carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

The Bennett brothers had been charged in connection with the drive-by shooting of a U.S. Postal carrier that took place on February 10, 2016.  The mail carrier survived the shooting, and the case went to trial in late June 2021.  The Defendants were acquitted of charges related to the shooting but convicted of possessing and selling a significant quantity of heroin during the same time period.

“I commend the work of the prosecution team and the Postal Inspectors who investigated this case,” stated United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky.  “Those who conspire to distribute illegal drugs in our communities should note that such activity will end with a lengthy stay in a federal prison – where parole is not an option.” 

“The United States Postal Inspection Service diligently conducts investigations such as these to protect the mail system from being used for criminal purposes, such as drug transportation,” stated Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division. “These efforts continue to keep our communities safe from illegal drugs.” 

The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa J. Ford prosecuted the case.

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Henderson, Kentucky – On February 9, 2022, a federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky returned two indictments charging two men and one woman with distributing fentanyl and other substances that resulted in the death and serious bodily injury of others in the Henderson area. 

According to court documents, Destinee Vargason, 25, and Seth Stout, 21, both of Morganfield, Kentucky, are alleged to have conspired to distribute fentanyl and alprazolam between July 31, 2021 and October, 2021.  The Indictment also alleges that the distribution of these substances resulted in the death of the victim, “T.F.”

Additionally, in a separate indictment, Coriyahvon Lamont Outlaw, 30, of Evansville, Indiana, is alleged to have distributed fentanyl to another on or about December 6, 2021, and the distribution of the fentanyl resulted in the serious bodily injury of the victim, “J.F.”

Vargason and Stout are charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance resulting in Death.  Outlaw is charged with Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.   If convicted as charged, the defendants each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Gannon made the announcement.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, and Henderson County Detention Center are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, KY returned an indictment yesterday charging three men in a drug conspiracy.

According to court documents, Antonio Billups, 33, of Palmetto, GA, Leon Allen, 33, of Bowling Green, KY, and Timothy Barnett, 45, of Bowling Green, KY, are charged with conspiring together from at least as early as November 22, 2021, and continuing to on or about November 23, 2021, to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and with aiding and abetting each other to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.

Billups, Allen and Barnett are all charged in the indictment with one count of Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and one count of aiding and abetting each other in the Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Billups and Allen also are charged in an additional count of the indictment for aiding and abetting each other in the Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The defendants are scheduled for their arraignment on February 23, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Brent Brennenstuhl of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, all three defendants face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and J. Todd Scott Special Agent in Charge of the Louisville Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made the announcement.

The DEA and the Bowling Green/Warren County Drug Task Force are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, KY returned an indictment on yesterday charging a Bowling Green, KY man with possessing multiple firearms, including a sawed-off shotgun, and with possessing with the intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.

According to court documents, on or about January 24, 2022, Jimmy Norris, 45, of Bowling Green, KY possessed with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.  On or about January 24, 2022, Norris, a convicted felon, possessed a Sig Sauer P320 semiautomatic pistol, a Colt Government MKIV/Series 70 semiautomatic pistol, a Ruger LCR revolver, a Superior Arms Inc. S15 semiautomatic rifle with bump stock, a Savage 110 rifle, a weapon made from a New England Firearms Pardner SB1 .20-gauge shotgun, with a barrel length of less than eighteen (18) inches, and ammunition. Norris was previously convicted of the following felonies: First-Degree Promoting Contraband, First-Degree Trafficking in a Controlled Substance, First-Degree Wanton Endangerment, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  On or about January 24, 2022, Norris also possessed a Sig Sauer P320 semiautomatic pistol, in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime of possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance.  Finally, on or about January 24, 2022, Norris possessed a weapon made from a New England Firearms Pardner SB1, .20-gauge shotgun, having a barrel length of less than eighteen (18) inches, that was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

Norris is charged with possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of an unregistered firearm.  The defendant is scheduled for his arraignment on February 23, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Brent Brennenstuhl of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years, and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and ATF Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow made the announcement.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Bowling Green/Warren County Drug Task Force are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II is prosecuting the case.

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.

 An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – An Oldham County woman was sentenced Wednesday in United States District Court by United States District Judge Benjamin J. Beaton to 15 months in prison, followed by an additional 15 months home incarceration, and three years’ supervised release, for charges of conspiracy to launder drug trafficking proceeds and for structuring bank transactions to evade federal cash transaction reporting requirements.

Cara Leann Naber, 57, was indicted by a Louisville Grand Jury in April 2019 with her codefendant and son, John Frank Naber III, 22.  Cara Naber pleaded guilty on October 4, 2021, and was sentenced Wednesday, February 2, 2022, in Louisville. Her son, John Frank Naber, III, pleaded guilty to drug, firearms, and money laundering charges in 2020 and was sentenced to eleven years in prison in January 2021. 

As part of a multi-agency narcotics and money laundering investigation targeting Cara Naber’s son, federal authorities executed multiple search warrants in February 2019.  Investigators found and seized narcotics and pill pressing equipment which John Frank Naber, III used to manufacture homemade counterfeit Adderall on his family’s property in Oldham County.  Naber made his counterfeit pills using methamphetamine and then sold them in bulk to his customers as a vendor on the Dark Web.  Authorities also seized drug proceeds, including over $325,000.00 in cash and Bitcoin valued at over $200,000.00. 

Cara Naber was charged for her role in laundering proceeds for her son’s drug trafficking operation, including by moving the proceeds through traditional bank accounts and cryptocurrency accounts in her name and by holding cash drug proceeds for her son in her safe deposit boxes. As part of a plea agreement, Cara Naber will pay an additional $420,000.00 towards an asset forfeiture money judgment and a $100,000.00 fine.

“This case highlights the exceptional work of the IRS Criminal Investigation agents assigned to the case as well as the agencies who supported the investigation - HSI, CBP, USPIS, and KSP,” said Michael A. Bennett, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.  “It also serves notice to those in the drug trade that we will leave no stone unturned in identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting those who seek to profit by peddling poison in our communities.”   

“This case should be a warning to those using the Dark Web and cryptocurrency to commit drug crimes and launder the proceeds,” said Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office.  “IRS CI is dedicated to working with our law enforcement partners to vigorously investigate drug traffickers using our financial expertise.”

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Corinne E. Keel and Robert Bonar.  The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation led the financial investigation into Cara Naber and worked in collaboration with several other agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI),  Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and the Kentucky State Police (KSP).

* * *

Bowling Green, Kentucky – United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett announced today that Mandy Ellen Bauer, age 41, pleaded guilty to an Information charging her with 9 counts of fraud related to various CARES Act financial assistance programs.   

According to court documents, between April and July 2020, Bauer, of Greensburg, Kentucky filed 9 fraudulent applications for various CARES Act financial assistance programs, including Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), and advance payment of tax credits, resulting in an attempted theft of over $230,000.  Bauer exaggerated the gross revenues, number of employees, and payroll of her company, Family Personal Sales, in the fraudulent applications.

PPP loans were designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll.  Under this program, the Small Business Administration (SBA) would forgive all or part of loans if all employees were kept on the payroll for eight weeks and borrowers submitted documentation confirming that the loan proceeds were used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities.

EIDLs provided loan assistance (including $10,000 advances) for small businesses and other eligible entities for loans up to $2 million. The EIDL proceeds could be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.

Finally, as part of the CARES Act, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) created the Form 7200, Advance of Employer Credits Due To COVID-19, to allow employer businesses to request an advance payment of the tax credits prior to the filing of their Form 941. 

Bauer waived an Indictment and pleaded guilty to a nine count Information charging her with wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.  Bauer made her initial court appearance and pleaded guilty on February 2, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.  A sentencing hearing is currently scheduled for May 11, 2022.  Bauer faces a maximum of 180 years in prison.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) is investigating the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David Weiser is prosecuting the case.

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On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

 

WASHINGTON – A former Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) officer was sentenced today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky for using excessive force on an arrestee.  U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings sentenced Cory P. Evans, 34, to two years’ imprisonment and two years’ supervised release.

Evans previously pleaded guilty to violating the Constitution by using objectively unreasonable force against an arrestee. When he entered his guilty plea, Evans admitted that on May 31, 2020, while he was working as a part of the LMPD Special Response Team, he followed a group of individuals around downtown Louisville to execute arrests for unlawful assembly and violations of curfew. At an intersection, a person in the group surrendered for arrest by getting on his knees and placing his hands in the air. While that person was kneeling in this position, Evans struck him in the back of the head with a riot stick, which created a wound on the back of the kneeling victim’s head. The victim fell forward and was taken into custody by other LMPD officers.

“Former officer Evans abused his authority by violently retaliating against a surrendering arrestee who had been exercising his First Amendment rights during a demonstration in Louisville, during the racial justice demonstrations in the Spring of 2020,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to hold accountable officers who violate their oath and the Constitution.”

“The FBI and LMPD’s Public Integrity Unit did outstanding work in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky.  “The effort of the assigned agents and detectives resulted in a successful prosecution and is a positive step toward strengthening trust and confidence between our citizens and the officers who protect them.”   

“In order for the public to have full trust and confidence in the law enforcement officers who have sworn to protect them, those officers who choose to abuse their authority must be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office. “Today’s sentencing reflects the FBI’s and the Department of Justice’s unwavering commitment to identify, investigate, and prosecute law enforcement officials who break the law by violating a person’s Constitutional rights.”

The FBI and LMPD’s Public Integrity Unit jointly investigated the case through the Louisville Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Gregory and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Tim Visser prosecuted the case.

# # #

PADUCAH, Ky – A Paducah man was sentenced on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, to 12 months in prison and an ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $7,500 for fraud related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

According to court documents, Javon A. Wiley, 20, filed fraudulent applications with the Small Business Administration (SBA) in order to receive Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds, a CARES Act financial assistance program which provided loan assistance (including $10,000 advances) for small businesses and other eligible entities for loans up to $2 million. The EIDL proceeds could be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred. 

Wiley received a $4,000 grant and $3,500 loan through the EIDL program from the SBA by applying for COVID-19 disaster relief funds for a car detailing business that he claimed to own. Law enforcement discovered, however, that this business did not actually exist, and that Wiley had provided false information to the SBA in order to obtain the funds.  Wiley also attempted to obtain an additional $10,000 in COVID-19 relief funds by submitting an application to the SBA for a barber shop that also did not exist.   In that application, Wiley claimed the fictitious barber shop employed ten workers in Paducah and requested a $1,000 grant for each employee. 

“With the assistance of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to identify, apprehend, and prosecute fraudsters who steal federal relief funds,” stated Michael A. Bennett, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.  “Applicants in need and hardworking taxpayers who fund financial assistance programs deserve nothing less.”

“This case should serve as a strong deterrent for criminal actors who are considering taking part in related fraud schemes.  The U.S. Secret Service, along with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate and arrest criminals who attempt to defraud our citizens and businesses.” said Robert Holman, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service - Louisville Field Office.

The United States Secret Service investigated the case with the assistance of the Paducah Police Department and the SBA Office of Inspector General.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee prosecuted the case.

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Paducah, KY – A Greenville man, previously required to register as a sex offender in the state of Kentucky, was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, Dustin R. Stone, 29, of Greenville, Kentucky traveled to Paducah, Kentucky on December 3, 2018, to meet with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old minor for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.  In November of 2018, after receiving a complaint that Stone was sending sexually explicit text messages to minors, detectives with the Paducah Police Department launched an undercover investigation.  From November 21, 2018, through December 3, 2018, Stone sent numerous sexually explicit messages to an undercover detective who was posing as a 13-year-old girl.  Stone expressed his desire to meet the minor for sexual activity.  Stone was arrested on December 3, 2018, when he traveled to Paducah to meet with the supposed minor.  During their investigation, detectives learned that Stone was required to register as a sex offender in the state of Kentucky as the result of a 2014 conviction in Muhlenberg Circuit Court for attempted use of electronic means to induce a minor in a sex offense.

“Prosecuting those who seek to exploit children in the Western District is a top priority of this office,” stated United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett.  “I commend the detectives of the Paducah Police Department and the prosecutors who work daily to ensure our children are safe and our neighborhoods secure.”

“I am proud of the work our detectives did to remove a child predator from our community,” said Chief of Police Brian Laird.  “We look forward to continuing to work with the U.S. Attorney’s office to obtain federal convictions for those who would prey on our children.”

The General Investigations Unit of the Paducah Police Department investigated the case.  Assistant United States Attorneys Leigh Ann Dycus and Raymond McGee, of the United States Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.

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

LOUISVILLE, Ky – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment last week charging a former city official with embezzling over three-quarters of a million dollars from the City of Bardstown during her years working with the city.

According to court documents, Tracy L. Hudson, 41, of Bloomfield, Kentucky, embezzled more than $762,000 from the City of Bardstown, Kentucky, while employed first as the City’s Occupational Tax Administrator and then as its Chief Financial Officer.  Between 2013 and September 2019, Hudson stole funds from the City of Bardstown by various means, including by taking cash from the City of Bardstown funds for her own personal use, paying herself for false expense reimbursements, diverting additional payments into her 401k pension plan in excess of the amount withheld from her wages, purchasing personal items on a City of Bardstown credit card without authorization, and crediting payments to her personal accounts with the City of Bardstown despite no actual payment having been made. 

Hudson is charged with one count of wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.  Hudson made her initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colin H. Lindsay of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI and the Kentucky State Police are investigating the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Zimdahl is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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LOUISVILLE, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment this week charging a Louisville man with assaulting, resisting or impeding agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Response Team (SRT) during the execution of a Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) search warrant.

According to court documents, Donald A. Simonton, 68, of Louisville, fired multiple rounds at federal agents from the ATF SRT as they made entry into his residence during the execution of a search warrant. No one was injured during the exchange of gun fire. Federal agents were assisting LMPD with the execution of a search warrant.

Simonton is charged with Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Federal Officers and with Use of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. He is scheduled for an initial court appearance on February 25, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. before United States Magistrate Judge Regina S. Edwards of the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Simonton faces a minimum of 10 years in prison.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and ATF Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Field Division made the announcement.

ATF and LMPD are investigating the case.  Assistant United States Attorney Alicia P. Gomez is prosecuting the case.

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.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

Louisville – A Louisville man was sentenced on December 13, 2021, to over 12 years in prison for possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a gun.

According to court documents, on March 22, 2019, James Terry Wood, 37, possessed over 18 grams of fentanyl and a Browning .40 caliber handgun.  Wood had previous felony convictions for reckless homicide, facilitating burglary and kidnapping, possessing controlled substances, being a felon in possession of a firearm, evading police, and tampering with evidence.

Wood had an outstanding federal arrest warrant, and on March 22, 2019, the United States Marshals Service located Wood in a truck in a Walmart parking lot on Raggard Road in Louisville.  The Marshals, with assistance from the Louisville Metro Police Department, surrounded Wood’s truck.  Wood then brandished a handgun, leading to a standoff that lasted several hours before Wood eventually got out of the truck and surrendered.  Wood was convicted at trial on May 20, 2021.    

“As demonstrated by this case, our federal law enforcement agencies have strong working relationships with LMPD,” stated Michael A. Bennett, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. “I commend the U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, LMPD, and the assigned prosecutors for their outstanding work in making Louisville safer for all who live and work here.”

“Persons with histories of violent crime and drug offenses, like this defendant, pose an increased threat to the safety of our communities and are the focus of our firearms enforcement efforts,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Field Division. “Today’s sentencing is another example of the ongoing efforts of ATF, Louisville Metro Police Department and U.S. Marshals Service partnering together to take a violent, repeat offender off the streets and make our communities safer for everyone.”

“LMPD is grateful to have such strong federal partnerships and we look forward to further dismantling criminal activity,” said Louisville Metro Police Chief Erika Shields. “We’re seeing how valuable these collaborations are as we strive to keep our community safe. We want the public to know this criminal conduct will not be tolerated in our community as demonstrated by the prosecution of this case.

Wood was sentenced to 147 months of incarceration followed by 5 years of supervised release.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the United States Marshals, and the Louisville Metro Police Department investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nute Bonner and David Weiser prosecuted the case.

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. 

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WASHINGTON – A federal court in Kentucky unsealed an indictment today charging a dual U.S.-Bosnian citizen with providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) a designated foreign terrorist organization. The defendant is also charged with conspiring to provide material support to ISIS and receiving military type training from ISIS.

According to court documents, on June 3, 2014, Mirsad Hariz Adem Ramic, 31, of Bowling Green, Kentucky and two co-conspirators each departed the United States for Istanbul, Turkey in order to support ISIS. All three then purchased tickets with cash to fly to Gaziantep, Turkey, a city located near the border with Syria. From there, Ramic and the two co-conspirators crossed the Syrian border to join ISIS.

As alleged, after joining ISIS, Ramic attended an ISIS training camp where he received weapons and physical training and fired an AK-47. The FBI obtained photographs of Ramic in ISIS territory which depict him wearing camouflage clothing and standing in front of a pickup truck outfitted with an anti-aircraft gun and the ISIS flag. A second photograph of Ramic depicts him holding a rifle.

After joining ISIS, Ramic and his co-conspirators remained in contact with each other and discussed, among other things, Ramic’s presence in Raqqa, Syria, and his use of an anti-aircraft weapon to shoot at planes. Ramic and his co-conspirators also discussed jihad, martyrdom and fighting for ISIS. After joining ISIS, one of Ramic’s co-conspirators sent two e-mails to Western Kentucky University, stating that he had traveled to Syria to join ISIS and expressing his desire that ISIS conquer the United States.

Ramic had been incarcerated in Turkey and was deported to the United States. He arrived in the United States Thursday evening and made his initial appearance in court this afternoon.

If convicted of the charged offenses, Ramic faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison, a fine of $750,000, and term of supervised release up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky; Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the Louisville Field Office made the announcement..

The FBI is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Judd and Christopher Tieke of the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Danielle Rosborough of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. 

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

A federal court in Kentucky unsealed an indictment today charging a dual U.S.-Bosnian citizen with providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. The defendant is also charged with conspiring to provide material support to ISIS and receiving military type training from ISIS.

According to court documents, on June 3, 2014, Mirsad Hariz Adem Ramic, 31, of Bowling Green, Kentucky and two co-conspirators each departed the United States for Istanbul, Turkey in order to support ISIS. All three then purchased tickets with cash to fly to Gaziantep, Turkey, a city located near the border with Syria. From there, Ramic and the two co-conspirators crossed the Syrian border to join ISIS.

As alleged, after joining ISIS, Ramic attended an ISIS training camp where he received weapons and physical training and fired an AK-47. The FBI obtained photographs of Ramic in ISIS territory which depict him wearing camouflage clothing and standing in front of a pickup truck outfitted with an anti-aircraft gun and the ISIS flag. A second photograph of Ramic depicts him holding a rifle.

After joining ISIS, Ramic and his co-conspirators remained in contact with each other and discussed, among other things, Ramic’s presence in Raqqa, Syria, and his use of an anti-aircraft weapon to shoot at planes. Ramic and his co-conspirators also discussed jihad, martyrdom and fighting for ISIS. After joining ISIS, one of Ramic’s co-conspirators sent two e-mails to Western Kentucky University, stating that he had traveled to Syria to join ISIS and expressing his desire that ISIS conquer the United States.

Ramic had been incarcerated in Turkey and was deported to the United States. He arrived in the United States Thursday evening and made his initial appearance in court this afternoon.

If convicted of the charged offenses, Ramic faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison, a fine of $750,000 and term of supervised release up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky; Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the Louisville Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Judd and Christopher Tieke of the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Danielle Rosborough of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. 

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned an indictment today charging a Bowling Green man with two bank robberies.

According to court documents, Manuel G. Quiros, 59, of Bowling Green, KY, was charged with robbing German American Bank on July 29, 2021, and December 1, 2021. Quiros is also charged with forcing a person to accompany him during the December 1, 2021, robbery.

The defendant is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on December 29, 2021, before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Brent Brennenstuhl of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Quiros faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Bowling Green and the Bowling Green Police Department are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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LOUISVILLE – On December 7, 2021, a federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment charging a Louisville couple, Krlos Hidalgo and Esther Baldeon, with aiding in the preparation of false tax returns. 

According to the indictment, it is alleged that both Esther Baldeon, age 39, and Hidalgo, age 38, assisted in the preparation of false tax returns that contained false dependents.  The purpose of the false dependents was to obtain Additional Child Tax Credits for the taxpayers.  It is alleged that both Baldeon and Hidalgo knew that the taxpayers were not entitled to the Additional Child Tax Credits. 

Baldeon is charged with five counts of violating Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(2).  Hidalgo is charged with four counts of violating Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(2).  On December 13, 2021, the defendants were arraigned on the charges before U.S. Magistrate Judge Regina S. Edwards of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Baldeon faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, and Hidalgo faces a maximum penalty of 12 years in prison.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office made the announcement.

The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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