Middle District of Louisiana

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Michael Becnel, age 56, of Baton Rouge, to 116 months in federal prison following his conviction for possessing obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. The Court further sentenced Becnel to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered him to forfeit his interest in property used to commit the offense.

According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on June 6, 2023, Becnel knowingly possessed more than three obscene visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. He had previously downloaded the visual depictions to his cellphone from a website, which cellphone was found in his possession when law enforcement agents were executing a search warrant of his residence.

At the time Becnel was found in possession of the unlawful visual depictions in June 2023, he was on federal supervised release following a previous federal conviction for failing to register as a sex offender. In April 2024, U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson revoked his term of supervision and sentenced him to serve 14 months consecutively to the term of imprisonment ordered today.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ben Wallace. 

U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance has awarded $500,000 to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office to acquire a new digital High Definition (HD) Forward Looking InfraRed (FLIR)/camera system for the Air Support Unit's helicopter. The purpose of the proposed project is to improve the quality of aerial surveillance, search and rescue operations, criminal investigation and apprehension and other activities which require the use of this important tool.  The service area for this project is the City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge and the surrounding eight parishes that encompass the Baton Rouge Metropolitan area.  Additionally, the new system will allow for improved safety for personnel, as the improved resolution will ensure that officers can more easily spot potential dangers and take appropriate action.

For more information about these awards, please contact the OJP Office of Communications at 202-307-0703 or OJP.OCOM@ojp.usdoj.gov.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Richard Hebert, Jr., age 57, of Harvey, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to making a false statement to a bank in connection with his filing of numerous false and fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in 2020. 

According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, Hebert owned and operated several businesses including Brookland Realty, LLC, Interstate Construction and Demolition Group, Inc., K-Bear Investments, LLC. Hebert Real Estate Holdings, LLC, Interstate Construction Group, Inc., Albritton Home Construction Group, Inc., and R&M Builders and Real Estate, LLC.

Between April of 2020 and July of 2020, Hebert submitted 12 fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of seven different companies to five different banks attempting to get more than $3.4 million in PPP loan funds.  On these applications, he falsely inflated each business’s average monthly payroll and its number of employees in order to get the banks to pay out larger PPP loans.  In support of these fraudulent applications, Hebert provided false tax forms and other documentation.  As a result of his fraudulent submissions to the banks, more than $2.2 million in pandemic funds were paid out.

This matter is being investigated by the United States Secret Service, and the United States Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M.P. Thornhill, who also serves as the Deputy Chief of the Economic Crime Unit and Assistant United States Attorney M. Patricia Jones, who also serves as the Appellate Chief.

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

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Tyler Dunn, age 23, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 75 months in federal prison following his conviction for interference with commerce by robbery.  In addition to the term of imprisonment, the Court further sentenced Dunn to serve three years of supervised release.

According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on or about November 17, 2019, four masked and armed men, one of which was Dunn, entered the Dollar General store on 4755 Prescott Drive in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.   The four robbers all brandished handguns.  In the store, one robber walked up to a Dollar General cashier and pointed his handgun at the cashier.  That robber then jumped over the register and, unlawfully and against their will, took money from the safe while directly in the presence of a Dollar General employee.  During the robbery, Dunn forced an employee to move from the back of the store to the front of store while pointing a handgun at her.  The robbers obtained approximately $7,000 from Dollar General. 

On or about November 21, 2019, four robbers, which included Dunn, approached two employees of the Dollar General store located at 6365 Scenic Hwy as they stood outside the front door getting ready to lock the security gate.  All robbers were wearing masks and armed with guns.  The robbers, brandishing their guns, forced the two employees to open the door and enter the store.  One robber ordered an employee to the back of the store while pointing a handgun at him and had the employee turn off an alarm.  While in the presence of the robbers, an employee, against her will, removed approximately $1,200 from a safe and provided it to the robbers. 

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy S. Johnson.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Allen Ambrose, age 47, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 192 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  In addition to the term of imprisonment, the Court further sentenced Ambrose to serve five years of supervised release. 

According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office narcotics agents were investigating the drug trafficking activities of Ambrose and his live-in girlfriend, which included physical surveillance, ping warrants, and controlled purchases of methamphetamine.  On June 22, 2022, agents located Ambrose at a hotel on Energy Drive in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and planned execution of an arrest warrant and several search warrants.  Ambrose fled when he saw agents, and during the pursuit, he discarded approximately three ounces of methamphetamine over a fence.

During execution of the search warrants and Ambrose’s person, agents located over four kilograms of methamphetamine, $4,850 in various denominations, a scale, a pill press, and a quantity of suspected marijuana, LSD, and MDMA.  

The defendant was questioned after his arrest and admitted knowing and intentional possession of the narcotics located in the hotel room.  

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as Deputy Chief of the Organized and Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Jonathan Wayne Lanaute, age 40, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick to bank robbery. 

According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on the morning of May 3, 2024, Lanaute entered United Community Bank, located on Bluebonnet Boulevard in Baton Rouge, and stated that he needed to cash a check.  Lanaute approached a counter and passed a handwritten note to the bank teller which stated “give me all the money in the cash resgister [sic] before everybody die in here.”  The teller, fearful of bodily harm, directed the bank’s computer to begin dispensing $100 bills.   While waiting for the bills to be dispensed, Lanaute was fidgeting in his sweatshirt pockets as if he had a firearm.   Lanaute told the teller to “hurry up, hurry up,” and not to make any moves.  

The machine dispensed fifty, $100 bills at a time, and ran through four (4) cycles.  When complete. Lanaute took the money from the teller and walked towards the bank to leave.   Before exiting the building, Lanaute heard the machine continuing to dispense money and he returned to the teller counter to retrieve the additional bills.  Lanaute then exited the building with twenty-thousand dollars ($20,000).  

Law enforcement was dispatched to the scene and retrieved video footage from the bank’s surveillance system.   The surveillance footage showed Lanaute entering the bank wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and a black Saints baseball cap, and ultimately fleeing the scene in a dark colored sedan with a spoiler on the rear of the vehicle.  Law enforcement identified the vehicle as a dark grey Mitsubishi Lancer which had been reported stolen during an armed robbery near the bank the previous night.  

The vehicle was identified around the immediate area of United Community Bank and law enforcement visually confirmed the driver to be the same individual identified as the robber from the bank’s video surveillance.   Officers attempted a traffic stop of the vehicle.  Lanaute refused to stop and a vehicle pursuit ensued.   During the pursuit, Lanaute drove the vehicle into ongoing traffic, ran another motorist off the road, and drove in the wrong direction on the interstate.  The pursuit of the vehicle ended when the driver crashed head-on into an innocent motorist on the interstate. 

After the crash, Lanaute fled on foot.  Following a short foot pursuit, Lanaute was apprehended and taken into custody.   Lanaute was wearing the same clothing as seen in the bank’s video surveillance.  Approximately $8,207.89 was recovered from Lanaute’s person. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Baton Rouge Police Department, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen Lundin Craig.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced the sentencing of Timothy Franklin, age 40, a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles as the result of an extensive federal, state, and local investigation by the Middle District Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) aimed at a drug trafficking network based and operating in East Baton Rouge Parish. 

Franklin, a career offender, was sentenced to 160 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for four counts of distribution of heroin.  The Court further sentenced Franklin to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on February 25, 2019, during controlled calls with a confidential source (“CS”), the CS requested to meet for a drug transaction that the two had previously discussed.  The CS was fitted with an audio and video recording device and travelled to meet Franklin.  When the CS arrived at the location, he entered the front passenger side of Franklin’s vehicle, provided $10,000 to Franklin, and received a plastic bag containing 112.2 grams of heroin.  The CS later identified Franklin to be the lone occupant of the vehicle.  Agents conducted surveillance and confirmed Franklin’s identity. 

On April 24, 2019, the CS participated in four controlled calls with Franklin to arrange the purchase of two ounces of heroin for $4,800.  The CS requested “two” and for Franklin to “make it good.”  Franklin agreed he’d make it strong and requested “24,” which referred to $2,400 per ounce.  They met in Baton Rouge where the CS entered the front passenger seat of Franklin’s vehicle and tendered $4,800 to him in exchange for a plastic bag containing 53.96 grams of heroin. 

On May 30, 2019, the CS participated in three controlled calls with Franklin to arrange the purchase of two ounces of heroin for $5,000.  Franklin arrived at the gas station, and the CS entered the front passenger seat of the vehicle and tendered $5,000 to him in exchange for a plastic bag containing 56 grams of heroin. 

After the three initial controlled buys, agents obtained court authorization to intercept calls and text messages occurring to and from Franklin’s cell phone.  On July 30, 2019, while wiretapping the telephone, the CS placed a controlled call to Franklin asking for “3” for his customers; Franklin said he needed about two hours.  Several hours later, the CS called Franklin, and they discussed the CS paying “34” for the drugs.  

Franklin arrived at the gas station, and the CS entered the front passenger seat of the vehicle and tendered $5,000 to him in exchange for a plastic bag containing 51.18 grams of heroin.  Agents conducted aerial surveillance, which showed Franklin meet with the CS.

This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, Baton Rouge Police Department, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, and Denham Springs Police Department.  This matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as Deputy Chief of the Organized and Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced criminal charges against three individuals in connection with an alleged scheme to acquire controlled substances by fraud, to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and to defraud Medicaid.  The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action.

Kevan Andre Hills, age 30, Devin Tyrone Stampley, Jr., age 32, and Asia Deshan Guess, age 27, all of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, were charged by indictment for their respective roles in a conspiracy to acquire and obtain controlled substances by fraud, to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, and to commit health care fraud, in the Middle District of Louisiana and elsewhere.   As alleged in the indictment, beginning in or around April 2021, and continuing through at least February 2023, Hills, Stampley, Guess, and their co-conspirators fraudulently obtained controlled substances from pharmacies in the Baton Rouge area and elsewhere using at least 97 forged and fraudulent prescriptions bearing the DEA registration numbers and other identifying information of at least 12 physicians and other medical professionals without authority.  It is alleged that, in April 2022, Stampley also burglarized a pharmacy in Louisiana and stole 54 different controlled substances worth approximately $10,600 from said pharmacy. 

The charges are part of a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 193 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.75 billion in alleged false billings.  The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets, and the Government, in connection with the enforcement action, seized over $231 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold, and other assets.

“It does not matter if you are a trafficker in a drug cartel or a corporate executive or medical professional employed by a health care company, if you profit from the unlawful distribution of controlled substances, you will be held accountable,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will bring to justice criminals who defraud Americans, steal from taxpayer-funded programs, and put people in danger for the sake of profits.”

“Today’s charges underscore our unwavering commitment to combating health care fraud and opioid abuse, which threaten the well-being of our communities and the integrity of our health care system,” said United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr.  “The defendants allegedly exploited the trust placed in our health care system to unlawfully acquire and distribute controlled substances, causing harm not only to the individuals directly affected but to the entire community. We will continue to work tirelessly with our federal, state, and local partners to bring those who engage in such fraudulent activities to justice.”

“We will not tolerate fraud that preys on patients who need and deserve high quality health care,” said the Honorable Christi A. Grimm, the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The hard work of the HHS-OIG team and our outstanding law enforcement partners makes today’s action possible.  We must protect taxpayer dollars and keep Americans safe from harms to their health, privacy, and financial well-being.”

The Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, Northeast, and Texas Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Southern District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California, District of Connecticut, Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, Western District of Louisiana, Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Rhode Island, Eastern District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Eastern District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, and Eastern District of Wisconsin; and State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and South Dakota are prosecuting the cases in the National Enforcement Action, with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team. Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website at https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit/2024-national-hcf-case-summaries.

The Middle District of Louisiana in particular, worked with the Department’s Criminal Division and the following law enforcement organizations to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the enforcement period: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Louisiana State Police (LSP) Fugitive Task Force and Criminal Investigation Division.  

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen L. Craig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana and Trial Attorneys Gary A. Crosby II and Samantha E. Usher of the Gulf Coast Strike Force.  

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

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Eric Jason Schouest, age 53, of Plaquemine, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to embezzlement and bank fraud.  Schouest’s embezzlement and bank fraud convictions are each punishable by a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, a fine of $1 million, and a period of supervised release.

According to admissions made during his plea, Schouest was employed at Regions Bank from 2010 to 2021 as a branch manager overseeing business transactions and practices at the Regions Bank Plank Road branch.  In his capacity as branch manager, he had the authority to access customer accounts, instruct others to open and close accounts, issue cashier’s checks, and transfer funds in and out of bank customers’ accounts.

Beginning in or about 2020, and continuing through in or about April 2021, Schouest exploited his position of trust at Regions Bank to embezzle funds from customer accounts and deposit the money into his personal bank accounts.  He also sent false and fraudulent emails and forged documents to other Regions Bank employees to conceal his scheme.  Some of the traceable fraudulent funds were used to make loan payments on personal items such as a house and a car.  Through his scheme, Schouest misappropriated more than $250,000 from Regions customer bank accounts. 

This matter is being investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the U.S. Secret Service.  The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Edward H. Warner and Litigation Counsel Jennifer M. Kleinpeter. 

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Oluwafemi Osinowo, age 35, of Miami, Florida, to 41 months in federal prison following his conviction for operating an illegal money transmitting business.  The Court further sentenced Osinowo to three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, from December 2016 to January 2019, Osinowo operated an unlicensed money transmitting business.  He confessed that the business conducted foreign currency exchange business without complying with required federal registration requirements.  During the course of operating the business, money was transmitted from third parties from the Middle District of Louisiana and elsewhere to bank accounts located in Miami, Florida.  Once the money was in the bank accounts in Miami, Florida, an individual acting as an agent of Osinowo’s business wired the money to a bank in Lagos, Nigeria.  Those wire transfers included approximately 51 separate transmissions in the aggregate total of approximately $722,177 dollars. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy S. Johnson.

A federal grand jury recently returned an indictment charging Blake Joseph Steiner, age 37, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with distribution of child pornography.  Steiner appeared for his arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charge.

According to the criminal complaint that preceded the indictment, in March 2024, Steiner sent a video of child pornography to an undercover agent.  The video depicts a child engaging in sexually explicit conduct with an adult male.  Steiner also expressed his sexual interests in children to the undercover agent, which included incest and bestiality.  

Distribution of child pornography is punishable by a maximum penalty of 20–40 years in prison, depending on sentencing enhancements.  Steiner also faces potential sex offender registration, supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.

This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jene C. Clayton.    

NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury.  The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea. 

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Terrance August, age 48, a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 70 months in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  The Court further sentenced August to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered him to pay $179,976.99 in restitution to financial institutions.   

According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, August conspired and agreed with others to commit wire fraud.  August and other co-conspirators defrauded financial institutions by using the personal identifying information (“PII”) of bank customers, including names, social security numbers, and dates of birth, to obtain access to account information.  August and other co-conspirators then used the PII of bank customers to contact financial institutions and request changes to victim accounts.  During these calls, members of the conspiracy impersonated victims and falsely represented to the financial institutions that they were the bank customer requesting the changes to the account. In some instances, members of the conspiracy changed the phone number, mailing address, and statement preferences on the customers’ accounts.  In others, members of the conspiracy enrolled the victims in online banking, without the victims’ knowledge or consent.  

Thereafter, August and his co-conspirators accessed victims’ accounts and initiated interstate wire transfers of funds from victim accounts to accounts held by August and other co-conspirators. Once the funds were received from financial institutions located outside of the State of Louisiana, members of the conspiracy withdrew the funds as cash at multiple ATMs and bank branches located in the Middle District of Louisiana.  August and other co-conspirators retained a portion of the stolen funds for their own personal enrichment and financial gain.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen Lundin Craig.

A former Mississippi Bureau of Investigations Officer assigned to the U.S. Marshals’ Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force pleaded guilty today to using excessive force against a handcuffed arrestee.

According to court documents and evidence presented in court, on Sept. 16, 2021, John Winstead was working as a federal task force officer when he willfully deprived arrestee K.K.H. of the Fourth Amendment right to be free from objectively unreasonable force. K.K.H. was arrested during the Task Force operation and was already handcuffed and in the process of being escorted safely by another officer when Winstead struck K.K.H. forcefully in the face, knocking him to the ground.

“Law enforcement officials in our country are entrusted with the responsibility to protect and serve communities, not to exploit and abuse them,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant violently abused his power by using excessive force against an arrestee in his custody who was handcuffed and posed no threat. The Justice Department is committed to holding accountable officers who violate the civil and constitutional rights of people in their custody.”

“Civil rights prosecutions are a priority for the Justice Department, and we work each day towards protecting the constitutional rights of every citizen,” said U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe for the Middle District of Louisiana. “I commend the local and federal partners who worked with our district in ensuring a fair and equitable resolution. May this serve as an example of how collaboration with the Justice Department provides justice in prosecuting the violators of our civil liberties.”

“The defendant assaulted a handcuffed arrestee who posed no threat to him or to the other escorting officer,” said Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI will not tolerate violation of anyone’s civil rights, regardless of incarceration status.”

“We trust law enforcement officers to carry out their duties honorably and with integrity,” said Special Agent in Charge Eric R. Fehlman of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Southeast Region. “Winstead did just the opposite by using excessive force on a handcuffed arrestee. The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG) is committed to bringing to justice federal law enforcement agents who abuse their authority.”

A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Winstead faces a maximum 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.

DOJ-OIG and the FBI Jackson Field Office are investigating the case. 

Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellison Travis for the Middle District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.

A former Mississippi Bureau of Investigations Officer assigned to the U.S. Marshals’ Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force pleaded guilty today to using excessive force against a handcuffed arrestee.

According to court documents and evidence presented in court, on Sept. 16, 2021, John Winstead was working as a federal task force officer when he willfully deprived arrestee K.K.H. of the Fourth Amendment right to be free from objectively unreasonable force. K.K.H. was arrested during the Task Force operation and was already handcuffed and in the process of being escorted safely by another officer when Winstead struck K.K.H. forcefully in the face, knocking him to the ground.

“Law enforcement officials in our country are entrusted with the responsibility to protect and serve communities, not to exploit and abuse them,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant violently abused his power by using excessive force against an arrestee in his custody who was handcuffed and posed no threat. The Justice Department is committed to holding accountable officers who violate the civil and constitutional rights of people in their custody.”

“Civil rights prosecutions are a priority for the Justice Department, and we work each day towards protecting the constitutional rights of every citizen,” said U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe for the Middle District of Louisiana. “I commend the local and federal partners who worked with our district in ensuring a fair and equitable resolution. May this serve as an example of how collaboration with the Justice Department provides justice in prosecuting the violators of our civil liberties.”

“The defendant assaulted a handcuffed arrestee who posed no threat to him or to the other escorting officer,” said Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI will not tolerate violation of anyone’s civil rights, regardless of incarceration status.”

“We trust law enforcement officers to carry out their duties honorably and with integrity,” said Special Agent in Charge Eric R. Fehlman of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Southeast Region. “Winstead did just the opposite by using excessive force on a handcuffed arrestee. The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG) is committed to bringing to justice federal law enforcement agents who abuse their authority.”

A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Winstead faces a maximum 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.

DOJ-OIG and the FBI Jackson Field Office are investigating the case. 

Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellison Travis for the Middle District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Linda Gurvin, age 56, a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 36 months in federal prison following her convictions for wire fraud and unlawful monetary transactions.  Following her release from federal prison, she will be required to serve three years supervised release.  The Court further sentenced Gurvin to pay $496,673.78 in restitution to the United States Small Business Administration and ordered her to forfeit an additional $447,600 in proceeds from her offenses.  Previously in this investigation, the United States seized a 2020 Range Rover that Gurvin purchased with fraudulent proceeds, and at today’s sentencing, the Court ordered her interest in the vehicle forfeited.

According to admissions made as part of her guilty pleas, Gurvn submitted six fraudulent applications seeking more than $1 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), funds that were designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gurvin filed several applications in the names of businesses that she had formed prior to the pandemic but which had had closed years earlier.  She then filed two fraudulent applications in the names of new entities she formed after the start of the pandemic, solely for the purposes of her scheme—a purported non-profit entity that she called Gurvin’s Marine & Air Force Guardian Angels Foundation, and an entity she called Heaven’s Paradise Church of All Nations.  Throughout the applications, Gurvin made false representations regarding the businesses and their operations, and she submitted fraudulent documents intended to bolster the applications, such as fraudulent documents that purported to be the businesses’ federal tax filings.  Based on the false representations, Gurvin attempted to obtain more than $1 million in COVID-19 relief funds and actually received more than $440,000.

Meanwhile, as Gurvin received proceeds from the applications, she made frequent transactions to move the funds among numerous bank accounts that she controlled at the time, before spending the funds on personal expenses and purchases, such as by making large down payments on a 2020 Land Rover Range Rover and a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas.

This case was investigated by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Small Business Administration - Office of Inspector General.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alan A. Stevens, who also serves as Senior Litigation Counsel, and J. Brad Casey.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Tarek Sonnier, age 26, a resident of Fresno, Texas, to 90 months in federal prison following his conviction for robbery of personal property of the United States.  The Court further sentenced Sonnier to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on October 6, 2021, at approximately 4:00 p.m., the victim postal worker was delivering mail in her capacity as a USPS mail carrier.  Sonnier, who had been waiting behind a tree near the rear of the USPS vehicle, crossed the street with a red letter.  The victim noticed Sonnier as he crossed the street, looked in his face, and asked him if he had to mail something.  When he got close to the victim, Sonnier pepper sprayed the victim and snatched USPS keys from her.  The keys included a set of USPS Promaster truck keys and a USPS Arrow Key.  Sonnier and his accomplice then fled in a silver Camaro.

Surveillance camera footage across the street from the incident captured the robbery.  The surveillance footage captured a silver Camaro with distinctive damage to the rear passenger side drive pass by, then a few minutes later an individual, later identified as Sonnier, walk down the street and wait behind a tree near the rear of the USPS vehicle.  Sonnier was dressed in a black shirt, and black sweatpants with white stripes halfway down the sides.  The surveillance video also captured the robbery.  In addition, a witness saw the silver Camaro with distinctive damage to rear passenger side prior to the robbery.  Also, footage from several surveillance cameras in the area captured the silver Camaro with damage to the rear passenger side.

On October 7, 202l, at approximately 2:30 pm, near 2000 Lobdell Dr., BRPD conducted a lawful traffic stop on a silver Camaro.  This silver Camaro had distinctive damage to the rear passenger side.  The driver of the vehicle was Sonnier.  On October 8. 2021, BRPD executed a search warrant on the Camaro and located notable evidence that included the following: (1) USPS truck keys, (2) black adidas sweatpants with a stripe that goes half-way down the side, (3) stolen

U.S. mail, checks, and money orders; numerous checks were from Houston and postmarked from September 202l, but many were also dated October 6, 2021 and from Baton Rouge, and (4) bottles of “Wite Out” and “Heet,” which are both commonly used to alter checks.  In addition, on October 7, 2021, the victim selected Sonnier out of a photo lineup as the person that robbed her.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service and Baton Rouge Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Jeremy S. Johnson.

A federal grand jury recently returned a four-count indictment charging Eric Jason Schouest, age 53, of Plaquemine, Louisiana, with embezzlement and bank fraud.  Schouest appeared for his arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charges. 

According to court documents, Schouest was employed at Regions Bank from 2010 to 2021 as a branch manager overseeing business transactions and practices at the Regions Bank Plank Road branch.  In his capacity as branch manager, Schouest had the authority to access customer accounts, instruct others to open and close accounts, issue cashier’s checks, and transfer funds in and out of bank customers’ accounts.

Beginning in or about 2020, and continuing through in or about April 2021, Schouest exploited his position of trust at Regions Bank to embezzle funds from customer accounts and deposit the money into his personal bank accounts.  Schouest would also send false and fraudulent emails and forged documents to other Regions Bank employees to conceal his scheme.  Schouest used some of the traceable fraudulent funds to make loan payments on personal items such as a house and a car.  Through his scheme, Schouest caused a loss to Regions Bank of more than $250,000. 

The embezzlement and bank fraud indictment counts are each punishable by a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum $1 million fine.

This matter is being investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the U.S. Secret Service.  The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Edward H. Warner and Litigation Counsel Jennifer M. Kleinpeter. 

NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury.  The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Tyler Dunn, age 23, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to interference with commerce by robbery. 

According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on or about November 17, 2019, four masked and armed men, one of which was Dunn, entered the Dollar General store on 4755 Prescott Drive in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.   The four robbers all brandished handguns.  In the store, one robber walked up to a Dollar General cashier and pointed his handgun at them.  That robber then jumped over the register and, unlawfully and against the cashier’s will, took money from the safe while directly in the presence of a Dollar General employee.  During the robbery, Dunn forced an employee to move from the back of the store to the front while pointing a handgun at her.  The robbers obtained approximately $7,000 from Dollar General. 

On or about November 21, 2019, four robbers, which included Dunn, approached two employees of the Dollar General store located at 6365 Scenic Hwy as they stood outside the front door getting ready to lock the security gate.  All robbers were wearing masks and armed with guns.  The robbers, brandishing their guns, forced the two employees to open the door and enter the store.  One robber ordered an employee to the back of the store while pointing a handgun at him and had the employee turn off an alarm.  While in the presence of the robbers, an employee, against her will, removed approximately $1,200 from a safe and provided it to the robbers. 

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Baton Rouge Police Department with assistance from the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy S. Johnson.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced the sentencing of thirteen individuals by Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick in connection with an extensive federal, state, and local investigation by the Middle District Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) aimed at a large-scale cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine trafficking network based in the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, with suppliers in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, and Colton, California.

Michael Augustine, age 44, of Erath, Louisiana, was sentenced to 51 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana and methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Augustine to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Arthur Basaldua, age 44, of Angola, Louisiana, was sentenced to 192 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Basaldua to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Manuel Cadena, age 44, of Hesperia, California, was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Cadena to serve four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Michael Cadena, age 33, of Hesperia, California, was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Cadena to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Jeffery Day, age 38, of Centreville, Mississippi, was sentenced to 57 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Day to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Deanthony Ford, age 37, of Angola, Louisiana, was sentenced to 151 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Ford to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Joshua Gonzalez, age 40, of Angola, Louisiana, was sentenced to 72 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Gonzalez to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Jared Graham, age 34, of Angola, Louisiana, was sentenced to 126 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute marijuana and methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Graham to serve four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Xavier Johnson, age 39, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was sentenced to 80 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Johnson to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Dudley Melancon, age 35, of Angola, Louisiana, was sentenced to 72 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Melancon to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Ismael Ochoa, age 37, of Riverside, California, was sentenced to 90 months imprisonment in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine and unlawful travel in the aid of racketeering enterprise.  The Court further sentenced Ochoa to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Kevin Narcisse, age 38, of Angola, Louisiana, was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Narcisse to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Nelson Tippen, age 44, of Angola, Louisiana, was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Tippen to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Through their pleas, the defendants admitted involvement in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine between February 2017 and May 2019.  During that time, the defendants worked in concert with each other to obtain and distribute controlled substances in the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola and elsewhere through the use of correctional officers and other non-incarcerated individuals, and with the intent to profit from the distribution of these controlled substances.  Most of the controlled substances distributed by this drug trafficking network were shipped to addresses in Baton Rouge from individuals in California.  

U.S. Attorney Gathe stated, “The sentencing of these 13 defendants is evidence of our commitment to dismantling large-scale criminal conspiracies and drug trafficking networks.   With the use of federal, state, and local partnerships we identified individuals from California to Louisiana and were able to hold them accountable for their narcotics distribution through Angola State Penitentiary.  The collaborative efforts into OCDETF investigations reduces the availability of illegal narcotics in our communities, and we will continue this approach to fetter out organized crime in our district.”

“The FBI’s goal is to identify and target criminal enterprises and other groups engaged in drug trafficking.  Today, justice was served to those who chose to traffic and distribute illicit narcotics in Angola State Penitentiary.  I want to thank the efforts and collaboration of the United States Attorney's Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service, The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as the Louisiana Department of Corrections, the Louisiana State Police, and St. Francisville Police Department who worked tirelessly to dismantle this criminal enterprise,” stated the FBI Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil.  “I assure you, the FBI will continue to enforce the laws and intervene when drug traffickers distribute narcotics on the streets or in the prison system.”

This investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Louisiana Department of Corrections, the Louisiana State Police, and the St. Francisville Police Department.   The case was prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney April Leon Johnson and Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.

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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Todd Eric Tripp, age 35, of Sorrento, Louisiana, to 234 months in federal prison following his conviction for receipt of child pornography.  Tripp must serve five years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment, and he must complete sex offender treatment.  The Court also ordered Tripp to pay $9,000 in restitution and ordered him to register as a sex offender upon his release.

Tripp, a former Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office Deputy, used a multimedia instant messaging application to obtain child pornography from multiple victims.  From March 2020 and continuing until October 2020, Tripp received at least 15 images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  Tripp was previously convicted and sentenced for child sexual exploitation and abuse crimes.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the York County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office.  This case was prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Edward H. Warner and Criminal Chief Jamie A. Flowers Jr.    

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Charles J. Alexander, Jr., age 39, of St. Gabriel, Louisiana, to 180 months in federal prison following his convictions for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  In addition to the term of imprisonment, the Court further sentenced Alexander to serve three years of supervised release and ordered the firearms involved be forfeited. 

On November 15, 2023, after a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson, the jury unanimously convicted Alexander of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  In 2021, DEA agents and the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation into cocaine distribution by Alexander in St. Gabriel, Louisiana.  On April 1, 2021, three search warrants were executed at properties tied to Alexander.  Agents located Alexander at one of the properties and recovered cocaine cooking paraphernalia, over 200 grams of cocaine, and a total of four firearms.  After the presentation of the case at trial by the United States, Alexander did not return from a lunch recess and a warrant was issued for his arrest.  The jury deliberated in his absence and convicted him.  Alexander was ultimately apprehended in Illinois by the United States Marshals Service on December 6, 2023, and was detained pending sentencing. 

U.S. Attorney Gathe stated, “This sentence reflects the seriousness of the offense and promotes respect for the law.  It is a just punishment for the facts exhibited at trial which warranted this sentence.”

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshal’s Service, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William Morris and Benjamin Wallace.

A federal grand jury recently returned an indictment charging Edward L. Richmond, Jr., age 40, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a previously convicted felon, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions. 

Richmond is currently in federal custody in Washington D.C. awaiting disposition of pending charges related to allegations of him participating in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.  At a time and date to be determined, Richmond will be transferred to Baton Rouge for his initial appearance and arraignment on the Middle District Indictment. 

According to the indictment, on January 22, 2024, Richmond is alleged to have possessed a Windham Weaponry, model WW-15, .223/5.56 mm caliber rifle and approximately 73 rounds of ammunition, knowing that he previously had been convicted of a felony (a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year) and knowing he had been discharged from the Armed Force, the United States Army, under dishonorable conditions.

This matter is being investigated by the Baton Rouge Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lyman E. Thornton III.      

NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury.  The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea. 

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Dr. Melissa Rose Barrett, age 49, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Clive, Iowa, to 52 months in federal prison following her conviction for tax evasion.  In addition to the term of imprisonment, the Court imposed a fine of $200,000 and ordered Barrett to serve one year of supervised release. 

On October 31, 2023, after a seven-day trial before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson, the jury unanimously convicted Barrett of tax evasion.  Barrett, a physician, owned and operated an urgent care clinic known as Stat Care Clinics, L.L.C. d/b/a Central Stat Care.  As the evidence at trial demonstrated, for tax years 2007 through 2017, Barrett owed significant taxes totaling approximately $1.6 million, excluding interest and penalties.  For more than a decade, the IRS notified Barrett that she owed taxes multiple times and through various means. 

Barrett undertook various steps to evade the payment of her outstanding tax liability, including preparing and filing a false IRS form, underreporting income, inaccurately detailing her assets, and concealing cash in a safe instead of depositing it in the bank.  While owing a substantial tax debt, Barrett purchased millions of dollars of real estate and personal property in the names of nominees.  These assets included a personal residence, boats, airplanes, and thousands of acres of farmland and hunting land.

U.S. Attorney Ronald Gathe said, “ The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting individuals and businesses alike that refuse to perform their civic duty of tax payment.  Paying taxes is a responsibility that we all bear as United States citizens in order to enjoy the freedoms they provide.  This intelligent individual developed a sophisticated scheme and took advantage of our system; however,  her actions were inevitably discovered by our federal partners.  I commend the collaborative work between our federal partners and my office in holding this defendant accountable and issuing justice for the citizens of the Middle District of Louisiana.” 

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations and was prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Edward H. Warner, Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth White, and Trial Attorney Wilson Stamm of the Department of Justice Tax Division. 

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that the Honorable John deGravelles sentenced Jaylon Jamare Smullen, age 23, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, to 108 months in federal prison following his convictions for access device fraud and inducing a false statement in the application of a firearm.  The Court further sentenced Smullen to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that he pay a total of $27,836.11 in restitution to 49 victims.

According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, Smullen devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain firearms, AR-15 lower receivers, and parts used to build firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers (“FFLs”) located in the Middle District of Louisiana and outside of the State of Louisiana. To execute the scheme, Smullen recruited, induced, procured, aided and abetted straw purchasers, to complete the firearm transfer paperwork, such as ATF Form 4473, in person, in order to obtain the firearms and AR-15 receivers representing that they were the actual purchasers/transferees of the firearms or lower receivers. To fund his scheme he obtained and used stolen credit card information belonging to 49 individuals, including the 16-digit credit card numbers, cardholder names, and billing addresses, to order firearms, firearm parts, and accessories, from multiple FFLs located outside of the State of Louisiana, for shipment to FFLs and residential addresses in the Middle District of Louisiana.

This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Baton Rouge City Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin Lundin Craig and Lyman E. Thornton III. 

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Jeremy Melancon, 47, of Kaplan, Louisiana, to 192 months in federal prison following his conviction for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Melancon to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on June 1, 2023, Melancon met with an undercover law enforcement officer in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant and distributed at least 18 grams of crystal methamphetamine to the undercover officer.  A few hours later, in the parking lot of a retail store, Melancon met the same undercover officer and distributed at least 222 grams of crystal methamphetamine to the officer.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ben Wallace.

A Louisiana man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges, including for assaulting law enforcement during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

Edward Richmond Jr., 40, of Geismar, Louisiana, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of civil disorder, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. In addition to the felonies, Richmond is charged with several misdemeanor offenses, including disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, and violent entry and disorderly conduct.

Richmond was arrested today in Baton Rouge and will make his initial appearance in the Middle District of Louisiana. 

According to court documents, Richmond traveled to Washington, D.C., from Ohio with a group of approximately nine other individuals who planned to attend the rallies planned for the day. Richmond wore a black helmet, goggles, shoulder pads, an orange two-way radio, and a Louisiana State Flag patch on his chest during the attack. 

Court documents say that video footage taken from the U.S. Capitol building closed-circuit television (“CCTV”) footage from Jan. 6, 2021, depicts Richmond in the area of the Lower West Terrace Tunnel that day. This area was the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement officers on January 6th. In addition to the CCTV footage, Richmond is seen on body-worn camera footage using a baton to strike law enforcement officers in the Lower West Terrace Tunnel multiple times.  

This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Louisiana. 

This case is being investigated by the FBI's Washington Field Office, which identified Richmond as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #182 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Baton Rouge Resident Agency of the New Orleans Field Office, U.S. Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department. 

In the 36 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,265 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 440 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Dervelle T. Barnes, age 37, a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 33 months in federal prison following his conviction for possessing contraband in prison.  The Court further sentenced Barnes to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, Barnes was arrested on May 18, 2022, pursuant to a federal arrest warrant at the Russell B. Long Federal Building and United States Courthouse.  No contraband was found during initial searches of his person, and he was transported to the West Baton Rouge Detention Center (“WBRDC”).  The following morning, however, two WBRDC deputies entered Barnes’s dorm-style cellblock due to a smoke odor. A deputy walked by Barnes, who was asleep, and observed a clear plastic bag containing white pills near Barnes’ stomach.  During a search, deputies seized the bag and pills.  The pills were submitted to the Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory for testing, and lab personnel determined that the pills contained oxycodone and acetaminophen.  In connection with his plea, Barnes admitted that he knowingly possessed oxycodone while in prison.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshal’s Service and West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alan A. Stevens, who also serves as Senior Litigation Counsel.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Joshua Lamb, age 35, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to wire fraud. 

According to admissions made during his plea, in late 2022 and early 2023, Lamb was working as the general manager of Comfort Suites Medical District hotel in Baton Rouge. During that time, he operated a scheme to defraud the hotel by wiring at least $90,000 of unearned money to himself. Although Lamb initially claimed the wirings were authorized reimbursements, they were not. In the weeks before he was caught in March 2023, Lamb was routinely wiring himself thousands of dollars a week in unauthorized payments.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ben Wallace. 

A federal grand jury recently returned a three-count indictment charging Samrat Mukherjee, 35, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana with falsely holding himself as a medical doctor and making false statements by calling in prescriptions without authority.

According to the indictment, Mukherjee was a licensed paramedic who worked for Acadian Ambulance Service, Inc. Mukherjee did not attend or graduate from medical school. However, the indictment alleges that while employed by Acadian Ambulance, Mukherjee falsely held himself to co-workers and friends as a licensed medical doctor. From in or around May 2019 through in or around November 2022, Mukherjee allegedly called in prescriptions to various pharmacies for himself and others. The indictment alleges that when calling in those prescriptions, Mukherjee falsely and fraudulently claimed that he was instead other actual doctors and had authority to write prescriptions. 

This matter is being investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen Lundin Craig, Trial Attorney Samantha E. Usher, and Assistant Chief Justin M. Woodard.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury.  The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.

A Louisiana man was sentenced to 41 months in prison today for his part in a conspiracy to sponsor, exhibit, possess and transport animals in an interstate animal fighting venture, and to possessing an animal in such a venture, all in violation of the Animal Welfare Act.

Antonio Damon Atkins, 35, of Baton Rouge, is the final of seven total defendants to be sentenced for participating in an interstate dogfighting ring. Atkins previously pleaded guilty. An Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation originally uncovered the ring.

Six of the defendants have already been sentenced, receiving the following for their dogfighting convictions:

• Eric “EZ” Williams, Baton Rouge, Louisiana: 60 months in prison
• Corey Brown, Baton Rouge, Louisiana: 50 months in prison
• Clay Turner, Loranger, Louisiana: 36 months in prison
• Dangelo Dontae Cornish, Greensburg, Louisiana: 16 months in prison
• Aquintas Kantrell Singleton, Baton Rouge, Louisiana: 12 months and a day in prison
• David Guidry III, of Independence, Louisiana: 12 months and a day in prison

“Today’s sentencing is the final chapter of a grim conspiracy to train and kill dogs for sadistic sport,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We commend the investigators and prosecutors who worked on this case and brought these individuals to justice.”

“With the sentencing of Antonio Atkins today, the culmination of hard work and prosecution of seven defendants has been successfully completed,” said U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe Jr. for the Middle District of Louisiana. “The question becomes: would this case have been discovered if not for an OCDETF lead? This is the true power of the federal government as we see all our agency partners working collectively to send a message that it is not worth violating the Animal Welfare Act. I commend these agencies, along with my office, in working together to achieve justice.”

"Mr. Atkins and the other defendants in this case are faring much better than the dozens of animals they tortured and killed," said Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams Jr., FBI New Orleans. "The FBI thanks its partners for their help in dismantling this vicious operation."

“The cruel and inhumane practice of animal fighting has no place in a civilized society and is a clear violation of federal law,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew T. Wilkins of U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG). “The outstanding work of our law enforcement partners and USDA-OIG agents who investigated this case made it possible to bring these operators of a major animal fighting venture to justice.  This agency has made animal fighting a high priority to demonstrate that these vicious acts of cruelty to animals will not be tolerated.”

The case was investigated by the FBI and USDA-OIG.

Formerly of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Evans for the District of Minnesota prosecuted the case along with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lyman E. Thornton III and Jeremy Johnson for the Middle District of Louisiana.

A Louisiana man was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to sponsor, exhibit, possess and transport animals in an interstate animal fighting venture, and to possessing an animal in such a venture, all in violation of the Animal Welfare Act.

Antonio Damon Atkins, 35, of Baton Rouge, is the final of seven total defendants to be sentenced for participating in an interstate dogfighting ring. Atkins previously pleaded guilty. An Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation originally uncovered the ring.

Six of the defendants have already been sentenced, receiving the following for their dogfighting convictions:

• Eric “EZ” Williams, Baton Rouge: 60 months in prison
• Corey Brown, Baton Rouge: 50 months in prison
• Clay Turner, Loranger, Louisiana: 36 months in prison
• Dangelo Dontae Cornish, Greensburg, Louisiana: 16 months in prison
• Aquintas Kantrell Singleton, Baton Rouge: 12 months and a day in prison
• David Guidry III, of Independence, Louisiana: 12 months and a day in prison

“Today’s sentencing is the final chapter of a grim conspiracy to train and kill dogs for sadistic sport,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We commend the investigators and prosecutors who worked on this case and brought these individuals to justice.”

“With the sentencing of Antonio Atkins today, the culmination of hard work and prosecution of seven defendants has been successfully completed,” said U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe Jr. for the Middle District of Louisiana. “The question becomes: would this case have been discovered if not for an OCDETF lead? This is the true power of the federal government as we see all our agency partners working collectively to send a message that it is not worth violating the Animal Welfare Act. I commend these agencies, along with my office, in working together to achieve justice.”

"Mr. Atkins and the other defendants in this case are faring much better than the dozens of animals they tortured and killed," said Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams Jr. of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. "The FBI thanks its partners for their help in dismantling this vicious operation."

“The cruel and inhumane practice of animal fighting has no place in a civilized society and is a clear violation of federal law,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew T. Wilkins of the Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG). “The outstanding work of our law enforcement partners and USDA-OIG agents who investigated this case made it possible to bring these operators of a major animal fighting venture to justice.  This agency has made animal fighting a high priority to demonstrate that these vicious acts of cruelty to animals will not be tolerated.”

The FBI and USDA-OIG investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Evans for the District of Minnesota, formerly of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section, prosecuted the case along with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lyman E. Thornton III and Jeremy Johnson for the Middle District of Louisiana.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Norman Antoine LeBlanc, age 34, of Morganza, Louisiana, to 210 months in federal prison following his conviction for production and attempted production of child pornography.  LeBlanc must serve six years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment, and he must complete sex offender treatment.  The Court also ordered LeBlanc to pay $15,000 in restitution.  As a result of this conviction, LeBlanc will be required to register as a sex offender.                                           

LeBlanc produced videos and images of a minor child engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  Specifically, LeBlanc secretly recorded videos of a minor in the bathroom and made sexually explicit still shots from the video.  LeBlanc then used a mobile application and a smartphone to send images and videos of the minor to an undercover agent in North Carolina.  LeBlanc also used the mobile application to distribute approximately 97 videos and 9 images of child pornography.

This matter was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.

A federal grand jury in Baton Rouge returned an indictment today charging a Louisiana man for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid of over $148 million in medically unnecessary definitive urine drug testing services.   

According to court documents, Brad Paul Schaeffer, 48, of Zachary, was a co-owner and chief executive officer of MedComp Sciences, LLC (MedComp), a diagnostic laboratory located in Zachary. From approximately January 2013 through approximately August 2022, MedComp, at the direction of Schaeffer, allegedly billed Medicare and Medicaid for definitive testing of at least 15 substances in urine specimens it received, regardless of the patient’s treatment plan and history, or the request of the referring provider. To perpetuate the fraud, Schaeffer, through MedComp, allegedly took several actions, among them, writing off patient co-pays, directing MedComp staff to fill out and submit order forms on providers’ “behalf,” concealing the true nature, permissibility, and extent of testing from providers, orchestrating a pass-through billing scheme using hospitals, and paying kickbacks to physicians disguised as laboratory ownership interests. Schaeffer then allegedly used the fraudulent proceeds for his own benefit, including spending thousands of dollars to renovate a pool and on a pool house in his backyard, and to restore a truck.  

Schaeffer is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, five counts of health care fraud, and three counts of engaging in unlawful monetary transactions. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe Jr. for the Middle District of Louisiana, Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams Jr. of the FBI New Orleans Field Office, and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry made the announcement.

HHS-OIG, the FBI, and the Louisiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit are investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Kelly Z. Walters and Samantha E. Usher of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth E. White for the Middle District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

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

A federal grand jury in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, returned an indictment today charging a Louisiana man for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid of over $148 million in medically unnecessary definitive urine drug testing services.   

According to court documents, Brad Paul Schaeffer, 48, of Zachary, was a co-owner and chief executive officer of MedComp Sciences LLC (MedComp), a diagnostic laboratory located in Zachary. From approximately January 2013 through approximately August 2022, MedComp, at the direction of Schaeffer, allegedly billed Medicare and Medicaid for definitive testing of at least 15 substances in urine specimens it received, regardless of the patient’s treatment plan and history, or the request of the referring provider. To perpetuate the fraud, Schaeffer, through MedComp, allegedly took several actions, among them, writing off patient co-pays, directing MedComp staff to fill out and submit order forms on providers’ “behalf,” concealing the true nature, permissibility, and extent of testing from providers, orchestrating a pass-through billing scheme using hospitals, and paying kickbacks to physicians disguised as laboratory ownership interests. Schaeffer then allegedly used the fraudulent proceeds for his own benefit, including spending thousands of dollars to renovate a pool and on a pool house in his backyard, and to restore a truck.  

Schaeffer is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, five counts of health care fraud, and three counts of engaging in unlawful monetary transactions. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe Jr. for the Middle District of Louisiana, Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams Jr. of the FBI New Orleans Field Office, and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry made the announcement.

HHS-OIG, the FBI, and the Louisiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit are investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Kelly Z. Walters and Samantha E. Usher of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth E. White for the Middle District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

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

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Floyd C. Hose, Jr., age 38, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 70 months in federal prison following his conviction for bank robbery.  The Court further sentenced Hose to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered him to pay $9,605 in restitution.

On or about December 5, 2022, Hose entered the Cottonport Bank in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and passed a note to a teller demanding cash.  According to reports, Hose said, “don’t do anything stupid or you will get hurt.”  He took $9,605 from the teller and fled the bank.  During a search of Hose’s apartment, detectives located a mask suspected to be worn during the robbery and money suspected to be taken during the robbery.  After Hose’s arrest, he confessed to the robbery.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Baton Rouge Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner. 

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Hakeem Allen, age 28, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 160 months in federal prison following his convictions for distribution and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, clonazepam, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Court further sentenced Allen to four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that the firearm used be forfeited. 

According to admissions made as a part of his guilty plea, between September 15, 2022, and October 2, 2022, Allen sold fentanyl and clonazepam to confidential informants in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, during controlled purchases monitored by law enforcement.

On October 4, 2022, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office narcotics detectives executed search warrants on three residences associated with Allen’s drug activities. Upon arrival of law enforcement officers, Allen attempted to flee but was apprehended after a short foot pursuit. Agents located approximately $3,105 in U.S. currency in his pants pocket. Agents walked the route of Allen’s flight and located a Glock, model 19, 9mm handgun with an extended magazine. Agents also located a plastic bag containing approximately 7.28 ounces of marijuana, as well as a plastic bag containing 42.79 grams of a mixture and substances containing heroin and fentanyl on the route. A search of one of the residences revealed approximately 153 grams of fentanyl, 8 grams of crack cocaine, 17 grams of cocaine, 18 grams of methamphetamine, 186 grams of marijuana, and one handheld digital scale. Allen was found to be in possession of more than $84,000 in drug proceeds at the time of his arrest. Agents later determined that approximately $300 of this seized money was pre-recorded East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office funds used during the previous controlled purchases from Allen.

This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eli J. Abad.

BATON ROUGE, LA – United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Mandy Nicole Miller, age 44, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 10 months in federal prison following her conviction for federal program theft.  The Court further sentenced Miller to serve 2 years of supervised release following her term of imprisonment and ordered her to pay $ 158,852.00 in restitution and a $7500.00 fine.

         According to admissions made as part of her guilty plea, while employed at the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, Miller stole cash paid for traffic tickets and hid the thefts by recording fraudulent journal entries in the Sheriff’s Office accounting system.  Miller’s scheme began on or about July 1, 2018, and continued through in or about September 2022.  In deciding the sentence, Chief Judge Dick commented on the fact the Miller’s scheme was executed over two years and involved a sophisticated means.

         This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana Legislative Auditor, Investigative Audit Services, with assistance from the West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lyman E. Thornton III.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced the conviction of Dr. Melissa Rose Barrett, age 49, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Clive, Iowa, with tax evasion.  Barrett was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 8, 2022. 

After a seven-day trial before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson, the jury unanimously convicted Barrett of one count of tax evasion.  Barrett, a physician, owned and operated an urgent care clinic known as Stat Care Clinics, L.L.C. d/b/a Central Stat Care.  As the evidence at trial demonstrated, for tax years 2007 through 2017, Barrett owed significant taxes totaling approximately $1.6 million, excluding interest and penalties.  The IRS notified Dr. Barrett that she owed taxes multiple times and through various means. 

Dr. Barrett undertook various steps to evade the payment of her outstanding tax liability, including preparing and filing with the IRS a false form underreporting income and inaccurately detailing her assets.  Barrett also accumulated and concealed cash in a safe instead of depositing it in the bank.  Finally, Barrett purchased millions of dollars of real estate and personal property in the names of nominees, including, but not limited to, a personal residence, a boat, an airplane, and thousands of acres of farmland and hunting land.  The property purchased in the names of nominees totaled over $6.7 million. 

As a result of the conviction, Dr. Barrett now faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Unit and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Edward H. Warner and Elizabeth White, and Trial Attorney Wilson Stamm of the Department of Justice Tax Division. 

A federal jury in Baton Rouge found a Louisiana physician guilty yesterday of income tax evasion.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dr. Melissa Rose Barrett of Baton Rouge, owned and operated two urgent care clinics – Central STAT Care and STAT Care Clinic –  and owed the IRS approximately $1.6 million in taxes, excluding penalties and interest. The IRS notified Dr. Barrett that she owed taxes multiple times and through various means.

The evidence at trial showed that Dr. Barrett undertook a number of steps to evade the payment of her outstanding tax liability, including preparing and filing with the IRS a false form underreporting income and inaccurately detailing her assets and accumulating and concealing cash in a safe instead of depositing it in the bank. Dr. Barrett also purchased millions of dollars of real estate and personal property in the names of nominees, including, but not limited to, a personal residence, a boat, an airplane and several parcels of farmland.

Dr. Barrett faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe Jr. for the Middle District of Louisiana made the announcement.

IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Wilson Stamm of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Warner and Elizabeth White for the Middle District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.

Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announces the selection and appointment of April Leon Johnson to First Assistant United States Attorney.   Mrs. Johnson is the first woman and African American woman appointed to this title.  The former First Assistant United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis is now Counsel to the United States Attorney.

Mrs. Johnson has served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana where she is assigned to the Special Matters Division.  She also served as the criminal civil rights coordinator and human trafficking coordinator for the Middle District.  Previously, she clerked for the Honorable Benjamin Jones and Honorable Carl Van Sharp of Louisiana’s 4th Judicial District Court before joining the East Baton Rouge District Attorney's Office as an Assistant District Attorney in 2009.  During her tenure at the East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s Office, Mrs. Johnson earned an administrative position as Section Chief of Section IV Trials and has the distinction of being the first African American woman in the Parish to obtain such status. 

Since joining the Department of Justice in April of 2022, Mrs. Johnson has had the distinction of representing the Middle District at the Federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judicial Conference.  She also served on the United States District Court’s Merit Selection Panel to consider the reappointment of United States Magistrate Judge Erin Wilder-Doomes, and the host committee for the 28th Annual African American Heritage Celebration.  She participated in piloting “United Against Hate” outreach programs across the district in a nationwide effort by the Department of Justice to combat hate crimes and encourage discussion between representatives of law enforcement, community organizations, and members of the public.

Mrs. Johnson obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, from Howard University in 2004 where she studied Communications and Rhetoric.  She then obtained her Juris Doctor from Southern University Law Center.  During her law school tenure, she was selected by the faculty as a member of the moot court and mock trial competition teams. Mrs. Johnson externed as a law student at East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney's Office as a Special Assistant Rule XX Prosecutor and tried her first case as a prosecutor before graduating.

Mrs. Johnson’s accolades include an appointment by Governor John Bel Edwards to the Louisiana Women's Incarceration Task Force as well as a Writing Fellow for Southern University Law Center where she assists recent graduates with preparation and passage of the Louisiana State Bar Examination.  Her involvement in the legal community consists of mentoring with Louisiana State Bar Association’s “Transition Into Practice” Program, and memberships in the National Black Prosecutors Association, Louis A. Martinet Legal Society, Federal Bar Association, and Louisiana State Bar Association.  She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

Mr. Travis has served as First Assistant United States Attorney in the Middle District of Louisiana since 2018.  He was appointed and sworn in as the Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana from March 2021 to December 2021, following the resignation of Brandon J. Fremin who had served as the United States Attorney since 2018.

Previously, Mr. Travis was with the Louisiana Department of Justice for over twenty years.  During his tenure with the Louisiana Department of Justice, he served as the Director of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Criminal Division (2017-2018), as an Assistant Attorney General in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (2002–2017), and as an Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division (1997–2002).  Mr. Travis also served as an Assistant District Attorney (1990–1996).  During his thirty years in public service, he has prosecuted all manner of criminal matters, including violent crimes, financial crimes, and public corruption.  Mr. Travis helped author and pass legislation to penalize those who commit electronic abuse of persons with infirmities and those who commit public program fraud.  He also represented the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the state Legislative Task Force on Medicaid Fraud Prevention.

Mr. Travis received his Juris Doctor from Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, and his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Louisiana State University.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Mitchell Robinson, Jr., age 33, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, heroin, and  tramadol, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to admissions made during his plea, on May 11, 2022, EBRSO deputies executed a “knock” search warrant at Robinson’s residence in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  In the kitchen, deputies found 2.17 grams of fentanyl, 218.3 grams of methamphetamine, 22.89 grams of methamphetamine, 56 suboxone 8mg/2mg prescription strips, manitol (narcotics cutting agent), 390 tramadol pills, a digital scale, a Glock, model 17, 9mm handgun modified to be fully automatic, a Glock style 9mm handgun, a Glock style 30 round magazine, 9mm ammunition, and 4.01 pounds of marijuana.  In the attic, deputies found 884.1 grams of methamphetamine, 439.7 grams of methamphetamine, 194.46 grams of fentanyl, 3.12 pounds of marijuana, $25,960.00, and 55.59 grams of heroin. 

Prior to Robinson’s possession of the Glock, model 17, 9mm handgun, he had been convicted of simple burglary and carnal knowledge of a juvenile in September 2010 in East Baton Rouge Parish, and burglary of a dwelling and aggravated burglary in January 2011 in Ascension Parish. 

This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy S. Johnson. 

October marks the observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. joins the U.S. Department of Justice in commemorating DVAM, paying tribute to victims and survivors, and saluting the dedication of advocates, service providers, justice professionals, law enforcement officers, and first responders who tirelessly work in support of survivors.

Domestic violence, dating violence, and intimate partner violence can have long-lasting impacts and consequences. Approximately one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes; however, rates are disproportionately higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, women of Color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and two-spirit people, and people with disabilities. DVAM provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence.

“We want our community to know that we are here to support victims and survivors in the Middle District of Louisiana – not just in October, but every month,” said U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr.  “And we who serve as federal prosecutors for the Middle District of Louisiana have a duty to use all the tools at our disposal—and leverage our partnerships with local law enforcement and prosecutors—to ensure victims have a viable path to safety and justice.” 

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Shatner Lewis, age 35, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 35 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  The Court further sentenced Lewis to three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that the firearm involved be forfeited.

According to admissions that Lewis made as a part of his guilty plea, on December 5, 2022, Lewis was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for a traffic violation by a Baton Rouge Police Department officer.  During a search of the vehicle, a Taurus G3c 9mm pistol with a fully-loaded twelve-round magazine was found.  Lewis admitted that the firearm belonged to him.

In 2021, prior to possessing the firearm, Lewis was convicted of manslaughter and attempted armed robbery in East Baton Rouge Parish.  He was still on parole for those convictions when he was found in possession of the pistol in December.

This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Baton Rouge Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ben Wallace.

Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announces the untimely passing of Deputy Chief Brian K. Frazier.  Mr. Frazier has served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana since 2018.  Before his passing, he served as the Deputy Chief of the Special Matters Unit.

Mr. Frazier’s dedicated service to the Department of Justice began in 1993 when he was selected for the Attorney General’s Honors Program.  After completing the program, Mr. Frazier clerked for United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Judge Patrick E. Higginbotham.  He then went into the private sector as an associate attorney at prestigious law firms in his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. 

Mr. Frazier returned to government service at the Southern District of Florida United States Attorney’s Office in January of 2000, where he began his career as an Assistant United States Attorney prosecuting major crimes with an emphasis on public integrity and national security.  He handled approximately thirty federal jury trials and eleven federal appellate arguments as a line prosecutor and began his focus on counterterrorism, where he reviewed actionable charges in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks.  In 2008, Mr. Frazier was appointed Resident Legal Advisor for the United States Embassy, United Arab Emirates and Gulf Region, where he served as the Department of Justice’s legal attaché to eight Middle Eastern countries on money laundering, weapons proliferation, threat finance, and terrorism issues.

Mr. Frazier then returned to the Southern District of Florida office where he was tasked with establishing the first National Security Section in the district.  As Chief of this section, Mr. Frazier significantly increased counterterrorism prosecutions within the first five years of its establishment and coordinated federal prosecutions for the third largest Joint Terrorism Task Force in the country.  He supervised trial teams that convicted ISIS and al-Qaeda extremists and served as the lead prosecutor in cases against al-Shabaab financiers, recruiters, and travelers.  He also coordinated the district-wide efforts in prosecuting high-profiled domestic terrorism mass shootings at Ft. Lauderdale International Airport and Pulse Nightclub.  Mr. Frazier led the trial team that successfully prosecuted Jose Padilla, the U.S. citizen and designated enemy combatant who trained with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.  Mr. Frazier was a nationally recognized skilled and knowledgeable national security prosecutor both within the Department and with federal and local partner agencies.

United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe stated the following on the passing of Mr. Frazier, “South Florida is very sad of Brian’s passing. He exemplified true commitment to public service and to excellence, as shown by his many years of service and the robust accomplishments both as a trial lawyer and later in management. Tremendous loss to the Department but I’m glad I got a chance to work with him 20 years ago as line prosecutor in Miami and will remember his very present personality.”

During his tenure here in the Middle District, Mr. Frazier served as the Criminal Chief from 2020 until 2022 where he was responsible for supervising Criminal Division prosecutors and staff.  He also maintained positive relationships with our federal investigative agencies as he coordinated with them the substantive development and management of all criminal prosecutions in the district.  He continued his work with the local Joint Terrorism Task Force by handling national security matters in the district and consulting with critical infrastructures.

United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana Ronald Gathe, Jr. stated, “My deepest condolences go out to all of Brian’s family, friends and loved ones.  Words cannot express the tremendous impact he’s made in his 25 years of service here at the Department of Justice.  He will be deeply missed by many locally and nationally, and his presence will forever be felt at our office and in our hearts.”

Mr. Frazier is the recipient of multiple government honors, including the Justice Department’s highest award—The Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service—for the successful prosecution of Jose Padilla.  He was also awarded the National Intelligence Medallion by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Law Enforcement Award for Transnational Security Threats by the Department of Treasury, the National Organized Crime/Drug Enforcement Task Force Award by the Department of Justice, and Federal Prosecutor of the Year by the Law Enforcement Officers’ Foundation and Miami-Dade County Association of Chiefs of Police to name a few.

Mr. Frazier obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude, from Dartmouth College.  He further obtained a Master of Philosophy degree from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.  He concluded his studies at Yale Law School where he obtained his Juris Doctor. 

The Department of Justice suffers an immeasurable loss due to Mr. Frazier’s countless contributions in pursuing justice.  He was an example of a true government servant, and we will honor his legacy within our office by continuing to serve according to the ideals and mission of the Department of Justice.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Todd Eric Tripp, age 35, of Sorrento, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to receipt of child pornography.  As a result of his conviction, Tripp faces a significant term of imprisonment, a fine, and a period of supervised release—which includes sex offender registration requirements.

According to admissions made during his plea, from March 2020, and continuing until October 2020, Tripp used a multimedia instant messaging application to obtain child pornography.  Tripp received at least 15 images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

This matter was being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Ascension Parish Sherriff’s Office, and the York County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner and Criminal Chief Jamie A. Flowers Jr.    

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Pamela Albert, age 51, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 33 months in federal prison following her conviction for wire fraud.  The Court further sentenced Albert to serve three years of supervised release following her term of imprisonment and ordered her to pay $223,180 in restitution.

Between approximately March and June 2021, Albert submitted false claims for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans in her name and in the names of others.  Albert also submitted fraudulent tax documents for her PPP loan claims, that were based on fictitious business profits and losses.  Albert maintained various bank accounts in which PPP funds were deposited.  

Throughout her scheme, Albert obtained the personally identifiable information of others, such as names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers in order to file her false PPP loan claims.  Albert requested that PPP benefits be wired to her bank accounts, totaling over $200,000 in funds to which she and others were not entitled.  Upon submitting the claims and receiving the funds, Albert either gave a portion of the funds to others or kept all the funds for herself.  

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner. 

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Irving Bobby Mitchell, age 41, of Gonzales, Louisiana, to 150 months in federal prison following his convictions for distribution of methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Mitchell to five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment. 

According to admissions made as a part of his guilty plea, on February 9, 2022 and February 18, 2022, under the supervision of law enforcement, a confidential source (CS) purchased methamphetamine from Mitchell during controlled buys that were witnessed by agents.  

On March 4, 2022, during a controlled call with Mitchell, the CS requested an ounce of methamphetamine in exchange for $350.  An undercover agent from the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office rode with the CS to the agreed upon meeting location within the Middle District of Louisiana.  Mitchell, the CS, and the undercover agent met inside the store to exchange the methamphetamine.  The undercover agent was fitted with audio and video recording equipment.  After the transaction, Mitchell called the CS to inquire about the undercover agent, who then talked with him and tried to establish a drug trafficking relationship. 

On March 10, 2022, agents arranged another recorded, controlled purchase of methamphetamine using the CS and undercover agent.  The agent met with Mitchell in Prairieville where Mitchell distributed three ounces of methamphetamine in exchange for $980. 

This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Gonzales Police Department, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, Baton Rouge Police Department, St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office, and St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as Deputy Chief of the Organized and Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Jeremy S. Johnson. 

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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Derrick Lamont Johnson, age 43, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 120 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  The Court further sentenced Johnson to three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that the firearm involved be forfeited.

According to admissions made as a part of his guilty plea, on February 19, 2019, 911 received a call that Derrick Johnson was outside a residence threatening an individual with a gun over an encounter that occurred earlier that day.  When the police arrived, they found Johnson at the front door, unarmed.  Johnson was immediately detained in cuffs and placed in the back of a police unit.   Once Johnson was safely in police custody, the caller told police that the gun Johnson had was in the trunk of their car.  With the caller’s permission, officers entered the automobile and recovered a shotgun from the trunk.

Prior to possessing the firearm, Johnson had been convicted in East Baton Rouge Parish of aggravated flight from an officer in March 2003, simple robbery in September 2003, and felon in possession of a firearm in January 2012.

This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen Lundin Craig.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced the sentencing of ten individuals by U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson as the result of an extensive federal, state, and local investigation by the Middle District Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) aimed at a drug trafficking network based and operating in Ascension Parish and surrounding areas. 

Reshide Wooden, age 26, of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, was sentenced to 235 months imprisonment in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  The Court further sentenced Wooden to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that the firearm involved be forfeited.

Rokedrick Tyrell Williby, age 32, of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, was sentenced to 128 months imprisonment in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Williby to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Denzel Dionte Gray, age 30, of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, was sentenced to 140 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Gray to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Malcolm Oliver, Jr., age 33, of Napoleonville, Louisiana, was sentenced to 190 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Oliver to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Kelly Derrell Jones, age 41, of Gonzales, Louisiana, was sentenced to 46 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Jones to serve four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

David Burnell Lewis, age 38, of Gonzales, Louisiana, was sentenced to 28 months imprisonment in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Lewis to serve four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Christopher Dee Harrod, age 42, of Prairieville, Louisiana, was sentenced to 96 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Harrod to serve four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Blain Joseph Slayton, age 30, of Gonzales, Louisiana, was sentenced to 46 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Slayton to serve four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Robert Jason Slayton, age 52, of Plaquemine, Louisiana, was sentenced to 13 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Slayton to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Raven Harris, age 36, of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment in federal prison following her conviction for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.  The Court further sentenced Harris to serve two years of supervised release following her term of imprisonment.

Through their pleas, the defendants admitted involvement in a conspiracy to distribute kilogram quantities of methamphetamine between October and December 2021.  During that time, Wooden would obtain large quantities of methamphetamine from Williby, Jones, and others and then distributed the methamphetamine, for profit, to Gray, Oliver, Harrod, Lewis, Blain Slayton, Robert Slayton, and others for further distribution to customers within the Middle District of Louisiana.  Agents were able to dismantle the organization on December 8, 2021, when they executed search warrants at residences and seized over 20 pounds of pure methamphetamine from Wooden and Harris’ apartment, which Williby had just distributed to Wooden, and multiple firearms.  Wooden also pled guilty to illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  Harris pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine related to the drugs located in her residence on December 8, 2021.

This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and task force officers from Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office and Baton Rouge Police Department with critical assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service, the United States Marshals Service, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Gonzales Police Department, West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, and Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office.  This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as Deputy Chief of the Organized and Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.