Western District of Louisiana

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Lafayette man pleaded guilty Thursday to possessing with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine after Lafayette Police Department officers recovered multiple controlled substances and a weapon within his residence.

Don Edmond Washington, 28, of Lafayette, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol Whitehurst to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a previously convicted felon.  According to the guilty plea, law enforcement agents searched Washington’s home on May 17, 2017 and found methamphetamine, heroin, buprenorphine, Oxycodone, Alprazolam, one HK USP compact .45 caliber pistol with one magazine, six .45 caliber rounds and $440.

Washington faces 10 years to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine on the controlled substance offense, and he faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine related to the firearms offense. The court set a sentencing date of June 18, 2018.

The DEA, ATF, Lafayette Metro Narcotics Task Force and Lafayette Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy is prosecuting the case.

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a man from Texas was sentenced Wednesday to five years and 10 months in prison for drug distribution charges after heroin was found in his car battery.

Jose Alonzo Hernandez, 42, of Brownsville, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. According to the October 24, 2018 guilty plea, a state trooper conducted a traffic stop on Hernandez’s car March 16, 2017 on Interstate 20 in Bossier Parish. The trooper conducted a search of the vehicle and found approximately 3.35 kilograms of heroin hidden inside the car’s battery.

The DEA and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields prosecuted the case.

LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that an illegal alien from Mexico pleaded guilty Tuesday to reentering the United States after being deported.

Raul Delacruz-Valdez, 31, of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of illegal reentry of a previously deported alien. According to the guilty plea, Louisiana State Police conducted a traffic stop on Delacruz-Valdez’s vehicle on March 20, 2017 in Calcasieu Parish. He was arrested for suspicion of driving while intoxicated. After his arrest, law enforcement agents discovered that he was an illegal alien who had reentered the United States without obtaining permission. He had previously been removed October 18, 2010.

Delacruz-Valdez faces up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set sentencing for July 26, 2018.

Homeland Security Investigations and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti is prosecuting the case.

MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Mexican national was sentenced Tuesday to 60 months in prison for possessing methamphetamine.

Jorge Alberto Morales-Villanueva, 22, of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the October 10, 2017 guilty plea, a Louisiana State trooper stopped the van Morales-Villanueva was driving on March 5, 2017, which was traveling eastbound on Interstate 20 near Monroe. The trooper searched the vehicle and found a compartment underneath the front passenger seat that contained 19 packages containing a total of 26 pounds of methamphetamine. The defendant said he was paid $5,000 to transport the drug from Texas to Georgia.

Homeland Security Investigations and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison D. Bushnell prosecuted the case.

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that the last defendant in a Shreveport methamphetamine distribution ring was sentenced Thursday to 120 months in prison.

Carlos Delarosa, 22, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release.

According to the guilty pleas, Delarosa traveled on March 29, 2017 from Dallas to Shreveport with 454 grams of methamphetamine. He distributed some of the methamphetamine to co-defendant Christopher Hudson, 22, of Greenwood, La. Hudson later traveled to a Shreveport casino and was arrested. After a brief investigation, law enforcement agents arrested Delarosa in addition to co-defendants Amone Louangamath, 42, of Shreveport, La., and Daniel Koelemay, 41, of Bossier City, La., at a casino in Bossier City. Upon Delarosa’s arrest, agents found a drug ledger inside his front right pants pocket. Agents found Louangamath carrying a black bag that contained methamphetamine in clear plastic bags, two cell phones, digital scales and $3,250. Agents also found 196.9 grams of methamphetamine, 33.7 grams of powder cocaine and a .9 mm Makarov semi-automatic handgun with seven rounds of ammunition in a safe in Delarosa’s hotel room. Delarosa admitted to transporting methamphetamine to Shreveport on five separate occasions. On three occasions, he told agents that he transported a total of 756 grams and on two occasions transported a total of 1 kilogram.

The three other defendants previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy count. Koelmay and Hudson were each sentenced on November 20, 2017 to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Louangamath was sentenced on February 28, 2018 to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release.

 The DEA and Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath is prosecuting the case.

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that the former Duson Housing Authority director pleaded guilty to stealing more than $110,000 in funds.

Patsy Clark, 60, of Duson, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna on one count of federal program theft. The plea will become final after it is approved by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote. According to the guilty plea, Clark was the executive director of the Duson Housing Authority from 1990 to November 2014. A routine financial audit conducted in 2014 found that Clark stole $93,270 in tenant payments from 2012 to 2014. Additionally, Clark made $11,780.33 in personal purchases using the Housing Authority’s credit card. She also deposited $4,954 in tenant security deposit refund checks and rent payments into her personal bank account. Clark caused a total of $110,113.33 in losses to the United States.

Clark faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of July 13, 2018.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti is prosecuting the case.

MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a Bastrop woman pleaded guilty to stealing more than $40,000 in Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits.

Katie Marie Day, 40, of Bastrop, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Hayes to one count of theft of government property.  The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. According to the guilty plea, Day married her husband in February of 2000. She applied for SSA disability benefits in August of 2009 and claimed that she was separated from her husband. If she had claimed to still be living with her husband, their combined income would have been too high for Day to receive the benefit payments. Day’s husband passed away in September of 2016. During an interview following her husband’s death, Day told SSA district office staff on January 9, 2017 in Monroe that she had in fact been living with her husband off and on since their marriage. This caused SSA to overpay Day $40,569 from October 2009 to September 2016.

Day faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of June 13, 2018.

The Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath is prosecuting the case.

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Lafayette man previously convicted of a felony pleaded guilty Thursday to possessing a .40 caliber pistol and ammunition.

Karlon Woods Jr., 22, of Lafayette, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. According to the guilty plea, Lafayette Police were on patrol around the Simcoe Street area on October 20, 2016, when they encountered Woods. Officers observed Woods walking down a street with a red and black backpack, and when they approached, Woods fled.  During the pursuit, Woods ran into a clothesline pole. During a medical evaluation on the scene, officers determined that Woods had an active warrant for his arrest.  Officers located the red and black backpack they had previously seen on Woods in the yard where Woods was encountered.  The backpack contained .40 caliber ammunition.  Officers also recovered a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson pistol near the backpack.  Officers later determined that the firearm recovered on the scene had previously been reported stolen on October 14, 2016, in Lafayette Parish.  At the time of his arrest, Woods was a felon, having been previously convicted on January 14, 2016, in the 15th Judicial District of second-degree battery. 

Woods faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

The ATF and Lafayette Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy is prosecuting the case.

LAFAYETTE, La. – The Justice Department and the Western District of Louisiana U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook today announced that Mark Frederick, a former Captain of the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office (IPSO), pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting an assault on a pre-trial detainee at the Iberia Parish Jail (IPJ).

According to the charges and other information presented in court, Mark Frederick was a Captain at IPSO and served as the assistant warden at the IPJ.  On Sept. 27, 2011, E.M., a pre-trial detainee, resisted deputies at the IPJ. E.M. was restrained and removed from the scene.  Frederick and other senior IPSO staff agreed to retaliate against E.M. by taking him to the chapel, a place that was not covered by the jail’s video surveillance system, and assaulting him. 

Frederick, along with the other senior IPSO staff, went to the chapel with the unlawful intent to beat E.M. in retaliation for E.M.’s previous altercation with jail deputies.  Inside the chapel, officers assaulted E.M. while he was handcuffed, compliant, and not posing a threat to anyone.  One officer took a baton, placed it between E.M.’s legs and in a sharp motion, raised the baton into E.M.’s testicles hard enough to knock E.M. off of his feet and to inflict pain. Frederick recognized that he had a duty to intervene and stop the unjustified use of force on inmate E.M. Nevertheless, Frederick willfully chose not to intervene to stop the beating, despite having the opportunity to do so.  

“Individuals incarcerated in jails have the right to be free from unjustified assaults by corrections officers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division. “We will continue to vigorously prosecute officers who abuse their authority and violate their oath of office and federal law by assaulting inmates in their custody.”

Mark Frederick, 47, of St. Martinville, La., will be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Donald Walter at a later date.

This case was investigated by the Lafayette Resident Agency of the FBI, and was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Tona Boyd of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Mudrick of the Western District of Louisiana.

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a former employee of the Desoto Parish District Attorney’s Office pleaded guilty Thursday to stealing money intended to be paid to the District Attorney’s Office.

Melanie Barber, 36, of Converse, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of mail fraud.  According to the guilty plea, Barber worked for the DeSoto Parish District Attorney’s Office from April 1, 2002 until she was fired on February 25, 2014 as the Issuing Worthless Checks/Arraignment Secretary.  The DeSoto Parish District Attorney’s Office runs several programs including pretrial diversion, traffic diversion and a worthless checks program to allow participants to avoid court appearances if they meet conditions including keeping their record clean for a year and paying a fee via money order or cashier’s check made out to DeSoto Parish District Attorney’s Office. Barber negotiated at least 580 money orders made payable to, and/or intended for, the 42nd Judicial (Desoto Parish) District Attorney’s Office from 2004 to 2014.  Barber negotiated at the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office, banks and other retailers where she lied to the employees stating the District Attorney’s Office was dropping the charges against the payee of the money order and she needed to refund their money.  The employees believed Barber and cashed the money orders, and Barber stole the money for her own personal use.  In addition, Barber obtained blank money orders from program participants on which Barber put her name as the payee and deposited into her bank account.  To cover the theft, Barber marked the cases in district attorney’s office records as nolle pros, charges rejected or as paid.

Barber faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of July 2, 2018.

The FBI conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike O’Mara is prosecuting the case.

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Natchitoches man was sentenced Wednesday to two years and 10 months in prison for illegal possession of a pistol and ammunition.

Mazarious D. Coleman, 28, of Natchitoches, La., previously of Many, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the October 17, 2017 guilty plea, Coleman was arrested on January 26, 2017 after someone reported that he fired shots at another person. Police searched his apartment in Many and found a .40 caliber Glock pistol that had been shoved through a drywall portion of the roof by an air conditioning duct. A box of ammunition was found in the kitchen. Coleman was previously convicted of a felony in 2013 in Sabine Parish and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

The ATF and Many Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. is prosecuting the case.

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a Bossier City man was sentenced to 12 years in prison, with two years suspended, for driving drunk and crashing his car into bollards guarding a gate at Barksdale Air Force Base.

Leandrew Smith, 56, of Bossier City, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of driving while intoxicated-fourth offense. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. On May 20, 2017, Smith drove his vehicle into bollards blocking the West Gate at Barksdale Air Force Base on May 20, 2017.  The bollards, which were completely destroyed, caused Smith’s vehicle to go airborne before stopping.  Security Forces Airmen rushed to the crash and asked Smith if he needed medical attention, which he declined. Smith’s breath smelled of alcohol, and Smith told Security Forces he had drank a beer. A half-full 40-ounce beer bottle was found on the back floorboard. Smith tried to get out of his car and fell down. Smith was unable to complete field sobriety tests other than the horizontal gaze nystagmus test, which he failed.  He also passed out while Security Forces Airmen transported him to Security Forces headquarters where his blood alcohol concentration registered more than three times the legal limit at .295 percent. Smith has three prior convictions for driving while intoxicated in the last 10 years, including two in 2013 in Caddo Parish Court and one in 2015 in Shreveport City Court. 

The FBI and the 2nd Security Forces Squadron of Barksdale Air Force Base conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike O’Mara prosecuted the case.

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a Breaux Bridge man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for his role in a methamphetamine and cocaine conspiracy in the Acadiana area.

Derwin S. Williams, 32, of Breaux Bridge, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter on conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. According to the October 27, 2017 guilty plea, Williams was initially a cocaine supplier to other members of the drug trafficking organization from 2013 to 2015 supplying powder cocaine on a bi-weekly basis. In early 2015, Williams and co-codefendant Antonio Boyd, 39, of Parks, La., started making trips to California to purchase large quantities of methamphetamine. They shipped it to various locations in the Western District of Louisiana and elsewhere. Some of the locations include Arnaudville and Breaux Bridge.

In addition to Williams and Boyd, the other defendants indicted were Tyler Shy, 30, of Breaux Bridge; Michael Nicholas, 49, of Breaux Bridge; Bryalon Dugas, 23, of Breaux Bridge; Cody Lormand, 30, of Arndaudville; and Damien Alexander, 39, of Breaux Bridge. The defendants and penalities are shown below:

Defendants Prison term Supervised release Counts* Sentencing Date

Williams

144 months

5 years

1

Feb. 23, 2018

Boyd

120 months

5 years

1

Jan. 29, 2018

Alexander

62 months

5 years

1

Jan. 29, 2018

Shy

48 months

4 years

13

Oct. 23, 2017

Nicholas

48 months

3 years

1, 2

July 17, 2017

Lormand

37 months

3 years

8

June 9, 2017

Dugas

40 months

1 year

1

May 5, 2017

*Count 1 is conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, Count 2 is possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and counts 8 and 13 are possession with intent to distribute a controlled substances.

The defendants were arrested as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation named “Cajun Coke.” The DEA, Louisiana State Police, St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafayette Police Department and Sulphur Police Department conducted the investigation. The OCDETF program is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert F. Moore and John Luke Walker prosecuted the case.

LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a Lake Charles veterinarian and a Nebraska pharmacy were sentenced for selling an unapproved opioid drug 40 times more powerful than morphine for the purpose of improving the performance of race horses.

Kyle James Hebert, 43, of Lake Charles, La., was sentenced to 15 months in prison for one count of conspiracy; two counts of receipt of adulterated or misbranded drug with the intent to defraud and mislead; and one count of misbranding a drug while held for sale with the intent to defraud and mislead. Hebert was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. Kohll’s Pharmacy & Healthcare Inc. of Omaha, Neb., was sentenced to five years of corporate probation and ordered to pay a $200,000 fine for one count of conspiracy and two counts of introduction of adulterated or misbranded drug in interstate commerce with intent to defraud and mislead. United States District Judge Donald E. Walter presided over the sentencing hearing.

Evidence admitted at the nine-day trial that ended November 7, 2017 showed that from November 11, 2010 to December 2012 Hebert, Kohll’s Pharmacy & Healthcare Inc. of Omaha, Neb., which operated as Essential Pharmacy Compounding, and others conspired to distribute a synthetic form of the drug Dermorphin, which was then given to racehorses to improve their racing performance.  Essential Pharmacy Compounding repackaged a synthetic form of the drug that it obtained from a California chemical company, labeled it as D-Peptide, and sold it to Hebert and other veterinarians.  Hebert then put the drug into syringes and gave the loaded syringes to the racetrack trainers tasked with the horses’ care.  Evidence showed that Demorphin is a strong painkiller that masks horses’ pain and any pre-existing injuries.  Depending on dosage, it can also act as a stimulant when injected in horses. The Food and Drug Administration has not approved the drug for use in humans or animals.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph T. Mickel and David C. Joseph prosecuted the case.

ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Vidalia man pleaded guilty Tuesday to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

Demond Fleming, 40, Vidalia, La., pleaded guilty before U.S District Judge Dee D. Drell to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to the guilty plea, law enforcement agents noticed Fleming parked in the middle of Concordia Park Drive in Vidalia on July 11, 2017. Agents searched his car and found 82.18 grams of cocaine, two hydrocodone pills and $4,751. They also discovered that he was on supervised release for a previous drug conviction.

Fleming faces 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine. The court set a sentencing date of May 18, 2018.

The DEA and Louisiana State Probation and Parole conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. is prosecuting the case.

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Shreveport man previously convicted of a felony pleaded guilty Wednesday to unlawfully possessing a pistol while parked outside a Shreveport apartment.

Charles M. Thomas, 21, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. According to the guilty plea, a Shreveport Police officer observed a vehicle idling in the parking lot of an apartment complex on Quail Creek Road.  When the officer approached the vehicle, he observed Thomas, the driver, placing a handgun under his seat.  The firearm was loaded with four rounds of .45 caliber ammunition.  Thomas had previously been convicted of three counts of aggravated assault with a firearm in 2016.

Thomas faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of May 18, 2018.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg is prosecuting the case.

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Shreveport man previously convicted of a felony pleaded guilty last week possessing a .45 caliber pistol.

Jelantis J. Chatman, 22, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. According to the guilty plea, law enforcement officers arrested Chatman at his residence on July 12, 2017. During his arrest, officers discovered a Springfield Armory, model: XD45, .45 caliber pistol and ammunition. Chatman was previously convicted of a felony in 2015 and is not allowed to possess a firearm.

Chatman faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of May 16, 2018.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg is prosecuting the case.

MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a man from Monroe was sentenced Wednesday to 120 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine.

Devin S. McMillian, 27, of Monroe, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. According to the September 14, 2017 guilty plea, Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop February 16, 2017 on the vehicle McMillian was driving. They found 23 grams of methamphetamine. McMillian made a call from prison to a friend after the arrest. He told the friend to travel to his residence and retrieve some items. Deputies overheard the call and searched the house. They found 754.9 grams of methamphetamine and one gram of marijuana.

The DEA and the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office Special Crimes Apprehension Team conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields prosecuted the case.

ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Colombian national pleaded guilty Tuesday to attempting to use someone else’s identity to obtain a Louisiana driver’s license in Alexandria.

Overth Riascos-Barahona, 33, of Colombia, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to one count of false claim of citizenship. According to the guilty plea, Riascos-Barahona entered the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles on September 14, 2017 in Alexandria. He submitted documents bearing another person’s personal information in an attempt to obtain a driver’s license. One of the documents was a Social Security card, which had the other person’s name on it.

Riascos-Barahona faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of May 18, 2018 was set.

Homeland Security Investigations and Louisiana State Police investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti is prosecuting the case.

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Shreveport man pleaded guilty last week to distributing marijuana and firearm possession.

Xavier Breonte Strickland, 29, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby to one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote. According to the guilty plea, parole officers went to Strickland’s residence on June 2, 2017 in response to a parole violation. While there, they noticed Strickland exit a bedroom. After searching the bedroom, officers found a Ruger pistol, model: SR1911, caliber: .45 with one round of ammunition in the chamber underneath a green tote bag in the bedroom closet. Next to the bag was a black zipper pouch that contained a digital scale and a bag with 31 grams of marijuana.

Strickland faces up to 20 years in prison for the drug count and no less than five years in prison for the firearms count, which is in addition to the term of imprisonment the court imposes for the drug count. He also faces five years in prison and a $1 million fine. The court set sentencing for June 1, 2018.

The ATF and the Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown is prosecuting the case.

ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a prisoner at the U.S. Penitentiary in Pollock, La., was sentenced last week to two years in prison for assaulting another inmate who later died.

Lee Adams, 53, of Santa Clara County, Calif., was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of involuntary manslaughter. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. According to the October 20, 2017 guilty plea, Adams entered a fellow inmate’s cell on October 31, 2014 and beckoned for him to follow. After the inmate entered Adams’ cell, Adams struck the inmate causing him to fall backwards. The back of the inmate’s head struck the floor, and he was found laying motionless. Adams exited the cell and entered the common area. Correctional officers locked down the area and transported the injured inmate to a local hospital where he died on November 4, 2014. The coroner concluded that the inmate sustained a skull fracture and massive injury to the brain, concluding that he died from blunt force to the side of his head that struck the floor. There is no indication that Adams specifically intended to kill the inmate.

The FBI and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons-Special Investigative Services conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown is prosecuting the case.

ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Pollock prisoner pleaded guilty last week to possessing a knife.

Eric Judy Blair, 40, a Pollock prisoner, pleaded guilty Friday before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to one count of possessing contraband in a prison. According to the guilty plea, prison guards were observing inmates going through a metal detector during a random search on June 11, 2017 at the U.S. Penitentiary at Pollock, La. When Blair could not clear the metal detector, he entered a second time and failed again. During a pat down, guards found a homemade metal knife approximately six and one-half inches long.

Blair faces up to five years in prison, one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set sentencing for May 18, 2018.

The FBI and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons-Special Investigative Services conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo is prosecuting the case.

ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Pineville man was sentenced last week to two and a half years in prison for using an online storage site to house child pornography.

Brandon McNamara, 26, of Pineville, La., was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of possession of child pornography. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release and is required to register as a sex offender. According to the August 28, 2017 guilty plea, Canadian law enforcement agents arrested a resident of British Columbia in 2016 for online child pornography distribution. Canadian agents identified McNamara’s online alias as one of 57 different users exchanging child pornography with the Canadian defendant. Canadian agents alerted U.S. law enforcement, and McNamara was questioned on December 9, 2016. He admitted to possessing images of child pornography and said they were being stored on an online storage account.

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

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423.  Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls.  Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app.  Tips may be submitted anonymously.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Vancouver Royal Canadian Mounted Police conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamilla A. Bynog and David J. Ayo prosecuted the case.

LAFAYETTE – David Prejean, a former Sergeant in the K-9 Unit of the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office (IPSO), pleaded guilty today to assaulting a pre-trial detainee at the Iberia Parish Jail (IPJ) by commanding his K-9 to bite the detainee, and by striking the detainee, all without justification, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook for the Western District of Louisiana.

According to the charges and other information presented in Court, Prejean was a K-9 Sergeant on the IMPACT Unit, a specialized unit at IPSO. On Dec. 6, 2012, Prejean was called to the Iberia Parish Jail to assist with a shakedown. During the course of the shakedown, an inmate—M.R.—turned to look at Prejean after being told not to, at which point Prejean threw M.R. to the ground and then commanded his dog to bite M.R. Prejean also struck M.R. several times. Despite the fact that M.R. had complied with Prejean’s commands and did not pose a threat to anyone on the rec yard, Prejean allowed the dog to bite M.R. for several seconds before pulling him off of M.R. Prejean’s unlawful use of force resulted in injury to M.R. Following the assault, Prejean wrote a false report designed to cover up his unjustified use of force.

“Every person in the United States, including those who are incarcerated, is protected by the U.S. Constitution,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division. “When the officers we expect to uphold the rights enshrined in the Constitution willfully violate them, the Justice Department will aggressively prosecute those officers and uphold the rule of law.”

“Law enforcement officers respond to dangerous situations and put their lives at risk every day to serve and protect the public,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. “For this sacrifice they have our thanks and respect. Officers also have a moral and legal obligation to protect the civil rights of those in their custody. Those officers who willfully abuse prisoners in their care and violate their rights will be held accountable.”

David Prejean, 38, of Lafayette, Louisiana, will be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Dee D. Drell, on May 18 in Alexandria, Louisiana.

This case was investigated by the Lafayette Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Tona Boyd of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant United States Attorney Mary Mudrick of the Western District of Louisiana.

SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE/ALEXANDRIA/LAKE CHARLES/MONROE, La.:  United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana collected $14,869,623 through civil, criminal and asset forfeiture actions in fiscal year 2017.  Generally, the money collected is used to restore funds to crime victims and to recover money owed to the United States. 

The District collected more than $13 million in criminal actions and $1.2 million in civil actions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also worked with its law enforcement partners to collect almost $60,000 in asset forfeiture actions in fiscal year 2017.

Included in the FY2017 criminal collections is $9.5 million collected from Wood Group PSN Inc. and $1.2 million collected from Omega Protein Inc.  Wood Group previously pleaded guilty to violations of the Clean Water Act, as well as one count of falsifying documents, and was sentenced to pay more than $9 million in criminal fines and restitution. Omega Protein also pleaded guilty to Clean Water Act violations and was sentenced to pay a criminal fine of $1 million plus $200,000 restitution.

The total amount collected by the District in FY2017 included almost $1 million collected in garnishment proceedings commenced by the District’s Financial Litigation Unit (FLU). The money collected is attributable to aggressive asset investigations and garnishment of various financial interests of debtors including retirement and other investment accounts, pensions and annuities, life insurance policies, bank accounts and wages. The FLU also placed an emphasis on increasing its garnishment of assets held in the name of nominee business entities.

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

Overall, the Justice Department collected more than $15 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2017. 

“It takes long hours and great effort from our attorneys and support staff to track down and collect these funds,” stated U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. “The money is often owed by defendants who resist repaying victims of crime.  I am thankful for our dedicated employees who, for another year, brought in a record amount in collections on behalf of crime victims and taxpayers.”

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a St. Martinville man was sentenced to five years in prison for drug distribution and firearm charges.

Clay Anthony Robertson, 31, of St. Martinville, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to five years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon.  He was also sentenced to four years of supervised release. According to the October 23, 2017 guilty plea, law enforcement agents searched Robertson’s former apartment in Lafayette on January 19, 2017. Law enforcement agents recovered more than 500 grams of cocaine, 31 grams of marijuana dipped in Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) wax and $64,280.  Law enforcement also recovered a .40 caliber pistol, a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol, 30 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, and 41 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition. Agents also discovered that the .40 caliber pistol was stolen, and that Robertson had previously been convicted of a felony controlled substance offense.

The DEA, ATF, Lafayette Metro Narcotics Task Force and the St. Martin Parish Narcotics Division of the St. Martin Parish Sheriff's Office conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy prosecuted the case.

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that an Opelousas man was sentenced Thursday to more than four years in prison for possessing a pistol even though he was previously convicted of a felony and prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Willie Jamal Reynolds, 28, of Opelousas, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the September 15, 2017 guilty plea, police arrested Reynolds on June 3, 2017 for possessing a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol. After further investigation, police found a 15-minute video online of Reynolds and a friend in the presence of numerous firearms. Reynolds was convicted of a felony in September of 2013 and is not allowed to possess a firearm.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

The ATF and the Opelousas Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti prosecuted the case.

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Houston man was sentenced Thursday to 96 months in prison for his role in a cocaine distribution conspiracy operated in St. Mary Parish.

Omar Mascorro, 42, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.  He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. According to the guilty plea, Mascorro was the source of the cocaine provided to Artey D. Foulcard, 39, of Franklin, La., who then provided to others to distribute. The drugs were distributed in St. Mary Parish, Ascension Parish and Baton Rouge from January 2000 to June 2015.

The other members of the conspiracy are:

Barry Druilhet, 44, of Baldwin, La., was found guilty after a three-day trial that ended on August 2, 2017 of  conspiracy and use of a communication facility in facilitating a drug trafficking crime.  He was sentenced on December 21, 2017 to 240 months in prison and three years of supervised release.

Duanyell Williams, 43, of Franklin, La., pleaded guilty on June 19, 2017 to conspiracy, and he was sentenced on December 15, 2017 to 55 months in prison and three years of supervised release.

Michael McDaniel, 44, of Missouri City, Texas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy on April 25, 2017, and he was sentenced on October 19, 2017 to 110 months in prison and five years of supervised release.

Cordell Johnson, 40, of Jeanerette, La., pleaded guilty on June 26, 2017 to conspiracy, and he was sentenced on October 19, 2017 to 120 months in prison and five years of supervised release.

Calvin Burrell, 50, of Franklin, pleaded guilty on April 25, 2017 to conspiracy, and he was sentenced on October 19, 2017 to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release.

D’Arnold T. Deville, 49, of Bourg, La., was transferred to the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans on July 12, 2017 where he pleaded guilty to conspiracy and additional charges.

Foulcard previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance in a bill of information in January 2016 in the Western District of Louisiana. The case was transferred to the Middle District of Louisiana in Baton Rouge in February 2016, and he was sentenced on March 2, 2017 to 85 months in prison and five years of supervised release.

The defendants were arrested as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation named “Hater Hurterz.” The FBI and the Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation. The OCDETF program is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert F. Moore and Kelly P. Uebinger prosecuted the case.

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a man from Duson was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud a Eunice pipeline company out of more than $2.8 million.

Richard Walter Borek Jr., 43, of Duson, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of wire fraud. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $2,858,975 restitution. According to the August 9, 2017 guilty plea, Borek worked as the information technology (IT) manager for a Eunice pipeline company from 2012 to 2016. He conducted a scheme where he bought cell phones and electronic tablets using company funds. He then sold them online to another company and kept the money for his own personal use. He also sold web hosting services and computer equipment to the pipeline company through his own company called Statix, even though the web hosting services were being provided by another company and the computer equipment was never delivered to the pipeline company’s office.  The loss from the scheme included unauthorized electronics purchases, fraudulent charges from Statix and costs of the investigation total $2,858,975.

The FBI conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo prosecuted the case.

LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Sulphur man pleaded guilty Wednesday to possessing a silencer.

Robert Reid Taylor, 46, of Sulphur, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of possession of an unregistered firearm silencer. According to the guilty plea, Taylor was found with an unregistered firearm silencer on September 7, 2017. The silencer had no manufacturer’s markings or serial number. It was also not registered in the National Firearms and Transfer Record.

Taylor faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

The ATF conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti is prosecuting the case.

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Shreveport man previously convicted of a felony pleaded guilty Wednesday to possessing a pistol found in his residence.

Kenneth D. Mayweather, 20, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to the guilty plea, the Caddo-Shreveport Narcotics Street Level Investigative Unit searched a Shreveport residence on August 3, 2017 as part of a drug investigation. Three males were taken into custody during the search with two of them apprehended in the backyard after attempting to flee the residence. Also during the search, law enforcement agents found a Glock, model 23, .40 caliber pistol and 11 rounds of ammunition. Mayweather admitted to owning the firearm and that he was not allowed to have one as he has a prior felony conviction.

Mayweather faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of May 30, 2018.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Session announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

The ATF and Caddo-Shreveport Narcotics Unit conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields is prosecuting the case.

LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that an Oakdale inmate pleaded guilty Wednesday to assaulting another inmate.

Frank Quinton Gaitor, 49, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Center, Oakdale, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of assault within maritime and territorial jurisdiction. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter. According to the guilty plea, Gaitor assaulted and intentionally struck a fellow inmate on January 2, 2016 at the Federal Correctional Center in Oakdale. The assault left the inmate with serious bodily injuries.

Gaitor faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of April 17, 2018.

The FBI and U.S. Bureau of Prisons conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Ayo and Jamilla A. Bynog are prosecuting the case.

LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a citizen of Mexico pleaded guilty last week to reentering the country illegally after having previously been removed from the United States on five separate occasions.

Hector Gerardo Luna-Deleon, 28, of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, pleaded guilty Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of reentry of a removed alien. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter. According to the guilty plea, Lake Charles police encountered Luna-Deleon on November 10, 2017 following a traffic stop. Officers transported Luna-Deleon to the local U.S. Border Patrol station in Lake Charles, where it was discovered that Luna-Deleon had previously been removed from the United States on five separate occasions. Officers also discovered that Luna-Deleon had previously been arrested and found guilty in Texas in 2014 for driving while intoxicated.  Luna-Deleon's previous removals occurred on January 12, 2015; April 28, 2016; May 17, 2016; June 23, 2016; and July 18, 2016. The court set sentencing for April 17, 2018.

Customs and Border Protection and Lake Charles Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy is prosecuting the case.

LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a citizen of Honduras pleaded guilty last week to reentering the United Staes illegally after having been removed.

Ever Salazar-Espinal, 30, of Honduras, pleaded guilty Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to illegal reentry of the United States by an alien following deportation or removal.  According to the guilty plea’s factual basis, U.S. Border Patrol agents found Salazar-Espinal October 6, 2017 in Lake Charles and determined that he was in the United States illegally.  An immigration records check showed that in 2014, immigration authorities had physically removed Salazar-Espinal from the United States to his native country, Honduras, as ordered by a U.S. immigration court.  The records check further showed that the Immigration Court issued the order of removal after Salazar-Espinal was convicted in Nevada for felony possession of credit or debit cards without the cardholder’s consent.

Salazar-Espinal faces up to 10 months in prison, threes years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set sentencing for April 17, 2018.

Customs and Border Protection and the Lake Charles Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph T. Mickel is prosecuting the case.

LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Ragley woman pleaded guilty last week to taking more than $75,000 of her deceased mother-in-law’s benefits.

Vanneta Hudspeth, 57, of Ragley, La., pleaded guilty January 25 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of theft of government funds. According to the guilty plea, Hudspeth continued to receive her deceased mother-in-law’s Veterans Affairs benefits from March 2010 to June 2015 that she was not entitled to. Hudspeth made false statements on the mail-in questionnaire in 2014, stating that her mother-in-law was still living and entitled to receive benefits.  Hudspeth collected $75,477.90 in VA benefits after her mother-in-law’s death in March 2010.

Hudspeth faces 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set sentencing for April 17, 2018.

Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moore is prosecuting the case.

ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Pineville man was sentenced Wednesday to 30 months in prison for counterfeiting and cashing checks.

Deshan Spivey, 31, of Pineville, La., who is originally from Ruston, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to one count of making and possessing counterfeit securities of political subdivisions of the State of Louisiana. He was also sentenced to two years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $28,410 restitution. According to the October 30, 2017 guilty plea, Spivey used counterfeit checks that he manufactured to draw funds from the Rapides Parish School Board and Natchitoches Parish School Board in November 2015 and January 2017. Spivey cashed the checks at various retail outlets in the central Louisiana area.

 The U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell is prosecuting the case.

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Jennings man was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months in prison for posting nude photos online and threatening to post more photos of a female victim.

Christopher Redeaux, 21, of Jennings, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey for one count of interstate transmission of an extortionate communication.  He was also sentenced to one year of supervised release.  According to the October 11, 2018 guilty plea, Redeaux obtained nude pictures of a woman and threatened to publish them on the internet if the woman did not provide more photos.  Redeaux posted some of the photos to Facebook using a fictitious account and sent a friend request to the victim and her friends.  Redeaux harassed the victim through an online account and telephone calls.  The victim filed a complaint with McNeese State University Police on December 2, 2015, and Redeaux was arrested on several state charges including cyberstalking, sexual battery and cyberbullying. Redeaux’s cell phone was searched and a folder containing the nude photos of the victim were found.

The FBI, McNeese State University Police and the Greater Houston Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamilla A. Bynog and T. Forrest Phillips prosecuted the case.

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Beaumont man was sentenced Tuesday to 120 months in prison for kidnapping two girls after stealing the truck they were in.

Henry Dwight Moore, 23, of Beaumont, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey on one count of kidnapping. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. According to the October 11, 2017 guilty plea, Moore drove a black truck into a Lowe’s parking lot in Sulphur, La., on December 13, 2015. He stole a customer’s purse who had walked away from it to return a shopping cart.  A bystander saw Moore take the purse, and the bystander jumped into the back of Moore’s truck as he drove away. The truck’s engine died at one point, and the bystander attempted to confront him.  Moore got the engine started again and sped off, leaving the bystander in the truck bed. Eventually Moore stopped and the bystander got out. Moore then continued westbound on Interstate 10 in the rain. He lost control and struck the side of a Toyota Tundra truck.  After the accident, Moore’s truck died again, and he and the Tundra pulled over to the side of the road.  After the Tundra owner exited the truck and walked to the passenger side to inspect the damage, Moore jumped into the driver’s seat and drove off.  Inside the Tundra truck were the owner’s daughters ages 5 and 7.  Moore told the girls he was going to drop them off at a police station but instead abandoned the car and the girls on the side of the road in Orange, Texas. The oldest girl located her father’s cell phone and called 911 for help.

The FBI conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog prosecuted the case.

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Shreveport felon pleaded guilty last week to illegally possessing a pistol after being convicted of multiple felonies.

 

Gabriel Jones, 36, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea will become final after it is accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. According to the guilty plea, Shreveport police were executing a warrant for someone else on August 7, 2018 at Jones’ residence. During a search of the residence, police found marijuana in plain view, and they found a Ruger, Model P85, 9 mm caliber pistol, crack cocaine and additional marijuana in the back bedroom closet. The pistol had a 30 round extended magazine inside it. The other occupants of the residence denied ownership of the gun and said it belonged to Jones. Police also searched Jones’ cell phone and found images and data showing the pistol belonged to him. Jones was convicted on May 24, 2010 of aggravated flight from an officer and attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also convicted on December 6, 2004 in Caddo Parish of possession of marijuana, second offense,

 

Jones faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of May 10, 2018.

 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Session announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

 

The ATF, U.S. Marshals Service and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford is prosecuting the case.

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Shreveport man pleaded guilty last week to possessing a pistol even though he was still on supervised release and had been convicted of several felonies.

 

Derrick D. Morris, 36, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty Friday before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to the guilty plea, Morris was arrested on August 4, 2017 at a gas station in Shreveport on a warrant for violating his supervised release. Officers found Morris with a Glock, Model 26, 9 mm pistol in the front seat area of the car. Morris was convicted in 2003 for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He additionally has two prior felony convictions by the State of Louisiana.

 

Morris faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of March 22, 2018.

 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Session announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

 

The ATF, U.S. Marshals Service and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. is prosecuting the case.

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Shreveport man pleaded guilty Thursday to possessing a pistol even though he was a convicted felon.

 

Alvin Kincerely Law Jr., 30, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to the guilty plea, a Shreveport Police officer conducted a traffic stop on a red pickup truck Law was driving on June 26, 2017. Before the truck came to a stop, the officer saw a black object being tossed out of the driver’s side window. The firearm was later retrieved and was found to be a Lorcin, Mira Loma, CA, USA, model: L380, .380 caliber pistol. Law has a 2011 felony conviction for possession of marijuana, fourth offense and cannot legally possess a firearm.

 

Law faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of May 8, 2018.

 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Session announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

 

The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown is prosecuting the case.

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Bossier City woman pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm.

 

Erin W. O’Daniel, 35, Bossier City, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to the guilty plea, a Webster Parish sheriff’s deputy pulled over O’Daniel’s car on October 27, 2017 on Interstate 20. The deputy noticed a strong odor of marijuana and saw a large sum of cash in a bag in the center console of the car. The deputy searched the car and found two bags in the center console containing 282.7 grams of methamphetamine, two bags of marijuana, 14 ecstasy pills, a set of digital scales, plastic baggies and a .40 caliber loaded pistol. She was then arrested and taken to the Minden Police Department. She later stated she had more methamphetamine at home, and law enforcement agents recovered an additional 113.5 grams of methamphetamine in a box under her bed.

 

O’Daniel faces 10 years to life in prison for the conspiracy count and five years for the firearms count to run consecutive to the conspiracy count. She also faces four years of supervised release and a $10 million fine. The court set a sentencing date of May 8, 2018.

 

The DEA, Louisiana State Police, Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office and Minden Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys James G. Cowles Jr. and Aaron Crawford are prosecuting the case.

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Lafayette man was sentenced last week to 168 months in prison for enticing a minor into sending images of child pornography online.

 

Steven Anthony Lemoine, 29, of Lafayette, was sentenced January 18 by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of receiving child pornography.  He was also sentenced to 15 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. According to the October 19, 2018 guilty plea, Lemoine posed as a female on Facebook and enticed a 12-year-old minor to send him images of child pornography on December 26, 2016 and January 5, 2017. Lemoine’s home was later searched, and he admitted to using the online persona to obtain the images.

 

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

           

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423.  Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls.  Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app.  Tips may be submitted anonymously.

 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Louisiana State Police and Marksville Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker prosecuted the case.

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Lafayette man pleaded guilty Tuesday to sending obscene pictures to an undercover law enforcement agent posing as a 10-year-old boy.

 

Kory Issac Wilson, 39, of Lafayette, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of transportation of obscene material. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell. According to the guilty plea, Wilson began communicating with an undercover law enforcement agent on October 12, 2016. The agent posed as a father who wanted help sexually exploiting a 10-year-old boy. Wilson then began communicating with a second undercover agent who posed as the 10-year-old boy. Wilson sent the second agent three sexually explicit pictures of himself via text message.

 

Wilson faces up to five years in prison, three of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine.  The court set the sentencing date for May 18, 2018.

 

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

           

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423.  Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls.  Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app.  Tips may be submitted anonymously.

 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys T. Forrest Phillips and John Luke Walker are prosecuting the case.

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment charging a Shreveport businessman with scamming more than $96 million from investors and financial institutions.

 

David D. deBerardinis, 56, of Shreveport, was charged with four counts of wire fraud and one count of attempted bank fraud. According to the indictment, from 2008 to 2016, deBerardinis falsely represented himself through the use of fake documents, identities, business transactions and other false information to obtain more than $96 million from investors and lending institutions. He operated numerous business entities and represented himself as part of the petroleum industry involved in the sale, trade and transport of fuel. The defendant created fraudulent documents, including fake bank statements, fake checks, fuel trade agreements, promissory notes, tolling agreement letters, news articles, in-line production tickets and other fake documents to misrepresent his business activities to investors.  He even disguised himself as an Orthodox Jewish businessman at one point while trying to obtain investor funds from a New York-based private equity group after hiring a professional makeup artist.  He also falsely claimed to have obtained an international shippers’ license, which required vetting by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security.  Through these false statements and omissions to investors, deBerardinis obtained millions of dollars from investors in Shreveport, Louisiana and elsewhere. 

 

The defendant faces 20 years in prison for the wire fraud counts and 30 years in prison for the attempted bank fraud count. He also faces a $1 million fine, restitution, forfeiture, and five years of supervised release for each count.

 

The FBI, U.S. Secret Service and the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cytheria D. Jernigan, Christopher J. Stokes, Joseph A. Magliolo and Seth D. Reeg are prosecuting the case.  The investigation and prosecution of this case has been a cooperative endeavor between the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Shreveport and Dallas.

 

An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a former Vermilion Parish middle school teacher was sentenced last week to 70 years in prison for making and possessing child pornography.

 

James Stacey Harber, 33, of Abbeville, La., previously of Ohio, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on three counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release and is required to register as a sex offender. According to the August 18, 2017 guilty plea, Harber began communicating with a woman in Abbeville while he was living in Ohio in 2010. They began having a sexual relationship online and communicating via online video. The woman later included her three minor children in the online sexual relationship. Harber moved to Abbeville in 2013 and gained employment at the Louisiana Office of Child Services and then as a middle school teacher. He sexually abused the woman’s children after moving to Louisiana in addition to recording sexually explicit images of them. Law enforcement agents searched Harber’s home on April 26, 2016 and found numerous images and videos of child pornography on various electronic media, which included images downloaded from the internet as well as images he recorded himself sexually exploiting the children.

 

“These types of horrific cases must not be allowed to continue,” said Van Hook. “It is vital that the public and people in the community help to bring these cases to light as happened in this case. This 70-year sentence shows our resolve to prosecute and convict to the fullest extent of the law.”

 

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

           

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423.  Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls.  Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app.  Tips may be submitted anonymously.

 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Abbeville Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker prosecuted the case.

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced  that a woman who owned a Shreveport tax preparation business pleaded guilty Monday to filing false taxes for herself and her clients even after her electronic filing number was revoked.

 

Deborah A. Turner, 47, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby to one count of making and subscribing a false tax return and one count of aiding and assisting in making and subscribing a false return. The plea will become final after it is accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. According to the guilty plea, Turner owned Tax Express Refund, which is a tax preparation business located in Shreveport. The IRS revoked her Electronic Filing Identification Number (EFIN) in January 2014, but she instead started using her daughter’s EFIN to continue filing tax returns. She filed numerous tax returns for clients for tax years 2011 to 2013 containing false information so they could claim deductions, credits and expenses to increase the size of their refunds. She also filed a false individual tax return for tax year 2013 where she failed to report $336,865 of income she received from her business.

 

Turner faces up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a $100,000 fine for each count. The court set a sentencing date of April 2, 2018.

 

The IRS-Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath and Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Cytheria D. Jernigan are prosecuting the case.

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a Shreveport felon pleaded guilty to possessing a pistol even though he was a convicted felon.

 

Jamario Montreal Harris, 31, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea will become final after it is accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. According to the guilty plea, law enforcement agents found Harris in possession of a .40 caliber Glock pistol on March 20, 2017. He was previously convicted of a felony and not allowed to possess a firearm.

 

Harris faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of April 2, 2018.

 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Session announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

 

The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath is prosecuting the case.

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a former Breaux Bridge Police officer pleaded guilty to receiving sexually explicit images.

 

Craig David Jr., 29, of Breaux Bridge, La. pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of receiving child pornography. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks. According to the guilty plea, David received child pornography starting in January 2017 using an electronic device.

 

David faces up to 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

 

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

           

Those concerned may also leave tips with the FBI at tips.fbi.gov. Tips may be submitted anonymously.  The Lafayette FBI office number is (337) 233-2164.

 

The FBI and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert C. Abendroth is prosecuting the case.

ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a St. Mary Parish man was sentenced last week to 18 months in prison for moving to Texas without updating his sex offender registration.

 

Forrest Tucker, 54, of Morgan City, La., was sentenced January 12 by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of failure to register as a sex offender. He was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release. According to the September 22, 2017 guilty plea, Tucker was convicted of a felony on April 17, 2008 that required him to register as a sex offender. After he served seven years in prison, St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s officers checked his address after his release in 2014, and Tucker was found absent from his Morgan City residence. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and U.S. Marshals arrested Tucker on May 4, 2017 in a hotel in San Antonio, Texas.

 

The U.S. Marshals Service and the St. Mary Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph T. Mickel prosecuted the case.