District of Massachusetts

BOSTON – A Taunton man was charged yesterday in federal court in Boston with bank robbery.

Philip L. Campanirio, 52, was charged in an Information with one count of bank robbery.  On Aug. 31, 2018, Campanirio was arrested and has been detained in federal custody since.

According to court documents, on April 28, 2018, while on supervised release for a previous bank robbery conviction, Campanirio robbed approximately $4,680 from a branch of the Citizens Bank in Allston.

Campanirio faces a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Boston Police Chief William Gross made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON - A Mexican national with nine prior deportations was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after being deported. The defendant has pending state charges for domestic assault and battery, and prior convictions for drunk driving and drug possession. After being charged with illegal reentry in April 2018, he was released from federal custody in June 2018, during which time he violated conditions of release by testing positive for drugs.    

Bulmaro Enriquez, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to eight months in prison and two years of supervised release. The government sought a sentence of 16 months in prison. Enriquez will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In July 2018, Enriquez pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry of a deported alien. 

Enriquez was arrested in Framingham on Nov. 23, 2017, and charged with domestic assault and battery and released by the state. That case is still pending. On April 30, 2018, immigration officers located Enriquez in Framingham and determined that he was illegally present in the United States. Enriquez was charged with illegal reentry in federal court and was ordered detained. However, on June 7, 2018, he was released from federal custody after agreeing to post the equity in his girlfriend’s home. Enriquez subsequently violated conditions of federal pretrial release by testing positive for cocaine and buprenorphine. On July 25, 2018, U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley revoked Enriquez’s prior order of release and ordered him detained pending sentencing.  

In 2015, Enriquez was arrested in Framingham following the execution of a state search warrant, which resulted in the seizure of one and a half pounds of marijuana, electric scales, and other drug distribution paraphernalia. In October 2015, Enriquez was convicted in state court and sentenced to prison. Upon completion of his sentence, Enriquez was charged in federal court with illegal reentry. Enriquez pleaded guilty, was sentenced, and subsequently transferred into immigration custody. On Feb. 4, 2016, he was ordered removed to Mexico. At some point after his removal, Enriquez returned to the United States.

According to court records, Enriquez, who has a lengthy criminal record with convictions for drunk driving and drug possession, has been deported a total of nine times; Oct. 12, 2004; Nov. 22, 2004; Jan. 10, 2005; Nov. 7, 2005; March 6, 2006; April 18, 2006; Nov. 27, 2007; April 1, 2008; and Feb. 2016.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Todd M. Lyons, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A member of MS-13 was sentenced today to life in prison for racketeering conspiracy and murder.

Hector Enamorado, a/k/a “Vida Loca,” 39, a Honduran national, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to life in prison.  In April 2018, Enamorado was convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy, and of committing or knowingly participating in murder as part of the racketeering conspiracy.

Co-defendants Noe Salvador Perez Vasquez, a/k/a “Crazy,” 27, a Salvadoran national, and Luis Solis Vasquez, a/k/a “Brujo,” 27, a Salvadoran national, were also convicted of RICO conspiracy and of committing or knowingly participating in murder. Perez was sentenced in July 2018 to life in prison and Solis is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 17, 2018.

At trial, Enamorado was identified as a homeboy with the Chelsea Locos Salvatrucha (CLS) clique. In furtherance of its mission, MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence, specifically against rival gang members; kill informants; and support and defend fellow MS-13 members in attacks. MS-13 rewards members who commit acts of violence with promotions within the gang and punishes members who break gang rules.

On Dec. 14, 2014, Enamorado, Perez Vasquez and Solis Vasquez, murdered a 29-year-old male victim at an apartment in Chelsea. Enamorado and the victim had engaged in a gang-related fight the night before the murder, and when Enamorado encountered the victim again the following night, Enamorado called Perez Vasquez to ask him for a gun. Perez Vasquez delivered the murder weapon, a .380 caliber pistol, to Enamorado in Chelsea. Solis Vasquez armed himself with a gun and went with Enamorado into the apartment to provide backup and support for the attack. Enamorado used Perez Vasquez’s gun to fatally shoot the victim three times. Enamorado also shot and wounded a second victim who was inside the apartment at the time of the murder.

Enamorado was one of 49 defendants convicted as part of this case. All nine defendants who went to trial were convicted and 40 others pleaded guilty. In all, 16 defendants, including Enamorado, were found to have committed or knowingly participated in murders.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Commissioner Thomas Turco of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Thompkins; Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett; Boston Police Commissioner William Gross; Chelsea Police Chief Brian A. Kyes; Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie; Lynn Police Chief Michael Mageary; Revere Police Chief James Guido; and Somerville Police Chief David Fallon made the announcement today. The U.S. Marshals Service has provided crucial assistance with the case.

BOSTON – A Salvadoran national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for being an alien in possession of a firearm.

Roberto Portillo, aka “Mysterio,” 24, a Salvadoran national previously residing in Chelsea, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to one year and one day in prison. Portillo will face deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In June 2018, Portillo pleaded guilty to one count of being an alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The case arose from an investigation into the criminal activities of 18th Street gang members. According to court documents, Portillo is a member of 18th Street, a violent gang that has engaged in a long-running feud with MS-13. On Jan. 13, 2018, law enforcement officers were investigating drug dealing in East Somerville when they saw three people inside a gray Honda Accord purchase drugs. After confirming the drug sale, law enforcement stopped the car and frisked the front passenger, later identified as Portillo, and found a silver semi-automatic pistol with an obliterated serial number loaded with five rounds of .25 caliber CBC ammunition in his pocket. A subsequent review of immigration databases revealed that Portillo had not legally entered the country, making him an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Somerville Police Chief David Fallon made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Moran of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – An MS-13 member was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for racketeering conspiracy involving the murder of a 15-year-old boy in East Boston. 

Carlos Melara, a/k/a “Chuchito,” a/k/a “Criminal,” 21, a Salvadoran national, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 36 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Melara will also be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence.  In April 2018, Melara pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy.

On Sept. 7, 2015, Melara, along with Edwin Gonzalez, a/k/a “Sangriento,” Henry Parada Martinez, a/k/a “Street Danger,” and a juvenile MS-13 member participated in the murder of a 15-year-old boy on Constitution Beach in East Boston. The defendants targeted the victim in a “catfishing” scheme in which they used a fake Facebook account to trick the victim into thinking he was talking to a girl. In reality, the Facebook account was being controlled by Gonzalez and other MS-13 members to lure suspected rivals so that the gang could murder them.

On the day of the murder, Melara picked up the victim on a scooter pretending to be a friend of the girl that the victim was planning to meet for a date. Melara drove the victim to Constitution Beach, where the other MS-13 members were waiting to kill him. Melara and the three other MS-13 members took turns attacking and stabbing the victim. While Melara was stabbing the boy, the knife Melara was using snapped and broke in the victim’s chest. Melara and the others left the victim bleeding to death with approximately 33 sharp force injuries and numerous blunt force injuries where the assailants had punched, kicked, and struck the victim with rocks. Following the murder, Melara, Gonzalez, and the juvenile were promoted to “homeboy,” or full members of MS-13, as a reward for their participation in the murder.

After a multi-year investigation, Melara was one of dozens of alleged leaders, members, and associates of MS-13 named in a superseding indictment unsealed in January 2016 that targeted MS-13’s criminal activities in Massachusetts. During the investigation, Melara was identified as a member of MS-13’s Everett Locos Salvatrucha (ELS) clique.  

Melara, Gonzalez, and Parada Martinez are three of 49 defendants who have been convicted on federal charges as part of this ongoing prosecution in Massachusetts. Sixteen of those defendants—including Melara, Gonzalez, and Parada Martinez—have been held responsible for racketeering conspiracy involving murder. Melara, Parada Martinez, and the juvenile, who was charged separately, pleaded guilty prior to trial. After a multi-week trial, Gonzalez was convicted of RICO conspiracy and held responsible for his role in this murder, in addition to the murder of a 16-year-old boy in a separate East Boston attack in January 2016.  Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 22, 2018.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Commissioner Thomas Turco of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Thompkins; Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett; Boston Police Commissioner William Gross; Chelsea Police Chief Brian A. Kyes; Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie; Lynn Police Chief Michael Mageary; Revere Police Chief James Guido; and Somerville Police Chief David Fallon made the announcement today. The U.S. Marshals Service has provided crucial assistance with the case.

BOSTON – Two MCI-Cedar Junction inmates, and the wife and mother of one of the inmates, were charged in federal court in Boston in connection with smuggling drugs into the facility.    

Chad Connors, 42, and William Guillemette, 39, both inmates at Massachusetts Correctional Institute – Cedar Junction (MCI-CJ) in South Walpole, and Lisa Guillemette, 42, and Margaret Guillemette, 58, both of Fall River, were each charged in an indictment unsealed today with one count of conspiracy to distribute Suboxone and Alprazolam. Lisa and Margaret Guillemette were arrested today and will appear in federal court in Boston this afternoon. Connors and William Guillemette will appear at a later date.

According to the charging documents, Chad Connors and William Guillemette were inmates housed at MCI-CJ’s Departmental Disciplinary Unit (DDU). It is alleged that Connors was involved in a romantic relationship with Christine Ramos, a nurse assigned to the DDU. At Connors’ request, Ramos agreed to smuggle contraband, including controlled substances, into MCI-CJ. In order to do this, Ramos opened two Post Office Boxes through a third party. Connors sent letters and money to Ramos at these P.O. Boxes, and, at William Guillemette’s direction, his wife, Lisa, and mother, Margaret, obtained and sent Suboxone and Alprazolam to the P.O. Boxes. Ramos subsequently smuggled the drugs into the DDU and delivered them to Connors. It is alleged that Connors and William Guillemette distributed the drugs to other inmates, who sent checks to Lisa and Margaret Guillemette as payment for the drugs.

According to court documents, Suboxone and Alprazolam are Schedule III and Schedule IV controlled substances, respectively.  

Christine Ramos was previously charged and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute Suboxone and Alprazolam. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 17, 2018.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute Suboxone and Alprazolam provide for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $500,000, and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines  

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Thomas A. Turco III of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – Two Lynn men were arrested yesterday and charged in federal court in Boston in connection with drug and firearm charges.

Carlos Lopez, aka “C-Lo,” 30, was charged in an indictment unsealed yesterday with one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin and marijuana, one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Dionis Lopez, aka “Kuku,” 28, was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana, one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. The defendants were detained following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston.

According to the indictment, on Nov. 14, 2017, Carlos Lopez possessed and intended to distribute heroin and marijuana while in possession of a Bersa, Model Thunder 380, .380 caliber pistol and a Beretta, Model Px4, 9mm pistol with various rounds of 9mm ammunition. Due to a previous conviction for a crime punishable by more than one year in prison, Carlos Lopez was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

The indictment also alleged that, on Nov. 14, 2017, Dionis Lopez possessed and intended to distribute 40 grams or more of a substance containing fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana while in possession of a Glock, Model 27, .40 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number and a Glock, Model 19, 9 mm pistol.

The charge of possession with intent to distribute heroin and marijuana provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. The charge of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes provides for a mandatory sentence of five years in prison to be served consecutive to any other term imposed and no greater than three years of supervised release. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of $2 million. The charge of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lynn Police Chief Michael Mageary made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Moran of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Rockland woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to stealing Social Security benefits.   

Catherine M. Anzalone, 55, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of public funds. U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. scheduled sentencing for Jan. 10, 2019.  Anzalone was arrested and charged in February 2018.

Anzalone’s mother passed away in March 2000. At the time of her death, Anzalone’s mother was receiving monthly retirement benefits from Social Security. Social Security, however, was never advised of Anzalone’s mother’s death and continued to deposit her benefit payments into a bank account she held jointly with Anzalone. From April 2000 through April 2017, Anzalone stole approximately $155,736 in Social Security benefits.

The charge of theft of public funds provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Burzycki of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON - A North Adams man was charged in federal court in Springfield yesterday with child exploitation offenses.

Anthony K. Deordio, 43, was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of distribution of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. Deordio is currently in state custody on related charges. He will appear in federal court in Springfield at a later date.

Between November 2017 and March 2018, Deordio is alleged to have used a child to produce child pornography and distribute, receive and possess child pornography.

The charge of sexual exploitation of a minor provides for a minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. The charges of receipt and distribution of child pornography each provide for a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and North Adams Police Director Michael Cozzaglio made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

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 DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to 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 details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – The owner of a Fall River-based glass company was charged in an indictment in connection with failing to pay the IRS taxes he withheld from his company’s employees.

Moses Rapoza, 83, of Lakeville, was charged in an indictment unsealed today with one count of filing a false tax return and eleven counts of failing to pay over to the IRS the taxes he withheld from employee wages. Rapoza’s whereabouts are currently unknown. 

According to the indictment, Rapoza was the owner and operator of Global Specialty Glass Contractors, Inc., a glass installation business located in Fall River. From 2011 through 2014, Rapoza allegedly withheld income taxes and Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes from wages he paid to his employees, but failed to pay the taxes to the IRS on behalf of the employees. Rapoza allegedly filed a false Form 941 tax return with the IRS, knowing that it understated the amount of wages paid to employees, and that – although he had withheld more than $170,000 in taxes from employee wages – he failed to pay those taxes over to the IRS.

The charge of filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of no greater than three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of failure to pay over taxes provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of Lelling’s Economic Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – An Ipswich man, who is the owner and operator of numerous Massachusetts businesses, was arrested today on charges that he manipulated his payroll to avoid paying taxes.

George Vasiliades, 54, was charged in an indictment unsealed today with 17 counts of failure to collect, account for and pay over federal employment taxes; 17 counts of aiding and assisting the filing of false tax returns; one count of making a false statement to the Social Security Administration; and one count of aggravated identity theft. Vasiliades was arrested this morning and will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marianne Bowler this afternoon.

The indictment alleges that Vasiliades’s operated several businesses: Alpine Property Services, Boston Central Management, Delta Labor Company, Olympic Painting and Roofing, and Turnpike General Contracting. Between 2008 and 2013, Vasiliades allegedly concealed the true size of his companies’ payroll from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to reduce the cost of doing business and to increase profits. Among other things, Vasiliades characterized a portion of an employee’s wages as nontaxable and false expense reimbursements; and directed certain employees to create shell corporations and then paid employees through these corporations as if they were independent contractors.  He also allegedly paid some employees, including those who were not U.S. citizens and not authorized to work in the United States, from bank accounts that were not connected to his corporate payroll reporting software and, as a result, would not be reported as wages to the IRS. 

From April 2013 through September 2013, Vasiliades allegedly paid approximately $23,553 in wages to an employee who was not a citizen and not authorized to work in the United States using the name and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen employee. Each week during that period, Vasiliades allegedly issued two payroll checks in the citizen’s name and Social Security number: one check for the wages of the citizen and one check for the wages of the unauthorized worker. Vasiliades then allegedly reported all of the wages paid in the citizen’s name to the Social Security Administration, as if the citizen had earned them, which was false.  

The charges of failure to collect, account for and pay over federal employment taxes and making a false statement to the Social Security Administration provide for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison and three years of supervised release. The charges of aiding and assisting the filing of false tax returns provide for a sentence of no greater than three years in prison and one year of supervised release. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory two-year prison term which must be served consecutively to any sentence imposed on the other counts. Each count also is punishable by a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; Anthony DiPaolo, Chief of Investigations of the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts; and Michael C. Mikulka, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Region of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, Office of Criminal Investigations – Labor Racketeering and Fraud, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra S. Bower of Lelling’s Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – The former financial officer of a Boston-based non-profit was arrested today and charged in connection with a fraud and embezzlement scheme that that netted over $1.3 million dollars.

Nicole Lescarbeau, 51, of Canton, was charged in an indictment unsealed today with three counts of wire fraud, five counts of bank fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Lescarbeau was arrested this morning and will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith Dein this afternoon.

As alleged in the indictment, Lescarbeau served as the financial officer of a small, Boston-based non-profit organization. Her duties included managing incoming invoices, paying bills by check and wire transfer, using and paying credit cards, financial account maintenance, and bookkeeping. As a result, Lescarbeau had access to the non-profit’s checkbook, bookkeeping and accounting software, and online bank accounts.

From August 2013 until her termination in January 2018, Lescarbeau stole funds from the non-profit for her personal use. Specifically, Lescarbeau wrote unauthorized checks to herself using the non-profit’s accounting software and affixed the signatures of the authorized signers on the account. It is also alleged that Lescarbeau repeatedly logged on to the non-profit’s online bank accounts and directed unauthorized payments and transfers for her personal benefit, and that she made unauthorized personal charges using the non-profit’s business credit cards.  In total, Lescarbeau embezzled approximately $1,389,317 from the non-profit organization.

The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of $1 million. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year sentence that must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, restitution, and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin D. O’Connell of Lelling’s Economic Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Danvers man was arrested today and charged in connection with his role in a conspiracy to defraud a large facilities services company with offices in the Greater Boston area.

Jose Avila, a/k/a Joe Avila, 64, was charged in an indictment unsealed today with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud, five counts of honest services mail fraud, and one count of wire fraud. Avila was arrested this morning and will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donald Cabell today.

According to the indictment, Avila was the general manager of a temporary labor company. Lou Amaral, who was previously convicted for his role in the scheme, was a Senior Director of Operations at a facilities services company in the Greater Boston area. It is alleged that, between September 2013 and May 2014, Avila provided bribes and kickbacks to Amaral, and in exchange, Amaral steered lucrative temporary labor contracts to Avila’s employer. It is further alleged that the temporary labor company falsely billed the facilities services company for gift cards which Avila provided to Amaral and others.

In July 2018, Amaral pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and tax evasion, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 9, 2018.

The charges each provide for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Rosen of Lelling’s Economic Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Lynn man was arrested today and charged in connection with a scheme to impersonate bank customers and fraudulently withdraw money from their bank accounts.

Antonio Niati, 28, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Niati was arrested today and will appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley.

According to the indictment, in April 2017, Niati directed co-conspirators to conduct fraudulent transactions in victim bank accounts at a branch of Santander Bank in Dorchester. It is alleged that Niati directed a co-conspirator to impersonate bank customers by using fraudulent driver’s licenses, and recruited and paid a bank teller to facilitate the fraudulent transactions. The indictment alleges that Niati and his co-conspirators fraudulently withdrew over $640,000 from the accounts of bank customers.

The charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil J. Gallagher Jr. of Lelling’s Economic Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.

BOSTON – A West Yarmouth woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for stealing Social Security disability benefits.   

Crystal Lehtola, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to three years of supervised release, with the first six months to be served on home confinement, and ordered to pay restitution of $53,682. In May 2018, Lehtola pleaded guilty to one count of theft of public funds. Lehtola was arrested and charged in August 2017.

From February 2011 through August 2016, Lehtola received approximately $53,682 in benefits from the Social Security Administration intended for her disabled daughter. In order to be appointed as her daughter’s representative payee, Lehtola told Social Security that her daughter lived with her and that she was her daughter’s guardian. However, in April 2009, the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families removed Lehtola’s daughter from her care, and although Lehtola never regained custody, she repeatedly advised Social Security that her daughter lived with her and that she spent all of the benefits on her daughter’s care. In reality, Lehtola spent the funds on her own expenses.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division, made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Burzycki of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Milton man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to federal sex trafficking charges.  

Duhamel Cassagnol, 30, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; engaging in a conspiracy to commit sex trafficking; and transporting an individual for prostitution. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Dec.18, 2018. On Dec. 8, 2017, Cassagnol was arrested along with Geneiva Whaley, 23, of Connecticut. In May 2018, Whaley pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of an individual for prostitution and is scheduled for be sentenced on Oct. 4 2018. 

Between approximately July 2014 and February 2016, Cassagnol worked with Whaley to prostitute several victims. Cassagnol and Whaley advertised the victims using online ad-posting sites, including Backpage.com, and housed the victims in hotel rooms reserved in Whaley’s name in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and Florida.

The victims being prostituted were addicted to drugs, usually heroin. To keep their victims compliant, Cassagnol and Whaley provided them with drugs in exchange for the income the women earned through prostitution. The victims were only entitled to drugs if they generated income. In some instances, Cassagnol was violent and threatened several of the victims. The violence included beating the victims and, during one instance, forcing a victim to use drugs against her will.

The charge of sex trafficking through force, fraud, or coercion provides for a sentence of no less than 15 years and up to life in prison, no less than five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, no less than five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of transporting an individual for prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, no less than five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Each count also provides for mandatory restitution and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistance with the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police, Lexington and Needham Police Departments, and Vernon (Connecticut) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian A. Pérez-Daple of Lelling’s Civil Rights Enforcement Team is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced in federal court in Boston yesterday for his role in an opioid trafficking conspiracy involving the distribution of fentanyl, heroin, and oxycodone across Massachusetts and Florida.

Johnny Urena, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. In April 2018, Urena pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone, and one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.

Urena was arrested along with several others in March 2017 for their roles in a widespread conspiracy involving opioid trafficking and money laundering offenses in Massachusetts and Florida. Their arrests were the result of a three-year federal investigation into opioid-trafficking in New England.

From at least 2013, Urena conspired with co-defendants to sell quantities of heroin and/or fentanyl in Massachusetts, and to receive, transport, and distribute large quantities of oxycodone pills shipped from Florida to Massachusetts. Urena then deposited the cash proceeds of drug sales into various funnel bank accounts in order to conceal the nature and ownership of the funds.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Field Division; John Gibbons, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Biddeford (Maine), Framingham, Haverhill, Lawrence, Manchester (N.H.), Methuen, Millis, Natick, Stoughton, and Waltham Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nadine Pellegrini and Craig Estes of Lelling’s Office prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – The chief financial officer of a Marlborough business was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester in connection with a scheme to commit bank fraud.

John J. Crowley, 62, of Boca Raton, Fla., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $60,000. In March 2018, Crowley and co-defendant James R. Faro, of Dover, each pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud. On Sept. 18, 2018, Faro was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay $1,121,155 in restitution.

Faro is the former owner and president of Sea Star Seafood Corporation, a company previously headquartered in Marlborough that distributed frozen seafood products. Crowley is the former chief financial officer for Sea Star.

From October 2010 until August 2012, Sea Star maintained an asset-backed loan agreement whereby a bank agreed to loan Sea Star up to $6 million pursuant to a revolving line of credit. Sea Star pledged its assets – most notably its inventory and accounts receivable – as collateral for the loan. 

Between November 2010 and August 2012, Faro and Crowley conspired to intentionally overstate the value of Sea Star’s outstanding accounts receivable that it reported to the bank. By doing so, Faro and Crowley fraudulently increased the level of assets against which Sea Star could borrow from the bank. In August 2012, Sea Star informed the bank that it had discovered a “discrepancy” of over $3 million in its reported, versus actual, assets. Sea Star discontinued its business operations approximately one week later. 

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg A. Friedholm of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – An employee of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra was arrested today and charged in federal court in Boston with receipt and possession of child pornography.

David St. George, 71, of Arlington, was charged with one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. 

According to charging documents, law enforcement in Boston received information regarding an online storage account suspected of containing child pornography. The IP address linked to the account was assigned to St. George’s internet account. Further investigation into the files revealed approximately 83 images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including a one-year-old girl.

A search warrant executed at St. George’s residence today revealed thousands of files of child pornography, including the sexual assaults of children between six-and-eight years old. It is alleged that St. George has been receiving and downloading child pornography from the “Dark Web” and taking steps to conceal his identity.

According to court documents, St. George is employed by the Boston Philharmonic and the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to of 20 year in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison. Both counts carry a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Members of the public who have questions, concerns, or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274. 

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Arlington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Herbert of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. 

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Revere man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to possessing child pornography.

Ian Silver-Eck, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. scheduled sentencing for Jan. 17, 2019. In August 2017, Silver-Eck was charged by criminal complaint and arrested. He has been in federal custody since that time.

Undercover agents using Kik Messenger, a text messaging app, exchanged text messages with Silver-Eck about sexual experiences with children. Throughout their text conversations, Silver-Eck solicited images and video of the agent sexually abusing his fictitious children and Silver-Eck sent sexually explicit pictures of prepubescent boys, one of whom appeared to be as young as six-years-old, to the undercover agent. 

When law enforcement officers executed a federal search warrant at Silver-Eck’s home in Revere, they found various images and videos on Silver-Eck’s phone depicting the sexual abuse of children. At the time of his arrest, Silver-Eck was serving a sentence of five years of probation following a March 2017 state court conviction for possessing child pornography.

The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Due to his prior conviction, Silver-Eck faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston, Arlington, Newton, and Revere Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Lelling’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case. 

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood.  In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

BOSTON – A Mexican national was arrested and charged today in federal court in Boston in connection with the murder of an individual aboard a fishing vessel off the coast of Massachusetts.

Franklin Freddy Meave Vazquez, 27, was charged with one count of murder within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, and one count of attempted murder within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a time to be determined.

According to the charging document, on Sept. 23, 2018, the fishing vessel, Captain Billy Haver, was sailing approximately 55 miles off the coast of Massachusetts with seven crew members aboard, including Vazquez. It is alleged that at some point in the afternoon, Vazquez assaulted another crew member on board with a hammer in one hand and a knife in the other. The victim then saw that another crewmember was lying on the deck bleeding. Vazquez then struck a third crew member. It is further alleged that Vazquez then climbed up the mast of the ship as the others onboard tried to capture him.

It is alleged that the captain of the ship placed a call on the distress channel, to which a German cruise ship, the Mein Schiff 6, responded. Two of the wounded were taken aboard the cruise ship, where one victim was pronounced dead by the ship’s doctor.

According to court documents, Vazquez is illegally present in the United States. On March 9, 2018, he was arrested in Newport News, Va., for abduction by force, intimidation, or deception, and released on bond.

The charge of murder provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. The charge of attempted murder provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Vazquez will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Richard D. Cox, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S Coast Guard Investigative Services Northeast Region; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – The former chief financial officer (CFO) of two Boston-area companies pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston for embezzling millions of dollars from his former employers. 

Edward J. Abell III, 45, of Gloucester, pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Jan. 4, 2019. Abell was indicted on the charges in October 2017. 

Abell served as vice president of finance and later CFO of a global integrated marketing agency based in Boston. In that capacity, Abell oversaw all aspects of the company’s finances and controlled all corporate bank accounts. Between 2006 and his departure in 2016, Abell embezzled over $3.8 million from his employer by writing company checks to Pinehurst Tax Associates – a firm Abell owned. However, Pinehurst did not provide any services to Abell’s employer. Rather, Abell used Pinehurst as a shell company through which he channeled embezzled funds to personal bank accounts.   

In order to avoid detection, Abell created fake profiles for Pinehurst within his employer’s internal vendor database and attributed all the fraudulent payments to Pinehurst as “Professional Services” in the financial accounting system. Abell also filed false personal tax returns with the IRS, which failed to report the millions he obtained through Pinehurst. 

In late 2016, after he was terminated from the marketing and public relations firm, Abell was hired as CFO of a Boston-based consulting and investment banking firm, where he continued his scheme and embezzled over $140,000.  

Abell laundered the proceeds of his crimes by moving the funds through different personal accounts and by purchasing property and other luxury assets. Previously, the government obtained seizure warrants for several of Abell’s assets acquired with fraudulent proceeds. As part of the operation, federal agents seized a property in Fryeburg, Maine, a 2015 Porsche Macan S, a 2015 Ford F-350 Super Duty, and an E*TRADE brokerage account all owned by Abell or held in his name.     

The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss. The maximum sentence of one of the money laundering charges is 20 years in prison, three years supervised release, and a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction. The remaining money laundering charges provide for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000, or twice the value of the criminally derived property.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Field Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordi de Llano, Deputy Chief of Lelling’s Economic Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – Three Massachusetts men were charged today in federal court in Boston in connection with a 10-year mortgage fraud scheme involving at least two dozen fraudulent loan transactions and $4.3 million in losses to lenders.

George Kritopoulos, 46, of Salem, a real estate developer, was arrested today and charged with one count of conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud, six counts of bank fraud, one count of aiding the preparation of a false income tax return, and one count of obstruction of justice. Joseph Bates III, 38, of Lynnfield, was charged with one count of conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud, and two counts of bank fraud. David Plunkett, 52, of Lynn, was also charged with one count of bank fraud and one count of aiding in the preparation of a false tax return.      

According to the charging documents, from 2006 through 2015, Kritopoulos, Bates, and others engaged in a scheme to defraud banks and other financial institutions by causing false information to be submitted to those institutions on behalf of borrowers – people recruited to purchase properties – located primarily in Salem. The properties were usually multi-family buildings with two-to-four units, which the co-conspirators then converted into condominiums. The co-conspirators recruited other borrowers to purchase the individual condominium units, which were also financed by mortgage loans obtained by fraud.

The false information submitted to lenders included, among other things, representations concerning the borrowers’ employment, income, assets, and intent to occupy the property. Specifically, the false employment information included representations that borrowers were employed by entities that were, in fact, shell companies used to advance the fraudulent scheme. The employment information included false representations about the income that the borrowers received from the entities, when, in fact, the borrowers received little or no income from them.  Furthermore, the income asserted on the borrowers’ loan applications substantially overstated their true income. The false information also included representations that the recruited borrowers intended to live in the properties that they were purchasing, when the borrowers, in fact, did not intend to do so. Plunkett assisted the scheme by preparing tax returns for some of the borrowers that contained false and inflated income. Some of those tax returns were submitted to lenders in support of the fraudulent loan applications. 

Because the borrowers did not have the financial ability to repay the loans, in many instances, they defaulted on their loan payments, resulting in foreclosures and losses to the financial institutions of more than $4.3 million.

In addition, Kritopoulos sought to obstruct the federal criminal investigation into the mortgage fraud scheme by encouraging others to make false statements and provide false documents. Kritopoulos also made false statements to federal investigators. 

The charges of bank fraud and wire fraud each provide for sentences of no greater than 30 years in prison and five years of supervised release. The charge of obstruction of justice provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison and five years of supervised release. The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison and three years of supervised release. The charge of aiding the preparation of false tax returns provides for a sentence of no greater than three years in prison and one year of supervised release. Each charge also carries a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Regional Office; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement today.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark J. Balthazard and Sara Miron Bloom of Lelling’s Economic Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON - A Salvadoran national was indicted yesterday in federal court in Boston for failure to register as a sex offender as required under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

Melvin Velasquez, 34, was indicted on one count of failure to register as a sex offender. Velasquez was charged by complaint in August 2018 and has been in custody since.  

According to court records, in 2007, Velasquez was convicted in New York of one count of rape in the third degree and sentenced to eight months in jail. Velasquez was subsequently required to register as a sex offender in any jurisdiction where he resided or worked. Velasquez, who was determined to be illegally present in the United States, was sentenced on the rape charge, and, upon completion of his sentence in 2008, deported to El Salvador.

Sometime thereafter, Velasquez returned to the United States and assumed a false identity. In May 2018, Velasquez, using his alias, was arrested and charged with various motor vehicle violations. Velasquez’s fingerprints were obtained and found to match the prints in his A-file and from his 2007 New York rape conviction. Law enforcement then queried the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board and determined that Velasquez had not registered, as required by law, in Massachusetts.

The charge of failure to register provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 fine. Velasquez will be subject to deportation proceedings. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; United States Marshal John Gibbons of the District of Massachusetts; and Todd M. Lyons, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A physician and former employee of New England Pain Management Associates, Inc. was convicted today by a federal jury of conspiring to falsify patient medical records between May 2012 and May 2013 in an effort to obtain payments from Medicare and commercial insurers for medical services that were not performed.  

Moustafa Moataz Aboshady, 36, of Lake Forest, Calif., was convicted on one count of conspiracy to make false statements in connection with health care benefit programs and two counts of making false statements in connection with health care benefit programs.

During the time of the conspiracy, Aboshady was a medical resident in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, employed at New England Wellness & Pain Management, P.C., which was also known as New England Pain Associates, P.C., Greystone Pain Management, Inc., and New England Pain Institute, P.C., or NEPA. NEPA had locations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and was operated by Fathallah Mashali, a pain management physician. Mashali pleaded guilty to 27 counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and 16 counts of money laundering and was sentenced in March 2018 to eight years in prison and three years of supervised release.

Aboshady was part of a conspiracy involving Mashali, other members of NEPA, and members of a satellite office in Cairo, Egypt, whose purpose was to falsify medical records and urine drug test results to support claims for payment to Medicare and insurers for services that Mashali did not render.

Part of the conspiracy involved falsification of patient encounter notes. Such false information included, but was not limited to, detailed descriptions of extensive physical examinations and treatment plans, and durations of face-to-face interactions with patients exceeding 20 to 40 minutes per appointment, to create the appearance of lengthy and involved patient encounters, when in fact these services did not take place. Aboshady instructed the Cairo office to create false electronic signatures on the encounter notes and how to make the timestamps for those signatures look realistic. 

Aboshady was also responsible, in conjunction with the office in Cairo, for the fabrication of urine drug test results with false test dates, so that the tests appeared to have been performed within days of specimen collection rather than weeks or months thereafter. This information was necessary to support urine drug test billing codes submitted to Medicare and insurance companies.  In fact, NEPA tested patients’ urine weeks and sometimes three months after the specimens had been collected and stored unrefrigerated in large plastic bags and containers. 

The charges provide for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Phillip Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations; Anthony DiPaolo, Chief of Investigations of the Massachusetts Insurance Fraud Bureau; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abraham R. George, Senior Litigation Counsel of Lelling’s Civil Division, and David G. Lazarus, Chief of Lelling’s Asset Forfeiture Unit, prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – The former leader of a Lawrence-based opioid trafficking organization was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine conspiracy.

Santo Ramon Gonzalez Nival, 41, a Dominican national formerly residing in Lawrence, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 135 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Gonzalez Nival will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. In June 2018, Gonzalez Nival pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl and one count of illegal reentry of a deported alien.

On May 30, 2017, a large scale law enforcement operation dismantled two Lawrence-based drug trafficking organizations, one run by Juan Anibal Patrone, and another led by Gonzalez Nival, who was a source of supply for Patrone. Gonzalez Nival and approximately 28 co-conspirators were arrested, including nine members of his drug trafficking organization. 

During the course of the investigation, over 500 grams of fentanyl were seized in connection with the Gonzalez Nival organization. During a wiretap, law enforcement intercepted Gonzalez Nival talking to one of his suppliers, Santo Ramon Nivar, about a “blue one” - believed to be fentanyl - that “was killing people.” Gonzalez Nival discussed wanting more of that fentanyl because his customers liked the strength and it could be cut multiple times, which meant more profit for him.

At the time of his arrest, Gonzalez Nival was illegally in the United States, having reentered after being deported most recently on May 19, 2009. During the investigation, Gonzalez Nival fled after being stopped by police when they took his false identification card to run it. In a subsequent intercepted call, Gonzalez Nival admitted to having been deported from the United States four times previously, and explained that he ran to avoid detectives who might fingerprint him.

Gonzalez Nival and the nine members of his organization have all been convicted: two sources of supply, Robert Frett Sierra and Santo Ramon Nivar; a drug preparer, Julio Baez Gonzalez; two couriers, Geronimo Gonfessor Gonzalez Nivar and Ruddy Rafael Soto Lara; and four redistributors, Bernaldo Rosario Santiago, Carlos Hernandez, Rory Connolly, and Diosmary Burgos.

Patrone pleaded guilty on Sept. 19, 2018, and is scheduled to be sentenced in January 2019.  

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. The Massachusetts State Police and the Andover, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, and Wilmington Police Departments assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Winkler of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the cases.

BOSTON – A Greenfield woman pleaded guilty in federal court in Springfield yesterday in connection with concealing nearly half a million dollars from a federally insured financial institution.

Marlene Borer, 68, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to make false statements to a federally insured financial institution and one count of false statements to a federally insured financial institution. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Dec. 19, 2018.

According to the plea agreement, in August 2011, Borer’s brother and his then-wife owed Wells Fargo Bank approximately $1.32 million in outstanding loans. In March 2012, Borer, who was acting as her brother’s bookkeeper, received approximately $1.1 million, which related to a judgment from a Honduran court, in her Massachusetts bank account. $486,000 of the $1.1 million judgment belonged to Borer’s brother and his then-wife. A few days after Borer received the money, her brother e-mailed her to “keep [the] bulk” of their funds in her account because “Wells Fargo might be conducting an asset search on us to try and recover the judgments. Just transfer what is needed to pay bills as they arrive.” Borer distributed their funds from her account as he requested.

On or about May 24, 2012, Borer prepared a false personal financial statement for her brother and his then-wife, stating that they only had $4,200 in the bank. Borer’s brother provided the personal financial statement to Wells Fargo, which relied upon it to negotiate their debt. On Oct. 31, 2012, Borer’s brother and his then-wife executed a settlement agreement with the bank, in which Wells Fargo agreed to forgive their personal obligations in exchange for a payment of $50,000. Wells Fargo would not have settled for $50,000 had it known that Borer’s brother and then-wife had received $486,000 in cash from the Honduran judgment. 

The conspiracy charge provides for sentence of no greater than five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. The false statements charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, New England Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Dominican national was convicted of trafficking heroin today in federal court in Boston.

Elin Robinson Mejia Romero, 52, a Dominican national formerly residing in Hyde Park, was convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to possess heroin and more than 40 grams of fentanyl, two counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl. Romero previously pleaded guilty to a separate federal charge of illegally re-entering the country after being deported.

On five occasions between January 2017 and June 2017, Romero sold a total of over 100 grams of heroin and/or fentanyl to a cooperating witness. Federal agents recorded each transaction and laboratory results confirmed that the drugs were heroin and fentanyl. An additional 300 grams of fentanyl and other drug distributing paraphernalia were recovered during the search of a stash location in Hyde Park.     

In 2008, Romero was convicted in federal court in Boston of conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and five kilograms or more of cocaine. He was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison and was deported to the Dominican Republic after completing his sentence.

Romero faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, a minimum of eight years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $8 million.  Romero will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistance was also provided by Customs and Border Protection and the Attleboro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and Lauren Graber of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Worcester man was indicted today by a federal grand jury for lying to firearm dealers in connection with his purchase of seven guns.

Ruben Ramos, 23, was indicted on five counts of knowingly making false statements to federally licensed firearm dealers. Ramos was previously charged by complaint in July 2018. 

According to charging documents, Ramos, who was licensed in Massachusetts to possess a firearm, purchased 16 guns between May 2017 and May 2018. On at least five occasions – during which he purchased seven firearms – Ramos provided a false address to the federally licensed firearm dealer. When agents interviewed Ramos in June 2018 about his purchase of a large number of guns over a short period, Ramos was unable to account for nine of the 16 guns, first claiming that he had sold the missing guns and later claiming that some of the guns had been stolen. 

Ramos faces a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Worcester Police Chief Stephen Sargent made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg A. Friedholm of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case. 

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – David Brunell, 56, of Webster, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to one count of theft of government money. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Dec. 13, 2018.

Between June 2000 and June 2017, the Social Security Administration deposited approximately $234,000 in retirement benefits intended for Brunell’s father into a bank account controlled by Brunell after Brunell’s father had died. Brunell used the funds for various personal expenditures, such as mortgage payments.

Brunell faces a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON - Alexis Ayala, 40, and Wilfredo Perez, 38, were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to six years in prison and six years of supervised release, and one year in prison and three years of supervised release, respectively, on firearms and drug charges. 

Ayala and Perez previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin. Ayala also pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On April 5, 2015, Perez and Ayala distributed 200 doses of heroin, worth $550, to a government witness in Springfield. Ayala, a previously convicted felon, also sold two firearms to a government witness. Specifically, on Dec. 15, 2015, Ayala sold the witness a Walther P22 pistol equipped with a laser sight, which had been reported stolen to the Springfield Police on Sept. 4, 2014; and on Aug. 8, 2016, Ayala sold the witness a Smith and Wesson MP40c .40 caliber pistol.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Springfield Police Commissioner John Barbieri; and Holyoke Police Chief James Neiswanger made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

BOSTON – A South Boston man was arrested today and charged in federal court in Boston with distributing heroin and fentanyl.

Jomar Ventura, 24, was charged with four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Ventura will appear in federal court later today.

According to court documents, Ventura distributed heroin and fentanyl in and around the Mary Ellen McCormack public housing development in South Boston on March 19, March 28, April 24, and May 4, 2018.

 The charge of distributing or possessing with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna Nuzum of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

BOSTON – A South Boston man was arrested today and charged in federal court in Boston with illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.

Jermaine Tindal, 29, was charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition after being previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison. Tindal will appear in federal court today at 3:15 p.m.

According to court documents, on July 19, 2018, Tindal possessed a Harrington and Richardson 12-gauge shotgun and five rounds of Remington 12-gauge ammunition after previously being convicted in South Carolina of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison. He then sold the shotgun and ammunition to another individual in the Mary Ellen McCormack public housing development.

The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna Nuzum of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

BOSTON – A Mexican national was indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday in connection with drug trafficking activities that resulted in the seizure of approximately four kilograms of suspected heroin.

Miguel Angel Torres Morales, 39, was indicted on one count of possession with the intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. Torres Morales was arrested on Aug. 21, 2018, and charged by criminal complaint; he has been detained since then.

According to court documents, a cooperating witness arranged to purchase four kilograms of “china white,” referring to fentanyl, from a large-scale narcotics distributor for $55,000 per kilogram. The distributor agreed to deliver the drugs to the cooperating witness using a courier. On Aug. 20, 2018, Torres Morales drove a tractor trailer to the area of the “Park and Ride” parking lot on Granite Avenue in Milton to deliver the drugs. Federal agents stopped the tractor trailer and, in a cabinet behind the driver’s seat, located four brick-packed kilograms of tan powder wrapped in cellophane. A field test of the powder tested positive for heroin.

The charge of possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million. Torres Morales will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren A. Graber of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. 

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – The leader of a Lawrence-based heroin and fentanyl drug trafficking organization pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with orchestrating a wide-ranging operation that distributed multiple kilos of fentanyl and cocaine to customers in Lawrence and surrounding areas – including New Hampshire and Maine.

Juan Anibal Patrone, 28, a Dominican national formerly residing in Lawrence, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of being an alien in possession of a firearm. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for Jan. 10, 2019. Patrone has been in custody since his arrest in May 2017.

On May 30, 2017, a large scale law enforcement operation dismantled two Lawrence-based drug trafficking organizations, one run by Patrone, and another led by Santo Ramon Gonzalez Nival, who was a source of supply for Patrone. Patrone and approximately 28 co-conspirators were arrested, including Gonzalez Nival and nine members of his drug trafficking organization. Gonzalez Nival previously pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 21, 2018.

Patrone ran his organization like a business. He bought drugs from suppliers, such as co-conspirator Domingo Gonzalez Martinez, who supplied drugs to Patrone out of the Corniel Market in Lawrence. He personally paid rent for stash houses, including 277 Merrimack Street and 20 Cambridge Street in Lawrence, and paid his brother, Josuel Moises Patrone-Gonzalez, and Oscar Marcano, to prepare and package drugs in those stash houses. He ran a crew of couriers, including some who worked in cars, like Luis Lugo and Leonel Vives, and others who walked the street, such as Daniel Diaz and Andruery Fanas Burgos, telling them specifically where to go and who to see. Similarly, Patrone personally directed his redistributors where to go to purchase narcotics to distribute, including Matthew Shover, Stacey Littlefield, Lacey Picariello, Reynaldo Duran Lora, and Rafael Arce – some of whom came from New Hampshire and Maine to obtain drugs to redistribute outside of Massachusetts. Patrone also paid Euclides Alcantara to register and insure his fleet of vehicles in false names, and to carry drug proceeds to the Dominican Republic.

In addition, Patrone openly discussed the size of his drug business with others, including family. In intercepted calls, he admitted that he had worked in the business for seven years and wanted to return to the Dominican Republic, where he planned to get out of the drug business and live well. Investigators learned from these calls that Patrone’s assets are primarily in the Dominican Republic, and the government has undertaken efforts to freeze and forfeit them as part of his sentence in this case. 

Furthermore, during a search of Patrone’s home, agents found a 10mm Auto-Ordnance Corp, loaded with a magazine containing six 10mm rounds of ammunition.

In addition to yesterday’s plea, a member of the Nival Gonzalez organization was sentenced in federal court.

Bernaldo Rosario Santiago, 27, of Puerto Rica, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to five years in prison, four years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit approximately $18,000. In June 2018, Santiago was convicted by a federal jury of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and at least 40 grams of fentanyl. Santiago was a redistributor for the Nival Gonzalez organization.

Patrone faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of up to $10 million, and will be subject to deportation proceedings. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. The Massachusetts State Police and the Andover, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, and Wilmington Police Departments assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Winkler of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the cases.

BOSTON - A Dominican national was indicted today in federal court in Boston in connection with making false statements in an application for a replacement Social Security card and aggravated identity theft.

Francis Yohan Mateo Guerrero, 29, a Dominican national formerly residing in Lawrence, was indicted on one count of making a materially false statement and one count of aggravated identity theft. Mateo Guerrero was previously charged by complaint and arrested on Aug. 22, 2018, and has been in custody since.

According to charging documents, in August 2017, Mateo Guerrero applied for a replacement Social Security card by submitting the name of a U.S. Citizen from Puerto Rico. As proof of identity to support his application, Mateo Guerrero provided a Massachusetts Driver’s License in the name of a U.S. Citizen from Puerto Rico as his own.

The charge of making materially false statements provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year sentence that must run consecutively to any other sentence, one year of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Springfield gynecologist was sentenced today in connection with allowing a pharmaceutical sales representative to access patient records and lying to federal investigators.

Rita Luthra, M.D., 67, of Longmeadow, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to one year of probation. In April 2018, Luthra was convicted by a federal jury of one count of violation of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act and one count of obstruction of a criminal health care investigation.

From January 2011 through November 2011, Luthra allowed a pharmaceutical company sales representative from Warner Chilcott to access protected health information in her patients’ medical files. She later provided false information to federal agents when interviewed about her relationship with Warner Chilcott.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Mark S. McCormack, Special Agent in Charge of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ Metro Washington Field Office; Sean Smith, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; Leigh-Alistair Barzey of the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office; and Scott A. Rezendes, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel Yeager, Chief of Lelling’s Healthcare Fraud Unit, prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Rhode Island man was arrested today and charged in connection with a scheme to embezzle over a million dollars from a Massachusetts company.  

Michael H. Tran, 34, of Woonsocket, R.I., was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. Tran was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston this afternoon.

According to the indictment, Tran and a product manager for a Bellingham, Mass. company that specializes in manufacturing precision machine parts, worked together to embezzle millions of dollars from the company. From December 2013 to May 2016, it is alleged that the product manager told the company owners that he was purchasing equipment for the company using his PayPal account, which was linked to the company’s credit cards. Instead of making legitimate equipment purchases, however, the product manager used his PayPal account to pay Tran, who withdrew the money in cash and used it to pay for personal expenses. Tran and the product manager concealed the fraud by submitting fraudulent invoices and purchase orders to the company in the name of non-existent vendors, such as “A Plug Tool Supply,” and “MHT Industrial.”

The charging statute for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil J. Gallagher, Jr. of Lelling’s Economic Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.

BOSTON – A suspended Massachusetts State Police Trooper has agreed to plead guilty today in connection with the ongoing investigation of overtime abuse at the Massachusetts State Police (MSP).

Gary Herman, 45, of Chester, who was previously arrested on June 27, 2018, was charged with one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds. Herman has agreed to plead guilty pursuant to a plea agreement, but a hearing date has not yet been scheduled. 

According to court documents, Herman was an MSP Trooper assigned to Troop E, which was responsible for enforcing criminal and traffic regulations along the Massachusetts Turnpike, Interstate I-90. In 2016, Herman earned $227,826, which included approximately $63,053 in overtime pay. 

According to court documents, Herman was paid for overtime shifts that he did not work at all or from which he left early. Herman concealed his fraud by submitting fraudulent citations designed to create the appearance that he had worked overtime hours that he had not, and falsely claimed in MSP paperwork and payroll entries that he had worked the entirety of his overtime shifts. On multiple occasions Herman fabricated bogus citations, copying the driver information from citations that he had issued months earlier, in order to be paid for overtime shifts he did not work at all.

Herman has agreed to plead guilty to collecting $12,468 for overtime hours that he did not work. 

The overtime in question involved the Accident and Injury Reduction Effort program (AIRE) and the “X-Team” initiative, which were intended to reduce accidents, crashes, and injuries on I-90 through an enhanced presence of MSP Troopers who were to target vehicles traveling at excessive speeds. 

In 2016, MSP received annual benefits from the U.S. Department of Transportation in excess of $10,000, which were funded pursuant to numerous federal grants.   

Herman is the third Trooper to plead guilty as a result of the ongoing investigation. On July 2, 2018, former Trooper Gregory Raftery, 47, of Westwood, pleaded guilty, and on Sept. 14, 2018, suspended Trooper Kevin Sweeney, 40, of Braintree, pleaded guilty. Three other Troopers have been charged: on June 27, 2018, former Lieutenant David Wilson, 57, of Charlton; and former Trooper Paul Cesan, 50, of Southwick, were arrested and charged with the same crime. On July 25, 2018, retired Trooper Daren DeJong, 56, of Uxbridge, was charged.    

Pursuant to the plea agreement, the government will recommend a sentence of between six and 12 months of incarceration. The charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.    

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Douglas Shoemaker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Chao, Mark Grady, and Neil Gallagher of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the court documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Norwell man was charged today in federal court in Boston with sexual exploitation of children. The defendant previously coached Norwell youth football.

Derek Sheehan, 48, was charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of children. He is currently in state custody on related charges pending in the Hingham District Court, which include three counts of aggravated rape of a child. Sheehan will appear in federal court at a later date. According to court documents, Sheehan is also charged - in connection with another victim - in Hingham District Court with one count of assault and battery on a child under 14.

It is alleged that on Aug. 17, 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Sheehan’s home and seized several electronic devices that revealed evidence of child pornography. A forensic review of one of those devices has so far resulted in the discovery of hours of video footage of Sheehan, on multiple dates, sexually abusing a child who appeared to be asleep at Sheehan’s home. At the time of the assaults, the child was 11-and-12-years-old.

Given the number of devices seized, the high storage capacity of many of the devices, and the fact that some devices appear to be encrypted, the investigation and forensic review is ongoing.

Members of the public who have questions, concerns, or information about this case should contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 617-748-3274. Anyone with questions about how to talk to their child about sexual abuse should visit the Plymouth County Child Advocacy Center website at https://cac.plymouthda.com/.

The charge of sexual exploitation of children provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Norwell Police Chief Theodore Ross made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Lelling’s Project Safe Childhood coordinator and a member of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston yesterday to charges of drug possession and assaulting federal law enforcement officers in connection with his role in obtaining cocaine from Puerto Rico through the U.S. mail.

Pablo Santiago-Cruz, 47, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and assaulting federal officers. U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. scheduled sentencing for Dec. 17, 2018. 

According to court records, Santiago-Cruz participated in a conspiracy to obtain cocaine from Puerto Rico via the United States mail from at least March 2016 through July 2016. As part of the investigation, agents identified more than 30 suspicious parcels that were sent from Puerto Rico to individuals known to be associated with Santiago-Cruz. These parcels were delivered to co-conspirators at residences in Quincy and Framingham and to commercial mail receiving facilities in Canton and Randolph. 

On July 18, 2018, law enforcement stopped a vehicle driven by co-conspirator Carlos Reyes and seized a kilogram of cocaine that was hidden inside a toy oven that was in the trunk of Reyes’ vehicle. The next day, agents executed a search warrant at Santiago-Cruz’s apartment in Roslindale. Upon hearing the agents knock and announce their presence, Santiago-Cruz grabbed a silver bowl with cocaine from under the kitchen sink and then attempted to flush approximately 93 grams of cocaine down the toilet, meanwhile ignoring repeated orders from the officers to stop. When the agents entered the apartment and attempted to subdue Santiago-Cruz, he physically resisted and struck several of the officers, resulting in physical injuries to the officers. 

Reyes pleaded not guilty; his trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 24, 2018. 

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Raymond Moss, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Kerry Gilpin, Superintendent, Massachusetts State Police; Norfolk County District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey; and Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James E. Arnold and Craig E. Estes of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for fraud and identity theft charges arising from unlawfully using the identity of a disabled Medicare beneficiary for 17 years.

Jose Agosto, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 37 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $11,036 in restitution. In January 2018, Agosto pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud, four counts of misusing a Social Security number, three counts of making false statements relating to health care services, and five counts of aggravated identity theft. Agosto was charged on Aug. 9, 2017, and has been in custody since.

Agosto admitted that he began living under the name of another individual in order to avoid the consequences of an arrest warrant, and that he used the victim’s name and other personal identifying information to obtain replacement Social Security cards, driver’s licenses and bank accounts. Agosto also sought medical treatment under the victim’s name and in doing so caused medical providers to submit more than $148,000 in claims to Medicare, despite the fact that Agosto was not a Medicare beneficiary. In addition, Agosto executed promissory notes under the victim’s name and then defaulted on those notes. By using the victim’s identity, Agosto threatened the victim’s continued receipt of Social Security and Medicare benefits as well as the victim’s credit rating.

Agosto also left threatening voice mails in an effort to intimidate the victim and his family. In these voice mails, Agosto threatened to kill various members of the victim’s family and warned of a “massacre.” One such statement made by Agosto was: “I’m going to start killing all of your family one-by-one. I’ll start killing your mother, I’ll kill your sister, and then the last one’s going to be you.”  

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Philip Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations; and Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Regional Office, made the announcement today. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and the Massachusetts Bureau of Special Investigations provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Somerville man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Fredy Arbaiza, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 64 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In November 2017, Arbaiza pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

In May 2017, law enforcement began investigating illegal activities by Arbaiza. A confidential source reported to law enforcement that Arbaiza had been abusing alcohol, ecstasy, and Xanax pills, and became increasingly violent while under the influence of these substances. The source also informed law enforcement that Arbaiza was selling marijuana out of two Somerville apartments and that he carried a black handgun. Arbaiza told another confidential source that he carried “a Glock police issued” handgun for protection that he bought from a friend for $1000.

On June 15, 2017, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a Somerville apartment where Arbaiza stayed and recovered a Glock, Model 17, 9mm pistol with a partially obliterated serial number. In addition, a thirty-round magazine for the Glock pistol, loaded with 23 rounds of 9mm ammunition, was recovered from Abraiza’s pocket. Law enforcement also found various drug paraphernalia in a bedroom used by Arbaiza, including a digital scale, plastic baggies and a bag with a small amount of marijuana.

Arbaiza is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to prior felony convictions, which include various convictions of assault, assault and battery, and resisting arrest. Arbaiza was arrested on June 15, 2017, and charged by a federal criminal complaint.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Somerville Police Chief David R. Fallon; and Chelsea Police Chief Brian A. Kyes made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Crowley of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON - A Rhode Island man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to bank robbery.

Stephen A. Davidow, 55, of Pawtucket, R.I., pleaded guilty to four counts of bank robbery. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for Dec. 20, 2018.

Between Dec. 6 and Dec. 11, 2017, an individual, later identified as Davidow, robbed four banks in the Greater Boston area. Based on the physical location of the banks, surveillance footage, the bank tellers’ descriptions of the robber, and other similarities, law enforcement determined that the same individual was involved in each robbery. On Dec. 15, 2017, having distributed images of the alleged perpetrator to the local news, law enforcement received a tip that the suspect was Davidow. Photos of Davidow were shown to one of the tellers who positively identified Davidow as the man who robbed the bank.

During the time of the robberies, Davidow was on supervised release for a 2007 bank robbery conviction in Rhode Island. He was arrested on Dec. 18, 2017, in Massachusetts on a Rhode Island federal warrant.

Each count provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office; John Gibbons, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Boston Police Commissioner William Gross; and Boston University Police Chief Kelly A. Nee made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A federal grand jury has indicted a California man who was previously arrested and charged with making violent threats against Boston Globe employees in retaliation for the newspaper’s editorial response to political attacks on the media. 

Robert D. Chain, 68, of Encino, Calif., was indicted on seven counts of use of interstate and foreign commerce to transmit a threat to injury another person. Chain was previously charged by criminal complaint and arrested on Aug. 30, 2018. He is scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston on Sept. 24, 2018.

On Aug. 10, 2018, the Boston Globe announced that it was requesting that other newspaper publications around the country publish a coordinated editorial response to political attacks on the media. The coordinated editorial response was to be published on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018.  Immediately following the announcement, Chain allegedly began making threatening calls to the Boston Globe’s newsroom. In the calls, Chain referred to the Globe as “the enemy of the people” and threatened to kill newspaper employees. 

On Aug. 16, 2018, the day the editorial response was published in the Boston Globe, Chain called the Globe newsroom and threatened that he was going to shoot Globe employees in the head “later today, at 4 o’clock.”  As a result of that call, law enforcement officers responded to the Globe’s offices and maintained a presence outside the building to ensure the safety of the employees. 

The seven counts charged in the indictment relate to seven separate threatening phone calls that Chain allegedly made to the Globe newsroom. 

The charge of making threatening communications in interstate commerce provides for a sentence of no greater than five years, one year of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Los Angeles Field Division; the Drug Enforcement Administration, Los Angeles Division; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Los Angeles Division; the California Highway Patrol; and the Los Angeles Police Department. The Boston Police Department also provided assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney George P. Varghese of Lelling’s National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the court documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Boston woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for robbing two banks in the greater Boston area.

Tamea Chambers, 37, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to two years in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,958 in restitution. In May 2018, Chambers pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery. Chambers was arrested on Oct. 24, 2017, and has been in custody since.

On Oct. 17, 2017, a branch of the East Boston Savings Bank in Roxbury was robbed.  The tellers stated that a black female entered the bank, demanded money and stated that she had a gun. The tellers gave the robber cash from their drawers and the robber exited the bank. Information, including pictures of the robber, was disseminated on various public websites and provided to local media. Two days later, on Oct. 19, 2017, a branch of Bank of America in Brookline was robbed. The tellers described the robber as a black female wearing a dark wig and reported that the robber entered the bank, stated that she had a gun and demanded cash. Based on the similar descriptions by the tellers at both banks, law enforcement suspected that the same individual was involved in both robberies.

Video footage from a business adjoining one of the banks captured images of the female robber, later determined to be Chambers, in the company of a man. The man was later determined to be Paul Landrum, previously dubbed by law enforcement as the “Route 128 Bandit,” and responsible for eight other bank robberies in the Greater Boston area. On Oct. 24, 2017, Chambers and Landrum were arrested and admitted their involvement in the various bank robberies. In May 2018, Landrum pleaded guilty to bank robbery and was sentenced in August to 57 months in prison.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office, made the announcement today. The Massachusetts State Police, and the Boston, Brookline, Medford, Somerville, and Wellesley Police Departments assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Whitman man was arrested and charged in federal court in Boston on Monday, Sept. 10, 2018, with child pornography offenses. On Friday, he appeared in federal court for a detention and probable cause hearing.

Matthew Kulikowski, 37, was charged with one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. On Friday, Sept. 14, 2018, Kulikowski appeared in federal court for a detention hearing before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Marianne B. Bowler, who has taken the matter under advisement. Kulikowski was remanded to custody until further notice.

According to the charging document, law enforcement learned that an internet user at Kulikowski’s Whitman home distributed child pornography using the Kik messenger application. A search of the home resulted in the seizure of a tablet located in Kulikowski’s bedroom that contained approximately 100 images and videos depicting child pornography, including the sexual assault of girls who appeared to be between four-and-eight-years-old. Kulikowski was subsequently arrested and charged in federal court. Forensic analysis of devices seized pursuant to the search warrant is ongoing. 

According to court documents, at the time of his arrest, Kulikowski was on pretrial release from Plymouth County Superior Court, where he has a case pending for multiple child exploitation offenses, including possession of child pornography, disseminating obscene material to a minor, indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, and enticement of a child under 16.

The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison. Both charges provide for a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Whitman Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

Members of the public who have questions, concerns, or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274. 

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Springfield man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield for distributing crack cocaine.

Kayvon Lovejoy, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 17 months in prison and six years of supervised release. In May 2018, Lovejoy pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of crack cocaine. Lovejoy was arrested in February 2018 and has been in custody since.

Lovejoy distributed crack cocaine on Aug. 9, 2017, and Aug. 15, 2017. On each occasion, Lovejoy sold approximately two grams of crack cocaine for $160 to a government witness. 

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Springfield Police Commissioner John Barbieri; and Holyoke Police Chief Manny Febo made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

BOSTON – A Marlborough business owner was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester in connection with a scheme to commit bank fraud.

James R. Faro, 61, of Dover, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to two years in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,121,155 in restitution. In March 2018, Faro pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud. Faro and co-conspirator John J. Crowley, 62, of Boca Raton, Fla., were charged in January 2018. Crowley has also pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24, 2018.

Faro is the former owner and president of Sea Star Seafood Corporation, a company previously headquartered in Marlborough that distributed frozen seafood products. Crowley is the former chief financial officer for Sea Star.

From October 2010 until August 2012, Sea Star maintained an asset-backed loan agreement whereby a bank agreed to loan Sea Star up to $6 million pursuant to a revolving line of credit. Sea Star pledged its assets – most notably its inventory and accounts receivable – as collateral for the loan. 

Between November 2010 and August 2012, Faro and Crowley conspired to intentionally overstate the value of Sea Star’s outstanding accounts receivable that it reported to the bank. By doing so, Faro and Crowley fraudulently increased the level of assets against which Sea Star could borrow from the bank. In August 2012, Sea Star informed the bank that it had discovered a “discrepancy” of well over $2.5 million in its reported versus actual accounts receivable. Sea Star declared bankruptcy and discontinued its business operations approximately one week later. 

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg A. Friedholm of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case. 

BOSTON – A former Boston Police Officer was convicted today by a federal jury in Boston with illegally purchasing two firearms on behalf of acquaintances. 

Adarbaad Karani, 38, of West Roxbury, was convicted following a five-day jury trial of two counts of making a false statement during the purchase of firearms and two counts of making a false statement in a record. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for Dec. 10, 2018. In May 2017, Karani was indicted.

On two different occasions, in November 2014 and September 2015, Karani acted as the “straw purchaser” of two firearms, a Glock, model 27, .40 caliber pistol and a Glock, model 30S, .45 caliber pistol, which he purchased for two acquaintances. Karani purchased the firearms, which cannot be acquired by civilians, using his police identification and falsely certified that the firearms were for his official police use. During one purchase, Karani also indicated that the firearm was not for resale.

Straw purchases interfere with firearm regulation and recordkeeping, and federal law prohibits making false statements to a firearms dealer in connection with the sale of a firearm.

The charging statutes each provide for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris of Lelling’s Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.