District of Massachusetts

BOSTON – Federal authorities in Boston seized more than 350 internet domains that were allegedly used for the illegal importation of switches and silencers from China. Switches are parts designed to convert semiautomatic pistols into fully automatic machineguns and silencers are devices used to suppress the sound of a firearm when discharged. Possession of these items and their importation from certain countries, including China, are prohibited under the National Firearms Act (NFA).

According to the court documents, in August 2023, federal authorities began targeting multiple websites, businesses and individuals selling, offering for sale, importing and exporting machinegun conversion devices in violation of federal law. It is alleged that law enforcement engaged in undercover purchases from the website domains promoting the sale of NFA-prohibited items – confirming that the domains were being used to sell illegal switches and silencers. The contraband items were then allegedly shipped from China to government-controlled mailboxes in the United States with false descriptions of their contents – such as “necklace” and “toys” – in an effort to conceal the alleged illegal importation.  

“Our office remains committed to protecting our communities from the dangers posed by illegal firearms and firearm accessories, wherever the evidence takes us,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “The seizure of these domains is a critical step in disrupting the flow of dangerous contraband that threatens public safety. Those who attempt to exploit online platforms to traffic in highly lethal firearm parts will be held accountable. We will continue to pursue and dismantle these illicit networks wherever they operate to uphold the integrity of our laws and safeguard our communities.”

“These websites represent a large-scale, organized effort to import illegal switches and silencers that turn ordinary firearms into deadly automatic weapons. HSI has worked diligently with our partners to systematically dismantle this network of websites to uphold our nation’s import laws and to preserve public safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “HSI cyber investigations work to keep illegal switches and silencers out of the hands of criminals who use them to commit violence and facilitate crime in our communities.”

“The results of this investigation have, to date, resulted in the seizure of over 700 devices which would covert a firearm into a machine gun, 87 illegal suppressors, 59 handguns, 36 long guns, as well as the seizure of 355 websites which were used to facilitate the trafficking of these items. The proliferation of readily available devices which allow the illegal manufacturing of machine guns is a plague on our communities. The Postal Inspection Service is committed to working with our state and federal partners to identify those who use the Postal Service to traffic these weapons, remove these illicit items from the mail, and increase the safety of our communities and the Postal Service employees who serve them,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division

It is further alleged that many of the website domains trafficked counterfeit goods and unlawfully used the Glock, Inc. trademark by offering purported “Glock” switches for sale. In reality, however, Glock, Inc. has never manufactured switches. 

Federal authorities ultimately established probable cause to seize for forfeiture more than 350 domains used in connection with the scheme to import switches and silencers in violation of the NFA and laws prohibiting trafficking in counterfeit goods. Visitors to the websites will now be directed to a landing page indicating that the domain has been seized:

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, HSI SAC Krol and USPIS INC Larco-Ward made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and the Massachusetts State Police. Glock, Inc. fully cooperated with the government’s investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra W. Amrhein of the Asset Recovery Unit and Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit obtained the seizure warrants.

BOSTON – A Dartmouth woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from two different employers.  

Jasmyne Botelho, 41, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Dec. 18, 2024. Botelho was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024. 

Between September 2017 and April 2020, Botelho stole at least $280,000 from her employer. Specifically, Botelho directed payments purportedly intended for the company’s vendors to bank accounts she controlled and used company funds to make payments on personal credit cards and an auto loan. To hide her scheme, Botelho falsified her employer’s books and records to make it appear as though the payments had in fact been sent to legitimate vendors rather than to Botelho.  

Between May 2022 and December 2023, Botelho improperly inflated her payroll from another employer by more than $160,000. She concealed her scheme by manipulating her employer’s payroll and accounting software to hide her inflated payroll as well as phony “reimbursements” she paid herself.  

The charge of wire fraud provides a sentence of up to 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 statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
 

BOSTON – The former bookkeeper for an electrical and contracting business has been charged with, and has agreed to plead guilty to, concealing income from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and stealing disability benefits.

David Tetreault, 54, of Attleboro, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of tax evasion, one count of theft of government money and one count of wire fraud. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.

According to the charging documents, Tetreault worked as a bookkeeper for a Massachusetts-based electrical contractor between 2015 and 2021. It is alleged that, during those years, Tetreault received wages in cash and used company funds to pay his personal credit card bills. Tetreault allegedly manipulated the company’s accounting records and bank statements to disguise these payments as business expenses. As a result of this alleged conduct, Tetreault underreported his personal income by at least $2.1 million, causing a loss to the IRS of over $600,000.

It is also alleged that Tetreault did not report his work for the electrical contractor or his income to the Social Security Administration and submitted false information about his employment and income to the Employees’ Retirement System of Rhode Island (ERSRI). As a result of this alleged conduct, Tetreault collected over $320,000 in Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and ERSRI disability pension benefits to which he was not entitled between 2016 and 2024. 

The charge of tax evasion provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 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 statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Corwin Rattler, Acting 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 David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud 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 the court of law.
 

BOSTON – An Agawam tax preparer was sentenced on Sept. 5, 2024 in federal court in Boston for filing false tax returns.

Colleen Gruska, 66, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to two months in prison followed by 12 months of supervised release with the first six months to be served in home confinement and to ordered pay $261,102 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.  In January 2024, Gruska pleaded guilty to four counts of filing false tax returns.

Over the course of a decade, Gruska used her tax preparation service to defraud the United States by filing dozens of false tax returns for herself, her relatives, and others. In each of the tax returns, she reported business losses that were either dramatically overstated or were for businesses that did not even exist, resulting in little or no federal income tax owed by the taxpayer. For example, in her own filings, she reported $189,000 in expenses over four years for a house and yard cleaning business despite there being no actual expenses, enabling her to avoid paying $36,079 in taxes. Similarly, for a relative, she filed false tax returns that claimed a non-existent soccer coaching business with expenses totaling $233,561, thus enabling this person to avoid paying $39,599 in taxes. In total, Gruska caused a loss to the IRS of $261,102.
    
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.  
 

BOSTON – An executive of a global pharmaceutical company was charged today in federal in court in Boston with allegedly earning more than $250,000 by trading on material non-public information. 

Dishant Gupta, 55, of Hillsborough, N.J., was charged with one count of securities fraud. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.  

According to the charging documents, Gupta worked as the Director of Strategy and Operations in the Boston office of a global pharmaceutical company (Company A). In the spring of 2022, during the course of his employment at Company A, Gupta allegedly obtained material non-public information about the fact that Company A was negotiating to acquire certain assets of a smaller pharmaceutical company based in Boston (Company B), including its leading cancer drug, and that Company A later agreed to acquire Company B outright. 

While in possession of this material non-public information, and in violation of his fiduciary duties to Company A, Gupta allegedly acquired shares of Company B in his own and his wife’s brokerage accounts – in an effort to profit from the eventual public announcement of the transaction. Gupta allegedly purchased more than 300,000 shares of Company B across several different brokerage accounts over approximately two and a half months. It is further alleged that Gupta then sold all the shares he had acquired after Company A announced the acquisition of Company B. 

Gupta allegedly earned more than $250,000 trading in securities of Company B while in possession of material non-public information. 

The charge of securities fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil complaint against Gupta alleging violations of the securities laws.
    
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – A New Hampshire man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a conspiracy to harass and intimidate journalists employed by New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) and their family members.  

Michael Waselchuck, 36, of Seabrook, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 21 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In April 2024, Waselchuck pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel and using a facility of interstate commerce. Waselchuck was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in June 2023. He was later indicted along with co-defendants Eric Labarge, Tucker Cockerline and Keenan Saniatan. 

In March 2022 an NHPR journalist (Victim 1) published an article detailing allegations of sexual and other misconduct by a former New Hampshire businessperson, identified in the charging document as Subject 1. Another NHPR journalist (Victim 2) also contributed to the article, which appeared on NHPR’s website during and after March 2022. In response to this reporting, Labarge – who is a close personal associate of Subject 1 – Cockerline, Waselchuck and Saniatan agreed to harass and intimidate Victims 1 and 2 and their immediate family members.

On or about May 18, 2022, Labarge solicited Cockerline to vandalize Victim 1’s parents’ home in Hampstead, N.H., and Victim 1’s home in Melrose, Mass., using bricks and red spray paint. Cockerline, in turn, recruited Waselchuck to vandalize Victim 1’s residence.

On the evening of May 20, 2022, Cockerline spray painted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on one of the garage doors of Victim 1’s parents’ home, and left a brick on the ground near the front door. Several hours later, Waselchuck threw a brick through an exterior window of Victim 1’s home and painted the phrase “JUST THE BEGINNING” in large red letters on the front of the house.

Labarge and Saniatan have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. In August 2024, Cockerline was sentenced to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Concord, Hampstead and Hanover, New Hampshire Police Departments, the Melrose, Massachusetts Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Casey and Torey B. Cummings of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
 

BOSTON – A New Bedford man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for fraudulently receiving Social Security disability benefits.   

Anthony Patterson, 62, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to time served (one day) and three years of supervised release, with six months to be served in home confinement. Patterson was also ordered to pay restitution of $92,582 to the Social Security Administration (SSA). In June 2024, Patterson pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money. Patterson was charged in May 2024. 

From 2013 to 2023, Patterson collected Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, which are only available to people with limited financial means. During two interviews with SSA in 2012 and 2022, Patterson made sworn false statements regarding his marital status and living situation to conceal household income and resources. As a result, he collected $92,582 in SSI benefits that he was ineligible to receive.

In addition, Patterson failed to report work and income to SSA from his business breeding and selling show bulldogs for $3,000 to $7,000 each, which also would have exceeded the resource limits for SSI. 

Patterson also told SSA in 2007 that he could not lift more than 20 pounds because of restrictions from his doctor, but then participated in weightlifting competitions where he lifted over 400 pounds without informing SSA that his medical condition had improved as required for Social Security disability programs.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Corwin Rattler, Acting 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 James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – An Edgartown man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to armed bank robbery and conspiracy offenses.

Miquel Antonio Jones, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, and one count of armed bank robbery and aiding and abetting. U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Dec. 2, 2024. In March 2023, Jones was indicted by a federal grand jury, and additional charges were brought in a superseding indictment in April 2023.  

Jones met Omar Johnson, Tevin Porter, and allegedly Romane Clayton, in Martha’s Vineyard on Nov. 16, 2022 to plan the robbery. Jones identified the bank they would be robbing and provided the others with dark-colored clothing and plastic masks that resembled an elderly man with exaggerated facial features. On the morning of Nov. 17, 2022, Porter, Jones and Johnson forced their way through the rear door of the Rockland Trust Bank in Tisbury. The men were armed with two semi-automatic handguns and wearing the clothes and masks that Jones had provided. Once inside the bank, one of the individuals held a gun to the head of one of the bank employees, forced the employee to open the bank’s vault, and took approximately $39,100. The bank employees were bound with duct tape and plastic zip ties while their belongings were searched and the robbers demanded access to one of their vehicles.  

Jones, Porter and Johnson then left the bank in an employee’s car, allegedly picked up Clayton outside the bank, and drove to the Manuel Correllus State Forest, where they abandoned the vehicle in a parking lot. They then fled in another vehicle that Clayton allegedly had left there for purposes of their escape. 

Porter and Clayton allegedly left Martha’s Vineyard together on a ferry later that morning. Meanwhile, Johnson and Jones drove to a local farm associated with Jones’s landscaping job to dispose of the equipment that had been used during the bank robbery. At the farm, they allegedly buried the two firearms used in the robbery in a hole in the ground and burned the remainder of the robbery equipment, including the plastic masks. 

After the evidence was disposed of, Jones returned home to his residence where he hid the approximately $39,100 that had been stolen from the bank, in his bedroom under a bureau. Johnson left Martha’s Vineyard, reconvened with Porter, and allegedly Clayton, in Woods Hole and then drove them to the area of Johnson’s home in New Hampshire.

Johnson and Porter have both pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Clayton is scheduled to plead guilty on Sept. 12, 2024.

The charge of armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 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 upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today.  Valuable assistance was provided by Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office; the Massachusetts State Police; the Tisbury, West Tisbury, Edgartown, Chilmark, Oak Bluffs, Aquinnah, Canterbury (N.H.) and New Haven (Conn.) Police Departments; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and United States Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan C. Cleary of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case. 

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

BOSTON – A Canadian man pleaded guilty today in federal district court in Boston to embezzling more than $1.4 million from his employer and its clients.

Adil Rahman, 36, of Ontario, Canada, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud before United States Senior District Judge William G. Young, who scheduled sentencing for Dec. 9, 2024. Rahman was charged in July 2024. 

Rahman worked in Ontario, Canada as a credit analyst for Company A – a subsidiary of a large electrical distribution and services company based in Pittsburgh. As part of his job, Rahman interacted with clients of Company A concerning invoices for the company’s services.  Between November 2022 and December 2023, Rahman directed certain customers of Company A to pay their invoices via ACH transfers to his personal bank account, rather than to the account of Company A.  

For example, in or about November 2022, Rahman sent an email to the accounts payable department of Company B – a nonprofit municipal corporation based in Hartford, Conn. – asking if the company would be interested in paying future invoices to Company A by ACH transfer rather than by check. When Company B agreed to do so, Rahman provided his personal account information to Company B. Thereafter, under the false impression that it was sending the money to Company A to pay the invoices it owed, Company B sent at least 15 ACH transfers to Rahman’s personal account between December 2022 and June 2023. 

Likewise, in May 2023, Rahman emailed the accounts payable department at Company C – a privately held provider of corporate security systems based in Andover, Mass. – asking if Company C wished to pay future invoices by ACH transfer. Once again, when Company C agreed to do so, Rahman provided his personal bank account information and Company C thereafter made 11 ACH transfers to Rahman’s personal account between May 2023 and July 2023.

In total, through this scheme, Rahman defrauded Company A and its clients of more than $1.4 million.

 The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $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 statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Frank, Chief of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit, is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A physician who practiced at Brigham and Women’s Hospital has agreed to pay $25,000 in civil penalties to settle allegations that he violated the Controlled Substances Act by prescribing opioid controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice. 

As part of the settlement agreement, Dr. Edgar Ross, 70, Boston, admitted that, for one patient, he prescribed a mix of controlled substances, including opioids, without always appropriately documenting the risks. Ross also provided early refills in response to the patient’s requests. After multiple hospitalizations and an overdose, the hospital arranged for another physician to take over Ross’s treatment of the patient.  

As part of the settlement, Ross entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the DEA that requires him to work with an independent compliance monitor for three years.

“Safe prescribing of drugs—particularly opioids—is essential to patient and public safety and a priority for our office,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This settlement is an example of how our office and the DEA work to ensure that doctors prescribe dangerous medications only when they are acting within the scope of proper professional practice and with appropriate safeguards in place to prevent and address abuse. We will continue to work with our partners at the DEA to protect patients and enforce the Controlled Substances Act.”

“DEA registrants are responsible for handling controlled substances responsibly and ensuring that complete and accurate records are being properly kept and accounted for in compliance with the Controlled Substances Act,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belleau, Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure that these rules and regulations are followed.”

Under the Controlled Substances Act, physicians and other prescribers registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (the DEA) may only issue prescriptions for a legitimate medical purpose and in the usual course of professional practice. 

Acting United States Attorney Levy and DEA ASAC Belleau made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Brazier of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the case.

BOSTON – The Chief Executive Officer of Dana Group Associates, who is also the former Chief Operating Officer of Prime Behavioral Health, was charged today in connection with a scheme to defraud health care benefit programs by directing false billing for patient visits.
 
Miguel Saravia, 42, was charged and has agreed to plead guilty to six counts of health care fraud. A plea hearing date has not been set.  
 
According to the charging documents, from approximately 2017 to 2022, Saravia directed a group of individuals with no billing or medical training to enter Current Procedural Terminology codes (CPT) for therapy services that were not provided and to upcode CPT codes used for psychotherapy visits. It is further alleged that Saravia submitted, or directed the submission of, false claims for treatment that was not provided or for more complex and expensive treatment than was provided.

The charge of health care fraud carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Insurance Fraud Bureau Executive Director Anthony DiPaolo; and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly B. Lawrence and Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Lindsey Ross and Steven Sharobem of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit are prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – A Heath Street Gang member/associate involved in a shooting in residential neighborhood was sentenced on Sept. 6, 2024 in federal court in Boston for unlawfully possessing a firearm.

Deondre Blanding, 27, of Roslindale, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to five years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release.  In May 2024, Blanding pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

Blanding was charged and arrested in February 2024, along with over 40 alleged Heath Street Gang members/associates, who were charged with racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking, firearms and financial fraud charges. Blanding was a marijuana dealer for the Gang who distributed pound-quantity amounts of marijuana. 

On Oct. 8, 2023, Blanding arranged to buy three pounds of marijuana from an individual and arrived at the deal armed with a firearm. The arranged drug deal resulted in a shooting in the middle of a Randolph neighborhood involving Blanding and two other individuals. 

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and James M. Ferguson, 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 Randolph Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Crowley and Sarah Hoefle of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Hampton, N.H. man pleaded guilty on Sept. 6, 2024 to defrauding the Internal Revenue Service regarding federal employment taxes and the Massachusetts Department of Revenue regarding state meals taxes over a six-year period. Defendant owned and operated three restaurants: in Salem, Mass.; Peabody, Mass.; and Seabrook, N.H. 

John Drivas, age 66, pleaded guilty to five counts of failure to collect and pay over employment taxes owed to the IRS and four counts of wire fraud for state meals taxes he collected from restaurant customers but failed to pay to the state Department of Revenue. U.S. District Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for Dec. 5, 2024.  

Between January 2016 to October 2022, Drivas was the owner and operator of three restaurants: Red’s Sandwich Shop in Salem, Mass., Red’s Kitchen and Tavern in Peabody, Mass. and Red’s Seabrook in Seabrook, N.H. He was the sole shareholder of the Salem restaurant until he sold it to an employee in September 2022. He was the 100% owner of the Peabody restaurant with his wife and the 52% owner of the Seabrook restaurant with his children.

Drivas paid wages to numerous employees of the restaurants partly by payroll checks and partly in cash. He did not report the cash wages to the IRS or pay employment taxes on them.  Federal tax law requires employers to withhold from any employee wages an amount for income taxes and other amounts for Social Security and Medicare taxes. Drivas caused employment tax losses of $439,341.

Drivas also collected more than $1.5 million in state meals taxes paid by restaurant customers which he failed to pay over to the state as required by law. In Massachusetts, all owners and operators of restaurants and bars are required to collect 6.25 sales taxes on meals.  Salem and Peabody also require restaurants and bars to collect an additional 0.75% local option meals excise tax. Although Drivas collected the taxes from restaurant customers, he intentionally withheld $1,596,775. of those taxes from monthly reports and payments owed to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.   
 
The charge of failure to pay over taxes carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, , a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss and restitution. Each wire fraud charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, supervised release for three years, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, and restitution. Sentences are imposed by the federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, Harry Chavis, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office and Katherine Mulligan, Chief of Investigations for the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Criminal Investigations Bureau of the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Assistant United States Attorney Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.  
 

BOSTON – One Massachusetts resident has been indicted, and two Massachusetts residents and one New York resident have agreed to plead guilty, in connection with a scheme to defraud various health insurance companies by submitting false claims seeking reimbursement for over $1 million of bogus medical expenses purportedly incurred during international travel.

Henry Ezeonyido, 36, of Brockton, Mass., was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and six counts of health care fraud. Brendon Ashe, 40, of Dorchester, Mass.; Darline Cobbler, 40, of Randolph, Mass.; and Ariel Lambert, 34, of Brooklyn, N.Y., have each agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. All four defendants were originally charged in a complaint unsealed on July 11, 2024.

According to the charging documents, from in or about October 2019 through in or about February 2022, Ezeonyido allegedly submitted fraudulent health insurance claims on his own behalf and on behalf of others, including Ashe, Cobbler, and Lambert, for expensive medical treatment that they purportedly received and paid for out-of-pocket while traveling overseas. It is alleged that many of the claims related to fake traumatic injuries such as stabbings, gunshot wounds, and hit and run car accidents that the defendants and others purportedly suffered requiring their hospitalization abroad. 

Ezeonyido allegedly submitted fabricated documents to health insurance companies in support of the fraudulent claims, including fabricated medical records purporting to show the medical care received, fabricated bank records purporting to show payment to the international treatment facilities, and – where the claim related to a fake traumatic injury – fabricated police reports describing the circumstances of the alleged event. As a result of these fraudulent claims, various health insurance companies were allegedly billed over $1 million for services that were never provided. According to the charging documents, upon receiving payments from the health insurance companies, Ashe, Cobbler, Lambert and others allegedly paid a portion of the proceeds to Ezeonyido and other co-conspirators. 

The charges of health care fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud each carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; and Insurance Fraud Bureau Executive Director Anthony DiPaolo made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Wright of the Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – A West Wareham man was charged by complaint today in federal court on charges of receipt and possession of child pornography.

Joshua Roe, age 37, was arrested today on a criminal complaint charging him with one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Roe will appear in federal court later today.

According to the criminal complaint, on Sept. 6, 2024, during a search of Roe’s home, approximately 11 electronic devices belonging to Roe were recovered.  While on site, law enforcement conducted a forensic examination of at least one device, which revealed images and videos depicting child pornography.  

The receipt charge provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison with a five-year mandatory minimum sentence, a $250,000 fine, and a maximum of life with a mandatory minimum of five years of supervised release. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations; and Walter Correia Wareham Chief of Police made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit. 

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 identity 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 Stoughton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a wide-ranging fentanyl trafficking conspiracy. The defendant was on federal supervised release at the time that he committed the offenses, after being granted compassionate release in 2020.

Angel Morales, 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to 151 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. In April 2024, Morales pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. In December 2022, Morales was indicted along with co-conspirators Quenty Ogando, Erika Prado and Rahelin Reynoso. 

Between September 2022 and November 2022, Morales was involved in a scheme involving a large-scale pill press operation that manufactured, sold and mailed counterfeit pills, including pills containing fentanyl, among other drugs. Morales’ role in the operation was to ship packages from post offices across Massachusetts. On multiple occasions, Morales used various post offices and FedEx facilities in Boston, Randolph, Holbrook, Quincy, Mattapan, Braintree, Milton and elsewhere to mail over 150 packages knowing that some of the packages contained controlled substances. On at least two occasions, FedEx employees opened packages pursuant to their internal procedures, and observed clear plastic sandwich bags filled with pills with markings consistent with prescription-only medication that later tested positive for fentanyl. 

On multiple occasions in October and November 2022 Morales was observed leaving an apartment in Mattapan before travelling to multiple post offices and FedEx facilities. During a subsequent search of that apartment, over 20 kilograms of pills in various colors, a sample of which tested positive for fentanyl, over 20 kilograms of loose powder, a sample of which tested positive for fentanyl, numerous packages and mailing labels, electronic devices, cash and three industrial grade pill presses were recovered. In addition, fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine were also found at the apartment.  

Morales is the fourth and final defendant to be sentenced in the case. On Jan. 31, 2024, Ogando was sentenced to 144 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In June 2024, Reynoso was sentenced to six years in prison and two years of supervised release. In April 2024, Prado was sentenced to time served with one year of supervised release.

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

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department; Massachusetts State Police; United States Customs and Border Protection; Drug Enforcement Administration; and U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Mackenzie Duane and Jennifer Zacks of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.  

BOSTON – A New Hampshire man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to his role in a conspiracy to harass and intimidate two journalists employed by New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR). The harassment and intimidation of the victims included the vandalism – on five separate occasions – of the victims’ homes and the home of one of the victims’ parents with bricks, large rocks and red spray paint.

Keenan Saniatan, 36, of Nashua, N.H., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit stalking using a facility of interstate commerce and one count of stalking using a facility of interstate commerce. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Dec. 6, 2024. Saniatan was initially charged in June 2023 along with co-conspirators Tucker Cockerline and Michael Waselchuck. In September 2024, Saniatan, Cockerline and Waselchick along with Eric Labarge were indicted by a federal grand jury.

In March 2022, an NHPR journalist (Victim 1) published an article detailing allegations of sexual and other misconduct by a former New Hampshire businessperson, identified in the charging document as Subject 1. Another NHPR journalist (Victim 2) also contributed to the article, which appeared on NHPR’s website during and after March 2022. In response to this reporting, Labarge – who is a close personal associate of Subject 1 – Saniatan, Cockerline and Waselchuck agreed to harass and intimidate Victims 1 and 2 and their immediate family members. 

According to the indictment, on or about April 22, 2022, at Labarge’s request, Saniatan agreed to vandalize Victim 2’s home in Concord, N.H. and Victim 1’s parents’ home in Hampstead, N.H., using large rocks and red spray paint. On the evening of April 24, 2022, Saniatan spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front door and threw a large rock at the exterior of Victim 2’s home. He also threw a softball-sized rock through an exterior window and spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front of Victim 1’s parents’ home. Separately, and at Labarge’s request, Cockerline and Waselchuck vandalized Victim 1’s home, a home where Victim 1 used to reside, and Victim 1’s parents’ home using bricks and red spray paint during three separate incidents in April and May 2022.

Labarge and Waselchuck have both pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Cockerline also pleaded guilty and, in August 2024, was sentenced to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release.

Each charge in the indictment carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Concord, Hampstead and Hanover, New Hampshire Police Departments, the Melrose, Massachusetts Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Casey and Torey B. Cummings of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Mexican man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy. In March 2023, 20 kilograms of cocaine was seized during a traffic stop, along with a tracking device that had been installed in the vehicle by a Mexican drug cartel. 

Erasmo Lira-Mendez, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 11 years in prison, followed by five years supervised release. In May 2024, Lira-Mendez was convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine (both offenses involving five kilograms or more). Lira-Mendez was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2023 along with his co-defendant, Cornelio Hernandez.

On March 29, 2023, in Littleton, Mass. Lira-Mendez was observed driving a car with a temporary Texas license plate that was drifting across a double yellow line. During an ensuing traffic stop, 20 kilograms of cocaine was found inside a duffle bag on the back seat of the vehicle. A subsequent investigation revealed that a private tracking device had been installed in the vehicle by the Mexican drug cartel, Cártel del Noreste. GPS data obtained from the device revealed that the two men had traveled at least 32 hours from Texas to Massachusetts – with the cocaine concealed inside the vehicle’s doors – to distribute the narcotics in Lawrence, Mass.  

Hernandez pleaded guilty on April 18, 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24, 2024.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Stephen P. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Littleton Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel R. Feldman and K. Nathaniel Yeager of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.   
 

BOSTON – A New York City man pleaded guilty today to conspiracies to engage in computer hacking, trafficking in stolen payment card numbers and money laundering.

Vitalii Antonenko, 32, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge William G. Young to one count of conspiracy to gain unauthorized access to computer networks and to traffic in unauthorized access devices, and one count of money laundering conspiracy. Antonenko was arrested and detained in March 2019 on money laundering charges at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport after he arrived there from Ukraine carrying computers and other digital media that held hundreds of thousands of stolen payment card numbers. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2020. Judge Young scheduled sentencing for Dec. 10, 2024.  

Antonenko and co-conspirators scoured the internet for computer networks with security vulnerabilities that were likely to contain credit and debit card account numbers, expiration dates, and card verification values (Payment Card Data) and other personally identifiable information (PII). They used a hacking technique known as a “SQL injection attack” to access those networks without authorization, extracted Payment Card Data and other PII, and transferred it for sale on online criminal marketplaces. Once a co-conspirator sold the data, Antonenko and others used Bitcoin as well as traditional bank and cash transactions to launder the proceeds in order to disguise their nature, location, source, ownership and control. The conspiracy’s victims included a hospitality business and non-profit scientific research institution, both located in eastern Massachusetts.  

The charge of conspiracy to gain unauthorized access and to traffic in access devices provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, restitution and forfeiture. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $500,000 fine, restitution and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office and made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth B. Kosto Deputy Chief of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. 

BOSTON – A Colombian man pleaded guilty yesterday to illegally reentering the United States after deportation.

Fabian Lopez Mejia, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Oct. 22, 2024. In June 2024, Lopez Mejia was indicted by a federal grand jury.

Lopez Mejia was previously removed from the United States in November 2019. Sometime after his removal, Lopez Mejia returned to the United States. In October 2023, Lopez Mejia pled guilty in Suffolk Superior Court to one count of possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance and one count of forgery/misuse of an RMV document.  

The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year 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 statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to leaving a residential re-entry center where he was serving the remainder of his federal sentence for drug possession.  

Derek Rego, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of escape before U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton who scheduled sentencing for Dec. 12, 2024. In September 2020, Rego was indicted by a federal grand jury.

In September 2012, Rego was sentenced in federal court in Boston to 120 months in prison for distribution of cocaine. On Jan. 8, 2020, Rego was transferred from a correctional institution to a residential re-entry center (“RRC”) in Boston to serve the remainder of his sentence until his release date in June 5, 2020. 

Prior to that date, in October 2019, Rego signed the furlough application which notified him, in part, that while on furlough status, he remains in the custody of the Attorney General. While residing at the RRC, Rego was permitted to work and was employed. On March 25, 2020, after informing the RRC that two co-workers tested positive for COVID-19, Rego was instructed to quarantine for 14 days at an approved “pass site” location and told that he would receive random phone calls and pass site visits to ensure his compliance. Rego was informed that after his 14-day quarantine ended on April 9, 2020, he was required to return to the RRC. Initially, Rego was compliant. However, on April 3, 2020, RRC staff attempted an in-person spot check at Rego’s temporary pass site and placed several calls to Rego’s landline and personal cell phone with negative results. Rego never returned to the RRC and his whereabouts were unknown for almost one month. On May 4, 2020, Rego was arrested in Boston on unrelated state domestic violence charges.

The charging statute provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, up to 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 statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian Kyes, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
 

BOSTON – A Malden, Mass. man was sentenced yesterday in Boston federal court for his role in the armed robberies of two businesses in which he and two others beat, dragged and duct-taped victims.

Li Wen Tang, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In April of  2024, Tang plead guilty to two counts of robbery affecting commerce, after a jury convicted one of Tang’s co-defendants, Alfeu Barbosa, in March of 2024 for the same offenses. Barbosa was arrested and charged in June 2022. Tang and Jonas Nunez were later arrested and charged in August and September 2022. All three defendants were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury. 

On June 12, 2022 at approximately 8:51 p.m., Tang entered the Balance Reflexology Spa in Brookline pretending to be a customer seeking a massage. Because the victim was the only employee in the spa that night, she locked the door before taking Tang into the back room to begin the massage. Tang asked the victim if there was anyone else in the spa and that if there was, he would like to see them. Almost immediately after the massage had begun, Tang claimed that he no longer wanted a massage because his stomach was upset and demanded a refund. The victim employee stated she had to call her boss to approve the refund. While the victim employee was on the phone in the lobby, Tang unlocked the front door and two masked men – later identified as Barbosa and Nunez – entered the business carrying firearms. One of the men hit the victim employee in the face, knocking her to the floor and put a gun to her head. Barbosa and Nunez then pulled the victim by her hair into the back hallway where they instructed her to be quiet. There, the men proceeded to bind the victim’s wrists and ankles with duct tape and gag her. As they were doing this, Barbosa and Nunez repeatedly yelled at the victim asking, “Where is the money?” The men ransacked the spa for roughly three minutes before locating and stealing approximately $500 along with the victim employee’s cell phone and then exiting. Surveillance footage revealed that all three men had arrived in the same vehicle parked nearby, which they drove away in together following the robbery.

Later that evening, at approximately 10:19 p.m. on June 12, 2022, Barbosa, Nunez and an associate of Barbosa committed a similar robbery of May’s Spa Massage in Stoneham. Specifically, they entered the business wearing masks and firearms and duct-taped several victims who were in the spa at the time. In addition to stealing approximately $600 in cash from the business and victims, Barbosa, Nunez and Barbosa’s associate took three cell phones belonging to three of the female victims present during the robbery, as well as a victim’s license, gift cards and credit and debit cards before leaving in the same vehicle. 

Nunez pleaded guilty and was sentenced on April 18, 2024 to 23 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Barbosa who was convicted by a federal jury and sentenced on July 17, 2024 to 121 months in prison to be followed three years of supervised release.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New York; the Massachusetts State Police; as well as the Brookline, Stoneham, Boston, Wakefield and New York City Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke A. Goldworm and Robert E. Richardson of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.    
 

BOSTON – A Quincy man was sentenced today for committing a hate crime.

John Sullivan, 78, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2024, Sullivan pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Sullivan was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2023.

On Dec. 2, 2022, Sullivan encountered an Asian American group he had never met before outside a post office in Quincy. Sullivan yelled to the group, which included three children under the age of 12, to “go back to China,” and threatened to kill them. He then drove his car into one of the adult members of the group, causing the victim to land on the hood of the moving car and remain there while Sullivan drove the car approximately 200 feet in traffic. After Sullivan slammed on his brakes, stopping the car abruptly and causing the victim to slide off, Sullivan again accelerated, hitting the victim a second time and causing him to fall face first into a 10-foot-deep construction ditch and suffer injury.

“Every single man, woman and child living in Massachusetts has a fundamental right to be free from acts of hate and violence. The conduct here is truly despicable and this office will dedicate whatever resources are needed to vigorously prosecute these types of hate crimes.  Fueled by his hate of Asian-Americans, John Sullivan twice used his car to strike and injure an innocent man. He engaged in these acts of hate in front of the victim’s friends, including three children under the age of 12, who all watched in horror,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “These violent acts of hate spread fear throughout our community and will never be tolerated.”

“Racially-motivated and hate-fueled attacks have no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant targeted this man solely because he was Asian American. This behavior will not be tolerated, and the Justice Department is steadfast in its commitment to vigorously prosecute those who commit unlawful acts of hate.”

“A run of the mill trip to the post office turned into a nightmare for this Vietnamese man when John Sullivan decided to target him because of the color of his skin and the country of his ancestors. There is no way to undo the damage Mr. Sullivan caused with his hateful, repulsive, and violent behavior, but hopefully today’s sentence provides some measure of comfort,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division. “All communities in our Commonwealth – deserve respect and the ability to live, work, and raise their children without fear. We encourage anyone who has been the victim of or witness to a hate crime to report it to the FBI.”

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, AAG Clarke, FBI SAC Cohen and Chief Mark Kennedy of the Quincy Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Quincy Police Department and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings of the Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit and Tara Allison of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
 

A Massachusetts man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for a federal hate crime.

On April 3, John Sullivan pleaded guilty to willfully causing bodily injury to a victim, identified in court papers only by his initials, G.N., through the use of a dangerous weapon (a vehicle), because of G.N.’s actual and perceived race and national origin.

“Racially motivated and hate-fueled attacks have no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant targeted this man solely because he was Asian American. This behavior will not be tolerated, and the Justice Department is steadfast in its commitment to vigorously prosecute those who commit unlawful acts of hate.”

“Every single man, woman and child living in Massachusetts has a fundamental right to be free from acts of hate and violence,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts. “The conduct here is truly despicable, and this office will dedicate whatever resources are needed to vigorously prosecute these types of hate crimes. Fueled by his hate of Asian-Americans, John Sullivan twice used his car to strike and injure an innocent man. He engaged in these acts of hate in front of the victim’s friends, including three children under the age of 12, who all watched in horror. These violent acts of hate spread fear throughout our community and will never be tolerated.”

“A run of the mill trip to the post office turned into a nightmare for this Vietnamese man when John Sullivan decided to target him because of the color of his skin and the country of his ancestors. There is no way to undo the damage Mr. Sullivan caused with his hateful, repulsive and violent behavior, but hopefully today’s sentence provides some measure of comfort,” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Boston Field Office. “All communities in our Commonwealth – deserve respect and the ability to live, work, and raise their children without fear. We encourage anyone who has been the victim of or witness to a hate crime to report it to the FBI.”

According to documents filed in connection with this case, Sullivan encountered G.N., who is Vietnamese, and other individuals he was with, who are also Asian American, outside a post office. Sullivan had never met the victim or the group before. In front of the group’s three children under the age of twelve, Sullivan yelled for them to “go back to China,” threatened to kill them — pointing in turn members of the group, including two of the children, and separately telling them, “I’m going to kill you” — and twice drove his car into G.N., causing G.N. to land on the hood of the moving car and remain there while the car moved approximately 200 feet while keeping pace with traffic. Eventually Sullivan stopped the car, causing G.N. to fall into a construction ditch and suffer bodily injury and pain.

The FBI Boston Field Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey Cummings for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Brooklyn, N.Y. man pleaded guilty today in connection with a scheme to steal over $3 million in COVID relief tax credits using the stolen identity of a corporate executive in New Jersey.

Isaac Aaron Tenryk, 28, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Dec. 12, 2024. Tenryk was arrested and charged in May 2024.

Tenryk used a fraudulent driver’s license as well as the name and Social Security number of a corporate executive in New Jersey to open an account at a bank in Boston. He then deposited an approximately $3 million Employee Retention Tax Credit check, payable to the corporate executive’s company, into the fraudulent account.  

The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two years in prison in addition to any sentence imposed on the bank fraud charge, one year 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 statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, Boston Field Office; and Ketty Larco Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
        
 

BOSTON – A Boston woman pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain pandemic-related relief funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) made available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

Jameela Gross, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Dec. 5, 2024. Gross, a Heath Street Gang member/associate, was arrested in February 2024 along with over 40 Heath Street Gang members/associates, who were charged with racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking, firearms charges and financial frauds, including COVID-related fraud.

In April 2021, Gross submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application on behalf of her purported business. The application contained multiple false statements, including false representations regarding the purported business’s total gross income in 2020 and the purpose of the loan. Gross also submitted false tax records in support of her loan applications. Based on the fraudulent application, Gross received approximately $18,750, which she then spent on non-business-related expenses.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act created a temporary loan program directed at small businesses called the Paycheck Protection Program. PPP loans were processed by private financial institutions and fully guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. If the small business used the loan funds for approved purposes, such as payroll, the loan could be forgiven by the financial institution and paid for by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Harry T. Chavis Jr, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Hoefle and Lucy Sun of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.

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

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

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

BOSTON – The president of a now-defunct investment firm targeting retail investors pleaded guilty yesterday to assisting an unregistered broker who sold securities in exchange for an undisclosed commission of approximately 40 percent.

Clinton Greyling, 49, of Tamarac, Fla., pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting an unregistered broker. Greyling was charged in an Information filed July 30, 2024.  U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Dec. 11, 2024.

Greyling was the president of Trends Investments, Inc., a now-shuttered Florida-based company that sold securities of fledgling public companies that were engaged in mergers. Between February 2017 and June 2019, Trends sold shares of multiple companies to retail investors throughout the United States. Greyling touted the companies as promising because they were supposedly about to enter new and exciting business lines, including in therapeutic cannabinoids and blockchain technology. To sell the securities, Trends engaged a former registered broker, who solicited prospective customers to buy shares by falsely holding himself out as a broker and wealth manager and by telling customers that the securities were promising investments. At Greyling’s direction, Trends paid the individual—who was no longer registered as a broker with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, as required—an undisclosed commission of approximately 40 percent, totaling over $800,000 on over $1.9 million in sales. Greyling further assisted the individual by providing positive information about the companies, including information about when the companies’ securities would purportedly begin active trading on the over-the-counter market. Trends, however, ultimately did not timely deliver shares to customers and the promised investment returns did not materialize. The shares sold to investors were ultimately worthless as a practical matter, as the customers were generally unable to deposit or trade them in a timely manner.    

The charge of aiding and abetting an unregistered broker provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. 
 

BOSTON – A Chicago-area man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield, Mass. for his role in a nationwide wire fraud conspiracy that victimized businesses and individuals across the United States.  

Demario Sorrells, 38, of Rockford, Ill., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to three years of probation, $106,000 in restitution, and $106,000 in forfeiture. In February 2024, Sorrells pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to cin December 2020ommit wire fraud.  Sorrells was initially indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2020 along with five co-defendants, including rap promoter Antonio Strong and rap artists Herbert Wright and Joseph Williams.

Beginning in at least March 2017 through November 2018, Sorrells, Wright, Williams, and, allegedly, their co-defendants conspired to defraud numerous businesses and individuals throughout the United States by using unauthorized and stolen payment card account information of real individuals – including the actual cardholders' names, addresses, security codes and account expiration dates. Generally, because the payment card information was authentic, the defrauded businesses and individuals successfully processed the fraudulent transactions and provided the goods and services to Wright and his alleged co-conspirators. The actual cardholders discovered these transactions on their accounts and disputed the charges with their card companies who then charged back the transactions to the businesses and individuals, which consequently suffered losses in the amounts of the unauthorized transactions.

On certain occasions, Strong obtained valuable goods and services for the benefit of Sorrells, including private jet flights, luxury accommodations and elite automobile rentals. On other occasions, Strong contacted Sorrells to obtain illicit account information and Sorrells provided Strong with illicit account information that he obtained from the dark web. On other occasions, Strong sometimes paid Sorrells in exchange for the illicit account information. Sorrells knew the illicit account information was stolen data. In total, Sorrells was responsible for $106,000 in victim losses. 

In May 2024, Strong pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud, and he is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 19, 2024.  In July 2023, Wright pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to a federal official, and in January 2024 he was sentenced to three years’ probation and was ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $139,968.  In March 2024, Williams pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and in August 2024 he was sentenced to three years’ probation and was ordered to pay restitution of $155,392 and forfeiture of $102,116.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office and Trial Attorneys Andrew Tyler and Kyle Crawford of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging 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 U.K. man has been arrested for allegedly making false statements in an immigration matter.

Duncan Hollands, a/k/a Duncan Herd, 58, a citizen of the United Kingdom residing in Cambridge was charged with one count of falsely swearing in an immigration matter. Hollands was arrested yesterday and released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston. 

According to the charging documents, in February 2022, Hollands applied for lawful permanent residence status (more commonly known as a green card) and attended an interview for that application. The application form requires applicants to answer various background questions, such as prior names or aliases and any criminal history, so that immigration authorities can determine whether the applicant is eligible for the sought status. It is alleged that, on his application and during his interview, Hollands falsely reported that he had never used another name and denied having any history with the criminal justice system. However, it is alleged that Hollands did in fact have a prior name, Duncan Herd, under which he was previously convicted and sentenced to over three years in prison for obtaining property by deception along with other charges. It is further alleged that Hollands also had other interactions with the criminal justice systems in the United Kingdom and France.  

The charge provides for a sentence of up to 10 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 statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Cambridge and Woburn, Mass. Police Department and U.K. law enforcement authorities. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the 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 woman was sentenced on Aug. 27, 2024 for possessing fentanyl intended for distribution. 

Karyela Santiago, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to time served (one day) and three years of supervised release. In May 2024, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. 

On March 30, 2022, Santiago possessed fentanyl intended for distribution. Specifically, Santiago possessed a total of 8,090 bags of fentanyl intended for distribution – containing a total of 129 grams of fentanyl. 

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; and Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
 

BOSTON – Earlier today, charges were unsealed against 10 members and associates of the H Block Gang (Appendix A) for drug conspiracy. Separately, nine members and associates of the Mission Hill Gang (Appendix B) were charged with engaging in financial fraud. The charges are the result of separate, multi-year investigations into gang violence in Boston and follow the February 2024 takedown of over 40 members and associates of the Heath Street Gang for alleged racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking, firearms and financial frauds.

According to the charging documents, the H Block Street Gang is one of the most feared and influential city-wide gangs in Boston. Originally formed in the 1980s as the Humboldt Raiders in the Roxbury section of Boston, the gang re-emerged in recent years as H Block. Current members of H Block have a history of violent confrontation with law enforcement, including a 2015 incident when a member shot a Boston Police officer at point blank range without warning or provocation. 

The current investigation of H Block began in response to an uptick in gang-related drug trafficking, shootings and violence. According to court documents, since the start of the investigation in 2021, law enforcement attributed at least a dozen incidents involving firearms and gunfire to the tensions involving H Block gang associates. Six H Block members and associates were arrested today and charged with drug dealing in Boston and the surrounding communities. Four additional H Block members and associates are already in state custody. Additional drugs and four firearms were seized during today’s arrests.

In addition, three members and associates of H Block are charged with a conspiracy to smuggle illegal drugs into a Massachusetts prison. According to court documents, the Massachusetts Department of Correction has seen a significant increase in the smuggling of synthetic cannabinoids, a/k/a “K2,” and other dangerous substances into the prison system. A common method of introducing the drugs is by exploiting the Department of Correction’s inmate mail policies, which prohibit delivery to inmates of original copies of any materials contained in incoming mail except for legal mail, original copies of which are inspected and delivered via the U.S. postal system. Sheets of paper are saturated or sprayed with liquid narcotics, dried, printed with fake legal correspondence, and then mailed to inmates in an envelope marked as legal mail, in the hopes that the drug-laced paper will be delivered undetected. It is alleged that 14 sheets of paper containing PCP (Phenylcyclidine) and illegal K2 were seized over the course of the investigation. It is estimated that a single sheet of such drug-laced paper would be worth as much as $80,000 inside the prison.

Separately, charges were filed today against Mission Hill street gang members and associates for their involvement in a mail theft and financial fraud scheme known as “card cracking.” According to court documents, card cracking involves the theft and laundering of money through bank accounts in various names that are controlled by the primary offenders. Card cracking schemes are fueled by checks that are stolen from postal collection boxes, and chemically washed and rewritten to various recruited bank account holders. These washed checks are then deposited into checking accounts for cash withdrawal or laundering through money transfers and other means, such as the purchase of postal money orders. Six Mission Hill members and associates were arrested today and charged with financial crimes, along with three additional Mission Hill members and associates who are already in custody.

The Mission Hill Street Gang operates in the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, centered on the “Mission Main” and “Annunciation Road” housing developments in Boston.  

Today’s announcement follows the February 2024 takedown of over 40 members and associates of the Heath Street Gang, which is involved in a violent rivalry with both H Block and Mission Hill. According to charging documents, Heath Street Gang, which was formed in the 1980s and has over 150 members, operated primarily out of the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments in Jamaica Plain (previously known as the Bromley Heath Housing Development). Since February, five members and associates of Heath Street Gang have pleaded guilty to crimes including drug trafficking; firearms charges; and financial frauds, including COVID-related fraud.

“Keeping communities safe involves combatting a number of different types of threats.  The fight to keep our streets safe from dangerous gangs and drugs is an ever-constant struggle and, as this case shows, extends to our state’s prison facilities. Today’s arrests are an important step forward in making our streets and prisons safer,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “These arrests send a message that the federal government is actively engaged with our state and local partners and stands ready to hold accountable those who violate federal laws.”

“I am proud of our Boston Police officers and all of our law enforcement partners for this great work. These are individuals who do not value life, they have terrorized and wreaked havoc in our City. These investigations were intricately designed and carried out and there is no doubt that all of those in law enforcement who were involved, have put themselves in danger to get to this point, Partnering and pulling together our resources is powerful, it makes our residents safer, and we are seeing the result of that collaboration today,” said Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox.

“Dismantling violent gangs is a top priority of the DEA. Operations like these have a direct, positive effect on the neighborhoods in which these gangs sell drugs and cause violence,” said Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division. “Today’s arrests should serve as a warning that we will not tolerate drug trafficking, gang related violence, and those who cause it. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative local, state and federal law enforcement efforts and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

“ATF remains resolute in our mission to apprehend trigger pullers and firearms traffickers,” said James M. Ferguson Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division “By leveraging crime gun intelligence, we empower law enforcement to break the cycle of violence by concentrating on the individuals and criminal organizations fueling gun-related crime in our communities. Today's arrests exemplify ATF's unwavering commitment to collaborating with our local, state, and federal partners to combat the violent gang and drug activities that jeopardize public safety. Our collective efforts are crucial in holding violent offenders accountable, mitigating threats to the public, and driving down violent crime.”

The charge of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (cocaine) provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, not less than three years of supervised release, up to life, and a fine of up to $1 million. The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (cocaine, cocaine base, fentanyl, PCP, and controlled substance analogues, i.e. K2) provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, not less than three years of supervised release, up to life, and a fine of up to $1 million. The charges of theft of government property 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. The charge of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of conspiracy to steal or possess stolen mail provides for a sentence of up to five 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 statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; BPD Commissioner Cox; DEA Acting SAC Belleau; ATF SAC Ferguson; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Special Agent in Charge Andrew Murphy of the U.S. Secret Service Boston Field Office; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the Depart of Labor, Office of Inspector General made the announcement. The investigation was supported by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; and the Braintree, Quincy, Randolph, Watertown and Wellesley Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorneys Fred M. Wyshak, III, John T. Dawley and Philip C. Cheng of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Jeremy Franker of the Department of Justice’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the cases.

The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF. 

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

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APPENDIX A

1. Trea Lankford, a/k/a “Heff,” a/k/a “Hefna Don,” a/k/a “Montana,” a/k/a “Tre Cain,” 33, of Boston;
2. Dennis Wilson, a/k/a “Deuce,” a/k/a “Deep Jhonenson,” 36 of Boston;
3. Avery Lewis, a/k/a “Wave,” 32 of Dorchester;
4. Mark Linnehan,25, of West Roxbury;
5. Eric Celestino,30, of Boston;
6. Timothy Hearns, a/k/a “King Kill,” a/k/a “Tool Man,” a/k/a “Tooly,” 34;
7. Dominique Carpenter-Grady, a/k/a “8-Zipp” a/k/a “Eighty,” 35;
8. Robert Heckstall, a/k/a “Ribbs,” a/k/a “Buck,” a/k/a “Buck Corleone,” 41, of Roxbury;
9. Jason Bly, 44, of Quincy; and
10. Jerry Gray, 28, of Dorchester.

APPENDIX B

1. Imanol Rios-Franco, 24, of Brookline;
2. Jairo Cabral-Santos, 22, of Boston;
3. Brandon Baez, 22, of Framingham;
4. Jiovanny Matos, 25, of Boston;
5. Josman Romero Delgado, 22, of Boston;
6. Jonathan Martinez, 25, of Roslindale;
7. Anthony Worthen, 28, of Roslindale;
8. Tyrone Brimage, 28, of Boston; and
9. Glenroy Miller, 28, of Boston.

BOSTON – A Newton, Mass. man has been charged with allegedly engaging in a scheme to conceal his efforts to develop bomb making skills after he triggered an explosion in his dormitory room at the University of Chicago. He is also charged with making false statements to federal officials at Logan International Airport after his bags set off alarms for explosives.  

Aram Brunson, 21, is charged in a criminal complaint with falsifying, concealing and covering up a material fact by trick, scheme or device and making false statements to federal officials. Brunson is believed to be living in Yerevan, Armenia and attending the American University there. 

According to the charging documents Brunson’s bomb-making activities were linked to his desire to take militant action against Azerbaijanis and others who pose a threat to ethnic Armenians living in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.  

It is alleged that Brunson came to the attention of law enforcement officials in Chicago in January 2023, after he trigged and explosion in his dormitory room at the University of Chicago. Law enforcement allegedly discovered that Brunson was constructing a large black powder device when he accidentally set it off, burning his room and causing the evacuation of the dormitory. At the time, he allegedly told law enforcement that he was just mimicking a prank he had seen on the internet.

A subsequent investigation allegedly revealed that Brunson sought to engage in what he described as revolutionary direct action and terrorism in support of Armenian causes. It is further alleged that Brunson made videos of himself teaching others how to make explosive devices and rig doors and desks with grenades. His internet searches also allegedly suggested that he planned to take action against foreign diplomatic facilities in the United States.

According to court documents, in August 2023, as Brunson was departing Boston to travel to Armenia, his bags set off explosive alarms for an unusual and highly volatile explosive. He allegedly told Customs and Border Protection officials that he had no idea how or why traces of the explosive material came to be on and in his bags. It is alleged that, during a subsequent search of his Newton home, a detailed recipe for making that explosive was found and a bomb dog detected three locations in the bedroom.  

“It is alleged that Mr. Brunson crossed the line between political expression and mobilization, by taking affirmative steps to carry out unlawful acts. While radical political views may be offensive, they are constitutionally protected. However, experimenting with extremely dangerous explosives in support of those views and then engaging in false statements about your conduct is crossing the line. We will investigate and prosecute anyone who crosses that line in order to keep our communities safe,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.

“What Arum Brunson is accused of is alarming. We believe he engaged in a calculated scheme to conceal his efforts to develop bomb making skills and construct an explosive device in support of his violent extremist activity,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division. “This case highlights how FBI Boston’s Joint Terrorism Task Force takes its mission to thwart political violence, wherever it may occur, seriously.”

“The men and women of CBP work diligently alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure that anyone intending to inflict harm is held accountable and brought to justice,” stated Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office.

Each of the charges provide for a sentence of up to five 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 statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy; FBI SAC Jody Cohen; and CBP Director De La O made the announcement today. This matter was investigated with the assistance of the Newton Police Department, the Chicago Police Department, the Chicago Fire Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Illinois, the Department of Justice National Security Division and the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. McNeil of the National Security Unit are prosecuting the case.

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 – A New Hampshire man was sentenced on Aug. 27, 2024 for his role in a conspiracy to stalk journalists employed by New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR). The harassment and intimidation of the victims included the vandalism – on five separate occasions – of the victims’ homes and the home of one of the victims’ parents with bricks, large rocks and red spray paint.

Tucker Cockerline, 33, of Salem, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Cockerline pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in December 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel and using a facility of interstate commerce. Cockerline was initially arrested and charged by criminal complaint in June 2023. He was later indicted along with co-defendants Eric Labarge, Michael Waselchuck, and Saniatan. Labarge and Waselchuck have both pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Saniatan is expected to plead guilty in federal court in Boston on Sept. 5, 2024.

In March of 2022, after a year-long investigation, an NHPR journalist (Victim 1) published an article detailing allegations of sexual and other misconduct by a former New Hampshire businessperson (Subject 1). Another NHPR journalist (Victim 2) also contributed to the article, which appeared on NHPR’s website during and after March 2022. In response to this reporting, Labarge – who is a close personal associate of Subject 1 – Cockerline, Waselchuck, and allegedly Saniatan, agreed to harass and intimidate Victims 1 and 2 and their immediate family members by vandalizing their homes in the middle of the night with bricks, rocks and red spray paint. 

Specifically, Labarge solicited Cockerline to vandalize Victim 1’s former residence in Hanover, N.H., using a brick and red spray paint. On the evening of April 24, 2022, Cockerline spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front door of the home and threw a brick through an exterior window. Saniatan allegedly agreed with Labarge to vandalize Victim 2’s home in Concord, N.H., and Victim 1’s parents’ home in Hampstead, N.H., using large rocks and red spray paint. On the evening of April 24, 2022, Saniatan allegedly spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front door and threw a large rock at the exterior of Victim 2’s home; and he allegedly threw a softball-sized rock through a front exterior window and spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front of Victim 1’s parents’ home.

Labarge also solicited Cockerline to vandalize Victim 1’s parents’ home in Hampstead, N.H., and Victim 1’s home in Melrose, Mass., using bricks and red spray paint. Cockerline, in turn, recruited Waselchuck to vandalize Victim 1’s residence, providing him with a brick and a can of red spray paint. On the evening of May 20, 2022, Cockerline spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front of Victim 1’s parents’ home, and left a brick on the ground near the front door.  Several hours later, Waselchuck threw a brick through an exterior window of Victim 1’s home and painted the phrase “JUST THE BEGINNING” in large red letters on the front of the house.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Concord, Hampstead and Hanover, N.H. Police Departments, the Melrose, Mass. Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Casey and Torey B. Cummings of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – A Fall River man was arrested yesterday and charged with selling drugs and machineguns that he advertised on the Telegram app.

Benjamin Hunt, 26, was charged by criminal complaint with three counts of distribution of controlled substances and one count of transferring machineguns. Hunt was arrested yesterday morning, and following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, was detained pending a hearing scheduled for Sept. 5, 2024.

As described in court documents, Hunt allegedly advertised drugs, firearms and other contraband on Telegram, a cloud-based application. Hunt would then allegedly use the U.S. mail to ship drugs, firearms and other contraband around the country in exchange for payment via Bitcoin. Specifically, Hunt allegedly used Telegram to advertise various types of controlled substances, including counterfeit pharmaceutical pills containing fentanyl and other drugs. It is alleged that he also used Telegram to sell firearms and firearm parts including privately made firearms, commonly referred to as “ghost guns.” According to court documents, ghost guns are firearms assembled or otherwise produced by a person other than a licensed manufacturer, typically without a serial number, as well as machinegun conversion devices, commonly referred to as “switches,” which are designed to convert firearms into fully automatic weapons.  

On two separate occasions in February and May 2024, Hunt allegedly used Telegram to sell 100 and 500 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, respectively, to undercover law enforcement in exchange for Bitcoin. In both instances, Hunt allegedly shipped the narcotics via U.S. mail after receiving Bitcoin payment. 

It is further alleged that, in June 2024, law enforcement made another undercover purchase from Hunt via Telegram, this time of a Glock-type privately made firearm without a serial number, two switches or machinegun conversion devices, 110 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, an extended magazine and 3D printed brass knuckles.

According to court documents, earlier this week, Hunt allegedly mailed another package containing 1,600 counterfeit pills believed to contain fentanyl to undercover law enforcement in exchange for Bitcoin. 

Law enforcement also intercepted multiple packages allegedly being sent to or from Hunt, including one package sent by him that contained a smoke grenade and one package sent to an address associated with him that contained 13 switches or machinegun conversion devices.

As further described in court documents, law enforcement executed multiple search warrants that led to the seizure of significant quantities and types of drugs, in addition to the seizure of an arsenal of firearms. Among other things, a large quantity suspected fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, morphine codeine, and mushrooms; approximately 10 firearms; several machine gun conversion devices; several silencers; several extended magazines, including with a large capacity drum; significant amounts of ammunition; many privately made firearm parts and accessories; and 3D printers capable of producing the seized privately made firearms were seized during the search.

“This arrest underscores our commitment to dismantling dangerous networks that use technology to facilitate the illegal distribution of deadly drugs and highly dangerous and illegal firearms. As alleged, Mr. Hunt exploited encrypted messaging platforms and the anonymity of cryptocurrency to peddle lethal narcotics and untraceable weapons, endangering communities across the country. The sheer volume of drugs and firearms seized during this investigation highlights the significant threat posed by these activities. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to protect the public from the scourge of illegal drugs and violent crime,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.

“As we all know, drug trafficking in our communities, along with the gun and physical violence that often accompanies it, is a serious threat to our families and communities,” said Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “These crimes rob the neighborhoods of safety and hold law abiding citizens of Massachusetts hostage to drug fueled lawlessness.  This is unacceptable and will not be allowed to happen. DEA and its local, state and federal partners are dedicated to investigating anyone that commits these crimes.”

“ATF is committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and dismantle the sources of illegal drugs in our communities,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division. “Drugs are often found alongside guns, so we are also taking decisive action to prevent the illegal sale and use of machine gun conversion devices.”

“Hunt’s arrest should give fair warning that trafficking in narcotics and firearms on encrypted applications does not give anonymity.  Working collaboratively with our law enforcement partners, investigations like this highlight our ever-evolving abilities to identify and locate suspects engaged in similar conduct. The use of the U.S. Mail to distribute illicit substances and illegal firearms will not be tolerated and Postal Inspectors here in Massachusetts, and across the country are aggressively investigating these types of cases,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division. 

The charges of distribution of controlled substances each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of transfer of machineguns 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 upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, DEA Acting SAC Belleau, ATF SAC Ferguson and USPIS INC Larco-Ward made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in New England; the Massachusetts State Police; and the Attleboro, Fairhaven, Fall River, New Bedford, Norton, Scituate and Taunton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Mackenzie Duane and Kunal Pasricha of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.

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

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

BOSTON – A Haverhill man with multiple prior felony convictions, including manslaughter, was sentenced to 10 years in prison yesterday in federal court in Boston for possessing a loaded firearm and drugs intended for distribution.

Ramon Silvelo-Miles, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 10 years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. In February 2024, Silvelo-Miles pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

In the early morning hours of Sept. 20, 2021, Silvelo-Miles was stopped by law enforcement for driving erratically on Route 24 in West Bridgewater. Field sobriety tests administered on-site indicated that Silvelo-Miles was too impaired to drive. During a subsequent search of his car over 200 grams of cocaine and 9 grams of fentanyl packaged in 51 small, clear plastic bags in a small backpack inside the glove compartment were found. Hidden inside a black sock with the drugs was a Raven Arms MP-25 .25 caliber pistol. The gun was loaded with one bullet in the chamber and five bullets in the magazine. Silvelo-Miles is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions including a 2014 conviction for manslaughter. 

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit 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 gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

BOSTON – A California man pleaded guilty today for conspiracy to sell the illegal depressant Etizolam over the internet.

Paul Z. Lamberty, 52, of Folsom, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of the introduction of misbranded drugs with the intent to defraud and mislead. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Dec. 13, 2024. 

Lamberty operated websites Encern.com and Ohmod.com and used those sites to sell the drug etizolam to customers throughout the United States, including Massachusetts. Payments for etizolam through those websites could only be made through cryptocurrency and it would be shipped to customers through U.S. Priority Mail.  Encern.com has no corporate records in the State of California and the Encern.com website did not provide a physical address for the business. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved etizolam for use as a drug, and thus it cannot be sold or prescribed in the United States. Despite this, Lamberty purchased drugs from suppliers in China and imported those drugs into the United States and sold the drugs with false labelling stating that the products were sold “For Research Purposes Only” and “Not for Human Consumption.” Based on an analysis of bank and cryptocurrency records, Lamberty and his co-conspirator conducted gross sales of over $550,000 of etizolam through the internet during the course of the conspiracy. 

According to the charging document, etizolam is a drug known as a thienodiazepine, a class of drugs chemically related to benzodiazepines, which produce central nervous system depression. Physicians may prescribe FDA-approved benzodiazepines to treat insomnia and anxiety, but benzodiazepines and thienodiazepines also carry risks of dependency, toxicity, and even fatal overdose, particularly when combined with other central nervous system depressants.

The charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of introduction of misbranded drugs with the intent to defraud and mislead provides for a sentence up to three 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 statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Fernando P. McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Lauren A. Graber of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
    
 

BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition and for distributing cocaine.

Herbert Small, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to two years in prison, to be followed by six years of supervised release. In April 2024, Small pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

On Aug. 17, 2023, Small sold 20 grams of cocaine and two firearms – a .22 caliber revolver and a .40 caliber pistol with a magazine containing 11 rounds of ammunition – to a cooperating witness in Dorchester. On Oct. 16, 2023, Small sold approximately 65 grams of cocaine base (commonly known as crack cocaine) to the same cooperating witness.

Small is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a previous federal drug conviction in 2017.  

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip C. Cheng and Lucy Sun of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit 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 gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

BOSTON – Two Indian nationals were indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston yesterday in connection with the distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine. 

Simranjit Singh, 28, and Gusimrat Singh, 19, of Fresno, Calif. were each charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Both men were arrested on July 29, 2024 and have remained in federal custody since their arrests.

According to the charging documents, investigators became aware of a California-based drug-trafficking organization (“DTO”) interested in transporting methamphetamine and other drugs to Boston. A member of the DTO agreed to sell 65 pounds (approximately 30 kilograms) of methamphetamine to undercover agents. On July 29, 2024, at approximately 10:15 p.m., a white tractor trailer arrived at a planned Andover address to deliver methamphetamine to the undercover agents. The driver and passenger of that tractor trailer, later identified as Gusimrat Singh and Simranjit Singh, allegedly handed off 65 pounds of suspected methamphetamine to the undercover agents. The men were immediately taken into custody. 

According to court documents, while searching the cab of the tractor trailer, over 400 kilogram bricks of suspected cocaine was discovered, worth more than $10.5 million.

The charges provide for a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $10,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Andover Police Department, Milton Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Hassink of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

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

BOSTON – A former Stoughton, Mass. police officer has been charged in federal court in Boston with allegedly murdering a young woman to prevent her from disclosing information about his longstanding sexual exploitation of her while he was on duty, beginning when she was a minor.

Matthew Farwell, 38, of North Easton, Mass., has been indicted on one count of killing a witness or victim. Farwell was arrested this morning and will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at 2:30 p.m. today.

According to the indictment, on or about Feb. 1, 2021, Farwell allegedly killed Sandra Birchmore by strangulation. It is alleged that Farwell staged her body and apartment to make it appear as if Birchmore had committed suicide. The indictment alleges that Farwell killed Birchmore with the intent to prevent law enforcement from learning about Farwell’s commission or possible commission of federal offenses. 

According to court documents, Farwell was a sworn officer of the Stoughton Police Department beginning on or about March 27, 2012, until on or about April 1, 2022. In his capacity as a police officer, Farwell served as an instructor for the Stoughton Police Department’s Explorer’s Program, which is a vocational education program designed for youth to learn about careers in law enforcement. Sandra Birchmore joined the Stoughton Explorers Program in 2010, when she was 12 years old. Farwell allegedly used his authority and access to groom, sexually exploit and ultimately sexually abuse Birchmore when she was 15 years old and continued to have sex with her when she became an adult. 

On several occasions, Farwell allegedly engaged in sex acts with Birchmore while on duty as a Stoughton police officer. To conceal this activity, it is alleged that Farwell falsely represented that he had worked certain hours, when in fact he was not working but engaging in sex acts with the then-minor victim. Farwell’s sexual contact with Birchmore continued until her death on Feb. 1, 2021. 

In December 2020, Birchmore learned that she was pregnant. According to court documents, she was excited about the pregnancy: scheduling doctors’ appointments, purchasing items for childcare and telling loved ones how happy she was to become a mother. Soon after she learned she was pregnant, Birchmore told Farwell that he was the father of the child and that she expected him to be involved, at least in part, in the child’s life. Birchmore disclosed to loved ones that Farwell allegedly became violent with her when they discussed the pregnancy and his role in the child’s life. At one point while she was pregnant, Farwell allegedly held Birchmore in a headlock and told her that he wished she were dead. 

On or about Jan. 20, 2021, Birchmore’s friend called the Stoughton Police Department and referenced Farwell and Birchmore’s sexual relationship. Upon learning this, Farwell allegedly then sent Birchmore angry text messages and, a few days later – approximately one week prior to Birchmore’s death – Farwell visited Birchmore at her apartment in Canton and asked her if she could give him a spare apartment key and keep it a secret. It is further alleged that one week prior to her death, Farwell visited Birchmore’s apartment and began looking through her closets and bathroom, conduct which made her uncomfortable.  The court documents allege that, on Feb. 1, 2021, facing perceived imminent disclosure of his criminal conduct, Farwell murdered Birchmore to silence her. 

According to court documents, while Birchmore’s death was initially ruled a suicide, the federal investigation probed old evidence and revealed critical new evidence leading to the charge against Farwell.

The charge of killing a witness or victim carries a mandatory sentence of death or life in prison. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, Massachusetts State Police, Stoughton Police Department and Norfolk District Attorney’s Office provided assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Riley, Torey B. Cummings and Brian A. Fogerty of the office’s Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit are 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 Quincy landlord has agreed to a settlement for a False Claims Act violation. 

Mario Bianco, 79, of Quincy has agreed to pay a $15,200 settlement for submitting false claims to the government after receiving side payments in excess of approved monthly rent from a low-income tenant participating in a federal housing subsidy program.

The Federal Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly referred to as “Section 8,” provides federal funding to low-income individuals to help them secure safe and affordable housing. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides this funding through local public housing agencies, which establish the total monthly rent due to landlords of Section 8 tenants. HUD pays the housing subsidy directly to landlords. In return, landlords agree to comply with certain program requirements, including that they will not charge Section 8 tenants rent exceeding the amount set by the public housing agency.

Despite this restriction, Bianco demanded and received side rent payments from a Section 8 tenant, who brought a lawsuit against Bianco under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. As part of today’s settlement, Bianco admits to demanding and receiving side payments from the Section 8 tenant in violation of his agreements with HUD.        

“The Section 8 program provides critical assistance to families in need of safe and affordable housing,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “We will vigorously defend the integrity of the Section 8 program against landlords that seek to take advantage of members of our community for their own financial gain. We encourage any Section 8 tenants who have been forced to pay excess rent in violation of the terms of their leases to bring their concerns to our Office’s attention.”

“Mr. Bianco preyed on the vulnerability of a low-income household by demanding rent payments in excess of the agreed upon amount by HUD from a tenant participating in HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher Program,” said Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis. “This type of financial fraud scheme takes valuable dollars out of the pockets of low-income households and reduces the number of families that HUD’s assisted housing programs can serve. Our office will continue to pursue these matters with the United States Attorney’s Office to bring justice to those victimized by these schemes and to promote safe, affordable housing.”

The False Claims Act allows private citizens with knowledge of fraud to bring civil actions on behalf of the government. The settlement agreement requires the defendant to pay $15,200 to the United States, and the whistleblower will share in that recovery.

Acting United States Attorney Levy and Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Seol of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter.

BOSTON – A Maryland man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for stealing thousands of items from a high-end outlet store in Wrentham, Mass.

Nathaniel Owens, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 30 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Owens also was ordered to pay $32,000 in restitution to the Gucci store in Wrentham, Mass. In April 2024, Owens pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport stolen goods in interstate commerce and one count of interstate transportation of stolen goods. 

On the evening of Sept. 16, 2021, Owens, along with his co-defendant Linworth Hayes Crawford III and allegedly others, traveled from the Washington D.C. area to the Wrentham Village Premium Outlets in Massachusetts. In the early morning hours of Sept. 17, 2021, Owens, Crawford and allegedly others entered the Gucci store by smashing the store’s glass front door and stole $32,000 in high-end merchandise including handbags, duffle bags, backpacks and sunglasses.  

Owens was captured on mall security videos inside the mall visiting the Nike Store. After the robbery, the car used by the defendants crossed the George Washington Bridge going south.  During a stop on their way to Washington, D.C., a store video surveillance camera filmed one of the men allegedly taking a Gucci bag out of the car to examine it. 

The day after the theft, another codefendant allegedly posted on his Instagram account that he had Gucci bags available for sale. Images of the bags appeared to be identical to the Gucci bags stolen during the burglary earlier that day.

At his sentencing, the government alleged and Owens did not contest that he had participated in approximately 10 other similar burglaries throughout the East Coast of the United States and that the total value of merchandise stolen was in hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Crawford pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy in February 2024 and was sentenced on Aug. 20, 2024 to eight months in prison. The government alleged at sentencing that Crawford had participated in one other similar burglary. 

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Wrentham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. 

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

BOSTON – A Fitchburg man was sentenced yesterday in Worcester federal court for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

Satron Pridgen, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to three years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In May 2024, Pridgen pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. 

At approximately 1:30 a.m. on Sept. 16, 2023, Pridgen was outside of Mill City Pub in Fitchburg. An altercation ensued between two men. During the altercation, Pridgen approached a third man from behind, grabbed him and held him around the neck in a chokehold, then pulled out a loaded pistol which he used to beat the man in the head multiple times. When law enforcement intervened, Pridgen ran off and attempted to discard the firearm by a dumpster before being apprehended.  

Pridgen is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to numerous prior convictions out of Worcester Superior Court including: a November 1999 conviction of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon for which he was sentenced to 9-10 years in state prison; an October 2011 conviction of armed assault with intent to rob, assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury and possession of a firearm and ammunition as a career criminal for which he was sentenced to 10-12 years in state prison; and an October 2011 conviction of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and distribution of cocaine, for which he was sentenced to 9-10 years in state prison.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Division; and Fitchburg Police Chief Ernest F. Martineau made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of the Worcester 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 gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

BOSTON – Yesterday, a criminal complaint was unsealed charging three men with the December 2023 armed robbery of a jewelry store in Lawrence, during which they allegedly stole over $500,000 worth of jewelry and precious metals. 

Eric Rosario, a/k/a “Maniactico,” 26; Rosnel Polanco, 26; and Robert Santana, a/k/a “Amaury Perez,” a/k/a “Piccarine,” 29, all of Lawrence, were charged with one count each of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (commonly referred to as Hobbs Act robbery). Santana was arrested yesterday. Rosario and Polanco were previously arrested on related state charges and remain in custody. The defendants will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. 

According to charging documents, on Dec. 15, 2023, the defendants allegedly entered a Lawrence jewelry store armed with firearms. Numerous employees of the store were present at the time, and it is alleged that the defendants robbed them of their jewelry and cell phones. The defendants then allegedly pointed firearms at the victims’ heads and pressed the firearms to their backs as they brought the victim employees downstairs to the basement where the jewelry store’s office and safes were located.

Once downstairs, the defendants allegedly forced the owner of the store to open the safes containing the jewelry and other precious metals. In total, approximately $500,000 in jewelry and precious metals are alleged to have been taken. The second safe could not be successfully opened. It is alleged that the defendants then fled the scene in a rented Nissan Altima that was later found burned and torched in a field in Maine the following day.  

The charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 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 upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Essex District Attorney Paul F. Tucker; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lawrence Police Chief Millix Bonilla made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cumberland County (Maine) Sheriff’s Department (Maine) and the Norway (Maine) and Oxford (Maine) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – A Lowell man was sentenced yesterday for the robberies of three Worcester banks in April 2023.

Joselito Santiago-Matias, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 76 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Santiago-Matias was also ordered to pay $20,528 in restitution. In May 2024, Santiago-Matias pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery and two counts of armed bank robbery. 

On April 3, 2023, Santiago-Matias entered a Santander Bank in Worcester wearing a mask, demanded money from the teller and carried away $7,560. On April 12, 2023, Santiago-Matais entered a Berkshire Bank in Worcester while wearing a mask and carrying a firearm, pointed the firearm gun at the teller and stole $2,150. On April 19, 2023, Santiago-Matias entered a Santander Bank in Worcester. While inside the bank, he pointed a firearm at the teller and threatened, “give me the bag or I will shoot you.” Santiago-Matias left the bank with $10,818.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Worcester Police Department Interim Chief Paul B. Saucier made the announcement.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan D. O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – The former bookkeeper of a Falmouth flooring company has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty in connection with embezzling more than $1.3 million from her employer.  

Susan Figuerido, 73, of Falmouth, was charged with wire fraud and filing a false tax return. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.  

According to the charging documents, between June 2015 and February 2023, Figuerido embezzled more than $1.3 million from her employer by writing checks to herself drawn on her employer’s bank account. To conceal her scheme, Figuerido allegedly did not record the checks that she wrote to herself in her employer’s accounting system. It is further alleged that Figuerido did not report or include the funds that she embezzled on her federal income tax filings, resulting in a tax loss of approximately $353,000.  

The charge of wire fraud provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. The charge of filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year 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.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Harry T. Chavis Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The Falmouth Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – A Washington D.C. man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for stealing thousands of items from a high-end outlet store in Wrentham, Mass.

Linworth Hayes Crawford, III, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to eight months in federal prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Crawford must also pay $32,000 in restitution to the Gucci store at the Wrentham Outlets. In February 2024, Crawford pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport stolen goods in interstate commerce and one count of interstate transportation of stolen goods. 

On the evening of Sept. 16, 2021, Crawford, along with his co-defendants Nathaniel Owens, and others   traveled from the Washington D.C. area to the Wrentham Village Premium Outlets in Massachusetts. In the early morning hours of Sept. 17, 2021, Crawford and his co-defendants entered the Gucci store by smashing the store’s glass front door and stole $32,000 in high-end merchandise including handbags, duffle bags, backpacks and sunglasses.  

The day after the theft, a co-defendant allegedly posted on his Instagram account that he had Gucci bags available for sale. Images of the bags appeared to be identical to the Gucci bags stolen during the burglary earlier that day.

Crawford also took responsibility for a second similar burglary at a Prada store in Dawsonville, Georgia, where $37,000 in merchandise was stolen. 

Owens pleaded guilty in April 2024 and is awaiting sentencing.    

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Wrentham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. 
 

BOSTON – A Taunton man who allegedly sold over a kilogram of counterfeit pills to an undercover officer was arrested yesterday in connection with an ongoing investigation of the manufacturing of counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine.

Shavon Gurley, a/k/a “Soo Soo,” 29, of Taunton, was charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. The defendant was arrested yesterday morning and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, was detained pending a hearing scheduled for Aug. 27, 2024.

According to the charging documents, Gurley was identified as being involved in trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine in conjunction with a Brockton-based drug trafficking organization. 

As part of the investigation, between Aug. 2-5, 2024, undercover law enforcement allegedly communicated with Gurley about purchasing methamphetamine pills. On Aug. 5, 2024, Gurley allegedly sold 6,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, weighing over a kilogram, to an undercover officer. During the interaction, Gurley allegedly stated that he would drop the price per pill if the undercover officer were to buy 10,000 or 20,000 pills. It is further alleged that Gurley continued to discuss his drug operation with the undercover officer and boasted about selling kilograms of fentanyl that his customers then go on to sell in Maine. 

During the controlled purchase with the undercover officer, Gurley allegedly stated that he sells kilograms of fentanyl for $30,000, and that the fentanyl is such high quality that it can be adulterated with cutting agents into 10 kilograms. It is further alleged that Gurley then stated he also sells a higher quality and purity fentanyl for $50,000, which can be adulterated into 50 kilograms. Gurley also allegedly boasted about property he has already acquired through selling narcotics and that he intends to reach $600,000 in profits. As alleged in the charging documents, Gurley complimented the undercover officer’s “aura” and promised to do business with the officer in the future. At the time of the sale, Gurley was allegedly on pretrial release for a domestic violence offense.

Lastly, during the execution of search warrants at Gurley’s residence and vehicle yesterday, law enforcement allegedly recovered a loaded black firearm, two posters depicting cherubim – with captions that read, “I Only Fear the Feds,” and “Rats Don’t Make it To Heaven,” – a bag containing an amount of controlled substances believed to be fentanyl, as well as a number of plastic bags containing approximately 10,000 counterfeit Adderall pills believed to contain methamphetamine.

According to the charging documents, Gurley has a lengthy juvenile record and criminal history that includes a number of prior firearm and violent offenses – including a 2012 conviction for assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon for attacking a man with a pistol and pointing the firearm at the victim’s head, for which he served a six to 10 year term in state prison.    
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, five years and up to lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Taunton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang 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 Rhode Island man pleaded guilty yesterday to his involvement in a sophisticated international money laundering and drug trafficking organization.

Agustin Villa, age 61, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for Nov. 25, 2024.

In May 2023, a federal grand jury in Boston returned a superseding indictment charging 12 individuals from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York and California for their alleged involvement in a sophisticated international money laundering and drug trafficking organization. The network was first detected in greater Boston in 2021. The leader of the organization, Jin Hua Zhang, based in Staten Island, New York, and a number of his criminal associates, were eventually identified. For a fee, Zhang laundered bulk cash for drug dealers and laundered profits from other illegal businesses. In less than one year, Zhang and his organization laundered at least $25 million worth of drug proceeds and funds from other illegal businesses.

Villa was identified as a courier for a drug trafficking organization that used Zhang’s group to launder drug money. On May 26, 2022, Villa delivered over $75,000 in cash to a cooperating witness. Those funds were converted to Tether, a type of cryptocurrency, and transferred to Zhang, the organization’s leader, minus a fee. Funds were traced from the Zhang organization to Hong Kong and elsewhere in China, India, Cambodia, and Brazil, among other locations, and seized cash and cryptocurrency in accounts tied to Zhang at the conclusion of this investigation.

The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the amount involved, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Zhang pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 15, 2024.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl, Brian A. Fogerty and Meghan C. Cleary of Levy’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – The former owner of a now-defunct luxury home building business in West Springfield was sentenced yesterday for conspiring to defraud the United States and creating false documents to help one of his clients obtain a mortgage.

Kent Pecoy, 66, of San Marco, Fla., previously of Wilbraham, Mass. was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to time served (one day) and two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $24,000 fine and $35,982 in restitution. In May 2024, Pecoy pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of making a false statement to a federally insured financial institution. 

Kent Pecoy was previously indicted in December 2019 along with his son, Jason Pecoy, and Kevin M. Kennedy, the former owner of a golf management company, for conspiring to defraud the United States by concealing cash payments for the construction of Kennedy’s two homes in East Longmeadow and West Dennis. The defendants were later charged in a superseding indictment in January 2020. 

Kent Pecoy owned and operated Kent Pecoy & Sons, Construction Inc. (KPSC) – a West Springfield-based commercial and luxury home construction company – as well as Sturbridge Development, LLC (Sturbridge) and Legacy General Contractors, LLC (Legacy). KPSCI constructed two homes for Kennedy in East Longmeadow and West Dennis – for which Kennedy paid Kent Pecoy in cash. 

From 2009 through 2016, Pecoy conspired with others to conceal income from the IRS by dealing in cash. Specifically, Pecoy received $1,116,900 in cash payments from Kennedy for the purchase and construction of custom-built homes in East Longmeadow and on Cape Cod. Kent Pecoy failed to deposit most of the cash into business bank accounts, and instead distributed the cash directly to vendors and subcontractors. For the payments Kent Pecoy did deposit, he deposited the cash in amounts less than $10,000 to avoid the filing of currency transaction reports.

 Kent Pecoy also created and maintained separate ledgers documenting Kennedy’s cash payments, created and maintained false contracts and cover sheets and created false entries in KPSC’s accounting system to conceal the cash payments. 

Additionally, in January 2010, Kent Pecoy and Kennedy made false statements to Charles Schwab Bank on a loan to Kennedy and his wife for the construction of a residence in East Longmeadow in an attempt to conceal $160,000 cash down payment. These false statements included understating the sale price of the residence lot, the price of the construction and the deposit and earnest money paid by Kennedy.

On April 24, 2024, Kennedy was sentenced to 13 months in prison after being convicted by a federal jury for conspiracy to defraud the United States and making a false statement to a federally insured financial institution. Jason Pecoy was convicted in June 2024 of two counts of conspiracy to defraud the United States and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 12, 2024.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven H. Breslow and Neil L. Desroches of the Springfield Branch Office are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Eric B. Powers of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
 

BOSTON – A Randolph woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for her involvement in a payroll tax avoidance scheme. 

Lilian Giang, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 18 months in prison followed by two years of supervised released and ordered to pay $845,382 in restitution. In April 2024, Giang was convicted following a three-day jury trial of four counts of failing to collect and pay over taxes and one count of mail fraud. Giang was indicted in March 2023.

Between 2015 and 2019, Giang owned and operated Able Temp Agency (Able), a temporary employment agency in Quincy that served client companies in Massachusetts. The client companies paid Able for the temporary employees’ work on an hourly basis. Giang deposited those payments into bank accounts in the name of Able that she controlled, and then paid the temporary employees “under the table” through a combination of checks and cash. In doing so, Giang hid more than $3.2 million in payroll and avoided paying more than $800,000 in required payroll taxes. Giang also falsified Able’s payroll numbers to obtain worker’s compensation insurance at lower premium rates. 

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.