District of Massachusetts

BOSTON – Two individuals have been sentenced in federal court in Boston for their roles in a multi-state scheme to obtain millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds for themselves and others through the submission of dozens of fraudulent applications to PPP lenders.

Adiana Pierre, 39, of Lookout Mountain, Tenn., was sentenced on June 7, 2024 by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to 17 months in prison and three years of supervised release on June 7, 2024. On May 28, 2024, Gardy Alexandre, 51, of West Palm Beach, Fla., was sentenced by Judge Joun to 15 months in prison and three years of supervised release in connection with the same scheme. A third defendant, Wallace Ford, 38, of Buford, Ga., will be sentenced at a later date. In February 2024, all three defendants pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to engage in unlawful monetary transactions.

Ford, Pierre and Alexandre conspired to submit fraudulent PPP applications on behalf of numerous actual or purported businesses and non-profit organizations across the United States – including businesses operated in Massachusetts – and to collect kickback payments from the borrowers for securing loan amounts.

Shortly after PPP funds first became available in April 2020, Ford began submitting PPP applications on behalf of his own businesses, Pierre, Alexandre and other borrowers. Pierre, Alexandre and others identified potential applicants and provided those applicants’ information to Ford. Ford then submitted applications for those borrowers online, fabricating employee numbers and monthly payroll expenses. Ford also submitted false wage and tax forms in support of the misrepresentations on the applications. As a result, between May and August 2020, Ford, Pierre, Alexandre and others obtained approximately $7 million in PPP funds.

The borrowers who received PPP funds based on these fraudulent applications paid kickbacks to Ford, Pierre, Alexandre and others, commonly in amounts equal to 10 or 20 percent of the loan amount they received. Collectively, Ford, Pierre and Alexandre received over $1 million in kickback payments from borrowers.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy 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. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.

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 – A Providence, R.I. man was sentenced today for his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed fentanyl throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 

Rafael Cesar Cabreja Jimenez, 29 was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 42 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. In March 2024, Cabreja Jimenez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl; and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Cabreja Jimenez was one of 10 individuals indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2022 in connection with the conspiracy.

In March 2021, an investigation began into a DTO operating in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island led by Estarlin Ortiz-Alcantara. The investigation identified Cabreja Jimenez as a distributor for the DTO who, between approximately March 2022 and June 2022, regularly distributed multi-kilograms of fentanyl to customers and co-conspirators of the DTO from a base of operations at a stash house in Fall River. 

During a search of the stash house in July 2022, Cabreja Jimenez was found located inside the apartment along with more than 12 kilograms of fentanyl stored in various ceiling panels, blenders, a hydraulic press and baggies.  

Cabreja Jimenez is the ninth defendant to plead guilty in the case. Ortiz-Alcantara pleaded guilty in December 2023 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 8, 2024.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira; and Fairhaven Police Chief Michael J. Myers made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Homeland Security Investigations; Bristol County Sherriff’s Department; and Fall River, Taunton, Attleboro, Scituate, Yarmouth, Providence (R.I.) and West Warwick (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted 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.

BOSTON – A Massachusetts man was sentenced today for threatening an interracial couple via Facebook Messenger in January 2021, and to attempting to prevent the couple from reporting the threats and harassment to law enforcement.

Stephen M. DeBerardinis, 48, of Boston and Dedham, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 90 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In March 2024, DeBerardinis pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting in interstate commerce threats to injure a person; one count of tampering with a witness and victim by intimidation, threats, and corrupt persuasion; and one count of tampering with a witness and victim by harassment. 

“The toxic brew of racist hate, threats of violence and use of social media to amplify vile and violent attitudes is a corrosive danger to every law-abiding member of our community. The nearly eight-year sentence imposed on this defendant should send a message that when you engage in hate crimes, there is a serious price to be paid. This defendant’s horrifying and vicious threats were not only imperiled the safety and well-being of the victims here, but they were also a broadside attack on the values of equality and respect that our nation upholds. This office is deeply grateful for the victims’ courage to report this incident to law enforcement and assist us in prosecuting this important case,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Hate crimes and acts of intimidation have no place in our society. Our office will continue to work tirelessly to combat hate crimes and to foster an environment where every member of our community can live without fear of violence or discrimination.”

“Stephen DeBerardinis is a career criminal with multiple felony convictions who continued to demonstrate a blatant disregard for the law by sending a series of horribly racist, hate-motivated threats of brutal violence to an interracial couple he had never met,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “It’s time to stop this defendant from committing further harm, and today’s sentence does exactly that. It also serves as a warning to other repeat offenders that the FBI and our partners will continue to root out and bring to justice anyone who is intent on threatening violence based on racism or bigotry.”

In late December 2020, the victims, a white woman and a Black man, announced their engagement on Facebook and included photographs of themselves. DeBerardinis, who did not know the couple personally, could view the announcement and photographs because he was a friend of one or more of the victims’ Facebook friends. 

On Jan. 6, 2021, DeBerardinis, using his own Facebook account, used Facebook Messenger to send the couple a series of threatening and harassing messages. For example, DeBerardinis wrote, “EWWWWWWWW YOUR A N***** F***** F****** DIRTY A** WHITE TRASH,” and continued with similar messages. When the couple messaged DeBerardinis that they were reporting him to law enforcement, he sent them a message that said, “SNITCHES GET STITCHES” with a picture of brass knuckles. DeBerardinis also threatened, “Read up more on me lol… you will see how me and my crew burn n*****s alive,” and “And white whores like you well [sic]…. get rape and killed THAN [sic] we cut off body parts and mail them to your family lol.” The victims reported the incident to local police, who contacted federal law enforcement. 

According to court filings, a subsequent investigation revealed DeBerardinis’ extensive criminal record of more than 100 arrests over the past 24 years, including prior state convictions for threats, intimidation, false reports of a crime, impersonation of a police officer, and larceny, among other crimes. The investigation also revealed that in September 2021, months after his Facebook threats to the interracial couple, DeBerardinis threatened a journalist who wrote an unflattering article about his involvement in a protest where he was seen trying to punch protestors at a rally. In addition, DeBerardinis’ Facebook account contained multiple posts of race motivated, hate filled speech and white supremacist symbolism:

During a search of his residence, over 70 knives, 22 brass knuckles, swords, bullets, black powder for guns, stun guns, rifles and a number of other weapons were recovered. According to court filings, the investigation located photos of weapons posted on DeBerardinis’ Facebook. 

  Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; FBI SAC Cohen; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings of the Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit and Nadine Pellegrini, Chief of the National Security Unit, prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Lowell man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for firearms and drug offenses.

Ricardo Colon, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 66 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Colon pleaded guilty in March 2024 to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. 

On March 21, 2022, Colon was found in possession of cocaine and fentanyl intended for distribution as well as firearms and ammunition, including a .22 caliber revolver, two 9 mm pistols, multiple gun magazines and 18 rounds of ammunition. Colon is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to multiple previous felony convictions. 

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Greg Hudon Superintendent of the Lowell Police Department made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Tobin of the Major Crimes 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 Boston man was convicted by a federal jury in Boston today of attempting to pay for sex with a 14-year-old girl.

Dimitri Shawn McKenzie, 29, was convicted following a three-day jury trial of one count of attempted sex trafficking of a child. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Sept. 24, 2024. McKinzie was arrested and charged in November 2022. 

“Every single person who considers paying to have sex with a minor better take notice – if you are caught you are facing at least a mandatory 10-year sentence in a federal prison. The reason people sell sex with little children is because there is demand for opportunities to engage in such morally reprehensible conduct. The only way to make progress in truly protecting kids from such predatory behavior is to both prosecute the men who traffic young girls and the men whose demand fuels this pernicious market,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. 

“Dimitri McKenzie was fully prepared to pay to sexually abuse someone he believed was a child. Instead of a child, he found himself face to face with an undercover HSI special agent and after today’s verdict, he’s facing serious federal prison time,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New England. “It’s a horrible truth that there are predators ready and willing to pay to harm children. HSI is working every day with our partners to find these individuals and bring them to justice.”

In November 2022, McKenzie responded to an online post purportedly advertising two minor girls – ages 12 and 14 years old – available to perform sex acts in exchange for money in the Boston area. The post was a fictious advertisement by undercover law enforcement. In subsequent text communications with undercover law enforcement, McKenzie agreed to pay $100 to have sex with the fictious 14-year-old minor at a local hotel. Upon arriving at the hotel, McKenzie met with undercover law enforcement posing as the purported seller in the hotel parking lot, provided cash in exchange for 20 minutes with the fictitious minor and accepted a hotel key. McKenzie was immediately taken into custody. 

The charge of attempted sex trafficking of a minor provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and HSI SAC Krol made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lexington, Waltham, Barnstable, Quincy and Cambridge Police Departments as well as the Massachusetts State Police and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings of the Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case. 

BOSTON – A Wellesley psychiatrist was sentenced yesterday for billing Medicare and private insurance companies for over $19 million in treatments he did not provide and obstructing justice in an attempt to conceal his crimes. 

Gustavo Kinrys, 53, of Wellesley, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 99 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Kinrys was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture in an amount to be determined at a later hearing. In October 2023, following a jury trial, Kinrys was convicted of seven counts of wire fraud, six counts of false statements relating to health care matters, and one count of obstructing a criminal health care investigation. 

“Dr. Kinrys undermined the trust that our healthcare system relies upon. For years, he diverted millions of dollars in critical resources from those in genuine need of medical attention, relying on fraud to finance his luxury lifestyle. This defendant’s driving motivation was greed. His attempts to obstruct justice in order to conceal his scheme further exemplify his blatant disregard for the law,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This sentence underscores our unwavering commitment to prosecuting those who exploit the healthcare system for personal gain. When someone commits health care fraud, we all suffer – it drives up costs for everyone, diverts precious resources and erodes the public’s confidence in our healthcare providers. Our office will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of those who engage in such egregious misconduct.”

“This 99-month sentence reflects the seriousness of Dr. Kinrys’ crimes – his violation of the public’s trust in his position as a physician and his theft from the American taxpayers,” said Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “As we’ve proven here, those who exploit our federal health care system for personal gain will be brought to justice.”

“Gustavo Kinrys lied to Medicare and private insurers, billing them for over $19 million worth of mental health treatments he never provided and then obstructed our investigation in an attempt to cover up his crimes. In doing so, Dr. Kinrys betrayed the trust of his vulnerable and mentally ill patients, and taxpayers, to fund a lavish lifestyle including a $2.1 million vacation home in Nantucket, and over $600,000 in expensive jewelry,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “The FBI will continue to work with our partners to identify, investigate, and bring to justice anyone who tries to steal from this country’s vital health care system.” 

“This sentence represents that health care fraud is not tolerated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  The Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts places a high priority on fighting this type of insurance fraud which affects the citizens of this state.  We appreciate the collaboration of our investigative partners in combatting fraud in our healthcare system,” said Anthony M. DiPaolo, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Insurance Fraud Bureau.

Kinrys was a licensed psychiatrist who owned and operated Advanced TMS Associates, located in Natick, Mass. Among other services, Kinrys offered transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy and psychotherapy to patients suffering from depression. TMS therapy is a noninvasive method of brain stimulation that uses rapidly alternating or pulsed magnetic fields to induce electrical currents directed at a patient’s cerebral cortex. 

Between January 2015 and December 2018, Kinrys engaged in a variety of fraudulent billing schemes in which he sought and received reimbursement for $19 million in services he did not render. For example, Kinrys billed Medicare and private insurers $10.6 million for thousands of TMS sessions he never provided, including over 8,000 sessions he claimed were provided to 74 patients who, in fact, never received a single session of the therapy. Kinrys also billed Medicare and private insurers for millions of dollars’ worth of psychotherapy sessions he never provided, including over 900 face-to-face sessions he falsely claimed he provided while he was on vacation in locations like the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, and the Czech Republic. On 382 days, Kinrys billed Medicare and private insurers for having provided more than 24 hours’ worth of psychotherapy services in a single day, including one day in July 2017 when he claimed he had provided hour-long psychotherapy sessions to 70 different patients – all while outside the United States on vacation. With the proceeds of his fraud, Kinrys paid off a $1.8 million home in Wellesley, purchased over $600,000 in jewelry from Cartier, Van Cleef, and Tiffany’s and purchased a $2.1 million vacation home in Nantucket.  

To further his fraudulent billing scheme, Kinrys made numerous false statements to his patients, the billing company he worked with, and the insurers to whom he submitted claims seeking reimbursement. When Medicare and private insurers sought records from Kinrys to justify his exorbitant claims, he took steps to conceal his fraud by creating, and forcing his employee to create, fake patient records to send to Medicare and private insurers. Kinrys continued his obstructive behavior when, in response to a July 2018 subpoena from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, he created and produced additional fake patient records purporting to show patients had received dozens of treatments that never happened and which falsely represented that the condition of those patients was improving.

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, HHS-OIG SAC Coviello, FBI Boston SAC Cohen and MA IFB Director DiPaolo made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick M. Callahan and Christopher R. Looney of the Health Care Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty yesterday to distributing methamphetamine hydrochloride (“crystal meth”).

Vincent Lambert, 41, pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In June 2023, Lambert was indicted by a federal grand jury. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Sept. 3, 2024.

In August 2022, Lambert was identified as a supplier of crystal meth in the Boston area by a cooperating source. Lambert distributed 24 grams of crystal meth to the cooperating source in Boston on Feb. 15, 2023. On March 2, 2023, Lambert distributed another 110 grams of crystal meth in Cambridge to the cooperator.   On April 4, 2023, Lambert distributed another 83 grams of crystal meth in Dorchester to the cooperator.

On June 7, 2023, 1,102 grams of crystal meth, 4,437 grams of butanediol, 100 grams of fentanyl, 43 grams of ketamine, 39 grams of cocaine, and 25 grams of MDMA were seized during a search of Lambert’s residence.  

In 2017, Lambert was sentenced to 18 months in prison for drug charges out of the West Roxbury District Court. In 2019, Lambert was sentenced to one year in prison for drug charges out of the Cambridge District Court. Later in 2019, Lambert was also sentenced to 3.5-5 years in prison for additional drug charges out of the Suffolk Superior Court.

The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four 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.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – The owner of Stash’s Pizza, a pizzeria chain in Massachusetts, was convicted today following a nine-day jury trial of forced labor charges. The defendant forced or attempted to force six victims to work for him and comply with excessive workplace demands through violent physical abuse; threats of violence and serious harm; and repeated threats to report the victims to immigration authorities for deportation. 

Stavros Papantoniadis, a/k/a “Steve Papantoniadis,” 48, of Westwood, Mass., was convicted of three counts of forced labor and three counts of attempted forced labor. Chief U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Sept. 12, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. Papantoniadis has remained in custody since his arrest on March 16, 2023.

“Today’s guilty verdict sends a powerful message to abusive employers that exploiting employees through fear and intimidation will never be tolerated. I hope that this verdict also alerts others who may be victims of exploitation and harm by employers, that the federal government will not sit idly by. We will vigorously investigate and prosecute any employer who thinks they are above the law and physically and mentally abuses employees, withholds wages due, or threatens and intimidates workers,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Mr. Papantoniadis preyed on the desperation of those without immigration status, subjecting them to violence and threats of deportation. Forced labor is a serious violation of human rights, and no one in the United States should live in fear of abuse and coercion in their workplace. I commend the tireless efforts of our law enforcement partners who worked collaboratively to bring this defendant to justice.”

Papantoniadis forced or attempted to force five men and one woman to work for him through violent physical abuse, threats of abuse, and repeated threats to report victims to immigration authorities to have them deported. According to evidence introduced at trial, Papantoniadis thinly staffed his pizza shops, and purposely employed workers without immigration status to work behind the scenes, for 14 or more hours per day and as many as seven days per week. To maintain control of those undocumented workers, he made them believe that he would physically harm them or have them deported. He monitored the workers with surveillance cameras, which he accessed from his cell phone, and constantly demeaned, insulted and harassed them. When Papantoniadis learned that one victim planned to quit, he violently choked him, causing that victim to flee the pizza shop and run to safety in the parking lot. When other victims separately expressed their intentions to quit, Papantoniadis told one victim that he would kill him and call immigration authorities; and he threatened another worker by telling him he knew where the victim lived. When another worker tried to leave and drive away from one of Papantoniadis’ pizza shops, Papantoniadis chased the victim down Route 1 in Norwood, Mass., and falsely reported the victim to the local police in an effort to pressure the victim to return to work at the pizza shop.
 
“Stavros Papantoniadis instilled fear in his employees. He underpaid and threatened them, some with fear of arrest and many with physical abuse. Today, the jury saw the indignities his employees were subjected to and have found Papantoniadis guilty of forced labor violations,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect – especially those who place their trust in their employer. HSI is committed to ensuring those who violate forced labor laws are held accountable and brought to justice.”

“The jury’s verdict affirms the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General’s commitment to prioritize and investigate allegations of labor trafficking by individuals who enrich themselves through coercion or force. Stavros Papantoniadis used threats of arrest, deportation, reprisals, and physical violence to ensure his employees continued to work for wages lower than required by the Fair Labor Standards Act. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate those who engage in labor trafficking,” said Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, Northeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

Papantoniadis is the owner and operator of Stash’s Pizza, a chain of pizzerias which has locations in Dorchester and Roslindale, and previously had pizzerias in Norwood, Norwell, Randolph (d/b/a Boston Pizza Company), Weymouth (d/b/a Pacini’s Italian Eatery), and Wareham, Mass. 

The charges of forced labor and attempted forced labor each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, 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.

Members of the public who believe they are a victim of labor trafficking or have information about labor trafficking, please call 888-221-6023, Option 5 or send an email with contact information to USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, HSI SAC Krol and DOL-OIG SAC Mellone made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, the Boston Police Department, and the Norwood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy E. Moran, Chief of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit, and Brian A. Fogerty of the Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit are prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A New Bedford man has been charged with stealing over $450,000 in disability benefits issued by the United States Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) intended for a 20-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).  

Joseph Smith, 71, was charged with one count of theft of government benefits and one count of conspiracy to steal government benefits. Smith is currently in custody on unrelated charges and will appear in federal court in Boston at 12:30 p.m. on June 11, 2024.  

According to the charging documents, shortly after the victim’s ALS diagnosis in August 2015, the VBA approved the victim’s application for disability benefits and awarded him approximately $8,318 in monthly payments. The VBA began issuing payments in September 2015 via monthly checks mailed to the victim’s former residence in New Bedford, where he had resided with Smith’s relative and others prior to hospitalization.  

It is alleged that between approximately 2015 and 2020, while the victim was hospitalized for ALS, Smith and others received monthly VBA disability checks intended for the victim and deposited those checks into bank accounts they controlled. Smith allegedly first deposited the disability checks into a bank account in his own name and then began depositing the checks into a bank account that he and others fraudulently opened in the name of victim. Shortly after depositing the disability checks, Smith allegedly withdrew the funds in cash and used the money for personal expenses. 

In total, between in or around 2015 and 2020, Smith and others allegedly stole more than $450,000 in VBA disability benefits intended for the victim.

“80 years ago this week, incredibly brave members of our military stormed the beaches of Normandy to save Europe. Every citizen owes a debt of gratitude to the veterans who have served our country. It is beyond the pale to steal disability payments that were intended for a 20-year military veteran facing a life-threatening disease, as is alleged here. The immorality exposed by the criminal justice system is, at times, simply stunning,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.

“It is difficult to imagine a financial crime more despicable than one alleged to have targeted a vulnerable member of our community. But targeting a vulnerable person who proudly served our nation is exactly that ‘difficult to imagine’ offense. The Postal Inspection Service, working with our law enforcement partners is committed to identifying these predators and bringing them to justice,” said Ketty D. Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division.

“Our office is committed to holding accountable those who allegedly steal VA benefits intended for veterans with disabilities,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “We thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their excellent work in pursuing justice in this case.”

“We will continue to pursue those who misuse the Social Security number and identities of others for their own personal and selfish gain,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “I thank our law enforcement partners for working with us in this investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in prosecuting this case and holding this individual accountable for their alleged conduct.”

The charge of theft of government benefits provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of conspiracy to steal government benefits 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 U.S. Attorney Levy, USPIS INC Larco-Ward, VA-OIG SAC Algieri and SSA IG Ennis made the announcement today. 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 former chair of the Select Board in Grafton, Mass. was arrested today on charges of defrauding investors in his cannabis company and for conducting an unlawful monetary transaction.

Bruce W. Spinney, III, 49, of Grafton, was indicted yesterday on three counts of wire fraud related to a scheme to defraud investors in Spinney’s marijuana company as well as one count of conducting an unlawful monetary transaction. Spinney was arrested today and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester, was released on conditions. 

According to the indictment, after resigning as Chair of the Grafton Select Board in August 2019, Spinney solicited hundreds of thousands of dollars from several investors for his new marijuana dispensary venture, Noble Manna, Inc. Prior to incorporating Noble Manna in October 2019, Spinney operated Spinney Enterprises, a rental equipment and rental linen business that accumulated large amounts of debt.

The indictment alleges that Spinney told Noble Manna investors that he would be using the money toward the construction and licensing of marijuana dispensaries in Graton and Mendon, Mass. However, it is alleged that contrary to his representations about his use of the investment money, Spinney immediately used investors’ money to pay-down previously existing debts for his linen and rental business including payments to debt collectors, outstanding business loans, cash withdrawals and personal expenses.

It is further alleged that in March 2020, Spinney used the proceeds of the wire fraud scheme to transfer $27,000 to pay a debt related to his rental business in an unlawful monetary transaction. 

Each of the wire fraud charges provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of unlawful monetary transaction provides for a sentence up to 10 years in prison, two years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000, or twice the amount involved in the transaction. 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; and Massachusetts Inspector General Jeffrey S. Shapiro made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neil J. Gallagher Jr. of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – A Lowell man was sentenced yesterday for being a felon in possession of loaded firearms.  

Jey Luis Guerrero, 20, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 81 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In February 2024, Guerrero pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

On April 13, 2023, while on parole following a state court drug distribution conviction, Guerrero’s state parole officer conducted an unannounced home visit. Located in Guerrero’s bedroom were 12 bags of suspected fentanyl and two loaded firearms that had been reported stolen – one of which was equipped with a large capacity magazine. The drugs and firearms were subsequently seized. 

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Lowell Police Superintendent Greg Hudon made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng 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 manufacturing supervisor for a luxury jewelry company pleaded guilty today to stealing gold, silver and platinum from his employer over a period of more than three years.

Benjamin Preacher, 54, of North Attleboro, pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen goods and one count of engaging in unlawful monetary transactions. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for Sept. 18, 2024. In March 2024, Preacher was charged by criminal complaint.

Since 2018, Preacher worked fulltime as a manufacturing supervisor at a Rhode Island facility operated by a company that sells luxury items, including jewelry made from gold, silver and platinum. Preacher used his position to steal precious metals from the company’s facility in Rhode Island and then sell the metals to various businesses in Massachusetts. 

Specifically, from in or about March 2020 to March 2023, Preacher sold precious metals to a Canton-based metals dealer roughly one to two times per month – with sales to that dealer alone totaling more than $1 million. Preacher’s sales of stolen metals included $50,521 in 18-carat gold in March 2020; $21,821 in 18-carat gold, “platinum scrap” and “sterling” in April 2021; and $30,939 in platinum in January 2022. 

Preacher also sold more than $177,000 in stolen precious metals to a separate metals dealer in West Bridgewater between on or about May 16, 2023 and Nov. 16, 2023. This included gold sheets used by Preacher’s employer, which Preacher stole and sold, along with other gold scrap, for nearly $21,000.

On March 1, 2024, approximately 30 minutes into his shift, Preacher was captured on company security cameras stealing a piece of white gold “flat stock,” measuring approximately an inch in diameter and approximately as thick as a quarter, valued at roughly $2,200.  

Precious metal in scrap form were located and seized during a search of Preacher’s home on March 14, 2024.

The charge of interstate transportation of stolen goods provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount of the monetary gain or loss, whichever is more, and the charge of unlawful monetary transactions provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount of the laundered funds. 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 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 Kriss Basil of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Chelsea man was sentenced yesterday for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). 

Lasall Johnson, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. In March 2024, Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. 

“Mr. Johnson’s incredibly dangerous predatory actions perpetuated the exploitation and abuse of the most vulnerable members of our society. The sentence imposed not only removes a threat from our communities but also sends a clear and unequivocal message to other potential offenders that possessing child sexual abuse material comes with grave and severe consequences,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Possessing child pornography is far from a victimless crime. Each image and video represents a real child who has been horrifically victimized, and consuming and distributing this material contributes to a cycle of abuse that leaves lasting scars on victims. Our office remains steadfastly committed to protecting children from such predators. This sentence is a reflection of our unwavering dedication to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our communities, particularly the children who depend on us for protection.”

“Johnson secretly hoarded hundreds of images depicting the sexual abuse of innocent children until HSI investigators discovered that he shared those horrific images on a file sharing network available to users who sought them out. This sentence ensures that our communities are safer with him in federal prison,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “HSI works tirelessly to bring to justice those who possess and distribute child sexual abuse imagery. Each image immortalizes the trauma of a child and we will do everything possible to stop the consumers who create the demand for this abuse.”

In or about June 2021, an investigation into a peer-to-peer file sharing program identified Johnson as the owner of an IP address distributing large quantities of CSAM files. On more than 85 occasions ranging from approximately June 2021 to April 2022, that IP address was offering to share suspected CSAM torrent files. During a search of Johnson’s rented bedroom, six electronic devices were seized including three cellphones, two thumb drives and an electronic tablet. A subsequent forensic analysis located approximately 341 image and video files depicting the sexual abuse of children across three of the seized devices, including files depicting victims as young as four years old. 

In 1989, Johnson was convicted in Norfolk County Superior Court of two counts of assault to rape, for which he received a 20-year state prison sentence with two years committed and the balance suspended for 18 years. As a result of those convictions, Johnson is a Level-2 registered sex offender. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, HSI SAC Krol and Chelsea Police Chief Keith Houghton made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

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

BOSTON – A former senior level employee in the technology operations group of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda) pleaded guilty yesterday to engaging in a scheme to defraud the company of at least $2.3 million.

Priya Bhambi, 40, of Brookline, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud. Bhambi and an alleged co-conspirator, who did not work at the company, were charged in an indictment filed on March 23, 2023.

Between approximately January 2022 and October 2022, Bhambi and her alleged co-conspirator orchestrated and executed a scheme to defraud Takeda of at least $2.3 million in payments for purported consulting services by submitting fabricated invoices on behalf of a sham consulting company. 

In February 2022, the co-conspirator, in coordination with Bhambi, allegedly incorporated Evoluzione Consulting LLC (Evoluzione). Later, Bhambi created a website for Evoluzione with false information, including fabricated blog posts, to make it appear that Evoluzione was a legitimate consulting business. After incorporating Evoluzione, Bhambi, allegedly in coordination with the co-conspirator, submitted a statement of work to Takeda and caused Takeda to sign a master services agreement with Evoluzione and issue a purchase order to Evoluzione for consulting services with a total cost of $3.542 million. Then, between March and May of 2022, Bhambi and the alleged co-conspirator fabricated and submitted to Takeda five separate invoices for services that Evoluzione had not performed, each in the amount of $460,000. When questioned by Takeda employees, Bhambi and the alleged co-conspirator made false representations regarding the services purportedly provided by Evoluzione. Takeda paid all five of the invoices to business accounts allegedly opened by the alleged co-conspirator in the name of Evoluzione. 

In total, Bhambi and the alleged co-conspirator defrauded Takeda of $2.3 million in payments to Evoluzione for services not provided. Bhambi and her alleged co-conspirator used the fraudulently obtained funds to purchase a Mercedes-Benz Model E; purchase a diamond engagement ring; make a down payment on a $1.875 million condominium in Boston’s Seaport neighborhood; and place a deposit on a wedding venue. 

In connection with the charges, the Court issued seizure warrants for the Mercedes, over $1 million in fraud proceeds from accounts the defendants controlled, $49,985 from the wedding venue deposit and issued a restraining order to preserve the Seaport condominium for forfeiture.

The charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud carry a sentence of no greater than 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 and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made the announcement today. Takeda has provided valuable assistance and cooperation with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie A. Wright of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit is handling the forfeiture of aspects of 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 Boston man was sentenced today in federal court for illegally transporting dozens of firearms from Alabama into Massachusetts. 

Jahquel Pringle, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 42 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In February 2024, Pringle pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to illegally transport firearms; two counts of illegal transportation or receipt in state of residency of firearm purchased or acquired outside of state of residency; and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Pringle was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2022 along with co-defendants Brandon Moore, Jarmori Brown and Kobe Smith. 

Pringle, Brown, Moore and Smith conspired to obtain at least 24 firearms from Alabama, where Moore lived, and then transport them to Boston. In two separate trips in July and August 2020, Pringle traveled from Boston to Alabama on a commercial bus to pick up the firearms from Moore and then transported the firearms, concealed within luggage, back to Boston by bus. At least seven of the firearms have been recovered from the streets of Boston and surrounding communities. Pringle was captured on video firing one of the firearms in Alabama. Pringle is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction.

In July 2023, Brown was sentenced to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to his role in the conspiracy. Moore’s case was transferred to the Middle District of Alabama where he has since pleaded guilty. Smith pleaded guilty in March 2024 and will be sentenced on June 12, 2024.     

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. This case was prosecuted by the Major Crimes Unit.

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.

The Justice Department filed a civil forfeiture action today to recover approximately $5,315,746.29 of funds alleged to be proceeds of a business email compromise (BEC) scheme and property involved in the subsequent laundering of the proceeds.

According to the complaint, in January 2023, a workers union based in Dorchester, Massachusetts, was defrauded out of $6.4 million after it received a spoofed email, which appeared to be from its investment manager. The email allegedly changed the beneficiary bank account of the $6.4 million payment. The complaint alleges that the email had the intended effect of misleading the workers union into transferring funds to a bank account controlled by someone other than the intended recipient.      

The complaint further alleges that the fraudulently obtained funds were then transferred through a series of intermediary bank accounts, with some funds transferred, or attempted to be transferred, to a cryptocurrency exchange or to various bank accounts located in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, and Nigeria. Investigators were able to trace proceeds of the scheme to seven domestically held bank accounts, the contents of which were subsequently seized.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts; and Special Agent in Charge William Mancino of the U.S. Secret Service made the announcement.

The U.S. Secret Service is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Jasmin Salehi Fashami and Adrienne E. Rosen of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lyons for the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the forfeiture.

A BEC scheme is a type of sophisticated fraud scheme targeting businesses that use wire transfers as a form of payment. BEC schemes affect large global corporations, governments, and individuals, with current global daily losses estimated at approximately $8 million. Criminals compromise legitimate business email accounts through various hacking schemes, including social engineering and the use of malware. Once a business email account is compromised, a fraudulent email is sent directing the recipient of the email to unwittingly transfer funds to an illicit account. Alternatively, criminals create “spoofed” email domain names to trick people into thinking they know the sender. An email domain name is the part of an email address that comes after the “@” symbol. In email spoofing, one character in an email address is often changed or missing, thereby tricking the recipient. Criminals obtain and use privileged information to convince BEC email recipients that the transfer instructions are legitimate.

To avoid becoming the victim of a BEC scheme, verify that sender email addresses are accurate when checking mail on a cellphone or other mobile device before you open any attachments or follow any instructions, and never make any payment changes without verifying with the intended recipient by phone or in person. If you think you have been a victim of a BEC scheme, 1) immediately contact your bank to request a recall or reversal as well as a Hold Harmless Letter or Letter of Indemnity; and 2) file a detailed complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. The Internet Crime Complaint Center is run by the FBI and serves as the country’s hub for reporting cybercrime. Visit www.ic3.gov for updated information regarding BEC trends as well as other cyber fraud schemes.

A civil forfeiture complaint is merely an allegation. The United States bears the burden of proving that the funds in question are subject to forfeiture in a civil forfeiture proceeding.

Complaint

BOSTON – The United States filed a civil forfeiture action today to recover approximately $5,315,746 alleged to be proceeds of a business email compromise (BEC) scheme targeting a Massachusetts workers union, as well as property involved in money laundering. 

The complaint alleges that in January 2023, a workers union located in Dorchester received an email requesting a change of payment information from someone it believed worked at an investment consulting firm. The complaint also alleges that the email came from what initially appeared to be the consulting firm’s true email address but was in fact a spoofed email address that had been changed by one letter. The spoofed email instructed the workers union to make a $6,400,000 transfer to a different bank account than had been previously arranged, which the workers union did, in fact, do. The spoofed email, however, was a fraudulent communication intended to mislead the workers union into unwittingly transferring funds to an account controlled by someone other than the intended recipient.

The fraudulently-obtained funds were then allegedly transferred through a series of intermediary bank accounts – with some funds sent, or attempted to be sent, to a cryptocurrency exchange and various bank accounts located in Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Nigeria. Investigators were able to trace proceeds of the scheme to seven domestically held bank accounts, the contents of which were subsequently seized by U.S. authorities.

“BEC fraud schemes present a serious threat to businesses and individuals nationwide, causing significant financial and emotional harm to victims by exploiting trusted communication channels they rely upon every day. Today’s civil forfeiture action demonstrates that when victims report such misconduct to the authorities there may be steps we can take to recover stolen funds.  We hope today’s action helps restore some level of stability and justice for those impacted by fraud,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy.

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. The civil forfeiture action is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Lyons of the Asset Recovery Unit along with Trial Attorneys Jasmin Salehi Fashami and Adrienne E. Rosen of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering & Asset Recovery Section.

Members of the public who believe they are victims of a cybercrime – including cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams and business email compromise (BEC) fraud scams – should contact USAMA.CyberTip@usdoj.gov. 

The accusations in the complaint, and the description of the complaint, constitute only allegations that certain property is subject to forfeiture. The United States must prove, by a standard of preponderance of the evidence, that the property is subject to forfeiture. If the United States prevails, the court will order all interests of any potential claimant forfeited.

BOSTON – A former Quincy man currently residing in Las Vegas has been arrested in connection the distribution of methamphetamine.

Samuel Jean-Baptiste, a/k/a “Jett Black,” 38, was charged with one count of distribution of methamphetamine. Jean-Baptiste was arrested on May 30, 2024 and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, was detained pending a hearing scheduled for June 6, 2024. 

According to the charging document, in early July 2023, Jean-Baptiste was identified as a significant distributor of controlled substances in the Boston area. A confidential source allegedly made three controlled purchases totally a combined 700 grams of fentanyl from Jean-Baptiste. It is alleged that in May 2024, Jean-Baptiste informed a second confidential source that he would soon be traveling from Las Vegas to Boston and discussed selling the source 10 pounds of methamphetamine in exchange for $32,000. It is further alleged that Jean-Baptiste also told the confidential source that he was having an associate in California ship the methamphetamine to Boston and that they could conduct the transaction at a gas station at Logan Airport – after which Jean-Baptiste would “disappear back into the airport” to travel back to Las Vegas. Jean-Baptiste was immediately apprehended upon arriving at the gas station, allegedly carrying a backpack that contained approximately 10 pounds of suspected methamphetamine.  

The charge of distribution of methamphetamine carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $1 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is 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 defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Waltham man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Robert Daigle, 47 pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Sept. 11, 2024. In February 2022, Daigle was indicted by a federal grand jury.  

On Jan. 11, 2022, approximately 10 electronic devices belonging to the Daigle were seized during a search of his residence. The majority of those devices were located in Daigle’s bedroom. Daigle admitted to downloading hundreds to thousands of CSAM for approximately 20 years. A forensic examination of one device was found to have approximately 1,100 child pornography images and approximately 900 child pornography videos. A second device was found to have approximately 380 child pornography images. 

The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Waltham Police Chief Kevin O’Connell made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – A Hyde Park man was sentenced today for being a felon in possession of a Smith & Wesson pistol loaded with ammunition. 

King Belin, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 51 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In February 2024, Belin was convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. 

On Dec. 20, 2020, Belin was stopped by law enforcement after he failed to yield at an intersection and nearly collided with another car. During the motor vehicle stop a Smith & Wesson, Model SD40VE .40 caliber pistol, loaded with 14 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition were found in Belin’s waistband. Belin then attempted to flee, and a struggle ensued. He was immediately apprehended. 

At the time of the offense, Belin was on federal supervised release for a 2015 conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, for which he was sentenced to 71 months in prison. In 2010, Belin was convicted in Suffolk Superior Court of carrying a loaded firearm without a license, for which he was sentenced to 18 months in state prison and two years of probation. 

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Stoughton Police Chief Donna M. McNamara made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Dawley and Benjamin A. Tolkoff 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 violent crime and gun violence, 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.

BOSTON – A Springfield man pleaded guilty on May 31, 2024 in federal court in Springfield to a drug offense involving fentanyl and cocaine.  

Christian Caballero, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Aug. 1, 2024.

On July 31, 2023, Caballero possessed fentanyl and cocaine with the intent to distribute.  At the time of his arrest, Caballero possessed 501 bags of fentanyl and 10.82 grams of cocaine.

The charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 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 Chicopee Police Chief Patrick J. Major made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Plymouth, Mass. man was sentenced today for his involvement in a COVID-19 relief fund fraud scheme.

Ferris Brooks, 41, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to three years of supervised release, with the first six months to be served in home confinement. In February 2024, Brooks pleaded guilty to theft of government property. 

From April to December 2020, Brooks submitted multiple applications for government benefits, both in his own name and in the names of friends and family, that contained false information. Specifically, Brooks submitted an application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan with the U.S. Small Business Administration in the name of a fake business. Brooks also submitted applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and filed tax returns for Economic Impact Payments in the names of friends and family that contained false employment information. Brooks directed payments on the various fraudulent claims to bank accounts that he controlled and split the proceeds with his friends and family. The various fraudulent claims paid out more than $150,000 in pandemic relief funds.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.

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 – A Dominican Republic man residing in Dorchester was sentenced today for trafficking multiple kilograms of counterfeit pills, including pills that contained fentanyl, through the mail.

Rahelin Reynoso, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to six years in prison and two years of supervised release. In November 2023, Reynoso pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. 

Between September 2022 and November 2022, Reynoso worked at a pill press location in Mattapan, Mass. manufacturing counterfeit pills, including pills containing fentanyl, that were then counted, packaged and shipped to locations throughout the United States. 
    
In November 2022, a search of the apartment where Reynoso worked resulted in over 20 kilograms of pills in various colors, over 20 kilograms of loose powder, numerous packages and mailing labels and three industrial grade pill presses being recovered. In total, over 12 kilograms of fentanyl were found in the apartment as well as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine. 

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.  

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.

BOSTON – A Mashpee man has been charged, and has agreed to plead guilty, in connection with a scheme to artificially inflate the trading price of Getty Images Holdings, Inc. and attempting to cover up the alleged scheme.

Robert Scott Murray, 60, has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to one count of securities fraud. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. 

Getty Images Holdings, Inc. (Getty) is a visual media company and supplier of images, videos and music, headquartered in Seattle. Getty’s stock is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GETY. Murray was a long-time investor who previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of multiple public companies, including Stream Global Services and 3Com. It is alleged that in April 2023 Murray owned approximately 300,000 GETY shares. Thereafter, Murray allegedly issued press releases and sent emails in the name of Trillium Capital LLC – a “venture investment company” located in Massachusetts of which Murray was the sole owner and manager – urging that Getty add Murray to its board of directors. Murray’s efforts to join Getty’s board of directors failed.

Murray allegedly proceeded to make false and misleading statements, including through press releases and in media interviews, with the purpose of artificially inflating the GETY trading price so that Murray could sell the GETY shares he owned at the artificially inflated price. On Friday, April 21, 2023, GETY shares closed at a trading price of $5.06 per share. On Monday, April 24, 2023, prior to the market opening, Murray allegedly caused the publication of a press release in which Trillium Capital made a proposal to acquire Getty for “$10 per share.” When the market opened, GETY shares traded at $7.88 per share, nearly 56 percent above the prior closing price. According to court documents, Murray then sold all the GETY shares he owned within less than one hour for approximately $1,486,467. It is further alleged that Murray’s friend, who Murray had previously instructed to buy GETY shares, also sold shares that same morning at Murray’s direction for approximately $558,328.

On or about Dec. 6, 2023, at the direction of law enforcement, Murray’s friend texted Murray, “I just got a subpoena from the SEC” and “they’re asking me for any communications with you” related to “Getty stock.” Murray allegedly responded, “just say there were none” and “you should delete all my texts.” Murray further stated that text messages are “like virginity, once you delete your virginity you ain’t getting it back.” On or about that same day, it is alleged that Murray emailed his friend a proposed response to the subpoena, which falsely stated that the friend bought Getty stock “solely based on my read of the various press releases from Trillium Capital and my knowledge that Scott Murray is a very experienced investor” and “not from any communications from Scott Murray or Trillium Capital.” It is further alleged that when approached by law enforcement in February 2024, Murray falsely denied telling his friend to buy Getty shares.

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 Murray 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. The Securities and Exchange Commission provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud 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 – Massachusetts doctor has agreed to pay $200,000 to resolve allegations that he violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and the False Claims Act by soliciting and receiving free products from DePuy Synthes, Inc. and DePuy Synthes Sales, Inc. (collectively “DePuy”), in return for ordering DePuy products for use in his procedures. Doctor used these free products in surgeries he performed overseas in countries including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Qatar. 

In January 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced that DePuy had agreed to pay approximately $9.75 million to resolve allegations related to its role in this conduct. DePuy manufactures and distributes medical devices, including spinal implants, and has headquarters in Raynham, Mass. 

According to the settlement agreement, Dr. Tannoury admits, acknowledges, and accepts responsibility for the facts underlying the government’s allegations. From at least July 2016 through February 2018, Dr. Tannoury received products from DePuy for use in overseas surgeries, including cages, rods, screws, plates, and modular access and retraction systems. He performed at least five surgeries using these products in countries including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Qatar. Dr. Tannoury never paid DePuy for these products that he used overseas and continued to use DePuy products in surgeries in Boston, including for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.  

The Anti-Kickback Statute (“AKS”) prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare and other federally funded programs. The statute is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients. The United States contends that Dr. Tannoury knowingly and willfully solicited and received free DePuy products, worth over $100,000, in return for Dr. Tannoury’s ordering, arranging for, and recommending the purchase of DePuy’s products in spine surgeries he performed on Medicare and Medicaid patients in Massachusetts in violation of the AKS.  

“Physicians violate the law when they solicit and receive free goods from medical device manufacturers.  Unlawful kickbacks like these can corrupt medical judgment and create an uneven playing field for companies that play by the rules,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Today’s settlement reflects our office’s commitment to holding individuals who receive kickbacks accountable under the False Claims Act.”

“Improper financial arrangements can compromise medical judgment and adversely influence the medical decision-making process,” said Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “These types of arrangements have no place in our health care system, and we will continue working together with our federal and state law enforcement partners to pursue such allegations.” 

“Today’s settlement resolves allegations that Dr. Tony Tannoury solicited and received illegal kickbacks, and in doing so, used his patients as pawns,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division. “Health care fraud has serious costs, and serious consequences, and the FBI will continue to make investigations like this a priority as we work to deter this behavior.”

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, HHS-OIG SAC Coviello, and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica J. Weber and Andrew A. Caffrey, III of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled this matter. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is represented by Assistant Attorney General Kevin Lownds.

 

BOSTON – A Lawrence was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.

Fraily Rodriguez Morillo, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor, IV to 46 months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. In February 2024, Morillo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue; three counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue. 

Morillo was indicted by a federal grand jury along with Melvin Antonio Perez Medina and Manuel Fredis Guerrero Guzman in November 2022. 

Between March 2022 and August 2022, Morillo, Perez Medina and Guzman conspired to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, in Lawrence, Woburn, Wilmington and Andover. 

In March 2022, Morillo and Guzman met with a cooperating witness to negotiate future drug deals, including the price that Guzman would charge for fentanyl and for cocaine. On two separate occasions in April 2022 Morillo distributed 50 grams of fentanyl to a cooperating witness in Lawrence. In July 2022, Morillo worked with Perez Medina to distribute nearly 130 grams of fentanyl on one occasion, and over 560 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and p-fluorofentanyl (a fentanyl analogue) on another occasion, to a cooperating witness and Woburn. In total, Morillo is responsible for the distribution of approximately 230 grams of fentanyl and 560 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and p-fluorofentanyl (a fentanyl analogue).

In August 2022, Perez Medina was arrested and found in possession of nearly two kilograms of a mixture containing fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue. The nearly two kilograms were found secreted inside of a cereal box.

On Jan. 18, 2024, Perez Medina was sentenced to 64 months in prison and three years of supervised release after previously pleasing guilty to his role in the conspiracy. In March 2024, Guzman pleaded guilty and on May 30, 2024 Guzman was sentenced to 21 months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. The Massachusetts Department of Correction; the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office; and the Watertown, Reading, Peabody, Hudson, Concord and Waltham Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of the Criminal Division is 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.

BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today for unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition. 

Victor Florentino, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 30 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In December 2023, Florentino pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. 

In April 2022, during a motor vehicle stop in Quincy, Florentino was found in possession of a Glock 9mm pistol and 15 rounds of ammunition. Florentino is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction in 2016 for firearms trafficking. Florentino had completed federal supervised release two months prior to being arrested in April 2022.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Dawley 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 violent crime and gun violence, 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.
 

BOSTON – A Boston-area man pleaded guilty today to his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang.

Devante Lopes, a/k/a “D-Lopes,” 30, of Boston and Quincy, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise (more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy); conspiracy to distribute marijuana; and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Oct. 3, 2024.

According to court documents, the Cameron Street gang is a violent criminal enterprise whose members and associates are involved in a variety of criminal activities – including murders, attempted murders, armed robberies, carjackings, home invasions, human trafficking, as well as drug and firearms trafficking, among other offenses – in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston and surrounding areas. It is alleged that Cameron Street members use violence against rival gangs and witnesses, typically with the use of firearms, to maintain and enhance their status and the overall reputation of the gang, as well as to protect the gang’s power, reputation and territory. Members engage in drug trafficking activity and distributed kilograms of cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine), oxycodone and marijuana throughout Massachusetts. During the investigation, 21 firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were allegedly seized from 11 of the defendants.    

Lopes was identified by several cooperating witnesses as a member of Cameron Street. From 2019 through 2020, Lopes regularly received large quantities of marijuana from California, for which he shipped packages containing between $40,000 to $50,000 in cash in exchange.

 

    
During a search of Lopes’ residence in April 2022, 800 grams of cocaine was seized from inside a bench by his bed. Also discovered during the search were two hidden compartments in Lopes’ apartment, including one concealed inside a shelf that contained approximately $5,000 in cash, a box of ammunition and foam cut-outs for a firearm. The second hidden compartment was found inside a mirror and contained a foam insert. 

The charge of RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to interfere with commerce by force or violence each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and possession with intent to distribute cocaine provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of $1 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; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; United States Postal Inspection Service; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.

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.

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

BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.

Fredis Manuel Guerrero Guzman, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor, IV to 21 months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. In March 2024, Guzman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue; one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; and aiding and abetting. 

Guzman was indicted by a federal grand jury along with Melvin Antonio Perez Medina and Fraily Rodriguez Morillo in November 2022.

Between March 2022 and August 2022, Guzman, Morillo and Medina conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, in Lawrence, Woburn, Wilmington and Andover. Specifically, in March 2022, Guzman and Morillo met with a cooperating witness to negotiate future drug deals, including the price that Guzman would charge for fentanyl and cocaine. Thereafter, Guzman and Morillo distributed 50 grams of fentanyl to a cooperating witness in April 2022. In July 2022, Morillo and Perez Medina distributed an additional nearly 130 grams of fentanyl to a cooperating witness on one occasion, as well as over 560 grams of a fentanyl and fentanyl analogue mixture to cooperating witnesses on another occasion. 

In August 2022, Perez Medina was arrested and found in possession of nearly two kilograms of a mixture containing fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue hidden inside of a cereal box. 

On Jan. 18, 2024, Perez Medina was sentenced to 64 months in prison and three years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to his role in the conspiracy. Morillo pleaded guilty on Feb. 12, 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 31, 2024.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. The Massachusetts Department of Correction; the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office; and the Watertown, Reading, Peabody, Hudson, Concord and Waltham Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of the Criminal Division prosecuted 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.

BOSTON – A Lawrence man was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Boston for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

Victor Berroa Mercedes, 31, has been charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Berroa Mercedes will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

 According to the charging document, on May 4, 2024, Berroa Mercedes allegedly met with a cooperating source and accepted delivery of 32 kilograms of suspected cocaine in a Woburn parking lot. During his subsequent arrest, it is alleged that Berroa Mercedes dropped a plastic bag containing $32,800 in cash while attempting to flee from officers. He was immediately apprehended. 

The charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine 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. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon on 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 Stephen 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 Boston Police, Massachusetts State Police and Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Mulcahy is prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – A Holyoke man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield in connection with a string of nine armed robberies of convenience stores across Western Massachusetts.

Alfredo Aldeco, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 13 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Aldeco was also ordered to pay forfeiture and restitution of $7,375. In March 2024, Aldeco pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery, one count of using a firearm in relation to crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. 

On Nov. 14, 2018 Aldeco, and co-defendant Emilio Rivera, robbed a clerk in a West Springfield convenience store at gunpoint. After forcibly taking cash and cigarettes from the clerk, Aldeco warned the clerk, “If you call the cops, I will come back and kill you.” The firearm used in the robbery was later found during a search of Rivera’s home – in a bedroom being occupied by Aldeco. At the time, Aldeco was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.

The November 2018 robbery was the last in a string of nine robberies that took place in Holyoke, Chicopee, Northampton, West Springfield and Agawam over the two-week period. In each of the robberies, Aldeco held store clerks at gunpoint. In total, Aldeco robbed the stores of almost $8,000 in cash.

On July 6, 2023, Rivera was sentenced to six years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the West Springfield, Holyoke, Agawam, Chicopee, Northampton and Springfield Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla, Chief of the Springfield Branch Office, prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A federal inmate was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston today for allegedly sending several threatening letters to an employee at the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse.

Devin James Melycher, 31, has been indicted on three counts of mailing threatening communications. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

According to the charging documents, Melycher is a federal inmate who, since 2023, has been in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons. It is alleged that on three separate occasions – Dec. 16, 2022; Jan. 3, 2023; and Jan. 12, 2023 – Melycher sent letters addressed to a U.S. official at the John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse in Boston threatening to injure the victim employee.

The charges of using of mailing threatening communications each provide 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 and Brian Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm 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 Fall River man was sentenced today for his role in a drug distribution conspiracy involving thousands of oxycodone pills.

Austin Gonsalves, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 41 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Gonsalves was also ordered to forfeit $16,130. In May 2024, Gonsalves pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Gonsalves was arrested and charged along with five others in July 2023 for their alleged involvement in a drug trafficking organization that distributed oxycodone pills across Southeastern Massachusetts. The defendants were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023.

Between at least February 2023 and May 2023, Gonsalves obtained hundreds of pills at a time, allegedly from co-defendant Kenneth Veiga, in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars and redistributed the pills to others. On one occasion alone, Gonsalves paid $22,000 to obtain 800 oxycodone for further distribution. A search of Gonsalves’ Fall River residence in July 2023 resulted in the seizure of approximately $16,000 in cash and approximately 400 oxycodone pills.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division, made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office; and the Barnstable, Dennis, Bourne, Mashpee, Yarmouth, Sandwich and Falmouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

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

BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for coercing three minors to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Zaire Aquil Lodge, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 15 years in federal prison and five years of supervised release. In January 2024, Lodge pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of receipt of child pornography. 

On various dates in 2021, Lodge created a false online persona of a teenage boy which he used to convince at least three minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct and send him sexualized images of themselves. Additionally, Lodge knowingly received and attempted to receive CSAM between February and October 2021. 

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

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

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

BOSTON – A Brazilian man, residing in Malden, was indicted yesterday for using and possessing a fraudulently obtained visa to enter the United States and lying on his asylum application. Upon applying for a U.S. Visa, the defendant allegedly never disclosed to U.S. Immigration authorities his involvement in the murders of 11 people, mostly teenagers, in Brazil in retaliation for the death of a police officer, an incident known as the The Slaughter of Curió.

Antonio Jose De Abreu Vidal Filho, 30, was indicted on two counts of visa fraud, two counts of perjury and one count of falsifying, concealing and covering up a material fact. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston yesterday, De Abreu was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for June 5, 2024.

According to the indictment, in April 2014, De Abreu joined the Ceara State Military Police – Brazilian state forces who, under the governor, do first line policing on the street. It is alleged that in the early morning hours of Nov. 12, 2015, numerous Brazilian military police officers employed by the government of the Brazilian state of Ceará, including De Abreu, participated in a mass killing event of primarily young people from the impoverished neighborhoods of Barroso, Messejana, Guajeru, Curió and Lagoa Redonda in the capital of Ceará. The killing was in retaliation for the death of another police officer earlier that evening who was shot and killed in the Lagoa Redonda neighborhood, attempting to defend his wife who was being assaulted. In total, 11 people, mostly teenagers, were murdered and many others seriously injured and tortured. This incident has come to be known as A Chacina do Curió or The Slaughter of Curió or The Curió Massacre. A total of 45 individuals, including De Abreu, were charged by the Brazilian authorities and, on Aug. 31, 2016, De Abreu was arrested and detained by the Brazilian police. He was subsequently released pending trial on May 24, 2017.  

According to the indictment, two weeks later, on June 9, 2017, while in Recife, Brazil, De Abreu applied for a United States non-immigrant B2 visitor visa. When asked whether he had ever been arrested or convicted for any offense or crime, De Abreu responded “no.” Thereafter, on or about June 21, 2017, the United States Department of State approved De Abreu’s Visa Application and issued him the B2 Visa based upon his alleged false representations in the Visa Application. De Abreu used the B2 Visa and travelled to Miami on May 30, 2018. 

Between May 30, 2018 through Aug. 14, 2023, as a result of the approval of his Visa Application, De Abreu obtained various state driver’s licenses, a social security card, travel documents and authorizations for employment.  

On Jan. 29, 2020, De Abreu applied for asylum. It is alleged that De Abreau lied when asked whether he had ever been accused, charged, arrested, detained, interrogated and imprisoned in any country other than the United States. He also allegedly failed to disclose his arrest and detention in Brazil when he applied for adjustment of status with United States Citizenship and Immigration Service.
 
On June 25, 2023, De Abreu was convicted of 11 counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder and four counts of physical and mental torture in the First Court of Fortaleza, Ceará. That same day, De Abreu was sentenced to 275 years and 11 months in prison and an arrest warrant issued. 

On Feb. 9, 2024, De Abreu testified under oath at an immigration hearing conducted by the Immigration Court. At that hearing, De Abreu falsely claimed that he had never lied to immigration officials and that the only reason he had left off important information on immigration documents filed with the United States government was because he had not yet been arrested.

The charge of misuse of visas, permits and other documents 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 perjury provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of falsifying, concealing, and covering up a material fact provides for a sentence of up to five 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; Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen for the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Bradley Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Boston Field Office; and Mathew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Denis C. Riordan, District Director of the Fraud Detection and National Security Division of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. This matter was investigated with the assistance of the United States Interagency Human Rights Violators & War Crimes Center. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – A Jamaican man was sentenced today for his role in the laundering of hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug trafficking proceeds from Colombian cartels through banking systems around the world.  

Seivright Donald Afflick, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 37 months in prison. The defendant will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of the imposed sentence. In February 2024, Afflick pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and conducting substantive money laundering transactions.

Beginning in 2016 and continuing until 2022, an investigation into a sophisticated money laundering organization based primarily in Barranquilla, Colombia was conducted. During an extensive five-year investigation, the organization allegedly laundered over $6 million in drug proceeds through intermediary banks in the United States, including banks in Massachusetts, as well as additional proceeds through banks in the Caribbean and Europe by use of the Colombian Black Market Peso Exchange (BMPE) – a common method of trade-based money laundering used to repatriate the proceeds of drug trafficking to Colombia. An undercover agent infiltrated the organization by portraying himself as an international money launderer able to pick up bulk cash throughout the world, launder the proceeds through his United States-based accounts and send the money to Colombia through the BMPE. 

Throughout the course of the investigation, members of the money laundering organization would contact the undercover and arrange meetings for the undercover and the undercover’s purported associates to collect bulk cash throughout the world. Individuals, such as Afflick, performed the role of money courier. Afflick delivered bulk cash on two occasions in Jamaica. That cash was then deposited into the undercover bank account in Massachusetts, and then subsequently wired to accounts and repatriated back to drug traffickers in Colombia. Over the course of the conspiracy, Afflick was responsible for the laundering of approximately $670,000 in drug proceeds.

Afflick was charged in a 50-count indictment along with 19 other individuals in March 2022. Afflick is the sixth defendant to be sentenced in the case. Three other defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. The remaining defendants have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial. 

Acting United States Attorney Joshua R. Levy and Stephen Belleau, Acting Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Alathea E. Porter prosecuted 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.

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

BOSTON – A former golf professional, who worked at two courses owned by the City of Springfield, was sentenced today for tax fraud.

Ryan McDowell, 32, of Springfield, Mass. was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 12 months of probation and restitution of $101,050 payable to the City of Springfield and $34,236 payable to the Internal Revenue Service. McDowell pleaded guilty to six counts of tax fraud in September 2018.

Between 2011 and 2016, McDowell worked as an Assistant Golf Professional for a golf management company that contracted with the City of Springfield to manage its two municipal golf courses, Franconia and Veterans Memorial Golf Courses. During that time period, McDowell skimmed approximately $101,050 from golf revenues belonging to the City and then filed false tax returns each year that intentionally omitted the stolen money. McDowell’s filing of the false tax returns resulted in a federal tax loss of $34,236.  

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 Desroches of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case. 

BOSTON – A Colombian man was sentenced yesterday for his for his participation in a money laundering conspiracy.

Yimmy Rafael Sanchez-Jimenez, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 34 months in prison. Sanchez-Jimenez will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of the imposed sentence. In January 2024, Sanchez-Jimenez pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and conducting substantive money laundering transactions.

Beginning in 2016 and continuing until 2022, an investigation into a money laundering organization based primarily in Barranquilla, Colombia was conducted. An undercover agent infiltrated the organization by portraying himself as an international money launderer able to pick up bulk cash throughout the world, launder the proceeds through his United States-based accounts and send the money to Colombia through the Black Market Peso Exchange – a common method of trade-based money laundering used to repatriate the proceeds of drug trafficking to Colombia. 

Sanchez-Jimenez was a money broker based in Colombia who facilitated drug money pickups throughout the world, including in Los Angeles, California and in Canada. Sanchez-Jimenez also facilitated the transfer of those drug proceeds back to accounts in Colombia by using fake documentation to justify the transfers, in order to repatriate the proceeds of drug trafficking in Colombia. Over the course of the conspiracy, Sanchez-Jimenez was responsible for the laundering of over $550,000 in drug proceeds.

Sanchez-Jimenez was charged in a 50-count indictment along with 19 other individuals in March 2022. Sanchez-Jimenez is the fifth defendant to be sentenced in the case. Three defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. The remaining defendants have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua R. Levy and Stephen Belleau, Acting Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Alathea E. Porter prosecuted 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.

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

BOSTON – A Heath Street Gang member/associate pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to unlawfully possessing a firearm. 

Deondre Blanding, 27, of Roslindale, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Sept. 6, 2024. 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.

On Oct. 8, 2023, Blanding arranged to buy three pounds of marijuana from an individual and arrived to 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. Prior to this shooting, investigators had identified Blanding as being a marijuana dealer for the Heath Street Gang who distributed pound-quantity amounts of marijuana.

The charge of possession of firearm in furtherance of violent or drug trafficking crime provides for a mandatory sentence of five years up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

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 are prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – A Quincy man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for a million-dollar bank fraud scheme in which he deposited hundreds of counterfeit checks.

Hui Zhang, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to two years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, with the first year to be served on home confinement. Zhang was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $1,035,350. In March 2024, Zhang pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud.

From in or around June 2020 through at least May 2022, Zhang opened fraudulent bank accounts under false identities into which he electronically deposited approximately 114 counterfeit checks – totaling more than $1 million. The counterfeit checks were drawn on the account of a Boston-based retailer. Zhang subsequently withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash from these accounts via ATMs.  

In 2017, Zhang was convicted of forgery of a check and other offenses and was sentenced to probation. In 2018, after being found in possession of various forged credit cards and fraudulent identity cards, Zhang was convicted of identity fraud and sentenced to two years in prison.
    
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 William F. Abely, Chief of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – The former owner of several physical therapy clinics in Greater Boston was sentenced on May 23, 2024 for health care fraud charges.

Chang Goo Yoon, 62, a South Korean national residing in Queens, N.Y., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Yoon was also ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date. In January 2024, Yoon was convicted following a seven-day jury trial on two counts of health care fraud. 

“Mr. Yoon took advantage of his patients and the trust-based health insurance system for years by billing for appointments that never happened. In addition, he pressured his employees to participate in his unethical and illegal activities,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “These are not victimless crimes.  Health care fraud affects everyone by driving up costs for individuals and employers who pay into the health insurance system with their hard earned money. This sentence should send a strong message to others who seek to defraud the system that they will be identified, prosecuted and held accountable.”

“Today, we see yet another local physician going to prison for providing physical therapy services without a license and fraudulently billing for bogus appointments,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “This long-running scheme appears fueled by sheer greed, and the FBI and our partners are committed to bringing medical professionals like Chang Goo Yoon, who choose to betray their oath and get involved in fraud, to justice.” 

“This sentence shows that health care fraud is not tolerated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts places a high priority on fighting this type of insurance fraud, which affects the citizens of this state. We appreciate the collaboration of our investigative partners in combatting fraud in our healthcare system,” said Anthony DiPaolo, Executive Director of the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts.

“Physical therapy patients deserve to receive treatment from a provider that will be honest with them and their health insurance provider” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division. “Dr. Chang Yoon lied about providing clinical services on dates he never saw patients and then had insurance payments fraudulently sent directly to him via U.S. Mail. Thanks to postal inspectors and our law enforcement partners, Dr. Yoon was sentenced today for his actions. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to protecting the integrity of the mail stream and all customers who use it.”

Yoon was the owner and operator of several physical therapy clinics in Allston, Waltham and Brookline between 2014 and 2018. Yoon billed patients for non-existent physical therapy appointments, including approximately $150,000 in claims billed on dates when Yoon was traveling in South Korea, Los Angeles and Toronto. Yoon also billed $50,000 in claims on dates when he was gambling at casinos including the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City, N.J., MGM Springfield in Massachusetts and Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I. Additionally, Yoon submitted approximately $30,000 in physical therapy claims for himself after three automobile accidents. Most of those claims falsely listed one of Yoon’s employees as the servicing physical therapist. The remaining claims listed Yoon as both the patient and the servicing physical therapist.  

In total, the Court found that the defendant submitted more than $1 million in false insurance claims and reaped more than $300,000 in fraudulent proceeds.

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, FBI SAC Cohen, IFB Executive Director DiPaolo and USPIS INC Larco-Ward made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elysa Q. Wan and Patrick M. Callahan of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Quincy man has been arrested and charged for allegedly possessing and receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Carter Peaseley, 40, was charged with possession and receipt of child pornography. Peaseley was arrested on May 23, 2024 and released on conditions including a curfew, electronic location monitoring and an order not to have unsupervised contact with children.
 
According to the charging documents, for approximately one year, Peaseley was involved in an online relationship with a 15-year-old minor, during which he allegedly discussed wanting to teach the minor how to kiss – among other sexually explicit activities – and his plan to visit the minor. Peaseley allegedly instructed the minor not to save his texts and suggested they should use a different platform. It is further alleged that Peaseley and the minor exchanged photographs which included sexually explicit photos of the minor. According to court documents, during a search of Peaseley’s residence, approximately 243 images of CSAM were found on a computer and cellphone which were seized. 

Peaseley was formerly a teacher at the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science and the Match Charter School, both of which are in Boston.  

The charge of possession and receipt of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

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 – An Adams man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mass. for sexually exploiting a child to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Brian Warner, 38, was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child. Warner was arrested today and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Springfield, was detained pending a detention hearing tomorrow. 

According to the indictment, between July 2016 and December 2016, Warner employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed and coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing CSAM 

The charges of sexual exploitation a child and attempted sexual exploitation of a child provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. 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 of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine G. Curley of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

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

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

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

Anthony Patterson, 62, was charged with one count of theft of government money. Patterson will make an appearance in federal court in Boston at a later date.

The charging document alleges that, from May 2013 to May 2023, Patterson stole approximately $92,582 in Social Security disability benefits.

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 $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Bradley Parker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the 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 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 man whose true identity is unknown was arrested yesterday for allegedly using the stolen identity of a deceased individual to obtain government-issued identification documents, employment, and professional certifications.

John Doe, age unknown, of Quincy, was charged with one count each of false statement in a passport application and aggravated identity theft. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston yesterday, Doe was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for May 29, 2024 at 2 p.m.

According to the charging documents, Doe used the name, date of birth and Social Security number the a victim who passed away in 2002 to obtain and use multiple government-issued identification documents in the victim’s name, including Massachusetts driver’s licenses as well as copies of the victim’s birth certificate and Social Security card. Using these documents, it is alleged that Doe posed as the victim to apply for employment as a paramedic, obtain an EMT-Basic Certification, attend and graduate from a Firefighting Academy, and obtain employment with the Melrose Fire Department. It is alleged that, in March 2023, Doe applied for a U.S. passport using the victim’s stolen identity. However, according to the charging documents, a passport application for the victim had already been executed by the victim’s mother in 1989. Therefore, a passport was not issued to Doe.

During the investigation, facial recognition allegedly identified a second Massachusetts driver’s license issued to Doe under the name of Truong Nguyen. According to the charging documents, Nguyen entered the United States from Vietnam in 1979 and was ordered deported in 1991 following a second-degree burglary conviction. According to court documents Nguyen was never physically deported to Vietnam. In 2010, Nguyen was arrested for embezzlement and larceny for allegedly stealing over $46,000 from the Norwell Firefighters Union while working as an officer for the union.

The charge of false statement in a passport application provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charging statute for aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Boston Field Office; Quincy Police Chief Mark Kennedy; Melrose Police Chief Kevin M. Faller; Acting Melrose Fire Department Chief John White; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan; and Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus 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 Fitchburg man pleaded guilty today in Worcester federal court for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

Satron Pridgen, 46,  pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Aug. 22, 2024. In November 2023, Pridgen was indicted by a federal grand jury.

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 to 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 to 10 years in state prison.

The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 15 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; 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 is prosecuting the case.   

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, 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.

BOSTON – A former office manager of a Brookline medical practice pleaded guilty today to embezzling over $650,000 from the practice over several years.

Kathleen Libby, 40, of Brookline, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Sept. 4, 2024.

Libby stole from the medical practice in a variety of ways, including by transferring funds from the practice to a personal PayPal account she established named “Medline Surgical Supplies.” In doing so, Libby created the false impression that transfers from the medical practice to the PayPal account were expenses the medical practice had incurred for supplies.

In addition, Libby used the medical practice’s bank account to make payments toward purchases she had made at a variety of retailers, including Louis Vuitton, Bloomingdales, Best Buy, Target and travel-related websites. Libby also placed two of her relatives on the medical practice’s payroll and used its credit cards for her own personal benefit. 

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 $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and 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 Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
 

BOSTON - A Quincy man was sentenced today for illegally possessing a loaded handgun while trafficking cocaine and fentanyl.

Rey David Fulcar, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to eight years in prison and three years of supervised release. Fulcar pleaded guilty in December 2023 to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and two counts of possessing cocaine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute.

On July 23, 2022 Fulcar was observed conducting a drug deal in his car in Boston. The buyer was stopped by law enforcement and found with three bags of crack cocaine he had just bought from Fulcar. Fulcar was subsequently stopped as he drove away from the drug deal and attempted to flee during his arrest. Thirteen more bags of cocaine and fentanyl were found hidden inside Fulcar’s underwear. Additionally, five large shrink-wrapped packages containing suspected marijuana, as well as $1,141 cash were found inside Fulcar’s vehicle.

During a subsequent search of Fulcar’s Quincy apartment, fentanyl and a stash of cocaine in trafficking quantities were found along with a semi-automatic pistol loaded with seven rounds of ammunition. Also found was a handwritten list Fulcar maintained detailing drug customers, their orders and debts owed, a scale, cutting agent, packaging material and other drug paraphernalia in his kitchen.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Michael Cox, Commissioner of the Boston Police Department made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fred M. Wyshak, III and John T. Dawley and of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

The investigation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.

An Illinois man pleaded guilty today to his role in a nationwide wire fraud conspiracy that victimized businesses and individuals across the United States, and caused a total loss of $2,299,842. 

According to court documents, between at least March 2016 and September 2020, Antonio M. Strong, 31, of Lansing, Illinois, conspired with Herbert Wright, Joseph Williams, Demario Sorrells, and others to defraud numerous businesses and individuals by using unauthorized and stolen payment card account information to obtain valuable goods and services from those businesses and individuals, including private jet charters, private yacht charters, luxury car rentals, luxury hotel and vacation rental accommodations, private chef and security guard services, designer puppies, limousine and chauffeur services, commercial airline flights, consumer goods, meals, and other incidentals. The actual cardholders discovered these transactions on their accounts and disputed the charges. The actual cardholders’ payment card companies then reversed their payments and charged back the transactions to the businesses and individuals, which consequently suffered losses in the amounts of the unauthorized transactions. 

During this time, Strong presented himself as a rap promoter based in the Chicago area. To conceal his identity and perpetrate the fraud, Strong used various fictitious names and aliases; provided fake driver’s licenses; used email accounts in the names of fictitious and real businesses; and falsely stated that he was from “Universal Music,” “Sony Music,” “Epic Music,” and other real and fictitious companies. 

Strong pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 19 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines

Wright, Williams, and Sorrells have all pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Wright was sentenced on Jan. 11 to three years of probation and was ordered to pay $139,968 in both restitution and forfeiture. Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on June 28, and Sorrells is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 29. Two other co-conspirators were indicted in October 2020 and their trial is scheduled to begin on Oct. 21.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts; and Special Agent in Charge Andrew Murphy of the U.S. Secret Service Boston Field Office made the announcement.

The U.S. Secret Service is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Andrew Tyler and Kyle Crawford of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow for the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Chicago-area man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield, Mass. to his role in a nationwide wire fraud conspiracy that victimized businesses and individuals across the United States.  

Antonio M. Strong, 31, of Lansing, Ill., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Sept. 19, 2024. 

Strong was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020 along with five co-defendants, including rap artist Herbert Wright, Joseph Williams and Demario Sorrells.

According to court documents, between at least March 2016 and September 2020, Strong conspired with Wright, Sorrells, Williams and others to defraud numerous businesses and individuals by obtaining, possessing, using and transferring unauthorized and stolen payment card account information to obtain valuable goods and services, including: private jet and yacht charters; luxury car rentals; luxury hotel and vacation rental accommodations; private chef and security guard services; designer puppies; limousine and chauffer services; and commercial airline flights, among other things. During this time, Strong presented himself as a music promoter based in the Chicago area.

The stolen payment card account information included the actual cardholders’ names, addresses, payment card account numbers, security codes and account expiration dates. Because Strong and his alleged co-conspirators provided authentic payment card information, the defrauded businesses and individuals successfully processed their transactions and provided the goods and services. The actual cardholders discovered these transactions on their accounts and disputed the charges, which were reversed by the payment card companies. As a result, the transactions were charged back to the businesses and individuals from whom Strong and his co-conspirators defrauded with the unauthorized transactions.  

To conceal his identity and perpetrate the fraud, Strong used various fictitious names and aliases; provided fake driver’s licenses in the names of both fictitious and real people; used email accounts in the names of fictitious and real businesses; and falsely stated that he was from “Universal Music,” “Sony Music,” “Epic Music,” and other real and fictitious companies.  Strong caused a total loss of $2,299,842, which he has agreed to repay.  

 In January 2024, Wright was sentenced to three years’ probation and was ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $139,968, as well as a $5,500 fine after previously pleading guilty. Williams and Sorrells have also pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and are scheduled to be sentenced on June 28, 2024 and Aug. 29, 2024, respectively. The remaining two defendants are pending trial. 

The charges of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud provide for a sentence of up to 20 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; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; 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.