District of Massachusetts

BOSTON – The former chief of staff to former Massachusetts State Senator Dean Tran was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield, Mass. for filing false and fraudulent tax returns between 2016 and 2020.

Christianne Mylott-Coleman, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 30 days in prison and one year of supervised release, with the first 90 days to be served in home detention. Mylott-Coleman was also ordered to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $269,209. In November 2022, Mylott-Coleman pleaded guilty to five counts of filing a false and fraudulent tax return. 

Between 2016 and 2020, Mylott-Coleman earned income from a variety of employers, including companies involved in providing healthcare services, in addition to earning wages working for Senator Tran between 2018 and 2020. When filing her federal income tax returns for tax years 2016 through 2020, Mylott-Coleman failed to report approximately $740,000 in income generated from a home healthcare business she operated. The home health care business provided services like meal preparation and medication management for elderly people in their homes. Employees of the business were typically paid by Mylott-Coleman in cash. As a result of the tax fraud, Mylott-Coleman failed to report and pay to the IRS $269,209 in income taxes.

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 Dustin Chao and John T. Mulcahy of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A former Chelsea man was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Boston for misuse of a Social Security number and making false statements in a passport application. 

Jose Ezequiel Reyes-Acosta, 48, was indicted for misuse of a Social Security number and making a false statement in an application for a United States passport. Reyes-Acosta will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

According to the charging documents, Reyes-Acosta, a citizen of El Salvador, applied for a United States passport and a Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles Real ID using the name and other biographical information of another individual.

The charge of misuse of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years of in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of making a false statement in an application for a United States passport provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the New York Department of Motor Vehicles, Division of Field Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. 

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

BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to illegally transport firearms from Alabama into Massachusetts.

Kobe Smith, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to illegally transport firearms. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for June 12, 2024. Smith was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2022 along with co-defendants Jahquel Pringle, Jarmori Brown and Brandon Moore.

Smith, Pringle, Brown and Moore conspired to obtain at least 24 firearms from Alabama, where Moore lived, and then transport them to Boston. Smith would place orders with Moore for firearms. 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. Pringle was joined by Brown for the August trip. At least seven of the firearms have been recovered from the streets of Boston and surrounding communities. 

Smith is the fourth and final defendant in this case to plead guilty. In July 2023, Brown was sentenced to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Pringle and Moore are awaiting sentencing.

The charge of conspiracy to illegally transport firearms provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
    
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and 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 is being 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 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 Chelsea man pleaded guilty today to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). 

Lasall Johnson, 55, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography before U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin who scheduled a sentencing for June 5, 2024. Johnson was charged by criminal complaint in March 2023 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2023.

Johnson was identified as a user in an online peer to peer file sharing network exchanging CSAM. During a search of Johnson’s residence, six electronic devices were seized from his bedroom. Forensic examination of the devices recovered hundreds of CSAM image and video files. 

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. 

Due to Johnson’s prior convictions, the charge of possession of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Chelsea Police Chief Keith Houghton made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus 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.

BOSTON – A Leominster was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for possessing large quantities of counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine intended for distribution. 

Chanhda Onesyvieng, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to six years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In July 2023, Onesyvieng pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. 

In early April 2023, Onesyvieng was identified as a drug distributor who was distributing significant quantities of counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine in Rhode Island. On April 28, 2023, approximately two kilograms of counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine and approximately 135 grams of cocaine were seized from Onesyvieng’s vehicle during a traffic stop in Worcester. A subsequent search of the defendant’s residence in Leominster resulted in the seizure of approximately one kilogram of counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, approximately one kilogram of cocaine and approximately $60,000 in cash.    

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and John. E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial E. Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A former college track and field coach was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain thousands of explicit photos from over 100 women across the country through the use of nearly two dozen sham social media and email accounts. The defendant cyberstalked one female student-athlete and orchestrated another scheme to gain unauthorized access to other victims’ Snapchat accounts. 

The defendant previously worked as a track and field coach at several academic institutions, including Northeastern University, Penn State University, Illinois Institute of Technology, University of Tennessee and Concordia University Chicago.

Steve Waithe, 31, formerly of Chicago, Ill., and Somerville, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Among the terms of his supervised release conditions, Waithe will be prohibited from taking any jobs in which he could serve as a coach, teacher, mentor, or any similar role involving women or girls and his internet usage will be strictly monitored by probation. In November 2023, Waithe pleaded guilty to 12 counts of wire fraud; one count of cyberstalking; one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud; and one count of computer fraud, aiding and abetting. Waithe was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in April 2021 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2021. 

“This defendant’s conduct is deplorable. He exploited his trusted role as a coach to college athletes to engage in a sextortion campaign that has left a trail of emotional devastation in its wake. We stand by the courageous victims who came forward and help this Office hold Mr. Waithe accountable. The array of on-line threats is striking, and this Office will be vigilant in investigating and prosecuting those who sexually exploit victims,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. 

“The depth of deceit demonstrated by Steve Waithe in this case is deeply disturbing. This predator readily betrayed the trust of over 50 women, tricking them into sending him explicit photos which he then used to exploit and extort them. His reprehensible actions inflicted significant anguish on these victims who were living in fear of being so personally exposed,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Today’s sentence shows that cyberstalking and sextortion is not some sick game, they’re serious crimes, and the FBI will continue to unmask and hold accountable anyone who uses today’s technology in such a vile way.”

While a track coach at Northeastern University, Waithe requested the cell phones of female student-athletes under the pretense of “filming their form” at practices and meets and then covertly sending himself explicit photos of the victims that had previously been saved on their phones.

Approximately one year later in  February 2020, and after he no longer worked at Northeastern University, Waithe began perpetrating an evolving series of schemes to deceive women into sending him nude or semi-nude photos of themselves. 

In total, Waithe victimized at least 56 women and attempted to victimize 72 more. Waithe used anonymized social media accounts with usernames like “anon.4887” and variations of the phrase “Privacy Protector” to contact prospective victims, including some of the same student-athletes from the Northeastern University track and field team, claiming that he had “found” compromising photos of them online and offering to “help” get the photos removed from the internet. Waithe also requested additional nude or semi-nude photos from victims that he could purportedly use for “reverse image searches.” Notably, none of the Northeastern University student-athletes were tricked by this scheme, though Waithe continued to try it on new prospective victims.

Further, Waithe fabricated at least two female personas, “Katie Janovich” and “Kathryn Svoboda,” in an effort to obtain additional nude and/or semi-nude photos of women. Under the purported premise of an “athlete research” or “body development” study, Waithe emailed prospective victims pretending to be “Katie” or “Kathryn” with email accounts in their names. The emails described a phony study for athletes and requested information relating to height, weight, body fat and diet habits. The emails also included a request for the victims to send photos of themselves in order to “track their progress” and recommended that the photos show the women in a “uniform or bathing suit to show as much skin as possible.” The emails often included attachments of sample nude and semi-nude images to illustrate the types of photos that victims should send. 

Investigators identified 22 sham online accounts across at least seven different platforms used by Waithe and hundreds of photos sent by dozens of victims who thought they were emailing someone conducting a legitimate research study.

Waithe also cyberstalked one victim, from at least June 2020 to October 2020, through text messages and direct messages sent via social media, as well as by hacking into her Snapchat account. He texted and sent nude photos of the victim to the victim’s boyfriend, stating, “I wanted to make you aware that someone hacked your girlfriend’s snapchat account and will leak it soon. I need your help to assure this does not happen.” Over the course of five months, Waithe sent harassing and intimidating messages to the victim and her boyfriend. The messages included explicit photos that Waithe had stolen from the victim’s phone when she was on the track and field team at Northeastern.  

In October 2020, Waithe conspired with another individual to hack into Snapchat accounts, ultimately gaining access to at least one account and its private “My Eyes Only” folder that contained nude and/or semi-nude photos. Additionally, Waithe provided his co-conspirator with the usernames and phone numbers for the Snapchat accounts of at least 15 women. Waithe and his co-conspirator then used this information to craft and send text messages purporting to be from the “Snapchat Support Team” and requesting security information, through which they gained access to at least one account.

The investigation revealed that Waithe’s internet browsing history included visits to webpages with titles like, “Can anyone trace my fake Instagram account back to me?” and “How to Hack Someones Snapchat the Easy Way.” Waithe’s search history also included searches for, among other things, “how to hack snapchat with a username and phone number.”

Waithe distributed some of the stolen images on websites where stolen and so-called “leaked” photos are posted, shared, and traded. In one post, Waithe wrote, “Does anyone want to trade nudes? I’m talking girls you actually know. Could be exes or whatever. I have quite a few and [am] down to trade over snap[chat] or something.” In total, Waithe posted or otherwise offered to trade images of victims on no fewer than 55 occasions.

After being released on conditions following his arrest in April 2021, Waithe continued to engage in virtually identical conduct while under pre-trial supervision. Specifically, Waithe accessed his Instagram account on more than a hundred occasions, soliciting new prospective victims and requesting that they send him photos of themselves via direct messages. In one Instagram conversation in late May and early June 2022 – approximately one year after his initial charge and arrest in this case, and months after being indicted by a federal grand jury – Waithe complimented a young woman via Instagram direct message and offered to pay her in exchange for allowing him to make “drawings” using photos of her. In another Instagram conversation with a separate prospective victim in June 2022, Waithe told a young woman that she is in “such great shape” and offered her $50 to participate in a “study.”

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. The Northeastern University Police Department provided substantial assistance with the investigation. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and the Chicago Police Department also provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam W. Deitch of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Chicopee man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield for creating and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). 

Michael Geoffroy, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 20 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release. On Feb. 16, 2023, Geoffroy pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of a child, three counts of distribution of child pornography and one count possession of child pornography. 

“There is no higher priority in this office than protecting vulnerable children. As this case demonstrates, we will continue to devote significant resources to holding accountable in individual who engages in the sexual exploitation of children,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.

“Michael Geoffroy sexually abused a little girl and documented it for his own twisted gratification. His trove of horrific images of that child and others represents an unimaginable level of pain and trauma inflicted on young victims,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Locking this sexual predator up doesn’t undo that damage, not by a long shot. But it does keep him from hurting anyone else and for that we are thankful.”

In December 2020, Geoffroy used a minor to create two videos and two images of CSAM. Geoffroy then distributed the videos and images in a chat group that same day. Geoffroy was arrested the following day and, during a search of his cellphone, was found in possession of more than 100 videos and images that depicting CSAM. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicopee Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of the Springfield Branch 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 Boston-area man was sentenced yesterday for illegally possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number while on supervised release from an earlier federal firearm charge.

Dane Mitchell, 32, of Boston and Revere, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to seven years in prison and three years of supervised release. In October 2023, Mitchell pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

In 2021, as part of an investigation into a violent Boston gang, Mitchell was identified as the owner of a Snapchat account who regularly posted images of himself in possession of firearms. Specifically, images showed Mitchell’s face with firearms and bullet holes in his vehicle after he had been shot at. Mitchell is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a 2018 federal conviction in the District of Maine for unlawful transportation of firearms, for which he was sentenced to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release. 

During a search of Mitchell’s Revere residence in December 2021, a Taurus .380 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number, ammunition, bags of cocaine, cocaine base,  fentanyl, cutting agents, a digital scale, a blender and a press for packaging narcotics were seized.

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 Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement. Special assistance in the investigation was provided by the Boston, Quincy and Lynn Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
 
The operation was conducted 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

BOSTON – A Certified Nurse Assistant who owns and operates a home health care company has been sentenced for underreporting his income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Patrick S. Kityo, 43, of Waltham, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to two months in prison and one year of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $306,603 in restitution to the IRS. In August 2023, Kityo pleaded guilty to one count of aiding the preparation of a false tax return. 

Kityo owned and operated a home health care company named Every Step Home Care Inc. (Every Step). During the years 2016 and 2017, Every Step’s total gross receipts were at least $2 million. Kityo, however, failed to report all of Every Step’s gross receipts to his tax preparer. Instead, Kityo only reported those gross receipts that he deposited into Every Step’s business bank account and did not report those he received via checks written to Kityo personally. As a result, Kityo caused his tax preparer to underreport nearly $2 million in gross receipts and Kityo failed to pay at least $306,603 in personal income taxes.  

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case. 

BOSTON – A Methuen man pleaded guilty yesterday to drug conspiracy charges involving distribution of fentanyl, fentanyl analog and cocaine. 

Daniel Lopez-Gonzalez, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of fentanyl analog. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2024. Lopez-Gonzalez was indicted in April 2023 along with Erickson Castro Perez and Gustavo Adolfo Reyes Gonzalez. 

Between June 2022 and January 2023, Lopez-Gonzalez and his alleged co-conspirators sold fentanyl and fentanyl analog to undercover law enforcement on six separate occasions in Haverhill and Boxford. A search of a Haverhill-based stash location used by Lopez-Gonzalez and his alleged co-conspirators on Jan. 23, 2023, resulted in the seizure of additional quantities of fentanyl, fentanyl analog, cocaine and other narcotics. Additionally, an illegal firearm, ammunition, more than $35,000 in U.S. currency and two high-end watches were also seized from Lopez-Gonzalez's home. 

In total, approximately 2.5 kilograms of fentanyl or fentanyl analog was seized over the course of the investigation. 

Daniel Lopez-Gonzalez is the second defendant in this case to plead guilty. Castro Perez plead guilty in February 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2024.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of fentanyl analog, provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – A Fall River U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for obstructing the mail by diverting multiple packages in his custody.

Rafael De Los Angeles, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to time served (approximately one day in prison) and six months of supervised release. In December 2023, De Los Angeles pleaded guilty to five counts of obstruction of mail.

On five separate occasions in August 2017, De Los Angeles knowingly and willfully obstructed the passage of five mailed packages he was responsible for delivering. On each occasion, De Los Angeles drove the packages to different locations that were not listed as the delivery addresses. There, he scanned the packages to record them as having been delivered to the correct addresses before ripping off the address labels and giving the packages to someone other than the listed recipients. 

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kunal Pasricha and Luke Goldworm of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.  

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

Francis Manuel Santos Arias, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 87 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In October 2023, Arias pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Arias was indicted by a federal grand jury along with co-defendant Eddy Reyes Tejada in December 2022.

In January 2022, Arias was identified as a cocaine and fentanyl distributor seeking customers in the greater Boston and Lawrence areas. During the investigation, Arias distributed a total of over 700 grams of fentanyl to a cooperating witness over the course of four controlled purchases.

Tejada was sentenced in November 2023 to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to his role in the drug conspiracy.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Interim Commissioner Shawn Jenkins of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Fitchburg and Lunenburg Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea E. 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 pleaded guilty on March 1, 2024 in federal court in Boston to his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.

Fredis Manuel Guerrero Guzman, 28, 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. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor, IV scheduled sentencing for May 30, 2024.

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, 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. 

The charges of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, and of possession with intent to distribute and/or distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, each provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of distribution and/or possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl as well as aiding and abetting provide for a sentence of at least 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; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Brian D. Boyle, 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 Guatemalan man was sentenced on March 1, 2024 in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.

Romeo Waldemar Gabriel Lopez, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to time served (approximately six months in prison) and one year of supervised release. In December 2023, Gabriel Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.

Gabriel Lopez was first deported in April 2016 following a conviction for operating under the influence (OUI).  His second deportation was in October 2016, after he was apprehended illegally crossing the border in Eagle Pass, Texas.  

Gabriel Lopez was later apprehended in Texas after illegally crossing the border again in December 2016. He was subsequently deported for a third time in April 2017. In February 2020, Gabriel Lopez was found to have unlawfully reentered the United States again when he was arrested and charged with a second OUI. He was removed from the United States again in March 2020. Sometime after his March 2020 removal, Gabriel Lopez unlawfully reentered the United States and was arrested on charges of assault and battery, which were later dismissed.

In July 2022, he pleaded guilty to the second, pending OUI charge and was sentenced to probation. After being incarcerated for violating the conditions of his probation in August 2023, Gabriel Lopez was transferred into the custody of immigration authorities in September 2023.

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

BOSTON – An Antigua man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to his participation in a large-scale illegal gambling business which utilized an Antiguan Internet site, but operated in the continental United States. In total, defendant and co-conspirators collected over $22 million through an illegal gambling operation and laundered more than $10 million in checks and wire transfers.

Richard Sullivan, 74, of St. John’s, Antigua, pleaded guilty to operating an illegal gambling business and transmission of wagering information. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for March 28, 2024. Sullivan was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in August 2010 and was arrested in August 2023 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York upon his return to the United States from Antigua. 

This prosecution marked one of the first times that individuals were charged with violating the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), and the first in Massachusetts. The UIGEA statute was enacted in 2006 to deter the use of the U.S. banking system to pay Internet gambling debts incurred by U.S. citizens. Sullivan and his co-defendants were originally charged with over 75 counts of engaging in U.S. banking transactions involving U.S.-based gamblers to pay gambling debts owed to Sports Offshore, an online gambling site licensed in Antigua that was actually operating in the United States.

Sullivan and his three co-conspirators – Todd Lyons, Robert Eremian and Daniel Eremian – operated Sports Offshore – which stretched from Massachusetts to Florida. Sports Offshore used an Internet site and toll-free telephone line registered in Antigua to service United States customers. The ring also employed approximately 50 gambling agents in the United States, who solicited hundreds of customers and collected gambling debts, forwarding the illegal gambling proceeds to Antigua.

To conceal the conspiracy, Sullivan and his co-conspirators created numerous fictitious entities with no legitimate business purpose to launder the proceeds of their illegal gambling business so that authorities could not detect U.S.-based financial transactions involving Sports Offshore. 

Sullivan managed the daily activities of Sports Offshore at its gambling office in St. John’s, Antigua. In that capacity, Sullivan supervised employees who accepted wagers from customers in the United States that were placed over the telephone and the Internet. Sullivan helped direct collection activities regarding customers and agents located in the United States who owed money to Sports Offshore. Sullivan also served as an agent for Sports Offshore and was responsible for a group of Massachusetts customers who gambled with Sports Offshore, earning commissions on gambling losses incurred by those customers. Additionally, Sullivan used Massachusetts residents to collect money from his local customers which he had shipped directly to Antigua via the mail.  

In total, Sullivan and his co-conspirators collected over $22 million for Sports Offshore through the illegal gambling operation and laundered more than $10 million in checks and wire transfers.

In December 2011, Lyons and Daniel Eremian were convicted following a five-week jury trial for their roles in the conspiracy. Lyons was sentenced to four years in prison, one year of supervised release and was ordered to forfeit $24.6 million. Daniel Eremian was sentenced to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and was ordered to forfeit $7.7 million. 

The charge of operating an illegal gambling business provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, and up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of transmission of wagering information provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, and up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; Brian Kyes, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Chao, Chief of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A former Worcester resident, currently residing in Franklin, has been charged with dealing in firearms without a license and receiving a firearm while under indictment in state court for separate firearm offenses.

Juan Otero, 22, was charged with one count of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of receiving a firearm while under indictment. Otero was ordered detained following an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester on March 1, 2024 before Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy. 

According to the charging documents, between Nov. 27, 2023 and Jan. 23, 2024, Otero sold five firearms on four different occasions. It is alleged that one of the firearms was a Glock pistol with a machinegun conversion device, also known as a “Glock switch,” attached. Otero also allegedly sold large capacity magazines and multiple rounds of ammunition.  

In 2022, Otero was indicted in Worcester Superior Court for multiple state crimes, including the unlawful possession of a large capacity weapon, unlawful possession of a loaded firearm, unlawful possession of a large capacity firearm and ammunition and attempted assault and battery. 

Otero was on release pending trial on the state court charges at the time of his firearm sales in this matter.   

The charges of dealing in firearms without a license and receipt of a firearm while under indictment both provide 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; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Paul Saucier Interim Police Chief of the Worcester Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Franklin, Mansfield and Auburn Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown 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.

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 – Jack Douglas Teixeira, a member of the United States Air National Guard (USANG) stationed in Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today to retaining and transmitting classified National Defense Information on a social media platform beginning in or around 2022 and continuing until his arrest in April 2023.

Teixeira, 22, of North Dighton, Mass., pleaded guilty to six counts of willful retention and transmission of classified information relating to the national defense before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani who deferred acceptance of the plea until sentencing on Sept. 27, 2024. If the court accepts the plea, Teixeira faces 132 to 200 months in prison.

Teixeira was arrested in April 2023 and charged by criminal complaint with retention and transmission of National Defense Information (NDI) and unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or materials. He was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in June 2023. He has remained in federal custody since his arrest. 

“Mr. Teixeira exploited his Top-Secret security clearance to share our nation’s secrets on a social media platform. He violated his oath to preserve, protect and defend and, in doing so, he undermined our national security and risked the safety of Americans serving overseas and our allies,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Every instance of mishandling classified information weakens our defense and compromises our ability to thwart potential threats. We cannot afford to underestimate the gravity of this conduct; it has far-reaching consequences that transcend individual interests.”

“Today, Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira admitted to endangering our national security by unlawfully disclosing classified national defense information. In doing so, he betrayed his oath to defend his country. His actions are a stark contrast to the pledge he made in 2019 to uphold the Air Force’s core values: integrity first, service over self, and excellence in all we do. Instead, he chose integrity last, himself over service, and failed to uphold the finest standards of this military branch,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “The FBI takes all breaches of classified information seriously and we will use all the resources at our disposal to identify and apprehend those who jeopardize the safety of this country and its citizens.”

“By knowingly and improperly posting classified national defense information on a social media platform, Mr. Teixeira callously disregarded the national security of the United States and betrayed the trust of the American people he swore to protect,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “With today’s plea, the Department of Justice holds Mr. Teixeira accountable for his actions and makes clear the gravity of the responsibility to protect classified information and our national security.”

“Retaining and transmitting classified information is a crime – and U.S. government employees are trusted to secure and protect that information,” said David Sundberg, Assistant Director in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office. “To get to where we are today took the work of dozens of FBI employees, including special agents, intelligence analysts, and computer forensic examiners, who combed through and analyzed hundreds of documents and evidentiary items. The FBI and our partners across the globe are committed to identify and bring to justice those who make the choice to put our country at risk by publicly and recklessly disclosing classified information.”

Teixeira enlisted in the USANG in September 2019 and held a Top-Secret security clearance since 2021. Beginning in or around January 2022, Teixeira unlawfully retained and transmitted NDI classified as “TOP SECRET” or “SECRET” and/or Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), onto the social media platform Discord to persons not authorized to receive such information. 

According to the charging documents, Teixeira used secured workstation at the Otis USANG Base to conduct hundreds of searches for classified documents containing NDI that were unrelated to his duties as an Information Technology specialist. On two separate occasions, Teixeira was warned by his superiors to no longer take notes on classified intelligence information and to stop conducting “deep dives” into classified intelligence information. However, Teixeira purposefully removed classified information and documents containing NDI without authorization and subsequently transmitted the information in written paragraphs to other users on Discord. Teixeira also posted images of classified documents to Discord, which bore standard classification markings – including “SECRET,” “TOP SECRET” and SCI designations – indicating that they contained highly classified United States government information. 

Among the classified information Teixeira unlawfully transmitted was descriptions on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, including troop movements on a particular date based on sensitive U.S. intelligence, gathered through classified sources and methods and contains national defense information. 

The charges of unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; FBI SAC Cohen; AAG Olsen; and AD Sundberg made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; Air Force Office of Special Investigations; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nadine Pellegrini, Jared C. Dolan and Jason A. Casey of the U.S. Attorney’s National Security Unit and Trial Attorney Christina A. Clark of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. 

Jack Douglas Teixeira, 22, of North Dighton, Massachusetts, a member of the U.S. Air National Guard (USANG) stationed in Massachusetts, has agreed to plead guilty to retaining and transmitting classified National Defense Information on a social media platform beginning in or around 2022 and continuing until his arrest in April 2023.

Teixeira has agreed to plead guilty to six counts of willful retention and transmission of classified information relating to the national defense (National Defense Information).

“By knowingly and improperly posting classified national defense information on a social media platform, Mr. Teixeira callously disregarded the national security of the United States and betrayed the trust of the American people he swore to protect,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “With today’s plea, the Department of Justice holds Mr. Teixeira accountable for his actions and makes clear the gravity of the responsibility to protect classified information and our national security.”

“Mr. Teixeira exploited his Top-Secret security clearance to share our nation’s secrets on a social media platform. He violated his oath to preserve, protect and defend and, in doing so, he undermined our national security and risked the safety of Americans serving overseas and our allies,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts. “Every instance of mishandling classified information weakens our defense and compromises our ability to thwart potential threats. We cannot afford to underestimate the gravity of this conduct; it has far-reaching consequences that transcend individual interests.”

“Today, Jack Teixeira admitted he retained and disclosed classified national security information, actions that benefit our nation’s adversaries and harm U.S. security,” said Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “Individuals granted security clearances are entrusted with protecting our nation’s most sensitive secrets, and Teixeira knowingly betrayed that trust and put the country at risk. The FBI will continue to work with our partners to hold accountable anyone who would endanger our national security interests.”

Teixeira was arrested in April 2023 and charged by criminal complaint with retention and transmission of national defense information and unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or materials. He was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in June 2023. He has remained detained in federal custody since his arrest.

According to the charging documents, Teixeira enlisted in the USANG in September 2019 and has held a Top-Secret security clearance since 2021. It is alleged that, beginning in or around January 2022, Teixeira unlawfully retained and transmitted National Defense Information classified as “TOP SECRET” or “SECRET” and/or Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), onto a social media platform to persons not authorized to receive such information.

Teixeira allegedly accessed classified documents containing National Defense Information from a classified workstation at the Otis USANG Base and transcribed and transmitted the information in written paragraphs to other users on the social media platform. Teixeira also allegedly posted images of classified documents to the social media platform, which bore standard classification markings – including “SECRET,” “TOP SECRET” and SCI designations – indicating that they contained highly classified U.S. government information.

The charges of unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information each carry a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nadine Pellegrini, Jared C. Dolan and Jason A. Casey for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Christina A. Clark of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – Two Worcester County men were sentenced yesterday for conspiring to traffic in contraband smokeless tobacco.

Mohammad Hanif Balaparya, 63, of Shrewsbury, and Rakesh Garg, 53, of Holden, were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to three and two years’ probation, respectively. In October 2023, the defendants pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to transport, possess, purchase and distribute in excess of 500 units of contraband smokeless tobacco. Balaparya additionally pleaded guilty to one count of transporting and possessing over 500 units of smokeless tobacco. 

Throughout 2017, Balaparya rented commercial box trucks on an almost a weekly basis to drive to Bensalem, Pa. While in Pennsylvania, Balaparya purchased significant quantities of smokeless tobacco, using his own funds and funds contributed by Garg, that he transported back to his residence in Shrewsbury, Mass. Balaparya and Garg then sold the smokeless tobacco to certain convenience store owners in Massachusetts. By doing so, the defendants evaded over $2.3 million in excise taxes that wholesale distributors of smokeless tobacco in Massachusetts are required to pay. The defendants evaded an additional $1 million in Massachusetts excise taxes on cigars and other smoking products.  

During a search of the defendants’ properties in December 2017, the contraband tobacco and approximately $140,000 in unlawful proceeds were seized. The Court ordered those funds forfeited and scheduled a further hearing to determine additional forfeiture and restitution.   

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; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Geoffrey E. Snyder, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Revenue made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Shrewsbury and Holden Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg A. Friedholm and Lucy Sun prosecuted the case.

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

Hui Zhang, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2024. Zhang was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in September 2023. 

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.  
    
The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million, or twice the gross proceeds. 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 William F. Abely, Chief of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A New York man was convicted yesterday by a federal jury in Boston of sex trafficking a minor and forcing her to work at a strip club for his financial benefit. 

Sherriff Cooper, 37, was convicted of sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud and coercion; transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity; and forced labor. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for June 5, 2024. Cooper was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2021.

“Justice was served here. Mr. Cooper abused his position of trust to violently exploit an innocent 15-year-old girl for his own financial benefit. The repeated violence and trauma he inflicted on the victim would be unimaginable if it wasn’t all so shockingly real. No verdict can erase the pain he caused, but we hope the young victim in this case and entire survivor community know that this Office will do everything in its power to hold dangerous predators accountable, and that this particular defendant will be off the streets for many years,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This conviction does not happen without a tremendous, sustained effort by federal, state and local law enforcement partners who dedicate their professional lives to protect our children and ensure that exploitative traffickers like Mr. Cooper are held accountable.”

“The criminal acts that Sherriff Cooper were convicted of are stomach-churning,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Using physical threats to control another human being, to force them into sexual servitude, is unconscionable. It was imperative that FBI Boston’s Child Exploitation – Human Trafficking Task Force take him off the street. Unequivocally, our community is safer with Mr. Cooper behind bars, locked away where he can’t victimize anyone else’s child.”

In 2017, Cooper was working as a security guard at a residential program for pregnant teens when he met the victim, who was then 15 years old. He began a sexual relationship with her and, in early 2018, Cooper began sex trafficking the victim around Boston, posting advertisements for her on commercial sex websites and taking all the proceeds. He used violence, threats of violence and coercion to make the victim engage in commercial sex for his financial benefit. 

Cooper transported the victim across state lines to sex traffic her in New York. While in New York, Cooper obtained a fake ID for the minor victim and forced her to strip at a club – again, keeping all the proceeds for himself. Cooper continued to use threats of violence, violence and coercion to keep the victim working at the club for his financial benefit. 

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

The charge of sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud and coercion provides for a sentence of a least 15 years and up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of forced labor provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and SAC Cohen made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the FBI New York Field Division and the Malden Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Torey B. Cummings, Stephen W. Hassink and Lauren A. Graber of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. 

BOSTON – A Hyannis woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for her involvement in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed fentanyl throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 

Rebecca Bartholomew, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to three years in prison and three years of supervised release. In October 2023, Bartholomew pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Bartholomew 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 Bartholomew as a distributor for the DTO. Between April and June 2022, Bartholomew redistributed fentanyl she had obtained from Ortiz-Alcantara and allegedly other DTO members. During a traffic stop in April 2022, Bartholomew was found in possession of approximately 90 grams of fentanyl.  

Bartholomew is the fourth defendant to be sentenced in case. Ortiz-Alcantara pleaded guilty in December 2023 and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9, 2024.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, 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. Special assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Homeland Security Investigations; Bristol County Sheriff’s Office; 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 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 California woman was sentenced yesterday for traveling to Boston and distributing more than five kilograms of fentanyl. 
    
Brenda Hernandez, 25, of Stockton, Cali., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 22 months in prison and two years of supervised release. In October 2023, Hernandez plead guilty to one count of distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl. 

On May 24, 2022, Hernandez took a flight from California to Boston. After checking into a hotel, Hernandez went to a nearby mail retrieval store, where she picked up a package containing more than five kilograms of fentanyl that had been mailed there from out-of-state.  Later that day, Hernandez distributed the drugs to others in Boston.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan D. O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office 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 tax preparer was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for preparing false tax returns in the names of taxpayers.
 
Kwasi Kwarteng, 51, of Worcester, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Margaret R. Guzman to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. Kwarteng was also ordered to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $346,186 and a special assessment of $1,300. In addition, Kwarteng was placed under a permanent injunction barring him for life from preparing or assisting in the filing of federal tax returns for any other person or entity.  In April 2023, Kwarteng pleaded guilty to 13 counts of aiding and assisting in the filing of false federal tax returns. 

From at least 2014 through 2018, Kwarteng operated under the name KK Tax Service –despite not being registered with the IRS as required by law – filing more than 1,195 tax returns in the names of clients, charging approximately $150 per return. Kwarteng added false information to hundreds of the returns to claim deductions for fictitious medical expenses, personal property taxes, gifts to charity, Individual Retirement Account (IRA) contributions and unreimbursed employee business expenses. The false returns resulted in some clients paying lower taxes than they owed and, in most cases, resulted in clients receiving tax refunds to which they were not entitled. Kwarteng caused more than half a million dollars in losses to the IRS.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – Two men pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to participating in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that allegedly distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Isaac Clayton, 77, and Christopher Tejeda, 22, both of Lynn, pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencings for May 28, 2024 and July 9, 2024, respectively. 

According to court documents, the DTO distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, among other things, to various individuals in the Lynn area. 

As part of the conspiracy, Clayton stored various controlled substances including marijuana, cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine) and counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl at his apartment on behalf of the DTO. A search of his apartment in October 2022 resulted in seizure of various quantities of marijuana, cocaine base and fentanyl, as well as three loaded firearms, additional rounds of ammunition, $2,640 in drug proceeds and materials used to package and distribute controlled substances.  

Additionally, on behalf of the DTO, Tejada picked up, transported and delivered controlled substances to various individuals as well as collected and delivered proceeds from drug sales.  

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James E. Arnold and Evan D. Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.

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

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

BOSTON – A Rhode Island man pleaded guilty yesterday to his involvement in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed fentanyl throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 

Alfredo Valdez, 46, of Providence, R.I. pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for May 21, 2024. Valdez 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. Intercepted communications on numerous cellphones identified Valdez as a member of the DTO who conspired with Ortiz-Alcantara to regularly distribute multi-kilograms of fentanyl from a base of operations at a stash house in Fall River. During a search of the stash house in July 2022, Valdez was found inside the apartment along with more than 12 kilograms of fentanyl stored in various ceiling panels, blenders, a hydraulic press and baggies.  

Valdez is the eighth defendant to plead guilty in the case. Ortiz-Alcantara pleaded guilty in December 2023 and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9, 2024.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl provides 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 the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, 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. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Homeland Security Investigations; Bristol County Sherriff’s Office; 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 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 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 Melrose man was sentenced yesterday for a decade-long tax fraud scheme in which he failed to pay employment taxes he withheld from employees of his two businesses.   

Stephen Schofield, 70, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Denise J. Casper to nine months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. Schofield was also ordered to pay a fine of $7,500 and restitution of $1,051,000 to the Internal Revenue Service. In October 2023, Schofield pleaded guilty to one count of failure to pay over taxes.

Schofield operated and controlled two businesses – Schofield Concrete Forms in Stoneham, and Schofields of Melrose, Inc. located in Melrose. For tax years 2010 through 2020, Schofield withheld federal and state employment taxes from his employees’ wages and issued W-2 forms to the employees showing that the taxes had been withheld. However, Schofield did not pay over those taxes to the IRS as required by federal law, resulting in a federal tax loss of approximately $1,051,000. Although Schofield did not file corporate or individual tax returns for 10 years, the IRS investigation showed that Schofield used company funds to pay $612,000 to himself and $344,000 to a family member who was not a company employee. He also paid for other personal expenses including travel, jewelry, restaurants, boating supplies and opening a Fidelity investment account.  

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 Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.  

BOSTON – A Fall River man pleaded guilty yesterday to his role in a drug distribution conspiracy involving oxycodone pills.

Austin Gonsalves, 37, pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for May 30, 2024. 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 oxycodone pills, allegedly from co-defendant Kenneth Veiga, which he then distributed to others. JA search of Gonsalves’ Fall River residence in July 2023 resulted in the seizure of approximately $16,000 in cash and approximately 400 oxycodone pills.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances provides 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 the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, 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 and Explosives; U.S. Coast Guard CGIS; 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 Brazilian citizen was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.

Guilherme Pereira, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to time served (approximately six weeks) and one year of supervised release. In September 2023, Pereira pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.

Pereira was removed from the United States in August 2018 after he was convicted in Massachusetts state court of one count of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older and three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Sometime after his removal, Pereira unlawfully returned to the United States and was arrested in January 2020.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan C. Cleary and Jessica L. Soto of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for sexual exploitation of children as well as distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Robinson Alberto Baez-Nova, 39, of Jamaica Plain, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 22 years in prison followed by a lifetime supervised release. In August 2023, Baez-Nova pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children, one count of distribution of child pornography and two counts of possession of child pornography. 

“This Office will do everything in our power to protect children and punish those who traffic in child pornography. Mr. Baez-Nova callously preyed upon some of society’s most vulnerable people, perpetuated a cycle of harm and exploitation and inflicted irreparable damage upon innocent lives. Today’s sentence ensures that this predator will be removed from our communities for nearly two decades and should be a stark warning for anyone who exploits children,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “There is no higher priority than protecting the vulnerable, especially children, from this type of horrific conduct.”   

“Robinson Alberto Baez-Nova is a manipulative sexual predator who eagerly took advantage of children living in poverty in the Dominican Republic to sexually exploit them, apparently thinking he would just continue to fly under the radar,” Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division. “Today’s lengthy sentence proves him wrong and should send a message to anyone else sexually exploiting children: FBI Boston’s Child Exploitation – Human Trafficking Task Force will investigate, hold you accountable, and ensure your destination is federal prison.”

In November 2020, Baez-Nova was identified as the owner of a Google account that uploaded images and videos of CSAM between November 2018 and August 2020. 

A subsequent search of Baez-Nova’s cellphone revealed a WhatsApp chat with a 17-year-old male living in the Dominican Republic who had access to his nine-year-old niece. Beginning in or around July 2020, Baez-Nova said that he would send money to the individual and his family in the Dominican Republic if the individual produced CSAM of the minor niece. Ultimately, the individual sent Baez-Nova five different videos of his minor niece in response to the Baez-Nova’s specific requests.

Additionally, a separate WhatsApp chat with a 14-year-old minor female residing in the Dominican Republic was also found on Baez-Nova’s cellphone. In the conversations, Baez-Nova solicited the minor female to obtain images and videos of “little kids” engaged in sexual conduct in exchange for money and sent the minor CSAM, including a video of the nine-year-old minor discussed above. 

In total, over 200 images and over 400 videos of CSAM were found on Baez-Nova’s cellphone and in his Google account.

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, FBI SAC Cohen and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; Nashua Police Department; Hillsborough County (N.H.) District Attorney’s Office; and Homeland Security Investigations, Boston Field Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mackenzie Duane and Mark Grady 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 Norwell man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to felony narcotics charges. 

Frederick Dechristoforo, 57, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for June 6, 2024. Dechristoforo was arrested in November 2022 and indicted in December 2022.
    
In December 2021, a search was conducted at Dechristoforo’s residence in Norwell where several hundred counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl were recovered in the kitchen.

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. Attorneys Benjamin Tolkoff and John Reynolds of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
 

BOSTON – A Connecticut man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for fraudulently obtaining over $500,000 from his former employer, New England Sports Network (NESN). 

Ariel Legassa, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 42 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Legassa was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $580,000 and a $1,000 special assessment. In November 2023, Legassa was convicted of seven counts of mail fraud and three counts of unlawful monetary transactions following a five-day jury trial. 

“This was brazen fraud driven by the defendant’s greed. Mr. Legassa violated the faith NESN placed in him as a senior executive to game circumvent the company’s internal controls and line his own pocket. This type of criminal conduct is not just about the stolen money. The abuse of trust inherent in these types of sophisticated white collar schemes leaves a trail of victims,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.

“Supplementing your paycheck by scamming your employer is a really bad career move. But Ariel Legassa did exactly that, taking advantage of the trust NESN placed in him to steal over $575,000 which he used to fund a lavish lifestyle,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Justice demands that financial fraudsters like Legassa be held accountable for their crimes and today’s sentence ensures that he will pay for what he did with prison time and restitution.” 

From approximately December 2020 to January 2022, Legassa orchestrated a scheme to defraud NESN. In early 2021, Legassa negotiated a contract with a New York company to provide web development services for NESN. At the same time, Legassa created a fake business under the same name as the new vendor. He then used this company to receive fraudulent payments from NESN.  

During the life of the contract between the New York company and NESN, in addition to approving legitimate invoices from the New York company, Legassa created and approved 11 fake invoices from his fake business. In total, NESN paid Legassa’s fake company over $500,000. Legassa spent the funds on personal expenses, including a private plane, a Tesla, a BMW, a Land Rover and credit card bills. He also transferred the funds into other accounts under his control.

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin A. Saltzman and Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Carol E. Head of the Asset Forfeiture Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Brazilian man who formerly resided in New Bedford was sentenced to ten years imprisonment today in federal court in Boston for illegal reentry. The defendant is currently serving a sentence imposed in Massachusetts state court of 25 years-life in prison for a 2016 murder conviction. The defendant also was previously convicted of armed assault to murder and domestic assault and battery. 

Walter Gomes DaSilva, 52, was sentenced by US District Court Judge Angel Kelley to 10 years in prison to be served consecutive to his current state sentence of 25 years-life in prison for murder. In December 2019, DaSilva pleaded guilty in federal court to a one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.   

“Enforcing this country’s immigration laws for dangerous individuals who commit crimes in this country and then return after deportation is critical to public safety. Mr. DaSilva will pay a serious price for the violence he inflicted on our community,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.  

“This sentence sends the right message to any who think they can violate our immigration laws with impunity and get away with it,” said Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston. “ERO Boston recognizes and appreciates the commitment of the office of U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts for its commitment to prosecuting immigration law violators like DaSilva, who was previously convicted of murder. Enforcement of federal immigration law increases the protection of public safety and protects our communities from the potential threat posed by individuals like this defendant.”  

DaSilva was first deported from the United States in 1999 after being convicted of domestic assault and battery. Sometime after his removal, DaSilva illegally reentered the United States. In 2002, he was encountered by immigration officials after being charged with armed assault to murder in Middlesex Superior Court. DaSilva was later convicted of that charge and was sentenced to 8-10 years in prison. Upon completion of his sentence, DaSilva was placed into removal proceedings and was deported again to Brazil in March 2012.

Sometime after his 2012 removal, DaSilva illegally reentered the United States a second time. In 2016, DaSilva was encountered by immigration officials after being charged with murder in the Bristol Superior Court. DaSilva was later convicted of murder and sentenced to 25 years-life in prison.

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and ICE ERO Field Office Director Lyons made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.  

BOSTON – A West Springfield man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield to possession of a machinegun. 

Angel Vargas, Jr., 35, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a machinegun before United States District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni who scheduled sentencing for June 14, 2024. Vargas was indicted by a federal grand jury in Jan. 2023.

On Jan. 5, 2023, a search of Vargas’s residence resulted in the recovery of four loaded firearms, including a privately manufactured firearm, or “ghost gun,” with a Glock-style machinegun conversion device – i.e., a “Glock switch” designed to enable a Glock semi-automatic pistol to fire automatically. Vargas’s cell phone was also recovered which contained additional evidence of Vargas’s possession and trafficking of other firearms, including other Glock switches. At the time of Vargas’s arrest, he was on pre-trial release on a Springfield District Court case in which he was charged with various firearms crimes.

Vargas faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release. Vargas has also agreed to the administrative forfeiture of the firearms, the Glock switch and the ammunition. 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 James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance provided by the West Springfield Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.  
 

BOSTON – A Springfield man pleaded guilty on Feb. 23, 2024 in federal court in Springfield to firearms charges.

Edward Nathan Gale, 24, pleaded guilty to one count each of being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition, unlawful firearms dealing and unlawful possession of machineguns. United States District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for June 14, 2024. Gale was indicted by a federal grand jury in Feb. 2023.

Between Feb. 22, 2022, and Dec. 2, 2022, Gale manufactured and distributed approximately 50 privately manufactured firearms (“ghost guns”) to individuals located in Kansas and Massachusetts.  Between approximately Oct. 11, 2022, and Dec. 8, 2022, Gale also imported from China approximately 100 Glock-style machinegun conversion devices (“Glock switches”), approximately 60 of which he distributed in Massachusetts and elsewhere, along with other firearms and a silencer. On Jan. 5, 2023, a search of Gale’s residence resulted in the recovery of a Pioneer Arms semi-automatic rifle; numerous rounds of ammunition; assorted tools, parts and accessories used to manufacture ghost guns; and evidence of Gale’s importation and distribution of Glock switches. Gale had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison, therefore his possession of the rifle and the ammunition (as well as the Glock switches) was illegal. Gale was not licensed to manufacture or distribute firearms, therefore his manufacturing and distribution of the ghost guns and the Glock switches was also illegal.

Gale faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison on the charge of felon in possession of firearm and ammunition; five years in prison on the charge of unlawful firearms dealing; and ten years in prison on the charge of unlawful possession of machineguns. Gale also faces a maximum of three years of supervised release on each count, and he has agreed to the forfeiture of a Pioneer Arms rifle and various tools, parts and accessories for the manufacture of ghost guns. 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 James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance provided by the Springfield Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.  
 

BOSTON – A California man pleaded guilty today to his involvement in a sophisticated international money laundering and drug trafficking organization.

Qinliang Chen, 34, of Rosemead, Calif., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for July 9, 2024. 

In May 2023, Chen was among 12 individuals from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York and California charged in a superseding indictment for their alleged involvement in a sophisticated international money laundering and drug trafficking organization allegedly led by Jin Hua Zhang.

According to the charging documents, Zhang’s organization was first detected in 2021 in the greater Boston area, throughout the United States and overseas. It was determined that for a fee, Zhang laundered bulk cash for drug dealers and laundered profits from other illegal businesses. In less than a year, Zhang and his organization allegedly laundered at least $25 million worth of drug proceeds and funds from other illegal businesses. Funds were allegedly traced and seized from the Zhang organization to Hong Kong and elsewhere in China, India, Cambodia and Brazil, among other locations.

Chen served as a courier for the Zhang organization. In August and September 2022, Chen was sent to deliver $125,000 and $161,000 in cash, respectively, on behalf of the organization to a cooperating witness at a meeting location in Altamonte Springs, Fla. Chen had previously been stopped at Orlando International Airport trying to bring more than $99,000 in cash through a security checkpoint.

Zhang pleaded guilty in September 2023 and is scheduled to be sentenced in May 2024.

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

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

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

BOSTON – This week, the United States Attorney’s Office partnered with the Winchester and Waltham Police Departments to host financial fraud awareness seminars for older adults at the Winchester Senior Community Center and the Waltham Council on Aging.

The seminars provided education and awareness to local seniors about financial fraud and featured a number of presentations from seasoned professionals, including Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Deputy U.S. Attorney Mary Murrane; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Elder Justice Coordinator, with assistance from members of the Internal Revenue Service and United States Postal Service. Topics covered included common scams directed at older adults; ways to avoid being victimized; what to do if victimized; and available local, state and federal resources. This week’s events were in support of the Department of Justice’s ongoing commitment to fighting for justice for older adults and stopping elder abuse and financial fraud by actively promoting public awareness. 

According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center 2022 report, victims over 60 experienced an 84% increase in loss from 2021. The total loss reported was over $3 billion, including nearly 5,500 victims who lost over $100,000. Millions of older Americans fall prey to various financial scams, including tech support schemes; romance scams; and sweepstakes scams just to name a few. Perpetrators establish trust through online, phone, or mail communication, as well as indirectly through TV and radio. The financial exploitation of older adults often leads to a diminished quality of life through the potential loss of independence, declined health and psychological or emotional distress caused by the victimization. 

“Protecting seniors from abuse and exploitation is one of my top priorities. Outreach activities like this are essential to raise awareness and educate communities about potential threats, how to report them, steps people can take to protect themselves from being victimized and available resources,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Levy. “Scams targeting seniors are not just about the money lost – they also rob victims of their dignity and self-confidence. Our office would much rather prevent criminal conduct than prosecute it.  Nonetheless we are committed to continue our will strong track record of prosecuting individuals who prey on vulnerable members of our communities.”

“Preventing the perpetration of fraud against our elderly community is a top priority of IRS CI,” said Harry Chavis, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Boston. “This week’s seminars mark a key milestone in our efforts to educate the community and provide them with the tools they need to identify fraud schemes before they are victimized.  We appreciate the opportunity to partner with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners for this awareness seminar and we will continue that collaboration as we investigate financial fraud schemes that prey on our most vulnerable populations.”

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to protecting one of our nation’s most vulnerable populations, our senior citizens. We know that many elderly Americans are specifically targeted by scammers who aim to steal pensions and life savings through deceptive and manipulative tactics. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service takes every opportunity to conduct public outreach and educate seniors on the various ways they can safeguard themselves from becoming a scammer’s next target. We are proud to partner with our federal and local law enforcement partners on the topic of elder fraud and abuse prevention to continue this important work of protecting American seniors” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division.

“Protecting our seniors is one of our highest priorities and something we take very seriously. Bringing awareness to these scams is essential to reducing victimization.  One way we accomplish this is through partnerships. We are pleased to partner with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and look forward to future collaborations that will enhance the lives and safety of all Waltham residents” said Waltham Police Chief Daniel O’Connell.

“Since 2020, the Winchester Police Department has seen a rise in “grandchildren in need” scams, IRS fraud claims, contracting scams and fraudulent “government official” phone scams. It is through educational programs like this, that we can help prevent and protect our vulnerable residents from theft,” said Sergeant Michael DeRosa, Community Resource Officer of the Winchester Police Department. 

To learn more about common elder fraud schemes and ways to protect yourself, please visit: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/elder-fraud. You can also visit https://www.justice.gov/file/1172351/download to learn more about warning signs of elder abuse and reporting resources in Massachusetts. For more information and resources from the Department of Justice's Elder Justice Initiative, please visit https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.

If you need assistance or to report elder abuse, please contact your local adult protective services agency through the Eldercare Locator or by call the helpline at 1-800-677-1116 Monday – Friday 9am – 8pm EST. To report elder fraud, please visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center or contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833–FRAUD–11 or 833–372–8311 Monday – Friday, 10am – 6pm EST. 

BOSTON – A registered sex offender was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) via multiple groups on a messaging app. 

Angel Figueroa, 51, of Fall River, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution to several victims. In October 2023, Figueroa pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. 

Figueroa was identified as an active member of at least four messaging applications where CSAM was being disseminated. A forensic examination of Figueroa’s cell phone revealed approximately 523 images and 72 videos of CSAM depicting children as young as infants. At least one image depicted bondage of a child younger than two years old. Figueroa admitted that he downloaded, saved, and viewed CSAM using apps on his cell phone and had been doing so for one or two years. Figueroa is a registered sex offender based upon a 2013 Massachusetts state court conviction for indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years old.  

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, in New England; and Fall River Chief of Police Paul Gauvin made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Soto and Meghan C. Cleary of the Major Crimes Unit and J. Mackenzie Duane of the Criminal Division 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 member of a violent criminal enterprise was sentenced yesterday for her role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed large amounts of cocaine and cocaine base (crack cocaine) throughout Western Massachusetts.

Khristy Guzman, 39, of Holyoke, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and 24 months of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. Guzman pleaded guilty on Oct. 5, 2023.  

According to court documents, Guzman was identified as a member of a violent criminal enterprise in Springfield. During the investigation, controlled purchases and intercepted communications allegedly between Vincente Gonzalez and his co-conspirators, including Guzman, revealed that, beginning in or about April of 2021, the defendants allegedly prepared and trafficked large amounts of cocaine and crack cocaine in the Holyoke and Springfield areas. 

In furtherance of the trafficking activity, the enterprise used violence and threats of violence to allegedly control Gonzalez’s territory on Elm Street in Holyoke. Guzman’s role in the conspiracy was to manage the day-to-day sales of cocaine allegedly occurring in Gonzalez’s territory on Elm Street.  According to the court documents, the Government argued that Guzman, and allegedly her co-conspirators, aided in making local residents, including children, feel like prisoners in their own homes. The simple act of going outside put residents in direct contact with violence and exposed them to be witnesses to countless crimes.

Guzman is the second defendant to be sentenced in this case. Miguel Burgos was sentenced in September 2023 to 60 months in federal prison, followed by a term of four years of supervised release. Brigham Ocasio-Ramos is expected plead guilty on Feb. 28, 2024. Vincente Gonzalez is scheduled for a jury trial on May 6, 2024.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Holyoke Police Chief David Pratt; and Springfield Police Superintendent Cheryl Clapprood made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police’s Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Team and the Hampden District Attorney’s Office’s Strategic Action and Focused Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of the Springfield Branch 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 remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Texas man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for threatening a Boston doctor affiliated with the national LGBTQIA+ health education center.

Matthew Jordan Lindner, 39, of Comfort, Texas, was sentenced by Senior U.S.  District Judge William G. Young to three months in prison and three years of supervised release. Lindner was also ordered to pay restitution of $2,986. In December 2023, Lindner pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transmission of threatening communication. 

In August 2022, inaccurate information spread online regarding procedures doctors at Boston Children’s Hospital were performing for gender nonconforming children. On Aug. 31, 2022, Lindner called the Boston-based National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center and left a threatening voicemail targeting one of the Center’s affiliated doctors. In that voicemail, Lindner said: “You sick motherf*****s, you’re all gonna burn. There’s a group of people on their way to handle [victim]. You signed your own warrant, lady. Castrating our children. You’ve woken up enough people. And upset enough of us. And you signed your own ticket. Sleep well, you f****** c***.”

“This office will aggressively investigate and prosecute acts of hate and intimidation. Threatening a medical doctor providing essential care to children is deplorable. No one in this country should live in fear for their safety because of their identity, gender, race, religion or beliefs.  Full stop.” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “We urge the public to call their local police or the FBI if they are ever threatened with physical harm the way the doctor in this case was simply for doing his or her job.”

“Imagine the terror of having your life threatened for just doing your job. Matthew Lindner accosted a physician for doing exactly that, and in doing so instilled unnecessary fear in the medical community,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Hateful, repulsive, and threatening behavior like this has no place here, and today’s sentence demonstrates that we won’t stand for criminals terrorizing innocent people. Nobody should have to fear becoming the target of vitriol-fueled violence.”

After leaving the threatening voicemail, Lindner continued to try to contact the victim. To that end, Lindner called the victim’s former medical practice and a university where the victim was a faculty member. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian A. Fogerty and K. Nathaniel Yeager of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A member of the violent Boston gang Cameron Street pleaded guilty today to committing an armed home invasion robbery with fellow gang members.

Brendon Amado, 27, of Randolph, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threats or violence. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for May 29, 2024.

Amado was identified as an associate of Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston. According to court documents, Cameron Street members use violence, including murder and attempted murder, to preserve, protect and expand their territory. They allegedly use social media to promote Cameron Street, celebrate murders and other violent crimes and denigrate rival gangs. They allegedly possess, carry and use firearms; distribute controlled substances; commit armed robberies; and engage in human trafficking in part to generate income.

In July 2018, Amado, along with Cameron Street members and co-defendants Deronde Bethea and Michael Nguyen, committed a home invasion robbery with firearms of two victims at the home of a rival drug dealer in Canton. Amado, Bethea and Nguyen broke into the home through the back door, wearing masks and dark hoodies and carrying firearms. One victim ran out of the front door of the house and called 911. The second victim was brought into the living room, punched in the head, had a gun put to her head. as the men ransacked the house demanding, “where’s the stuff, where’s the money, where’s your boyfriend?” Amado, Bethea and Nguyen later fled the house in a silver pickup truck after stealing $2,000 in cash and a safe. Among other evidence, Amado and Bethea were identified on convenience store surveillance footage shortly before the robbery took place.

Nguyen pleaded guilty in December 2023 and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 20, 2024. Bethea pleaded guilty on on Feb. 12, 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 16, 2024. 

Conspiracy to interference with commerce by threats or violence provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and 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 Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, 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; 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 Criminal Division 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 named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
 

BOSTON – A former nurse pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to adulteration of fentanyl at a local hospital.

Caroline Sheehan, 39, of Lowell, Mass. pleaded guilty to one count of adulteration of a prescription drug with intent to defraud and mislead. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for June 12, 2024. Sheehan was charged by Information in November 2023.

While working at a Massachusetts hospital, Sheehan removed a bag of intravenous fentanyl solution from an automated dispensing machine. Sheehan used a syringe to remove fentanyl from the IV bag, injected saline into the bag to replace the fentanyl she had removed and returned the bag to its drawer in the machine. A hospital employee removed the IV bag, which laboratory testing confirmed contained less than the declared concentration of fentanyl, from the machine before any of the adulterated fentanyl solution was administered to a patient. Sheehan later admitted that she had withdrawn fentanyl from the IV bag and replaced it with saline to avoid getting caught. 
 
The charge of adulteration of a prescription drug provides a sentence of no greater than three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $10,000. 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; Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; Robert Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; and Robert H. Goldstein, MD, PhD, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Begg Lawrence, Chief of the Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
 

BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to illegally transporting dozens of firearms from Alabama into Massachusetts. 

Jahquel Pringle, 26, 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. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for June 6, 2024. Pringle was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2022 along with co-defendants Brandon Moore, Jarmori Brown and Kobe Smith. 

According to the charging documents, Pringle, Brown, Moore and, allegedly, 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 remains in federal custody pending trial. 

Both the interstate transportation charge and the conspiracy charge provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to ten years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and 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 is being 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 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.

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 Lynn man was sentenced today in connection with a years-long, multi-faceted art fraud scheme involving two purported Andy Warhol paintings. 

Brian R. Walshe, 49, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Walshe was also ordered to pay restitution of $475,000. In April 2021, Walshe pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud, interstate transportation for a scheme to defraud and unlawful monetary transaction. 

In early November 2016, a buyer found two Andy Warhol paintings for sale on eBay. The paintings were two of Warhol’s “Shadows,” a series of untitled, abstract canvas paintings from 1978. The original listing price for the paintings was $100,000. 

In the advertisement, Walshe – the eBay seller - included a picture of an invoice for the two Warhol Shadow paintings with Warhol Foundation numbers and a purchase price of $240,000. 

The buyer believed the paintings were authentic and between Nov. 3 and 5, 2016, arranged with Walshe to purchase the artwork outside of eBay for $80,000. Walshe and the buyer signed a contract which specified that the buyer had three days to terminate the contract and get a full refund if the buyer did not accept the artwork. 

On Nov. 7, 2016, the buyer’s assistant flew to Boston to retrieve the paintings, providing Walshe with a cashier’s check for $80,000. The cashier’s check was deposited that day into an account that Walshe controlled and $33,400 was subsequently withdrawn in the following 14 days. 

On Nov. 8, 2016, the buyer removed the paintings’ frames and found no Warhol Foundation authentication stamps and noticed that the canvasses and staples looked new. When he compared the paintings to the photographs from the eBay listing, they did not look identical. The buyer concluded that the paintings he purchased from Walshe were not authentic. The buyer then repeatedly attempted to contact Walshe, who initially did not respond, and then made excuses for the delay in refunding the buyer’s money.

Walshe initially gained access to the paintings through a victim who was his friend. While visiting the victim in South Korea, Walshe told the victim that he could sell some of the art for a good price. The victim agreed and let Walshe take the two Shadow paintings and other fine art pieces. A subsequent investigation revealed that Walshe sold the original Shadow paintings to a gallery in 2011. Those paintings passed through multiple hands until they were sold to buyers outside the country. To date, the government has not regained possession of the original Shadow paintings.

Additionally, the investigation also revealed that, sometime in 2011, Walshe obtained a different set of replica Shadow paintings from an artist who did not know Walshe’s purpose. In 2015, Walshe sold that set to another victim who resided in France.  

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. The Lynn Police Department provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy E. Moran, Kunal Pasricha and Philip A. Mallard of the Criminal Division and Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – Two men have been charged in U.S. District Court for their alleged sexual exploitation of a minor female and filming the assault. 

Michael Lamountain, 41, of Oxford, Mass. and Jalen Latimer, 25, of Woonsocket, R.I., were charged with one count each of sexual exploitation of a minor. Both defendants are in state custody on related offenses and will appear in federal court in Worcester today at noon. 

According to the criminal complaint, on or about July 7, 2022, Latimer traveled to Oxford where he and Lamountain created video recordings of themselves sexually exploiting a minor. 

Lamountain was previously arrested in August 2023 and subsequently charged in Worcester Superior Court with rape of a child; aggravated indecent assault and battery on a child; depicting minors in sexual conduct; human trafficking of a minor; possession of child pornography; distribution of child pornography; and intimidation of a witness. According to court documents, Latimer was arrested in February 2024 and is facing charges in Worcester Superior Court of rape of a child, aggravated indecent assault and battery of a child, human trafficking of a minor and depicting a minor in sexual conduct. 

The charge of sexual exploitation of a minor provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and 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; Worcester Police Chief Paul B. Saucier; and Oxford Police Chief Michael K. Daniels made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Rhode Island State Police and Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester 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 charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.  

BOSTON – The owner of Expansion Media (Expansion) and Hybrid Management Group (Hybrid) has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty in connection with a $110 million telemedicine fraud scheme involving medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME), including orthotics such as back and knee braces. 

Steven Richardson, 40, of Parkland, Fla., has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. 

According to the charging documents, between March 2016 and January 2023, Richardson, through his companies Expansion and Hybrid, entered into business relationships with telemarketing companies that generated leads by targeting Medicare beneficiaries. The telemarketers then allegedly paid Expansion and Hybrid on a per-order basis to generate orders for DME for these beneficiaries. To arrange for these orders to be signed, Richardson allegedly worked with medical staffing companies – including one in Massachusetts – to find doctors and nurses who were willing to review and sign prepopulated orders, typically without any contact with the beneficiaries. It is alleged that the records falsely portrayed the medical providers as having performed a legitimate examination of the beneficiary. Richardson then allegedly provided the signed orders to the telemarketing companies which sold the orders to DME suppliers. Richardson allegedly knew that these DME suppliers would use the signed orders to submit claims to Medicare for DME that was medically unnecessary, based on false documentation and tainted by kickbacks.

The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, supervised release for up to three years and a fine of up to $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; Robert Coviello, Special Agent in Charge, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Carol S. Hamilton, Regional Director, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor; and Patrick J. Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigation Service, North East Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Graber and Howard Locker of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Alexandra Brazier and Lindsey Ross of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit are prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine.

Joshua Westbrook, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In April 2023, Westbrook pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Westbrook was a methamphetamine dealer who sold large quantities of methamphetamine to others. In November 2021, in Dorchester, Westbrook distributed over 360 grams of pure methamphetamine to a cooperating witness. During the controlled purchase, Westbrook was observed carrying multiple knives, including a machete style knife. Later that month, a package destined for Westbrook was seized which contained over 440 grams of pure methamphetamine. An additional 500 grams of pure methamphetamine, a machete and a billy club were also seized from Westbrook over the course of the investigation.   

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Postal Service; Plymouth County and Norfolk County Sheriff’s Offices; Massachusetts State Police; and the Portland (Maine), Watertown, Waltham, Concord, Reading, Peabody and Hudson Police Departments. 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 Hyde Park man was convicted yesterday by a federal jury in Boston of being a felon in possession of a Smith & Wesson pistol loaded with ammunition. 

King Belin, 38, was convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for May 23, 2024. Belin was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2021. 

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. 

The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and 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 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 are 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 California man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield, Mass. for conspiring to smuggle tianeptine, a highly-addictive drug that claims to enhance mood and cognitive functioning, into the United States from China.

Ryan M. Stabile, 37, of Pasadena, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.  Stabile was also ordered to pay a forfeiture of $1,833,922. In September 2023, Stabile pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and two counts of introduction of misbranded drugs with intent to defraud and mislead. 

“Mr. Stabile knew how addicting and dangerous tianeptine was and yet it did not stop him from smuggling the illegal drug into the United States and selling it under false pretenses,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “He continued to profit off the addiction of others even after he was indicted.”

“Misbranded and unapproved drugs that are smuggled from overseas can present a serious health risk to those who buy and use them. Tianeptine is an unsafe drug that is not approved for any use in the United States. All smuggled drugs carry additional risks of unknown ingredients and unknown manufacturing conditions,” Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigation. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who attempt to traffic in these dangerous, misbranded, and unapproved drug products.”

Stabile was the owner of Supplements for Work, a company which sold the misbranded drug tianeptine, commonly known as gas station heroin, online. Stabile, through his company, marketed tianeptine as a mood enhancer and claimed that it improved cognitive functioning and falsely represented that he was selling tianeptine for research purposes only, even though he sold tianeptine to individuals for personal use. 

Stabile smuggled tianeptine in multi-kilogram quantities from China into the United States, importing between 10-15 kilograms of tianeptine per month from a Chinese supplier. Once received, Stabile divided and repackaged the tianeptine and resold it on his websites in five-gram, 10-gram and 20-gram quantities for prices between $55 and $175. Stabile’s tianeptine sales averaged $250,000 per month and comprised 95 percent of his company’s profits.

Additionally, following his indictment by a federal grand jury in November 2019, Stabile continued to sell tianeptine on the internet for several years while on pre-trial release, under a different company and website called Ultra Vulgar Festival Drip.

In total, Stabile made at least $2.2 million in illegal tianeptine sales. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FDA SAC McMillan made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla, Chief of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Blackstone man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to defrauding his former employer– a company that operates a national chain of second-hand retail stores – by using others’ identities and repeatedly falsifying working hours for employees and taking all the wages for himself. He also admitted to evading taxes on the income derived from the fraud scheme.

Anthony Prizio, 48, pleaded guilty to six counts of wire fraud, one count of tax evasion and one count of unauthorized use of another’s identity. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for May 23, 2024. Prizio was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2023.

From January 2019 until July 2021, Prizio served as manager of the company’s Worcester store location. In this position, Prizio had access to the store’s timekeeping system for employees’ working hours, human resources portal and un-activated payroll paycards issued to certain employees for wages. Prizio used his position as store manager to repeatedly falsifying working hours for employees, including employees who no longer worked there. He would then take some or all of the wages for his own use on personal expenditures, including his home’s utility expenses, vehicle registration fees and veterinary services. As part of the scheme, Prizio caused payroll debit cards to be issued in others’ names, which he then took for himself. Additionally, Prizio took steps to conceal his fraud by misrepresenting the productivity of the Worcester store to make it appear that the store processed more items, as well as by entering false paid sick and bereavement for employees to fraudulently cause payment for fictitious hours without adversely affecting the productivity measurement of the store. Prizio failed to pay taxes on any of the income derived from this fraudulent scheme.

The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross loss involved. The charge of tax evasion provides for a sentence up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $100,000. The charge of unlawful use of another’s identity as charge in this case provides for a sentence of up to 15 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; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division; and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.