District of Massachusetts

BOSTON – A Maine recidivist sex offender pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to failing to register as a sex offender when he moved from Haverhill, Mass. to Fryeburg, Maine.

Frank Boyd, 54, pleaded guilty to one count of failure to register as a sex offender, in violation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for July 18, 2023. Boyd was previously charged by complaint in August 2022 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2022. He has remained in state custody on unrelated charges since his arrest in July 2022. 

Boyd was a Level 3 Sex Offender who had been convicted of sex offenses against children in 2001 and 2009.  Accordingly, he was required to register as a sex offender and update his registration any time he moved or changed employment.  
 
In 2020, Boyd registered and listed a Haverhill, Mass., address as his residence. On or around March 23, 2021, it was determined that Boyd no longer lived at the Haverhill residence and was later found to have moved to Fryeburg, Maine. He did not register as a sex offender in Maine nor update his sex offender registration in Massachusetts at any point prior to his arrest on state charges on July 27, 2022. Boyd has two prior state court convictions in 2009 and 2015 for failure to register as a sex offender.

The charge of failure to register as a sex offender provides for a sentence of up to 10 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.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Kevin Neal, Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Maine made the announcement today. The Haverhill and Fryeburg (Maine) Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – Two Boston men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for illegally selling a dozen machinegun conversion devices.

Elijah Navarro, 24, and Michael Wilkerson, 22, were indicted on one count each of engaging in the business as a manufacturer or dealer in firearms. Wilkerson and Navarro were also indicted on one count and two counts, respectively, of transferring or possessing a machine gun. The defendants were previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Feb. 16, 2023. 

“When we look at crime data for Boston in 2022, our city remains one of very few urban centers in the country where overall violent crime remains down.  Every illegal firearm and conversion device we take off the street is preventing a potential homicide, shooting or maiming. Every piece of illegal ammunition we seize represents a life saved. The proliferation of illegal firearms and deadly conversion devices in our Commonwealth is a public health and a public safety crisis,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Mr. Navarro and Mr. Wilkerson allegedly possessed unregistered machinegun conversion devices that turn already deadly firearms into weapons of war. Our city is far too familiar with the deadly and devastating effects of gun violence. In 2021, we had 40 homicides in Boston and in 2022 we had 41 homicides. The overwhelming majority of those murders were committed with an unregistered firearm by a person expressly prohibited from possessing one. According to the Boston Police Department, fatal shootings rose by eight between 2021 and 2022. Every case we charge that removes an illegal firearm, conversion device or ammunition from the streets of Boston and Massachusetts and ultimately holds prohibited users accountable matters. We will continue to charge these types of cases and work closely with our state, local and federal law enforcement partners to end gun violence.”

“Circumventing the law by selling unregistered machine guns, and operating as a licensed dealer without the benefit of following the legal requirements is egregious, particularly when the result is providing unlawful possessors with access to fully automatic firearms”, James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “ATF will continue to actively enforce federal firearms laws to keep our communities safe.”

“It is this type of cooperative effort with our federal partners at the ATF and the U.S. Attorney's Office that allows us to take dangerous individuals off our streets and to lessen the availability of high-powered firearms in our City,” said Boston Police Commissioner Michael A. Cox. “We will continue to work together to stem the tide of illegal guns in Boston utilizing all city, state and federal resources available to us in doing so.”

According to the charging documents, in January 2023, Navarro agreed to sell 12 machinegun conversion devices to an individual in exchange for $1,700. It is alleged that, following a series of communications, Navarro met the individual twice at a pre-arranged location. It is alleged that on Jan. 19, 2023, Navarro sold the first two machinegun conversion devices to the individual for $400 and later, on Jan. 25, 2023, Navarro sold the remaining 10 devices for an additional $1,300 out of Wilkerson’s residence. 

It is alleged that during a search of Wilkerson’s residence on Feb. 16, 2023, two 3-D printers, 3-D printing material, machinegun conversion devices, a ballistic vest as well as firearms, ammunition and magazines were seized. 

Neither Navarro nor Wilkerson possess licenses to import, manufacture, deal or possess firearms.  

The charge of engaging in the business as a manufacturer or dealer in firearms provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10,000. The charge of unlawful transferring or possession of a machinegun provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

U.S. Attorney Rollins, ATF SAC Ferguson and BPD Commissioner Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – A Boston man has been charged with the Jan. 4, 2023 armed robbery of a United States Postal Service (USPS) letter carrier in Massachusetts. 

Anthony Diaz, 20, was charged by an Information with forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating and interfering with a United States Postal Employee, while they were engaged in the performance of their official duties, and did so by use of a deadly weapon, a firearm. In addition, Diaz was also charged with assaulting a person having lawful charge, custody and control of United States mail, money and other property of the United States, with the intent to rob, steal and purloin that mail, money and other property of the United States, and in doing so put the life of that victim in jeopardy by the use of a firearm. Diaz was arrested on Feb. 17, 2023 and was detained following a hearing in U.S. District Court in Worcester on Feb. 27, 2023. 

According to the charging documents, USPS has seen a rise in the use of Arrow Keys to facilitate the theft of U.S. Mail. An Arrow Key is a specific key designed to open designated blue USPS collection boxes in a specific area. These Arrow Keys are the property of USPS and it is a federal offense for an unauthorized person to possess one. Since July 2022, there have been at least 12 assaults on USPS letter carriers while in the performance of their official duties in Boston and surrounding cities and towns. 

It is alleged that, on Jan. 4, 2023, in Peabody, Mass., Diaz approached a USPS letter carrier and stated, “Give me the keys,” while pointing a semi-automatic pistol at the victim. After the victim handed Diaz the USPS vehicle key, Diaz allegedly responded, “Give me the rest of the key,” and “Hurry up or I’ll shoot you.” The victim removed his keychain, which was attached to his belt, containing his USPS Arrow Key and asked if he could have his vehicle key back. Allegedly, Diaz did not respond, as he turned, placing the firearm in his right jacket pocket, and walked directly to the dark grey sedan parked in the area of 3A Veterans Memorial Drive. It is further alleged that Diaz stopped at the rear of the vehicle with the trunk open, before getting into the driver’s seat and departing. 

The charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees, provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of robbery of any person having lawful charge, control, or custody of any mail matter or of any money or other property of the United States provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, at least 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.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Ketty Larco Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – A Springfield woman pleaded guilty today to stealing Social Security benefits.

Hilda Griffin, 41, pleaded guilty one count of false representations to Social Security Administration. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for June 30, 2023. 

Griffin served as the representative payee for three individuals who were receiving Social Security benefits. Griffin failed to disclose that the individuals stopped living with her in October 2014, and she continued to receive benefits on the individuals’ behalf through December 2014, when she stopped serving as the personal representative. In October 2016, Griffin reapplied to receive Social Security benefits on behalf of the three individuals, despite the fact that they were not in her custody. Griffin then improperly received benefits for two of the individuals through March 2017, and through May 2018 for the third individual. In total, Griffin stole more than $26,970 in benefits intended for the three individuals

The charge of false representations to the Social Security Administration provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $1,000. 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.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Sharon MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Morgan of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.  

BOSTON – A Lowell woman pleaded guilty to selling firearms to a prohibited person.
 
Leticia Alcantara, 25, pleaded guilty on March 22, 2023 to one count of selling or transferring firearms to a prohibited person. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for June 5, 2023. Alcantara was charged on Aug. 1, 2022.  

An investigation began in October 2021 which identified Alcantara as a firearms dealer in Massachusetts. On Feb. 15, 2022, Alcantara offered to sell a 9mm handgun to two individuals who, unbeknownst to her, were cooperating with law enforcement. On March 15, 2022, Alcantara met with the cooperating witnesses at a prearranged meeting location in a parking lot in Falmouth to conduct the transaction. There, Alcantara was observed entering the vehicle occupied by the cooperating witnesses and produced a black trash bag from her purse containing the firearm.  

On multiple occasions in July 2022, Alcantara communicated with one of the cooperating witnesses regarding additional firearms she was offering for sale, including sending photos of: a 9mm handgun on July 2, 2022; a small holster-grip revolver and one large black pistol on July 7, 2022; and two handguns on July 9, 2022. At the direction of law enforcement, the cooperating witness agreed to purchase the last two handguns Alcantara offered for sale. On July 12, 2022, Alcantara met with the cooperating witnesses during a controlled purchase in Plymouth. There, Alcantara was observed entering the vehicle and producing one .45 caliber pistol and one 9mm pistol from a dark colored bag.

On July 12, 2022, Alcantara sent additional photos of two firearms for sale which, at the direction of law enforcement, the cooperating witness agreed to purchase. On July 19, 2022, Alcantara arrived at the same prearranged meeting location in Plymouth where she entered the cooperating witnesses’ vehicle and provided two 9mm pistols. Following the transaction, Alcantara continued communicating with the cooperating witness about additional firearms for sale, including a handgun and an AR-15 rifle. Alcantara was arrested on July 29, 2022.

The charging statute 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.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Plymouth and Falmouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Dell’Anno of Rollins’ Major Crime Unit is prosecuting the case. 

BOSTON – A California man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to assaulting two women aboard a redeye flight from Los Angeles to Boston.  

Jairaj Singh Dhillon, 43, of Modesto, Cal., pleaded guilty on March 20, 2023 to two counts of assault while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Paul G. Levenson scheduled sentencing for June 14, 2023. Dhillon was charged in June 2022. 

During an overnight flight from Los Angeles to Boston on May 31, 2022, Dhillon engaged in unwanted sexual contact with two female passengers sitting next to him. The first victim reported that Dhillon, seated in the aisle seat next to her, touched her thigh and groin area while she was taking care of her infant child who was in a car seat in the window seat next to her. The first victim called for help and stated out loud, “this man just groped me.” The second victim, who was seated in the aisle seat opposite Dhillon, reported that Dhillon reached out with both hands and simultaneously grabbed her groin and buttocks when she was standing in the aisle. Flight crew intervened and moved Dhillon to another part of the plane for the duration of the flight. Dhillon was immediately taken into custody upon the flight’s arrival in Boston. 

The charge of assault while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States provides for a sentence of up to six months in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $5,000. 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.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Dell’Anno of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. 

BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today for racketeering (RICO) and drug trafficking conspiracies stemming from his involvement in the Boston-based street gang, NOB. 

Ricky Pina, a/k/a “Blake,” 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 15 years in prison and three years of supervised release. In June 2022, Pina pleaded guilty to one count of RICO conspiracy.

Pina is one of 10 defendants indicted on various federal charges in June 2020, as part of a broader federal sweep targeting numerous NOB members and associates in which 31 total defendants were charged.  All of Pina’s co-defendants have pleaded guilty to various charges and have been sentenced.  

“For years, the NOB gang was responsible for brutal and senseless violence that terrorized neighborhoods in and around Dorchester. At the center of it all was Mr. Pina, who personally committed, planned, and supported the gang’s vicious crimes and illegal operations,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Mr. Pina played a critical role in the brutal execution of a young man who was just getting a haircut. Mr. Pina’s conduct left behind a devastated family who lost a precious loved one. Dismantling these types of dangerous criminal enterprises – and prosecuting the individuals who run them – remains of the highest priorities of this office. This lengthy sentence should send a clear and direct message that those participate in gang violence will be identified, prosecuted and put behind bars.” 

“ATF is proud to work shoulder to shoulder with BPD and many other agencies to be a force multiplier in the fight against violent crime. Together we partner to focus on making our communities safer,” said James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division.

“Ricky Pina engaged in a ruthless campaign of gang-related violence, and trafficked deadly drugs, including fentanyl, to gain respect, reputation, and rank within this criminal enterprise. Today he learned his fate for victimizing the people of Dorchester, and beyond,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “While Mr. Pina spends the next 15 years behind bars, the FBI will continue to leverage our law enforcement partnerships to keep sustained pressure on gangs like NOB, and others who are the primary drivers of violent crime in our communities.”  

According to court documents, NOB – an abbreviation for the Norton/Olney/Barry Streets in Dorchester – is a violent criminal enterprise whose members and associates are involved in numerous types of criminal activities throughout Massachusetts, including murders, attempted murders, armed robberies, drug trafficking, sex trafficking and illegal firearms offenses. In addition to multiple firearms and drugs being recovered during the investigation, numerous contraband items were also seized, including: 11 firearms; over one kilogram of fentanyl (including over 2,000 fentanyl pills manufactured to appear as commercial oxycodone pills); a commercial pill press; over 15 pounds of marijuana; and approximately $36,000 in cash.

Pina was an active, central and violent member of the gang who personally committed, planned and supported various crimes on behalf of the NOB. At sentencing, Pina was found responsible for the Sept. 5, 2017 murder of a young man in a Boston barbershop. On that date, at approximately 10:46 a.m., a hooded and masked individual shot and killed the victim, who was getting a haircut inside the barbershop. The shooter fled with another accomplice on a scooter. 

At the time, Pina was subject to GPS monitoring for a state criminal case. GPS data for Pina’s location on the date of the shooting, corroborating images from various video cameras over several blocks near the shooting, witness interviews and analysis of several phones associated with NOB members/associates determined that the murder of the victim was a gang-related murder which Pina supported by providing the location of the victim to the shooter. Specifically, Pina repeatedly traveled to the barbershop in a relatively short period of time leading up to the murder, consistent with Pina gathering information about the victim. Pina’s final pass by the barbershop occurred within minutes of the victim being shot. 

FAUSA Levy; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; ATF SAC Ferguson; FBI SAC Bonavolonta; Brian Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Colonel John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira; Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan; Randolph Police Chief Anthony Marag; Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez; Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara; Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins; Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald, Jr.; Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III; and Norfolk County Sheriff Patrick W. McDermott made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Crowley and Sarah Hoefle of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case. 

The Justice Department, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have entered into a consent decree with the City of Holyoke, Massachusetts, to resolve the Clean Water Act and Massachusetts state law. The proposed consent decree calls for Holyoke to take further remedial action to reduce ongoing sewage discharges into the Connecticut River from the city’s sewer collection and stormwater systems.

As detailed in the consent decree, Holyoke discharges pollutants from combined sewer overflow (CSO) into the Connecticut River in violation of its federal and state wastewater discharge permits. A combined sewer system collects rainwater runoff, domestic sewage and industrial wastewater into one pipe. Under normal conditions, it transports all of the wastewater to a sewage treatment plant for treatment before discharging to a waterbody. However, during periods of heavy rain, the wastewater volume can exceed the carrying capacity of the sewer system or the treatment facility, resulting in the discharge of untreated wastewater to the Connecticut River. CSO discharges contain raw sewage and are a major water pollution concern.

In full cooperation with federal and state environmental agencies, the city has taken steps in recent years to address these unlawful discharges, including finalizing a long-term overflow control plan, separating sewers and eliminating overflows in the Jackson Street area. The consent decree will require the city to undertake further sewer separation work that will eliminate or reduce additional CSO discharges, as well as requiring a $50,000 penalty for past permit violations resulting in illegal discharges to the Connecticut River.

The city will also conduct sampling of its storm sewer discharges, work to remove illicit connections and take other actions to reduce pollution from stormwater runoff. The total cost to comply with the proposed consent decree is estimated at approximately $27 million.

“Today’s settlement will significantly reduce pollution in the Connecticut River and improve water quality for the Holyoke community,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Justice Department will continue pursuing environmental justice in communities burdened by pollution in rivers and streams to support the health and safety of all communities.”

“Fiercely protecting our environment is a civil and human rights issue and ensuring that every community has clean water is a vital part of that work. This consent decree better protects the residents of Holyoke and every single community that lives along and enjoys the Connecticut River,” said U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins for the District of Massachusetts. “We will continue to require with the full force of the federal government that every community is healthy and safe.”

“Under the terms of today’s settlement, the City of Holyoke will take additional steps to reduce the amount of untreated sewage discharged during heavy rain events,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “The result of this work will be cleaner, safer water for communities that make use of the Connecticut River.”

Holyoke owns and operates a sewer collection system that services approximately 70% of the city, two-thirds of which carries both sewage and stormwater.

This settlement is part of EPA’s continuing efforts to keep raw sewage and contaminated stormwater out of our nation’s waters. Raw sewage overflows and inadequately controlled stormwater discharges from municipal sewer systems introduce a variety of harmful pollutants, including disease causing organisms, metals and nutrients that threaten our communities’ water quality and can contribute to disease outbreaks, beach and shellfish bed closings, flooding, stream scouring, fishing advisories and basement backups of sewage.

The proposed consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court. Once it is published in the Federal Register, a copy of the consent decree will be available on the Justice Department website at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.

BOSTON – A Manchester, N.H., man was sentenced in federal court in Boston for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute.

Michael Warner, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 77 months in prison and four years of supervised release. On Dec. 19, 2022, Warner pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. 

In August 2020, Warner was observed leaving a known drug source location in Lawrence. Once on the highway, law enforcement stopped Warner, who admitted to buying 70 grams of fentanyl, an amount consistent with narcotics distribution. Additionally, Warner committed this offense while on parole following a state robbery conviction. 

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
 

BOSTON – A Lowell postal worker was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for attempting to bribe a postal supervisor and sell them cocaine.

John Noviello, of Nashua, N.H., 61, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to one day in prison and three years of supervised release, with nine months spent in home detention. On Nov. 1, 2022, Noviello pleaded guilty to one count of bribery of a public official and one count of distribution of cocaine.

Noviello was a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in Lowell. On Feb. 15, 2022, Noviello approached a U.S. Postal supervisor seeking their assistance in a scheme to divert postal packages suspected of containing cocaine. Noviello offered to pay the supervisor $1,750 per kilogram of cocaine successfully obtained from any diverted packages. On Feb. 17, 2022, Noviello left $850 in cash, concealed in a bag, inside the supervisor’s vehicle in an attempt to encourage the supervisor to agree to the scheme. Noviello, referring to the $850, later commented to the supervisor, “that was a nice envelope for starters.” After contacting authorities, the supervisor conducted a controlled purchase from Noviello during which the defendant distributed approximately 3.7 grams of cocaine for $200. Noviello was charged for the offense on May 11, 2022.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Office; and Ketty Larco Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A former Tyngsborough police officer was sentenced today in federal court in Boston. 

Daniel Whitman, 39, of Salisbury, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to one year and one day in prison and two years of supervised release. Whitman was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine. In October 2022, Whitman pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud conspiracy; two counts of bank fraud; two counts of making false statements to a bank; one count of possession of an unregistered firearm; one count of conspiracy to violate provisions of the National Firearms Act (NFA); one count of making a firearm in violation of the NFA; and one count of transferring a firearm in violation of the NFA.

Whitman was a police officer with the Tyngsborough Police Department and the owner of Hitman Firearms, LLC, a retail gun shop in Tyngsborough. Whitman created Freedom Alley Shooting Sports LLC, which he envisioned as a large indoor shooting range that would serve regional and international customers and offer shooting clinics and other services. Whitman and his co-conspirator, Bin Lu, brought in a Chinese investor who contributed several million dollars to Freedom Alley in exchange for a majority interest in the company. However, in applying for loans from federally insured banks to fund the construction of Freedom Alley, Whitman hid the true source of their initial funding from the banks and filed false documents in connection with their loan applications.

In addition, Whitman knowingly made, possessed and transferred firearms that had been modified by the addition of stocks and short barrels, resulting in their classification as short-barreled rifles (SBR) under the NFA. These SBRs were not properly registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by the NFA, nor did Whitman pay the applicable taxes or fulfill other requirements under the NFA.

In June 2021, Lu pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 6, 2023.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Jonathan Davidson, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Boston; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The Tyngsborough and Westford Police Departments provided special assistance in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan D. Panich of Rollins’ Criminal Division, Christine J. Wichers of Rollins’ Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit and Eugenia M. Carris, Deputy Chief of Rollins’ Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit, prosecuted the case. 

BOSTON – The former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti was indicted today for illegally obtaining a Permanent Resident Card (commonly referred to as a Green Card) by means of a false statement, specifically, that he had not ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.

Jean Morose Viliena, 50, was indicted on three counts of visa fraud and will appear in federal court in Boston today later today. 

“The atrocities alleged here – the extrajudicial torture, murder and attempted murder of multiple people – are hard to comprehend. But the political corruption and violence endured in other parts of the world are very real. Immigrants seeking asylum in the United States are often fleeing war, persecution or natural disaster. That this defendant, a former Mayor in Haiti, is alleged to have personally committed or ordered the maiming, harm, humiliation or death of his adversaries and then blatantly deceived our country to seek refuge here is not only unacceptable, it is a crime. Moments ago, he was arrested and officially charged with visa fraud. We intend to hold him accountable for this crime,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Gaining lawful entry into our country is a privilege, not a right. Our nation offers protection, assistance and asylum to those who are persecuted. People that perpetrate acts of violence and harm in their countries — and then allegedly lie about their conduct to US immigration officials — are not welcome here.”

“Today’s indictment recounts horrific violence Viliena is alleged to have committed against the people of Haiti, both through armed groups he directed and by his own hand,” said Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “He’s alleged to have lied about this violent past, evading the consequences of his actions and beginning a life here in Massachusetts. With today’s indictment and arrest, Viliena is finally facing federal criminal charges for his lies.”

According to court documents, Viliena was the former mayor of Les Irois, Haiti from December 2006 until at least February 2010. As a candidate and as a Mayor, Viliena was backed by a political machine called Korega, which exerts power throughout the southwestern region of Haiti through armed violence. Viliena personally supervised his mayoral staff and security detail and led an armed group in Les Irois aligned with Korega. Under Viliena’s direct supervision, the Korega militia enforced Viliena’s policies by various means, including by targeting political opponents in Les Irois through armed violence.

According to the indictment, as Mayor, Viliena was involved in several instances of violence. The first allegedly occurred in or around July 27, 2007 when a witness spoke at a judicial proceeding in Les Irois on behalf of a neighbor who had been assaulted by Viliena. In reprisal for that testimony, that evening, Viliena allegedly led an armed group to that witness’ home, where Viliena and his associates shot and killed the witness’ younger brother, and then smashed his skull with a large rock before a crowd of bystanders. 

The second incident allegedly occurred in or around March 2008, when a group of local journalists and activists founded a community radio station. According to court documents, Viliena opposed establishment of the radio station and, on April 8, 2008, mobilized members of his staff and the Korega militia to forcibly shut down the radio station and seize its broadcasting equipment. At that time, Viliena distributed firearms to the Korega militia members, some of whom also carried machetes, picks, and sledgehammers. 

On the day of the attack on the radio station, Viliena allegedly pistol-whipped an individual with his gun and struck him with his fists. When the individual tried to flee, it is alleged that Viliena ordered one of his associates to shoot and kill him. Shots were fired which hit the individual in the leg. The individual spent several months in various hospitals and his leg was later amputated above his knee. Another individual, also a citizen of Haiti, became a target of Viliena allegedly because of his association with the radio station. It is alleged that on the day of the attack of the radio station, that individual was present and when he tried to flee, he was hit by a bullet in the face. He required months of intensive medical treatment, including two surgeries to extract shotgun pellets from his face, which left him permanently blind in one eye. According to court documents, pieces of shotgun pellets remain in the individual’s scalp and arms.  

On June 3, 2008, Viliena presented himself at the United States Embassy Consular Office in Port au Prince, Haiti where he submitted an Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, Form DS-230, Part II in order to gain entry to the United States. The form specifically requires that each applicant state whether or not they are a member of any class of individuals that are excluded from admission into the United States, including those who have “ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.” It is alleged that Viliena falsely responded that he was not. Viliena thereafter swore to, or affirmed, before a U.S. Consular Officer that the contents of the application were true and signed the application. According to court documents, thereafter, on or about June 4, 2008 and based upon Viliena’s false representations in the Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Form DS-230, the U.S. Department of State approved Viliena’s DS-230 application.  

On or about July 14, 2008 – as the result of the approval of his DS-230 application – Viliena gained entry into the United States and was thereafter granted lawful permanent residence status in the United States. As a further result, Viliena received a Permanent Resident Card. Viliena has continued to possess a Permanent Resident Card and has used such card on numerous occasions to enter the United States.  

The charge of visa fraud provides for a sentence of  up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

U.S. Attorney Rollins; HSI Acting SAC Krol; Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office; and Malden Police Chief Glenn Cronin made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of Rollins’ National Security Unit and Christina Giffin and Alexandra Skinnion of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Unit Section (HRSP) are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP historian Christopher Hayden.

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 Florida entrepreneur was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in an insider trading scheme that generated more than $4.5 million in profits.

David Schottenstein, 39, of Surfside, Fla., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to one year and one day in prison and five years of supervised release, during which he will be required to perform 30 hours per week of community service. In February 2022, Schottenstein pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud. Judge Woodlock delayed formal imposition of the pronounced sentence pending additional briefing.

Between August 2017 and May 2019, Schottenstein obtained material nonpublic information (MNPI) from members of his own family—who are major shareholders or directors of several publicly traded companies—regarding the earnings results and merger-and-acquisition activity of those companies. According to court documents, Schottenstein traded on that information and provided it to two of his friends—one of whom controlled a hedge fund in which Schottenstein was an investor—who also traded on it. The publicly traded companies in which Schottenstein and his co-conspirators traded included Aphria, Inc., DSW, Inc. and Rite Aid Corp., among others. Through this scheme, Schottenstein and his alleged co-conspirators netted at least $4.5 million.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Criminal/Cyber Division, Washington Field Office, made the announcement today. The Securities & Exchange Commission and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Frank and Seth B. Kosto – Chief and Deputy Chief, respectively, of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit – prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – An Easton man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute cocaine in Massachusetts and Maine as part of a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy.

Christopher Riley, 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute cocaine before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani, who scheduled sentencing for June 13, 2023. 

Riley was charged in November 2021 along with 12 others in connection with a large drug conspiracy centering around the Gangster Disciples in Lawrence, Haverhill and Methuen. The investigation, which began in August 2020, intercepted communications between Gangster Disciples’ leaders, members and drug suppliers pertaining to their alleged distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and Suboxone in Massachusetts, Maine and southern New Hampshire as well as into the Essex County Jail. The investigation intercepted phone calls between Riley and other gang members, who conspired distribute cocaine in Massachusetts and Maine. 

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and John E. Mawn, Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

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

This case is also a 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 defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – The City of Holyoke has entered into a proposed consent decree with federal and state environmental enforcement authorities agreeing to resolve violations of the Clean Water Act and Massachusetts state law to reduce future sewage discharges into the Connecticut River from the City’s sewer collection and stormwater systems.

The consent decree, filed today in federal court, is the result of an enforcement action brought by the Department of Justice, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, on behalf of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). 

As stated in the settlement document, Holyoke discharges pollutants from combined sewer overflow (CSO) into the Connecticut River in violation of its federal and state wastewater discharge permits. In full cooperation with federal and state environmental agencies, the City has taken steps in recent years to address these discharges, including finalizing a CSO long term control plan and eliminating the Jackson Street CSO.  The consent decree will require the City to undertake further sewer separation work that will eliminate or reduce additional CSO discharges.

The City will also conduct sampling of its storm sewer discharges, work to remove illicit connections, and take other actions to reduce pollution from stormwater runoff. The consent decree also includes a $50,000 penalty for past permit violations as a result of CSO discharges. 

In 2019, at the request of the Department of Justice and the Massachusetts Attorney General, the court entered a partial consent decree whereby Holyoke agreed to develop a long-term plan for reducing sewer discharges. The consent decree filed today represents the parties’ proposed final agreement to reduce sewer discharges and would supersede the prior decree.

“Fiercely protecting our environment is a civil and human rights issue and ensuring that every community has clean water is a vital part of that work. This consent decree better protects the residents of Holyoke and every single community that lives along and enjoys the Connecticut River,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “We will continue to require with the full force of the federal government that every community is healthy and safe.” 

“Today’s settlement will significantly reduce pollution in the Connecticut River and improve water quality for the Holyoke community,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Justice Department will continue pursuing environmental justice in communities burdened by pollution in rivers and streams to support the health and safety of all communities.”

“This settlement is good news for Holyoke citizens, and for the health and enjoyment of the Connecticut River and downstream communities. As Holyoke includes historically disadvantaged communities, this settlement is especially important for ensuring that all citizens can enjoy a clean and healthy environment,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “EPA is committed to continuing to work with the city to ensure that residents who live along the Connecticut River have clean and safe water. The timing of this is fortunate, as funding assistance available in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law may help defray costs borne by local ratepayers.”

Holyoke owns and operates a sewer collection system that services approximately 70% of the City, two-thirds of which carries both sewage and stormwater. Most of the time, the combined system transports all wastewater to the facility for treatment. However, during periods of heavy rain the wastewater volume can exceed the capacity of the sewer system or the treatment facility and the excess wastewater will discharge to the Connecticut River without treatment. CSO discharges contain raw sewage and are a major water pollution concern.    

The proposed consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court. Once it is published in the Federal Register, a copy of the consent decree will be available on the Justice Department website at https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.

U.S. Attorney Rollins; AAG Kim; EPA Regional Administrator Cash; Massachusetts Attorney General Campbell; and MassDEP Acting Commissioner Gary Moran made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. LaMacchia of Rollins’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit, Assistant Attorney General I. Andrew Goldberg of Campbell’s Environmental Protection Division, Tonia Bandrowicz of EPA and Henry Friedman of the Environmental Enforcement Section of the Department of Justice handled the matter.

BOSTON – A Boston man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for a drug distribution offense involving fentanyl. 

Csean Skerritt, a/k/a “Shizz Grimmy,” a/k/a “Black,” 34, was indicted on one count of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Skerritt was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Feb. 6, 2023. 

According to the charging documents, on Feb. 1, 2023, Skerritt agreed to sell 50 grams of fentanyl to an individual in exchange for $1,500. It is alleged that, following a series of communications, Skerritt met the individual at a pre-arranged location. There, Skerritt allegedly entered the individual’s car and provided approximately 55 grams of fentanyl in exchange for the agreed-upon amount.

The charge of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years 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.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – A Worcester man has been sentenced in federal court in Worcester for conspiracy to commit a robbery and distribute over 500 grams of cocaine. 

Junior a/k/a “Junito” Melendez, 42, was sentenced on March 17, 2023 by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 156 months in prison followed by eight years of supervised release. In March 2022, Melendez was convicted after trial of conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine. On May 17, 2022, Melendez pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit a Hobbs Act robbery.  

In March 2019, law enforcement intercepted a series of calls revealing that Melendez and three other Worcester men – Grace Katana, Keith Johnson and Shaun Walker – were organizing a robbery. 
   
On March 25, 2019, the four men were tracked as they drove over 60 miles in two cars from Worcester to the robbery target in Rockland, specifically, the home of a seller of glass marijuana smoking devices. Melendez and Katana went to a nearby hardware store and purchased a crowbar, razor blades and an 8-inch screwdriver, while Johnson and Walker waited in a parked car outside the store. Law enforcement intervened and seized a loaded .380 caliber firearm from the car occupied by Johnson and Walker, who were arrested. Melendez and Katana were released from the scene. 

Intercepted communications following the robbery confirmed that Melendez was conspiring with at least five other men – including Juan Rodriguez, Antoine Mack, Kevin Jean, Angel Cordova and Carlos Richards – to buy significant quantities of powder cocaine, convert some of that powder cocaine into crack cocaine and distribute powder and crack cocaine in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. From March 2019 through June 2019, investigators identified over four kilograms of cocaine that Melendez either purchased or sold, including over 300 grams of cocaine that was seized in New Hampshire on May 25, 2019.    

All three of Melendez’s co-defendants in the robbery conspiracy have been convicted. Katana was convicted after jury trial and sentenced to 64 months in prison. Walker pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years in prison. Keith Johnson pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.  

As to Melendez’s co-defendants in the drug trafficking conspiracy, Juan Rodriguez and Kevin Jean were convicted after a jury trial and sentenced to 52 months and 40 months in prison, respectively. Antoine Mack pleaded guilty and was sentenced 54 months in prison. Angel Cordova pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Carlos Richards remains a fugitive.   

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement today. Valuable was provided by Massachusetts State Police, New Hampshire State Police, Shrewsbury Police and the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg A. Friedholm, Kristen M. Noto and Lauren A. Graber of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the cases.

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 defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a fraud scheme that stole more than $8 million from hundreds of romance scam victims. 

Kofi Osei, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 54 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Osei was also ordered to pay $4,122,558 in restitution and forfeiture. In September 2022, Osei pleaded guilty to seven counts of making a false statement to a bank, six counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. 

Between 2016 and 2020, Osei opened at least 77 bank accounts using fake passports in others’ names and then received and quickly withdrew proceeds obtained from fraud victims. The victims, often elderly, were the targets of romance scams. Osei’s co-conspirators created and used fictious online dating profiles to capitalize on the victims’ desire for companionship, gain their trust and direct victims to transfer money based on lies. Osei coordinated with his co-conspirators to receive the fraud proceeds into the bank accounts he opened. Osei then withdrew the fraud proceeds in cash or with a cashier’s check, sending a portion back to his co-conspirators. In total, the money-laundering scheme received more than $8 million in fraud proceeds, $4 million of which went directly into accounts that Osei opened and controlled. 

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen A. Kearney and Christopher J. Markham of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Mexican man residing in Lawrence pleaded guilty yesterday to possessing fentanyl intended for distribution and to illegally re-entering the United States after deportation.

Jesus Gracielo Garcia-Vega a/k/a Jonathan Ivan Badillo-Hernandez, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of unlawful re-entry of a deported alien. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for July 26, 2023. Garcia-Vega was initially charged by criminal complaint in March 2022 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2022. Garcia-Vega was again charged in a superseding indictment in June 2022 and in a superseding information in January 2023.

On March 23, 2022, Garcia-Vega gave a sample of fentanyl to a confidential source working with law enforcement. During that transaction, Garcia-Vega agreed to sell fentanyl the next day to the confidential source. On March 24, 2022, Garcia-Vega drove to the Premium Outlets in Wrentham with a kilogram of fentanyl inside a laundry bag, intending to sell it to the confidential source.  Garcia-Vega was later stopped by police on I-495 in Westford and arrested.  Subsequent investigation determined that Garcia-Vega had been deported from the United States on March 23, 2016, after which he unlawfully re-entered the country.

The charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

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

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

Lasall Johnson, 54, was charged with possession of child pornography. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston yesterday afternoon before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein, Johnson was detained pending a hearing scheduled for March 23, 2023.

According to the charging documents, an investigation into suspected CSAM being exchanged on an online peer to peer file sharing network identified a user located at Johnson’s residence. It is alleged that, during a subsequent search of Johnson’s address, six electronic devices were seized that were found to contain several images and videos depicting CSAM.

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.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Chelsea Police Keith Houghton made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

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

BOSTON – A North Andover man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for conspiring to commit kidnapping and conspiracy to smuggle drugs into the Essex County Jail.

Steven Rios, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to eight years in prison and three years of supervised release. In October 2022, Rios pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and conspiracy to distribute Suboxone. 

Rios was charged in November 2021 along with 12 others in connection with a large drug conspiracy centering around the Gangster Disciples in Lawrence, Haverhill and Methuen. The investigation, which began in August 2020, intercepted communications between Gangster Disciples’ leaders, members and drug suppliers pertaining to their alleged distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and Suboxone in Massachusetts, Maine and southern New Hampshire as well as into the Essex County Jail. The investigation intercepted phone calls between Rios and other gang members, who conspired to kidnap and assault a marijuana supplier from Maine. The dispute originated from an alleged drug debt and suspicions that the drug supplier had stolen one of Rios’s breeding dogs. Following related search warrants, Rios was again intercepted in phone calls planning to smuggle Suboxone into the Essex County Jail when he was arrested. Jail officials were able to screen Rios, who had attempted to smuggle drugs into the jail by swallowing them. After several days at the hospital, jail officials seized Suboxone from Rios. 

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

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

This case is also a 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 defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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

David Acosta, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Alison D. Burroughs to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In November 2022, Acosta pleaded guilty to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

On Oct. 22, 2020, Acosta was found in possession of a loaded Glock .45 caliber pistol and 10 rounds of assorted .45 caliber ammunition. Co-defendant, Marquise Thompson pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to three years of supervised release on Nov. 15, 2022. 

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.  

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce 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 Fitchburg man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester for his role in a wide-ranging fentanyl, heroin, crack and cocaine trafficking conspiracy.

Pedro Villot-Santiago, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 280 grams or more of cocaine base (commonly known as crack cocaine) and 500 grams or more of cocaine. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Sept. 12, 2023. Villot-Santiago was indicted in July 2020 along with 17 others, including his brother and co-conspirator Jonathan Villot.

Following a fatal fentanyl overdose in September 2018, an investigation began into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) in the Fitchburg area. Beginning in July 2019, court authorized interceptions of wire and electronic communications between members of the DTO and its suppliers revealed Villot-Santiago as a large-scale cocaine supplier. 

Over the course of the investigation, over 1.8 kilograms of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, over 3.6 kilograms of cocaine and over 50 grams of crack cocaine were seized, as well as a stolen, loaded handgun, drug manufacturing equipment and over $376,000. On the day of his arrest in July 2023, Villot-Santiago was found in possession of a stolen, loaded handgun, as well as over $252,000 in cash.  
    
Villot-Santiago is the last of all 18 defendants to be convicted in this case – either by guilty plea or jury conviction following trial.  

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. The Fitchburg and Lunenburg Police Departments and U.S. Postal Inspection Service provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.  

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

BOSTON – A Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) and a Boston man have been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly conspiring to illegally traffic and straw purchase firearms.

Cory Daigle, 29, of Revere, and Gustavo Rodriguez, 20 of Boston, were each indicted on one count of conspiracy to make false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL and one count of aiding and abetting making false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL. Shakim Grant, 21, of Boston, was charged by Information with the same offenses. Daigle was also indicted on one count of trafficking in firearms, one count of illegal possession of a machine gun and one count of receipt or possession of an unregistered firearm. In January 2023, Daigle, Grant and Rodriguez were charged by criminal complaint. 

According to the indictment, from in or about August 2022 through November 2022, Daigle and Rodriguez conspired to create false entries in records required to be maintained by Daigle, an FFL, in order to conceal the illegal sale of multiple firearms via Grant to Rodriguez, who could not lawfully purchase or possess firearms. Specifically, it is alleged that Daigle and Grant made and signed false representations on required forms to disguise Rodriguez’s identity as the true firearm purchaser. Rodriguez is prohibited from possessing a firearm. It is further alleged that the defendants attempted to coverup the illegal straw purchase by providing false information to law enforcement. 

“Straw purchases are serious crimes that can result in deadly firearms getting into the hands of people the law strictly prohibits from possessing them. Frequently, we find that gun violence, including shootings and murders, is committed with an illegally obtained firearm by prohibited individuals, whether they are unlicensed, underage or precluded due to criminal history. In fact, that is exactly what is alleged to have happened here.  Mr. Rodriguez does not have a license to legally possess or carry firearms and is banned from having a firearm in Massachusetts based on his age. Through excellent investigative work, authorities were led to an alleged straw purchaser, Grant, and Daigle, a Federal Firearms Licensee and gun vendor at a mill in Littleton, Massachusetts which has been publicly reported to be the largest congregation of gun vendors at a single address in the country. We allege that these individuals circumvented the law to knowingly engage in a straw purchase,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “This criminal conspiracy came to light in the wake of a violent shooting in Boston. These types of crimes can have real and life altering consequences.  We pledge to aggressively combat the illegal trafficking of firearms in our Commonwealth and to hold all participants – not just the buyers – in straw purchases accountable.”

“When you buy a gun for someone who is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm, you could be buying yourself time in federal prison,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, Boston Field Division. “The surge of gun violence in our cities is being fueled by individuals who circumvent the law and put firearms in the wrong hands. Our mission is clear and we will continue working with our partners to stop the flow of illegal firearm transfers that fuel the cycles of violence.”

The charge of conspiracy to make false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aiding and abetting making false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of trafficking in firearms provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of illegal possession of a machine gun provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of receipt or possession of an unregistered firearm 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.

U.S. Attorney Rollins, ATF Boston SAC Ferguson and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Revere Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Amanda P. Masselam Strachan, Co-Chief of United States Attorney Rollins’ Criminal Division, has been selected by the National Association of Former United States Attorneys (NAFUSA) as the recipient of its 2023 J. Michael Bradford Memorial Award for Most Outstanding Assistant United States Attorney. 

Each year, the distinguished J. Michael Bradford Memorial Award is awarded to one AUSA in the nation in recognition of outstanding performance. The recipient is selected for their remarkable handling of a significant investigation and prosecution(s) that has had a significant impact and merits special recognition. AUSA Strachan is the sixth woman to be awarded this honor since its inception in 1999.

“AUSA Strachan is an outstanding lawyer, a fierce advocate on behalf of victims, and a leader among leaders in our District and the legal community. Her acumen, compassion and dedication are evident in every case she has prosecuted over the course of her 16-year career as an AUSA, but her decade-long role in pursuing justice for the 793 victims of the New England Compounding Center (NECC) fungal meningitis outbreak makes her uniquely deserving of this exceptional honor,” said U.S. Attorney Rollins. 

In the fall of 2012, a nationwide outbreak of fungal meningitis infected patients in 20 states. The CDC and FDA traced the fungal infections to contaminated steroid injections (MPA) produced by NECC, a compounding pharmacy then located in Massachusetts. NECC had sold and shipped more than 17,000 vials of contaminated MPA to medical facilities throughout the nation. The CDC identified staggering amounts of contamination within these supposedly sterile vials of MPA, which doctors injected into patients’ bodies to treat back and joint pain. NECC’s contaminated drugs infected at least 793 individuals and caused more than 100 of them to die. 

The fungal meningitis outbreak is the largest public health crisis ever caused by a compounded drug. AUSA Strachan and her team conducted a thorough investigation which uncovered evidence of widespread systemic fraud at NECC and a shocking disregard for patients’ lives. The investigation discovered dangerously unsafe production practices and unsanitary conditions inside NECC’s facility. 

In December 2014, 14 NECC owners, employees and executives were indicted on numerous counts, including RICO, RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the FDA, mail fraud, structuring, and FDCA violations. Between 2017-2019, AUSA Strachan led four trials against the defendants (totaling 24 weeks), and four other defendants pleaded guilty. In total, 13 defendants were convicted of 168 counts. Additionally, AUSA Strachan won four affirmative appeals in this case before the First Circuit to ensure full accountability for the defendants and complete recognition for all 793 victims. 

AUSA Strachan’s tireless advocacy on the victims’ behalf went beyond the courtroom; she successfully lobbied the Office of Victims of Crime to recognize the fungal meningitis victims as crime victims and helped secure for them a $40 million federal contribution to the Victims of Violent Crimes Compensation Fund. In the face of this unprecedented national tragedy, AUSA Strachan’s steadfast commitment to holding the wrongdoers accountable secured a measure of justice for the victims and their families and shined a light on the abuses of the compounding pharmacy industry. 

“As brilliant and tenacious as she is as a lawyer, AUSA Strachan also has demonstrated that she is an exceptional leader. She inspired and empowered a team of AUSAs, legal assistants, victim specialists, and other professionals to do their best work on behalf of these victims. Her impressive mentoring and management skills led me to promote her to Co-Chief of our Criminal Division, making her only the second woman ever appointed to lead the Criminal Division,” said U.S. Attorney Rollins. 

AUSA Strachan is a two-time recipient of the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service (2013, 2019) and received EOUSA’s Director’s Award for Superior Performance by a Litigative Team in 2020. In 2019, AUSA Strachan was named a Top Woman of Law by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. 

BOSTON – Three men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with the Nov. 17, 2022 armed bank robbery of the Rockland Trust Bank in Tisbury, Mass.

Miquel Antonio Jones, 39, of Edgartown, and Omar Odion Johnson, 32 of Canterbury, N.H., were indicted on one count each of armed bank robbery and aiding and abetting. Romane Andre Clayton, 21, of Jamaica, was indicted on one count of being an accessory after the fact to armed bank robbery. Jones, Johnson and Clayton will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. Following the defendants’ initial arrest and charge by criminal complaint in December 2022, Jones and Johnson have remained in custody and Clayton was released on conditions.

According to the charging documents, on the morning of Nov. 17, 2022, three masked and armed individuals forced their way into the rear door of the Rockland Trust Bank in Tisbury. All three individuals were wearing dark colored clothing and white masks resembling an elderly man with exaggerated facial features. According to witnesses, each of the individuals were allegedly carrying what appeared to be semi-automatic handguns. The video surveillance also showed that one of the individuals was carrying what appeared to be a walkie-talkie. Once inside the bank, one of the individuals allegedly held a gun to the head of one of the bank employees and forced him to open the bank’s vault. It is further alleged that the individuals entered the vault and took approximately $39,100, then bound the employees with duct tape and plastic zip ties, demanded access to one of their vehicles, and left the premises in an employee’s car.  

A short time after the robbery, the stolen car was located in a parking lot approximately 2.3 miles from the bank and determined that, minutes after the robbery, the individuals allegedly left the parking lot in another vehicle.  

Additionally, according to the charging documents, during a search of the Tisbury farm used by a local landscaping company that employs Jones, a glove, paper money band, zip tie and multiple rubber band – items consistent with the bank robbery – were recovered. During the search, investigators observed an area that appeared to have had a recent fire, and found burned pieces of nylon, white metal plastic consistent with a white mask, burned walkie-talkie pieces, an antennae, batteries and pieces of metal consistent with a duffle bag zipper. Within a few feet of the burned area two semi-automatic handguns loaded with 9mm ammunition were discovered buried inches under the ground. These items, including the handguns, were consistent with items possessed by the robbers during the robbery of the Rockland Trust bank.

According to surveillance video obtained from the Steamship Authority ferry terminal in Vineyard Haven, it is alleged that less than 40 minutes after the robbery – at approximately 8:58 a.m. on Nov. 17, 2022 – Clayton was captured arriving in a silver sedan to a parking lot nearby the ferry terminal, parking the vehicle, purchasing ferry tickets and boarding a ferry at 9:21 a.m. Approximately 30 minutes later, at 9:53 a.m., Johnson is allegedly captured arriving to the same parking lot and getting into the driver’s seat of the silver sedan Clayton had previously arrived in and parked before boarding a ferry. It is further alleged that Johnson is later captured driving the silver sedan to the vehicle reservation clerk booth, purchasing a vehicle ferry ticket and boarding a freight ferry in the silver sedan at 12:24 p.m.

The charge of armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of being an accessory after the fact to armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 150 months in prison, five 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.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert Galibois; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Tisbury Police Chief Chris Habekos; West Tisbury Police Chief Matt Mincone; Edgartown Police Chief Bruce R. McNamee; Chilmark Police Chief Jonathan Klaren; Oak Bluffs Police Chief Jonathan Searle; Aquinnah Police Chief Randhi P. Belain; and Canterbury (N.H.) Police Chief Michael Labrecque made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and the United States Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan C. Cleary and Kenneth G. Shine of Rollins’s Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case. 

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

BOSTON – The owner of Stash’s Pizza was arrested this morning on forced labor charges for allegedly employing a victim who lacked immigration status and forcing him to work for years while threatening him with deportation and subjecting him to repeated verbal and physical abuse.  

Stavros Papantoniadis, a/k/a “Steve Papantoniadis,” 47, of Westwood, was charged with one count of forced labor. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston this afternoon, Papantoniadis was detained pending a detention hearing set for March 20, 2023 at 11:30 a.m.

“Forced labor is a form of human trafficking. It is not a wage dispute. If someone is being compelled to work through the use of force, threats of force, or coercion, that is a federal crime. We allege that Mr. Papantoniadis compelled and threatened victims to work against their will using fear, violence and the threat of deportation,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “The allegations in this case are horrific. Nobody has the right to violently kick, slap, punch or choke anyone, and certainly not an employer to an employee. This case illustrates the manipulative, violent and abusive tactics some employers utilize for their own greed and financial gain. Labor trafficking is real and happening every day in Massachusetts and beyond. We are working hard to expose this disturbing crime and to hold those that abuse and traffic people accountable. We ask anyone with information about this or other alleged trafficking violations to contact our office.”  

“Stavros Papantoniadis is alleged to have underpaid, threatened, and physically assaulted his employees, creating a climate of fear,” said Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “Homeland Security Investigations is committed to investigating labor trafficking and bringing to justice those who use force, fraud, or coercion to force people to work.”

“An important part of the mission of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of labor trafficking involving the use of coercion or force. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations,” said Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region. 

According to court documents, Papantoniadis is the owner and operator of Stash’s Pizza, a chain of pizzerias which has locations in Dorchester and Roslindale, and previously had pizzerias in Norwood, Norwell and Randolph (d/b/a Boston Pizza Company), Weymouth (d/b/a Pacini’s Italian Eatery) and Wareham, Mass. Over the course of several years, Papantoniadis allegedly targeted victims who lacked immigration status, employed them at depressed wages and demanded that they work, in most cases, six to seven days per week, at times for far more than eight hours per day and often without breaks or overtime compensation. Papantoniadis also allegedly withheld wages. 

It is further alleged that Papantoniadis routinely threatened to have employees deported from the United States and used violence and threats to scare victims and ensure that they complied with his excessive workplace demands. 

According to the charging documents, Victim 1 worked at Stash’s Pizza from 2001 to 2015. During his time there, it is alleged that Papantoniadis repeatedly made derogatory comments about Victim 1’s religion and violently attacked Victim 1 several times. On one occasion when Victim 1 missed a day of work, Papantoniadis allegedly responded by pushing him to the floor and calling him a “f*cking Muslim.” Another time, it is alleged that Papantoniadis kicked Victim 1 in the genital, causing Victim 1 to suffer severe pain. When Victim 1 sought medical treatment, Papantoniadis threatened to kill Victim 1 or report him to immigration authorities if he did not return to work. On another occasions, Papantoniadis allegedly slapped and choked Victim 1 and broke Victim 1’s teeth, causing Victim 1 to have teeth removed and causing him to wear dentures. According to court documents, as a result of the threats and violence, Victim 1 feared Papantoniadis and kept working for him at Stash’s Pizza.

Other former Stash’s Pizza employees disclosed additional information about Papantoniadis’ threats and violence. It is alleged that when one victim planned to quit, Papantoniadis told him that he was not going to leave and subsequently attacked the victim, forcing him to run to safety in the parking lot. When another victim intended to quit, Papantoniadis allegedly made a false police report, falsely stating that the victim had hit his car and left the scene of the accident after leaving Stash’s Pizza’s Norwood location. As a result, the victim was pulled over and cited by police.

The charge of forced labor provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to 5 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.

Members of the public who believe they be a victim of this case or have any relevant information related to this case please call 888-221-6023, Option 5 or send an email with contact information to USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.

U.S. Attorney Rollins, HSI SAC Millhollin and DOL-OIG SAC Mellone made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy E. Moran, Chief of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit, and Brian A. Fogerty of Rollins’ Civil Rights & Human Trafficking 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 Malden man pleaded guilty today to attempting to hire a contract killer – who was actually an undercover federal agent – to murder his wife. 
    
Massimo Marenghi, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of murder-for-hire. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for June 8, 2023. Marenghi was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in January 2021 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2021.

On Jan. 1, 2021, an individual reported to law enforcement that Marenghi had complained about his wife seeking a restraining order against him. Marenghi asked the individual for assistance in killing his wife. At the direction of federal agents, the individual introduced Marenghi to an undercover agent who posed as a contract killer. On Jan. 20, 2021, Marenghi met with the undercover agent and sought help to “eliminate” his problem. Marenghi provided the undercover agent with a photograph of his wife’s residence and explained how to evade detection by cameras while approaching the residence.

On Jan. 29, 2021, Marenghi again met with the undercover agent and discussed moving forward with the killing of his wife. Marenghi provided $1,500 cash as a deposit for the murder and explained that the sooner the “demolition job” takes place, the sooner he will be able to pay the balance owed. He also provided the undercover agent with a photograph of his wife, the color, model and license plate number of her car, the hours of operation of her place of business and a schedule indicating when he would have custody of his children, which he said would be the “best time for the construction work to start.”

The charge of murder-for-hire, in a case in which neither personal injury nor death results, provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. The Malden Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Deitch of Rollins’ Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Chelsea man pleaded guilty yesterday to federal firearms offenses. 

Miguel Reyes, 33, pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for July 27, 2023. Reyes was originally indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2021 and subsequently charged in a superseding Information on March 13, 2023. 

On two separate occasions in August 2020, Reyes was found in possession of a Beretta, Model U22, .22 LR caliber pistol and ammunition and a Glock, model 48, 9 mm pistol and ammunition. Additionally, at the time of his arrest in Chelsea in May 2021, Reyes was found in possession of a Glock replica, polymer 80 and ammunition. Due to a prior felony conviction, Reyes is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

The charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition each provide 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.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Chelsea Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of Rollins’ Criminal Division is prosecuting the case. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

BOSTON – A Barnstable man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for sexually exploiting two minor girls who were approximately four years old.

Atticus J. Bernard, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 20 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. The government recommended a sentence of 30 years in prison. In November 2022, Bernard pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography

“Mr. Bernard’s vile and criminal behavior is a parent’s worst nightmare. He preyed upon, harmed and exploited two defenseless toddlers known to him. These innocent victims were under the age of five years old. That he documented the abuse for this own gross personal gratification is even more disgusting. Predators like Mr. Bernard who seek to sexualize and harm our children are a danger to society. While nothing can stop the pain he has caused, today’s sentence ensures that Mr. Bernard will be removed from our communities and unable to victimize, traumatize or harm any other children for many, many years,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Child exploitation cases are among the most difficult and most important matters we prosecute. These defenseless victims deserve justice and accountability. Today’s sentence is a step closer to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all of our children.”
 
“Bernard’s exploitation of two children was a heinous and irrevocable act. We hope that today’s sentence brings a measure of justice to these families as they heal and move forward,” said Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “Homeland Security Investigations remains dedicated to the protection of children through our work with our partners to detect and apprehend predators like Bernard.”

On separate occasions in approximately November 2019 and approximately October 2020, Bernard sexually exploited two minor girls under the age of five-years-old and who were known to him. Bernard documented the abuse and exploitation and possessed the child sexual abuse material on his cell phone. A search of Bernard’s phone in January 2021 revealed numerous photos of Bernard exploiting the minor victims. 

Bernard admitted that he had assaulted approximately five girls and recorded the assaults and that each victim was assaulted four or five times.  

U.S. Attorney Rollins; HSI SAC Millhollin; Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; and Barnstable Police Chief Matthew Sonnabend made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Rollins’ 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 Chelmsford man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston to trafficking counterfeit oxycodone and Adderall pills that contained fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Vando Gvozdarevic, 30, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. On July 7, 2022, Gvozdarevic pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. 

“Communities across our Commonwealth and beyond are plagued by the chaos and harm caused by the opioid epidemic that manifests itself in overdose deaths, violence, and crime. Mr. Gvozdarevic trafficked this poison into our neighborhoods in the form of tens of thousands of counterfeit pills. The risk of overdose was increased for those seeking diverted pharmaceutical pills and people unfamiliar with street narcotics who thought they were illicitly getting prescription pills when in fact they had potentially deadly and addicting opioid or stimulant,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. 

“The Gangster Disciples are a ruthless gang that preyed upon our communities, and Vando Gvozdarevic was a driving force and prolific pill pusher, who supplied them with deadly narcotics disguised as prescription pills,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Today’s sentence should be a warning to other bad actors. The FBI’s North Shore Gang Task Force will stop at nothing to identify, investigate, and disrupt those who insist on bringing their harmful business to our neighborhoods.”

Gvozdarevic was charged in November 2021 along with 12 others in connection with a large drug conspiracy centering around the Gangster Disciples in Lawrence, Haverhill and Methuen. The investigation, which began in August 2020, intercepted communications between Gangster Disciples’ leaders, members and drug suppliers pertaining to their alleged distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and suboxone in Massachusetts, Maine and southern New Hampshire as well as into the Essex County Jail. The investigation identified Gvozdarevic as a supplier of methamphetamine and fentanyl disguised as counterfeit Adderall and oxycodone pills. 12,556 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine and 3,717 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl were seized from Gvozdarevic’s apartment during the execution of a federal search warrant. 

Gvozdarevic was previously sentenced to five years in state prison for drug distribution and firearm offenses. 

U.S. Attorney Rollins, FBI SAC Bonavolonta and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chelmsford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

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

This case is also a 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 defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A resident doctor in Western Massachusetts was arrested this morning for allegedly possessing child pornography. 

Bradford Ferrick, 32, of Winchester, Mass., and Amherst, Mass., was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. Ferrick will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at 11:45 a.m. today via remote proceeding. At the time of his arrest today, Ferrick was on home confinement restrictions for pending related state charges. 

According to the charging documents, Ferrick lived in Syracuse, N.Y., between approximately 2018 and 2022 while he attended State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University. After graduating from SUNY, Ferrick began a medical residency in July 2022 focused on Family Medicine with Baystate Franklin Family Medicine, including rotations at facilities in at least Greenfield, Deerfield and Springfield, Mass. It is alleged that during a search of Ferrick’s Winchester, Mass., residence on Feb. 13, 2023, approximately 61 devices – including external hard drives, computers, cell phones, hidden camera systems and SD cards – which state investigators allege contained thousands of images and videos of suspected child pornography were seized. Ferrick was arrested by state authorities and released on home confinement after posting bail in Woburn District Court. On Feb. 17, 2023, a second search of Ferrick’s residence in Winchester, Mass., resulted in the recovery of 11 additional devices by state investigators. A preliminary review of some of the devices seized allegedly revealed images and videos depicting child pornography of victims who appear to be between the ages of six and 11 years old. 

During a search of a separate residence Ferrick was renting in Amherst, Mass., on Feb. 21, 2023, eight additional devices including multiple hidden camera devices and USB storage devices were seized. It is alleged that one of the hidden camera devices – which was designed to be worn as a bracelet – was found to contain at least two surreptitiously recorded videos of Ferrick administering medical exams. It is alleged that two minors who investigators believe to be patients could be heard and, at times, partially seen in the videos. Forensic review of the devices seized at both residences remains ongoing.

“I can think of no greater fear as a parent or guardian than potential harm coming to your child. Today we allege that this doctor, who held a position of trust with access to children, maintained child sexual abuse material. The investigation is active and ongoing,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Members of the public with questions, concerns or any information pertaining to this doctor are strongly encouraged to contact the FBI via the provided form. As members of law enforcement, the safety of children is our highest priority. Together, in close cooperation with the medical facilities where Dr. Ferrick was employed, we will do all that we can to identify the duration and scope of his alleged offenses and proceed accordingly and expeditiously.”

“Today, the FBI arrested Dr. Bradford Ferrick, a resident doctor with access to children, who now stands accused of extremely troubling behavior,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “This is very much an active investigation and we urge anyone with information to contact us. Thanks to our close collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we are grateful to have been able to put a stop to Dr. Ferrick’s alleged conduct.”

Members of the public who have information, questions or concerns regarding this case should visit this link: https://forms.fbi.gov/FerrickInvestigation 

The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of 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.

U.S. Attorney Rollins; FBI SAC Bonavolonta; Winchester Police Chief Daniel O'Connell; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Catherine G. Curley and Michael Mazur of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office are prosecuting the case.

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

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

BOSTON – A Providence man has been charged with selling oxycodone in Worcester on multiple occasions to an undercover officer.  
 
Brandon Jones, 32, was charged with distribution of oxycodone. Jones was arrested yesterday in Worcester and made an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester this morning before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy. 
 
According to the charging documents, in July 2022, Jones was identified as an oxycodone and cocaine distributor in the Worcester area. Specifically, it is alleged that Jones traveled to Worcester in rental vehicles on a daily basis to sell drugs throughout the area in the afternoon before returning to Providence. On at least three occasions between October 2022 and January 2023, Jones allegedly distributed oxycodone pills to an undercover officer in controlled purchases. 
 
The charge of unlawful distribution of oxycodone provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division and Southbridge Police Chief Shane D. Woodson made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Friedholm of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.  
 
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Haverhill man pleaded guilty today to orchestrating schemes to use the stolen identities of United States citizens from Puerto Rico to fraudulently purchase vehicles and other merchandise and apply for and utilize bank accounts and credit cards.

Alvin Rivera, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and false representation of a Social Security number. Rivera pleaded guilty to similar schemes in two cases, one originating in the District of Massachusetts and another originating in the District of New Jersey that was transferred to the District of Massachusetts for resolution. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing in both cases for June 15, 2023. 
 
Rivera and multiple co-defendants were charged by criminal complaint in September 2020 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020 in the District of Massachusetts. In a coordinated multi-jurisdictional effort, the defendant was also charged in the District of New Jersey, and others involved in the scheme were also charged there, in the state of New Jersey, the Northern District of Ohio and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

According to charging documents, between October 2017 and September 2020, Rivera was the leader of a conspiracy in Massachusetts that used stolen identity information of United States citizens to obtain credit and goods. Under Rivera’s direction, and with stolen identity information that he provided, co-conspirators visited Massachusetts car dealerships to purchase late-model vehicles and applied for 100% financing. In support of the applications, the co-conspirators provided stolen biographical information from real United States citizens, fraudulent Puerto Rico driver’s licenses and Social Security cards in those identities, as proof of identification. The co-conspirators used the stolen identities to illegally open bank accounts and credit cards and purchase vehicles, many of which were exported out of the United States.

According to charging documents, between October 2017 and February 2018, Rivera also personally used stolen identity information of United States citizens to apply for credit and fraudulently purchase vehicles in a similar scheme in New Jersey.

The charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year sentence that must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of false representation of a Social Security number 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.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Lowell, Lawrence, Methuen, Haverhill, Woburn and Dartmouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna J. Nuzum and Adam W. Deitch of Rollins’ Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. 
 
The District of Massachusetts investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.
 
The District of New Jersey investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations

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 – Two men pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to their roles in a wide-ranging fentanyl, heroin, crack, and cocaine trafficking conspiracy.

Ivan Torres, 32, of Fitchburg, and Abel Rodriguez Rivera, 35, of Ponce, Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base (commonly known as crack cocaine), and 500 grams or more of cocaine. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencings for Sept. 7, 2023. Torres and Rivera were indicted on July 22, 2020, along with 15 other defendants.  

According to court documents, following a fatal fentanyl overdose in September 2018, an investigation began into a drug trafficking organization in the Fitchburg area. Beginning in July 2019, court authorized interceptions of wire and electronic communications to and from telephones used by members of the drug trafficking organization and its suppliers revealed that Torres and Rivera were both cocaine dealers. 

Over the course of the investigation, over 1.8 kilograms of a heroin/fentanyl mixture, over 3.6 kilograms of cocaine, over 50 grams of crack cocaine, a stolen, loaded handgun, drug manufacturing equipment and over $376,000 in U.S. currency were seized.  
    
Torres and Rivera are the 16th and 17th defendants to be convicted in this case – either by guilty plea or jury conviction following trial.  

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. The Fitchburg and Lunenburg Police Departments, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Massachusetts State Police provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.  

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

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

BOSTON – A Randolph woman was arrested today in connection with her involvement in a payroll tax avoidance scheme. 
 
Lilian Giang, 53, was indicted by a federal grand jury with mail fraud and failure to collect and pay over taxes. Giang was released on conditions following an appearance in federal court in Boston this afternoon before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell.
 
According to court records, between 2015 and 2019, Giang owned and operated Able Temp Agency, a temporary employment agency in Quincy that served client companies in Massachusetts. The client companies paid Able Temp Agency for the temporary employees’ work on an hourly basis. Giang deposited those payments into bank accounts in the name of Able Temp Agency that she controlled, and then allegedly paid the temporary employees through a combination of checks and cash. By using cash payments, Giang allegedly hid over $3.2 million in payroll and avoided paying more than $815,000 in required payroll taxes. It is further alleged that Giang also used her false payroll numbers to obtain worker’s compensation insurance at lower premium rates. 
 
The charge of mail fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, restitution and forfeiture. The charge of failure to collect or pay over taxes provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $10,000 and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
 
United States Rachael S. Rollins and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
 
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Framingham man was sentenced yesterday for his role in a business email compromise (BEC) scheme.

Gustaf Njei, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 27 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Njei was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $94,630. In December 2022, Njei was convicted by a federal jury of two counts of wire fraud, one count of structuring to avoid reporting requirements, one count of unlawful monetary transactions and one count of money laundering conspiracy. 

Njei set up a bank account in the name of a fake business, “Njei Trading,” to receive the criminal proceeds of a BEC scheme. A BEC scheme is a sophisticated scam often targeting businesses involved in wire transfer payments. The fraud is carried out by compromising and/or “spoofing” legitimate business email accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion techniques, to cause employees of the victim company (or other individuals involved in legitimate business transactions) to transfer funds to accounts controlled by the scammers.

Njei’s co-conspirators used hacked and spoofed email accounts to trick the victims of the scheme into wiring hundreds of thousands of dollars to a bank account under Njei’s control. Njei then transferred part of the funds to a bank account located overseas, while splitting the remaining funds with a co-conspirator in the United States.

“Since June 2016, victims have lost over $43 billion to BEC fraud schemes just like the one Mr. Njei and his co-conspirators engaged in. The network of online criminals targeting victims is growing every day and their tools are getting more sophisticated. This sentence should send a clear message to scammers that they will be identified and held accountable,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Mr. Njei knew he was engaging in a devastating fraud scheme, but all that mattered to him was lining his pockets with proceeds stolen from unwitting innocent victims. This sentence holds him accountable and we will to make sure that the restitution the court ordered gets to his victims.” 

“Scam artists like Gustaf Njei are committing fraud on a massive scale and must be held accountable. This sentence does exactly that, although the harm the victims in this case suffered can’t be measured in dollars and cents,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Every year, victims lose billions of dollars of their hard-earned money, along with many sleepless nights, and fear losing their businesses and credibility. This case shows the FBI will do everything it can to find and hold financial fraudsters like Mr. Njei accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

U.S. Attorney Rollins and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William B. Brady and Benjamin A. Saltzman of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – The former founder and chief executive of the local nonprofit Violence in Boston (VIB) and her husband, also a former founding director of the organization, have been charged in a superseding indictment today charging additional schemes to defraud the City of Boston out of COVID-19 relief funds and rental assistance money.  

Monica Cannon-Grant, 42, and Clark Grant, 39, both of Taunton, have been charged by a federal grand jury in a 27-count superseding indictment, returned today with three counts of wire fraud conspiracy; 17 counts of wire fraud; one count of conspiracy; and one count of making false statements to a mortgage lending business. The new wire fraud charges center on alleged schemes to obtain and utilize pandemic assistance funds from the Boston Resiliency Fund for purposes not disclosed to the City, including for their own personal benefit, as well as to fraudulently obtain rental assistance payments from Boston’s Office of Housing Stability. Cannon-Grant was also charged with mail fraud, filing false tax returns, and failing to file tax returns. Cannon-Grant and Clark Grant were previously charged in an 18-count indictment in March 2022. The defendants will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

Cannon-Grant was the founder and CEO of VIB, an anti-violence nonprofit formally established in 2017, the stated purpose of which is to reduce violence, raise social awareness and aid community causes in Boston, among other purposes. Grant is Cannon-Grant’s husband, a founding director of VIB and, beginning in July 2018 until recently, was a full-time employee for a commuter services company. 

According to the superseding indictment, the defendants allegedly conspired to use VIB to defraud the Boston Resiliency Fund, a charitable fund established by the City of Boston to provide aid to Boston residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. After receiving approximately $53,977 in pandemic relief funds, the defendants allegedly withdrew approximately $30,000 in cash from the VIB bank account, some of which the defendants kept. After depositing the COVID-19 relief grant check, the defendants are also alleged to have used VIB funds to pay their auto loan and auto insurance bills.

In addition, the superseding indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to defraud Boston’s Office of Housing Stability by concealing thousands of dollars of household income in order to obtain $12,600 in rental assistance from the City of Boston. Instead of truthfully reporting that Clark Grant was receiving pandemic unemployment assistance (in addition to his salary), and that other family members were gainfully employed and receiving pandemic unemployment (in the case of one other family member), the defendants allegedly misrepresented their actual household income to obtain rent relief funds that were intended to aid Boston residents who were facing housing insecurity.    

It is further alleged that the defendants conspired to defraud the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance by submitting a forged employment document so that another family member could receive approximately $43,893 in unemployment assistance, bringing the total amount of fraudulent unemployment assistance received by the defendants and their co-conspirators to approximately $145,269. Finally, the superseding indictment alleges that Cannon-Grant filed false tax returns for 2017 and 2018 and that she failed to file tax returns for 2019 and 2020, failing to report tens of thousands of dollars that Cannon-Grant received from VIB and an entity with which she contracted to provide consulting services. 

If you believe you are a victim of or have information pertaining to the crimes alleged against the defendants, you may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts at: 617-748-3663.

The charges of wire fraud conspiracy each provide 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. The charges of wire fraud each provide 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. The charge of making false statements to a mortgage lending business provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of filing false tax returns provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $100,000. The charge of failure to file a tax return provides for a sentence of up to one year of prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $25,000. 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.

First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigation; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; Matthew M. Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General; and Massachusetts Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Deitch and Dustin Chao of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

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

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

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

BOSTON – An Auburn man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for a child pornography charge.

Christopher Rondeau, 37, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In October 2022, Rondeau pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. He has remained in federal custody since his arrest in November 2020. 

During a search of Rondeau’s residence in November 2020, a cell phone was found containing images and videos of child pornography. In 2016, Rondeau was convicted of receipt of child pornography and sentenced to 68 months in prison and seven years of supervised release. He was released from federal custody in August 2019 and was on supervised release at the time of his November arrest.  

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Auburn Police Chief Todd. R. Lemon; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial E. Bennett of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office 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 Lawrence man was sentenced today for his role in distributing fentanyl. 

Albert Ventura, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 32 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In November 2022, Ventura pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Ventura has been in federal custody since June 9, 2022. 

On several occasions between September 2020 and March 2022, Ventura sold over 70 grams of fentanyl – including to undercover law enforcement.  

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Rollins’ Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

BOSTON – An Ipswich man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material photo (CSAM).
 
Julien Toulotte, 24, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 104 months in prison and five years of supervised release, as well as restitution to multiple minor victims. In November 2022, Toulotte pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
 
In mid-January 2021, Toulotte began communicating with an undercover agent purporting to be a 15-year-old girl through social media applications. Toulotte sent multiple nude photos of himself and encouraged the purported teenager to send photos of herself in return and asked to meet. 

In late-January 2021, Toulotte began communicating over the internet with the undercover agent, purporting to be an adult female with whom Toulotte had previously been communicating with on-line and to whom he had previously sent photo depicting CSAM. In February 2021, Toulotte sent two videos depicting CSAM to the undercover agent purporting to be the adult female. On March 11, 2021, a search of Toulotte’s residences in Ipswich and Boston resulted in the recovery of his electronic devices. One of the electronic devices contained approximately 385 videos and approximately 320 images depicting CSAM – including child pornography videos and images depicting infants and toddlers. CSAM was also found on other electronic devices seized on that date and on another date in this case.
  
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Ipswich Police Chief Paul Nikas; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Lincoln Police Chief A. Kevin Kennedy made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Rollins’ 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 Dorchester man pleaded guilty yesterday to unlawfully possessing firearms and ammunition as a previously convicted felon.

Kevin Blackmore, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper schedule sentencing for June 29, 2023. Blackmore was charged in October 2022. 

On June 19, 2022, local law enforcement was dispatched to a hotel in Sharon in response to a call for a possible disturbance involving two vehicles. At the scene, the female occupant of one vehicle requested police assistance in collecting personal items from Blackmore, who was driving the second vehicle. When officers assisted Blackmore in searching the vehicle for those items, they recovered a black Smith and Wesson .45 caliber semi-automatic firearm, a Taurus .9mm semi-automatic firearm, 67 rounds of .9mm ammunition and 80 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition. Due to prior felony convictions stemming from 2006 through 2020, Blackmore is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Sharon Police Department and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Service employee was sentenced today in Worcester for stealing packages in Gardner.  

Roberta Feliz, 33, of Fitchburg, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to three years of probation, with the first six months to be served in home confinement. In April 2022, Feliz pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service. 

Feliz was employed as Lead Sales and Services Associate with the Gardner Post Office. Between February and July 2020, Feliz stole over $90,000 in cash deposits that were mailed from a Tractor Supply Company to its bank. Feliz, who was scheduled to work on each day that a cash package was mailed, was observed on surveillance camera removing envelopes from the postal service floor into the employee locker area or the women’s restroom. In August 2020, Feliz was approached by law enforcement after she took a control package containing cash from the postal floor into an office, removed money from the envelope and hid it in an unused desk. Feliz admitted to stealing packages from the Tractor Supply Company and stated that she used the money to pay off debt and sent some to family overseas. 

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins 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. Attorney Kristen Noto of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Worcester man has been charged with possessing a machine gun after allegedly being found in possession of several Glock switches.

Jose Rivera, 24, was charged with unlawful possession of a machine gun. Rivera was arrested today and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy, was detained pending a hearing set for March 10, 2023. 

Glock switches convert semi-automatic Glock pistols into fully automatic machine guns and are considered machine guns under federal law. According to the charging documents, during a search of Rivera’s Worcester residence today, three Glock switches – including one attached to a Glock .40 caliber firearm – were recovered from Rivera’s bedroom. 

The charge of unlawful possession of a machine gun provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Brown of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

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

The U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have entered into a consent decree with the City of Gloucester, Massachusetts, to resolve violations of the Clean Water Act regarding the city’s water pollution control facility that discharges undertreated effluent into Massachusetts Bay.

The settlement requires Gloucester to undertake a construction project to add secondary treatment to its water pollution control facility. Secondary treatment is a combination of physical and biological processes that break down many harmful elements in municipal sewage. The city has operated without secondary controls on its treatment plant under a permit waiver issued most recently in 2001. EPA and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) more recently determined that upgrading the City’s treatment plant to provide secondary treatment was needed to address water pollution in Massachusetts Bay. In response, under the proposed settlement the city agreed to proceed with the upgrades. The cost of the remedial measures is expected to be in excess of $150 million.

“The Clean Water Act requires controls to limit the harmful impacts of sewage discharges,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The settlement will ensure significant, long-term investment into the City’s water treatment infrastructure to safeguard the health of Massachusetts Bay.”

“Fiercely protecting our environment is a civil and human rights issue. Ensuring that bodies of water are not contaminated with harmful toxins and pollutants remains a vital part of this work. This consent decree requires Gloucester to take significant steps to improve the quality of the water it discharges into Massachusetts Bay,” said U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins for the District of Massachusetts. “The successful implementation of the Consent Decree will ensure a healthier environment for the residents of Gloucester and all of us in the Commonwealth. My office remains committed to fighting for healthier, cleaner and safer communities.”

“Sewage can carry harmful pollutants, posing potential harm to human health and aquatic organisms,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “By reducing discharges into Massachusetts Bay, this settlement will result in cleaner, safer water, benefiting both local communities and the environment.”

In 2022, EPA issued a new NPDES Permit to the City of Gloucester which included pollution limits that the current treatment plant cannot meet because the plant only provides primary treatment, known as clarification or settling and disinfection. Complying with the proposed consent decree, if entered by the federal court, will help ensure that Gloucester comes into compliance with the Clean Water Act.

The City of Gloucester has already provided an aggressive schedule to EPA and MassDEP for design and construction of secondary treatment. The city has proposed to complete design and bidding of the project by the end of 2024, complete construction of secondary treatment by the end of 2027, and achieve compliance with all permit limits by March 30, 2028.

Undertreated sewage from the city’s existing water treatment facility results in a variety of harmful discharges into Massachusetts Bay, including disease causing organisms and toxic pollutants.

The proposed consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period and court approval after it is published in the Federal Register. It is available at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.

The EPA and MassDEP are investigating the case.

Assistant Section Chief Henry Friedman of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Enforcement Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Annapurna Balakrishna for the District of Massachusetts and EPA Attorney Jeff Kopf are handling this matter.

BOSTON – A Oxford man has been sentenced in federal court in Worcester for false representation of a Social Security number and theft of government funds.  

Richard Diaz-Montero, a/k/a John Doe, 44, was sentenced on March 1, 2023 by U.S. District Judge Mark Mastroianni to 14 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Diaz-Montero was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $39,698 to the Internal Revenue Service. 

In March 2016, Diaz-Montero cashed a federal income tax refund in the name of another person he fraudulently filed for earlier that year. Two years later, in May 2018, Diaz-Montero used the Social Security number of that same person to apply for a Massachusetts driver’s license, which was ultimately issued to Diaz-Montero.  

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Sutton Police Chief Dennis J. Towle made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.   

BOSTON – A Miami woman pleaded guilty today to fraudulently obtaining over $1 million in pandemic-related loans using the stolen identities of more than 10 individuals, and then using those funds for personal expenses, including chartering a private jet and rental of a luxury apartment.

Danielle Miller, 32, pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for June 27, 2023. Miller was arrested on a criminal complaint in May 2021 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2021. 

From in or around July 2020 through May 2021, Miller devised and executed a scheme to fraudulently obtain pandemic-related relief loans funded by the federal government – including Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as well as Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and related unemployment benefits. To execute the scheme, Miller used the personal identifying information of more than 10 individuals and used fake business names to apply for and receive more than $1 million in government benefits. 

Additionally, Miller possessed counterfeit driver’s licenses in the victims’ names but bearing Miller’s photograph. In August 2020, Miller used a counterfeit driver’s license in the name of a Massachusetts victim to arrange a Gulfstream private jet charter flight from Florida to California, where she stayed at a luxury hotel under the same victim’s name. In a separate instance, Miller used the identity of another victim to rent a luxury apartment in Florida. 

Miller maintained an active social media presence via her Instagram account, which had more than 34,000 followers. There, Miller posted her extravagant use of the fraud proceeds and stolen identities, publicizing her purchasing of luxury goods and renting of luxury accommodations. Posts to this account included a post showing Miller at luxury hotels in California where transactions were made using the bank account in one of the victim’s names. 

The charges of wire fraud each provide 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. The charges of aggravated identity theft provide for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutively to any other sentenced imposed, 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.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent in Charge of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), Eastern Region; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Abington (Mass.) Police Chief David DelPapa made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Miami and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William F. Abely, Chief of Rollins’ Criminal Division and Benjamin A. Saltzman of Rollins’ Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

The investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security’s Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized field investigative group comprised of personnel from various local, state and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes.

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

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

BOSTON – A Leominster, Mass. man has been arrested and charged for allegedly attempting to open an emergency exit door while aboard a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston and then allegedly attempting to stab a flight attendant in the neck.

Francisco Severo Torres, 33, was charged with one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon. Torres was arrested last evening at Boston Logan International Airport and, following an initial appearance today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Dein, was detained pending a hearing set for March 9, 2023. 

According to the charging documents, on March 5, 2023, Torres was a passenger aboard a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston. Approximately 45 minutes prior to landing, the flight crew received an alarm in the cockpit that a starboard side door located between the first class and coach sections of the aircraft was disarmed. Upon inspection, a flight attendant found that the door’s locking handle had been moved out of the fully locked position – approximately a quarter of the way towards the towards the unlocked position – and that the emergency slide arming lever had been moved to the “disarmed” position. The flight attendant reported this to the captain and flight crew after securing the door and emergency slide. 

In subsequent discussions, a fellow flight attendant reported that he had observed Torres near the door and believed Torres had tampered with the door. A flight attendant then confronted Torres about tampering with the door, to which he allegedly responded by asking if there were cameras showing that he had done so. According to court documents, the flight attendant then notified the captain that they believed Torres posed a threat to the aircraft and that the captain needed to land the aircraft as soon as possible.  

Shortly thereafter, it is alleged that Torres got out of his seat and approached the starboard side door where two flight attendants were standing in the aisle. One of the flight attendants saw Torres mouthing something that he could not hear. Torres then allegedly thrust towards one of the flight attendants in a stabbing motion with a broken metal spoon, hitting the flight attendant on the neck area three times. Passengers then tackled Torres and he was restrained with the assistance of flight crew. Torres was immediately taken into custody upon the flight’s arrival to Boston.  

It is alleged that during subsequent interviews, passengers who were aboard the flight reported that Torres asked a fellow passenger where on the safety card it showed where the door handle was located during the flight attendants’ safety briefing prior to takeoff and that Torres was seen pacing in a galley before attacking the flight attendant. 

The charge of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

BOSTON – The former owner of a now-defunct luxury home building business in West Springfield has been indicted for allegedly obstructing a grand jury’s investigation of his businesses’ cash receipts.

Kent Pecoy, 64, of Wilbraham, was indicted on one count of corrupt concealment of records with intent to impair their use in an official proceeding, one count of obstruction of an official proceeding and one count of count of false statements. Pecoy will appear in federal court in Springfield at a later date. 

Pecoy was previously indicted in a separate case in December 2019 along with his son, Jason Pecoy, and Kevin M. Kennedy, the former owner of a golf management company, for allegedly conspiring to defraud the United States by concealing cash payments for the construction of Kennedy’s two homes in East Longmeadow and West Dennis. The defendants were later charged in a superseding indictment in January 2020. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty in that case and are pending trial. 

Pecoy was the sole owner, operator and chief executive officer of Kent Pecoy & Sons, Construction, Inc. (KPSC) – a West Springfield-based commercial and luxury home construction company. According to today’s indictment, between 2013 and 2016, a customer allegedly paid Pecoy and KPSC hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to construct a home in West Dennis. It is alleged that Pecoy failed to deposit most of the cash into business bank accounts and instead distributed the cash directly to vendors and subcontractors for the project. 

On April 29, 2015, a federal grand jury sitting in Springfield issued KPSC a subpoena requiring the production of KPSC’s cash for services records beginning in Jan. 1, 2012. In June 2015, KPSC produced the subpoenaed records which allegedly included documents confirming that KPSC had made numerous, substantial cash payments to the lumber company, but no records indicating KPSC’s own receipt of cash. It is alleged that in response to a request for additional records concerning KPSC’s cash receipts, Pecoy falsely stated that KPSC had no additional records concerning KPSC’s cash receipts.

During a search of KPSC’s business premises in April 2016, it is alleged that numerous documents were discovered relating to KPSC’s receipt and distribution of cash from the customer home construction project, including payment ledgers, contracts, project check lists and e-mails exchanged between Pecoy and the project manager. 

The charges of corrupt concealment of records with intent to impair their use in an official proceeding and obstruction of an official proceeding each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of making false statements provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, at least 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.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office and Trial Attorney Eric B. Powers of the Justice Department’s Tax Division 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 – The announcement of a consent decree with the City of Gloucester, Mass. resolves violation of the federal and state Clean Water Acts regarding the City’s water pollution control facility that discharges undertreated waste into Massachusetts Bay. 

The settlement requires the City of Gloucester (City) to undertake a construction project to add secondary treatment to its water pollution control facility. Secondary treatment is a combination of physical and biological processes that break down many harmful elements in municipal sewage. The City has operated without secondary controls on its treatment plant pursuant to a waiver issued in 2001. EPA and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) more recently determined that water pollution data indicated that the waiver should not be renewed and that upgrading the City’s treatment plant to provide secondary treatment is needed. In response, under the proposed settlement the City agreed to proceed with the upgrades, an expected cost in excess of $150 million. 

In 2022, EPA and MassDEP issued a new National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit to the City of Gloucester that included pollution limits which the current treatment plant cannot meet because the plant only provides primary treatment (clarification/settling and disinfection). Complying with the proposed consent decree, if entered by the federal court, will help ensure that Gloucester comes into compliance with the Clean Water Act.

“Fiercely protecting our environment is a civil and human rights issue. Ensuring that bodies of water are not contaminated with harmful toxins and pollutants remains a vital part of this work. This Consent Decree requires Gloucester to take significant steps to improve the quality of the water it discharges into Massachusetts Bay,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “The successful implementation of the Consent Decree will ensure a healthier environment for the residents of Gloucester and all of us in the Commonwealth. My office remains committed to fighting for healthier, cleaner and safer communities.”

“This settlement is the result of many years of work between EPA and our state and local partners to address sewage pollution from this community entering Massachusetts Bay. The work required under the proposed settlement will help result in cleaner and healthier water for overburdened communities, and a better-protected environment in nearby areas. Notably, this means Gloucester will be the final major city in the eastern U.S. to install secondary treatment at their wastewater treatment facilities. The timing of this is fortunate, as it is a great time to make investments in water treatment infrastructure thanks to funding assistance available in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that may help defray costs borne by local ratepayers,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash.

“The Clean Water Act requires controls to limit the harmful impacts of sewage discharges,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The settlement will ensure significant, long-term investment into the City’s water treatment infrastructure to safeguard the health of Massachusetts Bay.”

“We are grateful to our federal and municipal partners for working with us to improve the water quality, and thus the overall health, of Gloucester’s residents,” said Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. “These are necessary measures as we continue to ensure that residents, especially those in our coastal communities, live in a healthy and safe environment.”

The City of Gloucester has already provided an aggressive schedule to EPA and MassDEP for design and construction of secondary treatment. The City has proposed to complete design and bidding of the project by the end of 2024; complete construction of secondary treatment by the end of 2027; and achieved compliance with all permit limits by March 30, 2028.  

Undertreated sewage from the City’s existing water treatment facility results in a variety of unauthorized discharges into Massachusetts Bay, including disease causing organisms and toxic pollutants.

The proposed consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period and court approval after it is published in the Federal Register. It is available at https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees 

U.S. Attorney Rollins; EPA Administrator Cash; AAG Kim and AG Campbell made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annapurna Balakrishna of Rollins’ Civil Division; Henry Friedman, Assistant Section Chief for the Department of Justice’s Environment and National Resources Division (DOJ-ENRD); Brian Donohue, Senior Trial Attorney for DOJ-ENRD; and Jeffrey Kopf, Senior Enforcement Counsel for EPA handled the matter.

More Information: 

How EPA works to protect water by ensuring compliance with environmental laws and regulations: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/water-enforcement 

How municipalities manage wastewater:  https://www.epa.gov/npdes/municipal-wastewater 

Final Permit for the City and 301(h) decision: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2025-06/finalma0100625permit2-2022.pdf