District of Maryland

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Sean Weston, age 56, of Windsor Mill, Maryland, yesterday to 15 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, after Weston pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to import, transport, and sell drug paraphernalia and to tax evasion.  

The sentenced was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to his guilty plea, from January 2015 through at least July 2019, Weston operated the Northwest Variety store, where he sold empty gel capsules, colored plastic tops, dust masks, metal strainers, electric weighing scales, razor blades, and mannite and quinine, which are used as drug cutting agents.  Weston admitted that he purchased hundreds of kilograms of quinine from China.  Quinine’s only approved use is a prescription medication for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria.  Importation of quinine for any other use is illegal.  To conceal his purchase of quinine, Weston communicated with his foreign supplier and requested that the quinine be labelled as something else, such as “beta glucan.”

As detailed in his plea agreement, Weston also failed to file federal income tax returns with the IRS for tax years 2016 through 2018.  In addition to owning the Northwest Variety Store, which had significant profits during that time, Weston was on the payroll of a water treatment facility.  To conceal his income from the IRS, Weston conducted his finances substantially in cash.  For example, from 2016 through 2018, Weston paid $29,835 in cash for the monthly rent for the Northwest Variety Store and deposited $352,026 in cash into two personal bank accounts.  In 2016 and 2017 Weston paid cash down payments of $25,000 and $15,000, respectively, for the purchase and lease of Bentley automobiles, with fair market values of more than $117,000 and $139,000.  In 2016, Weston signed a credit application stating that his annual income was $180,000 and in 2017, he had an individual prepare his 2016 tax return, which reflected a gross income of $358,984.  Instead of submitting the return to the IRS, Weston submitted it to the car dealership.  By failing to report his income for tax years 2016 through 2018, Weston caused a tax loss to the United States of more than $98,000.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg commended the DEA, the IRS-CI, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron and Mr. Goldberg thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth S. Clark and Senior Litigation Counsel John E. Sullivan of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – Davontay Conner, age 27, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to the armed robbery of a jewelry store and to using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to his guilty plea, on October 13, 2019, Conner and three co-conspirators robbed a jewelry store in Baltimore.  During the robbery, four masked men entered the store with guns.  While three of the robbers held up the security guard at gunpoint, Conner used a hammer to smash a display case and steal several pieces of jewelry.  Conner and his co-conspirators then fled the store, with one of the robbers firing a shot back toward the store.  The robbers escaped in a waiting SUV.  Another shot was fired from inside the vehicle, breaking the rear window and leaving glass in the parking lot.

Conner and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Conner will be sentenced to between seven and 10 years in federal prison.  U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for January 17, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. 

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney LaRai Everett, who is prosecuting the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging five defendants with a conspiracy to illegally acquire machineguns and other regulated firearms.  Charged in the indictment, which was unsealed yesterday are: Sean Reidpath Sullivan, age 38, of Gambrills, Maryland; Larry Allen Vickers, age 60, of Charlotte, North Carolina; James Christopher Tafoya, age 45, of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Matthew Jeremy Hall, age 53, of Four Oaks, North Carolina; and James Sawyer, age 50, of Ray, North Dakota. 

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Inspector General Joseph Y. Cuffari of the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (“DHS OIG”).

According to the 26-count indictment, Hall and Sawyer were Chiefs of Police in Coats, North Carolina and Ray, North Dakota, respectively.  Sullivan was the owner and operator of Trident, LLC, located in Gambrills, Maryland, and was also an Intelligence Analyst with the Department of Homeland Security Investigations.  Sullivan and Trident were Federal Firearms Licensees (“FFLs”) and Special Occupational Taxpayers (“SOTs”), which allowed them, in certain circumstances, to possess, import, manufacture, and deal in fully automatic firearms (machineguns) and other regulated firearms.  Tafoya and Vickers owned and operated firearms related businesses in New Mexico and North Carolina and were also FFLs and SOTs.

The indictment alleges that, beginning in at least June 2018 through at least March 2021, the defendants conspired to acquire machineguns and/or other restricted firearms, such as short-barreled rifles, by falsely representing that the firearms would be used for demonstration to law enforcement agencies, including the Coats Police Department and the Ray Police Department.  The indictment further alleges that Hall, Sawyer, and other conspirators signed law letters with no expectation that the weapons would ever be demonstrated to their respective law enforcement agencies.

The defendants allegedly intended to impermissibly import into the United States and resell the machineguns and other firearms for profit or to keep for their own use and enjoyment.  Sullivan allegedly submitted the false law letters to the ATF seeking to import the machineguns and other restricted weapons.  Once the firearms were received, Sullivan allegedly kept some of the machineguns and other restricted weapons and transferred some of the weapons to Vickers, Tafoya, and other conspirators.

In addition to the indictment, Larry Vickers pleaded guilty yesterday to participating in the conspiracy to import and obtain machineguns and other restricted firearms and admitted that he received some of the imported machineguns and other weapons.  As detailed in his plea agreement, Vickers kept some of the machineguns and other restricted weapons in his personal collection and transferred other machineguns and restricted weapons to other FFLs and third parties.  Vickers also pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions against a foreign firearms manufacturer between July 2014 and March 2021, in the Southern District of Florida. 

Vickers faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for conspiracy to violate federal law regulating firearms and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.  U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin has not yet scheduled sentencing for Vickers.

If convicted, Sullivan, Tafoya, Hall, and Sawyer face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for conspiracy to violate federal law regulating firearms and for each count of false statements related to submission of a law letter.  Sullivan and Tafoya face a maximum of five years in federal prison for each count of unlawful importation of a firearm and for each count of making a false statement in records maintained by FFLs.  Sullivan also faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for unlawful possession of unregistered machineguns and 10 years in federal prison for using criminal proceeds to conduct financial transactions.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  Sullivan and Tafoya have already had an initial appearance U.S. District Court in Baltimore and were released pending trial.  Hall and Sawyer are expected to have an initial appearance at a later date.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the FBI, the IRS-CI on behalf of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and DHS-OIG for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys P. Michael Cunningham and Christine Goo, who are prosecuting the case and recognized Trial Attorneys Menno Goedman and Sean O’Dowd of the Justice Department’s National Security Division and Criminal Division, respectively, for their work on the Vickers guilty plea.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin today approved the United States’ consent decree with Jordan R. Hobel, formerly a Frostburg-based dentist, resolving the United States’ civil allegations that Hobel violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in illegally prescribing opioids.

The consent decree was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge Jarod A. Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division.

“Without exception, all prescribers—including dentists—are subject to the CSA.” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron.  “As our Office’s recent consent decrees have shown, we intend to hold accountable all medical professionals who contribute to Maryland’s opioid epidemic by overprescribing opioids, regardless of their title or the letters that follow their name.”

“As our nation battles a surge of opioid overdoses and poisonings, it is more important than ever that healthcare providers prescribe medications in a safe and responsible manner.  We know that pharmaceutical abuse has led to a worsening of the opioid crisis as people turn to the streets to find pills which we know most often contain a lethal dose of fentanyl,” said Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Washington Division.  We encourage prescribers to remain vigilant and responsive to any signs of controlled substance misuse or diversion, for through our collective efforts, we can create a healthier and safer society for all.”

The Government alleges that, between 2017 and 2021, Hobel, who owned and practiced dentistry at Mountain City Dental in Frostburg, Maryland, issued at least several dozen prescriptions for dangerous controlled substances that had no legitimate medical purpose and fell outside the usual course of professional medical or dental practice.

More specifically, Hobel fraudulently utilized the DEA registration numbers of other dentists in his practice to prescribe himself controlled substances, including oxycodone.  Further, Hobel prescribed controlled substances to various friends and family—some who were not his patients—and, for at least some of these prescriptions, Hobel received some of the pills from the intended recipient for his own use.  Hobel denies the Government’s allegations.

Under the consent decree, Hobel agrees to not apply for or seek the reinstatement of his DEA registration, which is required for a medical professional to prescribe controlled substances, and which Hobel voluntarily surrendered for cause in 2022. 

The Court’s approval of this consent decree should remind all medical practitioners that the Department of Justice intends to use all tools at its disposal—both criminal and civil—to combat the opioid epidemic which continues to plague Maryland and Marylanders. 

U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA’s Office of Diversion Control, Washington Division, Hagerstown Resident Office for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorney Alan C. Lazerow, who handled the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md.  

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Baltimore, Maryland – Ahmed Sary, age 45, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting financial institutions, relating to the submission of more than $17.9 million in fraudulent CARES Act loan applications.  The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, Eastern Region; and Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department.

“Sary will now pay the price for living luxurious from stolen pandemic relief funds that others needed to keep a business open or to keep a roof over their heads,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron.

Financial assistance offered through the CARES Act included forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), administered through the Small Business Administration (“SBA”), and SBA-approved lenders.  The SBA also offered an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) and/or an EIDL advance to help businesses meet their financial obligations.  An EIDL advance did not have to be repaid, and small businesses could receive an advance, even if they were not approved for an EIDL loan. The maximum advance amount was $10,000.

According to the plea agreement, from April 2020 through January 2022, Sary and his co-conspirators prepared false and fraudulent PPP loan and EIDL applications for a number of borrowers in exchange for a kickback of typically ranging from 20 percent  to 30 percent of the loan amount.  The fraudulent PPP and EIDL loan applications prepared by Sary, and his co-conspirators grossly inflated the purported businesses’ number of employees, monthly payroll costs, and revenue numbers, including for businesses that didn’t exist in any legitimate capacity

As detailed in the statement of facts, Sary and his co-conspirators filed 85 false and fraudulent PPP loan applications seeking a total of over $14,807,609.37 and 57 false and fraudulent EIDL applications seeking a total of over $3,093,670.50.  All the loans were ultimately funded.  After the loan funds were received, the recipient would typically provide Sary multiple, sometimes up to seven, checks that were signed by the loan recipient and that listed a payment amount and date but that left the payee name blank.  Sary would then write a payee name on each of those checks and deposit them.

In connection with some of the fraudulently obtained PPP loans for purported businesses, Sary also assisted the loan recipients with setting up payroll services with Payroll Processor 1 to make it appear that the fraudulently obtained PPP loan funds were being used for permissible purposes when they, in fact, were not.  The payroll services also facilitated the creation of documentation that could be used to substantiate a request for each of the PPP loans to be forgiven.

In addition to the loan kickback fees, Sary received $959,559 in PPP/EIDL funds for purported businesses he controlled, including a purported financial services business, a purported meatpacking business, a purported clothing company and a purported talent agency.  In fact, none of these businesses existed in any legitimate capacity.  Sary admitted that he used the fraudulently obtained funds to travel to Dubai and Egypt on multiple occasions, to stay at luxury hotels, including the Four Seasons, while there, to purchase property in Egypt and to, among other things, open a beachfront restaurant in Alexandria, Egypt called Sary’s Kitchen. 

Sary and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Sary will be sentenced to between 60 months and 114 months in federal prison.  U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for February 1, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. 

The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the CARES Act.  The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors.  The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.  

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.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the SBA-OIG and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Riley, who is prosecuting the case.  He also recognized the assistance of the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber. 

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow today sentenced Jeffrey Wayne Spencer, age 26, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, to 12 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl, and for illegal possession of two machineguns. 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to his guilty plea, in October 2021, law enforcement received information that Spencer, known as “Jefe,” was distributing fentanyl and other controlled substances from an apartment in Oxon Hill, Maryland.  To corroborate the tip, law enforcement arranged for a confidential source to make two purchases of fentanyl from Spencer at the residence.

On November 4, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant for the apartment.  Spencer was the only person in the home at the time and was in the process of cutting and packaging fentanyl on the dining room table.  On the dining room table, law enforcement seized 128 individual packaged baggies containing 17.7 grams of fentanyl; unpackaged loose white powdery substance in piles, determined to contain 35.95 grams of fentanyl; a money counter; and a black digital scale.  On the living room couch in plain view near the dining room table, law enforcement seized a 9mm handgun with a full automatic switch.  The firearm had one round of ammunition in the chamber ready to be fired and 49 additional rounds of ammunition inside a drum magazine.  On the kitchen counter, law enforcement seized an additional 9mm handgun magazine containing approximately 14 rounds of ammunition.

From a shoebox in the bedroom closet, law enforcement seized a .40 caliber handgun with a full automatic switch.  The firearm had one round of ammunition in the chamber ready to be fired and a .40 caliber handgun magazine containing approximately 11 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition.  Also located in the shoebox was an extended magazine containing approximately 32 rounds of 9mm ammunition, as well as a tray containing approximately 5 additional rounds of .40 caliber ammunition.  From inside a Burberry bag, law enforcement seized a glass jar containing 28 9mm rounds.  From inside a green igloo bag, law enforcement seized a heat-sealed bag containing 499.9 grams of fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue and $77.50 in U.S. currency.  Law enforcement also seized $7,765 in cash from the bathroom.

An FBI DNA analysis confirmed the presence of Spencer’s DNA on the seized firearms and firearm magazines and Spencer admitted that he possessed the firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking.

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.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Prince George’s County Police  Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the DEA for its assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick D. Kibbe and Adam K. Ake, who prosecuted the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced today that Maryland-based developer Humphrey Stavrou Associates, Inc. and related entities have agreed to pay $475,000 to settle claims that they violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to build six multi-family housing complexes in Maryland with required accessible features for people with disabilities. As part of the settlement, the defendants also agreed to make extensive retrofits to remove accessibility barriers at the three properties Humphrey Stavrou Associates, Inc. still owns and the three properties Humphrey Stavrou Associates, Inc. sold to third parties.

The Justice Department previously resolved part of its lawsuit, which was filed in September 2022, with Maryland-based developer Stavrou Associates, Inc. and related entities, which agreed to pay $185,000 to settle claims that they failed to build 11 multi-family housing complexes in Maryland with required accessible features. Stavrou Associates, Inc. also agreed to make extensive retrofits to remove accessibility barriers at the complexes. The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland entered the parties’ settlement, in the form of a consent order, on November 22, 2022.

“Developers who fail to abide by the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron.  “These settlements will help ensure people with disabilities have fair and equal access to their homes by making these housing complexes more accessible.”

“When the retrofits required by these settlements are completed, people with disabilities will have equal access to 1,300 more residential units in Maryland,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department remains committed to ensuring that apartment complexes are accessible to people with disabilities.”

Humphrey Stavrou Associates, Inc. will deposit a sum of $410,000 in an interest-bearing escrow account to be used to retrofit the three properties it has sold since construction, which are now owned by other entities. 

The combined 17 properties at issue in the case were built with financial assistance from the federal government’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and some of the properties are specifically marketed as housing for seniors.

The settlement with Humphrey Stavrou Associates, Inc., which must still be approved by the Court, also requires the defendants to pay $60,000 into a settlement fund to compensate individuals who were harmed by the inaccessible conditions and $5,000 to the government in civil penalties to vindicate the public interest.

Under the settlement, the defendants will, among other things, replace steeply-sloped walkways, widen doorways, and modify bathrooms so they are accessible for individuals who use wheelchairs. The settlement also requires the defendants to receive training about the FHA and the ADA, to ensure that their future multi-family housing construction complies with these laws and to provide periodic reports to the Justice Department. The six complexes are:

1. Pin Oak Village, Bowie, Maryland
2. Woodland Creek Apartments (formerly “Henson Creek Manor I and II Apartments”), Fort Washington, Maryland
3. Woodside Village Apartments, Fort Washington, Maryland
4. Acclaim at Lake Largo (formerly “Largo Center Apartments”), Largo, Maryland
5. Randolph Village Senior Apartments, Silver Spring, Maryland
6. Vistas at Lake Largo, Upper Marlboro, Maryland

The 11 complexes built by Stavrou Associates, Inc. that are the subject of the previously entered Consent Decree are:

1. Villages at Belle Hill, Elkton, Maryland
2. Burgess Mill Station I, Ellicott City, Maryland
3. Burgess Mill Station II, Ellicott City, Maryland
4. River Point Apartments, Essex, Maryland
5. Hammarlee House Apartments, Glen Burnie, Maryland
6. Overland Gardens, Landover, Maryland
7. Rainier Manor Phase II Apartments, Mount Rainier, Maryland
8. Chapel Springs Senior Apartments, Perry Hall, Maryland
9. Hampshire Village, Silver Spring, Maryland
10. Windsor Crossing Family Apartments, Suitland, Maryland
11. Windsor Crossing Senior Apartments, Suitland, Maryland

Individuals who believe they or someone they know may have had difficulties because of the inaccessible conditions at any of these properties should send an e-mail to the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov or leave a message at 1-833-591-0291, selecting option 1 for English, selecting option 4 for housing accessibility for persons with disabilities, and selecting option 4 for Stavrou Associates Inc.

The United States Attorney’s Office together with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforce the FHA, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on disability, race, color, religion, national origin, sex and familial status. This law requires that most multifamily housing buildings with four or more units constructed after March 13, 1991, have basic accessible features. Enacted in 1990, the ADA requires that places of public accommodation, such as rental offices at multifamily housing complexes constructed after Jan. 26, 1993, be accessible to persons with disabilities. 

U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly S. Phillips of the District of Maryland and Trial Attorneys Beth Pepper and Jennifer McAllister of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, who are handling these cases.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-Maryland and https://www.justice.gov/usao-Maryland/civil-rights.

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Baltimore, Maryland – Jeffrey Bearden, age 47, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to making a false statement on a loan application relating to the submission of fraudulent CARES Act loan applications.  The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore; and Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector (“SBA OIG”), Eastern Region.

Financial assistance offered through the CARES Act included forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the Paycheck Protection Program, (“PPP”) administered through the Small Business Administration, through participating financial institutions.

            According to his plea agreement, Bearden was the Chief Executive Officer of B&D Consulting Inc., a corporation that provided information technology services, including cybersecurity services.  As detailed in the plea agreement, on May 1, 2020, Bearden submitted an application for a $734,609 PPP loan for B&D Consulting.  As part of the application, Bearden certified that the loan application and supporting documents for his company, B&D Consulting, were accurate and correct.  The $734,609 PPP loan was intended to be used primarily for employee salaries, but at the time of the application, the company had no employees, nor reported paying any earnings and wages for any employee to the Maryland Department of Labor and Licensing (DLLR) in 2020.

            According to court documents, on May 18, 2020, the loan was approved and $734,609 was deposited into B&D’s bank account.  That same day, the $734.609 was transferred to a different B&D bank account and a total of approximately $69,848.06 was subsequently transferred to Bearden and three other individuals.  The next month, $600,000 was transferred to Bearden’s brokerage account and was used to purchase stocks in a variety of publicly traded companies, including one that produced a vaccine for COVID-19.  The purchase of stocks is not an approved use of PPP loan funds by the Small Business Administration. 

            In February 2021, Bearden applied for a second PPP loan in a similar amount, attaching a fraudulent bank statement for B&D Consulting for the month of March 2020 showing the company was paying salaries to at least 19 individuals and that there had been $335,000 in total deposits and $332,017.10 in total withdrawals from the account.  In fact, no deposits or withdraws had been made from that account in March 2020 and the account was overdrawn by more than $275.  A loan for $734,609 was initially approved but later cancelled after the discovery of the fraudulent March 2020 bank statement and no funds were disbursed.

Bearden faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.  As part of his guilty plea, Bearden will also be required to pay a money judgment of $734,609 and to forfeit $16,562.15 seized from an investment account during the investigation.  U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for January 22, 2024, at 11:00 a.m.

The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.  The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors.  The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. 

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.  

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI and the SBA OIG for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron S.J. Zelinsky, who is prosecuting the federal case.  He also recognized the assistance of the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber. 

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander today sentenced Richard Wesley Robinson, age 74, of Cambridge, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for enticement and coercion of a minor to engage in sexual activity.  Judge Hollander also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Robinson must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, is an employee, and is a student, pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore.

According to his guilty plea, prior to July 17, 2018, Robinson communicated with a 12-year-old boy, using mobile phones and the internet to arrange a meeting for sexual activity.  On July 17, 2018, Robinson met the victim at a park in Easton, Maryland, where Robinson engaged in sexual activity with the child.  Robinson used his cellphone to document the sexual abuse of the minor victim.

In July of 2021, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) received a CyberTip report from Snapchat, reporting that Robinson’s Snapchat account had uploaded suspected child pornography.  Law enforcement later executed a search at Robinson’s residence and seized two cellular phones and additional electronic media.  Investigators forensically examined the content of the phones seized from Robinson’s residence and reviewed the content of his Snapchat and Gmail accounts after obtaining search and seizure warrants.  The sexually explicit images that Robinson produced of the victim on July 17, 2018 were found on both of Robinson’s cell phones.  After his abuse of the victim, Robinson sent text messages to others describing his sexual abuse of the boy and used Snapchat to distribute the sexually explicit images he took of the victim to others.  In addition to distributing sexually explicit images of the victim to other internet users, Robinson also engaged in sexually explicit communication regarding minors.  During these communications, Robinson discussed the sexual abuse of children, including a prepubescent child who was being cared for by another Snapchat user.  On June 9, 2021, Robinson received sexually explicit images depicting the sexual abuse of a two-year-old male victim from that Snapchat user.  After receiving the images, Robinson asked the Snapchat user about the abuse and encouraged the Snapchat user to “take some pics.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the HSI for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted the federal case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – Michael Ghali, age 35, of Fairfax, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to a federal cyberstalking charge, related to sexually explicit and threatening messages and emails he sent to two victims.  

The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to his guilty plea, beginning in June 2020, Ghali sent an acquaintance, Victim 1, a series of sexually explicit and threatening text messages using an application which allows users to acquire phone numbers to send text messages that they don’t want to be associated with their known phone number. 

During that same time, Ghali sent Victim 2, who was the head of a medical department at a Baltimore-based hospital, a series of emails from email addresses he created for the purpose of sending Victim 2 threatening messages, accusing Victim 2 of sexually abusing employees in the medical department and minors, and which claimed that the sender had photos of the abuse.  Ghali demanded that Victim 2 resign from his position at the hospital and threatened to send the purported photos of the abuse to the press.  Victim 2 knew of Ghali, as Ghali had previously completed a short medical rotation at the hospital. 

As detailed in the statement of facts, as a result of the threatening messages, Victim 1 contacted the Anne Arundel County Police Department and obtained a protective order that became effective on July 7, 2020.  Similarly, after Victim 2 received an email from Ghali which threatened Victim 2’s life and the lives of his grandchildren, Victim 2 hired a professional security detail and changed his surgical and other schedules.  Victim 2 suspected that Ghali sent the messages and became aware that in 2019 Ghali had been charged in Fairfax, Virginia, with brandishing an AR-15 assault rifle within 1000 feet of a school.  On July 21, 2020, the hospital obtained a temporary restraining order and ultimately a preliminary injunction against Ghali on behalf of Victim 2.

On August 25, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ghali’s residence, seizing a number of electronic devices, including two Apple iPhones, as well as three boxes of .44 caliber ammunition.  From a Federal Firearms Licensee in Fairfax County law enforcement also seized a .22LR caliber semi-automatic firearm, a 10-round capacity magazine, and additional ammunition.  A subsequent review of Ghali’s phone revealed another social media page Ghali created in which he posted photos of individuals, including Victim 1.  Several images of Victim 1 with sexually explicit captions were located on the page.

According to the plea agreement, on August 28, 2020, Ghali obtained a new Apple iPhone and, in violation of the protective orders that were in place, sent Victim 1 and Victim 2 additional messages and emails.  In addition, Ghali posted sexually explicit and threatening messages regarding Victim 1 to another of his social media pages.  On October 9, 2020, law enforcement executed a second search warrant at Ghali’s home which authorized seizure of among other things, the new Apple iPhone used by Ghali to send the message to Victim 1.  Law enforcement ultimately were unable to locate the device but did locate a receipt for its purchase and packaging material.

Ghali faces a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison and a maximum of five years in prison for cyberstalking.  U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for November 28, 2023, at 9:30 a.m.  Ghali has been detained since his arrest and remains detained pending sentencing.

U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorney Paul A. Riley, who is prosecuting the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – Jourdain Larose, a/k/a “JBlacc,” age 28, of Ellicott City, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to the use and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death, in connection with a murder-for-hire conspiracy.  Larose admitted that he solicited others to murder victim Juan Ross in exchange for money and that in the course of the murder-for-hire Larose aided and abetted his co-conspirators who discharged firearms, resulting in the death of Ross.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Chief Gregory Der of the Howard County Police Department; and Howard County State’s Attorney Rich Gibson.

According to his plea agreement, Larose accused Juan Ross, age 23, of Columbia, Maryland, of cooperating with law enforcement, including on a live social media conversation on September 9, 2020, and in text message. 

As detailed in his plea agreement, Larose provided a gun to a conspirator on September 12, 2020, for the purpose of killing Juan Ross.  On October 3, 2020, when the conspirator had not committed the murder yet, Larose solicited co-defendant Tyrik Braxton to commit the murder instead.  On that same date, Braxton texted a cell phone number linked to co-defendant Daquante Thomas with the address where Ross could be found. 

According to court documents, on October 4, 2020, after text messaging each other about the address where they could find the victim, Braxton, Thomas, and another co-conspirator drove to the area of Basket Ring Court in Columbia to locate Juan Ross, then drove to a drug store nearby, where Braxton got out of the car and left the area.  A short time later, Thomas and the co-conspirator returned to Basket Ring Court, shot and killed Juan Ross and drove away together.

Although they denied knowing each other in post arrest statements, investigators linked Larose and Braxton through cellphone records and witness interviews.  According to the plea agreement, after Ross’s murder, Braxton texted Larose that he had something important to discuss, and Larose told Braxton to Facetime him.  As detailed in the plea agreement, on October 7, 2020, Braxton texted Larose, “It’s going to be hot as sh** out here” to which Larose responded, “It already is bro.”

Larose and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea, Larose will be sentenced to no more than 40 years in federal prison.  U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin has scheduled sentencing for Larose on February 27, 2023.

 Co-defendant Tyrik Braxton, a/k/a “Son-Son,” age 27, of Baltimore, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death and is expected to be sentenced to between 20 and 25 years in federal prison.  No date has been set for his sentencing.  On January 11, 2023, Judge Rubin sentenced co-defendant Daquante Thomas, age 21, of Baltimore, to 35 years in federal prison for the same charge.  Thomas admitted that he was one of the shooters.

This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN).  NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms.  NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles.  For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the Howard County Police Department, and the Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution and thanked the FBI, the Maryland State Police, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Baltimore Police Department for their assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Y. Hagan, who is prosecuting the case.

            For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III today sentenced Tavion Thomas, age 23, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 33 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department; and Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.

“Removing from the community—by any legal means necessary—those most likely to commit gun violence, guides the accountability arm of our work,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron. “As a convicted violent offender, Mr. Thomas knew that he was not allowed to have a gun—if you are caught illegally carrying a gun, you will be held accountable.”

According to his guilty plea, on September 10, 2022, Baltimore Police officers were advised that Tavion Thomas had an open arrest warrant in Baltimore City for a violent crime.  Officers went to the 3200 block of Belair Road in Baltimore, an area they knew Thomas was known to frequent, and located Thomas standing with a crowd of people.  Thomas was arrested and the backpack he was wearing was searched.  From the backpack, officers recovered a 9mm pistol loaded with one 9mm round in the chamber and one magazine containing 14 9mm rounds; a magazine loaded with 10 9mm rounds; eight mason jars containing a total of 1,696 grams of suspected marijuana; four plastic bags containing 28 grams of suspected marijuana; five plastic containers containing 100 grams of suspected marijuana; and one metal grinder with marijuana residue.  Officers also searched Thomas and recovered from his waistband a 9mm pistol loaded with one 9mm round in the chamber and a magazine loaded with 10 9mm rounds.  Thomas has a previous felony conviction and knew that as a result, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.

Investigation also revealed that the 9mm pistols Thomas possessed were reported stolen from Bel Air, Maryland and from Atlanta, Georgia.

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.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the Baltimore Police Department and the Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Aubin, who prosecuted the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland - The Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office’s video spot aimed at ending gun violence is appearing on Baltimore’s “big screens.” Starting this week, "End Gun Violence" public service announcements will be featured on billboards, kiosks, bus shelters and other digital platforms across the region.

In September, the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office launched a cutting edge 60 second public service announcement encouraging viewers to take action to end gun violence. The video continues to air across Maryland on digital platforms and will soon return to cable broadcast.

“There is no single solution to ending gun violence,” said Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “We’ll make an impact with law enforcement working together with communities around prevention, intervention, and accountability.”

Maryland is experiencing reduced violent crime than previous years as a result of collaborative efforts between law enforcement and community-based organizations. The Department of Justice's Project Safe Neighborhoods brings together committed groups to balance prevention, intervention, strategic law enforcement, and community engagement in an effort to end gun violence and keep communities safe.

The PSAs appear on outdoor platforms along I-895, I-83, throughout the Inner Harbor, and other places around greater Baltimore. Each includes a scannable code to find more information and learn how to get involved.

“The Baltimore Orioles, in partnership with our media partner, MASN, wholeheartedly support the effort to end gun violence throughout our communities because everyone deserves a safe place to call home,” said Kerry Watson, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs for the Baltimore Orioles. This campaign exposes the grief that impacts families every day and we appreciate the opportunity to be a vehicle for delivering this important message.”

No one should live in fear in their own home or neighborhood. This educational campaign encourages communities to get involved in ending gun violence.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury returned guilty verdicts yesterday convicting Willie Lamont Hicks, a/k/a “Will Woodward” and “CW,” age 50, of Kansas City, Missouri, and Mary Ann Mendoza, a/k/a “Mary Ann Manuel,” “Trinity,” “M3,” and “Emily James,” age 49, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, on federal charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud related to a debt elimination and wealth management fraud scheme. 

The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Guy Petrillo of the Mid-Atlantic Region - Federal Housing Finance Agency - Office of Inspector General; Special Agent in Charge Javan Wilson of the U.S. Department of the Treasury - Office of Inspector General; Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy; and Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department.

According to the evidence presented at their seven-day trial, from August 2011 to at least September 2017, Hicks and Mendoza, who represented themselves as partners and as husband and wife, held in-person trainings purporting to educate victim-debtors on how to discharge consumer debt, including mortgage debt, credit card debt, and automobile financing debt.  Hicks and Mendoza also marketed wealth management services to victims, including purporting to set up a family office and to fund business opportunities.

As detailed in trial testimony, during the debt elimination classes, Hicks, who claimed to be an attorney, and Mendoza told victims that on the back of their social security cards and birth certificates, there was a number that unlocked access to a special bank account with funds owed to the victims by the U.S. government.  The defendants also informed the victim-debtors that they could create or use “trusts” into which they could transfer their assets without transferring any attendant consumer debt, or to obtain return on investment. 

The evidence proved that Hicks, Mendoza, and their co-conspirators offered to effectuate the discharge of the debt held by the victims or other purported services for a fee, including a fee equal to a percentage of the victim-debtors’ outstanding debt.  The defendants accepted payment in the form of cash, wire transfers, personal and cashier’s checks, and the use of the victim-debtors’ credit.  Victim-debtors also paid the defendants through liquidating their retirement savings, the leasing of apartments, and the purchase of vehicles and office equipment and supplies.  Hicks and Mendoza caused one victim to transfer almost $100,000 from the victim’s bank account to fraudulent corporate entities controlled by the defendants in 2017, including by interstate wire transfer.  Trial testimony showed that victim-debtors were induced into providing the defendants with over a million dollars in cash and other forms of payment during the period of the conspiracy.

According to the evidence also presented at trial, Hicks, Mendoza, and their co-conspirators used the victims’ personal identifying information without the victims’ knowledge or permission and provided the victims with fraudulent documents, including Internal Revenue Service forms, memorandums of agreement, intake forms, and other materials that the defendants claimed were necessary for discharging debt.  The evidence showed that Hicks, Mendoza, and their co-conspirators mailed the fraudulent paperwork to the victim-debtors’ creditors, lenders, and the Internal Revenue Service purporting to effectuate the discharge of the victim’s debts. 

The defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each of four counts of wire fraud.  U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for defendant Hicks for January 11, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., and for defendant Mendoza for January 12, 2024, at 9:30 a.m.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the Mid-Atlantic and Central Regions of the Federal Housing Finance Agency - Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of the Treasury - Office of Inspector General, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution.  Mr. Barron thanked the United States Marshals, the Hinesville, Georgia Police Department, the Gwinnett County, Georgia Police Department, the Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Offices of Western District of North Carolina, Northern District of Georgia, Eastern District of Texas, New Jersey, and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for their assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Coreen Mao and G. Michael Morgan, who are prosecuting the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment late yesterday charging Frederick Douglass Moorefield, Jr., age 62, of Arnold, Maryland, and Mario Damon Flythe, age 49, of Glen Burnie, Maryland with conspiracy to engage in an animal fighting venture and other charges related to their alleged establishment and promotion of a dog fighting ring.   

Flythe and Moorefield are scheduled to have an initial appearance and arraignment on the indictment on Friday, October 6, 2023, at 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., respectively, in U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge A. David Copperthite.  The defendants are currently released under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services on related charges.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office, Criminal and Cyber Division; Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of  Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal for Maryland Mathew Silverman; and Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal E. Awad.

“The mistreatment of animals for sport is among the lowest level of human conduct,” said Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland.  “Those who engage in this cruelty will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

According to the indictment, Moorefield and Flythe used encrypted messaging applications to communicate with individuals throughout the United States to discuss dogfighting.  Moorefield used the name “Geehad Kennels” and Flythe used the name “Razor Sharp Kennels” to identify their respective dogfighting operations. 

As alleged in the indictment, Moorefield, Flythe and their associates used the encrypted messaging applications to discuss dogfights, dogfighting, breeding fighting dogs, training techniques to maximize their chances of developing champion fighting dogs, and methods to avoid being caught by law enforcement, as well as to buy and sell veterinary supplies for use on fighting dogs, arrange and coordinate dogfights, and exchange information about wagers on dogfights. 

Further, the indictment alleges that between June 2022 and September 2023, the defendants unlawfully possessed, trained, delivered and received dogs to participate in an animal fighting venture and from February 2019 to September 2023 used the internet and text and instant-messaging applications to promote, manage and facilitate gambling related to the dogfights.  The indictment also seeks forfeiture of any proceeds derived from, or traceable to, the gambling enterprise.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.  

If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each of the 10 counts charged in the indictment.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of the Inspector General, the DoD Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Animal Control, and thanked the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia for their valuable assistance in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Levin and Darryl Tarver, who are prosecuting the case.  

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal criminal complaint has been filed charging Frederick Douglass Moorefield, Jr., age 62, of Arnold, Maryland, and Mario Damon Flythe, age 49, of Glen Burnie, Maryland with promoting and furthering animal fighting venture.  The criminal complaint was filed on September 21, 2023, and was unsealed at the defendants’ initial appearances on September 28, 2023.  At their initial appearance, U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson ordered that the defendants be released pending trial under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services.

The criminal complaint was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office, Criminal and Cyber Division; Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of  Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office; U.S. Marshal for Maryland Johnny Hughes; and Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal E. Awad.

According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Moorefield, a Deputy Chief Information Officer for Command, Control, and Communications, for Office of the Secretary of Defense, and Flythe used an encrypted messaging application to communicate with individuals throughout the United States to discuss dogfighting.  Moorefield used the name “Geehad Kennels” and Flythe used the name “Razor Sharp Kennels” to identify their respective dogfighting operations. 

For example, as detailed in the affidavit, Moorefield, Flythe and their associates used the encrypted messaging application to discuss how to train dogs for illegal dogfighting, exchanged videos about dogfighting, and arranged and coordinated dogfights.  Moorefield and Flythe also discussed betting on dogfighting, discussed dogs that died as a result of dogfighting, and circulated media reports about dogfighters who had been caught by law enforcement.  As further alleged in the affidavit, Moorefield and others also discussed how to conceal their conduct from law enforcement.

On September 6, 2023, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Moorefield and Flythe’s residences in Maryland.  Following the execution of these warrants, twelve dogs were recovered and seized by the federal government.  Law enforcement also recovered veterinary steroids, training schedules, a carpet that appeared to be stained with blood, and a weighted dog vest with a patch reading “Geehad Kennels.” In addition, law enforcement officers seized a device consisting of an electrical plug and jumper cables, which the affidavit alleges is consistent with devices used to execute dogs that lose dogfights.

A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.  If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for possessing, training, or transporting animals for participation in an animal fighting venture.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of the Inspector General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Animal Control, and thanked the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia for their valuable assistance in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Levin and Darryl Tarver, who are prosecuting the case.  

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – Stanford University, located in Palo Alto, California, has agreed to pay $1.9 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting proposals for federal research grants that failed to disclose current and pending support that twelve Stanford faculty members were receiving from foreign sources.

The settlement was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.

The settlement relates to research grants that Stanford received between 2015 and 2020 from five federal agencies: The Departments of the Army, Navy and Air Force, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). All of these agencies require grant applicants to disclose all current and pending support received by the institution and the principal investigators (PIs) and co-PIs on the grant proposals. Current and pending support is defined as all resources from whatever source — including foreign government sources — that are made available to researchers in support of and/or related to their research endeavors. The United States alleged that on sixteen grant proposals submitted to the Army, Navy, NASA and NSF, Stanford knowingly failed to disclose current and pending foreign funding that eleven Stanford PIs and co-PIs had received or expected to receive in direct support of their research. The United States further alleged that Stanford knowingly failed to disclose to the Army, Air Force and NSF that a Stanford professor received research funding in connection with his employment at Fudan University, a foreign public university and from a foreign government’s national science foundation. In connection with the settlement, Stanford has agreed to work with the NSF Office of the Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy on best practices in the areas identified by the United States.

“Complete and accurate disclosures by principal investigators and universities of current and pending support are essential to federal agencies that make decisions on awarding federal grants,” said Erek Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland. “Those individuals and universities that knowingly fail to do so skew the grant awarding process in their favor and will be held accountable.”

“Universities and their researchers must disclose all sources of current and pending support, including any foreign support, in federal research grant applications,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will continue to ensure that grant applicants submit complete and truthful disclosures, so the government has full transparency into the applicant’s funding sources.”

“The National Science Foundation awards billions of dollars in grants each year to promote promising scientific research. NSF and other federal funding agencies rely on grant recipients to accurately track the commitments of their personnel and fully disclose all funding sources. Stanford failed to disclose foreign funding in grant proposals submitted to multiple federal agencies. Full and accurate disclosures are essential to protect the interests of American taxpayers and ensure that federal funds are properly awarded to deserving institutions,” said NSF Inspector General Lerner. “We thank the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, and our investigative partners for their work in protecting the integrity of federal research.”

“This settlement is a prime example of our agents and partner law enforcement agencies pursuing those who do not disclose foreign government ties when entering into contracts with the U.S. Army,” said Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Michael Curran for the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Major Procurement Fraud Field Office. “It is imperative that when someone partners with the U.S. Army, they comply with all their obligations.”

“The failure of U.S. universities to disclose current or pending awards with foreign entities on research grant proposals submitted to the U.S. Government as required by law has the potential to threaten government interests,” said Assistant Director Thomas Cannizzo of the NCIS National Security Directorate. “Through the efforts of the National Science Foundation with support from NCIS and additional law enforcement partners, sensitive research funded by the U.S. military was protected from disclosure to foreign interests.”

“Protecting research and development programs funded by taxpayer dollars is a top priority for us,” said Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Michael Graham at the NASA Office of Inspector General (OIG). “The settlement agreement with Stanford University is the result of a joint effort to guard against fraud, waste and abuse in government grants. This case demonstrates the commitment of NASA OIG and our partners to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to safeguard public funds.”

“This settlement demonstrates the Office of Procurement Fraud’s determination and commitment to identify and hold accountable those who conceal foreign affiliations to obtain research funding,” said Special Agent in Charge William W. Richards for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI). “AFOSI, along with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, will continue to work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the Federal grant process."

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, with assistance from Army CID, NCIS, AFOSI, NSF OIG, NASA OIG and the Department of Education.

The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas F. Corcoran and by Trial Attorney Sarah E. Loucks of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section).

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Stanford University, located in Palo Alto, California, has agreed to pay $1.9 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting proposals for federal research grants that failed to disclose current and pending support that 12 Stanford faculty members were receiving from foreign sources.

The settlement relates to research grants that Stanford received between 2015 and 2020 from five federal agencies: the Departments of the Army, Navy and Air Force, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). All of these agencies require grant applicants to disclose all current and pending support received by the institution and the principal investigators (PIs) and co-PIs on the grant proposals. Current and pending support is defined as all resources from whatever source — including foreign government sources — that are made available to researchers in support of and/or related to their research endeavors.

The United States alleged that on 16 grant proposals submitted to the Army, Navy, NASA and NSF, Stanford knowingly failed to disclose current and pending foreign funding that 11 Stanford PIs and co-PIs had received or expected to receive in direct support of their research. The United States further alleged that Stanford knowingly failed to disclose to the Army, Air Force and NSF that a Stanford professor received research funding in connection with his employment at Fudan University, a foreign public university and from a foreign government’s national science foundation. In connection with the settlement, Stanford has agreed to work with the NSF Office of the Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy on best practices in the areas identified by the United States.

“Universities and their researchers must disclose all sources of current and pending support, including any foreign support, in federal research grant applications,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will continue to ensure that grant applicants submit complete and truthful disclosures, so the government has full transparency into the applicant’s funding sources.”

“Complete and accurate disclosures by principal investigators and universities of current and pending support are essential to federal agencies that make decisions on awarding federal grants,” said U.S. Attorney Erek Barron for the District of Maryland. “Those individuals and universities that knowingly fail to do so skew the grant awarding process in their favor and will be held accountable.”

“The National Science Foundation awards billions of dollars in grants each year to promote promising scientific research. NSF and other federal funding agencies rely on grant recipients to accurately track the commitments of their personnel and fully disclose all funding sources. Stanford failed to disclose foreign funding in grant proposals submitted to multiple federal agencies. Full and accurate disclosures are essential to protect the interests of American taxpayers and ensure that federal funds are properly awarded to deserving institutions,” said NSF Inspector General Allison C. Lerner. “We thank the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and our investigative partners for their work in protecting the integrity of federal research.”

“This settlement is a prime example of our agents and partner law enforcement agencies pursuing those who do not disclose foreign government ties when entering into contracts with the U.S. Army,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Curran of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Major Procurement Fraud Field Office. “It is imperative that when someone partners with the U.S. Army, they comply with all their obligations.”

“The failure of U.S. universities to disclose current or pending awards with foreign entities on research grant proposals submitted to the U.S. government as required by law has the potential to threaten government interests,” said Assistant Director Thomas Cannizzo of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) National Security Directorate. “Through the efforts of the National Science Foundation with support from NCIS and additional law enforcement partners, sensitive research funded by the U.S. military was protected from disclosure to foreign interests.”

“Protecting research and development programs funded by taxpayer dollars is a top priority for us,” said Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Michael Graham of the NASA Office of Inspector General (NASA-OIG). “The settlement agreement with Stanford University is the result of a joint effort to guard against fraud, waste and abuse in government grants. This case demonstrates the commitment of NASA-OIG and our partners to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to safeguard public funds.”

“This settlement demonstrates the Office of Procurement Fraud’s determination and commitment to identify and hold accountable those who conceal foreign affiliations to obtain research funding,” said Special Agent in Charge William W. Richards of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI). “AFOSI, along with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, will continue to work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the federal grant process."

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, with assistance from Army CID, NCIS, AFOSI, NSF OIG, NASA OIG and the Department of Education.

The matter was investigated by Trial Attorney Sarah E. Loucks of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas F. Corcoran for the District of Maryland.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

Settlement

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Gary Rocky Jones, age 42, of Baltimore, on charges of sexual exploitation of a child, use of interstate commerce facility to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity, commission of a felony crime involving a minor by a registered sex offender and possession and distribution of child pornography.  The guilty verdict was returned on September 27, 2023, after a three-week trial.

The verdict was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Baltimore Field Office; and Acting Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.

Previously convicted sex offender Gary Rocky Jones, was found guilty of 27 counts of sexual exploitation of a child to produce child pornography, 15 counts of use of an interstate commerce facility, specifically, the internet, to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity—relating to 15 minor victims from around the country, and commission of a felony crime involving a minor by a registered sex offender, as well as distribution and possession of child pornography. 

According to the evidence presented at trial, between 2014 and August 2015, Jones twice produced images and videos of a minor male engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  The victim was age 14 to 15 years old during the exploitation.  Additionally, as detailed during the trial, from September 2018 through August 2020, Jones used social media accounts to persuade, entice, and coerce another 15 minor males from several states and ranging in age from eight to 17 years old, to engage in sexually explicit conduct.  During these internet-based communications, Jones caused the victims to both produce live-streamed and recorded visual depictions of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct, both alone and with others, and send Jones the sexually explicit images and video via the internet.  On April 2, 2018, Jones used a social media account to distribute child pornography.  Further, Jones possessed child pornography from December 2, 2014 through January 31, 2020, and from May 29, 2017 through July 14, 2020, respectively, in connection with two separate email addresses and related storage accounts.  Finally, the jury found that, based on the evidence presented at trial, between 2015 and September 2020, Jones committed felony offenses involving minors while he was required to register as a sex offender under Maryland law.

Jones faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years and a maximum sentence of 50 years in federal prison for each count of sexual exploitation of a child; a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment for each count of coercion and enticement of a child; a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison for distribution of child pornography; and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography.  Jones also faces a mandatory consecutive sentence of 10 years in federal prison for commission of a felony crime involving a minor by a registered sex offender.  U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has not yet scheduled sentencing.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the  “Resources” tab on the left of the page.      

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the Jones case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Budlow and Colleen E. McGuinn.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Satbir Thukral, age 61, of Germantown, Maryland, for interference with commerce by extortion, and attempted witness tampering. 

The defendant had an initial appearance on September 29, 2023, in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ajmel A. Quereshi.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Washington Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).

“A top criminal priority for the FBI is to investigate public corruption perpetrated against the government and American taxpayers,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Today’s indictment is an example of an important partnership with TIGTA and the work we do every day towards our common goal. The FBI will not relent in our mission to root out corruption and fraud within the government, and to hold those accountable who put greed above their trusted positions.”

TIGTA Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay said, “Internal Revenue Service employees are placed in a position of trust, and when an employee tries to sell that trust for personal gain, the faith of the American taxpayer falters.  The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration takes allegations of public corruption very seriously and will ensure that any employees involved in such acts are held accountable.  I want to thank our law enforcement partners at the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Department of Justice Fraud Section for their efforts.”

According to the indictment, Thukral was employed as an information technology manager for the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), assigned to an office in Lanham, Maryland.  He had a supervisory role in connection with contracts between the IRS and various businesses.  Victim 1 was the President of Business 1, which was a professional services firm based outside of Maryland, that conducted business in Maryland.  Businesses 2 and 3 had prime contracts with the IRS for the performance of IT services.  At various times from approximately September 2018 through February 2021, Business 1 subcontracted with Businesses 2 and 3 to assist in executing the contracts with the IRS. 

According to the indictment, in March 2018, Victim 1 provided their resume to Thukral who passed Victim 1’s resume within the IRS, to Business 2, and elsewhere for purposes of facilitating the hiring of Business 1 as a subcontractor on a prime contract with the IRS.  The indictment alleges that, beginning in September 2018, Business 1 was hired as a subcontractor by Business 2 to perform services in support of Business 2’s contract with the IRS; at a later point, Business 1 was hired to assist Business 3.  Beginning in October 2018, Thukral allegedly demanded that Victim 1 pay him a portion of the earnings on Business 1’s subcontracts, claiming that Thukral enabled Business 1’s employment and telling Victim 1 that there would be consequences if Victim 1 did not pay.  From approximately October 2018 through December 2020, Victim 1 allegedly provided such payments to Thukral, totaling at least approximately $120,000.  The indictment alleges that Victim 1 made these payments out of fear that Thukral would cause Victim 1 economic and reputational harm if Victim 1 did not pay.

Further, the indictment alleges that, in February 2023, Victim 1 informed Thukral that they had been approached by federal investigators inquiring about cash withdrawals that Victim 1 made from their bank accounts.  Thukral allegedly attempted to persuade Victim 1 to deceive the federal investigators about the reason for Victim’s 1 cash withdrawals and about the extortion scheme. 

If convicted, Thukral faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment on each count in the indictment.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

Members of the public who suspect misconduct such as that described above, or believe they have been the victim of such misconduct, should contact the TIGTA telephone line at 800-366-4484 or visit https://www.tigta.gov/reportcrime-misconduct. 

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri commended the FBI and TIGTA for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron and Ms. Argentieri thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Christopher Sarma and Trial Attorney Matt Kahn from the U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Fraud Section, who are prosecuting the federal case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – Judge Paula Xinis today sentenced Kyrie Rashuad Thompson, age 29, formerly of Washington, D.C., to 30 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release for kidnapping and attempted witness tampering. 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to the Court’s findings, on September 22, 2019, the victim drove her car to the residence of Thompson in the District of Columbia to drop off their three-year-old child to Thompson in a prearranged visit.  Instead of retrieving their child, Thompson opened the front passenger door and sat down in the victim’s vehicle and ordered her to drive to Bald Eagle Drive in Maryland.  After the victim refused, Thompson become angry and threatening.  As a result, the victim began driving.  Once they crossed into Maryland, the victim pulled into a parking lot in Forest Heights, Maryland, hoping to diffuse the situation.  During that time, the victim’s boyfriend called the victim’s cell phone.  Thompson answered the call, and told the caller that the victim was going to perform a sex act on him.  When Thompson concluded the call, he started choking the victim around her neck with his hands and pulling her head toward the passenger side floorboard, pinning her down so she could not breathe.  During this struggle, their three-year-old child was in the backseat of the vehicle crying.

At some point, Thomson stopped choking the victim and ordered her to continue driving to Bald Eagle Drive.  They ended up on Bald Eagle Drive, near the entrance to the Oxon Hill Children’s Farm in Prince George’s County, Maryland. There, Thompson pulled out his phone, and ordered the victim to perform a sex act on him.  When the victim refused, Thompson choked the victim again and then pushed the victim’s head toward his crotch, holding it there while he used his cellphone to record the sex act.  On the recording, their three-year-old child could be heard crying and telling him to stop.  After the victim performed the sex act, she drove back toward the District of Columbia, where Thompson took their child out of the car.  He threatened the victim not to call the police or something would happen.

On December 18, 2019, a federal grand jury in the District of Maryland returned an indictment charging Thompson with kidnapping.  Thereafter, on August 25, 2020, Thompson sent the victim a letter in which he wrote: “I talked to my lawyer and they told me they talked to you. Only thing is you have to change the facts [victim’s name].  You gotta say I didn;t kidnap you.  You gotta say nothing happened until we were already in MD.  They told me they know you probably think if you don’t go to court it’ll go away like before but its different with federal cases. You gotta call back and say I didn’t kidnap you. Please . . . . Tell them I didn’t force you to go to MD . . . Please call and say I didn’t kidnap you and you willing to tell a jury or judge that at court as well.”

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation- Washington Field Office and the U.S. Park Police for their assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Grossi, who prosecuted the federal case. 

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – Reginald Alphonso Hopkins, age 52, of Prince George's County, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud relating to the submission of fraudulent claims for the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, enacted to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to his plea agreement, Hopkins fraudulently obtained $1,007,224 in fraudulent PPP funds and $9,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds for various purported businesses he controlled—a transportation business, a car sales business, and an assisted living facility.  He also attempted to fraudulently obtain more than $3,132,224 in PPP and EIDL funds.

According to his plea agreement, on June 11, 2020, with direction from Hopkins, a co-conspirator submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application to Bluevine and Celtic Bank for Prestige Executive Transportation, a business owned by Hopkins. The application contained multiple material misrepresentations, including that Prestige Executive Transportation in 2019 had 15 employees and an average monthly payroll of $116,436.  In support of the loan application, a fabricated 2019 Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 944—Employer’s Annual Federal Tax Return—was submitted, which falsely indicated that the entity’s total payments to all employees in 2019 was $1,397,237.78.  Based on the fraudulent submissions, the PPP loan was funded, and approximately $291,090 was distributed.  Hopkins agreed to pay the co-conspirator a kickback payment after the PPP loan funds were received, and he provided the co-conspirator a check in the amount $58,000.

On March 14, 2021, the co-conspirator submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application to Cross River Bank for Prestige 24/7 Auto Sales & Services LLC (“Prestige 24/7”), another business owned by Hopkins.  The loan application contained multiple material misrepresentations, including that Prestige 24/7 in 2019 had 15 employees and an average monthly payroll of $120,409.  In support of the loan application, a fabricated 2019 IRS Form 940—Employer's Annual Federal Unemployment—was submitted, which falsely indicated that the entity’s total payments to all employees in 2019 was $1,444,902.60.  Based on the fraudulent submissions made on behalf of Hopkins as the owner of Prestige 24/7, the PPP loan was funded on March 23, 2021, and approximately $294,771 was disbursed to Hopkins.

On March 23, 2021, the co-conspirator, with direction from Hopkins, submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application to Cross River Bank for Prestige Assisted Living Inc. (“Prestige Assisted Living”), another business owned by Hopkins.  The PPP loan application contained multiple material misrepresentations, including that Prestige Assisted Living in 2019 had 24 employees and an average monthly payroll of $168,545.   In support of the loan application, a fabricated 2019 IRS Form 940 was submitted, which falsely indicated that the entity in 2019 paid $2,022,544.12 in wages to all employees.  Prestige Assisted Living did not even obtain a license to operate as an assisted living facility until December 18, 2020.  It was authorized to have four beds.  Moreover, even after it obtained its license, Prestige Assisted Living never paid wages to any employee.  The PPP loan application also included a fabricated February 2020 Wells Fargo Bank account statement for Prestige Assisted Living.  The actual beginning balance on the Wells Fargo Bank statement was negative $3.50, not $123,538.50 as shown on the purported bank statement submitted to Cross River Bank.  Likewise, the actual ending balance on the Wells Fargo Bank statement was negative $17.50, not $123,475.77 as shown on the purported February 2020 statement submitted to Cross River Bank.  Based on the fraudulent submissions the PPP loan was funded, and approximately $421,363 was distributed to Hopkins.  Hopkins again paid the co-conspirator kickback payments for his work, totaling $44,000.

Hopkins spent the fraudulently obtained loan proceeds in various ways, including by paying $177,000 in kickbacks to the co-conspirator, providing PPP funds to various friends, family members and associates for purposes unrelated to employment, making large cash withdrawals for himself, and paying off various personal debts. 

Hopkins also used $30,000 of the PPP funds to purchase an auto body repair shop called B&G Auto Repair LLC.  He planned to seek and obtain a fraudulent PPP loan for this entity as well.

On March 19, 2021, another fraudulent PPP loan application was submitted to Cross River Bank for Prestige Executive Protection Services, LLC, another business owned by Hopkins, seeking a loan in the amount of $250,723.  This application falsely claimed, among other things, that the business had $100,289 in average monthly payroll.  It also included a fabricated 2019 IRS Form 940, which stated that total payments to all employees in 2019 were $1,203,471.52.  The loan was ultimately declined. 

In addition to obtaining the PPP loans discussed above, Hopkins also conspired with the co-conspirator to obtain PPP loans for various other purported businesses, including Prestige Paradise Promotions, LLC, Prestige Executive Protection Services II, LLC, Prestige Real Estate & Development, LLC, and B&G Auto Repair LLC, as noted above.  Hopkins repeatedly sought the co-conspirator’s assistance in obtaining PPP loans for these entities, but the loans never closed. 

Hopkins also caused to be submitted numerous fraudulent EIDL applications.  The EIDL program was another program administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) designed to provide relief funds to small businesses impacted by COVID-19.

On April 1, 2020, an EIDL application was submitted for Prestige Executive Transportation.  The application falsely claimed that the business had five employees, 2019 gross revenues of $250 million, and cost of goods sold of $100 million.  This equated to a requested loan amount of $2 million.  This loan was ultimately declined; however, Hopkins received a EIDL Advance of $5,000.  

Likewise, on April 2, 2020, an EIDL application for Prestige Executive Protection Services II was submitted to the SBA.  Financial information supplied on the application stated that Prestige Executive Protection had gross revenues of $200,000 and a monthly revenue of $16,666.66, which equated to a requested loan amount of $100,000. This loan was also declined; however, Hopkins received an EIDL Advance of $4,000.  

On July 1, 2020, an EIDL application was submitted for Prestige 24/7.  It falsely claimed that the business had gross revenues of $700,000 and cost of goods sold of $650,000.  The loan was ultimately declined. 

If the party’s plea agreement is accepted by the Court, Hopkins will be sentenced to between 18 months and 41 months of imprisonment.  U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for January 10, 2024, at 2:30 p.m.

The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.  The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors.  The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. 

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.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for their work in the investigation and thanked the Baltimore County Police Department and the U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General (“SBA-OIG”).  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Riley, who is prosecuting the federal case.  Mr. Barron also recognized the assistance of the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force Paralegal Specialist Joanna Huber.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – Judge James K. Bredar yesterday sentenced Elias Nick Costianes, age 44, formerly of Nottingham, Maryland, to 24 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, after Costianes’s plea of guilty to possession of firearms and ammunition by an unlawful user of any controlled substance. 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to his plea agreement, on February 12, 2021, the FBI executed search warrants for Costianes’s residence, his vehicle, and his cellphone.  Costianes was taken into custody pursuant to an arrest warrant issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  Costianes was advised of his Miranda rights and voluntarily agreed to be interviewed.  Costianes told agents that he kept four firearms in cases in the basement.  Law enforcement searched the basement and recovered the four firearms described by Costianes: a 9mm pistol; a M&P 15 semi-automatic rifle; a .223 caliber semi-automatic rifle; and a 12-gauge shotgun, as well as thousands of rounds of ammunition, including 9mm, .22 caliber, .223 caliber, and shotgun cartridges.  A box containing 100 rounds of 9mm ammunition was also found in the trunk of Costianes’ vehicle.  Two of the firearms were semiautomatic and capable of accepting a large-capacity magazine. 

As detailed in his plea agreement, during the search, law enforcement also recovered marijuana and four vials containing either testosterone enanthate or testosterone cypionate, both controlled substances.  The electronic evidence from Costianes’ phone, including photographs and text message conversations, revealed that Costianes illegally used cocaine, testosterone, and marijuana and that his use of each substance was consistent, prolonged, and recent.  Costianes further admitted that he not only purchased cocaine and testosterone for personal use, but that he also conspired to distribute, and did distribute, cocaine and testosterone to others. 

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey J. Izant and P. Michael Cunningham, who prosecuted the federal case.  Mr. Barron also thanked Paralegals Andrew Branigan, and Mark Phares, and Intelligence Research Specialist Angelina Thompson for their assistance. 

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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A Maryland man was sentenced today to life in prison for racketeering and murder in aid of racketeering conspiracies, for committing murder in aid of racketeering, and for conspiracy to destroy and conceal evidence in connection with his participation in La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), a transnational criminal enterprise.

According to court documents, on March 8, 2019, Jose Rafael Ortega-Ayala, aka Impaciente, 30, of Greenbelt, along with Jose Henry Hernandez-Garcia, Victim 1, and other MS-13 members, participated in a Los Ghettos Criminales Salvatruchas (LGCS) clique meeting, where gang matters – including recent contacts that Victim 1 had with the police – were discussed. During the meeting, Jose Domingo Ordonez-Zometa, the leader of LGCS, questioned Victim 1 about his/her cooperation with police. During the questioning, Ortega-Ayala and at least one other MS-13 member assaulted Victim 1, based on their incorrect suspicions that Victim 1 was cooperating with law enforcement. They also assaulted another MS-13 member who attempted to defend Victim 1. The assault culminated with Ordonez-Zometa, as LGCS clique leader, ordering that Victim 1 be killed. Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia, and other MS-13 members then stabbed and murdered Victim 1 in Ordonez-Zometa’s basement.

After the murder, Ordonez-Zometa ordered Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia, and other LGCS clique members and co-conspirators, to conceal and destroy evidence of the murder. Ortega-Ayala and other MS-13 members transported Victim 1’s body to a secluded location in Stafford County, Virginia, set the body on fire, then destroyed and concealed evidence of the murder from the vehicle used to transport the victim. Meanwhile, Ordonez-Zometa, Hernandez-Garcia, and another MS-13 member stayed at the crime scene and attempted to remove, destroy, and conceal evidence of the murder, including the blood of Victim 1. 

On March 6, Ordonez-Zometa was sentenced to life in prison. On Aug. 4, Hernandez-Garcia was also sentenced to life in prison.  

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and state and local law enforcement partners investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Jared Engelking and Matthew Hoff of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morgan for the District of Maryland prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis today sentenced Jose Rafael Ortega-Ayala, a/k/a “Impaciente,” age 30, of Greenbelt, Maryland, to life in federal prison for racketeering and murder in aid of racketeering conspiracies, for committing murder in aid of racketeering, and for conspiracy to destroy and conceal evidence connected to his participation in La Mara Salvatrucha, a transnational criminal enterprise also known as MS-13.  The charges related to the murder of a victim believed to be cooperating with law enforcement and the subsequent cover-up of the murder.  Ortega-Ayala was convicted on December 16, 2022, after a two-week trial, along with co-defendants Jose Domingo Ordonez-Zometa, a/k/a “Felon,” age 33, of Landover Hills, Maryland and Jose Henry Hernandez-Garcia, a/k/a “Paciente,” age 29, of Annandale, Virginia.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Assistant Attorney Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department's Criminal Division; the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Kevin Davis of the Fairfax County Police Department; Stafford County Sheriff David P. Decatur; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to evidence presented at trial, MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador and other central American countries.  Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, operate throughout the United States, including in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.  Ortega-Ayala and his co-defendants were members and associates of the Los Ghettos Criminales Salvatruchas (“LGCS” or “Ghettos”) clique of MS-13.  

Members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang from rival gang members and other persons, at all times, using any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence.  One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible.  Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increases the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to promotion to a leadership position. 

Also outlined during trial evidence was the fact that Ordonez-Zometa, the leader of the LGCS clique.  On March 8, 2019, Ordonez-Zometa called a meeting of the LGCS clique at his house to discuss gang matters, including recent contacts that a clique member (Victim 1) had with the police.  Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia, Victim 1, and other MS-13 members participated in the meeting, during which Ordonez-Zometa questioned Victim 1 about his/her cooperation with police.

During the questioning, Ortega-Ayala and at least one other MS-13 member assaulted Victim 1, based on their incorrect suspicions that Victim 1 was cooperating with law enforcement.  They also assaulted another MS-13 member who attempted to defend Victim 1.  The assault culminated with Ordonez-Zometa, as LGCS clique leader, ordering that Victim 1 be killed.  Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia, and other MS-13 members then stabbed and murdered Victim 1 in Ordonez-Zometa’s basement. 

According to trial testimony, after the murder, Ordonez-Zometa ordered Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia, and other LGCS clique members and co-conspirators, to conceal and destroy evidence of the murder.  Ortega-Ayala and other MS-13 members transported the body of the victim to a secluded location in Stafford County, Virginia, and set the victim’s body on fire, then destroyed and concealed evidence of the murder from the vehicle used to transport the victim.  Meanwhile, Ordonez-Zometa, Hernandez-Garcia, and another MS-13 member stayed at the crime scene and attempted to remove, destroy, and conceal evidence of the murder, including the blood of Victim 1. 

Ordonez-Zometa and Hernandez-Garcia were previously sentenced to life in federal prison.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case is also an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.    

Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement.  The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know.  You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri commended the FBI, HSI, the Fairfax County Police Department, the Stafford County Sheriff's Office, and the Prince George's County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for its assistance.  Mr. Barron and Ms. Argentieri thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morgan and Trial Attorneys Jared Engelking and Matthew Hoff of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, who are prosecuting this case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment of Dinara Sosa, age 35, of Reisterstown, Maryland, and Elza Lipartiya, age 27, of Landsdale, Pennsylvania, for wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud relating to the submission of fraudulent claims for the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, enacted to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The indictment was returned on August 8, 2023, and unsealed yesterday upon Sosa and Lipartiya’s arrests.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Joe Aiosa of the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Agency for International Development; Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.

According to the indictment, sisters Dinara Sosa and Elza Lipartiya, submitted over 25 PPP loan applications, and over 15 EIDL applications on behalf of multiple businesses, and provided false information to multiple financial institutions and the SBA in order to obtain COVID-19 benefits. The information included the submission of fraudulent IRS forms, false representations regarding the applying entity’s average monthly payroll and false representations regarding the number of employees of the purported businesses.

If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each count of wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.  The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors.  The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. 

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.

As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Task Force, this investigation was conducted by the USAO, USAID-OIG, TIGTA, and IRS-CI.

The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the USAID-OIG, TIGTA, and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael F. Aubin and Harry M. Gruber who are prosecuting the cases.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md.

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Greenbelt, Maryland –Kosi Goodness Simon-Ebo, age 29, a Nigerian nation residing in South Africa, pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, related to a business email compromise (“BEC”) scheme with intended losses of the conspiracy of more than $6 million.  Simon-Ebo arrived in the United States on April 12, 2023, after being extradited from Canada. 

The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Special Agent in Charge Matthew R. Stohler of the U.S. Secret Service - Washington Field Office.

According to his plea agreement, from February 2017 until at least July 2017, Simon-Ebo conspired with others to perpetrate a BEC scheme.  Specifically, Simon-Ebo and his co-conspirators, including co-conspirators residing in Maryland, gained unauthorized access to email accounts associated with individuals and businesses targeted by the conspirators and sent false wiring instructions to the victims’ email accounts from “spoofed” emails, which are emails with forged sender addresses, to deceive the victims into sending money to bank accounts controlled by perpetrators of the scheme, called “drop accounts.” 

Further, during the same time frame, Simon-Ebo and his co-conspirators conspired to commit money laundering by disbursing the fraudulently obtained funds in the drop accounts to other accounts by initiating account transfers, withdrawing cash, obtaining cashier’s checks and by writing checks to other individuals and entities, to hide the true ownership and the source of those assets.  As detailed in the plea agreement, the intended loss for transactions in which Simon-Ebo was directly involved—which were some, but not all of the transactions involving Simon-Ebo and his co-conspirators—was approximately $6,988,249 and the actual loss resulting from these transactions was at least $1,072,306.  Simon-Ebo had direct control over at least $45,925 of the funds obtained from victims. 

According to the plea agreement, Simon-Ebo will be required to pay a money judgment in the amount of $45,925 and pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, which the parties agree is at least $1,072,306.

Simon-Ebo faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud conspiracy and for the money laundering conspiracy.  U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman has scheduled sentencing for November 29, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI’s Mid-Atlantic El Dorado Task Force and the U.S. Secret Service for their work in the investigation and thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for providing substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes, who is prosecuting the federal case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Jalen Thomas Kelley, age 21, of Abingdon, Maryland, for aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse and assault within the territorial jurisdiction. Kelley was arrested by the FBI Charlotte Field Office in Wingate, North Carolina, on September 20, 2023.  

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to the indictment, between January 1, 2023 and January 2, 2023, the defendant engaged in a sexual act by force and assaulted Victim 1 without consent on board a cruise vessel Carnival Legend, which had a scheduled departure from and an arrival in Baltimore, Maryland.

If convicted, Kelley faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

This investigation is ongoing. Individuals who may have any information regarding this investigation are encouraged to contact the following: FBI Baltimore: 410-265-8080.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for their work in the investigation and thanked Wingate University Campus Safety and Wingate Police Department for their assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katelyn Semales and Sean Delaney, who are prosecuting the federal case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Joseph Gillespie, age 34, of Baltimore, Maryland, with conspiracy to commit wire relating to the submission of fraudulent claims for the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, enacted to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The indictment of Gillespie was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to the indictment, on August 13, 2019, Gillespie incorporated a business called JAG Investments LLC.  The stated purpose of the LLC was to “purchase properties and rehab in Baltimore.” On or about August 14, 2019, he opened an account at Wells Fargo for JAG Investments where he was the sole signatory.  The Defendant used JAG Investments for the purpose of applying for COVID-19 related benefits, such as a PPP loan. On or about October 17, 2020, Gillespie opened another account at First National Bank of Pennsylvania for JAG Investments where he was the sole signatory. 

In or about 2020, the Defendant and others worked to prepare materials in support of a fraudulent PPP loan application, including a false 2019 IRS Form 940 and a false February 2020 bank statement for the Wells Fargo Account.  On or about March 11, 2021, the Defendant and others caused the submission of a false 2019 IRS Form 940 and a false February 2020 statement for the Wells Fargo Account to Cross River Bank.  The false IRS Form 940 reflected that JAG Investments paid $276,209.72 in wages to all employees in 2019.  In fact, in 2019 and 2020, JAG Investments did not pay such wages and submitted no tax filings for tax years 2019 and 2020.  The false February 2020 bank statement for the Wells Fargo Account indicated that the account had an ending balance of $61,439.16.  In fact, Wells Fargo Account had an ending balance of $541.63. 1.  That same day, the Defendant searched on YouTube, among other things, “ppp loan audit” and “what can PPP loan be used for.” 

On or about March 15, 2021, as a result of the alleged misrepresentations, the PPP loan for JAG Investments closed and the Defendant received $138,104 in PPP funds.  The Defendant paid a co-conspirator 38,000, reflecting approximately 27 percent of the PPP loan amount received by JAG Investments, in exchange for the co-conspirator’s role in submitting the JAG Investments PPP loan application.

On or about March 17, 2021, after receiving the PPP loan for JAG Investments, the Defendant sought to establish payroll processing services through Heartland Payment Systems for the purpose of making payments to purported employees of JAG Investments.  On or about March 17, 2021, the Defendant provided Heartland with a list of JAG Investment’s purported employees and the employees’ purported wages.  Beginning on or about March 30, 2021 and continuing through August 6, 2021, the Defendant caused Heartland to process payroll for purported employees of JAG Investments.  After receiving the purported payroll payments, on multiple occasions in or about 2021, a purported employee of JAG Investments provided a portion of the purported payroll payments—sometimes more than 50 percent of the amount of the payment—back to Gillespie. 

If convicted, the Defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud conspiracy and a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison for aggravated identity theft.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.  The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors.  The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. 

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.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for their work in the investigation and thanked Baltimore County Police Department and SBA-OIG for their assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Riley who is prosecuting the cases.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md.

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Davon Rogers, age 40, to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for attempted murder of a federal officer in connection with a shooting that occurred on December 29, 2021.  Judge Hollander sentenced co-defendant Juan Hester, age 41, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 14 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.  

The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; and Acting Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.

“Drugs and guns are a deadly combination,” said Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland.  “In this case, that combination led to an attack on a law enforcement officer.  We will prosecute any such attack on our partners to the fullest extent of the law.”

According to Rogers’ guilty plea, during the evening of December 29, 2021, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) were conducting surveillance in the 2500 block of W. Fayette Street in Baltimore, as part of an ongoing federal drug trafficking investigation.  One of the members of the surveillance team was a DEA Special Agent who was in the area in his unmarked vehicle conducting covert surveillance in connection with the narcotics investigation.

As detailed in court documents, while the Special Agent was inside of his vehicle, Rogers and another individual approached the vehicle and began looking inside.  The Special Agent tried to avoid being seen by laying down in the rear area the vehicle.  After they looked inside of the Special Agent’s vehicle, Rogers and the second individual walked away from the vehicle.  Several minutes later, the Special Agent got into the driver’s seat of his vehicle to try to drive away from the area.  By that time, Rogers and the second individual had returned to the area.  At approximately 9:18 p.m., as the Special Agent began driving away, Rogers and the second individual began shooting at the Special Agent.  The Special Agent was nearly struck by one or more of the bullets, and his vehicle sustained multiple bullet strikes.  Specifically, bullets struck the driver’s side front and rear doors, the rear window, the trunk, and the passenger’s side sun visor and ceiling area.

As detailed in the plea agreement, the Special Agent was able to drive for approximately one block before crashing his vehicle into a nearby parked car and running to safety.  After the shooting, Rogers and the second individual fled the scene.  Investigators recovered multiple shell casings, of two different calibers, from the area where Rogers and the second individual shot at the Special Agent.  

After the shooting, search warrants were executed at co-defendant Juan Hester’s residence and at Rogers’ residence on December 30, 2021 and January 4, 2022.  Investigators recovered 113 grams of almost pure methamphetamine hydrochloride, 814 grams of THC, 34 grams of mixtures containing cocaine, three grams of mixtures containing fentanyl, and various cutting agents from Hester’s residence.  Investigators seized approximately fourteen rounds of .40 caliber ammunition from Rogers’ residence.  Based on new information received, two additional search warrants were executed on Hester’s residence on January 1, 2022 and January 6, 2022 and investigators recovered approximately 337 grams of mixtures or substances containing fentanyl, 78 rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition, 32 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition and one handgun magazine.  Hester admitted that he maintained the residence as a premises for manufacturing or distributing controlled substances.  In addition to the narcotics seized, Hester admitted that approximately three kilograms of fentanyl and 200 grams of methamphetamine were involved in the drug conspiracy.

This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (“ATF”) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (“NIBIN”).  NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms.  NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles.  For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.

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.

This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Anne Arundel County, Howard County, and Baltimore County Police Departments, the Laurel Police Department, the Annapolis Police Department, the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department, and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anatoly Smolkin and Darryl Tarver, who prosecuted the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging Michael Cooley, Jr., a/k/a “Micheal Cooley Jr.,” “5Micmusik,” and “Michael White,” age 24, and Isiah Lewis, a/k/a “Zay,” age 33, both of Maryland; and “Alonzo Brown, age 26, of Virginia, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, relating to the submission of fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, enacted to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The superseding indictment was filed July 19, 2023, and unsealed today upon the arrest of the defendants.

Lewis is expected to have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt at 2:30 p.m. Cooley and Brown are expected to have their initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, Georgia this afternoon as well.

The superseding indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer of the National Capital Region of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”); and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.

Financial assistance offered through the CARES Act included expanded eligibility for UI benefits and increased UI benefits through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program (“PUA”), Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (“FPUC”), and the Lost Wages Assistance Program (“LWAP”).

According to the superseding indictment from at least June 2020 through March 2021, the defendants used the personal identifiable information of identity theft victims, such as name, date of birth, and social security number, to file online UI applications in Maryland and California, using anonymous email addresses to obscure their identities and avoid detection.  Cooley, Lewis, Brown and others allegedly caused debit cards bearing the names of identity theft victims and loaded with UI benefits from fraudulent UI claims to be mailed to addresses in Maryland and elsewhere.  The defendants then used the benefits to obtain money and engage in point-of-sale transactions.  Cooley, Lewis and Brown obtained more than $550,000 through the fraud scheme.

If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count of wire fraud and a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for aggravated identity theft.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

A superseding indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by superseding indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.  The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors.  The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.  

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.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DOL-OIG and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bijon A. Mostoufi and Darryl Tarver, who are prosecuting the case.  He also recognized the assistance of the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber. 

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Brayan Alexander Torres, a/k/a “Spooky,” age 29, of Adelphi, Maryland, yesterday to 28 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a racketeering conspiracy, including murder, related to his participation in the Weedams Locos Salvatrucha (“WLS”) clique of the MS-13 gang, which operated primarily in Adelphi, Maryland.  Torres was the clique’s leader or “First Word.”  Judge Xinis also ordered that Torres pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, including any funeral costs incurred by Victim 4’s estate. 

The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to court documents, La Mara Salvatrucha gang, also known as “MS-13,” is an international criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, with members operating in Maryland and throughout the United States.  MS-13 members are organized in “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region, and are required to commit acts of violence, both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang and against rivals.  One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible.  MS-13 members earn promotions and improved standing within the gang for participating in attacks on rival gang members, often at the direction of MS-13 leadership. 

On August 8, 2020, Torres and other WLS members, including Franklyn Sanchez, were gathered at a park in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where they agreed to murder Victim 4, who was suspected of cooperating with law enforcement and to whom Sanchez owed a debt.  Sanchez was armed with a revolver and Torres handed a second revolver to another MS-13 member, instructing that person to shoot first when Victim 4 arrived.  Sanchez and the other WLS member each fired multiple shots at Victim 4, who fell to the ground.  Sanchez then pistol-whipped Victim 4 and stabbed him with a knife. Torres then stabbed Victim 4 with a screwdriver.  Torres and other WLS members dragged Victim 4’s body to a stream and left it there.  As he was leaving the woods, Sanchez noticed he was bleeding and was concerned that his DNA may have been left on the body.  To prevent the discovery of DNA or other evidence and to hinder the investigation and prosecution of Victim 4’s murder, Torres called other WLS members, including co-defendant Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, and ordered them to bring shovels to dig a hole and bury Victim 4’s body, which law enforcement later recovered with a bullet wound to the head.

On June 5, 2020, Torres conspired with other MS-13 members to kidnap and kill a female member of the rival 18th Street gang.  Torres and Rivas Rodriguez ordered subordinate members of the gang to gather at a house with firearms in preparation for the murder, while another MS-13 associate was at a separate location with Victim 5.  The group of MS-13 subordinates gathered with guns and were preparing to follow their orders when police arrived on scene and interrupted the plan. 

Torres also directed the collection of extortion payments, or “rents,” from at least two extortion victims on behalf of WLS, knowing that the victims making extortion payments did so under the threat of death or bodily injury by members of WLS.  Finally, Torres participated in money laundering by transferring gang funds obtained through its extortion activities to MS-13 members and associates in El Salvador.  For example, Torres accepted a delivery of rent payments that had just been collected from three brothels by a WLS member, with the intent to use the funds to promote MS-13’s illegal activities, including extortion. 

Co-defendants Franklyn Edgardo Sanchez, a/k/a “Delinquente,” age 26; Hernan Yanes-Rivera, a/k/a “Recio,” age 22, both of Adelphi, Maryland; and Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, a/k/a “Terrible,” age 25, of Silver Spring, Maryland were sentenced to 28 years, 22 years, and 16 years in federal prison, respectively, for their roles in the racketeering conspiracy. 

Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement.  The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know.  You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.

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.

This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.    

United States Attorney Barron and Acting Assistant Attorney General Argentieri commended the FBI, HSI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the Montgomery County Police Department for their assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo and Trial Attorney Christopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, who are prosecuting the federal case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn.  

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A Maryland man was sentenced yesterday to 28 years in prison for racketeering conspiracy, including murder, related to his participation in the La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang.

According to court documents, from at least August 2018 through July 2021, Brayan Alexander Torres, aka Spooky, 29, of Adelphi, was the “First Word” or leader of Weedams Locos Salvatrucha (WLS), an MS-13 clique operating primarily in Adelphi. MS-13 is an international criminal organization composed primarily of individuals from El Salvador or their descendants, with members operating throughout the United States. MS-13 members are organized in “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible. MS-13 members earn promotions and improved standing within the gang for participating in attacks on rival gang members, often at the direction of MS-13 leadership. 

On Aug. 8, 2020, Torres and other WLS members, including Franklyn Edgardo Sanchez, 26, of Adelphi, were gathered at a park in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where they agreed to murder Victim 4, who was suspected of cooperating with law enforcement and to whom Sanchez owed a debt. Sanchez was armed with a revolver and Torres handed a second revolver to another MS-13 member, instructing that person to shoot first when Victim 4 arrived. Sanchez and the other WLS member each fired multiple shots at Victim 4. When Victim 4 fell to the ground, Sanchez pistol-whipped him and stabbed him with a knife. Then Torres stabbed Victim 4 with a screwdriver. Torres and other WLS members dragged Victim 4’s body to a stream and left it there. As he was leaving the woods, Sanchez noticed he was bleeding and was concerned that his DNA may have been left on the body. To prevent the discovery of DNA or other evidence and to hinder the investigation and prosecution of Victim 4’s murder, Torres called other WLS members, including Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, 25, of Silver Spring, Maryland, and ordered them to bring shovels to dig a hole and bury Victim 4’s body, which law enforcement later recovered with a bullet wound to the head.

On June 5, 2020, Torres conspired with other MS-13 members to kidnap and kill a female member of the rival 18th Street gang. Torres and Rivas Rodriguez ordered subordinate members of the gang to gather at a house with firearms in preparation for the murder, while another MS-13 associate was at a separate location the intended victim, identified as Victim 5. The group of MS-13 subordinates gathered with guns as Torres and Rodriguez had directed, and were preparing for murder when police arrived and interrupted the plan. 

Torres also directed the collection of extortion payments, or “rents,” from at least two victims on behalf of WLS, knowing that victims made payments because WLS members had threatened to kill or injure them by flashing guns or baseball bats.

Torres participated in money laundering by transferring gang funds obtained through its extortion activities to MS-13 members and associates in El Salvador. Torres also accepted a delivery of rent payments that a WLS member had collected from three brothels, with the intent to use the funds to promote MS-13’s illegal activities, including extortion. 

Previously, Sanchez; Hernan Yanes-Rivera, 22, of Adelphi; and Rivas Rodriguez were sentenced to 28 years, 22 years, and 16 years in prison, respectively, for their roles in the racketeering conspiracy. 

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office, Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore, and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department made the announcement.

The FBI, HSI, and Prince George’s County Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Montgomery County Police Department.

Trial Attorney Christopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.

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

This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.    

Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and HSI both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett today sentenced Eghosasere Avboraye-Igbinedion a/k/a “Ego” and “Ghost,” age 28, of Miramar, Florida, to 66 months in federal prison and one year of home confinement, followed by two years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and four counts of mail fraud, in connection with a scheme in which he and his co-conspirators defrauded more than 85 elderly victims of more than $2.5 million.  Judge Bennett also ordered Avboraye-Iginedion to pay restitution in the amount of $1,695,600.  Avboraye-Igbinedion was convicted by a federal jury on June 15, 2023, after a six-day trial. 

The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to the evidence presented at trial, from January 2018 through November 2019, Avboraye-Ibginedion was part of a conspiracy to defraud elderly victims by persuading them to send thousands of dollars in cash to members of the conspiracy, falsely stating that the money would be used to help the victims’ relatives pay legal or other expenses for crimes and other incidents that had not actually occurred.  Conspirators targeted elderly victims throughout the United States, calling and posing as a police officer, lawyer, or other individual, falsely telling the victim that a relative, typically the victim’s grandchild, had been incarcerated in connection with a car accident or traffic stop involving a crime, and needed money—often tens of thousands of dollars—for bail, legal fees, and other expenses. 

Witnesses testified that during the telephone calls, the conspirators directed victims to send cash to particular addresses via an overnight delivery service.  The conspirators even posed as the victims’ relatives to further induce them to send the cash.  Once the victims did send money, the conspirators called the victims asking for more cash, regularly obtaining tens of thousands of dollars from the retirement savings of victims.  To prevent the victims from sharing the information with anyone, the conspirators told the victims that a “gag order” had been placed on the case requiring secrecy, or that the situation was embarrassing for the grandchild and they didn’t want anyone else to know about it.

The evidence proved that Avboraye-Ibginedion’s part in the scheme was to retrieve packages of cash sent by elderly victims and deliver the packages to a co-defendant, Medard Ulysse.  Avboraye-Ibginedion and other conspirators traveled from Florida to Maryland and other states and identified residential locations where the cash should be sent, typically locations that were either vacant or for sale, so that no one would be at those locations at the time of the deliveries.  Once the packages were delivered, Avboraye-Ibginedion and others retrieved the packages of cash.  Avboraye-Ibginedion and other conspirators also relayed directions to other participants in the scheme about where and when to retrieve packages of cash.  Avboraye-Ibginedion then delivered the packages to Ulysse or to other conspirators. 

Co-defendant Medard Ulysse, age 38, most recently of Miami, Florida, was sentenced earlier this year to nine years in federal prison, for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud in relation to multiple fraud schemes, including the elder fraud “grandparent” scam.  Judge Bennett also ordered Ulysse to pay restitution totaling $2,485,512, of which $1,866,745 is for the elder fraud scam.

Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults.  If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).  This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps, including identifying appropriate reporting agencies, providing information to callers to assist them in reporting or connecting them with agencies, and providing resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis.  The hotline is staffed from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.  English, Spanish, and other languages are available.  More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov.  Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at this website or by calling 1-800-225-5324. 

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked Canadian Sûreté du Québec for its assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean R. Delaney and Christine Goo, who prosecuted the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help seniors, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/elder-justice-initiative.

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Baltimore, Maryland – Frederick Oncology and Hematology Associates, P.C., a former medical practice located in Frederick, Maryland, have paid the United States $850,949 to settle allegations that Frederick Oncology and Hematology Associates, P.C. (“FOHA”) submitted inappropriate claims to the United States for evaluation and management services.     

The settlement agreement was announced today by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek Barron, Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS-OIG”), Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of Defense Criminal Investigative Services (“DCIS”) Mid-Atlantic Field Office, and Conrad Quarles, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, Office of Personnel Management, Office of Inspector General (OPM-OIG). 

“It is fundamental that a medical provider accurately bill for services that are actually provided,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron. “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to recovering monies for the federal healthcare programs and will hold practices and individuals accountable for their actions,” said Barron.

“Accurately billing for services provided to Medicare beneficiaries is required of all health care providers,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health, and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigative allegations of fraud in federal health care programs.”

“This settlement demonstrates DCIS’ commitment to investigate health care providers who take advantage of TRICARE for personal enrichment,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher W. Dillard, DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office.  “DCIS proudly stands with our investigative law enforcement partners to root out fraud, waste and abuse.”

According to the settlement agreement, from January 1, 2013, to November 1, 2017, FOHA improperly submitted claims for evaluation and management using a code modifier that is only appropriate when there is a separate and distinct evaluation and management service on the same day as a procedure or other service being performed on a patient.  FOHA submitted and was paid for those improperly billed claims when FOHA did not perform a separate and distinct evaluation and management.  Additionally, FOHA improperly submitted claims from January 1, 2013, to November 1, 2017, under the billing number of the patient’s physician rather than the non-physician provider who treated the patient in the physician’s temporary absence.  

The civil settlement reached by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland arose from an initiative inside the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which involves the use of dedicated resources and personnel to review Medicare billing data.  The review of that data has enabled the United States Attorney’s Office to identify areas of concern where it appears that billing irregularities may have taken place.  Partnering with the effected agencies, the United States Attorney’s Office has developed the ability to investigate these billing irregularities.

The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. 

U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the HHS-OIG, DCIS, and OPM-OIG for their work in the investigation.  The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Corcoran.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – On Sunday, September 10, Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron launched a cutting edge 60 second public service announcement encouraging viewers to take action to end gun violence. The video aired across Maryland just before kickoff of the Baltimore Ravens home opener, and will continue to broadcast across cable and digital platforms.

"Gun violence impacts more than one person or one family. Friends, parents, employers, neighbors – all are forced to confront the devastating realities of gun violence," said Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. "We are bringing together law enforcement, community organizations, and private citizens in pursuit of a common goal: protecting the places we call home.” 

As a result of collaborative efforts between law enforcement and community-based organizations, violent crime is down throughout Maryland. But, more must be done. Project Safe Neighborhoods balances prevention, intervention, strategic law enforcement, and community engagement to end gun violence and keep communities safe. 

“The Baltimore Police Department along with our many law enforcement partners are committed to ending gun violence and breaking the cycle of trauma it brings to our communities,” said Acting Police Commissioner Richard J. Worley. “Our residents and neighborhoods deserve better and our agency remains steadfast in implementing Community Policing strategies and working collaboratively with our communities to create a safer Baltimore for all.”

The U.S. Attorney's Office works closely with community-based organizations throughout Maryland, including Roca, a nonprofit working to intervene with the young men most likely to shoot or be shot and develop partnerships and programs that have proven effective in curbing violence at the core of communities.

"We have seen that we can lessen urban violence by relentlessly finding and engaging the young people living at the center of it," said Kurtis Palermo, Executive Vice President of Roca Maryland. "Young men can change—and our communities can heal—if we help them address the trauma that is at the root of violence and provide the skills and support they need to learn to think and act differently."

No one should live in fear in their own home or neighborhood. This video encourages communities to get involved in ending gun violence. 

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Dion Rashaan Foxworth, age 42, of Washington, D.C., to 51 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for wire fraud related to an investment fraud scheme and bank fraud related to a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan.  Judge Chuang also ordered Foxworth to pay restitution of $882,908.66.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to his plea agreement, from November 2016 through at least August 2020, Foxworth solicited and received at least $863,901 from investors to invest in foreign currency exchange (“FOREX”). Foxworth admitted that instead of investing the funds in FOREX, as represented to investors, Foxworth converted the funds to his personal use, including credit card expenses, travel expenses, and rent.  Foxworth caused losses to at least 25 investors totaling at least $832,408.66.

In addition, Foxworth admitting that he fraudulently obtained a PPP loan, which was part of the assistance authorized to assist small businesses with job retention and other expensed during the COVID-19 pandemic.  On February 19, 2021, Foxworth applied for a PPP loan for his company, inflating the company’s average monthly payroll and providing a false 2019 Form 1040 Schedule C showing profits and losses for the business.  In fact, Foxworth did not file a tax return for the company in 2019.  As a result of his false statements, Foxworth obtained a PPP loan of $50,000.  Instead of using the funds for permissible expenses, such as payroll costs and operational expenses, Foxworth used the PPP funds for daily living and travel expenses while he was abroad in South.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys G. Michael Morgan, Jr., and Coreen Mao, who prosecuted the federal case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

 

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Stephen Franklin, age 54, of Salisbury, Maryland, yesterday to 66 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft in connection with the theft of more than $1.8 million from Shore Appliance Connection.  Judge Chasanow also ordered that Franklin pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, which the parties stipulate is $1,850,488.94. 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

Franklin was the chief operating officer of Accurate Optical, a chain of optometric shops on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and with the owners of Accurate Optical he also purchased East Coast Optometric, a chain of South Carolina optical shops.  Franklin and co-defendant Duane G. Larmore met through the Salisbury Chamber of Commerce and became friendly.

As detailed in their plea agreements, Larmore was an employee at Shore Appliance Connection (“Shore Appliance”), located in Salisbury, Maryland, whose duties included maintaining the books and records for the company.  The company was owned and operated by Owner #1 and Owner #2.  From mid-September 2016 through about March 2020, Franklin conspired with others, including Larmore, to steal more than $1.8 million from Shore Appliance.

Specifically, Franklin and Larmore stole over $1 million from Shore Appliance to use for their own purposes, including to make investments and to pay business expenses for Franklin’s businesses, without the knowledge and consent of the owners of Shore Appliance.  For example, Franklin convinced Larmore to invest $100,000 in an oil deal that promised quick and substantial returns.  Those funds were ultimately returned to Shore Appliance because the name on the bank account did not match the named beneficiary on the wire transfer form completed by Franklin.  Prior to the funds being returned and at Franklin’s urging, Larmore transferred another $100,000 to a purported attorney for the oil deal.  Franklin also convinced Larmore to invest in other deals, including: in 2016, a $95,000 initial investment with a finance company in London, U.K., followed by another $300,000, plus funds for expenses and travel abroad; in 2018, an investment through W.S. of $35,000 and an investment through Gateway Capital of $50,000; and in 2019 - 2020, investments and expenses through I.P. and E. P.-S. to recover assets purportedly in the custody of U.S. Customs, part of the Department of Homeland Security.  No investment paid any return to the schemers.

To conceal how much money had been removed from Shore Appliance and to obtain cash to invest, Franklin suggested that Larmore enter into factoring contracts.  Franklin had experience with borrowing operating funds for his optical companies from factors and provided Larmore with the names and contact information for factoring companies.  Factoring is a means by which businesses can obtain cash quickly by leveraging accounts receivable.  With Franklin’s encouragement, Larmore applied for a factoring contract for Shore Appliance without the knowledge or approval of the owners, corporate directors, or officers of Shore Appliance.  As detailed in the plea agreement, the factoring contracts provided cash deposits to Shore Appliance’s bank accounts but encumbered the accounts receivable of Shore Appliance and required payments and interest of more than $725,000. 

To obtain contracts with factoring companies for Shore Appliance and to conceal the fact that the Shore Appliance owners were not aware of and had not approved the factoring contracts, the signatures of the owners were forged, and the fraudulent signatures were witnessed or notarized by Franklin.  Further, Larmore and a female employee of Franklin’s posed as the owners in telephone conversations with representatives of the factoring companies to confirm their approval of the factoring contracts.  In addition, to conceal Larmore’s embezzlements and the factoring agreements, Larmore caused Shore Appliance to draw on Shore Appliance’s lines of credit with two separate financial institutions to obtain another $200,000 in cash.  As of March 2020, Shore Appliance still owed $208,394.92 in principal and interest on these lines of credit.

Finally, when Franklin’s business began having financial difficulties, at Franklin’s request, Larmore provided funds to Franklin to pay rent and employee salaries for the businesses, to rent a storage facility and to hire trucks to move equipment and office furniture when Accurate Optical was evicted from its Salisbury, Maryland office in July 2019.  All the while, Franklin continued to suggest that Larmore put money into other investment schemes, which Larmore did. 

In all, Larmore paid $739,295.28 of Shore Appliance’s funds, without the officers and owners’ knowledge or consent, to invest in fraudulent schemes that never paid any money back.  Of that amount, $395,000 was moved through bank accounts controlled by Franklin.  Franklin caused an additional loss of $171,548.67 by having Larmore transfer funds to Franklin or to Franklin’s companies.  As a result of the conspiracy and efforts to conceal the losses, Shore Appliance lost an additional $731,250.07 in fees and other payments to factors and to factoring brokers.  Shore appliance also paid interest of $208,395 from Larmore drawing on its bank lines of credit.  For all of Franklin’s and Larmore’s conduct, actual cash losses to Shore Appliance totaled $1,850,488.94 and intended losses totaled $2,137,674.74.

Duane G. Larmore, age 48, of Salisbury, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Evelyn Lombardo Cusson, who is prosecuting the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach. For more information about resources available to report fraud, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Lawrence E. Smith, age 49, of Perry Hall, Maryland, for federal wire fraud related to allegations that he fraudulently obtained more than $215,000 in overtime pay and for attempting to avoid paying federal income taxes and filing a false tax return.  The indictment was returned on September 7, 2023, and unsealed today upon Smith’s arrest. 

The defendant is expected to have an initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson at 2:15 today.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.

Smith began working as a Baltimore City School Police Officer in 2005 and in 2016 was promoted to detective and put in charge of the School Police Overtime Unit.  In this role, Smith managed the Overtime Unit and was responsible for the coordination and scheduling of School Police Officer overtime, including his own.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, Smith was authorized to receive overtime pay to provide security for COVID testing sites and food sites set up at various Baltimore City Public School System schools and at Baltimore City Recreation and Parks community centers, as well as the COVID-19 hospital and homeless shelter. 

According to the indictment, from January 2019 through August 2022, Smith fraudulently received overtime pay for hours for which he had not worked.  The indictment alleges that Smith used his position as the Detective in charge of the Overtime Unit for School Police to assign himself to overtime shifts.  Smith allegedly falsely claimed that he was working overtime as a School Police Officer for overtime shifts that required his physical presence when he was at home, running personal errands, at other locations socializing, coaching football, and out of state on vacation.  The indictment seeks a money judgment of $215,352, alleged to be the proceeds of the fraud scheme.

In addition, the indictment alleges that Smith submitted Forms W-4 to his employer falsely claiming that he was exempt from federal income tax withholding when in fact, he was not entitled to claim exempt status.  Further, Smith allegedly failed to file individual income tax returns for 2017, 2019, and 2020, and to report his wages and other income to the IRS.  Finally, the indictment alleges that Smith filed a false individual tax return for tax year 2018.

If convicted, Smith faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count of wire fraud; a maximum of five years in federal prison for each count of attempting to evade taxes; and a maximum of three years in federal prison for filing a false tax return.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation and thanked the Maryland Office of Inspector General for Education, the Office of Inspector General for the City of Baltimore, and the Baltimore Police Department for their assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Goo and Matthew Phelps, who are prosecuting the federal case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Toumani Thomas, age 46, of Accokeek, Maryland, to 11 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, a drug distribution conspiracy, and for violating his supervised release for a previous conviction for an attempted armed commercial robbery.  Judge Chasanow ordered that Thomas must forfeit firearms and ammunition seized during the investigation, $18,004 in cash that was proceeds of drug trafficking, and the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT, the Yamaha R1 motorcycle, and the Audi S8 that Thomas used to facilitate drug trafficking and/or obtained with proceeds of such activity. 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) - Washington Division; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to his guilty plea, in October 2022, DEA agents received a tip that Thomas was involved in drug trafficking.  Investigation connected Thomas to a storage unit in Temple Hills, Maryland.  A subsequent search warrant executed at the storage unit recovered a duffel bag containing eleven shrink-wrapped bricks of cocaine with a total weight of 12.8 kilograms and a single plastic cup.  Surveillance footage and storage facility access records obtained after the search showed Thomas accessing the unit several times since it was rented by another individual on October 6, 2022.  Video showed that Thomas had traveled to the facility using his Yamaha R1 motorcycle, his Mercedes Benz AMG GT, and his Audi S8 at different times in furtherance of Thomas’s drug trafficking. The day after the seizure of the cocaine, Thomas arrived at the facility with a large, empty plastic tub and attempted to retrieve some or all of the cocaine from the storage unit when he discovered it had been seized.

After officers discovered the 12.8 kilograms of cocaine, they learned that Thomas had an active account at another storage facility in Brentwood, Maryland.  On December 6, 2022, officers executed a search warrant at that storage unit and found items belonging to Thomas.  From a backpack located inside the unit, officers recovered a 7.62x39mm semiautomatic rifle; a 100 round high-capacity drum-style magazine containing 97 rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition; a 30-round high-capacity magazine containing 20 rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition; and a pistol magazine containing 5 rounds of ammunition.  The 7.62 mm firearm had been reported stolen in Virginia in June 2022.  Thomas admitted that the firearm, magazines and ammunition recovered from the Brentwood storage unit were used, or intended to be used, to facilitate his drug trafficking.  Thomas also admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition that as a result of his previous federal conviction.

A search warrant was also executed at Thomas’s residence and agents recovered a money counting machine, an empty handgun container, a large roll of shrink-wrap plastic, rubber bands, and a large container of automotive grease, which is frequently used to attempt to mask drug scents from detection dogs.  The Mercedes Benz AMG GT and the Yamaha R1 motorcycle were also found in the home’s garage.  Law enforcement seized $18,004 in cash at Thomas’s arrest on December 16, 2022.

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.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Baltimore County Police Department for its assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam K. Ake and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Dawn M. Ellison, who prosecuted the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Sean Donnelle Hawkins, age 48, of Marbury, Maryland, yesterday to 138 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, on charges related to his distribution of cocaine, crack cocaine, and firearms in Charles County, Maryland.  During the investigation, Hawkins sold eight firearms to a law enforcement source, including four privately made semi-automatic firearms, known as “ghost guns.”  Hawkins must also forfeit and abandon the firearms, ammunition and magazines seized during the investigation.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) Baltimore Field Division; and Charles County Sheriff Troy Berry.

As detailed in his guilty plea, Hawkins admitted that on 10 separate occasions from October 2021 to May 2022, he sold cocaine, crack cocaine and/or firearms to law enforcement sources.  Between February 18, 2022 and May 24, 2022, Hawkins sold a law enforcement source a total of eight firearms, including four privately made firearms, often referred to as “ghost guns,” and 468 rounds of ammunition.  One of the privately made firearms was a semi-automatic pistol and came with a high-capacity magazine capable of receiving 33 rounds of 9mm ammunition and was loaded with 31 rounds of ammunition.

Hawkins knew that he had a previous felony conviction and was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.  Hawkins also had reason to believe that the law enforcement source to whom he sold the guns could not lawfully possess firearms and intended to use or dispose of the firearms unlawfully.

A search warrant was executed at Hawkins’ residence on August 3, 2022, and law enforcement recovered a loaded .38 special caliber revolver; a 9mm semi-automatic pistol; two empty firearm magazines; marijuana; a mixture of powder and crack cocaine; 20 green tablets of a mixture of cocaine and oxycodone; white tablets that were found to be of a mixture of cocaine and oxycodone; and one green tablet of oxycodone from a cooler in the house and two shotguns and more than 1,000 rounds of assorted caliber ammunition, as well as $1,264 in cash from other areas in the residence, which Hawkins intended to use to commit or facilitate the distribution of controlled substances.  Hawkins possessed the firearms, ammunition, and magazines recovered in the cooler in furtherance of his drug trafficking.

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.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the Charles County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bijon A. Mostoufi and Timothy F. Hagan, who prosecuted the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Eric Nana Kofi Ampong Coker, age 41, of Columbia, Maryland today to 30 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for the illegal export of firearms to Ghana.  

The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office (“DCIS”); and Stephen Maloney, Director of Field Operations for the Baltimore Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”).

According to his guilty plea, since 2017 Ampong Coker has purchased at least 81 firearms from three separate Maryland Federal Firearms Licensees (“FFLs”) and in 2019 received Regulated Firearms Collector status through the Maryland State Police, which waived the restriction on the number of firearms he could purchase during a 30-day period.  Investigators also determined that prior to 2021 Ampong Coker had shipped passenger vehicles to Ghana.

In May 2021, federal agents surveilled Ampong Coker as he retrieved firearms purchased from one of the FFLs and was then observed at a business that packaged and shipped items from the Port of Baltimore.  A shipping vehicle was subsequently seen departing that location on May 27, 2021.  On May 29, 2021, Ampong Coker was searched as he was departing the United States from Detroit, Michigan, bound for Ghana.  Agents seized foam cutouts used for packaging and securing firearms in gun cases from his luggage.

In early June 2021, HSI and CBP agents identified a shipping container scheduled to depart the Port of Baltimore for Tema, Ghana, on June 14, 2021.  The listed contents of the container included a 2018 Toyota Corolla registered to Ampong Coker but did not include any firearms.  On June 8, 2021, HSI, ATF, DCIS, CBP and other agents searched the contents of the shipping container.  Within the trunk of the 2018 Toyota Corolla, which had Ampong Coker’s name on cardboard on top of the vehicle, the agents found a grey suitcase with five 9mm handguns previously purchased by Ampong Coker secreted in the lining of the suitcase.

Law enforcement authorities identified another shipping container bound for Ghana containing other vehicles associated with Ampong Coker.  The vessel on which this container was loaded was intercepted at sea in June 2021, and returned to the Port of Baltimore.  On August 25, 2021, this container was searched and six 9mm handguns and 16 9mm pistol magazines were found in the vehicles associated with Ampong Coker.

Ampong Coker admitted that all of the firearms and magazines were identified on the U.S. Department of Commerce Control List, and he had not obtained the required license or written approval to export the weapons to Ghana.

U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, HSI, DCIS, and CBP for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorney P. Michael Cunningham, who prosecuted the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced today that they have reached a settlement with Baltimore County, Maryland for significant relief and compensation for victims of sexual harassment.  The settlement resolves the Justice Department’s complaint alleging that Baltimore County, through the Baltimore County Fire Department (BCFD), violated Title VII by subjecting several female employees to a hostile work environment based on their sex.  Title VII is a federal statute that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, and religion and prohibits retaliation against employees for opposing discriminatory employment practices. 

The settlement was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

According to the complaint, filed today in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, several female employees were subjected to a hostile work environment when a male coworker distributed nude and inappropriate photographs of female BCFD employees to other coworkers, solicited such photographs from coworkers, and posted the photographs on a social media site.  The complaint further alleges that BCFD failed to take prompt and appropriate actions to correct the ongoing hostile work environment.  As alleged, BCFD failed to promptly and thoroughly investigate the harassment and failed to adequately communicate with the victims as the harassment came to light, perpetuating the hostile work environment that the female employees faced. 

“Every workplace should foster respect and dignity for all employees, period,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron.  “Our mission to protect civil rights extends to sexual harassment and employers should be on notice that we will vigorously enforce the laws.  We are pleased that Baltimore County has agreed to take comprehensive steps to ensure that their employees feel safe, respected, and valued at their workplace.”

“Women deserve protection from sexual harassment and sex discrimination in the workplace, and this lawsuit and consent decree demonstrate the department’s commitment to that principle,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Like any other employer, fire departments must take prompt and appropriate actions to correct an ongoing hostile work environment. Addressing sexual harassment in the firefighting industry is critical to efforts to bring more women into a profession where they have faced historic rates of exclusion, marginalization and discrimination.”

Under the terms of the consent decree, if approved by the court, BCFD will overhaul its process for investigating complaints of sexual harassment, provide periodic sexual harassment training to its employees, and conduct a workplace climate survey to gather information to aid in efforts to keep the workplace free of harassment.  The County will also pay $275,000 to compensate female employees that were harmed by the harassment.   

This case stems from a charge of discrimination filed by a Commissioner for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (“EEOC”) Baltimore office.  The EEOC investigated the charge and found reasonable cause that BCFD violated Title VII.  After unsuccessful conciliation efforts, the EEOC referred the charge to the Department of Justice.

The Baltimore EEOC Office Director Rosemarie Rhodes added, “Sexual harassment in the workplace too often goes uncorrected.  Allowing such behavior to go unchecked when it affects one victim of sexual harassment is too much, let alone when it affects at least eleven victims.  It’s critical to remind victims that sexual harassment is against the law, they do not have to tolerate it at work, and they are protected when they complain.”

The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Marquardt of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and Trial Attorneys Shan Shah and Sharion Scott of the Employment Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office’s civil rights work, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/civil-rights. 

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Greenbelt, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Gregory Thomas Clement, age 53, of Rockville, Maryland, yesterday to nine years in federal prison, followed by 15 years supervised release, for transportation of child pornography.  Judge Chuang also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Clement must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”). 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore.

According to his guilty plea, on May 20, 2022, HSI received information from an international law enforcement agency about an individual who was using an encrypted chat application discussing a sexual interest in children.  Investigation revealed that the individual was Clement and on August 12, 2022, CBP Officers in Chicago conducted an outbound border search of Clement as he was boarding a plane to Japan.  After being advised of his rights, Clement provided agents with his phone, which revealed several images documenting his sexual abuse of a minor victim.  Law enforcement also conducted a search of Clement’s residence and a subsequent forensic analysis of several seized electronic devices recovered child pornography images and videos.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI for its work in the investigation and thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection for its assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leah B. Grossi and Darren S. Gardner, who prosecuted the federal case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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A former Maryland woman pleaded guilty today to filing a false tax return.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Susan K. Patrick, now a resident of Cody, Wyoming, co-owned a media brokerage firm with her husband and hired an accounting firm to prepare business and personal tax returns for 2012 through 2014. Despite receiving the completed and accurate tax returns from the accounting firm, Patrick did not file them with the IRS. After the IRS contacted Patrick and requested that she file the unfiled returns, Patrick lied to the IRS, claiming that her accounting firm had timely filed the returns and that she would provide copies of those returns.

Patrick did not provide copies of the accurate returns that had in fact been prepared by her accounting firm. Instead, Patrick doctored the business returns, removing $10,000,000 in gross receipts earned by her brokerage firm, and altered the personal returns by removing over $9,500,000 in income that she and her husband had earned from 2012 through 2014. Patrick also falsely backdated her signature on each tax return to make it appear as if the returns had been timely signed and mailed these falsely doctored documents to the IRS, hoping to evade paying the full amount of taxes she owed.

In addition, Patrick failed to timely file business and individual returns for 2015, which she had also hired the accounting firm to prepare, nor did she pay the tax due and owing for the individual return.

In total, Patrick sought to evade more than $2,500,000 in taxes.

Patrick faces a maximum statutory penalty of three years in prison. She also faces a term of supervised release, monetary penalties, and restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland made the announcement. 

IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. 

Assistant Chief Thomas F. Koelbl and Trial Attorney Matthew L. Cofer of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.  

A Maryland man pleaded guilty in a U.S. District Court in Baltimore to a federal crime for using a telephone to threaten a group that advocates for LGBTQI+ people. 

According to court documents, on the evening of March 28, the victim organization received a threatening voicemail from Adam Michael Nettina, 34, of West Friendship. The message referenced a mass shooting that had happened the day before at a school in Nashville, Tennessee, involving multiple shooting fatalities, where the perpetrator was a transgender woman. During the call to the advocacy organization on March 28, Nettina made multiple threats, including, “…We’ll cut your throats. We’ll put a bullet in your head….You’re going to kill us?  We’re going to kill you ten times more in full.” 

Nettina admitted to leaving the threatening voicemail and to targeting his victims because of their actual and perceived gender, gender identity and sexual orientation.

“Bias-motivated threats of violence terrorize entire communities and have no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will not stand by idly when the LGBTQI+ community faces bias-motivated threats of violence. The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute individuals who commit unlawful acts of hate in our country.”

According to court documents, Nettina also admitted to sending messages to state delegates in two prior incidents. On Oct. 15, 2022, Nettina emailed a Virginia state delegate who had advocated, in an interview published two days earlier, for the prevention of abuse towards transgender children. Nettina wrote, in part, “You are a terrorist. You deserve to be shot and hung in the streets. You want to come after people? Let’s go bitch.” On Nov. 8, 2022, Nettina sent Facebook messages to a Maryland state delegate who had previously posted his support for the transgender community. Nettina wrote, in part, “Better watch out[.] Baby killing terrorist. Enjoy hell[.] You’re going sooner than you think.” 

“You have the right to your own opinions, but you don’t have the right to threaten the lives of those who disagree with you,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “We’ll continue prosecuting these threats to the fullest extent of the law.”

“The defendant in this case attempted to terrorize the LGBTQI+ community by calling in multiple threats of violence to a local advocacy group,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI will not tolerate these acts of hate, and we remain committed to investigating civil rights violations and keeping our communities safe and free from fear.”

Nettina faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for interstate communications with a threat to injure. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI Baltimore Field Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow for the District of Maryland and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Adam Michael Nettina, age 34, of West Friendship, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to using the telephone to threaten a group that advocates for LGBTQI+ people.  As part of his plea agreement, Nettina also admitted sending messages to Maryland and Virginia state delegates due to their statements in support of transgender people.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

“You have the right to your own opinions, but you don’t have the right to threaten the lives of those who disagree with you,” said United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron.  “We’ll continue prosecuting these threats to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Bias-motivated threats of violence terrorize entire communities and have no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.  “The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute individuals who commit unlawful acts of hate in our country.”

“All Americans should be able to go about their daily lives without fear and without threats of violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. “Protecting the American people is the FBI’s number one priority and we remain committed to protecting the rights of all Americans. We urge members of the public to notify law enforcement about threats of violence or if they have any concerns.”

According to court documents, on the evening of March 28, 2023, the victim organization received a threatening voicemail from a phone number, which investigators identified as belonging to Adam Michael Nettina.  The message referenced the March 27, 2023, mass shooting at a school in Nashville, Tennessee, involving multiple shooting fatalities, where police identified the perpetrator as a transgender woman.  During the call, numerous threats were made including, “ . . . We’ll cut your throats.  We’ll put a bullet in your head . . . . You’re going to kill us?  We’re going to kill you ten times more in full.”  Nettina admitted that he left this voicemail for the purpose of issuing a threat and with the knowledge that the voicemail would be viewed as a threat.  Further, Nettina intentionally selected the advocacy organization as a target of his message because of the actual and perceived gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation of the people who work at and are assisted by the organization.

As detailed in his plea agreement, on March 31, 2022, a Maryland State Delegate posted a message of support on social media in honor of Trans Day of Visibility.  Nettina responded on social media later that same day, which stated, among other things, that he had “begun the formal process of getting you excommunicated . . . ” from the Catholic Church.  On November 8, 2022, the delegate was reelected.  Nettina sent the delegate another message on social media, stating: “ . . . Baby killing terrroist.  Enjoy hell You’re going sooner than you think.”

Finally, as outlined in the court documents, on October 13, 2022, an online news story was published about an interview a Virginia State Delegate gave in which she advocated for the prevention of abuse towards transgender children.  Two days later, on October 15, 2022, Nettina used the internet to send an email to the delegate’s press email account, stating: “The delegate is a terrorist. You are a terrorist.  You deserve to be shot and hung in the streets.  You want to come after people?  Let’s go b**ch.”  Nettina also sent a similar message to another email address of the delegate two minutes later.  Nettina intentionally selected the delegate and her campaign staff as the recipient of his email because of the actual and perceived gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation of the people and constituents for whom the delegate had expressed support.

Nettina faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for making threats transmitted by interstate communications.  U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for Nettina on November 3, 2023, at 9:30 a.m.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke commended the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron and Ms. Clarke thanked Assistant U.S. Paul E. Budlow and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, who are prosecuting the federal case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland (USAO-MD) is launching the national Department of Justice initiative, United Against Hate, this spring.  Together with our local partners, USAO-MD’s United Against Hate campaign will empower local residents and communities to combat unlawful acts of hate, stand against racism and discrimination and alter the course of growing intolerance. 

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Randolph Stanley, age 44, of Lexington Park, Maryland, yesterday to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  Judge Chuang also ordered that Stanley must pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, which is at least $5,648,238, the outstanding balance on all federal student loans that Stanley obtained on behalf of himself and others as part of the scheme.         

The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Terry Harris of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General (DOE-OIG) Eastern Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office.

As detailed in court documents and his plea agreement, from about 2006 until approximately 2021, Stanley and his co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Education.  Specifically, Stanley, was employed as a Financial Advisor at University 1, headquartered in Adelphi, Maryland, and his co-conspirators recruited over 60 individuals (“Student Participants”) to apply for and enroll in post-graduate programs at more than eight academic institutions, including University 1 and University 2 (“the Schools”).  Stanley and his co-conspirators told Student Participants that they would assist with the coursework for these programs, including completing assignments and participating in online classes on behalf of the Student Participants, in exchange for a fee.  As a result, the Student Participants fraudulently received credit for the courses, and in many cases, degrees from the Schools, without doing the necessary work. 

Stanley also admitted that he and his co-conspirators directed the Student Participants to apply for federal student loans.  Many of the Student Participant were not qualified for the programs to which they applied.  Student Participants, as well as Stanley himself, were awarded tuition, which went directly to the Schools and at least 60 Student Participants also received student loan refunds, which the Schools disbursed to Student Participants after collecting the tuition.  Stanley, as the ringleader of the scheme, kept a portion of each of the students’ loan refunds.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DOE-OIG, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency Office of Inspector General for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Cooch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Grossi, who handled the sentencing.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md.

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Baltimore, Maryland – Erek L. Barron, the United States Attorney for Maryland, announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of fraud, waste and abuse relating to pandemic relief enacted by Congress, including fraud involving the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.  The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Attorney General Merrick B. Garland previously selected the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office to help lead the U.S. Justice Department’s response to COVID-19 fraud, along with U.S. Attorney’s Offices in California and Miami, Florida. 

On August 23, 2023, the Justice Department announced the results of a coordinated, nationwide enforcement action to combat COVID-19 fraud, including federal criminal charges filed against 371 defendants for offenses related to over $836 million in alleged COVID-19 fraud.  Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco also announced the formation of additional Strike Forces in the New Jersey and Colorado U.S. Attorney’s Offices.

“Maryland’s Strike Force has proven through dedicated resources, partnerships with local, state and federal law enforcement, that those who would steal from American taxpayers are held accountable and our efforts to investigate and prosecute is making a demonstrated difference,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron.  “We cannot, and will not, tolerate those who would take advantage of a global pandemic by stealing funds and defrauding programs intended to help Americans who were suffering during the pandemic.”

Led by senior Assistant United States Attorneys Harry Gruber and Paul Riley as well as specially assigned Fraud and Public Corruption Assistant U.S. Attorneys and support staff, the Maryland Strike Force is one of three Strike Force Teams established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the CARES Act.  The Strike Forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors.  The Strike Forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. 

Since establishing the Maryland COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force in August 2022, the number of pandemic fraud-related criminal investigations and prosecutions has significantly increased.  More than 20 defendants have been charged for various offenses with an alleged loss of approximately $40 million.  In addition, there are numerous ongoing criminal COVID-19 fraud investigations.  Some of our ongoing COVID-19 fraud investigations involve other criminal activity, including those by repeat violent offenders.  The Office’s civil enforcement is also quite active, with 19 active civil fraud cases pending with a total of 19 defendants and approximately $30 million in potential loss.

As further commitment to fight pandemic fraud, waste and abuse, the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office has also established partnerships with Special Inspector for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR) General Brian D. Miller.  The collaboration with SIGPR allows the U.S. Attorney’s Office and SIGPR to enhance their efforts to combat CARES Act funding fraud, waste and abuse with an emphasis on swift accountability for large-scale and organized fraud schemes.  The Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office has also partnered with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Office of Investigations.  The DOL-OIG partnership includes four DOL-OIG Special Agents working on location in the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, allowing for a quicker response and more comprehensive and coordinated investigations involving CARES Act fraud, waste and abuse and the ability to specifically target suspects of violent crime who are illegally exploiting the CARES Act and other pandemic related programs.

As highlighted below, the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office’s efforts to combat COVID-19 related fraud, waste and abuse including schemes targeting the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program and Unemployment Insurance (“UI”) programs have led to significant results.

Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans Fraud

The PPP and EIDL fraud cases charged federally in Maryland since passage of the CARES Act involve a range of conduct, including many individuals who used shell business entities to fraudulently apply on multiple occasions for benefit funds that they used their personal benefit, such as the purchase of houses, cars, jewelry, high-end electronics and other luxury goods.  Some conduct also involves legitimate business owners who inflated their payroll expenses to obtain larger loans than they otherwise would have qualified for, and/or used funds for improper purposes. 

For example, in U.S. v. Keon Ball, defendant Ball was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison for a wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft in relation to multiple identity theft schemes and fraud schemes—including schemes conducted while on probation for a past state fraud conviction and while on pre-trial release in connection with state fraud charges.

Specifically, in June and July 2020, defendant Ball submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications and obtained $256,664 in government-backed PPP funds for purported businesses that did not exist in any legitimate capacity.  Included with each application were fraudulent documents, including fabricated Internal Revenue Service forms, that contained false information concerning purported wages paid and purported number of employees of each business.  In total, defendant Ball caused a loss of $750,000 and intended losses of over $1,450,000 and used the identifying information of more than 10 victims in connection with his schemes.  In addition to his prison sentence, defendant Ball was ordered to pay at least $715,504 in restitution. 

Unemployment Insurance Fraud

The CARES Act also expanded states’ ability to provide UI benefits for many workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for unemployment benefits.  Many of the defendants charged in Maryland used the personal identifying information (“PII”) of individuals without their knowledge or permission to fraudulently obtain identity documents and obtain UI benefits. 

In U.S. v. Jerry Phillips, twin brothers and co-defendants Jerry and Jaleel Phillips were sentenced to seven years and 30 months in prison, respectively, and were ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution, for a wire fraud scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $1 million in PPP and EIDL loans, and UI benefits.  Defendant Jerry Phillips also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and possession of a machine gun.  The Phillips brothers admitted that they created and used fictitious aliases, used the personal identifying information of real people, and used defunct corporate entities or new business entities with no actual business operations to repeatedly obtain EIDL and PPP loans, and UI benefits.  Law enforcement also recovered four “ghost guns” during a search of the Phillips’ residence that defendant Jerry Phillips had purchased online.  Defendant Jerry Phillips illegally modified one of the ghost guns into a machine gun.

Examples of COVID-19 CARES Act Cases in Maryland

The cases in the chart below highlight that many Maryland U.S. Attorney defendants participated in other fraud schemes, including elder fraud and business email compromise schemes.  In addition, a number of defendants possessed illegal firearms, including privately manufactured firearms, commonly called “ghost guns.”

Case

Case number

Program Targeted

Intended Loss to Taxpayer

U.S. v. Reginald Davis**

23-CR-269

PPP

$1,400,000

U.S. v. David Epstein**

23-CR-210

PPP, EIDL

$1,500,000

U.S. v. Denish Sahadevan*

23-CR-191

PPP, EIDL

$2,500,000

U.S. v. Tomeka Glenn and Kevin Davis**

23-CR-027

PPP

$305,854

U.S. v. Ryan E. Dales**

23-CR-026

UI

$25,000

U.S. v. Bearden**

23-CR-023

PPP

$734,609

U.S. v. Mikiyas Kefyalew**

22-CR-382

EIDL

$1,600,000

U.S. v. Yannice Nunez, et. al.**

22-CR-342

PPP

$674,216

U.S. v. Ayaz Qureshi*

22-CR-330

PPP

$250,723

U.S. v. Sherrie Lynne Bryant

22-CR-308

PPP

$419,100

U.S. v. Raissa Kaossele et. al.,**

22-CR-303

EIDL

$475,000

U.S. v. Larry Walker*

22-CR-290

PPP

$262,252

U.S. v. Tyshawna Davis, et. al.,**

22-CR-248

UI

$3,000,000

U.S. v. Alexander Barabash

22-CR-232

PPP

$1,317,352

U.S. v. Dana Hayes, Jr.

22-CR-224

PPP, EIDL

$50,036

U.S. v. Michael Makoge et. al.,*

22-CR-219

UI

$1,600,000

U.S. v. Ahmed Sary**

22-mj-1286

PPP, EIDL

$10,000,000

U.S. v. Ron Elfenbein*

22-CR-146

Medicare

$15,000,000

U.S. v. Mboutchock Kabiwa*

22-CR-109

EIDL, Medicaid

$3,500,000

U.S. v. Jerry Phillips et. al.,

22-CR-073

PPP, EIDL, UI

$1,235,213

U.S. v. Nichelle Henson**

21-CR-470

PPP, EIDL

$1,835,340

U.S. v. Oluwaseyi Akinyemi

21-CR-454

UI

$486,119

U.S. v. Olaolu Alabi

21-CR-413

UI

$1,500,000

U.S. v. Rudolph Elwood Brooks, Jr. *

21-CR-371

PPP

$3,500,000

U.S. v. Gladstone Njokem et. al.,

21-CR-338

UI

$2,700,000

U.S. v. Brandon Fitzgerald-Holley

21-CR-250

PPP

$305,854

U.S. v. Christopher Guy

21-CR-238

UI

$176,970

U.S. v. Medard Ulysse

21-CR-054

UI

$618,767

U.S. v. Idowu Raji

20-CR-369

UI

$1,793,472

U.S. v. Keon Ball et. al.,

20-CR-248

PPP

$1,500,000

*Defendant(s) is pending sentencing
** Defendant(s) indicted.  An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

Other COVID-19 Related Fraud Schemes

Additional COVID-19 related cases brought by the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office include shutting down fraudulent websites believed to have been used to collect the personal information of individuals visiting the site; the prosecution of health care fraud related to billing of COVID-19 related treatment or testing; and the prosecution of threats against federal officials involved in COVID-19 pandemic policy. 

To date, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has shut down 17 fraudulent websites which appear to have been used to collect the personal information of individuals visiting the site, in order to use the information for nefarious purposes, including fraud, phishing attacks, and/or deployment of malware.  The seized websites were almost identical to the names of authentic U.S. websites, including COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers, retailers, and purported COVID-19 treatment.  Several of the seized websites purported to sell vaccines and other treatments for the COVID-19 virus.  Often, the fake domains mimicked the stylistic designs and language of the authentic U.S. website.  After the seizures, individuals visiting the website see a message that the website has been seized by the federal government and are redirected to another website for additional information. 

On August 4, 2023, a federal jury convicted medical doctor Ron Elfenbein for five counts of health care fraud related to the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and other insurers for patients who received COVID-19 tests at sites operated by the defendant.  In total, defendant Elfenbein submitted more than $15 million in claims to Medicare and other insurers for patients who received COVID-19 tests at sites operated by defendant Elfenbein.  Sentencing is scheduled for November 7, 2023 at 4:00 p.m.

On August 4, 2022, Thomas Patrick Connally, Jr. was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for making threats against a federal official, specifically for sending emails threatening harm the then Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  Defendant Connally further admitted to threatening the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as a Massachusetts public health official and a religious leader.  Defendant Connally admitted that he sent the threats with the intent to intimidate or interfere with the performance of these public officials’ duties and with the intent to retaliate against these government officials for performing their official duties, including discussing COVID-19 and its testing and prevention.

U.S. Attorney Erek Barron recognized the efforts of a wide range of law enforcement partners for their work in COVID-19 related cases, including the DOL-OIG, the IRS-CI, the FBI, SIGPR, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Offices of Inspectors General from SBA, Department of Homeland Security, Social Security Administration, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

To report a COVID-19-related fraud scheme or suspicious activity, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) by calling the NCDF Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to fight fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.  

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher today sentenced Clayton Alexander McCoy, age 32, of Chesterland, Ohio, to 262 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for transporting explosives with intent to injure and to possession of an unregistered firearm/explosive device, in connection with an explosion at a home in Carroll County, Maryland.  A resident of the home was the boyfriend of a woman in whom McCoy had a romantic interest.  Judge Gallagher also ordered that McCoy pay restitution in the full amount of the loss, which is at least $96,378.38.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci; Carroll County Sheriff James T. DeWees; and Carroll County State’s Attorney Haven Shoemaker.

According to his guilty plea and court documents, McCoy built a bomb in his home in Ohio, then drove the bomb to Victim 1’s home in Carroll County, Maryland, intending to kill the victim.  McCoy knew the victim and a woman, who was Victim 1’s girlfriend, for a number of years through a live action role-playing battle game/social club.  In October 2020 McCoy expressed romantic feelings for the woman, who informed McCoy that she was in a relationship with Victim 1 and did not share McCoy’s romantic feelings.

Following his rejection by Victim 1’s girlfriend, McCoy devised a plan to build and deliver a bomb to Victim 1’s house with the intent to kill Victim 1.  McCoy made shrapnel for the inside of the bomb, cutting scrap metal into small, triangular pieces, to increase the deadliness of the pipe bomb when it exploded.  McCoy placed the homemade bomb into a white gift box, tied a red ribbon around the box, and armed the firing mechanism so that the bomb would explode when the gift box was opened.  McCoy placed the gift box containing the bomb into a larger cardboard box with a shipping label, but no return address. 

On October 30, 2020, McCoy drove approximately seven hours from Ohio to Victim 1’s residence and placed the bomb on Victim 1’s front porch just prior to 8:30 a.m.  Victim 1’s grandfather saw the package, brought it inside the house and put it on the kitchen counter, where it remained until Victim 1’s return.  That afternoon, Victim 1 returned home and saw the cardboard box that was addressed to him.  He opened the cardboard box and saw the white gift box inside.  Victim 1 texted his girlfriend to ask her if she had sent him a present, then took both boxes into his bedroom to open his “gift” in private.  As Victim 1 opened the gift box, the bomb detonated.  Victim 1 was struck in the front of his body by shrapnel and sustained injuries to his chest, legs, and front of his body.  After being released from the hospital Victim 1 had to use a walker and underwent multiple surgeries.  Multiple pieces of shrapnel remain inside Victim 1’s body.  The explosion at Victim 1’s residence caused extensive damage to the dwelling and contents, forcing Victim 1 and his grandparents to live elsewhere.  The insurance company suffered a loss of $70,061.26 as a direct result of the explosion. 

“This case is an excellent example of local, state and federal law enforcement coming together and bringing Mr. McCoy to justice,” said Carroll County Sheriff James DeWees.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department, and the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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