District of Maryland

Baltimore, Maryland – John H. Worthington, age 60, of Owings Mills, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to federal charges for willful failure to account for and pay over employment taxes and for filing a false personal tax return.  Worthington admitted that he evaded payment on taxes due and owing to the United States of at least $2,813,348.94.  

The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Worthington owned and operated The Grill at Harryman House restaurant since 1995.  As part of managing the restaurant, Worthington issued Forms W-2 to his employees and withheld federal income taxes and Social Security and Medicare (“FICA”) taxes from their wages.  Worthington admitted that from 2010 through 2021, he did not file with the IRS the required Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Returns (Forms 941) reporting these employment taxes and did not pay the withholdings over to the IRS.  As detailed in his plea agreement, instead of meeting his tax obligations, Worthington used funds from his business to pay other creditors and for a variety of personal expenses, including golf club membership dues, season tickets to the Baltimore Orioles, international vacations, and salaries for himself and his wife.  In total, Worthington did not report or pay approximately $2,813,348.94 in employment taxes due and owing to the IRS.

Additionally, Worthington filed a joint 2016 personal tax return (Form 1040) that falsely claimed $24,207 in federal income tax withholdings from his own wages from the restaurant, which he knew had not been paid to the IRS.  This resulted in a $9,096 refund to which he was not entitled.  Had Worthington accurately reported $0 in withholdings for that year, he would have owed $15,111.

According to his plea agreement, Worthington also failed to timely file his personal income taxes for tax years 2017 through 2021, despite having received wages and compensation from the restaurant.  Worthington also failed to timely file corporate tax returns for tax years 2016 through 2021, even though the corporation was active and generated gross receipts or sales of more than $15 million during that time frame.

Worthington faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for willfully failing to account for and pay over the employment taxes and three years in prison for filing a false tax return.  He also faces a period of supervised release, monetary penalties, and restitution.  U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin has scheduled sentencing for September 13, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.

U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg commended the IRS-CI for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean R. Delaney and Assistant Chief Jorge Almonte and Trial Attorney Matthew L. Cofer 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 and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Oyeniyi Oworu, age 45, of Washington, yesterday to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud.  Judge Rubin also ordered Oworu to pay restitution of $296,779.84  

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.

According to his guilty plea, between February 2017 and July 2020, Oworu conspired with co-defendant Babatunde Ajibawo, Sadiq Folawiyo, Oyekanmi Oworu, and others to fraudulently obtain checks made out to legitimate businesses, then fraudulently register shell companies to obtain state business certificates in the identical or similar name of the legitimate businesses to which the checks were made payable.

As detailed in his plea agreement, Oworu and his co-conspirators attempted to conceal their criminal actions and evade law enforcement by relocating the fraud scheme to other jurisdictions, including the states of Washington and Georgia.  A substantial part of a fraudulent scheme was committed from outside the United States, specifically Nigeria.  In total, Oworu and his co-conspirators intended to cause a loss of at least $4.1 million to victim businesses and caused an actual loss of at least $756,175.30.  To perpetrate the scheme to defraud, Oworu and his co-conspirators used the stolen PII of more than 50 individual victims and  established approximately 50 fraudulent or shell businesses.

Co-defendants Babatunde Ajibawo, age 55, of Essex, United Kingdom; Oyekanmi Oworu, age 35, of Hyattsville, Maryland; and Sadiq Folawiyo, age 47, of Glen Burnie, Maryland all previously pleaded guilty to their participation in the bank fraud conspiracy.  Ajibawo was sentenced to four years in federal prison and Oyekanmi Oworu and Folawiyo were each sentenced to three years in federal prison.               

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted the case.

For more information on fraud and how to report instances of fraud, including identity theft,  please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud. 

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggs today sentenced Marquis Johnson, age 34, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 71 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 Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; and Acting Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.

“The actions of the DEA and the Baltimore City Police Department, in coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, literally stopped a felon with a bulletproof vest before he used a gun on Baltimore’s streets,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron.  “We will swiftly respond to those who would bring violence to our communities.” 

According to his guilty plea, on September 21, 2021, Johnson robbed someone who was standing near his residence on Chapel Street in Baltimore City.  Immediately after the robbery, Johnson claimed in a call he made to a friend from his cell phone that 10 to 15 shots were fired at him.  The call was intercepted as part of a months-long DEA investigation of several individuals, including Johnson.

As detailed in the plea agreement, Johnson asked his associates to help him find the individual who shot at him so he could retaliate, telling them, “I already know which one it was.”  Shortly after the calls, DEA investigators saw Johnson walking in East Baltimore along with several of his associates.  While investigators watched Johnson, he got into an argument with the driver of a van on the street.  Knowing that Johnson was on his way to retaliate against the individual who shot at him and was most likely armed, investigators stopped Johnson and conducted a pat down for weapons.  Investigators recovered a .45 caliber handgun loaded with 12 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition, with one in the chamber, from Johnson’s waistband.  Johnson was also wearing a bulletproof vest.

Johnson knew that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition as the result of a previous felony conviction.  Further, the investigation showed that the gun had been reported stolen on June 21, 2021.

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 Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kim Y. Oldham and Ari Evans, 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 Paula Xinis today sentenced Valfonso Dewitt, a/k/a “Valentino” and “Val,” age 72, of Bronx, New York, to 121 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and for two counts of using his cellular telephone to facilitate a felony drug offense. 

The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department.

According to the evidence presented at his four-day trial, from January 2019 through at least September 2019, Dewitt conspired with co-defendant James Isaac Gaston, Gaston’s wife Jacqueline Shelton Gaston, and others to distribute fentanyl.  The evidence proved that in September 2019, Dewitt distributed nearly half a kilogram of pure fentanyl—enough to kill almost 250,000 people—to James Gaston just outside Memphis, Tennessee.  Approximately 14 hours later, law enforcement seized the fentanyl during a traffic stop on Gaston’s car shortly after Gaston drove over the I-495 bridge from Virginia into Prince George’s County, Maryland.  The jury acquitted Dewitt on three counts of using his cellular telephone to facilitate a felony drug offense.

James Isaac Gaston, age 74, of Lanham, Maryland, was sentenced to six years in federal prison for his role in the drug distribution conspiracy.  Co-defendant Jacqueline Shelton Gaston, age 52, also of Lanham, Maryland, also pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2023.

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.

U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, the FBI, and the Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Prince George’s County Police Department and the Maryland State Police for their assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey J. Izant and Geonard F. Butler II, who prosecuted the case and recognized Intelligence Research Specialist Angelina Thompson and Paralegal Specialists Andrew Branigan, Mark Phares, and Derek Harwerth 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 https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin today sentenced James Henry Roberts, a/k/a “Bub,” age 33, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise related to his activities in the Normandy, Franklin, and Loudon (“NFL”) gang, which operated in the Edmondson Village area in Southwest Baltimore.  

The sentence 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 Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Acting Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to Robert’s guilty plea, from 2016 to March 2020, Roberts was a member of the NFL gang, which was an enterprise, and participated in its illegal activities with other members, including the NFL drug trafficking organization (“DTO”).  Members of the NFL gang have social and familial ties to the Edmondson Village neighborhood of Southwest Baltimore. 

During the conspiracy, NFL gang members distributed large quantities of heroin and cocaine to drug customers and re-distributors from Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.  Roberts admitted that he obtained narcotics from multiple sources of supply and stored the narcotics in stash houses that the NFL gang controlled.  Over the course of the charged conspiracy, Roberts and his co-conspirators distributed over one kilogram of heroin and more than 280 grams of cocaine base. 

As detailed in his plea agreement and court documents, Roberts paid members and associates of the NFL gang to commit multiple murders on behalf of the enterprise.  For example, in 2018, Roberts and others offered a bounty in exchange for the murder of Victim 1, who Roberts believed was cooperating with law enforcement.  On June 16, 2018, an NFL gang member (Co-conspirator 1) murdered Victim 1 as well as a bystander (Victim 2).  Shortly after the murders, Roberts paid Co-conspirator 1 with money from another NFL related enterprise.

Additionally, in October 2018, Roberts learned of a bounty for the murder of Victim 3.  To try to collect the bounty, Roberts recruited two NFL gang members to murder Victim 3 and share the proceeds.  Ultimately, the two NFL gang members shot and killed Victim 3 on October 31, 2018, then notified Roberts of Victim 3’s murder.

More than 30 defendants in this and related cases have pleaded guilty and been sentenced to between 30 years and time served. 

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.

This case is also 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 FBI, DEA, DPSCS, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation.   Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Sippel, Jr., James T. Wallner, and Robert I. Goldaris 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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Greenbelt, Maryland – Former Correctional Officer Owen Nesmith, age 54, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to federal charges, including three counts of deprivation of rights under color of law and to making a false statement, all related to his sexual contact with three victims who were incarcerated at the Maryland Correctional Institution Jessup.  

The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

According to his guilty plea, Nesmith was employed as a Correctional Officer (“CO”) Lieutenant at Maryland Correctional Institution Jessup (“MCIJ”).  Nesmith admitted that from 2005 to 2017, he deprived three incarcerated individuals of their civil rights by sexually assaulting them.  Specifically, in February 2005, Nesmith followed Victim 1 back to his cell.  No other inmates were present in the housing unit at that time.  Nesmith told Victim 1 that he wanted Victim 1 to perform a sex act on Nesmith, which he did.  Victim 1 did not consent to this act, which was a deprivation of rights under color of law.

As detailed in the plea agreement, in July 2015, Victim 2 needed an identification badge (“ID”) and Nesmith offered to take Victim 2 to the ID office.  On the way to the office, Nesmith grabbed Victim 2’s genital area, then shut a gate in the area and told Victim 2 that he needed to conduct a strip search.  After removing Victim 2’s pants, Nesmith sexually assaulted Victim 2, causing him pain and bodily injury. 

Nesmith further admitted that in December 2017, he engaged in a sex act with Victim 3, without his consent, when Victim 3 came to Nesmith’s office to discuss obtaining a job in sanitation.  At that time, Nesmith was the acting lieutenant of the building and Victim 3 needed Nesmith’s approval to obtain that job. 

Finally, Nesmith admitted that when questioned by law enforcement, he falsely stated that he had never had any inappropriate relationships or sexual contact with any inmates while he was at MCIJ.

Nesmith is the last of 20 defendants charged with federal racketeering and related charged to plead guilty.  Five other correctional officers/employees previously pleaded guilty to their roles in a racketeering conspiracy. 

Nesmith faces a maximum of 17 years in prison for deprivation of rights under color of law and for making false statements.  U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has not set a sentencing date.

U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Sean R. Delaney and Katelyn Semales, 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 – Maryland-based Capital Technology Information Services, Inc., (“CTIS”), a health care information technology company, has agreed to pay the United States $1,712,949.44 to resolve federal False Claims Act allegations that it billed the National Institutes of Health (“NIH”) for costs that were unallowable for reimbursement.

The civil settlement was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services. 

“Federal contractors are required to bill only for costs that are properly reimbursable and not for purely personal expenses unrelated to the contract work,” said United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron.  “This settlement represents our continuing commitment to holding companies accountable who do not follow the rules for federal contracting and grants and take advantage of taxpayer funded programs.”  

“Federal grantees and contractors have a responsibility to ensure all charges they submit are for allowable expenses,” said Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG remains committed to protecting valuable taxpayer dollars, and the programs they fund, from fraud, waste, and abuse.”

The core business of CTIS involved health data analytics and the provision of related website infrastructure to its customers to capture, store and use health and biomedical data.  CTIS received a five-year grant from NIH, through the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (“NIMHD”), to establish a consortium of educational and for-profit organizations to study the impact of health delivery systems in a selected minority community, to understand possible disparities, and find innovative ways to eliminate the identified disparities.  CTIS was also awarded an NIH Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (“CTEP”) Task Order cost-reimbursable contract to provide information technology and telecom solutions in support of NIH for CTEP.  Under the contract and the grant, NIH would reimburse CTIS only for allowable expenses incurred during the performance period of the contract or grant. 

The settlement resolves allegations that between July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2018, CTIS knowingly billed the NIH for unallowable costs on both the NIH grant and the CTEP Task Order, including for such personal expenses as the costs of luxury vehicles, residential mortgage payments, housekeeping services, the cost of a wedding, and other unreasonable and/or non-contract-related work or for work not actually performed.  The costs were falsely represented as incurred specifically in support of the work performed on the NIH grant and CTEP Task Order and as necessary to the overall operation of the business of CTIS.  
The civil settlement also resolves lawsuits filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act in United States ex rel. Sherette Rhodes, et. al., v. Capital Technology Information Services, Inc., Civ. No. GJH-17-0609 and in United States ex rel. Connie Ezerski v. CTIS, Inc., et. al., Civ. No. GJH-18-0486 (D.Md).  The False Claims Act permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and obtain a portion of the United States’ recovery.  As part of the civil resolution, two of the Relators will receive $171,294.94, collectively, and the other will receive $171,294.94. 

The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations.  The settlement is not an admission of liability by CTIS, nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well founded.  CTIS cooperated throughout the ensuing federal investigation conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.    

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DHHS-OIG for its work in this investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tarra DeShields who handled this case.

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

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Eghosasere Avboraye-Igbinedion a/k/a “Ego” and “Ghost,” age 28, of Miramar, Florida, for a federal charge of 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.  The verdict was returned on June 15, 2023, after a six-day trial. 

The guilty verdict 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.

“Avboraye-Ibginedion was part of a scheme that targeted elderly victims by falsely claiming that a grandchild was in trouble and needed money and convincing the victims to send them thousands of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron.  “If you or someone you know is a victim of financial fraud, please report it by contacting the Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).”

“Sophisticated scams like this one take advantage of a grandparent’s relationship with their loved ones,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI's Baltimore field office. “The FBI is working to educate and protect victims as we identify and bring to justice those seeking to defraud our most vulnerable community members.”

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. 

Avboraye-Ibginedion faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for mail fraud conspiracy.  U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has not yet scheduled sentencing Avboraye-Ibginedion.

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 are prosecuting 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 – Ronnie Peoples, age 36, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to a federal charge of illegal possession of a firearm in a school zone, specifically, the New Hope Academy.  

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; and Acting Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to his guilty plea, on April 29, 2020, Peoples was seen engaging in what appeared to be hand-to-hand drug transactions in the 500 block of Orchard Street.  Peoples then got into a maroon Nissan Ultima and Baltimore Police officers conducted a traffic stop and arrested Peoples.  Law enforcement recovered a revolver, loaded with six rounds of ammunition, and 34 flip-top containers of approximately 14.5 grams of cocaine from Peoples’ jacket pocket.

Peoples admitted that he knew he had the firearm and ammunition and had reasonable cause to believe he was within 1,000 feet of the New Hope Academy.

Peoples faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for possession of a firearm in a school zone.  U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for September 6, 2023, at 9:30 a.m.

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 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 - The U.S. Attorney’s Office has partnered with AARP Maryland, the Maryland Attorney General, the Comptroller of Maryland, the Maryland Department of Aging, the Maryland Department of Human Services, and the Office of Financial Regulation in the Maryland Department of Labor, as well as businesses and consumer groups to sponsor PROTECT Week to raise awareness and help prevent financial fraud targeting older adults.  A press conference was held today to kick-off PROTECT Week, held June 12-16, 2023.  PROTECT Week offers opportunities to learn about the many forms of abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of older Marylanders.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office is participating in events all month, including public outreach events such as a tele-town hall, and educational programming. 

            “Targeting vulnerable elderly victims is unconscionable and PROTECT Week is a great time to learn about scams targeting older adults and how to avoid them,” said Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland. “But if you, or someone you know, is a victim of financial fraud, I urge you to report it.  Help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) and you could prevent someone else from becoming a victim.”

PROTECT WEEK EVENTS:

            Interview with Shawn Perry of the Senior Zone – airing June 12 at 10:00 a.m.

            Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron will participate in an interview with Shawn Perry of the Senior Zone AM radio program to promote PROTECT Week.  The interview will discuss tips for recognizing and avoiding scams, the importance of reporting fraud, and the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Hotline. 

            Tele-town Hall – June 15 at 11:30 a.m.

            U.S. Attorney Erek Barron, Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman, and Karen Straughn with the Maryland Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division will participate in an AARP tele-town hall.  The tele-town hall will discuss Maryland’s new Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force, trends in fraud schemes, and resources for reporting fraud.  The tele-town hall reaches thousands of Marylanders in every county throughout the state. 

            Now in its sixth year, PROTECT Week 2023 includes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, observed on June 15.  More information on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day can be found here.  For a list of PROTECT Week coalition members and to register for events, visit www.aarp.org/md.

            Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcement’s 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 through 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.  Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting or connect them with agencies, and provide 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.

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

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III today sentenced George Fields, a/k/a “Chin,” age 49, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit a Hobbs Act robbery and for using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a weapon during and in relation to a crime of violence. 

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

According to their plea agreements, on September 29, 2020, Fields and co-defendants Joseph Williams and Deron Johnson conspired to rob a 16-year-old of drugs and drug proceeds.  Specifically, at approximately 4:24 a.m., Johnson and the victim pulled into the parking lot of a hotel in the 6500 block of Frankford Avenue in Baltimore, where Williams had been staying for several months, selling drugs under a fictitious name.  Johnson was working as a “hack” driver and gave the victim a ride to the hotel on the ruse that the victim would be selling drugs to Fields and Williams.

As detailed in the plea agreements, Fields and Williams approached Johnson’s van and Fields held out money as though he was ready to make a purchase.  Fields and Williams then began robbing the victim while Johnson walked to the rear of the van and smoked.  Fields admitted that he pinned the victim down in the front passenger seat of the van and went through his pockets.  The victim struggled, flailing his arms and legs.  Williams admitted that he then pulled out a handgun and fired a single shot into the victim’s chest at close range.  The victim stumbled away from the van and collapsed on the ground.  Johnson, Fields, and Williams then got into the van and drove away.  A hotel surveillance camera captured the entire incident.  The victim died later that day after being taken to the hospital.  No drugs, money, or cell phone were recovered from the victim’s personal effects. 

Later that morning, the conspirators returned to the hotel in Johnson’s van, while police were still processing the scene.  Fields, Williams, and Johnson entered the hotel together.  Police recognized the van from the hotel surveillance footage and towed the van and detained Johnson.  A search warrant was executed on the van and law enforcement recovered a single bullet from the front row carpet.  On October 1, 2020, Johnson’s phone was searched and was found to contain evidence of the plan to rob the victim, including text messages between Johnson and Williams, a record of phone calls between Johnson and the victim, a photograph of Johnson with Fields and Williams, and Fields’ contact information was in Johnson’s contacts.

Joseph Williams, a/k/a “Blue,” age 33, of Baltimore, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and up to life in prison for using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the robbery conspiracy.  Judge Russell has scheduled sentencing for Williams on July 7, 2023, at 9:30 a.m.

On May 24, 2023, co-defendant Deron Johnson, a/k/a “DJ,” age 52, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and to committing the robbery.  Johnson and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Johnson will be sentenced to at between 15 and 20 years in federal prison.  Judge Russell has scheduled sentencing for Johnson on September 6, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. 

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 Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Y. Oldham, 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 – Elias Nick Costianes, age 44, formerly of Nottingham, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to possession of firearms and ammunition by an unlawful user of any controlled substance. 

The guilty plea 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 at Costianes’s residence, his vehicle, and on 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.  Constianes admitted that not only did he purchase cocaine and testosterone for his personal use, but that he also conspired to distribute, and did distribute, cocaine and testosterone to others. 

Costianes and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, the government will recommend that Costianes not be sentenced to more than 37 months in prison.  Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for September 25, 2023, at 10 a.m.

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 are prosecuting the federal case.  Mr. Barron also thanked Paralegals Andrew Branigan, Mark Phares, Matthew Kerrigan, and Derek Harwerth, 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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Baltimore, Maryland – Eric Nana Kofi Ampong Coker, age 41, of Columbia, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to the illegal export of firearms.  

The guilty plea 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; 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. 

As detailed in the plea agreement, 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 in a variety of locations, including 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.  Among other items seized in his luggage were foam cutouts used for packaging and securing firearms in gun cases.

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.  Included in the listed contents of the container was a 2018 Toyota Corolla registered to Ampong Coker.  The list of contents of the container did not include any firearms.  On June 8, 2021, HSI, ATF, CBP and other agents searched the contents of the shipping container.  Within the trunk of the 2018 Toyota Corolla, which had the Defendant’s name on cardboard on top of the vehicle, the agents found a grey suitcase.  Secreted in the lining of the suitcase, the agents found five 9mm handguns previously purchased by Ampong Coker.

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 sailed from the Port of Baltimore in May 2021, was intercepted at sea on June 14, 2021, and returned to Baltimore on August 20, 2021, without having been off-loaded in Ghana or any other port enroute.  On August 25, 2021, this container was searched, revealing six 9mm handguns and 16 9mm pistol magazines 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.

Ampong Coker faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for illegally exporting firearms.  U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher has scheduled sentencing for September 6, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.

U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, HSI, and CBP for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorney P. Michael Cunningham, 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 – Breanna Lee Cartledge, age 28, of Clinton, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, in connection with a scheme to defraud financial institutions by creating fake checks using information Cartledge intercepted as a Clerk with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).  

The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland and Acting Special Agent in Charge Peter Brown of the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG).

According to her guilty plea, Cartledge utilized her position as a USPS employee to wrongfully access USPS money orders and individual mail to illegally obtain the personal information of victim individuals and businesses, which she and her co-conspirators used without the victims’ authorization.

For example, after a co-conspirator texted Cartledge requesting pictures of checks, Cartledge sent the co-conspirator images of at least nine separate money orders or checks that contained personal identifying information with the intent that the information be used to create fake checks to steal from victim accounts. 

As detailed in the plea agreement, on May 28, 2020, Cartledge negotiated a counterfeit check fraudulently drawn for $4,900 from the account of a victim, but the transaction was reversed by the bank.  Cartledge admitted that she abused her position as a USPS Clerk to facilitate the commission or concealment of the offense.

Cartledge faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud.  U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby has scheduled sentencing for October 19, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.

U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the USPS-OIG for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorneys G. Michael Morgan and Darren Gardner, 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 – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Olaolu Alabi, age 40, of Owings Mills, Maryland, to 66 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after Alabi pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft, in relation to multiple financial fraud schemes.  Judge Gallagher also ordered Alabi to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $500,000 and will determine the amount of restitution at a later date.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HIS”) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Karen L. Brown Cleveland of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service (“DSS”), Washington Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Troy Springer, of the National Capital Region of the U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”); and Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division.

According to his plea agreement, from June 2019 until August 5, 2020, Alabi conspired with multiple individuals to defraud victim businesses, individuals and financial institutions through business email compromise schemes and/or COVID-19 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act unemployment insurance (“UI”)fraud schemes to obtain more than $1.5 million.  From March 2020 to August 2020, Alabi and his co-conspirators used and trafficked in unauthorized access devices and in that scheme alone, they obtained more than $400,000 in UI and other COVID-19 related benefits that were loaded onto debit cards.  Alabi admitted that he personally obtained at least $500,000 from his participation in these fraud schemes, which he used for his personal benefit, including a trip to Hawaii for himself and two friends.

As detailed in the plea agreement, Alabi used the personal identifying information (“PII”) of individuals without their knowledge or permission to fraudulently obtain identity documents and obtain UI benefits.  For example, Alabi obtained a driver’s license in the name of one victim and obtained fraudulent UI benefits in the names of two other victims.  Alabi also used at least two aliases, obtaining fake passports and backup documentation for each of his aliases.  Alabi used the fraudulent documents to open bank accounts in the names of identity theft victims and in his aliases, which were used to deposit proceeds of the fraud schemes.  In addition, Alabi created limited liability companies (“LLCs”) which were used in the fraud schemes to hide the conspirators’ identities and frustrate the efforts of financial institutions and law enforcement.

Alabi admitted using an encrypted text messaging application to communicate with his co-conspirators, including Idowu Raji, about the timing of victim fund deposits into accounts Alabi controlled, withdrawing the fraud proceeds from the bank accounts receiving the funds, and using debit cards loaded with UI funds.  Alabi also had in-person conversations with co-conspirator Raji.

Further, on September 30, 2019, Alabi deposited a $44,180.55 check, made payable to one of the LLCs he’d established, into a bank account opened in the name of that company.  The check was part of more than $300,000 that had been obtained from a victim business, Victim T.  As part of a business email compromise (“BEC”) scheme, Victim T sent the money to accounts controlled by Alabi’s co-conspirators, thinking that it was paying its actual debts.  A cashier’s check for $44,173.50, also part of the $300,000 obtained from Victim T, was deposited into another bank account controlled by Alabi.  In another instance, fraudulent emails from Alabi’s co-conspirators about paying an invoice caused Victim LSI, a company in Ohio, to send or transfer more than $500,000 to accounts controlled by Alabi and the co-conspirators. 

Alabi also admitted that in April 2020 a separate victim, a community college lost $293,565, based on fraudulent emails purporting to be from one of its vendors.  The emails advised that the vendor was no longer accepting checks for payment and provided wiring instructions.  The emails came from the vendor point of contact’s real email address after the conspirators gained access to the account.  The victim community college wired the funds into a bank account controlled by the conspirators, who then transferred the funds to other accounts and purchased cashier’s checks.  Eventually, the vendor reached out to the victim community college about the overdue amount and the community college then realized it had been defrauded, causing a significant hardship for the community college.

On August 5, 2020, federal agents executed a search warrant at Alabi’s residence and seized and searched his cell phone.  Conversations in the messaging app included exchanges related to fraudulent unemployment insurance claims.  For example, as detailed in messages, on June 30, 2020, Alabi travelled to Raji’s residence and picked up debit cards containing unemployment insurance benefits obtained using the personal identifying information of real persons.  Alabi then went to a U.S. Post Office where he used the debit cards from Raji to purchase a total of 19 separate $1,000 money orders.

On May 20, 2022, co-conspirator Idowu Raji, age 41, of Baltimore County, Maryland, was sentenced to 94 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit access device fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft.  The Court also ordered Raji to pay $1,793,472 in restitution.

The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of three 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, DSS, DOL-OIG, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Gruber, who prosecuted 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 Theodore D. Chuang today sentenced Diape Seck, age 29, of Rockville, Maryland, to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a bank fraud scheme in which he and his co-conspirators obtained or attempted to obtain almost $2 million by fraud, including the theft of checks from the mail of churches and religious institutions.  Judge Chuang also ordered Seck to pay restitution in the amount of $1,708,446.49, and to forfeit $114,647.50.  A federal jury convicted Seck on February 24, 2023.

The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey D. Pittano of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG); Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Terry Sult of the Cary, North Carolina, Police Department; and Sheriff Dusty Rhoades of the Williamson County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Office.

According to the evidence presented at his eight-day trial, from at least January 2019 to January 2020, Seck, a customer service representative with Bank A, conspired with Mateus Vaduva, Marius Vaduva, Vlad Baceanu, Nicolae Gindac, Florin Vaduva, Marian Unguru, Daniel Velcu, Vali Unguru and others to commit bank fraud.  Specifically, the evidence showed that Seck fraudulently opened bank accounts in fake identities in exchange for cash bribes.  Co-conspirators engaged in fraud that included fraud involving rental cars and the deposit of checks stolen from the incoming and outgoing mail of churches and other religious institutions, into the fraudulently opened bank accounts.  The co-conspirators then withdrew the funds and spent the fraudulently obtained proceeds.

As detailed in the trial evidence, Diape Seck facilitated the opening of hundreds of bank accounts at Bank A for his co-conspirators, who used purported foreign identities, often but not universally Romanian, to fraudulently open bank accounts with him at Bank A, as well as bank accounts at other victim financial institutions.  Seck opened accounts for co-conspirators without their presence in the bank, without verifying identity information, and opened accounts for co-conspirators who opened multiple accounts at a time under different identities.  To conceal his improper activities, Seck opened accounts for the co-conspirators at the same time he conducted legitimate bank activities.  The co-conspirators paid Seck up to $500 in cash in exchange for each of the fraudulent bank accounts he opened.

According to court documents and witness testimony, Seck violated numerous bank policies in opening approximately 412 checking accounts in a one-year period from approximately January 2, 2019 through January 3, 2020, relying predominantly on purported Romanian passports and driver's license information.  Checks payable to and written from churches and other religious institutions from around the country were deposited into many of the 412 checking accounts which were not opened in the names of the churches.

The co-conspirators fraudulently negotiated the stolen checks by depositing them into the victim bank accounts, including the fraudulent accounts opened by Seck at Bank A, often by way of automated teller machine (ATM) transactions.   After depositing the stolen checks into the bank accounts, the conspirators made cash withdrawals from ATMs and purchases using debit cards associated with the bank accounts.  Co-conspirators also used fraudulently obtained debit cards to rent cars which they used and then failed to return, resulting in charges by the rental car companies which had to be “written off” by Bank A.

According to court documents, co-conspirators deposited at least approximately $780,064.04 in stolen checks into the accounts Seck personally opened on their behalf and the bank had to write off at least approximately $921,590.50 from the co-conspirators’ rental car fraud in the accounts Seck opened for them.

Co-conspirators Vlad Baceanu, age 38; Marian Unguru, age 36; and Vali Unguru, age 20, all of Baltimore, Maryland, previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud.  Mateus Vaduva, age 29, of Baltimore was sentenced to five years in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution of $1,320,885.84; Nicolae Gindac, age 52, of Dania Beach, Florida was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution of $1,096,660.11; Florin Vaduva, age 31, of Dania Beach, Florida was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution of $1,096,660.11; Marius Vaduva, age 28, of Baltimore was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution of $1,334,230.84; and Daniel Velcu, age 43, of Baltimore was sentenced to 34 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution of $1,313,499.79, after they previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, HSI, the FDIC Office of Inspector General, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Cary (North Carolina) Police Department, and the Williamson County (Tennessee) Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Darren Gardner, 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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Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced El Salvadoran national Jose Lopez Rivera, age 27, of Elmont, New York, formerly residing in Maryland, to 26 years in federal prison for a racketeering conspiracy involving a violent murder connected to his participation in La Mara Salvatrucha, a transnational criminal enterprise also known as MS-13, and for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

            The sentence 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 James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations, Baltimore Office; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Chief Jason Lando of the Frederick City Police Department; Frederick County Chief Deputy, Colonel David Benjamin of the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office; Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith, III; Chief Amal E. Awad of the Anne Arundel County Police Department; Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.

MS-13 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, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, operate throughout Frederick County, Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County, Maryland.  Since at least 2015, Lopez Rivera was a member of the Fulton Locos Salvatruchas (“FLS”) MS-13 clique. 

At all times of this conspiracy, members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang from rival gang members and other persons.  To protect the gang and to enhance its reputation, MS-13 members were expected to use any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence.  MS-13 had mottos consistent with its rules, beliefs, expectations, and reputation, including “mata, viola, controla,” which translates as, “kill, rape, control,” and “ver, oir y callar,” which means, “see nothing, hear nothing and say nothing.”  One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible.  MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang, as well as against rival gang members.  Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increase 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. 

As detailed in his plea agreement, on August 31, 2015, while Lopez Rivera and other MS-13 gang members were drinking in Wheaton, Maryland, they went to a coffee shop where they saw Victim 5.  Victim 5 was wearing Nike Cortez sneakers, which according to MS-13 rules, were only to be worn by gang members.  A MS-13 member had previously warned Victim 5 about wearing those sneakers.  As they walked past Victim 5, he spit on one of the gang members who then punched Victim 5 in the mouth.  Victim 5 threw a beer at one of the MS-13 gang members and ran.  Lopez Rivera and another gang member chased Victim 5 away from the coffee shop and Victim 5 was then stabbed to death.  Following the murder, the gang members reported to their leadership that they had killed a rival gang member.

According to his plea agreement, on July 22, 2021, investigators searched an apartment in Elmont, New York, where Lopez Rivera was living at the time and recovered a shotgun, ammunition, and a brick of packed white powder, which tested positive for cocaine.  Lopez Rivera admitted that he possessed the cocaine to distribute it and possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug distribution.  Further, Lopez Rivera knew that he was in the United States illegally and therefore was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

More than 30 MS-13 gang members and associates have been convicted in this and related cases.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and 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 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 commended the FBI; HSI; ATF; the Frederick Police Department; the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office; the Anne Arundel, Montgomery, and Prince George’s County Police Departments; and the Anne Arundel, Frederick, Montgomery, and Prince George’s County State’s Attorneys for their work in these investigations, and the Baltimore County Police Department for its assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth S. Clark and Anatoly Smolkin, 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-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – Lawrence A. Walker, age 63, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, for fraudulently obtaining more than $262,000 through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), intended to provide financial assistance to small businesses under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. 

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 Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department.

According to the plea agreement, from March 2021 through December 2021, Walker and a co-conspirator engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain a PPP loan for Walker’s business, Nutscola Street Promotions, LLC (“Nutscola”).  Walker was the owner and resident agent, but Nutscola had no employees at the time and was not in operation.

As detailed in the plea agreement, on March 21, 2021, Walker and his co-conspirator submitted a PPP loan application that contained multiple misrepresentations, including that Nutscola had 13 employees and an average monthly payroll of $104,900.87.  Walker and his co-conspirator fabricated a tax form and a February 2020 bank statement purportedly from Nutscola’s business account which were submitted in support of the loan application.  Walker opened the Nutscola bank account on March 6, 2021, as part of the fraud scheme.

Based on the false representations and fraudulent documentation, the PPP loan was funded and approximately $262,252 in loan proceeds was distributed to the Nutscola bank account.  After receiving the loan proceeds, Walker provided his co-conspirator with a kickback for his work in obtaining the loan—two checks totaling $78,000, which was approximately 30% of the loan amount.

Walker and his co-conspirator knew that, under the PPP rules, interest and principal on a PPP loan were eligible for forgiveness, if the business spent the loan proceeds on permissible items within a designated period of time and used a certain portion of the loan toward payroll expenses.  To make it appear that the PPP loan funds were being used for legitimate purposes, on March 30, 2021, Walker signed an agreement with a payroll processor to provide payments using the PPP funds to purported employees of Nutscola, including Walker, his brother, and various other friends and associates.  Use of the payroll services also created documentation that could be used to substantiate a request for the PPP loan to be forgiven.

According to the plea agreement, a total of $159,000 in sham payroll payments were made using funds traceable to the PPP loan obtained by Walker and Nutscola.  None of the purported employees were actually employed by Nutscola and several of the purported employees provided the funds directly back to Walker.  Walker used the loan proceeds to purchase a Mercedes-Benz automobile valued at more than $76,000 and to lease and fully furnish a luxury apartment in downtown Baltimore that overlooked Camden Yards baseball stadium.  Neither use of the funds was permissible under PPP rules.

On December 31, 2021, Walker’s co-conspirator also fraudulently applied for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) under the CARES Act on behalf of Walker and Nutscola.  The fraudulent EIDL loan did not close.

On April 26, 2022, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Walker’s residence and seized multiple electronic devices, including Walker’s phone, as well as over $30,000 in cash hidden in a garbage bag inside a heater in Walker’s bedroom.  The $30,000 in cash constituted fraudulently obtained PPP funds.

Walker has made no payments in connection with the PPP loan obtained for Nutscola, and the entire PPP loan amount of $262,252 remains outstanding.  As part of his plea agreement, Walker must forfeit the cash seized during the search, the Mercedes-Benz, and pay a money judgment of $262,252.  Walker must also pay restitution of $262,252.

Walker faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud conspiracy.   U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for October 31, 2023.

The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of three 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 and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General for its assistance.  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 Peter J. Messitte approved the United States’ consent decree with Abtin Youssefi-Rashti, a Montgomery County based pharmacist, and Upton Care Pharmacy, Inc. (“Upton Care”), resolving the United States’ civil allegations that Youssefi-Rashti and Upton Care violated the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) in illegally dispensing controlled substances.  Under the consent decree, in addition to paying a $100,000 civil monetary penalty, Youssefi-Rashti agrees to surrender his pharmacist’s license to the Maryland Board of Pharmacy and not to reapply for three years.  Additionally, Upton Care agreed to voluntarily surrender its DEA registration to dispense controlled substances for cause.

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

“Under the Controlled Substances Act, pharmacists have a responsibility to ensure the legitimacy of the prescriptions they fill,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron.  “The U.S. Attorney’s  Office intends to use all tools at its disposal—criminal and civil—to hold responsible those at every step in the supply chain who violate the CSA and fan the flames of the present opioid epidemic.”

Special Agent in Charge Jarod A. Forget stated, “Pharmacists have a crucial role in correctly dispensing controlled substances, safeguarding patients and preventing drug diversion.  It’s essential to pay attention to warning signs to prevent the opioid epidemic from getting worse.  DEA is dedicated to investigating those who ignore the signs and to ensuring the community is safe.”

The government alleges that between 2018 and when Upton Care closed its doors in 2022, Youssefi-Rashti and Upton Care knowingly filled fraudulent prescriptions for controlled substances, ignoring red flags indicating that the prescriptions were not legitimate.  For example, the government alleges that Youssefi-Rashti dispensed controlled substances to more than 300 people that traveled more than 180 miles from their homes to Upton Care.  Additionally, Youssefi-Rashti dispensed prescriptions for both opioids and stimulants—a dangerous and potentially lethal combination—to the same patient concurrently.  Youssefi-Rashti also regularly filled prescriptions for controlled substances that were paid for with cash even though the patient had insurance available to pay for the patient’s prescriptions.  Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention generally recommends that primary care clinicians should avoid daily dosages of opioids over 90 morphine milligram equivalents (“MME”), Youssefi-Rashti routinely dispensed prescriptions to patients causing their MME levels to be many times that amount—and upwards of 1800 daily MME.  The government alleges that Upton Care is liable for these deficiencies.

As part of the Consent Decree, Youssefi-Rashti and Upton Care are required to identify certain red flags—including when filling a prescription would cause the patient to take more than 90 daily MME; and when the patient pays in cash despite having insurance available to pay for the prescription.  Before filling prescriptions bearing those red flags, the consent decree requires Youssefi-Rashti and Upton Care to document in detail any indications of abuse or diversion and the steps they took to ensure that the prescription was valid and was issued for a legitimate medical purpose, and that the prescription would not be abused or diverted for illegitimate purposes.  Additionally, under the consent decree, Youssefi-Rashti and Upton Care are prohibited from filling certain prescriptions, including a combination of an opioid and a stimulant, and prescriptions for buprenorphine without naloxone without reliable documentation from the prescriber that the patient is pregnant, a nursing mother, or has had an actual adverse reaction to naloxone.

Under the consent decree, if the DEA determines that Youssefi-Rashti or Upton Care have violated any provision of the consent decree or if Youssefi-Rashti or Upton Care do not implement the corrective action the DEA orders, the DEA can order Youssefi-Rashti and Upton Care to cease ordering, distributing, or dispensing controlled substances immediately. 

The consent decree is not an admission of liability by Youssefi-Rashti or Upton Care, nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well founded.   

The Court’s approval of this consent decree should remind pharmacists and pharmacies of their corresponding responsibility to confirm the legitimacy of the prescriptions that they fill and that that the Department of Justice intends to use all tools at its disposal—both criminal and civil—to combat the controlled substances epidemic which continues to plague our country, including here in Maryland. 

U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA Washington Division’s Office of Diversion Control and Diversion Investigator Samantha A. Merriss for their work in the investigation, along with the Montgomery County Police Department and the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office.  Mr. Barron 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 report fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – Denish Sahadevan, a/k/a “Danny Devan,” age 31, of Potomac, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering, relating to his scheme to defraud lenders and the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) of more than $1.2 million in Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”).

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 John T. Perez, Special Agent in Charge, Headquarters Operations, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

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.  Financial assistance offered through the CARES Act included forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP, as well as EIDLs to help small businesses meet their financial obligations, both administered through the SBA.

According to the plea agreement, beginning in about March 2020, Sahadevan submitted EIDL and PPP application on behalf of four Maryland entities that he controlled, often creating fraudulent and fabricated documents, such as tax forms and bank statements, to be used in the applications.  In addition, Sahadevan used the identifying information belonging to a tax preparer that he knew, without that person’s knowledge or agreement, to legitimize the fabricated tax forms he created and submitted.

Specifically, Sahadevan admitted that he used his home in Rockville, Maryland to create the fabricated documents and electronically apply for EIDL and PPP loans.  Sahadevan applied for approximately 71 PPP loans totaling approximately $941,794.75, and successfully obtained approximately $146,000 in PPP benefits.  Sahadevan applied for and received eight EIDLs totaling $283,900.   On the EIDL loans, Sahadevan induced his father into becoming a co-signer for the loan, then forged his father’s signature on the loan application.  Sahadevan’s father would not have agreed to sponsor the loan had he known of its fraudulent nature and contents.

As detailed in the plea agreement, Sahadevan caused the fraud proceeds to be deposited into bank accounts he opened specifically for that purpose, then laundered the funds by engaging in several monetary transactions, including purchasing and trading securities and cryptocurrency, settling personal debts and making payments to his girlfriend.

In addition, between December 16, 2021 and January 10, 2022, Sahadevan applied to a financial institution for a $1,336,000 loan to purchase a property in Potomac, Maryland.  In the loan application, Sahadevan failed to disclose the $283,900 he owed to the United States for the EIDL benefits he fraudulently received.  Relying on Sahedevan’s representations, the financial institution approved the loan, which was used to purchase the Potomac property. 

On February 24, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Sahadevan’s Potomac residence and recovered multiple electronic devices, a can containing approximate 18 driver’s licenses belonging to other individuals, what appeared to be a gold physical Bitcoin in a black case, and approximately $17,043 in cash found in a suitcase in a bedroom closet.  The cash and Bitcoin constitute proceeds of the fraud scheme.

As part of his plea agreement, Sahadevan will forfeit the cash and Bitcoin seized during the search on February 24, 2023 and will be required to pay restitution and a forfeiture money judgement of at least $429,906.

Sahadevan faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud; a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for money laundering; and a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed for aggravated identity theft.   U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman has scheduled sentencing for September 21, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.

The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of three 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 and the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Bijon A. Mostoufi, 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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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Raymond Martin Shamer, III, age 21, of Pasadena, Maryland, late yesterday to 50 months in federal prison, followed by 45 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography.  Shamer admitted that he also distributed child pornography.  Judge Hollander also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Shamer will be required to 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, from at least July 7, 2019 through June 24, 2020, Shamer used online accounts to communicate with others about child pornography, to distribute child pornography, and to collect child pornography.  Many of the files Shamer collected documented adults sexually abusing of infants and toddlers while they are bound and subjected to other violent conduct.

Shamer admitted that he used a secure communication application to upload images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and that he shared links to those images with a group of users with whom he engaged in group chat conversations.

On June 24, 2020, a search warrant was executed at Shamer’s residence and investigators seized Shamer’s cell phones and computer.  A subsequent forensic examination of the devices revealed a total of more than 1,000 images of child pornography on Shamer’s devices.

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.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, 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/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Wilson Che Fonguh, age 41, of Bowie, Maryland, yesterday to 63 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for conspiracy, for transporting firearms with obliterated serial numbers, and for smuggling firearms and ammunition from the United States to Nigeria.  Judge Bennett also ordered Fonguh to pay a fine of $25,000.  Fonguh was convicted of those charges on May 6, 2022, along with co-defendants Eric Fru Nji, age 42, of Fort Washington, Maryland and Wilson Nuyila Tita, age 47, of Owings Mills, Maryland, after a two-week trial.

On May 22, 2023, Judge Bennett sentenced co-conspirator Roger Akem, age 52, of Woodbury, Minnesota, to two years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for his role in the smuggling operation.

The sentence 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; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) Baltimore Field Division; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (“DCIS”) - Mid-Atlantic Field Office.

According to the evidence presented at trial, from at least November 2017 through July 19, 2019, Fonguh and his co-defendants conspired with each other and with others to export firearms, ammunition and other military typed items from the United States to Nigeria.  Specifically, the evidence at trial established that Fonguh and his co-conspirators secreted 38 firearms, 28 of which had the obliterated serial numbers in a shipping container that they sent out of the Port of Baltimore in January of 2019.  The guns included sniper rifles, SKS assault rifles (some with bayonets), other rifles and several handguns.  There were 44 high-capacity magazines, two rifle scopes and over 35,000 rounds of ammunition.  

As detailed in trial testimony, Fonguh and his co-conspirators contributed funds for the purchase of firearms, ammunition, reloading materials and other equipment for shipping overseas to separatists fighting against the Government of Cameroon.  According to their plea agreements, co-defendant Tamufor St. Michael, Roger Akem and others purchased the ammunition, firearms, and other military-type items, both online in in person.  The evidence proved that Fonguh and his co-conspirators concealed the firearms, ammunition, rifle scopes, and other items in duffle bags and heavily wrapped packages inside sealed compressor units, placing those items into a shipping container destined for Nigeria.  Fonguh and his co-conspirators communicated about their efforts and plans to ship weapons and ammunitions using an on-line encrypted messaging application and code words in order to conceal their activities.

Tamufor St. Michael, age 42, of Rosedale, Maryland, Akem, and three co-conspirators pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and were sentenced to between two years and 46 months in federal prison.  A ninth co-conspirator also pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, the ATF and DCIS for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron recognized the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement; the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their contributions to the investigation.  U.S. Attorney Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen O. Gavin, 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/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Liang Liang Zeng, age 58, a Chinese national residing in Staten Island, New York, to 54 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud related to a fraudulent gift card scheme resulting in more than $1 million in losses to dozens of victims.  Liang Zeng was also ordered to pay restitution of $145,229 and to forfeit $43,633.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (“TIGTA”) Washington Field Division.

According to Zeng’s plea agreement, from at least July 2018 through July 2021, Liang Zeng was involved in a scheme to fraudulently obtain gift cards from retail stores, which he and his co-conspirators used to purchase high end electronics, including cell phones, iPads, and laptop computers.  For example, a conspirator called victim J.G., a resident of South Carolina, claiming to be a representative of the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).  The called informed the victim that she owed taxes to the IRS and would be arrested if the outstanding taxes were not paid.  The caller advised J.G. that she could resolve the debt by purchasing gift cards from Target and Walmart and providing the caller with the numbers on the back of each card.  J.G. remained on the phone with the caller while she traveled to a Target store where she purchased a gift card in the amount of $2,000 and provided the caller with the number and access code on the back of the card.  J.G. later learned that she had been defrauded.

As detailed in the plea agreement, transactional records and video footage from Target revealed that less than one hour later, Liang Zeng (“L. Zeng”) and co-defendant Wen Fu Zeng (“W. Zeng”) redeemed the gift card purchased by J.G. at a Target store in Abingdon, Maryland, to purchase Apple products.  Transactional records and video footage from other Target stores in the mid-Atlantic region revealed numerous examples of Liang Zeng and Wen Fu Zeng redeeming Target gift cards to purchase high-value Apple products.

Investigation revealed that L. Zeng and W. Zeng were working with co-defendants Yong Chen and Bin Tang.  A search warrant was executed at their home in Owings Mills, Maryland on March 3, 2020.  Law enforcement recovered four boxes containing new high-end electronics, including dozens of iPad tablets and Apple watches that were purchased with proceeds of the fraud scheme.  A notebook that served as a ledger for the gift card scheme was found in Chen’s bedroom and contained the dates that gift cards were fraudulently obtained and how they were redeemed, including the names of the people Chen and Tang paid to use the cards.  The purchased electronics were intended to be sold to foreign buyers.  The notebook also listed the projected profit for each product purchased.  Cell phone belonging to Chen and Tang were seized and subsequently searched, revealing messages on a Chinese messaging platform between Chen, Tang and L. Weng discussing the scheme.

Two weeks after the execution of the search warrant at Chen and Tang’s home, L. Zeng moved out of his home in Maryland to a residence in Staten Island, New York.  Investigators recovered a notebook ledger similar to the one found at Chen’s home and Target store receipts from L. Zeng’s trash in Maryland and New York indicating the purchase of electronics and other items using multiple Target gift cards from stores in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

On July 13, 2021, a search warrant was executed at L. Zeng’s residence.  Law enforcement recovered cell phones belonging to L. Zeng, prepaid credit and retail cards, store receipts, brand new Apple products, and over $43,000 in cash, some of which was tied up in Target store bags.  A subsequent search of L. Zeng’s phone showed that he used the Chinese messaging platform to discuss the illegal gift card scheme with W. Zang and others.  L. Zeng also sent fraudulently obtained gift card numbers to W. Zeng and instructed him to purchase items using the card numbers, which W. Zeng did.  W. Zeng then delivered to products to L. Zeng.  L. Zeng paid W. Zeng for working as a buyer in the gift card scheme.

According to the plea agreement, dozens of victims in many different states were defrauded and the cards purchased by the victims were primarily redeemed in the mid-Atlantic region to illegally purchase approximately $1,061,000 of Target products.

Co-defendants Wen Fu Zeng, age 55, of Brooklyn, New York and Yong Chen, age 34, of Owings Mills, Maryland have pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme and are awaiting sentencing.  Law enforcement is looking for Bin Tang, age 33, who fled.                 

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the Maryland State Police and TIGTA for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Martin J. Clarke, 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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Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher today sentenced Daniel Morozewicz, age 38, of Frederick, Maryland, to 42 months in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for possession of child pornography.  Judge Gallagher also ordered that Morozewicz must pay $14,000 in restitution.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations ("HSI") Baltimore; Frederick County State's Attorney J. Charles Smith; and Colonel David Benjamin, Chief Deputy of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office.  

According to his guilty plea, from September 2020 to January 2021, while employed as a Rockville Police Officer and an Army National Guardsman, Morozewicz received, possessed, and distributed child pornography on the BitTorrent file sharing network.  Morozewicz also used multiple electronic devices to download and distribute child pornography involving prepubescent minors.

During that time, Morozewicz repeatedly distributed child pornography to undercover law enforcement officers.  On at least four instances in 2020, investigators determined that the devices associated with Morozewicz’s IP address downloaded and shared child pornographic files on the BitTorrent; including eight packages of child pornography.

As stated in his guilty plea, on March 4, 2021, Morozewicz received a tip that federal law enforcement wished to conduct an in-person interview with him.  The next day, on March 5, 2021, law enforcement executed a series of search and seizure warrants on Morozewicz’s residence, vehicle, and his person.  As a result of the search of Morozewicz’s person, law enforcement seized a smartphone which had been recently factory reset and erased in light of the impending visit from federal law enforcement.  He also admitted that he discarded his computer in anticipation of a visit from law enforcement.  Morozewicz’s actions were viewed as an attempt to impede the investigation and prosecution of his child pornography offenses.

Multiple electronic devices were seized in connection the warrants executed at Morozewicz’s residence and in his vehicle.  A forensic examination of Morozewicz’s devices revealed that he possessed over 12,300 depictions of child pornography and erotica, including over 200 depicts involving the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers, and over 90 child pornographic images involving sado-masochistic conduct.

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, the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Riley and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joyce King, Chief Counsel with the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office, 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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Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis today sentenced Franklyn Edgardo Sanchez, a/k/a “Freddy,” “Magic,” “Miclo,” and “Delinquente,” age 26, of Adelphi, Maryland, to 28 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for his participation in a racketeering conspiracy, including two murders, related to his activities as part of the MS-13 gang.  Judge Xinis also ordered that Sanchez must pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, including any funeral costs incurred by Victim 1 and Victim 4’s estates. 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. 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 the State of Maryland, including Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Frederick County, and throughout the United States.  In Maryland and elsewhere, MS-13 members are organized in “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region.  MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence, both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang and against rival gangs.  One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known 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. 

As detailed in the plea agreement and other court documents, from at least August 2018 through July 2021, Sanchez was a member and associate of Weedams Locos Salvatrucha, (WLS) an MS-13 clique operating primarily in Adelphi, Maryland.  

According to the plea agreement, on February 23, 2020, at the direction of an MS-13 leader, Sanchez and co-defendant MS-13 member Hernan Yanes-Rivera, shot and killed Victim 1, a former WLS member, in retaliation for the victim’s suspected cooperation with law enforcement.  As a result of his participation in the murder, Sanchez was promoted within the hierarchy of MS-13.

As detailed in court documents, on August 8, 2020, Sanchez and several WLS members agreed to the murder of Victim 4, who was suspected of cooperating with law enforcement and to whom Sanchez owed a debt.  After driving to a wooded area in Prince George’s County, Maryland, WLS leader Brayan Alexander Torres called Victim 4 and told him to come to the wooded area to participate in a disciplinary beating of Sanchez.  In fact, Sanchez knew that the gang intended to murder Victim 4.

Sanchez was armed with a revolver, and Torres gave a second revolver to another MS-13 member to participate in the murder.  When Victim 4 arrived, Sanchez and the other MS-13 member each fired multiple shots at Victim 4, causing Victim 4 to fall to the ground.  Sanchez then pistol-whipped Victim 4 and stabbed him with a knife.  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 became concerned that his DNA was 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 the wooded area, where they dug a hole and buried Victim 4’s body.  Victim 4’s body was later recovered with a bullet wound to the head.

Sanchez also participated in money laundering by transferring gang funds to MS-13 members and associates in El Salvador.  Sanchez knew the money he transferred was the proceeds of the gang’s extortion activities.

The government and the defendants have agreed that, if the Court accepts their guilty pleas, Brayan Alexander Torres, a/k/a “Spooky,” age 29, of Adelphi, Maryland, will be sentenced to 28 years in federal prison, and Hernan Yanes-Rivera, a/k/a “Recio,” age 22, of Adelphi, Maryland and Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, a/k/a “Terrible,” age 25, of Silver Spring, Maryland, will be sentenced to 22 years and 16 years in federal prison, respectively.  U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has scheduled sentencing for Torres on August 31, 2023; for Rivas Rodriguez on July 21, 2023; and for Yanes-Rivera on July 28, 2023.

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 serves to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice's violent crime reduction efforts.  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 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 Assistant Attorney General Polite commended the FBI, HSI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Montgomery County Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for their assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo, and Trial Attorneys Brendan Woods and 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/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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A Maryland man was sentenced today to 28 years in prison for his part in a racketeering conspiracy, including two murders, related to his participation in La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13).

According to court documents, from at least August 2018 through July 2021, Franklyn Edgardo Sanchez, aka Freddy, aka Magic, aka Miclo, aka Delinquente, 25, of Adelphi, was a member of MS-13, a transnational criminal enterprise and one of the largest street gangs in the United States that is composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador and other central American countries. Sanchez was a member and associate of Weedams Locos Salvatrucha (WLS), an MS-13 clique operating primarily in Adelphi.

As part of the conspiracy, MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence to maintain membership and discipline within the gang as well as against rival gangs. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known 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. 

On Feb. 23, 2020, at the direction of an MS-13 leader, Sanchez and co-defendant Hernan Yanes-Rivera, aka Recio, shot and killed a former WLS member (Victim-1), in retaliation for the victim’s suspected cooperation with law enforcement. As a result of his participation in the murder, Sanchez was promoted within the hierarchy of MS-13.

On Aug. 8, 2020, Sanchez and several WLS members agreed to murder another individual (described in the indictment as Victim 4), who was suspected of cooperating with law enforcement and to whom Sanchez owed a debt. After driving to a wooded area in Prince George’s County, Maryland, WLS leader Brayan Alexander Torres, aka Spooky, called Victim 4 and told him to come to the wooded area to participate in a disciplinary beating of Sanchez, even though the gang intended to murder Victim 4. When Victim 4 arrived, Sanchez and another MS-13 member shot Victim 4. Sanchez then stabbed Victim 4 with a knife. 

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, aka Terrible, and ordered them to bring shovels to the wooded area, where they dug a hole and buried Victim 4’s body.

Sanchez also participated in money laundering by transferring gang funds to MS-13 members and associates in El Salvador.

Sanchez, Torres, Yanes-Rivera, and Rivas Rodriguez all previously pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy. By the terms of their plea agreements, Torres faces 28 years in prison, Yanes-Rivera faces 22 years in prison, and Rivas Rodriguez faces 16 years in prison. Torres is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 31, Yanes-Rivera is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, and Rivas Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division, Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office, Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore Field Office, 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 Montgomery County Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. 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 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.    

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Janice Martina Mason, age 29, of Melbourne Florida, today of voluntary manslaughter for running over a woman on the Baltimore-Washington (“BW”) Parkway and leaving her to die.  The jury was unable to reach a verdict on a second degree murder charge.

The guilty verdict was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Chief Jessica M. E. Taylor of the U.S. Park Police (“USPP”).

According to the evidence presented at her eight-day trial, in the early morning hours of November 24, 2021, USPP officers responded to a citizen report for a body on the side of the BW Parkway northbound, north of Route 197, an area within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.  Officers found the victim lying face down on the shoulder of the road.  Medics arrived on the scene and pronounced the victim dead.  The evidence showed that that there were no skid marks or vehicle parts located at the scene.  A cellphone belonging to the victim was found on the grass and another cellphone with a broken screen was found in the roadway and was later determined to belong to Mason.

There was testimony that later on November 24, 2021, Mason contacted the USPP Greenbelt Station and advised that she’d lost her phone on the BW Parkway after it had been thrown out of her vehicle, and she tracked the location to USPP Criminal Investigations.  Mason then agreed to come to the station for an interview.  Witnesses testified that Mason advised the USPP detective that she was visiting from Florida and was staying at her mother’s house in Washington, D.C.  Mason falsely told the detective that she was driving the victim and another woman home to Laurel, Maryland, in a black Nissan vehicle when the other woman started hitting Mason.  Mason said she pulled over to the side of the highway and ordered them out of the car and they walked away.  The detective showed her the phone found in the roadway of the BW Parkway and she identified it as her phone.  She also identified a photo of the victim as one of the people she was driving home.

Evidence was presented that on November 25, 2021, a USPP detective went to Mason’s mother’s home, spoke with Mason and obtained her written consent to seize and search the contents of her phone, which had been returned to her, and to tow and examine a black Nissan vehicle parked behind the residence, which Mason confirmed was the vehicle she’d used to drive her friends home.  While at the residence, the USPP detective noticed a black Ford Expedition parked down the street with the tag “JANICE.”  Investigators subsequently determined that Mason had been driving the Ford Expedition on November 24th and not the Nissan vehicle.  They went back to Mason’s mother’s residence to tow the Ford Expedition, which was found to have visible damage to the hood, front grille, and the passenger side running board. 

As detailed in trial testimony, on November 26, 2021, Mason had a second voluntary interview with USPP investigators.  She acknowledged that the was driving the black Ford Expedition on the morning of November 24th and advised investigators that it was just Mason and the victim in the car that day.  The Ford Expedition was processed and searched by the FBI’s Evidence Response Team.  A swab from the indented hood area was collected and sent to the FBI Laboratory for DNA analysis and concluded that it was DNA from the victim.  The FBI Laboratory examined impressions that were collected from the undercarriage of the Ford Expedition, and determined that one corresponded in pattern and size with the victim’s shoe. 

The jury found that Mason intentionally killed the victim in the heat of passion.

Mason faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for voluntary manslaughter.  Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for August 25, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.

U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the USPP and the FBI for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Kim Y. Oldham and Ari Evans, who are prosecuting the case.  Mr. Barron also recognized the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kristy Penny.

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 an indictment yesterday charging Matthew Hightower, age 41, of Baltimore, Maryland, with two counts of conspiracy to murder a witness, one count each of witness retaliation murder and witness tampering murder, and one count of a murder for hire conspiracy related to the murder of Latrina Ashburne on May 27, 2016.  

The indictment was announced by First Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Phil Selden; Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department.

According to the five-count indictment, Hightower conspired to and did kill Ashburne with the intent to retaliate against this witness for providing information to a law enforcement officer relating to the commission and possible commission of a federal offense, as well as to prevent this witness from attending and testifying in an official proceeding.   

Baltimore Police Department reports show that Ashburne was murdered in the early morning as she got into her car outside her home in the Cylburn neighborhood of Baltimore. The police reported that an unknown male approached and shot Ms. Ashburne in the upper body as she tried to run. 

If convicted, Hightower faces a mandatory sentence life in prison for each of the two conspiracy counts, for the witness retaliation and witness tampering murder charges, for the murder for hire conspiracy.  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.  No court appearance has been scheduled.  Hightower is detained.

First Assistant United States Attorney Phil Selden commended the HHS-OIG, the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, the ATF, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Selden thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kim Y. Oldham and Aaron S. J. Zelinsky, 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 returned a superseding indictment yesterday against Ryan E. Dales, age 34, of Baltimore, Maryland, that adds possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking activity, a fraud scheme and aggravated identity theft to the original charges of illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon and with wire fraud, relating to the submission of fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. 

The superseding 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; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, of the National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG).

The CARES Act, enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, created the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which expanded states’ ability to provide UI for workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including workers who otherwise wouldn’t be eligible for UI benefits. 

The eight-count superseding indictment alleges that beginning in December 2020 and continuing through about September 2021, Dales submitted applications for UI benefits that contained false statements, misrepresentations, and omissions related to his employment, his eligibility to received UI benefits, and his purported businesses, including their existence, operation, and profits.  Dales allegedly submitted a fictitious tax form in support of his applications. 

According to the superseding indictment, Dales illegally possessed a firearm on January 20, 2023.  Also on January 20, 2023, Dales allegedly possessed with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and the superseding indictment alleges that Dales possessed a second firearm—a Polymer 80 9mm firearm without a serial number, commonly known as a “ghost gun”—in furtherance of his drug trafficking.

Finally, the superseding indictment alleges that from August 2022 until September 2022, Dales defrauded business and financial institutions, using the personal identifying information of identity theft victims, to obtain merchandise for his personal benefit and for the benefit of his associates.  Specifically, as detailed in the superseding indictment, Dales obtained forged and counterfeit South Carolina driver’s licenses, each bearing Dales’ photograph, but the name and identifying information of three identity theft victims.  Dales, and others working with Dales, submitted fraudulent applications for lines of credit using the names and personal information of the identity theft victims.  Once the lines of credit were approved, Dales allegedly purchased a high-end lawn mower from each of three victim businesses, in the names of the three identity-theft victims, for a total of $44,137.70.  For each purchase, Dales presented the victim business with the counterfeit South Carolina driver’s license in the same name as the victim on the line of credit used to make the purchase, but which had Dales’s photo on it.  Dales allegedly made no payments in connection with the line of credit accounts established in the names of the three victims and each account still has an outstanding balance.

More information on the allegations against Dales may be found here.

If convicted, Dales faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm; a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, and up to life in federal prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each of four counts of wire fraud; and a mandatory 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.  No initial appearance is currently scheduled.  Dales remains detained.

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. 

The District of Maryland COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force is one of three strike forces established by U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and 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 and DOL-OIG for their work in the investigation.  United States Attorney Barron and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Riley are prosecuting the case.  Mr. Barron 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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Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Summer Nichole McCroskey, age 25, of Elkton, Maryland, today to 80 years in federal prison, followed by 80 years of supervised release, for her participation in a conspiracy to sexually abuse a child from the age of approximately four months to two years old, for producing and distributing videos and images documenting the sexual abuse of a child and for possession of child pornography.  McCroskey has been detained since her arrest in February 2022.

The sentence 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; Cecil County State’s Attorney James Dellmyer; and Cecil County Sheriff Scott Adams.

McCroskey previously pleaded guilty to each of the 16 counts with which she is charged in the indictment, admitting that she and her co-conspirator, Lawrence Aquilla Colby, IV, sexually abused a child, starting at the time the victim was approximately four months of age through at least October 2021, when the victim was two years old.  Both McCroskey and Colby participated in the abuse.  McCroskey produced videos and images documenting their sexual abuse of the child, which she distributed to Colby and others, using an encrypted messaging application.

As detailed in court documents, if not for the collaboration of international law enforcement agencies and the work of the FBI in Baltimore, McCroskey and Colby’s abuse and exploitation of the victim would be ongoing.  Videos documenting the victim’s abuse were seen by international law enforcement partners on internet platforms as early as May 2020.  In December 2021, information connecting the videos to the United States was developed and on February 11, 2022, the FBI connected the videos to one of McCroskey’s social media accounts, searched her residence and arrested McCroskey and Colby.

Lawrence Aquilla Colby, IV, a/k/a “Buddy,” age 34, of Elkton, Maryland, also pleaded guilty.  Colby faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for conspiracy to sexually exploit a child and for each of five counts of sexual exploitation of a child; a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each of three counts of receipt of child pornography; and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography.  U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for Colby on August 15, 2023, at 11:00 a.m.

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, the Cecil County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Budlow and Colleen E. McGuinn 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/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Tamufor Nchumuluh St. Michael, age 42, of Rosedale, Maryland, yesterday to 30 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for conspiracy and for violating the Arms Export Control Act by sending firearms, ammunition, and other military-type items from the United States to Nigeria without obtaining a license from the U.S. Department of State.  The arms were intended to assist separatists fighting against the government of Cameroon.

The sentence 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; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) Baltimore Field Division; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (“DCIS”) - Mid-Atlantic Field Office.

According to his plea agreement, from at least November 2017 continuing until July 19, 2019, St. Michael and his co-defendants conspired with each other and with others to export firearms, ammunition and other military type items from the United States to Nigeria.  Between March 2018 and July 2019, St. Michael and his co-conspirators purchased, both over the internet and in person, large amounts of ammunition, ammunition reloading supplies, firearms, firearm parts and other military-type items, which were sent to St. Michael’s residence.  St. Michael purchased at least 24 different rifles online, which he picked up at a firearms retailer in Essex, Maryland.  In each case, he certified an ATF Firearms Transaction Form certifying that he was the actual transferee or buyer of the firearm.  St. Michael knew the certificates were false because the guns were purchased to export overseas.

In December 2018, a shipping container with a 1989 Toyota truck inside was delivered to the street outside St. Michael’s residence.  St. Michael and other co-conspirators loaded the container, secreting 38 firearms, 28 of which had the obliterated serial numbers, including sniper rifles, SKS assault rifles (some with bayonets), other rifles and several handguns.  They also concealed 44 high-capacity magazines, two rifle scopes and over 35,000 rounds of ammunition in the container   The conspirators concealed the firearms, ammunition, rifle scopes, and other items in duffle bags and heavily wrapped packages inside sealed compressor units, placing those items into the shipping container.  The container was sent to the Port of Baltimore for export, departing on January 17, 2019, with a destination of Onne, Nigeria.  Co-conspirator Tse Ernst Bangarie caused the electronic export information (“EEI”) to be filed with the Department of Commerce, listing the contents of the container as one Toyota Tundra truck, one 1989 Toyota truck, and “doors and frames.”  The EEI also listed the U.S. Principal Party in Interest as an individual with the initials M.A.O. and a non-existent address.  The telephone number listed for M.A.O. corresponded with a pre-paid cellular telephone.  Bangarie knew that much of the information on the EEI was false and he intentionally did not include any mention of the firearms, ammunition and other items hidden in the container.

Approximately one month later, the shipping container was ordered returned to the Port of Baltimore and on May 20, 2019, law enforcement personnel in Baltimore unsealed the container and examined its contents.  In addition to the trucks and what appeared to be the contents of an old schoolhouse, the defendants and their co-conspirators had concealed firearms, ammunition, rifle scopes, and other items in duffle bags placed in the trucks and in heavily wrapped packages inside sealed compressor units, in the shipping container.  In all, law enforcement recovered from the shipping container 38 firearms, 28 of which had obliterated serial numbers.  The guns included sniper rifles, SKS assault rifles (some with bayonets), other rifles and several handguns.  There were 44 high-capacity magazines, two rifle scopes and over 35,000 rounds of ammunition, as well as military-type items, including boots, pepper spray, zip-tie style handcuffs, hydration packs, a “ghillie suit” designed to camouflage the wearer outdoors, and other items.  The ghillie suit and other items still had shipping labels on them that were addressed to St. Michael at his residence on Golden Ring Road.

Between June 4, 2019 and June 12, 2019, St. Michael, who did not know that law enforcement had searched the container, contacted U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) several times seeking information about the container’s status.  St. Michael indicated to CBP officers that he was one of five people who had put the shipment together for export and that he had cargo in the container.  Eventually he sent an email to the CBP officer, attaching copies of the dock receipt and titles for the two Toyota trucks found in the container.

As detailed in his plea agreement and other court document, on July 19, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at St. Michael’s residence.  The basement of the residence contained machinery and equipment for the manufacturing of firearms and re-loading of ammunition, as well as rifles, handguns, firearms parts and accessories, a silencer, rifle scopes, powder, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

St. Michael admitted that he and his co-conspirators had intentionally hidden the firearms, ammunition, and military items in the container, that he knew the information on the EEI was false, that he knew neither he nor his co-conspirators had obtained the necessary licenses or authorizations from the Departments of State or Commerce to export the firearms or military items, and that he knew his actions violated the law.

Seven other members of the conspiracy pleaded guilty to their involvement in the conspiracy.  Judge Bennett sentenced Godlove Nche Manchoe, Tse Ernst Bangarie and Edith Ngang each to 46 months of incarceration and two more are awaiting are awaiting sentencing.  A jury convicted three other members for the conspiracy, transportation of firearms with obliterated serial numbers, and smuggling following a jury trial in May 2022.  Judge Bennett has sentenced two of those individuals, Eric Fru Nji and Wilson Nuyila Tita, to 63 months of incarceration and the third, Wilson Che Fonguh, is awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, the ATF and DCIS for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron recognized the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement; the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their contributions to the investigation.  U.S. Attorney Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen O. Gavin, 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/community-outreach.

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The Department of Justice filed a proposed amended complaint and consent decree today in the District of Maryland with George’s Inc. and George’s Foods LLC (George’s) that would resolve claims that George’s conspired with other poultry processors for years to suppress workers’ wages by exchanging compensation information. George’s provided significant and voluntary cooperation to the Justice Department's investigation. The department previously reached proposed consent decrees in this matter with poultry processors Cargill, Sanderson Farms, and Wayne Farms, as well as with a data consultant, Webber, Meng, Sahl and Company, and its president, G. Jonathan Meng.

“Today’s action is another important milestone in the Justice Department’s efforts to hold poultry processors accountable for antitrust violations that harm workers,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The antitrust laws protect American workers from information exchanges, like these, that damage competition and the competitive process.”

Under the terms of the proposed settlement, George’s must cease sharing competitively sensitive information about poultry processing plant workers’ compensation. If approved by the court, the proposed settlement also:

• Imposes a court-appointed compliance monitor who, for the next seven years, will ensure George’s compliance with the terms of the proposed decree;
• Grants the court-appointed monitor authority to ensure George’s compliance with all federal antitrust laws as they relate to its poultry processing facilities, workers at its poultry processing plants, chicken growers, integrated poultry feed, hatcheries, transportation of poultry and poultry products, and the sale of poultry, and to submit regular reports on George’s antitrust compliance;
• Prohibits George’s from retaliating against any employee or third party for disclosing information to the monitor or to government authorities;
• Permits the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division to inspect George’s facilities and interview employees to ensure George’s compliance with the consent decree; and
• Commits George’s to pay $5.8 million in restitution for poultry processing plant workers who were harmed by the conspiracy.

These terms would expire seven years after the consent decree is approved by the court.

As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed consent decree, along with the competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed consent decree during a 60-day comment period to Chief, Civil Conduct Task Force, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 8600, Washington, D.C. 20530. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest.

Today’s actions are part of a broader investigation into anticompetitive labor market abuses in the poultry processing industry. Anyone with information about poultry industry collusion, competitors sharing non-public compensation information, anticompetitive conduct violations against workers, or any other violations of the antitrust laws is encouraged to contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258 or antitrust.complaints@usdoj.gov. The division will forward complaints about the settling processor defendants to the court-appointed antitrust monitor, where appropriate. Information about anticompetitive practices in livestock and poultry markets can also be submitted to the USDA and Justice Department's Agricultural Markets Enforcement Partnership at www.farmerfairness.gov.

The Justice Department thanks the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General for its assistance with this investigation.

Baltimore, Maryland –  On Thursday, May 18, 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland will join the sponsor, My Covenant Place, and the Maryland Division of Parole and Probation, the Maryland Statewide Alliance for Returning Citizens and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office to host the Maryland Statewide Reentry and Justice-Involved Conference, a full day conference being held at First Baptist of Glenarden-Ministry Center, 3600 Brightseat Road, Landover, MD 20706.  The conference is free and open to the public, but registration is required for all attendees. 

A free continental breakfast and lunch will be provided for all participants and parking is also free.  Interactive panel topics include: best practices; juvenile justice; diversion programs; women and reentry; mental/physical health; law enforcement; stability after reentry; funding for programs; and challenges and solutions.  You may register at: https://bit.ly/3LEHMSK.  For more information, please call (410) 209-4976.

This conference and events like it, are components of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s violent crime reduction strategy.  In addition to the office’s enforcement efforts to remove violent criminals with guns from our communities, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has initiated outreach, intervention and prevention efforts to support and invest in communities plagued by violence, such as this reentry and justice-involved conference.

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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A Canadian man was sentenced today to 32 years in prison for producing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children and for interstate extortion based on an online “sextortion” scheme.

According to court documents, from approximately 2014 to 2016, Muhammad Luqman Rana, 33, of Vaughan, Ontario, used the online messaging chat sites Omegle and Tinychat to target both adult and minor victims living in the United States and Canada to produce sexually explicit images. Rana tricked five minor U.S. victims, who ranged from ages 12 to 17, into producing sexually explicit images by posing as a minor male. Rana surreptitiously captured two of the minor victims changing in their bedrooms after they had accidentally left their webcam on after chatting with him. Once Rana had embarrassing and sensitive videos of his victims, he forced them to produce and send additional sexually explicit images and videos via both live transmission and to his email account out of fear that he would publicly post the videos he had previously obtained if they did not comply with his demands.

In January 2021, Rana was arrested in Canada on a provisional arrest warrant. He was extradited to the United States on Jan. 25, 2022.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division, Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Myron Demkiw of the Toronto Police Services made the announcement.

The FBI and the Toronto Police Services investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs conducted the requests for mutual legal assistance and extradition.

Senior Trial Attorney Jennifer Toritto Leonardo of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Michael Morgan Jr. for the District of Maryland prosecuted the case.

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

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Edward Scott Finn, age 48, of Dunkirk, Maryland, today to 16 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for a tax evasion charge.  Finn is a former Lieutenant with the Prince George’s County Police Department and owned and operated Edward Finn Inc. (EFI), a private company.  Judge Boardman also ordered Finn to pay restitution in the full amount of the loss, $367,765. 

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

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron said, “Law enforcement officers are not above the law and we will hold them accountable—as we would anyone—for their criminal actions.”

“To maintain faith in our nation’s tax system, all Americans, including those in positions of public trust, must be held accountable for paying their fair share,” said Kareem A. Carter, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Washington D.C. Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to investigate those who intentionally conceal income and file false returns.”

“Despite Finn’s position of trust as an officer of the law, he lied and stole from the government.  He used his Secondary Law Enforcement Employment (SLEE) to propel his greed,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “Today’s sentence articulates financial crimes do not pay.” 

According to his plea agreement and other court documents, from approximately December 26, 1995 to April 26, 2021, Finn was a member of the Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).  Members of the PGPD were allowed to work part-time outside employment in addition to their full-time duties, known as Secondary Law Enforcement Employment (SLEE).  According to the plea agreement and court documents, from 2014 to 2021, Finn used EFI and employed off-duty law enforcement officers to provide security services to apartment complexes and other businesses, primarily in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties, to manage and operate his SLEE business. 

Finn admitted that he underreported a total of more than $1.3 million of EFI income on his 2014 through 2019 individual income tax returns.  During that time frame, Finn deposited checks payable to EFI into personal bank accounts or non-EFI bank accounts over which Finn had signature authority.  Finn also created false business expenses to lower his tax due by writing checks to relatives and friends for purported services performed; and used business funds to purchase a boat, a car, and other items for his personal use.  This underreported income resulted in a total tax loss to the government of $367,765.

Further, Finn admitted that on April 22, 2021, as federal agents announced their presence at his front door to execute a search warrant on his residence, Finn initiated the erasure and resetting of his cellphone.  Finn then opened the front door to his residence and law enforcement recovered the phone in the master bedroom.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the IRS-CI and the FBI and for their work in the investigation and thanked the Prince George’s County Police Department and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy F. Hagan, Jr., who prosecuted this case.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis today sentenced Muhammad Luqman Rana, age 33, of City of Vaughan, Ontario, to 32 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for producing image and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children and for extortion related to an online “sextortion” scheme.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Myron Demkiw of the Toronto Police Services (Canada).

According to his guilty plea and other court documents, from June 2014 to June 2016, Rana used a free online chat website to target adult and minor victims living in the United States and Canada to produce sexually explicit images.  Rana tricked five minor U.S. victims, who ranged from ages 12 to 17, into producing sexually explicit images because they believed they were chatting with a young male.  Rana surreptitiously captured two of the minor victims changing in their bedrooms after they had accidentally left their webcam on after chatting with him.  Once Rana had embarrassing and sensitive videos of his victims, he forced them to produce and send additional sexually explicit images and videos via both live transmission and to his email account out of fear that he would publicly post the videos he had previously obtained if they did not comply with his demands.  Rana’s victims were terrorized by him almost daily for months, and some for over a year. 

The Canadian York Regional Police executed a search warrant on Rana’s residence and seized digital evidence which was made available to U.S. law enforcement and Canada agreed to extradite Rana to the United States.  In January 2021, Rana was arrested in Canada on a provisional arrest warrant

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 and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. commended the FBI and the Toronto Police Services for their work in the investigation and recognized the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs conducted the requests for mutual legal assistance and extradition.  Mr. Barron and Mr. Polite thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Michael Morgan, Jr. and Senior Trial Attorney Jennifer Leonardo of the Justice Department’s Criminal Child Exploitation and Obscenity Unit, 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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Greenbelt, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Paul Xinis today sentenced Jeffrey Darnell Alderson, age 34, of Waldorf, Maryland, to 42 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography.  Judge Xinis also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Alderson 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 Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

            According to Alderson’s guilty plea, a man was arrested in Philadelphia in January 2020, on charges relating to the advertisement and sale of child sexual abuse material.  Alderson was identified as one of that individual’s customers through social media and financial records.  At that time, Alderson was a Mission Support Specialist with the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C.  Specifically, Alderson engaged in several conversations via messaging applications between September 2019 and January 2020 and ultimately purchased links to child sexual abuse material that documented the sexual abuse of minor boys, including prepubescent minors.  On October 2, 2020, law enforcement executed federal search warrant for the contents of multiple online accounts controlled by Alderson.  A review of the information revealed communications with other users whose usernames indicated an interest in child sexual abuse material and searches and visits to websites related to child sexual abuse material.

            On March 4, 2021, a search warrant for the contents of Alderson’s online storage account was executed and additional images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct were discovered.  On May 13, 2021, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Alderson’s residence and seized his cell phone.  A subsequent review of the contents of the phone included chats on various platforms about sexually explicit images and videos of children and/or obtaining additional child sexual abuse material.  Links to additional images and videos documenting the sexual abuse of children were also found.

The child pornography that Alderson possessed included prepubescent minors and material portraying the sexual abuse of exploitation of an infant or toddler.  In total, Alderson possessed over 100 videos and hundreds of images containing child pornography.

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 for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy F. Hagan, Jr. and Joel Crespo, 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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Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury has convicted Scott Anthony Williams, age 45, of Laurel, Maryland and Taeyan Raymond Williams, age 26, of Morgantown, West Virginia yesterday for a drug trafficking conspiracy and for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.  Scott Williams was also convicted for conspiracy to destroy and conceal evidence related to these crimes.  Both defendants were acquitted of charges related to the armed robbery, and kidnapping resulting in death of their marijuana supplier.

The verdict was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington Division; and Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore.

According to the evidence presented at the nine-day trial, from approximately October 2017 until April 6, 2018, Victim 1 sold and distributed marijuana and marijuana products to Scott Williams (“S. Williams”), Taeyan Williams (“T. Williams”), their family members, and associates.  S. Williams and T. Williams sold the products received from Victim 1 to other distributors for resale and to end drug users.  The Williams’ also sold and distributed cocaine to Victim 1 for further distribution.  As a result of various transactions between the Williams’ and Victim 1, T. Williams and members of his family, including S. Williams, became indebted to Victim 1.  According to witness testimony, on April 6, 2018, Victim 1 planned to meet with T. Williams and S. Williams to discuss the debt that they owed to Victim 1, and to provide the Williams’ with marijuana and marijuana products.

As detailed in trial testimony, shortly before that meeting, Victim-1’s supplier in California had a large shipment of marijuana and marijuana products delivered to Victim-1’s storage unit in Jessup, Maryland.  The Williams’ were aware that Victim 1 had access to a large amount of marijuana and marijuana products. 

Trial evidence showed that on April 5, 2018, and April 6, 2018, Victim 1 retrieved controlled substances from his storage unit in Jessup, Maryland and stayed at a short-term rental property in Baltimore, Maryland.  On the afternoon of April 6, Victim 1 traveled from Baltimore to Laurel, Maryland, where S. Williams lived.  Location data reflects that at 1:32 p.m., Victim 1 was approximately 1.5 miles from Scott Williams’ residence.  On April 6, 2018, at approximately 1:52 p.m., Victim 1 saved a note to a ledger and accounting of controlled substances that Victim 1 sold to T. Williams and monies paid or owed from him, which Victim 1 maintained in his email account.

The government presented evidence that on April 7, 2018, S. Williams and other conspirators drove Victim 1’s vehicle to a Baltimore parking lot where they parked the vehicle, cleaned it, and then drove away in S. Williams’s rented car.  Victim 1’s DNA and blood were later recovered from the rear bumper, lift gate, passenger side door frame, and trunk carpeting of Victim 1’s abandoned vehicle.  Further, the evidence showed that between 8:37 p.m. on April 6, 2018, and 8:31 p.m. on April 8, 2018, S. Williams used Victim 1’s PIN number to enter the Jessup storage facility.  Between April 8, 2018 and June 6, 2018, the defendants hid Victim-1’s drugs in S. Williams’ in Laurel.  When law enforcement executed a search warrant at the home on June 6, 2018, they recovered large quantities of marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine, as well as four firearms: a 9mm handgun; a 7.62 caliber-rifle; a .38 caliber handgun; and a .25 caliber handgun.  A copy of Victim 1’s ledger was also found under S. Williams’ bed in the home.  The body of Victim 1 was never located.

Finally, the evidence also proved that between June 6, 2018, and his initial appearance on federal charges in January 2019, S. Williams sought to conceal and destroy evidence related to the ongoing investigation, including by asking an associate to delete information from his electronic storage account and phone.   

Scott and Taeyan Williams each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.  In addition, Scott Williams faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; and a maximum of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to conceal and destroy evidence.  U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for Scott Williams on August 22, 2023, and for Taeyan Williams on August 23, 2023.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the Maryland State Police, the DEA, and HSI for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leah B. Grossi, William D. Moomau, and Michael C. Hanlon 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.

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Baltimore, Maryland – Stephen Franklin, age 54, of Salisbury, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a wire fraud conspiracy and to aggravated identity theft in connection with the theft of more than $1.8 million from Shore Appliance Connection. 

The guilty plea 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, 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 the plea agreement, 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 introduced Larmore to an individual who offered an opportunity to invest in an oil deal that promised quick and substantial returns, for an initial investment of $100,000.  Franklin did not have $100,000 but knew that Larmore could obtain the investment funds from Shore Appliance.  Larmore wire transferred $100,000 of Shore Appliance’s money to an account controlled by Franklin, who wire transferred the funds to an individual in the United Kingdom to invest in the oil deal.  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 T.H., purportedly an attorney for the oil deal.  Franklin also convinced Larmore to invest in other deals, including: in 2016, a $95,000 investment with GenFinance II, PLC, London, U.K., which then required an additional $300,000, and then additional funds for additional 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 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, Franklin requested that Larmore provide funds from Shore Appliance for Franklin’s companies.  Larmore provided funds to Franklin for his businesses, including to pay rent and employee salaries, as well as paying to rent a storage facility and 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 extra interest in the amount of $208,395 from Larmore drawing on its bank lines of credit.  Thus, the factoring arrangements and advances on Shore Appliance’s lines of credit in total caused Shore Appliance to lose in actual funds $939,645.  However, Shore Appliance as of March 2020 still owed the factors almost $270,000.  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.

Franklin faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for a wire fraud conspiracy and a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for aggravated identity theft.  U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for September 7, 2023, at 9:30 a.m.  As stated in his plea agreement, Franklin will be required to pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, which the parties stipulate is $1,850,488.94.  Franklin’s liability is joint with co-defendant Duane G. Larmore.  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. Attorneys Evelyn L. Cusson, Joyce K. McDonald, and Leo J. Wise, 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. 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 – Danisha Thomas, age 39, of Bladensburg, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to federal charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, related to a scheme to receive and sell cell phones that were fraudulently obtained using the identifying information of at least 24 victims.

The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland and Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

According to her guilty plea and court documents, between July 2019 and March 2020, Thomas was part of a conspiracy to obtain new cell phones by opening new cell phone service accounts or upgrading existing accounts in the names of individual identity theft victims without the victims’ knowledge or permission, then selling the cell phones to others for a profit.

Specifically, co-defendants Chantelle Harris and Robert Patterson were employed by a third-party vendor contracted to handle wireless phone transactions, including sales and phone upgrades for Walmart.  Harris and Patterson, who worked inside Walmart stores, admitted that they abused their positions by conducting fraudulent transactions in furtherance of the scheme and for Thomas’ benefit.  With Thomas’ agreement, or upon her request, the co-defendants applied for new cell phone accounts and for upgraded cell phones on existing cell phone accounts in the names of identity theft victims without the victims’ knowledge or permission.  As detailed in her plea agreement, Thomas provided the victims’ personally identifiable information (“PII”), including date of birth and Social Security number, to Harris and Patterson for this purpose, aware that the victims were real persons who did not authorize these transactions.  With Thomas’ agreement or upon her request, the co-defendants used the victims’ PII to obtain credit approval and authorization for new accounts for cell phone service and/or to upgrade existing cell phone service accounts, then charged the purchase of new cell phones to the fraudulent service accounts opened in the victims’ names.  Harris communicated with the co-defendants by phone and text to coordinate the fraudulent purchase and exchange of the cell phones and was observed on video surveillance during and/or after each of the fraudulent transactions meeting with co-conspirators and/or receiving stolen cell phones directly from them. 

Thomas admits that the total value of the fraudulently obtained cell phones was approximately $537,000.

Thomas faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud and a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for aggravated identity theft.   U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for Thomas on September 28, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.

Chantelle Harris, age 34, and Robert Patterson, age 22, both of Hyattsville, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the fraud scheme.  Harris was sentenced to time served and Patterson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.

U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorney Colleen E. McGuinn, 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 – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Godlove Nche Manchoe, age 44, of Bowie, Maryland, yesterday to 46 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for conspiracy, and for illegally exporting firearms and ammunition from the United States to Nigeria without obtaining the required licenses from the U.S. State Department.  According to trial testimony and court documents, the purpose of the conspiracy was to assist separatists fighting against the government of Cameroon. 

The sentence 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; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) Baltimore Field Division; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (“DCIS”) - Mid-Atlantic Field Office.

According to his plea agreement, from at least November 2017 until July 19, 2019, Manchoe and his co-conspirators agreed to export firearms, ammunition and other military-type items in violation of the federal smuggling statute, the Arms Export Control Act and other export laws.  Manchoe participated in meetings of the conspirators, both online and in person, including in the basement of co-conspirator Tamufor St. Michael’s residence, where the conspirators, including Manchoe, also reloaded ammunition, assembled firearms, and wrapped various items for overseas shipment.  Manchoe also donated and forwarded funds received from other co-conspirators to St. Michael, to be used towards the purchase of ammunition and/or weapons in furtherance of the conspiracy. 

As detailed in his plea agreement, in December 2018, a shipping container, with a 1989 Toyota truck inside, was delivered to the street outside St. Michael’s residence for the conspirators to use to export the firearms, ammunition and other items.  St. Michael and other co-conspirators then loaded the container, secreting weapons, ammunition and other military-type items inside the truck and multiple compressors.  The container was sent to the Port of Baltimore for export, departing on January 17, 2019, with a destination of Onne, Nigeria.  The conspirators caused the electronic export information (“EEI”) to be filed with the Department of Commerce listing the contents of the container as one Toyota Tundra truck, one 1989 Toyota truck, and “doors and frames.”  The EEI also listed the U.S. Principal Party in Interest as an individual with the initials M.A.O. and a non-existent address.  The telephone number listed for M.A.O. corresponded with a pre-paid cellular telephone. 

Approximately one month later, the shipping container was ordered returned to the Port of Baltimore and on May 20, 2019, law enforcement personnel in Baltimore unsealed the container and examined its contents.  In addition to the trucks and what appeared to be the contents of an old schoolhouse, the conspirators had concealed firearms, ammunition, rifle scopes, and other items in duffle bags placed in the trucks and in heavily wrapped packages inside sealed compressor units, in the shipping container.  In all, law enforcement recovered from the shipping container 38 firearms, 28 of which had obliterated serial numbers.  The guns included sniper rifles, SKS assault rifles (some with bayonets), other rifles and several handguns.  There were 44 high-capacity magazines, two rifle scopes and over 35,000 rounds of ammunition, as well as military-type items, including boots, pepper spray, zip-tie style handcuffs, hydration packs, and other items.  

Six other members of the conspiracy pleaded guilty to their involvement in the conspiracy.  In April, Judge Bennett sentenced Tse Ernst Bangarie and Edith Ngang each to 46 months of incarceration and an additional three are awaiting are awaiting sentencing.  A jury convicted three other members for the conspiracy, transportation of firearms with obliterated serial numbers, and smuggling following a jury trial in May 2022.  Judge Bennett has sentenced two of those individuals, Eric Fru Nji and Wilson Nuyila Tita, to 63 months of incarceration and the third, Wilson Che Fonguh, is awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, the ATF and DCIS for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron recognized the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement; the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their contributions to the investigation.  U.S. Attorney Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen O. Gavin, 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/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Leroy Holmes, age 62, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 57 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for bank fraud in connection with a scheme to re-encode credit cards, debit cards and gift cards with the stolen financial information of multiple victims to make fraudulent purchases in the victims’ names and without their knowledge or permission.  Holmes used the cards to purchase fuel for truckers at half price, in exchange for cash.  Judge Russell also ordered that Holmes must pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, which is at least $212,000 and must forfeit electronic equipment including several cell phones, laptop computers and hard drives, as well as pay a money judgment of $106,032.  The sentence was imposed on May 1, 2023.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Ross Luciano of the United States Secret Service - Baltimore Field Office; 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”); Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal E. Awad.

According to his plea agreement, from October 2019 to March 2022, Holmes defrauded financial institutions by creating and using counterfeit credit and debit cards by making unauthorized copies of the cards and reprogramming them, using the real banking information of victims, to fraudulently register as the victims’ credit or debit cards when used.  Holmes then used the re-encoded cards to make fraudulent purchases without authority from cardholders or financial institutions, specifically to purchase gas for truckers at a discount at gas stations in Maryland and Pennsylvania in exchange for cash, typically half the total price of the fuel.

Some of the counterfeited credit and debit cards created and used by Holmes contained unemployment insurance benefits provided to victims from the state of California and were used without each victim’s knowledge or permission.  Holmes created or used at least 594 counterfeit credit and debit cards, resulting in a loss of at least $212,000 to financial institutions, businesses and cardholders.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, USPIS, the Secret Service, the DOL-OIG, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evelyn L. Cusson and Joyce K. McDonald, 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 https://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 – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher today sentenced Thomas Jones, age 53, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 11 years in federal prison, followed by 11 years of supervised release for conspiracy and for possession with intent to distribute five kilograms of more of cocaine.  

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 Field Division; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to his guilty plea, in April 2020, DEA investigators with the Baltimore OCDETF Strike Force began an investigation of drug trafficking in West and Northwest Baltimore.  During the investigation, Jones was identified as one of the conspirators who agreed to acquire and distribute controlled substances, including cocaine and crack cocaine.

As detailed in his plea agreement, law enforcement overheard calls between Jones and other conspirators discussing the distribution of cocaine and crack cocaine.  Jones also met with customers and co-conspirators at his home in the 1600 block of Edmondson Avenue to engage in drug transactions and other drug trafficking activities.  On April 29, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Jones’ home and seized 143 grams of cocaine, 62 grams of crack cocaine, drug packaging material and scales, and $19,965 in cash.  Investigators also recovered a .45-caliber pistol, two standard .45-caliber magazines and one extended magazine clip, and 170 rounds of .45-caliber ammunition from Jones’ home.  Jones admitted that he planned to distribute the cocaine and that the cash represented proceeds of 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.

This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location.  This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks.  These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through relationships forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime.  The specific mission of the Baltimore OCDETF Strike Force is to reduce violent, drug-related, and gang crime in the Baltimore area and surrounding region.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaRai N. Everett and James T. Wallner, 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 - U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher today sentenced Robert Jackson Wyatt, Jr., age 54, of Fallston, Maryland, to 15 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for distribution of child pornography.  Wyatt had a previous federal conviction for possession of child pornography.  Judge Gallagher ordered that, upon his release from prison, Wyatt 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; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler and Harford County State’s Attorney Alison Healey.

According to his guilty plea, on August 31, 2021, members of the Maryland State Police (“MSP”) were conducting an investigation into offenders sharing child pornography using a communication protocol for peer-to-peer file sharing that enables users to distribute data and electronic files over the Internet in a decentralized manner.  An IP address that was sharing suspected child pornography was identified as belonging to Wyatt and a search warrant for his home was executed on October 1, 2021.  Investigators learned that Wyatt was not home but was at a nearby marina on his boat where he often spent time.  Investigators went to the marina and watched as Wyatt walked from his boat to his car.  Wyatt then drove back to his residence, where he was confronted by investigators.

Wyatt consented to a search of his cell phone and an MSP digital forensic examiner found several files of child pornography on the phone.  A peer-to-peer filesharing program was installed on the phone, as well as a virtual private network application and an anti-forensic application.  On a chat application, Wyatt belonged to chat groups including “Incest and Little Girl” and “mommy and daughter.”  On October 26, 2021, a search warrant was executed on Wyatt’s boat.  Two thumb drives were found with multiple images and videos of child pornography, including several known series involving depictions of babies, toddlers, and sadomasochistic abuse of children.  Several of the files located on Wyatt’s devices matched those that were distributed during the MSP investigation via the peer-to-peer file sharing originating from the suspect IP address.

Wyatt admitted that he was the person who shared the files with the MSP investigator on August 31, 2021.  In total, over 1170 images files and over 170 video files were located on Wyatt’s devices.

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, the Maryland State Police, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen E. McGuinn, 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/project-safe-childhood 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 Romesh Vance, age 32, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 150 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute between four and 12 kilograms of fentanyl and for violating his supervised release from a previous federal drug conviction.  Judge Russell also ordered that Vance must forfeit his interest in any assets derived from his criminal activities, including almost $41,000 in cash and jewelry which were recovered from Vance and his residence in the 200 block of Westowne Road in Baltimore; and a 2017 Mercedes Benz recovered from Vance.

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 - Washington Field Division; Baltimore City Sheriff Sam Cogen; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department.

According to his guilty plea, from October 2020 through March 1, 2021, Vance was engaged in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving large amounts of fentanyl and other controlled substances.  Vance operated a stash house in Pikesville, Maryland, where he and his co-conspirators processed fentanyl and other drugs, mixed the drugs with cutting agents, and packaged the drugs for re-sale.  Vance and his associates then drove the packaged drug products to drug shops operated by their drug trafficking organization, along Stricker, School and Gilmor Streets in Baltimore.

On March 1, 2021, law enforcement saw Vance leave the Pikesville stash house and travel to the drug shop at 1515 Stricker Street, where he delivered approximately one kilogram of fentanyl to co-conspirator Vashawn Watkins, who brought the drug products into 1515 Stricker Street.  Law enforcement subsequently executed a search warrant at that location and recovered the drugs.  Law enforcement later conducted a search warrant at the stash house in Pikesville and recovered 6.8 kilograms of fentanyl, along with cutting agents and other drug-related paraphernalia.  Vance admitted that it was reasonably foreseeable to him that he and his co-conspirators would distribute more than four kilograms but less than 12 kilograms of fentanyl in furtherance of this conspiracy.   

Co-defendant Vashawn Watkins, age 22, of Baltimore, previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and to illegal possession of a firearm in a school zone and was sentenced to nine years 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 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, the Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason D. Medinger and Ariel Evans, 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 J. Boardman sentenced Sean Christopher Henderson, age 36, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, yesterday to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after Henderson pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.  

The guilty plea and sentence were 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; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department (“PGPD”); and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy.

“We are successfully reducing and preventing crime by removing guns and repeat offenders from the streets by any legal means necessary,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron.  “But our comprehensive violence prevention strategy also includes reaching out to at-risk youth and sponsoring reentry fairs to provide resources to returning citizens to help them succeed. We remain laser-focused on reducing crime in Maryland.”

According to his guilty plea, Henderson had a previous felony conviction, which he knew prohibited him from possessing a firearm or ammunition.  Despite this, Henderson admitted that on November 9, 2020 and October 3, 2021, he possessed two separate loaded firearms.

Specifically, in the early morning hours of November 9, 2020, PGPD officers responded to an address in District Heights, Maryland, for a reported shooting and located an individual matching the description of the shooter, later identified as Sean Henderson.  Due to the nature of the call, Henderson was patted down for weapons.  Officers recovered a clear glass vial containing 0.5 ounces of phencyclidine, commonly known as PCP, with an approximate street value of $800 and a plastic baggie containing approximately 12.7 grams of marijuana, with a street value of about $254.  In the area where Henderson was detained, officers located a black 9x19mm semi-automatic pistol, loaded with one round in the chamber and eight rounds in the magazine.  Additional searching recovered a 9mm spent shell casing.  Investigation revealed that the gun had been reported stolen in Virginia on March 29, 2020.  Henderson admitted that he possessed the firearm and ammunition in connection with another offense, specifically possession with intent to distribute PCP.

As detailed in the plea agreement, in the early morning hours of October 3, 2021, a PGPD officer responded to an address on Walter Lane in District Heights, Maryland.  While approaching the scene, the officer was advised by a PGPD helicopter unit that someone was slumped over in the driver’s seat of a vehicle at that address, with the driver’s door open.  When officers arrived, Henderson was found slumped over in the driver’s seat, with one foot hanging out the door.  When officers approached the vehicle, they could see the end of a handgun magazine protruding from underneath a towel on the front passenger seat in plain view.  Before waking Henderson, officers removed the gun, a 9x19mm semi-automatic pistol, which contained 31 rounds of ammunition in the large capacity magazine and one round in the chamber.  After the gun was removed from the vehicle, Henderson woke up on his own and was also removed from the vehicle and placed under arrest.  After his arrest, a search of the vehicle located 246 grams of marijuana on the floor of the front passenger area of the vehicle, packaged in 32 baggies that were held together in one lager bag and two ounces of PCP located in the driver side door compartment.  Henderson admitted that he possessed the gun in furtherance of 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, the Prince George’s County Police Department and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel Crespo and William Moomau, 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 Richard D. Bennett today sentenced Justin Kuchta, age 40, of Annapolis, Maryland, to four months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for threatening to murder a United States Member of Congress. 

The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the United States Capitol Police; and Superintendent of the Maryland State Police, Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr.

According to his plea agreement, Kuchta made threats to murder a Member of the U.S. Congress.  Specifically, a U.S. Member of Congress’ district office in Texas reported that on July 18, 2022, it received a threatening message via an event management website.  The website was being used by an event planner to coordinate an event held in the State of Missouri, being attended by Member of Congress 1.  The Subject line of that email read, in relevant part: “Rally in Missouri – Featured Guest [Member of Congress 1], [Individual 1], and [Individual 2].”  The message stated, “Thank you for the address!!! I’m coming to murder all of you Satanist f*ckers!!! Especially the chuckle-f*ck Zodiak [sic] Killer [Member of Congress 1]!! That fat fake f*cker ass will be the first on the gallows!! SEE ALL OF YOU F*CKERS REALLY SOON!!! With my fresh militia and weapons!!! Thanks for the info f*ckers!!!”  The Member of Congress’ Washington office reported that a similar message was sent on July 22, 2022, using the same event management website.

As detailed in the plea agreement, an investigation revealed that the IP address was registered to a private high-speed network operated by the State of Maryland.  Network records revealed that the IP address originated from a Virtual Private Network and computer assigned to Kuchta.  Kuchta was subsequently interviewed, after being advised of his rights, by Special Agents with the U.S. Capitol Police and investigators assigned to the Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit at his place of employment in Annapolis, Maryland.  While Kuchta initially denied sending the email messages, he ultimately admitted that he sent the July 18, 2022, threatening message over the website.    

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the United States Capitol Police and the Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Michael Cunningham, who prosecuted the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, and its efforts to protect national security, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/anti-terrorism.

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Jermaine Steward, age 33, of Gwynn Oak, Maryland today to nine years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, after Steward pleaded guilty to federal charges for possession with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Steward is the last defendant of the drug trafficking organization (“DTO”) to plead guilty.

Co-defendant Jamar Middleton, age 35, of Edgewood, Maryland, pleaded guilty on April 13, 2023, and was sentenced to 138 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, on the same charges.         

The guilty pleas and 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 Field Division; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal E. Awad; Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department; Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.

“Our comprehensive approach to preventing violence includes today’s Reentry and Resource Fair to provide resources to returning citizens to keep them from reoffending, as well as our efforts to remove guns and repeat offenders from the streets by any legal means necessary.  And we are having success,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron.  “As of today, homicides in Baltimore are down more than 18% from last year and non-fatal shootings are down more than 15%.  We remain laser-focused on reducing violent crime.”

According to his guilty plea, the DEA investigated the Burton DTO operating in Baltimore.  On December 15, 2021, law enforcement searched a stash house used by DTO leader Edward Burton, Steward, Middleton, and co-conspirator Jerrell Simms, and recovered approximately 431.25 grams of mixtures or substances containing fentanyl, including a bag of 6,450 gelatin capsules containing approximately 231.67 grams of fentanyl and another bag containing 644 gelatin capsules containing 113 grams of fentanyl, as well as narcotics packaging materials and other drug paraphernalia.  The search of the stash house also recovered seven firearms and ammunition, including three 9mm handguns; an AR-15 style rifle; a .45-caliber handgun; a 7.62 x 39mm caliber pistol; a .40-caliber rifle; .45-caliber magazines; and 7.62 x 39mm and 9mm ammunition.  Law enforcement also recovered $4,376 in cash and jewelry valued at $13,550, which constituted proceeds of drug trafficking.  Additional firearms, cash and jewelry were recovered from other search locations associated with the defendants.

Edward Burton, age 38, of Jessup, Maryland, pleaded guilty on October 12, 2022, and was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison.  Jerrell Simms, age 37, of Baltimore, previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 97 months 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 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 prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location.  This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks.  These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through relationships forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime.  The specific mission of the Baltimore OCDETF Strike Force is to reduce violent, drug-related, and gang crime in the Baltimore area and surrounding region.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joan C. Mathias and Ariel Evans, 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 – Lawrence Aquilla Colby, IV, a/k/a “Buddy,” age 34, of Elkton, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to federal charges related to his participation in a conspiracy to sexually abuse a child, from the age of approximately four months to two years old, to producing and receiving images documenting the sexual abuse of the child, and to possession of child pornography.

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; Cecil County State’s Attorney James Dellmyer; and Cecil County Sheriff Scott Adams.

At today’s plea hearing, Colby admitted that he and his co-conspirator, Summer McCroskey, sexually abused a child, starting at the time the victim was approximately four months of age through at least October 2021, when the victim was two years old, and produced videos and images of the abuse.  Both Colby and McCroskey participated in the abuse.  Additionally, Colby received files documenting the sexual abuse of the child, which were sent to him by McCroskey.

Colby faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for conspiracy to sexually exploit a child and for each of five counts of sexual exploitation of a child; a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each of three counts of receipt of child pornography; and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography.  U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for Colby on July 27, 2023.

Co-defendant Summer McCroskey, age 25, also of Elkton, previously pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 18, 2023, at 11:00 a.m.

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, the Cecil County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Budlow and Colleen E. McGuinn 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/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Keith Poynter, Jr., age 29, of Baltimore, Maryland, yesterday on federal charges related to a series of armed commercial robberies, all committed in one day, and for discharging his weapon during one of the robberies.  

The conviction 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; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department.

According to court documents and evidence presented during his four-day trial, Poynter conspired with others, including Benjamin Bunn, Jr. and Tiffany Gardner, to rob businesses in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.  Specifically, on December 6, 2019, Poynter and another man robbed a jewelry store in the 200 block of N. Howard Street.  The evidence showed that the other robber placed a machete in the door to prevent it from locking.  Poynter brandished a weapon and struck a glass countertop, causing the gun to fire.  Poynter then fired two more shots into another glass case and removed jewelry and other merchandise, all in the presence of store employees.  Poynter and the other man then got into a silver Acura TL, which was occupied and operated by Bunn and Gardner and left the area. 

According to trial testimony, a short time later, Poynter entered a jewelry store in the Security Square Mall in Baltimore County.  Poynter approached a store employee, brandished a handgun and demanded jewelry.  After taking the jewelry, Poynter left the store and got back into the silver Acura TL, where Bunn and Gardner waited.  The group then left the area.  Approximately two hours later, Poynter entered a pawn shop in the 6600 block of Reisterstown Road, brandished a firearm, demanded jewelry and threatened to shoot a customer.  Poynter took jewelry and other merchandise and left the store, again entering the silver Acura TL where Bunn and Gardner waited.

Poynter faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the robbery conspiracy, for each count of three counts of commercial robbery and for conspiracy to use a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.  Poynter faces a mandatory minimum of seven years and up to life in prison for each of two counts of using and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison for discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.  U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher has not yet scheduled sentencing for Poynter.

Benjamin Bunn, Jr., age 37, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty to his role in the robberies a few days before trial began and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13, 2023.  Tiffany Gardner, age 27, of Baltimore, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years 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 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, the Baltimore Police Department  and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Sippel, Jr. and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Meehan, 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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