District of Maryland

Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted Justin Larson, age 30, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, today for distribution of acetyl fentanyl, a controlled substance analogue, which resulted in death, and for a narcotics conspiracy.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.

According to the two count indictment, from May 2014 through March 17, 2016, Larson participated in a conspiracy to distribute acetyl fentanyl, a controlled substance analogue.  The indictment alleges that on May 9, 2014, Larson distributed acetyl fentanyl to an individual, resulting in the death of that individual.

Larson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and up to life in prison for distribution of acetyl fentanyl with death resulting; and a maximum of 20 years in prison for a narcotics conspiracy.  No court appearance is currently scheduled.  Larson remains detained on related federal charges. 

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

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised HSI Baltimore, the Montgomery County Police Department, and Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly O’Connell Hayes and Daniel C. Gardner, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Four defendants pleaded guilty to a wire fraud conspiracy involving a scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits:

Eric Gonzalez, age 34, of Alexandria, Virginia; Tawana McClain, age 51, of Washington, D.C.; Ferny Alexander Moreno Puente, age 26, of Gaithersburg, Maryland; Wilfredo Torres, age 35, of Alexandria, Virginia

The guilty pleas were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Acting Special Agent in Charge John Dolce, of the Washington Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations; and Postal Inspector in Charge Maria L. Kelokates of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division.

“The Office of Inspector General is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue and hold accountable those who defraud the Department of Labor’s Unemployment Insurance program,” stated John Dolce, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations.

According to their plea agreements, from 2012 to 2015, members of the conspiracy caused the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR) and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), which administered the unemployment insurance benefit programs in their respective states, to issue unemployment benefits in the names of individuals by submitting false applications for monetary benefits for their own personal use and benefit.

McClain, Moreno Puente, Torres and his half-brother, Gonzalez all pleaded guilty to their participation in the conspiracy. Moreno Puente, Torres and Gonzalez admitted that they agreed to have a co-conspirator file fraudulent unemployment claims in their names.  Moreno Puente and Torres also provided the personal identification information and/or addresses of other individuals to file additional false claims in the names of those individuals, and others. McClain, Moreno Puente, Torres and Gonzalez used the fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefits prepaid debit cards that were either mailed to them, or provided to them by a co-conspirator, at ATMs or stores in order to withdraw and use the funds.  Generally, McClain, Moreno Puente, Torres and Gonzalez kept a portion of the fraudulently obtained funds for themselves and provided the remainder to a co-conspirator.  Torres also allowed his business address to be used to file fraudulent unemployment benefit claims and when the unemployment benefits debit cards arrived, he either used them or distributed them to co-conspirators. 

Moreno Puente admitted that he personally used at least 14 fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits cards; McClain personally used at least 12 cards; Torres used at least six cards; and Gonzalez used at least five cards.  Torres and Gonzalez have each agreed to the entry of an order to pay restitution and forfeiture of $173,185.32; Moreno Puente has agreed to the entry of an order to pay restitution and forfeiture of $268,911; and McClain has agreed to the entry of an order to pay restitution and forfeiture of $205,613. During the course of the conspiracy the actual loss was approximately $1,468,463.80 in fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefits.

McClain, Moreno Puente, Torres and Gonzalez, face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for McClain and Gonzalez on July 15, 2016, and for Moreno Puente and Torres on July 14, 2016.

Co-conspirators Dulce Oleo, age 38, of the Bronx, New York; Yaw Bempa-Boateng, age 35, of Silver Spring, Maryland; and Carmen Benitez, age 29, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme and await sentencing.

The Maryland Identity Theft Working Group has been working since 2006 to foster cooperation among local, state, federal, and institutional fraud investigators and to promote effective prosecution of identity theft schemes by both state and federal prosecutors. This case, as well as other cases brought by members of the Working Group, demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to work with financial institutions and businesses to address identity fraud, identify those who compromise personal identity information, and protect citizens from identity theft.

Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force.  The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.  With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud.  Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations.  Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants.  For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the Department of Labor – OIG and U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their work in the investigation, and praised the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry for their assistance in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean R. Delaney, who is prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Francesca Maria Daniele, age 49, of LaPlata, Maryland, today to 21 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for wire fraud in connection with the misuse of her government credit card.  Judge Chuang also ordered Daniele to forfeit and pay restitution of $22,338.67, the amount of loss resulting from her conduct.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Elton Malone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Special Investigations Branch.

In July 2014, Daniele worked at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), purchasing equipment from vendors and administering contracts on behalf of NIH.  According to her plea agreement, from July 12 to 28, 2014, Daniele used her government credit card to fraudulently make approximately $21,830.19 of personal purchases at retail stores.  She used her cell phone to call the credit card’s customer service center to approve those purchases.  To conceal the scheme, Daniele falsely reported that her credit card had been lost.

Additionally, on October 15, 2014, Daniele opened a credit card account in the name of her minor child.  She used the credit card to buy a laptop computer, video game console, a ring and other items, all of which were shipped to a hotel room she rented under an assumed name.  Daniele did not pay for several of the items, resulting in a loss to the credit card company of approximately $508.48.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the HHS-OIG for its work in the investigation, and thanked Assistant United States Attorney Thomas P. Windom and Trial Attorney Justin D. Weitz of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section, who prosecuted the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Terrence Mullen, age 41, of Boonton, New Jersey, today to 63 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for interstate transportation of property taken by fraud.  Judge Grimm also entered an order that Mullen forfeit and pay restitution of $414,682.89.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to his plea agreement, in September and October 2013, using a fraudulent internet domain name, Mullen emailed a company that specialized in producing and selling scientific devices about the purchase of two mass spectrometers and related equipment for over $400,000.  In order to obtain credit to make the purchase, in September 2013, Mullen submitted false information to the company on the credit application, including a false name, references and banking information. 

In order to conceal the fraud scheme from New Jersey law enforcement, in October 2013, Mullen rented business space in Beltsville, Maryland and directed the company to deliver the mass spectrometers and equipment to the Beltsville location.  After the company shipped the items from Texas to Beltsville, Mullen sold the spectrometers to a company located in New Jersey.  Mullen used the sales proceeds to pay for personal expenses and a family member’s educational expenses.

The amount of the loss to the company as a result of the scheme was at least $414,682.89.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas P. Windom and Michael T. Packard, who prosecuted the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Leonaldo Harris, age 34, of Columbia, Maryland today to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute between 1,000 and 3,000 kilograms of marijuana.  Judge Grimm also ordered Harris to pay a money judgment of $2 million.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Colonel Tyree C. Blocker, Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police.

According to his plea agreement, Harris conspired with Jermaine McGregor and Jennifer Sims to obtain and transport marijuana from California to Maryland for distribution. Harris arranged for bulk cash to be transported from Maryland to California to purchase marijuana. McGregor assisted in the transportation of the cash, packing money in suitcases which he took with him on commercial flights from Maryland to California. Harris arranged for McGregor to make at least six trips to California, transporting between $200,000 and $250,000 on each flight.  Harris directed McGregor and other conspirators where to go in California to obtain the marijuana, which the conspirators then transported to a residence in California controlled by Harris. Harris, McGregor, and other co-conspirators then packaged the marijuana for shipment to Maryland. 

Harris arranged for the marijuana to be shipped to a warehouse in Beltsville, Maryland, where Sims often accepted delivery of the marijuana.  Harris, McGregor and other members of the conspiracy then repackaged the marijuana for distribution and sold it to others in Maryland.  Harris and Sims lived together in Columbia, where they counted the drug proceeds and stored.

On April 19, 2013, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Harris and Sims’ residence and recovered a money counter, 17 kilograms of marijuana, and a 9mm handgun.

Jermaine McGregor, age 37, of Inglewood, California, and Jennifer Simms, age 33, of Columbia, Maryland previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy.  McGregor was sentenced to 30 months 14 days in prison, and Sims was sentenced to four years of probation.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised HSI Baltimore, the Maryland State Police and Pennsylvania State Police for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicolas A. Mitchell and Bryan E. Foreman, who prosecuted the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted Quantaz Lamar Shields, age 28, of Leonardtown, Maryland; and Trevone Damone Butler, age 25, of Lexington Park, Maryland, on charges that they conspired to rob businesses in St. Mary’s County.  The indictment was returned on March 21, 2016 and unsealed today after Butler’s arrest.  Shields is in custody on other charges. 

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; St. Mary’s County Sheriff Tim Cameron; and St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney Richard Fritz.

According to the 10 count indictment, on five occasions from October 20 to 28, 2015, Shields brandished a firearm and demanded money from employees of a liquor store, motel, pizza store, convenience store and pharmacy in Lexington Park and Leonardtown.  Shields took store proceeds, tip money and cigarettes.  Prior to leaving the pizza store and pharmacy, Shields phoned Butler so that Butler could pick him up from the scene of the robberies.

A detention hearing was held this morning for Butler before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jillyn K. Schulze in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt. Butler was detained pending trial. An initial appearance is scheduled for Shields on May 2, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.

Shields and Butler face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the robbery conspiracy and on each count of robbery. Shields also faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 7 years in prison for the first count of brandishing a firearm during a robbery, consecutive to any term of imprisonment for the robberies, a consecutive mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison for each additional count of brandishing a firearm during a robbery, and 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a gun. 

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

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office and St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly O'Connell Hayes and Leah Jo Bressack, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Mahmood Hussain, age 31, of Laurel, Maryland today to 10 years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and for conspiracy to commit money laundering.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Acting Chief Stanley Johnson, of the Maryland National Capital Park Police, Prince George’s County Division; Chief Antonio DeVaul of the Maryland National Capital Park Police, Montgomery County Division; and Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.

According to his plea agreement, from at least April 2013 through November 2013, Hussain conspired with Marvin Taaff and others to distribute powder and crack cocaine.  In addition to supplying crack cocaine purchased by a confidential informant, Hussain was overheard by law enforcement discussing the delivery of drugs, the amount of drugs, locations to conduct the transactions, and money involved in the purchase of drugs.  For example, in one conversation Hussain and Taaff discuss a batch of cocaine that Taaff received from Hussain that was of poor quality.  Hussain subsequently coordinated with Taaff and was observed by law enforcement retrieving the cocaine to return to Hussain’s supplier so that Taaff could get a refund.  Hussain was also overheard telling Taaff that he needed to get a gun because someone stole $1,000 from him.

In addition, Hussain deposited money into a bank account, as directed by Taaff, for the purchase of drugs.  The bank account was held in the name of a recruited individual, who withdrew the money as directed by another co-conspirator.

On December 5, 2013, search warrants were executed at locations in Prince George’s County, Montgomery County and Tucson, Arizona, in connection with the conspiracy.  At Hussain’s residence, law enforcement recovered drug packaging materials and drug paraphernalia, approximately $1,261 in cash and approximately $1,200 in counterfeit currency, as well as 9.3 grams of crack cocaine.

Hussain admitted that during his participation in the conspiracy, at least 500 grams of powder cocaine and 28 grams of crack cocaine were distributed; and at least $91,261 was furnished in exchange for drugs. 

Marvin Anthony Taaff, age 29, of Takoma Park, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 4, 2016

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the ATF, Prince George’s County Police Department, Maryland-National Capital Park Police and Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deborah A. Johnston and Lindsay Eyler Kaplan, who prosecuted the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Richard Spivey, age 52, of Waldorf, Maryland, today to 17 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for distribution of child pornography. U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel ordered that upon his release from prison, Spivey must register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).  Spivey was taken into custody immediately following his guilty plea on September 25, 2015 and he remains detained.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to Spivey’s plea agreement, between January 29 and 30, 2014, Spivey used a file sharing program to distribute over 2,000 files depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  A search warrant was executed at Spivey’s residence on June 18, 2014, and law enforcement seized numerous electronic devices, including a desktop computer, a laptop computer and two external hard drives.  A forensic review of the electronic devices found thousands of image files and hundreds of movie files containing child pornography.  Some of the files portrayed sadistic and masochistic conduct and other depictions of violence, as well as images of infants and toddlers.

In addition, on Spivey’s electronic devices law enforcement found videos that Spivey produced, depicting a prepubescent female in different stages of undress.  Spivey admitted that he surreptitiously recorded the child while she was undressing, using a hidden camera. These videos constitute child pornography. Finally, Spivey also admitted surreptitiously producing videos of an adult female, while that person was in the bathroom in various stages of undress.

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 Attorneys' 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 Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicolas A. Mitchell and Kristi A. O’Malley, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Kaushik Kanti Modi, age 43, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, a native of India living illegally in the United States, pleaded guilty today to a money laundering conspiracy arising from a scheme to launder millions of dollars of fraud proceeds obtained from individual victims through a variety of scams.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Thomas Jankowski of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department.

“Criminal conspiracies such as this are loathsome crimes that victimize our nation’s honest taxpayers,” said Thomas Jankowski, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Washington D.C. Field Office.  “Today’s plea is a reminder that IRS-CI will remain vigilant in our investigation of these schemes and will continue to work with prosecutors to combat this type of criminal conduct.”

According to his plea agreement, Modi received text messages from conspirators instructing him to buy large numbers of stored value cards, principally GreenDot cards, and to forward the PIN numbers of the cards to other unidentified co-conspirators. 

Modi’s co-conspirators loaded money onto the stored value cards using a variety of scams.  Some of the money came from calls made by persons impersonating IRS employees who convinced innocent taxpayers that they owed taxes to the IRS, and needed to send money to the co-conspirators to avoid arrest and incarceration.  On at least two occasions, victims of the IRS impersonation fraud deposited money directly into accounts held in Modi’s name.  Other money was derived by offering merchandise for sale on the internet and then failing to provide the merchandise once money was received from the victim-purchaser.

After money was loaded on the stored value cards, Modi was instructed to use the cards to buy money orders, principally MoneyGram money orders at Walmart stores, and then to deposit those money orders into bank accounts either in Modi’s name or the names of others.  From January 1, 2014 to March 24, 2015, Modi deposited 241 money orders totaling $2,077,308.20 into his bank accounts.  Moreover, Modi frequently bought the money orders using stored value cards that were activated using the identification of identity theft victims. 

At the time of his arrest, Modi admitted that he knew that something was not right about the source of the money involved in the transactions, and accordingly, knew that the purpose of those transactions was to conceal the proceeds of unlawful activity.

Modi has agreed to forfeit $902,678.08, the amount involved in the money laundering offense that the government has seized or restrained.

Modi faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz scheduled sentencing for May 12, 2016, at 10:00 a.m.

Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force.  The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.  With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud.  Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations.  Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants.  For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the IRS – Criminal Investigation and Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan T. Shea, who is prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Former U.S. Postal Service employee Linwood R. Nelson, Jr., age 32, of Gwynn Oaks, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, and admitted to diverting packages of drugs sent through the U.S. Mail and delivering them to co-conspirators.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Postal Inspector in Charge Maria L. Kelokates of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Special Agent in Charge Paul L. Bowman of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General; and Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.

According to Nelson’s plea agreement, he was a postal carrier employed by the United States Postal Service and assigned a delivery route in Woodstock, Maryland.  From July 2014, through September 11, 2014, Nelson agreed to divert U.S. Mail parcels containing drugs, including heroin, from his regular delivery route and deliver those packages directly to various co-conspirators.

Nelson provided co-conspirators with an address along his route and instructed them to send parcels to this address, but to use false addressee names on each parcel.  Co-conspirators regularly communicated with Nelson via telephone and text message to provide descriptions of the parcels sent, including the colors of the mailed boxes and the false addressee names used.  Nelson then used the information to remove the parcels from his delivery batches, falsely scan them as “delivered” in the U.S. Postal Service computer tracking system, and then bring them to co-conspirators at an agreed-upon location.  Nelson received cash in exchange for delivering the parcels, typically $500 per parcel. 

On September 11, 2014, Nelson was arrested in possession of a package containing approximately two kilograms of heroin.  When arrested, he was on his way to meet with a co-conspirator at a pre-determined location, where Nelson was to provide the parcel containing heroin to the co-conspirator in exchange for cash. 

Nelson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison for the heroin distribution conspiracy.   Chief U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has scheduled sentencing for July 14, 2016.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, DEA, U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, and Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys James G. Warwick and Joshua T. Ferrentino, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Howard Downey, age 33, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty today to robbing a store, and tampering with evidence in connection with the gun used in the robberies.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby; and Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis.

According to his plea agreement, on March 7, 2015, Downey robbed a store on East Monument Street in Baltimore.  Downey brandished a revolver at an employee, demanding money.  After the employee handed over money from two cash registers, Downey told the victim to hand over the store’s telephone and kneel down.  Downey fled to a van waiting outside.

On March 12 and 13, 2015, Downey used the revolver to rob two stores, one on Patapsco Avenue and the other on East Monument Street in Baltimore, respectively. 

Detectives recovered video footage of the March 7 and 12 robberies.  Downey is seen arriving and leaving the robbery scenes in a purple Dodge caravan.  Further investigation led detectives to Downey’s residence where they executed a search warrant on March 26.  They seized clothing that Downey wore during the robberies, and a phone used by Downey.  In text messages found on the phone, Downey referred to himself and a cohort/getaway driver as Bonnie and Clyde.

Downey was arrested on March 27, 2015 and confessed to the March 7 robbery.  He would not, however, reveal the identity of the driver of the van or the whereabouts of the gun used in the robberies. Subsequently, Downey was overheard on telephone calls from the Baltimore City jail conspiring to obstruct justice by hiding the gun he used in the robberies from law enforcement.  Downey instructed the co-conspirator to retrieve the gun from where it was hidden and get rid of it.  The next day, the co-conspirator reported to Downey via another recorded phone call that he took care of the gun.  Further investigation revealed that the co-conspirator had taken the gun to a friend’s home, where it was recovered by law enforcement pursuant to a search warrant.

Downey and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Downey will be sentenced to between 87 and 97 months in prison.  Chief U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has scheduled sentencing for July 15, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. 

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Baltimore Police Department and Baltimore City State’s Attorney's Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Special Assistant United States Attorney Shelley S. Glenn, who is prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced Jamaar Davon Brandon, age 24, of Waldorf, Maryland, today to eight years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for distribution of child pornography. Judge Messitte also ordered that upon his release from prison Brandon must register as a sex offender in the place 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 Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Charles County Sheriff Troy Berry; and Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.

According to his plea agreement, from at least October 2012 through at least June 2015, Brandon used email, cloud storage programs, file sharing programs, internet chat messaging, smartphone messaging applications and other internet-based programs to distribute and receive child pornography.

On October 18, 2012, a website reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that one of its users, later identified as Brandon, had uploaded suspected child pornography to the website.  A law enforcement review confirmed that a number of the files contained child pornography.  A state search warrant was executed at Brandon’s residence and seized among other items, Brandon’s laptop.  A forensic review of the laptop found approximately 700 digital files of interest, the majority of which were confirmed to be child pornography and child erotica. some of which portrayed sadistic and masochistic conduct and other depictions of violence.  Three of the digital files were videos registered with the NCMEC Child Victim Identification Program, meaning the identities of the child victims portrayed in the videos have been confirmed by law enforcement.

On January 13, 2015, a cloud storage service website reported to NCMEC that 70 digital video files of suspected child pornography had been uploaded to Brandon’s account.  After confirming that certain of the files contained child pornography, federal law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Brandon’s residence.  On June 23, 2015, the federal search warrant was executed at Brandon’s residence and digital media and electronics were seized.  After waiving his rights, Brandon was interviewed by federal agents and admitted that he downloaded and shared child pornography via the internet using a variety of mediums, including email and cell phone messaging applications. The digital media seized during the search contained more than 1,350 images depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In addition, a review of Brandon’s email and online storage accounts confirmed that Brandon had uploaded and distributed image and video files containing child pornography.  Some of the videos and images involved toddler-aged and prepubescent females and some portrayed sadistic and masochistic conduct and other depictions of violence.

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 Attorneys' 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 Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Maryland State Police and Charles County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Wine and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristi N. O’Malley, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal criminal complaint has been filed charging Louis Francis Bradley, age 65, of Baltimore, with distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography. The criminal complaint was filed on March 15, 2016, and unsealed upon Bradley’s arrest.  Bradley had his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher.  Bradley was ordered to be detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Monday, March 21, 2016, at 11:00 a.m.

The charges were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department.

“The disturbing affidavit alleges that the defendant contacted women in the Philippines over the internet and paid them to send images of young girls engaged in sexually explicit conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein.

According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, In January 2016, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a Cybertipline Report submitted by a website stating that between December 30, 2015, and January 14, 2016, eight images of suspected child pornography were uploaded to a photo account associated with Bradley’s email address. 

As part of the investigation, search warrants were executed for Bradley’s social media and email accounts.  The results for one of Bradley’s Facebook accounts is over 29,000 pages long and the review of the results is ongoing, but law enforcement located conversations with women in the Philippines. Based on those conversations, the affidavit alleges that Bradley is paying the women, who have access to minor females, to send him images of those prepubescent females engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  The affidavit alleges that Bradley also distributed child pornography to at least one woman in the Philippines.

If convicted, Bradley faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years and up to 40 years for distribution and receipt of child pornography; and a maximum of 20 years in prison for possession of child pornography. 

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

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 Attorneys' 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 Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI and Baltimore City Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who is prosecuting the federal case.

Baltimore, Maryland –Donta Betts, age 20, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty today to making a destructive device in connection with the April 27, 2015, riots in Baltimore. Betts also pleaded guilty in an unrelated case to discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on July 2, 2015. 

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.   

“This is the sad reality confronting brave police officers who try to save lives in Baltimore,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Donta Betts engaged in arson, looting, assault and other mayhem during the Baltimore riots. He threw rocks at the police near Mondawmin Mall; tried to destroy police cars; stole from a pharmacy, a liquor store and a shoe store; and set off a homemade bomb. Ten weeks later, he tried to murder a woman over a $20 drug dispute, then he conspired to get her to sign a false affidavit. We caught him only because police and prosecutors spent many hours reviewing video and audio recordings. It may sound like a story arc from a TV series, but it is real life in Baltimore.”

On April 27, 2015, riots and widespread looting erupted in Baltimore.  Among the affected businesses, the CVS Pharmacy located at 2509 Pennsylvania Avenue in Baltimore was looted and burned. According to his plea agreement, Betts participated in the looting at the CVS. Betts is captured on surveillance video entering the store through its main front entrance and removing merchandise from the store.

By 5:44 p.m., riot participants had placed an assemblage of metal propane cylinders and charcoal briquettes near the main entrance to CVS, between West North Avenue and a line of police officers that had formed across the 2500 block of Pennsylvania Avenue.  In an effort to deter the line of police officers from advancing to stop the looting of the CVS, Betts set fire to a roll of toilet paper and placed it on top of the propane cylinders and charcoal briquettes.  Betts then squirted lighter fluid onto the burning roll of toilet paper atop the incendiary materials. Betts’ face and full body are shown squirting lighter fluid onto the incendiary materials in still photographs, some of which were published by local and national news media. Betts then fled, and at approximately 5:58 p.m., a large flame exploded from the improvised incendiary device, resulting in flying debris of large metal fragments from the propane cylinders and blast effects felt by nearby bystanders.

During the investigation, ATF learned that in addition to making the incendiary device, the scope of Betts’ participation in the April 27th riots included: throwing objects at police in the vicinity of Mondawmin Mall; attempting to tip over MTA and police vehicles while encouraging others to join him; attempting to destroy a police cruiser by placing flammable material in the fuel filler pipe and igniting the material; and stealing from the CVS, a liquor store in Baltimore, and a shoe store at Mondawmin Mall.  Betts’ involvement in the riots is documented in surveillance footage and still photographs.

In an unrelated case, on July 2, 2015, Betts shot and attempted to kill an individual who had previously purchased heroin from him.  According to the plea agreement, Betts expected to be paid $40 for the heroin, but the individual only paid him about $20.  On the morning of July 2, 2015, Betts saw the individual in the driver’s seat of a vehicle with a passenger in southwest Baltimore. Betts approached the vehicle with a gun in his hand and shot at the individual, intending to kill the victim in retaliation for having been cheated in the prior drug transaction.  The victim managed to drive away and was treated at the Shock Trauma Center at University of Maryland Hospital for severe injuries to her left leg. Betts was arrested for the shooting on July 7, 2015 and charged in state court with attempted first degree murder and other offenses, and detained.

On July 18 and July 19, 2015, while he was detained, Betts made calls to a friend. During the call on July 19, which was recorded by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, Betts provided the name of the shooting victim and asked his friend to relay that information to associates of Betts and to instruct them to obtain a signed affidavit from the victim stating that Betts did not shoot her.  During the same call, Betts admitted that he did shoot the victim. 

Betts and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement Betts will be sentenced to between 14 and 16 years in prison.  U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz has scheduled sentencing for June 24, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.  Betts remains detained.

The investigation into arsons that occurred on April 27, 2015, is continuing.  Anyone with information is urged to call the ATF hotline, 1-888-ATF-FIRE (1-888-283-3473). ATF continues to offer a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any individual responsible for these incidents.

Federal prosecutors previously have charged four other defendants for arson crimes committed during the Baltimore riots on April 27, 2015. Trevon Green, age 23, of Baltimore, is charged with malicious destruction of property by fire, for allegedly setting fire to a food store on North Monroe Street.  Gregory Lee Butler, Jr., a/k/a Greg Baly, age 22, of Baltimore, faces federal charges for obstruction of firefighters during a civil disorder and for aiding and abetting arson. Darius Raymond Stewart, age 22, of Baltimore, is charged with malicious destruction of a commercial building for allegedly setting fire to a liquor store on West North Avenue. Raymon Carter, age 25, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to the federal crime of rioting, including the arson of the CVS Pharmacy on April 27, 2015, and was sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $500,000.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the ATF, Baltimore Police Department, and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. Maddox and Sandra Wilkinson, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Sergei William Noack, age 23, of West River, Maryland, pleaded guilty today possession of child pornography.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Wes Adams.

According to his plea agreement, on May 8, 2015, an Anne Arundel County Police Department investigator received two Cybertips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that had been received from an internet service provider.  The tips involved an individual, later determined to be Noack, who had: uploaded to his computer an image depicting two prepubescent male minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and, sent a photo of a prepubescent minor to another individual and stated via chat that he was having sexual contact with the minor.

That same day, a search warrant was executed at Noack’s residence.  Investigators seized his desktop computer, two external hard drives, and his cell phone.  Noack spoke with law enforcement voluntarily and advised that he had thousands of images of child pornography on his computer, which he searched for and collected from the internet.  Noack admitted that he likes images and videos depicting bondage.  He stated that he meets people online in websites and chat rooms, then moves to applications that conceal the identity of the user to trade child pornography files with those people.

A preliminary forensic examination of the seized items revealed images and videos of children engaged is sexually explicit conduct on the desktop computer and external hard drive.  There were at least eight videos and 90 images of child pornography on the media, including numerous files that portray sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.  One of the videos was surreptitiously recorded by Noack and depicted a minor prepubescent male using the bathroom in Noack’s home. Noack also stated that approximately two to three years earlier he was alone with a prepubescent minor who was visiting his home and that he touched the back and stomach of the prepubescent minor.  The minor was interviewed in 2015 and stated that Noack would give him a cookie to take off his shirt and then touched him on his bare chest and stomach.  The minor stated that Noack attempted to put his hands under the minor’s pants, towards his genitals, but the minor moved away.  In 2012, Noack sent frequent text messages to the minor, often declaring his love for the minor.

As part of his plea agreement, Noack must register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

Noack and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement Noack will be sentenced to at least five years in prison followed by at least 25 years of supervised release.  U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III has scheduled sentencing for June 17, 2016 at 2:00 p.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 Attorneys' 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 Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Anne Arundel County Police Department and Anne Arundel County Police Department for their work in the investigation and recognized Anne Arundel County Assistant State’s Attorney Anastasia Prigge, who handled the state prosecution.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who is prosecuting the federal case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Damien Lanier Owens, age 33, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison followed by eight years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, and for being a felon in possession of a gun. 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Chief Henry P. Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; and Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans.

According to his plea agreement, on October 29, 2013, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence where Owens was staying with his girlfriend, Asia Renee Holland.  A 9mm semiautomatic pistol was recovered from the bedroom where Owens and Holland were found.  The firearm had been reported as stolen.  Owens had previously been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

On November 4, 2014, deputies from the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit and Special Operations Team, and a DEA Task Force Officer executed search warrants for a vehicle registered to Owens’ girlfriend, and for the body of Owens.  The search warrants were executed while the vehicle was parked at a gas station in Dunkirk, Maryland, with Owens in the driver’s seat and Holland in the passenger seat of the vehicle. 

Law enforcement recovered from the car: a digital scale with suspected cocaine residue; .32 grams of crack cocaine; and an unlabeled pill bottle with four oxycodone pills, recovered from Holland’s purse. A female deputy conducted a search of Holland after she became irate and screamed at and confronted law enforcement officers during the search of the vehicle.  The deputy recovered two clear baggies containing a total of 31.05 grams of crack cocaine and 54.35 grams of powder cocaine from Holland’s crotch area.  Owens admitted that the drugs in the car and recovered from Holland were his.

Asia Renee Holland, age 24, also of Upper Marlboro, pleaded guilty to the drug charge and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18, 2016.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA, ATF, Prince George’s County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department and Calvert County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph R. Baldwin and Kelly O’Connell Hayes, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Peter Aleksandrov Magnis, age 28, of Hydes, Maryland, today to seven years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a robbery conspiracy in connection with the robbery of a jewelry store, including a carjacking and kidnapping.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.         

According to his plea agreement, Magnis was part of a conspiracy to rob an Owings Mills jewelry store.  Specifically, in the fall of 2012, Stanislav “Steven” Yelizarov devised a plan to commit an armed robbery of a jewelry store, known to be owned and operated by members of the Russian community of Northwest Baltimore.  S. Yelizarov recruited Magnis, Grigory Zilberman, Aleksy Sosonko, Igor Yasinov, his brother Marat Yelizarov, Sorhib Omonov, and others to participate in the robbery.  Prior to the robbery, the conspirators gathered intelligence, including conducting surveillance and attaching a GPS device to the car of an employee of the jewelry store in order to learn the employee’s travel routine and habits.  Zilberman also exploited his friendship with the employee to obtain information about the operation of the jewelry store and the habits of the employee. 

According to Magnis’ plea agreement and court documents, on January 15, 2013, Zilberman enticed the employee to visit his home, in order to alert the other co-conspirators of the employee’s whereabouts.  While the employee was at Zilberman’s home, the conspirators met at S. Yelizarov’s residence to prepare for the kidnapping and robbery, including preparing the firearms and donning masks and gloves. Early in the morning on January 16, 2013, M. Yelizarov and Omonov followed the employee from Zilberman’s home and notified the other conspirators of the employee’s location so they could then follow the employee. S. Yelizarov, Sosonko, Yasinov, and Magnis driving in a rental car obtained by Yasinov, used a law enforcement-type light bar and a loudspeaker to impersonate a police officer and pull over the employee. Brandishing firearms which were supplied by S. Yelizarov, the conspirators removed the employee from his car, bound and blindfolded the employee, put him into the trunk of his own car, and drove him to a predetermined location.

According to the plea agreement and court documents, once at the location, the co-conspirators continued to brandish firearms and threatened to kill the employee’s family if he did not comply with their demands or if he reported the incident to police. The employee complied and at approximately 3:52 a.m., S. Yelizarov and Sosonko drove the employee’s vehicle from the remote location to the jewelry store, while Yasinov and Magnis stayed with the employee, holding him bound and blindfolded at gunpoint.  M. Yelizarov and Omonov were stationed near the jewelry store to act as “look-outs.”  S. Yelizarov and Sosonko entered the store and stole jewelry, stones, and watches, valued at about $500,000, then drove back to the remote location. The employee was placed back into the trunk of his car and driven to another location, where he was left. The employee was able to kick his way out of the trunk through the back seat of his car.the trunk through the back seat of his car.

On January 18, 2013, S. Yelizarov sold a portion of the stolen jewelry for approximately $29,000 to an FBI informant.  On January 19, 2013, S. Yelizarov traveled to Brooklyn, New York to sell some of the jewelry and stones taken during the robbery, receiving over $100,000. On January 21, 2013, he returned to Maryland and divided the cash proceeds among the members of the conspiracy and others.

On November 19, 2014, during the search of Magnis’ residence and the adjacent property, a bag of guns was found buried on the adjacent property within 20 feet of Magnis’ property.  Inside the bag were six firearms (all rifles and shotguns), each individually wrapped in clear plastic wrap.  Two of the firearms were sawed off shotguns, and one of these had an obliterated serial number.  Both of those guns were stolen during an armed home invasion of a residence in Reisterstown, Maryland, on July 22, 2012.  S. Yelizarov, M. Yelizarov, Sosonko and Zilberman admitted to committing that robbery.

In addition, in January and May 2013 Magnis purchased three handguns.  One of those handguns was seized during a car stop and search of Yasinov in September 2013.  Yasinov was prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms due to a previous felony conviction.

Stanislav Yelizarov, age 26, and Marat Yelizarov, age 27, both of Pikesville; Grigoriy (Greg) Zilberman, age 25, and Aleksey Sosonko, age 35, both of Owings Mills, Maryland; Peter Aleksandrov Magnis, age 28, of Hydes, Maryland; and Igor Yasinov, age 26, and Sorhib Omonov, age 27, both of Baltimore, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the robbery conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI, Baltimore County Police Department, and Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Paul E. Budlow and Aaron S. J. Zelinsky, who are prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland –Jeffrey Sean Nazari, age 44, of Silver Spring, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to charges of distributing a controlled substance analogue, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Nazari admitted that death resulted from the use of the acetyl fentanyl analogue that he distributed.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.      

According to his plea agreement, Nazari knew and periodically sold heroin and other drugs to the victim for about five years. On January 4, 2015, Nazari and the victim communicated by text message and Nazari agreed to provide the victim with drugs.  Nazari went to the victim’s residence and distributed acetyl fentanyl to the victim.  The next day, the victim was found dead and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that the victim’s cause of death was acetyl fentanyl intoxication. The victim died as a result of ingesting the acetyl fentanyl analogue provided by Nazari.  

On January 6, 2016, another drug customer went to Nazari’s residence.  As the customer left the area, members of law enforcement stopped and searched the customer’s vehicle and recovered residue from the acetyl fentanyl analogue that Nazari had sold to the customer, as well as drug paraphernalia with acetyl fentanyl analogue and heroin residue.  

On January 7, 2015, a search warrant was executed at Nazari’s residence. When law enforcement entered, Nazari was in the basement bathroom, attempting to flush drugs down the toilet.  Law enforcement seized from the basement bathroom approximately 7.5 grams of acetyl fentanyl analogue, 10 grams of cocaine, and nine grams of testosterone. In addition, members of law enforcement seized two digital scales from the basement bedroom closet, and a loaded .380 caliber handgun from the basement bedroom nightstand.  Nazari had previous felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. 

Nazari and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement Nazari will be sentenced to between 10 and 15 years in prison.  U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus has scheduled sentencing for July 25, 2016 at 1:00 p.m.  Nazari remains detained.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the DEA, Montgomery County Police Department, and the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Arun G. Rao and Nicolas A. Mitchell, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury today convicted Junaidu Saljan Savage, a/k/a James Kamara, age 29, of Lanham, Maryland, for conspiring to commit bank fraud and for aggravated identity theft arising from a scheme to defraud a bank by using account holders’ personal information to take over their accounts.

The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Postal Inspector in Charge Maria L. Kelokates of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge James Murray of the United States Secret Service - Washington Field Office; and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department..

According to testimony at his six day trial, from January 1, 2012 through April 2012, Savage conspired with Jayad Zainab Ester Conteh, Paul Anthony Williams and others to defraud a bank.  Conteh, a bank teller, looked up bank account holder information on the computer system without authorization and disclosed the account holders’ personal identifying information to Savage and other co-conspirators.  Using that information, Savage would call the bank pretending to be the account holder, change certain account information and order checks on the compromised account to be delivered by overnight mail.  Savage and other co-conspirators would obtain those checks, including by intercepting the checks upon delivery at the actual account holders’ addresses.  Wilson cashed the checks at bank branches in Maryland. 

Trial evidence showed that as a result of the conspiracy at least seven bank account holders’ accounts were improperly accessed, with intended losses of more than $120,000.

Jayad Zainab Ester Conteh, age 24, of Glenarden, Maryland, was convicted after trial and sentenced to 64 months in prison for conspiring to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft and unauthorized access to a computer to obtain banking information. Judge Russell also entered an order that Conteh pay $36,400 in restitution to the victim bank and forfeit $36,400.

According to court documents and trial testimony, in July 2014, after Conteh had reported to prison to begin serving her sentence, Savage went to visit her relatives.  An audio and video recording of the meeting reveal that Savage told Conteh’s relatives that he was involved in her criminal conduct and would pay the restitution ordered by the Court.  In late August 2014, Savage’s girlfriend provided $6,000 in cash to a relative of Conteh as partial payment of Conteh’s restitution.

Co-conspirator Paul Anthony Wilson, a/k/a Anthony Johnson, age 53, of Washington, D.C., was arrested while attempting to cash a check on the account of one of the victims.  Wilson pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced to 39 months in prison.

Savage faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million for the bank fraud conspiracy, and a mandatory two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for aggravated identity theft.  U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III scheduled Savage’s sentencing for June 24, 2016, at 9:30 a.m.

Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force.  The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.  With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud.  Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations.  Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants.  For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Secret Service and Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas P. Windom and Ray D. McKenzie, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Tercel Baker, age 33, of Glen Burnie, Maryland today to 12 years in prison followed by four years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.

According to his plea agreement, on January 8, 2015, and as part of an investigation of drug and gun violations, members of the Maryland State Police and HSI saw Baker leave his apartment and drive away in a Gold Lexus SUV.  After Baker committed several traffic violations, they stopped his vehicle.  A K9 was ordered to scan the car and alerted for the presence of contraband.  A subsequent search of the vehicle, Baker and his apartment resulted in the seizure of a total of 58.4 grams of crack cocaine, 42.84 grams of marijuana, 26 oxycodone pills, a .40 caliber firearm and $12,000 in cash.  Baker admitted to law enforcement that he was a middle man, and that he cooked the cocaine into crack at his house.

Baker has two prior felony drug convictions and was on federal supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm at the time of this offense.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended HSI Baltimore and the Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Patricia C. McLane and A. David Copperthite, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury today indicted Dontae Small, age 42 of Baltimore, on charges of conspiracy, carjacking, and destruction of government property, after he allegedly rammed a stolen car into a security gate at the National Security Agency in Ft. Meade, Maryland.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; and the National Security Agency Police.

According to the three count indictment, on October 4, 2015, Small and his co-conspirators were riding in a white minivan in the Federal Hill neighborhood of Baltimore, looking for victims to rob.  At about 10:09 p.m. Small texted a male co-conspirator the following message: “Get the dude cpming down da st.I parked on smoking a pipe” [sic].

Three of the co-conspirators approached Victim 1 on Covington Street, pointed a silver handgun at the victim and demanded that the victim give them the keys to his car, a 2008 Acura TSX.  The conspirators then took the car.  On that same night, two of the conspirators approached Victims 2 and 3. One of the conspirators brandished a silver handgun and asked what was in Victim 2’s pockets.  Victims 2 and 3 fled and one of the conspirators grabbed a cellular phone that had fallen from Victim 3’s pocket as they ran. 

The indictment alleges that Small took the stolen Acura and drove it from Baltimore to Anne Arundel County, Maryland, crashing the car into a security gate protecting the National Security Agency on October 7, 2015.

Small faces a sentence of 15 years in prison for carjacking; a maximum of 10 years in prison for destruction of government property; and a maximum of five years in prison for conspiracy.  An initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore has not yet been scheduled.  Small 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. 

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended FBI, the Baltimore City Police Department, Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, Anne Arundel County Police Department, and National Security Agency Associate Directorate for Security and Counterintelligence for their work in the investigation and thanked the Fort George G. Meade Directorate of Emergency Services for its assistance.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Wilkinson, who is prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Philip Rice D’Avanzo, age 29, of Bethesda, Maryland, today to three years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered D’Avanzo to pay a $10,000 fine, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone. Judge Chuang also entered an order requiring D’Avanzo to forfeit three luxury wristwatches, his pick-up truck and $241,352 in cash.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department.

 According to D’Avanzo’s plea agreement and court documents, from June 2014 through September 25, 2014, D’Avanzo, Richard Michael Mathisen, and others, conspired to distribute oxycodone.  As part of the conspiracy, co-conspirators obtained MRIs, which another co-conspirator altered to make them appear as though the individuals required prescriptions for pain medication.  The co-conspirators either gave or sold to D’Avanzo or Mathiesen all or some of the oxycodone obtained from the prescriptions.  The defendants then used some of the oxycodone for themselves and distributed some of the oxycodone to others.

According to D’Avanzo’s plea agreement, on September 25, 2014, D’Avanzo went to Mathisen’s residence and at Mathisen’s request took 18 oxycodone pills, 10 methadone pills and 45 amphetamine and detroampehetamine pills, that Mathisen wanted removed from his home in case law enforcement officers searched his house.  D’Avanzo put the drugs in his truck.  Later that day, Montgomery County Police officers executed a search warrant at D’Avanzo’s residence.  In addition to recovering the pill bottles in the names of people who did not reside at his residence, law enforcement recovered both a shotgun and a semi-automatic assault rifle next to D’Avanzo’s bed, and eight 30-round magazines, including one that was fully loaded and was found adjacent to the semi-automatic assault rifle.

A search warrant was also executed at Mathisen’s residence on September 25, 2014, and Montgomery County Police seized pill bottles in the names of individuals who did not reside at his residence.

D’Avanzo admitted that during his participation in the drug conspiracy between 15 and 60 grams of oxycodone were distributed.  D’Avanzo used proceeds from the conspiracy to purchase three luxury wristwatches, which he must forfeit along with his pick-up truck and $241,352 in cash. 

On February 3, 2016, Richard Michael Mathisen, age 29, of Rockville, Maryland was sentenced to nine years in prison for conspiring to distribute oxycodone.  Judge Chuang also entered an order requiring him to pay a $60,000 fine.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF and Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsay Eyler Kaplan, who prosecuted the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Charles Jerome Wiggins, age 25, of Cottage City, Maryland, late yesterday of two counts of involuntary manslaughter and reckless driving. 

The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Chief of Police Robert D. MacLean of the U.S. Park Police.

 According to evidence presented at the three day trial, on December 12, 2013 at 2 a.m., Wiggins was driving a car on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.  His wife, Kiana Wiggins, who had turned 34 that day, was in the front passenger seat, and his sister-in-law, Angel Barbour, age 21, was sitting in the back behind her.  His sister-in-law’s boyfriend was also sitting in the back seat.  Wiggins rear-ended a pickup truck that was driving in the same direction.  The truck went into the woods, and Wiggins’s car flipped over and skidded on its roof more than 200 feet.  The two women were killed.  Wiggins was found to have a blood alcohol level of .19%.

Wiggins faces a maximum sentence of sixteen years in prison for the two involuntary manslaughter counts, and six months in prison for reckless driving. U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel has scheduled sentencing for June 21, 2016 at 9:30 a.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the U.S. Park Police for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Hollis Raphael Weisman and Special Assistant United States Attorney Conor Mulroe, of the U.S. Department of Justice, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Elbert Darell Crump, age 46, of Towson, Maryland, today to  135 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for robbery.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.

According to his plea agreement, on January 14, 2015 Crump entered the Dollar Tree on Joppa Road in Towson, wearing a face mask.  Crump pointed a semi-automatic handgun at a cashier and demanded money.  Crump took cash out of the register drawer, a dollar from a nearby customer, and fled.

On January 20, 2015, Crump entered the Gino’s Burgers and Chicken Restaurant on LaSalle Road in Towson.  Crump produced a firearm and demanded money from the employees. When the manager/employee had difficulty opening a cash register, Crump struck the manager in the head with the firearm, knocking him to the ground. Another employee helped the manager open the cash registers and Crump took the cash. A video recording shows Crump pointing the firearm in the direction of some of the customers as well as the employees. 

The next day, Crump entered the Toys ‘R Us store on Putty Hill Avenue in Towson, wearing a face mask.  Crump pointed a gun at a cashier and demanded money.  The cashier ran out the front door.  Crump pointed his gun at another employee, forcing the employee to open eight cash registers and put the cash into a bag.  During this time, several customers and employees called 911.  Police from Baltimore County responded quickly and surrounded the store. Several customers who were inside fled the store and were moved to safety by the police. Crump attempted to leave by the front and then the back of the store, but returned inside once he saw the police outside.

Baltimore County tactical officers and hostage negotiators arrived. Police were advised by fleeing customers that Crump was armed and that customers remained inside. Crump asked two customers to help him hide and handed them about $400. Crump hid in a large box on a shelf.  The customers who received the money left the store, told police where Crump was hiding and gave the police the money. Tactical officers and canine officers subsequently entered the store and located Crump, hiding in the box on the shelf. A 24 hour search of the store took place before the .380 caliber handgun was located in the baby section inside a bag with $1,650 taken by Crump from all of the registers.

Video recordings of all three robberies identified Crump as the robber.  The firearm was registered to Crump’s girlfriend with whom Crump was staying.  Clothes worn by Crump during the robberies were found at their residence.

Crump had previously been convicted of at least one crime of violence and one drug offense.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the Baltimore Police Department, FBI and Baltimore County State’s Attorney=s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys A. David Copperthite and  James A. Crowell IV, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Ian Daniel Ugol, age 24, of Ellicott City, Maryland pleaded guilty today to distribution of heroin.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Baltimore District Office; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Chief Gary Gardner of the Howard County Police Department.

DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don Hibbert stated, “The Drug Enforcement Administration is focused not only on large scale drug traffickers, but also on cases where the distribution of an illegal drug has a direct causal link to the death of an individual. The arrest and guilty plea in this case illustrates that the results of the illegal distribution of narcotics to users are not only tragic, but are often deadly.”

According to his plea agreement, on November 13, 2013, Ugol communicated with the victim through social media, text messaging and telephone conversations to arrange for Ugol to obtain heroin for the victim’s use.  During that time, Ugol was also in contact with another individual known as a source for heroin. Between 10:58 pm on November 13, 2013, and four minutes after midnight on November 14, 2013, there were five short telephone conversations and one text between Ugol and the source of supply arranging for Ugol to obtain heroin for the victim. According to text messages, Ugol and the victim met at or near a bowling alley in Ellicott City to arrange for the victim and Ugol to get the heroin. Before 7:00 a.m. on November 14, 2013, the victim was discovered by his parents at their home, unconscious and was not breathing.  He was pronounced dead at 7:13 a.m. and the medical examiner determined that the cause of death was heroin and oxycodone intoxication.

Ugol faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for distribution of heroin.   U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis has scheduled sentencing for August 17, 2016, 2016 at 2:15 p.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA, FBI, and Howard County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea L. Smith, who is prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – Derrick Kwan Byas, Jr., age 27, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft arising from a bank fraud scheme.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Acting Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, from January 2009 to April 29, 2015, Byas and others applied for vehicle loans with financial institutions and lenders using false information as to employment history, addresses, dates of birth and social security numbers.  They created and submitted fake documents, such as lien releases, utility bills, paystubs, letters of recommendation and a police report.

When applying for the loans, Byas had no intention of actually purchasing a vehicle and instead knew that any loan proceeds would be split between himself and others.  Byas and his co-conspirators often applied for vehicle loans on the same vehicle with different lenders.  They deposited the loan funds into bank accounts and cashed loan checks at liquor stores. They failed to pay the vehicle loans, which often resulted in the vehicles being repossessed by the lenders.

Byas and his co-conspirators also nominally agreed to sell the vehicles, obtained money from the sales and then did not provide the vehicles to the buyers.

In February 2014, Byas obtained a credit card using a false social security number, resulting in a loss to the bank issuing the card.  From May to November 2014, Byas attempted to obtain six car loans, three personal loans and a credit card. 

The intended loss resulting from Byas’s fraudulent conduct was at least $220,603. 

Byas faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for conspiring to commit bank fraud and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft, consecutive to any other sentence.  U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow scheduled sentencing for July 11, 2016 at 2:00 p.m.

The Maryland Identity Theft Working Group has been working since 2006 to foster cooperation among local, state, federal, and institutional fraud investigators and to promote effective prosecution of identity theft schemes by both state and federal prosecutors. This case, as well as other cases brought by members of the Working Group, demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to work with financial institutions and businesses to address identity fraud, identify those who compromise personal identity information, and protect citizens from identity theft.

Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force.  The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.  With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud.  Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations.  Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants.  For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended HSI Baltimore and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas P. Windom and Joseph R. Baldwin, who are prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – Quinton Darnell McLean, age 21, of Washington, D.C., has been charged by federal criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm.  The criminal complaint was filed on February 29, 2016, and McLean has an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt today at 2:40 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge William Connelly. 

The charges were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks.

“Criminals who are not deterred from carrying guns by the threat of prison time can be deterred by the reality of years spent in a federal prison far from home,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Police and prosecutors are working to identify armed criminals who deserve to be charged in federal court.”

According to the affidavit filed in support of his criminal complaint, on February 12, 2016, McLean was traveling with two other men in a green Saturn on the Suitland Parkway.  Officers with the Prince George’s Police Department Washington Area Vehicle Enforcement Team (WAVE) conducted a query of the temporary registration on the Saturn, which revealed that the tag was issued for a 1987 Mercedes Benz.  Officers followed the vehicle, which pulled into a carwash on Branch Avenue in Temple Hills, Maryland.

The driver of the Saturn pulled the vehicle into the carwash bay and began washing the car while McLean and the other occupant stood outside the entrance to the carwash bay.  One of the officers, whose unmarked car was next in line for the wash bay behind the green Saturn, saw McLean adjusting his waistband and clutching the right side of his waistband as he stood outside the carwash bay.  The officer knew that McLean’s behavior was indicative of an armed person, and believed that McLean had a firearm in his waistband.  The officer frisked McLean for weapons and recovered a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol that was tucked in the right front side of McLean’s waistband area.  McLean was arrested. While in custody, McLean made several calls from jail.  During these conversations, which are recorded by the detention center, McLean made several statements, including, “Maryland time is cheap as s**t.”   McLean has a previous felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.   

McLean faces a sentence of 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a gun.  There is no probation or parole in the federal criminal justice system.

As part of the coordinated state effort to reduce violent crime, the Prince George’s County Police Department, ATF, FBI, DEA, HSI, U.S. Marshals Service, the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office, review cases of defendants arrested for firearms violations, drug offenses and other violent crimes, and evaluate whether the case should be considered for federal prosecution. Prosecutors evaluate each defendant’s criminal record, the circumstances of the arrest and other relevant information. 

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

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, Prince George’s County Police Department and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew L. Paeffgen, who is prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – James Charlton Davis, III, age 57, of Anderson, South Carolina, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud arising from an elaborate scheme to defraud his employer of at least $240,000.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to his plea agreement, from May 7, 2012 to March 13, 2013, Davis was the director of the electrical division for a small company in Landover, Maryland that provided construction and preconstruction services to federal agencies.  When applying for his job, Davis falsely represented that he had earned a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), when in fact Davis had not attended MIT.  Part of his duties as director was to develop new business for the company.

Davis falsely told company executives that he knew executives at several corporate entities, and that he was pursuing contracts with these corporate entities. Davis created and falsely registered online domain names that closely resembled legitimate domain names associated with several of these corporate entities.  Davis used these falsely-registered domains to send emails to himself and others at his employer to legitimize the fictional contracts he claimed to obtain on his employer’s behalf.  Davis also assumed the identity of an individual who investigation revealed was a contractor with a technology company.  Davis had previous interactions with this individual during his previous employment. 

In July 2012, Davis told his employer that he had procured contracts with the technology company, headquartered in San Jose, California, to construct cell towers in Alpharetta, Georgia.  Davis communicated with himself via email using the stolen identity of the individual, in connection with fictitious contracts with the tech company, and with other corporate entities for supposed upgrades to their data centers.  Davis represented that he was working with this individual to perform these contracts.  For several of the contracts, Davis sent communications to himself and/or others at his employer, or caused others at his employer’s company to send emails to various personas he had created—some of whom appear to refer to actual employees of the corporate entities with whom Davis claimed to be negotiating contracts.

Related to his supposed efforts to obtain and perform contracts with these corporate entities, Davis traveled extensively and incurred bills for expensive dinners and accommodations.  Davis sought and obtained reimbursement from his employer for travel, meals, equipment and labor costs.  In fact, however, Davis did not pursue any legitimate business and did not have interactions with any of these corporate entities on behalf of his employer.

Because of Davis’s fraudulent emails, his employer believed that demand for its services had grown exponentially.  As a result, his employer stopped pursuing additional contracts, sought larger lines of credit and hired additional personnel. 

In March of 2013, his employer learned of the fraud scheme when none of the invoices being submitted to these corporate “clients” - the fictional contacts at these companies - were being paid.  Davis’s employer started contacting these “clients” independently, and they all confirmed that they had no business dealings with Davis’s employer or with Davis. 

Davis has agreed to forfeit and pay restitution of $240,000, the minimum amount of loss to his employer company.

Davis and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Davis will be sentenced to between 57 months and seven years in prison.  U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for June 2, 2016 at 2:00 p.m.

Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force.  The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.  With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud.  Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations.  Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants.  For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas M. Sullivan and Ray D. McKenzie, who are prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Kirt Omar Gibbs, age 26, of Hyattsville, Maryland today to three years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, in connection with a conspiracy to distribute marijuana through the U.S. mail by bribing a U.S. Postal Service employee.  A federal jury convicted Gibbs on December 7, 2015.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Postal Inspector in Charge Maria L. Kelokates of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Paul L. Bowman of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General; and Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief David B. Mitchell of the University of Maryland Police Department, as part of the Maryland State Police HIDTA Metropolitan Area Drug Task Force.

According to court documents and testimony at his five day trial, from May 2013 through September 27, 2013, Gibbs conspired with Kenneth Teasley and others to distribute marijuana.  Gibbs and his co-conspirators bribed Teasley to induce him to: provide addresses along his route that they could use to send packages of marijuana to Maryland; and deliver the contraband packages to them. 

According to trial testimony, in the Spring of 2013, one of Teasley’s co-workers introduced him to Gibbs and advised him that Gibbs was looking for USPS letter carriers who would provide addresses to Gibbs and his co-conspirators which they could use to send packages of marijuana into Maryland.  Beginning in May 2013, Teasley used text messages to provide addresses that were on his delivery route to Gibbs and/or other members of the conspiracy.  When a contraband package arrived at the U.S. Post Office, Teasley picked up the package and notified Gibbs or another conspirator, who would meet Teasley along his mail route to pick up the package. In exchange, Gibbs paid Teasley between $150 and $400 for each delivery.  According to trial testimony, Gibbs received a package approximately every week.  Evidence showed that in addition to his role intercepting packages and coordinating with the postal carriers, Gibbs was also responsible for purchasing marijuana from suppliers in other states.

Telephone records introduced at trial showed text messages reflecting that Gibbs was distributing marijuana as far back as December 2012 and had made approximately $100,000 from the marijuana business.  At today’s sentencing, the Court found that Gibbs was responsible for distributing between 80 and 100 kilograms of marijuana during the time of the conspiracy.

Former U.S. Postal Service letter carrier Kenneth Teasley previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 21, 2016 at 2:00 p.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and Maryland State Police HIDTA Metropolitan Area Drug Task Force for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deborah A. Johnston and Michael T. Packard, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Noel Erik Anshel, age 48, of Owings Mills, Maryland pleaded guilty today to transportation of stolen goods.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Brian Murphy of the United States Secret Service - Baltimore Field Office; Chief Gary Gardner of the Howard County Police Department; and Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to Anshel’s plea agreement, from January 1, 2010 to January 1, 2014, he was part owner of Hilltop Cellular, a pawn shop located in the 5400 block of Reisterstown Road in Baltimore.  Anshel was the sole owner and manager of the shop from January 1, 2014 to August 12, 2015.

Anshel admitted that beginning from at least January 1, 2010 and continuing through August 12, 2015, he paid cash to “boosters,” a common term for shoplifters, in exchange for stolen products, including construction tools, pressure washers, kitchen appliances, electrical generators, and consumer electronics.  The products were frequently new and still in the original box.  The boosters brought the stolen items to Hilltop Cellular, where Anshel purchased the items, knowing that the boosters stole them from retail establishments. Anshel paid the boosters far less than the products’ retail value.  Anshel paid at least three of his “regular” boosters over $40,000 each for stolen products.

Anshel had a license to resell “second-hand” merchandise at Hillside Cellular, but would list the stolen items on eBay as “new” and “brand new.”  Most of the stolen items were sold to individuals residing outside of Maryland, and Anshel would ship the items through the U.S. Post Service and other commercial carriers.

During an investigation of an individual believed to be stealing items from a Home Depot store, Howard County Police Department officers followed the individual from a Home Depot store where the individual stole several items, to Hilltop Cellular where the individual sold the items to Anshel.  According to his plea agreement, investigators spoke with Anshel who stated that, “90% of what I buy is stolen,” and “it’s the cost of doing business.”  A subsequent search warrant executed at Hilltop Cellular recovered stolen property worth approximately $20,000, including dishwashers and circular saws.

The total estimated loss from the scheme is approximately $550,000.  Anshel used the proceeds of the scheme to purchase, among other things, six houses in Baltimore.

As part of his plea agreement, Anshel will be required to forfeit the six properties, funds held in four PayPal accounts and six bank accounts, as well as property seized from his pawn shop.

Anshel and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement Anshel will be sentenced to 46 months in prison.  U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz has scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. 

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the U.S. Secret Service, Howard County Police Department, and Baltimore City Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron S. J. Zelinsky, who is prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced the leader of the Jenifer drug trafficking organization (Jenifer DTO), Kedrick Arnold Jenifer, a/k/a “Ricky Jenifer,” “James Howard Collier, Jr.” and “Rick,” age 44, of Bowie, Maryland, today to 20 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute cocaine.  Judge Bennett entered an order requiring Jenifer to forfeit: three properties in Baltimore and one in North Miami, Florida; $111,772.19 in cash; bank accounts worth over $149,000; seven vehicles, including a 2013 Rolls-Royce Ghost and a 2014 Ferrari 458 Italia; jewelry valued at more than $575,000; as well as a boat, guns and other luxury items. 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Special Agent in Charge Thomas Jankowski of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department.

“Kedrick Jenifer lived large as a major Baltimore drug dealer, but now he will lose all of his toys and live for two decades in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “The money, cars, jewelry, real estate and businesses he accumulated with drug proceeds were forfeited to the government.”

According to his plea agreement and court documents, from September 2012 until his arrest in October 2014, Kedrick Jenifer was the head of the drug organization.  He directed the collection and transportation of money from Baltimore to Houston, Texas. The Jenifer DTO would hide money in secret compartments in “courier vehicles” that were transported from Baltimore to Houston.  Jenifer would then fly to Houston and obtain kilograms of cocaine from a source of supply.  The cocaine was transported from Houston to Baltimore in the courier vehicles, and Jenifer would return to Baltimore via commercial air carrier.

According to court documents and information provided at today’s sentencing hearing, on September 27, 2012, co-defendant Brooke Lunn was operating a courier vehicle near Houston when the vehicle was stopped by the Texas State Police. John Moore was a passenger in the vehicle. Lunn consented to a search of the vehicle and law enforcement recovered approximately 30 kilograms of cocaine that were located in hidden compartments in the vehicle. Both Lunn and Moore were arrested and charged by Texas authorities.  After being released on bond, Lunn and Moore returned to Maryland. On October 20, 2012, Moore suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the back of the head. Law enforcement agents believe that Moore’s homicide was the direct result of the cocaine seizure. Phone records reveal that John Moore was in contact with Jenifer prior to, the day of, and after the car stop.

In July 2013, a courier vehicle loaded on a car-carrier at Jenifer’s direction was intercepted in Arkansas.  The vehicle contained approximately 23 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a secret compartment.

Between August 2013 and October 2014, Jenifer directed approximately 30 shipments of cocaine concealed in secret compartments in the courier vehicles. After a courier vehicle would return to Baltimore from Houston, Jenifer was seen operating the hidden compartments in the courier vehicle and supplying other members of the Jenifer DTO with cocaine at their distribution location at RCH Plaza in west Baltimore.

Jenifer and/or co-defendant Tyrone Allen also made approximately 16 trips to Woodbridge, Virginia to deliver kilograms of cocaine to co-defendant Thomas Simmons. 

On October 9, 2014, approximately 27 kilograms of cocaine were seized from one of the Jenifer DTO’s courier vehicles.

Jenifer agreed that he was responsible for the distribution of no less than 450 kilograms of cocaine between August 2013 and October 2014.

According to court documents, Jenifer was a co-owner of Flavor Factory, LLC, and Rita’s Italian Ice, located at 2033 Eastern Avenue in Baltimore. Jenifer has also forfeited his interest in these businesses.

Nine co-conspirators have pleaded guilty and been sentenced.  Andre Brewer, age 36, of Jessup, Maryland; Michael Williams, age 41; Brooke Renee Lunn, a/k/a “Brooke Thomas” and “Brooke Renee,” age 49; William Hegie, age 55; Kermit Clark, age 45; and Elroy Johnson, age 49, all of Baltimore; Tyrone Allen, age 44, of Bowie, Maryland; and Thomas Simmons, age 38, of Hampton, Virginia, were sentenced to between 10 and 16 years in prison.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the DEA, IRS Criminal Investigation and Baltimore City and County Police Departments for their work in the investigation, and expressed his appreciation to the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Texas and the Southern District of New York for their assistance.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney John W. Sippel, Jr., who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Andre Antoine Walker, and Malcolm Xavier Green, both age 23, of Temple Hills, Maryland, pleaded guilty to a bank robbery conspiracy, bank robbery, armed bank robbery, and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.  Walker pleaded guilty today and Green entered his guilty plea on March 2, 2016.    

The guilty pleas were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Kent County Sheriff John F. Price IV; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Loudoun County Virginia Sheriff Michael L. Chapman.

According to their plea agreements, in late June 2015, Green and Walker conspired to rob banks in Maryland and Virginia, engaging in a series of bank robberies from July 1 through July 24, 2015. 

Specifically, on July 1, July 13 and July 17, 2015, Green and Walker robbed banks in Camp Springs, Baltimore and Millington, Maryland, respectively.  After entering each bank, the robbers presented a note to the teller demanding money and threatening harm if the teller did not comply.  In the robbery on July 17th, Walker displayed a gun to the teller, brandishing it multiple times.  Green admitted that knew that Walker had the gun and that he planned to use it during the robbery.  Green and Walker stole $1,229 in the first robbery.  In the second robbery, they stole approximately $100, but the dye pack ignited in Green’s pants, ruining the money.  Green and Walker left the money in the parking lot, where it was subsequently recovered by investigators.  In the July 17th robbery, Green and Walker stole $5,364. Green and Walker admitted that on July 24, 2015, they robbed a bank in Lovettsville, Virginia, again presenting a note to the teller demanding money and brandishing a gun.  They stole $4,000 in that robbery.

Green and Walker stole more than $10,590 in the four robberies.

According to their plea agreements, investigators identified Green through a fingerprint analysis of the note from July 17th robbery.  Investigators identified Walker from surveillance footage of the robberies.  Walker and Green were arrested on August 3, 2015.  The gun was recovered from Walker’s vehicle.  Walker and Green advised that they had spent all the money they stole, including to pay part of a $20,000 debt Green owed to a drug dealer.

Walker and Green face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy; a maximum of 20 years in prison for each of two counts of bank robbery; a maximum of 25 years in prison for armed bank robbery; and a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, and up to life in prison for brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.  There is no probation or parole in the federal criminal justice system. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for Green on May 31, 2016, and for Walker on July 21, 2016, both at 3:00 p.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Prince George’s County Police Department, Kent County Sheriff’s Office, Baltimore County Police Department, and Loudoun County, Virignia Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation and recognized the Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for its assistance in the prosecution.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Aaron S. J. Zelinsky and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Tang, who are prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – Anthony Tyrone Smith, Jr., age 31, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, pleaded guilty on March 2, 2016 to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in connection with a shoot-out at a Capitol Heights carryout. 

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; and Interim Chief Henry P. Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, on January 20, 2015, Smith was inside a carryout restaurant located in the 4800 block of Marlboro Pike in Capitol Heights.  As Smith was leaving (but was still in the vestibule area), two masked men armed with guns approached the carryout entrance.  Smith retreated from the vestibule area back into the carryout.  Security footage shows Smith holding a black handgun.  Smith and the two masked men exchanged gunfire through the doorway between the vestibule area and the waiting area inside the carryout.  Smith was shot in the right hand.  The masked men fled and Smith ran away to a barbershop across the street from the carryout.  Responding Prince George’s County Police officers followed a blood trail from the carryout to the barbershop.  The officers recovered a loaded .38 caliber semi-automatic pistol from under a sink in the bathroom.  The gun had smears of blood on it.  Smith admitted that he possessed the gun while he was in the carryout. Investigation revealed that the gun had been reported stolen in Susquehanna Township, Pennsylvania in 2014.  Smith has two previous felony drug convictions and was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

Smith faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.  U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm has scheduled sentencing for June 20, 2016, at 1:00 p.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew L. Paeffgen and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray D. McKenzie, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Christine Little, age 43, of Glen Burnie, Maryland today to a year and a day in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for aiding in the preparation of false tax returns.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Thomas Jankowski of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.

“IRS Criminal Investigation is determined to stop false tax refund schemes,” said Thomas Jankowski, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge, Washington D.C. Field Office.  “Ms. Little’s sentence sends the message that participation in refund fraud schemes does not pay and those who choose to engage in defrauding the government will be prosecuted.”

According to her plea agreement, Little identified herself as the CEO of TNT Taxes.  From February to June 2011, she recruited taxpayers to use her services, purporting to specialize in business and individual taxes and “amendments.” 

Little admitted that she prepared 29 false federal tax returns.  She placed information on the tax returns that did not reflect the information given by clients; falsely inflated withholdings and real estate taxes; and caused the returns to contain false personal property taxes, home mortgage interest and charitable deductions. 

In April 2011, an undercover federal agent requested that Little prepare his individual federal tax return.  The tax return prepared by Little did not accurately reflect the information the agent supplied to her.  Instead, the tax return included false deductions and inflated withholding amounts, resulting in a fraudulent refund claim of more than $11,000.

Little admits that the loss resulting from the false tax returns she filed exceeded $330,000.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the IRS – Criminal Investigation for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Gruber, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III sentenced Zachary O’Brien, age 31, of Bronx, New York, today to four years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for bank fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft arising from a scheme to use counterfeit credit cards to purchase merchandise.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Brian Murphy of the United States Secret Service - Baltimore Field Office; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.

According to his plea, from February 2014, through October 2014, O’Brien conspired with his co-defendants, Jerry Anderson, Steven Harris, Marquis Johnson, and Steven Tejeda, as well as others, to use stolen credit card and other personal information of customers of victim financial institutions to purchase items, including Apple iPhones, at retail locations in Maryland and elsewhere. 

For example, on April 10, 2014, the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) responded to a fraud in progress at an Apple Store in Towson, Maryland, where Johnson and Harris purchased iPhones with Visa Vanilla gift cards.  Johnson and Harris were arrested and the Visa Vanilla gift cards they used to purchase the phones were recovered and determined to be re-encoded with stolen credit information.  A search of Harris’ phone revealed multiple texts between Harris and Anderson.  Investigation determined that Anderson had supplied the re-encoded cards used by, or recovered from, Harris and Johnson.

On April 17, 2014, a search warrant was executed at Anderson’s home in Towson.  Several items were recovered including: five Blackberry cell phones; two Apple iPhones; two apple iPads; an Apple computer; a shipping box and packaging for a credit card embossing machine; and miscellaneous gift cards.  Anderson was at the residence at the time the search warrant was executed and a room keycard for a nearby hotel was recovered from his wallet.  Later that day, a search warrant was executed at the hotel room.  O’Brien and Tejeda were in the room when the search warrant was executed.  The items recovered from the hotel room included: 30 counterfeit credit cards (re-encoded with stolen credit information); three Apple iPhone 5s; 43 blank counterfeit credit cards; eight pre-paid gift cards (unopened/in packaging); a credit card embossing machine; an Acer laptop computer; a credit card encoder; and over 50 credit cards embossed with the names of either O’Brien, Anderson, or Tejeda. 

Forensic examinations of the computers and other digital media seized during the searches recovered emails containing personal identifying information (PII) of victims, including name, date of birth, and social security number; compromised bank credit card numbers and corresponding customers’ names; and a document containing over 25 credit card numbers and other PII.  Further examination of records recovered during forensic examinations revealed that at least two of the credit card numbers were purchased from a known “carding site” where perpetrators of identity theft and related crimes can purchase stolen credit card numbers and other PII.

O’Brien admitted that he had traveled from New York City to the motel room, where Anderson brought him the laptop and “credit card machine.”  Several counterfeit credit cards were made and distributed to people in the motel room, including O’Brien, and used to buy high end consumer electronics, which were then resold in New York.

The total actual loss resulting from the conspiracy which operated from at least February to October 2014 was $419,807.14, and the potential loss was over $1.8 million.  The conspiracy involved over 250 victims.

Ronnie Mejia, age 26, of Bronx, New York; Marquis Johnson, age 21, of Severna Park, Maryland; and Jerry Anderson, age 29, of Towson, have pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme.  All are awaiting sentencing.

Steven Tejeda, age 23, of Richmond, Virginia, and Steven Harris, age 23, both of Bronx, New York; also pleaded guilty and were each sentenced to four years in prison.

The Maryland Identity Theft Working Group has been working since 2006 to foster cooperation among local, state, federal, and institutional fraud investigators and to promote effective prosecution of identity theft schemes by both state and federal prosecutors. This case, as well as other cases brought by members of the Working Group, demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to work with financial institutions and businesses to address identity fraud, identify those who compromise personal identity information, and protect citizens from identity theft.

Today’s announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since the inception of FFETF in November 2009, the Justice Department has filed more than 12,841 financial fraud cases against nearly 18,737 defendants including nearly 3,500 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the U.S. Secret Service, Baltimore County Police Department, and Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ayn B. Ducao and Zachary A. Myers, who are prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Ted Duckett, age 31, of Landover, Maryland, today to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for: conspiracy to commit a commercial robbery; conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine; conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and in relation to a crime of violence; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and in relation to a crime of violence; and possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division (ATF); and Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

Duckett admitted that between September 2013 and October 29, 2013, he conspired with Donnell Williamson and others to rob certain drug dealers operating in Maryland, and conspired to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

On October 10, 2013, Duckett met an ATF undercover agent (UC) posing as a disgruntled drug courier to discuss robbing a drug stash house.  During this meeting, the UC explained how he would be transporting 2 to 3 kilograms of cocaine from a narcotics “stash house,” which would contain approximately 12 to 15 kilograms of cocaine.  The UC further explained that he planned to rob the cocaine stash house, which was protected by armed guards, and would split the stolen cocaine (12 to 15 kilograms) with whoever helped him commit the robbery.  Duckett agreed to commit the robbery and discussed how he and his crew planned to execute the robbery and obtain the cocaine.  Duckett assured the UC that he had the equipment necessary to rob a stash house protected by armed guards.  Duckett also told the UC that he would bring his robbery crew to future meetings with the UC.  While Duckett was meeting with the UC, Williamson was waiting for Duckett in a car parked nearby.

On October 11 and October 23, 2013, Duckett and members of his crew met the UC at locations in Maryland.  During these meetings, Duckett assured the UC that his crew knew how to commit these types of robberies and that if the UC had no connection to the armed guards protecting the stash house, the robbery could be done with force.  During the meeting on October 23, 2013, Duckett confirmed the particulars of the robbery and that he and his crew were prepared to do the robbery.  All of the meetings with the UC were audio and video recorded.

On October 29, 2013, the UC and Duckett spoke on the telephone and Duckett confirmed that they were ready to commit the robbery.  Duckett and Williamson drove together and met the UC in Laurel, Maryland.  The UC told Duckett that the rental car which they were going to use to commit the robbery was at a nearby location.  The UC asked Duckett if they wanted to put their “straps,” which is code for firearms, in the UC’s vehicle before driving to the rental car location.  Williamson removed a duffel bag from his vehicle, and placed it in the trunk of the UC’s vehicle.  Duckett and Williamson then followed the UC in their own vehicle to the location where the conspirators believed they would pick up the rental car and receive the location of the cocaine stash house.  Shortly after Duckett and Williamson arrived at the location, the law enforcement arrest team placed them under arrest.

A search of the duffel bag that Williamson had placed in the UC’s vehicle revealed three firearms and ammunition and clear plastic gloves.  From the conspirators and their vehicle, officers recovered black skull caps, a black balaclava, and a black ski mask.

Donnell Williamson, a/k/a “Anthony Thomas,” age 25, of Landover, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 198 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and in relation to a crime of violence. 

Duckett and Williamson have been detained since their arrest.    

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Leah J. Bressack and Thomas M. Sullivan, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III sentenced Jasper Buck, age 60, formerly of Westminster, Maryland and elsewhere including Sanford and Lake Mary, Florida, today to 10 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for mail fraud arising from an investment fraud scheme in which Buck stole more than $1.96 million from clients.  Judge Russell also entered an order requiring Buck to forfeit $1,961,364, the amount Buck obtained from his victims, and to pay $1,258,266.98 in restitution to the victims.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to his plea agreement, Buck worked for mortgage companies, but held himself out to investors as an experienced investment advisor.  Buck admitted that from October 2006 through at least December 2014, he told his victims that he was a representative of Portfolio Financial Group (PFG).  Buck told the victims that PFG would loan money provided by the victims to borrowers who needed funds quickly or who were unable to obtain traditional bank loans and were therefore willing to pay a higher interest rate on the loans.  In fact, there were no such borrowers, and Buck used the victims’ money for his own personal use or to further his fraud scheme.                       

Buck told his victims that there were other owners and employees of PFG.  However, bank accounts for PFG listed Buck as a signatory, and PFG’s addresses were listed as either Buck’s personal residence or shipping and packaging stores such as UPS. 

Buck convinced some victims to invest all or a portion of their retirement savings, often by persuading the victims to take loans out of their IRA or 401(k), or to refinance their home mortgages and use lines of credit, in order to invest the proceeds with Buck through PFG.  Buck promised the victims that they would receive a monthly return on their investments greater than the victims’ monthly loan payments.  In addition, he convinced some victims to move their retirement savings into an account with a self-directed IRA custodian for the purpose of then having those funds transferred to him.  Rather than investing the money turned over to him, Buck used some of the money on himself, as well as to pay other victims in order to convince those victims that their investments were earning the promised returns.

To conceal the scheme, Buck issued payments to some victims, using funds received from other victims, to convince them that their investments were earning the expected returns.  Buck made telephone calls and sent text messages and emails to victims making false statements regarding purported investments, to lull the victims into believing that their loan principal was safe and that their purported investments were sound.

Beginning in January 2014 when Buck had exhausted all of the victims’ funds in his PFG account and could no longer make any payments to the victims, he falsely represented that: there was no issue with PFG financially; PFG was updating software, or was slowed by new federal regulations, or was being sold to another company and no assets could be released until the sale was complete; victim money was in PFG’s possession, but Buck could not physically access it; or that Buck was pursuing legal action against PFG.

As a result of the scheme, Buck obtained at least $1,961,364 from more than 10 victims.

Today’s announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since the inception of FFETF in November 2009, the Justice Department has filed more than 12,841 financial fraud cases against nearly 18,737 defendants including nearly 3,500 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Delaney, who prosecuted the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Recardo Beatty, age 50, of Washington, D.C., today to 130 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on three counts of robbery, and carrying and brandishing a firearm during a robbery.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Director in Charge Paul M. Abbate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office; Postal Inspector in Charge Maria L. Kelokates of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief Douglas Holland of the Hyattsville Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, on August 8, 2013, Beatty and co-conspirator James Davis drove to the Hyattsville Post Office.  Beatty first entered the post office to scout the inside.  Davis then entered, while Beatty waited outside in their getaway vehicle.  Davis pointed a paintball gun at an employee.  The employee and another employee fled from their cash registers, while Davis grabbed money and money orders out of the register.  Davis and Beatty fled in their vehicle.

On August 15, 2013, the pair traveled to a food store in Mt. Rainer, Maryland.  As Beatty waited outside in the vehicle, Davis entered the store, walked behind a counter where an employee was working and displayed a paintball gun.  Davis ordered the employee to open the cash register and Davis removed money.  Davis and Beatty fled in their vehicle.

On September 17, 2013, Beatty and Davis traveled to a discount store in Brentwood, Maryland and entered the store together, both carrying real firearms.  Davis demanded that an employee open a cash register, from which he took money and a cash box.  Beatty saw another employee approach a store exit door.  A fight ensued, and the employee was hit on the head.  Davis and Beatty fled the store in their vehicle.

On the same day as the Dollars and Sense robbery, the police investigation led to the recovery of the firearm from Beatty that was used in the robbery.  The next day, September 18, 2013, officers executed a search warrant at Beatty’s residence where Davis was staying, and recovered a paintball gun and clothing used in the robberies.

Judge Hazel sentenced James Davis, age 57, formerly of Washington, D.C., on February 17, 2016 to 16 years in prison for his participation in the conspiracy.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Prince George’s County and Hyattsville Police Departments for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Leah Jo Bressack and Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew L. Paeffgen, who prosecuted the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – Sultana Siddiqui, aka “Sultana Ahmad,” age 56, of North Potomac, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit wire and mail fraud arising from an investment fraud scheme.  Siddiqui has agreed to the entry of an order to forfeit and pay restitution of at least $405,000, the minimum amount of actual loss resulting from the scheme.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Rene Febles of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.

According to her plea, Siddiqui was a mortgage broker who falsely represented to individual victims that co-conspirator Alexander Matthews was an investor or developer who could secure substantial returns on the victims' investments in a short time period. Siddiqui solicited investments from each of the victims, vouched for Matthews's trustworthiness and business acumen, and received money from the victims. She deposited most of the money from the victims into her personal bank account. Then she and/or Matthews would provide each victim with a post-dated check in the amount of the victim's investment plus the promised return. None of the post-dated checks were negotiable on the promised return date. After the victims discovered that the post-dated checks were not negotiable, Siddiqui and/or Matthews sent lulling payments and/or email communications to the victims.

For example, in 2008, a real estate agent and her husband agreed to invest $300,000, which they would draw on their home equity line of credit, to renovate a home in Clifton, Virginia, which would then be leased by the FBI.  Siddiqui, however, deposited the money in her personal bank account, and no lease agreement existed with the FBI.  Siddiqui and Matthews used the money for their own benefit, other than providing a small number of lulling payments to the victims. 

In November 2010, at Siddiqui’s urging another victim agreed to invest $50,000 with Matthews and give Siddiqui a $5,000 personal loan. In return, Siddiqui gave the victim a promissory note for the investment signed by Matthews, and two post-dated checks: one for $6,000 from a bank account held by Siddiqui; and one for $60,000 from an account held by Matthews. When the victim attempted to cash the checks, a bank official told her they were not negotiable.  Siddiqui sent several lulling emails to the victim, claiming that she would be repaid, but the victim has not received any payment.

Siddiqui and Matthews defrauded the victims of approximately $355,000.

Siddiqui admitted to defrauding another individual of $50,000 in a transaction in 2014.

Siddiqui faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang scheduled her sentencing for July 25, 2016, at 2:30 p.m.

Alexander Matthews, age 50, of Dunn Loring, Virginia, pleaded guilty in 2011 in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia to his participation in the conspiracy and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The Maryland Mortgage Fraud Task Force was established to unify the agencies that regulate and investigate mortgage fraud and promote the early detection, identification, prevention and prosecution of mortgage fraud schemes. This case, as well as other cases brought by members of the Task Force, demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to protect consumers from fraud and promote the integrity of the credit markets. Information about mortgage fraud prosecutions is available http://www.justice.gov/usao-md/financial-fraud-and-identity-theft.

Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force.  The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.  With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud.  Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations.  Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants.  For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General, and Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray D. McKenzie, who is prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Malcomb C. Cork, age 55, of South Carolina today to 15 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for causing more than $187,000 to be diverted from his employer’s bank account.     

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to his plea agreement, from 2004 until mid-2012, Cork was the President of a company headquartered in Baltimore, that distributed lawn and garden supplies.  Under the terms of his contract with the company, Cork also was permitted to operate a business he established called Medical Solutions, Inc. (MSI).  MSI executed a licensing agreement with Chemence LLC, a company that manufactured and distributed products, including a medical grade adhesive.  Under the agreement, MSI was required to pay Chemence $187,500 by July 1, 2011.  On that date, Cork wrote a check to Chemence for $187,500 drawn on his investment account, which was returned due to insufficient funds.

Cork admitted that on July 15, 2011, he directed subordinates to transfer $187,500 from the lawn and garden supply company’s operating account to an account in the name of Chemence LLC.  When the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the company, who was on vacation at the time of the funds transfer, returned and asked about the expenditure, Cork told the CFO that the funds were transferred to a trade show vendor with which the company was doing business.  Cork advised the CFO that he would obtain an invoice in support of the money transfer.  Despite repeated requests from the CFO, Cork never supplied an invoice to support the charge.  Eventually the company discovered that the payment was unrelated to its business and attempted – unsuccessfully – to recover the money.  Cork admitted that he knew he was not authorized to direct the funds transfer, but did so anyway for his own benefit.

Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force.  The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.  With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud.  Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations.  Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants.  For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys P. Michael Cunningham and Aaron S. J. Zelinsky, who prosecuted the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury today returned an indictment charging Deonte Carraway, age 22, of Glenarden, Maryland, with thirteen counts of sexual exploitation of a minor to produce child pornography, involving 11 minor victims ranging in age from nine to 12 years old.  According to court documents, Carraway was an assistant for Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School in Prince George’s County.  This indictment replaces the criminal complaint filed last week, which included eight counts involving six victims.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks.

“Federal authorities will continue to work with Prince George’s County police and prosecutors to identify additional victims, provide appropriate counseling, and hold the perpetrator accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein.

According to the 13-count indictment, from October 11, 2015 through February 1, 2016, Carraway coerced and persuaded multiple children to engage in sexually explicit conduct in order to produce videos of that conduct.  According to the indictment, the images produced include Carraway engaging in sexual activity with victims, as well as the victims engaging in sexually explicit conduct at Carraway’s direction. 

According to court documents, Carraway met several of the victims at the school where he worked and other victims reported that Carraway recruited them from his choir group. Prince George’s County Police arrested Carraway on February 4, 2016, and he remains detained on related state charges.

Carraway faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison followed by up to lifetime of supervised release for each of the 13 counts of production of child pornography.  Carraway has an initial appearance scheduled in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt on Friday, March 4, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jillyn K Schulze.  Carraway remains detained on the related state charges.

The investigation is ongoing and investigators are asking anyone with information about possible victims or details about Mr. Carraway to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).

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 case is being investigated by the FBI Maryland Child Exploitation Task Force (MCETF), created in 2010 to combat sex crimes involving children, made up of members from ten state and federal law enforcement agencies.

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 Attorneys' 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 Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Prince George’s County Police Department, and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel C. Gardner and Kristi N. O’Malley, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Micheal Jordon, age 35, formerly of Elkton, Maryland, to nine years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for distribution of child pornography. Judge Hollander also ordered that Jordon must register as a sex offender in the place 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 Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to his plea agreement, on January 21, 2014, Jordon engaged in a private chat with an undercover FBI agent who was working in a chat room known to promote incest.  Jordon and the undercover agent discussed Jordon’s interest in young girls, and continued their conversation on an instant messaging application and through text messages. Jordon ultimately sent the undercover officer videos and images of prepubescent females engaged in sexually explicit conduct with adult men.                                

On February 10, 2014, a search warrant was executed at Jordon’s residence and seized two laptop computers and two external hard drives, as well as other digital media. A forensic examination of the seized material showed Jordon to be in possession of more than 600 images of 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 Attorneys' 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 Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Michael Cunningham, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Alberic Okou Agodio, age 31, of Bethesda, Maryland, today to 61 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, arising from a mortgage fraud scheme in which he used the names of immigrants and students, along with false financial information, to obtain $3.8 million in home mortgage loans to buy approximately three dozen row houses in Baltimore, all but one of which are in default or foreclosure. Judge Bredar also entered an order that Agodio pay restitution of $3,356,581.78.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Rene Febles of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General; Special Agent in Charge Cary A. Rubenstein of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General; Special Agent in Charge Fran Mace, of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General; and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to his plea agreement, Agodio agreed to purchase row houses in Baltimore City from co-conspirator Kevin Campbell, who had acquired the houses as part of his real estate business.  Agodio purchased the houses at prices far in excess of their actual market value.  In return, Campbell kicked back a substantial portion of the purchase price to Agodio, which Agodio used to pay for the down payments and closing costs for most of the properties; to pay a commission to the individuals whom he persuaded to allow him to use their names to purchase the properties (“the straw purchasers”); to pay referral fees to individuals who referred other straw purchasers to him; and to compensate himself for his participation in the scheme.  In all, from June 2009 to November 2010, Agodio purchased 35 row houses from Campbell.  The financing received on these transactions totaled approximately $3.8 million and Agodio received commission payments from Campbell in excess of $1.2 million. 

To perpetrate the scheme, Agodio persuaded approximately three dozen immigrants and students to purchase the row houses under their names.  Although none of these “straw purchasers” had any experience in real estate transactions, nor the funds needed to buy the properties, Agodio told each straw purchaser that he would prepare the loan application; manage the property after its purchase by finding renters, collecting the rent and paying the mortgage; and would pay the straw purchaser $7,000 to $8,000 after the transaction closed.  He further promised to sell the property in three years and give the individual up to 80% of the sale proceeds.  Agodio also paid thousands of dollars in additional commissions to those straw purchasers who referred other individuals to him as potential buyers for similar transactions.

Agodio admitted that he falsely represented in the loan applications the straw purchasers’ assets and earnings, and that the property would be the primary residence of the purchaser.  Agodio also provided fraudulent earnings and bank statements for the purchasers, to document the false information provided in the loan application.  Agodio provided the necessary funds for the down payment and the buyer’s share of the closing costs, causing the settlement statement form to inaccurately reflect that the down payments and closing costs had been paid by the straw purchasers.

Following the closings, Agodio retained the keys to each property and assumed the responsibility for finding renters and making the required monthly mortgage payments.  The named purchasers never lived in the properties.  Agodio eventually allowed all of the mortgages to go into default.

After a fire occurred at one of the row house properties purchased through a straw purchaser Agodio falsely identified himself as the straw purchaser to the insurance company in order to collect $106,500 in insurance paid for the repair the property.  Agodio cashed the check, which was made out to the straw purchaser and the bank holding the mortgage, and used the funds for his own purposes.  Agodio did not notify the bank that the funds to make the repairs to the property had been received, nor did he arrange to make or pay for any repairs to the property.

Kevin Campbell, age 53, of Baltimore, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail, wire and bank fraud arising from mortgage fraud schemes resulting in losses totaling approximately $1.2 million.  Campbell was sentenced to 19 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $1,182,822.  In a related case, Judge Bredar sentenced co-conspirator Jonathan L. Miles, age 45, of Perry Hall, Maryland to 18 months in prison for conspiring to commit bank fraud, and ordered Miles to pay restitution of $1,182,822.

The Maryland Mortgage Fraud Task Force was established to unify the agencies that regulate and investigate mortgage fraud and promote the early detection, identification, prevention and prosecution of mortgage fraud schemes. This case, as well as other cases brought by members of the Task Force, demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to protect consumers from fraud and promote the integrity of the credit markets. Information about mortgage fraud prosecutions is available http://www.justice.gov/usao-md/financial-fraud-and-identity-theft.

Today’s announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since the inception of FFETF in November 2009, the Justice Department has filed more than 12,841 financial fraud cases against nearly 18,737 defendants including nearly 3,500 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended HUD- OIG, FDIC – OIG, FHFA - OIG and the FBI for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jefferson M. Gray, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Derek Lamar Tompkins, age 20, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland today to 17 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for bank robbery and forcing a bank employee to accompany him without the employee’s consent; and to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Judge Bredar also ordered Tompkins to pay restitution of $85,695.05.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Timothy Bozman of the Princess Anne Police Department; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department.

According to Tompkins’ plea agreement, from February through August 2014, Tompkins robbed three banks, stealing a total of $164,615.05. 

Specifically, on February 11, 2014, Tompkins entered the BB&T Bank in Princess Anne, Maryland, and passed the teller a note that read, “I have been watching you, I know you have $10,000 in cash.  Give me the money or I will shoot you or kill you.”  Fearing for her safety, the teller emptied her drawer, handing $1,539.05 to Tompkins who fled the bank.

On May 21, 2014, Tompkins and a second robber entered the M&T Bank located in Largo, Maryland.  The robbers went to the victim employee’s office and demanded money and told her that they had a weapon.  After the victim told them that she did not have any money, they ordered her to open the door to the teller line.  Tompkins and the other robber demanded money from two victim tellers, and ordered them to open a small safe. Tompkins and the second robber took approximately $84,120, and fled the bank. 

On August 18, 2014, Tompkins and a second robber entered the First Mariner Bank in Owings Mills, Maryland, wearing masks and hoods.  Tompkins was wielding a 9 mm handgun, which he and the second robber passed brandished as they passed the gun back and forth between them.  The robbers ordered the tellers to open their drawers, and Tompkins ordered one of the employees, at gun point, to get the key and move to the area where the vault was located.  Once at the vault, Tompkins ordered her to open the vault and then he removed cash from the vault.  Tompkins and the second robber then ordered the bank employees into the vault and closed the door.  The robbers fled the bank in two separate vehicles with $78,956 of the bank’s money.

Police in the area were able to identify and stop the vehicle Tompkins had fled in on August 18.  From the vehicle, officers located a large amount of cash (with First Mariner straps), the 9 mm handgun used during the robbery, as well as clothes, a pair of gloves, a mask, and two hooded sweatshirts, all of which matched the description of the items worn during the armed bank robbery.  After being advised of his rights, Tompkins admitted that he participated in the armed robbery of the First Mariner, that he had entered with the handgun, and that he was the one who had entered the vault with the victim employee to get the money.  

A subsequent trace of the 9 mm handgun showed that it had been stolen from an off duty Metropolitan (DC) Police Officer in Washington, DC, on May 6, 2014. 

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Princess Anne Police Department, Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Judson T. Mihok and Aaron S. J. Zelinsky, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Jonathan E. Rosenberg, age 47, of West Orange, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit wire fraud in connection with a complex scheme to defraud investors and lenders by selling fraudulent investment portfolios of debts purportedly owed by hospital patients. Rosenberg has agreed to the entry of an order to pay restitution of $148,251,859, the amount of the investors’ losses. 

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

“Jonathan Rosenberg and his co-conspirators perpetrated a brazen and complex Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors of more than $148 million,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “The conspirators pretended that they were repaying investors with revenue earned by collecting patient debts, but they were really using the money of new victims to repay previous investors.”

Rosenberg and co-conspirator Douglas Kuber operated Account Receivable Services, LLC (ARS) in New York, New York.  Beginning in February 2007, they entered into an agreement with International Portfolio, Inc. (IPI), which was operated by co-defendant Robert Feldman and Feldman’s business partner, to promote the sale of IPI debt portfolio.  Pursuant to their agreement, IPI acquired accounts receivables from hospitals (past due patient accounts), bundled them into investment portfolios, and then sold the portfolios to ARS at a discounted rate.  ARS’s purchases of the medical debt portfolios from IPI came from investors who agreed to lend money to ARS on a fixed-term basis in return for a high, fixed interest rate.  IPI agreed to manage the collection activity for each debt portfolio that IPI sold.  Any funds collected by IPI were to be forwarded to escrow accounts opened and maintained by ARS, which, in turn, would use the funds to cover the periodic interest payments and outstanding balances owed to the investors. 

Fraudulent Inflation of Purchase Prices for IPI Debt Portfolios to Obtain Larger Investor Loans

According to his plea agreement, Rosenberg and Kuber misrepresented to investors that a loan secured by IPI debt portfolios would not be used to pay up-front fees and commissions associated with the investment offering.  In fact, however, ARS and IPI devised an elaborate process involving the use of multiple escrow accounts and independent accountants to feign a transparent tracking of the deposit of the loan proceeds, the revenue from collection activity, the repayment of interest, and the sale of portfolios.  Funds to pay a 5% to 10% fee would come from the investor’s loan proceeds.  Pursuant to this undisclosed fee arrangement, ARS and IPI would agree to a concealed purchase price for a debt portfolio.  Then they would tell the investor that the portfolio price was 5% to 10% higher than concealed price. 

IPI agreed to kickback the loan proceeds in excess of the true purchase prices to Rosenberg and Kuber. The kickbacks were characterized as a refund or a rebate. In so doing, ARS and IPI avoided the intricate escrow arrangement they had created to convince investors to finance the joint venture. From June 2007 to March 2009, Rosenberg and Kuber made kickbacks of investor loan proceeds to themselves totaling in excess of $8 million. 

In reliance on those misrepresentations, investors provided loans to ARS of approximately $145 million to purchase IPI debt portfolios, which IPI managed.  Other investors purchased approximately $122,500,000 worth of IPI debt portfolios, which IPI also managed. 

Fraudulent Inflation of Collection Results

In order to induce existing investors to maintain and increase their participation in the investment scheme and to persuade new investors to join, ARS and IPI falsely represented the amount of income being generated from the collection activity for the medical debt portfolios.   It became apparent almost from the start that collections were significantly inadequate, not only in their failure to cover periodic interest payments that ARS owed its investors, but also to repay the investors’ principal. 

Rosenberg agreed that IPI would advance ARS the money needed to make ARS’s periodic interest payments to the investors.  From July 2008 to December 2009, and without the investors’ knowledge, Rosenberg, Feldman and Kuber wired or caused to be wired approximately 209 advances from IPI into the bank accounts of the ARS debt portfolios, which were subsequently used to pay periodic interest payments due to an investor and/or inflate the collection history of the respective investor debt portfolios.  Misleading collection reports were created to deceive the investors.

After their plan to subsidize ARS with monthly advances was implemented, an investor was induced to fund the purchase of 12 more portfolios between July and November 2008, totaling approximately $65 million in new investments.  Another investor representative living in West River, Maryland was induced to fund the purchase of a portfolio on November 8, 2008 for $10 million, and another portfolio on May 26, 2009 for $5 million. 

To conceal poor collection results and artificial resale prices for IPI debt portfolios, and to assure a continuing flow of new funding into the investment scheme, Rosenberg, Feldman, and Kuber continued to solicit existing and prospective investors to purchase or finance IPI debt portfolios.  In so doing, they fraudulently used new investor funds to make interest and resale payments in order to meet the investment benchmarks of prior investors.

Rosenberg Owned Three Other Companies that Purchased IPI Debt Portfolios

Finally, Rosenberg owned and controlled three other companies that recruited investors for medical accounts receivable portfolios purchased from IPI: JER Receivables, LLC (JER); International Portfolio Access, LLC (IPA); and Receivable Partners, LLC.  

A wealth management company owner (Owner) invested with JER under an agreement which was structured as a loan but provided a guaranteed 30% rate of return over 16 months.  From July 2008 to February 2010, the wealth management company invested $18.7 million in nine transactions with JER to purchase portfolios of health care accounts receivable from IPI. JER used all of the proceeds to purchase medical debt portfolios from IPI, and the wealth management company made a $930,000 profit from two of the transactions. In October 2010, however, the wealth management company issued demand notices to JER on a number of the outstanding transactions due to JER failing to make required payments. 

The Owner formed a new wealth management company which entered into a $750,000 loan agreement with IPA in October 2009.  The loan was to be used to secure a larger credit line to purchase additional healthcare accounts receivable portfolios.  The credit line never materialized. From February 2011 to January 2012, this new company made a series of loans totaling $18.6 to Receivable Partners.  These loans were used to pay back some of the investors of the original wealth management company who purchased portfolios through JER.           

Rosenberg faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar scheduled sentencing for June 14, 2016, at 9:30 a.m.

Robert Feldman, age 68, of Beach Haven, New Jersey, and Douglas A. Kuber, age 55, of Livingston, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty to their participation in the conspiracy and face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  Feldman and Kuber are scheduled to be sentenced on June 2 and 30, 2016, respectively.

Co-defendant Richard Shusterman, age 53, of Highland Beach, Florida, has pleaded not guilty to charges filed against him relating to the scheme. 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. 

Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force.  The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.  With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud.  Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations.  Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants.  For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the FBI and HSI Baltimore for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein praised Assistant U.S. Attorneys Martin J. Clarke and Leo J. Wise, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Cornell Harvey, a/k/a “Little Head,” age 28, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise in connection with his gang activities as a member of the UDH organization, which operates in the Cherry Hill section of Baltimore.  Harvey also admitted his participation in a murder.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.

“Disputes between rival drug gangs lead to many shootings and murders in Baltimore City,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein.  “Thanks to a lengthy and intensive investigation, we will hold accountable the criminals who turned Cherry Hill into a war zone.” 

According to his plea agreement, from at least 2007 to 2013 Harvey was a member of the UDH organization, which operates in the area of Cherry Hill known as “Up the Hill” or “Up da Hill.”  UDH members and associates have been in a long-running dispute with members of an organization known as “Coppin Court” that is involved in criminal activity in the part of Cherry Hill known as “Down the Hill,” and since at least January 2011, have been in a dispute with members of “Little Spelman,” another organization that is involved in criminal activity in the Down the Hill section of Cherry Hill. UDH members and associates used violence and intimidation to protect themselves, the organization, and their control of the drug trade in part of Cherry Hill.

Harvey admitted that as a member of UDH he sold crack cocaine, heroin and other narcotics with UDH members.  In addition to selling drugs, Harvey admitted that on October 5, 2010, he and co-defendant Dominic Evans committed an armed robbery of two individuals who were selling marijuana in the area, but who were not UDH members.  After stealing $150 from one of the victims, Harvey began to shoot at the two individuals.  One of the victims was shot once and survived his wound, but the other victim, who was shot at least three times, died from her wounds.  The murder was captured on CCTV.  A Baltimore City jury acquitted Harvey and Evans of this murder.

Finally, on January 29, 2011, at approximately 1:30 am, Harvey, and other gang members were arrested riding around Cherry Hill in a 1997 green Cadillac Seville stolen just over 24 hours earlier.  Upon trying to stop the vehicle, a chase ensued, and all four occupants bailed out in the rear of the 2800 block of Bookert.   Harvey was chased by an officer who saw him toss a fully loaded 9mm .357 Glock firearm.  Officers also recovered from the vehicle: a box containing 39 rounds of .38 special ammunition; a plastic bag containing 33 rounds of 9mm ammunition; a ski mask; and a glove.

According to Harvey’s plea agreement, the green Cadillac Seville was stolen late on January 27, 2011, after the victim was approached by three men as he was filling the vehicle at a gas station at North Avenue and McCulloh Street, in Baltimore City, Maryland.  The three men asked the victim for a ride.  Shortly thereafter in the 1800 block of Eutaw Place, the men donned masks and the victim was ordered out of the vehicle at gunpoint where he was shot and left for dead. 

Throughout the course of Harvey’s involvement in the UDH drug conspiracy Harvey knew that the conspiracy involved between 840 grams and 2.8 kilograms of crack cocaine and between 3 and 10 kilograms of heroin

Harvey and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement Harvey will be sentenced to 262 months in prison.  U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for June 17, 2016, at 11:00 a.m.

Co-defendant Dominic Evans, a/k/a “FlatLine,” age 25, of Baltimore, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the racketeering conspiracy and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the ATF, Baltimore Police Department, and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Andrea L. Smith, Seema Mittal, and Patricia C. McLane, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted Salah Eldean Sood, age 34, of Baltimore, today on charges arising from a scheme to open credit card accounts using the stolen identity information of elderly persons who were in Sood’s care at Holland Manor Eldercare, an assisted living facility in Towson, Maryland.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Nicholas DiGiulio, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger; and Special Agent in Charge Michael McGill of the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General, Philadelphia Field Division (SSA).

According to the four count indictment, Sood managed Holland Manor Eldercare. From July 2014 to January 2016, Sood used the names and social security numbers of three elderly persons who resided at the assisted living facility to apply for and receive six credit cards from a bank. Sood falsely represented himself to the bank as the resident in whose name he applied for the credit card. Sood added himself as an authorized user on those accounts and made over $75,000 in purchases using the accounts. 

Sood faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for bank fraud, and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed on each of three counts for aggravated identity theft.  An initial appearance has not yet been scheduled.  Sood is detained in federal custody.

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 Maryland Identity Theft Working Group has been working since 2006 to foster cooperation among local, state, federal, and institutional fraud investigators and to promote effective prosecution of identity theft schemes by both state and federal prosecutors. This case, as well as other cases brought by members of the Working Group, demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to work with financial institutions and businesses to address identity fraud, identify those who compromise personal identity information, and protect citizens from identity theft.

Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force.  The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.  With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud.  Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations.  Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants.  For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended HHS, the Baltimore County Police Department, Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office and SSA for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Perry and Roann Nichols, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Michael Williams, age 41, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute cocaine.  

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Special Agent in Charge Thomas Jankowski of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to his plea agreement and court documents, from September 2012 until his arrest in October 2014, Kedrick Jenifer was the head of a drug organization (Jenifer DTO) that transported cocaine and cash between Baltimore and Houston, Texas.  Jenifer supplied kilograms of cocaine to Michael Williams and others for distribution in and around the Baltimore-Washington area.  The Jenifer DTO obtained its cocaine from sources of supply in and around Houston. The Jenifer DTO would hide money in secret compartments in “courier vehicles” that were transported from Baltimore to Houston.  The cocaine was then transported from Houston to Baltimore hidden in the courier vehicles.

In September 2012, Texas State Police stopped a courier vehicle in Chambers County, Texas.  Law enforcement officers discovered approximately 30 kilograms of cocaine hidden in secret compartments within the vehicle. Between August 2013 and October 2014, approximately 30 shipments of cocaine concealed in secret compartments in the courier vehicles were made to the Jenifer DTO.  During this time, Williams was frequently seen meeting with Jenifer and providing Jenifer with money in exchange for cocaine. In addition, during a separate joint FBI and Baltimore City Police Department investigation in 2014, law enforcement learned that Williams was supplying street level drug shops in Baltimore City with cocaine.

Williams admitted that during his participation in the conspiracy, the Jenifer DTO was responsible for the distribution of at least 750 kilograms of cocaine between August 2013 and October 2014.

Kedrick Arnold Jenifer, a/k/a “Ricky Jenifer,” “James Howard Collier, Jr.” and “Rick,” age 44, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 4, 2016.  Eight other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty.  Andre Brewer, age 36, of Jessup, Maryland; Brooke Renee Lunn, a/k/a “Brooke Thomas” and “Brooke Renee,” age 49; William Hegie, age 55; Kermit Clark, age 45; and Elroy Johnson, age 49, all of Baltimore; and Tyrone Allen, age 44, of Bowie, Maryland, and Thomas Simmons, age 38, of Hampton, Virginia, were sentenced to between 10 and 16 years in prison.   

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the DEA, IRS Criminal Investigation, Baltimore City and County Police Departments, and the FBI for their work in the investigation, and expressed his appreciation to the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Texas and the Southern District of New York for their assistance.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney John W. Sippel, Jr., who is prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Stanislav “Steven” Yelizarov, age 26, of Pikesville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a robbery conspiracy, kidnapping, and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, in connection with the robbery of a jewelry store, including a carjacking and kidnapping.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.         

According to his plea agreement, Yelizarov was the leader of a conspiracy to rob an Owings Mills jewelry store, and was also the leader of an armed home invasion robbery designed to obtain firearms, which were subsequently used in the robbery of the jewelry store. 

Specifically, on July 22, 2012, Yelizarov, his brother MaratYelizarov, Aleksy Sosonko, and Grigory Zilberman robbed a home in Reisterstown, Maryland.  Zilberman was familiar with the layout of the home, having been there as a guest on a number of occasions.  Zilberman knew that the residents of the home owned firearms and he had handled and fired some of the weapons.  After conducting surveillance of the home for several days prior to the robbery, at 2:30 a.m. on July 22, 2012, S. Yelizarov, Sosonko, M. Yelizarov, and Zilberman traveled to the home in Reisterstown.  Dressed all in black and wearing ski masks and latex gloves, the co-conspirators entered the home through the unlocked garage door.  S. Yelizarov was armed with a handgun when they entered the residence.  Sosonko, M. Yelizarov, and Zilberman grabbed long guns from the residence and carried them throughout the home.  A resident of the home was asleep when the four robbers entered his bedroom and woke him up, pointing guns at him and shining flashlights in his eyes. S. Yelizarov beat the resident when he tried to resist while M. Yelizarov tied up the resident with a belt and a cord.  For approximately one hour the robbers ransacked the home looking for firearms and other valuables. After the robbers left, the resident was able to free himself and call police.  The resident was taken to the hospital for treatment of his injuries. Among the items stolen from the house were 10 long guns (rifles and shotguns), a crossbow, a laptop computer, and jewelry. Numerous electronic devices including computers and televisions were destroyed during the robbery. The value of the items stolen was approximately $10,000.

In the fall of 2012, Yelizarov devised a plan to commit an armed robbery of a jewelry store, known to be owned and operated by members of the Russian community of Northwest Baltimore.  Yelizarov was the leader of the conspiracy and had final decision making authority over the execution of the scheme. Yelizarov recruited Zilberman, Sosonko, Igor Yasinov, Peter Magnis, M. Yelizarov, Sorhib Omonov, and others to participate in the robbery.  In preparation for the robbery, on December 25, 2012, S. Yelizarov, Yasinov, and others committed a burglary of a residence in Baltimore, during which they stole a shotgun and semiautomatic handgun. The handgun was used in the robbery of the jewelry store on January 16, 2013. Prior to the robbery, the conspirators gathered intelligence, including conducting surveillance.  S. Yelizarov purchased and attached a GPS device to the car of an employee of the jewelry store in order to learn the employee’s travel routine and habits. Zilberman also exploited his friendship with the employee to obtain information about the operation of the jewelry store and the habits of the employee. According to S. Yelizarov’s plea agreement, on January 15, 2013, Zilberman enticed the employee to visit his home, in order to alert the other co-conspirators of the employee’s whereabouts. While the employee was at Zilberman’s home, the conspirators met at Yelizarov’s residence to prepare for the kidnapping and robbery, including preparing the firearms and donning masks and gloves. Early in the morning on January 16, 2013, M. Yelizarov and Omonov followed the employee from Zilberman’s home and notified the other conspirators of the employee’s location so they could follow the employee. S. Yelizarov, Sosonko, Yasinov, and Magnis driving in a rental car obtained by Yasinov, used a law enforcement-type light bar and a loudspeaker to impersonate a police officer and pull over the employee. Brandishing firearms which were supplied by S. Yelizarov, the conspirators removed the employee from his car, bound and blindfolded the employee, put him into the trunk of his own car, and drove him to a predetermined location.

According to the plea agreement, once at the location, S. Yelizarov and the co-conspirators continued to brandish firearms and threatened to kill the employee’s family if he did not comply with their demands or if he reported the incident to police. The employee complied and at approximately 3:52 a.m., S. Yelizarov and Sosonko drove the employee’s vehicle from the remote location to the jewelry store, while Yasinov and Magnis stayed with the employee, holding him bound and blindfolded at gunpoint.  M. Yelizarov and Omonov were stationed near the jewelry store to act as “look-outs.”  S. Yelizarov and Sosonko entered the store and stole jewelry, stones, and watches, valued at about $500,000, then drove back to the remote location. The employee was placed back into the trunk of his car and driven to another location, where he was left. The employee was able to kick his way out of the trunk through the back seat of his car.

On January 18, 2013, S. Yelizarov sold a portion of the stolen jewelry for approximately $29,000 to an FBI informant.  On January 19, 2013, S. Yelizarov traveled to Brooklyn, New York to sell some of the jewelry and stones taken during the robbery, receiving over $100,000. On January 21, 2013, he returned to Maryland and divided the cash proceeds among the members of the conspiracy and others. S. Yelizarov determined how much each participant received based on his perception of the risk and the conduct of each participant.

On January 25, 2013, S. Yelizarov was arrested in Buffalo, New York, on federal misuse of passport charges.  From January 25 through February 2, 2013, S. Yelizarov placed calls directing his brother, M. Yelizarov, and others, to remove from his residence and dispose of evidence related to the jewelry store robbery, including cash from the sale of the jewelry, firearms used during the conspiracy, the law enforcement light bar, the GPS device, a laptop computer, and other evidence of the crimes. 

Stanislav Yelizarov and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement Yelizarov will be sentenced to 30 years in prison.  U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz has scheduled sentencing for April 13, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. 

Grigoriy (Greg) Zilberman, age 25, and Aleksey Sosonko, age 35, both of Owings Mills, Maryland; Peter Aleksandrov Magnis, age 28, of Hydes, Maryland; Igor Yasinov, age 26, and Sorhib Omonov, age 27, both of Baltimore; and Marat Yelizarov, age 27, of Pikesville, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the robbery conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI, Baltimore County Police Department, and Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Paul E. Budlow and Aaron S. J. Zelinsky, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment late yesterday against Joseph R. Dominici, age 29, of Annapolis, Maryland, on wire fraud charges arising from a telemarketing scheme to defraud real estate professionals around the country who paid to advertise on websites owned by Dominici. The superseding indictment also re-alleges previous charges arising from a counterfeit credit card scheme.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Brian Murphy of the United States Secret Service - Baltimore Field Office; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Wes Adams; Special Agent in Charge Andre Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief Henry P. Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

Dominici owned and operated JJ&M Enterprises, LLC, an on-line business based in Annapolis, Maryland, operating to provide leads to real estate professionals concerning potential homebuyers. Dominici registered two websites which he and JJ&M used to conduct business: BuyerHomeSite.com and FreeHomeFind.com 

According to the 14 count indictment, the websites purported to contain active listings of homes for sale, and allowed potential homebuyers to browse home listings in a selected geographic area.  The websites also represented to realtors or loan officers that they could pay to become a “preferred expert” in each of the geographic regions that they chose.  If a prospective home buyer (user) searched the websites for properties in an area where a real estate professional had paid to become the “preferred expert,” the websites displayed an ad that included the real estate professional’s photograph and contact information.  For a monthly fee of approximately $299, the websites would grant a real estate professional exclusive access to all leads generated on the websites associated with the real estate professional’s assigned geographic area. 

The indictment alleges that from on or before March 6, 2014 to October 20, 2015, Dominici represented to real estate professionals that such leads included personal information provided by a potential homebuyer, where in fact, the leads sent to the real estate professionals contained fictitious information created by Dominici and individuals employed by JJ&M. Dominici created fictitious identities, including names, email addresses and cell phone numbers.  He provided cell phones to a JJ&M employee which had the name and phone number of a fictitious identity taped to the back.  Dominici also posted false and duplicative “testimonials” from “satisfied” customers on the websites. 

Dominici allegedly caused employees to make unsolicited telephone sales calls to many thousands of real estate professionals located all over the United States.  Dominici provided JJ&M employees with scripts and talking points to use in soliciting real estate professionals to pay to become the “preferred expert” for their area on the websites. As a result of these sales calls, more than 1,000 real estate professionals agreed to pay approximately $299 per month to be advertised as preferred experts. 

As a result of this telemarketing fraud scheme, Dominici allegedly obtained and attempted to obtain more than $895,568.31 from real estate professionals.  The indictment seeks forfeiture of this amount.

Dominici faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison on each of 11 counts of wire fraud in the telemarketing fraud scheme.  An initial appearance for Dominici is expected to be scheduled for next week.

The superseding indictment re-alleges a separate counterfeit credit card scheme in which Dominici obtained stolen or otherwise compromised credit card numbers from several sources. Co-conspirator Christina Price, a server at a restaurant in Gambrills, Maryland, used electronic devices known as skimmers to fraudulently obtain the credit card information of restaurant customers who paid by credit card.  Price then provided this stolen customer information to Dominici for use in producing fraudulently re-encoded credit cards.  Dominici and co-conspirator Carlos Ledbetter, an employee of JJ&M, used special equipment to encode the stolen account information onto stored value cards and then used the fraudulently re-encoded credit and stored value cards to obtain extensions of credit from banks and credit unions.

Dominici faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for conspiring to commit bank fraud; 10 years in prison for access device fraud; and a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence for aggravated identity theft, arising from the credit card fraud scheme. 

Carlos M. Ledbetter, age 29, of District Heights, Maryland, and Christina O. Price, age 22, of Bowie, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to their participation in the credit card fraud scheme.  U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Ledbetter to six months in prison, and scheduled Price’s sentencing for May 2, 2016 at 9:30 a.m.  Dominici has pleaded not guilty to charges arising from the credit card fraud scheme.

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

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the U.S. Secret Service, Anne Arundel County Police Department, HSI Baltimore, Prince George’s County Police Department and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Tang, who are prosecuting the case.