District of New Hampshire

            CONCORD – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Francisco Tamayo Noguera, 36, of Austin, Texas, was found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to commit credit and debit card fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a credit card fraud scheme.

 

            According to the testimony given during the trial, Noguera traveled from Austin, Texas, to New Hampshire on January 8, 2016 with Dairon Jimenez Roja and Elvis Barban Chavez. The three stayed at a motel in Nashua, New Hampshire and between January 9, 2016 and January 12, 2016, they visited Sam’s Club stores in Manchester, Hudson, Seekonk, Massachusetts and Worcester Massachusetts. While at the stores the conspirators purchased gift cards, usually in the amount of $200, with credit and debit card information of other individuals. The conspirators acquired the other individuals’ information from a skimming device that had been placed in a gas pump in Londonderry, New Hampshire. Once they obtained the information, the conspirators made clone cards that contained the debit and credit card information and used those clone cards to purchase the gift cards. The total estimated loss is approximately $29,000.

 

            The conspirators were captured after they fled the Hudson Sam’s Club on January 12, 2016. Store employees had noticed the fraudulent activity and called the Hudson Police Department. The individuals were arrested by the Tyngsborough Police Department on January 12, 2016 after a pursuit was initiated by the Hudson Police Department. At the time of the arrest, numerous cards and a skimming device were found in the vehicle.

 

            A sentencing hearing for the defendant is scheduled for October 3, 2017.

 

            Dairon Jimenez Roja and Elvis Barban Chavez previously pleaded guilty and were each sentenced to 24 months in prison.

 

            The case was investigated by the Hudson Police Department, the Londonderry Police Department, the Manchester Police Department, the Tyngsborough Police Department, and the New Hampshire State Police Forensic Laboratory. Numerous other departments and the staffs at various Sam’s Club stores assisted in the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Feith.

 

 

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Leeland Eisenberg, of Concord, New Hampshire, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for bank robbery and separately sentenced to five years of probation for possessing cocaine.

 

          Court filings and statements made in court established that Eisenberg robbed the Citizen’s Bank located at 875 Elm Street in Manchester, New Hampshire on August 2, 2016 at approximately noon. Eisenberg walked into the bank, approached the teller station and handed a teller a robbery note that stated “No alarms. No dye packs. I have a gun and I will shoot you and others if you put a dye pack in. Fill the bag with cash now.”

 

          A witness in the vicinity of the bank identified the robber as Eisenberg. The witness had known Eisenberg in the past and recognized Eisenberg as he left the bank. An image of the robber taken by the bank’s security system was distributed to law enforcement. Law enforcement officers familiar with Eisenberg also identified the robber as Eisenberg after reviewing the images.

 

          Eisenberg was arrested by two Manchester officers in the area of the Pine Street Cemetery at 6:42 p.m. on August 2, 2016. At the time of his arrest, Eisenberg had a small quantity cocaine in his possession.

 

          Eisenberg pleaded guilty to bank robbery and drug possession charges. After serving his prison sentence for bank robbery, he will be on supervised release for a period of three years. He also will be on probation for five years as a result of the drug possession conviction.

 

          Eisenberg was sentenced on the bank robbery charge on June 16, 2017. He was sentenced on the drug possession charge on June 21, 2017.

 

          The case was investigated by the Manchester Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Feith.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Dale Edson, 30, of Swanzey, New Hampshire, was sentenced to serve 42 months in federal prison for possessing child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.

 

          According to court documents and statements in court, law enforcement received information in July 2015 that potential child pornography images had been uploaded to a cloud storage service from a phone number associated with Edson. After establishing that the phone number was used by Edson, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Edson’s residence. On September 9, 2015, the police executed the warrant and, based on a preliminary forensic review conducted at the residence, seized three computers and other devices. A forensic examination of two laptop computers established that images of child pornography were found on each computer. An examination of a tablet used by Edson established that images of child pornography were found on the tablet.

 

          Edson pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography in March. After he is released from prison, Edson will be on supervised release for five years.

 

          In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

 

          The case was investigated by the Hinsdale Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Swanzey Police Department, the Bedford Police Department, the Nashua Police Department, the Portsmouth Police Department, the Rochester Police Department, and the Interstate Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Feith.

 

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Jesse Dennis, 32, of Keene, New Hampshire was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possession of materials to manufacture methamphetamine and attempting to manufacture methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.

 

          According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about January 13, 2016, the defendant was pulled over after committing various traffic infractions in Keene, New Hampshire. The defendant consented to a search of his vehicle where officers found various implements and ingredients used to manufacture methamphetamine. The defendant admitted that he had attempted to manufacture methamphetamine on various occasions. After executing a search warrant for his vehicle, officers uncovered materials that a New Hampshire State police forensic laboratory chemist determined are collectively consistent with methamphetamine manufacturing via the one-pot method. The chemist also determined that samples taken from the vehicle indicated the presence of methamphetamine.

 

          Dennis, who previously pleaded guilty, will be on supervised release for three years after he serves his prison sentence.

 

          “Methamphetamine poses a serious threat to our community,” Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said. “While this drug is dangerous to those who ingest it, it can be particularly hazardous when it is manufactured in vehicles or homes. This unsafe practice can lead to fires and explosions and creates a frightening hazard to innocent individuals in the area. I commend the law enforcement officers in this case whose quick actions prevented a potential tragedy.”

 

          “This sentence reflects DEA’s strong commitment to bring to justice those that manufacture methamphetamine,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. “DEA and its local, state and federal law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to keep this highly addictive drug off the streets of New Hampshire. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts in New Hampshire and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to aggressively pursue anyone who manufactures this poison.”

 

          The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Keene, New Hampshire Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. - Daniel Quinn, 48, of Nashua, New Hampshire, was sentenced to serve 63 months in federal prison for armed bank robbery, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.

  

          According to court records and statements in court, shortly before noon on June 25, 2015, Quinn entered the St. Mary’s Bank in Hudson, New Hampshire wearing a black hat, a mask and gloves, and carrying a knife in his left hand while keeping a brown leather satchel over his left shoulder hanging by his waist on the right side in which it appeared he had a handgun. Quinn forced all of the patrons and employees, other than those behind the teller counters, to line up against a wall while he robbed one of the tellers using the knife. After getting the money from the teller, Quinn took one of the bank employees hostage in order to make his escape. Shortly after Quinn and the hostage left the bank the hostage was able to get away from Quinn and ran back into the bank, while Quinn ran in the opposite direction. Fortunately, the hostage was not physically harmed.

 

          The Hudson Police Department responded to the bank within minutes of the robbery. A police canine, which quickly picked up Quinn’s scent, led police to a residential neighborhood close to the bank where Quinn was found hiding in the side yard of a home. Quinn was taken into custody without incident and the leather satchel, which was found within a few feet of Quinn partially covered with leaves, was seized. Inside the satchel, the money from the robbery, the knife, the gloves, the mask and other things related to the robbery were recovered. A BB gun, was also found in the satchel.

 

          In imposing sentence today, United States District Judge Landya B. McCafferty told Mr. Quinn that his conduct at the bank that day was an act of terror.

 

          Quinn pleaded guilty on September 13, 2016. After serving his prison sentence, Quinn will be on supervised release for three years.

 

          This case was investigated by the FBI and the Hudson, NH Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold H. Huftalen.

 

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Joseph Davis, 31, of Manchester, New Hampshire, has been sentenced to serve 50 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm.

 

          At a trial in March of 2017, evidence showed that shortly after midnight on July 2, 2016, police officers in Hampton, New Hampshire saw Davis driving a car in an erratic manner on Ocean Boulevard. Before the police could intervene, Davis abruptly stopped the car in front of the north bathhouse on Ocean Boulevard. While detained by the police, Davis removed a large scarf from around his neck and placed it over the area between the driver’s seat and the center console.

 

          After arresting Davis for driving under the influence, a police officer searched the car and found a HiPoint Model C9, 9mm, pistol tucked between the driver’s seat and the center console. The firearm was fully loaded. One bullet was in the chamber. The safety was in the off position.

 

          Davis was prohibited from possessing firearms because he was a convicted felon. He previously was convicted of first-degree assault and possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute.

 

          “Protecting public safety from violent criminals is a high priority of the United States Attorney’s Office,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “When criminals have guns in their possession, it threatens the safety of our citizens and our communities. I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this case.”

 

          The case was investigated by the Hampton Police Department, the Manchester Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bob Kinsella prosecuted the case.

 

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          CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Luis D. Capo-Nieves, 33, formerly of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

 

          According to court documents and statements made during court proceedings, on July 1, 2016, the Nashua Police department dispatched several officers to the parking lot of a city apartment complex in response to a citizen complaint about drug dealing activity there. In the parking lot, the responding police officers observed Capo-Nieves engage in an exchange with another individual, Wilfredo Tanon Rodriguez, that appeared to be part of a drug transaction. After Capo-Nieves and Tanon Rodriguez left the parking lot in Capo-Nieves’s car, police stopped the car for a variety of motor vehicle violations. A police inspection of a bag the police saw in the car during the traffic stop revealed 279 grams of cocaine.

 

          Capo-Nieves, who pleaded guilty on February 28, 2017, will be on supervised release for three years after he serves his prison sentence. In addition, the Court directed that $2121 recovered from Capo-Nieves at the time of his arrest should be used to pay for his court-appointed defense attorney, instead of being returned to Capo-Nieves.

 

          On June 2, 2017, Tanon Rodriguez, a former Nashua resident, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his participation in the drug transaction.

 

          “Even as we continue to address the opioid epidemic, the law enforcement community remains committed to stopping the distribution of all illegal drugs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Thanks to good police work, over a quarter kilogram of cocaine has been removed from the streets of Nashua.”

 

          This matter was investigated by the Nashua Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Morse prosecuted the case.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Dana Michelle Lawrence, 43, of Nashua has been indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with fraudulent use of a social security number.

 

          According to court documents, in 2006, Lawrence was sentenced in a Rhode Island state court to a one-year period of incarceration followed by nine years of probation for a theft offense. Shortly after Lawrence completed the prison sentence, she absconded from supervision and a warrant was issued for her arrest. In November 2016, Lawrence, using the alias “Genevieve Kaplan,” began working as a volunteer for the City of Nashua, preparing grant applications. On May 7, 2017, the Nashua Police Department (NPD) and FBI were told that “Kaplan” tried to obtain routing numbers and account numbers for bank accounts that belonged to the City.

 

          While investigating the matter, the NPD and FBI obtained a copy of a lease application that “Kaplan” had used to rent an apartment in Nashua. On the application, “Kaplan” used a different first name, “Genna,” and a social security number assigned to another person. searching “Kaplan’s” Nashua apartment, the NPD and FBI found documents that contained different names, addresses, dates of births, and social security numbers.

 

          On May 11, Lawrence was arrested and charged in state court with Identity Fraud, a felony under state law.

 

          If convicted, Lawrence faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

 

          The charges and allegations contained in an indictment are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

 

          The investigation, which is ongoing, has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of Inspector General of the Social Security Administration, and the Nashua Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Kinsella and Anna Dronzek are prosecuting the case.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Joel A. Tetteh, 53, a citizen of Ghana and Canada, was sentenced to serve 29 months in prison for orchestrating a scheme in which he unlawfully purchased firearms in New Hampshire and smuggled them to Ghana.

 

          According to court documents and statements in court, Tetteh purchased a total of six handguns from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Hooksett, New Hampshire on April 29, 2014, October 29, 2014, and May 6, 2015. In purchasing these handguns, Tetteh filled out a form in which he stated that he resided at a location in Merrimack, New Hampshire. A subsequent law enforcement investigation showed that this statement was false. At the time of the purchase, Tetteh was residing in Worcester, Massachusetts and never resided at the address in Merrimack. Under federal law, the firearms dealer could not have lawfully sold these firearms to the defendant because he was not a resident of New Hampshire.

 

          During a subsequent interview with law enforcement officers, Tetteh acknowledged that he had purchased the guns and shipped them to Ghana inside motor vehicles. He further admitted that in 2012 he had arranged for another person to purchase two additional firearms in New Hampshire, which also were sent to Ghana.

 

          The firearms that Tetteh purchased are defense articles that may not be exported without a license from the State Department. Tetteh did not have such a license.

 

          Tetteh previously pleaded guilty on September 9, 2016, to three counts of making material false statements during the acquisition of a firearm, three counts of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm, and three counts of smuggling goods from the United States

 

          “The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.” Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said. “International gun smuggling is a serious crime that can lead to violent acts in other countries and undermine the stability of foreign governments. I commend the hard work of the law enforcement agents who investigated this significant case.”

 

          This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Acting U.S. Attorney Farley.

 

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          Concord, N.H.— Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Matthew Bergeron, formerly of Fitchburg, Massachusetts was sentenced to 78 months in prison for his role in the straw purchase of three firearms in New Hampshire.

          According to court records and statements in court, Bergeron arranged to have two co-conspirators purchase firearms on his behalf in June and July 2016 from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Hooksett, New Hampshire. In connection with each firearm purchase, the co-conspirators were required to complete an ATF Form 4473 where they falsely stated that they were purchasing the firearms for themselves when they were actually purchasing the weapons for Bergeron. Bergeron also had each co-defendant purchase ammunition and extended clip magazines on his behalf. Shortly after the purchases, Bergeron took possession of the firearms, magazines and ammunition. Bergeron was a previously convicted felon and a resident of Massachusetts, and could not legally purchase the firearms for himself in New Hampshire.

 

          Bergeron, who pleaded guilty to two conspiracy charges on March 2, 2017, will be placed on supervised release for three years after he completes his prison sentence.

 

          Bergeron’s co-conspirators, Rashawn Dunn, 30, and Jessica Fithian, 33, both of Manchester, also have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

 

          “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners in order to prevent violence and to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals.” Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said. “I commend the work of the law enforcement agencies in this case. Their hard work helps to keep our community safe.”

 

          This matter was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Manchester Police Department. The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Christopher Barker, 24, of Epsom, New Hampshire, was sentenced on Tuesday to serve 70 months in federal prison for being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

 

          According to pleadings filed with the court and statements made at the sentencing hearing, Concord Police conducting an undercover operation arranged to purchase a firearm from Barker in March 2016. When Barker arrived at the deal, Concord Police arrested him, seizing two firearms from his vehicle. At the time, Barker was prohibited from possessing any firearms as a result of a previous felony conviction.

 

          Barker pleaded guilty to the charges on February 28, 2017. After being released from prison, he will be on supervised release for three years.

 

          “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners in order to prevent violence and to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals.” Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said. “I commend the work of the Concord Police and the other law enforcement agencies in this case. Their hard work helps to keep our community safe.”

 

          This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and by the Police Departments of Concord and Lebanon, New Hampshire, and Hartford, Vermont, as well as by the Merrimack County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Georgiana Konesky and Shane Kelbley.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Eric Rouleau, 37, most recently of Somersworth, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for robbing a credit union and mailing threatening communications.

 

          According to pleadings filed with the court and statements made at today’s hearing, Rouleau robbed the Northeast Credit Union in Rochester on April 22, 2016 by entering the credit union and producing a note demanding money and saying no one would get hurt. After obtaining a sum of money, he left the bank on foot. Images of the robber were captured by the credit union’s surveillance system and distributed to the media. A short time later, Rouleau was positively identified as the robber.

 

          In a matter unrelated to the robbery and while incarcerated pending trial on the robbery charge, Rouleau sent through the United States mail a series of threatening letters to a former girlfriend. A restraining order prohibiting contact with the former girlfriend was in place when one of the letters was mailed.

 

          Rouleau pleaded guilty to the charges on March 3, 2017. After being released from prison, he will be on supervised release for three years. was also ordered to pay restitution to the credit union.

 

          The case was investigated by the Rochester Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Helen White Fitzgibbon and Donald Feith.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that four New Hampshire residents, including two alleged motorcycle club members, have been arrested and charged with drug trafficking crimes. One of the four men also has been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

 

          According to allegations contained in the federal criminal complaints that were unsealed today:

• Alleged Hells Angel Motorcycle Club member James Cunningham, 60, of Laconia, New Hampshire, is charged with distributing and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

• Alleged Milford & Company Motorcycle Club President Harry Bolton, 63, of Weare, New Hampshire, is charged with distributing and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine.

• Kenneth Bailey, 52, of Weare, New Hampshire, is charged with distributing and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine.

• Timothy Raxter, 52, of Tilton, New Hampshire, is charged with possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

          Each drug charge is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $1 million. The maximum penalty for the firearms charge against Raxter is up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

          “Federal, state, and local law enforcement officers are united in our work to combat drug trafficking and violence,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Even as our state attempts to address the opioid crisis, we remain vigilant in our efforts to protect the public from the distribution of other dangerous drugs, such as cocaine and methamphetamine. I commend our law enforcement partners for their work in this investigation.”

          "The Hells Angels are one of the most notorious biker gangs in the United States and often use violence and intimidation to protect their 'turf' in support of their criminal activities,” said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “As alleged, this investigation revealed that a Hells Angel member engaged in the distribution of drugs in New Hampshire. In an effort to create safer neighborhoods for everyone, the FBI New Hampshire’s Safe Streets Task Force is fully committed to the identification and pursuit of illicit gang activities within the state, to crack down on illegal drug distribution networks, and deter associated violence.”

          A federal criminal complaint is only an allegation, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

          This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI New Hampshire Safe Streets Gang Task Force which is comprised of the FBI, the New Hampshire State Police, New Hampshire Probation and Parole, and the Police Departments of Hudson, Manchester, and Nashua. Assistance was provided by the Laconia and Tilton police departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane B. Kelbley.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Dairon Julio Jimenez Roja, 26, of Austin, Texas, was sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft in connection with a credit card fraud scheme.

 

          According to court documents, Roja and others traveled from Austin, Texas to New Hampshire in late December 2015 and early January 2016. Once they arrived in New Hampshire, they began purchasing gift cards at various retail stores in the area, including the Sam’s Club store in Hudson, New Hampshire. The group obtained credit card information for various individuals, including numerous New Hampshire residents, by downloading the information from a skimmer that was hidden in a gas pump at a store in Londonderry, New Hampshire. After downloading the information, the group used it to make counterfeit credit cards that were used at the self-checkout counters at retail stores to purchase gift cards in the amount of $200. The total estimated loss is approximately $29,000.

 

          On January 12, 2016, the Hudson Police Department were notified that the group was in the store purchasing gift cards. The police responded to the store and pursued the group into Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, where they were arrested by the Tyngsborough Police. Numerous cards and a skimming device were found in the vehicle.

 

          The case was investigated by the Hudson Police Department, the Londonderry Police Department, the Manchester Police Department, the Tyngsborough Police Department and the New Hampshire State Police Forensic Laboratory. Numerous other departments and the staffs at various Sam’s Club stores assisted in the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Feith.

 

 

 

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Justin Gauthier, 39, formerly of Northfield, New Hampshire, has been indicted on charges that he unlawfully possessed methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanil with the intent to distribute those controlled substances and for possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

 

          According to the indictment, on August 5, 2016, Gauthier unlawfully possessed with the intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. The indictment also charges that on March 16, 2017, Gauthier possessed with the intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanil. Gauthier is further charged in the indictment with possession of seven firearms in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

 

          Gauthier is scheduled for an arraignment in federal court at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6, 2017.

 

          Gauthier faces a possible maximum sentence of twenty years on the drug trafficking charges and a mandatory minimum five- year sentence for the firearms, which must be served consecutively to any term of imprisonment imposed for the drug charges.

 

          “The aggressive investigation and prosecution of individuals engaged in drug trafficking in New Hampshire remains a top priority of the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners at the local, state and federal level,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Our state already has experienced far too many deaths as a result of drug overdoses. The recent presence of carfentanil - a drug that the DEA has stated is a hundred times more powerful than fentanyl - has the potential to result in an even greater number of overdose deaths here in New Hampshire. It presents an unprecedented public safety concern for law enforcement and first responders. The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to prosecute those who are responsible for distributing these dangerous drugs in our state.”

 

          "ATF will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement counterparts, to vigorously combat drug traffickers and the threat they pose to our citizens by illegally possessing firearms in furtherance of their illegal drug trade", said Lawrence J. Panetta; Acting Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division.

 

          This case is being investigated by the New Hampshire State Police, Narcotics Investigation Unit, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tilton and Northfield, New Hampshire Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis.

 

          Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

 

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            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Jonathan Cruz-Marte, age 34, formerly of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was sentenced on Friday to serve 55 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute over a kilogram of heroin.

 

            After a lengthy investigation, law enforcement officers determined that from late 2014 through March 2015, Cruz-Marte, a member of a Lawrence, Massachusetts-based heroin trafficking organization, conspired to supply a heroin distributor in Keene with multiple kilograms of heroin for distribution in Keene and the surrounding towns. Law enforcement officers arrested Cruz-Marte on March 12, 2015, after Cruz-Marte delivered two kilograms of heroin to an individual in Salem, New Hampshire.

 

            Cruz-Marte pleaded guilty on November 23, 2016.

 

            “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to address the opioid crisis in New Hampshire by continuing to identify and target drug traffickers who are responsible for the distribution of large quantities of heroin and fentanyl in New Hampshire. We will continue to work each day to identify and prosecute drug traffickers who seek to profit from selling these drugs that are killing our citizens and damaging the fabric of our communities,” Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said.

 

            This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The investigation was conducted by the: (1) United States Attorney’s Office; (2) Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations; (3) New Hampshire Attorney General’s Drug Task Force; (4) New Hampshire State Police; (5) Keene, New Hampshire Police Department; and (6) Massachusetts State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis prosecuted the case.

          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Dieuny Pasius, 26, an inmate at FCI-Berlin pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to possess a prohibited object within a federal prison. Pasius admitted the prohibited object he was attempting to possess was Alpha-PVP, known by the street name Flakka, a synthetic cathinone that is a Schedule I controlled substance. Synthetic cathinone is commonly referred to as bath salts.

 

          According to documents filed with the court and statements made at the change of plea hearing, Pasius placed a letter in the institution mailbox at FCI-Berlin on January 14, 2017. The letter was reviewed by a staff member at the prison who noticed that certain words were emphasized. The staff members then placed the words in the order they appeared in the letter and a coded message was revealed. That coded message directed the letter’s intended recipient to obtain a quantity of Flakka and sent it to Pasius through covert means.

 

          A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 22, 2017. According to federal law, any sentence imposed in connection with this charge must be served consecutively to any sentence currently be served by Pasius.

 

          The Bureau of Prisons led the investigation of this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Feith.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Juan Rojas, 32, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, was sentenced to six years in federal prison for his participation in two conspiracies: (1) a conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, oxycodone and cocaine and (2) a conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

 

          According to court documents and statements in court, Rojas and others participated in the distribution of cocaine and oxycodone pills in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. During a court-authorized wiretap investigation, law enforcement officers intercepted calls in which Rojas obtained quantities of oxycodone and cocaine, which he then supplied to others, including Franklyn and Mara Morillo. The Morillos then arranged to distribute the drugs to multiple customers. Rojas was arrested on August 18, 2015. Law enforcement officers found approximately 110 grams of cocaine in the vehicle he was operating.

 

          During the wiretap investigation, officers also intercepted calls indicating that Rojas and another individual (Oscar Rosario) were planning to rob a drug dealer. Intercepted calls showed that Rosario traveled from New Hampshire to Haverhill, Massachusetts, where he obtained a firearm from Rojas. A law enforcement officer later stopped Rosario and recovered the firearm before it could be used to commit the robbery.

 

          Rojas pleaded guilty to these crimes on January 5, 2017. After his prison sentence, he will be on supervised release for three years.

 

          Rojas is one of six individuals convicted for participating in this drug trafficking conspiracy. Mara Morillo, 41, of Haverhill, Massachusetts was sentenced to seven years in prison; Franklyn Morillo, 42, of Haverhill, Massachusetts was sentenced to 14 years in prison; Jorge Medina, 25, of Haverhill, Massachusetts was sentenced to two years in prison; Justin Bartimus, 36, formerly of Methuen, Massachusetts was sentenced to 18 months in prison; and Michael Lally, 28, of Salem, New Hampshire is a awaiting sentencing.

 

          Rojas and Rosario were charged in a separate indictment with conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Rosario previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison.

 

          “This is another example of the commitment of the United States Attorney’s Office to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who are responsible for distributing opioids and other drugs,” Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said. “The road to heroin or fentanyl addiction often begins with the misuse of oxycodone pills. This case was an example of excellent law enforcement cooperation that put an end to a substantial drug trafficking operation that was profiting from the sale of these dangerous pills. Thanks to the hard work of multiple law enforcement agencies, these drug traffickers will no longer be jeopardizing the safety of our community.”

 

          "The DEA is committed to investigating and bringing to justice those who illicitly distribute oxycodone,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. “Opiate abuse is a major problem in New Hampshire and throughout New England. The diversion of prescription pain killers, in this case oxycodone, contributes to the widespread abuse of opiates, is the gateway to heroin and fentanyl addiction, and is devastating our communities. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts in New Hampshire and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to aggressively pursue any group or individual that traffics these drugs.”

 

          This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad led the investigation with assistance from the Haverhill, Massachusetts Police Department, the Methuen, Massachusetts Police Department, and the Massachusetts State Police. It was prosecuted by Acting U.S. Attorney Farley.

 

 

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            CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced yesterday that Wilfredo Tanon Rodriguez, 54, formerly of Nashua, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute more than a quarter kilogram of cocaine.

            According to court documents and statements made during earlier court proceedings, on July 1, 2016, the Nashua Police Department dispatched several officers to the parking lot of a city apartment complex. The officers were dispatched to that location in response to a citizen complaint about drug dealing activity there. After conducting surveillance, police later conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Tanon Rodriguez was riding in the front passenger seat.

            Tanon Rodriguez consented to a police inspection of a bag at his feet as well as a container found inside the bag. Inside the container, the police found approximately 279 grams of cocaine. After his arrest, Tanon Rodriguez admitted that, at the time of the traffic stop, he had been delivering the cocaine to a third party and that he had engaged in a similar transaction once before. Two firearms were found in a car belonging to Tanon Rodriguez, which was parked in the apartment complex that was the subject of the original police surveillance.

 

            After serving the 30-month prison sentence, Tanon Rodriguez will serve three years of supervised release.

 

            Luis D. Capo-Nieves -- the driver of the car – will be sentenced on a related charge on June 12, 2017. Capo-Nieves is also a former resident of Nashua.

 

            This matter was investigated by the Nashua Police Department. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also provided assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Morse prosecuted the case.

 

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            CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced yesterday that Patrick J. Brooks, II, 37, formerly of Boscawen, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for possession of oxycodone with the intent to distribute.

 

            According to court documents and statements made during earlier court proceedings, in June and July 2016, a Concord, New Hampshire, undercover officer made a series of purchases of oxycodone from an individual who, during those transactions, told the undercover detective that Brooks had been selling oxycodone to her for eleven years. On July 20, 2016, police officers executed a search warrant on Brooks’ Boscawen home. The execution of the warrant yielded nearly 2,000 30-milligram oxycodone pills and approximately $20,000 in cash. The cash recovered from Brooks’ home included currency that the undercover detective had used to buy oxycodone in one of the undercover transactions.

 

            After completing his prison term, Brooks will be on supervised release for three years. The cash and other drug proceeds are the subjects of a pending state forfeiture proceeding.

 

            “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who are responsible for distributing opioids,” Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said. “All too often, the road to heroin or fentanyl addiction begins with the misuse of oxycodone pills. Those who profit from the illicit sales of these pills are contributing to the opioid crisis in the Granite State. We will continue to devote our efforts to putting drug distributors out of business. I commend the efforts of the law enforcement officers in this case for their success in dismantling this significant drug distribution operation.”

 

            This matter was investigated by the Concord and Boscawen police departments. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Morse prosecuted the case.

 

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            CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Anthony Barth, 25, of Derry, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to two counts of distributing fentanyl and one count of possessing with intent to distribute 400 or more grams of fentanyl.

 

            According to statements made in court, Barth sold fentanyl to a confidential informant on two occasions in July and August of 2016. On August 17, 2016, the confidential informant placed an order for 50 “fingers” or approximately 500 grams of fentanyl. The defendant arrived at the predetermined meeting location in Derry, New Hampshire where officers attempted to arrest him. Barth tried to flee, hitting a police car and eventually abandoning his own vehicle behind a nearby business. He ran into a wooded area where he attempted to discard the drugs but was apprehended shortly thereafter. Officers searched the wooded area and found the drugs, which lab results confirmed contained approximately 490 grams of fentanyl.

 

            A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for September 14, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the United States District Court. The defendant faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

 

            “The United States Attorney’s Office is dedicated to working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to arrest and prosecute individuals who are distributing deadly drugs like fentanyl,” Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said. “While the law enforcement community recognizes that those who suffer from addiction require treatment, those who profit from the sale of these deadly products are damaging the fabric of our communities. This case is another example of our continuing efforts to stop the distribution of illegal opioids into our state.”

 

            “The state of New Hampshire is faced with a fentanyl and heroin crisis unlike ever before,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. “Those suffering from fentanyl and heroin addiction need treatment and recovery, but those that distribute and profit from spreading this misery need to be held accountable. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement in New Hampshire and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to aggressively seek and bring to justice anyone who distributes this poison.”

 

            This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Manchester and Derry Police Departments. It is being prosecuted by AUSA Georgiana L. Konesky.

 

 

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            CONCORD, N.H. – John J. Farley, Acting United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire, announced that Jeffrey Lamarche, 39, of Ossipee, was sentenced to serve eight years in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

            According to court documents and statements in court, on May 24, 2016, Lamarche was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by a New Hampshire State Police trooper. After making various observations about Lamarche, the trooper asked if he would consent to a search. Lamarche consented. When the trooper asked the defendant to squat and stand up, seven cellophane packages fell from his right pant leg. Lab results later confirmed that the packages contained 44.6 grams of fentanyl and 5.8 grams of cocaine.

            “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with all of our law enforcement partners to stop the distribution of fentanyl,” Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said. “Those who choose to sell dangerous substances are jeopardizing the lives of the people in our communities. While people suffering from addiction need treatment, we will continue to target and prosecuted individuals involved in drug trafficking.”

            The case was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.

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CONCORD, N.H. - Latavia Hassan, 33, of Mastic, New York, and Chantel Lightner, 26, of Wyandanch, New York, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to use counterfeit credit cards, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.

 

          During separate hearings in federal court yesterday, Hassan and Lightner admitted that on 24 separate occasions they used counterfeit credit cards to fraudulently acquire gift cards and other merchandise totaling more than $18,000 from TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Home Goods stores in Nashua, Bedford, Londonderry, Manchester, and Concord on April 16, 2017.

 

          Members of the Concord Police Department recovered the counterfeit credit cards and stolen gift cards and merchandise after Hassan and Lightner attempted to buy gift cards from a store in Concord.

 

          Hassan and Lightner will be sentenced on September 14, 2017.

 

          The Concord Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Robert M. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Gladys Maria Pena Dominguez, 35, was sentenced on Monday to serve 54 months in federal prison for her role in a scheme to use stolen personal identifying information to file false federal income tax returns and steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from the U.S. Treasury.

 

          According to statements made during the proceedings, from January 2012 to December 2013, Pena couriered approximately 161 U.S. Treasury tax refund checks from New York, N.Y., to Kenneth Feliz, a co-conspirator in New Hampshire, who gave Pena cash in return. As Pena knew, the checks had been obtained from the Internal Revenue Service by co-conspirators who induced the IRS to issue the checks based upon false tax returns that the co-conspirators had filed using the names and Social Security numbers of real people without their consent or knowledge. The co-conspirators also reported false mailing addresses on the tax returns to cause the IRS to mail the fraudulently derived Treasury tax refund checks to locations that they controlled. The aggregate face value of the checks was approximately $1.1 million.

 

          Pena is a resident of the Bronx, N.Y., and a former resident of Nashua, N.H. Pena had previously pleaded guilty to the federal crimes of theft of government property, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy.

 

          After completing her prison sentence, Pena will serve three years of supervised release. She also must pay $1,095,879.44 in restitution to the IRS.

 

          Feliz is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2017.

 

          This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation unit, principally by its Manchester, N.H., field office, with assistance from its field office in New York, N.Y. and its Fraud Detection Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Morse prosecuted the case.

 

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            CONCORD, N.H. - Mustafa Hasan Arif, 37, an individual with dual citizenship in Pakistan and the United Kingdom, was sentenced to serve six years in federal prison for his role in an extensive international wire fraud scheme, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.

 

            According to court documents and statements in court proceedings, Arif defrauded individuals all around the world by selling drugs that he claimed would cure many serious diseases. While in Lahore, Pakistan, Arif created, maintained, and controlled over 1,500 websites that promoted the sale of the drugs. The websites claimed that the drugs would cure and treat hundreds of diseases, many of which were incurable, including cerebral palsy, mental retardation, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and emphysema. The websites included falsified cure rates, false clinical research, and fabricated testimonials. One series of websites fraudulently claimed that Arif’s products had shown a 90 percent cure rate in clinical trials. Other websites included links to clinical research that had not been written about the drugs on the websites, but which suggested that clinical research had been performed on the products Arif was distributing. In an effort to make customers comfortable about the products, Arif also falsely represented that the drugs were being sold by entities in Germany, Norway, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, and Denmark when in fact the drugs were all being sold and shipped from Pakistan. Documents in the case show that Arif ‘s scheme generated more than $12.8 million in fraudulent sales to more than 100,000 victims.

 

            Arif initially was arrested after he flew into New York in February 2014 on a business trip. He appeared in federal court in New York and later was transported to New Hampshire, where he has remained in custody. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud on October 11, 2016.

 

            “The defendant’s conduct was reprehensible,” Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said. “He preyed on vulnerable individuals who were seeking to find cures for illnesses that often had no known cure. His scheme not only defrauded his victims financially but also victimized them emotionally by raising false hopes that his products could treat their serious medical conditions. Rather than providing his sick customers with remedies for their illnesses, he only caused more pain. I commend the law enforcement officers who put an end to this dangerous and heartless scheme.”

 

            “Criminals who deceive U.S. consumers with false information and false claims about drugs can adversely affect the public’s health,” said Jeffrey J. Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ New York Field Office. “Our office will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who take advantage of consumers in their quest for profits.”

 

            This investigation was led by the FDA/Office of Criminal Investigations, Cybercrime Investigations Unit along with Homeland Security Investigations. Assistance during the investigation was provided by the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, Portsmouth New Hampshire Police Department, the United States Consulate, Diplomatic Security Service Lagos, Nigeria office, New Zealand Ministry of Health, United Kingdom Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, and the Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs. The investigation was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold H. Huftalen and Sarah Hawkins of the FDA/Office of Chief Counsel.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Robert Rosploch, 34, formerly of Leicester, Vermont, pleaded guilty today to escape from federal custody.

 

          According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 16, 2016, Rosploch escaped from a halfway house in Manchester, New Hampshire, by climbing out of a first-floor window. Within hours, Deputy U.S. Marshals located Rosploch on the streets of downtown Manchester, and took him into custody without incident. At the time of his escape, Rosploch was serving a sentence for a previous conviction in Vermont federal court for conspiring to distribute cocaine.

 

          Rosploch is scheduled to be sentenced on August 24, 2017.

 

          This matter was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service, and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane B. Kelbley.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Isaiah Johnson, 37, of Dover, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of ammunition.

 

          According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 20, 2016, Dover Police pulled over a vehicle for a traffic violation. Johnson was a passenger in the vehicle. During the traffic stop, Johnson was found to have a loaded ammunition clip in his pocket. As a previously-convicted felon, Johnson is prohibited from possessing ammunition or firearms.

 

          Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2017.

 

          “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to combat gun-related violence. Keeping firearms and ammunition out of the hands of convicted criminals helps to keep our communities safe. I commend the work of law enforcement officers in this case,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley.

 

          This matter was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Dover Police Department. The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane B. Kelbley.

 

 

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          CONCORD, N.H.:  Allan Yianakopolos, 49, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced to serve 54 months in federal prison for possessing child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.

          According to court records, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Manchester residence of Yianakopolos in February of 2016. Among the items seized was a cellular telephone that contained hundreds of images and videos of child pornography.

          Yianakopolos pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography on January 26, 2017. After serving his54-month prison sentence, he will be on supervised release for ten years.

          In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

          The case was investigated by the New Hampshire Crimes Against Children Task Force in conjunction Homeland Security Investigations Manchester, and the police departments of Manchester and Bedford, New Hampshire. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana Konesky.

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          CONCORD – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Dennis Higgins (23), formerly of Hudson, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to unlawful distribution of fentanyl.

 

          According to court documents and statements in the court proceeding, on February 15, 2016, Higgins sold a quantity of fentanyl to “M.W.”, a 22-year old female from Kittery, Maine. Because of a 911 call the following morning, emergency personnel responded to M.W.’s residence in Kittery, where they found M.W. dead from a suspected drug overdose. In the immediate vicinity of the body, law enforcement officers found needles and a plastic bag that contained a white powdery substance that was determined to be fentanyl. An autopsy determined M.S.’ death was caused by acute fentanyl intoxication.

 

          Higgins is scheduled to be sentenced on August 23, 2017. The plea agreement contains a binding stipulation that the parties agree to recommend to the Court that Higgins be sentenced within a range of 120 months to 144 months of imprisonment; however, the Court deferred acceptance of the stipulation until the time of sentencing.

 

          “Opioid abuse is at epidemic levels in New Hampshire,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. “Fentanyl is causing overdose deaths across the Granite State, and DEA is committed to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes this poison in order to profit and destroy people’s lives. This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners.”

 

          Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley said, “Fentanyl continues to be the cause of far too many deaths in the Granite State and throughout New England. The aggressive investigation and prosecution of individuals engaged in fentanyl trafficking in New Hampshire remains a top priority of the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners at the local, state. and federal level. While we support access to treatment for those who suffer from addiction, those who distribute these deadly drugs need to be held accountable for the substantial damage they are causing in our community.”

 

          This case was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Kittery, Maine and Merrimack, New Hampshire Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Rahshim Carter, an inmate at the federal prison in Berlin, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to possessing Suboxone and a homemade weapon known as a shank.

 

          Pleadings filed with the court and statements made at the change of plea hearing established that staff at FCI-Berlin were conducting a health and sanitation check at the prison on November 24, 2016. When they opened Carter’s cell the staff smelled smoke. Carter exited his cell and immediately tried to evade the prison staff by running around the second tier of the unit and jumping to the first tier. Prison staff eventually subdued Carter and a search found the homemade weapon and a quantity of Suboxone, which is a controlled substance.

 

          A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for August 22, 2017.

 

          The case was investigated by the staff at the Bureau of Prisons, FCI-Berlin. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Feith.

 

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that John Shelley, 34, of Highland, Utah was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possessing child pornography.

 

          Information set forth in pleadings filed with the court showed that the Department of Homeland Security executed a search warrant in October 2014 that resulted in the seizure of two computers from Shelley’s residence and his vehicle. A forensic analysis of the computers revealed that Shelley possessed images of child pornography. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children confirmed that the images possessed by Shelley included 61 images and one video of known minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

 

          Shelley previously pleaded guilty. After completing his prison sentence, he will be on supervised release for a period of ten years.

 

          In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

 

          The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Litchfield Police Department all participated in and contributed to the investigation. The case was prosecuted by AUSA Helen Fitzgibbon.

 

 

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          CONCORD, N.H.– Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Bryan Franklin (41), formerly of Penacook, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl and methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

 

          According to court documents and statements in the court proceeding, on September 24, 2016, the Tilton, New Hampshire Police Department conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Franklin that was found to contain multiple needles, cut plastic baggies, and other items associated with drug use. A subsequent search of another vehicle owned by Franklin resulted in the seizure of a lock box that contained approximately $15,958 cash, approximately 750 grams of fentanyl, assorted prescription pills, a quantity of methamphetamine, a thumb drive, and two digital scales. Additionally, a backpack in the vehicle contained a tin box that contained an additional quantity of fentanyl, a drug ledger, and a loaded semi-automatic handgun that had been reported to law enforcement as stolen.

 

          Franklin is scheduled to be sentenced on August 23, 2017. Franklin faces a possible maximum sentence of twenty years on the drug trafficking charge and a mandatory minimum five year sentence for the firearm, which must be served consecutively to any term of imprisonment imposed for the drug charge.

 

          “The aggressive investigation and prosecution of individuals engaged in fentanyl trafficking in New Hampshire remains a top priority of the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners at the local, state and federal level,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “As New Hampshire continues to face an unprecedented number of overdose deaths directly caused by opioid use, we will continue to work tirelessly to prosecute those who are responsible for distributing these dangerous drugs in our state. Most drug deaths in New Hampshire are associated with fentanyl use. The quick-thinking law enforcement officers who seized this large quantity of fentanyl and prevented it from being distributed may have saved several lives.”

 

          “Opioid abuse is at epidemic levels in New Hampshire,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. “Fentanyl is causing overdose deaths across the Granite State in record numbers, and DEA is committed to aggressively pursuing anyone who distributes this poison in order to profit and destroy people’s lives. This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners.”

 

          This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Tilton Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis.

 

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          CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Ryan Williams, age 31, formerly of Keene, New Hampshire was sentenced to serve seven years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute over a kilogram of heroin.

 

          After a lengthy investigation, law enforcement officers determined that over the course of several years, Williams conspired to distribute over nine kilograms of heroin to numerous individuals in the Keene, New Hampshire area and that Williams obtained the heroin from co-conspirators in Lawrence, Massachusetts. On March 29, 2015, when law enforcement arrested Williams during a traffic stop, he had over half a kilogram of heroin in his possession. Subsequently, while on pretrial release on state charges, Williams was arrested on July 21, 2015 after he failed to appear for a court proceeding. Law enforcement officers located Williams at a residence in Keene where police seized a digital scale, cash, and 5.5 grams of fentanyl.

 

          Williams was indicted in federal court on August 6, 2015. He pleaded guilty to the charge on August 3, 2016.

 

          “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to address the opioid crisis in New Hampshire by continuing to identify and target drug traffickers who are responsible for the distribution of large quantities of heroin and fentanyl in New Hampshire. We will continue to work each day to identify and prosecute drug traffickers who seek to profit from selling these drugs that are killing our citizens and damaging the fabric of our communities,” Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said.

 

          This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The investigation was conducted by the: (1) United States Attorney’s Office; (2) Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations; (3) New Hampshire Attorney General’s Drug Task Force; (4) New Hampshire State Police; (5) Keene, New Hampshire Police Department; and (6) Massachusetts State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis prosecuted the case.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Elvis Barban Chavez, 45, of Austin, Texas, was sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft in connection with a credit card fraud scheme.

 

          According to documents that were filed in the United States District Court, Chavez and others traveled from Austin, Texas to New Hampshire in late December 2015 and early January 2016. Once they arrived in New Hampshire, they began purchasing gift cards at various retail stores in the area, including the Sam’s Club store in Hudson, New Hampshire. The group obtained the credit card information for various individuals, including numerous New Hampshire residents, by downloading the information from a skimmer that was hidden in a gas pump at a store in Londonderry, New Hampshire. After downloading the information, the group used it at the self-checkout counters at the retail stores to purchase gift cards in the amount of $200. The total estimated loss is approximately $29,000.

 

          On January 12, 2016, the Hudson Police Department were notified that the group was in the store purchasing gift cards. The police responded to the store and pursued the group into Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, where they were arrested by the Tyngsborough Police. Numerous cards and a skimming device were found in the vehicle.

 

          The case was investigated by the Hudson Police Department, the Londonderry Police Department, the Manchester Police Department, the Tyngsborough Police Department and the New Hampshire State Police Forensic Laboratory. Numerous other departments and the staffs at various Sam’s Club stores assisted in the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald A. Feith.

 

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          Concord, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Christian Cherry, 33, previously of Manchester, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of firearm.

 

          According to court documents and statements made in court, members of Manchester Police Department responded to a 911 call on August 13, 2016, regarding a reported domestic dispute. Upon arrival, they encountered Cherry in his vehicle in the parking lot of the residence, and his then-girlfriend inside the apartment. Once in the apartment, officers observed visible signs of a struggle, and witnesses reported the presence of a firearm. Officers ultimately obtained a search warrant for the residence and recovered two Smith & Wesson handguns in a bedroom belonging to the defendant. One of the firearms had been reported stolen to Manchester Police in June 2016. Cherry was prohibited from possessing any firearm as a result of at least one prior felony conviction.

 

          Cherry was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 19, 2016. He has been in custody since his arrest on November 17, 2016.

 

          Cherry is scheduled to be sentenced on August 23, 2017.

 

          This matter was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Manchester Police Department. The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.

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CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley today announced that Jeremiah S. Loui, 31, of Dover, New Hampshire was fined $1000 for the illegal possession of birds of prey protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) and other federal laws.

 

          According to court documents and statements made during prior proceedings in the case, Loui bought and resold a taxidermied Accipiter gentilis, commonly known as a Northern Goshawk, on the Internet. He also sold or possessed 14 other taxidermied birds of prey protected under either the MBTA or a similar wildlife statute, the Wild Bird Conservation Act. Finally, Loui made false statements to a law enforcement officer investigating his offenses.

 

          Birds of prey, including the Northern Goshawk, play an important role in ecosystems here in the United States and across the globe. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to combat illegal conduct that promotes the taking of -- or trafficking in -- protected wildlife.” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley.

 

          Loui previously pleaded guilty to violating the MBTA. As part of a plea agreement, Loui agreed to forfeit any interest he has in any of the fifteen protected birds.

 

          This matter was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with valuable support from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Morse prosecuted the case.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Franklyn Morillo, 42, of Haverhill, Massachusetts was sentenced to serve 14 years in prison for participating in a conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and cocaine.

 

          According to court documents and statements in court, Morillo and others worked together to distribute oxycodone pills and cocaine in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The prosecution of Morillo and his associates was the result of a lengthy investigation that included purchases of drugs by cooperating individuals, surveillance, wiretaps, and search warrants. The investigation showed that this group was responsible for the distribution of thousands of oxycodone pills and several kilograms of cocaine. Over $18,000 in cash and a quantity of cocaine were seized from Morillo’s residence in Haverhill during the execution of a search warrant in August of 2015. Morillo was arrested on October 1, 2015. A quantity of oxycodone pills and over $2,000 in cash were recovered from his residence at the time of his arrest.

 

          Morillo is one of six individuals indicted by a federal grand jury on September 23, 2015, and charged with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances. The other defendants are: Mara Morillo, 41, of Haverhill, Massachusetts; Juan Rojas, 32, of Haverhill, Massachusetts; Justin Bartimus, 36, formerly of Methuen, Massachusetts; Jorge Medina, 25, of Haverhill, Massachusetts; and Michael Lally, 29, of Salem, New Hampshire. All of the defendants have pleaded guilty. Morillo pleaded guilty on October 28, 2017.

 

          “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who are responsible for distributing opioids,” Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said. “All too often, the road to heroin or fentanyl addiction begins with the misuse of oxycodone pills. Those who profit from the illicit sales of these pills are contributing to the opioid crisis in the Granite State. We will continue to devote our efforts to putting drug distributors out of business. I commend the efforts of the law enforcement officers in this case for their success in dismantling this drug distribution operation.”

 

          This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad led the investigation with assistance from the Haverhill, Massachusetts Police Department, the Methuen, Massachusetts Police Department, and the Massachusetts State Police. It is being prosecuted by Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.

 

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          CONCORD, NH – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Jason Ponder, 36, an inmate who had been at the Federal Correctional Institution in Berlin, New Hampshire, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing contraband in the prison. Ponder possessed a quantity of the synthetic cannabinoid known as AB-Fubinaca, a controlled substance. Ponder was transferred to another federal prison after the incident. Ponder’s sentence will be added to the federal sentence he is currently serving.

 

          On March 12, 2016, Ponder was visited by his girlfriend and a minor child. While the three were in the prison’s Visitation Room, the girlfriend passed three small white packages to Ponder. The correctional staff monitoring the visitation room saw the activity and it was captured on the prison’s security cameras. Ponder’s visit was immediately terminated and the girlfriend surrendered two packages of material to prison officials. Laboratory analysis of the material confirmed it was the Schedule I synthetic cannabinoid known as AB-Fubinaca.

 

          Synthetic cannabinoids are green leafy materials that have been sprayed with chemicals. These products (commonly referred to as “spice” or “K2”) are smoked in order to obtain a high. The chemicals that are sprayed on the products to produce the high are often illegal controlled substances or analogues of illegal controlled substances. The ingestion of these types of illegal products has caused some users to experience a variety of medical side effects and has led to numerous hospitalizations and, in some cases, deaths.

 

          The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and was prosecuted by AUSA Don Feith.

 

 

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            CONCORD, N.H. - The New Hampshire Human Trafficking Collaborative Task Force and Give Way to Freedom have ended their partnership. Give Way to Freedom had served as the Project Director for the Task Force. Going forward, the Task Force will adopt a new management structure and will seek to install a new Project Director.

 

            The Task Force is funded by a $1.3 million grant from the United States Department of Justice. Its goals are to ensure that comprehensive and specialized services are made available to victims of human trafficking through a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach and that perpetrators of sex trafficking and forced labor are investigated and prosecuted.

 

            The Task Force appreciates the efforts of Give Way to Freedom in helping to secure the federal grant and its dedication to helping human trafficking victims.

 

          The core team members of the New Hampshire Human Trafficking Task Force are the Manchester Police Department, Child and Family Services, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Attorney’s Office.

 

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            CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Andrew Beezub, 33, of Keene, pleaded guilty in the United States District Court to one count of possessing child pornography. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for August 14, 2017. Beezub was placed in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.

 

            According to documents filed in the case and statements made during the change of plea hearing, the national Center for Missing and Exploited Children became aware in February 2016 that images and videos of suspected child pornography had been uploaded to a Dropbox account. Additional investigation by the Keene Police Department determined that the account was associated with the defendant. A search warrant in April 2016 resulted in the seizure of the defendant’s computer and telephone. A forensic analysis of the telephone established its link to the Dropbox account where videos of child pornography were stored.

 

            In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

 

            The Keene Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, were involved in the investigation of this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Helen White Fitzgibbon and Assistant United States Attorney Don Feith.

 

 

 

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            CONCORD, N.H. - Acting U.S. Attorney John J. Farley announced that Michael Giles, 41, pleaded guilty today in the United States District Court to committing three bank robberies and attempting to rob a fourth bank. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for August 11, 2017. If the court accepts the terms of a plea agreement, Giles will be sentenced to ten years in federal prison.

 

            According to documents filed with the court and statements made at the change of plea hearing, Giles robbed TD Bank branches located at 70 Bay Street and 1255 South Willow Street, both in Manchester, on November 23 and November 27, 2016. Giles was arrested by the Manchester Police shortly after the November 27, 2016 robbery was committed when Giles’ motor scooter failed to start. The police recovered the robbery proceeds from Giles.

 

            Giles’ arrest led police to link him to the November 23, 2016 robbery of the TD Bank, the January 22, 2016 robbery of the Citizens Bank located at 1283 Hooksett Road in Hooksett, and the January 22, 2016 attempted robbery of the Citizens Bank located at 1550 Elm Street, Manchester, New Hampshire. Images captured by the bank’s surveillance system definitively identified Giles as the robber.

 

            The Manchester Police Department and the Hooksett Police Department lead the investigations into the robberies in Manchester and Hooksett. The FBI assisted in the identification and prosecution of Giles. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Don Feith.

 

 

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            CONCORD, N.H. - Acting U.S. Attorney John J. Farley announced that Jesus Silva-Cruz, 42, a citizen of Cuba and an inmate at the federal correctional institution FCI-Berlin, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court to possessing marijuana and possessing a prohibited object while an inmate at a federal prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 3, 2017.

 

            According to statements made at the change of plea hearing, on January 17, 2017, correctional staff at FCI-Berlin were conducting routine searches of cells. Silva-Cruz was the sole inmate assigned to cell 103. The staff found three vacuum sealed packages of green leafy material. Laboratory testing of the material proved it was marijuana. The total weight of the material was approximately three ounces.

 

            The Bureau of Prisons was the lead investigative agency in this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Don Feith.

 

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            CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley encourages the public to participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 29, 2017.

 

            “As our state continues to battle with an epidemic of opioid overdoses, we must acknowledge that many individuals start on the path toward addiction through the misuse of prescription drugs. Often, this can start when unneeded prescription drugs are used for recreational purposes. That initial experimentation sadly can lead to opioid addiction and, in far too many cases, untimely deaths. I encourage every citizen to take the time to dispose of unneeded medicine on Saturday. Your efforts will help improve the safety of both your household and your community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley.

 

            "Many Americans are not aware that medicines which languish in home cabinets are highly vulnerable to diversion, misuse, and abuse," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. "Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisoning and overdoses due to the illegal use of these drugs. Please take the time to clean out your medicine cabinet and make your home safe from drug theft and abuse."

 

            Prior Take-Back Days have been quite successful. On October 22, 2016, the public turned in 731,269 pounds—almost 366 tons—of medication to DEA and more than 4,000 of its community partners at almost 5,200 collection sites nationwide. Over the life of the program, 7.1 million pounds (more than 3,500 tons) of prescription drugs have been removed from medicine cabinets, kitchen drawers, and nightstands by citizens around the country.

 

            Unused medicines in the home are a problem because millions who have abused prescription painkillers say they obtained those drugs from friends and family, including from home medicine cabinets, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health released last month. Some painkiller abusers move on to heroin: Four out of five new heroin users started with painkillers. Almost 30,000 people—78 a day—died from overdosing on these painkillers or heroin in 2014, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

            Collection sites will be set up throughout communities nationwide. To locate a collection site near you, go the DEA Office of Diversion Control web site at https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback where you can search by zip code.

 

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting U.S. Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Ruben Garcia, 32, an inmate at FCI-Berlin was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to assaulting another inmate with a homemade weapon. Garcia’s sentence will be consecutive to the current 151 month sentence he is serving for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana.

 

          Documents filed with the court and statements made at the today’s hearing established that on September 8, 2016, prison staff members observed Garcia assaulting another inmate by striking him repeatedly with a weapon made out of a lock in an athletic sock. The attack was captured by the prison’s video security system. Garcia pleaded guilty to the assault charge on December 23, 2016.

 

          The case was investigated by the Bureau of Prisons staff at FCI-Berlin. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Don Feith.

 

 

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            CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Beau Shields, 30, of South Barre, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for failing to register as a sex offender as required by the federal Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Shields moved from New Hampshire to Massachusetts some time before April 2016 and did not register in Massachusetts and did not advise New Hampshire authorities that he was living in Massachusetts.

 

            SORNA mandates that a person who is required to register must register in each jurisdiction where he resides, is employed or is going to school. gives an individual three days in which to register.

 

            Shields was also sentenced to five years of supervised release, which will begin after he is released from prison.

 

            The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service with the assistance of the New Hampshire State Police and the Barre, Massachusetts, Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Feith.

 

 

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            CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Samuel Garcia (37) and Jennifer Nunez (26) were given lengthy prison sentences for their roles in a large-scale oxycodone trafficking ring that had operated in Manchester, New Hampshire. Garcia was sentenced today to 188 months (15 years, eight months) in federal prison. On Tuesday, Nunez was sentenced to 132 months (11 years) in federal prison.

 

            Court documents show that the defendants were arrested after a law enforcement investigation that lasted from 2013 to August of 2014. The investigation included the use of cooperating individuals to purchase oxycodone pills, as well as the use of wiretaps and search warrants. Most of the defendants were arrested on August 27, 2014. Law enforcement officers made the arrests as Raul Hernandez attempted to deliver over 600 oxycodone pills to the residence of Samuel Garcia and Jennifer Nunez on Eastern Avenue in Manchester, New Hampshire. A search warrant was executed at that residence and over 800 additional pills, as well as over $30,000 in cash, and three firearms were recovered from that location. Garcia, Jennifer Nunez, Hernandez, and Johanna Nunez were arrested that day. Another defendant, Jose Nunez was arrested in October of 2014, after returning to the United States from the Dominican Republic.

 

            Court documents showed that this group was responsible for the distribution of tens of thousands of oxycodone pills in the Manchester area over the course of several years. As part of the investigation, law enforcement officers also identified and prosecuted a New York-based source of supply, Manuel Tirado. Wiretap conversations revealed that Tirado arranged to supply some of the pills that Garcia and his associates were selling. On one occasion, Jose Nunez was stopped in Massachusetts while transporting $18,900 in cash that was to be used to pay for oxycodone pills that were being supplied by Tirado.

 

            As a result of this investigation, over $59,000 in cash, four firearms, a substantial quantity of ammunition, and a Honda Accord were all forfeited civilly.

 

            All of the individuals who were involved in this conspiracy have pleaded guilty.

 

            Samuel Garcia pleaded guilty on March 24, 2015, to: (1) Conspiracy to Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Distribute, a Controlled Substance; (2) Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute; (3) Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments; and (4) Possession of a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Crime. He was sentenced today to serve 188 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He is likely to be deported to the Dominican Republic following his release from prison.

 

            Jennifer Nunez (26) pleaded guilty on March 24, 2015, to: (1) Conspiracy to Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Distribute, a Controlled Substance; (2) Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute; (3) Distribution of a Controlled Substance; and (4) Possession of a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Crime. On April 11, 2017, she was sentenced to serve 132 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

 

            Jose Nunez (61) pleaded guilty on March 6, 2015, to: (1) Conspiracy to Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Distribute, a Controlled Substance; (2) four counts of Distribution of a Controlled Substance; (3) Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments; and (4) Possession of a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). On January 31, 2017, he was sentenced to serve eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

 

            Johanna Nunez (30) pleaded guilty on March 24, 2015, to: (1) Conspiracy to Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Distribute, a Controlled Substance; and (2) four counts of Distribution of a Controlled Substance. On June 23, 2015, she was sentenced to 51 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

 

            Raul Hernandez (29) pleaded guilty on March 17, 2015, to: (1) Conspiracy to Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Distribute, a Controlled Substance and (2) Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute. On June 23, 2015, he was sentenced to 48 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

 

            An additional defendant, Edward Anthony Hiciano Beltre, is a fugitive.

 

            Tirado (34) pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and failure to appear charges on August 23, 2016. On January 14, 2017, he was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He is likely to be deported to the Dominican Republic after he is released from prison.

 

            In addition to these defendants, several additional individuals who obtained oxycodone from this organization and resold it to customers have pleaded guilty to charges related to their roles in the scheme. Ryan Demers, William Alba, Bonnie Labrie, Krystal Mailhot, and Yonajaira Galarza Ramos have all entered guilty pleas in federal court.

 

            Demers was sentenced on September 22, 2015, to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. That sentence was affirmed on appeal by the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

 

            Alba was sentenced on June 17, 2016, to 72 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

 

            Labrie was sentenced on March 11, 2016, to 72 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

 

            Ramos was sentenced on March 16, 2017, to three years of probation after successfully completing the federal court’s LASER (Law Abidiing Sober Employed Responsible) Program.

 

            Mailhot is awaiting sentencing.

 

            "The DEA is committed to investigating and bringing to justice those who illicitly distribute oxycodone,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. “Opiate abuse is a major problem in New Hampshire and throughout New England. The diversion of prescription pain killers, in this case oxycodone, contributes to the widespread abuse of opiates, is the gateway to heroin and fentanyl addiction, and is devastating our communities. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts in New Hampshire and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to aggressively pursue any group or individual that traffics these drugs.”

 

            Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said, “Many individuals begin their journey to heroin or fentanyl addiction through oxycodone use. While these pills have a legitimate medical use, the illicit distribution of these potentially addictive drugs has played a significant role in damaging our community. The defendants in this case were responsible for the distribution of tens of thousands of pills, feeding the opioid crisis in New Hampshire. This important prosecution was a product of the cooperation of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. I especially want to commend the Manchester Police Department and the DEA for their cooperation in this matter. The U.S. Attorney’s office will continue to work with the law enforcement community to stop the flow of these drugs onto the streets of New Hampshire. This includes working aggressively to identify and prosecute those who distribute these dangerous drugs.”

 

            This investigation was the product of an investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. This particular investigation involved cooperative efforts of federal and local law enforcement entities, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Manchester Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, the Massachusetts State Police, and the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley and Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra M. Walsh.

 

 

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            CONCORD, N.H. – John J. Farley, Acting United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire, announced that Luis Martin Carvajal Gonzalez, also known as Wilfredo Laboy, was sentenced to serve five years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl and heroin, as well as possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute.

 

            Carvajal Gonzalez previously had pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges. According to court documents, Carvajal Gonazalez, 33, sold heroin and fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement officer on multiple occasions in December of 2015. The transactions occurred at retail stores in Salem, New Hampshire. On February 9, 2016, the defendant (who previously has used the name Wilfredo Laboy) arrived at a store parking lot in Salem to conduct another drug deal. When law enforcement officers approached, he ran away and attempted to throw “fingers” of drugs as he fled. He was apprehended and approximately 156 grams of fentanyl were recovered.

 

            Carvajal Gonzalez, who is originally from the Dominican Republic, was residing in Methuen, Massachusetts at the time of the offenses. He faces likely deportation after he serves his sentence in federal prison.

 

            In announcing the sentence, Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said, “The United States Attorney’s Office remains committed to identifying and prosecuting those who attempt to profit from the sales of deadly drugs. We continue to work with our law enforcement partners each day to stop the flow of fentanyl and heroin into New Hampshire and to reverse the escalating number of drug-related deaths in our state.”

 

            “Opioid abuse is at epidemic levels in the Granite State and those suffering from the disease of fentanyl and heroin addiction need access to treatment and recovery,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. “But, those responsible for distributing lethal drugs like fentanyl to the citizens of New Hampshire need to be held accountable for their actions. DEA is committed to aggressively pursue Drug Trafficking Organizations or individuals who are coming from out of state to distribute this poison across New Hampshire in order to profit and destroy people’s lives. This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners.”

 

This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the New Hampshire State Police, and the Salem, Manchester, and Methuen (Massachusetts) Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.

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            CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Jeremiah Pless, 33, of Brattleboro, Vermont, was convicted by a jury after a two-day trial of possessing child pornography. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 25, 2017.

 

            The jury was presented with evidence that, in February 2015, the Hinsdale Police Department obtained a search warrant to search a residence at 31 Gateway Drive in Hinsdale, New Hampshire, based on probable cause that the residence was connected to the downloading of child pornography. Chief Todd Faulkner and Commander Tom Grella assembled a team of specially trained officers from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force to assist in the search. While at the residence on February 18, 2015, the search team found evidence that Pless possessed child pornography that he had downloaded using the Shareaza file sharing program. A review of the hard drive taken from Pless’ computer later confirmed that the images of child pornography included images of known minor children.

 

            In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

 

            The investigation was led by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Hinsdale Police Department. The ICAC Task Force provided invaluable assistance from the Portsmouth Police Department, the Manchester Police Department, the Nashua Police Department, the Hampton Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police and the Vermont Attorney General’s Office.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that late on Friday (April 7, 2017), a federal jury found Brad Smith, age 33, of Franklin, New Hampshire, guilty of six counts of producing child pornography after a three-day trial.

 

          Evidence presented at trial showed that in January of 2016, law enforcement officers in Lafayette, Louisiana received a tip that an email address associated with the defendant was distributing child pornography. Officers traced the email address to a farm in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, where the defendant was living at the time. With the defendant’s consent, officers conducted an analysis of a hard drive owned by the defendant and uncovered a series of videos apparently created by the defendant. The investigation determined that the defendant had filmed himself engaging in multiple sexual acts with a three-and-half-year-old child in Loudon, New Hampshire. The defendant saved the videos to a hard drive and took them with him to Louisiana.

 

          Acting United States Attorney Farley commended the jury’s verdict, saying “The evidence in this trial demonstrated that the defendant committed horrific acts upon a defenseless young child. Even more terribly, he filmed these acts in order to create child pornography. The United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to prosecute individuals who steal the innocence of young victims. I commend the performance of the law enforcement officers and prosecutors whose work secured this conviction. I hope that the jury’s verdict provides some comfort to the victim and the victim’s family.”

 

          Sentencing is scheduled for July 18, 2017.

 

          The investigation in this case was led by Homeland Security Investigations in Lafayette, Louisiana and Manchester, New Hampshire, the Louisiana State Police, and the Concord, New Hampshire Police Department with the assistance of the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seth Aframe and Georgiana Konesky.

 

          In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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CONCORD, N.H. – Ruth Chandler a/k/a Ruth Patterson, 55, of Charlestown, pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday to one count of Social Security Fraud and two counts of Making False Statements, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.

 

          According to court documents and statements made in court, Chandler began receiving Social Security disability benefits as of April 2008. She also received Medicaid benefits and Food Stamps, also known as SNAP benefits, beginning in September 2008. Eligibility for each of these benefits programs is based, in part, on the applicant having limited income and resources. In assessing a married individual’s eligibility for Social Security disability benefits, Medicaid, and Food Stamps, the income of the applicant’s spouse is considered.

 

          Chandler married in May 2008, but she failed to disclose her marriage to Social Security as required. Instead, she reported that she was divorced and not currently married. When Social Security officials discovered a bank account held jointly by Chandler (in her married name of Patterson) and her husband in September 2014 as part of an eligibility redetermination, Chandler falsely stated that the bank listed her name incorrectly on the account. Similarly, in connection with her claims for Medicaid and Food Stamps, Chandler did not inform the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services that she was married, but rather, stated that she lived with her “friend,” to whom she paid rent and contributed to the utility expenses. She submitted statements to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services outlining the payments she made to her “friend,” on which she forged her husband’s signature. Chandler’s husband’s income would have rendered her ineligible to receive any Supplemental Security Income benefits, Medicaid, and Food Stamps in most months, and severely reduced her benefits in other months. As a result of concealing her marriage from the Social Security Administration and from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, the government estimates that Chandler fraudulently received approximately $51,000 in disability benefits, $40,753.01 in Medicaid, and $11,001 in Food Stamps.

 

          Chandler is scheduled to be sentenced on July 25, 2017.

 

          The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services’ Special Investigations Unit. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen Burzycki.

 

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