District of New Hampshire

CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Nana Kofi Baffoe, 63, was sentenced to serve 37 months in prison following his conviction on two charges of making false statements related to the purchase of firearms.

            Baffoe previously pleaded guilty on June 14, 2016.  According to documents that were filed in United States District Court and statements in the plea proceeding, on February 4, 2015, Baffoe purchased two Ruger .45 caliber pistols from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Hudson, New Hampshire.  In purchasing these handguns, Baffoe filled out a form stating that he resided at a location in Manchester, New Hampshire.  A subsequent law enforcement investigation showed that this statement was false.  At the time of the purchase, Baffoe was residing in Canada.  He never resided at the address in Manchester.  Under federal law, the firearms dealer could not have lawfully sold these handguns to Baffoe if he was not a resident of New Hampshire.

            Baffoe, who also has used the name John A. Baffoe, is originally from Ghana, but is a citizen of Canada and the United States.  He originally was arrested on May 26, 2015.  According to an affidavit previously filed in federal court, Baffoe entered the United States from Canada at a border crossing on May 18, 2015.  A few days later, he met with a firearms dealer in Nashua, New Hampshire and sought to purchase 100 handguns.  However, he was arrested before that larger transaction could take place.  

            Baffoe was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Joseph Laplante.  After serving his prison sentence, Baffoe will be placed on supervised release for two years.

            This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Manchester Police Department, Nashua Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, the Office of Inspector General of the Social Security Administration, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. State Department.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Farley.

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          United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire will be joining the United States Department of Justice in recognizing National Heroin and Opioid Abuse Week from September 19, through September 23, 2016. 

          The purposes of this week of action are to prevent further opioid overdose tragedies, focus on enforcement priorities and underscore the critical importance of treatment resources.  To further these objectives, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire participated in the Rally4Recovery sponsored in Manchester by Hope for New Hampshire Recovery on September 17, 2016.  With the help of WMUR-TV Channel 9, United States Attorney Rice joined New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph Foster and Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Jon DeLena, in producing a public service announcement sharing treatment resources.  United States Attorney Rice will also appear with Manchester Police Chief Nick Willard, Attorney General Foster and DEA ASAC DeLena to bring further awareness to the crisis on Jack Heath’s New Hampshire Today program on WGIR AM 610 and The Wave 96.7 FM on Thursday, September 22, 2016.

         Speaking about the week’s events, United States Attorney Rice stated: “As the public is all too well aware, our families, friends and co-workers are challenged by unprecedented levels of opioid addiction, fed by a tide of illicit drugs washing into New Hampshire.  Our communities, our law enforcement partners, our public officials, our medical and public health professionals, our treatment providers and so many others are working as hard as they can, every day, to stem this tide.  We are committed to working together to educate the community in order to prevent opioid abuse, to provide treatment to those who struggle with addiction and to bring to justice those who engage in the criminal conduct which floods our neighborhoods with illicit drugs and violence. For those who struggle with addiction or who know someone who is struggling, help is just a phone call away at New Hampshire’s Statewide Addiction Crisis Line, 1-844-711-HELP (4357).”     

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            CONCORD, N.H. – Daniel Quinn, 48, of Nashua, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to armed bank robbery, reports United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.

            Shortly before noon on June 25, 2015, Daniel Quinn entered the St. Mary’s Bank at 3 Winnhaven Drive 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 and 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.  What had been thought to be a handgun, but which turned out to be a BB gun, was also found in the satchel.

            Quinn, who is facing a maximum prison sentence of 25 years and a fine of up to $250,000, will be sentenced on January 6, 2017 at 10:00 AM.  Quinn has been in custody since his arrest on the day of the robbery and will remain in custody until his sentencing hearing.

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

CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice and New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph Foster announced today that both the United States Attorney's Office and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office will staff voting inquiry and complaint lines at their respective offices throughout the day and evening on during the State Primary Election on Tuesday, September 13, 2016.

The New Hampshire Attorney General’s toll free election line phone number is:

1-866-868-3703
(1-866-VOTER03)

This phone line will be staffed from 6 am to 8 pm during the State Primary Election. Inquiries and complaints may also be submitted via e-mail at electionlaw@doj.nh.gov. Information regarding voting rights may be obtained by visiting the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office website at http://doj.nh.gov/site-map/voters.htm.

The United States Attorney’s election line phone number is:

(603) 230-2503

This phone line will also be staffed from 7 am to 8 pm during the State Primary Election. Inquiries and complaints may also be submitted through the United States Attorney’s Web site at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nh by clicking on the “e-mail us” link. A Federal Election Fraud Fact Sheet that explains what triggers federal criminal jurisdiction in connection with elections and voting rights can also be found on the United States Attorney’s Web site.

The state and federal election lines are available to all individuals who may have questions regarding their voting rights or who want to file complaints with the New Hampshire Attorney General or the United States Attorney regarding their right to vote or any other election law violation.

For further information, please contact Assistant Attorney General Brian Buonamano at (603) 271-3650, or Assistant United States Attorney Mark S. Zuckerman at (603) 230-2579.

            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Jose Guerrero-Contreras, of Mexico, pleaded guilty on September 6, 2016, to reentering the United States after having been deported previously.

            Guerrero-Contreras pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe to an indictment that had been returned by a federal grand jury on July 13, 2016.

            According to court filings and statements in Court, a Deportation Officer had a chance encounter with the defendant on June 30, 2016 in a common hallway area of a residence in Manchester, New Hampshire, at a time when the Deportation Officer was seeking someone else.  During the encounter, the defendant voluntarily admitted to the Deportation Officer that he is a Mexican national and that he was not in possession of any immigration documents that allowed him to be present in the United States.  He was then taken into custody.  Records checks revealed that the defendant had been deported six times previously.

            Guerrero-Contreras will be sentenced on December 21, 2016 and likely faces deportation after serving his sentence.

            The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega is prosecuting this case.

            CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney, Emily Gray Rice announced that Joel Tetteh, 53, appeared before United States District Court Chief Judge Joseph Laplante on September 6, 2016, and pleaded guilty 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.

            According to documents that were filed in United States District Court and statements in the plea proceeding, 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 the firearms to the defendant if 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 also admitted that he did not possess a license to export firearms.  The firearms that Tetteh purchased are defense articles that may not be exported without a license from the State Department. 

            This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Farley.

            A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for December 15, 2016. 

            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Juan Castillo-Linder, of Honduras, was sentenced on September 6, 2016, after pleading guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported.

            Castillo-Linder was identified after being arrested in Manchester, New Hampshire for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol on May 8, 2016.  A Deportation Officer later determined that he was a citizen of Honduras who previously had been deported from the United States. Castillo-Linder, who was arrested by ICE on May 19, 2016, and has been in custody since that time, was sentenced to time served.  He faces likely deportation.

            The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega. 

            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Sebastian Castro-Mejia, of Guatemala, was sentenced today after pleading guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported.

            Castro-Mejia was identified after being arrested in Conway, New Hampshire for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol on June 7, 2016.  A Deportation Officer later determined that he was a citizen of Guatemala who previously had been deported from the United States.  Castro-Mejia, who was arrested on June 7, 2016, and has been in custody since that time, was sentenced to time served.  He faces likely deportation.

            The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega. 

            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Silverio Lopez-Gutierrez, of Guatemala, was sentenced today after pleading guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported.

            Lopez-Gutierrez was identified during a traffic stop in Rochester, New Hampshire on May 22, 2016.  A Deportation Officer later determined that he was a citizen of Guatemala who previously had been deported from the United States.  Lopez-Gutierrez, who was arrested on May 22, 2016, and has been in custody since that time, was sentenced to time served.  He faces likely deportation.

            The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega. 

            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE:  Robert Brunk, 25, of Richmond, New Hampshire, was sentenced in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire for possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.  United States District Judge Steven J. McAuliffe sentenced Brunk to 120 months’ incarceration followed by supervised release for life.

            According to court documents and statements in court, on November 7, 2014, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residence of Robert Brunk.  Pursuant to the search warrant, officers seized computers and an external hard drive.  Officers conducted a full forensic review of the external hard drive and located images and videos of children under the age of 18 engaged in sexual acts.  The defendant, when interviewed, admitted that the external hard drive was his, and stated that he knew it contained images of children under the age of 18 engaged in sexual conduct.  Some of those images were produced by the defendant and therefore also possessed by the defendant and those images depicted at least one minor under the age of 12.

            The investigation in this case was led by the Police Departments of Richmond, Hinsdale, Manchester, and Concord, New Hampshire as well as the New Hampshire State Police, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky and Nick Abramson.

            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 Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE:   Neptali De La Cruz Hernandez, 32, of New York, New York, appeared in United States District Court in Concord, New Hampshire on Friday and pled guilty to transporting two women in interstate commerce for prostitution, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. 

            According to court records and statements in court, on April 6, 2016, detectives with the Salem, New Hampshire Police Department responded to a tip regarding possible prostitution activity at a Salem hotel.  Upon arriving at the hotel, the detectives conducted an undercover operation, during which they identified two women engaging in prostitution from adjacent hotel rooms.  While interviewing the suspects, the detectives observed the defendant, De La Cruz Hernandez, driving erratically in the parking lot before he attempted to flee.  They stopped the defendant’s vehicle, and during a subsequent interview, the defendant admitted that he had driven the two women from New York to New Hampshire for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.

            De La Cruz Hernandez faces a sentence of up to ten years in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000.  He is scheduled for sentencing on December 19, 2016.

            The case was investigated by the Salem, New Hampshire Police Department, in conjunction with Homeland Security Investigations in Manchester.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nick Abramson and Georgiana Konesky.

            CONCORD, N.H. – John Wachaga, 22, of Lowell, Massachusetts, was sentenced on Friday in United States District Court in Concord, New Hampshire, for aiding and abetting the straw purchase of a firearm, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.  According to United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice, Wachaga was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, to be served consecutively to a sentence Wachaga is currently serving on state charges in Massachusetts.  The defendant faces possible deportation proceedings following the completion of his sentence.

            According to court records and statements in court, on May 4, 2014, officers from the Lowell, Massachusetts Police Department stopped a vehicle being driven by Wachaga, and seized a handgun secreted underneath Wachaga’s seat.  Upon further investigation, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) learned that Wachaga had persuaded another individual to purchase the firearm for him in New Hampshire, because a prior felony conviction precluded him from purchasing the firearm himself.

            This prosecution arose from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (Boston and New Hampshire), in conjunction with the Lowell, Massachusetts Police Department. 

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nick Abramson.

            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Christopher Orozco-Amores, of Guatemala, was sentenced today after pleading guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported.

            Orozco-Amores was identified during a traffic stop in Greenland, New Hampshire on June 14, 2016.  A Deportation Officer later determined that he was a citizen of Guatemala who previously had been deported from the United States.  Orozco-Amores, who was arrested on July 7, 2016, and has been in custody since that time, was sentenced to time served.  He faces likely deportation.

            The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.

            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE:   Brett Scott, 24, pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to a federal charge related to the sales of misbranded drugs, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.

            According to court documents and statements at the plea hearing, Scott operated a “Smoke N Discount,” a retail store in Epsom, New Hampshire.  A law enforcement investigation showed that the store was selling synthetic cannabinoid products with names like “Colorado Kush” and “Peak Ultra.”  The investigation found that the products being sold at the store contained analogues of controlled substances. 

            The labels of the synthetic cannabinoid products sold at the store were misleading in multiple ways.  The packaging misleadingly indicated that the products were not for human consumption, when in fact, the products were intended for human consumption and ingested by consumers.  The packaging made misleading representations suggesting that the product was not unlawful by representing what the package did not contain, but did not identify the actual ingredients that were contained in the packages.  The labels did not contain information bearing the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor.  The labels also did not contain adequate directions for use or adequate warnings for use.

            As part of his plea agreement, Scott agreed to forfeit $30,000 to the United States.

            United States Magistrate Judge Andrea Johnstone scheduled sentencing for December 12, 2016.

            Synthetic cannabinoids are green leafy materials that have been sprayed with chemicals.  These products (commonly referred to as “spice” or “K2”) are often marketed as incense or potpourri.  As in this case, the packaging materials often contain attractive logos that are designed to appeal to young people.  Although the products are often identified as “not for human consumption,” the products 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.

            This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad, with assistance from the New Hampshire State Police and the Epsom and Concord Police Departments

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Farley.

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A New Hampshire man pleaded guilty today to remotely hacking into the online accounts of almost a dozen female victims and sending them threatening online communications, in some instances containing sexually explicit photos, in order to force the victims to send him sexually explicit photos of themselves. 

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Emily Rice of the District of New Hampshire and Resident Agent in Charge Holly Fraumeni of the U.S. Secret Service’s Manchester, New Hampshire, Field Office made the announcement. 

Ryan J. Vallee, 22, formerly of Belmont and Franklin, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to a 31-count superseding indictment charging him with 13 counts of making interstate threats, one count of computer hacking to steal information, eight counts of computer hacking to extort, eight counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of cyberstalking.  On March 16, 2016, while Vallee was awaiting trial, he was re-arrested on new criminal charges and has remained in custody since then.  He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 1, 2016, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire

According to admissions made in connection with his plea, from 2011 through March 2016, Vallee, using various aliases that included “Seth Williams” and “James McRow,” engaged in a computer hacking and “sextortion” campaign designed to force numerous victims to provide him with sexually explicit photographs of themselves and others.

Vallee admitted that he employed a variety of techniques to force his victims to cede to his “sextortionate” demands.  For example, according to the plea agreement, he repeatedly hacked into and took control over the victims’ online accounts, including their email, Facebook and Instagram accounts.  Once he had control of these accounts, Vallee locked the victims out of their own accounts and, in some cases, defaced the contents of the accounts, he admitted.  According to the plea, in at least one instance, Vallee hacked into a victim’s Amazon.com account, which stored her payment information and shipping address, then ordered items of a sexual nature and had them shipped to the victim’s home.  Vallee also admitted that in some instances, he obtained sexually explicit photos of the victims and their friends and distributed them to the victims, their friends and their family members.  With at least one victim, Vallee created a Facebook page using an account name that was virtually identical to the victim’s real Facebook account name, with one letter misspelled, he admitted.  He then posted sexually explicit photos of the victim on this fake Facebook page and issued “friend requests” to the victim, her friends and her family members, according to the plea agreement.

Vallee admitted that he repeatedly sent threatening electronic communications to his victims, usually by using spoofing or anonymizing text message services, in which he threatened his victims that unless they gave him sexually explicit photographs of themselves, he would continue with the above-described conduct.  According to the admissions in the plea agreement, when most of the victims refused to comply with Vallee’s demands and begged him to leave them alone, Vallee responded with threats to inflict additional harm.

The U.S. Secret Service investigated the case with substantial assistance from the Belmont Police Department.  Senior Trial Attorney Mona Sedky of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold H. Huftalen of the District of New Hampshire are prosecuting the case.

Victims of “sextortion” schemes such as this often may be hesitant to come forward.  The Justice Department encourages individuals who may be the victims of similar schemes to contact their local law enforcement agencies to report this conduct.

            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE:   Christopher DeCoste, 20, of Londonderry, New Hampshire, pleading guilty in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to federal charges of possessing over 400 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.

            According to court documents and statements at the plea hearing, on April 14, 2016, the law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Londonderry, New Hampshire to search for evidence of the defendant’s drug trafficking activity.  During the search, approximately 800 grams of fentanyl were recovered, as well as $42,850 in United States currency.  Officers also found a .22 Walther handgun with a magazine and two rounds of ammunition hidden in a wall.  DeCoste later admitted that he intended to sell the drugs that were seized and that he had the gun for protection in case he was robbed. 

            United States District Judge Joseph DiClerico scheduled sentencing for November 30, 2016.

            According to statistics maintained by the State of New Hampshire, over half of the drug overdose deaths in New Hampshire in 2015 were related to fentanyl.  Because a single gram of heroin or fentanyl can be used to create multiple individual dosage units that can be sold “on the street,” the quantity of fentanyl involved in this case could have generated a large number of individual doses of fentanyl, each of which had the potential to cause a fatal overdose.

            Multiple departments and agencies were involved in the investigation and prosecution, including the Manchester, New Hampshire Police Department, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Londonderry Police Department.

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth R. Aframe.

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            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Mario Enrique Lopez, of Guatemala, was sentenced today after pleading guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported.

            Lopez was identified during a traffic stop in Greenland, New Hampshire on June 14, 2016.  A Deportation Officer later determined that he was citizen of Guatemala who previously had been deported from the United States.  Lopez, who was arrested on July 7, 2016, and has been in custody since that time, was sentenced to time served.  He faces likely deportation.

            The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega. 

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            CONCORD – United States Attorney, Emily Gray Rice announced today that Jazzmyn Rood, 42, of Gonic, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony in connection with the distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death of Evangelique Tarmey.

            According to documents that were filed in United States District Court and statements in the plea proceeding, the defendant was staying at the Riviera Motel with her boyfriend Mark Ross and Tarmey in October 2015.  On October 16, 2015 Ross traveled with Tarmey and another individual to Lawrence, Massachusetts in order to obtain a quantity of heroin.  Ross returned to the Riviera Motel and injected Rood with the drug and then injected himself with the drug.  Ross provided a quantity of the drug to Tarmey and told Rood he had done so.   The following morning, Tarmey was found dead in the motel room.  The New Hampshire Medical Examiner later found that Ms. Tarmey died of acute fentanyl intoxication.  

            The Rochester Police responded to the motel on the morning of October 17, 2015.  Rood was interviewed by the police and denied that Ross or she had used any controlled substance the evening before.

            United States District Judge Paul Barbadoro scheduled the defendant’s sentencing for December 1, 2016.

             New Hampshire has the third-highest rate of per capita drug overdose deaths in the United States.  More than half of the drug overdose deaths in New Hampshire in 2015 were the result of fentanyl, either alone or in combination with other drugs.

             United States Attorney Rice said, “I want to thank the Rochester Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their work on this case.  Fighting the opioid epidemic is a multi-pronged, team effort.  One facet of our attack is to prosecute those who are criminally responsible for causing drug overdoses.   We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute the individuals who distribute drugs that cause overdose deaths.  Any drug distribution has the potential to be deadly, regardless of the quantity of drugs involved.  When a drug distribution causes an overdose death, my office will seek to hold the distributor accountable.”

            In April 2016, the United States Attorney’s Office and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office announced the formation of an inter-office team of prosecutors who will work together to prosecute individuals who cause opiate overdoses in New Hampshire.  This prosecution, initiated before the creation of the joint team, is an example of the type of case that will be generated by the team.

             The case was investigated by the Rochester Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration assisted in the investigation.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Don Feith.

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            CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Manuel Tirado (34) of New York City, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone pills and failure to appear in Court.  

            Court documents and statements during the plea hearing showed that Tirado was a New York-based source of supply who provided oxycodone pills to a group of drug traffickers who were distributing the pills in Manchester, New Hampshire.  During a law enforcement investigation in 2013 and 2014 that included the use of controlled purchases of drugs and multiple wiretaps, investigators learned that Samuel Garcia, Jennifer Nunez, and others were actively involved in the distribution of oxycodone pills.  Wiretap conversations revealed that Tirado arranged to supply some of these pills.  On multiple occasions, intercepted calls showed that a member of the conspiracy (Raul Hernandez) traveled to New York, obtained pills from Tirado, and then brought them back to New Hampshire.  On one occasion, an individual named Jose Nunez was stopped in Massachusetts while transporting $18,900 in cash that was to be used to pay for oxycodone pills.

            Several targets of the investigation were arrested in Manchester on August 27, 2014.  Hernandez was arrested as he 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 hundreds of additional pills, as well as over $30,000 in cash, and three firearms were recovered from that location.  Garcia, Jennifer Nunez, and Johanna Nunez were arrested that day.  Jose Nunez was arrested in October of 2014, after returning to the United States from the Dominican Republic.

            Tirado was later indicted on a drug conspiracy charge.  On July 23, 2015, he was arrested in New York.  He was released on bond by a judge in New York and was directed to appear for an arraignment in federal court in New Hampshire on August 4, 2015.  Tirado did not appear in Court and a warrant was issued for his arrest.  He was arrested again in New York on August 17, 2015. 

            United States District Judge Joseph Laplante scheduled sentencing for December 1, 2016.

            Other individuals who were involved in this conspiracy also have pleaded guilty.

            Samuel Garcia (36) 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 is awaiting sentencing.

            Jose Nunez (60) 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).  He is awaiting sentencing. 

            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.  She is awaiting sentencing.

            Johanna Nunez (29) 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 (28) 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.

            In addition to these defendants, several additional individuals who obtained oxycodone from this organization and resold it to customers have pleaded guilty to federal drug conspiracy charges.   Ryan Demers (32), William Alba (25), Bonnie Labrie (51), Krystal Mailhot (28), and Yonajaira Galarza Ramos (31) 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.

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

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

            Mailhot and Ramos are 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.”

            U.S. Attorney Rice stated, “Many individuals begin their journey to opiate addiction through oxycodone use.  While these pills have a legitimate medical use, the illicit distribution of these potentially addictive drugs has been a significant factor in the development of the opiate crisis that is affecting New Hampshire.  The U.S. Attorney’s office will continue to work with the law enforcement community to stop the flow of opiates onto the streets of New Hampshire.”

            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 is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John J. Farley and Debra M. Walsh.

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            CONCORD, N.H. – Israel Garcia, 56, of Lawrence, Massachusetts and Maximo Brito-Tejeda, 36, a citizen of the Dominican Republic most recently residing in Lawrence, Massachusetts, were sentenced in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire after pleading guilty to five counts of distribution of fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. United States District Judge Paul J. Barbadoro sentenced Garcia to 78 months in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release of four years and Brito-Tejeda to 88 months in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release of four years.  

            According to court documents, during a law enforcement investigation, officers received information from a cooperating source indicating that Garcia and an individual later identified as Brito-Tejeda were actively involved in the distribution of drugs in and around the Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire areas. As part of the investigation, law enforcement officers used the cooperating individual and an undercover officer to make controlled purchases of fentanyl from Garcia and Brito-Tejeda on five occasions in August and September, 2015. On each occasion, Garcia and Brito-Tejeda met the cooperating individual and/or the undercover officer and sold them approximately ten grams of fentanyl.

            On September 25, 2015, officers approached Garcia and Brito-Tejeda in an attempt to arrest them.  Garcia fled but was apprehended within seconds and Brito-Tejeda locked himself in his car, emptied bags containing fentanyl onto the floor mat, and poured his drink over the drugs. He also attempted to swallow plastic bags containing additional quantities of fentanyl. That same day, the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant at the residence occupied by Brito-Tejeda where Garcia and Brito-Tejeda stored and packaged drugs. A scale, packaging materials, and an additional quantity of fentanyl were recovered at this residence.

            “Prosecuting those individuals who illegally introduce narcotic drugs into our communities is a priority of my office,” stated United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. “Fentanyl, in particular, is an incredibly dangerous substance responsible for many overdose deaths in New Hampshire. We will continue to work tirelessly to prosecute those who seek to profit from the sale of this dangerous drug.”

            “Opiate abuse is at epidemic levels in New Hampshire and throughout New England,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson.  “Fentanyl is causing overdose deaths across the Granite State, and DEA is committed to aggressively pursue trafficking organizations or individuals who are coming from out of state to distribute fentanyl to areas of New Hampshire in order to profit and destroy people’s lives, and wreak havoc in our communities.  This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners."

            According to statistics maintained by the State of New Hampshire, over half of the drug overdose deaths in New Hampshire in 2015 were related to fentanyl.  Because a single gram of heroin or fentanyl can be used to create multiple individual dosage units that can be sold “on the street,” the quantity of fentanyl involved in this case could have generated many individual doses of fentanyl, each of which had the potential to cause a fatal overdose.

            The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seth Aframe and Georgiana L. Konesky.

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          CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Angel Mata, of Mexico, has pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been deported previously. 

          Mata pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro to an indictment that had been returned by a federal grand jury on June 15, 2016.

          According to court filings and statements in Court, a Deportation Officer developed information indicating that Angel Mata, a Mexican national, was present in the United States after having been deported on two previous occasions. On June 15, 2016, Deportation Officers approached the defendant who confirmed that his name was Angel Mata and that he was illegally present in the United States without any immigration documents. His identity later was confirmed through fingerprint information.

           Mata will be sentenced at 10:00 AM on November 28, 2016, and will be deported after serving his sentence.

          The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega is prosecuting this case.

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            CONCORD, N.H. – Zakee Stuart-Holt, 34, of Manchester, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to a federal indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and one count of money laundering, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. 

            According to court documents, the defendant distributed drugs in the Manchester, New Hampshire area since at least July of 2014. Pursuant to a search warrant, law enforcement recovered approximately 1.8 kilograms of fentanyl and $198,000 in drug proceeds from an apartment occupied by the defendant and another individual. In addition, law enforcement seized approximately $560,000 in drug proceeds from a safe deposit box in the defendant’s name. The defendant was not employed at the time of the conspiracy and the currency recovered by law enforcement constituted proceeds of the defendant’s drug distribution conspiracy.  

            Stuart-Holt’s plea agreement includes a binding stipulated sentence of 210 months’ incarceration. It also provides for the forfeiture of any property constituting or derived from the conspiracy. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for 10 a.m. on November 29, 2016, in front of United States District Judge Landya B. McCafferty. At that time, the Court will decide whether to accept the plea agreement and impose the agreed-upon period of incarceration, as well as any other conditions of Stuart-Holt’s sentence.

            “I commend the Manchester Police Department and the DEA on their thorough investigation of this case leading to the seizure of such a significant quantity of drugs and drug proceeds,” stated United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. “Prosecuting those individuals who introduce dangerous narcotics into our community, and ensuring that they do not profit from doing so, is a critical priority of my office.” 

            “Those suffering from the disease of 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 heroin and fentanyl to the citizens of New Hampshire need to be held accountable for their actions.  In response to the ongoing opioid epidemic, DEA and its local, state and federal partners are committed to bringing to justice those that distribute this poison.”

            According to statistics maintained by the State of New Hampshire, over half of the drug overdose deaths in New Hampshire in 2015 were related to fentanyl.  Because a single gram of heroin or fentanyl can be used to create multiple individual dosage units that can be sold “on the street,” the quantity of fentanyl involved in this case could have generated hundreds of individual doses of fentanyl, each of which had the potential to cause a fatal overdose.

            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 case was investigated by the Manchester Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, and the Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky and Donald Feith.

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            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE:  United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Steven A. Petrillo, 46, of Salem, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 2 years of probation after a jury found him guilty of making a material false statement to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

            Petrillo was indicted on February 10, 2016, by a federal grand jury in Concord, New Hampshire.  The indictment charged him with providing a false statement to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs in connection with seeking a position as a pharmacist at the VA Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire.  In his application, Petrillo certified that he had never been discharged from any former employment.  During a jury trial in May of 2016, testimony from several witnesses established that Petrillo had been terminated from two prior pharmacist positions. 

            Petrillo was sentenced by Chief Judge Joseph Laplante of the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire.

            This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Drug Enforcement Administration.    Assistant United States Attorney Helen White Fitzgibbon prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

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            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Salvador Lopez-Hernandez, of Honduras, has pleaded guilty to reentering the United States after having been deported previously.

            Lopez-Hernandez pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Landya B. McCafferty to an indictment that had been returned by a federal grand jury on July 13, 2016.

            According to court filings and statements in Court, a Deportation Officer developed information indicating that Salvador Lopez-Hernandez, a Honduran national, was present in the United States after having been deported on a previous occasion.  On June 15, 2016, Deportation Officers approached the defendant who confirmed that his name was Salvador Lopez-Hernandez and that he was illegally present in the United States without any immigration documents.  His identity later was confirmed through fingerprint information.

            Lopez-Hernandez will be sentenced at 10:00 AM on November 22, 2016, and will be deported after serving his sentence.

            The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega is prosecuting this case.

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            CONCORD, New Hampshire – United States Attorney, Emily Gray Rice announced that Alkis Nakos, 37, of Manchester was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after a jury convicted him on drug conspiracy and continuing criminal enterprise charges last August.  The sentence was the statutory mandatory minimum applicable to Nakos.

            According to documents that were filed in United States District Court, Nakos served as the New Hampshire leader of an international drug distribution network that brought high grade marijuana from Canada for distribution  in the United States.  In addition to smuggling cash back to Canada, the organization used proceeds from the sale of marijuana to purchase large quantities of cocaine that were then shipped into Canada.  In August 2015, a jury found Nakos guilty of conspiring to distribute more than one thousand kilograms of marijuana during the period from 2008 through 2014.  They also found Nakos guilty of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise during the same period.   

            Evidence obtained in the investigation established that Nakos used the proceeds from the sale of marijuana to fund the purchase of luxury cars and jewelry, to fund structural improvements to his home, and that he spent more than $658,000 in gambling at Foxwoods Resort and Casino.

            The United States requested that the jury’s verdict on the count two conspiracy charge be vacated to avoid a constitutional issue under the Double Jeopardy Clause.  The court granted the government’s request and sentenced Nakos on the continuing criminal enterprise charge.

            The case was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Manchester Police Department.

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            CONCORD, N.H.– Emily Gray Rice, United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire, announced that Derek Potocki, 31, previously of Manchester, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge Steven J. McAuliffe to an Indictment charging him with one count of aiding and abetting bank robbery in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2113(a) and 2.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2015 Potocki pressured Melissa Boucher, 27, previously of Manchester, to rob a bank for him.  Potocki selected the bank and provided Boucher with instructions including how to dress and disguise her appearance.  The two proceeded to the Member’s First Credit Union at 44 Bridge Street in Manchester on the morning of March 3, 2015.  Boucher, who was unarmed at the time, did as she had been instructed, entering the bank alone, passing the note to the teller, and making out with a sum of cash.  She then fled with the cash, and the proceeds were divided between her and Potocki.  Boucher then utilized a portion of the proceeds to purchase heroin, on which she overdosed.  When paramedics were able to resuscitate her, large amounts of cash fell out of her clothing.  She was arrested and has remained in custody on a New Hampshire state parole violation since that date.  Potocki took his portion of the funds and fled the area. 

            Boucher previously pleaded guilty to her role in the robbery and is scheduled for sentencing on September 9, 2016 in front of U.S. District Judge Landya McCafferty.

            Potocki’s plea agreement includes a binding stipulated sentence of 72 months’ incarceration.  A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for November 22, 2016, in front of Judge McAuliffe.  At that time, the Court will decide whether to accept the plea agreement and impose the agreed-upon period of incarceration, as well as any other conditions of Potocki’s sentence.  Potocki also faces a mandatory restitution order to the Member’s First Credit Union.

            This matter is being investigated by the Manchester Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.

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CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Raymond L. Blackmer, III, pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally possessing guns that he assembled from component parts in Massachusetts and then brought to New Hampshire.  Blackmer pleaded guilty to one count of the federal crime of Illegal Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.  Blackmer is 51 years old, and, before his arrest in this case, he lived in Easthampton, Massachusetts.     

            According to statements made during today’s hearing, the Easthampton (Massachusetts) Police Department learned on November 6, 2015, that Blackmer was intending to travel from Massachusetts to New Hampshire with one or more firearms.  Information developed by the Police Department indicated that Blackmer had assembled the subject firearms in his workshop in Easthampton, Massachusetts, from component parts that he had bought on the internet.  Later that day, surveilling police officers watched Blackmer leave his Easthampton home with suspected firearms and then drive to and across the Massachusetts border into Winchester, N.H., where he was stopped by law enforcement officers for the purpose of executing a previously obtained federal search warrant on Blackmer’s car.  The warrant became effective when the officers observed Blackmer transporting the suspected firearms across the state line, thereby establishing probable cause that the interstate requirement of the federal crime of Illegal Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon was satisfied.  Upon executing the warrant, law enforcement officers discovered two AR-15 style rifles, rifle sites and a loaded magazine in the trunk of Blackmer’s car.  A later search of Blackmer’s workshop in Massachusetts yielded an additional nine firearms in various states of assembly, at least five which were completed enough to qualify as firearms under federal law.  In connection with his plea, Blackmer admitted that, at the time of the traffic stop, he previously had been convicted of felonies on at least five prior occasions. 

            United States District Judge Steven J. McAuliffe took Blackmer’s guilty plea and scheduled his sentencing for November 22, 2016.  The plea agreement provides that both Blackmer and the government will recommend a total term of incarceration of seventy months, materially more than the anticipated advisory federal sentencing guideline range.  Blackmer has been detained since his arrest on November 6, 2015, and is expected to remain in custody until after he serves the term of incarceration that Judge McAuliffe imposes.

            This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in both Manchester, N.H., and in Springfield, Massachusetts, as well as the Easthampton (Massachusetts) Police Department and the New Hampshire State Police.  The Office of the District Attorney for the Northwest District of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts provided important support.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bill Morse.

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CONCORD, N.H. – Ronald Alan Cook, a 45-year-old resident of Manchester, has been sentenced to 71 months in prison for robbing the Bank of New Hampshire at 705 Hooksett Road in Manchester on November 10, 2015, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.

            To commit the offense, Cook entered the bank and handed a note to a bank teller that stated, “I have a gun!!  Give me all the 100, 50, 20 and 10 now and fast.”  Cook also told the teller, “This is serious give me all your money 50, 100, 20s.”  The teller removed money from her teller drawer and gave it to Cook, who then ran from the bank.  A description of the bank robber was broadcast to Manchester police officers.  An officer saw Cook riding a bicycle near the bank and detained him because he matched the description of the bank robber.   While being questioned by this police officer, Cook admitted that he robbed the bank.

            Cook was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe.

            The case was investigated by the Manchester Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  It was prosecuted by AUSA Robert M. Kinsella.

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            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Ricardo Silva-Hernandez, of Mexico, was sentenced to a time-served sentence after pleading guilty, on April 20, 2016, to illegally re-entering the United States after having been previously deported.

            Silva-Hernandez was arrested by the Hooksett Police Department on February 24, 2016, after the police responded to a burglar alarm at Silva-Hernandez’s place of employment. When an officer asked Silva-Hernandez for identification, he produced a Mexican identification card.

Further questioning by the police led to Silva-Hernandez’s admission that he was illegally in the United States and had re-entered the United States after being deported.

            The Hooksett Police sought the assistance of officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal (ICE-ERO) in positively identifying Silva-Hernandez. Fingerprints taken from Silva-Hernandez were compared to fingerprints on file with the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  That comparison definitively proved that Silva-Hernandez had been previously deported in 1997 and again in 2009.

            Silva-Hernandez will now be deported.

            The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Hooksett Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega prosecuted this case.

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            CONCORD, N.H. – Genfry Martinez, 20, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was sentenced in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to 37 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute the Schedule II controlled substance fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. 

            On February 11, 2016, after a traffic stop by the New Hampshire State Police, Martinez was found in possession of what lab results confirmed to be 68.67 grams of the Schedule II controlled drug fentanyl. The defendant possessed the drugs with the intention of distributing them.

            “The narcotic drug fentanyl is an incredibly dangerous substance responsible for a large number of overdose deaths in New Hampshire,” stated United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. “I will continue to prioritize the prosecution of individuals who attempt to profit from the sale of this deadly drug.”

            United States District Judge Paul J. Barbadoro sentenced Martinez. In addition to the term of incarceration, Judge Barbadoro ordered Martinez to serve, upon his release from prison, a term of supervised release of three years.

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

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            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Sergio Yeremi Martinez-Mejia, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced to a time-served sentence after pleading guilty, on May 2, 2016, to falsely claiming that he was assigned a social security number that was in fact assigned to another person.

            On March 24, 2015, Immigration and Customs Enforcement was notified that the defendant was suspected of being a foreign national illegally in the United States. On March 23, 2015, the defendant told the Portsmouth Police Department that he was a Puerto Rican U.S. citizen and provided the police a certain social security number that he claimed was his.

             On March 24, 2015, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deportation Officer interviewed Martinez-Mejia. The defendant claimed that he was born in Puerto Rico and provided the officer with a social security number not in fact assigned to Martinez-Mejia.

             The Deportation Officer submitted the defendant’s fingerprints to the Department of Homeland Security and to the FBI. Each agency returned a match for the defendant, Sergio Yeremi Martinez-Mejia, who had, on July 11, 2011, been ordered deported from the United States to the Dominican Republic.  Records of the U.S. Social Security Administration revealed that neither of the numbers the defendant claimed were assigned to him actually had been assigned to him.

             Martinez-Mejia will now be deported.

             The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Portsmouth Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega prosecuted this case.

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CONCORD, N.H. – A 25-year-old resident of Manchester, New Hampshire, Kristopher White, has pleaded guilty to fifteen counts of unlawfully converting government property, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.

            From June 8 to June 19, 2015, three barrels that contained government-owned scrap metal and 25 government-owned tools were stolen from a maintenance building at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Manchester.  On June 9, 10 and 19, 2015, White knowingly sold the stolen scrap metal to a recycling business in Manchester, and on June 19 he knowingly sold 12 of the stolen tools to a pawn shop in Manchester.

            The crimes to which White pleaded guilty are felonies because the aggregate cost price or market value of the stolen items is more than $1,000.

            The maximum period of imprisonment for each offense is 10 years.  The maximum fine for the offense is $250,000.  White will be sentenced by United State District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty on November 18, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.  Judge McCafferty will sentence White after she has had the opportunity to review a presentence investigation report prepared by the United States Probation & Pretrial Services office.

            The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigation Division and the VA Police Services at the Manchester VA Medical Center.  The case was prosecuted by AUSA Robert M. Kinsella.

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CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Feky R. Sumual pleaded guilty in federal court to participating in a scheme to illegally buy guns and then smuggle them out of the country for the benefit of members of the protective security detail of the President and the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia -- also known as the Indonesian Presidential Guard.  Sumual pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to make false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms, to make false statements in records required to be kept by federal firearms dealers and to smuggle firearms from the U.S.  Sumual is 51 years old and lived in Dover, N.H., before his arrest in this case.

            According to statements made during his plea hearing, Sumual joined a conspiracy to buy guns for members of the Indonesian Presidential Guard with the understanding that the Presidential Guard members then would smuggle the guns out of the U.S.  Specifically, Sumual admitted that his nephew, Audi N. Sumilat – on active duty with the U.S. Army in El Paso, Texas – and three members of the Presidential Guard came up with the plan in October 2014, when they were stationed together in Fort Benning, Georgia.  Sumual further admitted that in September and October 2015, as part of the plan, he purchased guns from federal firearms dealers in N.H. and Sumilat purchased guns from federal firearms dealers in Texas all for members of the Indonesian Presidential Guard, who could not lawfully have bought the guns in the U.S. themselves.  The guns – approximately twenty-two of them – were almost all 9 millimeter hand guns.  Sumual admitted that, to facilitate the purchases, he and Sumilat certified to the gun dealers from which they bought the guns that they were the actual buyers of the guns even though the actual buyers were the Presidential Guard members.  

            Sumual further admitted that he delivered the guns to members and representativesof the Presidential Guard in connection with official state visits by the President and Vice-President of Indonesia with the U.N. General Assembly in New York, N.Y., at the end of September 2015, and with the White House at the end of October 2015.  The guns Sumual admitted delivering consisted of those that he had bought in New Hampshire and others that Sumilat had acquired in, and shipped to Sumual from Texas.  Sumual stated that several individuals working for the Indonesian government or, in some instances, driving vehicles with Indonesian diplomatic license plates, facilitated the deliveries.  Sumual acknowledged that he understood that, after he delivered the guns, the members of the Presidential Guard intended to smuggle the illegally purchased guns from the U.S.  Lawfully exporting the guns – which were included as defense articles on the U.S. Munitions List – required both an exporter’s license and a license covering the specific guns exported.  No such licenses had been issued.

            United States District Judge Landya McCafferty accepted Sumual’s guilty plea and scheduled his sentencing for November 17, 2016.  Sumual faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.  Sumilat also has pleaded guilty and is expected to be sentenced on October 11, 2016.

            This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in both Manchester, N.H. and El Paso, Texas, as well as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, in Manchester, N.H. and Jakarta, Indonesia.  The Bureau of Diplomatic Security of the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Embassy to Indonesia, the Dover (N.H.) Police Department and the Indonesian National Police all provided important support.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bill Morse.

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            CONCORD, N.H. – Euris Daniel Paulino Guerrero, 24, a citizen of the Dominican Republic most recently residing in Lawrence, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to a federal indictment charging him with two counts of distribution and one count of conspiracy to distribute the Schedule II controlled substance fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. 

            According to documents filed in United States District Court and statements in court proceedings, Guerrero sold fentanyl, heroin, and oxycodone to cooperating witnesses on three occasions during the summer of 2015. He also sold approximately 150 grams of fentanyl to a law enforcement officer acting in an undercover capacity. Pursuant to a search warrant executed at a residence associated with the conspiracy, law enforcement seized approximately 485 grams of fentanyl, an instrument used to compress drugs into ten-gram quantities for sale, blenders, and other packaging materials.

            Chief United States District Judge Joseph LaPlante sentenced Guerrero. In addition to the term of incarceration, Judge LaPlante ordered Guerrero to serve, upon his release from prison, a term of supervised release of 4 years.

            According to statistics maintained by the State of New Hampshire, over half of the drug overdose deaths in New Hampshire in 2015 were related to fentanyl. “This defendant was responsible for distributing hundreds if not thousands of doses of the lethal narcotic fentanyl in New Hampshire and Massachusetts,” stated United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. “My office will continue to focus our resources on targeting traffickers who attempt to profit from the drug epidemic plaguing our state.”

            The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky and John Farley.

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            Concord, New Hampshire – U.S. Attorney Emily Gray Rice announces the 32nd Annual National Night Out, which will be celebrated throughout New Hampshire on Tuesday night, August 2, 2016.  “We encourage citizens to join the men and women of the law enforcement agencies which protect our communities for the National Night Out in the cities and towns in our state.    National Night Out is an opportunity to leave our homes, visit our neighbors and become acquainted with one another.  Our communities are stronger and safer when we all work together as partners in the same effort.”

            National Night Out is designed to: heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; generate support for and participation in local anticrime efforts; strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and send a message to criminals letting them know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.  This year, National Night Out events will be held in several communities throughout New Hampshire.  Registered events will take place in Bedford, Belmont, Concord, Dover, Farmington, Greenland, Groveton, Hartford, Laconia, Lincoln, Manchester/Rochester, Milford, Mont Vernon, Northfield, Pittsfield, Portsmouth, Salem, Somersworth. 

            U. S. Attorney Rice stated, “Our nation has recently experienced terrible tragedies, leaving us feeling sad and uncertain.  Violence is never the answer.  The solution lies in forging stronger connections.  We must recommit ourselves to doing everything possible to bridge divides, heal rifts, and build trust, and to ensure that all of our neighbors, including our first responders, feel respected, supported, and safe.”

            National Night Out organizers are expecting over 16,000 communities and 38 million people nationwide to take part in community events on Tuesday.

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CONCORD, N.H. – Bonita Kitson, 45, of Boscawen, New Hampshire, who pleaded guilty to one count of Social Security Fraud, two counts of Making False Statements, and one count of Wire Fraud on April 21, 2016, was sentenced today to two years of probation, including four months of home confinement, and was ordered to pay $28,788 in restitution, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.

           According to the indictment, statements made in court, and other public records in the case, Kitson received Social Security disability benefits, Food Stamps, and Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled for over two years prior to her marriage in October 2010.  Her husband also received Social Security disability benefits and Food Stamps before they married.  They each continued to receive these benefits after they wed, but neither Kitson nor her husband reported their marriage or their shared residence to Social Security or to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services as required.  Instead, Kitson advised both agencies that she and her husband were merely friends.  The marriage was not disclosed until October 2014, when Kitson advised Social Security that her husband passed away one month earlier as part of her application for a lump-sum death benefit.

            Kitson’s marriage and shared living arrangement, if properly reported, would have significantly reduced the amount of Social Security disability benefits and Food Stamps she and her husband received, and would have disqualified Kitson from receiving Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled.  Applicants for each of these benefits programs must have limited income and resources in order to qualify for assistance.  The income of all members of a household is considered when determining an individual’s eligibility for benefits.  As a result of concealing the marriage and shared residence, Kitson and her husband fraudulently received an additional $27,654 in disability benefits and Food Stamps, and Kitson received $1,134 in Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled to which she was not entitled.   

            Kitson was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Joseph N. Laplante.        

            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, and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen Burzycki.

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            CONCORD – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Rosaire Gauthier, 40, of Bennington, New Hampshire was sentenced in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to 78 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to a felon-in-possession charge and 17 drug charges.  Gauthier pleaded guilty to the charges on October 9, 2015.

            According to documents on file with the court and statements made at his sentencing hearing, Gauthier sold oxycodone and other controlled substances to a confidential informant on 15 occasions between April 2011 and February 2012.  A search of his residence in August 2014 resulted in the seizure of drugs, three loaded handguns, a loaded shotgun, a loaded rifle that had an extended magazine attached, three ballistic vests and $18,190 in cash.  Gauthier was a convicted felon at the time and could not legally possess a firearm.

            Gauthier was also sentenced to three years of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence.  During the term of his supervised release, Gauthier’s behavior will be monitored by an officer with the United States Probation & Pretrial Services Office.

            The case was investigated by the Manchester Police Department.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives assisted in the investigation.  The case was prosecuted by AUSA Debra Walsh.

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            CONCORD, N.H. – Michael Smith, 35, of Sanbornton, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to a federal indictment charging him with eight counts of distribution and one count of conspiracy to distribute the Schedule I controlled substance heroin and the Schedule II controlled substance fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.  

            According to court documents, during a law enforcement investigation, a cooperating individual purchased heroin and/or fentanyl from the defendant on eight occasions. Lab results confirmed that over 20 grams of the substance purchase contained fentanyl, over 57 grams contained heroin and over 19 grams contained a mixture of heroin and fentanyl. Smith obtained controlled substances from multiple sources and distributed to multiple customers, participating in the conspiracy since at least June, 2015.

            U.S. District Judge Paul J. Barbadoro sentenced Smith. In addition to the term of incarceration, Judge Barbadoro ordered Smith to serve, upon his release from prison, a term of supervised release of 3 years.

            The case was investigated by the New Hampshire Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky and Donald Feith.

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            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE:   Allen Langlois, 49, of Newport, New Hampshire, was sentenced in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire, for possessing child pornography.  According to United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice, the Court imposed a sentence of 42 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release.

             In the fall of 2015, after a lengthy investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation found a collection of hundreds of still images of child pornography on the defendant’s personal computer.  The defendant admitted to downloading child pornography content from several different internet websites, including sites on the dark web.

            The FBI was assisted in this case by the Police Departments of Newport, Manchester, and Nashua, New Hampshire, as well as the New Hampshire State Police. 

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nick Abramson.

            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 Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE:   Richard Sullivan, 24, of Goffstown, New Hampshire, was sentenced on Thursday in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire, for possessing child pornography.  According to United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice, the Court imposed a sentence of 24 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 7 years of supervised release.

            In 2015, investigators determined that an individual residing at Sullivan’s Goffstown residence had uploaded several images of child pornography to an internet bulletin board.  A federal search warrant was obtained, and a forensic analysis of three of Sullivan’s personal electronic devices revealed a collection of approximately thirty still images of child pornography.  Sullivan admitted to investigators that he had been viewing child pornography for eighteen months.

            The investigation was jointly conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations Manchester (HSI), the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (NH ICAC), and the police departments of Goffstown, Bedford, Hampton, Portsmouth, and Manchester, New Hampshire.

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nick Abramson.

             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 Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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            CONCORD – United States Attorney, Emily Gray Rice announced that Mark Ross, 42, of Gonic, New Hampshire, and Leslie Aberle, 32, of Salisbury, Massachusetts appeared yesterday before United States District Court Judge Landya McCafferty and pleaded guilty to distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death. 

            According to documents that were filed in United States District Court and statements in the plea proceeding, Aberle drove Mark Ross from Rochester, New Hampshire to Lawrence, Massachusetts on October 16, 2015 for the purpose of obtaining heroin.  Ross acquired the heroin.  Ross and Aberle returned to the Riviera Motel in Rochester where Ross was staying with Jazzmyn Rood and Rood’s daughter Evangelique Tarmey.  Ross provided a quantity of the drug to Tarmey.  The following morning, Tarmey was found dead in the motel room.  The New Hampshire Medical Examiner later found that Ms. Tarmey died of acute fentanyl intoxication.  

            New Hampshire has the third-highest rate of per capita drug overdose deaths in the United States.  More than half of the drug overdose deaths in New Hampshire in 2015 were the result of fentanyl, either alone or in combination with other drugs.

            United States Attorney Rice said, “I want to thank the Rochester Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their work on this case.  Fighting the opioid epidemic is a multi-pronged, team effort.  One facet of our attack is to prosecute those who are criminally responsible for causing drug overdoses.   We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute the individuals who distribute drugs that cause overdose deaths.  Any drug distribution has the potential to be deadly, regardless of the quantity of drugs involved.  When a drug distribution causes an overdose death, my office will seek to hold the distributor accountable.”

            In April 2016, the United States Attorney’s Office and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office announced the formation of an inter-office team of prosecutors who will work together to prosecute individuals who cause opiate overdoses in New Hampshire.  This prosecution, initiated before the creation of the joint team, is an example of the type of case that will be generated by the team.

            The case was investigated by the Rochester Police Department.  The Drug Enforcement Administration assisted in the investigation.  The case was prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Don Feith.

            A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for October 28, 2016 in each case.

            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - John P. Howe, Jr., 34, of Troy, New Hampshire, was sentenced on Friday in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire for possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.  The Court imposed a sentence of 78 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. 

            In 2014, the Federal Bureau of Investigation obtained information indicating that websites devoted to the exploitation of children had been accessed by a computer at the defendant’s Troy, New Hampshire residence.  When a federal search warrant for that residence was executed in September 2014, authorities located a collection of videos and still images of child pornography on one of the defendant’s personal electronic devices, including a number of images depicting sadistic and masochistic acts. 

            The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in conjunction with Homeland Security Investigations, the New Hampshire State Police, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (NH ICAC), and the Troy, New Hampshire Police Department. 

            This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nick Abramson.

            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 Attorneys 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.

CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Anthony Elton Cook was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison based upon his plea of guilty to charges arising from possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and his unlawful possession of a firearm in connection with his drug trafficking activity.  Cook previously had pleaded guilty to one count of Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute, Possession of a Firearm in Connection with a Drug Trafficking Offense and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.  Cook, 26 years old, lived in Rochester, New Hampshire before he was taken into custody on related charges in January. 

          According to court documents, testimony and statements Cook made in earlier proceedings, a Rochester, N.H., police patrol officer pulled Cook over for a suspected motor vehicle violation on July 12, 2015.  An ensuing search of Cook’s car and person yielded, among other things, a distribution quantity of fentanyl, a hand gun and ammunition.  Cook previously had been convicted of a felony and therefore was prohibited under federal firearms laws from possessing a gun.  The police also recovered from Cook $1900 in small cash denominations. 

          U.S. District Judge Paul J. Barbadoro sentenced Cook.  In addition to the term of incarceration, Judge Barbadoro ordered Cook to serve, upon his release from prison, a term of supervised release of 5 years.  While on supervised release, Cook will be required to abide by certain rules and conditions established by the court.  If he fails to abide by those rules and conditions, he could be returned to prison to serve additional time.  Finally, Judge Barbadoro forfeited Cook’s interest in the $1900 cash and ordered Cook to pay an additional $300 in administrative court fees.

          This matter was investigated by the Rochester (N.H.) Police Department with support from the Bedford, N.H., field office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bill Morse.

CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Sherman C. Bolling was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison based upon his plea of guilty to charges arising from his role in a counterfeit traveler’s check scheme.  Bolling previously had pleaded guilty to one count of Possessing Counterfeit Traveler’s Checks.  Bolling, 68 years old, lived in Hempstead, New York, before he was taken into custody on related charges in January. 

            According to court documents, testimony and statements Bolling and an accomplice made in earlier proceedings, Bolling was caught by police fleeing in his car from the parking lot of a retail box store in Tilton, N.H.  Bolling began fleeing when police arrived at the store to investigate a report from the store’s loss prevention staff that a woman was attempting to purchase high value merchandise with counterfeit traveler’s checks.  After they intercepted Bolling, the police discovered in his possession 96 counterfeit traveler’s checks – 12 in $200 denominations and 84 in $100 denominations.  When Bolling fled, he left the woman, later identified as Kadejdra Marda, at the store to deal with the police on her own.  Marda eventually admitted that she was an accomplice of Bolling, that he had driven her to the store and that, before he left her behind, Bolling had been waiting for her in his car while she was in the store trying to pass the bad traveler’s checks. 

            Bolling was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul J. Barbadoro.  In addition to the term of incarceration, Judge Barbadoro ordered Bolling to serve, upon his release from prison, a term of supervised release of 3 years.  While on supervised release, Bolling will be required to abide by certain rules and conditions established by the court.  If he fails to abide by those rules and conditions, he could be returned to prison to serve additional time.

            Judge Barbadoro previously sentenced Marda, who also pleaded guilty, to time served (which had been approximately three months).   Like Bolling, Marda also will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release.  Among the conditions of Marda’s supervised release are that she be detained in her home, and be subject to electronic monitoring, for three months.

            This matter was investigated by the Tilton (N.H.) Police Department with support from the Manchester, N.H., Field Office of the United States Secret Service.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bill Morse.

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CONCORD, N.H. – William M. Richmond, 60, formerly of Atkinson, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for tax evasion, reports United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.

            In 2006 through 2008 Richmond failed to report and pay taxes on more than $743,000 he stole through a wire fraud scheme.  From about May 18, 2005, through about April 2009, Richmond held a durable power of attorney for Richard Piller. The power of attorney gave Richmond unrestricted access to Piller’s finances. Richmond was supposed to manage Piller’s personal and business affairs while Piller and his then-wife, Joan Ettelson, were out of the country for extended periods. Richmond used the power of attorney to commit a wire fraud scheme through which he stole more than $743,000 from Piller and Ettelson. Richmond failed to disclose that criminally derived income on his tax returns for 2006, 2007, and 2008, and he failed to list the substantial additional taxes he owed for each year based on that income. Instead, Richmond falsely claimed that his only income was taxable interest and that he owed no taxes for each of the three years.

            Richmond pleaded guilty to three counts of tax evasion on July 17, 2015.

            In addition to a two-year prison sentence, Richmond was ordered to pay $743,171.59 in restitution to Piller and Ettelson.

            This case was investigated by special agents of the FBI and the IRS – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark S. Zuckerman.

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            CONCORD – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Rigoberto Ramirez  Aldava, 40, of 345 Putnam Street, Apartment #1, Manchester, New Hampshire, appeared today before United States Magistrate Daniel Lynch and was arraigned on a criminal complaint which charges him with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 846 and distribution of controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1).

               According to documents that were filed in United States District Court and statements in the court proceeding, Ramirez Aldava, a citizen of Mexico, operated El Patron Sports Bar and Grill, LLC, located at 253 Wilson Street, Manchester, New Hampshire. 

              As part of the investigation, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) received information that Ramirez Aldava was in possession of multiple kilograms of methamphetamine. On June 21, 2016, an undercover DEA Task Force Officer met with Ramirez Aldava at a location in Manchester, where Ramirez Aldava provided the undercover officer with a sample of approximately 34 grams of methamphetamine. On June 29, 2016, the undercover officer met with Ramirez Aldava at the same location in Manchester and purchased approximately 372 grams of methamphetamine for $8,000. On July 11, 2016, Ramirez Aldava was arrested as he travelled to a pre-arranged location in Manchester where he intended to sell the undercover officer approximately ten pounds of methamphetamine for $85,000. Approximately 5.13 kilograms were recovered from Ramirez Aldava’s vehicle at the time of his arrest.

            A search of El Patron Sports Bar and Grill resulted in the seizure of approximately 2.03 kilograms of methamphetamine. A second search at Ramiez Aldava’s Putnam Street apartment resulted in the seizure of $6,000 of the serialized DEA currency utilized in the June 29th drug sale.

            DEA reports that in this area, one gram of methamphetamine typically sells for between $150 to $200 dollars, and in the Northeast, larger quantities of the drug can sell for as much as $50,000 to $60,000 per kilogram.

            “Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant that damages the central nervous system and can cause paranoia often associated with violent behavior,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. “This record-setting seizure of methamphetamine in New Hampshire demonstrates DEA’s commitment to disrupt and dismantle Mexican drug trafficking organizations who have become the primary manufacturers and distributors of methamphetamine to cities throughout the United States.  DEA and its local, state and federal partners are committed to bringing to justice those that distribute this lethal drug.”

            United States Attorney Rice said, “I want to thank the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Manchester and Nashua Police Departments for their work on this case.  The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to continue to target drug trafficking organizations which are responsible for the importation of large quantities of controlled substances into New Hampshire from source countries such as Mexico, and to bringing traffickers to justice.”            

            Magistrate Judge Lynch ordered Ramirez Aldava detained pending trial. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis.

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            CONCORD – United States Attorney, Emily Gray Rice announced that Geoffrey McIntosh, 36, was sentenced by United States District Judge Paul Barbadoro to serve 100 months in federal prison for his participation in an oxycodone distribution scheme.

            McIntosh, most recently of Derry, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty on March 25, 2016, to participating in a conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, oxycodone.

            According to documents that were filed in United States District Court and statements in court proceedings, McIntosh and others passed dozens of false prescriptions for OxyContin pills at pharmacies in the Manchester and Nashua areas.  McIntosh arranged for runners to pass these fraudulent prescriptions at pharmacies.  The runners would then provide the pills to McIntosh in exchange for pills or cash.  McIntosh would then sell the pills or have others sell them on his behalf.  During the investigation, law enforcement officers identified over 100 fraudulent prescriptions for OxyContin, which were filled in 2009 and 2010.

            The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from other law enforcement agencies, including the Nashua Police Department, Manchester Police Department, Merrimack Police Department, and the New Hampshire State Police.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Farley.

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            CONCORD – United States Attorney, Emily Gray Rice announced that James Donnelly, 34, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, oxycodone before United States District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty.

            According to documents that were filed in United States District Court and statements in the plea proceeding, Donnelly, Geoffrey McIntosh, and others arranged to pass dozens of false prescriptions for OxyContin pills at pharmacies in the Manchester and Nashua areas.  These prescriptions contained falsified signatures of a physician.  Donnelly admitted that he arranged for runners to pass these fraudulent prescriptions at pharmacies.  The runners would then be provided with pills or cash as payment for passing the fraudulent prescriptions.  McIntosh would then sell the pills or have others sell them on his behalf.  During the investigation, law enforcement officers identified over 100 fraudulent prescriptions for OxyContin, which were filled in 2009 and 2010.

            A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for October 13, 2016.   The court will determine the sentence to be imposed after it has the opportunity to review a presentence report prepared by the United States Probation & Pretrial Services Office.

            The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from other law enforcement agencies, including the Nashua Police Department, Manchester Police Department, Merrimack Police Department, and the New Hampshire State Police.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Farley.

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          CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Victor Lopez, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced to ten months in prison after pleading guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported.

            On February 15, 2016, an ICE-ERO Deportation Officer received a request for assistance form a New Hampshire State Police Trooper who he had stopped a vehicle for speeding on I-93 north bound in Windham.  There were five individuals in the vehicle, two of whom provided the Trooper with foreign ID cards. The defendant and two other individuals refused to provide identification and refused to answer any questions.  The Trooper requested that ICE-ERO assist with the identification of those three individuals in the vehicle.

            An ICE-ERO Deportation Officer submitted the defendant’s fingerprints to databases of known fingerprints for comparison.  The comparison identified the defendant as Victor Lopez and established that Lopez had been deported from the United States to Guatemala in 2012.

            The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the New Hampshire State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega prosecuted the case.

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            Concord, N.H.—Emily Gray Rice, United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire, announced that Parrish Powell, 27, previously of Mount Vernon, New York, was sentenced for possessing a weapon at a federal correctional institution in July 2015.  United States District Judge Landya B. McCafferty imposed a sentence of 15 months’ imprisonment and a mandatory $100 special assessment.

            According to the indictment, statements made in court, and other public records in the case, in 2014 Powell was convicted in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York for the illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  He was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release on that charge.  The Federal Bureau of Prisons assigned Powell to the federal correctional institute in Berlin, New Hampshire (“FCI Berlin”).   On July 17, 2015, Powell was subject to a routine search by an FCI Berlin correctional officer.   The officer discovered in Powell’s boot a knife or “shiv” fashioned out a yellow plastic eating utensil, sharpened to a point at one end, with black electrical tape wrapped around the other end, forming a makeshift handle.  A federal indictment charging Powell with possessing a weapon while an inmate at a federal prison, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1791(a)(2) and (d)(1)(B), was returned on December 16, 2015, and Powell pleaded guilty on February 29, 2016.

            By statute, Powell’s new sentence of 15 months must run consecutive to his existing sentence on the 2014 charges in New York. He will be subject to a period of 2 years supervised release upon release from prison as a result of the sentence imposed in 2014. 

            The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.

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