Northern District of Ohio

U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a Texas woman who was a program manager at an Ohio-based international adoption agency pleaded guilty today to schemes to procure adoptions of Ugandan and Polish children by bribing Ugandan officials and defrauding U.S. authorities.

According to court documents, Debra Parris, 69, of Lake Dallas, engaged in a scheme with others to bribe Ugandan officials to procure adoptions of Ugandan children by families in the United States.  These bribes included payments to (a) probation officers intended to ensure favorable probation reports recommending that a particular child be placed into an orphanage; (b) court registrars to influence the assignment of particular cases to “adoption-friendly” judges; and (c) High Court judges to issue favorable guardianship orders for the adoption agency’s clients.  In her plea agreement, Parris also admitted that she continued to direct the adoption agency’s clients to work with her alleged co-conspirator Dorah Mirembe, after knowing that Mirembe caused clients of the adoption agency to provide false information to the U.S. State Department for the purpose of misleading it in its adjudication of visa applications.

According to court documents, in a second scheme, after alleged co-conspirator Margaret Cole, the adoption agency’s Executive Director, learned that clients of the adoption agency determined they could not care for one of the two Polish children they were set to adopt, Parris and her co-conspirator took steps to transfer the Polish child to Parris’s relatives, who were not eligible for intercountry adoption.  In her plea agreement, Parris also admitted that after the child was injured and hospitalized, Parris agreed with her co-conspirator to conceal their improper conduct from the U.S. State Department in an attempt to continue profiting from these adoptions.

Parris pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and commit visa fraud in connection with the Uganda scheme, and conspiracy to defraud the United States in connection with the Poland scheme.  She is scheduled to be sentenced on March 9, 2022. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Trial against Cole is scheduled to commence on Feb. 7, 2022. Mirembe remains at large.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan for the Northern District of Ohio; and Acting Assistant Director Jay Greenberg of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.

If you believe you are a victim of this offense, please visit https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/victim-witness-program or call (888) 549-3945.

The FBI’s Cleveland Field Office is investigating the case. 

Trial Attorneys Jason Manning and Alexander Kramer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea Rice of the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.  The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted in the investigation.

The Fraud Section has lead responsibility for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.

A Texas woman who was a program manager at an Ohio-based international adoption agency pleaded guilty today in the Northern District of Ohio to schemes to procure adoptions of Ugandan and Polish children by bribing Ugandan officials and defrauding U.S. authorities.

According to court documents, Debra Parris, 69, of Lake Dallas, engaged in a scheme with others to bribe Ugandan officials to procure adoptions of Ugandan children by families in the United States. These bribes included payments to (a) probation officers intended to ensure favorable probation reports recommending that a particular child be placed into an orphanage; (b) court registrars to influence the assignment of particular cases to “adoption-friendly” judges; and (c) High Court judges to issue favorable guardianship orders for the adoption agency’s clients. In her plea agreement, Parris also admitted that she continued to direct the adoption agency’s clients to work with her alleged co-conspirator Dorah Mirembe, after knowing that Mirembe caused clients of the adoption agency to provide false information to the U.S. State Department for the purpose of misleading it in its adjudication of visa applications.

According to court documents, in a second scheme, after alleged co-conspirator Margaret Cole, the adoption agency’s Executive Director, learned that clients of the adoption agency determined they could not care for one of the two Polish children they were set to adopt, Parris and her co-conspirator took steps to transfer the Polish child to Parris’s relatives, who were not eligible for intercountry adoption. In her plea agreement, Parris also admitted that after the child was injured and hospitalized, Parris agreed with her co-conspirator to conceal their improper conduct from the U.S. State Department in an attempt to continue profiting from these adoptions.

Parris pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and commit visa fraud in connection with the Uganda scheme, and conspiracy to defraud the United States in connection with the Poland scheme. She is scheduled to be sentenced on March 9, 2022. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Trial against Cole is scheduled to commence on Feb. 7, 2022. Mirembe remains at large.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan for the Northern District of Ohio; and Acting Assistant Director Jay Greenberg of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.

If you believe you are a victim of this offense, please visit https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/victim-witness-program or call (888) 549-3945.

The FBI’s Cleveland Field Office is investigating the case. 

Trial Attorneys Jason Manning and Alexander Kramer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea Rice of the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted in the investigation.

The Fraud Section has lead responsibility for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and Cole and Mirembe are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that on Monday, November 15, 2021, Judge Christopher A. Boyko sentenced Brandon L. Sheridan, 35, of Mobile, Alabama, to 22 years in prison.  A jury found Sheridan and codefendant Justin Martin, 34, of Akron, guilty of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in July of 2021.

According to court documents, on January 10, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence on Lake Street in Akron.  An investigation revealed that Martin and Sheridan were using the address as a base of operations to conduct drug trafficking activities.  During the execution of the warrant, officers encountered Martin and Sheridan inside the residence and located approximately 1 kilo of methamphetamine, 14 firearms (four of which were reported stolen), ammunition, approximately $7,000 in cash drug packaging materials and paraphernalia.

Officers also recovered law enforcement-issued body armor previously reported stolen from a Cuyahoga Falls police officer during a residential burglary.

Judge Boyko sentenced codefendant Justin Martin to 23 years imprisonment on October 29, 2021.   

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Akron Police Department.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron P. Howell and Peter Daly.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that on Monday, November 15, 2021, a federal jury returned guilty verdicts against Defendant Quentin D. Watson, 35, of Akron, Ohio, following a week-long trial before Judge Pamela A. Barker in Cleveland.  Watson was found guilty of distributing a fentanyl substance that led to a fatal overdose, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on June 24, 2020, Watson distributed a fentanyl substance to a woman identified in court documents as M.M., who ingested the substance, overdosed and died.  Later, in October of 2020, Akron Police stopped and searched a vehicle that Watson was driving and found various amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine and a 9mm pistol.

Watson faces a mandatory minimum of at least 25 years imprisonment and a max possible sentence of life.  A sentencing date has not been scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Akron Police Department, Akron Fire Department, Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Aaron P. Howell and Christopher J. Joyce.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Manish Raj Gupta, 50, of Sylvania, Ohio, was sentenced today by Judge James G. Carr to more than 19 years in prison after Gupta, a former Toledo-area physician, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and illegally dispensing a controlled substance.  Gupta was sentenced to 235 months and ordered to pay a fine of $250,000 and over $57,000 in restitution.

"Mr. Gupta meticulously planned his attacks, including which controlled substances to pull from his medical office so that he could incapacitate vulnerable women and record his sexual assaults," said Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan. "The brave women who spoke out, along with the dedicated work of the FBI and prosecutors assigned to this case, ensured that Mr. Gupta was brought to justice and will no longer be a threat to women.'

"The FBI is pleased with the lengthy sentence given today to Manish Gupta for his heinous criminal behavior," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith. "He took advantage of these females and turned them into victims of sexual abuse. Gupta's incarceration may pave the way for other victims to come forward. The FBI encourages anyone that was sexually victimized by Manish Gupta to please contact the FBI at 1-877-FBI-OHIO."

As set out in court documents, Gupta was a plastic surgeon and business owner of three surgery centers located in the city of Toledo, the city of Oregon and the Southern Michigan area.  As a licensed doctor, Gupta was authorized to prescribe controlled substances within the course of his medical practice and for legitimate purposes.   

According to court documents, Gupta traveled to medical conferences in large urban areas, including Chicago in March and April of 2013, Cleveland in April of 2013, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale in June of 2015 and July 2019, Los Angeles in September of 2016 and various other dates in San Francisco and Detroit. 

Gupta would often stay at a centrally located hotel in these cities, hire escorts in the area and administer incapacitating drugs in order to commit sexual acts of violence without consent.

Gupta often recorded these assaults and, prior to his travel, would ship a bag described in court documents as a "rape bag," containing drugs and recording equipment, to the hotel where he was staying. 

In August of 2016, court documents state that Gupta began corresponding online with Victim #1, an individual he intended to hire for sexual activity prior to planned travel to Los Angeles.  On September 23, 2016, Gupta met with the victim at the hotel where he was staying, administered an incapacitating controlled substance, performed sexual acts of violence and recorded the assault.         

On March 6, 2020, FBI agents executed a federal search warrant at one of Gupta's plastic surgery centers in Toledo.  During the search, agents obtained numerous items, including controlled substances, sedatives, recording equipment and video recording memory cards, one of which contained a recording of Gupta committing sexual assault.  Agents later discovered 61 different videos of Gupta committing sex acts of violence on at least 20 different unconscious women, including Victim #1.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Toledo Resident Agency.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tracey Ballard Tangeman and Carol M. Skutnik.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Robert D. McWilliams, 41, of Strongsville, Ohio, was sentenced today by Judge Sara Lioi to life in prison.  McWilliams, a Northeast Ohio-area Catholic Priest at the time of the offense conduct, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of sex trafficking of a minor, three counts of sexual exploitation of a child, and one count each of transportation of child pornography, receipt and distribution of visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possession of child pornography.

“This defendant violated and exploited children in nearly every manner imaginable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan. “Using his role in the Church, Mr. McWilliams violated the sacrament of confession to identify potential victims, and offered religious counseling to victims he extorted under alter egos he intentionally created to conceal his own identity.  He also used social media to target and entice young children into the exploitive world of juvenile sex trafficking, all after having already amassed a large collection of violent child pornography.  We commend the victims and their families for the courage they have shown.  We are also thankful to Homeland Security Investigations, the Geauga County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force for their work on this case and all cases involving perpetrators who target our children.”

“Mr. McWilliams used his position and reputation as a priest to meet and earn the trust of these children, only to betray that trust in the worst way possible for his own twisted gratification,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Vance Callender. “HSI Detroit has several teams of agents and forensic interviewers throughout the region who work with state and local partners and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to identify individuals who exploit the communities’ trust.”

As set out in court documents, beginning in 2019, McWilliams used fake identities and technology to extort minors for sexually explicit images, amass a significant collection of child pornography and provide compensation to minors in exchange for sexual acts.  McWilliams met some of the victims through his time in the seminary with the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland and as an appointed Parochial Vicar at a parish where the children and their families were affiliated. 

According to court documents, McWilliams used the sacrament of confession to obtain information that he later exploited, by creating aliases, including posing as a minor, to seek the production of sexually explicit material from minors that he was “counseling.”  Court records show that McWilliams enticed three minor victims to send sexually explicit photographs and videos, sometimes threatening to expose embarrassing information that McWilliams already knew about the victims if they did not send such images.  When some victims refused to send additional images, McWilliams followed through on his threats and sent sexually explicit photographs to the victims’ mothers.

In addition, court documents state that McWilliams used the social networking website Grindr.com to make contact with a minor victim for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex.  McWilliams then enticed this minor victim to identify another minor victim with whom McWilliams could engage in commercial sex acts.  McWilliams met the victims on multiple occasions for the purpose of engaging in sex acts in exchange for money and alcohol.

On December 4, 2019, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at McWilliams’ living quarters in Strongsville.  During the search, officers seized a laptop and an external hard drive that contained hundreds of images and videos of child pornography.  Further investigation revealed McWilliams had a Dropbox cloud storage account where he stored more than 128,000 images of child pornography.  McWilliams downloaded these image files from the internet and stored them in various folders on his computer devices.

This case was investigated by the Geauga County Prosecutor’s Office with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children (“ICAC”) Task Force.  James Flaiz, the Geauga County Prosecutor, is an assigned Special Assistant U.S. Attorney on this matter.  This case was prosecuted by Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Ellis J. Wilson, 27, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced today by Judge Dan Aaron Polster to 20 years in prison after Wilson pleaded guilty to distribution or carfentanil with an enhanced penalty, distribution of carfentanil and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

According to court documents, on April 16, 2019, Wilson agreed to provide an individual identified as “J.N.” with a quantity of heroin through a third party.  Wilson then provided J.N. with a substance that contained a detectable amount of carfentanil.  J.N. later ingested this substance, overdosed and died of carfentanil toxicity.

Additionally, on several occasions in May of 2019, Wilson provided a confidential source with the Summit County Drug Unit a similar substance containing a detectable amount of carfentanil.  On May 23, 2019, law enforcement officers searched a residence belonging to Wilson and obtained carfentanil, heroin and multiple items used in the preparation of drug distribution, including a digital scale, plastic baggies, cutting agents, a blender with powder residue and a 9mm semiautomatic pistol.

Wilson pleaded guilty in July of 2021 to a penalty enhancement due to the death resulting from his distribution of the carfentanil mixture to J.N.

This case was investigated by the Summit County Sheriff’s Office with assistance provided by the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter E. Daly and Toni Beth Schnellinger Feisthamel.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that on Wednesday, Nov. 3, Judge J. Philip Calabrese sentenced Anthony D. Wilson, 35, of Warren, Ohio, to a three-year term of probation after Wilson pleaded guilty in June of 2021 to threatening an official with the Social Security Administration.

“Public servants should never be faced with threats of physical violence or intimidation in the course of their employment,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan.  “The Social Security Administration employees threatened by Mr. Wilson are commended for the prompt and appropriate response to the threats made against them.” 

“Mr. Wilson’s violent threats to murder a DDS employee who was performing their official duties are intolerable,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “The safety of SSA employees and contractors is one of our highest priorities, and we will continue to hold accountable those who jeopardize or attempt to endanger their safety. I thank our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting this case.” 

According to court documents, in January of 2020, the Social Security Administration (SSA) began a review of the disability status of Wilson to ensure he remained eligible to receive benefits, which required Wilson to undergo medical examinations. At the conclusion of this review, the SSA determined that Wilson was not disabled and discontinued his benefits.  Wilson later appealed this decision and, in order to consider the appeal, the SSA required Wilson to undergo further medical examinations and a Claims Adjudicator with the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, Disability Determination Services, a contractor for the SSA, was assigned to the case.

On or about March 20 and March 21, 2021, Wilson left threatening voicemail messages on the work phone of the adjudicator threatening bodily harm to the adjudicator and other employees.  Wilson made these threats in retaliation to the adjudicator’s work on Wilson’s pending case before the Social Security Administration.  

As part of the investigation, federal agents obtained a copy of Wilson’s criminal history and discovered a number of prior arrests for making threatening statements and, in one instance, threatening to harm a police officer.

This investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General.  This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason W. White. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Kenneth Slaughter, 43, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced on Wednesday, October 3, 2021, by Judge Solomon Oliver to 26 months in prison and a $5,000 fine after Slaughter pleaded guilty in July of 2021 to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.

According to court documents, from April of 2015 to March of 2019, Slaughter purchased or leased several high-end motor vehicles for known drug traffickers in return for cash payments made directly from drug trafficking proceeds.  To conduct the scheme, Slaughter provided false information to car dealerships and on credit applications to obtain financing to purchase the vehicles.  Slaughter then registered the vehicles in his name, his girlfriend’s name and in the name of his businesses to conceal that the traffickers, who ultimately took possession and control of the vehicles, were the true owners.

Slaughter made payments on the vehicles using drug trafficking proceeds funneled through his business bank accounts.  Some of the vehicles Slaughter purchased include a Mercedes Benz GLC 300 C4, Infiniti QX80, Jaguar F-PACE, Land Rover Range Rover and a Dodge Challenger Hellcat. 

These vehicles were later used to conduct drug trafficking activities in the Cleveland area.

In total, Slaughter laundered between $95,000 and $150,000 of drug trafficking proceeds through the scheme.

This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case was investigated by the Cartel Gang Narcotics and Money Laundering Task Force, IRS Criminal Investigation and Westlake Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret A. Sweeney.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan and FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith announced that a federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment charging Thomas Brenner, 58, of Orville, Ohio, with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, securities fraud and engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from criminal activity.

According to the indictment, the defendant was a financial broker-dealer and President of First American Securities, Inc., located in Orrville.  In March of 2015, it is alleged that the defendant, Person-1 and others conspired together to recruit the defendant’s clients to “invest” in United RL Capital Services, LLC (“URL”), a company that purportedly financed medical laboratory developments. 

It is alleged that the defendant and Person-1 solicited investors over the phone, through letters and in person.  According to the indictment, the two misrepresented material information to the investors, including that investors’ money would finance medical laboratory developments, investors would receive their money back with interest after three years and that URL was as safe or safer than other existing investments.

It is alleged that some investors, at the defendant’s and Person-1’s encouragement, removed money from their IRAs to invest in URL and that the defendant and Person-1 misrepresented that doing so would not result in tax penalties.   

The indictment describes how the defendant, instead of apportioning the investors’ money as promised, allegedly used these funds for his benefit, including large racecar-related purchases and to pay taxes.  The indictment also alleges that when investors inquired about their investments, the defendant and Person-1 misrepresented that their investments were secure and provided some investors with sporadic, minimal payments, disguised as installments of earned interest, in order to lull investors into believing that their money was safe and being used as promised. 

According to the indictment, the defendant knew that he was being investigated in 2015 and 2016 for selling URL securities by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), a congressionally authorized entity that licenses and regulates broker-dealers.  Despite this, it is alleged that neither the defendant nor Person-1 told prospective investors about the investigation, that First American Securities, Inc. could face closure and that the defendant could be suspended from associating with any FINRA-registered firm, which he eventually was. The defendant and Person-1 also allegedly did not inform investors that the defendant and Person-1 were related as family members. 

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

This case was investigated by the Cleveland FBI – Canton Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea.   

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Patrick J. Rose, 59, of Mansfield, Ohio, with one count of influencing a federal official by threat.

According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, on October 6, 2021, it is alleged that the defendant left a voicemail message at the Mansfield VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), threatening to kill a VA employee.

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (VA OIG) investigated the incident and determined that the defendant and a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Psychiatry at the Mansfield CBOC had a medical appointment together on October 4, 2021, during which the specialist decided to discontinue the defendant’s prescription for Diazepam.  The defendant immediately became upset, allegedly threatened to “shoot somebody” and left the appointment. 

Days later, on October 6, it is alleged that the defendant left a voicemail message on a phone at the CBOC threatening to harm the pharmacy specialist and “eliminate her whole family.”  The defendant was later charged and arrested.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.

In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

This investigation was conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the Cleveland VA Medical Center (VAMC) Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason W. White.  

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that the last of three individuals involved in a 2019-armed robbery of a Rally’s restaurant in Elyria was sentenced on Monday, November 1, 2021, for her role in the incident.

Alonda Bryant, 24, of Cleveland, was sentenced by Judge Dan Aaron Polster to 24 months imprisonment after Bryant pleaded guilty to attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery in April of 2021.

Previously sentenced in this matter was James. A. Jackson, 29, of Cleveland, to 130 months imprisonment and DeMario J. Horton, 32, of Cleveland, to 120 months.

According to court documents, on June 11, 2019, Jackson, armed with a box-cutter, and Horton, armed with a firearm, entered a Rally’s restaurant in Elyria at approximately 2:45 a.m. and forced the store manager and other employees into a supply closet while they committed the robbery.  Elyria Police observed Jackson and Horton exit the restaurant shortly after the robbery and stopped the vehicle that the two were occupying.

After searching the vehicle, police discovered claw hammers, latex gloves, a semi-automatic magazine with .45 caliber rounds in the glove box, a wallet belonging to the Rally’s store manager and clothing matching the description of the suspect’s clothing from the robbery. The following day, officers located an empty semi-automatic firearm in a bush behind the door where Horton and Jackson entered and exited the building. 

While reviewing surveillance footage of the incident, police noticed a Rally’s employee, Alonda Bryant, opening the side restaurant doors to allow Jackson and Horton into the building and later fleeing the scene.  After an investigation, police learned that Bryant had listed co-defendant DeMario Horton as her spouse and emergency contact on her employment application. 

After fleeing the scene, Bryant placed a diversionary call to 911 for a location approximately a half-mile away in an attempt to obstruct police. However, police dispatch determined that the call actually came from the location of the Rally’s restaurant.

Jackson pleaded guilty to attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery, using or carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in November of 2020.

Horton pleaded guilty to attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery, using or carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in February of 2020.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Elyria Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret A. Kane and Bryson N. Gillard.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Gage Predojev, 23, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced today by Judge James S. Gwin to 50 months imprisonment after Predojev pleaded guilty in June of 2021 to possession with the intent to distribute 10,000 THC vape cartridges and as a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Gwin also ordered the forfeiture of seven firearms and $18,432 as part of Predojev’s sentence. 

According to court records, on September 26, 2019, law enforcement officers stopped Predojev in his vehicle for a traffic violation.  Officers learned that Predojev was driving under license suspension and used a narcotics-sniffing canine to detect the presence of drugs.  The canine alerted officers to an odor of narcotics emitting from the vehicle and officers conducted a search.  During the search, officers discovered 10,000 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) vape cartridges inside the vehicle labeled as “Fwaygo Extracts.” Predojev told law enforcement that the cartridges were valued at around $250,000.

Following this incident, officers executed a search warrant at an apartment in Stow, Ohio, where Predojev lived with codefendant Justin Duma.  During the search of the apartment, officers discovered additional THC vape cartridges, approximately $18,000 in drug trafficking proceeds and seven loaded firearms.

Predojev is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous conviction of drug trafficking in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas.

Justin Duma is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2022.

The investigation was conducted by the FDA – Office of Criminal Investigations in conjunction with the Ohio Attorney General’s Organized Crime Investigations Commission – Cuyahoga County Regional Major Crimes Task Force and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Aaron P. Howell.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that on Friday, October 29, 2021, Judge Christopher A. Boyko sentenced Justin D. Martin, 34, of Akron, Ohio, to 23 years imprisonment after a jury found Martin and codefendant Brandon L. Sheridan, 34, of Akron, guilty of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in July of 2021.

According to court documents, on January 10, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence on Lake Street in Akron. An earlier investigation had revealed that Martin and Sheridan were using the address as a base of operations to conduct drug trafficking activities.  During the execution of the search warrant, officers encountered Martin and Sheridan inside the residence and secured approximately 1 kilogram of methamphetamine, 14 firearms (four of which were reported stolen), ammunition, approximately $7,000 in cash, drug packaging materials and paraphernalia.

Officers also recovered law enforcement-issued body armor from the residence, which was previously reported stolen from a Cuyahoga Falls police officer during a residential burglary.

Brandon Sheridan is scheduled to be sentenced on November 15, 2021.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Akron Police Department.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron P. Howell and Peter E. Daly. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Brandon Thomas Kern, 27, of Bayport, New York, with enticement and interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

According to court documents, on October 7, 2021, law enforcement officers with the North Olmstead Police Department began an investigation into the online communications between the defendant and a minor victim through a mobile social media application after the victim contacted the police.  During the investigation, officers allegedly determined that the defendant had traveled from New York to Ohio with the intent to engage in sexual conduct with the minor.

Officers were able to locate the defendant through his online conversation with the victim, and he was subsequently arrested.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

This investigation was conducted by the Cleveland FBI and North Olmsted Police Department.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Margaret A. Kane.

A Russian national, residing in the Yakutsk region of Russia and in Southeast Asia, had his initial appearance in federal court today after his extradition from the Republic of Korea to the Northern District of Ohio to face charges for his alleged role in a transnational, cybercriminal organization.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Bridget M. Brennan and FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Cleveland Field Office Eric B. Smith made the announcement.

According to court documents, Vladimir Dunaev, 38, was a member of a transnational, cybercriminal organization that deployed a computer banking trojan and ransomware suite of malware known as “Trickbot.”

“Trickbot attacked businesses and victims across the globe and infected millions of computers for theft and ransom, including networks of schools, banks, municipal governments, and companies in the health care, energy, and agriculture sectors,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “This is the second overseas Trickbot defendant arrested in recent months, making clear that with our international partners, the Department of Justice can and will capture cyber criminals around the world. This is another success for the Department's recently launched Ransomware and Digital Extortion Task Force in dismantling ransomware groups and disrupting the cybercriminal ecosystem that allows ransomware to exist and to threaten our critical infrastructure.”

“The FBI is determined to utilize our unique tools and capabilities to disrupt transnational cybercriminal organizations, such as the group that developed and delivered Trickbot, and remains committed to imposing risk and consequence upon these criminals,” said Deputy Director Paul Abbate of the FBI. “Pursuing cyber criminals requires considerable patience, expertise, and resources, but the FBI has a long memory and will ensure that these malicious actors cannot evade detection or avoid the full weight of law enforcement actions.”

“The Trickbot malware was designed to steal the personal and financial information of millions of people around the world, thereby causing extensive financial harm and inflicting significant damage to critical infrastructure within the United States and abroad,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan of the Northern District of Ohio. “Today’s announcement underscores the great lengths federal law enforcement officials and our international partners will go to hold these alleged cybercriminals accountable for their actions.”

“This indictment reflects the dynamic landscape in which international criminals utilize sophisticated cyber methods to take advantage of and defraud, unsuspecting victims anywhere in the world,” said Special Agent in Charge Eric Smith of the FBI’s Cleveland Field Office. “This multi-year investigation demonstrates the commitment by the FBI to aggressively pursue these individuals despite the complexity and global character cyber investigations can so often bring. The FBI encourages any victim of cyber fraud to file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.”

The indictment alleges that beginning in November 2015, and continuing through August 2020, Dunaev and others stole money, confidential information, and damaged computer systems from unsuspecting victims, including individuals, financial institutions, school districts, utility companies, government entities, and private businesses. To perpetuate their criminal scheme, the defendants allegedly used a network of co-conspirators and freelance computer programmers, known as the Trickbot Group, to create, deploy, and manage the Trickbot malware, which infected millions of computers and computer systems worldwide.

Dunaev is alleged to have been one such co-conspirator, working as a malware developer for the Trickbot Group. Dunaev allegedly performed a variety of developer functions in support of the Trickbot malware, including managing the malware’s execution, developing popular browser modifications and helping to conceal the malware from detection by security software. 

Earlier this year, the Justice Department announced the arrest and arraignment of Alla Witte, a Latvian national charged for her role in the Trickbot Group.

According to court documents, the Trickbot malware was designed to capture online banking login credentials and harvest other personal information, including credit card numbers, emails, passwords, dates of birth, social security numbers, and addresses from infected computers through the use of web injects and keystroke logging. Later versions of Trickbot were adapted to facilitate the installation and use of ransomware. 

According to the indictment, the defendants used these stolen login credentials and other personal information to gain access to online bank accounts, execute unauthorized electronic funds transfers and launder the money through U.S. and foreign beneficiary accounts.

Dunaev was extradited from the Republic of Korea on Oct. 20. He is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and multiple counts of wire fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

Dunaev entered a plea of not guilty and waived his detention hearing.

If convicted of all counts, Dunaev faces a maximum penalty of 60 years’ imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is the result of a four-year investigation by the FBI’s Cleveland Field Office.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided invaluable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Dunaev to the United States, with substantial support provided by the Republic of Korea.

Senior Counsel C.S. Heath of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Riedl and Duncan T. Brown of the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Ransomware and Digital Extortion Task Force, which was created to combat the growing number of ransomware and digital extortion attacks. As part of the Task Force, the Criminal Division, working with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, prioritizes the disruption, investigation, and prosecution of ransomware and digital extortion activity by tracking and dismantling the development and deployment of malware, identifying the cybercriminals responsible, and holding those individuals accountable for their crimes. The department, through the Task Force, also strategically targets the ransomware criminal ecosystem as a whole and collaborates with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as private sector partners to combat this significant criminal threat.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

 Click to view the indictment.

A Russian national, residing in the Yakutsk region of Russia and in Southeast Asia, had his initial appearance in federal court today after his extradition from the Republic of Korea to the Northern District of Ohio to face charges for his alleged role in a transnational, cybercriminal organization.

According to court documents, Vladimir Dunaev, 38, was a member of a transnational, cybercriminal organization that deployed a computer banking trojan and ransomware suite of malware known as “Trickbot.”

“Trickbot attacked businesses and victims across the globe and infected millions of computers for theft and ransom, including networks of schools, banks, municipal governments, and companies in the health care, energy, and agriculture sectors,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “This is the second overseas Trickbot defendant arrested in recent months, making clear that, with our international partners, the Department of Justice can and will capture cyber criminals around the world. This is another success for the Department’s recently launched Ransomware and Digital Extortion Task Force in dismantling ransomware groups and disrupting the cybercriminal ecosystem that allows ransomware to exist and to threaten our critical infrastructure.”

“The FBI is determined to utilize our unique tools and capabilities to disrupt transnational cybercriminal organizations, such as the group that developed and delivered Trickbot, and remains committed to imposing risk and consequence upon these criminals,” said Deputy Director Paul Abbate of the FBI. “Pursuing cyber criminals requires considerable patience, expertise, and resources, but the FBI has a long memory and will ensure that these malicious actors cannot evade detection or avoid the full weight of law enforcement actions.”

“The Trickbot malware was designed to steal the personal and financial information of millions of people around the world, thereby causing extensive financial harm and inflicting significant damage to critical infrastructure within the United States and abroad,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan of the Northern District of Ohio. “Today’s announcement underscores the great lengths federal law enforcement officials and our international partners will go to hold these alleged cybercriminals accountable for their actions.”

“This indictment reflects the dynamic landscape in which international criminals utilize sophisticated cyber methods to take advantage of and defraud, unsuspecting victims anywhere in the world,” said Special Agent in Charge Eric Smith of the FBI’s Cleveland Field Office. “This multi-year investigation demonstrates the commitment by the FBI to aggressively pursue these individuals despite the complexity and global character cyber investigations can so often bring. The FBI encourages any victim of cyber fraud to file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.”

The indictment alleges that beginning in November 2015, and continuing through August 2020, Dunaev and others stole money, confidential information, and damaged computer systems from unsuspecting victims, including individuals, financial institutions, school districts, utility companies, government entities, and private businesses. To perpetuate their criminal scheme, the defendants allegedly used a network of co-conspirators and freelance computer programmers, known as the Trickbot Group, to create, deploy, and manage the Trickbot malware, which infected millions of computers and computer systems worldwide.

Dunaev is alleged to have been one such co-conspirator, working as a malware developer for the Trickbot Group. Dunaev allegedly performed a variety of developer functions in support of the Trickbot malware, including managing the malware’s execution, developing popular browser modifications and helping to conceal the malware from detection by security software. 

Earlier this year, the Justice Department announced the arrest and arraignment of Alla Witte, a Latvian national charged for her role in the Trickbot Group.

According to court documents, the Trickbot malware was designed to capture online banking login credentials and harvest other personal information, including credit card numbers, emails, passwords, dates of birth, social security numbers, and addresses from infected computers through the use of web injects and keystroke logging. Later versions of Trickbot were adapted to facilitate the installation and use of ransomware. 

According to the indictment, the defendants used these stolen login credentials and other personal information to gain access to online bank accounts, execute unauthorized electronic funds transfers and launder the money through U.S. and foreign beneficiary accounts.

Dunaev was extradited from the Republic of Korea on Oct. 20. He is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and multiple counts of wire fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. If convicted of all counts, Dunaev faces a maximum penalty of 60 years’ imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Cleveland Field Office.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided invaluable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Dunaev to the United States, with substantial support provided by the Republic of Korea.

Senior Counsel C.S. Heath of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Riedl and Duncan T. Brown of the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Ransomware and Digital Extortion Task Force, which was created to combat the growing number of ransomware and digital extortion attacks. As part of the Task Force, the Criminal Division, working with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, prioritizes the disruption, investigation, and prosecution of ransomware and digital extortion activity by tracking and dismantling the development and deployment of malware, identifying the cybercriminals responsible, and holding those individuals accountable for their crimes. The department, through the Task Force, also strategically targets the ransomware criminal ecosystem as a whole and collaborates with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as private sector partners to combat this significant criminal threat.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that  Jarvis Burns, Jr., 23, of Lorain, was sentenced on October 27, 2021, by Judge Solomon Oliver, Jr. to 78 months imprisonment after Burns pleaded guilty in June of 2021 to multiple drug trafficking offenses and being a felon in possession of ammunition.                                                                                                                

According to court records, on May 29, 2019, Burns was arrested by the Lorain Police Department and taken to the Lorain City Jail and searched.  During the search, officers observed Burns to be in possession of a bag of suspected drugs.  When confronted, Burns became violent and ripped open multiple bags of crack cocaine, heroin and fentanyl, and began dispersing the drugs around the room and onto police officers.  Following this incident, Burns and the police officers were taken to a local hospital for treatment of exposure to fentanyl. Subsequently,  the Lorain City Jail had to be closed to allow for the Lorain Fire Department HazMat team to decontaminate the area.

Later, in November of 2019, the Elyria Police Department began an investigation into Burns’ drug trafficking activities.  From November of 2019 through January of 2020, law enforcement officials set up a series of controlled buys and, on four separate occasions, Burns sold what was believed to be drugs to a confidential informant.  Burns sold the informant a controlled substance on one instance and non-controlled substances on the other three. 

While law enforcement officials were conducting their investigation, Burns was involved in a shooting incident in the city of Elyria.  On November 25, 2019, the Elyria Police Department was dispatched to a reported shooting on Lake Avenue in Elyria.  Police located six spent shell casings and later identified two vehicles involved in the incident.  An investigation revealed that Burns and another individual were involved in an argument when the other individual hit Burns with a car.  Burns then fired multiple gunshots at the other individual, who was attempting to flee at the time.

Burns is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition due to previous convictions for drug trafficking in the Lorain County Common Pleas Court. 

This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Lorain Police Department, the Elyria Police Department, and the Lorain County Drug Task Force, with the assistance of the United States Marshal Service.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Kolansky.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal jury found Bruno Nascimento Brito, 36, of Canton, Ohio, guilty of possessing nearly 500 grams of meth and firearms violations on Wednesday, October 27, 2021.

Following a two-day trial, a jury convicted Brito on two counts of possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on October 8, 2020, law enforcement officers encountered Brito at a gas station in Canton via information that Brito utilizes the location to engage in illegal drug transactions.  Officers searched Brito and discovered that he had in his possession a clear plastic bag containing approximately 110 grams of methamphetamine.  Officers then transported Brito to the Canton Police Department, where he was searched a second time.  This time, however, the bag of drugs was not found on Brito but rather hidden in the vehicle of the transporting officer.     

Law enforcement officers then obtained and executed a search warrant at Brito’s residence in Canton and recovered a semiautomatic pistol with ammunition, roughly 378 grams of meth, digital scales, drug paraphernalia and approximately $8,600 in cash.  Brito is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous convictions of burglary and aggravated drug trafficking in the Wayne County Court of Common Pleas.

Brito is scheduled to be sentenced on February 24, 2022 and faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years to life imprisonment.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, MEDWAY, Canton Police Department, and Stark County Metro Narcotics Unit.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that James Simpson, 80, of Sylvania, Ohio, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, October 20, 2021,  to investment adviser fraud. 

According to court documents, Simpson, a former investment adviser in the Toledo area, admitted to defrauding clients out of more than $400,000 through a fictitious investment opportunity scheme.  Beginning in 2020, Simpson interacted with numerous contacts and clients, claiming to have “access to special investment opportunities” at various interest rates and durations.  Court records state that at least eight of these clients wrote Simpson a check to purchase investments totaling more than $400,000.

Court documents state that Simpson did not invest this money; rather, he deposited the checks and used the funds for his own personal benefit.  In order to deceive investors and continue his scheme, Simpson used investor funds to pay other investors and make it appear that he did, in fact, invest the money.

Simpson is scheduled to be sentenced on February 2, 2022.  

This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Toledo Resident Agency.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Freeman. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that William H. Precht, 54, of Kent, Ohio, was sentenced today by Judge Donald C. Nugent to 37 months imprisonment and ordered to pay $1,259,390.66 in restitution after Precht pleaded guilty to theft of government property and participating in a bribery and kickback scheme that enriched himself and caused the Cleveland VA Medical Center to suffer a loss of nearly $200,000.

Precht pleaded guilty in March of 2021 to a 28-count indictment charging him with theft of government property, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services fraud, wire fraud and false statements relating to health care matters.

“Public corruption by VA employees erodes trust in the Department and diverts taxpayer money intended for our nation’s veterans,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Gavin McClaren of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Central Field Office.  “The VA OIG appreciates our partnership with the US Attorney’s Office and their commitment to helping us hold these defendants accountable.”

According to court documents, from October of 2010, through January of 2019, Precht worked as an Inventory Management Specialist and later as a Supervisory Management and Program Analyst at the Cleveland VA Medical Center.  Through his positions at the VA, Precht could order medical supplies, purchase capital equipment and monitor requests for equipment purchases.

Using his position and his VA employee log-in information, Precht registered a purported vendor (Vendor-1) as a Small Disadvantaged Business and Veteran-Owned Small Business in the VA vendor system.  Beginning in October of 2010, Precht used his VA purchase card and other employee cards to purchase purported medical supplies from Vendor-1, a company he controlled, in the amount of approximately $1,066,348.

In addition, from May of 2015 through January of 2019, Precht conspired with Robert A. Vitale, a medical sales representative for multiple companies that conducted business with the Cleveland VA, to devise a scheme in which Precht would receive kickbacks and other items of value, in exchange for steering VA business and other monetary awards to Vitale.

In order to conceal his schemes, Precht provided false and misleading information to VA employees about reasons for ordering medical supplies and falsified patient records.  As a result, the Cleveland VA suffered a loss of $193,042.66.

Robert. A. Vitale pleaded guilty to a Bill of Information on October 13, 2021, for his role in the scheme.

The investigation was conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of the Inspector General, Cleveland and the Cleveland Division of the FBI.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian McDonough.

In commemoration of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio is announcing more than $3.3 million in grant funding awarded to programs in the District that address sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking in Northern Ohio communities.  This grant funding is awarded through the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).

The following is a brief description of the programs and recipients receiving awards.

Transitional Housing Assistance for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program (Transitional Housing Program).  Recipients include:

• Asian Service In Action, Inc., $475,000
• Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, $325,000

The Transitional Housing Program provides aid to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking who are homeless, or in need of transitional housing or other housing assistance, as a result of their victimization, and for whom emergency shelter services or other crisis intervention services are unavailable or insufficient.

Sexual Assault Services Culturally Specific Program (SAS Culturally Specific Program). Recipients include:

• Asian Service In Action, Inc., $475,000

The SAS Culturally Specific Program provides intervention and assistance to victims of sexual assault from culturally specific communities that confront unique challenges when seeking assistance, such as language and cultural barriers.

Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Grant Program. Recipients include:

• The Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, $800,000. 

The LAV program aims to increase the availability of civil and criminal legal assistance for adult and youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking by providing funds for legal services to victims in matters relating to or arising out of that abuse or violence.

Grants to Support Families in the Justice System program (referred to as the Justice for Families Program).  Recipients include:

• Community Legal Aid Service Inc, $650,000
• Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc. $650,000

The Justice for Families Program seeks to improve the response of the civil and criminal justice system to families with a history of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking or in cases involving allegations of child sexual abuse.

The Office on Violence Against Women provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation.  Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.  In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges.

Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.

To sign up for OVW alerts visit this webpage or follow OVW on Twitter @OVWJustice.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal jury has found Tashe Goins, 32, of Chicago, Illinois, guilty of possession with intent to distribute cocaine after a two-day trial.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on June 16, 2020, Goins was traveling from Chicago, IL to Pittsburgh, PA, when she was stopped by officers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSP) for a traffic violation on Interstate 80 in Trumbull County.  Officers identified Goins as the sole driver of the vehicle, and a police canine unit alerted officers to the presence of a narcotic odor coming from inside of the vehicle.  Officers then searched the vehicle and discovered approximately four kilograms of cocaine inside a blue suitcase.  Goins was arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

Goins will be sentenced on January 26, 2022.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by DEA and the Ohio State Patrol.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasmine Makridis and Bryson Gillard.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that former City of Cleveland Councilman Kenneth Johnson was sentenced today by Judge John R. Adams to six years imprisonment.  Johnson was found guilty by a jury on July 30, 2021, of conspiracy to commit federal program theft, federal program theft, aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, tampering with a witness and falsification of records in a federal investigation.

Garnell Jamison was also sentenced today by Judge Adams to five years imprisonment following his conviction on the same date of conspiracy to commit federal program theft, federal program theft, aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, tampering with a witness and falsification of records in a federal investigation.

In addition, Judge Adams ordered Johnson Jamison to pay total restitution in the amount of $746,839.38 to the IRS and HUD.

According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, from January of 2010 through October of 2018, Johnson and Jamison devised a scheme to induce the City of Cleveland to issue reimbursement checks to Johnson for Ward 4 services that were never actually performed. Court records established that during this time frame, the City issued $1,200 monthly expense reimbursement checks to Johnson totaling approximately $127,200.  Each reimbursement check from the City was deposited into Johnson’s personal bank account.

Johnson was also convicted of personally benefiting from federal Community Development Funds distributed to the Buckeye Shaker Square Development Corporation (BSSDC) from the City of Cleveland. From in or around December 2013 to in or around March 2018, prosecutors proved that the BSSDC issued approximately $50,000 in checks distributed to third-parties, which were later deposited or transferred the funds into bank accounts held or controlled by Johnson.  Federal regulations prohibited Johnson, or his family members, from personally benefiting from these funds.

Furthermore, for the calendar years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018, Johnson and Jamison submitted false and fraudulent Individual Income Tax Returns to the Internal Revenue Service.

Evidence and testimony during the trial proved that Johnson and Jamison knew that the returns fraudulently understated Johnson’s total income by failing to report additional income and by inflating the value of Johnson’s itemized deductions.

Johnson and Jamison were also convicted of attempting to persuade and influence the testimony of a grand jury witness by providing that person with false and fraudulent information and records purporting to document charitable donations made by Johnson and falsifying a donation receipt with the intent to impede, obstruct and influence an investigation.

This case was investigated by the Cleveland Division of the FBI, Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General and IRS-Criminal Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Seabury Gould and Megan R. Miller.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Jermell Toney, 35, of Toledo with one count of escape. 

According to court records, on September 17, 2021, the Defendant is accused of failing to report to a re-entry program required to complete the service of a 13-month federal prison sentence imposed for violation of supervised release.  The Defendant surrendered himself to the United States Marshals Service on September 28, 2021.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

The investigation was conducted by United States Marshals Service.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Deyana Unis.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging four individuals with making a false statement during the purchase of firearms and possession of firearms by a person with prior misdemeanor domestic violence conviction.

Named in the indictment are Miechelle Barnes, 28, Dawon Maddox, 39, both of Youngstown, Ohio, Richard May, 19, and Davontae McCall, 19, both of Pittsburgh.

The indictment alleges that on or about February 18, 2021, Barnes intentionally deceived a licensed firearms dealer by representing that she was purchasing several firearms for herself when in fact, she was purchasing the firearms for another individual. 

In addition, the indictment alleges that on or about April 23, 2021, Maddox illegally possessed three semiautomatic pistols.  Maddox is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2002 conviction for misdemeanor domestic violence.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, the Defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.

In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by ATF.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasmine Makridis.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Jonathan Donnell, 33, of Elyria, Ohio, was sentenced today by Judge John R. Adams to thirteen and a half years imprisonment after Donnell was found guilty by a jury of interference with commerce by robbery and using or carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

According to court records, on May 5, 2019, two masked men armed with handguns robbed a Marathon Gas on Huron Street in Elyria.  The intruders stole approximately $30,000 in cash and cigarettes and bound a store employee with zip ties.  Elyria Police Officers investigated the incident and later determined that Joseph Geiger and Michael Ward were responsible for the robbery.

While investigating the robbery, police learned that defendant Jonathan Donnell may also have been involved.  Through further investigating, police learned that Donnell was responsible for planning the robbery and provided the other two defendants with the tools necessary to carry it out, including the guns, zip ties and gloves.  Police further discovered that Donnell also drove both Ward and Geiger to a location near the robbery and was supposed to serve as the getaway driver; however, Donnell left before Ward and Geiger returned.

Joseph Geiger was sentenced by Judge Donald C. Nugent to thirteen years imprisonment for his role in the incident.

Michael Ward was sentenced by Judge Donald C. Nugent to nine years imprisonment for his role in the incident.

This case was investigated by the Elyria Police and the Cleveland FBI.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Zarzycki. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal jury has found Lawrence Dunbar, 28, of Cleveland, guilty of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession with the intent to distribute carfentanil, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute heroin.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on July 25, 2019, members of the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) responded to an apartment building in Cleveland to arrest Dunbar due to a warrant for violation of parole conditions and a second warrant for felonious assault.  Upon arrival, law enforcement officers detained Dunbar and searched the apartment.  Court documents state that in plain view in the master bedroom, officers identified a suspected bag of heroin and additional baggies on a nightstand. Other officers in the hallway observed a firearm in the living room under a couch.

Officers later obtained a warrant to search the apartment and located various amounts of suspected narcotics, including carfentanil, heroin, and cocaine, a 9mm pistol and ammunition, various drug paraphernalia, mixing tools, safety equipment, packaging and distribution materials, digital scales and several cell phones.

At the time of the arrest, Dunbar was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple previous convictions of felony offenses such as drug trafficking, drug possession, attempted felonious assault and more in the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

Dunbar is scheduled to be sentenced on January 27, 2022, before Judge Donald C. Nugent.

This case was investigated by the NOVFTF and the ATF.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam J. Joines and Margaret A. Kane.

October 3 through October 9 is recognized as National Community Policing Week in the United States.  During this week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio encourages residents and law enforcement to recommit to building relationships and increasing trust between law enforcement and those they serve.

Community policing is the practice of law enforcement professionals working side-by-side with members of their communities to keep neighborhoods safe.  This strategy is a critical and proven tool used by law enforcement agencies across the United States to improve public safety and forge strong, valuable relationships.  A successful community policing plan recognizes the role that both community members and law enforcement officers play in advancing public safety.

In Cleveland, the Department of Justice and the City of Cleveland entered into an agreement to, among other objectives, implement a community and problem-oriented policing plan.  This plan relies upon partnerships between law enforcement and the community to proactively address public safety issues.  All members of the Cleveland Division of Police are responsible for engaging in community and problem-oriented policing to strengthen the bonds between the community and law enforcement.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is asking law enforcement agencies and all community members to commemorate the week by recognizing similar ways to improve public safety, build trust and strengthen community relationships.

To support community policing efforts, the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) announced over $33 million in funding to advance the practice of community policing in law enforcement, including a $250,000 grant to the City of Cleveland for the implementation of Crisis Intervention Teams.  Community Policing Development (CPD) program funds are used to support promising practices through the development and testing of innovative strategies; building knowledge about effective practices and outcomes; and supporting new, creative approaches to preventing crime and promoting safe communities.

Additionally, to commemorate Community Policing Week, The COPS Office announced the launch of the eighth annual “Community Policing in Action” Photo Contest.  The contest, piloted in 2014, has received widespread support from law enforcement for providing a platform that visually demonstrates community policing and emphasizes the importance of building and maintaining relationships with community members.

The COPS Office will select 12 winning photos to be featured on the COPS Office website and its Twitter and Facebook headers for one month during the 2022 calendar year.  The winners will also be featured in the COPS Office newsletter, the Community Policing Dispatch, as well as in a COPS Office-issued press release.

The submission deadline is Tuesday, November 2, 2021, at 8 PM ET.

For more information about the COPS office, grant opportunities and the  photo contest, visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Joe L. Fletcher III, 33, of Akron, with one count of escape. 

According to the indictment, on or about August 18, 2021, the Defendant allegedly escaped from custody in the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center.  The Defendant was detained pending trial for charges of felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.  The Defendant was apprehended by law enforcement officers with the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force on August 20, 2021. 

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

The investigation was conducted by the ATF, USMS Violent Fugitive Task Force and Akron Police Department.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter E. Daly.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment charging Aaron J. Gaines, age 39, whose last known address was in Akron, Ohio, with interference with commerce by robbery, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, attempted carjacking, carjacking and felon in possession of a firearm.

According to the indictment, on or about January 25, 2021, the Defendant is accused of brandishing a firearm, threatening store employees and robbing a convenience store on Arlington Street in Akron.  Additionally, the Defendant is accused of discharging a firearm in an attempt to carjack a vehicle and brandishing a firearm in a second, successful attempt to carjack another vehicle.

The Defendant is also charged as a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The Defendant is accused of knowingly possessing a 9mm semiautomatic pistol and ammunition, while prohibited due to previous convictions of aggravated burglary and kidnapping in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Akron Police Department.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Peter E. Daly and Toni Beth Schnellinger Feisthamel.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Darryl Borden, 43, of Cleveland, was sentenced today by Judge Patricia A. Gaughan to 57 months imprisonment after Borden pleaded guilty in May of 2021 to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court records, on July 20, 2020, Cleveland Police Officers responded to a residence after a woman called police, stating that Borden was threatening her with a gun.  Officers met the woman outside of the home and were told that Borden was upstairs with a firearm.

Officers entered the residence, announced themselves as police officers, and attempted to search a bathroom.  The officers encountered Borden waiting in the bathroom with a weapon drawn and pointed.  Borden fired his weapon, and one officer returned fire.  One police officer was injured during the gunfire exchange.

Cleveland Police SWAT responded to the scene for a barricaded suspect, and Borden was taken into custody.  A handgun with five spent rounds and one live round was recovered from inside the bathroom. 

Borden is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous convictions for robbery, burglary and sexual battery in the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

Borden’s sentence will run consecutively with his sentence in the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

This case was investigated by the ATF and the Cleveland Division of Police.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Zarzycki. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that on September 28, 2021, U.S. Judge Jack Zouhary sentenced Robert Escobar, 51, of Toledo, Ohio, to 25 years imprisonment after Escobar pleaded guilty in February of 2021 to three counts of possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance.

According to court records, on separate occasions between March and October of 2019, DEA investigators used a confidential informant to make numerous controlled drug buys from Escobar of substances later determined to contain cocaine and a fentanyl-heroin mixture. 

During one of these controlled buys, Escobar remarked to the informant on the potency of the narcotics that he sells, saying, “I’m tellin’ you it’s going to kill ‘em.”  On another occasion, Escobar described to the informant two different types of narcotics that he sells, naming them “Maserati” and “XXX,” both of which were marked on packages later seized.

On October 8, 2019, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at four different residences associated with Escobar and seized almost two kilograms of mixtures containing heroin, approximately three kilograms of mixtures containing fentanyl and over three kilograms of mixtures containing valeryl fentanyl.  In addition, agents seized narcotics packaging materials and narcotics proceeds from all four locations.

Court records state that during the execution of a search warrant of an address on N. Michigan Avenue, in addition to the narcotics seized, investigators also confiscated 21 empty kilogram packages, blenders, scales, a vacuum sealer, cutting agents and a respirator type mask.  Escobar was arrested following the execution of the search warrants. 

The charges in the indictment Escobar pleaded guilty to each carried a penalty enhancement due to Escobar’s previous felony drug conviction in 2001 of conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute.

This investigation was conducted by the DEA Toledo Task Force and the Toledo Police Department Vice Unit. The Task Force includes representatives of the DEA, Perrysburg Township Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Wauseon Police Department, Sylvania Police Department, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Sandusky Police Department and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The Toledo Police Department SWAT team also assisted.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alissa M. Sterling, James L. Morford and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley A. Futrell.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Jackie Mitchell Jr., 29, of Akron, was sentenced on September 22, 2021, by Judge Benita Y. Pearson to a term of 15 years imprisonment after Mitchell pleaded guilty in June of 2021 to felon in possession of firearm and possession of an unregistered short-barrel shotgun.  

According to court records, on October 21, 2020, Akron Police responded to a call for a domestic violence incident involving shots fired at a residence.  Upon arrival, police determined that Mitchell had fired multiple shots from a firearm during the incident.  Mitchell fought with the responding police officers at the scene and was subsequently arrested.  Police then recovered several firearms from the residence that belonged to Mitchell, including an unregistered short-barrel shotgun, two pistols, two rifles and miscellaneous ammunition.

Mitchell is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior convictions of domestic violence, assault and drug trafficking.  Mitchell has four prior domestic violence convictions in the Summit County Common Pleas Court.   These previous convictions qualified Mitchell to be sentenced as an Armed Career Criminal.

This investigation was conducted by the ATF and the Akron Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron P. Howell.

An Ohio man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), and attempting to commit a hate crime, for planning an attack on a synagogue in the Toledo, Ohio area.

Damon M. Joseph, aka Abdullah Ali Yusuf, 23, of Holland, Ohio, pleaded guilty in May 2021. According to court documents, in 2018, Joseph drew the attention of law enforcement by posting photographs of weapons and various messages in support of ISIS on his social media accounts, as well as a photograph originally distributed by the media wing of ISIS.

“Inspired by ISIS, Damon Joseph planned to conduct a deadly terrorist attack at a synagogue in Ohio.  He hoped to cause mass casualties by selecting a time when numerous innocent victims would be present.  For this conduct, he will now spend 20 years in prison,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Mark J. Lesko of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. "We are committed to identifying, disrupting, and holding accountable individuals who seek to engage in such attacks.  I commend the agents, analysts, and prosecutors who identified the threat posed by this defendant and took action to protect the public from his plans.”

“The defendant planned to cause significant harm to members of the Toledo, Ohio, Jewish community by carrying out a violent federal hate crime,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence should send a strong message that those who target people with violence because of their religion, will be held to account. The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute individuals who use violence to attack our religious communities.”

“Today, Damon Joseph was sentenced to 20 years of incarceration and a lifetime term of supervised release for attempting to support ISIS through violent attacks on Jewish congregants, including children, and any first responders who sought to protect and assist them,” said U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan of the Northern District of Ohio. “It is difficult to conceive of a more heinous plot, let alone reconcile that this plot involved violating our country’s solemn obligation to protect the civil rights of every person in an effort to support a foreign terrorist organization. This case should serve as a reminder to anyone considering a similar path: the Department of Justice remains committed to bringing every person who supports a foreign terrorist organization or commits a hate crime to justice.”

“In a matter of months, Damon Joseph progressed from a self-radicalized, virtual jihadist to planning an actual attack on fellow Americans,” said Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith of the FBI’s Cleveland Field Office. “Mr. Joseph will now serve time behind bars for his actions. In the name of ISIS, Joseph planned a mass-casualty attack against citizens simply wanting to attend their desired houses of worship, which were two Toledo-area synagogues. Joseph's terroristic actions are antithetical to a just and free society, and he will serve a lengthy sentence as a result. The FBI would like to remind the public to remain vigilant so we can continue to thwart these types of threats together."

Beginning in September 2018, Joseph engaged in a series of online conversations with several undercover FBI agents where he repeatedly stated and affirmed his support for ISIS and produced propaganda which he believed was to be used for ISIS recruitment efforts.

Over the next few weeks, Joseph stated to an undercover agent that he wanted to participate in an attack on behalf of ISIS. On Dec. 2, 2018, Joseph forwarded a document to the agent that laid out his plans for such an attack on “Jews who support state of Israel.” Joseph then stated that he did not necessarily see this as “a martyrdom operation” as his plan accounted for an escape and potential combat with law enforcement.

On Dec. 4, Joseph met with an undercover FBI agent and discussed conducting a mass shooting at a synagogue. Joseph identified two synagogues in the greater Toledo area as potential targets and discussed the types of weapons he believed would inflict mass casualties. Joseph made written notes about the firearms he wanted and provided them to the undercover agent, stating he wanted AR 15s, AK 47, Glock handguns and ammunition.

On Dec. 6, Joseph again met with an undercover agent to discuss his plans. Joseph stated specifically that he wanted to kill a rabbi and wrote the name and address of the synagogue where the attack was to occur and stated that he had conducted research to determine when the Jewish sabbath was so that more people would be present.

Later that day, the undercover agent told Joseph that he had purchased rifles for the attack. The two met on Dec. 7 at a predetermined location, where Joseph took possession of a black duffel bag containing two semi-automatic rifles, which had been rendered inoperable by law enforcement officers so that they posed no danger to the public. Joseph was then arrested.

The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, comprised of over 50 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Baeppler and Jerome Teresinski of the Northern District of Ohio and Trial Attorneys Alexandra Hughes and Joshua Champagne of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, as well as AeJean Cha of the Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal jury found Cleveland City Councilman Kenneth Johnson, 75, guilty of all 15-counts charged in an indictment related to two federal program theft schemes Johnson organized and executed while serving as Ward 4 Councilman in the City of Cleveland.  Garnell Jamison, 62, was also convicted of 11-counts for his role and participation in one of the schemes.

Following a seven-day trial, Johnson was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to commit federal program theft; six counts of federal program theft; five counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns; one count of tampering with a witness and one count of falsification of records in a federal investigation.

Jamison was convicted of 11-counts, including federal program theft, aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, tampering with a witness and falsification of records in a federal investigation.  Jamison worked for the City of Cleveland as Johnson’s Executive Assistant, a position he held for over 20 years.

Johnson and Jamison were indicted by a grand jury on February 18, 2021. 

Evidence presented at trial established that from January of 2010 through October of 2018, Johnson and Jamison devised a scheme to induce the City of Cleveland to issue reimbursement checks to Johnson for Ward 4 services that were never actually performed. Court records established that during this time frame, the City issued $1,200 monthly expense reimbursement checks to Johnson totaling approximately $127,200.  Each reimbursement check from the City was deposited into Johnson’s personal bank account.

Additionally, Johnson was convicted of personally benefiting from federal Community Development Funds distributed to the Buckeye Shaker Square Development Corporation (BSSDC) from the City of Cleveland. From in or around December 2013 to in or around March 2018, prosecutors proved that the BSSDC issued approximately $50,000 in checks distributed to third-parties, which were later deposited or transferred the funds into bank accounts held or controlled by Johnson.  Federal regulations prohibited Johnson, or his family members, from personally benefiting from these funds.

Furthermore, prosecutors proved that for calendar years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018, Johnson and Jamison submitted false and fraudulent Individual Income Tax Returns to the Internal Revenue Service.  Court evidence and testimony proved that Johnson and Jamison knew that the returns were false and fraudulent in that each return understated Johnson’s total income by failing to report additional income and by inflating the value of Johnson’s itemized deductions.

Lastly, Johnson and Jamison were convicted of attempting to persuade and influence the testimony of a grand jury witness by providing that person with false and fraudulent information and records purporting to document charitable donations made by Johnson.  In addition, Johnson and Jamison falsified a donation receipt with the intent to impede, obstruct and influence an investigation.

Johnson and Jamison will be sentenced on October 8, 2021.

This case was investigated by the Cleveland Division of the FBI, Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General and IRS-Criminal Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Seabury Gould and Megan R. Miller.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that two Tampa, Florida men were sentenced today by U.S. Judge Pamela A. Barker for operating a “Grandparent Scam” that targeted elderly victims in the Northern District of Ohio and elsewhere and caused victims a combined total loss of $383,932.

John Tyler Pla, 25, was sentenced to 37 months imprisonment, and Johnny Lee Palmer, 26, was sentenced to 33 months imprisonment.  Both Pla and Palmer were also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $383,932 to their victims.  Pla and Palmer both previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.

According to court records, from July 20, 2020, to August 28, 2020, Pla and Palmer orchestrated a “Grandparent Scam” that targeted elderly victims in Northern Ohio cities, including Brecksville, Parma, Gates Mills, Lorain, Mansfield, Fairview Park, Westlake and Mentor.

Other members of the scheme would call elderly victims pretending to be a relative or an attorney for that relative and claim that the family member had been arrested and, as a result, required money for bail.  A member of the scheme would then arrange with the victim to collect the money through a purported “courier.”  Instead, Pla or Palmer would travel to the victim’s residence and collect the money. 

The investigation was conducted by the Cleveland Division of the FBI and the Westlake Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian McDonough.       

If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).  This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps.  Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis.  Reporting is the first step.  Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses.  The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. eastern time. English, Spanish and other languages are available.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal jury found William R. Bauer, 84, of Port Clinton, Ohio, guilty of prescribing powerful controlled substances, including opioids, to patients without medical necessity and outside the usual course of medical practice.

Following a two-week trial, Bauer was convicted on Wednesday, July 21, 2021, of 76 counts of distribution of controlled substances and 25 counts of health care fraud.  Bauer was initially indicted in August of 2019, and a superseding indictment was filed in October of 2019. The indictment was amended again in June of 2021.

Evidence presented at trial established that between 2015 and 2019, Bauer, at his practice in Bellevue, Ohio, repeatedly prescribed controlled substances including Oxycodone, Fentanyl,  Morphine, and Tramadol, outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.  The indictment focused on Bauer’s treatment of 14 patients.  The evidence presented at trial showed that Bauer prescribed high doses of opioids and other controlled substances to patients without regard to any improvement in pain level, function, or quality of life; prescribed dangerous drug combinations; failed to consider a patient’s state of addiction and ignored warning signs of abuse and diversion such as patient family members stealing medications, patients frequently requesting early refills, patients losing medications and other actions.

Bauer was also convicted of health care fraud.  Evidence introduced at trial established that Bauer regularly administered epidural injections and trigger point injections, without medical necessity, that failed to meet certain procedural requirements.  Because these injections failed to meet the procedural requirements, they were rendered ineffective and were fraudulently billed to insurers.  Evidence at trial also showed that between January 2007 and August 16, 2019, Bauer prescribed controlled substances outside the usual course of medical practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose, thus resulting in insurers paying for medically unnecessary controlled substances.

Sentencing will be determined at a later date.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ava R. Dustin, Michael A. Sullivan, Robert N. Melching and Payum Doroodian.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that two Romanian nationals were charged in a twelve-count indictment, unsealed in federal court today, stemming from their roles in an international criminal network, whose members engaged in a wide-ranging online auction fraud scheme that targeted victims in the Northern District of Ohio and elsewhere in the United States.

Costel Alecu, 37, of Bucharest, Romania, and Madalin Ghinea, 34, of Alexandria, Romania, are both charged in the indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, eight counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit service marks, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of aggravated identity theft.  Alecu and Ghinea were arrested by Romanian authorities in March of 2021.

The indictment alleges that beginning in July of 2008 through August of 2020, Alecu, Ghinea and others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, devised a scheme to entice victims in the United States and elsewhere to purchase items online, including vehicles and other high-value items, that did not exist and to obtain the personal identifying information of their victims.  As a result, victims suffered a combined loss of approximately $9 million USD. 

To conduct their scheme, Alecu and other members of the conspiracy created accounts on various auction websites to post advertisements for goods that did not exist.  In certain cases, Alecu and others allegedly created and used fictitious websites, email addresses and other forms of communication that contained counterfeit trademark information designed to convince their victims that the advertisements were genuine.  Furthermore, it is alleged that the group used a number of fraudulent online communication templates and email addresses intended to deceive victims into believing that they were communicating with legitimate business representatives, when in fact, they were speaking with a member of the conspiracy.

The indictment states that around August of 2014, Alecu and Ghinea exchanged a number of these fraudulent communication templates and the personal identifying information of their victims for use in the scheme to defraud.   

Alecu and others allegedly used a network of money launderers and money mules to obtain payment from their victims and transfer the funds overseas.

Additionally, the indictment alleges that Alecu and other members of the group used the stolen personal identifying information of their victims, credit cards and bank accounts to launder money overseas and fund the operation of their network by purchasing items such as Virtual Private Networks and domain names.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, the Defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.

In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

This case was investigated by the Cleveland FBI with help from authorities in Romania.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Duncan T. Brown and Brian S. Deckert of the Northern District of Ohio and Senior Counsel Timothy Flowers of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Robert D. McWilliams, 41, of Strongsville, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court today to two counts of sex trafficking of a minor, three counts of sexual exploitation of a child, and one count each of transportation of child pornography, receipt and distribution of visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possession of child pornography.

According to court documents, beginning in 2017 and continuing to 2019, McWilliams solicited sexually explicit images of minors online and engaged in sexual acts with minor victims in exchange for alcohol and other things of value.  McWilliams used multiple fake personas, including a teenage girl, and several social media mobile applications to contact his minor victims.  McWilliams knew some of the victims through his time in the seminary with the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland at a parish where the children and their families were affiliated. 

Posing as a female, McWilliams enticed three minor victims to send sexually explicit photographs and videos, sometimes threatening to expose embarrassing information McWilliams already knew about the victims if they did not send such images.  When some victims refused to send additional images, McWilliams followed through on his threats and sent sexually explicit photographs to the victims’ mothers.

In addition, McWilliams used the social networking website Grindr.com to make contact with a minor victim for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex.  McWilliams then enticed this minor victim to identify another minor victim with whom McWilliams could engage in commercial sex acts.  McWilliams met the victims on multiple occasions for the purpose of engaging in sex acts in exchange for money and alcohol.

McWilliams was also in possession of an HP laptop computer and an external hard drive that contained hundreds of images and videos of child pornography.  Further investigation revealed McWilliams had a Dropbox cloud storage account where he stored approximately 150 image and video files of child pornography.  McWilliams downloaded these image files from the internet and stored them in various folders on his computer devices. 

McWilliams is scheduled to be sentenced on November 9, 2021 and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case was investigated by the Geauga County Prosecutor’s Office with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children (“ICAC”) Task Force.  James Flaiz, the Geauga County Prosecutor, is an assigned Special Assistant U.S. Attorney on this matter.  The case is being prosecuted by Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging Robert Bearden, 49, of Chesterland, Ohio, with three counts of wire fraud and one count of theft of government funds.

According to the indictment, in July of 2020, the Defendant allegedly devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, including approximately $60,000 in loans identified in the indictment.

The indictment states that the Defendant allegedly carried out the scheme in a number of ways including, submitting EIDL applications through the SBA’s online application portal that contained false information about existing and non-existing businesses; submitting fraudulent EIDL applications in the name of third parties in return for a kickback of a portion of the funds received and by using the personal identifying information of persons interested in obtaining government pandemic assistance to submit loan applications on their behalf that ultimately went into accounts controlled by the Defendant. 

Furthermore, the indictment identifies three fraudulent EIDL loans for a total of approximately $60,000 that the Defendant applied for in July of 2020.  After receiving a fraudulent loan in his own name, the Defendant recruited a purported third-party borrower only to use the third party’s information to obtain a $12,300 loan issued not to the third party’s account but to the Defendant’s own account.  In another instance, the Defendant obtained a $34,800 loan for another third party in exchange for a $6,000 kickback. 

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, the Defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.

In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

This investigation was conducted by the FBI and the IRS – Criminal Investigations.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliot Morrison and Brian M. McDonough.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across the government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud.  The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. 

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

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a Kirtland couple was sentenced by U.S. Judge Christopher A. Boyko to 18 months imprisonment after both pleaded guilty to bribery of a former city of Cleveland demolition official. 

Joseph Tucceri, III, 75, and Gwen Tucceri, 61, were both sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, two years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $114,422 to the IRS.

According to court records, the Tucceris owned and operated “R Demolition,” a business that provided demolition and construction services in the Cleveland area.  From December of 2016 through May of 218, the Tucceris provided things of value, including more than $1,600 in cash payments, to Rufus Taylor, the former Chief of the Demolition Bureau for the city of Cleveland, in return for expedited service and favorable treatment regarding work performed by R Demolition on contracts within the city of Cleveland.  

Additionally, Joseph and Gwen Tucceri submitted false income tax returns that underreported their income for the years 2015, 2016, and 2017.  As a result, the returns understated the full amount of taxes owed.

Rufus Taylor was sentenced in June of 2021 to 21 months imprisonment for his role in the scheme.

This case was investigated by the Cleveland Division of the FBI, Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General and IRS-Criminal Investigation.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea S. Rice and Elliot D. Morrison.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that William Mangelluzzi, 48, of Gates Mills, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court today to a Bill of Information charging him for his role in a conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and attempted income tax evasion.

According to court documents, Mangelluzzi, together with Thomas Reed, 48, of Kirtland Hills, Ohio, and others, owned and operated an illegal gambling business in the Northern District of Ohio.  Court records state that Mangelluzzi, a former gambling client of Reed, conspired together with Reed and others in order to conceal the proceeds of the gambling business and make them appear legitimate.  In addition, Mangelluzzi deposited large sums of cash into bank accounts and conducted other transactions with Reed and others in order to evade income tax liability.

Reed previously pleaded guilty to a Bill of Information for his role in the conspiracy.

Mangelluzzi’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations.  This case is being prosecuted by Criminal Chief Robert Bulford and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandro Abreu. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging Wayne Robert Banks, Jr., 48, of Toledo, Ohio, with the destruction of a vessel, deposit of refuse in navigable waters, obstruction of navigable waters and failure to mark or light a sunken vessel.

According to the indictment, on October 29, 2020, the Defendant willfully sunk and destroyed a  24’ Reinell boat within navigable channels of the Maumee River.  The indictment further charges that the Defendant failed to immediately mark the sunken craft with a buoy, beacon or light.  The Defendant is also accused of disposing of refuse materials, including bottles, electronic equipment, batteries, cardboard and other garbage in the Maumee River.

If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation was conducted by the Coast Guard Investigative Service under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Edward L. Songer, Detroit, Michigan.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jody L. King.

Akron General Health System (AGHS), a regional hospital system based in Akron, Ohio, will pay $21.25 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act of improper relationships with certain referring physicians, resulting in the submission of false claims to the Medicare program. AGHS was acquired at the end of 2015 by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (Clinic) through a full member substitution agreement. 

This settlement resolves allegations that between August 2010 and March 2016, AGHS paid compensation substantially in excess of fair market value to area physician groups to secure their referrals of patients, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Physician Self-Referral Law, and then submitted claims for services provided to these illegally referred patients, in violation of the False Claims Act. The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid and other federally funded programs.

The Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly known as the Stark Law, prohibits a hospital from billing Medicare for certain services referred by physicians with whom the hospital has an improper financial arrangement, including the payment of compensation that exceeds the fair market value of the services actually provided by the physician. The Clinic voluntarily disclosed to the government its concerns with these compensation arrangements, which were put in place by AGHS’s prior leadership, and received credit for its cooperation in the resolution reached by the parties. 

“Improper payments to physicians for referrals threaten the integrity of our health care system and deprive patients of the independent medical decision making that they deserve,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department is committed to upholding these important interests and to pursuing providers who engage in improper financial arrangements.”

“Medical decisions should be made with a patient’s best interest in mind rather than an illegal financial agreement,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan for the Northern District of Ohio. “This office is committed to taking appropriate action to ensure the integrity of federal healthcare programs.”

“Physicians must make referrals and other medical decisions based on what is best for patients, not to serve profit-boosting business arrangements,” said Special Agent in Charge Lamont Pugh III of HHS-OIG. “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to protect taxpayer-funded federal health care programs as well as patients.”

The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Beverly Brouse, the former Director of Internal Audit at AGHS, and Ethical Solutions LLC. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Brouse et al. v. Akron General Health System, Inc. et al., No. 5:15-cv-2720 (N.D. Ohio). 

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch and Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, HHS-OIG, and the FBI.

The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

The matter was investigated by Trial Attorney Christopher Wilson of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia M. Fitzgerald.

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

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that an indictment was unsealed today charging Sa’Shanna Estell, 26, of Cleveland, Ohio, with theft of mail by a postal employee.

According to the indictment, between July and September of 2020, the Defendant, a United States Postal Services mail processing associate, knowingly removed from and stole from the mail a $3,870 cashier’s check, eight gift cards totaling approximately $330, an Apple iPad, a smartwatch, a pair of Reebok shoes, other clothing, two packages of THC edibles and $76 in cash. 

In total, Estell is estimated to have stolen $4,594.67.

If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

This investigation was conducted by the Cleveland Resident Office of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrea Isabella.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that William D. Schaffer, 53, of Wellington, was sentenced today to nine years imprisonment and five years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Patricia A. Gaughan.  Schaffer previously pleaded guilty to transportation of child pornography, possession of child pornography and receipt and distribution of visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. 

As set out in court documents, law enforcement officers with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at the residence belonging to Schaffer on June 30, 2020, after receiving information from Yahoo! that an email address associated with Schaffer had been used to upload images of child pornography.  Upon entering the residence, law enforcement officers encountered Schaffer and located his laptop, which was, at the time, displaying two images of child pornography.   

After searching the rest of the residence, law enforcement officers seized numerous laptop computers, hard drives and iPhone devices belonging to Schaffer.  A forensic search of the devices found in the residence and online accounts belonging to Schaffer showed that he had amassed a collection of 2,267 images and 257 videos of child pornography.  In addition, investigators determined that Schaffer had used a mobile messaging application to trade images of child pornography with others and amassed a large collection in a cloud storage account.  

This investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik.

“The importance of diversity of thought and experiences to the police reform process cannot be overstated,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan.  “Professor Ayesha Bell Hardaway was an integral part of this dialogue, bringing a unique combination of local knowledge and legal expertise.  Her presence on the Monitoring Team facilitated the progress and successes we have seen to date, and we were disappointed to learn of her resignation.”
 

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Derrick Murphy, 38, of Toledo, Ohio, with sex trafficking and transportation of a minor.

In April 2021, law enforcement officers received information regarding the sexual exploitation of a minor victim in the Toledo and Detroit areas by an individual later identified as the Defendant.  After investigating the information, investigators were able to identify the minor victim and rescue her. 

The Defendant was arrested on April 27, 2021.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, the Defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.

In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Toledo Resident Agency.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Ballard Tangeman.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Michael Sloan, 26, of Cleveland, with explosive destruction of property.

According to court documents, on May 30, 2020, it is alleged that the Defendant maliciously began a fire inside Rebol Restaurant, located on 101 West Superior Ave in Cleveland.

The affidavit in support of the criminal complaint states that, following the events that occurred in downtown Cleveland on May 30, 2020, investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began to review surveillance camera footage from that day.  While examining the footage, investigators observed a subject, later identified as the Defendant, allegedly enter Rebol Restaurant, start a fire, place additional fuel on the fire and then exit the restaurant.  Police officers arrived moments later to extinguish the fire.

The following day, the affidavit states that investigators determined the fire to be incendiary and caused by an open flame applied to combustibles.  Investigators identified the Defendant as the subject who allegedly caused the fire thanks, in part, to tips received from the public after images and video were released to the media.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, the Defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.

In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

This investigation was conducted by the ATF with the help of the Cleveland Police Department.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Joines.